Work Text:
For the first time in many loops, the day of Ranma’s arrival was calm.
Well, calm in the sense of the weather. Akane’s family was in a tizzy as usual, a mix of anticipation and disdain filling the house like a bubbling mix of vinegar and baking soda. A few years ago, or the day before, Akane would have counted herself amongst the latter, but now it was all she could do not to join her father at the door, staring out the window into the drizzle and counting the breaths until their guests' arrival.
Of course, that wouldn’t hold up the illusion of normality all that well.
Instead, Akane spent the hours squirrelled away in her room, a pen in hand and a notebook on her desk. Whatever she wrote wouldn’t survive the loop—or even the week, knowing her life—but she found it useful to scribble it out nonetheless.
The last loop, Ranma had come out to her in just over three hours. A respectable time, for sure, but she knew she could do better.
Maybe if I try giving her some makeup too, she thought, chewing on the end of her pen. Or maybe if I throw in a kiss? No, that’s a little too much, too fast.
Her thoughts were cut off by the quiet knock of a fist against wood, yet despite the softness of the sound, Akane shot up, whipping her head to the side and staring at her bedside alarm.
They’re two hours early!
“Girls! They’ve arrived!” Akane’s father called, joy spilling off his words.
Akane swallowed, shaking off her nerves with the ease of long practice. Wasn’t exactly like it was the first loop things had gone a little differently.
She glanced down at her half-formed plans and sighed before closing it and standing.
A par time would have to do.
At least she already had the dress ready.
After quickly tossing the more incriminating pieces of evidence under her bed, Akane made her way downstairs, any feelings of disappointment quickly overshadowed by the utter elation filling her very being.
She’s here! She’s here she’s here she’s here she’s here!!! Her mind sang, imagining a dozen and a half sights of her beloved wife, even as she knew they would all pale to the real deal. She couldn’t help it. Ranma was simply… something incredible.
Passing Kasumi and Nabiki in the halls, Akane did her best to keep her pace to a fast walk.
I wonder what she’s going to look like this time? It’s not raining as hard, so maybe she won’t be as soaked? Or maybe she had to change clothes, or ring out her hair, or—
She arrived in the entrance hall mid-thought, and although she kept going, her mind stopped somewhere behind her, frozen in place.
Because Ranma was there, cute and huggable as always. But instead of martial art silks or even an entirely too cute jean jacket, the petite little redhead stood alongside her father—her human father—in a gleaming blue sundress, the skirt ending quite a bit above her knees and the top pulled tight around her chest.
Her brain only just realising it was left behind, Akane stood shock still as Ranma turned to her, the rarest of her beaming smiles gracing her oh so adorable face.
“Hey there,” she said, voice bright and lyrical. “’Supposed ta see someone here ‘bout marrying a cute little tomboy?”
Akane blinked.
“You’re a girl?” Soun asked, bewilderment lacing every letter.
Ranma put her hands on her hips. “You bet!”
…does this count?
Akane spent the next few minutes in something of a daze, listening half-heartedly as her father and Ranma’s bickered over the seeming betrayal of their agreement. This lasted until a warm hand enveloped hers, and, like gravity, Akane found her eyes drifting towards a brilliant set of baby blues.
“Hey,” she said, smiling. “Mind if we get outta here for a bit? Think I’m gonna scream if I haveta listen to my Pop’s yell any longer.”
Akane blinked, then nodded rapidly. “Uh—yes! Yes! Sure!”
Ranma squeezed her hand. “Sounds great.”
Akane couldn’t help but smile back. How is she always so pretty?
Glancing around to make sure they wouldn’t be missed, Akane pulled Ranma out of the entry hall and into the house. On habit, she began to lead the shorter girl into the dojo, not realising it until they were stepping inside the large hall.
Oh.
Akane didn’t normally start things in here anymore. Sure, her first spar with Ranma was always fun, no question about that, but it wasn’t particularly useful for helping the other girl’s egg crack. Too much of a familiar space, too easy to fall into old habits.
Then again, she thought, eying the girls dress (and the yummy scrumptious treat packed in it), it doesn’t look like she needs a lot of help with that.
“Oh wow, you guys got your own dojo?”
Akane snapped back to attention, a warm glow fluttering in her heart at the look of genuine wonder in Ranma’s eyes.
