A/N I was considering on making this chapter longer, but I feel as if it would be the perfect ending. I really wanted to get more of Gin and Tōshirō into this, so read down to the end and if you're not satisfied, I'll do one more chapter with Gin and Tōshirō in it. It just seems like a perfect ending to me, and I knew if I ended it last chapter, you guys would be hunting me down and demanding to know what happened to them in terms of housing :P
"What are you going to do now?" Byakuya asked as he sat by Jūshirō's hospital bed, watching as Shunsui helped the Ukitake into his own clothing. "You do not have a home to return to anymore."
Shunsui shrugged, kissing Jūshirō's temple in an effort to soothe his own worries. "We'll work something out; I'm sure..."
"You are more than welcome to live with me," Byakuya offered, not wanting his friend to live on the streets. "I have adequate amounts of room for you both."
"Thank you for the offer, Byakuya-kun, but we couldn't impose on you like that," Shunsui said softly.
"I insist, Kyōraku. I will not take no for an answer."
Shunsui frowned. He shook his head. "I-I can't..."
"You would rather be homeless?" Byakuya raised an eyebrow, confused by his friend's resistance. Shunsui knew it wouldn't be a problem; Byakuya had inherited his parents' millions and their home once they had passed away, and he could probably house their entire friendship group if needed.
"No, I just..." Shunsui sighed. "...Feel as if we would be taking advantage of your kindness..."
"I do not mind," Byakuya tried to explain. "I have said there is adequate room and both Renji and Rukia would enjoy more company."
Shunsui reached out, patting the younger man's arm. "I'll talk to Rangiku and see what she thinks, okay?"
Byakuya nodded. "I will come, too."
Shunsui leant down and clipped the leash onto Komamura's collar before he handed it to Jūshirō. He took the pale man's hand and led him towards the doorway with Byakuya following after them.
It was no surprise that Rangiku was sitting in the hospital room designated to her family with Izuru beside her. The three men pulled up chairs next to them, greeting the two.
"How are they?" Shunsui asked, keeping his voice down, knowing that both Gin and Tōshirō were sleeping.
"They're much better." Rangiku smiled. "Nurse Unohana thinks they can leave today, but she would like for them to come back for check-ups with her. They're resting now because we were up a lot last night; Tōshirō was having nightmares again."
Jūshirō looked down at his lap, tightening his hold on the leash in his hand. He couldn't blame the boy; he himself had been having nightmares. He stood up and moved to the bed on their left side, reaching out and running his bandaged hand through the spiky white hair.
"He's doing well," Rangiku called to the Ukitake, knowing that he was concerned. "He's working hard not to dwell on it."
Shunsui smiled at his friend, glad to know that she was making an effort with Jūshirō, even if she didn't particularly like him.
Jūshirō nodded, sending a small, uncertain smile towards Rangiku.
"Jūshirō is being released today, as well," Shunsui said.
"Where are you going to go?" Rangiku bit her lip as her eyebrows furrowed.
"Byakuya has offered his home, but I don't feel right about it," Shunsui explained as he ran a hand through his messy hair.
"If that's the case, then why not alternate between Byakuya's home and ours?" Rangiku sent a small smile at Jūshirō, not particularly fond of the idea of having the Ukitake in her home, but knowing that Gin and Tōshirō would have offered anyway. "The boys would love to have you over. Right, Izuru?"
Izuru smiled and nodded.
"That is a good idea," Byakuya agreed. "It will not burden either of us."
Shunsui knew that neither of his friends would allow he and Jūshirō to be without a home after such a traumatic thing, so he could only accept their offer, agreeing that it felt like less of a burden than staying their permanently.
"Come back to my home until the week is over so that Ichimaru and Hitsugaya can recover in a familiar setting," Byakuya said. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I will call Renji and have him prepare a room for you both. Would you rather separate rooms or share?"
"Sharing is fine, Byakuya-kun." Shunsui smiled as he stood up. He moved to Gin and leant down, brushing hair out of Gin's face. The man stirred at the touch but didn't awake.
Shunsui then went to Tōshirō and kissed the boy's forehead. He wrapped his arm around Jūshirō's shoulder and led him to Byakuya.
As they moved, Jūshirō tugged at Shunsui's sleeve and whispered, "Am I welcome there...?"
Shunsui smiled and kissed his boyfriend. "Believe me, Juu; if Byakuya didn't want you there, you'd know."
Jūshirō nodded, trying to be strong. He understood that he wasn't the only one who was suffering.
"Have you both got everything?" Byakuya asked as he led them down the corridor of the hospital.
Jūshirō glanced down at his dog before he nodded. Shunsui gave a cheerful yes, and the next chapter of Jūshirō's new life started.
