Hello all,

Here's the first part of another idea I've been working on.
I'd like to thank my pre-readers Bob Barnes, Chris Jones, and
Gary Kleppe for their input on this one.

C&C is definitely appreciated.  Please!

Enjoy.

   ----------------

The Togetherness Factor
Part 1:  Getting Together
by David Eddy <dje@progress.com>

Last Updated:  Friday, 9 May 1997

A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's Manga series,
Ranma 1/2.

The characters of Ranma 1/2 are the property of Takahashi
Rumiko and her licensees.

This story is set in the summer holidays following the
events of volume 38 of the Ranma 1/2 manga.



     Kasumi winced inwardly at the sounds of argument.
Ranma and Akane were at it again.  She tried to stop a flush
colouring her cheeks as she passed people on the streets.
Most of the residents of Nerima were used to these antics,
but whatever did they think of the Tendou family for these
constant disruptions?
     And when would those two stop and realise that they
loved each other?  It was quite apparent to someone watching
them, even if they didn't admit it to themselves.  They way
they acted, the way they looked at each other from time to
time, the way they got furiously jealous at each other....
Plus, both being martial artists and the same age, they were
obviously meant for each other.
     It was their karma to be together.
     But oh! the arguments they had.  Everything would be so
much more peaceful, and everyone would be so much happier if
only they would stop arguing for long enough to realise it
themselves.
     Maybe it was time to give them a helping hand.
     "Excuse me," came an old lady's voice.  Kasumi turned
in surprise to see a withered old crone she'd never seen
before.  She was dressed simply, unremarkably, but there was
something about her that she was unable to put her finger
on.  "Youngsters, eh?" she continued, jerking her head at
the still-arguing pair.  Kasumi gauged them with one eye and
decided that it wouldn't be long before Ranma left them
rather abruptly.
     She nodded, a little shame-faced.
     "Don't worry about it, dear.  They'll grow out of it.
They just need a helping hand, that's all."
     Kasumi gasped.  Was the old lady reading her thoughts.
"What... what do you mean?" she asked at last.
     "I think I have something that will help..." she said,
leading Kasumi towards her little stall.
     
     *    *    *
     
     Ranma was sitting on a rock by the koi pond in the hot
sun of mid-afternoon, sulking.  At least it wasn't raining.
The oppressive humidity of the rainy season was over at
last, and the clear blue sky promised wonderful dryness for
days to come.
     Footsteps sounded clearly from inside the house; they
had Kasumi's cadence.  He amused himself by visualizing her
walking around inside the house, tracking her in his head as
he watched the koi move about in the murky water of the
pond.  In his head, she stopped at the edge of the verandah
overlooking the pond.
     "Ranma," said Kasumi.  "Would you like some cookies?"
     He looked up and around; Kasumi was standing where he
had thought holding a tray in her hands.  On it was a
pitcher of lemonade and some glasses; he assumed there would
also be a plate of cookies.  "Um?  Your cookies?  Yes!"
     She smiled benignly at him.  "I've made some lemonade
as well.  Why don't you take this up to Akane and she can
have some with you.  Maybe it's time you two made up after
your fight this morning."
     "Aw, hell, Kasumi, it's not like it's my fault or
anythin'."
     "Don't you think Akane would like some cookies and
lemonade?"  She smiled innocently.  "Besides, even if you
think it wasn't your fault, Akane obviously does so why not
make up with her?  It's so much more pleasant when you two
get along, and I'm sure you like it more that way too."
     Ranma looked to the pond again as he turned Kasumi's
words over in his mind.  She was right, he liked it a lot
better when he and Akane got along.  As for making up to
her... well, he didn't really like being out of sorts with
Akane and maybe taking her cookies and lemonade would mean
he wouldn't have to talk about this morning.
     He got up easily, his silk top warm on his back, and
skipped quickly over to stand by Kasumi.  He noticed Nabiki
spread out comfortably on the living room tatami, kicking
her legs idly, reading one of her shoujo manga.  He took the
tray from Kasumi, noting that there were six delicious-
smelling cookies arranged neatly on a plate.  "Okay, I'll do
it."
     Kasumi beamed at him.  "Thank you, Ranma."
     
