The Day We Met ~ Shunsui x Jushiro Love Story |02|

It had been nearly a week or two and Ukitake was sitting in the sword training class that Shunsui and him had shared. The duo had trained together. Shunsui teaching him how to get to know women better and himself teaching the other for his studies.

In his lap was a bamboo practice sword. He held onto the hilt tightly and kept looking at the door for his brunette friend. Sighing, he checked the clock.

Just a minute left until class. Shunsui might late again, Ukitake thought to himself. But instead he saw the male stand in the doorway and walk in. Has he been chasing woman again, he questioned in his thoughts.

"Aw, come on!" Shunsui whined as he clung to the arm of a beautiful young girl as they walked down the hallway. "Please don't say things like that. You know you're my favourite!"

"As if, asshole!" The girl yelled before backhanding Shunsui across his cheek and darting away from him. The hit stung, naturally, but Shunsui didn't stop her. She'd be back! She couldn't resist him for long.

"Oh well..." Shunsui mumbled as he made his way to class, finally, while clutching his throbbing cheek. Shunsui snuck inside of the room whenever the teacher had his back turned and went over to Ukitake. "Hey, Jushiro."

"Hey Shunsui you're nearly earlier. Have you been with that one lady friend of yours?" Ukitake had asked. He knew that Shunsui had many lady friends but this time, Ukitake knew which one it was.

He looked over to see his red cheek. Ukitake chuckled softly to himself. He patted Shunsui's shoulder. One day Shunsui will know that the girls won't always come back.

Ukitake adjusted a bit and listened to the sensei and his dear friend. He liked the fact that he had Shunsui as a friend. The brunette always had an interesting story just before their 'lessons'.

"Yeah, you know how my girl is. She's too fiesty!" Shunsui chuckled softly, ignoring the sharp pain in cheek and pride. "But hey, she'll be back." Shunsui assured, folding his arms behind his head. "I'll just have to have some fun until then.

The day that Shunsui actually waited for one of his many partners to return and forgive was one that he didn't look forward to, though some questioned if it would ever happen. None of the girls he'd met so far had impressed him enough, or made him feel differently, so why shouldn't he run around?

"I already know a couple of girls we can both get with tonight, though! It's the weekend, Jushiro, so you won't even have to worry about classes." Shunsui grinned at his friend.

"Yea I'm fine don't worry too much about me," Jūshirō said reassuringly. His illness seemed to be catching up this time. Maybe he should go to squad 4 but he refused so he would he wouldn't make others worry.

That is Jūshirō's weak spot. Always caring for others but not taking care of himself. So for him to brush it off,and not let Shunsui know that he had hurt, he simply replied a couple times that is was nothing really.

"No,we must go with class,"Ukitake had said while smiling,"I know how badly you want to get out but, we have to continue."

"Are you sure about that?" Shunsui asked with a worried frown, looking the other male over. Something seemed different about his friend, though Shunsui just couldn't figure it out yet. "If you don't feel well, just tell me. I promise I won't freak out." He joked.

Of course, that was about the farthest thing from the truth that the young man could say. The moment he noticed anythinf wrong with Ukitake, he would begin to worry like a child and frantically try to fix him in any way possible.

"Hey, who says we have to stay here? Grades aren't that important." Shunsui waved a hand dismissively. "We can always spend our time doing something much more important."

This was true but Jūshirō didn't want to miss class. He knew that the illness would get worse if he stayed and this was the last class."Alright but this does mean that you can slack in our lessons," Ukitake said almost threatening but reassuringly.

Hopefully I'm alright, Jūshirō thought. He looked at his close friend and smiled. Maybe his friend was right about staying here at the moment. He needed to loosen up at times. One day,he will thank Shunsui for running into him. But that was either farther or sooner from now, that he will have the courage to do that.

"Just grades are important to me...," Ukitake had mumbled to himself. He, then, followed the brunette male to get out of the class.

"Great! Let's get out of here." Shunsui beamed successfully as he began looking for the quickest and safest way for the two of them to leave class. Their sensei seemed to be busy trying to teach new sword techniques and helping those who lacked coordination, so sneaking away wasn't a necessarily difficult task.

Once they had made it out of the area, Shunsui began leading Ukitake to one of his usual hideouts. This particular one happened to be in a secluded area between the classrooms and dorm rooms.

"Now, what would you like to do instead? Are you still not feeling very well?" Shunsui asked as he propped himself against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I just need to rest that's all really," Jūshirō had replied while his cheeks turned a little pink. Shit this can't happen at now,he had thought. His illness couldn't be shown in front of his dear friend, whom that never saw him have a full on tuberculosis attack.

