The living room was shrouded in darkness. Yoruichi lifted her head and forced down a yawn. She felt slightly disorientated – why had she gone to sleep in the living room of all places? Had she really been that tired? A light snore drew her attention to exactly what she had been lying on. Soifon was asleep, her head resting back on the couch and her mouth hanging open. Yoruichi smirked. She'd had no idea that she had been using the girl as a pillow. She was a little surprised that Soifon's lap was so comfy. Considering the girl was all skin and bone, with only a little muscle thrown on top, she had no right making such a comfortable pillow.

Careful not to wake Soifon, Yoruichi stood up and stretched. She found her cell phone and checked the time. It was only six in the morning. Yoruichi felt wide awake now and wasn't at all sure if he would be able to go back to sleep. And what should she do about Soifon? She couldn't just leave the girl on the couch like that.

As if she heard her, Soifon snored again, and Yoruichi couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She had never noticed before that Soifon snored. She was amused that Soifon couldn't even manage to look cute in her sleep. Certainly not with her mouth hanging open like that and the way her lip curled each time she drew in a heavy breath.

Yoruichi moved closer to the girl, leaning over her prone body. Slowly she raised her hand before Soifon's face, and she paused, considering her next action. She gently brushed Soifon's bangs back from her face and then trailed her fingers down her cheek. Soifon's eyelids twitched, showing that her eyes were moving behind them.

"You don't even relax when you sleep, huh?" Yoruichi murmured. Gently she closed Soifon's agape mouth and brushed her thumb across her thin lips. She stopped her actions when grey eyes locked onto her own. "Busted," she whispered as Soifon caught her.

Soifon's brow creased. Her eyes still looked a little hazy as though she hadn't quite completely woken up yet. "What's going on..?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Nothing. Go back to sleep if you like."

Soifon's eyes slid close and for a minute Yoruichi thought that she had actually listened to her for once. But then Soifon's eyes opened again, this time clearer and she shuffled in her seat.

"My neck hurts," she complained.

"I'm not surprised, sleeping in such an awkward position."

Soifon pushed Yoruichi back from her and stood up, stretching as she did so. She glanced around the darkened room before turning back to Yoruichi. "What time is it?"

"Just after six," Yoruichi replied. "I told you to go back to sleep."

"And have you molest me while I'm out? I don't think so."

Yoruichi actually laughed. "When did I become a molester?" She queried. "Last I checked this was all your idea."

Soifon shrugged.

Did she have to keep doing that? Yoruichi sighed. It seemed as though Soifon was going to be in one of those moods. She could be so difficult at times.

Yoruichi sat back down and groaned. She wasn't sure if she could handle Soifon acting like a brat right now. She felt tired suddenly and wanted very badly to go back to sleep. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

"Maybe you should go back to sleep," Soifon suggested.

"I'm considering it," Yoruichi replied. She was still dressed in her work clothes, they would be creased horribly by now and that annoyed her. She was more aggravated by the thought that she had to go into work today when it should have been her day off.

"I don't think you should go to sleep on the couch though," Soifon said. She almost sounded concerned.

Yoruichi worked the heel of her hands into her eyes and yawned. Perhaps she would be able to go back to sleep, she certainly didn't feel as a wake as she had a couple of minutes ago. Weary was probably the right word for it, rather than tired.

She paused in her thoughts when she felt a weight shift the cushions of the couch, followed by a weight on her lap and the feeling of a body pressed close to her. She smiled and opened one eye; Soifon was sitting in her lap, her knees resting at either side of Yoruichi's thighs.

"What are you doing up here?" Yoruichi asked playfully, smirking.

Soifon blushed and averted her gaze. "I, uh…"

Sensing that there was every chance that Soifon would give up on what she was doing, Yoruichi slid her hands up the younger girl's thighs and rested one hand on her slim hip, the other moving around the small of her back, keeping her secured in place.

"Hey," She said softly. "What's the matter?"

Soifon was still blushing, but there was also a frown marring her features and a look in her eyes that Yoruichi couldn't quite place. Soifon looked away, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" She asked.

It was Yoruichi's turn to frown. Confused she asked, "Keep what up?"

"This!" Soifon motioned towards Yoruichi with her hands. "This stupid effort to get a stupid job. It's not as though you need more money. And look what it's doing to you. It's only been a week, and you're already shattered, falling asleep during a movie like an old woman."

"Old woman?" Yoruichi repeated. Had she ever actually told Soifon her age? Did Soifon honestly think of her as that old? "You know," Yoruichi said, "I'm not really all that old. Actually, when you think about it, I'm really young. I'll be the youngest COO in company history and I imagine it'll be quite some time before anyone tops the record I'm going to set."

Soifon scowled. "You haven't even got the job yet," She said. "You probably won't get it. And judging by how worn out you are, even if you do get it, then you won't be able to handle it."

"Wow," Yoruichi exclaimed. "Thanks for the encouragement. It really meant a lot to me. You," Yoruichi jabbed Soifon in the chest with a finger, "are just sore because you think that when I get this job that I'll not have any time for you."