     
     Ranma hesitated a moment before knocking quietly on
Akane's door.  There was no response, so he knocked again a
little more loudly.
     "What do you want, Ranma?" came Akane's voice, sounding
a little rusty.
     He opened the door and stepped into her room.  Akane
was on her bed.  She had been lying face-down and was
holding her body up with her arms, twisted around to look at
the door.  "Who said you could come in?" she said
dismissively, not bothering to change her position.  How
dare that baka invade her bedroom after what he said this
morning?!
     She watched as he sat on the floor and smoothly put the
tray he was carrying down in front of him.  Ice cubes
tinkled gently in the pitcher, and the aroma of freshly-
baked cookies reached her nostrils.  Ranma smiled that
crooked little smile at her that made him look so handsome
and said, "Kasumi gave this to me for us to have together.
She told me I should make up with you."  He broke eye
contact to look down at the tray, shaking his head.  "Would
you like a cookie?"
     Akane sat up fully and sighed.  She hadn't forgiven him
for insulting her this morning but it really wasn't worth
arguing about anymore... and besides, the cookies smelled
delicious.  She got down to sit on the floor opposite him.
"Sure, why not?"
     Ranma poured two glasses of lemonade and handed her
one; they each grabbed a cookie and ate.  He was pleased
that Akane hadn't bitten his head off when he came into her
room, and sitting and just sharing time with her this way
was not at all objectionable.
     Munching on his second cookie, Ranma wondered to
himself at the slight aftertaste.  The lemonade made the
taste go away, though.  But as he finished his third cookie,
he started feeling quite queasy.  Sipping more lemonade and
trying to ignore his stomach's protests, he watched Akane
finish her last cookie.  Like him, she finished by sipping
some lemonade as though to get a bad taste out of her mouth.
     A frown appeared.  She looked over at him.  "Ranma, do
you... do you feel a little ill?"  Her voice sounded
unsteady.  He watched, fascinated, as her face paled and
beads of sweat broke out.
     "Er, actually--"  Churning nausea forced Ranma to cut
his reply short.  He swallowed to control the upcoming
surge, and it obeyed reluctantly, almost spilling over into
his mouth.  The emergency over for the moment, he gulped the
remainder of his lemonade to wash the burning taste of bile
from the back of his throat.  He felt better almost
immediately.  "Man, that was close.  Hey!  I feel better!"
     Watching him, Akane quickly picked up her glass and
forced it down against the protests of her stomach.
Gratefully she felt the nausea recede, to be replaced with a
feeling of well-being.  She wiped her brow with the back of
one hand.
     There was silence for a time.  Ranma watched Akane's
colour return, concern for her uppermost in his mind.  After
a time she glanced at him and their eyes met.  Ranma felt an
unusual frisson before he quickly glanced away in
embarrassment.
     Akane felt the eye contact as a quick leap of her
heart, and she felt vaguely disappointed when Ranma glanced
away.  The slight flush decorating his face told of his
feelings, however, and she smiled to herself a little.
Still, she didn't want things to go too quickly... best to
get rid of him before he put his foot in his mouth again and
ruined the feeling.
     "Ranma...?"
     "Yes?"
     She smiled at him.  "Thank you for bringing the
cookies.  That was nice of you."
     Ranma felt his heart thumping.  What would she say
next?  Could it be...?
     "But I'm feeling tired and would like to take a nap.
Would you mind taking the tray back to the kitchen as you
go?"
     Her voice was gentle and somehow Ranma didn't feel
rejected, although he couldn't avoid a certain
disappointment.  With a sigh, he grabbed the tray and got
up.  "Sure.  Have a nice nap," he said quietly.  He smiled
at her as he stepped towards the door.
     He ignored the discomfort that he felt as he stepped up
to the door.  He turned for a last glance at Akane as he
pivoted neatly, the door handle in one hand and the tray
steady in the other, and noted that she looked quite pale.
He smiled reassuringly against his own growing discomfort
and closed the door.  He turned towards the staircase and
started to walk away.
     He was two steps away from her door when suddenly pain
stabbed at him, spiking his joints and locking his diaphragm
in agony.  The tray slipped out of his nerveless hands and
clattered noisily to the floor.  Simultaneously, a tortured
cry came from Akane's room.
     "Aka-Akane!" he cried weakly.  His legs refused to work
properly and he fell to the wooden floor untidily, landing
just outside Akane's door.  Somehow the pain eased a little
and he reached up and flung open the door.
     Inside, Akane was curled up in a foetal ball on the
floor.  She was whimpering in agony.  Desperately, Ranma
forced his own limbs to move and he crawled towards her.  As
