Sorry sorry sorry for taking such a long time to update. I cannot be forgiven. Hate me all you want! So sorry! No long author's note from me this time, straight to the chapter!

Breathless

Sadaharu pawed at Kagura's cupboard, making small whining sounds. The Yato gave a groan from inside and dragged the futon out from under her and then draping it over her head. The giant dog refused to give up and started yapping. With another groan, Kagura slammed the door open and scowled. "Whaaaaaaat."

Sadaharu bounded over to the door and sat there wagging its tail and hanging its tongue. Kagura squinted at the entrance and saw a shadow behind the rice paper sliding doors. Flicking her half closed cerulean eyes to the wall clock, she stared at it until her muddled mind processed the time to be nine thirty in the morning.

Who the hell would want to be here at such an unearthly hour?

She dragged her feet over while twisting her bright orange hair into two telephone buns. She grabbed the edge of the door and swept her arm in a wide arc over to the left, sliding it open violently. "Who the hell are you—"

"Morning China."

The stunned girl blinked, her hand still on the door. "…Sadist?"

"Not bad. You can remember my name even when you're so sleepy." Sougo offered her a half smile that crossed over with a smirk.

"What do you want? How dare you interrupt my beauty sleep to—"

"—Take you on a date?" Sougo raised an eyebrow. "If you insist that you want to sleep, then I can always go to Yoshiwara—"

"Hold on."

Kagura disappeared in a whirl of orange and the green of her pajamas, leaving the First Division Captain standing at the entrance of the door and a slight breeze that ruffled up due to her inhuman speed.

That China… She acts like she doesn't care but every time I mention a date she gets all excited and still she tries to act as if she doesn't care. What an idiot.

The unruly pair walked down the street in the most unruly manner. They looked a disaster as well. They had passed a clown giving out balloons and Kagura had insisted Sougo get one for her. As expected, an argument ensued.

"Just get the bloody balloon for your girlfriend, why don't you!?"

"Why should I? China, you have hands, you have legs, and God help me, I hope you have a brain, so why can't you get it yourself?"

"Because the guys are supposed to be sweet and loving and therefore should get the balloon for their girlfriends!"

"China, get the balloon by yourself."

"Hurry up, asshole! The balloons are running out!"

"Hurry your ass up. I'm not someone who gets balloons for little girls like you."

"Little boys date little girls, Sadist. Unless you're calling yourself a little boy, don't call me a little girl!"

The flash of katana and the random firing of bullets from a certain purple parasol later, Kagura was happily holding a pink balloon and skipping in front of a slightly disheveled Sougo.

And then there was the issue about paying for lunch.

"China, you ate twenty three bowls of ramen. There is no way I can afford that, and no way I will pay for that even if I could afford it."

"But the guys always pay on dates!"

"China, no."

"Pay up, you stingy piece of shit!"

"Let's settle it this way. You pay for your share, and I'll pay for mine."

"Pay up!"

The short conversation was followed up by a violent fistfight and the traumatizing exchange of flowery language.

The shop owner was horrified. "Stop, stop, stop!"

Both of them turned to him, annoyed at being interrupted. "WHAT?"

"It's on the house, it's on the house! None of you need to pay!"

Sougo leaned against the railings on the bridge and ran his fingers through his flaxen blonde hair in exasperation as he watched Kagura devour the seventh cone of ice cream like the monster she was. His attention was fixed on the drop of vanilla on her upper left lip.

"Hey, China."

"Hmm?" the blue eyed girl turned to him with a smile.

He noticed how innocent her smile looked, but he also knew how deceptive it was to people who didn't understand her.

"There's something on your lip."

"Huh?" Kagura licked her lips, narrowly missing the dot of cream. "What?"

"Let me help you." Sougo leaned in and before Kagura could protest, he licked the cream off her lips, smirking at the furious blush that immediately spread like wildfire over her pale complexion. "It's gone now."

"Y…you freaking pervert!" She clapped both hands over the bottom half of her face, her eyes wide and face turning another few shades deeper. "Wh…what the hell was that for!"

"So, I was thinking, we've been dating for three years already."

