Hey...

SORRY FOR UPLOADING AFTER WEEKS BUT I WAS VERY BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND I'M IN EXAMS!

I almost don't have time for myself but I'm not thinking about abandoning this project. Today I have 2.936 words for you to make it up to you. All of you have been wonderful readers and I'm very thankful for having you here.

Also, again a very big thank you for BornOnTheBreakOfDawn for the ever so wonderful reviews! And a big thanks for James Birdsong and Fanofyourwork, who keeps being enough interested in the story to write a comment from time to time, and sonicboomboy for the short review.

Fuyukazehime, Zjinu and Luke Shadowrider:

Thanks for the reviews and the effort you put in them but the problem with being a fanfiction writer who isn't a native english speaker is that they always have a lot of grammar errors. I take your advises to heart and i do try to do my best but... I don't think i can do better... Someday when I'll be better in english I'll clean every error here! That's a promise!

a very little btw: i didn't update this Friday because I was at a Geek convention and I cosplayed with my best friends as Gravity falls characters. I was female Dipper Pines and everyone loved my outfit! first cosplay ever and BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!

But now: Enjoy!

Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media. I don't own any of it in any shape, form or way!

"Oh, stop squirming around already and get used to it! I'm not happy 'bout this either but this is your fault anyway! If someone should be complaining, it should be me! So be a man and suck it up!"

Akane kept looking forward as the two martial artists argued. They had left her room and not even one foot outside they began to argue. Rolling her eyes but still walking, she didn't turn around once. She couldn't believe the bad luck they had.

Ranma was holding onto Ryoga's arm and her bosom was clearly touching Ryoga's skin. He clearly was feeling uncomfortable by this.

Ryoga was looking to his left and blushed hard, "All I'm saying is that you could at least not be this touchy! Ever heard about personal space?" Ryoga gulped nervously and gestured with his free hand at his arm.

Ranma groaned and rolled her eyes as the three ascended the stairs. She couldn't believe she had to simulate love towards this idiot. "Ryoga, it's called acting. Something you'll have to do too in front of my mother," Ranma retorted and the teens got to the end of the stairs, "perhaps even more embarrassing stuff. You have to get your guts together and go through with it!"

Akane guided them to the living room and because Nodoka and Kasumi were still in the kitchen next to them, she whispered, "Ranma's right, Ryoga-kun. The more credible and disgustingly affection showing the act is, the faster she'll be gone. ...Well, probably," she said and looked at them before sitting down at the table. Ryoga and Ranma followed her example, sitting in front of her, "Please, Ryoga. We have to get both of you out of this mess!" She took his free left hand in her own and her brown eyes stared into his, hoping he'd understand the life threatening situation.

Ryoga meanwhile was somewhere on cloud nine, blushing and savouring the moment and feeling of the blue haired girls touch.

He felt like dancing and started to drift into his dreamland but was pulled back to reality when he noticed a tightening grip on his right arm which had the intention to hurt but didn't. He looked down and saw how Ranma frowned at him. "Hey, bucko, ya back to reality? 'Cause Akane won't be the one who'll have to be holding you from now on, understood?" She declared and crossed her arms, while pouting a bit. "Also, it won't look like we're engaged, 'Kane, if you're still holding the moron's hand," she turned towards her supposed fiancée.

"Ranma! Don't be so mean! It isn't easy for him to act like your fiancée because you're rivals and both guys! Also, I took his hand because he's my friend," Akane defended but didn't see how he pouted, "and that's what friends do. Also, aren't you two supposed to be friends?". Ranma on the other hand felt how Ryoga's depressed aura increased and cringed. She was sitting next to him and she could feel the suffocating pressure of his aura.

She really hated it when Ryoga got all depressed. Call it worry about herself, but it was worry about him too. Not that she'd admit something like that to anyone but deep inside her she worried about her best friend. When she thought about it, it was something lately developed. When they were younger, Ryoga never got depressed, mostly he was just very angry but since they met again, Ryoga seemed to get depressed easily and now that he could do the Shi Shi Hokodan it got worse. It was a hazard for himself and his surroundings. On the other hand, his depression was sometimes helpful, especially when she could use it for her own purposes. After all, she was an opportunist.

While, Ranma felt how the tension was still growing, Akane hadn't even noticed, as she was looking at the kitchen entrance, waiting for her sister and soon-to-be mother in law to appear. She was completely oblivious to the fact that Ryoga was in love with her, even though he'd been after her for a year now.

"...I'm always going to be just a friend, right?" Ryoga whispered so silent that only Ranma heard. It was starting to get noticeably colder by any second.

Not again.

The gender shifter had started to shift uncomfortably and decided to do something against it, even if it meant to start a fight. "Hey, Ry-" she tried to start but was interrupted by a gentle voice talking.

"Ranko-chan and Ryoga-kuns engagement?" they heard Kasumi say and they instantly tensed up.

"... Well, yes, it's been known for a while now, Auntie Nodoka. I can tell, you just found out. It was quite a surprise for us too." Kasumi said calmly and walked into the room with a tablet with their dishes for lunch. Nodoka followed with another tablet which was loaded with tea.

