A Lesson In Love
Chapter 10: Lost Loves Found PART A--- part B coming tomorrow
By Marisa Price
marisa@value.net


        Ryouga opened his eyes. She was still there. He reached
his hand over to his arm and pinched. It didn't hurt much, but enough
to make him realize that this wasn't some hunger-induced fantasy. The
REAL Akari was there in his arms, smiling up at him.
        Akari pulled back a bit from Ryouga and stared at him with
glowing eyes. She said softly, "Ryouga-sama... I am so glad to see
you."
        "A...a...ak..akari..." was all Ryouga could get out.
        She stepped back at looked at him, and then started to
giggle and said, "You are so filthy, Ryouga-sama! Why don't we get
you inside and clean you up?"
        Ryouga, still stupefied, merely nodded and allowed the 
adorable girl to take his hand and lead him inside her little home.

****

        "How long has he been gone now?" Ranma wondered out loud as
he scrubbed a particularly dirty spot on one of the dishes he was 
cleaning.
        Ukyou took the dish after Ranma had finished cleaning it and
dunked it in the cool rinse water. She said, sharply, as she rinsed 
the dish, "Almost two weeks now."
        "Really?"
        "Really."
        Ranma muttered as he started on the next dish, "Geeze. I mean,
I KNOW the poor idiot gets lost, but even HE isn't usually gone for
this long."
        Ukyou turned and glared at Ranma and said, "Well, if it hadn't
been for Akane, he never would have run off. He might NEVER come back
this time."
        "Well, he did deserve it. I was surprised Akane wasn't more
upset... I figured she was gonna kill him," Ranma said, looking at
Ukyou in surprise.
        "Maybe it would have been kinder," Ukyou said softly.
        "What was that?" Ranma asked, staring blankly at Ukyou.
        "Ranchan," Ukyou said softly, "You just don't understand how
much rejection hurts, do you?" She set the dish she was drying 
carefully in the rack and turned to wipe her hands before adding,
"Imagine what it would have been like if Akane had told you that
she didn't love you and had never loved you... Imagine how I felt
when you told me you loved AKANE and not me."
        "Ucchan..." Ranma said softly, reaching out to place his hand
on her shoulder.
        She pulled away and said sharply, "Don't! You don't understand!
You will NEVER understand!"
        Ranma got angry and shouted, "Well I wasn't sneaking around
sleepin with a girl who had no idea her pet pig turned into a guy!!!
Dontcha think THAT was wrong? Dontcha you think he DESERVED her hatred!
He violated her trust and his honor!! And STILL she was NICE to him!!
Sure, maybe I won't ever understand what rejection feels like, but I
know enough to know that Ryouga deserved what he got!!"
        Ukyou stiffened and added, "Well you never got what you deserved
Ranma, and your honor was pretty thin too. I mean, you never wanted 
either Shampoo or I, yet it took you a whole YEAR to tell us, all the
time letting us believe we had a CHANCE!!"
        "I...I...!" Ranma's face reddened.
        "You WHAT...?" Ukyou asked fiercely.
        "I wasn't ever sure how I felt... and I didn't want to lose either
of you. You're both such good friends..." Ranma said quietly, hanging his
head.
        For once, Ranma looked contrite and sad, his heart heavy
from having to choose between people he cared about.
        Ukyou's heart melted.
        She put her arms around Ranma and gave him a quick hug. She said,
"I'm sorry, Ranchan... I didn't mean to snap at you. I... I... I guess
I just feel bad for Ryouga... and..." She gave a soft chuckle, "Maybe I
even miss him a bit too."
        Ranma looked at her and said, "I know. I am sorry too. I don't
always think before I say things. The guy has to be hurting... I just
hope the poor slob is okay."
        Ukyou pulled her arms away from Ranma and went back to rinsing
the dishes; she gazed out the window at the setting sun and thought,
"I hope so too... Ryouga, wherever you are, I hope someone is looking
after you... you need it!"