“Part of the family legacy,” Akane said, as always thrilled to share. “I’ve been practicing here my whole life.” Smirking, she stepped away and crossed her arms. What the hell. “Want to spar? Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you~.”
Akane expected a glare in response, Ranma’s pride surging to the forefront. Instead, the other girl matched her smirk with one of her own. “Oh, you’re a martial artist? Guess that makes ya the tomboy I’m here to marry, huh?”
Akane laughed. “Only if you can keep up, cutie.”
Ranma blinked, and after a moment, Akane found herself doing the same.
When was the last time this had been this easy?
After a moment, Ranma subtly shook herself. She stepped forward, her feet brushing over the creaky plank without touching down. “You know what? Sure. Only sparring partner I’ve got is my old man, and he’s getting pretty slow.”
Akane raised a brow. “Not worried he’s rubbed off on you?”
The redhead scoffed. “Please. I’m faster than you could dream.”
Trash talk done, the two took their positions across the mats. Neither was exactly dressed properly for this—Akane found her eyes slipping to the hem of Ranma’s skirt more than she would admit in polite company—but neither was willing to wait for the other to change. There was an energy in the air, something sparking between them.
And Akane couldn’t wait to see it erupt.
Ranma clasped her hands behind her back and waited, a cute little smile on her face.
Akane brought her hands up into a more proper ready stance—she still how no idea how Ranma went from relaxed to fighting so quickly—and…
Waited.
And waited.
The two girls stared at each other, each one tense and ready for the start of combat.
A start which never came.
After a few moments, Ranma's smile began to crack. “Hey, uh, you gonna… you gonna throw a punch or something?”
Akane didn’t move. “Aren’t you?”
“I could,” Ranma said. “That’s just—it ain’t what I do. Normally.”
“Same.”
“I—I don’t think that’s true.”
Akane raised a brow. “And how would you know that?”
Ranma laughed nervously. “I—I can just tell?”
“Sure you can.”
“…I promise I ain’t gonna dodge all your hits,” Ranma said. “I’ll fight back, honest!”
Something snapping, Akane stomped forward. “That’s what you said last time, you jerk! Then you spent the whole fight dancing on top of my head!”
Ranma blinked, her eyes wide as she stepped back, staring.
Akane realised what she had said a moment later and felt her blood freeze.
And then—
A small, quiet voice, so different from the boisterous girl who had stumbled through their front door. “’Kane?”
Something in Akane’s heart cracked.
“Ranma,” Akane said, blinking back tears.
Ranma herself wasn’t much better, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “H-hey, tomboy. Been a while, huh?”
Akane nodded, taking a step forward—
Then jumped, tackling the other girl to the ground as she peppered her face with kisses.
“Do you,” smack, “have any,” peck, “idea,” smooch, “how long it’s been ?”
“Okay, okay, alright! Geez, you’re as bad as a dog sometimes.” Ranma pushed her off, then shifted her arms down and pulled them together. “Wait, whaddya mean how long? Did—are you…?”
“It’s been so many times!” Akane sucked in a breath. “I—I kept meeting you, over and over again, and it was wonderful, because it was you, but—”
“—it wasn’t the me that knew,” Ranma finished, meeting her eyes. “The me that kept up with ya, who was there with ya all the way. Who could look at ya and call you her—”
“Wife,” they both said, words echoing like bells.
Akane smiled, soft and sweet. “I always loved you, no matter what.”
Ranma nodded. “Same.”
Heart fluttering, Akane leaned back down, pressing her lips against Ranma’s in an open-mouthed embrace.
She felt the redhead’s hands roaming her body, moving down, down. Smirking into the kiss, Akane brought a hand up, undoing the top buttons and snaking her hand through, pressing against her wife's warm, soft skin and revelling in the faint moan it brought.
“Oh my.”
Akane huffed, rolling her eyes at her wife before looking up.
Kasumi stood at the entrance to the dojo, one hand covering her mouth. “Oh my.”
Beneath her, Ranma snuck out an arm and waved. Kasumi hesitantly waved back.
Akane sighed. “Hi, Kasumi. Did you need something?”
“I—well, yes, but.” Kasumi paused. “What are you doing?”
“We’re having a moment.”
“I can see that.”
The two were silent for a moment.
“Are you going to stop?”
“No.”
“Can you take your hand out of her dress?”
