Yoruichi rested her back against the bathroom door. She never allowed herself to cry. Not in public at least. Nor would she admit to anyone including herself that she had emotions. But everyone knew she did, even she knew, it was just the catlike nature of hers to not show it.
Slowly picking up her hands to her face, she noticed they were shaking. For how long they were was unknown to her. She didn't even care at this point. She was terrified and even if she was an expert in hiding her emotions, her body was denying her the satisfaction to appear strong in this case. Soi Fon was dying. And Yoruichi felt completely helpless in the matter to the point she allowed the tears to fall freely from her eyes. Soi meant the world to her, and the thoughts that subconsciously came every so often of her not being in it, made Yoruichi suffer even more emotionally.
She slid her back down the door, landing on the bathroom floor. A look of despair and anger in her face. Retsu was her only option. Retsu had to save her. Cause god help the world if Soi Fon was taken from her. Just the thought made her want to punch something and scream. She bit down on her bottom lip, allowing her hands to form into fists.
"Yoruichi san?" Orihime's low whisper came through the bathroom door, breaking her out of her angered trance. She wiped her face, trying to compose herself, worried Orihime might have heard her. "Yoru-"
"Hai?" she replied with the best calm tone she could muster up at that point.
"Urahara san says the connection will be up in an hour."
"Ok..." Yoruichi replied, standing up quietly from the ground.
"I've prepared some soup if you're hungry."
Soup? Yoruichi thought. I hate soup. "Umm…arigatou Orihime, but I'm not hungry. Just..umm give me a minute.. I'll be out soon."
"Take your time. I've prepared enough bowls in case you change your mind."
"Ok-" she said, not really caring about the soup. Walking over the sink she looked in the mirror and saw the bloodshot eyes causing her to look away and down at the sink. Her reflection at this point was just a reminder to her that it wasn't just some nightmare. Unlocking the water gauge, she washed her face, once again hiding her emotion.
Now is not the time to lose it. Get a grip woman. Get a grip. Everything is going to be just fine. Just keep your head. She'll be fine. She's Soi. She'll be fine, Yoruichi thought in a trance taking in a deep breath in her last effort to compose herself before she opened the door.
Orihime was standing just outside as if waiting for her.
"Oh gomen. Didn't know you needed to use the bathroom. It's all yours," Yoruichi stated, trying her best to be respectful even though she didn't want to be bothered. Taking a few steps away from the door, the young girl didn't even move towards the bathroom but instead looked concerned. "Inoue is everything alright?"
"Yea, no yea. Everything is fine Yoruichi san. I was just umm. Wondering. Well, if you were ok. Urahara san mentioned that Soi was someone dear to you and that I might have made her worse and then I-"
Yoruichi cut her off by putting a finger to the girl's lips. "I'm fine." Yoruichi removed her hand and winked. Once again covering up her emotions like the master she was. "I can get testy at times. Don't pay mind to it, you did fine."
"Understood," she replied with a smile dropping the subject. "Oh and I left a bowl with Fon taichou. She thanked me but she hasn't touched it. Maybe you can convince her to eat? It might make her feel better. I just wish there was more that I could do."
A bowl? Of soup? Yoruichi thought bursting out laughing and confusing the girl. "Well I will try my best to get her to eat. She woke up already?"
"H-Hai. Though she seems very weak." Orihime said looking away.
Yoruichi pat the girl on the shoulder as a symbol of comfort. She had no words to say. She herself knew that Soi was going to be weak. And the more time that went by the weaker she would get. Still, it was nothing she would say out loud.
Soi Fon turned her head towards the door as it slid open mustering up a weak smile as Yoruichi came into the room quietly. "Hey..." she said immediately regretting it at the sound of her own raspy weak voice. What was worse about it is that Yoruichi smiled right after but with sad eyes. Soi Fon knew she was hiding her own pain but to call the woman out on it was something she would never do. So instead she weakly padded the floor right next to her futon, inviting Yoruichi to come sit even though the woman was already walking towards to do that.
"Soup!" Yoruichi shouted teasingly, sitting on her knees next to the bowl where the girl had patted. "Smells good, doesn't it Soi?"
The 2nd division captain, closed her eyes and grunted, causing the dark woman to burst out laughing. "Ah come on now my bee, I know how much you adore soup! I still recall all those 15 plus bowls you ate that one time."
Soi Fon grunted again, "You recall eh? Well I recall I ate them because the fukutaichou made them all for you after you lied to him saying you loved soup. Then he overdid it to get on your good side, and I was the one that ended up eating them all so he wouldn't find out."
