I wish

Akane and Ranma held each other in front of the fire. They had been
talking for hours.

It had been almost a year since they had married each other. 

"One that was very dangerous was Dr. Tofu. Everyone knew he was madly
in love with Kasumi. The only one that didn't notice was Kasumi 
herself. It was pretty funny, though kind of dangerous for the 
patients. " said Akane.

"But they sure make a wonderful couple, don't you think?"

"Yeah. We should visit them more often."

"We just visited them yesterday." said Ranma with a chuckle.

"Yeah. But I miss Kasumi a lot. If it hadn't been for her, I would
have never told you how I felt."

"Same with me. Though it was also because Nabiki told me that Ryoga
was going to ask you to marry him. It was a lie though, she told me a
week after the wedding."

"Wow. My sisters and their different ways of handling things. Anyway,
it was a good thing you told me first, it was very hard for me tell
you... It was funny though, don't you think? Both of us trying to 
tell each other."

"Yeah. But I knew I loved you long before I decided to tell you."

"Yeah, I know. You just told me then because you were scared I'd 
marry Ryoga if he actually proposed to me."

"Yeah... Do you know when I first realized I really, really loved
you."

"No."

"Remember the time when Kodachi made those cookies and she stole 
yours, and I went after her and she took a very compromising
picture of us..."

"Yes, I remember Ranma. Tell me fast. When was it?"

"Well. First, I really didn't want you to see that picture. Even if 
nothing had happened. Though that only shows how much I care about
you."

"Are trying to create suspense or is that it?"

"No. What I want to tell you is when I realized I really, really
loved you."

"Well, tell me fast."

"It was when you ran off after you saw the picture. I took the 
negatives and ran after you. Well, remember I ate your cookies?"

"Yes." said Akane smiling.

"Well. After I ate them I had the most awful stomach-ache because
I had eaten them."

"What? Are you trying to say that my cookies gave you that 
stomachache?" she said frowning.

"Yes. But that's not the point Akane." he said holding her tighter.

"Then what is the point?"

"That I would have eaten those cookies a thousand more times and I 
would rather have a thousand stomachaches instead of having you being
mad at me."

"..."

"I realized it when Nabiki told me later that I shouldn't have eaten
the cookies. I kind of thought about it and I decided... I knew I 
would do it again just to make you feel good. That's when I realized
I really, really loved you."  

"Oh Ranma. That's the most beautiful thing you have told me."

"Really? Well, don't fell bad about the cookies. They tasted alright
even if they gave me a stomachache."

"I knew they tasted alright. Don't you remember how much time I spent
doing them over and over?"

"Yes. That's why I think that if you keep trying you'll soon make the
best cookies in the whole universe. And that they won't only taste
good but that even Gosungkugi will be able to eat them without 
getting a stomachache."

Akane looked at him with her eyes wide open and her mouth dropped.
Ranma blushed. He knew he had sounded over, extra nice.

"Don't look at me that way Akane."

"Sorry." She held him tighter and looked back to the fire. Her face
lightened up with a beautiful smile. 

After a few minutes, she was still smiling.

"Akane? Why are you still smiling?"

She chuckled. "I'm so happy. I can't help it."

Ranma chortled and said, "Well, you keep doing that. I love to see 
you smile."

Silence followed for some moments. Both immersed in their own 
thoughts.

"Ranma?"

"Yes."

"You know what?"

"What."

"Lately, I've been telling you everything that comes to my mind. 
That's how much I trust you."

Ranma was surprised. After a second or two he finally said, "I really
have a lot of confidence with you too. When I'm with you I feel free
to say anything I feel without being afraid of being judged. I also
love you because of that. With you, I feel as confident as I've 
always wanted to be."

"I love you because of that too."

They watched the fire silently for some time.

"Ranma?"

"Yes."

"You know why I told you that?"

"No."

"Because I thought of something I wanted to tell you."

"Do you still want to tell me?

"Yes."

Akane looked at him and saw his beautiful blue eyes. "Kiss me first."

Ranma kissed her, a long passionate kiss, gone-with the-wind style.
She then rested her head on his chest and said. "What I thought
was... I wish my mom had met you."

Thursday Dec 7/2000