Chapter 2
Kyoraku went straight to the bathroom when he got home, ignoring everyone around him in the interest of getting the stench off of himself and Ukitake, and when he took off the captain's robe he'd draped him in and set the man in the tub and began to fill it he reached for Ukitake's shampoo which was a sandalwood sort of smelling stuff that he'd always preferred to Kyoraku's own shampoo. He opened the lid and set it aside and took up a cloth and soap to wash Ukitake's arm, and as he slowly washed he noted that Ukitake's eyes twitched behind his lids before going still again. He glanced up as he worked and though Ukitake's expression didn't change Kyoraku was relieved to see the lines around his mouth beginning to soften as he relaxed a little
"That's right Ju, you're home now," he murmured softly "I'll be with you from now on, it'll be okay," he knew he couldn't promise that last part, but he saw a tear form in the corner of Ukitake's eye and slowly escape down his cheek in response. Kyoraku wiped at it with the dry part of the back of his hand and he thought he felt Ukitake lean into his touch but the squad 13 captain's face remained blank. Kyoraku washed Ukitake's arms and chest, marveling anew at his friend's lean strength and wondering just how he'd kept up his physical form while in his captivity, his chest was covered in scars though not as many as his back and as Kyoraku's hands washed lower he noticed Ukitake began to shiver and his fingers twitched in agitation "It's ok, Ju," he soothed "I'm just gonna wash you," Ukitake didn't respond or stop shaking, so Kyoraku worked quickly and moved on to his back. His eyes welled with new tears as he washed the scars that had built layer upon layer and when he moved his hands down to wash Ukitake's ass he felt Ukitake's trembling slow to a stop which made Kyoraku frown. It seemed Ukitake was used to his ass being touched but he still didn't like his groin area being bothered, but Kyoraku couldn't blame him after what he suspected Ukitake had been through this last six months. Kyoraku moved on to wash his legs, then his hair and when he began to carefully rinse the now silky white mass he watched with rising emotion as Ukitake's body relaxed into a true and deep sleep and he gave him a watery smile though Ukitake continued to sleep.
It was dark now, the sky covered with millions of tiny stars, and Ukitake felt as if he hadn't seen a night sky in an entire lifetime. He watched the sky long after Kyoraku had finally passed out from exhaustion, his hand held firmly in Kyoraku's grasp despite his slumber, but Ukitake couldn't bring himself to close his eyes. Part of him feared this was just a dream, and he didn't want to go back to Los Noches, he wanted to stay here where the air itself seemed to wrap him up and welcome him back. Kyoraku snored softly, the sound familiar and soothing, and when the sky began to lighten with the coming day Ukitake's gaze automatically moved to the dresser by the door where he spotted a familiar green basket and a tea pot.
He stood on legs that were unsteady, but he had felt worse before so he didn't let it bother him, and he walked over to the pot and filled it with water before setting it on the hot plate and waiting, watching it steam gently as it heated. Watching the pot until it started to whistle, he heard Kyoraku startle awake behind him but he didn't turn to him, too intent on this familiar and long denied task, and when he finished pouring his tea he reached for the jug that was nearby and a serving dish Kyoraku rarely bothered with and brought them all outside to the porch where Ukitake sat and watched the sky for the few seconds it took for Kyoraku to stumble out after him
"Ju?" the other man ventured but Ukitake didn't speak, it had been so long since he'd formed words that he wasn't really sure he remembered how, instead he offered the jug to the other man while continuing to watch the sky lighten with soft pinks and oranges. Kyoraku settled by his side and took the jug but he set it aside and was too intent on Ukitake to watch the sky, Ukitake could feel his gaze on him filled with unspoken questions but he didn't voice any of them. He simply watched Ukitake watch the sky, and when the sky was a light blue filled with fluffy clouds a few minutes later Ukitake finally took a sip of his tea which tasted somehow sweeter knowing he'd made it himself in the soul society where he belonged. He closed his eyes for a moment to relax as he always had before, but then he saw a flash of a nightmare and his eyes snapped open again and he had to set his tea down to keep from shaking it right out of the cup. He felt Kyoraku's fingers touch his hand and he looked down to watch the bronzed and hairy hand so unlike his own hands as Kyoraku calmed him with that simple touch
'I'm just… so glad you're alive,' he wished he could say, the part of him that had loved and still loved this man knew that everything would work out now that they were together again, and he turned his palm up to take Kyoraku's hand and he heard the other man's startled indrawn breath 'I really must have been nonresponsive when he found me,' he mused 'if such a little thing thrills him,' Ukitake looked back to the sky, unable to meet Kyoraku's gaze when he felt so guilty for believing he was dead in the first place, and they sat in silence for most of the rest of the day as Ukitake just allowed himself to absorb the reishi his body had so missed. He stood when Kyoraku left for a few minutes, no doubt to get some food, and Ukitake shrugged from the sleeping robe Kyoraku must have dressed him in before going to Kyoraku's closet where Ukitake had kept a spare robe just in case of bloody messes in the past. He shrugged it on and looked around, a bit lost but knowing he was missing something as he tied his belt but then he realized what it was when he took a few steps and noticed they were light on one side.