Ukitake also didn't want to ruin the fun either. He leaned against the other wall and smiled. Ukitake knew that he didn't want ruin the fun for the both of them. Especially if it got the duo away from school work.

"Besides where exactly are going to meet these lovely women? The schoolyard?," Ukitake had questioned while feeling a bit dizzy. He looked at the brunette to help keep his focus. Jūshirō,then,sat down to keep from falling.

"I hope you're not lying to me, Jushiro." Shunsui sighed before adding in a teasing tone, "I saw how sneaky you were with sensei earlier, and I would be offended if you tried the same thing with me "

Shunsui remembered how Ukitake had told him on the day that they met that he occasionally got a little, and wondered if now was one of those times. Of course, Shunsui was also under the assumption that Ukitake's ilness was nothing too severe.

"We'll be meeting them in their dorm." Shunsui answered with a grin. "Just wait until you see how nice and sweet the girls dorm rooms are! It's quite an amazing sight."

"I'm not lying to you but I never really told you about my tuberculosis that I have," Ukitake said looking up at Shunsui. He had to tell him sooner or later.  It couldn't be really kept a secret that much longer.

"What you have seen were just small attacks," Ukitake admitted. He had stopped and chocked up on what to say next. Jūshirō didn't want to stop the fun they were going to have.

Sighing, he had clenched his hands lightly on his uniform pants. Ukitake couldn't continue on. He felt worse that he was going to make his friend worry. The white haired man never liked it when people worried but he knew his brown-eyed friend would do so.

"Tuberculosis? What?" Shunsui couldn't help the look of shock that came to his face as he tried to figure out exactly what was wrong with his beloved friend. "Why...? I... I don't know what to say about that."

A sharp pain of concern seemed to pierce through Shunsui's chest. "I don't see why you didn't tell me this earlier, man. I'm not mad about it, but... I do sorta wish I'd known." Realizing that he certainly wasn't helping Ukitake feel any better, Shunsui moved away from the wall and took a seat beside him.

"Whenever you don't feel well, Jushiro, please, let me know. I'm not going to let you get any worse." Shunsui placed a hand on Ukitake's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll do anything I can to help you."

Ukitake had cringed a little when Shunsui looked shocked. He looked over when the brunette sat next to him. "I'm sorry if I didn't say anything but I just didn't want to worry you really," Ukitake had replied.

Feeling better that Shunsui understood, Ukitake smiled and tried to hold back the small cough that was caught in his throat. Not wanting to show his weak and fragile state, Jūshirō stood up. "Now about having fun with the women eh?," he said offering his hand to the other male.

That's when he couldn't remember what happened next. Jūshirō looked into the black depths. What happened, he thought to himself while feeling liquid flow out of his mouth.

Now, that was the point that Shunsui began to truly freak out. Hearing about Ukitake's condition and actually seeing it were two entirely different things, after all, and to someone who had never seen anything like that before... Shunsui was both worried and confused at the same time.

"Hey! Jushiro!!" Shunsui frantically called out as he grasped onto Ukitake, trying to think of some way to help him out. "Come on, man, you're okay, right? Right?"

Of course, the blood and coughing answered for him. "Dammit!'' Shunsui hissed under his breath. "What do I do?!"

Ukitake heard Shunsui's voice but couldn't answer. The blood flowed out more. Damn it why did this have to happen now, Ukitake thought.

The coughing slowly ceased but,the white haired man knew that he would cough up more blood eventually. Weakly, he looked up at Shunsui. His short white hair turned red at the tips.

Shadows seemed to fall on them and Ukitake looked in the direction of the forms. He couldn't identify them as the sun blinded him. Jūshirō was glad that he had a dear friend next to him.

Shunsui tried to calm himself down and figure out the best way to help Ukitake out, but in the tense moment, he couldn't think of much at all. Taking a deep breath, Shunsui stood and lifted Ukitake up into his arms in a bridal style, taking off at a brisk pace.

"Take it easy, Jushiro." Shunsui whispered in as steady a voice as he could manage. The young man felt himself shaking a bit, but forced himself to relax as much as possible. "I'm right here for you. Don't worry, I'll get you taken care of."

When Shunsui finally managed to get Ukitake to the nurses area of the school, he couldn't help the edge that came to his voice as he demanded the other male be taken care of.

Judging by the reactions he received... Shunsui would definitely have to be nicer to the staff if he planned on being there for Ukitake each time.