Ryoga's depressing aura vanished as soon as he heard Kasumi and he was just as surprised as the person next to him.

Did Kasumi just… cover us?

"Oh, really?" Nodoka asked and was a little surprised when Akane had stood up and took the tablet out of her hands to settle the table herself. Nodoka looked around and saw her second favourite couple sitting next to each other. Her first one was after all her son and Akane. "Ranko-chan! Ryoga-kun! There you are! Were you able to clear the misunderstandings?" Nodoka asked and they nodded carefully. The Saotome-matriarch smiled and sat down at a table end, next to Ryoga who tensed up immediately. Akane swallowed. She knew that move. That was the move curious mothers did to know new people's lives. She had watched enough soaps and met enough mothers of friends to know what Nodoka was planning. She stood behind the older woman and gave Ranma a look of worry which the teen understood perfectly. They really had developed a connection of understanding for problematic situations. Ranma bit her lip and hoped Ryoga could do a good performance. She'd never seen him acting and improvising, except that one time in middle school but that was a long time ago and she didn't even remember his part in the play. She prayed in her head that he wouldn't start talking shit.

"So Ryoga-kun, how long do you know Ranko?" She questioned the stiff sitting boy. He blinked. "Ryoga-kun?" She tried again.

"Oh! Hehe, sorry!" He rubbed the back of his neck, "I kinda spaced out! What did you say?"

Nodoka smiled and received the tea Akane served her. "I asked how long you already know your fiancée."

"Oh, uh. We- We've known each other since, uh, middle school," he said and stole a glance at Ranma who was still biting her lip.

"Dear! That's quite long! And middle school? So you know her just as long as my Ranma? Kasumi told me you were his classmate back then, isn't that right, Kasumi-chan?" She said and turned towards Kasumi who finished setting the table. She smiled and stood up straight again, "That's true. They've been friends for so long, quite a coincidence that Ryoga-kun met Ranko-chan at that time too," she sweat dropped and turned to go back into the kitchen, "Akane, could you please come with me? I have to talk to you."

"...Sure Kasumi," The youngest Tendo said and gulped a bit because she heard a tinge of sternness in Kasumi's voice. Both disappeared in the kitchen and left the two troublemakers with the Saotome-matriarch.

Nodoka looked at the pair and still grinned while the other two tried to smile but only managed to do it in an awkward way. They looked at anything but each other or Ranma's mother who seemed to try to burn her stare into their soul.

The heavy silence felt like hours to both teens until Nodoka talked. "Ranko, dear, so tell me!" She begged and Ranma just gave her a very confused look.

"About what, mo-auntie?" The pigtailed girl almost gave herself away and laughed nervously. Nodoka didn't seem to have noticed the little mistake of Ranma almost calling her mom and instead answered the question.

"I'm talking about everything! How you two met, when he started to court you, since when you're engaged and most importantly: when will the wedding be? Is it going to be traditional or western style? Because either way you'd look gorgeous, am I right, Ryoga-kun?" She turned towards Ryoga and smiled while having her eyes closed.

Thank kami she did because he had turned Ranma's hair colour and had his eyes wide. "Uh... Well-" he stuttered but got an elbow in his ribs soon, "Yeah! Absolutely gorgeous!" He squeaked and Ranma buried her face in her hands. They were doomed.

To her surprise, Ryoga kept talking, looking at nothing specifically and he seemed to get redder by any minute. "That's why she's my fiancée! Because she's beautiful!" He babbled and Ranma only lifted her head from her hands and stared at him with her mouth open.

Nodoka was listening to him interested, totally oblivious to the fact that Ryoga's red face was because of stress and embarrassment.

"B-but not only because of her looks! I mean, she is pretty! Man, she's gorgeous! And damn, her eyes are the most beautiful colour I've ever seen! They always remind me of the ocean and sky and I get lost in them always!"

Ranma was starting to feel her cheeks heating up and tried to concentrate to keep herself cool, while Ryoga's face got redder and redder. Why did Ryoga have to say something like that in front of her mother?!

"So don't get me wrong! I didn't only choose her because of that!" Ryoga said and Ranma didn't get how he didn't seem to notice that he was talking complete nonsense.

Just shut up already!, she thought in a pleading way. Her own cheeks had reddened too.

"She's kind, brave and strong-"

"Uh, Ryoga? That's very... Uh... -nice of you but I think Auntie Nodoka is getting tired and I bet she isn't interested in-" Ranma tried to get him to shut up but was interrupted as Ryoga kept talking, not noticing his 'fiancée's' try to shut him up. In fact, he didn't seemed to notice anything at all and continued with his speech.

"I never met someone like her and she always cared for me when we were younger, uh, for example she always picked me up at the end of classes and took me home because I got easily lost and she brought me my homework when I was sick, even on very snowy days! She was one of my first real friends!"

Ranma gasped but it wasn't noticed by anyone. She remembered vaguely the times he was sick in winter. The ponytailed boy had always brought the fang toothed boy the homework and teased him for being weak because he got sick. She always considered him as her friend but she always thought it was a one sided feeling. Ryoga always seemed to show that he only thought of her as an annoyance, though, she never thought of him hating her. That's why she sat there staring at him in disbelief and even though she'd never admit it, she really hoped he meant it.

