Chapter 6: The Fever

Kuri rode his pretty, silver stallion into the Shima Adobe corral and slid down off the horse's back, handing the reins to a young, but scrappy looking girl with long brown hair and sweet brown eyes.

"Gracias, Lupita," he said, smiling at the girl, "Walk him a bit before taking him in. He needs to cool down first."

"I've got him," the girl assured her uncle, leading the horse away.

"You're late," his sister said, meeting him at the corral gate, "We're about to sit down to lunch."

"It couldn't be helped," Kuri explained, "There were a rash of little intrusions into the Seireitei that had to be checked out."

"Well, you're here now," Antonia concluded, "Did you find anything? Any signs of the quincy retaliation groups that were rumored to exist?"

"We can't be sure yet," Kuri sighed wearily, "If it is the quincies, then they are being much more careful this time."

"Because they know they can't stand up to us."

"Si. But Soutaicho has us preparing and placing our leaders under extra guard."

"Except yourself?" Antonia said, looking around appraisingly.

"There were others who needed the protection more and we are shorthanded," Kuri huffed, "Besides, if one of those burros is fool enough to attack me, he will get what is coming to him."

Antonia gave him a saucy smirk.

"Why don't you ask that angelito cousin of Kuchiki Byakuya's to come and guard you? Byakuya is down with fever and Ichigo is with him. Maybe he can spare the time."

Kuri frowned.

"Byakurai never gets sick," he mused, "He looked fine when I saw him last."

"You mean when he and angelito were naked and you were spying on them?"

"I wasn't spying on them!" Kuri objected, "I was investigating the intrusions."

"Without permission to be on the Kuchiki estate," Antonia said, arching her eyebrow.

"Woman," Kuri complained, "Do you have nothing better to do than follow me around and criticize?"

"Who's following you?" Antonia laughed, "You are just glaringly obvious."

"So," Kuri said, changing the subject, "you say Byakurai is sick?"

"Very sick, from what I hear. I was about to go over and see if Michio needs a little relief."

"Would you like some company?"

"But you just dragged yourself in here and looked ready to go to sleep for a week," Antonia teased him, "I think you're hoping to…"

"Enough already," Kuri snapped.

"Touchy, touchy," Antonia laughed, "All right. If you want to help, just…"

Antonia broke of mid-sentence as the sound of approaching hoofbeats reached them and Tetsuya's black Arabian mount flash stepped into the corral, carrying a serious looking Tetsuya on his back.

"Antonia-san, Shima taicho," he greeted them.

"I heard from a friend that Byakuya is ill," Antonia acknowledged quickly.

"Yes," Tetsuya confirmed, "Michio-san has found that Byakuya-sama is sick with a fever that he may have contracted while in the low Rukongai. It is a fast moving illness that causes dangerous levels of fever and dehydration. Byakuya-sama is being treated, but he is concerned about the spread of this fever through the Rukongai. It could be very dangerous."

"So, he wishes for you to accompany me to the Rukongai?" Antonia asked.

"He actually asked me to go to the living world to bring Orihime-chan," Tetsuya explained, "but Ichigo-sama said that I should ask you and Shima taicho to come along as well. The illness is likely to spread quickly, as it is very contagious."

"Of course we will go right away," Antonia said, nodding, "I will go and get my things. Hermano, can you prepare my horse?"

"I will," Kuri said, nodding.

He glanced at Tetsuya, who was still astride Arashi.

"My horse has just returned from a long ride," he said, smiling up at Tetsuya, "Do you mind if I ride with you?"

He bit his lip gently, trying not to smirk at the instant blush that touched Tetsuya's face and throat.

"Of course, Shima taicho," Tetsuya answered respectfully.

"I am sure I told you to call me Kuri-kuri," Kuri said, narrowing his turquoise eyes.

"And as honored as I am, of course, it wouldn't be proper," Tetsuya answered politely.

Tetsuya blushed more brightly,

"It would be permissible for me to use your proper name with an honorific," he offered, "I could only use more familiar truncations if we were courting."

Kuri shrugged and gave him a charming smile.

"Then, I guess I will have to court you," he laughed, "if that is the only way to make you use my nickname."

"Ah…um…" Tetsuya stammered awkwardly, earning a genuine look of affection from the Shima leader.

"Relax, Tetsu-hana," he laughed, "Give me a moment to bring my sister's horse."

Tetsuya watched with curious eyes as Kuri headed into the barn.

"My brother wasn't annoying you, was he?" Antonia asked as she returned, carrying her medical pack, "He can be an idiot sometimes, but he is a good man, angelito."

"Oh, I know he is," Tetsuya agreed, "He just confuses me sometimes with the things he says to me. He is quite unrestrained."

"We are after him constantly to mind his manners. Just ignore him if he is rude. I will give him hell if he offends you."

"All right, Antonia-san," Tetsuya agreed, smiling shyly.

