Somewhere in the woods, Wednesday Evening

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma hadn't bee back to the dorms since last night. So he was still in girl form, because hot water doesn't very often occur naturally. He'd wandered around the island some of the day but was certain to make sure no one really saw him. He found himself up in a tree once the sun went down. It was pretty dark so it was best to be stationary. No one would find him up here. He told Setsuna that he wouldn't run away. Well technically he hadn't. She couldn't be mad at him for it. So he spent a few minutes getting comfortable on the tree branch then lay along it hoping that he didn't fall out the tree once he fell asleep.

((OOC: Locked to Teddy.))

Comments

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

After having checked Ranma's room and not finding him, Teddy got worried. He had been hoping that their talk (http://notthehulk.livejournal.com/2011.html) from before had helped calm Ranma down, but one could never be sure. One of those 'hope for the best, expect the worst' kind of things.

He was in the woods now, the last place he could think of looking. And he didn't even think to bring a flashlight. Damn it.

"Ranma!" Teddy called out loudly.

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma hears his name and perks up. He tries to figure out who's voice it was. He hangs over the branch to look around, not seeing any light he figured he was safe.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy tried again, a little louder this time. "Ranma, if you're out there please say something! It's me, Teddy!"

Teddy flailed a bit, not sure what else to say.

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"I'm here." He says it kind quietly. He wonders if Teddy will actually hear him. He stays hanging down.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy turns his head in the direction of the voice, and squints. It's too dark for him to see where Ranma is.

"Could you come a little closer so I can actually see you?" Teddy asks. "'Cause it's kinda creepy yo have a conversation with a disembodied voice."

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma flips upright and hops off the branch, landing on two feet, with a bit of a vrunch. He had no clue where Teddy was. But he might be able to see the becon-like blonde locks.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Hearing the soft crunch, Teddy reaches for the cricket bat in his backpack. He hoped that noise was Ranma, but it could be one of those gremlins for all he knew, so better safe than sorry.

"Ranma, was that you?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"Yeah..." He's behind Teddy now.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy jumps and spins around, cricket bat ready to swing. "Jesus Ranma! I could have hit you!"

He looks closer at Ranma and is surprised to see that he is a she.

"Something happened I take it?" He ventures a guess.

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't have cared if you hit me." Maybe he can see Ranma's face. If he could he's got a very hurt look on his face.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy feels like he got kicked in the gut. He drops the bat immediately and hugs Ranma.

"Don't say stuff like that." His words are muffled slightly by Ranma's hair.

He pulls back to look the boy girl> boy in the eyes. "What happened?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma blushes a lot at the hug. That was... actually nice. No one really gives him hugs. Setsuna gave him one the other day too... "I don't know... I'm... not sure.."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy sits down on a nearby log and gestures for Ranma to sit as well.

"Start from the beginning then, if that's easier."

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"Well... you know Setsuna...?" He sits down with a little shiver. Sheesh it's gotten cold out...

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Noticing the little shiver, Teddy shrugs off his light jacket and hands it to Ranma.

"Yes, what about her?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma wouldn't usually accept something like this but around Teddy he's actually a lot more comfortable. He puts it over his shoulders and sighs. "Well.. I've... liked her for a long time.. and she's with Jude.. as you probably know. I'm not very good at dealing with things... I've never really had to... so it makes me really... MAD! When I see them it makes me really... upset. And I try to be okay with it for Setsuna. But I'm not okay with it. Not at all."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy nodded encouragingly, trying to remember some of the stuff from Mrs. Kaplan's psychology books.

"Go on."

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"Well... I guess... It's just that they seem like they're always getting closer and I HATE IT. I mean I even tried to help them stop fighting a few weeks ago because I didn't want to see Setsuna upset. I'm a total idiot..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Ranma, you aren't an idiot. You're just in love with someone who doesn't see you the way you want them to."

He thought back to his first crush and what a disaster that was.

"But is that the reason why you're hiding in the woods as a girl?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"Part of it... The way I deal with things is usually to just.. leave. Or my dad taught me that all my life. And she tells me not to. And I have a hard enough time not being mad at Jude. But then I.. have to just stand around and watch. And I'm going to China with her. To get rid of my curse... or at least... THIS one..." He sighs. "And I'm sure Jude's upset and I don't really like thinking she's gotta get him all mad at her. Though she promised me she's come with. I don't know..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"You want my opinion on that?" Teddy asked. "I think you should take a little break from her relationship issues and focus on yourself. After that you can decide if she's your friend and if you want to continue hanging out with her. If not..." He trailed off, leaving the last bit unsaid.

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"She'd be so upset... if I told her I didn't want to be her friend anymore... I couldn't do it." He pull the coat tighter around his shoulders. "And I don't want to focus on myself. I don't understand me."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"I'm not saying to stop being friends with her," Teddy said, "Just that you should figure yourself out before you get mixed up in that drama again."

Teddy leaned forward. "Look, the first guy I liked treated me horribly because I let him. I don't want that to happen to you."

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma shyly blushed. "... Thanks Teddy." he carefully puts his hand over Teddy's. He's really awkward with things like this so he's doing his best. This felt a bit stange because, after all, his fingers at the moment were thin and soft like a girls instead of bit stronger like a boy's.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy pulled Ranma in for another quick hug.

He cleared his throat and continued on, "Okay, so what was the other reason for you being out here?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"I don't really... know what happened to me. I feel asleep on the bench in the park because Mizu needed a rest and as usual... I was unlucky enough to be woken up by the one person I didn't want to.. see..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy took a stab in the dark at the mystery person's identity. "Did he do anything?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"No.. We just talked... He keeps calling me a girl... I don't know what to think anymore..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

More than slightly disturbed by this new bit on information, Teddy looks visibly upset. "Doesn't he know that you're a guy?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"I told him I was! I told his yesterday too.. Maybe he doesn't believe me..." He holds his head. "I don't know what to do! I mean I don't know anything!" He whispers the last part, "I just want to leave and never come back..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy pulled Ranma closer, one arm over his shoulder. "Don't say that. If you left then who would I get detention with? Or sit in the creepy dark woods at night with? Hmm?"

"How about I talk to Chad for you, and figure out what the hell is going on with him, okay?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"N-No... you can't talk to him! I'll just avoid him.. it's fine..."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy waved him off. "Nonsense, you're my friend and this is part of what friendship is."

He grinned evilly and reached for his cricket bat, "Plus there's the threatening part."

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

"T-Threatening part...?" He's never seen such a glint in Teddy's eyes. He always seems so... nice... Like Alphonse, an advisor and someone who was never mean to anyone. This look caught him totally off-guard.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy nodded soundly, "Damn straight. Nobody hurts my friends."

Well people did actually, but then he went all GRR TEDDY SMASH on them. Honestly, hurting his friends only ended badly for the person doing the hurting.

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma was actually really touched by this. Maybe it was the girl in him but he hugs Teddy for a second.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy hugged Ranma back and then stood up. "Are we ready to return to the dorms now?"

[ranma-sao.livejournal.com]

Ranma nods and carefully takes off Teddy's jacket. "Here... Thanks..." He finally smiles a bit. He tries to fummble with something nice to say and really ends up a blushy studdery mess. "You're.. really great Teddy... Billy's lucky to.. have you."