Masquerade Between Hell and Justice

This next chapter is a full scene between an emerging couple without any of the tension building up around Karakura. 

Chapter Five: Unexpected Ray of Light

Kita opened her eyes a few hours later as she rubbed the back of her neck. "What happened?” 

Sensing she was not at home, she sat up quickly and looked around. "Urahara's Shop? What am I doing here?" She turned to look behind her as the covers over her fluffed, causing a soft gust of air to pass over her Tsukiro's scent filling her scenes.

"Tsukiro's bedroom?" She blushed slightly then gathered his blanket into her hands and pulled it closer to her face, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and smiled. His scent was so strong on the covers she felt as if he was right next to her.

Tsukiro knelt on the sill of the open window of his room, looking in at Kita who was busying herself with sniffing his futon sheets. His ears turned bright red. She was in HIS room. Not anywhere else. HIS. 

"Kita...?"

Quickly, Kita dropped the blanket from her face and sat straight up on the bed. She did not turn to look at Tsukiro in the window as her face burned hot and — she was sure — bright red.  

"Hm..." 

Was all she could manage to say.

Tsukiro laughed at her reaction and stepped all the way inside. He quietly moved over to her and sat down next to her, smiling at her. "Enjoying the smell of my futon?"

Kita turned her head from Tsukiro, her face still hot and now growing worse at his question. "It... it smells like you." She shook her head and went to push herself up from the bed, now even more embarrassed. "I am sorry. I will get out of your room." 

Tsukiro caught her just as she rose and pulled her down onto the futon next to him, the two of them laying side by side. He placed his arms behind his head and grinned at her.

Kita's heart skipped a beat as he pulled her back down and laid next to her. She still could not look at him, feeling the flush of her cheeks. 

"I want you to stay,” he murmured.  His smile grew.  “Stay here with me tonight?” he asked.

"Spend the night with you? In your bed?" She felt the blush overcoming her cheeks again. "Will... Is that alright? Won't Kisuke be mad if we are in here together?"  She sat up in the bed quickly, her heart racing and blood running hot through her body.

He chuckled ,pulling her back down and moved closer to her. "Please. What's he gonna do about it? We're both adults and he's just an old man who owns a candy shop. If we want to sleep in the same bed, who's he to say otherwise?" 

He rolled over and propped his head up on his arm, the other resting on his side. He smiled down at her. 

"You looked cute with your face in my sheets like that. Like a cat curled up in blankets. The ones on those calendars?" He laughed softly as he thought of it. 

Kita felt the heat starting to flow back into her cheeks as she turned her  head from him with him gazing down at her as she lay next to him. "I guess I just like..." She paused, her cheeks turning red once more. 

Tsukiro settled down further into his futon, laying his head on his arm. He still gazed at he, waiting for her answer. Even she couldn't finish.  "You like what? My smell?" he asked. 

Kita turned slightly to look into his eyes, adjusting herself better as she lay next to him. She was still embarrassed at him catching her with her face buried in his blankets and smelling them, but it was slowly passing as started to picture herself in his eyes like a cat.  She muffled a giggle and smiled. 

His own grew. "What do I smell like?"

"You smell musky with a slight sweetness to it. And yes, I like your scent."   

Tsukiro continued to smile warmly at her as she began to relax and get used to laying with him bbrushed her hair out of her face and traiing the backs of his fingers over her cheek.  An idea came to mind.  “I heard there's going to be a festival in the park tomorrow. Would you want to go with me? Just me and you?"

For the first time since she started developing feelings for Tsukiro, her deepest thoughts and one wish was finally coming true. He had asked her out.  He displayed so many mixed emotions over her that she had not been sure how he really felt, often anxious to the point of giving up.   Thinking her feelings might never been returned.   There was still a gap between them, one, it seemed, neither of them were bold enough to fill yet, and that was admitting to the other how they felt. 

Kita knew she was not ready to admit it. Being rejected, especially by a guy she really liked, was not a heartache she wanted to face. So she would wait and if it never happened, then they were never meant to be. 

And now, her body tingled as he touched her, caressing her cheeks, and a warm smile appeared on her lips. "I would like that." 

In his elation, Tsukiro leaned in and pressed his lips to her cheek. He paused, realizing what he had done, as his heart raced. As it calmed down, he pulled back with a new smile.  

"Thank you."

 Tsukiro's heart was not the only heart racing when he pressed his lips to her cheek. Kita felt as if hers were doing backflips in her chest and the longer he lingered close to her like that, the more her mind raced. She held her breath. 

When he finally pulled back and thanked her, something she thought would be kept silent slipped from between her lips.

"I think … I love you."

Tsukiro's eyes widened and he moved slightly back from her. Her heart all of a sudden felt like a hot blade was pushed through it.  She quickly pushed up from the futon covering her mouth with her fingertips as she told him. "I am sorry. I shouldn’t have said that." 

She pushed the blankets back to get out. "I will leave you alone."

Once again, Tsukiro grabbed her before she got up, but this time he took a hold of her face gently and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.  Pulling her against him, he clutched her body to his, and when he ran out of breath, he pulled back. 

"I love you too, Kita,” he whispered.  “I couldn't bear to see you with anyone else.”  He paused and his tangled emotions all started pouring out. “I need you in my arms everyday. You've helped me through so much. And I couldn't - can’t stand to lose you to anyone."

Kita wrapped her arms around him as a tear trickled down her cheek. "I was so afraid you did not feel the same."

When they pulled back slightly, Kita smiled brightly at him. "I feel like the world was lifted from my shoulders with telling you that."

Tsukiro smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her again. "I have always felt that way about you,” he murmured.  “I was just afraid to tell you.”  He kissed her yet again.  “But not anymore. I promise I will always love you and take care of you."

Kita returned his kiss and hugged him tightly as he laid them both back down to the futon. "Do you still want me to stay the night with you?" She brushed the hair from his eyes. 

Tsukiro smiled at her, caressing her cheek. "Of course I do. I want nothing more than to wake up next to you tomorrow morning. And every morning if possible. I want to fall asleep next to you every night, with you in my arms."

Kita cuddled up next  to Tsukiro. She felt safe with his arms wrapped around her, but then again, she always felt safe when he was close. "My White Knight clad in black,” she whispered resting her head to his chest. "I wish we could do that as well. I would wake in a much better mood if I woke up to you and not an empty room."

He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed her back. "I know. But I still have my responsibilities as a Soul Reaper." He pulled the blankets over them and huddled closer to her. "But for the time being, let's enjoy the time we have."

She exhaled softly, closing her eyes as he held her. "Almost a full year and I am finally in your arms where I have craved to be." She hugged him tightly. "I am never going to let you go."

Tsukiro chuckled and kissed her again, smiling against her soft skin. "That's my line." He placed his chin on her head and closed his eyes, relaxing and inhaling Kita's sweet scent. "I love you, baby. I'll love you always."

Kita giggled softly. "I love you too, Tsukiro."

She closed her eyes again, still holding him close. "I hope we don't get a rude awakening in the morning." She yawned.

He hummed in agreement. "If we do, I'll kill them," he said before dozing off to sleep with the woman he loved finally in his arms.

In the next chapter, the espada move in on their targets.  And return with some sinister intel for their Master.