Sōgyo no Kotowari was gone.
He looked around for it, growing increasingly frantic until Kyoraku came back with, as previously guessed at, a tray of food for them both but upon seeing Ukitake's distress Kyoraku put it down and went to him
"What is it Ju?" he coaxed and Ukitake tried to pull away to keep looking but Kyoraku held his hands tight to keep him still "I can help, what is it?" Ukitake reached a helpless hand to his hip and finally looked up at Kyoraku's face to see realization dawn "Sōgyo no Kotowari is safe, Aizen left it behind with your clothing when he took you," he soothed "I hid it in your room, we can go get it whenever you're ready," Ukitake slumped, relief nearly taking him to his knees
'I thought for sure Aizen had…' he shook his head and realized it must have been another of Kyoka Suigetsu's illusions… He frowned and looked at Kyoraku with a sudden feeling in his gut that he couldn't ignore, something suddenly seemed… off. He took a step back as suspicion bloomed, and he realized with a sickening feeling that Kyoraku's face wasn't right; he looked younger and… sober. Ukitake took another step backwards and held his hands up in front of him when Kyoraku took a step forward, his expression almost believably concerned, and Ukitake shook his head and whispered "Aizen," Kyoraku's face twisted into a frown then a smirk when he decided he was done playing
"Aww, what gave me away?" he purred in Kyoraku's voice and Ukitake felt sick when he grabbed Ukitake's wrist and yanked him closer "Was it the fact that I couldn't stomach the cheap sake you set out for me?" he wrenched Ukitake's head back by grabbing a fist full of hair and Ukitake yelped, making Aizen chuckle "Ah, seeing your love again has made your reactions all the same as the day I brought you here; I'll have to remember that next time you begin to bore me," he said then bit his neck hard and Ukitake whimpered and pushed against his chest to try and escape as tears escaped his eyes.
Kyoraku tried to soothe Ukitake as he whimpered in his sleep, the sound breaking his heart as he lightly patted the cold sweat from his forehead, and he wondered for not the first time why he had been asleep for so long. They'd been back for a week, and it seemed Ukitake was sinking deeper and deeper into his dreams which evidently were not happy ones
"His body will be struggling to absorb as much reishi as it can after being gone for so long, give him some time to recover," Unohana had said after looking him over and Kyoraku sighed as he trickled a little bit of broth into Ukitake's mouth, hoping some food would help, and Ukitake sucked in a startled breath before he sank back against the bed with a shudder. Kyoraku hoped he wasn't making his dreams worse, but for now he felt helpless and didn't know what else he could be doing. He brushed his fingers over Ukitake's brow, glad he wasn't so chilled anymore, and he carefully tucked the blankets around him before feeding him a bit more. He seemed to take this one a little better and after a short while Ukitake had drank the whole bowl which made Kyoraku feel a bit more optimistic
"How is he?" Kyoraku startled and turned to look back at the door where Yamamoto was standing, attendant free Kyoraku couldn't help but notice, and he wondered just how he'd managed to swing that; the old man never came into the inner area where the barracks were unless he had at least three people following after him
"Resting," Kyoraku said and looked back at Ukitake with a sad sigh "Unohana said he'll sleep for a while now that he's home,"
"Does anyone know what happened to him while he was captured?" Kyoraku winced and admitted
"I have an idea, judging by the scars and how he reacted when I bathed him," Yamamoto didn't ask, so evidently he got the hint
"Has he been coughing?" Kyoraku blinked in surprise and admitted
"Actually no, he's been still and quiet unless he was shaking," he realized and leaned down to listen to Ukitake as he breathed softly in his sleep "he isn't even wheezing anymore," he swallowed a bit difficultly as he slowly sat up again and turned to look at Yamamoto "what does it mean?" Yamamoto remained stone faced
"It could mean nothing, however it could also mean that the one you brought back was not the Jushiro Ukitake that was captured a half a year ago," Kyoraku shook his head
"I don't understand, he-"
"We cannot be certain until he wakes up and we can judge by his behavior," Yamamoto interrupted, making Kyoraku go cold "keep an eye on Ukitake for now, you will know the truth sooner than any of the rest of us,"