Akane
by Kirinin
Eight
Akane checked her watch, before remembering she'd drowned it early in the day. Still, she supposed it was somewhere near eight o'clock. I should get ready. Hmm, makeup? Eh, why not? Some lipstick and that's it, then. Money. I have a couple of yen, enough for the movie and maybe an ice cream or a bit of candy. Shoes. Shoes, where are the shoes? Hiroshi was early. Akane skipped downstairs, then froze. He was wearing a sweater and khakis. He looked... nice. He was holding a very small bouquet of daisies with one white rose. THIS IS A DATE! Good lord. How had this happened? Akane looked down at herself faintly, reassessing her outfit and judging it still appropriate. She continued down the steps but much more slowly now, noting that she suddenly could scarcely feel her legs. "Hiroshi?" He turned to face her, a terribly abashed expression on his face. "Hey, 'Kane." He shrugged. "You can decide not to come if you want. I don't mean to force you into anything." He didn't even have to say the word 'date', Akane reflected. His actions were perfectly clear. "I'm the girl who you were talking about last night..." she began hesitantly. "Yeah. I followed your advice. Did it work?" A timorous smile hovered over her lips. "Yeah. Let's go then." Hiro's smile widened. "I love your way with words." Akane gazed at him wryly and somewhat appraisingly. She didn't mind going on a date with him. He was a really nice guy, and she knew they'd stay friends even if they decided they didn't really like one another that way. "Kasumi-oneechan?" Kasumi appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. "Yes, Akane?" "I'll be home around eleven, okay?" "That's fine." The older girl's smile twinkled. "Have fun." Akane winkled. "I intend to. C'mon, Hiro, let's blow this—" Her eyes went to Kasumi, whose expression bordered on annoyed. "I mean, why don't we go now?" Kasuni smiled approvingly. Soun glared at the two of them as they were leaving; or, Akane decided, glared at her date. Hiroshi looked slightly discomfited, but greeted her father anyway. "Akane, are you dating this boy?" he finally asked, a hint of disapproval in his tone. "Not dating, daddy, going on a date. There's a difference." Akane sighed and exchanged a glance with Hiroshi. Her father had funny ideas about his youngest daughter, and Akane wondered what he'd do next. Predictably, he burst into tears. "Waahhh, my baby girl is dating again!" "C'mon, Hiro, let's get out of here," Akane said, grabbing the boy by the elbow and dragging him out away from the spectacle of a 40 year old wailing like an infant. Something about her father's comment had disturbed her though, she reflected as the two of them left the Tendo grounds enclosure. What did he mean, again?The movie was interesting and involving enough for Akane to forget utterly that she was on a date. The special effects were amazing, but Akane couldn't help but reflect that Ryoga—and perhaps, Ranma?—could do much the same without the aid of computer, lights, and wires holding them from the ceiling of a studio. The plot, however, was also excellent, and it distracted her from that fact. Afterwards, though, she felt herself becoming uncomfortable. Hiroshi walked along beside her in awkward silence, kicking at a stone that happened to be in his way. Akane wondered briefly where her talkative friend had gone. "So, Hiroshi," she began, hoping to begin a conversation. "Did the rock do something to you in a former life, or are you just a little uncomfortable?" She didn't mean to tease him, but she knew they connected through their sense of humor. She was rewarded with a strained laugh. "D'you think Kuno's gonna beat me up for this one?" Akane smiled. "Oh, yes. Most certainly. Don't worry though. I'll protect you." Hiroshi seemed more at ease now, and he grinned his lopsided grin at her. "Maybe he'll give you up, finally." "Yeah. And maybe I'll turn into a boy tomorrow and I won't have to worry about it," Akane replied sarcastically. Hiroshi stopped walking. "Huh?" "What?" Akane demanded. "What did I say?" "Are you starting to remember anything else?" Hiroshi asked her. Akane stared at him. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Hiroshi blinked at her uncertainly in the light of a nearby streetlamp. "It's... Nothing. It's nothing." Akane shrugged and the two of them resumed walking. Hiroshi snuck nervous glances her way. She waited patiently for him to continue. "A lot of things you've said and done in the past day or two have to do with Ranma in some way," Hiroshi finally said after two full minutes of silence. "Walking on that fence— even falling in the bay. Ranma used to fall in practically every day. Never stopped walking on the fence though." Hiroshi had a fond smile in his face. "The way you've started talking— even your silly jokes, they seem to have something to do with Ranma." Now it was Akane's turn to stop. "Hiroshi? I