1NOTE:~ Chapter three guys! =D Enjoy~!

Of Lies And Trickery

Chapter 3: Bed Bound

"I said I was sorry, Captain!", Rangiku whined, frowning as her captain was still upset that they had forgotten about him and Gin the other day. It had been a couple days since the incident and Toushiro was still holding a grudge. "I don't care, Rangiku. You're going to do this paper work as punishment", he stated, crossing his arms as he watched his vice-captain, making sure she would actually follow through with her punishment. He couldn't rely on anyone else to watch her. She would just swoon them and then the papers would never get done. No, he would watch her and make sure she did them. Especially after she had forgotten about him and Gin. It was bad enough being trapped in a room with Gin but then he ended up injured and could have gotten a cold. It would have been all Rangiku's fault to. At least that's what he told himself, anyway. He still did feel bad about Gin's injuries though.

...

"C-Captain Ichimaru! Y-You shouldn't be out of bed!", Izuru quickly stuttered, following after his captain, who was on one crutch and both his injured arm and leg bandaged up and his arm in a sling. He also had a slight cold, but it wasn't anything serious. However, he wasn't even supposed to leave his quarters. That was direct orders from Unohana herself. But he didn't listen. He missed interacting with everyone. He wanted to see other people besides Izuru. Rangiku hadn't even come for a visit and he didn't understand why. So that was where he was going. To tenth division to find out why.

"It's fine, Izuru-kun", Gin replied back to his vice-captain. The blonde was obviously freaking out because Unohana would be angry at him for letting Gin out like this and he definitely didn't want to face Unohana's wrath. "I-I told you I-I wou-would go check on Rangiku! Captain! Please...Please go back to bed!", however, his pleas were ignored as Gin continued on. He smiled as they arrived at tenth division and he knocked. "Come in", called the voice of the young captain, Toushiro. Gin slid the door open and wobbled inside. "Hey, Ran-chan, Shiro-chan", Gin smiled at them, "Thought I'd come for a visit". "GIN!", Rangiku stood up. She was thankful he was there, but also worried. She knew he shouldn't be out of bed. "You should go back to your quarters. You need rest", she stated as she stepped around the desk and over to Gin. He frowned as he heard this, "I come all the way over'ere for a visit and ya don't want me..? Ya haven't even come to see me. Yar my friend, right Ran-chan?".

"She hasn't come to visit you because she has been busy doing paper work. She could have had it all done yesterday but she likes to complain and slack off", Toushiro stated, looking towards Gin, "But she's right. You should be in bed". Gin's gaze turned towards Toushiro and a smirk came back to his features. "Ahh, thanks for yar concern, Shiro-chan. At least I know ya care", he stated, a teasing tone in his voice. "T-That's CAPTAIN Hitsugaya to you! And...And I'm not worried...", Toushiro quickly turned away. Why was this getting to him all of the sudden? Why was he actually stuttering with his words? Now if Gin had been in perfect health he would be behind the young captain and ready to tease, but since he was injured and couldn't move around that well as it was, he just stood where he was. "Aww...Ya can't say that, Shiro-chan...Ya were the one that caused my injuries after all", he stated, leaning against the couch since his leg was starting to hurt.

Toushiro looked back at Gin, his cheeks flushed, "T-That was an accident. And stop calling me Shiro-chan!". He was starting to get annoyed with the injured man already. Especially since Gin had more stuff to tease him about and bother him with. Being locked in a room with him made it worse, at least for Toushiro. Especially since Gin had woken up to find him curled up close to him. That was bad. He definitely wouldn't let him live that down.

"Captain Ichimaru...w-we should go! Captain Unohana is supposed to come and check on you today...if you're not there she'll...", Izuru trailed off, not even wanting to think about what that women would do. She could be rather scary and quite intimidating. "Naahh, I don't wanna go back. I wanna hang around here and talk with Captain Hitsugaya and Ran-chan", Gin stated, now moving to get himself comfy on the couch. Izuru stumbled, holding out a hand to his captain, "But...you can't..!". But he received a rather scary smirk from Gin which shut him up immediately.

