AKANE AND NARAKU.
The night was young.
Stars poked out from the dark blue sky as it faded to black.
Animals slept or moved about in the kind of silence only nature had.
It would be a quiet night, if not for the hint of voices floating in the air.
The sound would catch the attention of a fox, a deer, and a few wondering yokai, yet none knew who they belonged to or where.
To any who tried to listen, the voices were too soft to make out the words, and seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere.
Reason being, the voices did not come from the forest, the valley or the fields. They came on the wind, from high above, a place none could see and didn't know.
A cave, high up a cliff, so high that one could only see it from the air.
"So, let me get this right," Akane said with a frown, arms crossed and hip cocked to the side.
"Your gonna HELP this ugly ass bird lady thingy kill people, HUMAN people mind you. Innocent, helpless human people, and you think I'm just gonna be all fine and dandy about the whole thing?"
For the seventh time that night, the man in front of her let out a very comical and dramatic sigh from his place on the floor.
Staring up at her like a pouty child who kept being told no as he held his knees close to his chest.
Naraku sat close to the small fire, and the flames danced in his eyes.
"We NEED that mass of human blood, and the souls this particular bird will keep when she drinks it, in order to open a gateway. It's the only thing I could find, and it needs to be done anyway." He whined up at her, getting just as flustered at her as she was with him.
"And the ugly ass bird lady thingy is called Princess Abi." He added with a tiny smile.
He thought her wording was cute.
She could tell by his smile.
"I meant her mother. Abi herself is very pretty, from what I seen at a distance yesterday."
His response was a shrug, as if it didn't matter which she meant.
Akane rolled her blue eyes.
This had been going on for at least a half hour and he STILL didn't get why she was so against killing helpless people.
"There has to be another way." She repeated once more.
Naraku blew at a random strand of hair in his eyes before responding.
"There is not. Besides, it's not like you know the people who are going to die, so what's the big deal?"
If she didn't know better, she would have thought him joking, but Naraku sounded honestly puzzled.
"Ack!" She flung her hands up and he jolted like he expected a hit.
"Naru, it doesn't MATTER if I happen to know them or not! These are innocent people!"
"They can't ALL be innocent." He stated like she was stupid.
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Akane let out a breath.
"Most of them are." She growled.
"If you expect me to go thru every person ahead of time and tell the birds who they can and can't kill you really have high expectations."
Naraku then let a deep sigh free as he leaned back on his hands, like the very thought of doing such a thing was enough to tire him out.
Akane felt the bolts spark at her fingertips, and she placed her hands on her hips to show them off.
Maroon eyes went wide at the site of them, knowing he was pushing just a little too far, even if he didn't fully understand why.
Naraku blinked up at her with a nearly comical innocence.
"DO you expect me to do that?" He said, thinking that to be the case.
Akane wanted to kick him.
"I don't WANT you to do that, idiot, because I don't WANT any to die."
Naraku batted those beautiful eyes up at her like she was the only puzzle in the world he couldn't figure out how to solve.
"The world isn't so black and white, my little dragon. And even if I do nothing, the birds will still go on killing humans." He stated.
The voice cold, and matter of fact.
Naraku's 'I told you so' tone.
It annoyed her because most of the time when he used it, he was right.
Akane frowned.
True.
They were already killing people.
Why did he have to make sense?
Drats.
"Yeah, sure, but why do you need to help them at it huh? Why not just stop them now, why wait?"
He leaned forward again cocking his head in a way that reminded her of a curious Sesshomaru.
"Because there is not ENOUGH. There has to be a certain amount of blood and souls for this to work. Why should I kill them now, when I get nothing out of it?"
Gawd!
How can he have such disregard for human life? Why did his mind have to work in such an odd way?
Seeing her growing frustration in her eyes, he raised a finger up, a sign he was about to make another point that she had to agree with.
"We need the shard. It's the only way to get it. So think of it this way instead, little dragon..."
Naraku gave a dramatic pause and continued with a smile.
"Once she's dead, no other humans will have to die. She and her kind will be no more. So take it as one finale sacrifice. I get what I want, and only a few dozen more humans will have to die by the birds."
By his smug face, Akane could tell he thought his point a good one, looking up at her with a half smile.
"Why do ANY humans have to die for you to get your way!" She yelled out, frustrated that he just didn't see what was wrong here.
He groaned and tossed his head back, just as frustrated.
