I wrote this very quickly so appologies for any massive errors.
Disclaimer - Does not own Bleach.
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The man jumped out of the car stumbling along as he hurried towards what appeared to be a mid teen. Fumbling as he went, with his inside jacket pocket, the object of his attention slipping through his fingers and skittering across the pavement as he arrived next to the dark, very still, figure.
"Damn it!" he cursed, as his hands scrambled around shakily, desperately trying to retrieve the lost article, eventually managing to pick it up and dial the emergency services. As the dial tone rang out, he noticed another mobile poking out of the boy's trouser pocket, blinking madly. Not remembering the phone in his other hand was making a very important call; he lifted the other one to his ear and answered. 'Ichigo' the screen on the front had said.
"Hello?" the man answered.
"Who the hell are you!?" The one supposedly called Ichigo replied, but at the same time the other call was answered.
"City Central Emergency line, how may I help you?"
The man was mildly confused at having two people speak to him.
"There's been an accident, I need an ambulance." He managed to reply, his mind slightly more coherent, concentrating on what was important.
"Ok, that's good," spoke the woman on the other end.
"What the fuck?" shouted Ichigo down the line, the man reeling slightly at the sheer volume of the outburst.
"Where are you?" Asked the woman. "We are tracing the call, but if you tell us it will speed things up."
"I, I'm about half way down town, about 100 yards off of intersection 102, junction C."
"Ah yes we have got you, services will be dispatched as soon as possible, if you need anything else in the mean time, just recall this number and ask to talk to Naisha."
With that, the phone went dead, at least that one did. The other one vibrated madly as the obviously forgotten 'Ichigo' wasn't too pleased.
"Oi, you! Who are you and what the hells happened?"
"I take it you're Ichigo?"
"Well duh, now tell me what's going on."
"There's been an accident, I hit, with my car, I'm sorry."
Ichigo sighed.
"Yes you dumb fuck I heard all that just then, WHO is it you hit and why do you have Ishida's mobile phone?"
"Ishida?" replied the man "One moment please."
The man sifted through the pockets of the body lying in front of him, stopping and replying when he found what he was after.
"It appears, that this person lying here is Ishida Uryuu."
The phone went dead.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Ichigo had never run so fast in his life, almost sprinting the entire distance. He had prayed what he was hearing on the other end of the line wasn't true, hoping to heaven it wasn't Ishida who had been hit and that his mobile had been the result of a mugger. But when he had heard that last line, his mind went blank simply homing in on one thing. Ishida was hurt; he had to get to him.
Arriving at what was quite obviously the crime scene, Ichigo was fairly put out that he'd arrived before the so-called 'Emergency' services had. He knew he should have taken his father with him, but it was too late for that now.
Ichigo surveyed the area lightly, whilst panting heavily, body bent double as he caught his breath, then he saw Ishida.
Ishida, by this time, had regained a some semblance of consciousness and was eyeballing everything almost at random, in a state of utter shock, before he suddenly felt a pair of hands close around his squeezing tightly, the owner of said hands kneeling over him blocking out the sun.
"Ichigo." He murmured out breathlessly.
"Shhh, don't speak."
"How bad is it? Cant feel my."
Ichigo hadn't taken the time to actually look at Ishida's condition, more concerned with just being there with him, but now that he looked. What the hell was that? And, could legs even bend that way? 'Oh' Ichigo thought bleakly his stomach moving for all the wrong reasons, 'this isn't good.'
Looking back at Ishida all he saw was terror and confusion in those perfect eyes. Ichigo had contemplated telling him the truth, he'd want to be told the same in this position, but on seeing that look of fear, the helplessness, Ichigo couldn't, his face relaxing into an expression only a select few got to see, pouring warmth out in a way people would think impossible for the red head.
"I've seen worse at the clinic." He lied, but on seeing how Ishida relaxed, knew it had been the right thing to do.
Just at that moment the paramedics arrived, carrying this, moving that and strapping other things to stretchers, whilst setting up what appeared to be a mini intensive care unit, Ichigo could hardly see Uryuu for all the equipment.
"Is anyone coming with him?" A uniform shouted out.
Ichigo got into the van and they drove off.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Ichigo sat, getting up every now and again, pacing around when he couldn't sit still. What was taking them so long? He'd been in that room, the one with the ominous red sign, saying 'In theatre' above its door, for how many hours now? Five? Six? He'd lost count, all of it blurring together into one unorganised mess. People; staff, friends, even people he didn't know, had all stopped and asked, recommended, he go get something to eat, the cafeteria was only down the way, but every time, they were met with a glare that could only mean one thing, push the matter and instead of coffee, they were going to be on the menu. Still Ichigo paced, ignoring their advice, he'd gone without nutrition for longer then this, as if he could waste time with eating at a time like this? What if something happened?
After, what seemed like another decade, that little red light above the door went out, Ichigo suddenly becoming very nervous, somehow pacing back and forth didn't seem quite enough. It was one thing to know Ishida was in bad shape, but it was something entirely different now he knew the verdict was about to be set. Everyone else had gone home now, darkness having fallen about an hour ago, Ichigo just hoped it was good news, what was he going to do, all alone here, if it was bad?
