Bleach 1. The diagnosis

Disclaimer: If Bleach were mine, Sui Feng and Yoruichi would be the main characters. But they aren't!

* * *

Sui Feng sighed. The towering pile of paperwork lined up neatly before her seemed only to emphasize on the futility of her hours spent in front of her work desk. She had only one last week to clear up the necessary paperwork before it was the start of a new year, which only meant more paperwork to come.

_All those permission forms to sign, and for same things we do every year too! _

Out of habit, she rubbed at her neck, unsurprised to find that hairs were standing at the back of it. It was an unusually chilly day in Seireitei, and she was, for once, thankful for Omaeda's family wealth as it enabled the installation of a central heating system for the wooden floors in her division. Contrary to what others had suspected, these heated floors were not solely for her Yoruichi-sama's comfort, although she had allowed the assumptions to persist in order to maintain her Spartan image. Growing up in a household whereby both her third uncle and her second brother perished due to frostbite while on missions in the human world, Sui Feng didn't take very well to the cold. The reason why she very much preferred missions in the spiritual world at this period of the year was because temperatures remained mild all year round due to the lack of the four seasons in this world.

_Why is it so cold now?_

After the Aizen's sealing, Seireitei had been relatively peaceful with most of its inhabitants busy with rebuilding, especially the Third, Fifth and Ninth Divisions. Rarely had hell butterflies been sent out to the Divisions in the recent weeks unless a matter of importance had been brought to attention. Other than the announcement of new training schedules by the Captain Commander involving the captains of the Seventh and Tenth Divisions, there had been no changes to daily life in Seireitei, especially something significant enough to change the weather.

_The Tenth Division… that's right, it's probably the ice captain's turn to train with the Captain Commander. I wish he would stop turning the air around Seireitei so cold with his inability to control his zanpakuto well enough. _

Her suspicions were confirmed soon enough when a tower of ice suddenly appeared near the First Division barracks.

Sui Feng sighed again as a fresh gust of cold wind entered her room through the open window.

* * *

Yoruichi grinned when snowflakes begun their slow descent from the grey sky above the Urahara Shoten. With this snow, she was free from her duty as "snow-lookout" for Urahara in exchange for tickets to a place she had wanted to go with her little bee for a long time now.

"Kisuke! Oi, Kisuke! It's finally snowing!"

Urahara Kisuke scrambled out from his laboratory, his hat askew. Upon seeing the white fluff floating down from the sky, he held his hat out to gather some of the winter's first snow for his new experiment.

"Great, now I can finally complete that gadget before New Year's," he declared happily. As he turned to head back into the room, Yoruichi blocked his path with a flash step in front of him.

"I think you mean before your birthday is over. Whatever, don't you forget your promise to me now, and hand me the tickets before you disappear into your lab for days!"

"Alright, alright, Yoruichi-san," Urahara dug deeply into his long coat for a moment before pulling out two crumpled tickets and a blue form, which were quickly snatched by a dark hand before the excited woman ran off to open the Senkaimon.

_Little bee, here I come!_

"Remember to observe the traffic rules when you drive, Yoruichi-san!"

* * *

After exiting from the Senkaimon, Yoruichi flash stepped quickly to the Second Division headquarters, eager to see the small captain after two weeks away while she stayed at the Urahara Shoten. The last piece of news she had heard before leaving Seireitei was that the captain's arm had been scheduled to be restored by the Fourth Division captain, Unohana.

_I wonder if she's gotten her arm back already…_

A frown crossed the flash goddess's face at that thought as she remembered how Sui Feng had been more subdued than usual when she had lost her left arm in the battle against the second Espada, even when she was around her. Nevertheless, the running woman reassured herself that her little bee could always recover her arm using Orihime's power, if all else fails, which would certainly make her happy again. Falling into her usual trance of blankness while her muscles concentrated on running, Yoruichi found herself wondering why she was increasingly more concerned with Sui Feng's happiness after the whole fiasco with Aizen's betrayal. She rarely cared deeply for another person, so why did Sui Feng affect her so? Even if she had known her former student for a few decades before her exile, she had only gotten reacquainted with her for a few months now. And yet, here she was, running to her little bee in excitement and wanting to spend some time with her. Certainly, she had never felt this way with Kisuke or Kuukaku despite knowing them for a far longer time.

_What exactly am I doing?_

The mocha skinned beauty came to a sudden halt and sand from the muddy path flew up in little patterns around her feet at the friction. Blinking once and again, she realized that she was already in plain view of the Second Division's barracks. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, she decided on a whim to enter the Second Division from the front gate in her human form for once, announcing herself before the edgy guards.

"Shihouin Yoruichi, here on private business with your captain."

"Good morning Shihouin-dono! Sui Feng-taicho has instructed us to always allow you to enter, but I'm afraid taicho just went out not long ago," one of the guards reported.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know, madam!"

Yoruichi scoffed at the uptight attitude of the Second Division guards. "You guys are just like your captain, so prim and proper! But what else can I expect… You! Where is your lieutenant?"

"He's inside his office, madam! Taicho told him to get the paperwork done while she's out."

Without further ado, Yoruichi moved towards the direction of Omaeda's office, certain that she would find out Sui Feng's whereabouts if she questioned the large man. And if he didn't know… she could always bully him while waiting for her little bee to get back.

_Perfect action plan._

* * *

When Yoruichi found the Second Division lieutenant, she was surprised to see him working hard to clear the large pile of paperwork in front of him, occasionally eyeing the small clock in front of him with an expression akin to fear. On further inspection, Yoruichi laughed when she saw a few Houmokas decorating his body, which alerted the panicking man of her presence.

"Yoruichi-dono! You scared me! I thought Sui Feng-taicho came back early!" Omaeda screeched in surprise. "Please tell taicho to get rid these houmokas! She only listens to you!" he begged pitifully, tears in his eyes.

Witnessing the big man's distress, she decided to grace the useless lieutenant with some sympathy, at least out of the consideration that he's the son of her former lieutenant.

"I'm sure you deserve it from slacking off all the time, but I'll talk to her about it on the account of your father. Where is she anyway?"

"Oh thank you! Please help me relay to taicho that I will work harder than ever to finish this! She's at the Fourth Division, meeting with Unohana-taicho."

"Fourth Division huh? Well, if she comes back before I find her, tell her I'm looking for her and she can wait for me in her office."

Without waiting for a reply, Yoruichi left, stopping by Sui Feng's office to remove her clothing and tickets before transforming into a cat.

_Hmm… time to spy on my little bee._

* * *

The diminutive Second Division captain basked in the warmness surrounding her, her body undeniably relaxing due to the heat.

_Ahh… This is so much better than the cold office. My left arm isn't aching anymore either._

Sui Feng lay on her stomach on a bed in a private room with a nice window view. She was only wearing her Omnitsukido uniform as it allowed Unohana to access her back and shoulders while she attended to Sui Feng.

"It feels really comfortable, Retsu. I could fall asleep any moment."

"You must learn to relax more, Sui Feng. You push yourself far too hard and you never allow your body enough rest."

Unohana channeled more kido onto her hands as she rubbed at Sui Feng's left shoulder joint, using slightly more force when she encountered a knot near the area where her arm had to be regrown.

Unbeknownst to Sui Feng, who was too distracted by the comforting haze of the kido spell, a black cat sat on a tree not so far away, observing the on-goings in the room through the open window. Unohana, on the other hand, smiled secretly when she realized Yoruichi was spying on them. It was time she pushed the elusive cat into some action with regards to her good friend.

"Is that the reason why my left arm has been aching the whole day, Retsu?"

Ensuring that her body did not obstruct the view from the window, Unohana moved her hands over to Sui Feng's back, massaging it gently as the younger woman moaned in pleasure.

"Yes. You need more time to get used to it, and I suggest that you should soak in that hot spring in the Second Division whenever you can to keep it warm. Hitsugaya-taicho is scheduled to continue his training for at least three more days, which means that the weather is going to turn chilly like today."

"Huh, maybe I should get that oaf of my lieutenant to install heaters in the division quarters as well if this keeps up." Sui Feng grumbled softly.

"You never change," the Fourth Division captain giggled, "you're always so tough on your subordinates even though you're pretty proud of them most of the time." She continued in a more serious tone, "Also, swimming will be a good choice if you are looking to exercise your arm without overstraining it. However, the only places to swim in Seireitei are the Shihouin and the Kuchiki mansions."

"I'm not particularly fond of swimming… but if I must…"

* * *

Yoruichi was glad that she was in her cat form, which restricted her facial expressions. Inside though, her mind and her heart were in jumbles at the sight of the interactions between the two captains which she had just witnessed. When Sui Feng had moaned, her blood seemed to be roaring within her small body, and her feline heart was beating even faster than usual. Yet, a sudden uncomfortable feeling of fear flared up within her when she had seen Unohana moving her hands to massage her little bee's back without meeting any resistance. She wasn't exactly sure what she was feeling at the moment, every emotion seemed to be swirled together in a messy mixture.

