I'm not really part of the ffml irc thingy, but I thought it would be
interesting to do a one-hour challenge. And to take a break from writing
really depressing stuff.
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He was a little heavy, but it was okay. She started behind one
ear and worked around to his neck, scratching lightly. His black hair
parted around her fingers and she tugged his pigtail softly. A deep purr
came from somewhere in his throat and she could feel it through the light
yukata she was wearing.
Any passersby might think it odd to see, a young woman sitting on
her porch with an attractive, well-muscled man curled up in her lap. Any
passersby not from Nerima, that is. She smiled at her thoughts and
used Ranma's pigtail to tickle his face. He batted at the offending
object, eyes still bright. Akane was surprised, he usually went to sleep
shortly after landing in her lap. But even so, the sun was beginning to
dip under the garden wall and the noise of traffic was giving way to
the hum of the cicadas. A few fireflies hovered over the pond, almost
daring the koi into action.
The humidity lay over the city, seeping the life out of its
citizens. Even now, most of the Tendo household was languishing under
fans, moving as little as possible. Akane could feel beads of sweat
forming at the base of her neck, breaking, then sliding down her
spine. But the sunset was beautiful, and she had the tinkle of the furin
to keep her cool. Small matter that Ranma had gone cat again and refused
to move from her lap until petted asleep.
The door behind her slid open and Ranma shifted in her lap,
animal nature checking for friend or foe. Akane looked over her shoulder
into Kasumi's smiling face.
"Would you like some tea?" Kasumi offered a glass with a milky
substance glistening inside, moisture beading the surface.
"Mmm, coconut! Please, Onee-chan." She took the glass, only to hear a
slight whine of protest from Ranma for her lack of attention.
"Oh, is he still awake?" Ranma gazed indifferently at the
intruder. Akane tapped him lightly on the nose.
"Yes, he hasn't gone to sleep yet." But I don't really mind, she
added to herself.
"Well, be sure to come in after he does. It's awfully hot outside
today." Kasumi produced a small fan, which she laid next to Akane.
"I will." Akane brought the glass to her lips, as her sister
padded back inside. Ranma took the opportunity to stretch and re-situate
himself in her lap. She idly stroked his back, feeling the hard muscle
under his tank top. He had arrived home like this, probably from an
encounter with Shampoo or some neighbor cat. She couldn't bring herself to
feel angry with him though, he was just too simple and vulnerable like
this. Well, she amended, not really vulnerable. Shredded water and wood
from only a sweep of his hand. The same hand that was batting at
her glass, demanding attention. She put the coconut tea down and
resumed her scratching.
He seemed to like it around the neck and ears the best, and his deep
purr resumed when she lavished attention to them. It was times like
these that she wished she had a real cat. Or even a real boyfriend. But
again she got stuck with something...other. She shrugged and looked
out over the yard again. More fireflies had joined in the nightly
koi-taunting. She could just barely make out the forms of the slowly
circling fish, the white and orange spots glimmering from the dark
water. Father needed to trim the various bushes again. It was almost
futile though, she or Ranma or one of the other circus members would
inevitably destroy what efforts he put into it. His sole comfort seemed to
be the rock garden, which he could simply comb back into order. She had
thought it funny when she was younger, watching his endless hours
following a certain pattern, then completely re-doing it after finished.
But now she felt she understood it at least a little more. There were so
few soothing, quiet moments in life, and sometimes one had to seize it
from inside, no matter what outside elements demanded.
Akane ran her fingers over Ranma's shoulders and back. The sun was
completely down now, and the cicadas were buzzing in earnest. The moon
was out early, and it hung in the sky as if it too were affected by the
humidity. She could hear her father and Saotome inside, finally energized
enough to discuss the day's events and no doubt plan the strategy for
tomorrow. Her coconut tea was weak and watery now, all the ice melted. It
was still cool and sweet going down. She was careful not to get any on her
yukata. It was new, something rare in the Tendo house were hand-me-downs
were the rule rather than the exception. It had been expensive, but the
wave pattern was exquisite, and even Ranma seemed to like it. She was
thankful for it, this summer had been particularly brutal and it was a
genuine pleasure to wear.
First one, then two stars gleamed in the sky, and Akane wondered
how many she'd see outside of the city, without so many artificial
lights. She could hear Nabiki listening to her stereo upstairs, and Kasumi
in the kitchen. The heady smell of jasmine rice wafted out a nearby
window. Yes, it was hard to find quiet moments, but they existed, and that
was enough. A deep sigh broke into her thoughts and she noticed the
deep purr had ceased. Ranma was finally asleep.