As always, thanks to SoldierG65434-2 for being my wonderful beta reader.
Chapter 7
In the week that Yoruichi had stayed at the Urahara Shoten she had memorized every crack in the ceiling. She stayed in her bed every day and just stared up at it, following the various fissures that danced across.
Occasionally her lack of thoughts would be interrupted by a phone call from Soi Fon. Yoruichi had blocked the woman's number as well as those of the various subordinates whose phones she had used. Frankly she didn't want to hear any explanation. Her eyes had seen enough through the years. Enough so that she could judge what lay before them.
She stared blankly back at the ceiling's fractures. Outside the door she could hear the patter of feet; the kids. They were whispering urgently to Kisuke.
"She hasn't come out for a week," Ururu whispered, her usual quiet voice even quieter.
"Yeah!" Jinta interjected. "Every since she broke up with the mean lady she's been-" His statement was cut off by a soft slapping sound. Yoruichi stiffened. Kisuke was always the gentle one with the kids, the one who came to comfort the kids. He never physically disciplined them.
She heard Jinta crying quietly, more out of surprise than actual pain. "Why'd you do that?" he asked. A ruffling noise was heard as Kisuke put his hand on the boys head.
"Because you shouldn't talk like that," he said to the boy sternly. "Yoruichi is having a hard time." Understatement of the year, she thought. "Now go find Tessai. I'm going to talk to her."
Scampering was heard followed by a light knock on the door. She turned on her side facing away from the door. He didn't bother to knock a second time. The door opened while slightly scrapping on the floor.
"Yoruichi," Kisuke called.
She didn't respond. Instead she simply pretended to be asleep. Maybe he would go away. Against her wishes, he walked over to the corner of the bed and sat down. "I've known you long enough that you can't fool me anymore," he said quietly.
Yoruichi rolled back over and looked up at him. "What do you want?" she asked, waiting for him to ask about things she didn't want to talk about. Like what exactly happened. Kisuke had been good enough that when she had come to his front door in a crying mess he had simply let her in. He still didn't know why she was here, though it would probably be easy enough to guess.
He surprised her by asking a completely irrelevant question. "Have you been eating?" he questioned.
"I've had Tessai set out meals for you every day." Yoruichi nodded. Even though she didn't have much interest in food she still forced herself to eat to keep her strength up.
"Now more importantly," Kisuke continued. "What happened between you and Soi-chan? Did you two have a fight?"
She shook her head rapidly. "Worse than that."
He arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Worse than having a fight?" Kisuke paused to think for a moment. "I can't think of anything. You'll have to help me out here."
Yoruichi let out her breath slowly. Suddenly the tears started. Kisuke outstretched his arms in order to comfort her. But she stayed sitting. She defiantly brushed away her tears and tried to control the shaking in her voice. "She cheated. We had a fight and I came to apologize and she was kissing her subordinate." She looked to Kisuke for his response. "Well?"
"I was just thinking," he started.
"Yeah?"
"It's just that," Kisuke paused. "It's just that Soi Fon would never cheat. She is completely enamored with you. You've fought before and she's just stayed at home waiting for you."
Yoruichi was confused. "What are you saying?" Her voice started to grow hysterical. "That what I saw was wrong?"
He shook his head. "Not at all. But maybe it wasn't Soi Fon who kissed her. Maybe it was the other way around." He stopped to collect his thoughts. "Now who was the person?"
"Just some girl," Yoruichi responded. She was surprised when Kisuke threw his head back and laughed. "What?" she demanded. "What's so funny?"
"It's not funny," he protested. "It's just a relief. The girl kissed her." Seeing that she had no idea what he was talking about he offered an explanation. "There's a reason a majority of the members of her squads are girls, Yoruichi. Your girlfriend is a very beautiful woman."
The realization hit her like a speeding bullet train. "You mean the girl had a crush on her?"
Kisuke nodded. "And she used Soi Fon's moment of weakness to take advantage of it." Yoruichi rose from the bed quickly. "Where are you going?"
"I need to go back." He shook his head. "Why not?" Yoruichi asked.
"We still have one key issue to cover; why did you two fight in the first place?"
She sighed. No doubt it would come to this. "We fought because I got drunk to spite her." He looked at her in a moment of confusion.
"Why would you do that?" he finally asked. "You don't usually act like that. In fact, you never act like that."
Yoruichi put her head in her hands. "I don't know. I'm immature but not that immature. And she had a reasonable request too."
Kisuke moved to put her arms around her. "Are you guys having any problems? Emotional or… physical?" She reached up and hit him on the head. He pulled away and took off his head to rub at the now sore spot. "Why'd you do that?" he questioned.
"You didn't have to ask that," Yoruichi said sternly.
"Just trying to help," he offered. "But seriously, no problems?"
"None at all."
Suddenly the bedroom door flew open. Both heads quickly turned to look. It was Jinta. He was heaving and leaning on the doorway to support himself. "Yoruichi," he gasped. "Someone is here to see you." She looked back at Kisuke who nodded for her to go. She raised herself up off the bed and walked out the door to the front entryway.
Jinta's eyes followed Yoruichi as she left the room. He turned his eyes back to Kisuke, shock visible. "What did you say to her?" he asked, amazed.
Kisuke grinned and unfolded his fan to cover his ever-growing smile.
"Just call me Urahara Kisuke, unlikely voice of reason."
Soi Fon wasn't surprised by how quickly Yoruichi came to the door. But the Chinese woman was surprised by the other woman's appearance. Her usual well-kept hair was distraught and her remaining makeup was smeared. Her clothes looked like they had been slept in and were in disarray. Then again, she couldn't exactly complain due to the fact that she was in similar condition.
Yoruichi obviously noticed the same thing. "Breaking up is pretty hard on us," she commented with a sly grin. "We should try not to do it anymore." Soi Fon didn't respond with words; instead she flung herself into the dark-skinned woman's arms. Their mouths came together as if magnets and they kissed like they had never kissed before.
A few moments later they both came up from the passionate embrace struggling for air. Kisuke, Tessai, and the children were watching them. "What?" Yoruichi joked. "Did the cable go out or something?"
"I see you two are back together," Kisuke noted. The couple nodded. "Soi-chan, you picked the optimal time to come in and make up with Yoruichi."
"Well," Soi Fon confessed. "I came here for an additional reason." She turned to Yoruichi and took her hands. "I need to show you something."
Kisuke turned to go into the basement. "I'll go open the Senkaimon."
After a lengthy trip from the world of the living to the Soul Society, Soi Fon and Yoruichi had finally come to their destination; the second squad barracks.
Yoruichi was confused. "Alright, you'll have to clue me in. Why are we here?"
Soi Fon looked back at the barracks. "I need you to prove something to me. I need you to prove to me that I'm not who I think I am."
