"Aizen, can we talk for a moment?"
The mere thought that Aizen might have designs on Kensei's chastity made Yoruichi felt cold all over. She had to clarify Aizen's intentions towards Kensei. What if Kensei develops a trauma from this kind of thing? I'd be at a huge loss!
This absolutely cannot happen. I will protect Kensei's chastity!
Aizen was somewhat confused why the Shihōin woman suddenly looked at Kensei with pity, then at him with anger. However, he had no interest in understanding this woman's thoughts. Since she dared to invite him for a conversation, retreating was not an option.
After repeatedly warning Kensei not to touch the instruments, Aizen calmly followed Yoruichi up to the wooden house used as camouflage above the lab.
Leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, Yoruichi stared at Aizen, feeling increasingly awkward. After much hesitation, she finally spoke: "Aizen, you don't have any strange thoughts about Kensei, do you?"
Aizen was somewhat bewildered by Yoruichi's question. He adjusted his glasses and retorted: "What do you think, Miss Shihōin?"
"I think you have inappropriate thoughts about Kensei."
The air froze for a few seconds around them. Aizen's expression was unusually stiff. In those few seconds, his mind raced through his entire life.
Aizen rubbed her throbbing temples, suddenly understanding where Yoruichi's previous menacing gaze had come from.
Indeed, everyone around Kensei seemed a bit off...
"You better confess! I don't want a grown man constantly thinking about Kensei!"
Yoruichi was genuinely flustered, especially since this man lived with Kensei every day. Soul King, please, even if Kensei ends up like Shunsui Kyōraku with an inappropriate relationship with his Zanpakutō, just don't let him be led astray by this kind of man.
"I see. Miss Shihōin's imagination is truly extraordinary."
Aizen let out a soft breath, like a scholar finally understanding a monkey's thoughts. He raised a hand, channeled his spiritual pressure, and removed the disguise on himself as if tearing off a piece of canvas.
After the aura of the spirit dissipated, what appeared before Yoruichi was a woman with long, flowing brown hair, wearing glasses, possessing a cool and aloof air that also exuded intellect. Moreover, the obvious curves of her body beneath her clothes made Yoruichi involuntarily compare herself. A pity. I'm no match for that department right now.
Yoruichi froze on the spot. This kind of unfolding left her speechless. She even began to doubt whether Aizen was using Kyōka Suigetsu to deceive her again.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't use my Zanpakutō for such a meaningless thing," Aizen calmly explained to Yoruichi, her voice noticeably clearer compared to her male disguise. "Now, Miss Shihōin, you can put away that unnecessary hostility now."
Aizen adjusted her glasses, continuing with a rational analysis: "Taking a step back, even if I had harbored the special feelings you imagined towards Kensei Kenzuru, I wouldn't have caused him any unnecessary harm."
Yoruichi opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. While the scenario she had imagined earlier wouldn't happen, this didn't seem like good news either.
"Of course." Aizen took a step forward, her superior gaze scrutinizing Yoruichi through her glasses. "From an objective standpoint, I believe I seem more suitable to stand by his side than you, whether in terms of physical structure or personal understanding of Kensei Kenzuru."
Ignoring Aizen's verbal provocation, Yoruichi, having processed the shock of Aizen's drastic gender reassignment, narrowed her eyes and questioned: "Since your disguise is so perfect, why reveal the truth to me?"
"I naturally have my own considerations. But I can tell you two reasons." Aizen glanced slightly at the ground, as if she could see Kensei causing trouble in the lab below. "First, I don't want your personal assumptions to disrupt my daily life with Kensei. Showing you the facts is the most efficient way to dispel your doubts. Second, as someone of noble birth, you should understand that sometimes a secret can be a bargaining chip for exchanging trust."
As if imagining a scenario where Kensei was caught between her and Yoruichi, Aizen smiled confidently: "I don't want our pointless conflict to bring Kensei unnecessary emotional burden. As his current friend, I don't want to put him in an awkward position."
"Therefore, I will try to trust the people Kensei cares about, even though it goes against the principles I've always adhered to."
Yoruichi listened silently to Aizen's explanation. The wariness in her golden eyes was gradually replaced by complex emotions. Perhaps Aizen Sōsuke's way of doing things is indeed not very trustworthy, but the feelings for Kensei in her eyes couldn't be faked.
"Alright. I'll believe you this time." Yoruichi sighed softly, releasing her arms and extending a hand to express her goodwill.
"An intelligent decision." Aizen calmly shook her hand. A temporary reconciliation was reached between them, at least in front of Kensei.
"Sōsuke! If you don't deal with Mashō's corpse soon, I'm afraid he'll turn back into Reishi!"
The familiar voice came from downstairs. Aizen felt her blood pressure rising slightly. Reapplying her disguise, Aizen stepped downstairs to handle Mashō's corpse. A rare Captain-level specimen couldn't be wasted.
"Aizen, aren't you afraid someone will steal Kensei away? After all, this guy is always boasting about wanting a huge harem."
"The sun in the sky can warm many flowers in a garden, but the only one who can understand and respond to the sun is the moon that shares the same starry sky."
Aizen's voice was steady and normal, as if stating a truth.
Yoruichi raised an eyebrow: "So confident? Not afraid of being caught off guard?"
"This is an inevitable conclusion based on my analysis of our respective talents. In the end, the one destined to keep pace with him and walk beside him will only be me."
If Kensei were here, he'd probably recall the phrase he'd heard before: "As long as this Empress lives, you all will remain mere consorts." It seemed quite fitting for Aizen's current demeanor.
Kensei watched Aizen return to the lab and casually tossed Mashō's corpse over. "If you don't hurry up and process it, it's going to start smelling."
Aizen caught it steadily, skillfully placing the corpse into a specially made preservation container. Although a Captain-level Shinigami's Reishi doesn't participate in the Three Realms Spiritual Cycle after death, it can't maintain its physical form and will disperse into wandering Reishi in the Soul Society.
A dark figure flashed through the lab. Yoruichi skillfully jumped in... She wrapped her arms around Kensei's neck and nuzzled his cheek like a cat.
"Hey, Yoruichi, what are you doing?!"
"Just used Shunkō and Ikotsu. Now I feel so tired I can't walk anymore." Yoruichi rubbed against Kensei's waist with his legs, giving Aizen a defiant look. "I need you to carry me so I can rest and recover my strength."
"Then behave yourself!"
Aizen's eyes were calm, unconcerned, focused on the experiment in her hands.
Just an in-heat stray cat. Not worth wasting time on.
Only the cracked test tube in her hand conveyed a different message...
***
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