DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of this story, all mistakes are mine alone, unbeta'd
Just having you is enough
He landed with a hard thump on the floor as he was going through Jushiro's things. It simply shocked him to the core when he found the ornately wrapped box. In all the years...decades that they had been together they never once spent a birthday apart, until now.
Hopefully this would be the only one.
Jushiro was technically still alive but it was a huge secret. Squads Four and Twelve were working on replacement organs and drastic healing measures to get him functioning again, but it was going to be a long drawn out process. Right now he was he was being kept alive by artificial means while Squad Twelve worked on organic replacements. At the moment he wasn't even conscious.
Shunsui let out a heavy sigh as he turned the box over and over in his hands. Should he open it now or wait for his beloved to fully wake up so they could celebrate together?
Jushiro would probably want him to open it right away, but Kyoraku longed to see that bright face light up with delight when the gift was opened.
He tucked it neatly back where he found it. He'd wait. It was the decent thing to do. Gifts needed to be opened where loved ones could see.
Heaving a deep, resigned sigh he straightened himself up and strolled out of the door, locking it cautiously behind him.
To ease his turbulent thoughts, he decided to do what was expected of a leader to do at this critical time...visit the various squads to see how things were going on the rebuilds.
He swept by Squad One's office and gathered Nanao to accompany him on his rounds so she could make notes on items needed and progresses made.
The rounds went quickly. He made sure to visit Squad Four last, so he would be able to spend extra time at Jushiro's side while he lay unconscious, but Isane stopped him from entering the room.
"I'm sorry sir, we just did surgery and he's still in the recovery room."
"Why surgery now?" he questioned.
"Well! Squad Twelve brought the lab grown organs and they needed to be transplanted right away."
"Why didn't they say anything when I visited the squad headquarters?"
"I'm sorry, sir, I don't have an answer for that. Only that surgery was done on an emergent basis so the organics didn't deteriorate."
Kyoraku scratched at his chin in a perplexed manner. "I see."
"If you would wait an hour or so, I think you'd be able to sit with him. I'll send a message when he's cleared." Isane smiled shyly.
"Very well!" He turned around and caught Nanao's eye. "I guess I could get some work done then, eh Nanao-chan?"
"You'd better." was her stern reply, then she smiled a little and brushed past his sleeve. "They're doing all they can for Ukitake-taicho, you need a distraction until you're given the all clear. You might as well do your work." She gave him a little push forward. "And I can get these lists compiled for the supplies needed in the squads."
Shunsui let out a small chuckle but complied with the directions. "Slave driver." he teased Nanao. She simply huffed at him, adjusted her glasses and headed out the door. With a last glance in the direction of the room Ukitake was recovering in, he followed at a sedate pace. "Make sure to let me know as soon as I can get in there." He tossed the words over his shoulder as he strolled out the door. Isane had just nodded in affirmation.
It was actually three hours later that he received the clearance. He glanced at Nanao "Well I'm off, be sure to close up the office and for the love of kami don't dally. You need rest too."
She frowned, "There's still work to be done, I'll stay as needed."
Shunsui disliked being firm with her, but this instance he insisted, "Nanao it's an official request, go home."
With a defeated sigh she glanced at the floor, "Yes sir."
"Thank you!" he patted her shoulder in passing, "I'll try not to be late tomorrow, but it all depends on how the night goes."
"Of course." she followed him out the door, locking it behind her. "Give my best to him."
"I will, thank you."
"Actually since it's kind of early yet, I may go visit Lisa-sama."
Kyoraku pursed his lips in a comical manner, "Aww my girls...together."
Nanao smacked his arm, "Don't get any funny ideas."
"Who me?" he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Just go!" was the slightly exasperated reply.
Once arriving at Squad Four's building, he hesitated at the door. Isane was just exiting and paused to speak with him.
"How's he doing?"
"He seems to be doing alright so far, no signs of rejection. He's still hooked up to the respirator just so the surgery site has a chance to heal naturally, we don't want to push it." She cast he eyes downward. "I really wish Unohana-taicho was still here though, she'd be so much better at healing him."
