Because we all know that Shunsui would wait.
Care in Waiting by Red
Ukitake Jyuushiro had always been ill and sickly, and went in and out of Unohana's treatment centre often enough for him to have a reserved room, but this, this had not happened in a long while.
Kyuraku Shunsui sat and waited.
The sound of his lover's harsh and erratic breathing was grating on his nerves, and the furrow between his eyebrows was slowly deepening.
He knew the symptoms of the demon, but he did not know a cure. No one did. And so, he sat and waited, thumb ocasionally brushing the silk-soft skin of the back of Jyuushiro's hand.
"Taishou?"
He looked up, sighed, and looked down again.
"Nanao-chan," he acknowleged.
Her hesitant steps clicked against the tiled floors.
"I was just wondering if you needed anything."
Nothing but Jyuushiro, whole and well.
"No, thank you, Nanao-chan. You should go get some rest."
He felt her eyes study him carefully.
"Forgive me for saying it, but so should you, sir."
He huffed a short, quiet laugh and remembered. She had not been with him the last time it had been this bad. But they were getting more frequent with Jyuushiro's age, no matter what medicine was tried. The last time, there had been a lot more blood, but this time, it was pooling in his lungs, too much to cough out.
"No. I can't leave him."
He was almost saying it to himself as he lifted the hand he was clasping to his lips ever so gently.
The sound of Jyuushiro's breathing took hold of the room once more when the door clicked shut behind the vice-captain.
He would wait forever for that smile if he had to.
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