Hello minnaaa :3 I hope your day is going good. Sorry about chapter 7, I feel that it is lacking. So I'm gonna try and make it up this chapter. Thank you to all of those who have reviewed so far and are staying along with my story. Hope you enjoy~ :D

Finally Giving In: Chapter 8

"Oh sure~. That is if you can hold out against me long enough in a fight." He said winking at her and leaving the room. Aki stood there kind of angry at this point.

"Couldn't you have just said yes or no!" She yelled, more to herself than Okita, from frustration.

'Of course not, that would be much to easy and on fun for me~' Okita thought as he walked to the dining room ready for dinner with a grin plastered on his face.

After Okita left his room Aki ran to find Hijikata. She found his room and went in eagerly to tell him that she got all the permission. When she entered his room he sat at his desk like usual, scribbing something down on paper.

"Hijikata-san, I got permission from them all. Even though Okita said something about have to hold out against him, that's still technically a yes, right?" She asked praying he would say yes. She couldn't wait to get out and walking around, it felt like it has been forever. Last time she went out without permission she got in trouble, which she didn't want that to happen again.

"Hold out against him? I guess were gonna have to see what you can do against Souji before you can get his full permission…" Hijikata told her, not looking away from his work. He still had things to get done before dinner that he wanted to get done so he didn't waste time.

"You mean I have to fight him?" Aki questioned. 'Great. I mean not like he's one of the best fighters here.' She thought sarcastically, crossing her arms in frustration.

"Exactly. We're gonna see how must you really want to go out of headquarters." He told her. He placed down his brush and began to stand.

"Fine, I'll put him on his ass." She said a little cocky. 'He would deserve it.'

"Yes, yes. Now let's go, dinner is probably ready." He told her and left the room with Aki following him. Sure enough, when they reached the dining room everyone except them were behind their trays ready to eat. There was a certain captain that wasn't too happy about people making him wait to eat.

"Oi, guys! I'm starving! How could you make me wait so long?!" Nagakura complained. Aki rolled her eyes at him. He was like a child when it came too food.

"Shut up, Shinpachi. It hasn't even been that long." Hijikata told him as he took the place behind his tray. Aki took her normal spot between Heisuke and Harada. It was the usual dinner for everyone, fish, rice, and soup. But tonight the wish was burnt much more than normal. Aki took her chopsticks and picked the burnt fish up and brought it to her face.

"Is this even edible now?" She said with a bad look on her face.

"Eat it or I'll kill ya~" Came that voice that Aki dreaded from across the room. She looked up and saw Okita giving her a fake smile with his sake cup at his lips.

"Yeah, would like to see you try. Here, Nagakura-san!" She said as she threw the fish to his tray. 'The soup and rice is good enough for me. Atleast Okita cooks good enough to make those properly.'

"Ohhh?~" Okita said back, lifting his everybrows.

"Aw, thanks Aki-chan!" Nagakura said and took a bite out of the fish, bones and all. Aki just eyed him as he ate it. 'How it that even good!' She thought as she watched him.

"Hey, why did Shinpach-san get it! What about me?" Heisuke asked her with a pouty face on. Aki laughed a little at his face.

"Well now he won't steal yours tonight." Aki told him. Since she gave it to Nagakura this time, she made a mental note to give some to Heisuke next time. But hey, whenever they had burnt fish, courtesy of Okita's crappy cooking, she didn't care who got it, as long as she didn't. Dinner went on a little peacefully tonight since Nagakura didn't steal Heisuke's, but it still was noisy until Hijikata spoke up.

"So, I've heard Aki-chan has gotten permission from most of you." He started. "To get the remaining permission she needs, we'll need to see if she can defend herself. For that, since someone has already told her this, Aki-chan will be going against Okita." He explained to all of them, causing them to give him strange looks in exchange.

"Ehhhh? Okita? Why him?" Heisuke said. He knew how good Okita was, so why make her go up against the best?

"Hijikata-san, are you sure about that? We can't have Okita kill her." Harada said, sipping his sake.

"Ha, he couldn't." Aki said relaxing against the wall, now done with the part of the meal she did eat.

