With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
She had been in a semi-conscious state, eyes having fought to remain open all the way to the hospital. Though at times those scarlet hues rolled back, the single thought of her lover being so close had kept her awake. The redhead truly feared that the moment her eyes closed, that the raven haired beauty would vanish, ultimately bringing an end to what she felt could only be a dream. Having only left a note that filled her with worry, Kyra had thrown herself into her work, hoping that by devoting her time to her division, it would ultimately help ease the pain and fear dwelling deep within her heart. However, as time continued to pass, the hole in her chest only continued to grow, with endless thoughts of worry and restful nights alluding her.
Her time within the Menos Forest became a blur of misery and despair. She had fought so desperately to keep the darkness from invading her soul, but eventually, doubt and self-loathing conquered her heart. She had given up on her fight, on life... on ever seeing her lover again. When she could not find anything else to blame, she blamed herself. She hated herself, feeling as though she had pushed the woman away, that she left not simply in fear of hurting her, but because she could not help. The constant doubt, guilt, and self-loathing inevitably pulled her into a downward spiral, and her Inner Hollow jumped at the opportunity to take control.
But then... she had heard her voice.
"Ai..." Kyra continued to mutter the girl's name while in her incoherent state, her head resting against the taller woman's soft chest. Her body, her spirit, her mentality; they all had been through hell and back. Yet, she still fought to keep herself awake. She feared if she allowed herself to rest, that the warmth against her flesh, the soothing voice of reassurance that came every so often, the faint scent of baptisia australis would fade from existence completely, which forced a single hand to grip loosely at the top-most cloth wrappings around her ample chest. Even as the medical team attempted to separate the two in order to heal them, the Fifth Division Captain fought weakly against them, arm stretched out to where her clouded vision caught those long, silk ebony strands, and dark azure hues that rivaled the flames of Kyra's Zanpakuto.
Nevertheless, in her weakened state, her protests were easily subdued. The next few hours, the woman faded in and out of consciousness, at first fighting the treatments and ignoring the temptation of sleep. With medication and healing treatment from the Kido practitioners of the Fourth however, the petite, fragile woman had unwillingly found rest. Visions of their shared past filtered into her dreams, and her mind succumbed to the welcoming embrace of serenity that the images brought, blanketing over all the gloom and sadness she had felt over her lover's disappearance. When the faint scent of blue wild indigo reached her senses, those crimson hues began to faintly open, blinking away the blurry darkness that clouded her vision. While her body felt completely drained and sore, her head turned to find that very woman, sitting at her bedside, their fingers interlocked.
Her lip quivered as a wave of emotions hit her all at once. Kyra took in a shaky breath, feeling her entire body trembling over her conflicting emotions. Her hand squeezed lightly against Ai's own, the notion more likely than not awakening her from her own slumber. Those scarlet hues dared not to even blink as moisture collected, blurring her vision faintly. When the woman finally did wake fully, Kyra could do little to fight off the desires swirling heavily within her heart. Without warning, Kyra lifted her body to sit up from her bed. Her arms reached out and around the woman's neck as she buried her face into the woman's chest. Her body trembled, fists grabbing the back of the woman's white kimono, fighting the tears that began to fall from her eyes. She began sobbing silently, controlled at first, and continued to shake slightly within her lover's embrace. She feared to let go... to pull away... to do anything but remain in her arms.
To day that Ai was drained of nearly everything had she left to offer by the time they returned to Soul Society, especially to Seireitei, would be a grand understatement. Had there not been people at the gates to great them, Ai was not exactly certain how much further she could go on. The only thing keeping her going was the woman she carried in her arms, the only thing she still had love in her heart for. The only one who could ever keep Ai going was the lovely crimson haired captain, Kyra.
She was all that Ai wanted to return back to...
When they were parted from company the 4th Division infirmary Kido healing specialists to tend to their wounds. While the healing specialists initially tried to part them to carry them off to be tended, Kyra continued to meekly cling to her in her weakened state. Ai only smiled warmly in response letting Kyra grasp onto her for as long as she could, she did not want to resist--nor break from Kyra's touch any sooner than she had to. She dearly missed holding her close to her breast, and just being within their presence of their love for another. It was something she missed and desperately yearned for again.
But it was some time before Ai could get back onto her feet again after the battle they both had suffered--insde and out. Albeit, Ai was eager to get back on her feet again, and perhaps rushed her recovery a little sooner than she should have. But, it did not matter to her, she can always find rest at other times and places, all she wanted now was to be there when Kyra woke.
Ai lost track how long she sat at Kyra's bedside, then again--she never exactly paid attention to how much time passed. It was a useless detail to her, all that mattered to her was being there when Kyra's beautiful eyes openned once again. So there she sat time slipping past without her ever having really noticed it as she watched over her the woman who held her heart.
