Disclaimer: Don't own Bleach.
Chapter 1
"What?" Orihime asked, having absolutely no idea what Rukia was talking about. The big-busted girl with past-waist length, dark orange hair was sitting on her bed with her new, slightly shorter when standing with above-shoulder length black hair, girlfriend.
"I said...."
"I heard what you said, but what are you talking about?"
"Remember Captain Soi Fon's call?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah, but...."
"You know who Yoruichi Shihoin is?"
"Of course." Orihime said, deciding to stop asking questions.
"Well, I guess Captain Soi Fon likes Yoruichi, as I suspected."
"What?!"
"But that's not all. She called me to help her win Yoruichi over, because Nii-sama says told her that I can read people."
"Wow. So how are you going to help her do it?" Orihime asked. Rukia smirked.
"That's the fun part. You see...."
---- In the Seretei----
Alone in her bedroom, Soi Fon let out a frustrated sigh. She had absolutely nothing to do, except wait. She was waiting for a Rukia Kuchiki, an unseated member of the 13th Division, to call her back, and to the 2nd Division's current captain, the waiting period seemed like forever already. Of course, she had been waiting for almost a full day.
"It's only been a few hours in the living world..." Soi Fon muttered to herself, "and probably late at night. I'll probably have to wait a little longer."
"Wait a little longer for what?" a female voice asked from Soi Fon's window. Soi Fon turned, shocked, a soon as she recognized the voice.
"Y-Yoruichi-sama!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"Just checking in on my little bee." Yoruichi said, smirking. Soi Fon frowned.
"I'm not your little bee anymore."
Sometimes I wish that were true. And that I never was. But I can't deny how I feel... Yoruichi-sama. Kuchiki, I hope you call be back soon....
"Oh, no?" Yoruichi asked, smiling, stepping into the room and walking over to the Captain, "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me."
Soi Fon easily managed to look into Yoruichi's eyes... those striking yellow-golden eyes that always burned, be it with seriousness, sadness, or most commonly around Soi Fon, with a smart-alecy gleam, which was presently the case. Soi Fon glared at her former mentor. The harder part was speaking.
I want so badly to say just that, because of what you did. Running away, leaving me, not saying a word. Do you know how badly that hurt me? One hundred years, Yoruichi! I want to tell you so badly that I hate you, that I want to take you down, but....
I can't lie about loving you. I can't say that I don't, because... as soon as I start thinking about hating you... there's something in me that the idea just doesn't sit right with. Maybe because I really just....
"Well?" Yoruichi practically purred, "I'm waiting." Soi Fon's frown became a scowl. She opened her mouth to speak... just as her phone rang.
No, NO! Kuchiki, not THAT soon....
Soi Fon checked the caller ID. It was Kuchiki. The world was officially over.
"Who is it?" Yoruichi asked in response to Soi Fon's shocked expression. She scowled at Yoruichi again and said,
"This doesn't concern you."
Well, what now? If I don't answer, I might not be able to get the answer I want later... but if I don't, it would certainly save me grief right now....
"I have to take this." Soi Fon said, answering the phone.
"I think I'll stay." Yoruichi announced, taking a seat on Soi Fon's bed, "This could be interesting." Soi Fon flashed a frown at Yoruichi and said into the phone,
"You'd better be giving me the answer I want."
"Ooh, a mysterious answer from a mysterious person in a mysterious situation?" Yoruichi taunted, smiling and tilting her head, "I was right. This is interesting."
"Good, but from now on, I should call you." Soi Fon said to Rukia, then paused as Rukia spoke.
"Yoruichi Shihoin's in the room with me right now." Soi Fon replied, coolly.
"Am I being used as a threat?" Yoruichi asked, bemused, "Or are you warning whoever's on the phone to be discreet?"
"What? You want to what?" Soi Fon asked Rukia and paused for a response, completely ignoring Yoruichi's musings, then asked, "Why would you want to do that?"
Yoruichi sat, interested, and confused. What could she possibly be talking about? And to whom?
"Well, it's not like I don't, but.... Yes, or else I wouldn't have.... But that's completely... HEY! WHO ARE YOU THAT YOU GET TO INTERRUPT A CAPTAIN!? .... Oh, right." Soi Fon said to Rukia, making Yoruichi even more intrigued. Someone who has a position to be able to interrupt a Captain? This seemed entirely new to her. Soi Fon sighed and continued,
"I just don't think this is the best idea." then she paused again, and said, "Okay, okay. Fine. You win. Here you go." Soi Fon handed the phone to Yoruichi, telling her, "She wants to talk to you." and nothing more. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and took the phone, lifting it to her ear.