"That's not it!" Soifon protested loudly. "I don't care about that!"

Yoruichi laughed.

"I don't!"

"Of course you don't," Yoruichi replied, still laughing. She slipped her hand up the back of Soifon's shirt and stroked her fingers against the small of her back. "I'm not going to lie to you, I'll have a lot less free time on my hands, but that doesn't mean that I plan on just leaving you. We'll just have less time to uh... play."

Soifon turned her head to the side, looking glum. "So what, I'll just get to see you once a month or something like that?" She asked, sullenly. "That's not fair."

Fair didn't come into it. Yoruichi sighed again. "This might be a good thing," she said. "We were spending an awful lot of time together, too much probably. You were coming round here nearly every night. What about school? It was bound to be interfering with your studies."

"What about school?" Soifon made a face. "There's more to life than school."

"There shouldn't be for you right now," Yoruichi replied. "You should have all your energy focussed on graduating High School and getting into a good college."

"I'm not going to college."

Yoruichi frowned. "What do you mean you're not going to college? Of course you're going to college," she said, "You have to go to college."

"No I don't."

Yoruichi tilted her head to the side as she regarded Soifon. She honestly felt confused, why wouldn't Soifon want to go to college? "Then what was the point of getting into the High School you did, if you don't intend on going to college?"

Soifon shrugged. "It's a good school."

"Yes, it is," Yoruichi agreed. "And so long as you do well then you should easily be able to get into a very good college."

"There's nothing I want to study at college," Soifon said with another shrug. "Besides, I can't afford to go to college, certainly not a good one."

"It's not that expensive, and I'm sure that there are scholarships that you can get."

"We don't all have your money."

Yoruichi leaned back from Soifon.

"It must have pretty easy for you to get into college," Soifon continued.

"Yeah," Yoruichi said carefully, "I graduated top of my year. Good school, good grades... "

"Inexhaustible funds," Soifon added. "Like I said, it must have been easy for you."

"That's hardly fair," Yoruichi said softly. "Just because I have money, doesn't mean that it was easy for me. And like I said before, there'll be scholarships that you can get involved in. Doesn't your school have an affiliate college? It won't have as wide of range of subjects, but it'll be cheaper and you'll be more likely to get a place there."

"I don't want to go to college."

"Then what do you plan on doing?"

Soifon shrugged.

Yoruichi sighed, "You don't know? So you're plan this year is to flunk High School and wind up with a crappy job that pays you a pittance? That'll make your parents so proud."

"They don't care," Soifon muttered. "And neither do you, so stop pretending that you do."

"I've changed my mind," Yoruichi said. She grabbed Soifon by her hips and pushed her to the side, rolling her off of her. "It would be better if we ended things here. I'm not being an excuse for you ruining your life."

Soifon stared at her for a moment, her eyes wide, and then she scowled. "Fine!" She jumped to her feet and stormed from the room.

Yoruichi groaned and stood up, following after Soifon. "Where are you going?"

"Home. Where do you think?"

"And how do you plan on getting there?" Yoruichi questioned. "The buses won't be running yet, it's too early. And it's far too far to walk."

"It's not too far to walk," Soifon said.

"It's too far to walk safely on your own."

Soifon pulled on her shoes and reached for the door. She pulled it open and Yoruichi slammed her hand against it, shutting it again.

Soifon glared at her. "You can't keep me here."

"I'm not going to let you walk home on your own."

"I'll be fine."

"Why do you have to be so difficult?" Yoruichi sighed. "Wait till Kisuke gets back and then I'll give you a lift home."

"No."

"Fine," Yoruichi said. "Then wait here while I get changed, and then I'll walk you home."

"Just give me some money for a taxi."

"Not a chance," Yoruichi grinned. "I know fine well that you won't get one and will just pocket the cash"

Soifon crossed her arms across her chest and huffed. She really did look adorable when she did that, and Yoruichi just wanted to gather her up in her arms and hold her. And then possibly do other things to her that were morally questionable.

"Why are you always so mean?"

Yoruichi's eyes widened and she stared down at the girl. "M-mean? I'm not mean."

Soifon was looking down at her own feet, her shoulders hunched and her arms still crossed across her body. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "You said you wanted me to leave, so just let me leave already."

"It's not safe for you to be walking home on your own," Yoruichi replied. "Wanting to make sure you're safe doesn't make me mean."

"I don't want to go."

Yoruichi let out a long sigh and leaned against the door. "This is getting to be too complicated, Soifon, and you know it," She said. "I'm kidding myself when I say that I'll have time to spend with you. I don't actually expect to have any time for myself never mind you. And I mean it when I say that I don't want you using me as an excuse for giving up on school. It shouldn't be this complicated."

As she had spoken, Soifon had been hunkering down into herself. Her head hung even lower and her shoulders were drooped. Yoruichi couldn't see her expression but she had the distinct impression that the girl would look absolutely miserable.

