Renji had slept a dreamless, drugged sleep for the past 22 hours, deep and dark and wonderfully oblivious to the hole in his chest.
Being technically dead had its advantages, and one of them was that it took a lot more to actually kill him than it did a normal human being. Renji's Soul Reaper healing had come into effect while he'd been out, re-inflating his popped (and forcibly sealed up) lung almost entirely, and the gaping hole though his ribcage had already begun to knit back together under the stitches
( ... )
Not aware that Renji was awake, Byakuya opened the kimono and soon the bandages so he could inspect the damage. He still ignored how his hand trembled as he lifted the "unconscious" body to unwind the red bandage. What he saw made him sigh quietly in relief. The wound itself was still puffy and an angry red, but it was closed and healing well nonetheless.
Gently, he set Renji down to get another clean set of bandages along with gauze pads to clean the tender wound. When he got up, however, he reeled slightly as dizziness took hold of him. Gasping slightly, he stumbled into the table to steady himself. The table was sturdy enough that it didn't make much of a sound and Byakuya stood back up to retrieve the bandages.
Byakuya didn't make sounds that weren't absolutely necessary.
Despite the overwhelming urge to shut himself in the bathroom and wash his face over and over again until what he'd heard Byakuya say actually made sense, that sounds meant something was not alright.
Renji's eyes opened almost as a reflex and focussed on his captain, who was leaning on the table for support.
...leaning on the table for support.
Byakuya never stumbled. It just didn't happen.
An almost-inexplicable rush of adrenaline filled him, and he was wide awake, heart thudding. What was that? Was Byakuya ill? Did it have something to do with his vomiting into the sink before Renji had been drugged to sleep? Had he slept or eaten this whole time? And if he hadn't, didn't that make it Renji's fault? Just how long had Renji been asleep that staying awake most of that time might cause damage?
...Why the hell is my blood pounding like this?He watched Byakuya go with wide eyes, and only barely remembered to lie back down and feign sleep when the captain returned
( ... )
Byakuya was not aware about what had just occurred and slipped his arm beneath Renji's shoulders again to lift him. However, he felt Renji's heart beating and it was rather fast.
Was... was he awake?! How long had he been-?
No, no, he mustn't think like that. Surely, Renji didn't hear...
Byakuya shook his head and then regretted it. The room spun again and he shut his eyes, abruptly pulling his arm from beneath Renji to hold onto the couch for a few seconds, waiting for the dizziness to pass.
If Renji was indeed, awake... then why wasn't he opening his eyes?
The room finally stopped spinning and he opened his eyes.
"What is it?" Byakuya said, looking worried when he noticed Renji freeze in his spot. "Are you not feeling well?" Besides having a hole in his chest, anyway.
Comments 54
Being technically dead had its advantages, and one of them was that it took a lot more to actually kill him than it did a normal human being. Renji's Soul Reaper healing had come into effect while he'd been out, re-inflating his popped (and forcibly sealed up) lung almost entirely, and the gaping hole though his ribcage had already begun to knit back together under the stitches ( ... )
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Gently, he set Renji down to get another clean set of bandages along with gauze pads to clean the tender wound. When he got up, however, he reeled slightly as dizziness took hold of him. Gasping slightly, he stumbled into the table to steady himself. The table was sturdy enough that it didn't make much of a sound and Byakuya stood back up to retrieve the bandages.
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Despite the overwhelming urge to shut himself in the bathroom and wash his face over and over again until what he'd heard Byakuya say actually made sense, that sounds meant something was not alright.
Renji's eyes opened almost as a reflex and focussed on his captain, who was leaning on the table for support.
...leaning on the table for support.
Byakuya never stumbled. It just didn't happen.
An almost-inexplicable rush of adrenaline filled him, and he was wide awake, heart thudding. What was that? Was Byakuya ill? Did it have something to do with his vomiting into the sink before Renji had been drugged to sleep? Had he slept or eaten this whole time? And if he hadn't, didn't that make it Renji's fault? Just how long had Renji been asleep that staying awake most of that time might cause damage?
...Why the hell is my blood pounding like this?He watched Byakuya go with wide eyes, and only barely remembered to lie back down and feign sleep when the captain returned ( ... )
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Was... was he awake?! How long had he been-?
No, no, he mustn't think like that. Surely, Renji didn't hear...
Byakuya shook his head and then regretted it. The room spun again and he shut his eyes, abruptly pulling his arm from beneath Renji to hold onto the couch for a few seconds, waiting for the dizziness to pass.
If Renji was indeed, awake... then why wasn't he opening his eyes?
The room finally stopped spinning and he opened his eyes.
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"My God, I really have fallen for you..."
He froze, eyes dashing to Byakuya's. was that phrase going to haunt him for the rest of his natural life?
Damn. Suddenly he wasn't hungry, either.
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"I'm fine." He tossed the apple about lazily in his hand, staring at nothing, not interested in taking another bite.
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"Just finish the apple, I don't think you should be standing any longer than this," Byakuya said softly.
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