The three captains watched the space Kumiko had just walked through. Each racking their brains of what the best thing to do or say would be in this situation. Uncertainty hung heavy in their air around them. How had such a lovely experience turned sour so quickly?
Kyoraku, being the first to move, headed towards the door ready to track down the woman who's final sob echoed in his ears.
A sob that happened because of me, he thought in anguish.
"wait" came a soft voice from behind him, halting him in his pursuit. Turning to see the younger man from whom it came.
"I'll go" Urahara uttered before walking swiftly out the room, pained look upon his otherwise youthful face.
"Kyoraku". Ukitake began softly, when only the two captains remained in the room
"I didn't mean to" Kyoraku weakly defended, turning to look in his old friends direction, not quite meeting his eyes "I swear I didn't mean for that to happen"
"I know. I know old friend" Jushiro uttered walking towards his Devastated companion.Laying a comforting hand on his shoulder
"You couldn't of helped what happened any more than Kumiko could have controlled her reactions" soothed Jushiro, fearing his words weren't reaching Kyoraku in his emotional state.
"I made her cry." Sad grey eyes lifted to meet his own green ones finally. sadness pulled at the sick captains heart. He hated seeing anyone upset, but to hear the broken voice of his usually carefree friend was almost too much.
"it wasn't your fault,". He reinforced "Kumiko just experienced a very intense wave of private emotions, very publicly in front of 3 of her superiors. I imagine she must be feeling very embarrassed, crying is an understandable response" he deduced logically "Kiske will assure she is taken care of, I imagine he is feeling just as guilty as yourself "
"why would he feel guilty?" Shunsui asked, rubbing his hands over his tired face " he's not the one who made all...that .. happen"
"no," Jushiro agreed "but he is the one who asked Kumiko to let him document her findings, I'm sure he feels partly to blame"
"I didn't even think it would be possible she would feel something like that" Kyoraku mumbled "I just thought she would get happy again, like she did with Kiske, or something " he trailed off
"I don't think she even knew it was a possibility shunsui, I imagine she would have taken precautions to limit the onlookers if she knew. Or at least discussed the possibility with Kiske. She seemed just as startled as we were, poor dear"
another heavy sigh left Kyorakus chest as he looked again towards the door, wishing more than anything his spiritual pressure had a different effect on the violet beauty he couldn't get out of his head.
Jogging to the end of his porch, Urahara stoped to feel out his friends Reiatsu. Feeling it flicker somewhere to his right, he tuned that direction and started running to where he thought she may have ended up.
Running through the tree bordered path, gravel crunching under his heavy footsteps. the same path they had walked together the first full day Kumiko had spent with the 7th captain. Urahara huffed a sigh of relief, coming to the end of the path, at seeing his friend standing on the grassy hill, facing away from him, looking out across the field they had both watched the two lieutenants practice. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her, as if keeping herself held together. Purple locks blowing gently in the breeze, would have been a beautiful sight if not for the gentle sob reaching his ears.
"Miko?" He called out gently, heart jumping up to his throat at her tear stained face as she half turned to face him. Heaving a sigh he walked towards her, opening his arms ready to embrace the crying woman walking to himself. Meeting half way Kumiko, fell into her friends embrace, face buried in his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her tears staining his back Shihakusho.
"shhhh, shhh" he soothed her "I've got you. I'm Here" letting the woman get it all out of her system, he gently stroked her hair, swaying them both slightly side to side.
Crying quieting down, Kumiko gently pulled herself from her friends chest, still lightly in his hold, hands resting on her hips; Turning away from his concerned gaze, she breathed deeply, roughly wiping the remains of the tears on her face with her sleeve
"I feel like such an idiot". She spoke softly. "I've never been so mortified in my life"
Urahara dropped a kiss to her forehead, pulling her down to the floor with him to sit comfortably on his lap.
"you're not an idiot, miko" he told his friend, hand soothingly rubbing her back. "I'm the idiot, I'm sorry I put you through that"
confused eyes turned to hold his "why're you apologising? It's not your fault" she asked him
"I'm the one who asked you to let me document everything. I was treating it all as some fun, exciting new experiment. I shouldn't of let you be in such a vulnerable position to begin with. I was being selfish" he finished bitterly "you should be smacking me upside the head"
"hey". Kumiko said, pulling his face towards her to look in his eyes, adding with a small smile " don't speak about my best friend like that"
"best friend huh?" he asked smiling at her better mood
"yeah, real strong guy, I wouldn't bad mouth him if I were you, he'll totally kick your ass"
Urahara laughed despite himself, how did the woman he came to comfort end up comforting him?
"how are.. what did.. are captains Ukitake and Kyoraku disgusted with me?" Kumiko asked softly
"not at all. They both seemed pretty upset that you were upset. Kyoraku nearly ran after you himself, before I stopped him " Urahara told the woman "idiot should have controlled his spiritual pressure better" he added. Shaking his head at his friends lack of control
"it's not his fault either, it was pretty surprising". Kumiko decided " I had no idea I could have that kind of reaction. I thought I would be angry or crying or something not.." she trailed off at a loss for words to describe what had happened
"trying to hump his leg?" Urahara offered unhelpfully, pride welling up in his chest at the surprised laugh Kumiko shot his way
"ass" she laughed, Thumping him hard on the shoulder "I didnt try and "hump his leg" "
"can we stay here a little longer?" Kumiko asked, laying her head on Uraharas shoulder, looking out across the grassy field swaying in the breeze. Tightening his arms around his friend still sat in his lap he said "as long as you want"
Jushiro was getting dizzy watching his friend pace the floor of the 7ths captains office. Over forty minutes had passed since Urahara chased after a crying Kumiko. The wait to find out wether or not she was ok was clearly a struggle for the flamboyant man
"Kyoraku, you're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing like that" Jushiro gently scolded his friend
"why aren't they back yet Juu? What if he couldn't find her? Do you think she's still crying?" He rambled at Ukitake, continuing his pacing back and forth the room.
