21 The Pursuer and the Pursued

While covering his mouth to stifle a yawn, Ohta used his free hand to knock on Rukia's door. It took a little while, but she eventually answered, adopting a playful smile as she remarked, "So you 'do' know how doors work. Good to know."

Raising his brows, Ohta asked, "What are you talking about? I knocked when I returned your phone to you this morning. Yesterday, I just wanted to surprise you."

Feeling that her joke had fallen flat, Rukia exhaled a faint sigh through her nose before stepping aside and saying, "Come inside."

"Well, if you insist..." replied Ohta, stepping past the diminutive Shinigami and taking a look around her room. It had only been a few days since she moved in, but there was a tiny shelf filled with bishonen manga, a rabbit-themed desk lamp, and a similarly rabbit-themed beanbag.

"I take you it you like rabbits...?" asked Ohta.

"I don't have any particular like or dislike for them," replied Rukia, clearly lying but not giving Ohta a chance to comment on it as she asked, "What about you? Do you have any favorite animals...?"

"I like dogs," asserted Ohta. "They're low-maintenance, and if you treat them well, they'll never betray you..."

Seeing Ohta's expression change when he mentioned betrayal, Rukia was slightly compelled to ask if he had experienced it. Instead, she said, "Give me a moment to prepare some tea. Take a seat while you wait."

Stopping Rukia before she could grab her rabbit-themed kettle and begin preparing the leaves, Ohta said, "There's no need for that. I just came by to borrow your phone."

"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about that," replied Rukia, proceeding with the tea preparations as she noted, "You mentioned becoming a Shinigami and allowing Ichigo to focus on his studies. That being the case, wouldn't it make more sense for you to patrol during the day?"

"Maybe if you and Ichigo took the night shift," admitted Ohta. "But, if he had to go to school 'and' hunt Hollows at night, Ichigo wouldn't have any time to rest or study."

"And what about you?" asked Rukia. "Are you getting enough rest, Ohta-kun? You look exhausted..."

"It's fine," assured Ohta. "I just got a little too invested in training today. I'll be sure to rest later."

"You neglected to mention you were training..." remarked Rukia. "I take it that cat has something to do with it?"

"Yeah, check this out," said Ohta, abruptly vanishing before Rukia's eyes and appearing behind her as he added, "Turns out that I have a knack for the Shinigami Arts."

"Was that Shunpo?" asked Rukia, her eyes wide in shock. She could also execute Shunpo, but it was far from as seamless as Ohta's.

"So I've been told," mused Ohta, a faint smile adorning his face. However, unbeknownst to Rukia, he was nearly as surprised as she. It usually took a bit of time for him to choose his destination and move to it, so he wasn't sure how he executed it so effortlessly. The obvious explanation was that his Soul Resonance with Yoruichi had changed something within him, but that wasn't a conversation to have with Rukia.

Recovering from her momentary stupor, Rukia's expression relaxed as she said, "That's another thing I've been meaning to discuss. Now that you've become a Shinigami, do you intend to enter the Soul Society?"

"Maybe," replied Ohta. "It depends on how Soul Society reacts to the fact I'm a Shinigami with no history or background. I doubt they'll allow me to join the Thirteen Court Guardian Squads just because I want to."

"Do you want to?" asked Rukia. "Because, if so, I could talk to the Captain of my Division, Ukitake Jūshirō. He's a kind man and a former pupil of the Captain-Commander. There would likely be a probationary period, but I'm certain you would make a fine addition to Squad 13."

"And be under you?" asked Ohta, adopting a somewhat wolfish grin as he mused, "You're not exactly my type, but it's a tempting offer..."

Though she failed to grasp Ohta's earlier innuendo, Rukia nearly dropped the tea she was preparing when she heard his words and saw him smiling at her.

Unable to meet Ohta's gaze, Rukia averted her eyes, furrowing her brows into a slight pout as she muttered, "How boorish..." despite a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta jokingly remarked, "It's way too easy to get a rise out of you. As for becoming a member of your Squad, I don't think it would be that bad. We'll see what your Captain has to say."

Though she frowned at the notion that Ohta was teasing her, Rukia turned to meet his gaze as she said, "Then I'll talk to him once I return. Since you are helping me to perform my duties while I recover, I don't believe he will refuse your enlistment."

Pouring the tea she had prepared, Rukia handed a cup to Ohta, regaining her smile as she asked, "Would you like to make a toast?"

"Tea isn't exactly a toasting beverage, but sure," replied Ohta, holding up his cup as he said, "To kicking ass."

Resisting the urge to roll her eye, Rukia raised her cup, clinking it against Ohta's as she added, "To long lives and lasting fellowships..."

"Kanpai!" x2

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"If that had gone on much longer, I might have coughed up a hairball..." remarked Yoruichi, waiting for Ohta atop the privacy wall surrounding the apartment in her cat form.

Raising his brows, Ohta remarked, "I didn't take you for the jealous type. Though, I did just spend the last four and a half hours fucking you...could it be that you've fallen for me?"

"You wish," replied Yoruichi, leaping onto Ohta's shoulder as she added, "Though, as I don't have any other prospects I'm interested in, you could enter the running to become my suitor. The old farts in my family wouldn't agree, but I've never particularly cared for their opinions."

"Is that a marriage proposal...?" asked Ohta, surprising her more with the nearly flawless Shunpo he performed than his actual question.

