CHAPTER 273-274: Restrained Jealousy

With Momo and Rukia staying at home, Yoruichi found herself pleasantly occupied, rather than bored as she would have been alone. Calm, confident, and with centuries of experience, she could guide the conversation in any direction and come up with light-hearted subjects to tease the young women. Witnessing their initial blushing brought her joy, but eventually, it grew boring. Rukia wasn't as open to teasing as Momo.

What's more, there was little amusement to be found without a challenge. The challenge was one of the reasons she took pleasure in teasing Kazuya. And after all this time, she had only succeeded one time — the time she chose to pleasure his penis with her mouth.

'A priceless memory for sure.'

Although embarrassing, she wouldn't trade the moment for anything in the world. The reminder of him stirred her to check on his Reiatsu. Her senses registered his Reiatsu in an instant, despite the distance between them. His aura was intense and erratic — he was engaged in a battle. She also felt Unohana's Reiatsu, which was no less wilder than him.

'They are finally going at it.'

Their Reiatsu had been stuck at someplace for a while, but now she could rest assured that his training had commenced. Honestly, she would have done the honor of training him on her own. Alas, her true talent lay in unarmed combat, while Unohana excelled at wielding a blade. Training with Unohana would benefit him more at this stage.

'I'm not jealous of Unohana, am I?'

Her brows furrowed in contemplation.

'Whatever. I can still help him refine his movement and unarmed skills.'

As she had no pressing matters to attend to, she racked her brain for a way to make Kazuya blush without resorting to sexual means. Her cat-like ears twitched as she plotted, taking inspiration from a certain someone, and before she knew it, a mischievous grin had spread across her face.

"Hisana Nee-san…" Rukia paused and pointed at Yoruichi's face, a perplexed frown on her face. "I'm talking about my sister's sickness, but she is grinning… What an awful woman."

A tinge of disappointment colored Rukia's gaze, as if she had expected more from someone who claimed to be Kazuya's mentor.

Momo pursed her lips. She could see Rukia using the opportunity to target Yoruichi. Still, she stayed silent, assuming a neutral position as she didn't want to favor one over another.

Yoruichi rubbed the back of her head. "You've got it all wrong, Kiddo. I wasn't paying attention. Me grinning has nothing to do with your sister."

"Don't bother. I know you're one of those freaks who take pleasure in someone else's suffering."

Instead of accepting Yoruichi's half-hearted apology, Rukia voiced the thought that had been weighing on her mind. All the teasing from Yoruichi had led her to believe that Yoruichi was a sadist. And her cat features only solidified Rukia's suspicions, as cats were known to play with their prey before killing them. A natural sadist.

Yoruichi simply shrugged her shoulders at the accusations. While she did take pleasure in teasing others, she didn't quite fit the definition of a sadist. She wasn't that far gone.

Rukia turned her gaze, whispering, "Yoruichi-san isn't the right person for him."

Yoruichi finally realized Rukia's problem with her. Byakuya's sister-in-law was just looking out for Kazuya by singling out unworthy women around him. From an outsider's perspective, Yoruichi hadn't done anything notable. Rather, she sat around while Kazuya prepared breakfast. Afterwards, she lazed around the bedroom while teasing them, coming off as a sadist. Of course, Rukia would take issue with Yoruichi now that she was officially Kazuya's girlfriend.

The cat-lady reached out and pinched Rukia's nose. "You silly lass. I'm not a sadist. What's more, Byakuya and I are old buddies. I'll never wish for his or Hisana's misfortune."

She had trained with Byakuya since before Rukia was even a toddler. Everyone in the Shihoin and Kuchiki clans at the time knew about their unruly tag games and chases that spanned the entire Seireitei. Her bond with Byakuya was second only to her bond with Kisuke. As she thought back on these memories, a slight frown creased her forehead.

'Where does that put Kazuya? First?'

"Yes! Pet best! Bring Pet!" The spirited voice in her mind belonged to the child-like being residing in her Inner World. Yoruichi had assumed her Hollow was gone since she hadn't heard from it in a while. It was just her wishful thinking.

"PET!!!"

'Go back to sleep.'

"PET! PET! PET!"

Yoruichi covered her ears, even though the voice was coming from within her own head. This put an end to the Hollow's demands, at least for the time being.

'Phew, she went back to sleep.'

She opened her eyes and saw a look of worry on Rukia and Momo's faces. 

