bloodsong1 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bloodsong1) wrote2006-09-26 12:45 pm
bloodsong1) wrote2006-09-26 12:45 pm
Entry tags:
Jamba Juice = Teh YUMMY
Yay for kind coworkers.
Back to work.
Ranma followed Akane across the stone path and to the dojo. He watched her closely, looking for any signs she knew what he had done. She paused at the door of the dojo, shoulders hunched. He moved beside her and glanced at her face. She looked like she was steeling herself.
"Akane," He said softly, wanting to help her. She shook her head and threw open the door. It banged against the support as she stomped in, kicking her slippers off violently. Ranma took his off just inside and shut the door. Turning around, he studied the space. It also showed faint signs of wear and tear, with a large tatami mat in the middle of the floor. Akane was standing next to it, one foot tucked halfway underneath. She beckoned Ranma closer. A strong feeling of protective disapproval surrounded him as he moved forward. Something Bad had happened here.
"What do you know about my father?" She asked when he was standing near her. He shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
"Just that he died a few years ago. I heard the rumors around school, but they were just rumors, so I ignored them."
"That's very kind of you." Akane slid her free foot back and forth a few times, then looked him in the eyes. "Two years ago, on the first day of the New Year, just before dawn, my father came out here in our family armor. He...committed seppuku." With a rough kick, Akane sent the tatami mat flying, revealing a large, old, irregular bloodstain. Ranma's hands fisted in his pockets and he looked around quickly. No other stains were visible. He glanced back at Akane, eyebrow raised.
"Did he...not have a second?" Ranma asked softly. Akane shook her head.
"No, there was someone with him. We don't know who. I woke up suddenly, overwhelmed with dread. I ran to my sisters, waking them up, and we searched the house. Not finding Dad, we came here. Nobody wanted to open the door, I think by then we all knew something was horribly wrong. Nabiki finally opened the door. She screamed. Kasumi fainted. I...I just stood there," Akane dropped to her knees, hands covering her face. Ranma flung himself to his knees in front of her, reaching out to rub her shoulders. The disapproval flared as Akane leaned into him. He pulled her close, stroking her hair as she cried on his shoulder. Outrage was predominant now, all directed at him. He ignored it in favor of soothing Akane. After a while, she hiccuped, sniffled and pulled back, brushing at his uniform jacket.
"I'm sorry, I soaked your jacket. We'll get it dried."
"It's ok." Ranma unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it aside, revealing a white button down shirt. "See? No problem." Akane gave a watery chuckle as she wiped her eyes. Looking up at him, she gasped. "What?"
"Your eyes. They're burning." Ranma ducked his head.
"They do that sometimes. Sorry about that."
"I just remembered. Your family came to the funeral. You looked at me just like that, with such burning eyes."
"Yeah, it happens when I'm angry." Ranma glanced up quickly. "I'm not angry at you, Akane. Not at all."
"It's my dad, isn't it?"
"Acutally, it's my Pops. Because I just remembered something too. The reason we moved here from Tokyo was because Pops had been asked to collaborate on a project with an old school friend. That friend's name was Tendo Soun." Akane gasped, hands flying to her mouth. "Akane, we moved here one week before the New Year two years ago." Ranma's hands fisted on his knees and he began trembling a little. Akane also started shaking.
"Your father. Did he...go anywhere that morning?" She asked. Ranma nodded, keeping his eyes hidden by his bangs. He could feel the rage burning.
"I woke up early that morning too, feeling uncomfortable. I went to the kitchen to get a drink and Pops walked in the back door. He was carrying the family katana and..." He glanced up, noting how pale Akane was and winced.
"And?"
"And his clothes were soaked in blood." The two teens gazed at each other, one infuriated and one in horror. Ranma turned away from Akane and drove his fist through the dojo floor. The entire building trembled and the wood splintered around his hand, creating a foot wide hole. Akane jumped, then crawled over and took Ranma's bleeding hand in her own. He glanced at her, ashamed.
"Sorry about that. I'll fix it." She nodded, flexing his fingers to check the damage. Ranma leaned forward, resting his forehead against her hair. She froze and the outrage howled. "I'm so sorry, Akane. If I had known what Pops had planned, I would have stopped him! It's so unfair to you and your sisters, leaving you alone like that!"
"No, it's all right." Akane fished in her pocket for a handkerchief and tied it around his knuckles. Patting the bandage, she looked into his face. Ranma could feel the burning mingling with a desire to cry. His eyes were probably blazing, but Akane showed no fear. She smiled through her tears.
"Dad broke after my mother died. We lost her to cancer about seven years ago. He pulled away from us, retreated into himself. Kasumi and Nabiki did what they could. Kasumi took over the house, Nabiki didn't stop teasing me. I look just like Mom, you see, so we knew it was really hard on Dad to have me around. We did our best, but it just wasn't enough. He would have done it if your father hadn't been here, and then we would have found him alive and...and he would have asked one of us to finish it." She fiddled with the hem of her Tshirt, fighting more tears. "I don't think any of us would have had the strength or the courage." She took a few deep breaths and turned to look at the old blood.
