Work Text:
Riding a ship between China and Japan was a much better prospect than swimming the distance. The comforting rocking back and forth of the ship would have put a lesser… man? woman? I suppose that's a whole new can of worms to dissect once we make it back to Nerima. In any case, it would certainly put a lesser person directly to sleep.
I pushed a lock of flame red hair out from my eyes, and looked at the rest of the ship’s crew. Pops was collapsed on a spare portion of the nearby deck in panda shape, snoring loudly. Shan Pu and Mu Su, also in their animal shapes, curled up on his soft belly, sleeping off the last week.
Ryoga, on the other hand, couldn't afford that decision. He sat upright against one of the walls into the navigation chamber, his umbrella protectively shielding him from the elements. What a coward.
Akane stood on the side of the boat, eyes looking off into the distance. She had been there the entire day of travel, and it seemed like she would be there the entire night as well. She must be exhausted. Turning into a shriveled-up doll would have sapped my energy. I hoisted myself on my own two feet, and slumped over to Akane.
She noticed me first, and put on an uneasy smile. “Not getting any sleep too?”
Ranma grinned. “It’s hard, with you up.”
“Oh yeah?” Akane frowned. “Because I’m an uncute tomboy? Not like I haven’t heard that one every day for the past five years. I was finally looking forward to going to my graduation ceremony and going to college where I didn’t have to hear that day in and day out.”
Ranma sighed. He kinda screwed himself in that regard. If there was a single thing that was hammered into their head as an Anything-Goes practitioner, it was to steal liberally, literally and metaphorically. If there was a second, it was to commit to the bit to the last breath. And, she had panicked.
“I wanna be more honest with you, Akane. Honest,” he finally breathed out.
Akane raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? When were you gonna tell me about Ryoga?”
“What about Ryoga?” Ranma asked, anxious and angry at themself.
“About him being P-chan, dumbass,” Akane’s face was inches from Ranma’s, and she could feel Akane’s warm breath clouding her face. They wished the moment would never end. “I’m not an idiot, you know…”
Ranma sighed, and pulled away from her fianceé. “At first, I was being loyal to my friend, and then there was never any good time to tell you.”
Akane turned away. “Don’t think that gets you off the hook, mister!” she huffed.
Ranma sighed. That hurt, more than she would like to admit. But… Akane had a point. She sat down.
Akane turned to face her. “You have a point. I’m sorry.”
“Are you sick, or something?” Akane accused.
Ranma shook her head. “Nah. I’m just… I’m tired of fighting with someone I love.”
“Someone you love, huh?” Akane looked up higher in the sky. “Shouldn’t you be telling that to literally anyone else?” She turned around to face Ranma, hands on her hips. “Shan Pu, Ukyo, hell you even seemed more interested in Yohyo and Kuno!”
Ranma fought back the urge to raise her voice back in kind. “Those idiots were easier to talk to…” She blushed, and lowered her head so Akane couldn’t see. At least, she hoped her love couldn’t see. “When it’s with someone I actually care about, I choke up. Kinda like how I was bad at talking with my mom.”
Akane shook her head. “What am I gonna do with you?” she muttered playfully, advancing on the smaller girl.
Ranma cautiously backed away from her. “Didn’t help that I was hella questioning my gender, and had pretty hetero-normative ideas beating my brain to a pulp.”
Akane started chuckling, a hand to try and cover it up that lost faith midway through transit. “Well, I’m glad you figured that one out!” At her fianceé’s incredulous look, she continued. “You’re just never really happy in your guy shape. You haven’t been for three whole years.”
Ranma looked up at her. “Wait, really?”
“Yes, really. Silly girl,” she teased.
“I’m… I’m sorry…” Ranma sputtered out.
Akane smiled. “I’m willing to try again, if we can keep it from our parents.”
“I’m down with that,” Ranma grinned, then turned away back to where she came, confident that she’d finally get some sleep.
Akane clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Where do you think you’re going, missy?”
Ranma tilted her head in confusion. Akane strode up to her, grabbed her by the chin, and planted a kiss directly on her lips. “There. Have a nice night, love.”
Ranma nodded, and skipped back to her space of the ship. She immediately collapsed overtaken by bliss, exhaustion, and released anxiety.