Then... those crimson hues begun to crack open, and there were met by the gaze of Ai's midnight blues and warm, gentle smile. Truthfully it was a look of relief to see that Kyra had finally come to, for it could not happen sooner for Ai, she wanted the girl back. There was a realization Ai had that she needed Kyra, she needed to know that she was there for her, she had grown dependent upon that. And what tore at Ai's heart was in turn realizing she had not been there for Kyra, and had only served to cause her heartache with her disappearances. It was a question Ai was terrified to have an answer for: How often was she going to fail Kyra? Ai did not want answer, or even know that there was one. For the wall of her failures was already stacked too high, and failing Kyra would add more bricks to it than she can handle--thus did not even want to think about it. Selfish? Perhaps so, but it was the only way Ai in all her flaws knew how to cope with the guilt she felt in knowing she hurt Kyra.
Abruptly Kyra sat up and clung onto her tightly. It surprised Ai at first, but she did nothing to stop her lover, letting her grab hold of her--as tight as she wanted. Though the weight of Kyra's tears crushed Ai's heart, and further tore it apart--it was the pain she had caused the woman she loved realized, and could no longer try to ignore. She gently rest her head against Kyra's head as tears fell from the far corners of Ai's midnight hues. With all the affection she had, she lovingly wrapped her arms around Kyra and held close against her; so they both could feel the warmth of the other's body against there own, perhaps even feel one another's heart beating together... She missed that warmth, smell of that fiery hair, the smoothness of her fair skin... the embrace of this woman was what she truly knew as home. The only one she had left.
Gently she laid Kyra back down on the bed after a time of holding one another. Ai slipped out of the white kimono that she had on as standard wear for infirmary patients, and slipped into the simple hospital bed with Kyra. Ai did not care if anyone walked in on them. All she wanted was to be there with the woman she loved, and continue holding her close against her. And that is precisely what she did. Laying on her side, she layed there beside Kyra in the bed under its white sheets with her, and holding the woman dear in her arms. All the while the fingertips of an idle hand affectionately ran through Kyra's long silky crimson locks.
It was not long until she gently closed her eyes as she met Kyra's soft lips against her own. A kiss from the girl she loved, she yearned for it for too long. An act so simple, yet the expression of its intimacy makes all the worlds and dimensions simply fade away into nothing so its only two participants can experience lifetimes worth of love between them in only that one moment. To finally experience that again, there was no measure to the happiness Ai felt from it, it was everything Ai could ever want given to her... even if perhaps she felt that she did not deserve it. But it was a selfishness that Ai would never deny herself...
The young Vizard had tried her best to keep her composure, but in seeing her lover after what had felt like an eternity was far too much for her to bare. Her emotions were worn on her sleeve as she continued to sob silently into the woman's chest. Her tender embrace was all she had ever desired, and to finally have what her heart desired, the redhead could do little to fight against the tears, nor the trembling of her own body. Soon enough, she had settled, her sobs reduced to a mute whimper and childish sniffling. Too long... it had been too long since she had felt this warmth against her body. This faint yet familiar sensation had truly been missed through countless nights of worry and guilt; worry for her lover, and guilt that she could not aid the woman she loved in her troubles.
Soon, she was returned back to the bed, her body both physically and emotionally exhausted, too tired to truly protest against being laid to rest. Crimson hues followed the elder Vizard's actions as she slipped from the hospital robes and lifted the sheets to join her in the bed. Kyra happily obliged, nudging herself toward the edge so the woman had plenty of room. Her outer hand moved to those silk ebony strands, allowing that fresh flower-scent to flood her sense. Crimson focused intently upon azure as her other hand found its way to interlock with her own, her small fingers curling against the back of the woman's hand with a faint, yet firm grip. She could do little but stare into those cobalt hues, her own seemingly unable to produce further tears, shaking and trembling as much as her own heart.
Then, the woman embraced her, her hands moving in a similar fashion through her own thick scarlet mane. It made her heart skip a beat as she leaned her head into the woman's loving touch, like any feline would to being pet behind the ear. Such an affectionate touch had always been her weakness, one that only her lover would know. Her legs willingly locked around the woman's own beneath the sheets as she held the shorter girl close. As her eyes continued to gaze longingly into Ai's own, she felt her heart jump once more as their lips met, which brought forth a passion beyond all understanding and comprehension, sending her into a euphoric trance.
Kyra met Ai's lips with a passionate response of her own. Her eyes closed as her body seemed to melt against the elder woman's own, pressed firmly against that warmth as her outer leg hooked behind Ai's. A painful comfort formed within her chest, which brought her heart to race. To be locked with the one she loved so deeply, to forever feel that warmth against her skin... it was a childish dream that Kyra had long since desired, and at that moment, she wished time would simply stop to allow her selfish desires to be fulfilled. Her body moved of its own accord, keeping that right leg hooked momentarily, her calf rubbing in a soothing manner against the woman's own as it moved up her leg, and in keeping their affectionate kiss to last for an eternity, she subconsciously rolled on top of the woman, her small, frail frame certainly lighter than most would assume as she laid atop.
She pressed her entire form against Ai, straddling her torso and curling into her lover's body. She cared not of the world around her; everything could have been crashing down upon them, even to the point of Armageddon. So long as the woman she loved was within reach, it mattered not. Ai had finally come back to her. With a racing heart and panting breath, she pulled away briefly and nuzzled her face against the woman's neck, breathing in deeply the scent she had missed for too long. Her warm breath reached the woman's neck as her lips soon follow, trailing to the woman's ear as she held her tightly close.