"It's the only way. Can you not trust me when I tell you I have indeed looked into it? If not I, then another will put together how to get to the last shard of the Shikon Jewel."
The pleading in his eyes for her to understand his ways made Akane's heart ache in sympathy.
Sadly, he DID have a point.
If he figured the way, some other, more evil creature may do the same at any given time.
"FINE. Whatever. I'll just TRY and ignore the mass death of humans. All for the FUCKING Jewel shard."
She wasn't mad at him per say, just the fact that he had a point.
To stop the death of many, there had to be sacrifice.
She just hated admitting that it was not so much an evil way of thinking as she once may have thought.
Akane turned and went to look outside the door of their place, the night was cold and full of stars.
It was a nice night, to be having such a dismal conversation.
But he was right.
As wrong as it was, he was right.
Humans were dying anyway.
And if the birds were killed before the gate could be open, who knows how long it would take to get the last Shikon Jewel shard?
Not that Akane needed the shard, nor did she actaully want HIM to get it really. But the sooner the Jewel was whole, the sooner things would finally come to some kind of an end.
Naraku was right.
And she hated to admit it.
A breeze came thru the entrance, and Akane didn't know if her shiver was from that, or from admitting that she could see things Naraku's way when she let herself.
The breeze assaulted her hair, and she went to tame it back down, staring out at the night.
They were in a cool little cave on the side of a cliff, miles up, in which he had spent the afternoon building this very house.
Akane had been bewildered that the man actually knew HOW to build anything, and that had insulted him.
She just never thought of Naraku as a person who would do such a thing as manual labor.
But he had insisted it was the best place for them, a cave high up and out of sight from all.
Naraku didn't want her to stay in a rocky and dirty place. He thought she deserved better then a cave.
"My little dragon does not sleep on rocks while with ME." He stated.
While it had been a small insult to Sesshomaru, she ignored it.
So Akane had watched him, all afternoon, as he carried up the wood, made the tools he needed from his own flesh, and built a small shack inside the mountain cave.
The shack wasn't perfect, but the fact he had built it with his own hands for her sake touched Akane.
But a part of her had wondered if he chose the spot so she could not leave him if she changed her mind.
And here she was, wondering if coming to him was a good idea after all, and unable to leave without falling to her death.
Suddenly, Naraku moved up behind, arms lightly wrapping around her shoulders. A tender hold.
Much like Sesshomaru, he removed his armor the moment they were alone for the night, so he didn't have to worry about hurting her.
His broad chest was warm against her back, and the weight of his muscled arms made her feel safe.
Everything about him, and every feeling he made her feel was different from Sesshomaru.
Yet they both made her feel safe.
The thought of her mate made her heart ache all over.
And while Naraku may not be exactly trying to steal her, he most certainly was not holding back when it came to touching...
Akane was fighting the urge to push him off, or lean in closer to his heat.
"It's cold. Would it be crossing a line to ask you to sleep next to me tonight?" He asked, not trying to be seductive, and worried she would take it that way.
Akane's body was liking the warmth from him at her back. It was one of the colder nights so far.
But she went still at his offer.
"I think I can manage tonight. But if your cold you can barrow my spare blanket." Akane said as calm as she could, not wanting to hurt him.
He said nothing at first, just held her from behind, watching the stars with his head above her shoulder.
"Your thinking of him, aren't you?"
Akane had froze at his breath in her ear, shivers ran down her spine, but not shivers of fear.
"... ...Yes." She admitted.
He didn't let go.
"I'm not going to do anything to you. It's just really cold. Even HE would have to understand. You would not be doing anything wrong."
Akane swallowed.
It was cold.
A night like this would have all of them snuggled up.
Was Rin warm?
Sesshomaru would make sure.
"You trust me just to sleep next to you, right? Do you think he would forgive me if you caught a cold on my watch?" Naraku purred in a very teasing tone.
Akane smiled, a giggle escaped.
True.
This was a lose/lose type of thing.
"Naru, I don't know..."
Suddenly, his hold went tight.
"Do you think me a monster who would ravish you in your sleep?"
His tone was dark.
Not angry, but more like he expected her to say yes, and was bracing himself for it.
She allowed herself to lean into him as her hand found one of his on her shoulder, and she held tight.
"Don't be stupid. Think I would care about you if I thought so?"
There was a pause before his whole body seemed to relax.
