The next day, he and Ranma packed for China. Akane stared balefully at Ryoga the entire time, and took him aside before they left, warning the Lost Boy that if he hurt Ranma, she'd never speak to him again.
"Ranma," Akane said tearfully. Ranma went to the other girl and wrapped her in an embrace. For a moment, Akane stiffened, but then she relaxed, flinging her arms around Ranma in turn. "I'll miss you."
Ranma drew back, and Ryoga was surprised to see tears in the redhead's eyes. "Akane, I always wanted to tell you-you're not a tomboy just 'cause you're strong, and your legs aren't too big. I just said that 'cause you frightened me. Although it's true that you can't cook to save your life."
Akane blinked at him. "Well, Ranma, you're not exactly stupid or a playboy, either. Though you can be dense and insensitive at times."
Ryoga blinked at the two. There was something more they were saying to one another, something more important that he could not manage to grasp. Somehow, Ranma was speaking *girl language*-a language he had never even begun to understand. He wondered how the redhead had parsed it out.
The two girls hugged again and Ranma and Ryoga set out. Ryoga remembered his promise and offered Ranma his hand when they came to especially difficult areas for hiking. Ranma played girl to the hilt, exclaiming over flora and fauna, cooking every meal for Ryoga, and styling her hair. Ryoga, in turn, played the part of the boy, hunting for them, setting up their tent and protecting Ranma from a wild bear on one occasion.
The third night, Ranma pulled her sleeping bag far closer to Ryoga's than she ever had previously. The two bags were practically on top of one another.
Ryoga took one look at the two of them and grimaced, going into a fighting stance. "You said no hentai stuff."
"And I meant it," Ranma assured him artlessly. "I just want to lie close to you, that's all."
Ryoga grumbled and climbed into his sleeping bag, and Ranma followed suit.
"Ryoga?" she queried sleepily. "What's the first thing you'll do once you get cured?"
"Well. I haven't exactly thought about it. I suppose I'll go and ask Akane out on a date."
Ranma remained silent, but she shifted in her sleeping bag. Ryoga bit his lip. It bothered him that he could feel the heat from Ranma's body. It was like constantly seeing something out of the corner of his eye, but never really being sure it was there. He remained awake for the rest of the night, nervous and unable to close his eyes for fear Ranma would do something, but the redhead was true to her word. She simply lay close enough to touch him, without doing so.
Several days later, nobody would ever have believed Ranma and Ryoga were not a normal couple. Whenever they entered a small town to re-stock their supplies, everyone assumed that they were together, and many assumed they were hiking for their honeymoon. Ranma enjoyed the attention, hamming it up, inventing elaborate stories concerning how the two of them had met, delightful tales that Ryoga knew he would have laughed and smiled at, had the situation been different. It turned out that when it came to inventing stories, Ranma was as good a liar as his old man.
Ranma also took advantage of others' presence to touch him in subtle ways: on the arm, to point something out; on the shoulder for reassurance; by the wrist to stop him from going in the wrong direction. She knew that, in the presence of villagers, he could not yell at her to back off. Besides, Ryoga knew that Ranma could have taken far more advantage of his promise than she was. She could have demanded kisses, or worse, as part of the 'boyfriend' agreement. Instead, she was contenting herself with the minutiae of being lovers without demanding actual love.
When they reached Jusenkyo, Ranma stopped and sat along the rocky path, drawing out some cool water and drinking from it in slow, casual sips.
"What are you doing?" Ryoga demanded. "We're almost there! I can see it!"
"You won't be any less cured in a couple of hours," Ranma told him. "Sit with me for just a moment. Okay?"
Ryoga's gaze moved back and forth from the springs below to the steppe in front of them before he grudgingly lowered his pack.
"Isn't it pretty?" Ranma said blissfully. She leaned her head against the rock face, smiling.
"Yeah, pretty dangerous," Ryoga growled. "Can we go now?"
"You're such a grump," Ranma accused. "Can't you relax for just a second? I'll rub your shoulders, if you want."
"No *thanks*," Ryoga said.
"Let me. Come on. I promise that's all I'll do. You're so tetchy, ever since me and the girls peeked on you in the bath."
Ryoga grimaced, but Ranma moved behind him and rubbed his shoulders gently. "I'm just making you more tense," she said after a minute or two, and resumed her seat next to him. She turned to him, searching his eyes. "You must be pretty afraid of me," she said finally. "All right. Let's get this over with, shall we?"
Ryoga shouldered his pack and followed the redhead down into the valley, taken aback by her strange vehemence. "All right, so where's the man- spring?"
Ranma shook her head. "No, silly. That won't work. Nabiki explained it to me a month or so ago. Remember, Taro mixed his curses. You wouldn't want to turn half-boy, half-pig, would you?"
Ryoga shook his head. "Nooo."
"Right. Well, there's a way to get a no-curse spring that I learned about from the Jusenkyo guide. One that negates curses."
"How?!" Ryoga exclaimed.
