King
Kisuke & Yoruichi

I sighed and turned over, still trying to sleep after a dream of court life. A life I had given up more than two hundred years ago for a reason. I hated the feel of heavy padded silks on my body and ornaments of silver and gold chining softly in my hair. I had hated that my father had been upset that his only daughter was so 'willful and disobedient'. I was never meant for such frippery.

Kisuke shifted against my side, a line of heat warming my skin, as he slumbered on. This is all I ever really wanted. Not Kisuke, per se, but a simpler life of daring-do, bad tea, and smiles. I had gotten away from court life when I joined the academy. There I had found that I could learn how to make my own bad tea. I found friends who excelled at smiling and making reasons to be daring. Kukaku, Kisuke and I were the top three students in our year. We were the best of friends.

I smiled at the man sleeping beside me. I had not started out wanting things to go this far between us. The first and only time I had taken him to meet my father; he had taken me aside afterwards and told me that Kisuke would never be king. I had not understood what he meant, since it was obvious Kisuke would never be king; he was a brat from the rukon district. When I realized that my father meant that I should look else where, and considerably higher, for someone to love I had been shocked. I didn't love him that way then, and not for a long time afterward.

His naturally sleepy eyes opened to see me smiling down at him. Even in bright daylight, Kisuke's eyes were stormy grey; in any light, his hair was a dirty blonde. He struggled up on his elbows and smiled, "What are you thinking?"

"That you'll never be the king."

He snorted at that, "You will never be queen, now. Does it bother you tonight?"

I shook my head, bending to press my lips on his soft hair, "You know I gave that up, even before my father did."

"I've always wondered what it would be like, to be the Spirit King, that is." He turned his face to the ceiling, as if the answers could be found there, "I bet it's boring as hell." That made me laugh, and Kisuke joined me before snuggling into my waist and clutching my thigh, "Come on, let's get some sleep."

"I'm the royal here, or have you forgotten?" I smiled, "No one gives me orders."

"In case you forgot, they say a man's home is his castle. A castle is where a king lives, so…" He reached up to pull gently on my long hair, "I suppose, that if you're here in my home and I'm here, then I am the king."

"My father will be so disappointed to hear you say that. He always did like being right."

He kissed my hip, and spoke, his lips still close to my body, "I'm glad to hear you admit it; now your king commands you to sleep."

I smiled and snuggled back down under the covers, where Kisuke's strong arms held me tight, "As my king commands."


AN/ I think of Yoruichi as fiercely independent, like her animal form suggests. But even the most independent of us needs a little comfort sometimes. My readers are my magic, without them, I couldn't do this!