Their smiles faded and seriousness returned as Kuri arrived with Antonia's horse and held him still as his sister mounted. Kuri climbed up behind Tetsuya and slipped his arms around Tetsuya's waist. Tetsuya drew his blade and opened a senkaimon. The horses moved forward into the precipice world and the doorway slid closed behind them.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo felt the bed move and opened his eyes. Beside him, Byakuya groaned uncomfortably, pushing the blankets off and struggling to sit up.

"Whoa!" the Shiba heir objected, moving to stop him, "Where do you think you're going? Lie down, okay?"

"I am r-recovered enough," Byakuya panted feverishly, his teeth chattering, "I n-need to return to S-soul Society. Rukia…"

"Hey," Ichigo said gently, leaning over him and curving a palm around his damp white cheek as he held Byakuya's unsteady gaze, "We're in Soul Society and Rukia's fine."

"N-no, you're lying!" Byakuya persisted, pushing against Ichigo's chest weakly to try to dislodge him, "I should have gone back already and sh-she…her…that quincy's reiatsu. S-she…"

"It's okay," Ichigo assured him, placing strong hands on Byakuya's shoulders and holding him down, "You're at home and Rukia's just outside, in the gardens. Do you want me to…?"

"Nii-sama?" Rukia called softly from outside the garden doors.

"Rukia?" Byakuya managed in a confused tone, "Why are you s-still here? I th-thought you had gone back ah…ahead of me."

"Nii-sama," Rukia answered, pausing to create a protective shield around her body before entering the room and moving to his side, "I'm right here."

Her eyes met Ichigo's for a moment and she sat down in a chair beside the bed. She took Byakuya's sweaty hand in hers and met his hazy eyes.

"See. I didn't go anywhere," she continued.

"But I f-felt your reiatsu on the way h-here," Byakuya continued incoherently, "It w-was strong. You've grown strong."

Comprehension flickered in Rukia's eyes and she glanced at Ichigo again.

"He's remembering the quincy war, when he sensed I was fighting As Nodt."

"Right," Ichigo acknowledged, "He seems to be remembering random things. He's really out of it."

"When was Michio last in to see him?"

"About uh…" Ichigo began, pausing to look at the clock, "I think about an hour ago. He or one of the others comes in about every hour, so he should be in any minute."

Rukia gave her friend a stern look.

"Ichigo, you need to rest. I know you haven't really slept the whole time Nii-sama has been ill."

"I'm just waiting for Tetsuya to get back here with Orihime, after they help the kids at the shelter."

"You don't have to do that, you know," Rukia chuckled, giving him a more affectionate look, "Nii-sama has talented healers and attendants, all taking care of him. Why does he need you hanging around?"

"W-well," Ichigo said, running his fingers through the short spikes of his ginger hair, "I guess he doesn't need me exactly. But when I was sick on the way back from the Rukongai, he took care of me."

Rukia gave him a curious look.

"You were sick on the way back? With this fever?" she asked.

"Oh," Ichigo chuckled, remembering, "No, it wasn't a fever. See, I wanted to do something nice for him because I kind of stood him up to go to Renji's celebration the other day. So, I went down to Inuzuri with him and read to the kids at the shelter."

"That was nice," Rukia commented, "Did you meet Gia?"

"Yeah!" Ichigo said enthusiastically, "She jumped right onto Byakuya's lap as soon as we got there, and she didn't get off until we had to leave. And she didn't want him to go, you know? She was kinda scared, because I guess her parents were going somewhere and said they'd be back, but they were killed by hollows and never came back. So, she was scared Byakuya wouldn't come back."

"Yeah," Rukia agreed, smiling sadly, "She's like that. I remember."

"Well, I told her that I would protect Byakuya and make sure he got back safely."

"Cheesy, but cute," Rukia commented, smirking.

"Byakuya left and I took him to this curry restaurant that Renji recommended. The old fella who owned the place lost it when he realized leaders of two noble houses were in his place, so he kept sending us free sake."

"But, you don't drink."

"Well, no. But I'm old enough now, so I drank some, trying to be polite. But, I guess I drank too much."

"So, you weren't sick," Rukia teased him, "You were drunk!"

"Yeah. We left the restaurant and we were walking back, but I had to pee. We were out in the middle of nowhere, so I went to pee on this bush, but it turned out there was a hollow in the bush and I peed all over him!"

"Oh my god!" Rukia laughed, covering her mouth, "I bet the hollow was pissed."

The two friends looked at each other and burst into a fit of barely muted giggles.

"Y-yeah, you could say that," Ichigo laughed, "It tried to attack me, but all I could do was laugh because I'd just pissed on a hollow. Byakuya handled him, then he carried me to this inn and we got a room. Only, they only had a little one with one bed."

"Oh, do not tell me that you were inappropriate with my brother!" Rukia said sharply.

"W-well, maybe a little. But hey, it wasn't my fault! I didn't know what I was doing. And Byakuya was really cool about it. I mean, there I was, climbing on top of him and kissing him and he didn't even throw my ass on the floor like I deserved."