-XX-
Byakuya was patient with Jūshirō once they entered his home. He understood that this was hard for him as the Ukitake had rarely left Shunsui's apartment and felt uneasy about the surroundings, but he was sure that Jūshirō would settle in soon enough.
Renji and Rukia were good to Jūshirō, having been sat down with Byakuya so that Shunsui could explain everything known about the man's past.
They were all currently seated at the dinner table, eating what Byakuya had prepared.
"Are you enjoying it here so far?" Shunsui asked Jūshirō, knowing that the man was still distressed and not eating properly. It was his duty to make sure that Ukitake was safe and happy and support him as much as possible.
Jūshirō nodded, sending a small smile to Shunsui. He fiddled with the spoon in his hand, having barely touched the ramen Byakuya had cooked specifically for the white-haired man. The Kuchiki knew that Jūshirō's stomach probably wasn't up to heavy foods during this time, so he had made a light meal to help him out.
"It might be beneficial to turn in early for the night," Byakuya said. "You both will have extra stress tomorrow if you do not get enough sleep."
"That's a good idea," Shunsui agreed. "Would you like to go to bed early, Juu?"
Jūshirō nodded again, looking down at his meal. He turned to Renji when the red-head spoke.
"A shower will help, too," Renji said. "There isn't one in the bedroom Byakuya asked for me to give you, but we have another one near the bedrooms. You can use it."
Jūshirō bit his lip. He looked back to Shunsui, uncertainty in his gaze. He accepted the warm hand that grabbed his, knowing that Shunsui would always look out for him.
"I think we may just go and have a shower together and then hit the mattress," Shunsui said. "Thank you very much for the meal, Byakuya-kun; it was nice. Goodnight, Abarai-kun, Rukia-chan."
Byakuya nodded in their direction as he focused on his dinner. Renji and Rukia returned their good-byes and started talking amongst one another.
Jūshirō was silent as he followed Shunsui up the stairs of Byakuya's home and over to a doorway near the bedroom they had been given.
"You're awfully quiet," Shunsui pointed out. He held Jūshirō's hand in his own as he lead the younger into the bathroom.
"I..." Jūshirō rubbed at his eye, not sure what to say.
"I guess you don't really know Byakuya very well," Shunsui agreed. "And you've only met Rukia and Renji once before. It must be upsetting for you to be in an unfamiliar home with unfamiliar people."
Jūshirō nodded. He pulled his hand from Shunsui's grip and hugged himself tightly. "...I... I-I'm scared of them..."
"You don't need to be afraid of them, Juu." Shunsui wrapped his arms around Jūshirō's chest, holding the younger close to his chest. "Byakuya's moody, but he's like that with everyone. He cares; he just has a weird way of showing it. And Rukia's very outgoing and cheerful. She finds it hard to open up to people, but she's a good friend to have on your side. And Renji is... well, he's hot-tempered, but he's a good friend, as well."
"...I don't feel like they accept me..." Jūshirō whispered, trying be strong and holding the tears back.
"They do," Shunsui reassured. He walked the smaller man over to the shower and turned the taps on. "As I said, Byakuya has a weird way of showing that he cares, and if he didn't accept you, you certainly wouldn't be standing in his home right now. They all know what you've been through because I've told them, and they understand that you've had a very difficult life, but they're looking past that and doing their best to treat you like they would anyone else."
Jūshirō nodded. He stepped in under the water once it was warm enough, content with being in Shunsui's arms. He closed his eyes, happy that the brunet was washing his hair for him, feeling safer than he had in a while.
Once the shampoo and conditioner had been rinsed out of the long hair, Shunsui did his own. He then pulled Jūshirō against him, tilting his head back so that they could kiss. When they broke apart, Jūshirō whispered to the older male.
"...Can..." a small tint of red appeared on Jūshirō's cheeks as he looked away. "...Can you touch me, please...?"
Shunsui nodded, kissing his boyfriend again. He reached between their legs and took hold of the flaccid member between them. He knew that this act of intimacy meant the world to Jūshirō, as it did to him. He knew that despite Jūshirō's stress and his fright, he was allowing the brunet to do such things to his body because of the bond between them.
Jūshirō moaned and closed his eyes, sighing softly as he rested his face against Shunsui's chest. Despite everything that had happened, just sharing this moment with Shunsui made him feel as if the future wasn't as dark and bleak as it had once seemed. He felt as if everything could get better, as if it would get better – as if he was finally going to be happy, and have someone who loved and cared for him. Who accepted him.
With those thoughts in mind, Jūshirō released with a small cry of Shunsui's name. In that moment, nothing mattered to Jūshirō accept for the fact that right now, he had everything he had ever wanted; someone to call his own.