When had Unohana and her little bee become so close without her noticing? Sui Feng was calling the Fourth Division captain her first name without any suffixes while she had insisted in addressing her by Yoruichi-sama. Unohana had uncharacteristically giggled as if she was truly amused by Sui Feng, and Yoruichi had never seen her giggling like this before, even during the time where both of them had mingled together as captains. Their interactions confused her, for she had believed for the longest time that Sui Feng's gaze only encompassed her. But now, she was not so sure.

In her inner storm, Yoruichi unconsciously allowed her reiatsu to flare up slightly, bringing Sui Feng's attention to herself.

* * *

Sui Feng tensed when she unexpectedly sensed a familiar reiatsu emitting from a short distance outside the window. Unohana, on the other hand, firmly continued her work on Sui Feng while calling out to the third person.

"Yoruichi-san, would you please come in?"

_How long has she known that I was there?_

A black flash of fur stopped by the window sill before Yoruichi jumped gracefully onto the bed Sui Feng was lying in. Careful to mask whatever feelings she had just now, she queried the doctor about Sui Feng's condition in an even and cheerful tone.

"Heya! I came to see Sui Feng. How is she now? Little bee, I see you've got your arm back already."

Unable to remain in such a lazy position in front of her Yoruichi-sama, Sui Feng sat up as Unohana went to the drawers on the other corner of the room to retrieve some medicine for her patient.

"Y-Yes, Yoruichi-sama, I'm perfectly fine now. There's no need to worry about me. Did you come here because there was there something that you needed my help with?" stammered Sui Feng, still in shock that Yoruichi came all the way to the Fourth Division barracks for her.

"She's not in the best condition for something dangerous, Yoruichi-san. In fact, I have just prescribed her to swimming therapy because she needs to keep her left arm warm and active for at least another week." Unohana glowered over her patient, sending Sui Feng her _concerned_ smile. "Make sure you swim at least once every two days and take these pills on time."

Sui Feng shuddered imperceptibly, and gave her fellow captain a weak smile and a nod before receiving her pills.

"Great! I know just the place. Let's go, Sui Feng."

"Yes, Yoruichi-sama!"

Although Yoruichi didn't know what she felt about the new situation, she at least understood the ever present feeling of needing some time alone with her little bee. Eagerly, she leapt out of the window again, expecting the younger captain to follow her, like always.

* * *

_Somewhere in the Second Division..._

"Shihouin-dono! Why are the houmokas not gone yet?! Taicho, please forgive me!"

* * *

A/N: This story will approximately be three chapters long. I aim for the last chapter to be up by New Year! Reviews are very much loved and fodder for more inspiration x3 Please also inform me of typing or grammar errors as this story is unbeta'd.


	2. The treatment

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing from the Bleach Universe

* * *

The odd pair comprising of a shinigami and a cat maintained their usual silence while they travelled across Seireitei, Yoruichi in lead with Sui Feng easily keeping up with the leisurely pace of running. Both of them enjoyed running, but they loved it for different reasons. Yoruichi feels liberation when she runs, her duties, obligations and worries left behind temporarily as the cool wind brushes gently by her body, sweeping her mind clear of any troubling thought. The same breeze against Sui Feng's body, on the contrary, reminded her of Yoruichi – and the faster she ran, the closer she felt to the center of her world. In small moments like this, there was little need for conversation between them.

It didn't take them too long to reach their destination. After a while, Sui Feng found herself standing at the foot of the Sokyoku Hill, located in the dead center of Seireitei. She looked at the little cat, her puzzlement over why her former commander had brought them here evident in her silver gaze. The last time they were here, Yoruichi had grabbed Sui Feng from the top of the hill and launched them off the tip before they fought in the nearby forest.

_Does she want to test how well I've recovered by sparring with me?_

With her tail upright and slightly swishing about the tip as if she was undecided, the black cat finally trotted over to a small bush before disappearing under it.

"This way, Sui Feng." Yoruichi's masculine voice called out, interrupting the other woman's thoughts.

Curious, Sui Feng followed the cat, pushing the branches of the bush away to reveal a dark opening to a cave.

_A secret cave? None of my men has ever reported something like this here… This means they haven't been as meticulous as they should be in their surveying missions._

The grim stealth commander stepped into the cave and turned around, adjusting the bush back into position before she followed the dark path, her mind already beginning to formulate new training schedules and experience training. Her eyes adjusted gradually to the dim lighting conditions while she continued on, but she tensed involuntarily for a moment when the passageway was flooded with a sudden light. She gasped at the vastness of the cavern when she reached the end of the passageway, pausing in her advance as she did so. The area could easily fit the entire Second Division quarters and it was filled with different rocky outcrops perfect for training. Despite the enclosed space, the air was not as stuffy as she had imagined, and it was warm in the cave as compared to the chilly weather outside. Some moments later, her sharp hearing picked up trickling sounds of fresh water.

"Yoruichi-sama?" Sui Feng called out, unsure where her former mentor went after she disappeared in the darkness. It was difficult to spot a small cat with the numerous large rocks in the unfamiliar cavern.

"Over here, Sui Feng."

Sui Feng walked towards the general direction of the deep voice, careful of the uneven ground below her. Not long after, she spotted a black furball perched on a ledge above what appeared to be a pool-sized hot spring.

"Get into the onsen, Sui Feng. Doctor's orders." Yoruichi drawled as she stared fixated at the petite captain while flicking her tail contemplatively. "And take your uniform off too."

"I-In the onsen, Y-Yoruichi-sama? P-Please allow me five minutes to retrieve a change of clothes and a towel from my room!" Sui Feng blushed hotly at the thought of removing her clothes and exposing her imperfect body in front of her Yoruichi-sama.

"Since you're asking… No, permission not granted," replied Yoruichi firmly as she flashed Sui Feng a feline version of a grin. "If you're so shy, then just leave your Onmitsukido uniform on."

_I shouldn't have asked for her permission!_

Realizing her mistake an instant too late, she tried to reason her way out. "W-What about after I get out of the onsen? I can't leave this place with just my captain haori on…"

"Gah! Then you can sit in your haori while waiting for your uniform to dry," scoffed the black cat as she scratched her body impatiently with her paw while waiting for Sui Feng to comply. It was so fun to tease her prudish former protégé. "Light a fire if you're in a rush to make it dry, or use kido if you're really desperate."

Yoruichi smirked, knowing that her little bee could not deny her anything for long. She leapt into the water herself with a small splash, and a small part of her feline self delighted in the warm water.

"Y-Yes, Yoruichi-sama…" came the resigned reply. Sui Feng proceeded to remove her shoes, scabbard, sash and haori, placing them on a nearby rock. Gingerly, she tested the water before stepping into the onsen, dressed only in her Onmitsukido uniform.

Sui Feng groaned in sheer satisfaction as the tension in her body eased, forgetting her embarrassment in her pleasure. "This feels so good, Yoruichi-sama."

Yoruichi tensed at Sui Feng's groan, feeling a familiar increase in the speed of her heartbeat.

_Not now… what's wrong with me today? It's just Sui Feng…_

Distracted, Yoruichi almost missed out Sui Feng's next sentence.

"Hmm… Yoruichi-sama, is there something special about this onsen? I feel like my reiatsu is slowly being replenished, and my arm feels much more flexible now."

"Eh?" Yoruichi snapped back to reality, dipping her head under the water for a moment to clear her strange feelings before replying. "Oh, me and Kisuke built this place when we were young. It's sort of a secret place where we come to train."

Sui Feng blinked. She was almost certain that she had misheard the black cat. It was either that or Yoruichi had something else on her mind that she was thinking about as she had neglected to answer her question. Nevertheless, the knowledge that her Yoruichi-sama had brought her to this special place made Sui Feng happy, even if this place was originally built by her lady and _him_.

"Secret place…" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "I'm really happy that you've shared this place with me, Yoruichi-sama."

Mortified, Sui Feng was glad that the heat from the onsen had already caused her body to turn pink, hiding the blush that would certainly be on her face. Nonetheless, she quickly faced away from the relaxing cat floating in the water.

"I'm glad I did so too…" said Yoruichi wistfully, a warm feeling settling over her heart as she eyed her bashful little bee.

"Yoruichi-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"The onsen water really feels so soothing… it almost feels like the healing kido of Unohana-taicho."

When she heard the name of the Fourth Division captain from Sui Feng's lips, Yoruichi did not feel much for lazing around in the onsen anymore, her mood ludicrously deteriorating by the second. She had a sudden strong desire to bring the younger woman back with her to the human world now, away from all other distractions. But upon further thought, she realized that it was getting late today.

_Tomorrow then._

"Like her kido huh… I wouldn't be surprised. Ne, Sui Feng… Take a day off tomorrow and come with me to the human world. I want to bring you somewhere."

At the abrupt change in topic, Sui Feng wondered what exactly was troubling her former commander. She thought that the older woman seemed a little tense, but it was difficult for Sui Feng to read her body language and expressions when she was in her cat form.

"I can't, Yoruichi-sama... although I wish I could. I still have a considerable amount of paperwork to clear before the year ends."

"I'm sure Omaeda can finish it, the way you have him chained to his desk doing paperwork with Suzumebachi's houmokas." Yoruichi scoffed as she recalled how terrified the lieutenant was. "He literally begged me to ask you to remove them."

"He deserves it. But even with Suzumebachi's help, I still have to go over everything he's done to ensure that that oaf didn't screw up anything. I won't be able to take time off any time soon, Yoruichi-sama."

