Six months had passed since Ayuma had joined Yumichika in his home, they had become even closer, their love strong, but they were still going steady. Yumichika still had issues with his flashbacks, and had found himself cutting, just not as often as before. Every time he did, Ayuma would calm him, help him get cleaned up and talk it out, she would make sure he understood the she did understand, but voiced her disapproval of him hurting himself. Slowly, they were working through it. Ayuma and Rangiku had become best friends over the time and were constantly hanging around each other. She had also become good friends with the rest of the soul reapers Yumichika hung out with. The biggest thing that had happened was that Ayuma had become a soul reaper too. She joined the academy and took the extreme elite classes and graduated after six months and was placed as the 5th seat of the 11th division, seeing as Yumichika (no longer under the façade he put on about beauty) moved up to 4th seat. Kenpachi had been impressed by her skill in fighting and the fact she never turned down a good fight.(Plus the fact that Yachiru hadn't stopped badgering him till he accepted her in)
NOW ONWARD TO THE STORY!
"Morning Captain!" Yumichika greeted as he and Ayuma stepped into the office, then going to their separate desks. Ayuma groaned when she saw the large stack of paper work on her desk. "Lieutenant, cant you do your own paperwork for once!" Ayuma exclaimed, her voice clearly exasperated. "No can do, pretty lady" Yachiru said as she sat on Kenpachi's desk, eating her lollipop as she swung her short little legs back and forth. Yachiru had taken to calling Ayuma pretty lady after meeting her, and Ayuma was just grateful she didn't get some stupid nick name like so many others did. "Weirdy-chan!" Yachiru called out, running and jumping into his lap. "How about we all go out for lunch today! Ken-chan will pay!" she said, shushing Kenpachi when he tried to deny it. "Well, if the captains paying," Yumichika said slyly, narrowing his eyes into amused slits. "I damn well am not paying!" Kenpachi growled out, giving Yumichika a death glare that made Yumichika turn his head down to his work and start writing.
"Hmph! Yes you will ken-chan! You promised you would take me out to eat!" Yachiru pouted. "Yeah, YOU not everyone else." he pointed out, scowling at the young girl he considered his daughter. "How about this, captain Zaraki pays for himself and Yachiru, and everyone else pays for themselves?" Ayuma suggested just as Ikkaku walked into the room. He raised an eyebrow and then rolled his eyes. "The lieutenant trying to get ya to pay for everyone's lunch, AGAIN, captain?" he questioned, only to have Yachiru jump off Yumichika's lap, land on Ikkaku's shoulder and gnaw on his head. "Shuwt uwp, pachinkow heawd" she growled as she gnawed on him, her drool dripping down to his face. "AHHHH, GET THE FUCK OF ME YOU LITTLE MONSTER!" He screamed as he ran around the room. "What ever, lets head out to lunch, I am hungry." Kenpachi said as if his lieutenant wasn't mauling his 3rd seat, scratching his stomach as he walked out of the room. "YAY FOOD!" Yachiru cheered and jumped off of Ikkaku and chased after Kenpachi, while Ikkaku chased after her down the hall. "You ready, Yuma-chan?" Yumichika aske, walking over to her desk. "Yeah, just let me grab my wallet." she started reaching down to her desk drawer where her wallet was, when Yumichika's hand stopped her. "Don't worry, I'll pay for yours."
"Oh, you don't have to do that! You always pay when we go out to eat, let me just pay my own this once!" Ayuma said, reaching for her wallet again, only to be stopped once more by Yumichika's hand, as he shook his head with a smile planted on his face. "Nope!" he said cheerfully. Ayuma stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, trying to get him to give in. He quickly leaned down and caught her pouting lip between his teeth and gave it a light nip, then sucked on it for a moment, causing Ayuma to pull him into a deeper kiss. Yumichika quickly pulled away, licking his lips as he did so, making Ayuma's silver eyes flash with desire as he did so. He noticed this and chuckled, pulling her up and dragging her out the room, no further protests, 'just like I planned' he thought with a smirk.
Yumichika sat up quickly in bed, he was covered in sweat and his heart was pounding at a frightening rate. Carefully getting up, so that he would not wake Ayuma, he slipped of the bed. Looking at the alarm clock he noted that it was 3:24 am. 'Well, doubt I will be getting any sleep now…' he shakily thought to himself. He had been awakened by a dream of his father, one of the many that had been haunting his sleep for the past few days. He didn't know what to do! He had to find a way to release the emotions he was feeling, but Ayuma was asleep, and no matter how many times she said to wake her when ever he needed something, he just could not find it in himself to actually do it. So instead, he slipped into the bathroom, accidentally leaving the door cracked, and reached into the medicine cabinet, except going for a different spot than normal, he had to switch spots so Ayuma wouldn't take his razor away if she found it. He pulled it out, sat on the ground near the tub and leaned against it. Looking at his arm, full of scabs and scars, he felt disgusted with himself. 'why am I so pathetic!' he thought for the millionth time. Slowly, deliberately, he dragged the blade across his skin, closing his eyes and leaning his head back as he cut. He hissed in pain, and pulled the blade away, only to bring it back to his arm. He made a swift diagonal cut on his wrist, watching as the blood pooled, only to flow off and onto the floor. He saw a drop of water land on his arm, followed by another, than another, and they just kept coming. Seconds later he realized they were his tears. They flowed over and mixed with the blood as it flowed down his arm. He raised the blade again, getting ready to desperately bring it down to his arm, but was stopped by a gentle hand. Looking up, he saw his Ayuma kneeling in front of him, her hand holding his other hand from bringing the razor down on his skin. "Yumi-kun" she whispered, pulling him up slowly, and walking him over to the sink. She set the razor blade to the side, then turned on the water to a cool flow and doused a rag in it. She started carefully blotting his arm, cleaning the blood from it. Once she got the blood off and stopped the blood flow mostly, she wrapped it in a clean bandage. She then kneeled down once more and cleaned up the blood while Yumichika stood there watching her, in a daze.
Once back in the room, Yumichika broke down in her arms, crying, sobbing and sniffling until he could no more. "I am sorry I am so weak Ayuma. I-I should be stronger, I should be able to take care of myself and you, not just you taking care of me as I sit here and cry like a baby…" he stammered out. "I need to get over it and live in the now, just, just forget about he past."
"Yumichika, you are not weak, you are troubled and hurting. You should be able to take care of yourself and me, and you do! You don't understand that, you do take care of us! But part of being in a relationship is being able to lean on the other person, to be able to get support from them. I want to take care of you, like you take care of me." she said, brushing the hair out of Yumichika's face. "Ayuma…" Yumichika whispered. "Yes, Yumichika?" she answered, concern showing on her soft face. "Ayuma, let me make love to you. I want to make love to you, to take care of you in every way." he whispered his violet eyes shining as he tilted his head, his tears dried from the love of his Ayuma.