"Captain Ichimaru, I request you go back to your quarters...", Toushiro spoke, his eye twitching in annoyance. He just wanted him to go away. Besides, he should be in bed not out and about. "So how are ya Ran-chan?", obviously Gin had completely ignored Toushiro now as he looked towards his old friend. Rangiku now sat in a chair beside the couch. She smiled at him. "Exhausted! Captain has been making me do nothing but paper work!", she stated with a frown. "That was punishment...", murmured Toushiro, growing annoyed even further. "Aww, poor Ran-chan...", Gin frowned, as if feeling her pain.

Toushiro rolled his eyes and moved over, blocking Gin from looking at Rangiku. He crossed his arms and gave the man a stern look. "Go. Back. To. Bed. Ichimaru!", Toushiro ordered, pointing towards the door. "But I just got comfy", Gin complained. "Kira! Get him out of here!", Toushiro ordered, looking towards the third division vice-captain. Izuru looked wide-eyed at Toushiro and then at Gin and then back at Toushiro. He quickly bowed apologetically. "I'm s-so-sorry!", he apologized, unable to bring himself to even try to force his captain anywhere. His knees were starting to shake as he felt Toushiro's gaze burning into him. Toushiro grumbled, looking back at Gin. "Fine. If you won't go back to your bed then you can use mine as long as you actually rest. I don't need to be getting in to trouble for you not resting", he too did not want to face Unohana's wrath and that was one of the reasons he was trying so hard to get the man out of there.

Gin's grin returned and he was quite happy with this. "Alrigh' then. I'll take ya up on that offer", he replied, rising from the couch. "I'll help you~!", Rangiku sang, helping Gin towards Toushiro's quarters that were off to the side of the office area. She helped him in there and into bed. She was about to spark up a conversation when Toushiro called to her. "Yes captain?", she called back, almost afraid to hear what he wanted. "Get out of there! He's to rest, not chat!", Toushiro called, not wanting any of their chatter to disturb him since he would now be left to finish the paper work, as usual.

...

Gin had slept a good three hours and woke up feeling even worse than when he had went to sleep. It would seem the cold he had, had grown worse. He found himself suddenly coughing rather violently now, hurting himself as his body jerked from the violent coughing. He couldn't seem to stop either.

Toushiro had allowed Rangiku to leave so that Gin would actually get to rest and he could have his own peace and quiet too. He was almost finished the paper work from yesterday and today when he heard the sounds of coughing. They didn't seem to stop either. So he rose from his seat and walked over to the door, sliding it open and peering in. He saw Gin sitting up in bed, coughing rather violently, a pained expression on his features. It took Toushiro a moment but he moved into the room and to Gin's side, patting his back to try and help sooth the coughing. Finally, after a few minutes, the coughing subsided. Gin was breathing rather heavily now though and clutching his chest, which hurt from the coughing. "Are you alright?", Toushiro questioned, a hint of concern in his voice.

Gin looked over at him, he was all sweaty and looked quite pale. Toushiro rose a hand to the other captains forward, feeling that he had a fever. He groaned, "You shouldn't have left your bed...", he mumbled, moving towards the bathroom to try and find him some medicine. Toushiro came back with some cold tablets and a glass of water. "Take this", he offered him the medicine and water. Gin took it, tossing the tablets into his mouth and taking a few gulps of the water to get the tablets down. "Now lay back...I don't think you're going anywhere or doing anything else today", Toushiro stated, watching as Gin laid back in the bed. Gin smiled slightly, "Sorry...This time I really didn't mean to be a bother...". Gin's voice sounded sharp and raspy from his cold. Toushiro shook his head. "Don't apologize, just get better so you don't have to hob up my bed", Toushiro smiled, actually joking with the man. It was odd to actually joke with Gin. But seeing Gin ill in bed, knowing he couldn't do any wrong, made him feel the need to at least try and cheer him up. Gin smiled at his words before it faded and he closed his eyes, ready to go back to sleep. He was exhausted from this cold, but at least he was getting lots of rest. He needed it.