"I think it will make an interesting fight." Saito piped out to them. Hijikata nodded in agreement.

"That's why I want them to do it, we'll have it when everyone is done dinner. It's not too late out yet." Hijikata told them.

"Fine." Aki said getting up and leaving since she was done with dinner. She left the room and now headed for Okita's room to get her sword. As she walked, she stretched but stopped when a noise filled the air. It sounded like someone was dying, and very painfully. 'What the hell was that?' She thought. After hearing the scream she rushed to get her sword more, just in case.

After a little while everyone eventually gathered in the courtyard ready to see the fight. Many were worried about what would happen. They knew Aki already contained sword skills, it was more Okita that they were worried about. They knew he wouldn't take it easy on her.

"You ready, Aki-chan~" Okita teased her. Aki stood across from him, sword in the ready position. Aki nodded, ready to go.

"Start!" Kondou yelled. Okita was the first to move, Aki right after. Their swords clashed a few times, over and over.

'Okay, this is getting annoying.' Aki thought as she charged him but was blocked again.

"No, no Aki-chan.. You do it like.. This!" Okita said as he swung to her side at the last part. Aki jumped back dodging his sword. As he was still swinging, Aki took the opportunity to bring her sword down on him, managing to cut a slice into his clothes. Aki could see his brow twitch in frustration. Aki laughed as she heard those on the sidlines laughing as well.

"Haha! She almost got him! Not gonna let a girl get ya, are ya Okita?" Nagakura called to him. Saitou was right, this was an interesting fight. They didn't know Aki would hold out this much against Okita. And to actually touch Okita's clothes and rip them, they loved it.

"Okay, Aki-chan~ I've had enough playing around." Okita said, his face going dark. Aki knew that look wasn't good, and quite frankly it was downright scary. After that Okita's pace quicked even more, causing more of a challenge for Aki. After a few more hits Okita brought his sword to hers again with so much force it knocked hers away from her hands. With Okita's sword pointed at her neck, the match was over. Others cheered, after being so caught up in the fight while Aki just stood there with her head down. Okita took his sword and sheathed it and walked up to her.

As Okita walked to her he put a hand out to grab her and said "Now, no need to be so sa-" He didn't even finished before his hand was grabbed and he was sent down on his back.

"W-What?" Okita mumbled out. He wasn't used to being thrown down like that, especially not by a girl who was much shorter than him. Aki's laughter rang out causing the other's to stop and see what was going on.

"Oh man." She laughed. "I haven't had a fight like that in so long." She laughed more at Okita who was getting up. "I've missed fighting like that, thanks. We should do that again, Okita-san." She said happily with a smile and reached a hand to him to help him. "Oh, and don't try to grab me. I'll put you on your ass again."

"Hm. Who knew a little girl like you would love to fight like that. Makes me a little curious, Aki-chan." Okita said to her, taking her hand.

"Yeah, well don't get to curious cause there's nothing you're gonna know." She told him pulling her hand from his, only to have his grip tighten. Okita pulled her hand behind him, which led her head to being close to his chest so he bent his head down to her to whisper in her ear.

"You'll tell me eventually." He whispered. 'You can't resist forever, my Aki-chan' Okita thought the last part to himself.

"Tch. I have no need or want to tell you anything." She said glaring at him, forcefully taking her hand back. She went to pick up her sword, which was now in Heisuke's hand. As she reached him he held it out for her.

"Thanks, Heisuke-kun. That was fun." She said taking the sword from him.

"You'll have to go against me, some time. Can't let Okita be the only one to have the fun." He told her smiling.

"Sure, sure. Alright, I'm heading to bed now." She waved to him and started walking to Okita's room.

"Good night, Aki-chan!" Heisuke called to her. He was rather amazed at her skill, wanting to test it for himself. He watched her form as it went down the porch. He looked over to the courtyard to notice a not so happy Okita glaring him down. "Good night to you too, Okita!" Heisuke said, nervously waving and took off running inside.

After Heisuke left, Okita changed to watch Aki turn the corner.

'Now where did a little girl like you learn to fight like that, Aki-chan? You've made me quite curious.' He thought, a smirk growing on his face.