Ranma fanfic by Shori Wong
A starry winter night.

Disclaimer:  The characters in this story are from Ranma 1/2, which belongs to
Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me for character infringement.


Akane sat on the porch, her gaze on the stars twinkling high above on that cold
winter night. It always gave her a sense of serenity whenever she looked up at
the sky on a clear night. It was as if the stars always watched over her.

A cool breeze blew through the backyard, causing Akane to shudder for a brief
moment from the sudden chill. Even though she knew it was best to go inside and
gaze at the stars from her warm and comfortable bedroom, the sky didn't look as
awe-inspiring if she didn't see it from the backyard. 

Another breeze blew through the backyard, this time, much colder than she had
expected. It was still spring yet it was rather cold for a night like this, far
too cold. 

Without needing to turn around, Akane knew Ranma was behind her. She could she
his shadowy outline cast over her and onto the ground from the lights that
emanated from within the house.
  
"Whatcha looking at?" Ranma asked curiously, noticing how Akane was rather
preoccupied at looking up toward the heavens. He assumed she was looking at the
stars. 

Akane frowned for a moment before she softly said, "Please, be quiet" On a night
like this, she liked it best to keep quiet and let the silence wash over her.
Ranma was ruining that silence. 

Ranma didn't say a word as he looked down toward Akane, her back toward him. He
then looked back up at the stars and said, "I see you like looking up at the
stars also"

"Aren't you cold?"

"No," she replied "I'm fine. It's not that cold anyway"

Another breeze blew through the backyard. It chilled Akane to her very core.
Even if she was cold, she didn't want to see Ranma smirk when she realized it
was her ego talking.

Ranma handed Akane a jacket, "Sure, whatever you say. Here,"

Akane titled her head backwards to look up at Ranma. She was about to decline
it, telling him she was all right, but for some reason, she didn't. She took the
jacket and put it on, silently grateful that Ranma didn't make any comment about
her not being able to stand the clod like he did.

Ranma sat next to her, and when he did, Akane became suddenly aware of just how
close he was to her. She could even see his breath as he exhaled into the chill
air. For some reason, the cold didn't seem all that cold, as if Ranma's presence
was warming the air. Perhaps it wasn't the air that was turning warm. She was
sure it wasn't the jacket keeping her warm.

Ranma said, "Everytime I look up at the stars, they help me relax, forget about
my troubles...and of course, you know how much trouble I have"

"They do the same thing for me also. I always loved looking up at the stars. It
makes an otherwise hectic world seem serene. It also helps me relax" she said.
For some reason, she found herself anything but relaxing. She knew the reason.
And that reason was sitting right next to her.

She turned her attention toward Ranma and said, "I never knew you liked looking
at the stars"

Ranma sat upright, his gaze intense. For one fleeting moment, Akane and Ranma's
eyes locked. Even though it was for a split second, she saw this softness to
Ranma's eyes she had never seen.

Ranma got up and headed back into the house. But before he did so, he cast Akane
a warm smile and said in a soft voice that made her blush.

"Who says I was busy looking at the stars....."
	
-Shori
"It is not foolish to be skeptic. 
View your skepticism at its source"
http://www.li.net/~jeffwong/shori.htm