Naraku let out a shaky sigh, and buried his face in her hair.
"Thank the gods..."
Akane was pretty sure he didn't realize he said that aloud, so she did not react to it. Even if her heart went out to him, and she held the urge to embrace him.
And she wasn't lying.
After getting to know him, she came to realize that while his way of thinking was different, he was not evil in the least.
Especially since he had cast out the ones who created him, the ones who tried to control him.
"It's late," She stated. "And your gonna go see Abi in the morning, so let's go to sleep."
Without a word he let go of her, turning to go to one of the corners of the room, but she took his hand.
"What is it?" Naraku asked, curious.
Akane smiled up at him, walking backwards as she lead him close to the fire and sat down, making him join by her side.
"It IS cold. Best we stick together."
He frowned, blinked, and looked at her like it was some kind of trick.
"But, you just said- Umph!"
Akane silenced him by shoving him to the floor. Now he stared up at her with his hands above his head.
"Go to sleep." She ordered, before laying next to him, using his stomach for a pillow.
"And Sesshomaru?" He dared to ask her as she settled down.
"It's so fucking cold, if he was here I would DRAG him over and we ALL would keep warm." Akane teased.
Naraku burst out laughing.
"Not sure he would allow that, but I sure as hell wouldn't complain."
"Didn't think you would."
"That fur thing of his sure would be nice right now too..." He added with a chuckled.
"OHMYGOD YESSSS!" She could not help but sigh at the thought.
He laughed harder, making his stomach shake and her on it.
Then, ever slowly, as if worried to scare her off, his arm rested at her back and his hand touched her hair.
At last he let out a breath, and let himself relax, making her smile.
"Akane..."
She frowned.
His tone had done a one eighty flip.
Sounding tender and sad.
"Yes?"
His fingers toyed with her hair.
"We'll get him back to you. That much I can promise. I want you to be happy. One way or another, I'll make sure you have Sesshomaru."
Everything froze.
She didn't breath, didn't think.
His words were honest.
Spoken from the heart.
Akane wanted to cry then.
For herself.
For the man who didn't even know he wasn't himself.
And for this man, who never seemed to stop shocking her with the kindness he could have.
Naraku did not seem to expect an answer, which was good because she was unable to speak.
All went quiet.
Just the crackle of the dying fire.
Naraku was warm, the air was cold.
It took all she had not to get closer to him. Not only that, but she swore she could make out a sound.
A tiny, far off thump.
Like a heartbeat.
How odd was that?
Naraku had no heart, not in him at the moment, so how could she be hearing the hint of one?
The more she focused on the barely audible sound, the more it seemed to lull her to sleep...
The next day Akane awoke alone.
On the verge of panic at being so high up with no way down, she was relieved when Naraku came back with fresh water and food.
The poor man was nearly tackled as she thanked him for not leaving her there all alone.
After the small meal, the two went right out to the mountain that the yokai birds called home.
Naraku didn't want to waist anymore time.
Akane watched from her safe place in the tree's bellow the mountain, hidden in a barrier that Naraku had made to keep others from attacking her while he was gone.
The area was unsafe, to say the very least, as it was full of blood sucking yokai birds as well as a few spider like yokai sneaking about.
Luckily for her, the spider things were more focused on getting to the mountain to notice her in the tree.
The birds too, seemed to be focused on something else as they flew around. Akane was certain she had been spotted by at least two, but no reaction other then to fly off happened so far.
Naraku had planned it right.
He was to approach Princess Abi and her mother, and then show his abilities by getting rid of the very creatures scuttling their way past her right now.
Ugly spider wannabe things that grumbled and mumbled about revenge over a dead and eaten dad.
As sorry as she felt for them, she knew they were man eaters. So the fact Naraku planned to use them to gain favor with Abi was kinda okay.
Akane was a tad impressed at how he could do that. Plan so well. Make things go nearly exactly how he wanted them to with little effort.
Even if a part of her was against it.
Now, as Akane watched the spiders like things crawl up the mountain and out of site, she had to admit that his idea was a good one.
And in the end, Abi and her mother would be killed, putting an end to their murder of humans.
A greater good would come of this sacrifice. Akane had to remember that from now on.
With a sigh she let her mind wonder away from the current situation.
While she was helping him gather the Jewel shards, he was to help her save Sesshomaru.
But so far, Naraku refused to go along with any of her plans on how to do so, which was bothersome.
