Chapter 7
Another month passed. November was blown out by the frigid winds of December. Along with cold came the usual winter viruses. The illness spread through the school like wildfire, infecting many and taking no prisoners. Hitsugaya was one of the only people, teacher and students alike, to not feel the effects of the disease.
For several days, Hitsugaya walked to school alone, as Hinamori had caught the bug like so many others. She was back to school the next week, pale and thin but fully recovered from whatever she had caught. Her spirits hadn't been dampened at all, and she was quickly back to her cheerful, self.
'At least she's back to her old self,' Hitsugaya thought the following week as he flipped pancakes early on the Wednesday morning. 'I lose one and gain the other.'
He was referring to his guardian.
He had woken early, very early. One glance outside to see the sun just barely rising over the trees confirmed the untimely hour. It was a rarity for him to be up before eight (it usually took Ukitake several tries to get the young teenager up), but this morning had had woken at six.
He had known, instantly, that something was up. He couldn't hear Ukitake moving around, and after several minutes of sitting and listening to the silence around him, he had confirmed the fact that Ukitake wasn't up. This was strange as Ukitake had always been an early riser in the few months Hitsugaya had lived with him, no matter what time he had gone to sleep.
Hitsugaya had carefully stolen down the hallway to Ukitake's room, where he heard the soft breathing of his guardian emanating from within. Hitsugaya listened for a few minutes, then silently slipped down the hallway and stairs to make breakfast.
That had been an hour or so ago. Ukitake still hadn't emerged. Hitsugaya was getting worried.
"I'll check on him after breakfast," Hitsugaya muttered to himself, flipping the pancakes one again. "See if he's alright before I go to school."
"What's wrong, scared I won't be there?"
Hitsugaya almost jumped out of his skin as he whirled around, skidding slightly on the linoleum floor of the kitchen. Ukitake reached out a steadying hand and kept him from falling.
"Careful there, 'Shiro-chan."
Hitsugaya regained his balanced and looked at Ukitake who looked worse for wear. "Are you okay?"
Ukitake nodded. "I'm fine." His voice was slightly hoarse, and he put a hand up to his throat as he spoke. "I have whatever illness that has been going around and it's making my consumption flare."
"Then shouldn't you be, y'know, in bed?"
Ukitake paused, and then laughed. The laughter turning into a hacking cough and Ukitake doubled over, holding his side. Hitsugaya looked on, alarmed, but no sooner had the fit started than it ended, and Ukitake was left breathing hard and wiping a few crimson droplets from his lips.
"Sorry about that," the older man said hoarsely, going to wash his hands in the sink. "You did a good job, considering that was the first time you've ever seen me have a fit. Many people panic."
"Well, I. . ." Hitsugaya trailed off, then suddenly remembered his pancakes. With a curse, he spun around and hurriedly shoveled them onto a plate. "You'll be alright, right?"
"I'll be fine," Ukitake said reassuringly. "It's happened all the time for thirty years."
Hitsugaya nodded, not thoroughly convinced. "If you say so."
"I do say so," Ukitake said. "Now eat your pancakes and stop worrying about me."
The young teen sat down at the table and poked at his pancakes. "You should worry more about yourself and less about me."
"I heard that," Ukitake reprimanded in an amused tone as he fetched the carton of orange juice from the refrigerator.
Hitsugaya bent his head and ate his pancakes. He finished them quickly, and as he stood he said, "I'll get the paper for you Da—Ukitake-san."
He darted down the hall and outside into the cold, silently berating himself for almost calling Ukitake 'Dad.' The young teen scooped up the paper and ran inside, also berating himself for running outside without any socks on.
"Here's the paper," Hitsugaya said, handing the rolled up newspaper to his guardian.
Ukitake smiled. "Thank you, Toshiro." He glanced at the headline of the paper and then at the clock. "Since you have time, you should go take a shower, alright?"
Hitsugaya nodded. "Sure thing. I'll be down in a bit." He ran up the stairs and disappeared into the bathroom.
Ukitake waited until he heard the water running and then stood. His joints and muscles complained loudly as he went over to the refrigerator and took a manila envelope from the top of it. He carefully slid the contents of the envelope into his hands and looked at it critically.
Several official looking papers sat in hands, and he looked at them for a few moments before sliding them back into the envelope. He carefully placed the envelope back on top of the fridge and sighed heavily.
The envelope would have to wait until Saturday.
He sat back down and opened the newspaper and began to read. About half an hour later Hitsugaya stumbled down the stairs, carefully walking across the linoleum floor.
"Ukitake-san, it's time for me to go."
Ukitake turned his head from the paper. "Already? Wow, time flies. I didn't hear you come downstairs, Toshiro."
