Chapter Text
"I can't keep going like this, Akane."
The small redhead in Akane Tendou's arms trembles as she says it, and Akane can tell that the girl is on the verge of breaking.
Moments like this have been happening more and more lately. Ever since Ranma had been able to admit that she couldn't be a man among men for the obvious reason that she wasn't a man.
It had been rough accepting things, for both of them. Akane had struggled to adapt more than she wanted to admit, and screwed up even more than that.
But right now, at least, she could do something helpful.
"I know," Akane said, keeping her voice soft and gentle. She reached up slowly to unbraid Ranma's hair, letting it fall loose, placing the plain black hair tie to one side. With that same gentleness, Akane runs her fingers through Ranma's hair. "You don't have to. Not tonight. Not while you're in here with me." She felt Ranma nod her head against her shoulder, even if the redhead couldn't find it in herself to say anything.
Akane's bedroom had become a safehouse for both of them, a place Ranma could retreat to when her parents or the various rivals got too much. A place where Ranma was safe. The fact that this was the first time Ranma had had that still made Akane angry, even if she had some pride that she had somehow managed that.
The two stayed like that a while, quiet and still, Ranma's head resting on Akane's shoulder and Akane continuing to stroke her fingers through Ranma's hair.
There were precious few people who saw this side of Ranma- the exhausted girl who so desperately needed a bit of peace, and quiet and gentleness. Where she couldn't keep up her ego, her brashness, her boldness. The first few times had been so far apart Akane had thought they'd been one offs. It had become clear over the past few months they most definitely weren't.
Three gentle knocks at Akane's door broke the silence, and Akane could feel Ranma jolt, ready to jump away, the smaller girl's hands moving to a familiar, supposedly sealed stance.
Tonight was really bad, then.
"It's okay," Akane said, placing a hand softly on Ranma's shoulder. "It's just Kasumi. I'll get it."
Ranma nodded, silently, but Akane could feel Ranma shift her position on the bed as Akane stood up to walk to the door. A glance back showed Akane that Ranma had sunken into the corner of the bed, a blindspot from the door, and had grabbed one of Akane's larger plushies, clinging tightly to it for support.
Fortunately, Akane was correct. She gave Ranma a thumbs up before letting her older sister into the room. She could see Ranma relax, but noted that the redhead didn't release her grip on the plush fox.
"Everyone's headed off," Kasumi said, her voice a bastion of calm. "And I'll be out in twenty minutes. Please look after the house while we're gone."
Kasumi was one of the other privileged few who got to see Ranma like this, and Akane was rather glad that for her eldest sister's faults, Kasumi was at her heart a very kind woman who hated the idea of hurting almost anyone.
"I was able to get Nabiki to accept a reasonable price for her silence, too."
Akane let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, sis..."
Kasumi just gave Akane a sweet smile, before stepping over to Ranma and reaching into the pocket of her apron to hand the redhead a small bar of soap, which Ranma accepted with both hands. "That should be enough to get you through the weekend, and Uncle Saotome remains none the wiser."
Ranma had a weak smile in response. "Thanks, Kasumi."
"Of course," the eldest Tendou daughter's response was gentle, soft and quiet, making eye contact with Ranma. "Dinner for tonight is made up in the fridge, so you just need to heat it up when you and Akane are ready, okay Ranma-chan?" The honorific was another deliberate choice of Kasumi's, to reassure the redhead. Akane could appreciate that too, even if she didn't like the conversation around it so much.
"Mmhm!" A bit of brightness returned to Ranma's face as she nodded at the trust Kasumi was placing in her.
"I also got the ingredients you asked for, they're in the bag on the top shelf, and there's some staples for simple, easy meals. Just make sure Akane doesn't help too much."
"I solemnly swear your kitchen will remain unharmed." Akane can see a little of Ranma's playful energy return with that joking solemnity, and Kasumi reaches over to give the redhead a gentle pat on the head.
"Good girl. I'm glad I can count on you." And as Ranma preens a little, under Kasumi's almost motherly touch, Akane can't help but interject.
"Hey, I can consistently boil water without setting fire to anything now!" That just seems to get a giggle from Ranma, and an earnestly proud smile from Kasumi.
Fine. Today Akane can bear being the butt of the joke. She lets out a sigh, as Kasumi leans over to give Ranma a hug before standing to give Akane the same.
"Have a good weekend, you two. I'll call if anything changes." Kasumi says, moving toward the door with a wave.
"You too, sis."
"See you when you get back, Kasumi."
And then they're alone again, and Akane sits down on the bed and Ranma scoots next to her, the redhead resting her head on Akane's shoulder again, and closing her eyes. She can tell that Ranma's doing a little better now, breathing a little easier, and Akane reaches an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders.
"So..." Akane starts, after a few minutes, and she can't help but blush as Ranma looks up at her with those big, pink irises. "I think, uh... do you want to get changed for dinner, and then I'll get the bath ready after we eat?" There’s a pause, as she just listens to Ranma's slow, steady breathing. "Or... do you want to rest first?"
Ranma takes a little longer to respond, and Akane's worried the exhaustion has hit already, but Ranma's shy, quiet voice eventually hits her ears.
"Can we stay like this a little longer?"
Akane takes a little breath in, and tightens her grip around Ranma's shoulders, trying to shift the other girl's weight into leaning fully against her, and Ranma goes along with it easily.
"Sure. As long as you want."
The little contented sigh that comes from her shoulder is all the confirmation Akane needs that she’s said the right thing.