"It's funny. I took a dive last night because Tofu and Kasumi are getting married."
"What?" Ranma blinked, stunned.
"Oh, not for what you're thinking. Tofu and Kasumi have been in love for years, but Kasumi put him off when Dad...died...to take care of Nabiki and I. Last night, Tofu came over and asked our permission to marry her. We gave it and all went out to dinner to celebrate. I kept thinking how sad it was that Dad wasn't there. Then I realized he could have, if he had given permission before he died, we could have all been happy together! I was crying so badly, I couldn't see where I was going. I didn't realize I was near the canal until I felt the bike take off." She shrugged a little and looked back at Ranma. "I was trying to outrace the pain." He nodded and looked at the stain. The outrage had faded, leaving a sense of regret and pride solely directed at Akane. Ranma got up and moved to kneel next to the stain. Putting his bandaged fist over his heart, he bowed.
"Tendo-san, I think I understand why you did what you did. Know that as long as I draw breath, I will do everything in my power to keep your daughters safe. You have my word as a Saotome. I'm betting you know what that means." Ranma lifted his head, adding a caveat in his own mind. And if your youngest will have me, when she's ready, I will take her to wife. He stood and held his hand out to Akane. She took it, blinking in surprise.
"What did you mean by that?" She asked. He hooked his jacket with his foot, tossed it in the air and caught it with his free hand.
"Exactly what I said."
"We don't need protection, Ranma," Akane said, yanking her hand free. Ranma hooked his jacket over his shoulder and stuffed the bandaged hand in his pocket.
"No, but if you ever do, for any reason, I'll be there. It's my way of paying you back."
"But I owe you for saving my life."
"Akane, what I did last night doesn't make a dent in what I owe you for my father's actions. He helped take your father away from you. The least I can do is make sure his daughters are safe and happy, be it from motorcycle gangs or jerks at school or the Pits." He gave her a half-smile that had her blushing. Well, well, what was this? Did Akane harbor similar feelings? "It's what friends do, right? Take care of each other?"
"You're right. Now it's my turn. Let's go get that hand properly bandaged, then we can eat. Kasumi's beef curry is the best in Japan!"
"All of Japan?"
"Well, all of Nerima, that's for sure!" Akane led the way out of the dojo. Ranma paused to toss a casual salute to the ki lingering in the dojo. He would need all the help he could get.
Back to work.
Ranma followed Akane across the stone path and to the dojo. He watched her closely, looking for any signs she knew what he had done. She paused at the door of the dojo, shoulders hunched. He moved beside her and glanced at her face. She looked like she was steeling herself.
"Akane," He said softly, wanting to help her. She shook her head and threw open the door. It banged against the support as she stomped in, kicking her slippers off violently. Ranma took his off just inside and shut the door. Turning around, he studied the space. It also showed faint signs of wear and tear, with a large tatami mat in the middle of the floor. Akane was standing next to it, one foot tucked halfway underneath. She beckoned Ranma closer. A strong feeling of protective disapproval surrounded him as he moved forward. Something Bad had happened here.
"What do you know about my father?" She asked when he was standing near her. He shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
"Just that he died a few years ago. I heard the rumors around school, but they were just rumors, so I ignored them."
"That's very kind of you." Akane slid her free foot back and forth a few times, then looked him in the eyes. "Two years ago, on the first day of the New Year, just before dawn, my father came out here in our family armor. He...committed seppuku." With a rough kick, Akane sent the tatami mat flying, revealing a large, old, irregular bloodstain. Ranma's hands fisted in his pockets and he looked around quickly. No other stains were visible. He glanced back at Akane, eyebrow raised.
"Did he...not have a second?" Ranma asked softly. Akane shook her head.
"No, there was someone with him. We don't know who. I woke up suddenly, overwhelmed with dread. I ran to my sisters, waking them up, and we searched the house. Not finding Dad, we came here. Nobody wanted to open the door, I think by then we all knew something was horribly wrong. Nabiki finally opened the door. She screamed. Kasumi fainted. I...I just stood there," Akane dropped to her knees, hands covering her face. Ranma flung himself to his knees in front of her, reaching out to rub her shoulders. The disapproval flared as Akane leaned into him. He pulled her close, stroking her hair as she cried on his shoulder. Outrage was predominant now, all directed at him. He ignored it in favor of soothing Akane. After a while, she hiccuped, sniffled and pulled back, brushing at his uniform jacket.
"I'm sorry, I soaked your jacket. We'll get it dried."
"It's ok." Ranma unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it aside, revealing a white button down shirt. "See? No problem." Akane gave a watery chuckle as she wiped her eyes. Looking up at him, she gasped. "What?"