Yoruichi swished her tail, unhappy that Sui Feng was being so insistent. She had gotten hold of those tickets from Kisuke after quite a lot of effort, and they were expiring soon. After a pause, she remembered what she had overheard while spying on Sui Feng just now.

_Swimming._

"If you're being so stubborn… then I challenge you, Sui Feng, captain of Second Division and Commander-in-Chief of Onmitsukido with my pride and reputation as _shunshin _(flash goddess) at stake to a swimming competition right here and now. If you win, I'll let you do as you wish. But if I win, you're taking a day off from your duties on the last day of the month to hang out with me."

"B-But…"

"You know it's equally important to have as much speed in the water as on land and in the air, Sui Feng. Think of it as training. Besides, it's doctor's orders. I don't want to report you to Unohana for refusing to swim. Or… are you afraid to lose?"

Sui Feng paled at her words, remembering exactly how terrifying the Fourth Division captain can be when she wants to. She also did not want to lose to Yoruichi, knowing well that swimming was something both of them was equally proficient at. After all, she was able to keep up with Yoruichi's fast pace when they had gone fishing in the sea during the Shinigami Women's Association beach trip not too long ago.

"Very well, Yoruichi-sama. Our pride is at stake. I will accept your challenge."

"Good," Yoruichi purred, her mood improving greatly when Sui Feng had acquiesced. "Let's do four laps, end to end. Winner's the one who finishes first."

The cat paddled to the other end of the onsen where it was deeper, with Sui Feng following shortly behind.

"Yoruichi-sama, are you going to compete in this form?"

"Yep," replied the cat. "Ok, ready, set, GO!"

Two bodies of different sizes kicked off from the edge of the large onsen, zooming through the water as quickly as they can, each of them desiring to win the other. Sui Feng, being the larger of the two, gained the advantage while Yoruichi struggled to keep up, especially with the strong current flowing her way due to being downstream from her little bee. By the end of the third lap, Sui Feng was leading by a considerable distance.

_Tch. This isn't going to work. It's time for Plan B. _

Yoruichi smirked to herself, mischievous plan in mind. She waited for Sui Feng to turn back from the edge of the onsen, before choosing the perfect moment to change back to her original form with a loud 'poof' while continuing to swim.

Sui Feng, who was concentrating hard on breathing and swimming forward in a direct line from end to end, started spluttering the moment she caught a frontal view of Yoruichi without any clothes. She drank in a considerable amount of water and had to tread water for a moment while her lungs tried to expel the unwelcome liquid.

In the meantime, Yoruichi passed by and overtook the younger captain when Sui Feng was almost back in control of her coughing, mooning the shy captain who immediately delved into another bout of spluttering, turning redder and redder by the second as she nearly drowned. By the time she had finally managed to start swimming again, Yoruichi's masculine voice called out from the other end of the onsen.

"Looks like I win, Sui Feng!"

When Sui Feng finally made it to the end where Yoruichi was, she was as red as a tomato.

"Yoruichi-sama, you cheated!"

"How so? I merely changed back into my original form."

"Y-You… I-I…"

"Oh ho, don't tell me you were distracted by this firm, luscious, _naked_ body?"

Yoruichi changed back into a woman, a wide grin splitting her face.

Sui Feng started coughing uncontrollably while averting her eyes, aghast at her suggestion.

_Too much skin!_

If it were possible, she would have turned even redder.

"Bit of a pervert, aren't you? And to think I thought my little bee was always so innocent."

"You've got it wrong, Yoruichi-sama!"

"Ahh… your expressions are the best, Sui Feng. And since you've lost, now you have to take a day off to go out with me!"

"Y-Yes, Yoruichi-sama," Sui Feng agreed weakly as she continued to face away from Yoruichi.

In a moment of happiness which stemmed from Sui Feng's consent, Yoruichi hugged Sui Feng tightly.

Feeling giddy from the excessive heat congregating on her face as Yoruichi's bare breasts pressed against her body, Sui Feng murmured a soft sentence (which Yoruichi barely heard if not for the minimal distance between them) before promptly fainting as a streak of blood escaped from her nose.

"Please change back into a cat, Yoruichi-sama."

* * *

A/N: An update, just in case tomorrow's the end of the world! Hope you've liked this story so far. It's looking like it will end up having 4 or 5 chapters instead of the 3 chapters that I have planned for. I'm also working to break through a moderate stagnation in the writing of the next chapter. Reviews and potential ideas are very much loved!


	3. The side effects

Disclaimer: Fan-fiction explains the ownership rights.

* * *

Lips pressed against her cheek like delicate velvet as fingers ghosted across her waist. She was intoxicated by the heavenly scent that enshrouded her; it smelled a little like ripe autumn apples tossed together with cinnamon and mint. She let out a small gasp as a muscular leg pushed between her thighs and a soft body enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"Sui Feng…" came a soft whisper in her ear, "Stay beside me, always. I need you."

"Yes, Yoruichi-sama…" she murmured as tender lips pressed against her own in a heated kiss.

Sui Feng's grey eyes instantly flew open. She sat up quickly, the rapid action immediately causing her world to swirl uncontrollably. She closed her eyes and held on tightly to the futon for a moment while her body adjusted. It was already evening and the last embers of the day's sun were fading out.

_Futon? Wasn't I swimming in the cave with Yoruichi-sama? She was behaving a little oddly today too._

Her eyebrows settled in a frown when she opened her eyes to realize that she was back in her room with the cat-woman nowhere in sight. She looked down at her slightly loose outfit, turning pink when she saw that someone else had changed her out of her wet uniform.

_D-Did Yoruichi-sama help me change? _

She recalled her dream and how she had felt in Yoruichi's embrace. Butterflies almost seemed to flutter in her stomach and it had felt very warm and secure.

_It's the first time I've dreamt about her like this… even though I have always treasured her… _

_I should ask Retsu about it. She has helped me greatly in the past when I was troubled. _

Sui Feng had a wistful smile upon her face as she glanced at the window Yoruichi usually came in from, remembering her mentor's usual cheery grin.

_But I'll take whatever Yoruichi-sama is willing to give me._

She choked and blushed when the image of a naked Yoruichi swimming towards her came to mind.

* * *

The next day was even colder than the previous. The usual silence permeating the headquarters of the Second Division was occasionally interrupted with loud sneezes emitting from the lieutenant's room and the division's training grounds, and Sui Feng scowled whenever she heard the sudden noise. Irritated and unable to concentrate on her paperwork, the small captain donned an extra layer of clothing before she stepped out of her office and headed for Omaeda's room.

"Omaeda," said Sui Feng as soon as she entered his room, ignoring his attempts to hide the snacks that he had been munching on. "Install heating facilities in all offices and sleeping quarters by the end of the week. I will not have my men falling sick because of the unnecessary cold when they're supposed to be resting. Send everyone who is sick, including you, to the Fourth Division by tonight and assign them extra duties the following week."

"Y-Yes, taicho! Do I have to do extra duties too?"

Sui Feng shot him a steely glare, which promptly made the large man gulp. Pleased, she left his quarters in a better mood and headed towards the Fourth Division.

* * *

Two knocks against the traditional doors of the Fourth Division sounded before Sui Feng stepped into the private ward. Unohana looked up, unsurprised to seeing the young captain. She put down the patients' charts she was reviewing and turned to face her friend.

"Good afternoon Sui Feng, what brings you here?"

"Retsu, can we talk for a while?"

"Of course. Let's go to my office, it's more private there."

Once they arrived at the Fourth Division office, Sui Feng handed Yoruichi's note to the other woman.

_- Little Bee,_

_You've lost the race. I'll get you from your office at 9 in the morning on the 31st. _

_Yoruichi_

Unohana smiled gently at Sui Feng, glad that there seemed to be some progress between the captain and Yoruichi.

"It seems like she's planning to bring you somewhere. Are you nervous about it?"

Sui Feng sat down on one of the couches as she thought of her reply, leaning against one arm.

"I'm not sure… she was behaving a little oddly yesterday when we went swimming, and this is the first time she's specifically asking me to go out with her for leisure."

Noting the manner which the younger captain placed her arm, Unohana asked politely, "Can I see your arm, Sui Feng?"

Sui Feng held out her left arm as Unohana prepared the diagnostics. With a murmur, a chart began plotting itself as the kido flowed gently through her arm.

"Hmm... your arm seems to have fully recovered. I was worried that your race with her caused it too much strain."

A mild look of surprise passed Sui Feng's face. "I suppose it's because of the onsen I was swimming in yesterday. It felt as though a healing kido similar to yours was constantly passing through my body. Yoruichi-sama thought so too."

"Is that so…" The healer's eyes glinted for a split-second at that information. "Well, at least now you're perfectly healthy to go wherever she's planning to bring you."

After a moment of silence between the two of them, Unohana prompted her friend again.

"Did something happen yesterday when you were with Yoruichi-san?"

Sui Feng thought of the day prior and begun to blush faintly.

"I… I had a dream, Retsu. I dreamt that Yoruichi-sama kissed me. It's the first time I dreamt about her like this. I'm unsure if I'm interpreting my feelings for her correctly. I want to be sure before I see her again."

