A/N: In all honesty, the Bleach fanfics that are posted, are updated based on two things:
1) Available chapters. I have 1000+ fanfics, 200+ are Bleach (97% are IchiHitsu)
2) Reviews; the more reviews, the more I feel like it should be updated.
Chapter 04
Bitter Deals
Now—
"Well, nothing has changed from what I can see in these files that were brought here." The doctor stated to the large group waiting in the hallway outside Ichigo's room. "Kurosaki still needs a donor."
Everyone was disappointed to hear this, but there were some that were still confused about the things that they were talking about. It seemed that Ikkaku, Renji, and Rukia were aware of the cancer that was taking over this Strawberry's life for the past couple of years. The doctor looked at them unhappily as he had to ask the question that everyone knew he had to confirm every single time.
"Have you all been tested for your friend?"
"I want to be tested, but…" Momo looked over at other Shinigami. "Are we allowed to?"
"There are two possible donors in this hallway." A voice called out cheerfully. Everyone looked.
"Urahara-san…" Renji called in surprise to see the man. "I suppose you heard the news then?"
"Never mind that," Uryuu glared. "Who are the two that are capable of saving Kurosaki's life!"
Urahara Kisuke brought a hand out towards the two. "Naturally, I take care of bodies, and I tested all of you before you left for the trip. Hinamori-Fukutaichou is a partial match, but Hitsugaya-Taichou is a complete match surprisingly enough." He then settled his hand down. "It didn't make sense when Kurosaki-san asked me not to take blood samples, but I didn't listen, and two candidates appear!"
"I can start chemotherapy with him immediately while testing the two possible donors, with their consent." The doctor stated, glancing over to the two. "Will you be willing to go through some tests?"
"Yes, we are!" Momo quickly turned to Toushirou, shaking his arm. "You're going to do the tests too!"
"It's perfectly safe in your bodies. Their molded to be as if it were your own. So your blood will be legit."
Toushirou took a step back, glaring at them. "I'll go along with these tests. But I have some questions."
"Yes, of course. What would you like to know?" The doctor was ready to answer any of his questions.
"No, not about the tests." He turned to the others. "Some of you knew about his condition. How? Why?"
Rukia frowned as Renji held her in his arms. "I found out that he had leukemia and told Renji, Ichigo was angry about it. I offered to be tested, but he did not want anything from me after we broke up earlier."
"I was fighting with Ichigo in the barracks and Ikkaku-san over heard the argument." Renji added quietly.
"Ichigo's the only one who can tell anyone." Ikkaku grumbled as he looked at everyone. "Ichigo has his own reasons to keep things to himself." He looked to the captain. "He has to protect himself, too."
"That doesn't give me the answer that I want." Toushirou looked to the doctor. "I want to talk to him."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, he's unconscious right now." The doctor bowed. "But he needs help."
He tried to think about the entire thing before feeling Momo's gaze on him. "Hurry up and test us."
"Thank you Hitsugaya-kun!" Momo embraced him happily before turning to the man. "We're ready!"
"Yes… right this way." The doctor escorted them. "His therapy will take three days."
"I'll go too, I'm their doctor and guardian in Karakura Town!" Kisuke smiled as he joined the two.
Who else would be able to explain the lack of their medical records.
After testing, it was true that they were both matches for Ichigo, but the captain would be the safer donor for the man. Things were going too fast that he left the hospital to breathe as he sat on the rim of a water fountain that was frozen over. He was very confused right now since he felt betrayed that Ichigo did not tell him that he was in seriously poor conditions. There were many clues that he did not bother to put together because Ichigo was Ichigo; he made it seem like nothing to worry about. Why should he have to help someone that would not fully trust him, why should he put his neck on the line for Ichigo?
With that thought, he brought the camera out. 'Why should I help you…' He went to the last clip, and became confused when finding himself sleeping, whereas Ichigo held the camera, talking to it.
"It doesn't matter who sees this clip, but it will probably be Toushirou. I have a rare case of leukemia, I have been on the verge of the cancer for some time now, but only acted up last month." Ichigo stopped to watch Toushirou stir under the covers, but settled down slowly to return to sleep. "Keeping it from Hinamori has been getting harder, so I'll be going to the hospital tonight… assuming I'll make it there—"
The clip stopped there, and Toushirou looked at the time. "That was right before I woke…"
He went backwards to the clip before that, and watched as Ichigo tease him on the bed with touches—he sped the clip up for a while until they were both on the bed, collapsed. "Toushirou." Ichigo panted weakly, but Toushirou knew that he was passed out after their event together. "Would it be cruel to tell you in your sleep, that I really admire you?" Toushirou pulled the camera away from his face, confused. "You're strong and soft, you're firm but gentle, and I bet that you don't even know it." The man pulled the white bangs from the sleepers face before leaning over and turning off the camera for the night.
