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Ranma could tell something was off the moment Akane walked into the dojo that morning. Normally, her presence was impossible to miss—whether she was yelling at him, scolding him for something or smashing him into the ground. But today was different. She was quiet. Not just quiet—distant. She’d sat in the corner of the dojo, watching as he trained, but hadn’t said a word. Not even when he made a clumsy jab about how she still couldn't keep up with him.
No playful comeback, no karate chop to the head. Nothing.
Even Shampoo's arrival had failed to provoke her. Usually, Shampoo bursting in and draping herself all over Ranma was enough to set Akane off, but today, she barely reacted. She didn't flinch when Shampoo called her “violent girl” or when Kodachi slinked in, throwing a bouquet of roses and laughing her signature, high-pitched laugh.
It was weird. And as the hours passed, Ranma found himself growing more and more uneasy.
By late afternoon, after managing to fend off Shampoo and Kodachi’s advances for the umpteenth time, Ranma had had enough. Akane was still sitting by the wall, her arms wrapped around her knees, staring off into space as if the chaos surrounding her didn’t exist.
Ranma didn’t do feelings. He didn’t like talking about emotions, especially not with Akane. But this... this was something else. It was like she wasn’t even there.
“Oi, Akane,” Ranma called, walking over to her.
She blinked, like she hadn’t even noticed he was standing in front of her. “Hmm?”
“What's wrong with you today?” Ranma asked, his tone a little sharper than he intended. “You’ve been actin’ weird all day.”
Akane sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s nothing, Ranma.”
He frowned. “That ain’t nothin’. You haven’t even punched me once today.”
Akane gave a small, tired smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m just... tired.”
“Tired? You ain't sick or nothin', are ya?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m just... tired of this.”
Ranma raised an eyebrow. “Tired of what?”
“This.” She gestured around vaguely, encompassing everything—the dojo, the chaos, the shouting, the constant drama. “All of it. The fights, the ridiculous situations, Shampoo and Kodachi throwing themselves at you, Ryoga showing up and challenging you to duels every other day... I’m tired, Ranma. I don’t have the energy for this anymore.”
Ranma blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. Akane being tired of the chaos? The same Akane who would yell at him for being lazy or shirking training? It didn’t make sense. This was Akane—she thrived in chaos, didn’t she?
Before he could say anything, Akane stood up. “I’m going to my room.”
She turned and walked out of the dojo, leaving Ranma standing there, his mouth slightly open. He watched her go, her footsteps soft on the floor, and for the first time in a long while, he felt a pang of worry.
When Akane was out of sight, Ranma stood there for a moment longer, then scowled to himself. What the hell was going on?
The rest of the afternoon dragged on in an uncomfortable blur. Shampoo hung around for a while, trying to get his attention, but Ranma found himself unable to concentrate on anything she said. Even Kodachi’s usual theatrics couldn’t hold his attention.
He found his mind wandering back to Akane, sitting in the dojo with that distant look in her eyes. He wasn’t good with words. He didn’t know how to fix this. But if Akane was upset, he had to do something. He couldn’t just leave it like this.
When dinner came and went, and Akane didn’t join the family at the table, Ranma’s worry deepened. She had never skipped dinner before. Even if she was angry at him or in a bad mood, she always came down to eat. Something was really wrong this time.
After dinner, Ranma paced in his room, glancing out the window every few seconds. He could see the light in Akane’s room was still on, but she hadn’t come out. She hadn’t said a word since their brief exchange earlier.
Ranma ran a hand through his hair, frustration gnawing at him. How was he supposed to fix this if he didn’t even know what was really bothering her? All she’d said was that she was tired of everything. Well, so was he sometimes. But that didn’t mean they could just give up, right?
He glanced out the window again, his resolve hardening.
Screw it. If Akane wasn’t going to talk to him, he was going to make her. Or at least... he’d try to make her feel better. That was the least he could do.
Quietly, he slipped out of his room and onto the roof. The cool evening air brushed against his skin as he made his way across the rooftop, moving with the practiced ease of someone who had done this a hundred times before. Reaching Akane’s window, he crouched down and peered inside.
She was sitting on her bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, her face partially hidden in the folds of her arms. The room was dim, the soft glow of her bedside lamp casting long shadows on the walls.
Ranma tapped lightly on the windowpane. “Oi, Akane.”
She looked up, startled, her eyes widening when she saw him crouched at the window. For a moment, she just stared at him, then sighed and got up, walking over to unlatch the window.
“What are you doing here, Ranma?” she asked, her voice weary.
Ranma swung his legs over the windowsill and stepped into her room, shoving his hands into his pockets. “You didn’t come down for dinner.”
