Wakari ken Kizu
(Understanding and Hurt)
This was the liveliest Jyuushiro has ever felt in all his years dead or alive.
In just a few hours, the sun would set and he could spend a nice quiet evening with his dear Soifon.
My dear Soifon? Jyuushiro, what has gotten into to you? He chuckled to himself.
As Jyuushiro approached his destination, he heard what sounded like a vase being broken and knew Shunsui was in big trouble with his fukutaicho.
"You bastard!" he heard his fukutaicho screech as another crash sounded in the eighth division head quarters.
"Now come on Nanao", the squad eight captain pleaded with his angry temperamental fukutaicho.
"You were out with her again, weren't you?" Nanao questioned throwing a chair at the womanizing captain.
"I swear Nanao, I wasn't out with anybody. I went to go—"
"Liar!" she threw another vase at Shunsui but he ducked and instead it hit the white haired captain listening on the other side of the door.
"Ow!" he yelled as he fell over.
"Jyuushiro?" Shunsui peered out the door. "Well hello! Nanao, look who's here?" he cheered lifting his old friend up to his feet and walking him in his office.
"Oh. Ukitake-taicho, I am so sorry", Nanao bowed to him.
"Don't worry about it Ise-fukutaicho", Jyuushiro reassured her. "I'm alright. Just a little bump to the head", he informed her.
"Yeah, Jyuushiro's head is as hard as a rock
"Shunsui, how nice to see. How have you been?" the white haired captain asked.
"Fine and yourself?" the glad to have an escape from Nanao captain asked.
"Actually, I feel the best I've ever felt in a long time", Jyuushiro cheered.
"Oh really?" Shunsui cocked an eyebrow at his long life friend. "Even with that bump on your head?" Shunsui smirked.
"Very funny Shunsui", Jyuushiro rolled his eyes.
"So, who is she and do I know her?" Shunsui asked bluntly.
"Always so quick for me to dish out the dirt huh?" the sick captain chuckled.
"Of course", Shunsui grinned. "Now, stop stalling and tell me who she is. Oh, and Nanao?" the jolly captain asked his still steaming girlfriend and lieutenant.
"Yes taicho?" she responded.
"Could you get Jyuushiro an ice pack and then leave us some privacy?" he asked her.
"Sure taicho", she bowed then added. "But we will discuss this later", she told him coldly then left the room.
"So", Shunsui turned to Jyuushiro. "Who is she?" he grinned.
"No one", Jyuushiro told him.
"You're lying", Shunsui cooed. "Now dish the dirt".
"No", Jyuushiro told him firmly.
"What do you mean 'no'?" Shunsui asked stunned by his friend's answer.
"I know you Shunsui and if I tell you who she is, you'll go blabbing all over Soul Society and then she won't even want to look at me let alone date me", he replied to the persistent, nosey captain.
"I swear, I won't tell a soul. Not even my zanpakuto shall hear it from me", the eighth division captain pleaded with the thirteenth division captain.
"I can't tell you and that's that", he told the meddlesome captain.
Nanao had quietly stepped back in and handed Jyuushiro his pack and exited again. But not before she gave Shunsui another ice glare.
"So what's that about?" Jyuushiro nodded in the direction Nanao had just left.
"Nah uh, you don't get to change the subject", Shunsui said.
"I'm not changing the subject. Besides, I have a right to know since the woman threw a vase at my head", Jyuushiro retorted.
"Alright, I'll make a deal with you", Shunsui smirked at his dear friend. "I'll tell you what happened between me and Nanao if you tell me who the lucky girl is", he smiled.
"No deal", Jyuushiro replied.
"Why not?" Shunsui whined.
"Because if I tell you I could risk losing her before we even go out on a date and I'd liked to see where things could go between us", Jyuushiro replied.
"Have you asked her on a date yet?" Shunsui asked.
"As a matter of fact, we're having tea today at sunset", he replied.
"Why this is just wonderful!" Shunsui cheered.
"It is?" Jyuushiro quirked an eyebrow at his dearest and oldest friend.
"Yes. I can drop by and meet the girl and see who she is for myself".
"I don't think so. She'll definitely run off after she meets you", Jyuushiro laughed.
"Come on, just give me a hint and let me guess. That way it won't be like you told me", Shunsui begged.
"Fine", Jyuushiro sighed feeling he just made a huge mistake. "She has long hair and is above fourth seat in her squad", he informed the inquisitive captain.
"Hm . . . long hair, fourth seat . . . well, it can't be any of the fukutaichos, they're all taken".
"Yachiru isn't taken", he chimed in.
"No, but you're not that perverted and Kenpachi would kill you for sure", Shunsui chuckled.
"Yes, you're probably right".
"So that leaves the third seats and the captains".
Jyuushiro knew Shunsui had him now.