Toushiro watched Gin sleep for a few minutes before he finally turned to leave the man alone. It looked like he was going to have his bed tonight. Toushiro sighed softly as he took a seat back at his desk, about to finish off the few remaining pages of his paper work when there was a knock at his door. He looked over, raising a brow. He wondered who it could be. "Come in", he called out only to see Izuru stumble in, his head bowed low while Unohana came in right behind him. Toushiro tensed, knowing exactly why they were there. "Where is Captain ichimaru?", Unohana questioned, a smile adorned her features, but this smile was scary, almost deadly. "U-Uh...", his eye twitched before pointing towards his bedroom. Without another word, Unohana walked passed the shaking Izuru and into Toushiro's bedroom. She was going to scold the man for having left his room but when she saw his condition, her features changed from scary to concerned within a few seconds.

Toushiro was quick to follow after Unohana, now seeing her checking Gin's temperature. "His cold has gotten worse. I gave him some medicine I had in the cabinet for colds and he just went back to sleep...", he trailed off as he heard Unohana sigh. "He should not have left his room...", she stated aloud, the very fact everyone had been telling Gin when he left his bed. "He's too stubborn to listen", Toushiro was quick to state, his gaze on Gin now, "He doesn't like to follow the rules. He likes to make his own...". Unohana looked over, "Well is it alright he stays here for a little while, at least until his cold gets better and then he can be moved back to his quarters. But for now he shouldn't be moved". Toushiro wasn't thrilled as he heard this. Who knows how long it would take for this cold to clear up. He could lose his bed for days. But he nodded, "Yes, it's fine", he would just have to deal with it. "Alright, thank you, Captain Hitsugaya. Now I must change his bandages...", she stated and Toushiro didn't need to hear anymore than that as he left the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

Izuru still stood in the middle of his office, shaking like a leaf. "Oih, Kira. It's fine now. You can go", Toushiro dismissed him, knowing Izuru probably just wanted to get away from there now. He probably got in a lot of trouble with Unohana. No wonder why he was shaking. The blonde looked up, slowly nodding to Toushiro before bowing and quickly turning, disappearing out the door with the blink of an eye. Toushiro then moved, taking a seat back at his desk and once again focusing on finishing the last pages of his paper work.

Unohana emerged from his room moments later. She walked over and set a bottle of medicine onto Toushiro's desk. "Make sure he takes this twice a day. He may dislike the liquid, but it will help with the cold and his wounds", she instructed, "I'll be back to check on him in two days". Toushiro nodded, "Alright". God, he now felt like a baby sitter. Somehow this seemed so wrong, taking care of a fellow captain.

...

A small clatter from the other room caused Toushiro to lift his head up from the book he had indulged in reading after his paper work. His gaze shifted towards his bedroom, gently closing the book and setting it down. He rose from the couch and walked into the bedroom, seeing Gin struggling to stay standing as he tried to make his way towards the kitchen that Toushiro had within his quarters. "Ichimaru...!", Toushiro's voice held a scolding tone as he moved to the man, helping him to stay standing. Gin leaned on him for support and Toushiro could feel his body was very hot and covered in sweat. He definitely was a wreck.

"Back in bed", Toushiro ordered, helping Gin back into bed. He shouldn't have even tried to get out in the first place. Not only was he weak from the cold, he also only had the use of one of his arms and one of his legs. He shouldn't be moving about in his state at all. "I...just wanted somethin' to eat...", Gin murmured, breathing deeply as he looked at him. Toushiro sighed and shook his head, "You could have just called me...Unohana's orders, you're not to leave this bed until you're better". Gin looked away, in sort of a daze from his fever, "I didn't wanna bother ya...Bother ya enough already...". He sighed, knowing it might have just been Gin's fever talking but he was trying to be considerate of him, too.

"What do you want to eat?", Toushiro questioned, crossing his arms. First he becomes Gin's doctor and now he became his personal chef. Two things he definitely never thought he would become for this man. "Soup...", Gin replied, "Please...". Gin's voice cracked, sounding painful as the man did wince. Toushiro nodded, "Soup it is...". He then headed into the kitchen, getting out the ingredients to make a batch of soup his grandmother used to make him and Momo whenever they got sick when they lived with her.

