[Ranma][FanFic] The Thought That Counts
Richard Lawson
This is a short stand-alone Ranma 1/2 fanfic. More of a
vignette than a story. Comments and criticism of any
kind always welcome.
-Richard
ste...@sprynet.com
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All of my fanfics can be found on my fanfic web page.
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/sterman/fanfic.htm
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The Thought That Counts
by Richard Lawson
Akane looked around the table, wondering if anyone knew.
Life had gotten hectic during the past few months; she
wouldn't be surprised if they'd forgotten.
Father was serenely reading a paper. Nabiki was simply
staring off into space as she ate, as if the world in
general bored her and was not worth paying any attention
to. Genma and Ranma were fighting over the last of the
food on the table. Kasumi began clearing a few dishes.
No one was paying any attention to her.
She began to grip her teacup tightly. Idiots, all of
them. She downed the rest of her tea in one gulp, trying
to suppress the urge to shout it out loud. The hot tea
burned her throat, improving her humor not at all.
Kasumi paused as she was about to step out into the
hallway. "Akane-chan, what would you like for dinner
tonight?"
Relief percolated through Akane. Of course Kasumi
wouldn't forget.
Ranma, one hand on his father's gi and the other holding
something between his chopsticks, paused and looked up.
"Hey! How come she gets to choose? I never get to!"
Akane growled quietly. Typical. Ranma was forgetting
that he was only a houseguest and acting like his needs
were more important than anyone else's. He had to be the
rudest guy she knew.
Kasumi smiled sweetly at him. "It is our tradition,
Ranma-kun, that the birthday girl gets to choose what we
eat for dinner."
Ranma blinked. "Birthday?" While he was staring blankly
at Akane, Genma grabbed his chopsticks and swallowed the
food whole.
"Yes," Akane said softly. She looked over at him. "I
get to choose. Is there anything in particular you'd
like to eat?"
Ranma was looking over at Genma, an annoyed look on his
face. He spoke in a distracted tone of voice. "I don't
care, as long as you don't cook it yourself."
The cup shattered in Akane's hand. She swore profusely
and sucked on her fingertip.
Kasumi hastily put down the dishes she was holding. "Are
you all right? Let me take a look at that."
"I'm fine." Akane jumped to her feet and walked quickly
out of the room. Damn, the cut on her finger really
hurt. It had her on the verge of tears. She needed to
be stronger than that.
Grabbing her bookbag, she ran out of the house.
---
Ranma stared at the shattered pieces of the teacup.
"What was that all about?"
"You don't know?" Nabiki had her elbows on the table,
her chin cupped in her hands. She was looking at him
with a kind of detached interest. "You really can't
figure it out?"
Ranma frowned at her. For some strange reason, he felt
guilty. Why, he didn't know. And he didn't want to
know. "Uh, I should get her a present I guess."
"That would be nice." Kasumi was picking up the pieces
of the teacup. "She is your fiancee after all."
"Yeah." Although not by choice. No one had ever asked
him if he wanted it. She got angry all the time, and
acted so unfeminine, and couldn't cook worth a damn.
Certainly not the kind of girlfriend he'd ever imagined
ever having, let alone wife. She was so uncute, too.
Most of the time. Sometimes.
His frowned deepened as he remembered his current
financial situation. Enough for a couple of after-school
snacks, something he liked to do on occasion with Daisuke
and Hiroshi. Certainly not enough for any kind of decent
present. Not that Akane really deserved anything decent
after the way she'd stormed out on him just now. But...
well, maybe something nice would make her be not so mad
at him.
Getting more money from Genma was out of the question;
he'd have a better chance of retrieving today's
breakfast. That left only one option. He glanced over
at Nabiki, suddenly nervous. "Say, uh, do y'think I
could borrow a little money from you? So I could, er,
buy Akane something?"
Nabiki continued to stare at him, her eyes half closed.
Finally, she spoke languidly. "Tell you what. I'll take
care of Akane's present. It'll be from both of us."
"Really?" Ranma relaxed. "That's great. Thanks,
Nabiki."
She smiled. "You're welcome."
He suddenly narrowed his own eyes. "Uh, what's it gonna
cost me?"
Her smile widened. "Not one yen. I'll cover it."
"Really?"
"Would I lie to you?"
Ranma snorted. "Without skipping a beat."
Nabiki chuckled. "Smart boy. Well, I'm not lying about
this. It's my sister's birthday present we're talking
about, after all."
"Okay." He stood up. "Better try and catch up."
He ran out of the dining room, stealing a look at Nabiki
and not at all reassured by the way she was grinning.
---
Ranma put down his chopsticks and sighed in contentment.
Akane's favorite dinner had turned out to be curry, which
was one of his favorites, too. Kasumi, of course, had
turned out a perfect meal.
