"This is embarrassing " urahara grumbled, feeling the most uncomfortable he could ever remember feeling "I don't see why I can't walk"
"because you had your head caved in" kumiko told him bluntly. Taking a sharp corner a little to fast, Urahara held on to the side of the chair quickly, clinging to the metal bar to stop himself flying off the seat
"you are awful at steering this thing . How about you sit here and I push you?" He tried, relaxing his hold now that she had slowed down
Kumiko chuckled at his complaining, definitely getting back to normal
"nice try. I think I'm getting the hang of it now" she told him, managing to push him in a relatively straight line "it would be easier if you weren't so damn heavy"
"just take us over there, we can hide behind the trees" he pointed out a smaller path leading to a bunch of sakura trees, the leafs trailing Down to the ground provided a good hiding spot
"alright, hold on wheels" she teased him, pushing him quicker, making him hold on again across the bumpier terrain
"miko!" He yelled, not enjoying having no control. His friend was having way too much fun "slow down. If I fall out of this thing Unohana won't let me go home"
Kumiko laughed, slowing down "im not going to let you fall. Stop complaining and enjoy the ride"
"you wait until I get you back in my training room. Your ass is mine" he grumbled at her, as she pushed him onto the grass and under the tree. Hitting the break, Kumiko walked round to sit on the grass in front of him
"I can't wait to train with you again" she told him honestly, his eyes softened at her words "I've really missed you. "
"I've missed you too" he smiled at her, meaning the words. The past few days had been incredibly dull without his friend by his side. Remembering the treat he found in his room yesterday, he added "was it you that left the sweets by my bed?"
"that was shunsui" she grinned at him, noticing his slightly shocked look "he took me to a lake yesterday."
"ukitake told me, he came to keep me company" Urahara said, looking at his friend. She looked about ready to burst. Definitely trying not to blurt something out he thought
"anything happen?" He probed her gently
"he told me he loves me" she said quickly, glad he asked. Urahara laughed at the way she rushed out the words
"and do you love him?" He asked, already knowing his friend was head over heels. She nodded at him shyly "I'm happy for you miko" he smiled at her
"im happy too" she confessed, light blush gracing her cheeks
"so, do you think you can stay over mine tomorrow?" He asked her rubbing the back of his head "Unohana said someone needs to stay the first night. And Yoruichi hits me in her sleep" he grinned at her
around her laugh, Kumiko agreed "of course I will. I'll tell shunsui and ukitake later"
"thanks. It won't be so bad being stuck in bed all day if you're there to entertain me " Kumiko grinned at him
"you just want me there because I give in to your sweet habit "
"you got me" urahara grinned at her. Turning his head to the side, Kisuke tried to hide the yawn he gave, before looking back at her. By the look on kumikos face, he clearly didn't hide it well
"right, let's get you back " Kumiko said jumping up from the grass, brushing down her legs
"no, I don't want to go back yet" he whined, holding onto the wheels in protest, sending Kumiko his best puppy eyes
Kumiko laughed, shaking her head at him "youre tired kisuke. you heal in your sleep, sleep is good" she tried to convince him to come quietly
"ten more minutes" he pleaded, deciding distraction may work better than pity, he added "the summer festival is this weekend. You going to that?"
