Sosuke Aizen stepped into the dimly lit room where the three sick women from the academy still slept. He made his way over to the sickest out of the three, Mikka, and reached his hand out, covering the woman's forehead with his hand. While her fever was still present, it seemed that her temperature had begun to lower, which filled the immortal man with a sense of hope.
He knew a lot was riding on how the three women would react to the Reishi Serum, and now that he had just been informed by the Lieutenant of squad 11 that Mayuri, and his squad were in the process of creating a possible cure, he felt relieved. With a possible cure in motion, Aizen allowed his mind to conjure a happier ending to the current scenario, he just had to make sure that the women survived.
Aizen pulled his hand away from the young soul's forehead. It had been touch and go with the young woman, and even though he had done his best in resuscitating her, he wondered if her body would be able to handle the introduction of something new as he brought his attention to the vial of medication Ikkaku Madarame had delivered to him.
Sosuke shook the thoughts from his mind as he reached into the pocket of his Shihakusho and pulled out a fresh syringe. He wasn't even sure how much of a dose to give, but he figured he would start small and work his way up if he noticed any positive changes over the next few hours—I don't see the harm in trying.
Sosuke leaned forward and slipped the tip of needle into the tube of the woman's IV. The Reishi Serum was still dripping freely as he had another thought occur to him—would this medication have any adverse reactions to Reishi?
With the medication being from the human world and Mayuri not even taking the time to examine the ingredients, how did they know it would even be suitable to administer to a soul?
Aizen backed away from the bed, taking his intuition as a warning, he decided he would wait and watch for a couple minutes before he administered a does to anyone else—I will not be held responsible for making them worse, my wife would never forgive me!
"Sosuke!? What are you doing in here?" a weak soft voice filled the room.
Aizen paused, his head jerking to the side to see who was standing at the entrance.
"How are you feeling, Captain Kotetsu?" Sosuke asked.
Isane stood on shaking legs as she leaned her tall frame into the doorway. She had managed to make it out of the bed to see what had been happening. The last thing she had expected was to see the immortal man taking care of the sick students on her behalf.
"I don't know…" Isane answered honestly, she felt confused and lethargic.
Aizen stepped forward seeming to be able to see her weakness. Isane didn't know what the blue substance was that was currently hooked up to the IV, still lodged inside her arm. She had debated on removing it, but figured it was most likely something given to them by Captain Kurotsuchi. So, instead of pulling the IV from herself, Isane had decided to drag the IV stand with her as she left the room she had been occupying as a patient—I've failed them!
"It is a good sign that you have come to. It must mean that the serum is stabilizing your Reiatsu." Sosuke spoke as he reached out taking a hold of the captain by her elbow to steady her.
"What is this serum?" Isane asked, meeting the immortals gaze.
"It is a concentration of condensed Reishi, from what I've been told." Sosuke answered.
"Reishi…" Isane whispered.
Aizen nodded as he pulled the captain away from the doorway she was clinging to and took it upon himself to wrap the woman's free arm around his shoulders.
"You do have the strongest spiritual pressure out of everyone, it would make sense that you would show the first signs of stabilization. Tell me, do you still feel as if you are ill?" Sosuke asked.
Isane felt the chill of fever coarse throughout her body, telling her the answer to his question.
"I am still chilled, and my head is swimming. I…I feel so weak…" Isane replied, emotions appearing behind the captain's eyes, as well as, in her voice, Sosuke didn't have to ask to know her words had double meaning- she blamed herself for succumbing to the virus.
"I understand. This serum is not a treatment for the virus, but merely an attempt to slow its progress." Sosuke explained.
"It's not a treatment?" She repeated.
Sosuke frowned as he realized the squad 4 captain was not as coherent as she had first appeared to be, but he would take her consciousness and will to see to her patients as a positive sign in the right direction. Aizen guided her, reaching out, gripping the metal IV stand in his hand and slowly walked the captain out of the room and back into the room he had placed her in before. While she was making progress, it wasn't wise to allow her too much stimulation.
Isane's body trembled against his as she held onto him leaning into his frame for support. Once the two made it back into the room, he guided the woman back down into the bed and pressed his palm to her forehead—still pretty high, but not as high as before…
"Sleep is the best thing for you, Isane. I assure you, you have no reason to worry." Sosuke spoke softly as he pulled the blankets over her body, doing his best to seal out the cold and bring the woman warmth.