Toushirou turned off the camera, sighing. "…you bastard." Why did he say such things?
"…Taichou?" Rangiku called out softly; worried about the captain.
He hid the camera in his pocket. "This is your fault." He mumbled.
Her head cocked to the side for being accused. "What did I do?"
Toushirou did not answer her as he hugged one knee to his chest in order to bury his face into his arms as he thought deeply. As he took in a deep breath, he could smell Ichigo all over his clothing since he did not have the chance to change before coming to the hospital. It was two in the morning, he was tired, sore, and unbelievably hungry, yet he ignored everything as he tried to think things through. Ichigo's words on the camera affected him too much to be ignored; they sleep together once, and this happens.
"I open up to someone, and this happens." His muttered under his breath, staring at the frozen fountain.
"Open up…?" It then started to hit her as she understood. "Taichou, did you open up to Ichigo tonight?"
He looked away quickly, trying to hide the blush that crept up on his face. "Yes." He answered shyly.
Rangiku wanted to tease him so badly. "Taichou," she frowned. "Ichigo can die without your help."
"Then why could he not be a man and tell me to my face about his cancer? Why not Hinamori?"
"He's twenty years-old, not one hundred and twenty." She knelt down. "He's still a kid."
Toushirou hid his face completely as he painfully thought to himself. 'So am I…'
"Taichou… if Ichigo dies, he won't be going to Soul Society. He's done everything that he had to in his life as it is." Rangiku frowned softly. "There's nothing holding him back from moving on to Heaven… so—"
"I'll make a deal with you." The captain whispered, looking at her over his arm. "I do this for him, and I never hear you trying to form a deal with me again." He looked away quietly now. "Is that understood?"
Her lips curved upward weakly. "He got to you, hasn't he?" She watched the slight red in his cheeks rise guiltily at the question. "Ichigo told me once upon a time, that, he wanted to see how strong you'll get."
This collided with the thoughts of Ichigo admiring him, creating more conflict in his mind before he got up to his feet. "Then I guess we have to keep him alive long enough to show him how strong I am now."
Kisuke grinned happily. "It's a good thing that I made sure to prep your body for the transplant!"
"How are you feeling Taichou?" She watched her captain hold his side where they harvested the stem cells for the operation that was not yet ready. "Do you want some milk to drink?" He glared at her.
"What I want, is a large meal, and to kill Kurosaki." His tone dripped with venom; angered that he was cut, stabbed, and punctured with many needles. "How much longer before his operation is over with?"
"Well, they took quite a bit from you. You were out for an hour, and in the recovery room for two hours to recover." Kisuke tried to calculate. "One to three more hours if everything goes smoothly for him."
Everyone looked at him cautiously for this.
"What do you mean by smoothly?" Toushirou asked firmly as he tried to avoid crossing his arms.
"Ah well, it won't matter until he wakes up anyway." He waved a hand at him before thinking to himself. 'The problem with Shinigami transferring anything, is that they transfer a piece of their soul, too.' His attention went to the ground in worry. 'Was Kurosaki-kun aware of this from the beginning, I wonder.'
Toushirou's eyes widened suddenly at an odd feeling that he received for a split moment, quickly looking in the direction of the surgery room. 'What was that.' Whatever it was, it was already gone.
"Something wrong Hitsugaya-Taichou?" Ikkaku called out, having been watching him since he arrived.
"No, nothing." Although he said that, he could feel Hyourinmaru getting antsy for some reason. "I'm going to go down to the cafeteria that I saw downstairs." With that, he walked away from everyone.
Kisuke sighed worriedly. "Looks like Hitsugaya-Taichou is noticing it…" He stood up and stretched.
"Mind telling us what you mean by that?" Ikkaku slightly scowled over in his direction. He did not intend to sound rude though; after all, Kisuke held onto all of their gigai when they were in Soul Society…
The former captain looked at the group to see that he had all eyes. "I believe that, the reason why Kurosaki-kun did not want to receive help from Shinigami is because he knew the risk to the donor." A majority of the group began to tense. "Shinigami are only souls, no longer human for most. Hitsugaya-kun is a pure soul because he was born in Soul Society, so of course the matter is more troublesome."
Rangiku started to worry. "What will happen to Taichou?"
