Ranma Saotome anything goes (boytype) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-10-27 22:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | ezra fitz, ranma saotome |
Who:Ranma and Ezra
When:Recently
Where:UCI
Ratings:Low
Warnings:None
Status:Complete!
Since Ezra’s apology, Ranma had stopped glaring at him as much in class. However he still didn’t talk or participate much with anyone, be it recreational or otherwise. He was quiet and his writing abilities were dismal at best when he turned something in that he did on his own. He was frustrated but he didn’t have the words to say so in English toward the end of class when time was nearly up for a test he hadn’t finished. Half of his test was written in Japanese, and poorly at that as well.
Ranma had spent most of his younger life on training missions with his father, not in school. He didn’t know how to write well in either language, there were cross outs and wrong words used everywhere and finally the clock ran out. He was struggling to keep up, but he was making an attempt. He didn’t just blow class off, and it appeared he did do the reading when he was able to with Akane’s help- but he couldn’t always rely on her and in the end it became incredibly disheartening. Maybe it was just time to throw in the towel. If Nabiki hadn’t gotten them run out of town he’d still be back in Japan where things made sense. He was one of the last few remaining when the clock ran out, even Akane was finished and had likely gone home already.
The first few weeks of the semester hadn’t been Ezra’s proudest moments. Granted, he sometimes assigned extra work at the beginning of the school year to figure out which students were serious about his class. But this semester he had given more work than usual. He needed something to grade. Something to distract him from keeping his mind off the fact that he wasn’t writing and how pathetic his life had become. Now that things were better he had less time to grade papers. The work load on the students had lessened quite a lot, he also wasn’t so tense and snappy in class anymore.
Ezra generally took an interest in his students. There was one person in particular that wasn’t doing so well. He would have noticed Ranma’s struggle even if the whole incident with Akane hadn’t happened. He also would have taken an interest in helping the young man out. Which is precisely what he was going to do. Even if they had gotten off to a rocky start. “Mr. Saotome,” Ezra said as his class filtered out of the room. “Can I see you for a moment?”
Dark eyes watched as people left the room, longing to be one of those people. Ezra still wasn’t his favorite teacher in the world, Ranma was guarded when it came to him. Even though he’d gotten past his initial anger at the man, he still felt a bit awkward.
“Hai-yes?” He had begun to pack away a couple books, but stopped when addressed. He still didn’t think in English in spite of living in America now. Katou said he wouldn’t learn much if he didn’t, but he found it difficult. He knew plenty of swears thanks to his new friend but that was about it.
Ezra had also been packing up his things. However he left one paper out. Ranma’s last test. It was only half filled out and of those answers most were in Japanese. It was obviously an F. At the rate he wasn’t going to pass. He waited for the rest of the students to leave before addressing it with Ranma. He wasn’t going to discuss his grades in front of others. That was just unethical.
“Do you like this class?” Ezra began. He wasn’t sure. By Ranma’s facial expressions during the class he couldn’t tell if enjoyed the class or not. Yes, he was struggling, but that could just be from the culture shock. Ezra would understand that.
Ranma saw that low grade and didn’t even want to take it. He'd tried on his own and failed, it was frustrating. And the fun part was if he brought it home Genma would only say his mind belonged in the dojo anyway. After a moment of hesitation he took it and looked over at Ezra in confusion as he processed the question.
"Like..No. I not fit here. Obviously. " He said motioning to the paper and sinking into his desk half heartedly. "Nothing makes sense." He missed home.
“I can help you with that,” Ezra offered. “If you are interested.” The kid had to want help after all. He understood the struggle, but if Ranma didn’t want to learn, to improve, nothing Ezra did would help. “Back in Japan, did you enjoy reading?” Maybe that was a better place to start.
“Why?” Ranma didn’t see why anyone would bother sticking their neck out for someone else. Not to mention he hadn’t exactly treated Ezra like a friend or anything, so he didn’t have that. “My place was in dojo.” Most people probably knew that Akane and Ranma’s family’s owned a local martial arts studio. What they didn’t realize was how long it had been around. “I only read text books.” His English speaking skills were nearly as poor as his written, but in his defense he’d learned it mostly on his own or with Akane, and she wasn’t an English teacher. “I skipped school lots when in China.” Elementary school and Junior high were spent mainly on the road for him.
Ezra actually wanted his students to succeed. But they had to want it too. He wasn’t getting that feeling from Ranma. He wasn’t sure if it was past experience or something else. “This isn’t a text book class,” Ezra replied. “The books we read are works of fiction,” if Ranma didn’t understand that Ezra wasn’t sure he could catch up. “Stories you can get lost in.” He shouldn’t have to sell his class. Sure it was a core class, but Ezra believed that college students should be there because they wanted to. Not because they had to. “Do you want to continue with the class?”
“Lost in?” Books could become lost? No, Ezra had to mean something else. Ranma frowned, wondering why Nabiki bothered to use her powers of manipulation to get him into this school after all. “I want to pass. “ If he went home with an F it was just one step closer to being forced into his fathers future for him. Ranma was tired of that being his ultimatum but there it was. “But maybe can not.” He wanted to be able to do everything other American kids could, but there was a barrier there.
Maybe Ezra shouldn’t have used a metaphor on Ranma. But then he was teaching a college level English class. Ranma should have a grasp on metaphors by now. Ezra sighed, not sure what to do. “If you really want to learn,” which he still wasn’t sure if Ranma did or not. It sounded like he just wanted to pass the class, which wasn’t necessarily the same thing. “Come to my office hours. I can try and work out a way to help you. Recommend a tutor.”
“Akane helps..” But most of the time he was a bit too embarrassed to ask her foot Amy, plus he knew she had homework of her own. Ranma was trying not to be an inconvenience. He already knew their arrangements were. “when?” Ranma wished he knew the words to explain himself but he didn't. He knew them in Japanese but they eluded him in English. “I'm sorry.” He didn't elaborate on what he was apologizing for but it was generic. It was an apology for being rude to Ezra in the first place. The teacher seemed to understand he actually did want to pass in spite of it.
While Ezra was glad Ranma had Akane for help it wasn’t exactly fair to put it all on another student. One who had her own studying to worry about as well. UCI was a big campus. He was sure there were some other students who spoke Japanese and English that would be willing to help Ranma. Especially if he was willing to pay for help. “Come by tomorrow between four and six. I’ll be in my office,” he assured his student. Hopefully they could figure something out that would help Ranma out.
Ezra wasn’t exactly sure what Ranma was apologizing for and he honestly didn’t think that Ranma had anything he needed so apologize for so Ezra just shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t worry about it,” he gave him a small, but confused, smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Saotome.” If Ranma was serious about passing the class he would show up.
Ranma wasn’t sure what he wanted in life, he'd never been given the opportunity to think of anything outside of running the family dojo. This might be a good start. Pass college and find something he actually cared about. “I'll be here. “ He nodded, taking up his bag and heading off to find Akane.