Hitsugaya laughed. "Hinamori says the same thing. ''Shiro-chan! Don't sneak up on me like that! You nearly scared me to death!'" He raised his voice to imitate his friend.
Ukitake chuckled heartily, but he felt his chest tighten and he quickly stopped. "I'm fine," he said hurriedly at Hitsugaya's worried expression.
"You don't look fine," Hitsugaya muttered, eying his guardian worriedly. "Don't exert yourself."
Ukitake sighed. "You sound like Retsu. Now, get going before you're late for school."
Hitsugaya nodded. "Alright, see you later." He turned to leave, but Ukitake called after him.
"Don't stay for soccer! I might not be able to pick you up due to my chest."
"Alright, I won't. Bye!" There was a gust of cold air as the door opened, then closed firmly.
Ukitake smiled tiredly and moved to sit down heavily on the couch in the living room. Putting up a cheerful, happy front for Hitsugaya when he was sick was exhausting. He kicked his legs up onto the sofa and closed his eyes. His muscles were sore, his chest ached, and he needed to rest.
"Hitsugaya-kun, stay after class for a moment."
The white-haired sophomore stopped dead in the doorway of his first period class and doubled back to the rear of the classroom where his teacher was sitting. "Yes? What is it, Aizen-sensei?"
Aizen smiled. "One moment, Toshiro. Hinamori-kun, stop hiding behind the door and run along to History, alright?"
Momo appeared from where she was eavesdropping, blushing furiously. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." She scurried away and Aizen turned his attention to Hitsugaya.
"You seemed distracted in today's lessons, Toshiro. Care to tell me about it?"
Hitsugaya hesitated. "Well, I, uh . . . Do you know my guardian?"
"Ukitake-san?" Aizen asked. "Why yes, I do in fact. Why?"
"Well, uh, he's sick . . . ." Hitsugaya trailed off.
"And you're worried about how the sickness will exacerbate his disease?" Aizen said, finishing the boy's sentence.
Hitsugaya nodded worriedly.
Aizen smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, he'll be fine. Ukitake is a strong man."
Hitsugaya nodded. "Thanks, Aizen-sensei."
Aizen smiled. "No problem. Now run along to your next class."
Hitsugaya nodded. "Alright. See you tomorrow, Aizen-sensei!" He hurried out of the classroom, determined not to be late to his next class.
"Ehhh?! Ukitake-san's sick?!" Hinamori yelped loudly at lunch.
"Shh!!" Hitsugaya shushed her. "Pipe down, Hinamori!"
"Sorry!" Momo whispered. Sitting down opposite Hitsugaya at the table. "It just surprised me. How is he?"
"Worse then he lets on," Hitsugaya muttered, poking at his soggy fries morosely with his plastic spork. "Is Abarai still sick?" He nodded in the direction of the empty seat at the table that Renji usually occupied.
Hinamori nodded. "Uh huh. He's got whatever that's going around really bad. I hope he's gonna be okay."
"He'll be fine," Hitsugaya drawled, taking a swig of his chocolate milk. "He's tough. Did you study for Kurotsuchi's test?"
"Ehh?!" Hinamori gasped loudly. "That was today?!"
Hitsugaya rolled his eyes, Ukitake momentarily forgotten. "Yes, Hinamori, it was. I take it you didn't study?"
Hinamori shook her head violently. "No! Will you help me study, 'Shiro-chan?"
Hitsugaya sighed. "Fine. What do you need help with?"
"Hitsugaya, pay attention!" Ise-sensei's voice startled the young teenager out of his reverie.
"S-Sorry, Ise-sensei," Hitsugaya stammered, turning his attention back to the irate student-teacher.
"That's the third time you've not been paying attention this lesson!" Ise-sensei snapped. "If it happens again, I'll be calling home, understood?"
Hitsugaya gulped at the thought of having Ise-sensei call home. "Yes, ma'am. It won't happen again."
Ise-sensei nodded sharply. "See that it doesn't. Now, who can answer the question I've put on the visualizer?"
Hitsugaya glanced at the problem then at his paper and realized he was three or four problems behind. As he hurried to catch up a hand settled on his shoulder. The white-haired teen looked up to see Kyoraku-sensei standing beside his desk.
The teacher leaned down and murmured, "Come out into the hallway with me, Toshiro-kun."
"O-Okay." Hitsugaya stood and followed the teacher out into the deserted hallway.
Kyoraku waited for the sophomore to close the classroom door before asking, "Is everything alright at home? Is Ukitake alright?"
Hitsugaya shook his head. "He's sick. He's got the really nasty bug that's been going around and . . . and I'm worried it's gonna make his consumption really bad . . . ."
"Aizen told me that you were worried about him," Kyoraku said, running a hand over his stubble and fingering the end of his ponytail. "Tell you what. Since I visit Juu every time he's sick anyway, I'll drop by after school. He'll expect it, but tell him for me anyway, alright?"