"Amaya?" He heard her state his wife's name as if asking a question.
Sosuke paused, not sure if telling Isane would be the best option. If he was truthful and told the captain that her subordinate, and his wife, had both been infected, it could lead to her feeling even more defeated mentally, in turn, causing her progress to revert from feeling depression.
"Amaya is fine." Sosuke lied, making his decision.
"Where is she?" Isane pressed.
"Amaya is resting, we have all been taking shifts. Everything will be fine, go back to sleep now." Sosuke continued his lie—you can be angry with me once you're healed, Isane, for now, I will spare you anymore unnecessary blame.
Once he felt content enough to leave the room, Aizen quietly exited, closing the door behind him. The immortals mind thought back to the young woman he had just tried to help and decided he would go check on her. Aizen reentered the room with the three women and his stomach dropped.
"Fuck!" Aizen spat as he flash stepped to the young soul's bedside, tipping the girls head back he felt for a pulse.
It was feint, barley even beating…
"Come on, Mikka!" Aizen growled as he found himself once again having to perform resuscitation.
Aizen jerked the blanket that was covering her side and pressed both of his palms down over her chest and pushed with as much force as was necessary to compress her lungs and stimulate her heart—one, two, three.
Bending down, he covered the young woman's mouth forcing his immortal breath into her airway by clamping her jaw and forcing it open.
He pulled back, repeating the motion with his hands.
"Breath, damn it!" Sosuke ordered her—I cannot let you die!
Sosuke looked up at the clock taking note of the time as he continued to alternate between chest compressions and breathing for her-one minute, two minutes.
As he continued to watch the minutes pass Sosuke felt a sense of desperation wash over him as he pulled back and slammed his closed fist over the woman's chest, right above her heart, a move he had gained from his wife's own memory. Sosuke felt the young woman's lungs contract as she sucked in a wheezing breath on her own.
"Keep breathing!" He ordered her as he brought his hand back up to the girl's neck rechecking her pulse—it's stronger…
Sosuke sat on the side of the bed next to the girl, watching carefully as the woman's chest rose and then fell slowly, it seemed that the blast to her heart had jump started it the best way possible without an electric current, which is what he'd been hoping for.
Deciding he no longer wanted to take any more chances with the woman, he flash stepped out into the main lab. Stealing a glance at his wife before opening the supplies cabinet, he grabbed another medication from the top shelf and then flash stepped back into the room where Mikka laid, still breathing shallow breaths.
"I didn't want to have to do this, but, you've left me no choice." Sosuke spoke to her as he lifted the petite soul from the bed and flash stepped the both of them, along with her IV stand, into the surgical bay. There was one way to make sure she kept breathing, and that was to intubate her.
Aizen laid the woman down on the surgical table. Using the information he had gained from sharing a mental link with his wife over the years, he used Amaya's human medical training to see himself through the process, as he administered another medication used to cause temporary paralysis and simultaneous sedation.
The medication took effect quickly, only giving him a slight window of time as the woman's chest stilled once again. Sosuke tipped Mikka's head backwards and he stood above her, leaning down to get a good enough view and using what tools were available to him he carefully slipped the plastic tube past the woman's larynx and into her airway. He then secured it in place before flipping on the switch to the ventilator, allowing the machine to breathe for her.
"Now you have no choice but to survive, Mikka. I will not allow your death to put a negative mark on Amaya or Isane!"
Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck stepped forward from the dark abyss that was the tunnel inside the Garganta. Allowing the black mass to close behind her, she shielded her moss green eyes from the harsh rays of sunlight that shone down on her—not used to the sun and its light!
Nelliel paused as she wiped the sweat that had accumulated on her brow, her body shook from the feverish tremors that assaulted her—I hope that captain has found something!
Pushing herself forward, before her body decided to give out completely, Nelliel searched her surroundings, looking for anything that would guide her in the right direction. She needed to find the entrance to the Seireitei, where the soul reapers lived. It was their only hope. Soon after the two captain's had left Hueco Mundo, not only she, but also Grimmjow and their queen had taken a turn for the worse, seeming to have succumbed to the virus.
Nelliel stumbled forward grasping a hold of the rough bark that covered a giant tree that had grown along the dirt pathway, she'd made it into the soul society, but she was out of place—I have no upper hand in this world and I fear I'm getting weaker by the minute!
