Chapter 7: Revenge Served Cold

(As always, thanks to my wonderful collab partner, Timewater123456789!)

Tetsuya flash stepped into the underground training room beneath Kisuke's shop, only slowing as he realized that the shopkeeper's unsettled reiatsu revealed that his lover was making no move to follow him. Unsure whether it was an upsetting development or just a relief, the half-noble paused and took a few steadying breaths, trying to regain his equilibrium.

I was convinced that some time apart would be the best thing for now, but it was hard to even say the words. And now that I've said them, I'm so afraid!

Kami, is he going to hate me? I've been hated by a lot of people during my life, and I learned that some people are just determined to be hateful. Kisuke isn't like that. He can be coarse and he will distance himself sometimes. I've seen his scary side when he's dealing with enemies, so I know there is deep anger inside him. Maybe that's why I feel so afraid when I tread on those places where intrusion isn't welcome. I proceed there because I sincerely want to help, but it hurts when he pushes me away. Still, that is his own fear talking, not hatred.

The hatred I fear comes from knowing that what I said to him is causing him pain. Everything I said was true, and it is also true that we both need to face our fears to overcome them. However, it isn't my place to decide how and when he does that. So, maybe me leaving for that reason feels like a threat to him.

Tetsuya's soft breast heaved and his heart pounded fitfully, leaving him feeling weak and lightheaded.

Did I give him space he needs…or did I abandon him to face his fears alone?

Tetsuya's legs weakened and he dropped onto his knees on the sand covered floor of the training room.

What do I do?

What is the right thing?

I don't know anymore!

Tears filled his eyes and slid down his face as silent sobs wracked his slender form. He almost jumped out of his skin at a light touch on his shoulder that he first thought was Kisuke's hand, but then turned out to be the soft muzzle of a tall black Arabian stallion whose blue eyes were a mirror of his own.

"Oh, it's you, Arashi," he sighed, unsure whether he should be disappointed or comforted.

The spirit steed's wispy voice sounded in Tetsuya's mind in answer.

I sensed that you were in some kind of difficulty and your reiatsu is very unstable, master. Is there anything I can do?

Tetsuya gave a longer, more ragged sigh.

"No, there isn't anything," he said solemnly, glancing off in the direction where he felt Kisuke's reiatsu radiating somewhere near the place they'd been talking, "I just want to go home. I've done what I needed to do here and…it's time to leave."

Of course.

Tetsuya took a steadying breath and rose, brushing away his tears and laying a hand on Arashi's shoulder as a family senkaimon formed in front of them. They were just about to enter when Tetsuya's breath caught and he made a sound of frustration.

What is it, master? Is something wrong?

"It's fine," Tetsuya managed in an annoyed tone, "I just realized that I left some analyses in the lab that need to be taken back to Byakuya-sama. Give me a moment. I'll be right back."

Bolstered by the fact that he didn't sense Kisuke anywhere nearby, Tetsuya flash stepped up into the shop, hiding himself in a waterform to avoid anyone else who might be about. He reached the lab without incident and headed to where he'd set down the files he needed. As he picked them up, something partially hidden in the clutter near the shopkeeper's computer caught the half-noble's eye. He moved closer, picking up the little photo that had been set in a small frame. The glass over the image was cracked.

It was probably damaged when Byakuya-sama destroyed much of the lab.

The feeling of lightheadedness returned suddenly as Tetsuya looked down at the picture of Kisuke and him sitting in a booth of some kind and holding each other, smiling as though they had no idea they were being photographed.

It was when we were out having dinner together that first time, Tetsuya recalled, It was a sort of dinner theatre place and there was someone going around and taking pictures of the guests. Byakuya-sama always brushed off such things, but I do recall seeing Kisuke talking to the young woman who took the photo. I didn't know he actually purchased it.

He looked more closely at the photo, one fingertip tracing the genuine smiles that graced their lips. His heart flickered almost painfully at the happiness in their eyes.