Hitsugaya nodded. "Alright."
Kyoraku-sensei smiled slightly. "If it'll ease your mind and let you focus on the lesson, that's a good thing. Ukitake'd skin me alive if I was letting you get by with not paying attention."
The young boy smiled slightly. "Thanks, sensei."
Shunsui shrugged. "Don't mention it. Now get back in class and try not to zone out, alright?"
Toshiro rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and went back into the classroom. Kyoraku shook his head and followed his student inside.
"Ukitake-san? How are you feeling?" Hitsugaya found Ukitake sprawled out on the sofa in the living room upon his return from school.
Ukitake cracked a hazel eye open wearily. "To be honest? Like crap, only in much more vile words."
Hitsugaya snickered softly. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. By the way, Kyoraku-sensei told me to tell you he's coming over after school."
"Shunsui?" Ukitake asked, struggling to sit up. "Okay, thank you for telling me. I should have guessed as much. Could you do something for me, 'Shiro-chan?"
Hitsugaya nodded. "Sure. What is it?"
"Get me four ibuprofen tablets from the bottle on the counter and a glass of water . . . Please?"
Hitsugaya nodded. "Sure." He trotted into the kitchen and carefully counted out the pills and filled a cup with ice water from the refrigerator spigot. He delicately carried them to Ukitake and held them out. "Here you go."
Ukitake smiled. "Thank you, Toshiro." He dumped the pills into his mouth and chased them down with water.
Hitsugaya opened his mouth to answer, but the doorbell rang and cut him off.
"Will you get that, Toshiro?" Ukitake asked.
Hitsugaya nodded and hurried to open the door.
"Hello, Toshiro-kun," greeted Kyoraku Shunsui. "May I come in?"
"Of course." Hitsugaya moved aside to let his teacher pass. He closed the door behind him with a snap.
When the young boy entered the living room, the long dark-haired man was already seated and talking to his guardian. Hitsugaya sat down in one of the arm chairs and listened to the old friends talk. Some amount of time passed, and then Shunsui cracked a joke that made Ukitake laugh.
He laughed for a few moments, but suddenly his hazel eyes grew wide and his hand flew to his mouth. The laugher turned into hacking coughs, great, deep, chest-rattling coughs that soon had blood oozing from between his fingers and getting in his hair and on his clothes and all over the floor, staining them a bright crimson.
Shunsui was on his feet, a hand on Ukitake's back, eyes worried and breath soothing but strained. Hitsugaya, too, leapt to his feet.
The hacking coughs kept coming and the blood continued to drip from between Ukitake fingers as his breathing grew haggard. In between a cough, Ukitake looked up and hazel eyes connected with sea-green ones. The calm look Ukitake gave Hitsugaya plainly said:
You know what to do.
Hitsugaya hurried into the kitchen, racking his brain for what Ukitake had told him to do if he had an attack. Taking a calming deep breath, he thought back.
"When I have an attack, I probably won't be able to speak," Ukitake had explained to him. "You'll have to call 9-1-1, alright? Tell them my name, and that I have consumption, as well as that I am having attack, as well as the address and whatever other information they ask for that you can provide, alright? The address is on the refrigerator, as well as all of my information. You got all that? Don't worry. You'll be fine."
Hitsugaya grabbed the phone and dialed. It seemed ages before someone picked up on the other end and asked,
"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"
Shunsui sped down the interstate, staying just at the speed limit. Periodically, he would glance over at his white-haired passenger.
The boy was in a state of shock. He was clutching his backpack to his chest like a teddy bear.
"He'll be fine," Shunsui said, more to reassure himself than the boy. The attack had been a bad one. A very bad one. "He'll be fine. He's strong."
Hitsugaya simply nodded dumbly, staring at the flashing blue and red lights way off in the distance.
The phone rang and Unohana looked up from where she was reading a medical textbook. She carefully set her book aside after marking her place and checked the caller ID on the phone.
Kyoraku Shunsui.
With a growing pit of dread in her stomach, Retsu pressed the talk button.
"Hello?" She listened for a few moments, her dark eyebrows furrowed. "I see. Thank you, Shunsui. I'll be there as soon as I can."
She hung up the phone and grabbed her purse, jacket, keys and shoes before hurrying out the door of her apartment.
A ringtone blared and a light-skinned man with relatively shaggy black hair grabbed his phone off where it sat on his desk.
Not bothering to check the caller, he flipped it open and barked, "'Sup? This is Shiba." He paused, listening, and his dark eyebrows met in a frown. "Right. Thanks, man." He snapped the phone shut and called,
"Hey, Miyako! We're heading for the hospital!"
