OK. This isn't the first fic I ever wrote, but then I doubt anyone other than myself will EVER see the first fic! Heh heh... anyways... Let me know what you think. This story came about in response to a picture that I saw by a very talented artist named Druihd. The name of the picture is the same as the name of this story: Warm Rain. Enjoy!

Ranma ran.

He ran as if all his existence depended on it. Oddly enough, to him, it felt like it did! The trees of the forest whipped past him at an incredible rate. The pounding of his bare feet on the ground, much like the pounding of his heart in his chest, kept a steady, unfaltering rhythm with his breathing. He stared straight ahead, keeping his eyes only where he was going; the direction he was running.

The direction he had seen her run in.

The rain came down in small sheets around him. It soaked up the heat of the night as it fell, warming it just so, and Ranma found himself somewhat surprised when he didn't change form. His aura flared as he ran, hugging closely to his skin. He jumped to clear a fallen tree, then turned a bit, then ran faster.

"Akane!" he called out into the night forest. He looked left and right as he ran. The rain on his face, warming further from his own body heat and aura, mixed with his sweat, and he wiped his eyebrows off every so often, continuing to run all out into the forest.

"Akane! Where are you?!" he called out again. It was only through some small miracle that he heard a faint voice reply over the sound of his own heart thudding in his chest.

"I'm here, Ranma…"

Ranma stopped dead in his tracks and looked to his left. There, on another fallen tree, sat Akane. She was soaked from head to toe, but even through that, Ranma could see the flush on her face; the downcast eyes; the sad expression; the single wet line on her face that ran from her eye where none of the others did.

He looked at her with worry that quickly mixed with awe. Against the hard greens of the forest, which even mirrored off the brown bark of the trees in the summer rain, she looked much like a fairy that had lost her way. Her one piece white night gown, which was soaked through, pulled in the gentle shine of the woods around her, reflecting back colors of blue, green and brown.

His breathing still a little heavy, Ranma regained his composure and walked towards her, now totally and completely unsure of himself. He had been so certain of what he would do while he was running. Now, he didn't have a clue!

Akane spared him a sideways glance, which quickly lead to her brow furrowing.

"It's raining out," she said, quieter now that Ranma was close by. "Why haven't you changed?"

Ranma stopped directly behind the fallen tree Akane sat on. His hands found their way into his wet pockets, but he was more concerned with the gesture than whether or not it was actually comfortable.

"It's almost a hundred degrees out tonight, Akane," he replied just as quietly. "The rain's too warm ta make me change." Akane nodded a couple of times slowly at his explanation, but her eyes didn't leave the ground in front of her. She continued to stare at it, and Ranma continued to stare forward. For a long time, neither of them spoke. A single squirrel ran out in front of the two, giving them an odd glance that seemed to ridicule them for being out in the open under such weather. A small smile played at the corner of Akane's mouth, which was all that Ranma had been waiting for. He quickly hopped over the log and sat beside Akane, now certain that she had calmed enough for the closeness as the squirrel skimpered off.

"Akane, why did you run away from me?" he spoke hoarsely after a moment, looking at the side of her face as her gaze held the ground before her. Silence greeted his question, but Ranma had balled up plenty of patience from the day. He just continued to look at her.

"Because…" she finally answered. "I-I was… afraid."

Ranma's heart leapt in his chest, and he felt it skip a beat before threatening to lunge out of him. The hard feeling of guilt he held for himself as being the one responsible for her actions immediately softened under the desire to pull her close and comfort her. She slowly turned her face up to look at him, and every defense, every resolve, every prepared speech, every single hesitation, melted away within him. Her eyes were swollen, and the front of her hair was a tangled mess. Her bottom lip quivered uncontrollably, and he watched as the rest of her began to shake a little, more than certain that it had nothing to do with the night's warm rain. He moved a few inches closer to her and took one of her hands in his, locking his eyes with hers.

"Tomboy… why would you… be afraid of me?"