Ranma smiled at him. "Someone who has a curse has to find the spring they were cursed with, and drown in it. It has to be willing, but once it's done, that purifies the water. Would you hand me my bathing-suit?"
Ryoga gaped. "What?"
"I'll do it myself, if you won't." Ranma began to dig inside her pack, dislodging various items. "Here it is. I don't suppose it really matters what I'm wearing, but I'm going to be sitting in there for awhile. I can hold my breath for a really long time." Turning her back, she began to disrobe.
"But. Ranma."
"Don't give me any 'buts'." Ranma turned to him, her blue eyes wide and earnest. "Ryoga. I don't want to live without you. This way, I can leave this world knowing I'm giving you this huge gift. If it weren't for this, I'd be. slitting my wrists. Or taking pills. Or worse, finding some way to force you to love me. Let's do *this*, before my love twists around on itself." She tossed her shirt aside and began unbuttoning her shorts.
Ryoga simply stared at her, dumbstruck. "You're going to kill yourself?"
"I was willing to die for you," Ranma replied, pulling on her bathing suit that read 'boy'. "This way I'm at least being useful about it." She jumped into the Spring of Drowned Girl with a splash.
"Ranma," Ryoga breathed. He couldn't believe it. Could Ranma actually be serious?
Ranma surfaced. "This might be a little bit harder than I'd thought," she said apologetically. "There's a little outcropping of rock down here. Have you got any rope or something? I can tie it there, that'll be easier."
"You're still so calm about this?" Ryoga demanded. "You're throwing your life away over me!" Suspicions crowded his mind. Ranma couldn't be for real!
"I'm not throwing it away," Ranma assured him. "I'm giving it to you. That's not the same thing." She smiled. "Ryoga, you're a wonderful person. You're loving and faithful and honest."
"Not to you," Ryoga replied.
"Exactly," Ranma answered. "Where's the rope, now? I'm not sure how much longer my courage can hold out. You want to be cured, don't you?" She pulled herself up out of the water and dug into her own pack. "There!" she exclaimed, drawing forth the length of rope. "Okay, now, you pull this end tightly. Don't let go, or I'll come floating right up again."
Ryoga blinked as the soaked girl pressed one end of the length of rope in his hand.
"Ryoga," she said hesitantly. "I know I promised I wouldn't nudge you about all of this hentai stuff, but do you suppose you could hold my hand? I don't think the water would harm you if it's just your arm." The redhead beamed and moved back to the Pool. "Remember to pull it really tight, or I won't stay under." She leapt inside like a pearl diver, one end of the rope in her outstretched hand.
Ryoga stared at the rope in his hands blankly, before cautiously sticking his hand into the pool. Ranma's gripped it, strong and alive.
Ranma had to be kidding with him. Ranma had played so many tricks in the past; she *had* to be joking. This whole thing was ridiculous! Ranma was just trying to get his attention, to-
The hand on his tightened, and he returned the pressure instinctively.
--to fool him. There was no way Ranma was actually going to give up something *this* monumental for him. Love didn't run this deep!
The pressure on Ryoga's hand became slighter. "When is she going to come up for air?!" he demanded quietly.
And then the pressure released, and Ranma's hand slipped from Ryoga's.
For a long, quiet moment, Ryoga beheld the situation from the outside. Ranma was dead. All this time, Ryoga had thought that his rival was suckering him into giving attention, when this entire trip with him had been more like a last request. He had been grumbling all the way, refusing to allow Ranma to even make her last peace over Jusenkyo, forcing her onwards instead. To her death. Ryoga's eyes widened. What Ranma had said to Akane before leaving-had she been saying goodbye?
Ryoga had never hated himself before. He had hated his sense of direction, possibly, but never himself. Right then he felt like the most disgusting of men ever to walk the earth. He had killed Ranma at long last. *Well,* a nasty voice said with relish. *Your dream of the past couple of years is finally realized.*
"NO!" Ryoga gasped, and time seemed to move forward again of a sudden. He let go of the rope, but it was too late. Ranma didn't swim for the top, she *floated* upwards, *drifted* upwards, out of the deep blue. Dead. She was *dead.* He had killed Ranma!
Without another thought, Ryoga dove into the Nyaniichuan, gripped Ranma by the waist and hauled her out of the spring. "Ranma!" he screamed. "Ranma!!! Shit, shit, shit, oh *shit.*" What had possessed him to think she was only fooling around?! This was all his own damn fault!
Ryoga dove in to Ranma's parted lips and puffed into her mouth, laid his hands across her chest and pumped. And again. And again. And again.
"Oh dear God, Akane's never gonna forgive me. *Akane*-I'll never forgive *myself!*" Ryoga pumped desperately at Ranma's chest, begging her to breathe.
Ranma had an unnaturally good constitution. After a couple of age-long moments, she turned on her side and coughed up a great deal of magical water.
Ryoga gave a joyful exclamation, and pounded her happily on the back.
"Not." she winced. "Not so hard."
Ryoga grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "What in God's name were you thinking? I thought it was a ploy, I didn't really think you were going to *do* it! Kami-sama!!!"