Akane herself, while smiling at Kasumi and thanking her
profusely, didn't seem to be enjoying it at all. She was
even now poking at her rice. Ranma shook his head in
annoyance; she'd been like this all day at school,
irritable and downright morose. Ranma had tried a couple
of times to shake her out of it by pointing out how
stupid she was being. It hadn't worked this time. Come
to think, it hadn't ever worked before, either. One day
it would, though. He was certain of that. Somewhat
certain. He had trouble thinking of a better way. Other
than doing something really icky, like talking all mushy.
Kasumi spoke brightly. "Would you like to open your
presents now?"
Akane shrugged and dropped her chopstick onto her plate.
"Sure."
Kasumi smiled and went out to get them.
Nabiki stood slowly. "Halfta get mine. Ranma-kun, can
you help?"
"Sure." He probably needed to sign a card or something.
He followed Nabiki out of the room, something twisting
his stomach slightly as he passed Akane. Dammit, why
should he feel bad because she was being all moody? It
certainly wasn't his fault.
Almost certainly.
He ground his teeth as he walked up the stairs behind
Nabiki.
The hallway was dark. Nabiki flipped the light switch
and tsked when nothing happened. She shrugged and
continued on down to her room. Ranma frowned at the lamp
overhead; hadn't he helped Soun replace it just last
week? Stupid light bulb.
Nabiki opened the door to her room and walked in. Ranma
peered around as he entered, trying to see Akane's
present in the darkness. Nabiki closed the door and
flipped on the light.
Ranma tried to scream in a mouth gone dry.
---
Akane stared into the box. A blouse, how nice. That was
three of them she had gotten now, along with a set of new
lace underwear from an anonymous giver. She was fairly
certain she'd have them long enough to wear once before
Mr. Anonymous decided to reclaim them.
She looked around at everyone and forced a smile.
"Thanks everyone. They're all lovely."
The all smiled back at her. Genma looked at Kasumi. "Is
there cake?"
"Of course." Kasumi tilted her head. "Would you like it
now, Akane?"
Akane couldn't stop the grimace. "Not just now, thanks."
More crashing sounds came from upstairs. Soun frowned at
the ceiling. "What are they doing?"
"I'm certain something really stupid and thoughtless."
She shot to her feet before someone - Kasumi, probably -
could point out how unfair that accusation was. "Excuse
me."
She walked out onto the porch and sat on the edge. She
should just get over this bad mood, she knew. It was her
birthday; it should be a happy day. Everyone was being
nice and giving her presents and trying to make her
happy.
Everyone but one person.
"Idiot." Ranma was an idiot. "Idiot." And rude.
"Idiot." And a jerk. "Idiot!" And she was an even
bigger idiot for getting this worked up over him. Better
that she just stop caring about what he said or did.
It'd certainly cause her less pain.
She sighed unhappily. It was her birthday. Why couldn't
she get what she wanted?
Multiple footsteps came up behind her. Nabiki and Ranma,
she was certain. Time to smile vacantly over their
present. She looked over her shoulder. "Put it on the
table, I'll be right-"
She broke off. Ranma was on his haunches, batting at a
pinwheel Nabiki was waving. Akane turned halfway around,
still sitting on the porch. Nabiki was smiling somewhat
wickedly as Ranma stared at the pinwheel in fascination.
Akane finally found her voice. "What... why... how?"
Almost all her voice.
Nabiki chuckled once. "No questions. Just call him."
Akane blinked. "What?"
"No questions, I said." Nabiki spoke slowly and firmly.
"Call him."
Akane looked uncertainly at the hunched-over figure.
"Ran- Ranma?"
"Not like that, stupid." Nabiki tossed the pinwheel next
to Akane. Ranma leapt after it, batting it with his
hand.
Akane swallowed. "Here, kitty kitty kitty."
Ranma looked up at her. He smiled, meowed, and jumped
onto her lap. He rubbed his nose against her cheek
before settling down on his haunches, still smiling.
Akane bit her lip, then reached out and began to stroke
his hair. Ranma snuggled and purred.
Akane let out a long, slow breath and rested her head on
top of his, reaching around to scratch Ranma under his
chin. Ranma interrupted his purring briefly to give her
hand a quick kiss. Akane felt her chest tighten in
response.
Nabiki called out from the porch doorway. "Happy
Birthday, Akane. From me and Ranma both."
Akane's voice was only a little shaky. "Thank you."
"Gotta go get rid of some pests in my room. Come in
whenever you want some cake." Nabiki slid the door
closed.
Akane turned her head slightly so that she was speaking
into Ranma's hair. "Thank you, Ranma. I know you didn't
do this voluntarily, but I know that... that when you're
like this you're... I mean, emotions and stuff... you
don't hide what- what you..." She closed her eyes.
"Anyway, thank you."
Ranma meowed once in a contented sort of way before
purring some more.
~*~