The Party's Over
	Part 4
	By: P-R-P-Chan

	Ranma and company piled through the dining area, each stepping over
Mousse's still unconscious body. Akane led the pack as they headed
upstairs, albeit somewhat unsteadily. Ranma was the first to claim a spot
as they reached the family room, taking the choice seat in front of the TV.
A disapproving glance from Akane sent him from the sofa to the love seat,
this one facing sideways. Ranma drunkenly sprawled onto it, sitting
diagonally, back resting against the corner. Akane popped a tape into the
VCR and took a place with Ranma; beating Ukyou who'd had to navigate for
Ryouga.
	Shampoo, fully clothed again, slumped into the place so recently vacated
by Ranma; Ukyou the place beside her, leaving the end seat for Ryouga.
	"Ryouga? Could you hit the lights?" Akane slurred, as she lay back against
Ranma's chest. Ryouga did as asked, and before sitting down, draped a
blanket over the two fiancees, a look of concern on his face. Akane barely
noticed, too drunk to focus. Ranma didn't either; he was preoccupied with
Akane's slender form pressed against him.
	The movie started, and the attention was focused mainly on the screen. Not
to say that it didn't waver; Ukyou stole glances over at Ranma and Akane,
whether it was jealousy or just a longing even she wasn't sure. Ryouga
feeling his loneliness, ostracized to the far corner on his birthday, even
in a room filled with his 'friends'. Shampoo only took the time to stare at
her majestic figure, slender curves, and smile approvingly.
	So, in silence they watched the movie. Ranma unseen by the others, stroked
Akane's side, taking comfort in the smooth feel of her figure under his
hands. Dangerously, on every pass, the lingered along the curvature of her
breast.
	"I wouldn't be mad." Akane whispered up at him. Ranma smiled slightly at
her words, as part of his many fantasies became reality, his hand wandering
to her front. Feeling a woman's body, one other than his own, Ranma had the
same reaction most men would. Akane tensed as she felt Ranma's manhood
harden against her thigh, but relaxed a bit as he gently made circles with
her breast, trying unsuccessfully to flick her rapidly hardening nipple
through her blouse.
	"Ranma you really shouldn't.." Akane whispered, breaking off as Ranma
interrupted her.
	"Do you want me to stop?" He asked in a caring tone. When she didn't
answer, he continued his explorations, trying to get under her shirt and to
her flesh. Finding it to tight about her body, he briefly caressed her
inner thigh before moving back to her bosom.
	The movie continued, as did Ranma's ministrations, none of his other love
interests took note. Ukyou was actually watching the film, a rather strange
yakuza movie by Takashi Miike by the name of Fudoh. Ryouga wasn't paying
attention, rather he was just staring into space, the alcohol finally
having kicked in, much to drunk to focus on anything in the room. The only
thing he was concentrating on was keeping the contents of his stomach where
they were. Shampoo had fallen asleep, clutching a half empty bottle of
Sho-Chu. Between the five of them, this was their third bottle.
	Nabiki wandered into the room, and headed towards Akane. "Kasumi told me
to.. God Akane, you smell like a brewery.. Anyways, she just wanted to
remind you that you have to get up early tomorrow."
	Akane glanced up at Ranma, with a questioning gaze. He moved his hands to
her side, and gently pushed her into a sitting position. "You should go to
sleep, your hardly awake anyways.."
	Pushing the covers off them, Akane stood up, wobbling more than slightly.
Nabiki steadied her, guiding her towards her room, and her bed. Ranma
watched her go, focusing on her ass as it swayed, more than usual due to
her drunken stumbling.
	"I'm going to sleep." Ranma announced, following in Akane's footsteps.
	"Ranma, " Ryouga croaked. "Can you help me to the bathroom?"
	One look at the greenish tinge his face had taken, and Ranma was quick to
help. Before leaving the room he turned back to Ukyou and Shampoo, who
hadn't given any hint that they'd noticed any of this. "You guys can sleep
here I guess, I'll see you in the morning."
	Ukyou just nodded and went back to the movie, stealing a glance at Ranma
as he turned away, then stole the bottle Shampoo was cradling to her bosom.
She moved to the other couch, gathered the covers around her, and settled
in to watch the movie and finish off the alcohol.


	Ranma woke to the birds chirping, and the sun hitting his face. His
father, in his natural form for once, snored on beside him. He rose
unsteadily, and headed downstairs for a drink of water and maybe some
breakfast. As he went past Akane's door, he heard her alarm go off, and
then crunching sound. Paying no mind to this, he continued downstairs and
served himself a drink, taking a seat at the dinner table. Not even Kasumi
was up this early, the clock in the kitchen had read five-thirty. Replaying
the events of last night, a smile came to his lips, but was quickly erased
as Akane came down the stairs, gave him an odd stare and marched out of the
house.
	Ranma decided he needed to talk to her, but as he rose he realized
something he should have earlier, he still hadn't sobered up from last
night. Finishing his water, he stumbled back upstairs and back into bed.