"And what is your conclusion?"

"I cherish her and I love her. But I wonder if I'm confusing my admiration for her as romantic love. Yet, it feels as if I'm falling in love with her. Is that possible, given our history and our status? ...But even without that, I am still unworthy of her. She is ultimately still the Shihouin's jewel, especially now when her position as the head of the Shihouin clan has been restored."

Unohana looked thoughtful as she poured herself a cup of tea. She offered a steaming cup to the other woman, and it was gratefully accepted.

"Worth is subjective to each person's eyes, Sui Feng. It is not measured by titles, but character. It is far more important that you have a clear conscience and are striving to be the best that you can than being concerned about how others judge you. You still have a great deal of untapped potential even though you have achieved so much already." Unohana paused as she took a sip of her tea. "As for your feelings for Yoruichi-san… they have persisted for such a long time, Sui Feng, which tells me that you feel very strongly for her, far more than a mere protector can have. I believe that it is entirely possible for you to fall in love, even when you have already pledged your heart, body and soul to her."

Sui Feng drank her tea silently, contemplative.

"You should have more faith in her and in yourself, Sui Feng. Take the opportunity to let her see the person who has been beside her all this time."

"Thank you, Retsu," said Sui Feng, "I'll think about your words." With a small smile, the busy captain went back to her division.

After the Chinese captain went away, Unohana wondered what exactly happened in the hot spring.

* * *

_Earlier…_

"Please change back into a cat, Yoruichi-sama."

Sui Feng's body slumped against her as her legs gave out. Yoruichi clutched at the limp body in her arms, shaking her head fondly at the prudish woman. Leaning most of the captain's weight on one arm, she shifted and easily scooped the woman up in her arms, carrying her in a bridal style out of the onsen and placing her onto a large, flat rock. She carefully wiped away the trace of blood streaming out from Sui Feng's nose, smiling at how easy it was to tease her little bee.

_She needs to dry up soon, or else she'll catch a cold at this rate. _

Without thinking, her hands moved to undo the first knot on Sui Feng's Onmitsukido uniform, encountering some resistance as the wet uniform clung onto the woman's body. When the second knot came undone, Yoruichi uncharacteristically blushed when she realized what exactly she was doing, her blood racing through her veins as her heart distinctly pumped faster. As she gazed at the comatose woman, she was suddenly very aware of how pale and beautiful Sui Feng's exposed throat was, and how tantalizing the droplets of water glistening along Sui Feng's well-defined collarbone were. She had never seen the woman before her in such a vulnerable position, with all usual signs of tension on her face replaced by a peaceful expression. Unconsciously, she leaned forward, her fingers reverently caressing the side of Sui Feng's cheek as her vision narrowed significantly to encompass only her little bee's porcelain-like face. She swallowed once, then again, vaguely aware that her lips and throat suddenly felt too dry. And when her mind had wandered into thinking how _kissable_ her little bee's lips were, she visibly gulped, the action snapping her out of her steamy haze. She gaped stupidly at the still body of Sui Feng as her brain processed her previous actions. It did not take long before alarm rose within her. After a moment's pause, Yoruichi's fingers fumbled in their motions as she tried to quickly redo the knots on Sui Feng's uniform, stepping away from the unconscious captain immediately afterwards in slight panic. She then paced around the cavern for a minute or so while trying to calm herself down in order to decide on her next action.

_Relax. Relax. Relax. It's only Sui Feng. This is not the first time you've seen her showing so much skin. She was far less covered when we went to the beach with the rest. _

But when she closed her eyes for a moment, all she could visualize was the image of her leaning down and tasting her little bee's sweet lips instead of backing away from the smaller woman.

_She's Sui Feng's for goodness sake. Why am I thinking of kissing my little bee?! _

A sudden epiphany struck her. For how long had she been claiming Sui Feng as _her _little bee?

She took another step back when it dawned on her why she had always sought the company of the diminutive woman, even during the time when she was still a captain.

_Have I always been in love with her without realizing it?_

Yoruichi breathed in deeply once again, fighting her overpowering impulse to flee right now. This time, she came to a swift decision as she suppressed her flight instincts. As speedily as she could, she threw Sui Feng's haori over her own naked self and secured it with the captain's yellow sash, unconcerned when it only fell slightly above her knees. She strapped Sui Feng's zanpakuto on the sash, picked up the young captain again and fled the cavern, flash stepping at her maximum speed to the Second Division barracks and into the safety of Sui Feng's room in a blur of motion. She held the small captain tightly against her while she ran, using her own body heat to keep the woman warm in order to protect her from catching a cold in the chilly weather with her wet clothing.

Once Yoruichi reached her destination, she placed Sui Feng down on a futon and started a fire going in the room with kido. She changed out of Sui Feng's haori and back into her earlier attire, shooting occasional small glances at the captain to assure herself that she remained unconscious. Noticing that the captain was somewhat shivering, she delicately covered her little bee with two blankets, her arms trembling from her suppressed emotions as she did so. Yoruichi then scribbled a quick note for Sui Feng to read when she woke up, reminding her of her penalty for losing the impromptu swimming contest. Taking one last glance at the unconscious woman after ensuring that she was sufficiently warm and breathing properly, Yoruichi left for the Fourth Division barracks to get a female healer to look at the Second Division captain.

It was only after she had instructed a healer to immediately head for Sui Feng's room that she allowed her raging impulses to take over, her legs bringing her in a random direction out of Seireitei and as far away from Sui Feng as possible.

She ran as if her life depended on it. But little did she realize that the only distance that truly existed lay between her mind and her heart.

* * *

Yoruichi shifted her body as she tried to find a more comfortable position on the large tree she was perched on. After the long run which lasted throughout the late afternoon and evening, she was considerably calmer as her initial panic subsided. She settled into a loafing position as she eyed the activity below her, collecting information that would provide a clue as to which Rukongai district she was presently in. Judging from the unkempt slums and dirty streets, it was probably one of the further districts away from Seireitei.

_What am I doing here? It's not like me to run away from an issue…_

_My feelings for little bee… what do I want to do with it?_

"Hey you!"

Yoruichi pricked her ears at the loud shout which had interrupted her thoughts. Peering in the direction of the noise, she saw a little girl running away from a large man wielding a stick. As they ran past her tree with the man gaining distance on the girl, her golden eyes noted that the little girl was clinging firmly onto a small bag of food.

_She looks like a miniature version of little bee…_

With a flash, Yoruichi shifted from the tree and landed in front of the large man, causing him to trip. She moved in on the man's ankles, using her claws to slice a tendon, causing just enough pain for him to stop running. Before the man realized what had happened, she was off again, chasing after the girl who she had just rescued. It took them approximately twenty minutes before the girl stopped at a small alley, panting hard as she tried to even her breathing.

"B-Bunya-sama, I brought you some food!"

An older girl was lying on a pile of sacks, coughing heavily as she struggled to get up.

"Thank y-you, Ko-chan." Bunya smiled weakly at the girl.

Yoruichi watched the scene before her from the darkness, subdued when she sensed that the older girl only had the last traces of her spirit essence left.

"Bunya-sama, here, eat some and you'll feel better." Tears filled the younger girl's eyes as she moved to hold her Bunya-sama, catching her as she stumbled from the lack of strength.

"Ko-chan… Will you p-please say my name again? I love the way you say my name…"

"Bunya-sama… Bunya-sama… Don't… leave me alone…" she sobbed.

"B-Be strong, Ko-chan…." gasped the older girl, finding it difficult to breath. "Leave Inuzuri and become a shinigami. I-I will always be beside you, e-even if you no longer see me."

A lump caught in Yoruichi's throat. She slinked away from the pair, unable to watch any further. Not long after, an anguish cry resounded through the air.

_Was this how little bee felt when I left? No… she must have felt worse. At least the little girl was allowed to be with her Bunya-sama until her last moments…_

_Even though it wasn't intentional, I've caused her so much pain by leaving… Yet, she had understood and willingly stayed by my side once again. She has done so much for me, but what have I done for her?_

A self-loathing look settled across her features.

_I was arrogant to think that I had understood her pain and hatred, hoping that my little actions would make amends…_

_But now… How can I ask for her heart, when she's already given me so much? Do I deserve her heart, knowing that I have hurt her with my carelessness?_

Involuntarily, an image of a giggling Unohana massaging Sui Feng's back came to mind.

_What if I'm already too late?_

She exhaled deeply, settling back once more in the tree. She thought of the tickets in her folded jumper buried at the base of the tree and wondered if she should continue facing Sui Feng as if nothing has changed.

* * *

A dark shadow lurked outside the division barracks, surveying the surroundings before sneaking past the guards and into the division headquarters. With a speed faster than anyone else, sure feet moved down familiar paths and into a large room occupied by a single person.

"I don't believe I have done anything to warrant your presence, Shihouin Yoruichi." said Kuchiki Byakuya as he added the finishing touches to his enhancements on the Wakame Ambassador, glancing once at the wall clock.

"Byakyuya-bo, don't be so cold. I come in peace. Being in Inuzuri yesterday reminded me of you."

"State your purpose or get out."

"…Have you ever desired something so much and yet run away because of fears of inadequacy and of change?