"As I was saying, we are souls, and so we don't really have blood like the human race… it's a little hard to explain, so I'll tell it to you straight. Hitsugaya-Taichou's blood gave Kurosaki-kun a share of his soul." All the others stared in surprise at this. "Since he noticed something, I'm guessing that the part of his soul within Kurosaki-kun is doing its best to merge with him. Being young and Taichou level, it's safe." Most sighed in relief to this. "There's no telling what will happen though." They did not like where he was going with this. "We have no idea what will happen. A male soul and female soul get together, and they can form a baby from that shared soul pieces from within, exactly like humans."
"Are you saying Kurosaki-kun will get pregnant?" Momo gulped nervously.
"No, no! Nothing like that!" Kisuke waved the silly idea off. "But, as strong as those two are, it's quite possible that Kurosaki-kun will receive a few new traits when he recovers." Suddenly, there was a long crashing noise down the hall. "Didn't Hitsugaya-Taichou go in that direction?" They hurried to find out.
The found the captain leaning up against the wall after colliding with a crash cart that was there just in case something went wrong. He was holding his chest, panting lighting in confusion as to what was wrong with him since he had never felt the sensation before. Toushirou did his best to slip a pill in his mouth to swallow, and then looked over his shoulder to see the most peculiar sight. His Zanpakutou was thrashing around in its sheath violently as if wanting to be used or materialized, but there was no reason to do such a thing. All eyes widened as the Zanpakutou vanished from their sight. Sheath, sword, and everything else a part of it…
"That's… not good." Kisuke mumbled.
Ikkaku looked at him, slightly irritated. "Don't tell me that Hyourinmaru did what I think it did…"
It had been ten long hours since Ichigo's operation finished, having gone to sleep after being taken off drugs, and everyone waited in worry. Toushirou wanted to go in search for his Zanpakutou, but with no leads as to where it had escaped to, there was no reason to look yet. Momo forced him to stay as well for that matter, so leaving before Ichigo awoke from his slumber was out of the question. There was nothing that they could do for him though, so what did he have to stand around to wait for him?
'Damn Kurosaki, he should hurry and wake up.' Toushirou thought before glancing around the room. 'I have to remember to ask why I'm the one who has to babysit him while he's sleeping. The bastard's…'
"You talk… too loud." The carrot top grumbled unpleasantly.
He flinched at the sudden words. 'Is he talking in his sleep?'
"I was… before you… started talking." Ichigo cringed sorely.
His eyes rolled. 'No one is even here, Idiot. So no one is talking.'
"Then why… can I hear… your voice… so clearly, Toushirou?"
Toushirou's attention turned to him while slowly standing up to come to his side, mentally asking if the carrot top could hear him—could hear his thoughts. The other nodded slowly with closed eyes, but he slowly cracked them open to see that it was dark outside, yet too bright inside. A large hand came up to cover his eyes to avoid stressing his sight, and the captain went over to turn the lights off for him.
"What happened?" Ichigo groaned, putting his hand back down. "Where are we?"
"The nearest hospital to the resort, I will bring you a doctor or nurse." As he began to leave, Ichigo grabbed his hand. His touch was cold, it nearly pared with his own body temperature. "You collapsed in your room. Everyone hurried you here." He thought on it. "Why didn't you tell me you had cancer?"
"Would you have cared?" Ichigo motioned him to take the seat at his side. It was obliged. "Were they able to find a suitable donor for me?" The other nodded. "Oh? Do you know who it was then?"
"It was me." The captain answered. "Weird things have been happening since then."
He chuckled lightly at this. "Don't make me laugh Toushirou, it hurts." Ichigo raised his body up once he managed to adjust the bed settings. "Maybe the drugs are still in my system and only misheard you…"
"Kurosaki," he spoke seriously. "Urahara knew I was a match and prepped me without knowing."
'That bastard,' his fists clenched angrily. 'So I heard Toushirou right when he asked if I could hear what he was thinking.' Ichigo looked over at the captain. 'It doesn't seem that you can hear mine, though.'
He searched within himself to find out if there were any signs that Toushirou had in fact, become his donor for the transplant. Sure enough, unfortunately, there was a giant icy dragon resting contently upon the sideway buildings in the distance within the inner world. His eyes opened briefly to look at the little man at his side before tiredly offering him a hand in order to hold his. The gesture was not appealing to Toushirou, but obeyed him nonetheless, and was brought into his inner world to see it.
"Hyourinmaru?" Toushirou questioned in disbelief until he looked around. "Where—"
"When you donated to me, you gave me a part of your soul. Hyourinmaru followed that small bit."