	A few days past, and Ranma still hadn't gotten a chance to speak to Akane,
she was out most of the time, having just gotten a part-time job for the
summer. It was the interview that he'd watched her leave for the night
after Ryouga's party. That morning had been quite hectic once Ranma awoke
for the second time. Somehow Ryouga had ended up sleeping in Shampoo's arms
after returning from the bathroom, neither of them remembering how he'd
gotten their. At the breakfast table, both their faces had been flushed,
but with a tinge of green. The two of them were feeling rather under the
whether, Ukyou as well, but not to the same extent. Ranma seemed to be the
only one that wasn't bothered by all the alcohol from the night before, and
he had other things on his mind, more important than feeling queasy.

	Ryouga's party had been Friday night, it was now thursday and Ranma still
hadn't gotten a chance to speak to Akane, the few times she'd been home,
she'd either claimed she was tired and went to bed, or been with soem
friends from school. Ranma needed to speak to her alone, he'd thought that
their relationship was going to go forwards because of what happened, but
the way Akane was avoiding him amde him think the opposite might be true.
The fact that she working in a neighboring ward most of the day, meant he
spent most of his time replaying the event over and over in his mind,
trying to figure out what could be wrong. 
	Finally it hit him, he'd taken advantage of her drunken state, Kuno had
tried that on him, during the Romeo and Juliet play, and he hadn't been
that happy with it either. Ranma began sinking into despair, he moped
around the house all day, and didn't even try to speak to Akane when she
did show up, even if it was only to catch supper and the leave with some
friends. He really needed something to get his mind off it, and it showed up.
	"Ranma.. " Ryouga started, as he was shown in by Kasumi.
	"I needed a fight to get my mind off things, alright Ryouga let's go."
Ranma stood and walked into the yard. Ryouga followed but didn't seem
prepared for any violence.
	"I didn't come to fight.. things are different now."
	"How? .. C'mon let's go for a walk." Ranma led Ryouga out of the compound
and into the street. Walking side-by-side, finally Ranma continued. "So you
want to talk? That's all?"
	"I've been thinking about it, and I've realized something. You're probably
my only friend.. So what's the point in killing you? I'd just be even more
lonely then I am now."
	"God.. your even more depressed than usual.. What happened to the angry
'Die Ranma' person I know?"
	"I really don't have any reason to hate you, the more I think about it the
more that's true."
	"What about Jusenkyo? I cursed you to turn into someones pet.. or even
their meal! Aren't you angry at that, P-Chan?" Ranma was getting annoyed,
he'd actually been looking for a fight, anything to get his mind off
things, From Ryouga he expected one, not a long winded speech.
	"If I hadn't followed you there, If you had been looking instead of
chasing your father. It was a bunch of mistakes, and It's almost ruined my
life.. But they were accidents. The only thing that's really kept me going
was Akane."
	"Akane! That's right, don't you want to beat me to death and have Akane
for yourself?"
	"No."
	"Don't you even want to punish me for how badly I've treated her?"
	"I've done enough, she can do it herself. When she decides she needs to."
	"What if I told you I took advatange of her? Wouldn't you want to get
revenge?" 'This has got to work," Ranma thought, 'There's no way he can
stay calm after that.'
	"I'd.. No.."
	"On your birthday? Using a happy occasion for you, in order to get closer
to the love of your life? You sure you wouldn't want to kill me?"
	"I already knew about that.. It's what I've been thinking about for the
past couple of days."
	"You know!?!? How?"
	"You'd be surprised at the things she mentions to her P-Chan.."
	"Is she..?"
	"Pissed as hell."
	"Shit."
	"At herself though.."
	"What'd she do? It was me who was fondling her breasts!" Ranma glanced
around nervously as he realized just how loud he'd said that. Luckily no
one had heard, or if they did, didn't bother getting involved in someone
else's 'affairs'.
	"She didn't say no. She is mad at you, but more at herself.. She was
crying, after she realized how little control she had, I think she's going
to take a bit more time to deal with it."
	"I've been trying to talk to her.. but.."
	"Ranma, just leave her be for a bit. You'll most likely get a chance this
weekend, one fo the few things she's spoken about aside from how angry she
is, is how much fun it'll be to get away from it when she goes to the
fireworks."
	"Their on Friday night right?"
	"Yeah, be sure not to make it worse... You know how you are.."
	"Ryouga.. I can't believe I'm saying this.. but.. Thanks." Ranma reached
out his hand, "Friends?"
	"We always were.." Ryouga said shaking his hand. "I've got to go.. I'll
see you around."
	"Sure.. see you."
	Ryouga walked away, Ranma watching his back, not seeing the tears start to
stream down Ryouga's face.

***
many thanks to the beer gods, without whom I'd never had finished this so
fast, as well as Philip Masters for pushing me to get another part done,
one with a bit more substance i might add.. 
My other stuff is on indefinate hiatus, as I'm really getting into this...
Golden Z- THE WHOLE DAMN THING HAS BEEN PLOTTED FOR AGES!! but I still need
to write it.. and i can't seem to get past the Ranma parts.. 
Of Honor Won and Time Lost - I will eventually get back to this.. I know..
been saying that for umm.. 6 months? maybe more..
A Second Too Late - This should get finished before school goes out for
christmas.. as the co-author is moving away. we know what's happneing,
their;s two more parts.. but we haven't been able to get together lately..
Diablerie:Nerima- This we will be working on.. probably get a part or maybe
half of it done enxt monday..

	P-R-P-Chan
	"Nihao Ranma! Shampoo come sit on face?"

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