want to ask you something; and please be honest with me." He nodded, telling her to go on. "Were you in love with Ranma?" Hiroshi turned pale as a sheet. "W-what?" Akane shrugged. "I won't take it amiss if you say you were." "No, I'm shocked you'd even think—" He paused. "Ranma had a very nice body, but the way she behaved... most of her friends treated her like a guy. That's why I was so surprised. I was very... fond of Ranma. I liked Ranma, and we were friends. But that's it." Akane nodded, walking ahead again. "All right. But you admit she was pretty." "Sure. Everyone thought so." "Then why did everyone see her as a boy? You'd think no matter how she behaved, she couldn't help but pick up an admirer or two." Hiroshi appeared relieved. "Yeah, she did. Kuno was head over heels." Akane stared at him. "No way. But I thought he liked me!" Hiroshi chuckled. "He did. That's the funny part. He used to obsess over the two of you. "Akane... the pig-tailed girl..." Hiro struck a funny pose. "...I shall have them both!!!" Akane doubled over with laughter. "Oh, geez... the funny thing is, I can really picture him doing that, too." "Genuinely delusional," Hiroshi agreed. "He'd fight you and Ranma every morning. Sometimes the two of you would plant a foot in his face at precisely the same moment; and it was poetry in motion, let me tell you. In fact, I think that happened the very first time Ranma went to school with you." Akane nodded; this sounded extremely familiar. Well, if it happened every day, it should... She looked up. "Well, this is my stop, Hiro." Hiroshi nodded. "I'll walk you to the door." Yuh oh. Is he expecting a kiss? I don't want to kiss him... but it's the first date. Isn't a little kiss traditional? Should we kiss...? Oh, geez. I guess... I guess if he moves in, I'll kiss him. But I won't be the one to make the move. Okay, so here's where I say, "I had a really nice time, tonight Hiroshi. Thanks very much." And here's where he says... "Don't worry about it. I had a great night too, and I like spending time with you. Here, I got you something." Akane blinked. This was a variation. She silently prayed it wasn't jewelry; that meant too much for a first date. But what he was handing her sure looked like a jewelry box. She opened it. Well, it wasn't, quite. It was a watch, a relatively cheap one— for a watch. To replace the waterlogged one. She smiled; it was waterproof. What was more, it had a little duck and a little piglet painted on the inside. "Y'know, for the duck nameplate on your door, and for P-chan," Hiro pointed out needlessly. Akane giggled. The piglet really did look an awful lot like her pet pig. She frowned. "You... do you like it?" he asked hesitantly. Akane looked up to smile at him. "Yeah. It's really great. And thoughtful." Just like I suggested, you sneak, she thought affectionately. He smiled happily, and took her hand into his. Here it comes, Akane thought, and braced herself as he leaned closer to her. She closed her eyes tightly shut. Nothing. Akane cracked one eye open, and then both eyes flew open in surprise. He was leaning over her wrist, fastening the watch on. She felt a sudden inexplicable surge of relief. She examined that feeling as Hiroshi fiddled with the fastening. It was almost like I was about to betray something very important. Suppose... suppose Ranma liked Hiroshi? Doubtfully, Akane shook her head silently, dismissing that idea as incorrect. No... but then why...? Her thoughts were halted as Hiroshi rose. "There you go," he said, giving her his wry smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Akane grinned, her feeling of relief and happiness almost overwhelming her. Hiroshi turned to go, but then took her hand again seemingly on impulse and raised it to his lips. Blushing madly, he kissed it. Then he turned again and walked off into the night. Akane gazed at her own hand like she'd never seen it before. I'm a sucker for chivalry. And I told him. Somehow, that didn't detract from her wonder and delight. Yeah... I'm a sucker, all right, she thought to herself. She giggled happily and let herself quietly inside the house. That night, Akane stared at the ceiling, feeling worse with every passing moment. She couldn't help but feel like she'd betrayed something extremely fundamental by going out with Hiroshi, much less letting him kiss any part of her. She'd... she'd dreamed of somebody else doing those things, she decided as she drifted off. Ranma should— RANMA?! Her eyes flew open. Ranma. That had been an honest-to-goodness thought, no matter how close to sleep she'd been. She sat straight up in bed, her blankets clutched protectively to her chest. Suppose... suppose Ranma and I... suppose... Akane wasn't even sure she could complete the thought, so she changed it to something less concrete. Suppose I felt uneasy because maybe I like... girls!
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