"Kuichiki-sama, there's a call for you from a Mister Kaien Shiba."
The dark-haired millionaire glared coolly at the maid from behind his fancy desk. "What is he calling about?"
"Mister Ukitake has had a bad attack, sir."
Byakuya regarded the maid with a cold stare. "And you interrupted my work to tell me that?"
The maid gulped. "My apologies, sir."
The man sighed. "Have the driver pull the limousine around to the front," he ordered. "Rukia will no doubt want to go and I will accompany her so she does not bring shame to the Kuchiki name."
The maid smiled slightly. "Of course, sir." She bowed and hurried out.
Byakuya stood and straightened his tie, checking to make sure he looked perfectly immaculate.
"Ukitake, you fool," the millionaire murmured softly as he adjusted his deathly-white hair ornaments in the mirror. "If you were to die, Rukia would be devastated."
Hitsugaya sat in the waiting room of the hospital, tracing the soccer ball decal on his backpack with his finger for the millionth time. He wasn't sure of how long he had been sitting there, but he knew Kyoraku had long since disappeared to talk to Unohana and several others. He assumed them to be other friends of Ukitake. The man seemed to have an endless amount of them.
'He's gonna be alright. He's gonna be alright. He's gonna be alright.' He repeated over and over to himself. 'He's got to be alright!'
"Hey." A gentle voice broke him out of his mental chant and he looked up to see a kind-looking brunette nurse holding out a lollipop to him. "Take this, and don't worry. Your dad'll be just fine." She forced the sweet into his hands and ruffled his white hair before going off back to the guard station.
'But he's not my father!' Hitsugaya screamed mentally. He slumped in his seat, too exhausted to call after her to tell her that fact. 'And I don't like sweets,' he added to his silent grumble. He stuffed the loli into his pocket and went back to tracing the decal on his backpack.
Another hour or so later, the same nurse who had given him the lollipop was back. "You're Hitsugaya Toshiro, correct?" she asked him kindly.
At his listless nod, she smiled and said, "You're dad's gonna be okay."
Hitsugaya sat bolt-upright in his chair, father quip forgotten. "Really?!"
Her insufferable smile continued. "Yep. Do you wanna go see him?"
He nodded and she smiled. "Alright then, follow me." She started off and he scrambled after her. She led him down several hallways that stank of disinfectant before she stopped before a door at the end of corridor.
"Here we are!" she proclaimed. "You're dad's sleeping right now, but you can see him anyway. Just be quiet when you're in there!" Hitsugaya nodded and took a hesitant step inside the room. It was divided by a curtain, and the young teenager pushed past it to where Ukitake lay.
He was met with a scene that disheartened him greatly. The headboard of the bed was surrounded by beeping, blinking machines. Ukitake's long white hair had been brushed back from his face and his face had been washed of the blood, but his hair was still stained a light pink.
He was dressed in a hospital-issue gown, and several IVs, one with blood and other with clear fluid, sprouted from his forearm and hung above his head. His eyes were closed and were ringed with dark circles. A plastic mask covered his mouth and his chest rose and fell gently under sheets that were the exact same deathly pale he was.
It didn't take Hitsugaya long to realize the nurse had lied to him. She had sugar-coated the truth, believing him to be nothing more than a child. Ukitake was far from alright and just sleeping. He was still weak and, if the machines and sensors attached to his body were anything to go by, unconscious.
The young teenager sank into the chair closest to the head of the bed, his backpack dropping to the group with a dull thud. He took Ukitake's exposed hand in his own and clutched it. His guardian's skin was smooth and cool to the touch. Hitsugaya grasped it tighter as the reality of the day's events began to sink in and tears began to roll down his cheeks.
"Ukitake-san, please be okay!" Hitsugaya sobbed quietly. "I've already lost two parents. I don't need to lose another one!"
Duh, duh, duh!!! I think it's time to implement the Reader Proof Box for this one. *jumps into the RPB and latches the door* I won't kill him, I swear!!! Or will I? Heh heh heh heh....
And hey, lookie, I've included some MORE characters to the story!!! To make the plot even more confusing then it already is!!! *maniacal grin*
But isn't what Hitsugaya said at the end sweet? xD
If you caught my foreshadowing in Chapter 5, you'll see that despite what Retsu said, Uki landed himself in the hospital... *sigh* As Bya-bo would say, 'Ukitake, you fool.' lol :)
Much thanks as always to Desert(dot)Moon who bet'd this for me, and for all her hilarious little comments. Much love to you, sweetheart! Eve after you decided you screwed up on the betaing of this chapter, rebeta'd, then later on told me there was a "accept changes" button, and I didn't have to go through the whole damn thing....
Reviews are like crack!! Review so I can support my addiction!
-Love, Toast