"No. It's unbecoming for the head of the Kuchiki clan to run away from anything, especially in affairs of the heart."

"H-How did you know I was referring to that?"

Byakuya pursed his lips.

"For a self-proclaimed _shunshin_, you are certainly slow in realizing your own feelings and that of others. I have other pressing matters."

Byakuya stood and made his way out of his office. He paused before closing the _shoji_ doors behind him.

"You can never lose something that you never possessed, or change something without taking a risk. And it is the Kuchiki's method to strategize and execute a plan to win the battle."

A brief look of confusion crossed the dark skinned woman's face before she comprehended the meaning of the captain's words.

"Thanks, Byakuya-bo!" she called after his retreating back. "I owe you one!"

_And it's the Shihouin's approach to exploit any opportunity to achieve our objectives… and to act first before asking questions._

A plan began to formulate in her mind, and she could barely wait for the last day of the month. For now, Shihouin Yoruichi would ignore the feeling of trepidation that had begun to pool in her guts.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was slow, but necessary. I had a difficult time writing this, which explains the slightly longer wait. Even after many self-edits, I feel like there's still some OoCness. Any pointers will be appreciated. If anyone is wondering why the sequence of events, it's because I'm writing this story based on six themes. Candies for those who can guess what they are, haha.

Nevertheless... Next (and probably last) chapter is my favorite part! Reviews are as always much loved! Thanks to all my reviewers for you have provided me with lots of encouragement, understanding and insights to Yoruichi and Sui Feng!

P.S Thanks EchoingBreeze for bringing the typos to my attention. Those have been corrected.


	4. The beginnings

Standard disclaimers apply

A/N: This chapter has been slightly edited.

* * *

"Sui Feng! Are you ready to go?"

Hearing the distant shout from somewhere outside her office, Sui Feng smiled to herself, happy that she was going to spend the rest of her day with her Yoruichi-sama who was as boisterous as ever. It was an hour earlier than the stated time in Yoruichi's note, but Sui Feng had long gotten used to being prepared for her princess's whims. She hurriedly swept away the last bits of dust from her empty desk before peering out of the window, trying to locate the other woman in the early daylight.

_Strange… I could have sworn she was shouting from below the window…_

A light tap on her shoulder caused her to whirl around quickly, her body instinctively responding to the unexpected touch by throwing a punch. Her fist however, was halted in mid-air by a dark hand.

"Woah, if I was any slower, that would've have hit its mark," grinned Yoruichi, her smile brighter than any Sui Feng has ever seen.

"Y-Yoruichi-sama?!"

"Good morning, little bee," greeted the older woman softly. Her golden eyes gazed into Sui Feng's silver ones, briefly mesmerized by how beautiful they were in the morning sun.

As if hypnotized, Sui Feng could only return the cat-woman's silent gaze, vaguely aware that her hand was still held in Yoruichi's. It was only when Yoruichi blinked that the spell was broken.

_What was that?_

Sui Feng mentally shook herself. "Ah-hem. Good morning to you too, Yoruichi-sama. You're early today."

Yoruichi distractedly let go of Sui Feng's hand, quietly chiding herself for almost losing her composure.

_Concentrate! You still have to carry out your plans and get through the rest of the day with her…_

"Yea, I figured we should head out earlier. Alright, let's go, Sui Feng, we have to travel quite a long distance today. Everything we need is prepared at Kisuke's shop already," said Yoruichi before she strolled out of the office and headed for the nearby Senkaimon that was already set up.

A small scowl appeared on Sui Feng's face at the mention of that name. Nevertheless, she followed the dark princess out.

* * *

The doors of the Senkaimon opened to reveal a pristine white backdrop of snow-covered ground and forest trees, untouched by any human contact. Yoruichi took in a breath of the crisp winter air in the human world, delighting in the cold. A small movement by the woman beside her caught her eye, and she did not miss Sui Feng's subtle grimace at the cold weather.

_That's right, little bee never did like the cold._

She turned to the Chinese captain while shrugging off her usual orange jumper. She draped the warm clothing across Sui Feng's haori, smiling when a faint blush decorated the smaller woman's face.

"Y-Yoruichi-sama, what are you doing?"

"You don't like the cold, do you? Come on, race you to the shop!" Yoruichi declared before she began running in the direction of her best friend's shop, knowing that her little bee would soon follow.

After running for some distance, the princess turned her head back to check on Sui Feng's progress. However, she slowed down in confusion when she saw no one in sight behind her. Her little bee was not yet quick enough to overtake her, especially with the head start she had gained.

_Strange… she's usually only a short distance away._

"You'll have to do better, Yoruichi-sama," whispered a voice near her ear a moment later. The cat woman whirled around quickly in shock at the unexpected whisper - but her only clue to the captain's whereabouts was a gentle rustle of leaves some distance in front of her.

A feral grin slowly spread across her face.

_So this is how little bee wants to play today._

* * *

Tessai slid open the front doors of Urahara Shoten before his eyes widened. He stepped back just in the nick of time as two women came barreling into the shop, one after another within a split second difference.

"Ha! I win, little bee." Yoruichi proclaimed loudly as she inhaled deep breaths of air, panting heavily.

"Only by a little, Yoruichi-sama," wheezed Sui Feng. "You just managed to squeeze through the door first."

"Nonsense. I won because I have longer legs."

"Y-Yoruichi-sama! How is that a legit reason?"

Tessai blinked as the two competitive women continued to bicker without noticing his presence, somewhat surprised at the young captain's animated responses. She had always seemed so stern and distant whenever she dropped by. He cleared his throat loudly, effectively stopping their banter. Sui Feng immediately returned back to her usual stoic self when she realized they were no longer alone.

"Oh, it's you, Tessai. Since when were you standing here?" asked Yoruichi.

The large man straightened his square glasses.

"Since the beginning, Yoruichi-san. Are you here to collect the things you need?"

"Yep. Please lead the way, Tessai."

The ex-Kido Corps captain led them quickly to the only storeroom in the shop. When they entered the room, Sui Feng shot a quizzical look at Yoruichi as both their gigais laid on the large table in the middle of the room. When she saw the outfit her gigai was decked out in, she gulped and immediately thought of asking Tessai for another one.

_Why is it in a pink frilly dress? It looks so childish! No. This time I must put my foot down and assert myself!_

Oblivious to Sui Feng's distress, the taller woman entered her special gigai which was already dressed in her usual wear.

"How about our transport?" Yoruichi asked as she flexed the muscles of her new body.

"It's already waiting by the gate."

She grinned at her old friend, pleased at his efficiency.

"Thanks a lot, Tessai. You're as reliable as always." Looking around the surprisingly empty storeroom, she was reminded of her blonde friend. "Oh yea, how come I don't see Kisuke around? This room is usually full of his things too."

"He… went on a holiday with the visoreds two days back."

At that sentence, Sui Feng's ears perked. Her mood lifted by leaps and bounds with each passing moment; she smiled, knowing that the kido master had likely kept to his word to seal that flippant man in one of his barriers.

"Oh… Well, I guess he can finally enjoy himself on his birthday this year. It's a shame that I didn't get to wish him 'Happy Birthday' though."

Tessai smiled in response. Nevertheless, he could not prevent the corners of his smile from twitching ever so slightly at his little lie. Before the perceptive cat woman could find anything suspicious about Urahara's disappearance, Sui Feng thankfully diverted their attention towards her as she entered her gigai with a small 'pop'.

Yoruichi's eyes immediately swiveled towards the petite captain as she tested the gigai with a few standard kicks and punches. The hem of Sui Feng's pink dress flowed smoothly with her movements, tantalizingly revealing more skin than usual on the occasional kick. Yoruichi felt stirrings in the pit of her stomach as Sui Feng unknowingly teased her with the little peeks of pale skin. The fluttering butterflies within her signaled that her initial plan to keep her libidinous feelings in check by dressing Sui Feng in the least appealing outfit had backfired on her, even though it was still a rare treat to see her little bee in such a girly outfit. She sighed to herself silently, resigned to the fact that she could hardly resist her innocent little bee now that she had acknowledged her feelings.

The princess's train of thoughts, however, was soon disrupted by the sound of Sui Feng's voice as she addressed Tessai.

"Tsukabishi-san, do you have other pieces of clothing that fits me? This outfit is not to my comfort and is a little too restrictive."

"Sure, follow me."

Before Yoruichi could voice her opinion on the matter, Sui Feng exited the room at a speed that seemed suspiciously much faster as compared to her usual strides. The taller woman narrowed her eyes at the captain's behaviour before she eventually broke out in an amused grin.

_Ha! So this is little bee's plan to get out of that frilly dress without going against my wishes. _

Torn between her amusement at the silliness (and sneakiness) of Sui Feng's action plan and her pride at her little bee's attempt to assert herself, Yoruichi went to start up the engine of their transport in better spirits than ever.

* * *

"Yorruuuichi-saama!" screeched Sui Feng as she clutched tightly onto the older woman's waist in terror, her face devoid of blood. At the speed which they were travelling on the motorbike, it felt as if the lightweight captain would be thrown off at any moment. Her twin braids were flapping almost horizontally from the ground in their haste to reach their destination. Although they were technically travelling slower than their usual speed while activating shunpo, it certainly felt more grounded and less like flying when the Chinese girl had been running. Sui Feng definitely knew which transport mode she preferred the most.