"I can't apologize enough for my part in her sudden departure, it pains me to my soul that I had a hand in it."
Waving her hands frantically, "No, no, no I meant nothing like that, I know she willingly went though that for the betterment of the Soul Society, it was her will to do so. I just don't feel adequate for the job right now."
"I trust your healing powers, you have a good squad and with time you'll come to be an even more excellent healer, just like her." Kyoraku laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Retsu taught you well, don't doubt yourself. She'd be very proud of you."
A few tears strayed down her cheeks, "Yes sir, thank you sir." She swiped at her eyes.
He patted the shoulder a few times then turned to open the door. "I'll be here for awhile, would you mind terribly sending in some tea?"
Isane's face brightened, "Oh of course, right away." She scurried away.
Kyoraku's breath hitched in his chest when he entered the room. So much machinery hooked up to one man, it was intimidating, he nearly broke down in tears at the sight. It wasn't like he was unused to seeing Jushiro hooked up to machines, but this was an extra level of hell.
He slid a chair next to the bed and reached out for one of the pale hands. So much wire and tubing. It really pained him to see his beloved this way.
Careful of all the attachments, he raised the hand to his lips, tenderly kissed it and began to caress it with his thumb. A soft moan escaped from behind the respirator tubing, Shunsui sat up straighter.
"I'm here Ju-chan."
At that moment there was a knock on the door and a young healer entered carrying a tray of tea and some crackers. "Ah Sotaicho, I brought your tea and added some crackers.." he paused when he saw Shunsui's face.. "Is everything alright sir?"
"I don't know for sure Yamada-kun, but he just moaned quietly. Is that something that happens frequently?"
The young man rushed over to the bedside and began to physically check the patient. "I have to go get the captain, he seems to be coming out of the coma." He skidded as he raced out the door.
Within seconds the chief medical team was in the room with a flutter of clothing. Captain Isane Kotetsu, her sister: Kiyone and young Hanataro Yamada. All poking and prodding cautiously at the prone pale man.
"Well?" Kyoraku prompted.
"Hanataro's instincts seem to be correct, Ukitake-taicho seems to be coming out of the coma."
Shunsui's heart leapt a little. "That's good news then."
"Yes, but it's still not going to be easy for him, There's still a chance of rejection, then we'd have to start all over again."
"He's got this, he's strong." Kyoraku stated boldly. Even with all the medical staff around, he had not let go of Jushiro's hand.
"This next part is not going to be fun to see Sotaicho. We have to remove the tube and it's pretty ugly."
"I understand. Just do what you have to do." He visibly flinched as the tube was withdrawn. It did indeed look horrible and he couldn't imagine how bad it must have felt.
Jushiro's body seemed to relax more once the tubing was out and his breathing was still a bit labored, but he was breathing on his own. It was a time to rejoice.
"Ju…" he whispered, "I'm right here." Kyoraku gave a reassuring squeeze to the hand he was still holding. "Don't try to speak yet, I know your throat must be in agony right now. Just rest."
There was a tiny flicker of a blink from the prone figure.
Isane was checking all Ukitake's vitals and gave a triumphant thumbs up. He was holding his own so far and his stats were improving every minute.
"Kuma-tan?" it came out as a hoarse, thready whisper.
"Oh gods, Ju. I'm right here beside you." He felt the returning pressure of fingers squeezing his hand and nearly wept. "Please don't try to talk now, there's lots of time later."
"...day?" Ukitake stubbornly continued.
"You've been asleep a long time, Ukitake-taicho." Kiyone piped up.
"It's July eleventh." Hanataro added.
Jushiro squeezed Shunsui's hand tighter. "..did you find?"
"Yeah I did. I haven't opened it yet, I wanted to wait until you were with me."
"Ah."
"Seriously stop talking now. You could damage your throat muscles." Kyoraku reached out with his other hand hand and brushed a few stray silver strands of hair out of the way.
"Having you awake is more than I ever hoped for, my Usa-chan."
Ukitake smiled softly and fell back to sleep.
Kyoraku refused to move from that position for the rest of the night and the medical staff just had to find a way to work around that.
He decided this was his best ever birthday.