“I wasn’t hungry,” she replied, turning back toward her bed.
“Well, that ain’t like you,” Ranma muttered, following her over. He sat down on the floor beside her bed, leaning back against the wall. “You sure you’re okay?”
Akane sat down on the edge of the bed, facing away from him. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah, right,” Ranma scoffed. “You’ve been actin’ weird all day.”
Akane didn’t respond, and for a moment, the room was filled with silence. Ranma scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say next. He wasn’t good at this. He didn’t know how to talk about feelings, especially with Akane.
“Look, I know... things have been kinda crazy lately,” Ranma began hesitantly. “But that’s just how things are, right? I mean, that’s just how our lives are.”
Akane sighed. “I know. I just... I don’t know, Ranma. Sometimes I wonder if it’s always going to be like this. If we’re just going to be stuck in this never-ending chaos forever.”
Ranma frowned. “What do you mean? We’re not stuck.”
“Aren’t we?” Akane asked quietly, turning to face him. Her eyes were tired, her expression weary. “It feels like every day is the same. We’re always fighting, always dealing with the same ridiculous situations. Shampoo, Kodachi, Ryoga... it never ends. And I’m just... tired.”
Ranma stared at her, feeling a strange tightening in his chest. He had never seen Akane like this before—so vulnerable, so worn out. It wasn’t like her at all.
“I get it,” Ranma said softly. “But... it ain’t always gonna be like this.”
Akane looked at him, her eyes searching his face. “How do you know?”
“‘Cause... I dunno, I just do,” Ranma replied, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “We’ll figure it out. We always do.”
Akane gave him a small, sad smile. “You’re always so sure of yourself, Ranma.”
“I ain’t always,” Ranma muttered, looking away. “But I know one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want you to feel like this,” Ranma said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “You’re too strong to let this stuff get to you.”
Akane blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. “Ranma...”
“I mean it,” Ranma said, his cheeks turning slightly pink. “You’re the strongest person I know, Akane. Stronger than me, even.”
Akane stared at him, her mouth slightly open. For a moment, she didn’t say anything, then her lips curved into a small, genuine smile.
“Thanks, Ranma,” she said softly.
Ranma shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, though his heart was pounding in his chest. “Yeah, well... don’t go tellin’ anyone I said that.”
Akane chuckled, and for the first time all day, it felt like a weight had been lifted from the room. The tension between them eased, and the air felt lighter.
Ranma shifted slightly, leaning back against the wall. “So... you wanna talk about it some more?”
Akane shook her head. “No, I think I’m okay now. I just... I needed to hear that.”
Ranma nodded, relieved that she seemed to be feeling better. He wasn’t sure how he’d done it, but somehow, he’d managed to help.
For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, the soft hum of the evening settling over them. The sounds of the Tendo household drifted through the walls—a faint clatter from the kitchen, the murmur of conversation between Nabiki and Kasumi, and the occasional snores of Genma as he napped somewhere downstairs. Outside, the faint croak of frogs in the nearby pond mingled with the distant rustle of trees swaying in the wind.
Ranma stole a glance at Akane. She was still sitting on the edge of her bed, but her expression was more relaxed now. Her shoulders weren’t hunched, and her eyes no longer looked distant. He let out a small breath of relief. At least she wasn’t upset anymore. But something still tugged at the back of his mind, a nagging feeling that he wasn’t done.
After everything they’d been through—fights, misunderstandings, all the crazy situations they’d gotten tangled up in together—Ranma realized that maybe he’d never really taken a step back to think about how all of this affected Akane. He just assumed she’d keep being the same, fiery, strong-willed girl he knew. But maybe that was unfair. Maybe all the insanity surrounding them was harder on her than he realized.
And it wasn’t just her. He felt it too sometimes. The chaos, the endless cycle of fighting and dealing with all the other suitors and rivals—it wore him down, even if he didn’t admit it. Maybe Akane was right to feel tired of it all. Maybe he was, too.
Ranma cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “You know... I think about it sometimes, too.”
Akane glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Like, how things are,” Ranma said, shrugging. “The constant fights, the way everyone’s always after us... It ain’t just you who’s tired, you know.”
Akane blinked, surprised. “Really? I thought you loved it. The challenges, the fights... you never seem like you’re bothered by any of it.”
Ranma rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. “Yeah, well... that’s just how I am, I guess. I don’t like showin’ when stuff gets to me.”
Akane’s expression softened. “I didn’t know you felt that way.”
Ranma sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. “It’s just... I dunno. Sometimes I wonder if things are ever gonna change, y’know? Like, are we gonna be stuck dealin’ with this craziness forever? Shampoo chasin’ me around, Kodachi tryin’ to poison me with her weird potions, Ryoga poppin’ up outta nowhere just to fight me... it’s exhausting.”
