Chapter 18

Late morning. It had to be.

The sun shone in through the window like it was purpose built do shed its warmth over his skin. It felt nice, relaxing even, and even with the blinding light beaming on his eyes, he simply didn't want to open them. He was perfectly content to just lay there until the moon returned.

However a soft knock at his door forced him to open those very eyes.

"Come in." He said softly and he rolled to his side and wrapped his arms around his pillow to shield his face from the sun's rays.

"Captain Ukitake? It's me." Said the familiar voice of Captain Unohana from behind the slightly open door.

"Do I have to wake up? I'm comfortable." Ukitake whined as he buried his face further into the fluff.

"I'm afraid so, Captain. I was hoping to check you for wounds." She said, stepping inside and closing the door.

"Nothing serious. Just this paper cut on my chest." He said as he peaked up at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh? Up you go. Let me see it." Unohana said as she jabbed a finger into his shoulder.

With a groan, Ukitake finally wrested himself from the confines of his bed and sat up, letting the blanket fall from his chest to reveal the cut.

Unohana immediate took a look at it, and it was so light that she deemed it unnecessary to even heal it. It would heal up on its own without so much as a blip in his flesh in a few days time.

"Do I pass?" Ukitake asked, smiling and combing his fingers through his hair that felt heavy and not at all what it was supposed to feel like.

"I think so. I woke up a bit ago and have been getting reacquainted with squad business. I'm afraid we are missing some time." She said, her smile fading.

"How much?" Ukitake asked, his too fading from his face.

"A week."

"What? A week! You can't be serious!" Ukitake reeled.

"I'm afraid so. My lieutenant has told me that we were brought here some time ago. Five days ago in fact." Unohana said, whose hair was wet from having freshly bathed. Ukitake was jealous, as that was exactly what he wanted to do.

"Five days? This can't be... That means we all lost a week's worth of training because of what happened." Ukitake said as he let out a long, disappointed sigh.

Unohana nodded, "That would be correct."

Ukitake rubbed the back of his neck, "Have you seen any of the others?" He asked.

"I am about to check now. Are you feeling up to accompanying me?" She asked with a returning smile.

"Yes. I will do that." Ukitake said.

He tossed off his blanket and rose to his feet, bringing him high above Unohana's head. He adjusted his robe to wrap it around him snuggly before plucking his captain's haori from the hook and putting it on. The extra layer was welcomed to hide just how disheveled he was, as it hid most of the length of his knotted hair behind the collar.

They left his room and stepped into a rather quiet hallway with only a few members of squad 4 scattered about. At the far end of the hallway, a lone member rolled a cart laden with trays of food that instantly made his stomach growl.

"Ooo... Food." He drooled as he followed Unohana down the hall in the opposite direction.

"We will get something to eat soon, after I check on everyone else." Unohana said sweetly, but her voice held a darker undertone, one that everyone knew not to cross.

"Yes, Ma'am." Ukitake said without a breath between his words.

They went all the way to the other end of the hall to the last room marked with a red tag.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki: Do Not Disturb!

Authorized Personnel Only!

Intensive Care!

Ukitake read the tag and groaned, "Intensive care? From his stomach wound?" His voice was low.

"Yes. Isane told me that both he and Nyruki Sawada were in pretty bad shape. It took quite some time and multiple members to seal their wound and even then, they were less than pleased with its outcome." Unohana said.

"How so?" He asked.

"According to Isane, the wounds refused to completely heal. I assume perhaps it is because the javelin was still punctured through them. They have been monitoring both Captain Kuchiki and Nyruki Sawada carefully." She said, clasping her hands together.

"I see." Ukitake said.

"However, Isane did report that their condition was improving." Unohana smiled.

"Good. Shall we?" Ukitake said, raising an arm towards the door.

Unohana nodded as she grasped the knob and turned, propping the door open just enough to peak inside, but the moment she did, she froze and simply stared in the doorway.

"Retsu? What's wrong?" Ukitake asked, trying to peer over her, but unable to get a good look inside without wrapping himself around the small woman.

Unohana said nothing before she closed the door as quietly as possible and with a look on her face that was exceedingly rare; Her eyes were a bit wider than normal with mild shock.

"Retsu?" Ukitake asked, feeling a bit impatient mixed with worry.

"Perhaps you should peak for yourself." Unohana finally said.

Ukitake's black brows pulled together as he grasped the knob. He just as quietly opened the door, again just enough to peak inside and what he saw made him hold his breath out of fear of incurring a wrath.

Byakuya Kuchiki was sound asleep in his bed with his back towards the door. The blanket covered him to the middle of his chest, resting underneath his arm that was hung lazily over someone curled against him whom was smaller and finer than he. He knew whom that other person was without even having to think, as the long river of jet black hair draped over his side to rest against his back.

His eyes were as wide as they could go and his cheeks burned as he closed the door just as quietly and stared at Captain Unohana.

"Uh... Um... W-Wha... She... Yeah." Ukitake stuttered, pointing over his shoulder at the closed door as he tried to comprehend what his eyes had seen.

"It would appear so." Unohana said, unmoving from her spot in front of the door.

"I didn't think she'd stay in there." Ukitake admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck, still with a burning blush over his cheeks.

"Pardon?"

"She came to me last night to check on me. I suppose she was the first to wake." Ukitake said.

"That would not surprise me since it was her inner world and her power." Unohana said quietly.

"That is true. I didn't see anymore wounds though. She must have treated him." Ukitake said, glancing at the door as his soft smile faded to be replaced with relief.

"New wounds?"

Ukitake nodded, "Yes. I suppose we'll hear about it when they eventually wake up. Byakuya isn't going to be happy about missing a week however."

"I doubt any of us are. I'm sure we have some explaining to do with our lieutenants." Unohana said as a squad 4 member approached the door with a tray of food in hand.

"I've come with the Captain's lunch, Ma'am." Said the little spit of thing with blonde hair and bright icy blue eyes.

"Not at the moment I'm afraid. Captain Kuchiki is still resting. No one is to enter this room unless it is either myself, or Captain Ukitake. Level 3 restriction please." She said calmly to the small little female.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll inform the nursemaids immediately." The little thing said before heading off without so much as an ounce of hesitation.

"That's probably a good idea." Ukitake said once the little thing was out of earshot.

"I think so too. We don't need to incur that kind of wrath so soon after dealing with a bit of an internal crisis." Unohana said with her returning smile.

"I sure don't. Byakuya's temper is as hot as its always been. He just has it under better control." Ukitake exaggerated his shutter.

"Push the right buttons however and he goes off like a bottle rocket... Well, an arsenal of bottle rockets actually." Said another voice from just a few doors down.

"Shunsui... You're alright." Ukitake breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Of course. It's gonna take more than that to rid me from this world. Not gonna lie though, that flying Soi-Fon was not fun to deal with." Kyōraku visibly shuttered just at the thought of it.

"Isane would have to agree with you. She treated your leg not long ago." Unohana said as she and Ukitake stepped away from the now restricted room.

"Still feels like it needs attention." Kyōraku grumbled with a noticeable limp in his right leg. He had been stung by the frightening stinger.

"We will all get it, I assure you." Unohana said.

"So what do we do now? Hold a lieutenants' meeting so we can catch up and explain ourselves?" Ukitake asked as he slipped his hands into his sleeves.

"We should report directly to our lieutenants first though. I've got to explain to Nanao-Chan before she scalps me and mounts my head to her wall." Kyōraku grimaced.

"That would be a wise idea." Unohana said.

"I think I'll go speak with Lieutenant Abarai and see if Rukia is back from the World of the Living. They need to know directly that Byakuya is alright." Ukitake said.

"Alright, Captain. Just take it easy. We are all still recovering." Said Unohana.

With a curt nod, Ukitake took his leave and headed down the hall, snatching up a piece of fruit from the cart as he passed by. None protested as he took his first bit and left the facility out into the warm day.

However, Squad 6 was not his first destination, as he headed straight for his own to get cleaned up. He simply could not stand the heavy feel of his hair against his skin. In fact, it was more than just his hair that felt heavy, as his skin as well, having been caked in dried sweat and skin oils that just clung as if it was the strongest glue imaginable. A bath and a fresh change of clothes would come first.

After he had washed, having scrubbed his hair twice and combed it out for no less than ten minutes, Ukitake was dressed and feeling far lighter than he had been. The bath had done wonders to clear his mind and uplift his mood as he managed to escape from his own squad's attentions.

As he walked towards Squad 6, everyone he passed took the time to tell him that they were glad he was up and around. Throughout the apparent week they had been in their coma of sorts, the entire Gotei had speculated as to what had happened. There was more than one rumor flying around, ranging from a science project gone wrong, to a mysterious Hollow attack, to a wild captains only party. The entire spectrum was covered.

Now at the Squad 6 barracks door, Ukitake rapped a strong hand on the wood, which garnished the sentries to open it and gasp.

"C-Captain Ukitake! You're alright!" They both said together as they fully opened the door to allow him entry onto the grounds.

"Yes and feeling much better. Is Lieutenant Abarai in?" He asked, deciding it best, for now, to keep quiet about things.

"Y-Yes, Captain! He's up in the Captain's office, but I'll warn you, he's in some kind of mood today." Said one sentry, a young man with a cluster of brown mussy hair on top of his head with brown eyes.

"That's alright. I know what the mood is pertaining to." Ukitake said, offering a smile in hopes of alleviating their worry that was clear on their faces.

He waved good-bye as he headed for the main barracks building and walked inside. More Shinigami beamed and told him how happy they were he was ok, and more than a few asked about their captain's well-being. Ukitake at least offered them the knowledge that he was alright, but left it at that as he found his way to the office with the silhouette of a camellia flower.

He softly knocked, but no more than a single knock found contact as the door ripped open with a rush of wind from the inside.

"Captain!... Ukitake? Oh-" Renji's voice trailed off as his face instantly dropped with the disappointment that it wasn't his Captain whom had come.

"Hello, Renji. Do you have a few minutes to talk?" Ukitake asked kindly.

"S-Sure. C'mon in." Renji said, stepping aside.

Ukitake stepped into the office and shut the door as Renji went to his small desk next to Byakuya's far larger one and sat down with a heavy plop and a groan in its chair.

"Is the Captain ok? What's going on?" Renji asked as he racked a hand back over his hair that was a bit static filled and mussy despite being its usual ponytail.

"It's a bit complicated to explain here. There will be a lieutenant's meeting forthcoming and everything will be explained there by the captains once we all wake." Ukitake said as he took a seat in the available chair, having to support his weight on the armrests and lower himself down slowly.

"Are you alright, Captain?" Renji asked, sitting up a bit straighter in case the man needed his help.

"I'm fine, Renji. Just achey all over," He sighed once he was seated, "Look... I came to personally tell you that Captain Kuchiki is fine. He's just... resting still is all."

"That's a relief." Renji sighed as he slumped in the chair.

"How have you been managing? With heading up Squad 6 in our absence?" Ukitake asked.

Renji shrugged, "Alright I guess. I've pretty much stuck to the routine since the Captain went into a coma. Training then cutting everyone loose to practice what we went over. None of the paperwork's been done and the Head-Captain is getting to be a pain in the ass. He keeps wanting reports and I just don't have anything to give him." He said, scratching the side of his tattooed neck.

"I see." Ukitake said.

"What happened to the Captain? He went into that training and then just... didn't come out. None of you did. I heard through the grapevine that everyone had gone into a coma." Renji said as he slouched even more in his chair and picked at his fingernails.

"I see. Care to explain?" Ukitake asked as he rested an elbow on the armrest.

Renji shrugged again, "A member of Squad 4 came running in screaming about how all the captains had been taken to the medical facility. It took ages to calm him down, but once I had, he told me that the Captain's attendant had found everyone comatose in the Captain's training room and that he and Nyruki had been heavily injured. That's all I was able to get out of him before he took off." He explained.

"It left you with a lot of questions didn't it." Ukitake said, already knowing what the Lieutenant's answer would be.

"Yeah. A lot of 'em." Renji grumbled as he dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Have you told Rukia?" Ukitake asked.

"Yeah. I sent her a Hell Butterfly after I found out." Renji answered, still staring up at the ceiling.

"Her reply?"

"Only that she wanted me to keep her informed. She said she's still waiting for Urahara to get that package for you so she hasn't returned yet from the World of the Living." Renji said, finally lifting his head to look at the Captain.

"I see. She's probably worried sick." Ukitake said, cupping his own chin.

"She is, but she's managing." Renji said.

"Good. Do the others know?"

"I'm sure they do. Rukia most likely told them." Renji said as he sat up straight and leaned on his elbow.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they all arrive along with Rukia." Ukitake sighed.

"Maybe. I'm gonna send another Hell Butterfly and let her know the Captain's ok. That'll probably make her show up in a hurry." Renji said as he pushed himself up to his feet.

"Probably. If she does arrive without the package, then that's fine. Urahara will hang onto it until she can pick it up." Ukitake said as he too rose to his feet.

"Thanks for letting me know, Captain. It's a big relief." Renji said, standing up straighter than he had been, almost as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Of course."

"Can I go see him?" Renji asked as Ukitake turned to leave.

Ukitake gulped and held his breath, "Um... No, I'm afraid. He's still in intensive care. Captain Unohana has placed a level 3 restriction until he's out of the woods."

"Out of the woods?" Renji swallowed.

"Yes... You'll find out at the lieutenant's meeting later today. Will that suffice?" Ukitake asked as he glanced over his shoulder at the far, far younger man.

"It'll have to."

It was so warm beneath the blanket and it was only compounded by the rays of sunshine coming in through the thinly veiled window. The curtains silently danced in the slow breeze that carried sun kissed, lightly scented air into the hospital room that smelled of anesthetic, filling her lungs with an energy that helped her to flutter her eyes open.

She hadn't moved at all during the night. She still lay comfortably on her side, trapped between his arms that held her tightly to his chest. Each exhale from his lungs swathed over the back of her neck in hot waves that nearly instantly vanished as he drew in his next breath. She was content and comfortable and didn't want to wake, but she knew she had to with the rising risk of being caught in the same bed as her Captain.

She drew in a long pull of air as she sat up, holding her face in a hand to rub what sleep remained from her golden colored eyes. Her hair was loose and draped over his side, having been freed by his hand when her mussy bun kept stuffing into his nose. He had pulled the tie and tossed the long strands over his side to remove the obstruction of her bun and had pulled her closer for even more warmth.

She finished rubbing her eyes and peered over her shoulder at him to see his eyes still closed and his brow relaxed with a number of locks of his jet black hair having fallen across his face. She wanted to see his peaceful face, so she softly brushed her hand back over his cheek, capturing those locks between her fingers and gently tucked them behind his ear.

However, the contact was enough to stir him from his slumber as his liquid silver eyes began to open.

"Sorry." Nyruki whispered, her fingers still resting just behind his ear.

"No need to apologize. I was awake, but didn't wish to open my eyes." Byakuya said, still making no attempt to move.

"How're you feeling?" She asked, only then taking her hand away to grasp a bandaged wrist.

His fingers near instantly curled around her hand, serving as proof that he was in far better shape now, than he had been.

"I'm very sore, but not in pain." He said softly with just as soft eyes locked on hers.

"Good. Me too actually." She said, every muscle in her body aching with a dull throb.

"Thank you for keeping me warm last night. It will not leave this room. For that, I promise." He said as he tucked his other hand underneath his head.

Nyruki softly smiled, "I wasn't worried about that, Captain. You aren't the type to just go running your mouth." She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"And you would be correct." He said with the barest of smiles across his lips.

She wasn't hallucinating. There really was a smile there if she looked hard enough. His eyes were light, genuine from the near invisible smile and she fully admitted to herself that as attractive as he was, bordering on beautiful, he was even more so when he actually smiled.

"You should do that more often." She blurted out, which instantly irradiated a hot blush over her entire face.

That very smile briefly widened, which only served to make him all that much more pleasant to look at.

"I'm not one to smile without a reason." He said as the smile began to slowly fade.

"You don't just smile for the fun of it?" She asked as she looked down at the bed and hoped her hair would help hide her blush, which it didn't.

"I'm afraid not. A man of my standing isn't often rewarded with the luxury to simply smile for the fun of it, as you say." He said, now with the smile gone.

"That's sad. You should smile for even the simplest of things. Smile at the cherry blossom trees, or even at the sun's rays as they warm your skin." She said as her own lips twitched with an upward curve.

"I have often, within the privacy of my manor, given such a gesture to those simple things." He said, slightly tightening his grip on her hand.

Nyruki shifted her eyes to look at their conjoined hands, only serving to heat up the blush across her cheeks. Her chest ached right along with her blush, so she loosened her grip and released his hand.

"S-Sorry, Captain. I'm glad your hands are better." Nyruki softly gulped as she looked away from his gaze.

Again, that small, barely there smile made itself known by stretching his lips just enough to show.

"As am I. If I may be so bold, may I ask a question?" He asked, tucking the hand that had been clutching hers beneath his head to join the other.

Nyruki's cheeks burned even hotter, "U-Um... S-Sure." She gulped.

"Were you serious when you asked if I would look down upon you if you transferred back to Captain Ukitake's squad?" He asked.

Nyruki refused to look at him, "W-Well... Y-Yes. I um... I just feel like... I don't know... This is um... This is just-"

"Awkward?" He finished for her.

Nyruki nodded, "Yeah. It is. I-I'm sorry, Captain, but I wasn't expecting to end up in your bed when I requested the transfer to Squad 6." She gulped and scooted away to lean back against the wall, next to the window.

Byakuya drew in a long, slow breath as he carefully rolled onto his back and sat up, stuffing his pillows behind his back for support against the headboard.

"You did not have to stay with me last night. I would have faired well enough on my own." He said.

"You were cold and needed to be kept warm. You had done the same for me when were trapped. It was only right I return the favor." Nyruki said, picking at her fingernails and not looking at him.

Byakuya nodded once, "Then I must thank you. You proved that you would, in fact, do the same for me."

Nyruki held her breath as she willed herself to finally look at him, but he was looking down at his lap with his hands neatly folded, one on top of the other. He was reverting back into the coldness that was his earned reputation.

"Captain... You're welcome. I repay my debts." She said with a soft sigh.

For the briefest of moments, Byakuya's ultra soft smile returned.

Nyruki wanted to keep talking, to keep him talking, and she had even opened her mouth to continue, but the low creek of the doorknob beginning to turn froze their breath in their lungs.

"Shit-" Nyruki breathed.

However, before she could do a thing, Byakuya lunged forward and grabbed the back of her neck with a tight grip and pulled her down hard into the bed where he threw the blanket over her. He arced his knees, pinning her beneath his legs to hide the lump in the blanket just in time, as the door opened.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, Byakuya. How're you feeling?" Asked Captain Ukitake, carrying, strangely, two trays of food that he set down on the side table before sitting down in the chair near the bed.

"Exhausted." Byakuya answered cooly.

"I am feeling a bit unrested myself, but I guess that's what we get when we're missing a few days." Ukitake said.

Byakuya's eyes widened a bit as he looked at the Captain with a sidelong glance, "Missing a few days? How many?" He asked, feeling the slight shake from Nyruki under the arc of his knees.

"I'm afraid it's not good, Byakuya. We're missing a full week."

Byakuya lightly gasped, but remained as collected as possible as one of Nyruki's hands tightened to vice like levels around his ankle, "A week? Are you certain?"

"I'm afraid so and we've been here for five of those days." Said Ukitake.

"Five? How long did Nyruki and I go untreated for our wounds?" Byakuya asked, this time turning his head to fully look at the man.

"Well, that's actually why I came to talk... and I brought food." Ukitake said as he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.

"I see. I could go for some lunch." Byakuya admitted and looked down at his lap.

"Supper, actually. It's time for the evening meal." Ukitake said.

Byakuya pinched the bridge of his nose, "Then I suppose we shall have our supper together while you explain."

"Actually, I've already eaten." Ukitake said with a bit of a sheepish grin on his face.

Byakuya glared, "Then why the second tray?" He played it as cool as possible.

Ukitake just grinned as he rose to his feet and stepped up to the bed with Byakuya glaring the entire time. He could feel Nyruki shaking with fear beneath his legs, and her iron grip on his ankle was starting to hurt, but he knew he had to power through it, or risk being discovered with one of his subordinates in his bed.

If only Captain Ukitake didn't already know.

Still with his sheepish grin, Ukitake grabbed a fistful of the blanket and pulled it up, exposing Byakuya's arced legs with the terrified Nyruki beneath them, plastered with wide eyes and a face so red, that she might as well have painted it that color.

"Uh... H-Hi." Nyruki gulped hard, but refused to move, afraid that if she did, he would see her.

"Hello, my Flower." Ukitake said, now with a crooked smile.

Byakuya buried his face in his hand, "This is... not what it looks like."

"Relax. I know." Ukitake said kindly as he let the blanket fall back into place.

Nyruki shimmied backwards until she was free from Byakuya's legs and sat up, still with the blanket over her head. She wasn't too keen on removing it either, due to the blush that burned so hot, it felt like she was standing right next to the evening sun.

However, she was not given the choice to continue hiding when Byakuya pulled the blanket off her head, pulling a significant amount of her hair with it to mussily hang in front of her face.

"Thanks, Captain. I really appreciate it." Nyruki deadpanned as she heavily slouched.

"No sense in continuing to hide if he already knows." Byakuya said, crossing his arms.

Ukitake softly chuckled as he picked up the trays of food and handed it to the pair while Nyruki quickly threw her hair up.

"Here. Eat and I'll explain what I know."