Not Close Enough

Grabbing Ichigo by the sleeve Hisagi and Kira dragged him out of his chair and the room quickly. He clutched the binder, resisting the urge to tear it to pulp before them. Out in the hallway was a wooden bench for people to wait outside the conference room. Kira conducted him to sit on it while Hisagi fetched a bamboo container of water.

“Kurosaki, what’s wrong?” Kira asked, patting his shoulder.

“This… this is WRONG! Look at this! I never agreed to this!” Ichigo snapped, shoving the memo in Kira’s face.

Carefully Kira traced over it with a finger, frowning as he read the words. Hisagi by now passed Ichigo the water, and helped him drink it though Ichigo’s hand was shaking. Ichigo mumbled, “Damn him…”

“What does it say, Kira?” asked Hisagi, seeing Ichigo was getting far too upset to articulate properly.

“Request to finalize Kurosaki Ichigo for approval as Fukaitaicho of squad six,” Kira read aloud.

“Oh shit,” Hisagi sighed.

Ichigo swallowed hard, his reiatsu spiking. “I can’t… I can’t do this anymore.”

“Ichigo, relax. ALL of us must approve it. We caught this just in time,” said Kira gently, squeezing his arm. A buzzing behind Ichigo's temples almost drowned out the sounds around him. As if through a tunnel he heard the voices of the other two, before the buzzing turned into a ringing in his ears. Why was the room suddenly spinning?

“All we have to do is say no, and it will be delayed,” said Hisagi, patting Ichigo on the back.

“But if Renji finds out… it’ll crush him,” Ichigo half choked.

"Just relax," Kira urged. Suddenly Ichigo turned pale and pushed them away, rushing to the nearest window as he held his hand over his mouth.

"I'm gonna puke," Ichigo mumbled.

“Kurosaki…” Kira said rushing over as Ichigo started to cough. “This way…”

Hisagi frowned, taking the report. Kira helped Ichigo to the nearest washroom, as the Shinigami Daiko turned almost green. Returning from the conference room the vice captain of squad nine heard the distinctive sounds of coughing from within the men's room. Sighing, Hisagi entered, seeing Ichigo sitting on the tile floor with Kira crouched next to him by one of the commodes.

Hugging his middle Ichigo gasped, "The room's spinning and my head hurts like hell..."

“I’ll call squad 4,” said Kira.

“But the meeting… what the hell do I do? Renji can’t know about this…” Ichigo heaved.

“He won’t. We won’t tell him. You will just go home and relax. We will both go in there, and vote no. we can say you got sick and send you to squad 4. In fact I’ll call someone now,” said Kira.

“But… he told me to meet him immediately…” Ichigo stammered.

“You can’t go in the state you’re in,” Hisagi reassured him. “Kira, go call squad 4. I will go in and tell Chojiru Fukaitacho that Kurosaki’s ill. We’ll just postpone the meeting.”

“Fucking great,” Ichigo mumbled, shaking his head. “This is gonna ruin Renji’s chances for sure.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Trust us. This has gone on long enough,” Kira said firmly.

“IT will be all right,” said Hisagi. “Renji’s our friend and classmate. What Kuchiki Taicho is doing needs approval from us, but if we don’t give it, it goes to Soutaicho for review.”

“Is that the way it’s done officially?” asked Ichigo, fighting back tears. Right now, he did feel like he could not stand too steadily. Kira moved out of the restroom, while Hisagi walked back to the conference room.

***
Fortunately, Kira returned to the restroom and helped Ichigo to sit on the bench in the hallway. Within seconds Isane from squad 4 had joined them from the conference room. Moving over to them she leaned by Ichigo and swung her bag down. He relaxed as she checked the orange haired shinigami over.

Slowly she nodded. “He’s ill. I’ll take him to squad 4 myself…”

“Sorry,” Ichigo muttered.

“Can you stand up?” she asked.

"I'll try but I'm not sure," Ichigo answered, his legs feeling like strands of cooked noodles.

“I’ll give you something to steady your stomach and help you there,” said Isane, pulling out a vial. Ichigo sipped the liquid and then managed to stand with her and Kira's help.