With shaking hands Nelliel pushed herself from the tree and forced her legs to continue forward down the pathway. In the distance she could see a large cliff like structure—the rock cliff Grimmjow had told her about, the one that sat in the middle of the Seireitei. Nelliel sighed, feeling a small token of gratitude for her luck, she had feared the Garganta would let her out some place too far for her body to withstand the trip.
Taking in the sight of the cliff in the distance Nelliel held onto the thought of getting to help, of getting to Captain Kurotsuchi as her shaking legs carried her forward, nothing but her sheer will pushing her onward.
The Espada scanned the area trying to find someone, anyone who would assist her, even with her being labeled an enemy. The dirt pathways seemed vacant of any activity, and after what seemed like forever, she finally made it to an entrance way made of thick white rock. She could see the pathways that zigzagged in all different directions around her surrounding tall white buildings with bright orange ruffs attached to the tops—Juts like Grimmjow described!
Nelliel sighed as she leaned against one of the thick white walls, desperate not to pass out now that she was so close to possible help, she had to get to squad 12, she had to get to Captain Kurotsuchi!
Nelliel felt the thickness of thirst that coated her mouth and ran down her throat, she hadn't been able to keep anything down in the last eight hours, it seemed, for some reason she had been the luckiest of the three Espada, with her symptoms starting later than her comrades.
"I can do this!" Nelliel encouraged herself as she pushed herself from the thick white wall and stumbled forward down the first pathway she came to.
It was quite apparent that the place was built like some confusing maze with many pathways leading to all different directions. Taking a leap of faith and replying on gut instinct, Nelliel continued straight, hoping that she would eventually run into a building that belonged to a squad. She just needed a soul reaper, any soul reaper to see her!
As she stumbled forward, the pathway opened up leading her to what looked like living quarters, and she recognized the symbol that was above the doorway. It wasn't the one that belonged to the scientist, but, she wasn't in the mood to be picky, the brute would have to do!
"Hello!?" Nelliel tried to yell out, but her voice barely made a sound as she tried her best to make it to the stairs of the building.
She reached her hand out trying to take a hold of the banister and her stomach lurched, forcing her to hunch over as agonizing pain shot throughout her abdomen. Nelliel tried to scream out…
"Captain Zaraki!"
But the second roll of pain only made her voice come out as a whimper—No! I'm so close!
The Espada's knees buckled making her fall forward at the foot of the staircase, Nelliel's vision doubled, then tripled, right before she was swallowed by darkness. Nelliel's unconscious body fell forward with a hard thud, landing face first in the dirt.
Linake's head jerked at the sound of something hitting the ground outside of her and Kenpachi's room. Her husband lay sleeping on the bed, their son tucked between his neck and shoulder, a habit that had formed over the past couple months between father and son. Curious, Linake stood from the chair at the desk and walked over to the door, unlatching it and sliding it open.
Linake gasped as at the sight of the female lying face down in the dirt and without further thought she took off down the staircase, taking two at a time.
"Kenpachi!" Linake yelled out to her husband.
Kenpachi jerked awake at the sound of his wife's voice calling out to him, blinking rapidly as he sat up from the futon abruptly. Takeo let out a startled cry and Kenpachi placed his large hand over his sons back. Attempting to calm the child before he pushed himself up from his sitting position.
Kenpachi appeared in front of the open doorway, still holding their son as Linake looked up at him from her hunched position. She was just about to reach out and turn the woman over when Kenpachi snapped his order at her.
"Stop! Don't touch her!"
Linake jerked her hands away as she looked up at her husband, Linake didn't need him to explain to her that this had to be the female Espada he'd told her about earlier, the one who was supposed to come and collect the vaccine from Captain Kurotsuchi.
"Well we can't just leave her lying face down in the fucking dirt!" Linake scolded him.
"Get up here!" Kenpachi growled at her.
Linake sighed as she stood up and walked back up the staircase just as her Lieutenant and third seat rushed outside from the main barracks.
"What is it, Captain?" Ikkaku asked as he jumped down off the wooden porch not bothering to take the stairs, his hand grasping the hilt of his Zanpakuto.
Linake made it to the top of the steps and Kenpachi handed Takeo over to her. The wide eyed toddler let out another cry as his mother took over holding him, tucking him into the crook of her neck, rubbing his back gently in an effort to soothe the startled boy.
"Get inside!" Kenpachi ordered her and Linake didn't fight him as she stepped back into their room.
