A/N: You know, this story started out Kuro/Suki centric, but I think I'm starting to put a bit more focus on Kiri/Akuto than I originally intended. BUT WHO CARES? I think Kiri/Akuto is sooo cute! (Plus, there'll be a LOT more Kuro/Suki later.)

Chapter 11: Victory and Interruptions

It was time for them to fight the shape-shifting youkai. Kuro and Tsume had returned late, to tell Akuto and Kiri that the youkai was indeed there, and asleep. It wouldn't take them longer than a day to go up there and kill it.

"But," Kuro warned. "You guys have to be quiet. That means, no fighting, got that?"

"If he doesn't annoy me." Kiri sighed. "Then I won't fight with him."

"Hey, who said I start all the fights?" Akuto asked.

Kiri glared at him. "But you always do!"

"No, I don't! You're the one who gets angry!" he yelled.

"Only because you piss me off!"

"Only because you're so fun to tease!"

"See, you do start it!"

"It takes two to start a fight."

"No, it only takes you and your big mouth!"

"SHUT UP!" Kuro and Tsume yelled at the same time. All was silent in the camp.

Kuro asked, "By the way, Kiri, what's with your foot?"

Kuro never got an answer, because Kiri went crawling off in another direction. Akuto just smirked as she stormed off.

Kuro looked at Akuto. "What's with her?"

Akuto was still smirking. "I think she had to concede to defeat." And he walked off in another direction, silently laughing to himself.

Kuro then went to the red haired wolf youkai for answers. "Do you think there's something going on between those two?"

"I was thinking the same thing." She replied.

"Kuro-sama, are you sure you have to do this?" Myouga the flea asked, as they climbed up the mountain the next day.

"For the last time Myouga-jiji, I'm sure. I already told you that we were going after it." Kuro said.

"But, I've heard stories that shape-shifters are hard to beat because they keep changing their shape! They're nearly impossible!" He begged.

"Nothing's impossible." Kuro said, jumping on top of a rock. "And if you're scared, you can stay down there!"

Myouga gave a little whine and then jumped down the mountain.

Kuro watched him fall. "Coward." He muttered, taking a whiff of the air. "We're almost there."

"Good." Kiri muttered, jumping on top of a rock to climb higher. Her ankle had healed, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt every now and then from all the walking. "Because I hate climbing today…"

"Oh?" Akuto asked. "Would you like me to carry you?"

Kiri blushed bright pink, remembering the night before. "NO!"

Her brother rolled his eyes, "Be quiet!" I'm never going to get a moment's peace at this rate…

Tsume reached the top, revealing an opening to a musty cave. "We're here." She said.

The rest of the party came behind her. "Come on," she said, leading the way inside, with Kuro, Kiri, and Akuto in tow. As they walked into the dark, dank cave, Kiri felt a sense of foreboding…and wonder.

This jyaki…she thought. It's odd…I can't quite place it…and its very small…is this the shape-shifter?

Suddenly, the presence of Jyaki went away. Where did it go? Then she realized. I get it…it must be able to hide it when it changes into something without jyaki…

"Kuro," she whispered, "Be careful. It can hide its presence when it changes into something else."

"I know." He sniffed. "It's able to change its scent too."

Inside of the cave, they saw nothing. "Hey, where is it?" Akuto asked. "Did it leave?"

"No," Kiri said. "I felt its jyaki a minute ago, it can change into something else."

"Look around…" Kuro said, unsheathing the Tessaiga. A rock to their left shuddered. "Got ya!" he said, sending a wave of kaze no kizu at it.

But, to his dismay, it jumped up and turned into a giant lizard. "Want to fight, do you hanyou?" it sneered, its tongue flicking the air.

"Yeah, that's right." He said, offhandedly, attacking again. The blast hit the youkai and sent him flying into the wall, hitting it hard.

There was a crack in the ceiling. Kiri looked up. Right above her, rocks were about to fall. She screamed.

"Damnit!" Akuto yelled, pushing her out of the way just as the rocks fell.

"Kiri!" she heard Kuro yell from a distance. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Akuto had forced them into a small alcove in the rock wall, and a giant slab and a few other rocks had completely covered the entrance.

Akuto rubbed his head and looked over at it. "Damn." He muttered. "We're trapped."

Kiri didn't like being trapped with him in a space small enough to hold one body across. It was WAY to close to him for comfort. She heard more sounds of fighting from the main room, though muffled because of the rocks.

"No, we're not." She said, walking over towards the boulder barricade. She started shifting some rocks aside, trying to burrow her way out.

Akuto stood up and watched her as she tried to force a way out. It almost seemed as if…she was nervous being stuck here with him. He smiled.

