Ryoga started. Why did she have to go and close her eyes? It was Ranma's new grave all over again. Ryoga simply couldn't hit a girl waiting for him to kiss her. Especially not waiting with her eyes closed, where there was no way she could stop his fist if it were coming.
Of course, Ranma probably wouldn't stop the fist coming in the first place. Ryoga shuddered. The part that was scariest about this whole business was just *how* obsessed Ranma had become. Just a little crush might have given him the willies, but he would have been able to deal with it using his normal good old method- i.e. punching Ranma to a pulp. Sheer devotion was simply too much.
Ranma's eyes fluttered open, and she looked frankly into his, searching.
Ryoga moved to step back, but Ranma's hand attached firmly to his shoulder, holding him motionless. Ryoga blinked-how strong *was* Ranma? Ryoga had been sure he was the stronger of the two...
Ranma pulled him closer to her, and Ryoga fell into blind panic mode, his brain shutting down. Ranma was still staring into his eyes like she meant to get lost. When they were inches away, Ranma stopped pulling. "You hate me, don't you?" she demanded.
Ryoga blinked. "U-uh-uhm." he stuttered. *Not what I was expecting.*
"I see," Ranma replied tightly. "I've been making a fool of myself, haven't I?" She gulped-Ryoga could see her throat move, they were so close. "Alright. I'm going to go back to the Tendo's now."
Ryoga took several quick breaths, not realizing he had been holding the air in his lungs. His eyes wide and wild, he still managed to keep silent.
Ranma leaned up against the tree, releasing him. "If you need me-or want me-that's where I'll be. But. fat chance, huh?" She smiled bitterly at him, her eyes full of tears, and loped away off into the wilderness.
"Wait! Ranma-where are we?"
Ranma turned to him, her face happy for a moment just at being called. "We're at school," Ranma informed him. "You can follow me. from a distance. if you want to get out." Tears were running down her cheeks freely now. She looked positively miserable, Ryoga noted.
Ryoga followed Ranma-from a distance-until they came off of school grounds. When they reached the outside, Ranma turned to him again. "Can you give me-just a little kiss?" she wanted to know. Her cheeks had tear trails on them, still.
"No way!" Ryoga exclaimed.
Ranma looked at him, her heart shattering in her eyes, before heading for home.
Ryoga sat down right where he was, concentrating on taking deep, calming breaths. Why in heaven's name did he feel like a complete jerk?
************************
Ranma ran blindly through the streets, sobbing wildly.
"Ranma. Ranma!"
Akane caught her by the shoulders, but all the redhead did was weep copiously onto Akane's dress. Bit by bit the redhead told Akane what had occurred between she and Ryoga. "I'm sure he really didn't mean to *bury* you, Ranma," Akane assured her. "Ryoga's a gentleman."
Ranma nodded into her shirt. "But he looked really angry!" she countered.
"You can't blame him for that one," Akane replied. "Ranma-look what I found. It's directions to something of Ryoga's. A koi rod love spell. Ryoga didn't hit you with anything, did he?"
Ranma lifted her head off of Akane's shoulder and blinked uncertainly. "Oh." she whispered as she read. "Oh." She moved her shirt slightly aside, to view the top of her right breast. "Oh!"
Akane shook her head, putting an arm around Ranma's shoulder and leading her in the direction of home. "I don't understand it," Akane added. "I mean, Ryoga's desperate for a girlfriend, but really!"
Ranma rubbed the tears from her eyes, handing the directions back to Akane. "I dunno, Akane, maybe he just wanted somebody who he thought would understand him, and know about-ah, things about him, already. I think I know more about Ryoga than anybody alive."
Akane considered this. "It's still going way too far, Ranma. I'm going to have to yell at him the next time I see him."
"H-how do I get it. o-off?" Ranma stammered. "I don't want to, but I know I should."
Akane smiled. "Don't worry-we'll figure it out."
Ranma returned her smile tremulously. "He hates me!!!" she suddenly exclaimed, and burst once more into tears.
************************
(Posted Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:09)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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