he got closer his pain lessened a little.  'I must be
getting used to the pain,' he thought to himself as he
frantically looked over Akane.  He reached out to touch her
cheek.  "Akane!" he croaked out.  "Are you all right?"
     As he touched her cheek, the pain magically vanished,
leaving only its memory to torture him.  Akane relaxed, too,
then looked up at him with a worried expression.  "Ranma?"
Sweat still stood on her skin.  "What's happening to me,
Ranma?" she asked.  "One moment I hurt all over, and then I
feel fine!  I don't understand," she finished plaintively.
     Akane frowned as she looked Ranma over.  He was
sweating, and looked a little pale although his colour was
returning.  His expression was very concerned... 'Concerned
for me?' she wondered.  'Ranma?'
     Running footsteps thudded in the hallway outside, then
Kasumi and Nabiki burst in.
     "Akane!" said Kasumi frantically.  "Are you all
right?!"
     "What happened, sis?  Did Ranma...?"
     "I'd *never* hurt Akane!" said Ranma indignantly,
shocked at Nabiki's question.  He knelt back from leaning
over Akane to face her.
     Nabiki turned on him.  "You hurt her all the time," she
said icily.
     "Nabiki, some other time, please," said Kasumi.  She
knelt down next to Akane, who was still lying on the floor.
"Akane... are you all right?"
     Akane sat up and leaned against her bed.  "I'm fine,
oneechan.  But... when we were finishing the cookies, Ranma
and I both felt quite ill, and when Ranma stepped out of my
room, pain...  It hurt so much, I couldn't help but cry out.
And then Ranma touched me on the cheek and the pain went
away, like magic."  She stroked her cheek reflectively.  "I
didn't know there was a pain tsubo there.  I've never seen
Tofuu-sensei use it, anyway."
     Ranma cleared his throat.  "Ano... Akane?" he said
softly, "the same thing happened to me."  Kasumi stared at
him, shocked.  "When I stepped outside your room, I went to
walk away and it hurt so much I dropped the tray.  But when
I touched your cheek to see if you were all right, the pain
disappeared."
     "Oh, no," said Kasumi quietly, her face grey.  She
turned her back on the others, a horrified expression on her
face.  "What have I *done*?"
     Akane frowned in confusion.  "What is it, Kasumi-
oneechan?"
     "Oh, my.  Now what do I do?  If only Tofuu were here."
     "What have you done to us, Kasumi?" asked Ranma.
"You've drugged us, haven't you?"
     Kasumi was shaking her head, face in her hands, but
Ranma's voice penetrated her funk.  She stared at him, then
fell to her knees and went into a full-formal kneeling bow.
"I'm so sorry, Ranma-san, Akane-san, please forgive me, I
beg you.  I'm so sorry, so sorry."
     She held the bow, hands flat on the floor and face just
inches from her hands, until finally Ranma realised what she
was waiting for.  He knelt in seiza and bowed back to her.
"That's quite all right, Kasumi-san," he said formally.
"Now would you please tell us what you've done and what we
can do about it?"
     Kasumi got up, returning to the formal kneeling pose.
"I'm so sorry, Ranma- and Akane-san, thank you for your
forgiveness."  Her face was still distraught, but she bowed
her head to look at her knees and continued, speaking
quickly in a low, embarrassed voice.  "I fed you two a love
potion.  I was getting so tired of your constant bickering,
I'm so sorry, and it's quite obvious that you two love each
other anyway so I thought I'd give you something so that the
two of you would stop arguing long enough to realise it
yourselves.  The old lady I bought it off said that it would
create a strong longing whenever you were apart, and I put
it into the cookies and lemonade.  I had no idea this would
happen, it's all my fault, I'm so sorry!"
     Ranma shivered, his mind churning.  He looked up at the
ceiling.  'Why me?!' he railed at all the kami.  'Did I do
something heinous in a previous life to deserve this
punishment?!'
     Akane placed a hand on Ranma's shoulder but said
nothing.
     "How long does it last, oneechan?" asked Nabiki.
     Kasumi shook her head.  "She didn't say."
     "And it seems that when they get too far apart, they
hurt."
     Ranma looked down from the ceiling.  "Agony is a pretty
fair description, actually," he said flatly.
     "I'm so sorry," repeated Kasumi, who was now hugging
herself.  Her cheeks were wet, Ranma noticed.
     "How far apart can they get, oneechan?"
     "I don't know."
     "I was just out the door when it really got bad
before," said Ranma, "but I started feeling uncomfortable a
bit before then."
     Nabiki eyed the distance from the bed to the doorway.
"And Akane was on the bed?"
     "I was on the floor, right here," said Akane.  She,
too, was eyeing the distance to the door speculatively.
"It's not very far, is it?" she said in dismay after a
moment.
     Nabiki shook her head.  "It looks like you two are
going to have to live together more closely than any married
couple until this wears off," she said.  She snorted.
"*That* ought to be fun.  I guess you guys are going to have
