It was a cold winter day and the head of the Ukitake family, Jūsanrō was on his way home after a meeting with the head of another low ranked aristocratic clan.

It was then he saw Emi, his younger sister come running.

"Brother!"

"What's the matter Emi?"

"The... the baby is coming"

Jūsanrō's eyes widened a bit before he started to run towards their home, his sister right behind him.

"Why didn't you send a message to me earlier?"

"Akemi said she didn't want to disturb your meeting since it was important and she wasn't in that much pain.

-But before we knew it, everything went really fast"

"I see"

They hurried home and when they opened the door, they hear wails coming from down a hallway.

Jūsanrō quickly made his way down the hall to the bedroom were he found his wife and a few servants.

"Akemi..."

His wife looked tired but also very happy as she waved at him to come closer.

"Come meet our son"

He knelt next to the bed and kissed her sweaty forehead before looking down at their son.

He had black hair like his father and the hazel brown eyes of his mother.

"Isn't he beautiful, dear?"

"He is"

Jūsanrō reached out and gently placed a hand on the baby's head.

"I guess he's a Jūshirō then since we're following the traditions, said Akemi"

"Yes.

-Welcome Jūshirō Ukitake, my son and heir"

The baby let out a cooing noise which made his father smile proudly.

A while later.

There was a knock on the door and two elderly men came in.

"Father, uncle"

Jūsanrō's father Jūjirō was the former head of the family and he was now serving as the family elder along with his younger brother.

"We heard that the new heir has been born"

"He has"

Jūsanrō gently picked up his son and walked over to his father.

"Father let me introduce my son, Jūshirō"

Jūjirō looked down at the baby as he looked up at his grandfather with curiosity.

After a moment, he nodded in approval.

"I have no doubt that he will grow up to be as strong as the rest of the men in our family"

"Thank you father"

Jūjirō smiled at his son before leaving along with his brother.

Jūshirō was a good baby. He only cried when he was hungry or needed to be changed.

His parents were happy about their son but things would soon change.

Jūshirō had turned three a couple of months back.

He had now been stuck in bed of a week since he was coughing badly and he had a high fever which worried his parents. His hair had also started to turn white.

"He doesn't seem to get better, said Jūsanrō"

"What should we do, Akemi asked"

"I'll call for the family doctor"

Akemi nodded and while her husband walked down the hall to send someone to get the doctor, she walked into their son's room and knelt by his bed, stroking his soft locks.

When her husband returned with the doctor, she stepped aside so he could examine their son.

They could see a serious look spread over his face after a while.

He then stood up and pulled the quilt back over the boy.

"May I speak with you two outside?"

"Of course"

All three walked out and the worried parents looked at the doctor.

"So what's wrong with our son, Jūsanrō asked"

"I'm afraid that he has developed a very serious lung disease, that's why he's coughing so badly"

"Can you do anything?"

"Sadly I can't. I meet one person with the same disease about two years ago and there is no cure for it.

-The disease is also... fatal"

Akemi started to cry into her husband's shoulder when she heard that.

"There has to be something you can do. How did he get it anyway?"

"That's what I'm wondering as well. I checked the young master the day after he was born and he showed no signs of being born with it"

Jūsanrō looked at the doctor and then at his crying wife"

"I won't accept this. My son will not die at this young age"

"My lord, everyone will tell you the same thing"

"It doesn't hurt to try. Jūshirō's life has just begun and I won't let it end here"

The next day, the couple took their son to every doctor they knew and everyone told them the same thing, their son was dying due to the disease.

"What should we do, Akemi asked"

"There is only one more thing I can think of"

"What is that?"

"Mimihagi"

"But dear..."

"It's the only thing left that I can think of.

-It's either trying to pray for our son's survival or we'll lose him"

Akemi nodded and they made their way to the outskirts of the 78th district of east Rukongai were they found a shirne.

They walked inside were Jūsanrō placed their son in front of them before they knelt and bowed.

"Mimihagi-sama please save our son. Please do something... anything"

A humanoid entity with a body shaped like an arm and a clenched right fist then appeared before them.

It had a single large eye on the back of the fist, wore a simple tunic and a large band encircled the area behind the fist.

This was Mimihagi, a falled god and the right hand of the Soul King.

"Save him you say"

"Yes. Please Mimihagi-sama"

Mimihagi remained silent as the large eye studied the dying child.

"I shall grant your request. I will remove the child's sick lungs and take their place to help him survive.

-But a word of warning"

"What is it?"

"While I will remove his sick lungs, he will still suffer from attacks from time to time. Especially if he's too worked up, too hot or cold"

The couple looked at each other before Jūsanrō bowed his head.

"As long as he survives, we'll manage those times"

"Very well. I shall then take the place of the child's lungs. Once I've entered his body, take him home and let him rest until he wakes up"

"Understood"

Mimihagi then started to glow before vanishing.

The couple then noticed that Jūshirō was breathing easier.

They then made their way home were Jūsanrō placed their son in his bed.

"Now we just have to wait until he wakes up like Mimihagi said"

A servant then appeared in the door"

"Lord Jūjirō wishes to see you, master"

"I'm coming"

Jūsanrō stood up, leaving his wife with their son while he went to his father's room.

"You wanted to see me father"

"I did.

-You went to see Mimihagi didn't you"

"We did"

"And the child?"

"Mimihagi agree to save him. It's residing within him now, keeping him alive"

"I see"

Jūjirō then turned to look at his son.

"In that case, I want you and your wife to produce another heir"

"What?!"

"There's no telling how long the boy will survive even with the powers of the fallen god within him.

-So I want you to have another child to take his place if that happens"

"Father! You're talking as if he would die any day"

"You never know"

Jūsanrō sighed and stood up.

"It's my son's birthright to become the next head of our family. Sure, my wife and I may have more children in the future but I won't take away that title from my son"

He then left the room, angered by his father's words.

He walked back to his son's room were his wife still was.

"What did you father want to see you about?"

"He told me that he wanted us to have another child and make that child the heir"

"Why?"

"He doesn't believe that Jūshirō will live that long even with Mimihagi's powers"

"So what did you say?"

"I told him that we may have more children but I would never give our son's birthright to another child.

-He will live long enough to grow old and have a family of his own, I'm sure of it"

"Let's hope you're right, dear"

A few days later.

Jūsanrō was away from the house for the day and Akemi hadn't left their son's side the entire morning.

As she sat on his bedside and stroke his hair, his eyes opened.

"Mommy"

Akemi had trouble holding back tears as she knelt down on the floor and hugged her son.

"How are you sweetie?"

"Okay"

"That's good"

She let go of him and called out to a servant that passed the room to send a message to her husband.

"Mommy why are you crying?"

"I'm just glad to see you're awake. You've been very sick sweetie but you're finally getting better"

"Sick?"

"Yes. Your dad and I were worried but it's alright now"

Akemi then sat down on the bed again and a while later, her husband appeared in the door.

"I got back as fast as I could. What happened?"

Akemi smiled and moved aside slightly so Jūsanrō could see his son's face.

"Hi daddy"

A big smile spread over Jūsanrō's face as he walked over to them and knelt down, placing a hand on his son's head.

They were relieved that their son had woken up like Mimihagi promised and as days passed, he got better until he was back up on his feet again.

Author's notes:

The names of Jūshirō's grandfather means 12th son while his father's name means 13th son.

Seeing how Jūshirō's name means 14th son, I made it into a tradition that the oldest is named after the generation they're born in.

I have no idea if Mimihagi can speak but since Pernida could and for the sake of this story, I made it able to speak.