Kenpachi swiftly descended the staircase just as Ikkaku and Yumichika both appeared, staring down at the unconscious Espada.
"Ikkaku! Take her to squad 4, I'll go and tell Kurotsuchi that the female Espada just showed up, but she's sick." Kenpachi demanded.
"Yes, Captain!" Ikkaku replied before bending down and scooping the Espada into his arms.
"Yumichika! Go to squad 1, tell Kyoraku what's going on!" Kenpachi continued to snap his orders to his subordinates.
The female had a face full of sand and Ikkaku could feel the heat radiating from her skin as he hoisted her up against his chest, her head lolled sending a chill down the Lieutenants spine.
"Linake! Close the fucking door and don't you dare come back out here!" Kenpachi snapped as he looked up at her from the bottom of the staircase.
Linake nodded and she slid the pocket door closed just as her husband, Lieutenant, and third seat took off in separate directions.
Nanao Ise stared back at the third seat of squad 11 as he quickly explained that he needed to inform the head captain that another Espada had just entered the soul society.
"Another one? You mean it's not the same male as before?" Nanao asked as she stepped aside allowing the third seat entrance.
Yumichika shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"It's a female this time, Captain Zaraki and Captain Kurotsuchi both expected her to show up at some point, but, it would seem she is sick." Yumichika answered.
"Oh, wonderful." Nanao frowned as she sped up her pace, racing down the hallway, Yumichika following close behind.
Once the pair made it to the main entrance hall, Yumichika paused and stood in the middle of the room, just as Nanao turned and called out over her shoulder.
"I'll go and get the head captain for you now!"
"I cannot allow you to pass!"
Ikkaku cursed as he remembered the punishment force was guarding the medical unit. It had taken him almost thirty minutes to get the medications to Sosuke Aizen almost an hour or two ago. Ikkaku had to threaten the man with the loss of his teeth in order to get past, and even then the man had tried to call his bluff, so Ikkaku had done what any red blooded male would do- he'd hit the bastard!
Now he had the female taking up the use of his arms and he didn't feel like setting the woman down on the ground while he fought members of the punishment force to let her inside. Thinking about his only option, Ikkaku called out to the only other being that would send fear into the black clad dickweeds heart.
"Sosuke!" Ikkaku bellowed.
The man clad in jet black seemed to understand the Lieutenants intention and his face paled. The men of the punishment force knew Sosuke a little bit more personally now that he and Amaya lived within the squad 2 barracks together. It was no question that the immortal still ruffled some feathers, and Ikkaku didn't blame them for having their doubts, but after the last few years, Ikkaku and his captain and grown to know the immortal he'd become, due to the close friendship between Amaya and Linake.
Sosuke showed up at the window after hearing his name being called out and the look of shock on the man's face almost made Ikkaku look back behind him, thinking that something else was lurking in the shadows.
Ikkaku watched as the doors to the medical unit flew open and Ikkaku realized then that Sosuke would know the female he held in his arms a lot more personally than anyone else in the soul society.
"Nelliel…"Sosuke Aizen stated.
"I take it you remember this one?" Ikkaku asked as Aizen stepped forward slipping his arms under the unconscious female taking her from Ikkaku's grip.
"She was once one of the members of my Espada army." Aizen replied, not bothering to hide behind pretenses.
"Well, Espada or not, she looks like she's sick." Ikkaku replied as he stepped forward following the immortal to the entrance way of the medical unit.
"Then that would mean Hueco Mundo has been taken over by the virus. Strange that only two of the worlds has been affected." Sosuke countered.
Ikkaku sighed as he brought his hand up and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah…" Ikkaku replied.
"I do not have anything that I can give her, nothing else has been delivered to me from squad 12." Aizen explained.
Ikkaku paused…
"Did you try that medication Uryu sent with me?" Ikkaku asked.
Sosuke hesitated, once again finding himself in the awkward situation of whether or not to tell someone the truth. He had used the medication on Mikka, and even though he was not certain that it was the cause for the woman's sudden downfall, he had not felt comfortable administering the drug to anyone else.
"It was not effective." Sosuke lied, again.
Ikkaku's shoulders slumped and he nodded as his gaze fell to the ground.
"Guess I should have figured that, with it being from the human world and everything." Ikkaku replied.
