Yoruichi woke with the sun, as usual, and greeted it with a wide, languid yawn and satisfying stretch. She was a little sore from yesterday's activities but overall she felt great. She'd loved fighting so fiercely with Ishida; she wondered how he was doing. He was probably still passed out, sleeping fitfully like any good soldier after a hard day's fight. She smiled and thought of his embarrassment the other morning at her seeing him nearly naked. What was it with humans and their inhibitions? Always so careful to be covered, even among friends. Yoruichi had no such restraint, as Ichigo well knew. She found it amusing, even if she didn't understand it. Maybe she'd visit him again today. Yeah, she smiled.
The sun was blazing in its full morning glory by the time she slipped through the living room window into his apartment, being careful not to dishevel the pretty drapes. She pushed open the bedroom door and peered over at the bed. It was empty and neatly made, covered by a crease-less cerulean and black satin bedspread.
She entered the hallway and heard the soft prattle of spraying water coming from the bathroom. Even better, she thought slyly. She waited until she heard the water go off again before leaning up against the wall beside the bathroom door, intending to surprise him when he reemerged in only a towel. She bit back an uncharacteristic giggle.
"Good morning, Yoruichi-san," Ishida appeared behind her without even a whisper of sound. She jumped and whirled to face the smirking boy.
"You sneak!" she proclaimed, smiling, "How did you do that?" Then she noticed he was only wearing a towel, still dripping wet from his shower, like she'd figured he would be, but he didn't seem to be embarrassed about it. Odd, she thought, where'd that prudent reserve go? Ishida noticed her reaction and silently congratulated himself as he walked into his room.
"Well you've seen this much at least, what does it matter anymore?" he answered her unasked question, closing the door behind him to dress in private. Yoruichi was acutely puzzled but also impressed and a little proud. He'd gone from a blushing teenage boy to a self-confident man overnight? What happened? She shook her head softly in mild puzzlement.
Ishida was mildly pleased with himself. He'd surprised the ex-special ops commander, even if it was at the expense of his humility. Upon awakening he'd decided that if he wasn't strong enough he'd just get stronger, like he always did, like he'd always had to. Being depressed about it would achieve nothing. He dressed, neatly combed his shiny wet hair, and rejoined her in his kitchen.
After another fabulous breakfast courtesy of Ishida, Yoruichi insisted they head straight over to Urahara Shouten and get started immediately. She was eager to play, especially because he had this new confident enthusiasm and drive. It was going to be one hell of a fun day.
At some point during the fight Yoruichi had taken it upon herself to begin giving Ishida combat advice and praise as she observed his strengths and weaknesses. He took in every word and worked that much harder to increase his skill. He was a capable learner and a very quick study. Near the end of the session Yoruichi had only a few corrections to make in his technique. She never imagined he could do so well.
She finally stopped before him and signaled the end of the training session, bowing before him. He bowed in return and sat heavily upon a rock, panting and sweating from the exertion, but pleased. He lay back and gazed at the fake sky contemplatively. How long had he lasted today, he wondered, and how much longer could he have gone? He still wasn't completely happy with his performance, although Yoruichi seemed to be pleased. He knew he could still do much better. She joined him on the rock, sprawling in a contented exhaustion beside him.
"Excellent, Ishida. Tomorrow we start kidou," she praised him, "If you keep up this pace I might just have to try my shunko on you," she teased. He gave her a mock-shiver and melodramatic gasp. She laughed delightedly at his playfulness.
"I'll give you a small list of incantations to study tonight. I'll teach you how to use them tomorrow, but at this rate you won't even need the incantations. You have fukutaichou potential, Ishida," she turned her head towards him and looked into his eyes for emphasis, "You would have made one hell of a shinigami."
She sat up and hopped off the rock, grabbing Ishida's wrist to lead him somewhere. He followed her a short distance across the desert-like expanse until they neared a large cliff with a crude stairway cut in the stone spiraling up the side to the top.
"I had Kisuke make a little addition for me," she said cryptically as they began the ascent. After a few minutes of climbing in silence they reached the top. He rounded the corner behind her at the peak and saw--
"A hot spring?" he stopped before the edge of the steaming water.
"It lacks the healing abilities of the training ground we made in Soul Society but a hot spring is a hot spring," she said with a grin, disrobing. Ishida turned away before he saw anything, waiting until he heard a soft splash to cautiously peer over his shoulder. Seeing her submerged he turned back towards her.
"Uh, Yoruichi-san, I--"
"What's wrong, Ishida, you seemed perfectly at ease this morning," she reminded him, lazily paddling around the extensive pool. He blushed. That was true but then she hadn't been stark naked, had she? If she kept messing with him like this he would never be comfortable around her, he reasoned. Then he made yet another decision.
