I do not own Bleach.

Sakura watched in amazement as Jushiro picked up Haku and laid him down against a tree. "Was that...kido?" He hadn't laid a hand on Haku. But the boy had collapsed and was now unconscious. 'Kido is amazing.'

Jushiro checked the boy's pulse, it was normal. "Yes. Although I made sure they were very weak. Otherwise it may have hurt him. He'll probably wake up in a few hours." Jushiro walked back over to the pond and sat down again. "He doesn't have much reiryoku."

"That's good to know-hahahahaha!" Sakura hadn't realized her foot had slid back into the water. But the fish had made sure she knew. "I believe that is the second time you have saved me from a monster." She hoped the semidarkness was hiding the blush that she could feel heating her face.

Jushiro looked back towards the young man. "What did he do?" He couldn'to see the boy being anyone that would force himself on others. But looks could be deceiving.

"He tried to steal my first kiss." Sakura dropped her other foot into the pond. "It's not that big of a deal. Most girls my age have already had their first kiss. But I want to save mine for someone that I know I love. Sounds childish doesn't it?" She looked away from him. Not wanting to show him the tears forming in her eyes. She hated to sound like such a baby around people.

"Sounds like something a romantic would say." Jushiro slide his sandals off of his feet before slipping his feet into the cold water. "There's nothing wrong with being a romantic. My best friend is the biggest romantic I know. And he has said far worse things than you." Jushiro smiled thinking of all of the things he wished Shunsui had never told him. Most of those things still made him cringe.

Sakura looked over to him and was surprised to see an embarrassed smile on his lips. She smiled thinking of what his friend had said to him. "My father is a romantic as well. I guess I get it from him. Or at least learned it from him." Sakura leaned back on her hands and looked up at the glittering stars. The stars that had heard everything she had ever told them. But never gave her an answer back.

They both sat in silence for a few minutes. Then the fish came back. And they brought many friends.

"Hahaha-that tickles-hahahahaha-" Jushiro felt his chest contract painfully before the first cough broke through his lips. He was bent over with his elbows on his knees as he continued to cough. A few drops of red liquid broke the surface of the pond, scattering the fish.

Sakura was digging through her bag as soon as he had begun to cough. She found her handkerchief and a bottle of water. She then soaked the handkerchief and began wiping the sweat off of Jushiro's brow till he stopped coughing.

Jushiro pulled his hand away and looked at his blood soaked hand. He sighed as he dipped it into the pond and watched the blood wash away. He went to wipe the blood from his lips, but found a cloth already doing that. "Thank you." He gave Sakura a small smile.

Sakura returned Jushiro's smile as she washed the blood off of her handkerchief. "Do you want to go to a hospital or clinic?"

"Will they know what to do? How to help me?" Jushiro hadn't really thought about trying the doctors in the living world. He wasn't a living soul after all.

"They may be able to give you a diagnosis. And then what medicine will help. They may have a bit of trouble. But you seem alive enough to me." Sakura pulled her feet out of the water and shook the water off of them. "We can give it a try. And I'm sure people in Soul Society can analyze the medicine and create a version that will work for a soul." Sakura stood and slipped back into her shoes as she spoke.

Jushiro admired her optimism. He put his sandals back on and attempted to stand. He nearly collapsed, but found an arm helping him to stay up. "Thank you, Sakura-chan." He gave her a smile as she kept her arm around his to steady him.

Sakura pushed down her blush as much as she could. "No problem, Jushiro-kun."

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