a good chance to try to learn to live together without
killing each other.  Just as well it's summer holidays."
She turned and took her crying sister by the arm.  "Come on,
oneechan, let's go downstairs and you can make us all a cup
of tea."  She led Kasumi out of the room.
     Ranma looked at Akane and their eyes met.  "We need to
talk," he said.
     She nodded.  "Would you close the door please, Ranma?"
     "Sure."  He got up and stepped toward the door.  He was
nearly there when Akane spoke.
     "Wait!"
     Ranma stopped immediately and turned to face her.
"What is it?"
     "It's starting.  Can you feel it?"
     He realised that there was a dull, low-grade ache in
his stomach and joints.  He nodded.  "It's not very far, is
it?" he said in dismay.
     Akane shook her head.
     "I... Akane, I'd like to try and close the door without
making you get up as well.  Do you mind?"
     She shook her head again.  "No.  I... I think we should
find out how far we can go."
     He nodded, and started sidling slowly towards the open
door.  Finally he stood in the doorway.  His stomach was
churning, and his joints were hurt enough that he didn't
really want to get any further away from her.  Akane looked
a little pale, he thought.  "A-Akane?  Are you okay?"
     She shook her head.  "I don't think you should go any
further, Ranma."
     "Okay."  He stepped back into the room itself and
closed the door before returning to sit beside Akane on the
floor, moving a little awkwardly against the slowly-
decreasing pain.
     Akane looked at him hesitantly, still a bit pale.
"Ranma... it still hurts."
     He nodded.  "I know.  But it's fading."
     She quickly reached out and lightly touched his cheek,
and suddenly all the pain went away.  She sat back against
the bed, sighing in relief.  "Ah, that's better," she said
with a smile.
     "I'm really sorry 'bout all this, Akane."
     "It's not your fault, Ranma."
     "No, but..."
     There was a pregnant pause.  Then Akane spoke.  "Ranma,
about what Kasumi said..."
     "Yeah?"
     "She... I..."  She took a deep breath.  "I just want
you to know that... from my point of view, she's right.
I... I c-care for you, Ranma.  It's just that you always
seem to insult me, or somebody comes along and upsets things
like mmbrl--"
     Ranma stopped her with a hand to her mouth.  Her was
smiling at her again, and her heart beat faster in response
as it always did.
     "I was going to tell you the same thing, Akane.  It's
just that I was trying to work up the courage to say it and
not being able to... as usual."
     Akane frowned down at his hand still covering her
mouth, and he took it away even as he laughed at how she
looked.
     "What are you laughing at, baka?"
     "Your expression was funny."
     She punched him lightly on the shoulder, then took a
breath.  The mood became more serious again.  "Ranma, you
said, 'as usual.'  Does that mean you've tried to tell me
before?"
     He looked at the floor, his mouth twisting in self-
contempt.  "Yeah, and running away just like my father when
I couldn't make myself say it."  He shook his head.  "He's
trained me well, don't you think?"  His voice was savage.
"I couldn't even make myself do it at the wedding, when it
really mattered!"
     "Y... you *wanted* to say yes?"
     He nodded.  "Yes," he said through a tight throat.
"You know, you're right about me, Akane; you've always been
right.  Ranma no baka!"  He spat the last word.
     To find that all of a sudden he couldn't take a breath.
Akane had her head on his shoulder, a look of bliss on her
face, and her arms were wrapped around his ribs with all the
power of a python.  His arm naturally fell about her
shoulders, but all he could say was, "Ek.. urk... Akane, I
can't breathe!"
     The pressure around his ribs eased.  "Oh!  I'm sorry."
     Ranma leaned back against the bed.  "That's okay," he
said as he snugged his arm more firmly about her shoulders.
"So, how are we going to do this?  I guess I'll have to move
my futon and other stuff in here."
     "Oh!  Bathing... and dressing..."  She turned bright
red with embarrassment.
     Ranma nodded, also embarrassed, looking away a little.
"Akane... if it'll help, I'll swear not to deliberately peek
at you, and not to... um... take advantage of the sleeping
or, um, bathing arrangements, I guess," he finished with a
deep crimson blush.
     Akane's blush deepened.  She spoke towards his chest.
"Ranma, I... I'd like to say that isn't necessary, but I
think it'd be too soon for us.  So... so I hope you'll
understand if I take you up on your offer.  I'm sorry."
     He shrugged, still blushing.  "I offered."  He took a
breath.  "I... I do swear to you, Tendou Akane, not to
deliberately peek at you and not to otherwise take advantage
of necessary sleeping and bathing arrangements."  He smiled.
"There.  All done."
     "Thank you, Ranma.  Would you like some tea?  I'd like
to go and reassure Kasumi-oneechan, too."
     "Good idea.  Let's go!"
     