She had wanted to make it so that Sesshomaru hurt her just enough that she could fake death, and maybe that would be enough to free him from Ikari Shitto.
Akane had thought that Naraku of all people would know a way for her to look dead, yet not die.
He knew a way all right.
Three, if what he said was true, but he refused to tell her any.
"There is no way to be sure that he would only HALF kill you! When the mutt wants someone dead he does not go at it half ass. Hell, there is no POSSIBLE way for you to live if he decides to attack."
Naraku had made his point.
Many times.
Each time winning.
All six times she gave up.
He also would NOT make it look like he killed her in front of Sesshomaru.
"So what if the lady sets him free after that? He would still try and kill me because of it. Even if it was all just an act!"
"It's not like you can actually die."
"Oh, so you WANT to test it?"
"Well, no. I suppose..."
"YOU SUPPOSE?"
Akane smiled as she recalled the utter shock in his voice, until he seen her teasing smile. Then he had tackled her to the floor.
But in the end, she had pinned him under her, and when she threatened to tickle him to death the man had looked adorably terrified.
Suddenly, Akane was jolted from her thoughts as a loud screech filled the air around her.
With a yelp, Akane realized at least two dozen of those yokai birds were closing in on her, pecking at the barrier with screeches and shrieks.
"Well fuck!"
If she used her powers, she could burst the barrier and be killed for sure, there were too many.
Her only idea was to try and roll away, but she wasn't good at it and got caught under the birds, who just kept lifting her higher.
"Down! Put me DOWN!" Akane said for no good reason.
She felt stupid.
Telling them that was pointless.
If they understood, they gave no sign of it, as they bobbed and bounced her up and up.
"Naraku! Why the hell did you leave me in this hamster ball of doom?!"
Akane hit at the barrier and kicked. It did nothing.
Besides, she was so high up now, if she DID break it, she would just fall to her painful death.
Soon Akane was raised past the dark clouds of miasma Naraku had layed out for intimidation, and was face to face with a pretty winged female, Princess Abi.
A lovely woman's body, curvy but still thin, thick dark hair, red lips.
Her eerie eyes trailed Akane's body like she was a well done steak.
"Well my pets, what do you bring us this time? What an odd looking human thing." She mused.
Akane puffed out her chest, hands in front of her like a street fighter ready for round one.
"Say that again, feather head?"
The only response was a smile.
A smile that showed a mouth of little pointed teeth.
"Who is this girl?" Came a crackly loud voice inside the mountain.
Akane jumped and turned to see a huge and creepy as shit EYE inside a large cave door.
An eye.
One. Big. Creepy. Eye.
And it blinked.
"Ohshitfuckdamn." Left Akane's lips as a full body shudder went thru her very bones.
"What a mouth!" The eye thingy cackled at her.
"Indeed, she has your exact barrier Naraku. Is she a pet?" Abi asked in a smug tone.
Akane swallowed, got the nerve to look away from the eye thingy, and turned to see Naraku glaring down at her with a look of 'fucking idiot'.
She gave a sheepish grin and wiggled her fingers at him, but he did his best to not react.
"The girl is of no concern of yours."
Naraku used his bored tone, yet Abi eyed him with a cruel smile.
"Oh? You tried to keep her out of sight, that alone earns interest."
"She is human," The eye thingy in the cave cackled out with a laugh.
"Afraid I would eat your pet, Naraku? Not very trusting are you?"
Akane shivered at the voice, now positive it belonged to the huge bird he had told her of.
Still acting as if he didn't care, Naraku turned his back to Akane, but at the same time blocked her from view of the eye.
"As I said, she is of no concern to you. She is simply bait for future plans. Now, as I was saying before being interupted..."
Akane was a bit in awe at how he continued to sweet talk Abi into going along with his 'help'.
Naraku was a master at word manipulation, and she was seeing it first hand, impressed.
Not only that, but he was using that dangerous flirting voice he always had when trying to get something.
It was hard to ignore.
Akane watched as he formed some kind of weapon, a trident, from his own flesh and tossed it to Abi.
The woman caught it, and studied it with awe and confusion.
"What is the point of this?"
Naraku gave a laugh before answering her.
"It is made from my bones, and will aid in your gathering of human blood. Think of it as a peace offering from me."
Abi's eyes darted right to Akane, making her swallow but glare back.
She had never felt such hatred from a stranger before. Not even from the Band of Seven was there hate.