Ranma leaned into him, still coughing strongly. "S-sorry." she managed. "Y-you're all wet."
"I jumped in to get you, you *fool,*" Ryoga informed her.
Ranma smiled at him. "But your curse. is gone. Otherwise you would have changed into a girl by now. Or a girl-pig."
Ryoga blinked, looking down at himself.
"You're more slender though, and your eyelashes are longer," Ranma observed softly, looking up into his face. "It may be it did something after all, but for the most part you look the same."
"Who the hell cares what I *look like?*" Ryoga demanded. "Ranma, this isn't a little thing, and it isn't funny. I. I thought you were dead for sure. You scared the shit out of me."
Ranma blinked at him. "I thought you hated me."
Ryoga opened his mouth to retort, then paused. "I thought I did too," he replied. "But. losing you felt terrible. You have to promise me you're never going to do anything like that, ever again."
"Because it would hurt you?" Ranma questioned him, her voice gentle.
Ryoga stared down at her, for the first time realizing how close the two of them were. He felt a blush rise to his cheeks. "I.I.I." he stammered.
"Ah, yes, I'm a girl," Ranma stated slowly. "So you've finally noticed." She shivered.
"You're cold," Ryoga exclaimed. "Let me get you a blanket. you should get out of that bathing suit."
Ranma squirmed weakly, managing to undress herself with a little effort. Ryoga wasn't about to offer to help. He wrapped the blanket around her small frame. "I'm still cold," she hinted.
"All right," he said, a resigned note in his voice. He scooped her up into his arms, and Ranma gasped and then giggled, sounding surprised. "Where do you think we should set up camp?" he inquired.
At Ranma's pointing finger and explicit directions, they arrived at a decent site. Ryoga set up their tent, and built a fire. "I. didn't understand, before, Ranma," Ryoga said slowly. "But you really do *love* me, don't you? You're not just devoted."
"I love you with all my heart," she replied, still shivering. Ryoga scooped her up and moved her closer to the fire, but when she rested her head on his chest, and glomped him, he was forced to keep her there.
"It's just the spell, though. You know that, don't you?" Ryoga demanded. His voice was still gentle, though. He knew he would never forget that Ranma had been willing to die for him-not just to die, in fact, but to kill herself simply to make him happier. A distinct difference. "If this ever wears off, think how embarrassed we'll both be," he managed, still marveling at what Ranma had done for him.
Ranma snuggled closer into his embrace. "Don't drop me, Ryoga. you have to promise."
"I won't," he said. "We can sit here until you fall asleep, if you like."
Ranma smiled. ".but it already *has* worn off. It wore off ages ago."
Ryoga's arms went limp, and it was only because Ranma was glomping him that he *didn't* drop her. "W-what?"
Ranma waited until his arms were underneath her again before shrugging one end of the blanket off-shoulder. "You didn't even notice," she pouted. "I guess that means you weren't looking *there,* but. it's gone. It faded. Like a bruise."
Ryoga stared blankly at Ranma's smooth, unblemished collarbone. "Then. why.?"
"You're sweet and noble and immensely forgiving, which is why you're not going to clock me right now." Ranma looked at him hopefully.
"I don't get it," Ryoga said, gulping nervously. "So. you *were* playing a trick."
"Ryoga, darling, why would I have tried to sacrifice my entire life if I was playing some kind of trick?" Ranma murmured sleepily, her head bobbing sleepily against his chest.
Ryoga shook his head in bewilderment. This was true. But if the spell wasn't working, and Ranma obviously wasn't playing a game or fooling around-
Then Ranma was in love-honest to goodness love-with *him.* "Why?" he finally managed.
"You don't give yourself enough credit," Ranma said, her voice definitely garbled by now with sleep. "You have lots of good qualities. I love even your silly habits. That way you smile, showing that little fang. the way you blush and put one hand behind your head when you're embarrassed. Even when the carp faded from my chest, my love didn't. because I saw you, Ryoga, for the first time." She yawned.
Ryoga felt his entire body go numb and his gaze unfocus as Ranma relaxed against him, finally drifting off to sleep. Absently, one hand raised to stroke her hair, but he stopped himself just in time.
"Aw, hell," he swore at himself. "Who's looking?" and placed a hand protectively on top of her head. There was a strange warmth running through him as he examined her in the moonlight. She was beautiful, stunning really. And she loved him, not because of a spell, but for real. It was dizzying. He wrapped his free arm around her, rose, and banked the fire. He lay the girl down, then sat watching her, afraid something was going to happen to her, to take her away. He didn't know where the feeling came from, but it was strong. He watched her turn and toss and smile until morning.
He watched her eyes open. "I'm sorry," he said. It was the first thing he said to her. "You at least deserve a chance."
Ranma smiled at him, rose, and pecked him on the cheek. "It is for such things that I. Love. You."
Ryoga smiled at her hesitantly. "And it's for such things that you freak me out, Ranma." But he slowly-tentatively-kissed her on the nose in return.
************************
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(Posted Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:02)
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