10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven
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Swish!
Leaves shook each time Ichigo and Yoruichi traded blows, showcasing their superb Hakuda skills. They were training in the backyard of the Shiba residence, so they didn't use any destructive power. Kūkaku had warned them that they wouldn't like what would happen to them if they ruined her property. They didn't want to see what she had in store.
"So… how are you feeling?" Yoruichi asked as she delivered a kick to Ichigo's head.
"I am fine. Am I supposed to feel anything?" Ichigo returned, dodging the kick.
"Well, I have seen a lot of people ruined by their expectations."
"You are implying that I knew that was going to happen."
Yoruichi retreated and shrugged. "I wouldn't be so surprised if you had."
"I am not all-knowing, Yoruichi." Ichigo shook his head in amusement. "We already have someone for that role. Talking about that someone; have you told him anything?"
"I think he doesn't need to know that. On the other hand, I think you owe someone news."
Ichigo shrugged before sending a Byakurai at Yoruichi. Utilizing Shunpō, she easily got away. As if able to read her mind, Ichigo was already behind her, forcing her to move to use Shunpō once again. A Shakkahō almost hit her as soon as her feet properly touched the ground. She smirked at Ichigo's quick wit. She liked the fact that he didn't only fight with his immense power but also his brain.
Her expert use of Shunpō allowed her to reach Ichigo's side in the blink of an eye. He still could block her attack but didn't have enough time to get away. As such, they exchanged a flurry of blows once again. Ichigo was a quick learner. He was not a fighter in his last life but was a natural for it. His technique improved at an unbelievable pace. Although it was not as polished as Yoruichi's, given his immense raw power, he could already overpower her.
"Hainawa!"
A yellow ethereal rope wrapped around Yoruichi's body, preventing her from moving. Ichigo's brute way of utilizing his speed had eventually caused her to slip. She could only watch wryly as Ichigo walked closer to her. It had taken him two and a half hours to defeat her, but he had already passed his test. Neither she nor Retsu could stop him from going to Hueco Mundo now.
"You know, I always wonder what will happen if we genuinely fight—how our fight will turn out if we both use lethal force," Ichigo wondered aloud as he stood before Yoruichi.
Yoruichi snorted. "You would win. I don't doubt that." She glanced at his chest where Hōgyoku comfortably nestled. "Are you trying to make a point? You have passed your test, so I won't make excuses to keep you from going."
"No, that is not the case." Ichigo shook his head faintly before leaning forward with a teasing smile and a glint in his eyes. "I am just wondering what will happen to you if you and I are on different sides. What would I do after I defeat you?"
Yoruichi frowned in confusion. She couldn't think of any other answer than to kill her right after defeating her. Her mind stopped working when Ichigo tilted her head upward by pinching her chin lightly. She quickly got what he meant and couldn't help a smirk from creeping up her face.
"Oh, do tell me what you would do," she cooed lusciously.
"Why don't you tell me? You look like you already have an idea of what I should do," Ichigo responded huskily.
The binding around Yoruichi's body felt tighter than before. Strangely, she felt excited instead of repressed. A bright grin decorated her beautiful face. Her immaculate brown skin turned a shade darker because of the blood rising to her cheeks. Her heart hammered in her chest, turning her deaf because of how loud it was.
Ichigo inched closer. Yoruichi still couldn't move, but her body leaned forward. She didn't show the slightest hint of resistance as his free hand landed on her waist. She even looked at him daringly to do more. He complied, letting go of her chin and put his hand on the other side of her waist. They had done something more intimate than that, but she was nervous. She felt like they were about to break the boundary that they had agreed not to cross.
"Pfft!"
And then, he tickled her.
"Hahaha! Stop it! This is diabolical!"
"How do you feel, my tickle-belly?"
The nickname brought more red color to Yoruichi's face. The tickling didn't hurt her physically but mentally.
"Stop it. It's embarrassing," she heaved out sternly.
"Oh, does it hurt your pride?" Ichigo said teasingly with a low voice. "I am into humiliation kink, you know."