"I wasn't aware there was a festival " Kumiko said, tilting her head. Urahara rushed to explain, pleased his diversion tactics seem to be working
"yeah they do it every summer. There's stalls that sell all sorts. Food stalls. And there's a big firework display" he explained "it's fun. Me and Yoruichi go every year"
"that does sound fun" Kumiko mused, she enjoyed fireworks. And the stalls sound interesting
"all the girls wear pretty Yukatas " he told her, knowing what'll interest her "gives you an excuse to go shopping "
"shunsui has been telling me he wants to take me shopping, I'll ask him later. See if I can't find anything " she told him with a smile, thinking she'll have to hide Shunsuis wallet before they go
"even the idea of shopping is not sounding so bad right now" he said leaning back in the chair, enjoying the soft breeze cooling him down "I hate being stuck in that room"
"wow" Kumiko laughed "you must be desperate to leave if your willing to go shopping"
"I would just settle for a shower" he said. "I feel gross"
"you need a shave too," Kumiko grinned "your starting to look like captain komamura "
urahara laughed, hand coming up to rub his over grown stubble "I'll add it to my 'to do' list"
"come on, we really should start heading back before Unohana comes looking for us" Kumiko warned him, kicking off the break and pushing him back to the path
"can we go the long way?" He leaned back his head to look at his friend. Kumiko leaned forward to kiss him on the head
"hold on" she teased, picking up speed "it's going to be a bumpy ride"
shunsui breezed into Uraharas room shortly after finishing work. Giving the pair sat on the bed currently playing cards an amused look. They both we're concentrating deeply, eyebrows furrowed, deep in thought, ignoring his arrival
"who's winning?" He asked sitting on the chair next to them, smiling softly
"I am" urahara grinned, taking Kumikos offered card
"he has to be cheating" she grumbled, looking through her cards again "I just haven't figured out how yet"
"I'm not cheating. I'm just better than you" he smirked at her
"I should have tipped you out of your wheelchair " she grinned back at him.
"you have a wheelchair?" Shunsui asked him confused by her statement
"Unohana made me go in it . It was the only way I could get out of this room" kisuke explained to him, nodding at the offending chair in the corner, giving it a not so happy look "I would have been safer walking, miko nearly ran me into a tree" he added rolling his eyes
Kumiko laughed. Shaking her head at her friend "it wasn't that bad" turning to shunsui she gave him a sweet smile "hi"
"hi love" he echoed leaning up to Kiss her cheek
"how's ukitakes kitchen?" Urahara asked him, concentrating on his hand again
"not bad" shunsui laughed "it shouldn't take too long to fix"
"good good" he mumbled in reply, before slamming his cards down on the table happily "HA! I win"
"you ass". Kumiko grumbled looking at his winning hand.
"don't hate the player miko" he grinned at her, folding his arms smugly
"yeah yeah" she replied getting off the bed with a stretch "I better head off, I've invited ukitake round for diner"
"rub it in why don't you?" He playfully said
"sorry. Hopefully things will go well with Unohana" she smiled at him, leaning in to give him a hug "I'll be back in the morning"
shunsui stood up from his chair, patting Uraharas shoulder "see ya buddy"
Kumiko busied herself in Shunsuis kitchen, cooking up a curry ready for when ukitake arrives. Shunsui had disappeared somewhere in the house, leaving Kumiko to it. Tasting it to see how it was, she scrunched her nose up in thought
it needs something
The front door opened with a small knock "hello?" Ukitakes voice called out into the room
"in the kitchen jushiro" Kumiko called back , adding more spices to her curry
"it smells wonderful in here"he commented entering the kitchen
"you've got perfect timing, taste this for me will you?" She asked holding up a spoon "it needs something, but I can't place what"
ukitake opened his mouth to taste the curry, smacking his lips gently "salt". He decided "just a little"
"salt! Of course" she said, adding it to the meal "you get everything done?"
"I did. All the paperwork has been sent off. Hopefully the smell of smoke will have left by morning. Where's shunsui?"he asked, leaning against the counter top, watching Kumiko cook
"I actually don't know" Kumiko laughed looking back to him . " he disappeared a good twenty minutes ago"
"I think I know where he disappeared too". Ukitake said with a knowing smile, heading towards Shunsuis bedroom. Quickly turning off the heat, Kumiko followed after him.
Walking through the bedroom, ukitake pushed open the glass door further. Kumiko hot on his heels as he walked them round to the large cherry blossom tree, currently being lent on by a snoring Kyoraku. Kumiko laughed lightly at seeing him. Hat pulled down low over his eyes, ankles lazily crossed. His chest was rising and falling deeply.
"as I suspected " jushiro smiled at her, before raising his voice "shunsui! Time to get up"
a loud snore was his only answer. Ukitake looked around for something to throw at the loud man, not finding anything, he tried again walking closer
"shunsui!" Ukitake not so gently nudged him with his foot "dinners done!" Kumiko laughed at his efforts, crouching down next to him. Laying a hand on his chest and shaking him gently
"shunsui?" She called him gently, smiling as he startled awake, sitting up quickly at her call, his large hat nearly bumping into her nose
"yeah?" He asked, knocking his hat further up his face to see her "you okay?"