"Hello?.... Yes, that's me.... What? Then how come.... now you're interrupting me!" a pause, and then, "Oh. I see.... Of course...." she paused, glanced up at Soi Fon, and said, smiling, "Because you're such a big fan, right? Okay. Go ahead." Soi Fon was a little concerned about the next pause, because it was a mite longer than the others. "Oh. Huh." Yoruichi glanced up at Soi Fon again and said, "No, it's totally natural.... Yeah, I know, but it is. I never would have guessed...." another pause. Yoruichi's next sentence was serious. "Yes... "she said, "I do. More than anything.... Well, people tend to label me as lazy, and that's not true, I do practice, a lot." yet another pause, and Yoruichi went right back into her laid-back demeanor, "The only problem is building strength and confidence. If I could give you a hint, I would say to constantly remind yourself of why you're doing it. So did that help you any? .... Good, good. Okay." one last pause put a slightly pissed off look on Yoruichi's face, "Of course I will. I can't believe you don't trust me. It is my own welfare, after all." she handed the phone back to Soi Fon and jumped onto the window frame, said to Soi Fon, "I'll see you later Soi Fon. I just remembered I'm going to be late for dinner at the Shibas' place tonight. See you later. Okay?" and was gone.
"What did you say to her?" Soi Fon asked Rukia through the phone as soon as Yoruichi left.
"I don't see how that matters," Rukia commented, "the important part is that I got the information I needed."
"How? By asking if her hair was dyed and how much she practices?" Soi Fon asked, slightly mad.
"Sure. It's a reading people thing. That is why you called me, right?" Rukia said. Soi Fon frowned.
".... Yes. I... I'm sorry if...." Soi Fon began to apologize, but was once more interrupted.
"It's alright. I was expecting that reaction. Talk to you later?" Rukia said.
"Of course." Soi Fon answered, and hung up the phone.
How the conversation REALLY went
"I have to take this." Soi Fon answered the phone and shot Yoruichi a sour look after she said she was going to stay... no doubt just to listen in.
"You better be giving me the answer I want." Soi Fon snapped into the phone.
"I've decided to help you." Rukia answered.
"Good, but I think I should call you from now on."
"Why is that, Captain Soi Fon? Is there...."
"Yoruichi Shihoin's in the room with me right now." Soi Fon said, careful to use Yoruichi's full name, to play on the fact that she was famous throughout the Soul Society.
"Really?" Rukia asked in interest, then paused briefly to consider something, then told Soi Fon, "I want to talk to her."
"What? You want to what?" Soi Fon asked.
"You heard me. Hand the phone over to Yoruichi. Or don't you trust me to help you?"
"Well, it's not like I don't but...."
"You do want her, right?"
"Yes, or else I wouldn't have...."
"Then hand over the phone."
"But this is completely...."
"I just need some information from her."
"HEY! WHO ARE YOU THAT YOU GET TO INTERRUPT A CAPTAIN!?"
"The one who's helping you win over the love of your life."
"....Oh, right." Soi Fon sighed and said, "I just don't think this is the best idea."
"Would you rather I came over there and started following her around? I would probably get caught rather quickly...." Rukia countered.
"Okay, okay. Fine. You win. Here you go." Soi Fon gave a very confused Yoruichi the phone with no more than, "She wants to talk to you." Yoruichi raised her eyebrow as she took the phone and moved it to her ear.
"Hello?" she asked.
"Yoruichi Shihoin?"
"That's me."
"This is Rukia Kuchiki."
"What? Then how come...."
"Don't finish that sentence."
"Now you're interrupting me!"
"Soi Fon's still in the room. Watch what you say."
"Oh. I see."
"I need to ask you a few questions, but Soi Fon can't know what we're talking about.
"Of course."
"Cover that." Rukia told Yoruichi. Yoruichi glanced up at Soi Fon and smiled as she said,
"Because you're such a big fan, right? Okay. Go ahead." off he top of her head.
"Good, but I actually need to ask you this because Soi Fon has practically hired me to help her get you together with her. I think she loves you, Yoruichi. Like, romantically."
"Oh. Huh." Yoruichi said in surprise. She had made a joke about Soi Fon's affection earlier... but she didn't think... didn't know....