Sosuke turned and entered inside the medical unit but Ikkaku didn't follow, he knew he was pressing his luck as it was by carrying the sick Espada. Now he would have to make sure he cleaned himself off somehow before he went back to his barracks, whether a vaccine was on the way or not, he didn't feel comfortable spreading the shit around.
Kenpachi followed Kurotsuchi's daughter down the dimly lit corridor of the 12th division, it had taken her long enough to answer the damn door, and Kenpachi had been about to bust it down as the wide eyed girl had pushed the doors open. Without even stopping to explain anything to the kid, Kenpachi stepped inside and didn't even pause for her to relock the doors.
Nemuri had called out to him when he'd taken a wrong turn, indicating that the main lab was to the right and not the left. Kenpachi had sighed and allowed the kid to lead him the rest of the way through the maze.
Mayuri looked up from his computer screen as Kenpachi walked into the space.
"Tch. You look like shit, Kurotsuchi! Have you even slept since we've been back?" Kenpachi snapped.
Mayuri stood from his chair and faced the brute, not in the mood to hear his taunts.
"What business would it be of yours?" Mayuri countered as he narrowed his gaze.
Kenpachi scanned the room, noticing the petite brunette as she stared up at him with a forlorn expression and sad green eyes.
Ayumi shook her head, indicating that Kurotsuchi really hadn't slept at all.
Kenpachi sighed.
"Am I gonna have to knock some sense back into that brain of yours?" Kenpachi continued.
"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean, exactly? I have a job to do! I cannot allow personal nuisances to interfere with my research!" Mayuri retorted.
Kenpachi glanced back over at the woman and noticed the way her shoulders slumped, it was apparent to Kenpachi that the jackass still hadn't made any headway.
"The female Espada just turned up." Kenpachi stated.
Mayuri's brow furrowed.
"The female? She is early! Does she not comprehend what forty-eight hours means?" Mayuri snapped.
"She's sick, Kurotsuchi…" Kenpachi countered.
Mayuri paused and allowed himself to sigh.
Kenpachi looked at him, noticing the strain the dumbass was putting on himself. Kenpachi knew what it was like to have pride, hell, it had taken him a long time to be able to swallow his own, but he could tell that Kurotsuchi was taking a situation that was out of his control personally.
"If that is the case, then you understand why I simply cannot afford to rest." Mayuri replied with less venom behind his words.
"How much longer till this vaccine of yours is ready?" Kenpachi asked.
Mayuri glanced at the clock above the door before he replied.
"It is in the process of synthesizing as we speak, it should be available for administration within the next twelve hours, and I have to make sure the components set accurately before I mix it in with the Reishi Serum." Mayuri answered.
"So, twelve hours? What are you gonna do while you wait? Sit here with your thumb up your ass?" Kenpachi countered.
"Oh my, you still don't seem to comprehend that your argument holds absolutely no merit to me. This is not the first time I have gone without rest, you of all should understand this." Mayuri replied before taking a seat back at his computer station.
"We're gonna have to go back, Kurotsuchi, you know that right?" Kenpachi stated.
Mayuri paused and turned his body to face the brute.
"Don't tell me you are actually feeling sentimental towards that blue eyed beast!" Mayuri countered.
"Tch. Don't fuck with me, you know as well as I do I could give a shit less if that dickhead goes and dies, but if this queen of theirs bites it, then who's going to control the world? Who's going to stop those lower level hollows from coming over here?" Kenpachi challenged.
Mayuri huffed, not wanting to admit that the barbarian actually had a point.
"That's one shit storm I really don't want my wife and kid in the middle of…I'd rather take it to them!" Kenpachi continued.
"So what do you suggest? That the two of us go on another exciting adventure to rescue our enemy?" Mayuri scoffed.
"Yeah, well, at least I know Linake can handle herself against a lower level hollow, the real question is, can Ayumi?" Kenpachi taunted, not caring if the woman heard him.
Ayumi stepped forward then, not liking the way the two seemed to be bantering back and forth.
"I'm actually not a very proficient fighter." Ayumi admitted.
Mayuri turned his gaze to her, his brow furrowing in apparent agitation at her admission.
Ayumi shrugged her shoulders at him.
"So much for being perfect, huh?" Ayumi countered.
Mayuri felt his jaw clinch at his compliment being taken out of context and used against him. It wasn't that the woman was actually a perfect being—she was perfect for him!
