Pale sunlight fell across Sakura's face and roused her from her slumber. Glancing briefly at Yumichika, and checking his vitals, she slipped out of the room, satisfied that he was okay for now.

On the sofa, Ikkaku lay fast asleep. Sakura stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame and watching her lover sleep. It was one of the few times she ever saw his face settle into a gentle, peaceful expression. He always had that edge of ferocity to him, that sharp, hard feeling that encircled him like an aura, emanating a challenge to everyone around him. It was probably what she loved most about him. But there was something special in seeing his face soften like this.

Kneeling beside him, she rested a hand gently on his arm, rousing him. Those dark eyes opened and locked on her face. A sleepy, easy grin curled his lips upwards until he remembered about Yumichika and sat up with a start. He was still wearing his Shinigami uniform, and Sakura wondered where he'd left his gigai, though that was the least of her worries right now.

"How is he?" Ikkaku's voice was rough. He rubbed at his face and bald head as if to snap himself awake more rapidly.

Sakura sighed. "He has a fever and I'm pretty sure that he's bleeding internally. I've done all I can."

Ikkaku stood, walking passed Sakura's kneeling form and going to check on his friend. When he returned a few minutes later, his face was stern, and his dark eyes burned with anger, the red marks by his eyes wrinkling slightly as he scowled fiercely.

"It's not enough."

"What?" Sakura frowned up at him.

"It's not enough! You're not doing enough!" He was yelling now, his hands balled into fists. Sakura gaped at him.

"What the hell do you mean? I'm doing everything that I can with the materials available to me!"

Ikkaku strode forwards and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up physically and making her gasp. His eyes bored into her own, searching the violet depths. Up close, in his rage, he looked like a demon, and Sakura shivered.

"Break the seal."

She shook her head, white hair tumbling free of its hold and falling around her face and shoulders.

"I can't. It's not possible."

"Have you even tried?" He snarled, teeth bared.

"What sought of question is that? What the fuck is wrong with you, Ikkaku?"

His grip on her wrist tightened enough to hurt and rage flooded through her. She drew back her free arm to slap him but he was faster than her and stopped the blow easily. Holding onto both wrists now, he stood mere inches from her, breath coming fast with anger.

Rage boiled up inside of her and she thought about how they always came back to this; the fight. She still remembered the first time she'd fought Ikkaku when, for reasons of his own, he'd decided to help her; decided to prove to her that she was stronger than she thought. Standing so close to him now, her body thrumming with the desire to fight, inhaling the scent of him with every breath, Sakura couldn't decide whether she wanted to kiss him more than she longed to hit him.

Taking a step back, disengaging herself from his grip, she took a shaky breath.

"I have tried, Ikkaku, and it is impossible. I am doing the best I can. I'm not a bad medic but what we really need is for the gate to reopen. Were there any signs of the Arrancar last night?"

Some of the fire in Ikkaku's eyes died and he rubbed at his smooth head, looking suddenly tired.

"No, though there was the usual increase in hollow activity."

Sakura nodded. Hollows were attracted to large amounts of spiritual pressure, and followed the Arrancars around like hungry dogs.

"Did Hitsugaya say when the gate should reopen?"

"He doesn't know."

Ikkaku looked back towards the room where Yumichika lay whilst Sakura resisted the urge to rub her sore wrists.

"Hitsugaya wants us to report back to him this morning. We're to discuss further action."

"Oh." Sakura tried to catch Ikkaku's eye but he avoided her gaze. "Well, I'll be here with Yumichika until I hear from you."

"You'll need this." He picked up a small communicator from the tabletop and dropped it into Sakura's hand. "Captain Hitsugaya will alert you as soon as the gate is to reopen."

"Right."

Silence filled the room. Finally, Ikkaku sighed angrily, snatched up his Zanpakuto from where he'd left it leaning against the couch and headed towards the door.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, anything to break the awful tension between them, but then he was gone, the door closing behind him.

For a while she stared at the closed door before squaring her shoulders, pulling her hair back a little savagely, and going to check on Yumichika. He was awake, and fixed a baleful stare on her.

"Are you two ever quiet?"

Sakura forced a smile.

"Lover's quarrel. He's just pissed because you're sick and he's got no one to fight about it."

"He's always had a direct approach to problems." Yumichika's tone was dry.

"Yes, well, someone has to be concerned with the finer details. Like making sure you don't bleed to death." Her voice was rough, and she cursed herself for being so easy to rile but the confrontation with Ikkaku had bothered her, and she didn't feel like dealing with Yumichika's arrogance right now.

As she sorted through the materials she'd need to change Yumichika's bandages, he watched her from his prone position on the bed, lifting one eyebrow in an elegant gesture of amusement.

"Did you expect him to bundle you into his strong, muscular arms and tell you it would all be alright?"

Sakura shot him a glance that could burn through steel. Yumichika shook his head and laughed, though the sound was strained.

"You've never really thought about it, have you?"