The captain looked at him stoically. "Are you saying that you can read my thoughts, and wield my—"
"I could have wielded Hyourinmaru before, if I wanted to. However," Ichigo watched the dragon wake.
"However, what, Kurosaki…" he seethed with anger. There was no reason to explain why he was furious.
His hand came up to the beast. "It's not safe for you here, return to Toushirou's side, Hyourinmaru."
The large beast was not thrilled about this, but sensed something nearby that was dangerous.
Hyourinmaru returned to Toushirou, and Ichigo brought them out of his inner world. "Sorry, Toushirou."
He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. 'You knew something like this would happen?' He thought.
His head nodded once in reply. "I never wanted to take that chance with anyone… especially you." The carrot top held his side. "You still have a few years that you need to grow… to mature everything."
"Don't sound as if you were ever more mature than me, Kurosaki." He glared angrily towards him.
"Weren't you the one moaning and crying for me to continue that night?" Ichigo smirked lightly. "Even though I was on the bottle, you were far more drunk than I was—" The captain slapped him harshly…
…just as Momo was walking in. "Hitsugaya-Taichou!" She roared his title correctly for once. "Why did you hit Kurosaki-kun! He went through a tough surgery and can't even fight back yet!" Rushing over, she daringly shoved the captain away to be at Ichigo's side, checking his cheek. "I am so sorry about him!"
"No," brown hues did not need to see the angry turquoise hues to know that he did not want this girl to know anything. "Toushirou just told me that I was stupid for drinking when I had a bad cancer case."
She started crying on his chest. "Don't do something like this again! I don't want to lose anyone anymore Kurosaki-kun! First Aizen-Taichou, then Shirou-chan—I don't want anything else bad happening to you!"
The captain looked at her confusedly when hearing her say that she had lost him; it made no sense to him. "I—" Ichigo looked at him, shaking his head disapprovingly of him speaking aloud right now.
Ichigo brought his attention to the girl. "You know that this is the same Toushirou, he's just a little harder to reach right now." He patted the girl's head tiredly. "I'm sorry for worrying both of you."
'I wasn't worried.' Toushirou told him bitterly through his mind.
The carrot top chuckled at this, earning pain within his side. "Hinamori, how about you tell the others that I'm—" Before he could finish, the lights were turned on, causing him to scrunch his eyelids shut at the brightness. "Why do you want to blind me?" He grumbled angrily, and they turned the lights off.
"It's good to see that you're awake now, Kurosaki-san! Are you having any weird feelings, chills, signs of anything?" Kisuke, as oblivious as he tried to make himself seem, was very serious about the questions.
"Weird feelings?" Ichigo blinked confusedly to fool them. "Other than wanting to go to the bathroom, there's nothing that I can think of. Why?" He then eyed him suspiciously. "If you tampered with my—"
"It's not like that," Ikkaku interrupted, not wanting to hear any arguments so late at night. "We're just worried if your body won't accept the donor's blood with flying colors." In a way, it was the truth…
"But Ichigo seems to be doing just fine, aren't you Ichigo?" Rangiku came over and embraced him as carefully as she could. "Maybe I should watch over you tonight while everyone else goes to sleep."
'Over my dead body, you'll use him for sexual needs.' Toushirou thought bitterly. Ichigo chuckled when hearing this, and the captain glared instantly at him. 'Shut up, I still have questions I want to ask you!'
"I heard that Toushirou was my donor, and it seems everything is fine." The male carrot top stated as the woman pulled away. "I'm glad that none of his powers came to me, I would have been furious. But, I think it's best if he stays in here. After all, the nurses are watching him too for a little while, right?"
"That's true," Rangiku frowned before looking at her captain. "Taichou, why aren't you on your bed next to Ichigo!"She pointed to the bed a meter away; they were sharing the room, unfortunately. "Do I h—"
"Oh," Ichigo interrupted, his tone suddenly dead serious. "Will everyone leave? I want to tell Rangiku-san something in private. Toushirou has to stay though since he's a patient." His smile worried them.
'What are you plotting…' The captain thought, watching as everyone else left the room. Ichigo's eyes suddenly turned glowing yellow brightly. Toushirou shivered at the room dropping temperature.
"I'm getting tired of you playing around with Hinamori and Toushirou to get to me. Whatever it is that you want, you come straight to me. Is that understood? If I learn about anymore deals, I will kill you."
They stared at him in disbelief… was this, Ichigo?
A/N: Looks like someone has a temper now~