"Cover." Rukia said. Yoruichi thought fast. What would merit surprise? What could Kuchiki have asked her? Oh, wait....
"No, it's totally natural." she said, then cleverly paused, as if waiting for an answer, something about how weird purple is for a natural color, then said, "Yeah, I know, but it is." then added as part of the cover, and a real reaction to Rukia's statement, "I never would have guessed...."
"So, my question is this." Rukia said, her unseen expression changing to one of complete sobriety ,
"Do you love her?"
"Yes..." Yoruichi found herself saying. It was the one thing she thought she'd never admit. "I do. More than anything...."
"Cover." Rukia said. Yoruichi's instincts had already alerted her to do so, she knew how sharp Soi Fon was, and this was not part of the plan. She twisted her face into one of contempt.
"Well, people tend to label me as lazy, and that's not true. I do practice, a lot."
"Okay. Well, now to formulate a plan." Rukia sighed.
"The only problem is strength and confidence," Yoruichi told Rukia, hoping that she'd catch the code, "If I could give you a hint, I would say to keep reminding yourself of why you're doing it." Rukia smiled weakly as she got what Yoruichi was saying.
"Thanks."
"So did that help you any?" Yoruichi asked, still in cover mode.
"Of course it did! Now I know how you feel, so...."
"Good, good. Okay." Yoruichi cut Rukia off.
"Anyway, keep this a secret from Soi Fon."
"Of course I will! I can't believe you don't trust me." the idea that she wouldn't pissed her off a little, but she automatically covered, saying, "It is my own welfare, after all."
She handed the phone back to Soi Fon, made up something so she could excuse herself, and left the way she came... out the window.
----In Orihime's apartment----
"How'd it go?" Orihime asked Rukia as the latter put away her cell phone. She smiled at Orihime... her new girlfriend... the thought made the smile become a grin.
I always thought she'd end up choosing between Ichigo or Tatsuki... or maybe even Uryu.... I never thought it would turn out this way. I was content to hide my feelings... but now I realize... how much better it really is when things turn out your way.
Rukia came out of her thoughts to find her face only a small space away from Orihime's. She tilted her head a little as she answered Orihime's question.
"Wonderfully." she said. Orihime's face broke into a smile as she moved to finish what Rukia had subconsciously started. As they kissed, Orihime could feel Rukia's joy flowing in her strong, but still somehow gentle style, as their bodies moved to the steady, yet pulsing rhythm of a song only they could hear, coming closer with each beat. She soon discovered that Rukia had the same knowing accuracy, strength, and grace in their current activity as she did in almost everything else... except there was one difference that Orihime hoped would linger. She tried to picture her aura plucking a small amount of the happiness Rukia was radiating, and putting it in her pocket for a rainy day.
Please, Rukia... Orihime thought, pouring a new fire into the intimacy, gripping the back of Rukia's shirt, letting out a small moan and planting small, light kisses on Rukia's right cheek as she worked back to her lips, Let me make you happy.
Rukia felt Orihime's tongue against her lips, requesting entry, but with a support that isn't entirely a common characteristic of Orihime. Of course she let her in, running her own tongue lightly along the front side of Orihime's, as if to invite her. She wrapped her arms around Orihime's neck and pulled her in, maneuvering herself through her positive energies, almost like body surfing, so to speak. The corners of her lips curved upward as she realized that she probably knew what Orihime was thinking. She swiveled a little, and seamlessly tied the tongue-kiss to kissing the corner of Orihime's lips, then slightly lower, then a little farther back, and higher, until she was at Orihime's ear, at which point she whispered,
"You don't know how happy you make me by just living, Orihime." Rukia paused, kissed Orihime's temple, and finished, "By being here with me."
Orihime was shocked and moved by these words, and considered crying as an option before she softly smiled, said, "Thank you...." and let her head slowly drop, rubbing along Rukia's face softly, until she reached her shoulder. Rukia almost jumped as Orihime lightly bit the base of her neck.
"O-Orihime! I didn't take you for the biting type!" she exclaimed, her cheeks gaining a pinkish hue. Orihime looked up into Rukia's eyes with a smirk.
"There are things I do that lots of people wouldn't think I'm the type for." Orihime said slyly. Rukia only stared as her blush deepened. Then she smiled and pointed out, leaning in once more,
"Like falling in love with me."
"Right." Orihime murmured, following Rukia's motion like a reflection in a mirror.
Sorry for the confusion! ^_^;;