"I would have," Rukia chided him, "That's terrible, Ichigo!"

"Actually, it wasn't so bad," Ichigo said, smiling more affectionately, "He did stop me before I disgraced us, but there was this moment that was really kinda sweet…" Ichigo rambled on, not noticing at all the more comprehending look his friend was giving him, "I was kissing him and he was pushing against my chest. But then, he kinda stopped pushing and his fingers started holding on instead. And he kissed me back."

"Nii-sama was kissing you?"

"Uh-huh," Ichigo admitted, flushing slightly, "I mean, he was probably just lonely like me and kissing feels good. But…"

Ichigo went suddenly silent, finally registering the expression on Rukia's face.

"Ichigo," the girl said, more softly, glancing at her brother, "that's…"

Ichigo stared back at her, blinking slowly as he remembered.

"Nii-sama wouldn't kiss a person he…well, that he...," Rukia stammered, "I mean, if he didn't stop you and he kissed you back, then…Byakuya must really like you."

"Well, I really like him too," Ichigo replied.

"No," Rukia said, touching his hand meaningfully, "Ichigo, I mean that Byakuya like likes you…as in…"

"You mean, you think he's really attracted to me?" Ichigo asked more tentatively.

"Yeah," Rukia answered emphatically, "Duh. The question is…do you like Nii-sama that way?"

Ichigo looked down at Byakuya's sweat drenched and senseless body that was cuddled around the pillows. He tried to imagine curling around Byakuya at night, kissing him and touching more intimately. A bright flush roared over his face and he found his heart pounding and his breath shortening at the thought.

"Are you all right?" Rukia asked.

"Y-yeah," Ichigo said uncertainly.

Rukia gave him a hard stare.

"I think you need to do some soul searching," she suggested, "When Nii-sama is well again and you're not in quarantine, you need to go somewhere and really think about this a lot. You need to be sure, Ichigo, because even though Byakuya seems cold on the outside and you would think that he isn't vulnerable, he's different inside. If he's falling in love with you and you don't feel the same, then you need to be honest with him. You need to explain to him."

"You're right," Ichigo agreed, keeping his eyes fixed on Byakuya's pale, frowning face, "I have to be careful whether it turns out that I feel the same as him or not. He's already lost somebody he loved. I don't want to hurt him. He's become a really good friend. Whatever else happens…or doesn't, I don't want to lose that."

Ichigo bit his lip thoughtfully and fell into silence for several minutes as the two friends continued their vigil at Byakuya's side. Finally, Ichigo gave a troubled sigh and leaned against Rukia's shoulder.

"You're confused, aren't you?" Rukia surmised, "You like my brother a lot, but you're not sure yet if it's love exactly."

"I know I love him," Ichigo corrected her, "I just don't know if it's the kind of love that leads to things like dating and marriage someday. Does that make sense?"

"Sort of. Although, you have been kind of dating him already, you know, going out to meals and dancing. And that you went with him to the Rukongai. That was sweet, Ichigo."

"I told you. I went because I felt bad about having promised to help him with the work at the sixth after Renji left, then I ditched him to go to the celebration."

"Byakuya didn't hold that against you, I'm sure. He's proud of Renji and he would have wanted all of Renji's friends to be there. Although…"

Ichigo gave her a curious look.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know," Rukia sighed, "I feel kind of bad that we didn't at least ask Nii-sama to join us. I mean, before, he would have just turned us down, but lately I've felt like he wants to be more connected to us, he just doesn't know how to do that, because of his responsibilities."

"I know what you mean," Ichigo affirmed, "I've been feeling that way too. I know he has expectations he has to live up to, and he can't be as relaxed as we are. But you know, we can still do plenty of things together that are things he can share. Maybe we can try harder to do that, once he's well."

"Yeah," Rukia agreed, smiling tentatively, "we'll put our heads together."

The two looked up as Michio returned to the room and leaned over Byakuya, quickly taking his vital signs, then conducting a brief examination. The two friends felt internal twinges of worry at the healer's concerned expression.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked worriedly.

"Is Nii-sama going to be okay?" Rukia inquired anxiously.

"This fever is really sapping his strength," Michio explained, shaking his head, "I will watch him more closely through the night, and I think we will need to put him on intravenous fluids."

"He's that bad?" Ichigo asked, going a little breathless, "Is there anything we can do, doc?"

"Keep cooling his face and throat and make sure he isn't left alone. He is delirious and could try to get out of bed. If you want, I could employ a gentle kido to restrain him, but I would prefer not to, as it could put him under stress."

"Then, don't do it," Rukia replied, "Ichigo and I aren't going anywhere."

"Well," the old healer sighed softly, "that is good. Byakuya-sama is lucky to have you."

"No," Ichigo said, turning sad eyes on the Kuchiki leader, "we're the ones who are lucky to have him."