     *    *    *
     
     At the table in the living room, Kasumi and Nabiki
greeted Ranma and Akane as they came downstairs.  Tea
implements were on the table, and Kasumi appeared to be her
normal cheerfully calm self, but the trace of a shadow
haunted her eyes even as she began to make tea for the pair.
     Akane watched her elder sister's flowing, precise
movements as she made the tea.  When finally she and Ranma
had been served, and the first sips taken, she put down her
cup and addressed her.
     "Kasumi-oneechan, I don't want you to blame yourself
for what's happened.  What's done is done, and we have to go
on, ne Ranma?
     "Hai."
     "Thank you," said Kasumi quietly.
     An uneasy silence settled over the room, the sounds of
birds and rustling trees coming in from outside.  A wind
chime tinkled occasional counterpoint, stirred by the
gentle, warm breeze.  Beneath that, the sounds of the city
formed a steady aural backdrop.
     Akane sipped her tea and pondered her next move.  She
was in a dilemma.  She didn't really want to admit a
weakness, but pressure was building on her.  Finishing her
tea with a flourish, she decided to just act as though it
was the most natural thing in the world.
     Which it was, of course.  She put down her tea cup and
turned to her fiancee.  "Ranma... I need to go to the
toilet," she said, a little embarrassed despite her
determination not to be.
     She was relieved when Ranma nodded matter-of-factly.
"Sure.  Let's go."  He finished his tea and jumped up,
waiting for Akane.
     "Aaara," breathed Kasumi, looking a little shocked.
Even Nabiki looked surprised as Ranma followed Akane out of
the room in the direction of the bathroom.
     
