Being Strong [Ranma/Akane, Ranma 1/2, #16]

Title: "Being Strong"
Author: dqbunny
Pairing: Ranma/Akane
Fandom: Ranma 1/2
Theme: #16, invincible/unrivaled
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 doesn't belong to me, but to Takahashi Rumiko and the companies that represent her.

"Have you ever thought you were invincible, Ranma?" Akane asked suddenly as they bent over her math textbook one night.

The question started him to the point where he jerked up his head and found himself within kissing distance of her cheek. He immediately backed away, knew that if she'd realized how close his lips had been to touching her skin that she'd punch him through the ceiling like a cannon ball. With his luck, he'd wind up doused with cold water in front of the Nekohanten - and that would make for a very miserable night.

So he backed his chair up a few feet to a safe distance and considered her question. He leaned back, kicked his feet onto the desk. "Well, everyone likes to think they're invincible. But, no matter how strong any man is, he can't be fully invincible to things."

"How so?" Akane pushed her own chair back so she could study him.

"Well, when you say the word 'invincible,' it usually means a physical invulnerability to anything. Like that American hero, Superman. How does it go? Faster than a bullet, more powerful than a train..."

"And able to leap tall buildings in a single bound," she finished for him with a grin.

"Yeah, but even he's not invincible. After all, he's got Kryptonite that brings him down." Ranma considered the action hero for a moment. "Oh yeah, and Lois too."

"Lois?"

He nodded. "You know, the reporter girl. Lois Lane. He'd do anything for her. The bad guys usually know that if they go after Lois, Superman will go after them."

Akane blushed, realizing the similarities to the situations she normally got involved in with Ranma. She sighed and stared at the sheet of half-completed homework. Lois was considered a weakness for Superman because he cared about her, she thought. "Do you consider me a weakness, Ranma?" she asked so quietly that he nearly didn't hear her.

Ranma froze. He wasn't stupid by any means. Dense, yeah. But even he knew when it was wise to choose his words carefully. He could see this going into dangerous territory real quick.

He swung his feet off of Akane's desk and stood. He approached her, gave her a pat on the back. "You're nobody's weakness, Akane."

Her heart sank at the implied meaning of his words. "Oh."

He grabbed his books and headed out of the room. "You're too strong to be weak, even for an uncute girl like you." He tossed a saucy grin back at her. "Frankly, I wouldn't care for you if you were weak. It'd be no fun at all."

Akane whirled around, but Ranma had already left the room. She digested his statement, then grinned.

Then she got up to chase him for calling her uncute again. But this time, she didn't really mind.