"Thought about what?" She asked grumpily, settling on the bed and carefully cutting through his old bandages. Yumichika watched her with his good eye; beads of sweat stood out on his forehead as if talking took a great effort despite his nonchalant attitude.

"How many married Shinigami do you know?"

Sakura's hands paused in their work and she frowned down at her friend.

"What?"

"You heard me, Takahashi. How many do you know?"

"Well, none." She returned to her work, her frown deepening.

"Have you ever wondered why that might be?"

She ignored him, focusing instead on cleaning his wounded side. It had bled during the night and she was worried about how inflamed it was becoming.

"This isn't good." She muttered under her breath. If Yumichika heard, he pretended not to, and carried on with his interrogation.

"How long do you think you and Ikkaku will last?"

Sakura sighed, feeling suddenly weary.

"It doesn't matter, does it?"

"Doesn't it?" He lifted one elegant arch of an eyebrow once more. "You care about him, don't you?"

"Of course, I do. I . . ." She stopped, glared angrily at Yumichika. "And how long do you think you'll be with him? You're his oldest friend, right?"

Yumichika probably would have shrugged if he weren't in so much pain. Instead, he settled for a brief headshake, sending his inky hair splaying out across the pillow.

"Until one of us dies in battle. That's the fate of all Shinigami."

"And you don't think I know that?" She finished dealing with his injuries and looked him in the eye now.

"I don't think you've ever really thought through what it means to love another warrior, no."

She looked away. "Who said anything about love? Ikkaku is a welcome distraction."

Yumichika laughed now, and it sounded so close to his usual arrogant self that Sakura looked at him sharply.

"You can't fool me, little Sakura. I've known you for too long now."

She stood abruptly.

"Are you hungry?"

He smiled wryly.

"Oh, have I upset you?"

Sakura smoothed down her clothes primly, her voice stiff.

"Not at all. I just want to know whether you're up to breakfast or not?"

"No, then."

"Fine. I'll let you rest. I'll be right outside if you need me."

She stepped out quickly, leaving the door ajar so she could hear him if he called out. Going to the kitchen, Sakura poured herself a glass of water and drank it down, before staring out of the window. What the hell was that about? She mused, watching a small bird as it landed on the fence outside. First Ikkaku, and now all these strange questions from Yumichika. She shook her head.

Usually, she'd practice kido or her sword fighting, but her wounded side ached too much for that to be a possibility today. Instead, she went back to the living-room and sat crossed legged on the floor, intending to meditate. She needed a way to centre herself. Someone had to be calm around here.

Breathing deeply, Sakura tried to settle into her usual, familiar meditation technique but Yumichika's words kept racing around her brain. Had she thought about the future? Honestly, she hadn't. The physical relationship with Ikkaku had been a welcome surprise, and she'd purposefully avoided thinking too critically about it. It wasn't just that she didn't know exactly how she felt about it him, but that too much had happened to her in a mere short year for her to be thinking far ahead. She was happy with her life; the routine, the fighting, the sparring, the day-to-day comings and going of Sereitei. She liked getting drunk with Rangiku Matsumoto, winding up the men, and falling into bed at night, sometimes next to Ikkaku.

Had she assumed it would last? She'd grown up in the human world and, although her upbringing had by no means been normal, had she assimilated the idea that she'd one day find someone she desired to settle down with? Because of her background, and her abilities, she'd spent her whole life almost entirely alone. Learning to be around people again, to trust them, had been a hard lesson, but once those walls were broken down, she'd taken to the idea of a family, of friends, maybe even of love.

She still remembered how she'd felt when she'd lived at the Urahara Shop, and had begun to spend time with Renji Abarai. With his long, crimson hair, black tribal tattoos that covered his torso and face, and his fierce, goofy smile, he had been the most attractive man she'd ever encountered. When she'd learned that beneath his brusque exterior was a man loyal to the core, she'd taken to him. Her heart had beat faster whenever he was close to her, and for the first time in a long while, she'd thought about opening up to someone. It had hurt when she'd realised that his interest was purely platonic, and that his true loyalty (and heart) would always lie elsewhere. But she'd been happy just to remain friends.

When Ikkaku had shown interest in her, had she responded because of the sting left by Renji's disinterest? She thought it unlikely. Ikkaku had opened up a whole new world to her; one filled with the thrill of battle. He fought like a demon, and he made love like one, too. Being around him made her feel vibrant and alive. But she knew she would never be the same as him; never embrace the fight quite as much; never be truly fearless. She knew that she was more careful, more steady, emotional. She had ties to so many people now; her father, Urahara, her friends, Ichigo and the other high schoolers who had helped her at great personal risk. All Ikkaku concerned himself with (if you could be said to care about anything other than fighting) was Yumichika, and Captain Zeraki. And now her.

Sakura opened her eyes, abandoning her meditation, and stared at her interlocked hands. Did she want their relationship to continue? Did she expect things to change? She didn't know.

Dragging herself to her feet with a weary sigh, she went to make something to eat, hoping it would distract her from her worries. Afterwards, she curled up on the sofa and slowly drifted off to sleep, her mind racing.