"I would much rather have that human girl of yours. She has dragon blood in her. It would aide my mother far greater then this thing."
Suddenly, Naraku moved so fast that Akane yelped.
One minute he was in front of her, and the next she was dragged inside his own barrier, arm around her shoulder in a sign of protection.
"Sadly, this little dragon is not for sale. I do have plans for her after all, and simply can't give her up."
Despite his cruel tone, his body language gave away what she meant to him, and Abi caught it.
A sly smile crossed her lips.
"She means that much does she?"
His arm didn't move from Akane's shoulders, but the cold laugh he gave was pretty convincing.
"This girl is a toy. A thing to pass the time and entertain me. It is a rare thing to hold my interest long, so forgive me for not wanting to share her just yet."
A jolt hit Akane's heart at the words, and she could not help but ponder the truth in them.
The air tasted off.
Like it may be a half truth.
Not a full out lie.
What part was false?
She was afraid to find out.
"Mmm. I see, very well then. Maybe another time I can convince you. But for now, I will take your offer."
Abi felt the new weapon, and then gave a flirty look to Naraku.
"Go, before I change me mind."
"Until next time then." Naraku said with a purr that sent lovely shivers down Akane's spine.
His voice alone was sexy as sin.
But when he did THAT...
Heat filled her face, both in shame and something else.
Even if she didn't love Naraku the same way as Sesshomaru, there was no hiding she was attracted.
But what he just said...
That she was a toy, nothing more.
Hurt more then it should.
Akane let out a breath as they floated out of sight and down the mountain. His arm still tightly around her shoulders.
They moved in silence until the mountain was far behind them, not wanting to be followed.
With a swallow, she tamed the hurt and sadness of his words, and went for humor to lighten the mood.
"NEVER leave me in that stupid hamster ball of doom again! I was totally trapt since I can't control it like you can." She said at last.
Naraku frowned down at her, trying to make sense of her words.
His eyes bright with humor.
"Hamster ball of doom?"
"Fuck yeah! All I could do was roll away, and I suck at that too."
"What were you THINKING getting spotted like that anyway?." He snapped at the reminder.
All the dangerous sexual purr was out of his voice now, filled with annoyed anger in it's place.
"Naru, your hurting me." Akane squeaked as his hold on her shoulders finally eased away from bone crushing.
"Why did you do that? If Abi really wanted you, this whole thing would have been for nothing!" He barked.
Akane stared up at his glaring face.
Much like Sesshomaru, this man was sexy as hell when angry.
"It's not like I meant to get caught you know. I wasn't singing out the Hakuna Matata or nothin'."
"The what what?" He sputtered.
"Your too young to know."
"Eh?"
"It's a song from my time, never mind, I'll teach ya later."
Shaking his head at her like she was the most boggling thing alive, Naraku at last let go of her.
"Okay, yes, of course you didn't mean to get caught. But things could have gone wrong fast if Abi truly wanted you..." He sighed.
"So, you wouldn't have given me to them if they were serious?" Akane could not help but ask.
He stopped moving the barrier, in mid air, and turned to face her.
"You think I would?" Naraku said, not holding his shock.
"To get what you want? I don't know to be honest. After all, I still don't know why you want the Jewel in the first place. You've done a lot of cruel things to get this far."
Hurt flashed in his lovely eyes.
They turned more red then brown.
"That's not fare. I've only just recently been myself you know. All that from before wasn't JUST me."
"True. But because you've only recently been yourself, I'm still getting to know YOU. I have a right to be a tad worried, even if I don't really think you would give me up."
"Is this because of what I said back there? You DO know I had no choice but to make it sound that way."
His tone, plus that hard stare, it was hard to doubt him.
"You don't truly think I feel that way, right? You know I love you. I would never just give you up." He moved to stand closer.
Akane blushed at his body heat, his smell filling her up, and the fact he had said he loved her so easily.
He was standing so close she realized he was indeed taller then her, but barely just a little shorter then Sesshomaru.
Akane looked him in the eyes.
He was so serious that at the moment, his eyes were nearly solid dark purple. She had learned a while ago that meant he was nervous, worried, and on edge.
Naraku didn't want her to doubt him or his feelings as she had in the past, even if she didn't return them.
"I'm sorry. I just can't help but worry from time to time." She admitted, not wanting to lie.