"Yea…I know.. I felt so bad for him. I didn't think he would take me seriously-"Yoruichi stated, getting cut off by a pillow smacking her dead in the face. "Oi!"
"You felt bad for him?" Soi exclaimed, coughing soon after for raising her voice.
"See? That's what you get for yelling." Yoruichi laughed, causing Soi to grunt again. "Plus, I didn't think you hated it THAT much." She replied, picking up the girls head and placing the pillow back under it.
"Didn't think I hated it? I was begging you to stop when you kept spoon feeding it to me."
"Ah, good times. Good times." Picking up the bowl, Yoruichi grinned at the girl, "if you want I can feed it to you again."
Soi blushed, turning her head away from the dark woman.
"Awww so is that a no?"
"YORUICHI SAMA!" Soi yelled at her teasing, having a hard coughing attack soon after.
Yoruichi put the bowl down fast, and picked up the girl, sitting her on her lap. Still the coughing continued for a good while and every gasp of air Soi could muster up led her into coughing even harder. Yoruichi could do nothing but watch as Soi's hands got painted more and more with her own blood. Still she continued rubbing the girls back, embracing her tightly. When the coughing finally came to a halt, Yoruichi noticed she finally let out her own breath, wondering how long she was holding it in without even realizing it.
Soi relaxed and rested her head on Yoruichi's shoulder. She was aware of whom she was putting her weight on, yet at the same time she was too weak to care. Yoruichi's hand on her face also didn't help her motivation to move. She grunted, trying to form the words in her head to say, but Yoruichi beat her to saying anything.
"Gomen. No more teasing."
Soi bit down on her lip, putting her face to Yoruichi's collarbone. "Please..Yoruichi...sama…don't."
"Don't what?"
"Apologize." Soi said tearful, gripping Yoruichi's shirt with her shaking fists as she held back the tears that wanted to flow out. She wanted to say more, beg even, for her goddess to never tell her sorry ever again. But Yoruichi embracing her even harder, told her already that those words were unnecessary.
For a while, they laid sat there on the ground in silence as Yoruichi rocked the fever ridden girl tightly in her arms. "Soi Fon..."
"..hai?"
"You will never leave my side right?"
Soi Fon didn't reply, looking at Yoruichi. After a few seconds, she smirked closing her eyes not wanting to show her own emotion. In her mind she replied yes a thousand times, yet her lips never said a word. She began drifting unwillingly, feeling Yoruichi shake her a bit to wake her up, yet nothing. Even in Yoruichi's soothing embrace, Soi's body refused to obey. And shortly, Soi passed out.
This did not sit well with Yoruichi. She closed her eyes, gulping down her own anguish. She knew Soi was fighting. She knew she would do anything to get the girl better. Yet still, not hearing the words felt like a stab at the heart. She needed the words. The reassurance that Soi's body was not shutting down in her very arms at this very second. But no words meant just that, and the realization that Yoruichi was in denial hit her hard.
She began trembling as she laid Soi back down.
"Yoru-" came Urahara's voice from outside the door, "the connection is up."
"Hai.." was all the tan woman could reply to him as she looked at her little bee's sleeping face, planting a kiss on her head. "I love you..."
Standing up, Yoruichi then left the room meeting Urahara in the hallway, both of them with dead serious faces, knowing what the other was thinking. "Let's go," she said, walking into the other room, the shopkeeper behind her quietly. He wanted to ask her if she was ok, yet he knew that would only cause her to lash. She was the type that hid her emotions, and any indication that you were aware of them was suicide.
"Ok! Here we go!" he said loudly breaking the uneasy tension around the room as Ichigo and Orihime walked in as well.
Connecting….Connecting…Connecting….
"They on coffee break?" Ichigo stated, getting impatient that no one was answering.
"Patience Kurosaki," Urahara replied typing in further codes into his computer, worried at the same time to even look Yoruichi's way. "They'll answer."
Connecting…Connecting…Connecting….
"Urahara san..?" Orihime questioned now getting worried herself as she looked over at Yoruichi who kept starring at the screen with a death stare.
"A bug! A bug! Nothing to worry about. I'll just press this code and-"The screen went white, a sign someone answered and was waiting for video signal. "See? No reason to doubt."
"Kisuke…" Yoruichi said through her teeth. "Shut it."
"Awww so mean to me."