Which was exactly how Yoruichi felt right now. Hearing Soifon say that she didn't want to leave had sent a thrill through Yoruichi's system, she had been elated, however briefly, by the knowledge that Soifon wanted to stay with her. And now that she was doing the responsible thing, the right thing, she felt utterly miserable. She didn't want to end things, even if they were getting to be too complicated.

She liked Soifon.

Kisuke was going to be utterly unbearable.

"Gah!" Yoruichi pushed herself away from the door and threw her hands up in the air. "Fine! Stay!" she said, feeling mildly exasperated. "We'll work something out. I'll work something out, since I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be the responsible one."

Soifon raised her head and looked to Yoruichi. "What?"

"I said that you can stay."

Soifon frowned. "I'm not sure I want to."

"What?" Yoruichi stared at her. "You just said that you did. You said that you didn't want to go. And now you've changed your mind?" Yoruichi was starting to get a headache. "Fine! Then go."

"I'm not a charity case, I'm not here for you to pity," Soifon said, her look darkening. "I'm not going to stay just because you feel sorry for me."

And that just made Yoruichi's headache a million times worse. She put a hand over her eyes, rubbing her fingers into them. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"It sure sounded like it."

Yoruichi dropped her hand from her face and exhaled. She looked Soifon in the eye. "If you want to leave then you should, I won't stop you," Yoruichi said slowly and carefully, keeping her eyes locked on Soifon's. "But if you want to stay, then that's okay too. It's more than okay. I would..." She searched in her mind for the right words, not really wanting to say something she'd possibly regret later. "I would like it if you stayed."

For a moment Soifon's expression didn't change, and then her lips twitched into a small, almost shy, smile. "Really? You mean that? You'd like it if I stayed?"

Yoruichi nodded. "I would."

There was a moment of nearly awkward silence and Yoruichi wasn't at all sure what she should do. They were both just standing there in the narrow hallway. Yoruichi turned her head away, feeling faintly embarrassed. She rubbed at the back of her head and turned back to Soifon, preparing herself to break the silence. Instead she stumbled back against the wall with Soifon wrapped around her.

Yoruichi blinked in surprise and looked down at the girl. Soifon 's head was pressed into her chest, her slim arms circled around her and pulling her into an embrace. Slowly, Yoruichi placed her arms around Soifon and pulled her in even closer.

"Thank you," Soifon said, the words muffled into Yoruichi's chest.

It felt like such an odd thing to say and Yoruichi frowned. She moved her hand to Soifon's face and gently tilted her head, giving her a questioning look. "For what?"

Soifon shrugged. "Just because."

Yoruichi nodded, pretending that she understood. She wasn't at surprised when Soifon closed the small gap between them and kissed her. Yoruichi returned the kiss, working her hand into Soifon's short hair and tightening her hold on her.

Her heart was racing she realized. It had been for most of the night and she had only just noticed. It was hammering in her chest hard enough that she thought that Soifon would be able to hear it or certainly feel it. Soifon didn't react to it though, if she could feel it, she just pressed herself closer to Yoruichi, her small hands grasping at Yoruichi's back.

Soifon breathlessly broke the kiss, her eyes were alight with excitement and she was smiling. "Can we... I mean..."

"... yeah..." Yoruichi replied, nodding and out of breath.

Soifon grabbed her hand and pulled her back down the hallway towards the living room. Yoruichi followed dumbly behind her. It seemed backwards, with Soifon pulling her towards the bedroom. It was as though Soifon was the one in control, which made no sense really. Perhaps she had always been in control and Yoruichi had only just noticed. From the living room, Soifon pulled Yoruichi towards the stairs and then pulled her up them.

Yoruichi's heart was still beating an increased tempo. She felt warm, flushed and excited. There was a familiar thrill racing through her. She remembered exactly what this thrill felt like; the heat, the excitement, her heart racing uncontrollably, the fear...

And all of a sudden she was terrified. She was being swept up in something she had no control over. She was drowning and being burned all at the same time, she needed to get out but desperately wanted to stay.

Soifon was pushing her back towards the bed, her lips fused against Yoruichi's. And Yoruichi was kissing her back, keeping up with the furious pace, her hands already pulling at Soifon's top, trying to remove it without breaking the kiss. Her knees collided with the bed and she sat down suddenly, breaking the lip lock momentarily. Soifon was straddling her lap, kissing her again, pushing against her, hands everywhere.

She could've cried, she honestly could have wept. She didn't know if it would have been in despair for what she'd allowed herself to fall into or with joy for the treasure she had found in the unlikeliest of places.

Her heart was still racing. It sang for the elation, the comfort and for this girl, it trembled in fear for herself. It was too late. She was too far gone.

She tilted her head back, Soifon's lips and tongue sliding down her exposed throat. Yoruichi hissed, her hands meshed in Soifon's hair, her body already unconsciously rocking against hers. She had gone past wanting, past desire and now she needed this girl.

She'd lost. Kisuke was never so long as he lived, ever going to let her live this down.

Bit of an odd chapter I think, it didn't turn out how I planned. Hopefully it's still good though.

Thanks again for the reviews. Constructive criticism is wanted and probably desperately needed.