"Your eyes. They're burning." Ranma ducked his head.
"They do that sometimes. Sorry about that."
"I just remembered. Your family came to the funeral. You looked at me just like that, with such burning eyes."
"Yeah, it happens when I'm angry." Ranma glanced up quickly. "I'm not angry at you, Akane. Not at all."
"It's my dad, isn't it?"
"Acutally, it's my Pops. Because I just remembered something too. The reason we moved here from Tokyo was because Pops had been asked to collaborate on a project with an old school friend. That friend's name was Tendo Soun." Akane gasped, hands flying to her mouth. "Akane, we moved here one week before the New Year two years ago." Ranma's hands fisted on his knees and he began trembling a little. Akane also started shaking.
"Your father. Did he...go anywhere that morning?" She asked. Ranma nodded, keeping his eyes hidden by his bangs. He could feel the rage burning.
"I woke up early that morning too, feeling uncomfortable. I went to the kitchen to get a drink and Pops walked in the back door. He was carrying the family katana and..." He glanced up, noting how pale Akane was and winced.
"And?"
"And his clothes were soaked in blood." The two teens gazed at each other, one infuriated and one in horror. Ranma turned away from Akane and drove his fist through the dojo floor. The entire building trembled and the wood splintered around his hand, creating a foot wide hole. Akane jumped, then crawled over and took Ranma's bleeding hand in her own. He glanced at her, ashamed.
"Sorry about that. I'll fix it." She nodded, flexing his fingers to check the damage. Ranma leaned forward, resting his forehead against her hair. She froze and the outrage howled. "I'm so sorry, Akane. If I had known what Pops had planned, I would have stopped him! It's so unfair to you and your sisters, leaving you alone like that!"
"No, it's all right." Akane fished in her pocket for a handkerchief and tied it around his knuckles. Patting the bandage, she looked into his face. Ranma could feel the burning mingling with a desire to cry. His eyes were probably blazing, but Akane showed no fear. She smiled through her tears.
"Dad broke after my mother died. We lost her to cancer about seven years ago. He pulled away from us, retreated into himself. Kasumi and Nabiki did what they could. Kasumi took over the house, Nabiki didn't stop teasing me. I look just like Mom, you see, so we knew it was really hard on Dad to have me around. We did our best, but it just wasn't enough. He would have done it if your father hadn't been here, and then we would have found him alive and...and he would have asked one of us to finish it." She fiddled with the hem of her Tshirt, fighting more tears. "I don't think any of us would have had the strength or the courage." She took a few deep breaths and turned to look at the old blood.
"It's funny. I took a dive last night because Tofu and Kasumi are getting married."
"What?" Ranma blinked, stunned.
"Oh, not for what you're thinking. Tofu and Kasumi have been in love for years, but Kasumi put him off when Dad...died...to take care of Nabiki and I. Last night, Tofu came over and asked our permission to marry her. We gave it and all went out to dinner to celebrate. I kept thinking how sad it was that Dad wasn't there. Then I realized he could have, if he had given permission before he died, we could have all been happy together! I was crying so badly, I couldn't see where I was going. I didn't realize I was near the canal until I felt the bike take off." She shrugged a little and looked back at Ranma. "I was trying to outrace the pain." He nodded and looked at the stain. The outrage had faded, leaving a sense of regret and pride solely directed at Akane. Ranma got up and moved to kneel next to the stain. Putting his bandaged fist over his heart, he bowed.
"Tendo-san, I think I understand why you did what you did. Know that as long as I draw breath, I will do everything in my power to keep your daughters safe. You have my word as a Saotome. I'm betting you know what that means." Ranma lifted his head, adding a caveat in his own mind. And if your youngest will have me, when she's ready, I will take her to wife. He stood and held his hand out to Akane. She took it, blinking in surprise.
"What did you mean by that?" She asked. He hooked his jacket with his foot, tossed it in the air and caught it with his free hand.
"Exactly what I said."
"We don't need protection, Ranma," Akane said, yanking her hand free. Ranma hooked his jacket over his shoulder and stuffed the bandaged hand in his pocket.
"No, but if you ever do, for any reason, I'll be there. It's my way of paying you back."
"But I owe you for saving my life."
"Akane, what I did last night doesn't make a dent in what I owe you for my father's actions. He helped take your father away from you. The least I can do is make sure his daughters are safe and happy, be it from motorcycle gangs or jerks at school or the Pits." He gave her a half-smile that had her blushing. Well, well, what was this? Did Akane harbor similar feelings? "It's what friends do, right? Take care of each other?"
"You're right. Now it's my turn. Let's go get that hand properly bandaged, then we can eat. Kasumi's beef curry is the best in Japan!"
"All of Japan?"
"Well, all of Nerima, that's for sure!" Akane led the way out of the dojo. Ranma paused to toss a casual salute to the ki lingering in the dojo. He would need all the help he could get.