Mwahahaha! I have finaly written some IchigoHanataro utter FLUFF! This pairing is my current craving and it's been driving me nuts! But here it is! Hopefully it's not utter crap.

He'd been dreaming. No. He'd been having a nightmare. Now that he was awake, he was unsure what it had been about. But whatever it had been, his heart was in his throat and sweat was pouring down his body.

The pain hit him quickly when he'd sat bolt upright and if any shards of the nightmare were left over, they were forgotten in that instance. He let out a gasp, clutching his stomache and dropping back to the floor.

He closed his eyes for a moment, willing the hurting to go away with. When he re-opened them he found himself looking at a pale face curtained by dark hair. And two dark, wide eyes peering down at him with worry. Hanataro Yamada.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?"

"Are you kidding me? My insides feel like their burning!" Ichigo replied. He found that his throat was dry and scratchy. How long had he been out?

"I'm sorry. Your healing. But it's a slow and painful process I'm afraid. You need to stay still."

He didn't want to stay still. He wanted to get back out there. To continue looking for Rukia. The longer he waited the worse her chance of survival got.

"Water." He mumbled, closing his eyes again. "I need a drink of water."

"Water? You'll have to wait until Ganju gets back. There's no water here. And I can't just leave you all alone." Hanataro replied.

It would figure. Ganju would be gone when he was needed for something. He was so thirsty... Then it clicked and he opened his eyes to fix Hanataro with a questioning look.

"Where did he go?" Ichigo asked.

"We were almost found. He slipped out to lead them away."

Ichigo found that his eyelids were once again getting heavey and he let them slip shut once again. He lay there, trying to ignore his wounds. As he was starting to drift off again, he felt fingers brush across his forhead, wiping sweat away. He wanted to open his eyes but he was too tired.

"Hanataro?"

"Mmm?"

He no longer felt the fingers brushing across his brow, and it had been so light he wondered if he'd imagined them. Not that it really mattered now as sleep was overtaking him. He didn't get to ask his question as he slipped into welcome unconciousness.

Hanataro just smiled a little as he kneeled beside the sleeping soul reaper.

"Sweet dreams, Ichigo."

Owari