Recovery from her very momentary shock, Yoruichi snorted and said, "It means I'm giving you my blessing to pursue me. However, as I mentioned before, you lack the qualifications for me to take you seriously."

"Then why even bring it up?" asked Ohta, stopping atop the roof they had perched upon the previous night.

"Because of that girl's background," said Yoruichi, revealing, "Recall how I mentioned there were Five Great Families? The Shiba Clan has fallen from grace, but the Shihouin, Kuchiki, Matsushita, and Kimura families make up the ruling Clans of Sereitai. There are several other Noble Families, but we five have stood at the top for over a million years."

"Ah, so she's an Ojou-sama..." remarked Ohta. "In hindsight, that makes a lot of sense..."

Shaking her head, Yoruichi remarked, "Things would be much simpler if she were. The reality is that Rukia was adopted into the Kuchiki family at the behest of the current head, Kuchiki Byakuya. She is the younger sister of his deceased wife, so if you make up your mind to pursue her, you may have to contend with him."

"Is he strong...?" asked Ohta, although the answer was obvious. For a family to remain in power for a million years, they must have something that makes them exceptional.

"Except for the current Kenpachi, the Captains of Squads 4 and 8, the Captain-Commander himself, and the man we discussed during the Soul Resonance, he's probably the strongest of the Gotei 13," replied Yoruichi. "Though, the one you 'really' need to watch out for is Soi Fon, the Captain of Squad 12. She's as cute as a kitten, but she's also a little obsessive. If you don't become my husband in the future, I suggest never allowing her to find out we had sex."

"Informing me about a land mine after I've already stepped on it isn't very helpful..." remarked Ohta. "Not that it would have changed anything. From the moment I realized it was a possibility, I was determined to fuck you at least once."

Snorting a second time, Yoruichi remarked, "Well, don't get used to it. It's fine every so often, but if you want 'permanent' access to my body, you'll need to work hard and commit. If it were discovered that you were fooling around with the adopted outcast of the Kuchiki while consorting with me, quite a few people would demand your head."

"Sounds like I got involved with something I shouldn't..." remarked Ohta.

"That's one of the downsides to being born with incredible power," replied Yoruichi. "Those in positions of power can't afford to ignore you, so if they can't pull you to their side, they will try to eliminate you. You could always run away and lie low, but if the world suddenly comes to an end and there was a chance you could have stopped it, even you might regret it..."

Though he was tempted to refute Yoruichi's words, Ohta knew he wasn't 'completely' heartless. He enjoyed fucking with people, especially those who thought they could get an advantage over him, but he never went out of his way to harm the innocent or ruin lives. The world was shitty enough without him actively making things worse...

"Then I'll let you decide," replied Ohta, catching Yoruichi a little off guard as he adopted a cheeky smile and appended, "If you want to monopolize my dick, I'll allow it. But if you think I'm going to bust my ass to earn your approval, you're mistaken. I don't give a rat's ass about your family or the politics of Soul Society. If you want me to care, then you'll need to be the one to make me..."

Exhaling a scoffing laugh, Yoruichi remarked, "You never cease to amaze and confound me. Virtually every man in Soul Society wishes they could have me, yet you want me to pursue you?"

"Well, those people probably haven't had you suck their dick and then milk them with your monstrous pussy like the world was about to end," contended Ohta. "I'm clearly an exception."

"..."

As it hadn't been that long since she and Ohta had ceased having sex, wrapping things up with a make-out session in the shower, Yoruichi found herself at a loss for words. She didn't love him, but she couldn't deny that fucking him had been a blast. Even more so since it had been more than a decade since her last liaison with Kisuke...

Exhaling a tired sigh, Yoruichi muttered, "You're an exceptional asshole, that's what..."

"Well, you know what they say..." replied Ohta, earning himself a deadpan stare from Yoruichi as he mused, "You are what you eat..."

"I'm going," said Yoruichi, leaping from her perch and making her way to the roof's edge before turning back to append, "Don't come to the shop tomorrow. I'll come looking for you."

Though he was tempted to remark she was breaking their agreement by going off to do her own thing, Ohta raised his hand and said, "Have fun." in a dismissive tone. She was the best fuck he had ever experienced, so he didn't mind giving her a bit of leeway.

Turning away without a response, Yoruichi leaped from the building as if she were committing suicide. Ohta went to check a few seconds later, but as their link had strengthened considerably since the Soul Resonance, he knew he wouldn't find her decorating the pavement. Instead, she seemed to be heading toward the Urahara Shop, presumably to share the info she had obtained.

Considering a different possibility, Ohta narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Well, it's not like we're in a relationship..."

As it wasn't his business who Yoruichi fucked, Ohta covered his mouth to stifle a long yawn. At the same time, however, he decided that if Yoruichi did ditch him to have sex with Urahara, he would stop fooling around with her. He had no interest in sluts, so if things developed in that direction, he would ditch her ass and pursue the comparably homely Rukia. Her looks couldn't hold a candle to Yoruichi's, but Ohta believed she would be very loyal...

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(A/N: Hmmm...I'm tempted to do a poll. I'll put images in the comments section, and you can like the ones you think would make a good female lead for the MC. Feel free to make additional recommendations, but just remember that this is NOT a harem novel. The MC might have more than one relationship across the series, but he will never be in multiple at once. Not simply because it would derail the plot but because it wouldn't make sense, given Ohta's personality.)