I feel like I'm falling in love with him all over again.

Tears filled the corners of his blue eyes again.

How am I supposed to leave?

He was distracted out of his thoughts by a feeling of tension in his abdomen that began as just tightness, but blossomed gradually into a sharp, breathtaking pain. One hand grasped the edge of the desk and the photo fell from his other hand, landing on the desk roughly enough to further shatter the glass in the frame.

I've felt this kind of pain before.

He swallowed hard, breathing through the discomfort until the pain resided and his heart began to stop its furious pounding.

I'm not…I can't be…

I don't want to think about it. I just want to go home now.

He picked up the files that he'd dropped to hold onto the desk, then paused to consider what to do next.

I wonder if I should leave him a note…or if saying any more might be a bad thing.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he failed to realize that the painful episode had made him lose his waterform…and someone had entered the lab and was moving purposefully toward him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Damn it…DAMN it…DAMN THEM! Soi fon seethed.

Her latest sparring session had again been torture. Yoruichi's kicks seemed designed to show off her crotch and butt. Her tank top flaunted her cleavage which heaved as she panted with exertion. Her 'grappling' little more than a poorly disguised dryhump, not that it had left Soi fon remotely dry.

Afterwards Soi fon had made a bee line for her room and locked the door preparing to handle her problem. She took out her cat plushie sliding the silk tail under her skirt and…her breathing grew ragged. A sob broke in her chest as she gave up and hugged the toy to her.

It's not fair.

Soifon had always been proud.

I've earned the right, haven't I?

Her teeth clenched as she recalled every painful moment of her 'punishment' since being caught trying to use the TS-9 on her…lover? Mentor? Tormentor? What was Yoruichi to her? A goddess, yes, and now an angry one who took every opportunity to show Soi fon exactly what she thought of her attempt at manipulation. This had officially been the worst week of her life since Yoruichi left Soul Society. It was just humiliation on top of humiliation. She was pretty sure she had cried more in that week than in the last decade.

Those bastards who did this to me need to pay!

So it was that she went looking for the only gratification it seemed she'd be getting in the foreseeable future. The shopkeeper's bedroom was unoccupied and, she was quick to note, carefully emptied of any trace of the healer. The latter appeared to have been seen to by Tetsuya, himself, as Soi fon couldn't imagine Urahara ever erasing even a mistake. The mad scientist didn't look at the world like a normal person and would have seen this train wreck of a relationship with the weakling healer as some kind of lesson for future reference.

So maybe he won't be so stupid next time. Of course that was probably expecting too much, it wasn't like he'd learned anything from the Visored fiasco.

But she found that line of thinking hit a little too close to home and returned to thinking about her revenge.

She moved on to the lab and found Tetsuya standing at the shopkeeper's desk, staring silently down at something in front of him. She could see from her position near the door that there were tears on his face and his skin looked deathly pale. He was barely maintaining his composure as he prepared to return to Soul Society, tail between his legs. Soi fon stood, glaring, unsure of exactly what kind of revenge she wanted to exact. When she did speak, her words were filled with all of the venom she could muster.

He deserved it, right?

"I hope you had fun creep!" she said in a low, sneering growl, "You and that bastard. I ought to kill you both for what you've done."

"You should be happy you got what you wanted," his words were bitter and strained, "You were in pain over…over everything, and you wanted to see Kisuke and me break up as well. We've separated and I am leaving, so…you did get what you wanted, ne?

She spluttered a moment before snapping, "I reaaally didn't."

He looked at her, darkly curious, and she hoped he hadn't heard the quaver in her voice. His face sort of crumpled, lip trembling.

"I'm sorry, Soi fon taicho. I-it hurts doesn't it?"

"Like you'd know anything!"

"I know you're in pain," Tetsuya said somberly, "and I am sorry for the role I played in it. I really am. Even if I couldn't help what I saw, I…I should never have entrusted something like that to…to him. That was a regrettable mistake. I should have anticipated that he would use the information…well…misuse it at your expense. He's a confusing person sometimes, but I still…"

Fresh tears leaked onto his even more pale face.

