I wasn't going to write any more of these depressing songfics, but I heard this song on the radio and immediately thought of Ryoga. The song "Smile" belongs to Lonestar and whoever else owns it, and the Ranma characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I promise I'll try to write something happy next time. Really.
“To the newlyweds,” Ryoga stated darkly, raising his glass to no one. He leaned back in his chair, ignoring the looks leveled at him by the guests, looks which were hostile at worst and sympathetic at best. “May the groom choke on his wedding cake.” With that, Ryoga downed the glass and closed his eyes. As if not seeing the wedding reception meant that the wedding had never happened. That Ranma and Akane weren’t married.
Of course, Ryoga hadn’t disputed the wedding. Merely denied it. He didn’t want to think about Ranma and Akane standing at the altar, saying ‘I do,’ smiling with anticipation for a kiss that had gone on, long and sweet. He didn’t want to think about how happy Akane had looked. Because if he thought about it too hard, he’d probably shi shi hokodan the whole block.
So he sat alone while the couple danced and kissed and mingled, rarely speaking and leveling glares in the general direction of Ranma. But there would be no last battle between them. Akane had made her choice, and Ranma, as usual, had won, leaving Ryoga with the small tatters of memory, the remains of a heart shattered into pieces. Even P-Chan could no longer be near Akane. As far as Ryoga was concerned, his life in Nerima had ended the day Akane put on Ranma’s engagement ring.
“Oh, Ryoga, there you are!” Akane came up to him, still in her wedding dress, full of smiles. Her eyes shone with happiness. “I’ve been looking for you. I wasn’t sure if you were here or not.”
“I’m just staying for a little while.” Ryoga shrugged. “I gotta--gotta get back to Akari, an’ all.”
“Oh. That’s too bad. I wish you could stay longer to see Ranma and I dance.”
Ryoga felt a pang in the heart he had thought couldn’t break anymore. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, and glanced up quickly at Akane...who was staring away from him, at Ranma, with eyes brimming with love.
And when Akane looked back, all she saw was Ryoga smiling at her. He wasn’t going to let her see him cry. Even if all his love had culminated in watching her marry another man, he wouldn’t let her see how his heart was breaking. Ryoga would not ruin the best day of her life.
“I--I gotta go,” he told her, gulping down a sob.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Akane said, flashing him another gorgeous smile that pierced his wounded heart like an arrow. Ryoga nodded to her and staggered to his feet. He swayed dangerously and had to grab the edge of the table to keep himself up. He put a hand to his head and realized that he must have drunk more than he thought. Akane took his hand and steadied him.
“I want to thank you,” Akane said to him as she led him through the crowded room, a room he certainly would have gotten lost in had he tried to leave on his own. “For not trying to stop the wedding or anything. Not this time or last time.”
“Why would I?” Ryoga asked, the artificial smile still on his face. “After all, I....I only want you to be happy.”
“Still, I appreciated it,” Akane said. “Ranma did, too. He was really worried that this wedding would get interrupted, too. We even had Nabiki hire people to keep an eye out for anyone who might try to stop the wedding.”
“So you really wanted to get married?” Ryoga asked, not looking at her.
“Yes, I did.” Akane stopped and looked at Ryoga. “I know it’s hard to believe, but....I really do love him. For a while I thought that I didn’t and that I never would, but, looking back, I think I fell in love with him long before I could admit it. I guess I was just afraid that he didn’t love me back. He was always acting like such a jerk. But he did love me. All that while, he really loved me.” She paused and looked hard at her companion. “Ryoga, are you crying?”
“No,” Ryoga told her, glancing up with a big smile on his face. “Why would I cry? After all, you’re happy.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” Ryoga assured her. “Why wouldn’t I be?” He felt his smile wavering, and quickly started walking again. “I really have to go.”
“All right.” Akane led him to the door. Ryoga stood nervously in the doorway, wishing that he was anywhere but at the reception. “I wish you could stay a little while longer.”
“I’m sorry,” Ryoga said, shifting nervously.
“It’s all right. But come back and visit us the next time you’re in Nerima, okay? But no more fighting with Ranma.”
“No more fighting,” Ryoga repeated. “I promise.” After all, he didn’t plan on returning any time soon.
“Are you feeling all right?” Akane stared at him again. “You look like...”
“I’m fine,” Ryoga said, very quickly. “I’m just...so happy for you, that’s all. You and Ranma. I hope that you’re very happy together.”
“That’s a nice thing to say, Ryoga,” Akane told him, pleased. “Well, goodbye, Ryoga. I hope to see you again soon.” She leaned forward and gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek. Ryoga blushed fiercely and waved brightly to her as he turned to go, closing the door behind him.
Once the door was closed, Ryoga stumbled into an alley beside the building. In the shadows, the painful smile that had been on his face broke in two and fell off, leaving Ryoga devastated in the darkness. He sat down on the ground and, burying his head in his hands, wept bitterly as the last piece of his heart broke.