When the video came in, the figure on the screen was not that of Unohana Retsu like they had called, but that of Commander Yamamoto. Immediately, both Urahara and Yoruichi bowed in respect for the old man.
"Commander," Urahara said a bit nervous. "Forgive the intrusion. We were trying to get in contact with Unohana taichou. The connection must have sent it to you-"
The old man grunted starring at them both. "Urahara Kisuke, Shihouin Yoruichi" the old man said seriously before he let out a raspy breath. "It is a grave day to receive a call from you."
"Sir?" Urahara question, confused.
"The 2nd was ordered to contact you should they fail their mission to the Hive. You both are aware now of the danger that has hit the gotei?"
"Hai sir." Yoruichi and Urahara said in unison.
"The plague has spread throughout our streets with a vengeance. I suggest to you both if anything remains of the 2nd division, eliminate it. We cannot risk the mortal world infected. I will leave that task to the both of you."
"Eliminate it?" Ichigo questioned. "You mean kill them!"
Yamamoto nodded his head, his eyes closed before he opened them addressing the two former captains once again. "The Fon girl should have two vials in possession. They are a 48 hour vaccination for those free of the virus. Take them, and contain the spread of the virus. We in the seretei still capable will hold guard for when the 2nd barrier breaks. I want you all to remain on high alert."
Urahara looked over at Yoruichi, who was looking away towards the window. Her thoughts lost to him as he looked back at the screen, "sir, will all due respect. Is there no other option that Unohana taichou could come-"
"Unohana Retsu is dead." Yamamoto stated seriously, causing everyone to gasp. "Those with the virus are quarantined to a secure location within the walls. Those free of the virus have been placed in specialized tanks until the virus dissipates. We will need strong forces to counter the breaking of the 2nd barrier. If at that time you both wish to return to the seretei, you have full permission from central to do so. In the meantime follow the orders given."
Yoruichi stormed out of the room not wanting to listen to anymore.
"Understood, sir." Urahara stated, bowing his head again.
"Understood?" Ichigo exclaimed looking at Urahara. "How can you follow orders to kill off an entire division? Let alone freely allow the Hive barrier to break? Didn't you say-"
"Ichigo!" Urahara stated, his teeth grinding together with his head still bowed at the screen. "You can count on us Commander. Please take care of yourself."
"I do not need orders from you Urahara Kisuke." Yamamoto stated, the screen then turning black. Urahara then fell to his knees, not even knowing how to speak.
"Urahara san!" Orihime ran at his side as Ichigo just hissed at him. Urahara for the first time in a long time was at a loss in what to do. Getting back up he stormed out the room and ran into Soi Fon's room a terrified expression on his face.
"YOU'RE NOT LAYING A FINGER ON HER!" Yoruichi yelled as Urahara swung open the door panting, Yoruichi rocking Soi in her arms in the most protective manner. Urahara rushed at her side immediately, embracing the woman from behind.
"Yoru. Calm down. I'm not going to hurt her. Calm down."
"I can't kill her Kisuke. I won't kill her!" she continued, her emotions showing as she began crying while still rocking the girl who was semi awake due to fever. "I'll go to the hive myself. I'll fucking grow bug eyes if I have to, but I'll-"Yoruichi cut herself off with a gasp, instantly pushing away from Urahara's embrace. "Why am I so fucking stupid!" Chuckling a bit, she stood up picking up Soi, tears still in her yellow eyes. "Kisuke! Bug eyes Kisuke!" she said with an almost excited tone.
"Bug eyes?" he looked at her with a confused looked, Ichigo and the others doing the same as they wondered if she lost her sanity.
"Soi Fon isn't the only god damn soul we know with a bug spirit." Yoruichi stated, walking past them out the door and down the hallway towards the front door, the girl still in her arms limp though conscious.
"Ohh..OH! Of course! I forgot you called her bug eyes." Urahara shouted, chasing after the rushed woman. "Why the hell didn't we think of Mashiro before…"
"Cause we are fucking stupid Kisuke. That's why."
"Yoruichi..sama.." Soi said weakly in the woman's arms. "Your..not... stupid."
Yoruichi couldn't help but to smile at the girl's response. Here she was dying and yet was the stronger one of them both. "Yea yea..." was all Yoruichi replied as she disappeared between shunpo.
Disclaimer: I do not own bleach or any of the characters here
Not one of my best writings but its basically plot information. Sorry it took so long, its a holiday week so that will be my excuse. Thanks everyone for the reviews so far. Enjoy your holidays. Will upload new chapter sometime soon