Just then Hisagi emerged from the conference room, and looked at Kira. “It’s all right, Kurosaki. Chojiro said that we could handle the rest of the meeting tomorrow. How is he, Isane Fukaitaicho?”

“He’s got a fever and needs rest,” she said, nodding slowly.

“All right. That means that we will have to have the rest of the meeting without him. I’ve told him the rest of the report and he says he’s not going to approve anything till he’s run it by Soutaicho.”

“IS that so?” asked Ichigo, shaking from head to toe. Isane wrapped his arm around her neck and helped him to take a few steps towards the exit.

“Let me help,” Kira offered, getting on Ichigo is other side. Embarrassed but grateful Ichigo allowed them to escort him to squad 4, trusting that Hisagi had things under control. He hated to think of what Byakuya would say seeing him doubled over from nausea. However, it was Byakuya’s fault for not running this piece of business by him.

Anger and resentment stuffed down for an entire month and the bombshell he just read mingled together to make his body revolt. In addition, Ichigo was certain he had been exposed to some agents in Soul Society that he was not accustomed to. Or so he figured. Barely supported by the others he felt reality blurring around him as his body succumbed to shock. The next thing he knew someone was boosting him onto a bed in Squad 4 while Hanataro looked him over and helped change him into hospital garments.

**

In one of the private rooms, Ichigo came to his senses, his head pounding like a bass drum . A rough hand passed over his head and he blinked up into a few concerned faces. That large hand was Renji’s, and Ichigo could see the concern on his lover’s face. Tattooed brows wrinkled beneath the white bandanna as Renji asked, “What the hell happened, Kurosaki Fukaitaicho?”

“I got sick,” Ichigo mumbled at the two blurry figures immediately behind Renji. From the blonde hair flopping over one figure’s face, he guessed it was Kira.

Rubbing at his eyes, Ichigo cleared away the haze. Now he saw Kira’s blue eyes fixing concernedly down on him. “Good, you’re awake… how do you feel, Kurosaki?”

“Shitty,” Ichigo admitted. “Like someone kicked me in the gut.”

“Kira mentioned that you almost puked in the fukaitaicho meeting. What a way to make a first impression,” Renji joked.

“P… please open your mouth and I’ll take your temperature… K… kurosaki Futaitaicho,” said a higher pitched voice. The other figure hunched over Ichigo held out a long thin tube of glass with a silver bulb on the end. Ichigo opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue so Hanataro could slip the thermometer under his tongue. Instead of digital ones, they still used the old reliable mercury ones.

Ichigo blinked up at him, mumbling, “Kuc…”

“Isane Fukaitaicho personally went to inform Kuchiki Taicho of where you are, so he knows. I told Abarai that you were here,” said Hanataro.

“It’s okay, I finished my shift a half hour ago,” Renji reassured Ichigo, rubbing his scalp gently. Surprised that Renji so openly showed affection, he closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling of Renji’s fingers on his scalp. They peeled the sweaty hair away.

For a minute Hanataro waited. He then reached down and pulled the thermometer out from under Ichigo’s tongue. Finally, Ichigo could ask Renji, “Did Kuchiki Taicho see you before then?”

“He just passed me in the hall and wondered if I’d seen where you went. I said I would look into it. So I’m here. I guess he hadn’t gotten the message yet, sir,” Renji answered, hastily tacking on the last word.

“Shit, this is great,” Ichigo, sighed. Shaking his head, he felt another spasm in his gut.

“Relax, you gotta get better. You’ve been pushing too hard, sir,” Renji said, smoothing his hair away.

Kira nodded. “It’s all right, Kurosaki. Isane said that you’ve come down with a common childhood disease in Soul Society. It’s something that we’re immunized against normally but since you’re a substitute…”

“A stomach virus?” Ichigo asked.

“Well that’s one of the symptoms,” said Hanatarou. “Your temperature’s about 101 degrees F. considering that you’re also flushed and blotchy in the skin…”

“Great, just great,” mumbled Ichigo, glancing at the strange blotches on his arms. “Looks like chicken pox…”

“You could say it’s the soul society’s equivalent,” said Hanataro, familiar with diseases in the living world. “Except the blotches you see are actually a side effect. Symptoms are violent stomach cramps, headache, and fatigue.”

“You didn’t get yer shots, Fukaitaicho,” Renji said gently.

