Continued from comments of Crimson Dominating White
Juushiro awoke slowly, the acute pain in his shattered shoulder finally breaking through the deep oblivion he had fallen into. Relief flowed through him. In spite of his present wounded state, Juushiro breathed out slowly ... and rolled over. The scab on his shoulder cracked loudly and he landed on the deep wounds on his back. Crying out and cursing in his mind, he curled back up, further jarring the complex wound on his shoulder and flaring the acute throbbing in his fingers.
A moment later, his eyes opened. He glared, determination shining in the pained green depths, then closed his eyes. A couple minutes later, he was sitting up, hunched over in the bed, and holding the cloth steady over the wounds on his back with once-again bleeding fingers.
As time passed, Juushiro managed to wrap clothes around his waist, covering his lower body. He fell off the bed and blacked out twice, but with some clothing, the majority of his shaking faded to a reasonable level. Juushiro smiled softly and then coughed, spitting blood into his hand for the fourth time since he had awakened.
....
Ujikiyo walked towards the forest, back to his old domain, overjoyed that he got a break from Las Noches. He strolled to the opening of the cave, glancing over his shoulder at nothing, walking in slowly.
"Well now, guess it was a good time to check up on you." He spoke calmly while walking in the room where Juushiro sat on the floor.
"Hello, friend," the captain hailed the arrancar quietly. "I'm glad to see you're still alive." He wiped his hand on his clothes. "I apologize for the state of your clothes and bed."
Ujikiyo glanced at the blood-stained bed and the clothes the soul reaper wore. He waved his hand.
"Well, you can stop calling me... "friend". I am Ujikiyo, and the clothes don't matter. The bed, is also quiet worthless to me."
The captain chuckled and fell silent, breathing raggedly and leaning against the bed.
Ujikiyo walked slowly towards the soul reaper, giving him a assortment of food he had procured.
"I may not need food... but apparently soul reapers need their food. I am guessing..." He mumbled, half to himself.
Juushiro chuckled quietly again. "We do, indeed. If there's something I can drink, like a gruel, that would be most appreciated."
"Hm.... I may have some fresh water... Pretty much it I suppose," Ujikiyo responded, smirking as he glanced over his shoulder.
"That would be better than nothing," the tired captain agreed. "Thanks for the hospitality. Sorry I can't enjoy it that much."
jikiyo walked out of the room, just to walk back in the room about five minutes later holding a glass of water in his hand. "Here is your water," He mumbled, handing the glass to the soul reaper. "Well. I suppose since you know my name, wouldn't it be respectable for me to know your name, soul reaper?"
The soul reaper nodded. "I apologize, Ujikiyo-san. I am not at my best." He held out one of his bleeding hands. "I am Juushiro Ukitake, captain of the thirteenth division. Thank you for getting me out of there."
Ujikiyo looked at the bloodied hand then grasped it gently with his own. "Captain?" he repeated, shocked. "Really? Why would a captain of the squads get themself caught in this hell?"
Juushiro offered a weak smile. "Because he stands up to Sousuke too much and his minion caught him at his weak moment."
"I am not quite sure to call you an idiot... or a hero," Ujikiyo chuckled, "But yes. I saw that Silver-haired Fox do his job...."
"People often ask that same quiestion," the captain murmured with a slighly brighter smile. "I don't change in that aspect." He clenched his hand, winced, then sipped the water slowly. "I will always put myself on the line for others, no matter the circumstances or risks...." He halted then hacked, splashing water over his chest.
Ujikiyo sighed at the splash, "I will get you more... Then I must go back... You have food, and if you need a bath," Ujikiyo pointed to a door across the room, "there is a pool of water on the other side fo that door. Feel free to use it whenever you want Captain."
"Thank you, Ujikiyo." Juushiro chuckled at the arrancar's look of concern. "I will manage." Then, the captain's smile faded and his eyes turned hard. "You have done enough for me, and if you lose your life doing more, that will hurt Kita. Stay away for own sake, Ujikiyo."
jikiyo chuckled slightly, "All in all, I am not doing this for Kita..... but for the shop keeper... I made a promise to him a long time ago." He then darted from the room and hurried back to Las Noches before Juushiro had a chance to say anything.
"So Kisuke has made allies even here," Juushiro murmured after he left. Feeling the shadows beckoning him, he closed his eyes. "I will ask him when I get out of here...." He fell into another fitful sleep.