"I should go look for them". He added, heading towards the door
" Kyoraku, wait". Ukitake called to the hastily retreating man, head tilted to the side, feeling a familiar spiritual pressure heading their way "I think they're coming back" Kyoraku stopped in his tracks, head turning to where he can now also feel the approaching presence. A sigh he had been holding escaped his lips, he stood facing the still open door, struggling with what he was going to say.
Minutes later, Urahara gently pushed the door open further with his foot, both arms currently holding a sleeping Kumiko snuggled against his chest. Greeting the captains with a small smile. Urahara caught Shunsuis eyes and nodded towards a door at the back of the office, silently asking him to open it for him. The dark haired captain definitely looked a little worse for ware, he must have been beating himself up this whole time Urahara concluded
Opening the door Shunsui saw there was a small makeshift bed tucked away in the corner, for nights Urahara was too tired to walk home he assumed. Stepping to the side, to allow urahara space to pass, Kyorakus eyes landed on mikos face. Still slightly red and puffy from her tears, but a peaceful expression on her otherwise beautiful sleeping face. Walking towards the bed, Kyoraku removed the blanket, ready for urahara to gently lay her down. After the man removed his arms from holding her, Kyoraku gently laid the blanket back down, pulling it up to her chin.
Both men quietly exited the room, Urahara gently closing the door behind them.
"how is she?" Ukitake gently asked his newly returned friend
"deeply embarrassed, but otherwise fine "Urahara told the two questioning faces, he moved to go prepare some tea for them while they talked " she didn't go far, after she stopped crying we talked a little, actually made her laugh towards the end. She was so exhausted she fell asleep" urahara elaborated, bringing a steaming tea pot to the table with three cups, after pouring them all a much needed soothing drink, he sat down next to the already seated men
"does she hate me?" Kyoraku asked, staring into the swirling steam of his own cup
"not at all" Urahara explained "she was worried you were both disgusted by her" taking a sip of his own drink
"she thought we would be disgusted by her?" Ukitake repeated a little sadly
Urahara nodded solemnly. "I obviously got rid of that notion immediately, but it might take her a while to actually believe it. She was more upset how worried we all were. She was very forgiving "
"I thought you might also be blaming yourself " ukitake shared his assumption "you're not at fault Urahara. Nor you Kyoraku " he added noting his quiet friend gently rubbing the rim of his cup with his finger
"I should have controlled my spiritual pressure better". Kyoraku grumbled " I shouldn't have let the shock startle me into raising it. Some Captain I am". He huffed with a humourless laugh, wiping a hand down his face again
"she doesn't blame you" urahara added, looking at shunsui. "She understood how surprising it was. She said she had never experienced a reaction like that to someone's spiritual pressure"
"I said as much," ukitake agreed "makes me wonder what other reactions she could have that she's not previously experienced "
Kyoraku looked to his friend. "You think she could have more reactions like that one?"
"it's a possibility, maybe not exactly like she demonstrated earlier, but something she never expected before "
urahara stood up from the table, walking over to his desk. Starting to collect the paper that got thrown around in his leap over the desk earlier. With a sigh he sat down and continued to write on the now organised documents
"what're you doing Urahara san?" Ukitake questioned him
"finishing writing her reactions from earlier, while it's still fresh in my mind" he answered distractedly
"you want her to keep putting herself through this?" Kyoraku demanded of him, annoyance blatant in his voice
resting down his pen, Urahara , taking in his understandable anger, said softly " I don't think it's safe for her to stop"
the issue of her safety calmed down the usually relaxed man, willing to hear him out
"imagine if you were both in a situation you both needed to defend yourselves " Kiske pressed on "having no knowledge of what would happen if your raised your spiritual pressure in a dangerous situation? She would be unable to protect herself and you would have been distracted. That Could have been disastrous for the both of you" Realisation draped itself over the two men, "she needs to know how she is effected and by whom , to keep her safe"
"does she know your feelings on the matter?" Ukitake asked him
"I will speak to her about it in the morning, she might be reluctant to begin, but I'm sure she'll understand my reasoning. I also believe I should turn my findings over to the head captain, he needs to be made aware The effect all the captains have on her, so not to unknowingly put her in a dangerous situation "
"ALL the captains?" Kyoraku asked, clearly uncomfortable with the old captain commander finding out the reaction Kumiko had with him
"I'm afraid so shunsui" ukitake spoke for urahara, "he's right, Genryusai-sensei needs to know, all the captains need to know "
"yare, Yama-jii is going to blame me for kumikos reaction to my Reiatsu." Dramatically throwing an arm over his eyes "Boy, if you thought with your head and not your dick , you would be dangerous"" Kyoraku finished with a funnily accurate impression of their head commander, causing the tension to break finally with some quiet laughing, mindful of the sleeping woman in the next room
"I also want to start training miko in trying to resist the reactions she has, or at the very least be able to fight through them" Urahara shared his thoughts "she's strong, and a quick learner, I think she could manage it. I would appreciate your help, ukitake. I think with some work yours is one she could resist. I plan on getting her to try fight through the laughter I cause her. I don't care if she's laughing manicly while destroying hollows, so long as she can defend herself" turning to shunsui, Urahara added at his uncomfortable look "don't worry Kyoraku, it might take a while before she's ready to try again with you"
"hey, I'm in no rush to make her cry again, take all the time you need" raising his hands in mock surrender