Yoruichi expected Ishida to refuse her request. After all, he was human, and a very polite, reserved one at that. She hadn't expected to turn around and see a mostly clothes-less Ishida dive underwater. Her golden eyes widened in shock. Then she smiled, once again proud of the young Quincy. He continued to excel at all of her little tests and trials. Even Ichigo had failed this one, making her change into cat-form before he would talk to her.
Gasping at the sudden heat encompassing his sensitive skin, Ishida resurfaced and gained his bearings. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually gone swimming or even took a bath. His apartment only had a shower. He never knew what he was missing, he mused, luxuriating in the new, amazing feeling of deliciously hot water embracing him from all sides.
Although Ishida was sure to keep his distance and his gaze averted from Yoruichi, he didn't seem overly uncomfortable about the situation. That was good. She could definitely work with good, but it was more fun to work with excellent. She nonchalantly neared him in a hopefully unnoticeable manner. When he slipped underwater and dived down to the bottom of the pool, a pale silhouette tinted blue by the depth, Yoruichi closed in and waited for the oblivious boy to resurface.
Ishida's silky black locks clung to his face and water-splotched glasses, obstructing his view of the naked woman less than a foot before him. He lifted a hand to move his hair and froze when he felt Yoruichi's reiatsu so close. He made sure to keep his eyes well above water level as he swept his hair aside and met the sight before him. When he caught sight of something he knew he shouldn't on the border of his vision he quickly snapped his eyes shut and blushed furiously, attempting to apologize as he splashed away from her but his throat wouldn't work.
"Is this your first time seeing a woman, too, Ishida? You'd think healthy young men like Ichigo and yourself would be a little more eager--"
"Ichigo and I are of a higher moral standard than most 'healthy young men,' Yoruichi-san," Ishida's flat voice was found in the wake of his indignant anger as he realized she was toying with him. He got out of the hot spring, quickly clothing himself and descending from the small mountain.
Yoruichi quickly realized her mistake and copied Ishida, catching up to him after hurriedly dressing. He didn't look at her, not even when she stood in front of him and crossed her arms expectantly. He moved around her and increased his pace, heading straight for the ladder. She walked behind him in silence until they were once again in the shop proper. He showed no signs of staying so she grabbed his wrist in frustration.
"It was just a game, Ishida," he reclaimed his wrist but made no move to leave yet so she continued, "I didn't mean to offend you, honestly. In my own way I was just being...friendly," he gave her a sidelong, half-incredulous look.
"Your idea of friendly is what I call forward, Yoruichi-san," he quietly intoned, adjusting his glasses and not meeting her gaze. She sighed and sat at the dining table they were a few feet away from. She motioned for him to join her and he reluctantly complied, folding his lanky frame before the small table with a frown.
So sensitive, she thought, inwardly grimacing at the awkward talk they were about to have. As much as she respected him she couldn't bring herself to let Ishida resent her over this. Any other stubborn male wouldn't be worth the time, but she enjoyed Ishida's company and would deeply regret losing his companionship, maybe a little more than she should. She glanced up at the pale, elegant face as she lingered at this thought, turning her head a bit to really get a good look at him.
Damn, he's handsome, she thought. Then she pulled herself back to reality when she realized Ishida was staring back at her questioningly.
"Oi, I can't help it if you're a little distracting," she muttered, ignoring his modest bafflement, before jumping right into the apology, "I didn't mean to offend you. You know that I think highly of you, respect you, even, and not many can say that. I've witnessed great acts of will and strength from you, too great to brush off as just another would-be hero," he blanched ever so slightly at that comment.
"I understand, Yoruichi-san," he spoke quietly, as usual, but his voice held an air of defeat and maybe, she thought, a little sadness. She didn't have any idea why he should react so strongly to her game, no one ever had before. That's just part of what makes him different. She watched Ishida for a moment, noting the awkwardness in his grace, that isn't usually there, the slight tint of color around the neck and cheeks, is that a blush?, the lack of eye contact...
He likes me! Her almond-shaped eyes widened in recognition of that particular emotion she'd only ever seen once before. He would be fidgeting and breathless if he were any other boy. She noticed the waver in his otherwise well-tempered reiatsu, too small to notice unless she looked for it. She wondered why she hadn't noticed sooner. How long has he felt this way? Since Soul Society? He had given no indications. Then she realized how he must have felt in the hot spring, her coming onto him playfully when he probably wanted nothing more than for her to do that...and mean it. It was miserably cruel and she resented herself for her stupidity.
She did the only thing she could think to do.