_Dear Soul King, is she punishing me for changing out of those hideous clothes without asking for her opinion?_

When the vehicle finally slowed to a stop due to a red light, Sui Feng took the chance to talk to the woman in front of her, shouting through the loud traffic sounds and the insulation of their helmets.

"Yoruichi-sama, could you please slow down? At this rate we're going, our lives will be in jeopardy!"

A slow affirmative nod was her only reply as the light turned green once more and the princess turned her attention to the road. This time though, the vehicle moved at a comfortable speed that was slow enough for Sui Feng to begin enjoying the feeling of embracing her Yoruichi-sama from behind. Knowing that the mocha-skinned goddess could not see her expressions, she smiled in sheer bliss and thought to herself that her first motorcycle ride wasn't so bad after all.

Unknown to her pillion passenger, the normally confident goddess had a constant blush on her features ever since she first felt Sui Feng's warm arms wrapping tightly against her. She had barely registered the layers of winter clothing between them; her mind was pre-occupied with thoughts of her little bee even as she tried her best to pay attention to the slippery road.

* * *

A few hours later, the taller woman finally drove into a large parking area and eased the bike engine. It was almost noon, and the rays of the almost angry sun glared harshly upon them without the protection of the usual cloud cover. Yoruichi heaved a sigh, thankful that the shortcut she had accidentally discovered during her years of exile while trying to minimize travelling time in the human world had come in handy. They had cut across great distances and the southern seas of Japan by travelling through specific Senkaimons in the real world and the Rukongai, saving them many hours in the meantime. Although it was forbidden for a human body or physical objects to enter the spiritual world, Urahara's genius mind eventually overcame the obstacle by infusing their gigais and transport means with their spiritual signatures with a portable Reishi Henkan-ki installed in the motorbike.

Removing her helmet, the dark driver composed herself before extending an arm out to help the inexperienced Sui Feng off the bike. The smaller woman blushed a little from the generous amount of body contact with Yoruichi on this day and took the proffered arm as she slid down from the relatively tall motorcycle. Side by side, they followed the footpath and descended the gentle grassy slope.

"Yoruichi-sama, where exactly are we?"

"You'll know soon enough."

The first sight that greeted the unusual pair was a statue of a giant whale shark mounted in the middle of a circular flowerbed. Not far-off from the statue, Sui Feng could make out a signage written in ocean blue.

**Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium**

"Like this place, little bee?"

A look of child-like delight expressed itself on the usually stoic woman's features as she took a quick look around the aquarium entrance, her sharp vision instantly spotting a touch pool in the distance. At the endearing sight of her little bee's happiness, Yoruichi instantly brightened up like the morning sun, temporarily forgetting her earlier tension.

"Follow me. I'll bring you to somewhere before we go in."

Continuing down the path, they stopped in front of a platform. In front of them lay the vast and beautiful Okinawan seas, sparkling in a brilliant blue against the clear sky. They stood there in companionable silence, breathing in the same crisp sea air and enjoying the peaceful melodies created by the waves crashing against the shoreline.

"Sometimes I get so caught up with my duties in Seireitei that I forget how beautiful the real world is, Yoruichi-sama."

"Yea, it happens often. It's ok to take a break once in a while too though. You work far too hard."

Sui Feng gave a small smile in response.

"Shall we go in, Yoruichi-sama?"

"Yes," replied Yoruichi wistfully as they left the beautiful scenery behind them.

* * *

A/N: Progress has been severely delayed by a nasty bout of flu and the start of school, but I'll definitely finish this up! This chapter is more like a teaser for the upcoming events in the story as it's slightly shorter than usual. Hope you've enjoyed it! Reviews, ideas and comments are well-loved, especially those pertaining to the developments so far and the characterization of Sui Feng and Yoruichi.

P.S I haven't actually been to the Okinawan Churaumi Aquarium and everything here is based on my imagination and their official website, so if you have any interesting tidbits to tell me, I'll love you to death.

Thanks to Mr Khan for the pointers!


	5. The turning point

Standard disclaimers apply

* * *

_When was the last time I saw her like this?_

The goddess paused in her tracks as she neared the touch pool, their admission tickets stuffed halfway into her bag while her other hand clutched a bottle of freshly bought cold water. Only a short distance away, Sui Feng hovered over the pool they had bypassed earlier, looking down at the marine life on display. A peaceful smile adorned her pale features as she gently stroked the _Linckia Laevigata_, delighting in the rough texture of the common blue sea star. Not far from her fingers, small fishes darted around the shallow pool, avoiding the curious fingers of young children nearby who were trying to catch hold of them. There, playing amongst the children, Sui Feng seemed so fragile, so innocent, and so beautiful.

Yoruichi felt herself smiling in response, a wave of tenderness coursing through her body at the sight of her little bee. Silently, she stepped up beside the other woman and tapped her shoulder, offering her the bottle of water. The smaller woman stiffened her body and turned to face Yoruichi as she took the bottle, lowering her head in silent apology.

"Thank you, Yoruichi-sama. But it is I who should be taking care of you instead of being distracted by the displays here. Please forgive me."

Unwilling to acquiesce her little bee's subservience, she lifted Sui Feng's head with the tips of her fingers, looking her straight in the eyes. Unyielding gold met unsure silver as she enunciated her next words firmly.

"Nonsense, little bee. I did not bring you here to serve me, but to enjoy the day together."

"But Yoruic-"

Yoruichi laid a finger on Sui Feng's lips, effectively stopping any further protest. Time stood still in that moment as the two women realized their close proximity to each other. Yoruichi could feel the warmness of every breath of air the captain exhaled and the velvety softness of those lips she had desired to kiss. Sui Feng's eyes, like molten silver, beckoned at her, drawing her closer.

And she would have answered the hypnotic call, had she not been interrupted by a sudden loud announcement informing visitors that the feeding session for the shark exhibit was beginning in five minutes. Yoruichi snapped back into reality, avoiding eye contact with Sui Feng in embarrassment as she moved to put some distance between them. A few silent moments endured before Sui Feng calmly suggested for them to head for the shark exhibit, leaving the goddess feeling more than a little confused.

_Were my gut feelings correct, or was that just my wishful imagination? _

Nevertheless, as they continued deeper into the aquarium, Yoruichi steeled her resolve to confess her feelings for her little bee by the end of the day.

* * *

A relatively large crowd had gathered at their destination when Yoruichi and Sui Feng entered the Shark Research Lab. The feeding had already begun, and pieces of raw fish were streaming down from the top of the tank, the residual blood from the feed working the sharks into frenzy. The sheer ferocity of the sharks' frenzy fascinated Sui Feng. The fiery captain had often found her skills to be lacking in this particular area, but never did she have a moment of inspiration regarding the countermeasure until now. In her mind, she quickly likened the swift movements of the sharks to combat, vaguely visualizing fluid new moves which could be tested out on her men during training. Thrilled, she focused her full attention on the sharks, temporarily forgetting about everything else.

Yoruichi, on the other hand, had her gaze fixated on the smaller fishes in the tank which remained out of the way from the feeding sharks. When the sharks devoured the last of the feed and recovered their usual behaviour, those fishes swam out and quickly attached themselves to the larger sharks, feeding away at scraps of food in the vicinity of the predators while simultaneously cleaning them. Something clicked in her mind's eye at their interactions, and she turned her attention to her companion, wondering why it had taken her so long to realize the importance of the shorter woman beside her.

_A gem shines from a jeweler's care, but I have received much and given little. Yet, her radiance glows so brightly I can see little else, save for my desire to keep her by my side._

The contemplative goddess stepped closer to Sui Feng with intent, a dark hand silently reaching out to grasp Sui Feng's with the cover of darkness. Alas, fate was not in her favor this day as she missed her target due to a sudden commotion. Before she could react, a large man pushing through the crowd had knocked her off balance in his hurry to exit. For a dazed moment, she felt gravity pulling at her before her descent was caught by strong lithe arms belonging to the woman of her thoughts.

_Sui Feng…_

"Are you alright, Yoruichi-sama?"

Concerned grey eyes came into her vision briefly before they directed a murderous glare at the rude man who had pushed her. When Sui Feng's gaze returned, Yoruichi blushed as she registered their positions. Like a scene from a classic romance story, she was supported only by Sui Feng's arms, poised to be swept off her feet any moment now by her 'prince'. It did not help that the captain's eyes were slightly wild and dilated in the brief adrenaline rush; Yoruichi could not prevent herself from imagining if this was how her little bee would look like after a night's passion.

On the other hand, a slight frown creased across Sui Feng's pale features at the reminder of Yoruichi's odd behavior today as her ex-mentor remained frozen in her arms. Deciding to take matters into her hands before they drew too much attention, she pulled the cat woman towards herself as she righted their slightly embarrassing positions. It seemed to snap the other woman out of her reverie as she shifted into a steadier position, putting some distance between them. As her companion murmured a soft word of thanks, the Chinese captain briefly lamented the loss of the contact. But she reassured herself with the fact that the day was still long.