Mayuri felt the sensation of outright anger take a hold of him at the woman's audacity to gang up on him with none other than Zaraki! Was it so hard for them to understand that this was his Division? That this virus was something he took very personally?
"I wouldn't open your mouth and say something to her you'll only end up regretting later." Kenpachi advised, his voice low, seeming to be speaking from personal experience—just when the hell had the 11th division captain decided to start making sense?- I blame it on Linake!
Mayuri stood up from his chair and looked past Ayumi to his Lieutenant.
"Keep an eye on the vaccine for me, Akon, and send someone to wake me after the alarm has gone off." Mayuri stated as he turned to leave the room, all the while, forcing himself to choke down his anger and frustration, and even worse…his pride.
Ayumi stepped forward in an attempt to go after Mayuri, so she could explain her reasons for ganging up on him, but before she could make it out into the hallway she felt a very large hand close over her bicep halting her, making her wince as her hip was jarred.
Kenpachi let go of the woman once he realized he'd somehow hurt her, even though his grip hadn't been harsh.
"Let him go! Unless you want to piss him off even more." Kenpachi explained.
Ayumi looked up and met the giant man's gaze, and decided to take his advice, maybe if she allowed Mayuri to get the rest he needed, his mind would clear a little and he wouldn't feel the need to hold it against her—I did it because, I love you, Mayuri!
Mayuri was still fuming by the time he reached his captain's quarters and pulled the door open, realizing that his bedroom light had been left on. He stepped inside the room, half expecting to see the woman's belongs placed alongside his own, but didn't spot them. Instead he noticed the rumpled bedspread and the leather bound book lying in the middle of the large futon.
"An hour and twenty minutes!" He repeated the woman's admission as he grabbed the journal from the bed and tossed it onto the top of his desk angrily.
The woman had done exactly what he had warned her not to do! He was her Captain first and foremost, yet the woman had undermined him not only in front of his Lieutenant, but also Nemuri and Rin! That damn Zaraki!
Mayuri angrily grabbed at his headdress pulling it from his head and slamming it down on the table before practically ripping off his captain's haori. He heard the clinking of glass and remembered the vials that still filled the pocket- the samples from Hueco Mundo!
Mayuri cursed under his breath as he remembered them, an absent minded mistake he had no one to blame other than himself! If he had taken more care and ran the samples he would have known that the Espada had been infected, and he could have prepared accordingly, yet, he had grown distracted, yet again!
Mayuri sighed deeply as he placed his Zanpakuto back on its stand and pulled at the tie around his waist allowing the dirty Shihakusho to fall from his body. He stalked into his bathing area intending to wash the filth from himself before he took the nap that everyone seemed to be so adamant that he take.
Mayuri leaned down and plugged the wooden bathtub, forcing the thoughts from the other night from his mind, the memory of the woman washing him, of touching him. Mayuri snorted as he turned away from the filling basin and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. There right on his chest, above his heart sat the mark of Ayumi's lips.
Allowing himself to deflate Mayuri sat on the edge of the wooden tub as he waited for it to fill.
"I don't think I am cut out for this…" He spoke aloud.
What was behind the woman's motive? Had she acted merely on impulse or was there in fact something more behind her actions? He had asked her this morning if she had been concerned for him or had simply just felt the need to annoy him and her answer had been clear—she was concerned.
Had the meal he'd forced himself to eat not actually been enough to appease her? Did she really think him so weak that he would need to hold off on his research just to do something as inconsequential as sleep?
Mayuri shook his head as he turned his body around allowing his legs to dip into the hot water and lowered himself down. He reached out and turned off the tap, deciding that enough water had filled in order for him to wash.
He had half expected Ayumi to try and follow him as he had stalked off angrily, yet, she hadn't, and it only fueled his anger even more! She had the nerve to take Zaraki's side, admitting her weaknesses out in the open as if it were nothing…not perfect indeed!
Mayuri leaned back into the hot water, allowing his body to submerge, closing his eyes as he felt himself being wrapped up in the soothing heat of the water. He stayed like that for a couple seconds, willing the knots in his mind to untie, to free him, giving him the ability of reasonable rational thought once again.
He allowed himself to come up to the surface as he inhaled a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair and down his face, wiping the water away. He absentmindedly reached for the soap and began to wash himself, starting with his face and working his way down. Mayuri paused as his hand swept over the woman's kiss and he felt a pang in his chest as the concealer began to wash away—Madness! Nothing more than fucking madness!