Ryoga…

"A-along with Ranma of course! At first Ran-... Ranko just seemed to be my friend- a sparring buddy! Just like with Ranma, I always enjoyed the matches between us and even though I could never beat her, she always made me push through my limits and got me beyond them and she was the reason why I'm this strong today! ...well, it was Ranma's doing too but that doesn't matter right now! When I found out that she'd moved away- apparently at the same time as Ranma, what a coincidence again, huh?!, I fell apart! So since I couldn't go anymore to school because I didn't found my way, I decided to do something to make the uneasy feeling go away! I told myself I would hunt my sparring partners down, for any price! At first it was only anger and loneliness that kept me moving forward and I blamed Ranma for it but when time passed and I'd already caught up with them I understood my true reasons to have searched and followed them! I knew that I missed them a lot-"

Suddenly, Ranma's heart felt heavy after Ryoga's explanation. Perhaps he was making all of this up but she still felt as if he'd really suffered when she left. She herself had missed him, but her father told her to forget about him soon as it wasn't manly to feel sad about another guy. She eventually had forgotten him and their past together and she moved on with her life until the day they met again, Ryoga trying to pierce Ranma's head with his umbrella. He hadn't forgotten. He never had. During his speech she didn't miss how his expression seemed hurt and exasperated and she knew it was all because of her.

Did he really suffer that much? Did he really missed me?

She already wanted to apologise when she noticed he hadn't stopped talking.

"- though both can be a headache, their stubbornness is sometimes helpful! But damn, they are such sore losers! Her luck she's pretty and he's strong, 'cause I think no one could live with them in any other case!-"

Never mind the apology.

"There have been a few times I beat them but their thick heads don't want to understand it and they keep saying that I never defeated them! But in her case, she's such a stubborn person that it's cute again! She's exactly like- like... Ranma! Only female! But I don't like Ranma! 'Cause I only like girls! Ranma isn't cute at all! No, kami, no! It's just that it's her that I like! I like girls! And Ranko's a girl! That's another reason why I like her! ...Did I already say she's pretty?- "

Ranma face palmed with so much force that her hand left a red print in form of her hand on her forehead which rivalled her hair colour and her cheeks. Suddenly, she felt how Akane and Kasumi had entered the room again. Akane sat down on the table end next to Ranma, clearly missing her usual spot next to Ranma where Ryoga had sat down. Kasumi started to serve the food on their plates and gave them her usual smile.

Akane didn't seemed to have noticed how Ryoga was anything but shouting stuff about Ranma- Uh, Ranko- but when she did, she raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth. What the-?

"-and have you ever seen her eat? She has no manners at all! She eats like- like a pig! And she stuffs more into her than she weighs too! But then again, she's got a great figure, so what the hey? Where's the logic, I ask myself? Perhaps she's got a fast metabolism, or at least, that's what she tells me the whole time. Still, I- i... L-love her anyways, despite her unladylike behaviour but thank god she isn't all girly but again, don't get me wrong! Every girl has the right to be girly and she has her moments of femininity but I prefer her to be more tomboyish! I feel a lot more comfortable that way and she too. I always get very nervous around too nice and pretty girls, so she's probably the only one my age I don't get shy around... Well, her and Ukyo and... And shampoo I think, but they aren't important. And-" his voice seemed to crack a bit but he kept talking and laughing somewhat high.

"...Ranma? What's going on?" The younger Tendo asked whispering into her fiancés ear who was still covering her face. Ranma lifted her head and pinched with her right hand's fingers the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were still shut, somehow hoping it would help with her prayers. "...honestly, I have no idea," she admitted with a groan.

"Doesn't he notice what he's saying? ...is he even aware he's talking?" Akane whispered again eyeing in worry her male friend who had just started to laugh very loud, nervous and awkward and didn't seem to stop. Nodoka seemed to have lost her interest in what he was saying and just sat there looking very uncomfortable.

"He seems to be in some kind of shock, 'Kane. I don't think we'll be able to stop him without brute force and as much as I'd love to do that, mom will think it's suspicious, so let him talk. It's not like he's saying something that could kill me... For now," the pigtailed girl said in a low voice and both girls watched how Ryoga was making a fool of himself. After a moment, though, Ranma chuckled to herself. "But, I think I'm going to go and get a camera from Nabiki to film all of this. This is hilarious if you think about it."

"Don't worry, I've been filming this since the very beginning," Nabiki's voice suddenly erupted. She was sitting at the living room's entrance and pointed her camera towards the odd scene.

"N-Nabiki!" Akane and Ranma echoed in surprise and even jumped a bit.

Wha- Since when?

"Nice problem you got into, Ranko. This is perfect."

Kasumi served her plate at last and said "Itadakimasu!" and everyone joined in except Ryoga who kept talking and explaining why his fiancée Ranko was the best and at the same time the worst.

RYOGA; SOMEDAY, SOMEONE, MOST PROBABLY RANMA, WILL KILL YOU FOR BEING SUCH A (CUTE) DORK!

i still adore you though.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME AND STAY TUNED!