* * *

It had been relatively uneventful after the incident at the shark exhibit. They explored the aquarium thoroughly, admiring and learning about the different species of marine life on display while simultaneously challenging each other's ability to spot as many species as they can. Yoruichi, with the advantage of her alter form's instinct for spotting movement, had won by a large margin even with Sui Feng's best efforts. They laughed together afterwards, basking in their silliness as the previous strange moments between them took a backseat. They eased into a comfortable conversation as time went by, and they strode down the walkways, side by side, never more an arm's length away from each other but never too close either.

Lunchtime had been their usual affair with Yoruichi heaping incredible amounts of food onto hers and Sui Feng's plates. This time though, the determined dark beauty had flat-out ignored Sui Feng's protest that she should be the one bringing food to the table (instead of her Yoruichi-sama) and had pinned the smaller woman to their table with a purposeful stare. And there Sui Feng remained for the rest of the meal, silently watching the increasingly comical expressions of horror reflected on the restaurant manager's face with every round of refill the oblivious princess took from the buffet table. With an evil smirk in place, Sui Feng was convinced that they had just earned themselves a spot on the restaurant's blacklist for the sheer amount of food they could consume in the buffet setting. It would be a pity; she liked the food here.

Time flew by quickly after lunch as their tour continued. It wasn't long before the pair of shinigamis found themselves heading towards their second last destination in the aquarium before it closes for the day. The last Dolphin Show at the Okichan Theater was scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes, and they were determined to get the best seats for the rare treat. However, when the striking pair of women arrived at the theater, they were surprised to see only a handful of people there. True to their titles in Soul Society, they swiftly found a good spot to settle down before the parched captain went off at top speed to find some water before the show began. Yoruichi glanced at Sui Feng's vacant seat, taking a slight reprieve from suppressing her overwhelming feelings the entire day. Every little smile or blush from her little bee had released a fresh wave of butterflies in her stomach and brought forth the urge to kiss her rosy lips. But she had restrained herself from doing anything improper, choosing instead to go about it the traditional way, beginning with a proper confession.

_Exactly what am I doing… the day's ending soon and I have yet to find the right words to say to little bee…_

She sighed deeply, a dark hand running edgily across her violet locks of hair as she scanned her surroundings, awaiting her companion's return.

* * *

"Made it just in time!" proclaimed Sui Feng as she slid into her place next to Yoruichi, clutching two bottles of water in her arms. "Have some water too, Yoruichi-sama."

With a small smile adorning her face, Sui Feng passed a bottle to Yoruichi, their fingers brushing together for a brief moment. However, before they had time to say anything else, the dolphin trainer drew their attention as he began his introduction.

"Good afternoon everyone, welcome to Okichan Theater's Dolphin Show! Today's star performer will be Yuzu, who is a five year old bottlenose dolphin. Before we begin, can I have a volunteer from the audience?"

Leaning slightly to her left, Sui Feng whispered into Yoruichi's ear.

"Yoruichi-sama, why don't you volunteer? It should be fun to play with the dolphin."

Yoruichi turned to her little bee with an amused expression at her suggestion.

"You really think so?"

The small, albeit shy nod from the smaller woman fired numerous synapses through Yoruichi's mind, and she immediately shot a lanky arm into the air without further thought, volunteering herself to the dolphin trainer.

"Alright! We have our volunteer!"

Sui Feng watched attentively as the trainer taught Yoruichi the basic moves to use, noticing the dolphin's impatience as it swam in circles in the tank behind the princess. The petite captain clapped hard when Yoruichi directed the dolphin to wave hello with its fins, and laughed when the dolphin went in the opposite direction as opposed to her instruction. From the stands, Sui Feng could clearly see the joy in Yoruichi's body language, and she was glad that she had managed to persuade her goddess to volunteer.

_Yoruichi-sama is... sparkling like the sun._

In the finale, the shinigami made a large gesture upwards for the dolphin to follow, and it did so obediently, leaping high out of the tank before landing back into it with a loud splash. The spray of water from its action was so strong that it escaped the confines of the tank, drenching Yoruichi completely. The cheeky dolphin, for good measure, decided to flip an additional splash of water on the already wet volunteer, who blinked a few times in surprise before laughing hard at its antics in a carefree manner.

At the sound of Yoruichi's genuine and carefree laughter, a tsunami of warmth enveloped Sui Feng from top to toe. It was the first time in a long while since she had last heard that laugh, and her heart leapt at the melodious sound as she gazed tenderly at the laughing woman.

_You're beautiful, Yoruichi-sama... Forgive me for I can no longer see you as the unapproachable goddess you should be. You are like a princess to my eyes… one who I could be permitted to love, to cherish and to protect, if only I am found worthy. I only hope that you would allow me entry into your heart in the way you have entered into mine._

Sui Feng joined in the audience's laughter as she remained in the stands, patiently waiting (and she resolved to always do so) for her beloved princess to return to her.

* * *

A/N: And I'm alive! Apologies for the slow update as I've been buried under piles of schoolwork recently. There should be approximately 2 more chapters to go till the end of this story. I've been exploring the potential in dynamics of their relationship between Yoruichi and Sui Feng and characterization. I'm hoping that it's not too confusing or OoC haha.

Reviews, ideas and comments are well-loved! Please take some time to drop them off if you like this story =)


	6. The revelations

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

_Rustle. Rustle._

_Swallow._

It was too quiet in the room.

Her heartbeat seemed too loud, too fast, betraying her thoughts for all to hear.

But there was no one around except for Yoruichi, who was drying off inside a small bathroom and hidden from view only by a large curtain.

Sui Feng turned away and faced the exit, trying hard to still her pounding heart by ignoring the sounds emitting from Yoruichi's direction. Although she had been exposed to Yoruichi's naked body many times after her cat transformation, it felt too intimate staying in the cozy room alone with the princess while she showered and changed.

_Rustle._

After the show, the dolphin trainer had been most apologetic when the mischievous dolphin utterly drenched Yoruichi, explaining that it was a strict policy that visitors were not supposed to get too wet participating in their programs, especially in this weather. He insisted then, that the volunteer should head off for the nearest staff quarters for a change of clothes sponsored by the aquarium for the inconvenience caused.

Sui Feng, upon seeing the small room, had tried in vain to excuse herself from following Yoruichi inside. Her words however, fell upon deaf ears as the cat woman dragged her into the room.

"_I don't want to lose you," said Yoruichi, "the aquarium's huge and we don't have any means of contacting each other. I don't want you to wait outside in the cold either."_

The small captain rubbed her face into her palms, wishing that she could be anywhere else right now. The gentle rustle of clothing sliding against skin brought a heat to her usually pale cheeks as unwitting memories of her time spent with Yoruichi at the secret onsen flooded her mind. It reminded her of the occasional dream she had of kissing the older woman since that day, and how she felt a little strange around the older woman today. It was almost as if the dynamics of their relationship with each other were subtly shifting, becoming a little fonder and less serving. There had also been something unreadable in Yoruichi's golden eyes all day long, an apprehension of sorts. Earlier words uttered by Yoruichi outside the room reverberated in her mind as she tried to decipher if the princess had meant for them to imply a deeper meaning.

_Am I thinking too much?_

She stopped her actions and took a cursory glance around the room.

Spotting a hairdryer lying on the dressing table, she moved to plug the device in and began drying off Yoruichi's discarded jumper, taking comfort in the mundane task as she busied herself. The noise generated by the hairdryer overwhelmed every other sound in the room and distracted her from the happenings in the cubicle. Her heart rate gradually normalized as she calmed, her attention wholly focused on getting the garment dry and warm for her beloved lady.

Minutes passed and Yoruichi finally stepped out from the cubicle, unbeknownst to her little bee, dressed in bermuda shorts and a flowery button down shirt. She stood a short distance behind the seated woman, observing silently as a wave of tenderness coursed through her senses at the sight of Sui Feng drying her favourite jumper with such intent and care.

_When did someone last care for me like this? _

It did not take long before the dryer was switched off and placed aside. The young captain stood up and turned around as she readied herself to fluff out the now dry sweater. She startled at the sudden appearance of Yoruichi in her vision and twitched involuntarily.

"Yoruichi-sama, how long have you been standing there?" Sui Feng asked stiffly, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, long enough," grinned the cat woman, an idea forming in her mind. She took the jumper from the Chinese girl, reveling in the warmth as she donned it on. "Thank you, little bee. This would keep me warm for a long time."

Yoruichi moved to sit down in the chair recently vacated by Sui Feng as she held up the hairdryer to the standing woman beside her.

"Would you dry my hair for me?"

An expectant silence hung in the air as the Chinese captain processed the princess's words. Within a few seconds, a furious blush appeared on Sui Feng's pale face as she took the device from Yoruichi.

"Y-Yes, Yoruichi-sama."

Trembling fingers gingerly touched the violet tresses before her, untangling and smoothing over areas of wet hair. She wondered if the sitting princess would be able to feel her pounding heartbeats transmitting through her fingertips.

_Yoruichi-sama rarely allows anyone to touch her hair…_

Gently, reverently, Sui Feng brushed her fingers through Yoruichi's long hair as warm wind from the dryer evaporated moisture away. The locks of hair slowly regained their suppleness as time passed, and the captain could not help but wish that she would be allowed to do this for her lady every day. She started massaging the scalp area soothingly, coaxing the last of the droplets of water towards the tips where they would be more exposed to the wind.