Rukia's concern quickly disappeared, and she made what Yoruichi thought was an exaggerated sound of dissatisfaction. "Byakuya Nii-san would never be friends with someone like you."

It hadn't been half a year since Rukia had reconnected with her older sister, but it was enough time for her to develop immense admiration for her brother-in-law. She could never imagine a dignified man like him associating himself with a lazy bum like Yoruichi, much less being 'buddies.'

"Someone like me?" Yoruichi smirked. "Yeah, I'm just a slut mooching off of Kazuya. Isn't that right?"

Rukia blinked, surprised that Yoruichi had voiced her exact thoughts. "Yeah… As Kazuya's… girlfriend, I think I have a right to protect him from bad company."

"I'm not just bad company, kiddo. I'm the baddest of them all. I'm the ultimate baddie of the Soul Society."

"..."

"It's enough," Momo spoke in a firm yet gentle voice. "Rukia, let's end it here. Your judgment won't sway Kazuya-kun. She has earned her place in Kazuya-kun's heart, and mine as well. Dare I say, her place is more solid than ours."

She could no longer stay neutral. More importantly, she couldn't let Rukia continue to look down on Yoruichi and see her as an unworthy lover for Kazuya.

Rukia's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? You're saying he likes this catgirl more than us?"

Momo matched Yoruichi's gaze and nodded earnestly. "He does. There is a reason behind his affections, I'm sure of it. I'll wait until Kazuya-kun tells me everything on his own."

Yoruichi revealed a smug grin. "Lil' Rukia, Momo is right. The man you love has secrets. More secrets than you both can imagine."

"Everyone does." Rukia raised an eyebrow, black strands of hair outlining her face. She watched Yoruichi for a while before shrugging her shoulders. "Momo, I'm hungry. Bring me something."

Momo rolled her eyes, but paused as she remembered the delicious ramen prepared by Kazuya. "Yoruichi-san, did Kazuya-kun make extras for breakfast?"

Rukia scowled. "You wanna eat soggy noodles?"

"It's made by Kazuya-kun. I'll eat it…" Momo turned her hopeful gaze to Yoruichi. "Should I check it myself?"

Yoruichi extinguished Momo's hopes with a shake of her head. "I don't think so."

Momo fell back on the bed and clutched the blanket close to her face, which had his scent all over it. "I—I'm going to sleep… wake me up when Kazuya-kun is back."

She would pay any price to time travel into the future to skip any extra moment and only experience moments with Kazuya, or to return to the past and relive her precious memories with him.

Rukia grabbed Momo's legs and yanked her off the bed. She crossed her arms, looking down at Momo with a look of disapproval. "No, you are not. You're coming with me to the dorm. We'll get something to eat there."

As students, they had pretty much no money to spend. It was quite fortunate that the academy's free meals were both delicious and nutritious.

Momo dragged the blanket and wrapped herself in it. "No, let me soak in Kazuya-kun's scent."

"Argh, you weirdo. You had him all night yesterday. How are you missing him already?"

Momo lowered the blanket, peeking innocently. "I-I just love him too much, okay?"

"What you show isn't love, idiot. It's obsession!" Rukia gazed at her friend for a moment before sighing. "Yoruichi-san, I'll make something myself."

Yoruichi whipped her head around and lazily waved her hand. "Don't ask for my permission. This house belongs to your boyfriend. I'm just a freeloader."

An intense blush spread across Rukia's face. "Y-Yeah, you're right. It's my house too."

She darted out of the room, and a calm silence fell in the room.

Momo fidgeted with the blanket and stood up, pinning the chocolate-skinned girl with a sharp gaze. The type of gaze her younger brother showed when he had caught her scribbling on an unconscious clan elder's face.

"Yoruichi-san, when you were distracted earlier, were you thinking about Kazuya-kun?"

Momo spoke slowly and assuredly, oozing confidence that Yoruichi had never felt from Momo. What's more, the black eyes contained no innocence that Yoruichi had seen in her and Shiro in their first meeting. She felt like the person standing in front of her wasn't Momo, but someone else entirely.

Still, she wouldn't be the Flash Goddess if she let something as meager as this startle her. "I was monitoring his Reiatsu, which makes you right in a sense."

Momo smiled knowingly, her gaze seeming to penetrate into Yoruichi's soul. "Have you officially started a relationship with him?"

"...There is nothing between us."

