Brought Back To Life

Back together... but for how long

As they walked, Ichigo couldn't help but continuously sneak glances of the purple haired woman walking next to him. Occasionally their eyes would meet and he would, of course, turn away blushing wildly.

She grinned every time. Yoruichi had missed this blush. The life of a noble provided few opportunities for banter and teasing, so she was going to make sure to get her fill. However, she was sure Ichigo had tons of questions and she had a few of her own.

"So how is life been for you?," he began. Ok, so it was kind if cliche, but Ichigo really just wanted to get her talking. "It has to be more exciting than life in the world of the living."

"Exciting is one way to put it," Yoruichi grumbled. "Thanks to your efforts, Central 46 dropped all charges against me, Kisuke and the Visoreds. They're still here in the world of the living."

"That's great! Right?", he asked, not sure of her tone.

"It is, it is," she said. "My clan also accepted me back with open arms. There's even been whispers of me resuming my post as clan leader."

"...wow..." Ichigo muttered

"Yeah, wow. So my last year and a half has been getting reacclimatized to noble life, and resuming some old responsibilities. If I'm not careful, I may just turn into Byakuya," she joked.

Ichigo snorted, involuntarily laughing at the absurdity of the notion of Yoruichi being like Byakuya. His laugh felt weird. He hadn't done it, for real, in so long that he had forgotten how good it felt. "I could never see you becoming a pompous ass like that, haha. You would have to wear a ridiculously expensive scarf and walk around with a stick up your ass all day."

Yoruichi cracked up, she had actually told Byakuya the same thing when she had last seen him in Soul Society. "Enough about me for the moment, what about you? How has life been for the great hero?"

'Hero, my ass,' Ichigo mentally scoffed. "Eh, not too bad. Kept my grades up, graduated and I've been training a lot. You know, just keeping busy." He tried to make it seem as positive as possible. No need to burden Yoruichi with his struggles, she obviously had enough on her plate, plus he didn't want to risk scaring her away with his depression.

"I see that you've been training! Trying to impress a lucky lady there, Ichigo?" She couldn't help it, for some reason, she just had to ask. One, his muscles were...'So damn hot', and two...was there someone on his mind?

"Nonono, nothing like that," he quickly replied, making her smirk. "I've just been...trying to keep in shape, you know?" He was obviously trying to hide his how his workouts were his way of coping with his bitter depression, so she relented-still not fully satisfied with his answer. At this point they were entering the shopping district of Karakura. They entered a small ramen shop and placed orders for food.

"So no new girlfriend to go with those new muscles and hairdo?", she asked, trying to tease an answer out of him. 'Just tell me, dammit!'

"Uhh, no. I don't really have time for dating," he mumbled, desperately hoping for a change in topic. He couldn't let her know that she was in both his conscious and unconscious thoughts. "How about you? You must have suitors lined up throughout the Seireitei!", he joked. He saw her eyes narrow.

"Ugh, you have no idea. It's insufferable. Apparently, being reintroduced to nobility means having to put up with a ton of puffed up suitor peacocks who want to marry your position or your body," she grumbled.

For some reason, Ichigo found her dismissal of all these 'peacocks' to be a very positive thing. Still, the idea that so many were trying mysteriously annoyed the hell out of him.

"Well, I'm sure one will work out for you. I mean, there has to be one good one in all those crowds, ne?," he asked, hoping to lighten her mood, but also not minding if she were to put down the peacocks again.