Akane winced at the word 'tomboy', and was all too ready to get mad at Ranma for it. Her mood was all too fragile. She held back hard though, remembering Ranma's earlier words to her; how, even though he called her a tomboy, she was HIS tomboy. Every part of her cried out to believe him, but over a years worth of experience with Ranma had her mind still completely convinced that this had to be some kind of a bad joke.

Should she tell HIM that? Here was Ranma, right in front of her, his heart almost completely visible through his eyes. His intentions seemed so honest and pure, and under his steady gaze that made her insides twist, she found herself yearning to believe everything he said. She slowly opened her mouth, and after fighting an internal battle with her faltering mind, she finally managed an answer.

"Because… Ranma… You've p-played with my feelings before…"

Ranma's eyes drifted shut slowly as he damned himself so many times over in his head. Damn him and all the times he'd ever made fun of her. Damn him mucking around with love and making jokes when it came to that stupid bracelet Happosai had. Damn him and practically saying he loved her at Jusendo, just to take it all back by saying he didn't remember right before their failed wedding. Damn everything he'd ever done to make her doubt him now!

Uncertainty wavered as his vision seemed to clear before him. For the first time, he allowed himself to completely drop all his defenses before her. He let the rain wash away every single doubt he held on to. As he rose to his feet, his hand pulled slowly at her, beckoning her to stand with him. She looked at him again and, seeing some distant yearning behind his eyes, slowly stood.

Ranma took her other hand as well, and held them together inside his strong hands, bringing them between himself and Akane. He could think of no actions other than what he had planned, and he hoped and prayed beyond imagining that this would make it all too clear to her.

"Akane," he said, his quiet voice strong and unhesitating, making her blood run a little faster in excitement as she gazed back into his deep copper-blue eyes. She watched him lean forward a little and move his thumb so as to kiss her skin that lay beneath his strong yet gentle grip.

"I… I don't know what ta tell you but… but I've never… ever… felt so certain about somethin'… in all my life… and I ain't just pretendin'. Damn me for ever pretendin'."

"…Ranma…" she shook her head a little, suddenly wishing that she had just believed him from the start; not wanting him to hate himself for it all. If he blamed himself for everything… No, she had to let him know. It wasn't just him… it was her as well.

"Ranma… it's not all your fault… It's mine, too… I-"

"Shhh…" Ranma quickly lifted a finger from their tangled hands and put it to her mouth. He gained a bit of a smile as he shook his head back at her, a rasp of a chuckle escaping from him. "I don't care… whose fault it is, Akane…"

"Ranma…" His eyes never left hers, and they shone bright with fervent, eager emotion as he slowly leaned closer to her.

"I… Love… You…" he whispered each word clearly. Emotions flooded over the dam she had built around Ranma in her mind, and as the walls fell, she experienced the rush of… so many things crashing down on her. A new tear streamed down Akane's face as she felt the burning of her cheeks, and release washed over every vein in her body as she fought to keep herself on her feet.

"I-I… I love you, too…" she managed to reply, a smile bigger than Ranma had ever seen suddenly flashing across her warm, brilliant features.

All in one smooth motion, Ranma's hands released hers, fell to her lower back and rested there as Akane lifted stray fingers to brush Ranma's cheek and the line of his jaw, her other hand falling lazily to his chest. Their lips slowly came together, and the two pressed into their first kiss. Akane sighed against his lips high and loud as new emotions poured over her. Joy, disbelief, wanting, relief, and finally, overpowering love.

Ranma never felt more right as he held her. As her lips parted slightly under his, he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between them to receive hers. Electric feelings shot through him like a live wire, each one adding passion to his advance.

As the rain continued to fall silently around them, their moans and sighs of tender companionship lost in the depth of the woods, Ranma laid Akane on the forest bed under the fallen tree, brushing her hair back behind her ear softly.

The gentle darkness of the forest at night nestled softly around the two as they lay there quietly facing each other. Crickets began chirp, and the gentle sound of the rain began to fade as the lingering clouds yielded their position to the night sky filled with stars, bringing the subtle beauties of the woods alive with their soft glow.