     *    *    *
     
     A pair of heads poked themselves into the doorway of
the toilet cubicle.  One nodded.  "It looks okay," said
Akane.
     "Okay, I'll wait out here," said Ranma seriously.
     "Don't you go away now!"
     Ranma snorted.  "Like I have a choice?"  He smiled,
indicating his words had been an attempt at humour, but
Akane had her back turned and slammed the door in his face.
     "No, you don't!" she said, a little angrily.
     "Stupid uncute," mumbled Ranma under his breath.  "I
was joking."
     "What did you say?" came Akane's voice, still angry.
     "I said, it was a joke."
     There was a significant pause.  Then Akane said,  "Oh."
     Flushing noises sounded, followed after a long moment
by the opening of the door.  Ranma was vaguely surprised to
see her smiling tentatively.  "I guess that's okay then,"
she said.
     He smiled back, then slipped past her to enter the
toilet.  "Do you need to go too?" asked Akane as he closed
the door.
     Ranma shrugged.  "Not really, but I may as well go now
so I don't have to go later on."  He closed the door, and
Akane automatically stepped briskly towards the sink to wash
her hands.
     She didn't make it, however.  About halfway across the
floor of the laundry cum change room, the pain came and
clubbed her to the floor, groaning.
     "Aaagh, itetetete!" came Ranma's voice.  The toilet
door was flung open and pale-looking Ranma staggered out,
holding up his pants with one hand.  "Stupid thoughtless
unfeminine uncute tomboy!"  He stumbled over to where Akane
lay on the floor, groaning.  He knelt next to her and
touched her cheek, then slumped forward in reaction as the
pain left.
     "Are you okay?" he said.
     Akane nodded and got to her feet.  Ranma did likewise.
     "What did you think you were doing, tomboy?!  Why
couldn't you wait?!"
     "I was just going to wash my hands, stupid!"
     "Didn't you think about what that would do?!"  Ranma
sighed and took Akane's wrist in his hand so she wouldn't
run away.  He examined his feet as he thought.  They were
starting down a well-worn path that would result in Akane
either storming out or hitting him a long way away... and
either could be disastrous.
     They had to work together, he realised, whether they
wanted to or not... and that meant not making Akane angry
enough to lose her reason and do something rash.  He'd
better treat her gently until they got used to working
together... who knows how long this thing would go on?
     He looked at her bowed head, and wondered where the
good feeling that had accompanied their declarations to each
other had gone.  Why did she react like that?... Most of the
time he was only teasing her; other times he reacted
automatically if she got too close or if he felt
embarrassed.  He was going to have to learn not to push her
away, he realised.
     "Ranma..." said Akane, interrupting his musing, "I'm
sorry.  I wasn't thinking."
     He shook his head, and smiled at her.  "That's okay,
Akane.  We just have to be careful, ne?  I know you didn't
do it deliberately."  He slid his hand down from her wrist
to take her hand.  "Okay?"
     She smiled back hesitantly.  "Okay."
     "Now, can I go to the toilet?"
     