Yoruichi felt like dying from embarrassment. Given how red her face was, she might be an exploding volcano. Ichigo chuckled merrily. His husky voice both pleasantly tickled her ears and irked her to no end. Her maiden side told her to enjoy the moment, but her pride as a seasoned fighter screamed at her to never be humiliated this way. Eventually, her pride won.
Glaring at Ichigo, she hissed, "Stop—"
Whatever words she wanted to say to Ichigo got stuck in her throat as he hugged her tightly. She was so surprised that she didn't even realize the Bakudō trapping her had gone. When she recovered from her daze, she smiled softly and then returned the hug. She enjoyed the warmth of his trained body and lamented the fate that he had to carry on his back.
"Thanks for being an amazing friend," Ichigo whispered.
She looked up and found him looking at her with an appreciative smile. Call it the heat of the moment, but she couldn't resist the alluring call of his irresistible smile. Without much thought, she captured his lips. She caught up to her action quickly but didn't stop. He reciprocated instead of resisting and asking her what she had just done.
Their lips separated after some time. They looked at each other silently before chuckling. In Yoruichi's case, she laughed awkwardly, afraid of what Ichigo would think of her. Much to her relief, Ichigo kept hugging her just as warmly as before. Despite her carefree nature, she was glad that Ichigo took her personality well.
"Uh… ah, sorry for interrupting your private time."
Yoruichi yelped and cowered like a scared cat when she heard the voice. Unlike her who was too caught up with the moment, Ichigo had already sensed the presence of the person, so he reacted calmly. Patting her head twice, he let go of her and turned to face the person. A small smile decorated his face as he found out it was Masaki.
"Well, hello there. Did you get lost?"
"Kūkaku-san told me to call you guys to have dinner. He-he…"
Masaki rubbed her head awkwardly. Ichigo nodded his head and then walked to her with Yoruichi closely following behind.
"Retsu said that you should be fine for a couple of days without digesting Reiatsu, but I want to know just in case; do you feel hungry or weak?" Ichigo asked as they walked inside.
Glancing at Yoruichi who walked with her head lowered like an embarrassed kid, Masaki answered, "Well, Unohana-san told me that I should get my body used to processing Reiatsu as soon as possible, so I don't need to eat to live anymore. That's why I need to eat three times a day; just like how it was back on Earth!"
"You don't remember anything about your life, but you still know you are from Earth," Ichigo mused aloud. "Interesting."
"Ah, right. I also think that is weird," Masaki agreed.
Ichigo smiled and then patted her head. Yoruichi who was watching from the back noted how warmly Ichigo treated Masaki. Normally, she would feel jealous if he treated another woman with that much warmth, but looking at the scene made her feel sad. She knew how much Ichigo loved his mother. He must be torn to shreds having someone who looked and behaved like his mother treat him like a stranger.
"So, uh… did I interrupt something back there?"
That question made Yoruichi tense up. She was well aware that Masaki was no longer Ichigo's mother, being around her made her nervous given what kind of things she had done with Ichigo.
"Oh, no you didn't. I was just thanking Yoruichi for her care. Were we being weird?"
"No, no, no. You guys looked intimate, so I thought I was disturbing your date. He-he."
"We would have gone to a private place if we wanted to be intimate."
"That is right."
Ichigo chuckled along with Masaki. On the other hand, Yoruichi sighed, relieved that they ended the talk. When they arrived at the dining room, they found Kūkaku who was wearing an apron serving the dishes to the table. Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko were also there, helping her cook from the way it looked.
"My eyes already have enough feast for me to last a lifetime," Ichigo remarked with a smile.
Kūkaku turned to him and smirked. "I am not as easy as Yoruichi, brat."
Yoruichi only snorted in amusement. Kūkaku's words would have sounded as cool as she intended if she wasn't blushing like a maiden. Ichigo thought that he had managed to embarrass his cousin, so he chuckled deeply. Much to his confusion, Kūkaku's blush deepened.