Cancer
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Toshiro's eyes snapped open to see Kurosaki Ichigo staring down at him. The young taicho's mouth twisted down in frustration while his eyes narrowed. The other place he found himself not liking was the sensation of air touching a good portion of the top of his head. Two bright teal eyes blinked a couple of times. The young taicho's throat felt dry, but he still attempted to speak. "You can wipe that smug look off your face already Kurosaki. It's rather annoying."

Realization hit really quick that the words came out of his mouth unhindered. "Well, that was impolite of you." Thoughts ran through Toshiro's mind in a quick manner, faster then they had before, but in a way that still frustrated the young taicho. "Are you really that upset at the fact Kurosaki and the others spoiled you? No, it's actually an issue of not being treated like a child, and the fact I need to be treated as my rank calls for."

"Is that though what you really want?" Hyorinmaru hummed in the back of his head, and his voice came with more ease then the last few days.

"What I want doesn't matter, so there is no point in even thinking of such things." Toshiro watched as Ichigo continued to remain cheerful, and the orange haired teens cheerfulness for some reason stung. Toshiro found himself speaking again uninhibited. "Shut up. You're way to cheerful."

"You're reacting because you're jealous young master, but there is no reason to feel jealous because Kurosaki Ichigo is happy. You can be as well. You simply need to let go of this idea that you're not allowed to feel anything."

Toshiro swallowed, and turned his head away as Ichigo continued to jibe at him. The young taicho felt his mouth push together, and his frustrations continued to grow. A sudden feeling rushed over. "What reason do I need to feel frustrated. I am better, so no more of this special treatment needs to go on." He also heard Ichigo ask him if there was anything wrong about being pleased that he was doing better. "I'm sorry."

"Say what?"

"You heard me." Toshiro turned his head back to glare at the teen. "I honestly don't get why you're pleased that I'm doing better, but it is your right to feel that way." The young taicho watched as Ichigo sighed, and Toshiro read a very clear look of frustration on the orange haired teens face. "What? What did I do wrong this time?"

"A lot of people care about you Toshiro. I wish you would realize that."

The young taicho watched as Kuchiki Rukia's eyes blinked a couple of times. "Hitsugaya Taicho? Do you remember what I said to you while Ichigo was out of the room."

"What she said to me? I don't remember her saying anything special. All she did was..." Toshiro felt a deep heat set into his cheeks, and the tips of his ears. "Don't ever do that again."

"Do what?"

"Neither one of you, don't treat me like some child who needs to be smothered with kindness." Toshiro watched as Rukia's face fell, and Ichigo's face continued to look frustrated. Realization hit hard, and Toshiro felt his facial features soften. "I'm sorry." A deep breath filled his lungs. "I do realize both of you mean well, but I can't be seen being treated like a child. I'll lose what little respect I have from my division."

"Toshiro, your division actually respects you a great deal. From what I heard by word of mouth, they were impressed you didn't back down, and continued to battle." Ichigo pulled his chair back over, and sat down with his arms crossed. The orange haired teens brown eyes though screamed that something was making the new taicho of the tenth division upset.

The young taicho stared for what felt like a long time, and then cleared his throat. "You don't seem happy though. Why is it that they're impressed, but you're not."

"It's not that I'm not impressed. I've always been impressed with what you do." Ichigo tried forcing himself to smile. "I just wish you would take more care of yourself. We almost lost you during battle, and we almost lost you now."

"That's what I was trying to tell you when I asked you to remember what I said."

"You said something about it being from everybody..." Toshiro felt his mouth slow down. "... in Soul Society." The young taicho watched the two look at each other with smiles on their faces as if he'd finally got something. Somehow the energy which refused to let his arms move was suddenly there, and the young taicho reached up to touch the top of his head. Toshiro quickly felt the color drain from his face as his fingers brushed against skin rather then hair, and with the hair was a bandage.

The young taicho swallowed, and then looked away. Ichigo cleared his throat and moved a little closer. "You're bothered by the fact your hair's gone, aren't you?"

"Say what?" Toshiro chocked out the words, and even felt himself splutter. "It's not as if I care about my stupid hair. It's an awful color. It's not that bad."

"I think you look good with the color hair you have." Rukia glanced around.

The young taicho looked around the room, and then let out a sigh. "If you're looking for that stuffed animal, I'm actually glad he's gone."

Ichigo cleared his throat. "We actually didn't realize Kon was gone. That's not actually a good thing."

"Why?"

"He's a pervert." Rukia frowned. "He's likely trying to get a look at cute nurses. I'll go find him before he gets into trouble."

The female pulled out a piece of soul candy, and popped it into her mouth. Toshiro watched as the female fukutaicho turned to her gigai. "Hey, stay here with Hitsugaya Taicho and Ichigo. I need to find Kon before he causes major trouble."

"Roger!" Chappy saluted at Rukia, and then turned her head towards Toshiro. "Why are you in a hospital bed."

"I was sick, but I'm better now." The words came out of Toshiro's mouth quickly, and soon he found himself regretting the action. Chappy lunged at him, and he found himself wrapped into a hug by the replacement soul, and he felt his cheeks heat up. In his embarrassment he didn't hear what Ichigo said to Chappy, but did see Ichigo pull Chappy off the young taicho, and soon Chappy was hanging onto the orange haired teen.

"Seriously..." Ichigo let out a deep sigh. "Your fukutaicho called. She's likely to visit soon."

Toshiro narrowed his eyes. "I don't want her to visit. I don't want her to see me like this."

"I don't think she'll put up with that." The orange haired teen took a deep breath. "What about you're girlfriend?"

A rush of feelings poured into Toshiro's head, and the memories made the young taicho flinch. "Please. Don't let Karin come see me here." The young taicho looked down at the sheets on his bed, and his hands gripped them so tight that his white knuckles showed through. "Please."

"Rangiku-san was right." Rukia's voice made Toshiro's head dart up to see her returning with a grumpy Kon. "You are reacting the way she feared you would. I get the fact you don't want to be a burden to Karin-chan, but you're also being a burden to her by not letting her in." The female glanced at Ichigo. "Sometimes there are burdens which are meant to be shared between two people."

Toshiro tilted his head to the side, but he couldn't figure out the words. "I don't really get what you mean."

A laugh escaped Ichigo's mouth. "Don't worry. You'll get it eventually."

"Still..." The young taicho still tried to protest having Karin come and visit. "To have Karin visit..."

"Is something you'll let happen." Another persons voice made Toshiro look up at the door.