Trials and Tribulations VII “This is all your fault!” “My fault? Who sucks at cards?!” “You do!” “Damn you, Ranma! You’ve made my life a living hell!” The words escaped Ryouga before he knew they were coming, and he could only stand and stare at Ranma’s hurt expression as he turned toward the bars of their prison cell and rested his head against them. “Oh, Ranma. I’m...I’m...” “What are you gonna say, Ryouga?!” Ranma yelled whirling around, ”That you’re sorry? Well, don’t be!” Ryouga cringed at the violence in Ranma’s words and the barely suppressed emotion. He was so caught up in the angry look in Ranma’s eyes that he almost missed his whispered words... “I’m sorry enough for the both of us.” ```````````````````````````````` 6:37 pm “Hey, Ranma...” Ryouga asked cautiously as looked over at Ranma’s slouched form crouching by the metal bars. “What?” Ranma gruffly replied, his feelings still hurt from Ryouga’s previous remark. “Do you...well...do you know if we’ll ever get out of here?” “How should I know, P-chan? It’s not as if I’m psychic or something.” “Hey,” Ryouga started, stung. “Why are you talking to me anyway? I thought I was your rival, Ryouga. Your number one curse. Why don’t you act like everybody else, and either kill me or love me...” Ranma paused, shocked by what he had said. Sending a glare in Ryouga’s direction, he turned his back to him and plopped down to the floor once more. Ryouga’s mouth hung open as Ranma’s heartfelt words played back in his head.< Kill him...or love him... >. Ryouga felt trapped, he could not kill Ranma, he admitted that to himself now. Ranma was his friend, who seemed to always understand him. He understood him even more than... Akane. But he loved Akane...didn’t he? This was so confusing. ```````````````````````````````` 7:15 pm Ranma glanced over his shoulder and across the cell to Ryouga’s still form lying sprawled across the floor. < All that thinking probably tired the poor guy out. > He thought with a smirk. His smirk soon faded as he remembered the confused expression that had passed over Ryouga’s face when he had made his little slip up. < I’m so stupid! Why did I say that? It sounded as if I meant... something weird. > Slowly Ranma got up and walked over to Ryouga’s side of the cell. He stood there, cautiously staring at him, ready to run the moment he so much as twitched. His eyes fell, of their own accord, to Ryouga’s stomach and the rise and fall of it with every breath. He let out an involuntary shiver as he watched Ryouga’s shirt rise up and down with the erotic movement. Suddenly, Ranma’s hands itched to touch him. His full lips, his soft hair, his silky skin... Ranma was going crazy just imagining it. He let out a small huff of frustration and slowly walked over to his forgotten corner by the bars, planning to spend this night and many others in that very spot. ```````````````````````````````` 1:00 am Ryouga opened his eyes with a start. He thought... no it couldn’t be. A blush rose to his cheeks as he realized the foolishness of what he expected.< Ranma wouldn’t be watching me sleep... >. As unlikely an event as it was, though, Ryouga couldn’t help smiling at the thought. 6:30 am “EVERYBODY GET YOUR LAZY ASSES UP!” “Rise and shine.” Ranma grumbled from his fetal position on the floor. “No.” Ryouga turned back over and put his hands over his head, trying to block out the shouts, curses, and bangs from the floor above him. “Come on, Ryouga! We have to, we’re jailbirds now, remember?” Adding his curses to the many others that echoed down the hall, he slowly opened his eyes. Ranma’s face was mere inches from his own, his eyes containing barely concealed mirth. Ryouga blinked as he stared up into his stormy blue depths.< Okay, I’m up. > 7:00 “Hey man, watch it!” Ranma yelled as he was jostled down the crowded hallway. He had lost sight of Ryouga as soon as he had left his cell, but at least the crowd seemed to be going in the same direction. < I’ll meet up with him...wherever we’re going. It's a real bummer that those guards had to take our link away. It'll just be my luck if Ryouga gets "lost" and leaves me here. > Ranma silently grumbled to himself. He missed the feeling of being connected to Ryouga.< At least they set his ankle though... > His eyes widened noticeably as he surveyed the people...uh, demons, before him. A wide array of colors, sizes, and shapes circulated around him. Fangs, claws, fur, feathers, ears, extra limbs, and things which Ranma couldn’t recognize managed to catch his eye at every turn, leaving him very distracted. So distracted, that he was almost not able to catch a similar trait that all the prisoners had. < Why are they all bandaged so heavily? Was there a fight? > As Ranma shuffled through the crowded hallway, he looked down at the floor, trying to keep his worries and misgivings from him. So deep in thought was he, that he didn’t notice the many stares he attracted from the creatures around him. ```````````````````````````````` Loud noises invaded Ryouga’s hearing as he stepped into what seemed to be a large cafeteria or mess hall. Tables were scrunched so close together, they were practically on top of each other, and brawling could be seen around the room as everyone rushed for food and a seat. Ryouga stood and stared at the strangely familiar sight. Oblivious to the pushing and shoving he was enduring from his fellow jail mates around him. Something nagged on his brain though, something he saw was quite familiar...was, that’s it! They’re all wearing bandages! Ranma, struggling to get free of the crowd, finally spotted Ryouga and hurried over to him eagerly.< Finally, we get to eat! > Ryouga, his brow furrowed with concentration, swept his gaze across the room as he attempted to locate some sign of Ranma; a red shirt, a black pigtail, anything. He finally spotted him, edging between two rickety tables in an effort to make his way over to him. Ryouga smiled and waved in an effort to hurry him over so they could get a table. Suddenly, Ranma stopped; his gaze focused behind Ryouga. Before Ryouga could call out in confusion, though, a shadow fell across his path, blocking his vision of Ranma. “Well, so who’s the new recruit? Just what would a weak ningen like yourself be doing in this neck of the woods?” ````````````````````````````` Ranma clenched his fists in anger. < How dare he come on to my Ryouga? > His vision clouded with anger, and before he knew it he began walking over to the two as they were talking. Deep down he knew this was a bad idea, and that he should let his pride cool off for a bit, but did that ever stop him? Nope. To Be Continued....