“Great, just great. You mean I am sick because somebody didn’t get me vaccinated. Shouldn’t I have gotten an examination before I took this job?” Ichigo asked.

“I assumed you had one. Since you were routinely seen for battle injuries,” said Kira.

Hanataro quickly moved off to check the hospital records. He then paged through some papers in a manila folder, scratching his head. “This is strange I could have sworn…”

Renji rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not smoothing Ichigo's forhead. “Kuchiki Taicho never ordered one for you. But I had one before I...”

“Why the hell would he overlook something like that,” Ichigo demanded to know, sitting upright. Around him, the room continued to rotate.

“Lay down will ya?” Renji insisted, pushing Ichigo back into the bed.

Ichigo sighed. “All right you win! I’ll be good. But stop distracting me. Wouldn’t it seem weird of Kuchiki to forget I needed an exam?”

Renji agreed. “You’re right. That’s not like him at all…”

“Is there some reason he’d overlook it in the rules? Because I was a Shinigami Daiko?” asked Ichigo.

“You’ve never had the mandatory screening,” Hanataro said, looking over the files. “That means you cannot continue till you’ve had the exam. Since you’re not feeling well you wouldn’t pass.”

“What?” Ichigo yelped, and blinked.

“It means that you can’t be fukaitaicho because you didn’t meet all the requirements,” Renji said, in disbelief. “You never got the screening. I never thought to check because I was so upset…”

“Kuchiki Taicho didn’t follow the rules…” Ichigo trailed off.

“That’s probably a very fortunate thing,” said Kira. “Though he did do it as a field promotion. That’s a technical loophole that would allow him to bypass this…”

“Shit,” Ichigo cursed.

“Rules are rules. If he has to be an officially promoted fukaitaicho, as the paperwork says he needs the exam still. And he cannot have the exam till he’s over this sickness. He wouldn’t pass. So technically…” said Hanataro.

“Squad six has no Fukaitaicho now,” Kira pointed out.

“Actually it does. Because Kurosaki Fukaitaicho is incapacitated, and we’re at war, the next officer in line becomes field promoted,” Renji said with a knowing smirk.

Disbelief settled on Ichigo through the buzzing that arose in his ears. He felt as if he were floating above the bed for a split second. Could it be that simple? Heart pounding he said, “Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Because I’m sick, and can’t pass the exam, you’re promoted?”

Kira nodded, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. Already Renji beamed, eyes lighting up brighter than Ichigo had seen them in over a month. “That’s right, kid.”

“The law is the law, even though Abarai regains his job through a technicality,” Kira agreed.

“I can’t believe it…” Ichigo stammered, almost sitting up again. Renji’s hand once more reached out to press his shoulder to the bed.

Turning to the healer Renji asked, “Hanataro, how long does this virus last?”

“The full course of the sickness since you weren’t vaccinated lasts a week,” said Hanataro. “You’ll have to stay here.”

“Can’t he still fight?” asked Renji.

Papers rustled on the medical report Hanataro flipped through. “Not in his condition. His white cell count is up. In fact, this sickness will be worse for him because it has lowered his immune system. We have to vaccinate him from other diseases while he’s here before he can even begin… and Unohana Taicho said that the only reason we’re allowed to see him is because we’ve had our shots.”

“How could I have gotten sick?” asked Ichigo, hearing the droning buzz increasing in his ears until it took the form of a persisting ringing.

“That last Arrancar attack could have exposed you to the virus. Alternatively, you could have gotten it simply by being in Soul Society for longer than a week. It takes three weeks to incubate,” Hanataro explained.

“Can I talk to Renji alone? Just for a minute?” asked Ichigo.

“S… sure…” said Hanataro.

“I’ll be outside. Unless you need me I should get back to my division,” Kira said. “Don’t worry. This whole matter is on hold until tomorrow. Kuchiki Taicho will hear from me directly what’s going on…”

“He should hear it from Abarai, technically,” Ichigo mumbled.

“He has to figure out what I’ve gotta say,” Renji quickly added.

Both of the other soul reapers left, closing the door behind them. Underneath him, Ichigo felt the bed shifting from Renji sitting on it. Renji watched the door shut, continuing to smooth Ichigo’s hair back.

