Chapter 19
Ichigo jerked awake with the distinct feeling that he was being watched. That was a feeling that never failed to unnerve him. Since he hit puberty, people always watched him and after Yoruichi’s grooming, it was something he dealt with on a constant basis. His sudden movement awakened Rukia from her satisfied slumber, “Are you alright?” she asked groggily. Ichigo shook off his paranoia and grinned at her adorable, sleep-rumpled appearance, “I’m fine, aijin…how are you?” Her reply was to collapse back onto his strong shoulder and promptly close her eyes again.
After a minute of watching her breathe, Ichigo interrupted her repose, “Rukia,” he said softly. “Mmmm?” she replied. “I love you, but…” Her eyes shot open at those unexpected words, “But what, Kurosaki?” She asked in a huff. He frowned a bit but said nothing which only served to increase her anxiety. He finally decided to put her out of her misery, “But…my arm is completely numb and I’m afraid you wouldn’t like me if I had only one arm.”
“Bastard!” Rukia shrieked and elbowed him hard in the ribs, “You had me worried!” Ichigo just chuckled and rubbed his sore ribs while they both sat up and went about getting dressed. When they were both finished, Ichigo pulled Rukia close and inhaled her fresh scent, “I wish we could stay here forever…”
Rukia gasped and raised panicked eyes to his, “Oh no, we have to go!”
Ichigo looked completely confused by her 180, “Why?” he asked, truly puzzled.
“Because, your sisters will be at the villa soon…I sent Ran to help them pack and move over here and we’ve alre eady been here a couple of hours so…” Rukia didn’t finish her sentence as she caught sight of Ichigo’s unintentional reaction.
His eyes dulled and his shoulders slumped as though he carried the weight of the world on them. “Ichigo?” She asked cautiously.
Ichigo seemed to mentally shake himself and gave her a smile. She knew right away that his smile was completely forced and her guilt slammed back into her full-force. They may have affirmed their love for one another, but Rukia knew that Ichigo would never forget this betrayal and he would probably never trust her again. “I didn’t know what else to do…we told them they would be coming here today, so I thought it might be best to just get this over with and deal with the fallout.”
Rukia was unnerved by his vacant stare before he finally focused on her and answered, “No, that’s fine, ” he said softly, “I’ve gotta face them sometime, right?” He sighed as the reality of the situation hit him, “I just don’t know what we’re going to say to them…I have no idea what the hell I’M going to say to them. I guess I could say, ‘Uh, sorry I forgot to mention that I’ve been whoring for the past five years…I’ll understand if you don’t ever want to see me again.’ He looked so young standing there looking so lonely and ashamed.
Rukia walked slowly over to stand in front of her lover. She ran her hands up his hard chest, over his shoulders, and entwined her fingers at the nape of his neck. “Ichigo,” she breathed while pulling him down to her soft lips. Before their mouths met, Rukia looked deep into his beautiful eyes, “I love you and I am going to find a way to fix what I’ve broken.” Ichigo smiled sadly at the beautiful demon in front of him and before she could notice that it didn’t reach his eyes, he pulled her close and made both of them forget their problems-if only for a moment.
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Yuzu had been up for hours, haunted by her brother’s face as that evil woman spewed her venom. Karin hadn’t slept one bit-her thoughts decidedly more sinister than those of her gentle sister. Her thoughts were actually quite disturbing-or they would be to most people. She was thinking about various ways she might torture kill those two bitches for hurting her brother. Both girls were startled from their respective musings by the insistent pounding on their door. “Helloooo,” a much too cheerful voice sang from the other side. Yuzu and Karin exchanged puzzled glances as the former went to see who was there. As Yuzu opened the door, a statuezue blonde with gigantic bosoms sailed into their suite. “Who the hell’re you?” Karin asked rudely. Nonplussed, the overly-exuberant female turned toward Karin with a wide smile, “Matsumoto Rangiku at your service, m’dears…and I’ve got to say, you two are so adorable,” she squealed as she crushed both girls against her ample breasts-effectively cutting off any protest the two might have made against her embrace. When they were finally free, Karin was gasping for air as she asked, “What do you want, ya crazy woman?”
“Oh,” the ditzy blonde replied, “I’m here to help you move all of your things to your new apartment in Kyoto!” At her words, both girls donned matching expressions of recalcitrance, “So that disgusting Kuchiki woman sent you?” Yuzu asked tightly.
“Well,” Ran said, suddenly serious, “Yes, but I know it would do Ichigo a world of good to see you girls and know that you don’t hate him for the things he’s done.”