"Let's say, just for the sake of time and interest, that it is a captain. So, that would leave either Unohana-taicho or Soifon-taicho", Shunsui grinned.
"Why don't you just go ahead and say it?!" Jyuushiro snapped.
"It is . . . Unohana-taicho!" Shunsui cheered.
"What?! No you moron, it's Soifon!" Jyuushiro yelled throwing the ice pack at Shunsui's head.
"I knew that would get you to tell me", Shunsui laughed, dodging the ice pack effortlessly.
"Shunsui . . . I'm going to kill you", Jyuushiro began chasing the pink haori wearing captain around the room. "You knew it was Soifon all along, didn't you?!" Jyuushiro yelled as he pinned Shunsui to the floor and began tickling him.
"Yes, yes, I knew" Shunsui laughed. "I surrender, I surrender!" Shunsui shouted.
"When or how long have you known?" he asked pulling himself off the laughing captain.
"Since this morning when I saw you two in bed together", Shunsui smiled.
"It's not like that and you know it", Jyuushiro glared at him.
"I know. I think you two look cute together. I hope you get her. Maybe she won't be as cold and distant as Nanao is", Shunsui commented handing Jyuushiro back his ice back.
"Maybe she might be even more cold and all the more deadly", Jyuushiro replied.
"Maybe", Shunsui chuckled. "Well, I have to go settle this thing between me and Nanao", he sighed getting up and heading towards the door.
"Speaking of Nanao, what happened between you two?"
"I left early this morning to go visit you and when I saw you two together, I could hardly contain my excitement I just had to tell my lovely Nanao", Shunsui swooned then frowned. "But she assumed I had been out with another one of my 'girls'", he air quoted. "Then she started to attack me", he finished.
"But you weren't out with a girl so why would she be mad?" Jyuushiro asked.
"Because usually I am out with a woman but I never sleep with any of them. I just drink and bask in their company. Jyuushiro, I don't know what to do. I can't get Nanao to open up to me", he looked to his old white haired friend.
"Well, the only advice I can give you is to stop basking in the company of other women and try basking in the company of the woman you have", he advised.
"But Nanao is so cold and distant", Shunsui whined.
"And she'll continue to be that way if you don't prove to her that she's the only one. I know it's hard but women like her, well, all women actually, like to be the only one and if another woman can give you something she can't then they begin to worry where your heart lies", Jyuushiro told his friend.
"So no more women huh?"
"Yep".
"I think I can do that. Nanao is definitely worth it", Shunsui beamed.
"That's good to hear", Jyuushiro smiled then stood and walked up beside his friend. "Well, I must be one my way and you have to go reconcile with Nanao".
"Okay", Shunsui nodded than paused. "Oh, and Jyuushiro?"
"Yes?"
"I expect details tomorrow morning", the brunette captain wagged his eyebrows.
"I promise, I won't leave anything out", he chuckled. "Good day Shunsui", he waved and walked off.
"Bye Jyuushiro", Shunsui waved as well then turned in the opposite direction.
Soifon was very anxious after she got out Unohana-taicho's office.
What the hell were you thinking Soifon?! She scolded herself.
How could you make a date with Ukitake-taicho? Were you that intoxicated by him and were you just doped up on too many meds?
Either way, she knew she couldn't go. It just wasn't right.
People like her didn't go on dates and especially on dates with someone like Ukitake-taicho.
She wondered what had possessed her to ask him out and what had possessed him to say yes?! She just couldn't for the life of her figure out why they had done it.
Soifon knew she wasn't ready for a relationship of this magnitude. She just wasn't ready to get her heart broken again (not that Jyuushiro would break her heart) but she knew that it was a possibly and he was a man who had his faults.
She knew it was silly and childish but she was just too afraid to leave herself open like that. She knew he would understand and that her not showing up wouldn't effect their . . . uh . . . friendship.
So it was decided. She would not show up and apologize later.
Finally, the sun was beginning to set and soon Soifon would arrive for their . . . well, it was kind of a date but he didn't want to call it that unless she did. So he settled on tea meeting. Yes, he knew it was lame but it was better than getting his hopes up and calling it a date when maybe it wasn't.
"Goodnight Ukitake-taicho", Kiyone waved to him as she walked pass.
"Goodnight Kiyone", he nodded in response.
"Bye!" Sentaro hollered.
"Goodbye", Jyuushiro replied.
"Moron", Kiyone slapped Sentaro on the back of his head.
"What?! What did I do?" Sentaro asked.
"You don't have to be so loud. He can hear you just fine from where you're standing. Now you made him feel old or something", Kiyone told him.
"Sorry Ukitake-taicho", Sentaro bowed to the white haired captain.
"It's okay", Jyuushiro assured him. "Goodnight you two", he said as he shoved them off.
"Was it just me or was Ukitake-taicho trying to rush us?" Kiyone asked.
