[Akane]

 

Stupid Ranma. Stupid, stupid Ranma!

I ran to my room and closed the door behind me. On my bed, I began to cry into my pillow.

He thinks that I don't know anything. As if I don't know how to take care of anything. That because I'm clumsy, I'll mess up everything...

I cried even harder.

I knew what I was doing. If I didn't know the answer, I would think what Kasumi onee-chan would do.

Why am I never good at anything when it comes to things that come naturally to other girls?

Knock. Knock.

"Can you please go away? I don't feel like talking to anyone right now."

"Akane, I'm..." Ranma's muffled voice said through the door.

"No, I think you're right. I can't do anything like this. I'm an idiot, remember?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"Well, how about my cooking? Or the way I do other stuff?"

"Akane, I-"

"I don't want to hear it anymore, Ranma!"

"Whether or not you like it, I'm coming in." He widely opened the door right then. "Now you listen, Akane. I'm saying this only once."

He bowed. "Akane...I'm sorry."

I got up and wiped my tears away. "Really?"

"Really." He came over and sat in my desk chair. "I really did mean that you are doing well on this..."

He fumbled with his fingers. "I mean, you never seemed the type. But you're good with children."

I wiped another tear away. "Really, Ranma? You really mean it?"

"Yeah." He looked up at me.

"If you're really sorry, then say it again, Ranma." I smirked and crossed my arms.

"Sheesh." He mumbled to himself, "After I went-"

"What Ranma?"

"Nothing." He put his head down again and sighed. "I'm sorry, Akane."

And I smiled at him. "I guess I did get kind of get jealous that you were doing better than I was."

"I told you not to take this so personally, Akane. But no, you always think it's something to compete in."

"Hey, it's not like you've never done it before." I smirked and folded my arms again. "Coming from someone who's jealous over a pig and yet HE takes it so personally every time I hug my P-chan."

Ranma made a face. "Well, that's different."

"How?"

He jumped up. "I think it's time we put the squirt to sleep."

"How is it different, Ranma?" I still questioned as we walked down the stairs. "How?"

"It just is!" He answered as I jumped down to the first floor.

"You! You always runaway whenever I'm asking a question about P- chan!"

I wasn't mad so anymore... And I smiled as I glanced at Ranma.

You do have your good points...Rare as they may seem....

Ryusuke was playing in his playpen as Dad was doing funny faces with Mr. Saotome.

"I thought you were done with this, Pop?" Ranma said as soon as he entered the den.

"Well..." He scratched his head.

His panda sign said as Ryusuke pulled on his fur, "This kid's stronger than when you were little, Ranma."

When our dads went to bed, we three were still awake. Ranma sat to one side of my futon while I sat with Ryusuke on it.

Ranma leaned forward and stroked Ryusuke's head. "Aren't you sleepy yet, Squirt?"

Ryusuke slapped both of Ranma's cheeks softly and smiled.

"I'll take that as a 'No'."

"Well, he'll be going to sleep soon anyway," I said as I looked at Ryusuke.

"Right, Ryusuke?" I laid him down to change his diaper. "We will go to sleep soon, won't we, Ryusuke?"

Ryusuke began to gurgle again at me. I smiled down at him as I sat him up again on my lap. "Now, who's a happy baby? Hmm?"

I swung his arms and then hugged him tightly. "You're a happy baby, yes you are!"

I stopped and looked over at Ranma. "You haven't been saying anything for a while."

"Uh...oh... really?" He just sat there next to me and kept silent. But he was blushing...

"Just say it Ranma."

"Well, uh..." He scratched the back of his head for a bit. "Well, it's just that you looked like you were his mom for a moment."

"I did?"

"Yeah." He got up. "I'm going to sleep now."

I sighed and smiled to myself. "Thanks, Ranma. That means a lot to me."

"Oyasumi, Akane. Squirt." He then left.

"Oyasumi, Ranma."

I then looked down at Ryusuke and I got up. "Let's go take a walk outside."

Then, I lifted him over my shoulder and patted him. "It's time to go to sleep, Ryusuke."

But he just kept on looking around at his surroundings. After a while, his eyes grew sleepy and he laid his head on my shoulder.

Good. I began to sit down, but he stirred. He wasn't asleep yet. So I got up and walked slowly again.

Something popped in my brain.

"You were such an energetic baby, Akane. Mom had to sing to you every night just to quiet you down from screaming or crawling away," Kasumi would tell me.

I then sang the lullaby that Kasumi would sing to me when I was little. And after a while, I heard the soft humming of Ryusuke sleeping and kissed his forehead. So, I turned around to go back to the den.

Ranma?

I stopped walking.

He was there with his arms folded and leaning on the doorway. He smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up.

I smiled back and walked back to the den; and, Ranma really headed up the stairs this time.

As I gently laid Ryusuke on the futon, I smiled as I leaned to one side watching him.

Out of nowhere, I thought, "Ranma and I will be good parents..."

Then, I slapped my forehead quietly. What am I thinking?! I really AM tired!

I closed my eyes as I wrapped my arm slightly over Ryusuke.

"Oh well," I whispered and smiled to myself.

--

Author's note: Really a tender moment. But I can really see Ranma encouraging her like that...