Soi fon rolled her eyes, as though she hadn't done the same thing every day for the last week, and took some of her self-loathing and righteous anger out on the healer.

"You're not seriously going cry over that two-timing bastard are you?" she lied.

"He's worth it," Tetsuya replied not addressing her accusation, though she saw a hint of fear in his eyes, "Even with his sometimes childish behavior and his reluctance to make himself vulnerable to anyone, he is…unlike anyone I have ever known…a feeling you should be very well acquainted with. Yes, he is worth it."

She laughed but it wasn't the reaction she'd hoped for.

"Then, why isn't he here, trying to stop you from leaving?" she sneered sarcastically.

Urahara was ostensibly out getting the prisoners. Honestly, Soi fon thought he was just trying to avoid the healer's weepiness. Maybe that's why Yoruichi was avoiding her. Either way, being a limp sack of fluff didn't let him off the hook.

"No one's worth that," she growled.

Tetsuya blinked, giving her a look of surprise.

Tears pricked her own eyes and she almost let in a flicker of sympathy, but the sadness quickly transformed into anger as she stepped into his personal space, a terrible idea at the best of times. Unable to hold back anymore and devoid of any hope of salvaging her relationship with Yoruichi, she unleashed her pent up rage.

"Do you know what it was, to have everything you could ever want, your own slice of heaven and then have it ripped away?" she was screaming. Tetsuya flinched, his blue eyes widening, and he tried to cry out as she grabbed his shoulders.

A belated flick of her hand silenced him with a kido spell. He raised his hand defensively to execute a counter, but hesitated, swaying.

That was all she needed.

She shoved him back and he cried out silently as his back hit the machinery that had been such a wicked accomplice in Soi fon's misery. She sneered as the half-noble doubled over. She was sure she hadn't shoved him that hard. He mouthed silent words, frantically shaking his head.

"You two ruined everything! Kisuke always ruins it," she roared and thrust him into the machine.

The healer fell to the ground and writhed silently, still rendered mute by her kido spell.

"Now I can't even pretend."

Because she could back in the day. It had kept her alive. Now though…she'd had her chance and blown it like she'd always feared she would. Yoruichi wanted nothing to do with her.

She slammed the lever and watched with sadistic satisfaction as Tetsuya dematerialized. As she adjusted the dials to cover what she'd done, she saw the small blood smear on the floor of the chamber. Had Tetsuya been injured? Well he was a healer he could handle it.

She stalked from the lab, hiding a satisfied smile, she was a professional after all. Before she left, she took a mini-cam from her pouch. It was cute little thing, Kido-shielded to protect it from Kisuke's constant bug sweeps and she stuck it in the groove between the left and top pieces of trim on the door.

Now to watch the show.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya watched in silent horror as the infuriated second division taicho yanked the lever to activate the transport machine. Before there was even time to react, his vision dimmed and his slender body was impacted with a heavy wrenching that only added to the gripping pain that had erupted when Soi fon had shoved him before. He was spun dizzyingly, then slammed down into the unforgiving ground of whatever pocket dimension he'd been sent to. A hard chill passed through him as he remembered.

They were going to send a troublesome Squad Twelve prisoner to a locked dimension. I don't know if that transfer was complete or if…

He quivered at the thought of there being someone dangerous nearby, and as soon as he regained enough cognizance and ability to move, he activated his innate ability to blend in using a waterform that cloaked his body. Tetsuya swallowed hard, taking in his new surroundings.

Fortunately for me, these locked dimensions are not usually meant to be punishment for the ones sent to them, but are one of the few ways to allow them to live outside of a prison cell. They are locked in with no way out, but there is suitable food and there are materials to make proper shelter.

The question I must ask is…do I dare to make use of what is here and risk being discovered? I will not die for lack of food and while exposure is uncomfortable to my body, I will not succumb to it.