Slowly one of the doors to the operating room opened and an exhausted man walked through, hair still covered up, facemask pooled around his neck. Ichigo jumped towards him, the man pausing, it wasn't protocol to tell anyone anything yet, but remembering how long the red head had actually been there, the now frantic look plastered all over his face, decided to talk to him.
"Look son," the surgeon said taking Ichigo by the shoulders and sitting him down. "He's still in very bad shape, it's a miracle he's made it this far really, no one had any idea what was holding it all together in there."
Ichigo looked as if he was about to cry, the surgeon not knowing what more to say, just sitting there, thankful for the rest his feet were taking.
"Can." The Shinigami started then stopped, choking back a frog that wouldn't allow him to speak.
"Can I… can I see him?"
"That's probably not a good…" Now it was the surgeon's time to stop, pausing for a moment before continuing.
"He's important to you that one, isn't he?"
Ichigo looked up a little perplexed.
"Means the world to me." Was all he replied, his eyes mellowing slightly to the fond memories that were now flitting through his mind.
The surgeon smiled.
"Okay then, just this once, but officially this isn't allowed, so if anyone asks…"
Ichigo brightened, the pair getting up and moving inside the operating theatre, stopping a few metres away from the bed Ishida was lay in.
"Now, due to the nature of his injuries, a general anaesthetic couldn't be used, the risk was too high, so fortunately, or unfortunately he is still awake, heavily sedated, but still awake. This means you can talk to him, but be warned, going through what he did without being out cold would have been incredibly stressful, so just be careful ok? Don't get into any kind of arguments."
"Ok." Ichigo whispered out.
"Now I shall leave you to it, I need to get some rest."
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Almost painfully Ichigo moved towards Ishida's bed, the realisation of what was waiting for him when he got there, making his feet almost stick to the floor. Why was this so hard? He'd been waiting for god knows how many hours out there, then when confronted with what he truly wanted, he could barely move a muscle.
"Ichigo?" a few stray puffs of sound appeared, barely audible, but coming across rather agitated.
Whatever the reason behind his reluctance to move suddenly didn't matter as he found himself besides Ishida's bed, automatically clutching a pale hand, holding into it tightly.
"I'm here," Ichigo soothed, rubbing small circles into Ishida's palm as he spoke.
"Come closer." Ishida urged. "Cant, s"
"Shh, you don't have to speak." The carrot top interrupted, moving himself closer to his lovers face.
"Needed to see you one last time, couldn't see without my glasses."
"What you worrying for? I'm not going anywhere."
"Hold me?" Ishida requested.
"How do you suppose I am to do that?"
Ishida shuffled his hand a little indicating he wanted Ichigo to let go. After his hand was released Ishida tapped the bed next to him, showing he wanted Ichigo to get in.
"What? Are you crazy? With all those.. those things and wires and tubes connected to you? I can't get in and risk pulling those out."
"Please" Uryuu pleaded.
Ichigo melted. Then set to work, first removing his outer clothing giving him greater dexterity, and winding his way about the machines, finally coming to rest, lay behind Ishida, the dark haired boy lying at a slight angle, resting against Ichigo's body.
"There." Ichigo sighed in relief at not having upset any of the tubes. "Happy now?"
"Mmm, thank you."
Ichigo wrapped his arms slowly around the boy half on top of him, gently drawing circles on Ishida's arms with his fingers. The pair stayed that way for a few hours, both mumbling odd things to one another, nothing really making any sense, just little noises every now and again to check the other hadn't disappeared, both dipping in and out of consciousness almost willing themselves not to sleep. Eventually Ichigo noticed his boyfriends noises had stopped, realising he had given in and fallen asleep, Ichigo smiled and placed a gentle kiss to the back of his neck humming into the skin.
"I love you Uryuu," he said.
"I know I haven't told you this very often, perhaps three times, hmm maybe two times, ok then, just that one time, that day, when I suddenly blurted it out, after you did that stupid thing with the Shinigami robes. But I do, I love you, everything about you, the way you move, the way you smell, the way you feel, hmmm especially the way you feel." Ichigo tightening his hold on the smaller boy before him, as if to confirm what he had just said, but on doing so realised that the light figure he held, clasped between his arms, had become absolutely still.
"Ishida.." he barely even spoke, pressing his ear against the others chest, where he was met with nothing but silence.
Slowly Ichigo moved back, fingers combing through Ishida's hair, his body starting to shake as the tears silently began to fall. The drops impatiently crashing down his face, too stubborn to run the entire length, their path ending as they hit cheekbones. Where the droplets fell, gently caressing pale skin beneath, allowing the Quincy's pallid features to glisten one final time, the crystal liquid causing his face to shimmer before coming to rest on the sheets of the hospital bed.
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Early the next morning they were found, Ichigo having re-entwined himself with the Quincy boy, his arms wrapped all too tightly around the slight chest.
"Come on now." One of them had said. "Time to get up."
But on getting closer had discovered that both bodies were cool to the touch, the death of Ishida had really come as no surprise, the first 24 hours after surgery were critical and his condition was already worse then worse could possibly be. But Ichigo? This was totally unexpected; the autopsy had revealed nothing amiss, the only thing anyone could guess at, no matter how preposterous, was that he had died from a broken heart.
OK I KNOW MUSHY CRAP AT THE END BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT.