a formal affair | urayoru

i

Kisuke Urahara made his way down the pristine halls of the Shihon Manor, his tabi gliding noiselessly on the specially polished floor. There was going to be a party that night and he was expected to attend it. Rich people did parties like no one else and Nobles took it to a whole other level. A quick glance downward confirmed that he could, in fact, see his reflection through the floor. Wide, too innocent grey eyes. Shaggy, too long blond hair that always got in his eyes. Features that were slowly changing, as Tessai put it, from boy to man. He didn't look like a Noble, especially not at the moment.

"Watcha doin'?" came the question as suddenly his reflection was joined by another one. One with gold eyes, chocolate skin and a cascade of purple hair.

"These floors are really shiny," he commented, as if he investigates some of his many inventions.

"I know, you can see up girl's skirts if you want." A mischievous voice from behind—which he was so familiar by now, that he didn’t need to turn his head to recognise whom it belongs—teased him.

He had gotten used to Yoruichi's strange comments in his few years living at the Shihon Manor. In the beginning he had called her all kinds of titles until she pointed out they were the same age and when he did that everyone thought that he was addressing someone important and got really disappointed when she showed up. He pointed out that she was a Princess and should be addressed with respect. She pointed out that just because she was a girl it didn't mean she couldn't—and wouldn't—kick his ass. He had quickly caught on that she was to be addressed as Yoruichi just as he was Kisuke and that was that.

"Why'd I wanna see a girl's skirts?" he demanded, he was only interested in her skirt.

"I dunno," she shrugged, "I'm just saying you can and these balls get boring."

Urahara gulped. This was, in fact, his first ball. He was always too young to go before or too new to the family. But they had said he was old enough now and so he had been measured and scrubbed and poked and prodded until he felt far more like a science experiment than anything else. Yoruichi went to the balls because she had to but she always left early. Not this time. This time they would be going for real. They were both in their teens by Soul Society standards. Old enough to begin to learn to fight and train for the Shinigami Academy. Old enough to do all sorts of things. Old enough to attend balls.

"You've never been to one for the whole thing either!" Urahara cried.

"Of course not silly," Yoruichi said rolling her eyes, "but now that you're going too we can keep each other company!"

"I guess," he said, "so what's your mom making you wear this time?"

"You don't want to know," Yoruichi said crossing her arm with a huff, "any longer and I swear my hair would have windchimes in it if she thought it'd look nice," Urahara had to fight to keep from laughing, "well what do you have to wear huh?" Yoruichi demanded glaring at him.

"Green," he said, "your mom said it looked nice on me."

"Green?" Yoruichi's golden eyes narrowed, "Green? I'm stuck in more shades of silk than I knew existed and all you have to wear is freaking green?" Urahara grinned.

Yoruichi felt her insides go into knots. She had always really liked Kisuke Urahara, from the moment her father had brought the orphan home with him. He had actually come along with Tessai who was a Kido prodigy. Kido prodigies were very rare and when her father had tried to taken him he had wound up with Kisuke as well. Yoruichi liked Tessai too but he was always busy with training and such that she never really saw him. Initially she hadn't seen much of Kisuke either since the boy had been so terrified of getting something in his new surroundings dirty that he hadn't come out of his room for the first week he had been there. One day instead of letting the servants do it she had been the one to come and bring him food. Slowly she had gotten him out of the room and into the daily life of a Shihon.

But lately she had been the one who felt like running into a room. She was lucky it was hard to tell when she blushed because she felt as though her cheeks were on fire. Usually it only happened when he smiled or their hands touched not during fighting. It was like butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach. She knew her mother would just dismiss those feelings as foolishness. Nobles did not let their emotions rule them. She knew that was being beaten into her, even if she didn't really believe it herself.

"Are you okay?" Urahara asked, his voice soft and concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said smiling, "I gotta go get ready for the ball."

"But its hours away!"

"I know," Yoruichi said turning to go, "I'm already late to get ready."

She bounded off down the hall. Urahara watched her go, something twisting inside of him. He didn't like it when Yoruichi's eyes went sad and thoughtful, like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders. He liked her smiling or teasing him, he liked her happy. But more than that, he wanted to be the one who made her happy. Even if she hadn't saved him, which she had, he still wanted to save her in return. But, of course, some Prince would do that. No matter what she said she was still a Princess and he was still the orphan that came with the Kido prodigy. Frowning slightly he turned and walked off to get ready on his own.