“Of course we don’t hate him,” Karin snapped. Yuzu had tears in her eyes as she looked at the taller woman, “Our poor brother was forced to do unspeakable things…for us. If anything, we love him even more for the sacrifices he’s made to keep us safe and happy.” Yuzu’s eyes hardened uncharacteristically as she looked at Rangiku, “Have you…taken advantage of him too?”
Ran’s cheeks heated and Karin rose quickly to stand beside her sister. “N-NO!” Ran finally stuttered, “I have NOT!” Yuzu stared at her a moment longer as though she were seeing into Ran’s soul. Apparently satisfied, the young girl nodded and spoke softly yet again, “I’ll go get my things together…Ichi-nii is waiting.”
Karin said nothing as she too gathered her things, but she was clearly not convinced of Ran’s innocence if her hate-filled glares were any indication. The sounds made by the girls as they packed up their belongings were interrupted by yet another knock at their door. “No worried,” Ran said, glad to divert attention from her guilty countenance, “I’ll get the door!” Ran threw open the door to reveal the smiling face of Shihoin Yoruichi. Rangiku’s eyes widened and she tried to form words of warning for the unsuspecting woman, however nothing came out. As Yoruichi sailed past her, she seemed puzzled by Ran’s gaping expression.
The twins stopped what they were doing to gape at the new arrival, but Yoruichi didn’t notice the frigidity of their ‘welcome’. “Girls, I know I told your brother to say goodbye for me, but I just couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye,” she looked sadly at the twins, “After all, you two are like daughters to me.”
Karin and Yuzu exchanged glances before Yuzu spoke up, her voice sharp, “I’m so glad you think of us as your daughters, Yoruichi-san…and what about Ichi-nii? Do you think of him as your son?”
Yoruichi’s coloring couldn’t entirely hide the blush that suddenly flushed her features. She opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it as she gave them an uncomfortable smile, “O-Of course I do, girls. I love all three of you very much.”
Rangiku groaned softly and dropped her face into her hands at Yoruichi’s inability to sense the trap she just jumped into to headfirst.
“I bet you love Ichi-nii just a little bit more, don’t you, Yoruichi?” Karin asked with feigned innocence, “Although, it doesn’t seem like your very motherly towards him. After all, he is your-what was it called again? Ahhh, yes, he is your fuck toy isn’t he, Yoruichi-san?”
Yoruichi sucked in a breath at the vulgar phrase that just rolled off the innocent tongue of her young charge, “Karin! Where did you learn such a horrendous term…and what makes you think that about your brother!”
“Don’t try to deny it,” The small girl fumed, “That Kuchiki woman told us everything! How you manipulated Ichigo into being your personal slave and then you turned him into a…a prostitute! You disgust me!” Karin screamed as she rushed the older woman. Everyone’s eyes widened as they saw Karin leap toward Yoruichi’s throat with her previously concealed knife-intending to kill her old benefactor.
Yoruichi moved like a shadow as she grabbed the hand holding the knife and twisted until Karin was forced to drop her weapon. She then subdued the young girl by twisting her arm and forcing her to her knees, “You bitch!” Karin screamed. Rangiku held onto Yuzu as she attempted to aid her sister, “Let me go!” Yuzu cried out. “I can’t do that little one…she’s not going to hurt your sister,” Ran said reassuringly. Meanwhile, Karin realized that there was nothing she could do as frustrated tears ran down her face. “Why,” she choked out. “We trusted and relied on you…we actually loved you! You just used us to get to Ichigo…to hurt him. You sick bitch!”
As Karin finished her tirade, Yoruichi caught Yuzu’s glittering gaze and averted her shame-filled eyes. She immediately released Karin and stepped back, “I-I don’t know what to…I’m sorry I hurt you both, but…”
“Us!” Yuzu screeched, “What about our brother? You should have seen his eyes when that horrible Kuchiki woman called him your…your…” Yuzu couldn’t repeat the phrase that Karin had used earlier.
Yoruichi shoved down the guilt that assailed her from their accusations and instead turned to Rangiku, “Ran, could I see you outside for a moment?”
“What is it? You can’t speak freely in front of us? What more could you possibly have to say?” Karin asked, bewildered.
Yoruichi just ignored her as the two older women left the room. Are you escorting them to Kyoto?” she asked quietly.
“I am,” Ran replied guardedly.
“If you could give me an hour or so head start, I would appreciate it.”
Ran frowned at her words, “What are you planning?” she asked suspiciously.
“Honestly…I’m worried about Ichigo and I want to check on him…I’m not starting a fight, I just want to make sure he’s okay. Sometimes, he has trouble handling stressful situations…” She said evasively.
“So I’ve noticed,” Ran replied. “I’ll give you an hour, but don’t mention it to Rukia…I don’t think she’d appreciate me being friendly to you.”
“I understand,” Yoruichi stated seriously, “Thanks Rangiku-san.”
