It is a good place to start from, this loggerheads they have finally come to. Even if she is now avoiding him like the plague. The rumors about town—Kiyone is fanatical about keeping him in the loop—are that Juushirou is the one who put the brakes on the romance that had been budding for the better part of two centuries. The exact opposite is the truth, of course, but either way he is satisfied, or thought he was. What was intended as a chance for the cat goddess to catch her breath and teach herself to think straight again has become something of a fiasco. He learned of his situation yesterday morning.
Juushirou was awake. He was aching and his lungs felt like they were filled with burning coal, but he was alert. And thoughtful. He was keenly aware, for one thing, of his gratitude to Kiyone and Sentarou, who had driven off all visitors aside from his new vice-captain.
Rukia, to her credit, had stepped up to the challenge and all reports clearly pointed to how well and smoothly she was running the division. So well, in fact, that her report lasted barely fifteen minutes and Juushirou indulged himself with teasing her about her orange-haired paramour in the world of the living. It was what Kaien would have done in his place, he knew. He was careful, of course, never asking anything personal and speaking in glowing approval of her choice. The boy was a good match for her, never letting her sink and allowing her to hold him up. There had always been an unstated trust between them, even when they denied it. It must have been a blessing to be so certain.
If he allowed himself, Juushirou would have been jealous of their certainty.
He did his best not to think about that one. In between his short naps, his mind would occasionally slip back to that place where he took her hand, where he had let his lips touch hers and swore to both himself and her that the time of their separation was near an end. They could pick up where they left off and wander into the sunset together, noble captain and beautiful lady. Had he known how wrong he was at the time, he would never have dared think it. . .
"Out with it," Shunsui said coolly.
Juushirou blinked. He must have been dozing. He would have damned Kyouraku for his ninja-like abilities if he weren't glad to see him. "Good to see you too, Shun."
"Juu-kun, there are things going on worthy of your attention." The brown eyes, ever thoughtful, were sparkling a bit.
"You're sober," Juushirou noted with amusement. "What's the occasion?"
"It seems kitty's on the wrong side of your door, so she has seen fit to vandalize your neighbor's garden." Shunsui settled onto his haunches and pulled a heavy-looking parchment from his hakama. On it were the Fong clan's insignias. Juushirou took the paper from his friend's hands, opened, and read. Then looked up in bewilderment. "Yes," Shunsui said with a chuckle, "Kuchiki's being put through the wringer. We both know a soldier like Soifon would never make this much of a fuss. She had to have been put up to it. And who can make that boulder sway?"
Juushirou shook his head. It had been common knowledge that Kuchiki-taichou was courting Soifon-taichou. The initial novelty of it had long since worn off and the two seemed to be progressing. But now the Fon Clan was seeking restitution on behalf of the apparently jilted Soifon. "I don't understand it. I saw them together at the fireworks that night and they seemed to be getting along. What happened?"
"Long story short, Kuchiki had her where he wanted her—or thought he wanted her—and panicked. Don't try wrapping your head around that one, you'll only get a headache. But anyway, Yoruichi seems determined to make him pay for it. I know for a fact she cares, but the bottom line is this is between Soifon and that stuffed shirt, who, by the way, asked for my help in resolving this. Ir's been fun being on the inside of this little circus, but it's getting a little tedious. Kuchiki might as well be glued to my floor, as often as he's been over. And I certainly don't want him to give up and let his eye wander. I'll have to kill him if it falls on Nanao-chan."
"I fail to understand what this has to do with me."
"It's time for you to make Yoruichi come correct."
Juushirou squirmed a little bit. "I'm not her husband."
"Not so long ago, you wanted to be. And you're not a man to get cold feet. What happened?" Shunsui tilted his head, a sure sign he had no interest in being bullshitted.
The white-haired man sighed. "Too many things. Damn you, can't you wait until I'm better before you make me dredge this up?"
"I've been waiting too long already. Now spill."
Juushirou shook his head. "It won't work, the way things are. We are not the same people we were a hundred years ago."
"Is it Kisuke?"
Juushirou heaved a breath. Now there was one place he couldn't bear to let his mind go.
"It's more than that. I know the bond between them is something I could never hope to interfere with, but I'd dealt with that long ago. It's her. She's not what she was. She's. . . a wild thing."
Shunsui laughed. Loudly. "Are you just now noticing this? You told me yourself once she was feral. I'm not going to get into a semantic argument with you, but I think both words mean the same thing."
"Oh, stop it."
"Good lord, the drama. You don't need to tell me another thing. You just don't want to feel like a geezer taking his pet tigress out for a walk, do you?"
The white-haired man swallowed the grim smile that was tugging at his lips. "Is that your assessment?"
"Yes, and true or not, your cat goddess needs to be dealt with before she goes supernova and pulls Kuchiki and Soifon down with her. You know better than anyone we cannot afford that. And personally," Shunsui added, rubbing his nose, "I think after what we've been through, we could stand a happy ending or two. Don't let it be reserved for the kids."
"I know what you're saying. You make it sound too easy. I'm ready to commit to her. But she's nowhere near it and you know it. She's forgotten how to live like a normal person and I doubt I could keep up with her. She comes and goes and everything is in the world to suit her whim. I could not possibly begin to give her the things she'll want from me." Juushirou shuddered.
Shunsui scowled. "Idiot. If it were just about the sex, she'd have moved on a long time ago."
Juushirou stared at his hands. "I'll only end up hurting her when I go."
"That's an old complaint, Juu-chan. So what else?"
Juushirou blinked. "What else could there be?"
"Waking up with cat fur in your mouth."
"Right." Juushirou rubbed his temple.
"And the scratches on your back—oh, wait, that's my fantasy." Shunsui beamed. And then he frowned. "I don't know if I can help you at all, but I have given my word to Kuchiki. I need you to handle her. Will you?"
There was a long pause. "I will," Juushirou said.
They sat in silence for a short while. Shunsui knew, knows better than anyone else Juushirou's foibles. Foremost among them is the fact that he is in love with Shihouin Yoruichi.
They set out this morning to intercept the famous former Keigun commander on her mission of destruction. Juushirou's pace is unusually quick and steady.
Shunsui gives him a sidelong glance. "Go get her, Juu."
"I'm on it." Juushirou isn't smiling. The danger in trying is succeeding too well. This, he thinks, is going to be a catastrophe.
Or a miracle.
A/N: I was thinking a lot about the dynamic between Ukitake and Yoruichi. They're both mature adults, of course, but there's no good fiction without conflict and conflict is just an academic word for drama to me. And I don't mean Shakespeare drama. I'm talking Jerry Springer drama. People do stupid things to other people, who react in stupid ways. Throw into that one Urahara Kisuke, puppetmaster. Honestly I think there would have to be serious mental health issues involved with hanging around Urahara for more than an hour, so really, shouldn't Yoruichi be batshit crazy by now?
I got the title from a quote from Margaret Benson. "The cat above all things, is a dramatist." At least here, anyway ;)