“Did you know what the memo said?” Ichigo asked.

“Kira told me. No wonder you’re feeling sick on top of the virus,” Renji mumbled.

Ichigo began, “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t apologize, kid. You didn’t know. Kuchiki Taicho’s playin’ games but we have somethin’ to play back with,” Renji cut him off.

Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes against the suddenly bright lights in the room. “I was afraid you’d be pissed.”

“I’d be lyin’ if I said I wasn’t. But I’m not pissed at you. I’m pissed at him,” Renji said firmly.

“Does this mean that…?”

“Looks like it. I’ve got my job back,” Renji chuckled.

“But this sucks! What kind of way is this for you to make a comeback? It’s just a technicality!” Ichigo groaned his head spinning.

“Maybe so, but it’s a foot in the door. Plus Kuchiki can’t make you an official fukaitaicho without that exam, and not without the other Fukaitaicho agreeing to it,” Renji said.

“But he said that he needed a review in an official report from me,” Ichigo said softly.

“That’s kinda moot cause I’m acting Fukaitaicho since you’re laid up. I’m the only one qualified for the next week,” Renji reassured him.

“That gives you a week to prove to him what you can do,” Ichigo said, blinking up at him.

“Uh huh,” Renji grinned. “But you do realize that means I may not be able t' give ya a victory fuck.”

“Damn that sucks. But I’m glad this happened. I just hope… it's enough to..” Ichigo trailed off. “Man I feel like crap.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, laying back. Renji shifted and sat on the bed next to him, bending to kiss his forehead. “You did it one way or another Ichigo. You held in there long enough and got me my job back. I don’t care how ya did it.”

“Even if it took something as lame as me getting SICK to do it?” Ichigo sighed. Renji nodded, smoothing more hair away. Taking a cold compress he laid it across Ichigo’s burning hot forehead.

“Renji could you take that arm badge,” asked the substitute. “And give it to me… to put it on… the one who it really belongs to?”

Renji nodded, passing him the badge fastened to the strip of white silk. Clumsily Ichigo pulled it around Renji’s upper left arm, pulling the silk tight as he could. With his other hand, Renji assisted him, his fingers brushing Ichigo’s. Suddenly Ichigo felt a cold chill tingling his body. Great, now he had the chills on top of everything else.

“Congratulations… Abarai… fukaitaicho,” Ichigo proclaimed with a chuckle.

"Ya dumbass I love ya for that," Renji whispered. Bending down he kissed Ichigo softly on the lips. Despite feeling lousy Ichigo returned the kiss as best he could, moaning as the bed again shifted. Next to him, Renji stretched out, repositioning himself so he lay atop Ichigo.

“Are you nuts Renji? I’m sick!” Ichigo protested. “Oi!”

“Can’t have ya getting’ too cold now,” Renji joked. “I had this as a kid. Ain’t no way I can get sick with it again.”

For a long moment, Renji lay atop Ichigo, covering the other’s protests in a long leisurely kiss. Ichigo stopped complaining, simply moving his head in small circles as Renji’s lips caressed his. He had to admit the vice captain’s body felt like a nice hot water bottle weighing him down. Dizzy he slid his arm up and over Renji’s neck, rubbing the base of it where the red hair was tightly pulled up into the customary topknot.

Despite the pounding in his head, Ichigo drank in Renji’s kiss. Then after a long moment, Renji pulled back. Ichigo blinked up at him, grabbing Renji’s arm. That rough hand cupped is cheek again. “Hey… so you’re not mad at me anymore?” Ichigo asked.

“Dumbass, I got over that a while ago. Now you get some rest. That’s an order. I’ve got to report to Kuchiki Taicho,” said Renji with a chuckle, rubbing Ichigo’s nose with his own.

Glancing up at him Ichigo said, “He’s gonna be pissed."

“I can handle it. Don’t worry… “ Renji answered. Sighing Ichigo felt one last brush of Renji’s lips before the pounding in his head grew too hard to resist. Wearily he closed his eyes and let himself succumb to sleep. He hoped that when he next awakened, Renji would still be wearing that arm badge.

They both had their lives to return to: Ichigo's in the living world and Renji's in Soul Society. Just how they could continue to be together was something that was yet to take shape…