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Rukia and Ichigo arrived back at the villa late in the afternoon. “I think I’m going to get a bath before my sisters get here. They need to know I’m okay but…if I have blood all over me and smell like sex, I won’t be very convincing. Are you gonna join me?” He asked with a soft smile. “No, I have a few things I need to do and if I went with you, we’d never get anything done.”
“True,” He said with a smirk, “I’ll be back down in a while, okay?”
“Alright, I’ll have cook prepare some dinner for you.” After a quick peck on the forehead, Ichigo bounded up the stairs to have his bath. Rukia smiled at his youthful exuberance and went to the kitchen to confer with cook. After making her requests, Rukia made her way into the her office and sat down hard in the plush leather chair. As she thought back on the events of the past two days, any attempt to balance the estate accounts was ruined. Rukia massaged her temples as she tried to think of the best way to handle Ichigo’s sisters. She didn’t want them to hate her-mainly because it would upset Ichigo-but she really had no clue what to do about it.
Rukia finally concluded that there would be no quick fix for this and resolved to work towards gaining the trust of all three siblings, once day at a time. As Rukia looked up from her desk, she was shocked to see Yoruichi standing right in front of her, “Wha- How the hell did you get in here without me knowing about it?”
Yoruichi’s reply was an eerie smile.
Rukia’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “What do you want?” She snapped.
“I just want to see Ichigo…to make sure he’s alright.”
“Hah! As if I would allow that, you bitch.”
Yoruichi sighed as though she were dealing with a child, “I know what you did to him. I went to say goodbye to the twins and they-well, let’s just say that they’re not happy with me. I know how depressed Ichigo can get on a good day, so he must be feeling absolutely wretched right now because of your betrayal.”
As Yoruichi’s words hit their mark, Rukia hung her head in shame. “You’re absolutely right,” She whispered. “I did hurt him but I’m doing everything in my power to make it right and he doesn’t need you to make him feel better.”
Yoruichi sneered at the small demon, “Look Rukia, I’m going to be honest with you. I have never seen Ichigo care for someone the way he cares for you…and as much as I hate to admit it, that includes me. As much pain as I’ve caused him, I will never have the power to hurt him as badly as you did last night.”
“Is that a fucking joke?” Ichigo growled low from the doorway. He had come downstairs just in time to catch the end of Yoruichi’s hypocritical diatribe and he was pissed.
“Ichigo…I just found out what Rukia did and I came straight over here to see how you were doing.” Yoruichi’s smile faltered in the face of the hatred she saw on his face.
“Are you forgetting that you threatened to do the very same thing? He asked coldly.
“The difference is, I care too much about you all to have followed through…”
Ichigo snorted in contempt, “How dare you claim to care about me. You don’t give a damn about me and you never have. I’ve never meant anything more to you than sex and money-we both know that.”
Yoruichi shook her head in denial, “That’s not true Ichigo! I care a great deal about you.”
Ichigo shook his head in wonder at the utter gall this woman possessed, “Oh, that’s right, you’re still pretending like that night didn’t happen, aren’t you?”
Yoruichi flinched as though he’d slapped her. She looked quickly away before speaking in a low tone, “Ichigo that was just…business.”
“Business?” He gave a humorless laugh, “Is that what you told yourself while you watched it happen?” When Yoruichi didn’t answer, Ichigo continued his verbal assault. “Do you remember what you told me when I begged you to not make me do it? You told me that I needed to be a man and start earning my keep…do you remember that, Yoruichi? I was fifteen years old, you bitch, and you were the only person I’d ever been with and you forced me to…”
Yoruichi interrupted and tried to explain her rationale, “That was the night that Kisuke forced me to give you up-to make you available to the public. I was drunk and I was angry and I made the mistake of taking it out on you…but I didn’t leave the room because I wanted to make sure you weren’t actually hurt.”
“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Ichigo was visibly shaking with rage. “You’re telling me you made sure I wasn’t hurt. I was just a kid and I cried and begged you to make it stop but you never did…You had them chain me to the fucking bed so I couldn’t run away and then you let…” His voice broke as tears filled his rapidly blackening eyes, “Where was your affection for me when I was screaming and crying in pain? Where was your affection for me when my blood covered the sheets? Where was your affection for me when you let that SICK SONUVA BITCH RAPE ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN!” Ichigo screamed the last. He raised black and yellow eyes to hers and let the tears fall freely down his face, “How could you do that to me?” He said like a broken little boy. When she didn’t answer, his hand shot out and wrapped around her throat.
Yoruichi’s eyes widened as his growing claws dug into her skin, “Ichigo…stop…please” She panted.
“Fuck you,” He growled demonically as he slammed her into the stone wall hard enough to crack it.