Yoruichi hesitated in revealing her arrangement with Kazuya until she sorted out her feelings and decided her future.

Momo plopped down beside Yoruichi and swung her legs cheerfully. "I love Kazuya-kun. I love him so much… I think I love him more than myself."

"Everyone knows that, but has anyone told you how this love has changed you? You used to be a sweet, innocent kid, now you're a clingy, desperate woman."

It had also changed Yoruichi, substantially. But pointing out changes in Momo was much easier than realizing her own changes.

Momo turned to her with a sweet smile. "I don't care."

"Figured as much." Yoruichi chuckled. "Why are you telling me about your love, though?"

Momo rested her head on Yoruichi's lap and took her hand, placing it on her head and guiding it to stroke her hair. The gesture was more than enough for the chocolate-skinned woman to understand her intentions. So, she began stroking Momo's hair.

Momo smiled. "I don't want Kazuya-kun to ever stop loving me."

Yoruichi gently pressed her hand against Momo's face. "He won't. He isn't that kind of man."

"I know," Momo whispered. "Still, if there comes a day Kazuya-kun loses his love for me… will you help me?"

Yoruichi threw her head back and erupted into a breathy laughter. "An unlikely scenario but sure. I'll whoop that brat's ass and make him love you again."

Momo revealed a grateful smile. Her request wasn't to force him to love her again — it was to end her life. But she liked Yoruichi's suggestion too. "Thank you, Yoruichi Nee-san."

Yoruichi simply shook her head. "I'm—" Her nose scrunched, picking up a scorched scent. "Momo, how would you rate Rukia's culinary skills?"

"No idea. I've never seen her cook."

Yoruichi's brows twitched. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"

***

Evening.

Walking across the dark hallway, Yoruichi transformed into her human form and opened the door. Her cat eyes patiently observed the man standing before her. Dressed in spotless Shihakusho garments with such nobility, those shallow aristocrats could only strive for. The only flaw on his perfect countenance was a subtle hint of exhaustion. She felt weird to see him not smiling or grinning like a fool. Being so familiar with him, she could easily see exhaustion from the way he carried himself and the lack of energy in his eyes.

'He couldn't have gotten that type of training from her, could he?'

Yoruichi pierced him with a seething glare. Unable to contain herself, she leaned closer and took a sniff of his clothes. The lack of Unohana, or any feminine scent, on him cleared her doubts away. He simply felt worn out from over-exerting himself.

He pushed her face away. "No need to be the jealous housewife. I won't lie if I fuck someone behind your back."

A pleased smile made its way to her face, and she hummed. "A lot of toughness from a man who looks so defeated. Unohana must've whooped you like a dog."

"Let's just say something happened, and I was stabbed in the chest."

The lack of sarcasm on his face or voice wiped the aura of playfulness around her. She tugged his robes this way and that, loosening them enough to see his chest. There were no scars to be found. "Your natural regeneration is just silly. Wait, do I also regenerate like you now?"

He wrestled control of his clothes and fixed his appearance. "Gosh, you didn't have to undress me in the open."

She pulled him inside and shut the door. "Answer my question, sweetheart. Or I'll cut open my wrist and report you for domestic violence."

He shrugged as if he couldn't care less. "Go ahead."

Her brows twitched at his coldhearted answer. "Come on, say it. I wanna know my limits."

"You probably won't," he said with a thoughtful look. "Remember, you're a Shinigami with a Hollow. Not a complete Hollow."

A look of disappointment flashed on her face, which was replaced by a confident smirk. "Will it be worth it to become a complete Hollow?"

She saw a flash in his eyes. The pause in his actions told him that he was imagining her naked with a Hollow mask and more lethality.

"Oh, sweetheart," she whispered, pressing herself against his chest and looking up with a cheeky smirk. "Can you be a little less transparent with your depraved thoughts?"

He flicked her forehead. "I won't let you become a complete Hollow."

His serious rebuke had her speechless for a moment. Instead of explaining his reasoning in a more detailed fashion, he walked past her.

She flash-stepped to cut him off. "There is warm water in the bath. Take a quick dip while I heat up dinner."

He patted her small back with a warm smile. "It's refreshing to have you as my wife."

"Keep dreaming." A brazen laughter shook her chest, the corner of her eyes crinkling happily. "Don't take too long, Kiddo. I'm dying to know why Unohana stabbed you."

***

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