It pained him to hear he leave without saying a word. Renji had laid there silently waiting for her to come. Instead she left, a piece of Renji died inside of him. This was the time he realized his childhood was over. No longer kids, not yet adults, this was adolescence. Man adolescence sucked.

"Renji... RENJI!"

d

The voice was insistent and rather annoying. Yumichika watched silently from a chair as Ikkaku tried to wake up Renji. According to the nurse he would be awake. As he looked down to file his nails he caught in the corner of his eye Ikkaku shaking Renji. A heavy sigh escaped Yumichika's beautiful lips (self proclamation) as he perfectly rounded a nail.

"You know if he's ugly now under those bandages I won't be able to be his friend. O! To think me friends with someone ugly."

Ikkaku looked Yumichika with a incredulous look. "Can you get off the beauty subject our friend here is probably dying."

"Your just jealous cause your bald." Yumichika brushed back his hair.

"Fuck you."

"Can't a dying man sleep?"

"AH THE MUMMY TALKS!" Ikkaku dramatically pulled away from Renji.

Yumichika chuckled and rose up off the chair. Elegantly he walked over to Renji's bed side. Grabbing his hair he twisted it in his fingers. They were happy to see their friend still with them. They met in class shortly after Renji blew himself up for the first time. More then likely Yumichika came his friend cause he was cute. Ikkaku cause he was ready to kick butt any day. Together all three made a great team, but probably they'd be sent off to different squads one day.

New friends, a new life. These were his new friends, more likely to stay with him then Renji was. From the darkness of his badges he could here them arguing about something. Inside him he cried and laughed as he realized how much had changed. If only his friends could see how much things have changed now. Life moved on even after old friends were gone. As years continued to go on everything changed'; people changed.

"Capitan Unohana said we we can take off the bandages around your face today." Ikkaku scoffed, "I wanted her to wait till Yumichika was here."

"Hmf, I doubt Renji is ugly on there, he's one of the most handsomest people, well besides me. No one can be prettier then me."

"O! Renji is awake," it was the nurse. "Do you wish me to talk off the bandages now?"

"Go for it."

Slowly and carefully the nurse unwound the bandages around Renji's face. His jaw that had been broken had mostly healed. Thanks to Captain Unohana's healing skills most of his broken bones were already healed but he needed plenty more time to heal before he could recover. However there were slower wounds to heal, like his broken heart. Beside Renji Yumichika shrieked in horror and pulled away from Renji.

"He's ugly how can I be friends with him! UG!"

"All he needs is a bath." The nurse informed.

"Then bathe him!"

"Actually Capitan Unohana told me to tell you that you shall bathe him. Since of course you have been bugging her so relentlessly these last few days."

Together Yumichika and Ikkaku struggled with with Renji down the hall. They had giving him a stretcher to carry him on. Renji tried to walk but was quickly threatened with the promise of Captain Unohana. Since Rukia visited Renji had slept for three more days. So he had a bath since hsi accident and they were in such a hurry to heal him bathing him was a least of their priority. Or Renji figured this was his punishment.

"I say we dump him in the water." Yumichika pouted.

"You do and I'll scream murder." Renji snapped.

His joints protested as Renji tried to get off the stretcher. The best he could do was crawl off and even with that he only made it only a few feet before he lay on the cool floor. Damn, why did he need a bath all he wanted to do was sleep. Maybe he could just sleep here Yumichika and Ikkaku didn't want to see his naked ass anyway. The nurse would be around as soon as he wasn't returned.

"I don't wanna touch those, yuck, bandages, so if you get them off I'll bathe him." Yumichika batted an eye at Ikkaku.

"Pah, fine."

It was surprising how carefully Ikkaku lowered Renji into the water. Usually just a brute strength, street tuff guy, had a soft side when his friends needed help. It would ruin his reputation if this got out of the bath. Ikkaku got in with him be it the bath was quite large. Yumichika started to put up a fuss when the nurse walked by. Reluctantly he stripped out of his robes and joined him in the bath.

"So how do we bathe him?" Ikkaku looked Renji over.

"I'm here guys don't talk to me like I'm unconscious."

"I don' t know he looks so gross. I can't believe were in the same bath as him."

"Hey!"

"Um, I really don't want to touch his naked body. Can't you your gay."

"..." --()

"Who says I'm gay?" Yumichika did his best beautiful pose. "Can't you see all the girls would want this gorgeous, gorgeous face!"

"Give me a wash cloth I can bathe myself."

Ikkaku laughed, "Your as strait as a curb."

"Hello," Renji's pashince got shorter.

"I know, I'm the prettiest fairy of them all."

"Hm."

There was no warning before Ikkaku dunked Renji under the water. He looked away as Renji struggled to get back up. Renji's arms were flailing around water splashed all over the bath. Yumichika moved towards the side as to avoid most of the water. After all it did take him nearly four hours today to do his hair. What a waste it would be to ruin it now. Pruining his hair, Yumichika watched as Renji pulled Ikkaku under. Such childish behavior for such hansom men.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!" Renji gasped, then held his stomach.

"STOP THIS!" Unohana shouted from the door way. "This is my hospital, you will leave it how I say. And I will have no one making a ruckus and disturbing other sick people. I told you to bathe Renji, not to stress his wounds. Let this be a lesson to you ruffians what it's like when you get hurt." She smiled sweetly, but with venom. "Get your chore done and then you can scrub the floors."

"Sorry Capitan Unohana." All spoke at once.

"Relax Renji," Yumichika waded towards them once Unohana was gone. "Ikkaku careful how you treat Renji, we don't know what other horrible choirs may wait us if we test Capitan Unohana."

It felt awkward sitting on Yumichika's lap as he fretted with Renji's hair. Off to the side Ikkaku faked indifference staring off into space. The whole room was hot, but it felt good. Especially with aching joints Renji relaxed his head back a little further starring up at the white walls. There were only two other of hsi friends that hadn't visited him yet. Shy as they were they'd probably say hi after he was out.

"I herd what happened." It was Ikkaku. "Tsch, Renji getting hurt over a girl."

"She's my best friend what should I do?"

"Let her go, she's to high class." Ikkaku rubbed his bald head. "She has elegance, and well were just ruffians. Well except for Yumichika what is he going to do give them a killer manicure."

There was humor in Ikkaku's words and it brought comfort. Renji closed his eyes feeling tired all of a sudden. His mind couldn't leave Rukia. Mainly Renji's mind was afraid to let go of his childhood. Very soon adolescence would be over, and they would be men. What squad they would be in would be random, but only Ikkaku, Yumichika and Renji were destend to stay together. Ikkaku poked Renji with a stick he always carried.

"Hey Renji, if time comes can you let her go... Renji?"

"Ikkaku, he's not moving. I think he's dead, you held him under water to long now I have a dead person on my lap!"

"Hush Yumi, he's just asleep. Worse you'll get is a pruned body because I'm not waking him up."

"Pruning might lead to wrinkles then all my-"

"I said hush," Ikkaku leaned against the edge of the bath and closed his eyes. "We got out of class today, which was good, but as soon as we get out of here we'll be scrubbing floors which is bad."

No one has reviewed this so I assume no one likes this. Just to let you know this chapter is a little screwy cause I was kind of intoxicated typing most of it.