"I think he was", Sentaro replied.
"Must be expecting someone", she shrugged her shoulders.
"Nah. Not Ukitake-taicho. Maybe he just wanted us gone because we were getting on his nerves or something. You know old guys have all these private rituals they don't want anybody to know about", Sentaro informed her.
"Yeah, you're probably right", Kiyone replied.
Jyuushiro was glad they were gone. He knew that if they saw Soifon coming they would get the wrong idea about her and then her reputation would be ruined.
Jyuushiro decided that he should bake an assortment of treats not really knowing what Soifon might like or dislike. He baked a few different kinds of cookies, such as chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and his favorite, sugar. He also baked several different kinds of cakes such as carrot cake, chocolate cake, cherry cheesecake (a/n my favorite kind of cake, the cherry cheesecake) and ice cream cake. (also my favorite) He even decided to bake a few muffins, such as blueberry (my fav) strawberry and banana nut.
Then there was the tea.
He preferred green tea but Soifon didn't look like a green tea person. Come to think of it, she didn't look like a tea person at all. But he figured she would like lemonade. Everybody likes lemonade he thought.
About an hour later, Jyuushiro had eaten almost all the sugar cookies, drank both the tea and lemonade and cut a slice of the ice cream cake.
Well . . . he sighed heading off to bed. I think I've been stood up he chuckled lightly. You sure can pick'em Jyuushiro. Then he crawled into bed and went to sleep.
The next morning, Soifon arrived at the thirteenth division early, hoping to catch its captain alone so they could talk.
She knocked on the door but heard no reply. She figured he was either a very sound sleeper or he just didn't feel like talking to her.
"I wouldn't feel like talking to me either if I'd been stood up", she said to no one in particular.
"Why wouldn't you feel like talking to you?" a voice came up behind her.
"Oh Jyuushiro", she jumped, surprised and nearly fell backwards.
"I've got you", he smiled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.
"Uh . . . thank you", she blushed then pulled her hand out of his. "Listen, about yesterday . . . I—"
"Say no more", he held up his hand. "I understand", he smiled.
Now she really felt bad. She knew he knew why she had really not come to tea with him yesterday and he was acting as if he wasn't really bothered.
"So you aren't mad?" she asked.
"Mad? Why would I be mad? You were probably very busy and couldn't get away from your work", he smiled even more.
Jyuushiro wasn't mad at her, in fact, he understand why she did what she did but that still didn't mean he wasn't a bit hurt by her actions. But he decided it would be best not to let her know and just pretend everything was okay.
Soifon just wanted to die.
She knew he was only being nice to her and the fact that he was was making her heart ache even more.
How could she hurt such a nice man like Jyuushiro? He has been nothing but kind to her and this is how she repays him? Some friend she is.
"Uh . . . well, that's all I wanted to say so I guess I'll be going now", she said and began to walk off.
Jyuushiro figured now was as good a time as any to ask her out and use her guilt to his advantage.
He knew it was wrong but he had to use any means necessary to get a date with her.
"So, how about we go out some other time when you're free?" he asked out of the blue.
Typical Jyuushiro she thought.
Soifon couldn't believe what she was about to do but she figured she owed him since she stood him up on their last date.
"What time?" she sighed defeated.
"What time you free?" he replied smiling.
"Say lunchtime . . . today?" she turned to him smiling.
Soifon . . . what the hell?! Not today, not lunchtime. That's only a few hours away! What are you thinking?! She screamed in her mind.
"Great!" he cheered. "See you then", he smiled but not before he kissed her on the cheek and walked into his division.
Soifon stood there stunned and also . . . quite warm. She had never been kissed before and she had to admit, she kind of liked it.
It took Soifon a minute to get her brain to function and remember how to walk. But she finally did and then shunpo-ed off.
Wait, lunchtime was in a few hours and she had no idea what to wear or even how to act on a date. This would be here first date and it was with a man almost as charming and flirtatious as Kyouraku-taicho.
"Oh no!" she screamed from the top of her lungs then really shunpo-ed back to her division in order to get ready for her first date.
Jyuushiro knew there was a slight probability she could stand him up again but he figured her guilt would bring her back for their date. That and the kiss he planted on her cheek before she left. Finally, Jyuushiro had her where he wanted her but how to get her to stay was the bigger issue.
Well, he'll cross that bridge when it comes.
Well, here is the end. So, did you like it? I think it was okay but that's just me. I'll let you be the judge of that.
Here's a preview of chapter three . . .
Soifon knew she needed advice on what to do about her and Jyuushiro but she didn't know who to turn to. It's not like she had any sisters or girlfriends to talk to about this sort of thing. And the last somewhat sister girlfriend she had abandoned her and let her heart in the condition it's in now.
Well, that's all you get for now. Please R&R. Bye.