Although…

One hand slid down to his slim abdomen and he let his fingers slide slowly over the area.

If Kisuke has, indeed, impregnated me…that…changes everything!

A jolting shiver went through him and he made his breathing soft, closing his eyes and extending his senses. He should have been able to sense the presence of the prisoner easily…but if he was pregnant and he was already being affected…

If I am pregnant, there is no way I can escape. As time passes, there will be fluctuations in my reiatsu that I will not be able to control. My powers, too, will be affected and I will grow increasingly unable to rely on them.

Tetsuya's breath caught suddenly.

Arashi!

He called out to the stallion using their telepathic link, only to conclude several minutes later that the dimensional rift had disrupted that connection as well. The conclusion brought a sense of deeper alarm.

If that is the case, it may not be just that I'm in a pocket dimension. The inability of our mental link to work across the divide could be an indicator of just what kind of prisoner this space was prepared for. It suggests a power of the mind, which explains why Kurotsuchi taicho would have been very interested in them.

Tetsuya had learned long ago to force down his fears, but the naked truth of his current situation was daunting. And as he faced it, a sudden question rose up in his mind.

When Soi fon taicho moved in close to me, before she managed to invoke her binding kido, I should have instinctively used a waterform to escape her.

Was I so taken aback by her furor that I failed to act?

Or…am I pregnant and already far enough along that my ability failed?

A breeze shifted the grass and bushes he crouched in and he found himself trembling in earnest.

What should I do now?

What can I do?

XXXXXXXXXX

Soi fon reclined on her bed, hugging her cat plushie and twitching her feet in anticipation of Kisuke returning and his reaction. The tiny camera had been easy to plant, she specifically used a 12th squad issue mini-cam instead of the echo-kido more popular with her own squad just to add insult to injury.

Kisuke walked into the room with the muzzled prisoner, Tessai providing back-up put him in the contraption while Kisuke handled the controls.

"With all due respect pull your head out of your ass," Tessai chided him.

Kisuke snickered and gave a sniff as he turned from the contraption.

"Tsk tsk, you know that's no way to treat your boss."

Tessai snorted.

"And this is no way to treat the man you love—"

"To fuck," Kisuke amended with a cheshire-grin as he flipped the switch, "He was really good for that."

The smile was a shaky thing that didn't reach his eyes. His work finished, he turned quickly and skipped toward the door.

"Bull. Just tell him how you feel, he'll come back."

Tessai laid his hand on Kisuke's back, just playfully enough that Kisuke could accept the comfort without losing face if he wished. Kisuke shook him off almost immediately and took what likely was meant to be a controlled breath but was more of a sharp gasp.

"Not if he's smart,"

Kisuke gave him another weak smile.

"Though, who am I kidding? Tetsuya's heart doesn't always let him do the smart thing. I don't know how many times I told him…and he finally got it. That's why he left. Now, we can all do the smart thing and let it go."

Tessai stepped in front of him like a father trying to make his rebellious son see reason.

Soi fon giggled, this was too good, Kisuke's self-deprecation on full display and Tessai treating him like a little kid.

"You know that's… " he began reaching to grip Kisuke shoulders.

Kisuke pushed him back gently, two fingers against his chest wrapped in just enough kido to make a point.

"Don't."

"I just don't want to see you make a mistake that's going to hurt both of you," Tessai insisted, raising his hands defensively, "I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm going to say it anyway. You're still letting what happened with him interfere in your happiness with Tetsuya. It's a very big mistake that will only make both of you more unhappy than you are now. Please, boss, reconsider."

"There is nothing to reconsider," Kisuke said, mustering the coldest voice he could manage, "The mistake was ever looking at Kuchiki Tetsuya as anything more than an interesting lab experiment. He's better off hating me…if the kid could fucking bring himself to hate anyone, that is."

She bit her plushie to keep from laughing out loud. When the little watersnake got back she would show him this. Kisuke thought it was funny to expose and humiliate her? Well eye for an eye asshole.