"Have we?" Kagura relaxed, the statement catching her off guard. Three years? With the Sadist?

"Can't you even count?"

"Counting is for idiots," she retorted without a heartbeat of hesitation.

What an idiot.

"Yeah, yeah. And I was thinking…" he watched her face carefully, noticing the confusion settling in her eyes.

"Thinking that?"

"We're going nowhere. We fight all the time, we disagree on everything, you say you hate me every time you get the chance to."

Kagura felt a sort of chill creeping into her chest. What…is he going on about? Why does it feel like a scene in the soap dramas where the male lead breaks up with the female lead?

"What are you trying to say?" she answered in a low, quiet tone.

"I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore." He said in a clear, firm tone.

Kagura felt her heart drop and she stopped breathing, still trying to process the brutal truth that was placed right in front of her.

"You're too much of a challenge for me," Sougo continued. "You're difficult to deal with."

She swallowed, "oh." She managed to keep her voice clear. "Well then, I'll just…go." She turned away from the railings.

She had never felt any emptier. Even the emptiness from when Sougo went on a mission without her knowing couldn't compare to the kind of emptiness she felt then, when he was right in front of her.

"But I like it that you're a challenge."

Kagura froze.

"I like it that you're difficult to deal with. I like it that you always empty my wallet. I like the way you call me 'Sadist'. I like it that you're always annoying the hell out of me. I like it that you're always excited when we go on dates but try to act as if you don't care. I like it that you get jealous easily. I like it that you're a violent, retarded alien girl. I like it that you're an idiot who doesn't know how much I actually care under all my cool but still cares for me in your own weird way. I like it that you like me even though I know I've been a bastard and a true asshole. And I like it that you're mine, China, that you belong only to me."

Kagura could feel the tears slipping down her cheek. The effect of his words cut into her, making her feel hot and cold at the same time. She didn't know if she should be angry at the insults or happy that he liked her.

"Turn around, China."

She slowly turned around and looked up at Sougo. His face was impassive, but she saw a small frown on his face and the slight panic hiding in his crimson gaze. "Sadist." She cracked a smile, struggling to regain her nonchalance. "Is this you professing your love to me?"

"Not only that," he grabbed her hands and pulled her into a kiss, drying her tears with his thumb. He leaned back, smirking, and jerked his head towards her hand.

Kagura blinked, confused, and looked down. The glint of silver caught her attention, and she lifted her hand to examine it more clearly under the moonlight. "What—?"

"You can't say no," Sougo grinned. "Because it's too late. You have no choice but to agree."

"H…How can you do this kind of thing without my permission!"

"Why can't I issue a challenge to you without your permission?"

"Challenge?"

Sougo mentally noted how much he liked the adorable way she cocked her head to the side and stared up at him expectantly.

"Yeah. My challenge is for you to spend the rest of your life trying to get the better of me. And I bet that you will lose. I will always be better than you, at everything." Sougo flashed her a half smile.

"You bastard! How can you declare yourself the winner when the challenge hasn't even started?"

"So, what do you think of this?" Sougo lifted her hand and brought it in front of her face, smirking.

Kagura scowled and took a deep breath, but she was nearly exploding with joy. "Of course. I accept your challenge."

And she watched him smile a smile more genuine than all the other smirks and grins that he had even given her. She watched him smile a smile brighter than the silver of the moonlight; a smile brighter than the silver ring he had slipped onto her finger. She watched him smile a smile that made her fall in love with him all over again; a smile that made her go completely breathless.

A/N: So, i haven't written OkiKagu in SO long, I might have gone rusty ): Did i get them out of character? ): Please Gawd no T.T anyway, what do you think of this chapter? Hehe. The cataclysmic duo are getting MARRIED. I'm still thinking of doing a wedding for them the next chapter, but i probably won't, because personally i don't think that there will be a wedding that will suit them better than the one i wrote for Phases In Love, and therefore there shall not be a wedding in Shades of White, but they are going to be married ANYWAY :D

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and please review, and keep the love coming! Cookies for all my darling readers and an extra lollipop for the ones who review! Thank you for supporting me thus far! (: Shades of White is coming to an end soon ):