He traced her cheek tenderly, looking deep into her eyes which seemed to mirror his. As he cupped her face, he wiped lingering tears away with his thumb, nervously wetting his lips to try and hold off his wanting. When he finally spoke to her again, his voice was a low, hoarse whisper.

"Tell me no, Akane…" he flicked his eyes quickly over her body before looking back into hers again. With everything he had, he held himself back, not wanting to do anything that she didn't want him to, but hoping so much that she wanted him to. "…Before I can't stop."

His fingertips moved down her neck and over her shoulder, then back up to her face again, running his thumb softly over her lips. Her only reply was to brush stray strands of his hair back behind his ear, her eyes delving deep into him with that same sense of need laced around the outer edges of their beautiful brown. Barely perceptible, Ranma watched her shake her head.

"I-I… don't want you to stop." She answered. She had been waiting two years for him to hold her, and all she could think about now was how his every touch smoothed away the rough edges of her doubts; how every time he brushed his rough but tender fingertips against her yearning skin, another of her inhibitions melted away.

"Good," Ranma breathed, "God knows, you're too damned gorgeous for me ta hold this back any longer!" He placed his thumb and finger on her chin, and leaned forward as he gently tugged at her, the two coming together in a deep kiss.

He allowed his hand to roam freely over her body, exploring every curve with a tender caress. Akane delved into his mouth with her tongue as she trilled in approval.

Ranma's hand came to rest on the spaghetti strap of her left shoulder, and he kissed her bare skin before sliding it down. Akane didn't miss a beat as she teasingly pushed him off her. She rose to her feet slowly, enticingly, and looked deep into Ranma's radiant copper-blues before slipping her right shoulder's strap off as well. Ranma gulped audibly as he watched her, completely unable to tear his gaze from her eyes. Seeing this, Akane smiled at him with a bit of an anxious giggle. His insides turned upside down, and he lost himself completely to her famous drop dead smile.

Biting her bottom lip with flighty anticipation, Akane reached for the left strap of her gown and held it firm as she slipped her arm out of it, then did the same on the other side. She curved her index fingers around the straps, and began to blush brightly as she slowly peeled the material downward. Ranma's face flushed considerably as well, watching with shimmering, captivated eyes as Akane gradually revealed herself to him, until the garment fell to the forest floor.

He looked in silent amazement at the wet gown crumpled at Akane's feet, then slowly brought his gaze up her body, drinking in the sight of her with ardent wonder.

"…Akane…" he watched as she blushed harder, once more biting her lip as her eyes quivered. "God, you're… you're so beautiful, I…"

Quietly, she stepped back to him and lay back at his side, holding his awe-struck face in her hand. He leaned back into her and kissed her again, following a trail down to her neck and catching that spot beside the base of her throat with his lips that made her close her eyes and gasp; bravely, the two stepped into the fresh and exciting territory before them. Their shared eagerness passed back and forth between them for hours as Ranma made slow, passionate, gentle love to the beautiful fairy in his arms, who accepted every sensation he unraveled within her as a gift, not a duty, nor in fulfillment of some unwanted tie of honor. Then, at long last, the night opened its mystifying arms to them, and they fell fast asleep, still so warm in each other's embrace under the blue-green glow of the forest canopy above them. In the fresh night air, the scent of lingering dew floated around them, a hint of the warm rain still attaching itself to the smells that moved silently through the woods.

::Deep Breath:: OK, there it is! It's possible that they may seem a bit OOC... The reason for this most likely is because I didn't include any of their thoughts into this piece. I'm sure that, if they were there, this would all make a whole lot more sense. Still, for those of you who know and love Ranma and Akane as much as I do, what goes unspoken between the two of them has always spoken for itself through their actions!

Well, I'm pretty flame resistant, so let me have it! Review away, folks! I just hope you all enjoyed it!

MattSaotome