     *    *    *
     
     The lowering sun was painting the world in orange-gold
light.  It had been a long, sunny day today and Ranma knew
that the sunset would be beautiful.  His mother and Kasumi
had prepared a wonderful dinner and he was feeling in the
mood.
     "Akane, have you finished dinner?"
     "Yes.  Why, Ranma?"
     "I'd like to go watch the sunset."
     "The sunset?  Why would you want to do that?"
     "It's just something I like to do."
     "Oh.  Now?"
     Ranma nodded and got up, offering Akane a hand to help
her up.  She got up under her own power, ignoring the hand.
He tucked the hand behind his back and led the way outside,
slightly miffed that she had rejected his offer so casually.
He stopped by the pond.
     "Why here?" asked Akane.  "Wouldn't we get a better
view from over there?"
     Ranma shook his head and scooped Akane into his arms.
"Hang on," he said before leaping to the roof of the house.
Landing lightly, he said, "The view is much better up here."
     He let her go carefully and sat down on the roof facing
the setting sun, resting his arms on his bent knees.  Akane
watched him for a long moment, then settled in to watch
nature's display.
     For a long time, very little happened:  The sun
gradually dipped into the horizon, the sky turned a
magnificent pink-purple highlighting thin, high clouds that
had not been easily visible before.  Gradually the world at
ground-level dimmed.
     "So why do you do this?" asked Akane at last.  Her mood
was thoughtful and contemplative.
     Ranma said nothing for a long moment.  Finally he
stirred and cleared his throat.  "To get away for a moment,
to think, to relax," he said.  "It's a different world up
here.  I come up here sometimes if something's bothering me,
I guess."  He sighed.  "And it can be very beautiful."
     "It *is* beautiful," said Akane after another moment
watching the final moments of the sun.  "What's bothering
you, Ranma?"
     The last segment of the sun was just visible, and
things started happening quickly.  It grew, separated into
bands, and then was gone, leaving only a crimson sky shading
to indigo behind them.
     "Dunno," he said at last.  "I just wanted to get away
for a bit, that's all."
     "From me?"
     Ranma shook his head.  "Nah," he said absently.  "I
just wanted a chance to think without Nabiki butting in or
having to deal with Kasumi's guilt-tripping."
     "Think about what?"
     "How we're going to live together without killing each
other," he said bluntly, looking at her for the first time.
"Akane, all the time either I'm running away from you or
you're running away from me or you hit me towards the
horizon.  We can't afford that any more.  We know we like
each other, so why do we do it?"
     He looked towards the horizon again.  Around them,
street lights and the warm yellow of house lights were
coming on to greet the gloaming.  Continuing, he said, "All
I've got so far is that I get embarrassed and if I run away
I don't have to be embarrassed anymore."  He sighed.  "And
that you seem to get insulted when I josh you."
     "*Josh* me?!"
     "Yeah, you know, stir you up, make a joke."
     "How can you call them *jokes*?!"
     "Okay, okay!"  'But they're not really jokes, are they
Ranma?' he asked himself.  Resignedly he covered his head
with his arms, bracing himself and waiting for Akane's
strike.
     Akane watched him curl up into a defensive ball, anger
simmering inside her.  'Stop, girl, you can't afford to bash
him over the horizon however richly he deserves it!'  She
sawed back on the urge to bash him for his behaviour,
commanding her arms not to lash out.
     Then she noticed that he wasn't moving.  He was still
curled up, head between his knees and his arms covering the
back of his head... why?  With a lurch of her heart she
realised that he was waiting for her to hit him, and not
doing anything to prevent it.  Almost as if... he felt he
*deserved* to be hit.
     'Which he does!' one part of her urged.
     Akane shook her head and reached out to touch his arm.
She felt a slight tingle at the contact but pushed it to one
side as she watched him raise his head, eyes wondering.
     "It's okay, Ranma.  Let's just try not to make each
other angry, shall we?"
     He smiled lopsidedly.  "Okay."
     The gate opened, and the two of them looked over the
peak of the roof to see Soun and Genma entering the yard in
high spirits followed by a calm Nodoka.
     "I guess supper's gonna be served soon.  Wanna go
down?"
     "Only if you carry me."
     "Lazy," he said as he gathered her up into his arms and
jumped down.
     
     *    *    *
     
     "Waaaaaa!" wailed Soun.  "My daughter has been
poisoned!  Oh, no, how are our families to be joined now?
Waaaaa!"
     Genma clapped Soun on the shoulder.  "What are you
talking about, Tendou-kun?  This brilliant potion of
Kasumi's forces them to be together!  We can't fail, now!"
     "Wha?"  Soun blinked tears out of his eyes.  "What are
*you* talking about, Saotome-kun?"
     "If they have to be together all the time, how can they
possibly marry anybody else?!  It's simple!"
     "Ah!  You're right!  Waaaaaa!  My daughter's going to
be married!"
     Nodoka watched this display impassively, shaking her
head at the antics of the two fathers.
     But she could not escape the conclusion that this time,
they were probably correct.  And in other ways, this
situation was not at all a bad thing.
     
     
--
David Eddy -- dje@progress.com
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/8341/