"I'm fine, dinner is ready" she patiently smiled at him
"unbelievable " ukitake mumbled "for years I've shouted, pushed and threw things at you to wake you up . " surprised it took Kumiko so little effort to wake him "and Kumiko only has to call your name"
"oh hey juu, when did you get here?" Shunsui smiled up at him, noticing him for the first time
"not that long ago " he told him, "are you going to join us for dinner?"
"yeah" shunsui said, jumping to his feet "do you need any help?" He turned to Kumiko, holding her hand as they walked back to the house
"no it's all done, I've just got to plate it up" she told him "you slept through anything I may have needed help with" she teased, knocking him with her hip
walking into the kitchen Kumiko began plating up their food while ukitake set the table and shunsui got them some drinks.
"thank you kumiko" ukitake softly spoke as she laid down his plate in front of him, full to the brim of delicious smelling food. Kumiko had learned that, despite his slight frame, ukitake could put away an almost outstanding amount of food
"no problem. So urahara might be allowed home tomorrow " Kumiko began conversation as they started eating
"that's wonderful news" ukitake smiled brightly
"I thought he would be there a while longer" shunsui added, taking a pull of his sake
"he was ment to" Kumiko laughed "he's been pestering Unohana for early release. She said so long as she's happy with the healing kudo later, he can finish healing at home"
Shunsuis deep laugh sounded out "he must be desperate to leave if he's willing to risk annoying retsu"
"he is. Unohana said he can leave, but someone has to spend the first night with him. He asked me to stay over? I just wanted to check with you both that's ok?" Kumiko explained, eyes darting between the two men, worriedly settling on shunsui. She knew they were all good again, and the pair have confessed their feelings towards eachother. Kumiko was, however, apprehensive over asking shunsui if she could sleep alone in the same house, probably same bed as a man she had previously had sex with.
"I have no objections" ukitake told her kindly " I've got plenty to do tomorrow in my division. Perhaps I can arrange for us to meet captain Hitsugaya the following afternoon?"
"that sounds great." Kumiko agreed, looking over to shunsui. Surprised slightly by the soft smile he sent her
"you don't need to look so worried, love." He grinned at her "I don't mind you spending time with your friend". Meaning every word. He had no lingering bad feelings about the pair, and trusted Kumiko implicitly
Kumiko smiled at him lovingly "he's hoping he's well enough to go to the summer festival this weekend"
"that's this weekend?" Shunsui asked surprised "I hadn't heard about it"
"the notification was sent to all captains last week shunsui" ukitake told him gently "if you had bothered to read it you would have known"
"is that what that was?" Shunsui said teasingly, sending Kumiko a wink "do you want to go to the festival?"
"yeah it sounds fun, I'll have to go shopping though, I don't have a Yukata " Kumiko mentioned, catching the way his eyes lit up
"I'll take you in a few days" he promised
Kumiko laughed loudly at ukitakes story, kyoraku grinning between them, reminiscing their school days"I can't believe you did that"
"he almost set Genryusai-senseis haori on fire" ukitake continued "I had never seen him so angry"
"he was standing close to the target" Kyoraku tried to defend himself, ukitake shutting him down quickly
"if you had practiced like I had told you, and not gone to the party, you may have hit the target, and not our sensei" ukitake raised a kneeling eyebrow
"I could never be bothered to learn all the incantations " shunsui grinned widely, still not a fan of it "im better at Kido now though "
"not by much" ukitake teased making Kumiko laugh "thank you for the meal Kumiko, but I had better take my leave " he added standing from the table. Kumiko and shunsui rose with him
"thank you for coming " she told him, hugging him gently. Shunsui wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they pulled away
"I'll let you know about captain Hitsugaya" he promised, walking to the door "no doubt see you tomorrow shunsui" he added with a smile
"yeah. See you then juu". He said, closing the door softly behind his friend.
Wrapping Kumiko in his arms he muttered softly but full of promise
"if Uraharas having you all to himself tomorrow, we had better make the most of tonight"