Don't own Bleach

She was in pain and tired, all she wanted was to crawl into bed and not get out until this whole war was over. Yoruichi was just done, physically and emotionally. It was time for some kind of hibernation for the Shihoin princess. When she got into the bedroom, she shivered at the cool breeze blowing through. Who opened the window? she wondered. Utsumi and her never had the window open, they both loved the warmth.

The drawers were still open and some clothes were half in and half out. She put them back and closed the drawers. I don't need to be playing maid right now. Yoruichi made it to the bed, secretly glad Utsumi was not there. She did not know what to say to him at the moment. Yoruichi fell face first on to the bed and crashed. Her eyes slammed shut and was dead to the world.

As the sun rose, Urahara sat at the table pondering the previous nights events . What did Utsumi do to make Yoruichi act like that? Why would Yoruichi act like that? What happened out there? All the questions and none of the answers, a situation Urahara commonly found himself in. He smirked to himself.

The door opened with a creak, Urahara peeked in and saw Yoruichi sleeping like a bear during hibernation, snoring loudly. No waking her this morning then. He walked in to investigate. His keen eyes noted that the half closed drawers were a few items of clothes lighter. There was something under his best friend's face. A piece of paper with some scrawl on it.

He looked at the door and back at the note before making his move. Gingerly, Urahara pulled the paper out from under Yoruichi's face. He yelped when she gripped his wrist, "Ow ow ow, Yoruichi, let go!"

"What are you doin', Kisuke?" she asked in a sleepy voice. Her grip loosened on Urahara's wrist. All night, in her dreams, she could still see Utsumi killing that Arrancar with the mist sadistic, sinister look on his face. Sometimes it morphed into an actual hell beast monster and other he would do it while keeping eye contact with her.

Urahara smiled, "Just tryin' to get to that piece of paper you were sleeping on."

She pushed herself up. Was this here when I went to sleep? Yoruichi was so out of it the night before she had no idea what was what when she got into bed. The only thing she can remember was that it was cold because the window open. "What is it, Kisuke?" she asked.

Urahara had stopped himself from scanning the note when he read the first line. He may be curious but he respects Yoruichi's privacy more. He folded the paper and held it out to her, "I think you should read this."

When Kisuke got serious, Yoruichi knew to be worried, "What is it? Kisuke?"

"Just read it, Yoruichi." Urahara said and left without another word.

Yoruichi knew it was something serious by Urahara's reaction. She wondered if had anything to do with Utsumi, she has not seen him yet and wondered where he was even if she had no idea what to say. Nothing had changed from last night, the doubts in her mind are still there. She had been duped many times by suitors pretending to be one thing while really being another. It was why she kept telling herself not to fall in love.

She unfolded the paper and read it.

Dearest Yoruichi,

I want you to know that I love you. That fact will never change.

Neither will I. I'm still the same guy you met all those years ago.

I hope one day you will see that again.

Please don't give up on me.

Forgive me,

Kaito.

Yoruichi looked at the words and then it hit her. He heard us last night. Now she wished she spoke to him about it. At least then she could have heard his side of things. Everything was a mess. Aizen had started his war and winning it, she was hurting all over and just wanted Utsumi. On top of all that, the one she wanted the most was gone and she had no idea where.

Anger began to rise in her. How could he just run away. Again. She was hurt that he would just leave without saying anything. Yoruichi knew he had a history of running. He ran from the Soul Society before they met, why wouldn't he run from her as well? It hurt her to think Utsumi would do that to her.


He sat on the rock looking over the river. It was the first morning he had spend here and the quiet was calming. Utsumi needed time to clear his head. It was a muddled mess, everything was scattered. He wished it was not, he wished he could go back and change things but he cannot.

The water ran by him, moving around the rocks with ease. It was the place where he trained to go to Seireitei to prove Aizen's guilt. How naive I was back then.

Back then, he thought that it would be all over after he proved Aizen was guilty, it would have been as simple as that. So stupid, idealistic and naive. Utsumi threw a stone into the stream and watched it sink.

Time passed slowly for Utsumi. Doubt began to sink in, should he have left? No, this is for the best if she thinks I'm a monster. Truth be told, Utsumi could not remember much of the night before. Only seeing Yoruichi being mauled by the Arrancar. Other than that, it was a blank and it scared him. He was terrified because if he cannot remember that, what is to stop it happening again and hurting the people he loves. Yoruichi his mind filled in.

He ran his hands through his hair and scrubbed them down his face. Things had gotten complicated for him in the space of a few hours. There were so many things going on in his head now, Utsumi had no idea what was happening. Up was down, left was right. Everything had gone wrong.

Even from the beginning, things had gone wrong. And he was powerless to stop it. Aizen's crimes, his attempt at clearing Urahara's name, his second attempt at Aizen. Nothing he has done since fleeing the Seireitei has gone right. Not even with Yoruichi.

After last night, he was unsure if there was even a Yoruichi and him any more. He had no idea how she would react, or whether she would care. Why would she care about a monster? Utsumi shook his head, he did not want to believe that she could just flip a switch.

There was a rustling of leaves as he brooded on his problems. Utsumi whirled round. There stood a Shinigami, tall with broad shoulders and a stern look on his face.

"The Head Captain requests your presence." There was no preamble, no pleasantries, "Immediately."

A gate opened behind him. The white light was almost blinding. Utsumi sighed. I guess I'll be going further away than I planned.

Utsumi followed behind the man through the gate. He looked back just once. Hoping that Yoruichi would come after him. It was a fleeting thought as there was nobody there. A moment after, he left the World of the Living.