“No.”
“I see.” Kasumi blinked, lowering her hand and doing her best to regain her composure. “Father wants to speak with us regarding the—arrangement.”
“Of course he does,” Akane said, shaking her head. “We’ll be out in a few minutes.”
“Sister, he was rather insistent…”
“Kasumi.” Akane glared her down. “We are having a moment.”
“…I see.” Kasumi stepped back. “I’ll—I’ll go lock the doors, shall I?”
“I would appreciate that.”
With that, Kasumi turned around and left. Akane turned back to Ranma, all thoughts of family and annoying pandas driven firmly out of her head by the smudged lipstick all over her wife’s face.
“You were awfully quiet there,” she purred.
“You’re pressing down on half my chest,” Ranma whined.
“Poor little baby,” Akane cooed, leaning down.
“You know, they’re going to come looking for us eventually,” Ranma said.
“Eventually,” Akane agreed. “But we can let them wait a while longer.”
Judging from the soft moan Akane got a moment later, Ranma seemed to agree.
The mood around the dining room table that night was of two halves. One half consisted of Nabiki, Kasumi, and Genma, who eyed the other with a mix of suspicion and concern. The other half, Ranma and Akane, were a little too busy nuzzling to notice said looks, soft coos and warm smiles filling their world.
As befitting an expert martial artist, Soun managed to straddle both with a deft hand. He smiled, and if there was a touch of “what the hell is happening in my house?” to said smile, well, that was between him and the bottle of beer on the table. “Well, son! I was going to ask which of my lovely daughters you’d like to marry, but I suppose—well. Well.”
Ranma took a break from nipping at Akane’s ear to turn, resting her head on the taller girl’s shoulder as she gave Soun a flat look. “First, I ain’t anyone’s son. Second, this ain’t got nothing to do with you two’s stupid scheme, alright?”
Genma began to cry. “Oh, my manly son!”
Soun coughed. “Er, well, I—At any rate, considering how— close the two of you have become,” he said, tacitly ignoring Akane’s hand sneaking beneath Ranma’s skirt. “I see no reason to delay the wedding any longer than needed.”
Nabiki and Kasumi whipped to Akane, unsurprisingly. She couldn’t help but giggle a little.
She gave Ranma’s neck one last bite before turning to the rest of the table, settling down so that she looked slightly less like she was about to tear off her girl’s clothes and have her way with her. “Hmmmm, okay.”
Everyone, save Ranma, blinked.
Akane held up a finger. “On one condition.”
“Two,” her adorable little goof added.
“Two,” Akane corrected. “First, I’m marrying Ranma as my wife, I don’t care what the papers say, and that means she gets as many skirts and dresses as she wants.”
“Second,” Ranma started. “We decide the guest list.”
Genma began to cry harder.
Soun looked between them, quietly calculating how much influence he could afford to burn on the town council, then smiled. “I’m certain that can be arranged.”
Nabiki slammed a hand on the table. “Wait. Wait wait what.” She pointed a finger at Akane. “Since when are you okay with getting married? Since when are you okay with getting married to a girl? Why her?”
Akane rolled her eyes. “I’ve always been okay with marrying a girl, sis. I just didn’t know it. And why her?” Akane turned around, smiling at her wife before leaning down and kissing her noisily on the cheek. “Because she’s adorable and I luv her!”
Ranma blushed. “’Kane, sweetheart…”
“Sweetheart?”
“Nabiki, enough,” Kasumi chided, placing a hand over her sister’s. “Let’s just be thankful Akane has found someone she’s happy with. And at how… exuberant she can be with her happiness.” She paused. “Perhaps too exuberant.”
Akane stuck out her tongue.
Soun raised a hand to his chin. “Hmm. I’ll need to make some calls and arrange for a few ‘absent-minded’ clerks. Perhaps…”
As her father began to plot, Akane shared a look with Ranma, rolling her eyes.
It wasn’t the first time the two of them got married, and although she adored the look of her little redhead in a wedding dress (especially when it was a surprise), the ceremony wasn’t truly her favourite part of it all.
Plus, there was still something inside her that said this wouldn’t be the last time the two of them got married, as much as they wished otherwise.
Still, it isn’t all bad, Akane thought as she pulled Ranma close and cuddled into her side.
After all, every moment with you is one to treasure.