"I allow another man to have you, because it is what YOU want. Does that alone not show my love? I want you to be happy. If you truly were just a toy, I would keep you all to myself, even if you hated me."
Naraku had not used such a cold tone with her since the day he found out she and Sesshomaru were an official couple.
Akane's eyes went wide at this rare burst of anger. It was clear he was upset about her doubt.
Yet, it was a controlled anger, rather then a violent outburst. He was getting better at that.
"I will never do anything to harm you, Akane. Never." He said in a firm voice.
All of this, every bit of what he had just said to her, it both felt and tasted of sweet solid truth.
The dragon in her for once relaxed.
Something it never did with him.
His words finally put her beast truly at ease, like with her mate.
As odd and strange as it was, this man did love her, in his own way.
If she was to save him from the path he used to walk, to bring him around to the point even the others would have to give him a chance, she could not ignore his feelings.
Naraku needed at least one person to believe he could do the right thing, to not hate or mistrust him.
"Okay. I swear to never doubt you again, not even one percent." She promised him, meaning it.
Her tone was just as serious as his had been, and he noticed.
The anger and sadness melted like a mask of ice, leaving that playful and devil may care smile.
"Better keep to that. I AM helping you get your mate back after all. Rather then go with my plan of using the Jewel to steal you from him like I wanted."
Akane jerked her head up to gawk at his smug smile.
"So you DO intend to use the Shikon Jewel for that!" She gasped.
And what did she just say about trying to trust him?
"Naraku, how can you-"
Placing a teasing finger to her lips, he tapped them playfully.
"No, I DID, and I HAD. All in past tense my dear. Such feelings no longer apply." He winked.
Akane could only gape at him as he removed his finger from her lips.
"So, you see, I truly have no CLUE what to do with said Jewel once I get it. All I know is that I want it and nothing more." He added with a playful shrug.
Akane blinked at him.
HOW could he not know?
Why go after it at all then?
What in the world was he thinking?
But he just smiled at her and offered his hand out.
"Shall we head back? On the way I can take you someplace to eat."
"How can you just drop the subject so damn easy?" She laughed.
"There is nothing more to say. I have the desire to find the Jewel. After, who knows? Now do you want food or not? I'm starving and there is a place not far."
Shaking her head at how he could drop a subject so fast, she laughed and went with it.
"I'm broke." Akane stated with a sad sigh, her stomach growled.
For some reason, Naraku perked up at that and took her hand, pulling her close as the two set off.
"I'm not. We can eat all we want at this human town not too far away."
Frowning, she stared at him with accusing eyes, and asked in a worried tone of voice.
"Just HOW do you have money?"
"By stealing of course." For some freaky reason, he seemed pleased.
"Naru! Really?"
Confused by her tone, he nodded with a serious look. It was cute.
"You can't be mad when it was your own idea!" He whined.
Now Akane moved to stand in front of him, arms crossed.
The barrier slowed to a stop.
"When did I tell you it was okay to steal from people?" She asked.
Getting excited once more, he smiled with a look of pride.
"You said that if you could shape shift you would steal from people and blame bad ones for the crime."
Akane groaned out loud.
Shit.
Yeah...
Fuck.
She had said that to him once.
"In the end, I get rich, and jerks go to jail. Now don't look at me like that, I swear that I only do it to bad humans. And it's fun."
There was a short awkward silence as he seemed to be waiting for her to praise him or something.
"Good lord, what have I done?"
Akane let out a sigh and rubbed at her temples after she said that.
Pouting, Naraku crossed his arms and leaned close to her.
"What? What did I do wrong? You said it's what you would do, and one time when I was bored I gave it a try and found it fun. So what has you looking at me like that now? What does that look even mean?"
Akane could not keep the smile off her face at his antics. Shaking her head with a giggle, she moved back to his side so he could fly again.
"Let's go. I'm hungry." She stated.
"No. What does that look mean?"
He was now leaning to the side to get a look at her face, which did not help stop her smiling.
"See? THAT look. What is it?" He added, nearly pleading.
Why does he have to be cute?
It's not fare for him to act like a kid one second and then say he loves her the next. She could not help but smile up at him.
"Are we gonna go eat or what?" She said, ignoring his whining with the smile of a Cheshire Cat.
"Akane!"
Her name echoed in the sky for a long while, leaving many people to look up and see nothing.
Meanwhile, a yokai bird who had been tailing them from afar took off to report to his Princess.