He stood behind her, as she was trying to pull a rock out of the stack. He put his hands around her and tried to help, only to be shoved off by her.

"Hey, sweetheart, I was only trying to help!" he defended himself.

Kiri didn't turn around. "Would you PLEASE stop calling me that!" she growled.

"Nope." He grinned.

She gave an angry sigh, still trying to shift that same rock. "You are so difficult."

Akuto gave a small laugh. "I know, I really am, aren't I? But you could be a little nicer too, you know." He continued to watch her as she tried to force her way out. "Come on, admit it. Sometimes you think I'm okay."

Kiri finally had to give up on digging her way out alone. She had already cut her finger on one of the rocks. She turned around, but not wanting to look at him. She sucked on the cut on her finger. "Okay…fine. Sometimes you're not as big of a jackass as you usually are, when you're not acting like a...scoundrel!"

He took her hand, her whole body stiffening in surprise, and forcing Kiri to look up at him as he snickered. "Scoundrel? That's a new one…" He absent-mindedly started caressing her hand, earning a silent gasp from her. He grinned. "I like the sound of that."

Kiri could stand it no longer. Being forced to touch him…she knew that she was blushing violently, even if it was dark in the cave. She felt hot from the tips of her toes to the top of her silver hair, some of which had fallen from its buns. She noticed her heart was starting to race as well. No…this can't be happening… "S-stop that." She managed to say.

"Stop what?" Apparently Akuto hadn't noticed what he was doing, he was too busy looking in her amber eyes, which were trying to avoid his gaze.

She indicated with her eyes to her hand he was still holding, making her starting to tremble with the touch. "Stop that…M-my hand is--"

He leaned closer, making Kiri more than ever want to back away, but she couldn't. Her feet were stuck to the spot. "What?" he asked. "What are you afraid of?"

"A-afraid?" she breathed. She knew she was afraid. She was afraid of this whole situation. Of the closeness they were in. Of how he kept touching her. Of how she wondered why she didn't care more that he was touching her…she was afraid of everything.

He was closer. Was it because he came near, or did she move closer to him. She didn't know anymore. She didn't even know if she was breathing. All had melted away, except for Akuto, and his green eyes drawing her in. "You're shaking." He said. It was true, she was shaking. A pulsing feeling had flown up her body, and she didn't know if it was because she was afraid…or if she was exited.

She shook her head. "I'm not shaking." Her eyes grew wider the closer they got.

Akuto lowered his voice to a whisper. "You know what? You like me because I'm a scoundrel, jackass, perverted bastard and whatever else you call me. You like me because there are no scoundrels in your life."

Kiri shook her head again, not able to pull away from the lure of his green eyes. Her heart raced more than she had ever felt it before. "I like nice men." She stated.

Akuto gave a small grin. "I'm nice."

Kiri started to say, "No you're not you're—"

But she was cut off, when he suddenly pressed his lips against hers.

Her whole body stiffened, and she couldn't think anymore, her brain had shut off. Even though the kiss had surprised her, what surprised her even more was when she relaxed in his arms, closed her eyes, and kissed him back.

"Kiri, are you all right?" A voice that seemed so far away asked.

Kiri suddenly sprang away from Akuto, realizing what she had just done. No…no no no no no no! What just happened? She was blushing heavily, and Akuto just stared at her, also surprised by her actions. For once, he didn't have a comment or a smirk to say on the matter. Her hand went to her mouth and her eyes were as wide as plates as she stared at him, still surprised by the kiss.

"Kiri?" the voice asked again. It was Kuro, Kiri turned, lowering her fingers from her lips, as she saw Kuro move a rock away from the barricade. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…" she said, as her brother removed enough stones for her to emerge from the alcove. "Where's the—"

"It's okay. It's dead." Kuro said. "We can go home now!" he looked extremely happy at this prospect.

Kiri's eyes glanced over towards Akuto, who had an almost stoic look on his face. "Yes…home…"

She placed a hand over her still pounding heart. Why? Why did I…? I mean…no…I don't…I don't…I can't…

I can't think of him in that way.

A/N: Anyone who knows me knows I loathe battle scenes…so what better way to do it that pun in some Akuto/Kiri stuff! WAHOO! I BET YOU LOT WERE HAPPY, EH?

Anyway, I know it was practically copied word for word from Empire Strikes Back, but I love that movie. When I was thinking about how to do this and I saw that scene again, I just knew I had to do it that way, and give a little tribute to ma man Han!

Also, I wouldn't say Kiri is "in love" at this point. It's obvious that she's attracted to him, no matter how much she doesn't want to be, but in love? Not yet. But, yesss, my precioussss, sssoon.