"Mmm… this feels great, Sui Feng."

Feeling extremely relaxed, Yoruichi closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensations of fingers running through her hair and scalp, a contented smile upon her face.

_If this is how domesticity feels like with little bee, I would willingly accept._

* * *

It was a humbling moment, facing the Kuroshio Sea exhibit. The vastness of the ocean enveloped them in a world so blue and peaceful. Observers simply stood in front of the glass panel, lost in the beauty before them as they reflected upon themselves. The gentle sounds of waves crashing against seashore emanated from carefully hidden speakers, replicating the calmness of the sea. Huge whale sharks swam leisurely around the enormous tank amongst the giant trevallies and manta rays without a care in the world. And every time one of those gentle giants came near, Yoruichi touched the acrylic glass and imagined how it would be like to swim along with them.

Sui Feng, on the other hand, had her attention captivated by the fliers of the sea. The manta rays, with their graceful movements, cut across the gallons of water effortlessly, every undulating sweep of their fins creating a beautiful pattern of light across the dark room. She pressed herself nearer to the glass, wishing she could join a particularly beautiful ray in its flight through the water. Some time afterward, she touched Yoruichi's arm to gain her attention.

"Look, Yoruichi-sama, that manta ray is especially gorgeous. The only time I can see something like them in Soul Society is when Retsu releases Minazuki."

A mind-numbing chill ran down Yoruichi's spine at those words, her mind going blank almost immediately, erasing her earlier happiness. It felt as if she was plunged into the merciless cold ocean and left to drown.

"You really like manta rays, don't you?" she mumbled in a slightly strangled voice, keeping her eyes trained on the fishes in the large tank.

Sui Feng's brows furrowed at the odd tone in Yoruichi's voice, and the all too familiar feeling that she was missing out something important rang warning bells through her sixth sense.

"Yes, they're my favourite fish," she replied carefully. "I love them for their gracefulness and beauty."

"Oh." _Grace and beauty… words that are too befitting for the captain of the fourth division… guess it's too late for me to confess my feelings for her after all…_

"Yoruichi-sama, are you perhaps… upset by something I said?"

Sui Feng directed her silvery gaze upon her lady.

"Nope. I… uh… need to go to the restroom," Yoruichi answered lamely as she avoided eye contact, wanting to escape from being in Sui Feng's presence.

A sudden illumination lit up in the young captain's mind. There, surrounded by the beauty of the underwater world, Sui Feng realized what was on Yoruichi's mind the entire day, maybe even since the day at the onsen. It made her a little happy, knowing that Yoruichi cared about it.

Pale hands quickly grabbed hold of a dark arm as Sui Feng halted Yoruichi's escape.

"You're really upset, Yoruichi-sama," she began, stepping closer to the taller woman.

"No, I'm not. I just need to go to the restroom urgently."

The older woman struggled to get away. However, Sui Feng only gripped Yoruichi a little more firmly, her gaze never faltering from her target as she stared into golden eyes.

"Yoruichi-sama, I love manta rays because they remind me of the first time I saw you."

At that sentence, all the fight seemed to leave the princess as she stood limply before the captain, unsure if she had heard her words correctly.

"Oh."

A smile widened across Sui Feng's features. In a bold move, she grasped her princess by her hand and led her back to a part of the gigantic tank where the majority of the manta rays were swimming.

"Yes, Yoruichi-sama. Oh."

There they remained, hand in hand, as seconds passed into minutes, admiring the beautiful blue world before them, oblivious to everything else.

_Little bee… I've been pretty ridiculous, haven't I?_

* * *

Yoruichi looked up from the confectionaries on display in the souvenir shop as Sui Feng presented a whale shark plushie before her. She blinked a few times as she alternated between gazing at the stuffed toy and taking in the look of shyness and joy on her little bee's face. Her puzzlement must have been apparent, for Sui Feng quickly followed up with an explanation.

"Yoruichi-sama, this souvenir is for you so that you would have a keepsake for today. I noticed just now that you seemed really entranced by the whale sharks… so I… bought it for you."

A moment of silence reigned before the cat woman snapped out of a dazed stupor and took the gift from Sui Feng, beaming as she did so.

"I wasn't expecting you to get a gift for me, little bee. But I really like this!" proclaimed Yoruichi. "I know. I'll get you something in exchange."

Before Sui Feng could protest, the goddess of flash moved quickly away as she continued to explore the large souvenir store. A few minutes later, she returned to the spot where Sui Feng had remained.

"There you go, little bee."

The normally stoic captain smiled when a cute manta ray plushie was dangling from her princess's finger.

"It shall be a companion for the black cat plushie in your cupboard that you always play with," whispered Yoruichi conspiratorially in the captain's ear. "It shall be our secret."

Pulling back, the mischievous woman amused herself when she saw Sui Feng turning redder by the second at her sentence.

"H-H-How did you know?" stammered Sui Feng for the first time in the day.

Yoruichi simply winked at the petite captain before she went to the cashier, a wide grin on her face.

_Yoruichi-sama…!_

* * *

Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she perused the menu by the coffee table. Exhausted from their excursion, the pair of shinigamis had fallen asleep in the room before having dinner, awaking just moments earlier due to the winter chill. Behind her, the clock chimed loudly, indicating that it was now eleven-thirty.

"Please bring up two sets of your freshest sashimi and a bottle of warm sake to room 237."

"Noted. Your order will arrive within an hour."

"Thank you."

Yoruichi replaced the phone receiver and strolled over to the other occupant in the large hotel room, spontaneously grabbing hold of several cushions along the way. Sui Feng was tinkering with the fireplace, throwing logs of wood together in a neat pile before setting them alight. After her task was done, the petite captain straightened up and dusted off the wood dust which had accumulated on her hands. Looking back at the approaching woman who was hugging several cushions, Sui Feng went over and relieved her of a few, earning a smile from the mocha goddess. Afterwards, they settled down in front of the crackling fire, resting comfortably on top of the numerous cushions. The small captain rubbed at a slight crick on her neck, wishing that she had not fallen asleep on the small sofa earlier.

"I'm glad that we decided to stay here for a night, Yoruichi-sama," murmured the tranquil woman. "It's really getting too late to take the long journey back to Karakura Town. It'll be dangerous to ride on the unlit roads too."

Shifting slightly from her reclining position, the cat woman began playing with Sui Feng's dark hair, contemplative.

_It's now or never, Shihouin. _

"Yes… but more importantly, I… didn't want the day to end so soon, Sui Feng."

Her interest piqued at the statement. Grey eyes shifted their attention to the princess, a silent question in her gaze.

"Little bee, I…" started Yoruichi.

A pregnant pause, then silence.

Yoruichi unthreaded her hand from Sui Feng's hair.

"I…" Yoruichi tried once again to voice out, but words continued to fail her.

In that instant, Sui Feng felt as if their usual roles had been reversed. Smiling tenderly, she reached out to stroke her lady's violet tresses, eventually framing her beautiful face with her hand.

_You, the jewel in my eyes._

"Yoruichi-sama… earlier on… were you jealous of my love for manta rays?"

Molten gold eyes looked away from piercing silver ones, comprehending the unspoken part of her question.

"I'm very familiar with this feeling, Yoruichi-sama, having watched you from a distance for so many years, even as my adoration for you grew. Over time, I have learned to accept it, and always, I have waited patiently for you to gravitate towards me once again. Because of this, I was extremely happy today, staying by your side."

Tears welled up in Yoruichi's eyes as she turned her gaze back into sincere greys, guilt apparent in her eyes for her carelessness with Sui Feng's heart.

"Sui Feng… I'm sor-"

The Chinese woman ran a thumb across the princess's cheek, brushing away the tears that threatened to fall. The firelight dancing golden against her lady's face made her more gorgeous the longer Sui Feng looked.

"Yoruichi-sama, was the time we spent together today considered as a date?"

The apologies she had for Sui Feng died in her throat as she registered the meaning of that question, and an overwhelming happiness took over. There was hope. Yoruichi took a calming breath.

"Yes. Yes it was."

_You have snuck through a maze of stone and stolen my heart with your pure intentions._

"Good." Sui Feng smiled. "All dates should end with a kiss."

Sui Feng closed the distance between them slowly, allowing Yoruichi to pull back if she wanted to. She leaned into her princess's face as her eyelids fluttered close, finally tasting the sweet lips she had so desired.

_Autumn apples, cinnamon and mint… just like how it was in my dreams…_

They pulled apart as the clock chimed twelve, identical blushes on their faces, and hearts bursting with joy.

"Happy birthday, Yoruichi-sama," Sui Feng whispered in Yoruichi's ear. "I love you too."

- THE END -

* * *

A/N: Yep, this is the last official chapter of the story, and this story took me a far longer time to write than my initial estimates. I hope that you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I had fun in writing it, and I'm thankful for all the reviews I'd received. By the way, I may also put up a separate chapter of a compilation of short scenes and omakes that I had in mind while writing but did not fit well into the main story line.

As mentioned earlier, the themes of this piece of writing are: Aquarium, contest, fireplace, jealousy, swimming and speeding.

YoruSui FTW!


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