********

        Ryouga sighed as he relaxed in front of the T.V. He had changed
temporarily into some of Akari's grandfather's clean work clothes and
straightened himself up a bit. Akari had promised that she would heat
up the bath (which was old fashioned and wood-heated) after she made
them some dinner. He could hear her happily humming to herself in the
kitchen.
        Akari's grandfather had gone into town to buy some supplies and
to pick up the mail, and she said that he wouldn't be back until later
that evening. Ryouga looked over at Katsunishiki who leaned against the
wall watching the T.V. also. Ryouga shuddered a bit-- it was strange
having a giant sumo-wrestling pig in this close proximity. In 
fact, due to his curse and the unfortunate experiences he had in
his early transformations, pigs generally gave him a slightly
disconcerted feeling.
        He turned back to the T.V., stretching his arms and legs
out to practice while he watched. It was some boring anime show
about magical girls, but there wasn't much else. Akari only
received two stations out here in the country.
        Ryouga leaned over to stretch when he suddenly felt a
soft hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Akari 
smiling at him, dressed in a pink apron with a small pig 
embroidered on it.
        She said brightly, "Dinner is ready, Ryouga-sama!"
        He smiled at her and stood, following her to the
table. They both sat down and Ryouga gaped at the vast 
feast she had prepared... and began to eat like a man starved
(which of course he was, after a week with little or no food.)
        Akari ate daintily, smiling at Ryouga, knowing that
there would not be much conversation until he had his fill.
        A bit later, Ryouga sighed and wiped his mouth. He 
grinned a toothy grin at Akari and said, "Boy. That was 
WONDERFUL, Akari!!"
        She smiled sweetly at him and said, "I am so glad
you enjoyed it... Ryouga...sama..."
        Her soft voice and intense look made his heart stop and
he blushed furiously. 
        Noticing Ryouga was flustered, Akari decided to try a
different tact and asked, "So, why are you here? It had been
so long since I had heard from you I thought you had forgotten
about your pen-pal out here in the country."
        Ryouga flushed again and managed to get out, "N..nn...no!!
I...I...I have just been busy. We had to go to China, and Akane
almost died, and then they almost got married..."
        Akari clasped her hands together and her eyes glowed. She
said, happily, "Ranma and Akane got married? They admitted they
care about each other?"
        Ryouga's face fell at her cheerfulness and his chest 
tightened with the memory of Akane before he ran away from Nerima,
the sadness and anger in her face. He said brokenly, "No... they
didn't get married yet, but they admitted that they care for
each other..."
        Akari smiled and said, "Well that is wonderful!"
        Ryouga sighed and responded, "Yeah... wonderful."
        Akari noticed that Ryouga looked a bit crestfallen and 
wondered what was wrong. Then she realized how tired he must
be after his journey and decided that must be the problem.
She stood and walked over to take his hand, pulling him to 
his feet. She smiled up at Ryouga and said,  "You must be
tired. Let's get you into that bath... And then put you
to bed. Grandfather will be home soon and I am sure you can
share his room..."
        Ryouga flushed at the thought of where he might stay
if Akari's grandfather did not want him to share his room.
Ryouga then whacked himself in the head and reminded himself
not to be stupid.
        He followed Akari outside to the bath and flushed when
she sat down and seemed to wait.
        Ryouga turned too look at her and asked, surprised,
"What are you waiting for?"
        Akari said happily, "Just waiting for you to get in!
I will scrub your back Ryouga-sama!"
        Ryouga turned bright red and his eyes practically
popped out of their sockets. He said, horrified, "Wha...what?!"
        Akari giggled and said, "OK, OK. I see that it makes
you nervous. I will wait inside until you are undressed. Just
give me a yell when you are in and I will come back out."
        Ryouga watched her walk back into the house and stood
there stupefied for a few moments before quickly stripping off
his clothes and sinking down into the tub.
        He didn't quite know what to do... she might be offended
if he didn't call her to help him, but he felt really uncomfortable
about it. Ryouga sighed.
        It was so... strange... being at Akari's house with HER. 
Just like he had dreamed about for so long. He had meant to 
instantly grab her and kiss her and admit his love. Why hadn't
he done that yet? He sat up in the tub and focused his resolve.
He WOULD tell her. Tonight. There was no obstacle anymore. Akane
was with Ranma...
        He said, clearly, "Akari... you can come back out."
        Akari appeared after a few moments, sponges and brushes
and towels in her hands. She said cheerfully, "Ok Ryouga-sama!
We are going to make you look wonderful!!"
        He looked at her as she came towards him, she was so 
bright and beautiful. She was sweet and kind and loved him. How
could he have ever looked at anyone else?
        Akari began to scrub Ryouga's back and he sank forward
on his arms, enjoying the feeling. Her soft hands and the sponge
were ecstasy... his eyes closed and he sighed in contentment. He
wasn't even getting a nosebleed.
        Akari said softly, "Alright Ryouga-sama, I am done." She
poured a final bucket of warm water on his back to rinse away the
soap bubbles. 
        Ryouga leaned back and looked up at Akari, drinking in her
sweet expression and smile. She reached out and cupped his face and
said, "I don't know why you are here Ryouga-sama, or how long you
are going to stay... but I... I am so glad to see you..."
        Ryouga sat up and leaned toward Akari, his lips approaching
hers. She leaned forward to meet his lips and they kissed.
        Ryouga reached up a hand to stroke Akari's soft hair and
tried to decide what to do next... this was the first time he had
kissed a real girl. He was uncertain, and he could almost hear
a voice in the back of his mind saying, "Ryouga no baka!!! Just
make up your mind!!!" And the voice sounded suspiciously like 
Ukyou's. Ryouga decided to deepen the kiss, but at the same time
wondered what had caused him to think about Ukyou at a time like
this.
        But the thought, and the kiss, was abruptly interrupted
when a hoarse voice said, "Ah! So Akari's fiancee has come to
visit!! Seems you two are getting along well!!"

*******