Akane nodded slowly, her eyes thoughtful. “Yeah. I guess... I guess I thought you were okay with it, so I never really talked about how it makes me feel.”
“Well, I ain’t,” Ranma said, his voice quieter now. “But what can we do? It’s not like we can just tell ‘em to stop.”
Akane sighed, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. “I don’t know. I don’t have the answers either. I just... I wish we had more control over our lives. Sometimes it feels like we’re just... caught in the middle of all this craziness, and we can’t do anything to stop it.”
Ranma nodded, his eyes fixed on a spot on the floor. He’d never really thought about it like that before, but she was right. It was like they were caught in a whirlwind of chaos, and no matter what they did, the storm kept swirling around them, dragging them into new conflicts and absurd situations.
“I guess we just gotta hang in there,” Ranma muttered, half to himself. “Somethin’s gotta give eventually, right?”
Akane smiled faintly. “Yeah. I hope so.”
They fell into another comfortable silence, the weight of their shared exhaustion lingering between them like an unspoken understanding. It wasn’t often that they had moments like this—moments of quiet, where they could just be themselves without the constant noise of the outside world pressing in on them.
Ranma found himself relaxing for the first time in a while. Sitting here with Akane, away from the madness, it felt... nice. Peaceful, even.
His gaze wandered to the window, where the moonlight filtered through, casting a soft glow on the room. Outside, the world kept turning, the chaos still waiting for them beyond the walls of the Tendo household. But for now, in this small moment, it was just the two of them.
Akane let out a quiet sigh, and Ranma glanced over at her. She had shifted to lie down on her bed, her head resting on the pillow, her eyes half-closed. She looked more relaxed now, the tension in her face fading away.
Ranma hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. “Hey, Akane... if you’re feelin’ like this again, you know... you can talk to me, right?”
Akane’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him, surprised. “Ranma...”
“I mean, I know I ain’t great at talkin’ about stuff,” he continued, his voice awkward and unsure. “But... I dunno. I’d listen.”
Akane stared at him for a moment, then smiled—a real, genuine smile. “Thanks, Ranma. That means a lot.”
Ranma felt his face heat up, and he quickly looked away, pretending to focus on something across the room. “Yeah, well... don’t go gettin’ all mushy on me.”
Akane laughed softly, the sound light and warm, and for a brief moment, Ranma felt like maybe—just maybe—they were gonna be okay. Things weren’t perfect. Hell, things were probably gonna stay crazy for a long time. But sitting here with Akane, talking like this... it made him feel like they could handle it. Together.
“Ranma?” Akane’s voice broke the comfortable silence.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. For coming up here. I... I didn’t want to be alone tonight.”
Ranma’s heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard, trying to play it cool. “Yeah, well... I didn’t want ya to be alone either.”
Akane smiled softly at him, and in the dim light of the room, she looked... peaceful. For the first time in what felt like forever, there wasn’t any tension between them. No fighting, no shouting. Just... peace.
“Goodnight, Ranma,” Akane said quietly, her eyes drifting closed.
Ranma leaned his head back against the wall, closing his own eyes. “Night, Akane.”
As the quiet settled over them, Ranma couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, they’d found a little bit of calm in the middle of the storm. And for now, that was enough.
The next morning, Ranma woke with a start, blinking as the early morning light filtered through Akane’s window. He realized with a jolt that he had fallen asleep sitting on the floor by her bed. His back ached from the awkward position, and he groaned as he stretched his stiff muscles.
Akane was still asleep, curled up under her blankets, her breathing soft and even. Ranma watched her for a moment, a small smile tugging at his lips. She looked peaceful—more peaceful than she had in a long time.
Quietly, he stood up, careful not to wake her. He slipped out of the room as silently as he had come in the night before, climbing back out the window and onto the roof.
The morning air was cool and crisp, and as Ranma made his way back to his own room, he felt a strange sense of contentment settle over him. Things weren’t perfect. There were still a lot of problems they had to deal with. But for now, Akane seemed better. And that was all that mattered.
As he slipped back into his room and lay down on his futon, Ranma couldn’t help but feel like something had shifted between him and Akane. It wasn’t something he could easily put into words—it wasn’t like they had magically solved all their problems in one night. But there was an understanding now, a bond that felt a little stronger than before.
And for Ranma, that was enough.
The chaos would still be waiting for them when they woke up. Shampoo, Kodachi, Ryoga, all the madness that followed them like a shadow—it wasn’t going anywhere. But now, it didn’t feel as overwhelming. Because now, they had each other to lean on.
Ranma closed his eyes, his mind finally at ease, and let sleep take him once more.