As Toushiro made the soup, he remembered about the medicine Unohana had given him for Gin. He would have to try and work that in either before or after the soup. He sighed, recalling Unohana's words about how Gin might not enjoy it. He just hoped he would take it despite not enjoying it.

Once the soup was finished cooking, he poured some into a bowl and brought it into the bedroom for Gin. He set it on the small table beside the bed before helping Gin to sit up. He then handed the bowl to him. "Be careful, it's hot", he warned as he watch Gin take a spoon full, blowing on it a few times before taking it into his mouth. Unfortunately Gin couldn't taste anything so whatever flavors were mixed inside this soup, he couldn't enjoy. To him, it was just a hot liquid at the moment. "I'll be right back", Toushiro stated as he left the room, going out to get the medicine from his desk. He came back in with another spoon. Maybe, since Gin couldn't taste the soup, he wouldn't be able to taste the horrid tasting medicine. "Unohana prescribed this for you. She said it would help with both your cold and your injuries", he poured some of the green colored liquid onto a spoon. He held it out to his mouth, feeling he should give it to him since Gin was already so shaky. Spilling it wouldn't be good. Gin opened up and took the liquid into his mouth.

It only took a few seconds but his face cringed in disgust and he stuck his tongue out. "What was that?", he questioned, now seeming a bit more awake after the disgusting liquid. Toushiro sighed. 'I guess the medicines just that strong that he could taste it...', he thought to himself, "Medicine". "That was awful", Gin complained, still holding his tongue out. Toushiro let out a soft laugh, "Just wash it down with your soup". Gin sipped at the broth of the soup, trying to get rid of that nasty taste in his mouth but it didn't seem to disappear. He scrunched his nose a little and set the soup aside, swishing his tongue around his mouth to try and get rid of the taste. Toushiro smiled at the sight. The third division captain looked so odd with what he was doing, and funny too.

Gin blinked, looking and Toushiro and he smiled slightly. "Ya seemed to be enjoyin' watching me and laughing at me", he commented. Toushiro was caught off guard and remembered he was a captain. He was supposed to be serious, especially around Gin. A small tint crossed his cheeks and he looked away, "I-I'm not enjoying anything...!", he tried to protest. Gin chuckled, laying back and looking towards the ceiling. "Yar interestin'. Despite how ya seem to hate me, there's gotta be a small part of ya that likes me", Gin stated, though it might have just been the cold talking, "But ya don't gotta admit it...I like ya either way, Shiro. Yar...a good...". Soft snoring was suddenly heard from Gin. He had dozed off once again. Toushiro blinked, looking back at Gin. "Ichimaru...?", he spoke before looking down at the bottle of medicine. He glanced over the side effects of the medicine and he sighed. It would make Gin sleep. He looked back at Gin, now wondering what he was going to say before he fell asleep. "I have to admit...You're getting to me. You're breaking my shell and it's making me feel more uncomfortable to be around you. But at the same time, a part of me wants to see why you want to break in. Ichi – Gin, you're interesting too...", he stated to the sleeping figure. He set the bottle of medicine beside the bed and pulled the covers up more onto Gin so he wouldn't get cold. He then headed towards the closet, grabbing an extra pillow and blanket from it before heading out and into his office area. He set the items on the couch and laid down, pulling the blanket over himself.

He was tired, exhausted. But his head kept thinking over the words he had said to Gin just a few moments ago. Did he really mean that? He couldn't have. That man was a sneaky fox, a trickster. He was no good and just an annoyance! At least that was what he tried to convince himself. But it was easier said than done. Something deep down wouldn't let him believe that and he didn't know why. It was nerve wracking. It gave him a head ache. Why couldn't he figure this out? Why couldn't he figure Gin out? "You're...so confusing...", he murmured before finally closing his eyes and curling up on the couch, ready for sleep to take him now.

END:~ I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter 8D I know I enjoyed writing it! Thanks for reading and please review. OH! And another side note, this will also have the pairing IzuRan(IzuruXRangiku), but that's not till later after a bunch of stuff xP. Yep, me and my friend included that pairing as a side one in our RP xD. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and again, thanks!