Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Dandelion Fluff ❯ Fever {RukiaXRenji} ( Chapter 2 )

“Hey, what's the matter?” Abarai Renji glanced over at his partner for that particular patrol mission and frowned. “Your face is flushed.” Rukia was perched on a chair in front of the laptop they'd been issued, her face set as the keyboard rattled beneath her fingertips.

“Nothing.” The shinigami didn't shift her gaze from the computer screen to answer. “And besides, Renji, what do you care what color my face is?”

“I don't care!” see if he ever showed concern for her safety and welfare again. This gave Renji an idea, though. “So…what's making your cheeks turn so red, huh, Kuchiki?” He sidled up next to the computer. “Writing love notes to a certain orange-haired ningen-cum-shinigami? Hmmm?” Rukia whipped around, her face redder than ever.

“GO AWAY!!”

“Yeesh. Alright.” He turned to go, accidentally brushing the side of her face with his hand. She was burning up! And he told her so, too.

“For the last time, Renji…GO AWAY!”

He flash-stepped behind her, worried even more now. Rukia was at least five times better at shun-po than he was…and yet she actually seemed startled to be held over his shoulder like a sack of flour. Not good.

“You're burning up. I'm telling you, something is wrong. That is not a normal temperature for a human or a gigai.” Not that Rukia's fists pounding his back muscles actually hurt. It just seemed as if Renji should be explaining himself. That had been one of their policies growing up, even at the Academy: Always explain exactly how, why, when and what you are doing. He sat her on the edge of her bed and stepped back, if only enough to shut the laptop sitting on her desk. Rukia gasped in outrage.

“That was our finance and credit report, you fool!” she glared at Renji. Boy, if looks could kill. “And you just…I was nearly finished with that!!”

“Well too bad.” Obviously she wasn't taking this seriously enough. He rummaged in the first-aid kit they'd issued each of them and fished out a thermometer. “Put it under your tongue, push the little button and wait for the beep.”

“I know how to work a thermometer.”

“You sure don't seem too concerned about this.”

“You seem overconcerned about it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“You're just mad at me—”

“I am not!”

“You're just mad `cause I teased you about Ichigo. There, I said it. I'm sorry. Jeez.”

Rukia glanced up at him pensively, deciding to stick the stupid thing in her mouth rather than try to think up a decent repartee. She hadn't been that mad, had she? Rukia contemplated. And why would she have been so mad? All he'd done was tease her about Ichigo. Only once. And, unlike the Renji Abarai she'd grown up with, he hadn't meant anything else by the line he'd used. What was wrong with him? Maybe something was wrong with her?

Beep. Beep. Beep. She didn't have time to put her hand on the thermometer; he'd already grabbed it.

“See?” Renji put the thing close to her face, watching his companion study the digital readout. “One hundred and six point two. Fahrenheit. That's dangerous, even for a gigai. Heck, that's dangerous for a Soul Reaper.”

“I guess.”

“Here.” she stared blankly at the tablets in his hand. “It's ibuprofen. Go on, swallow it. It's for fevers.”

“Oh.” She picked up the glass of water that had been sitting beside the bed since last night, took a mouthful of water with the pills and swallowed. “I have to get back to my report.” Getting up from the bed, she watched Abarai's heavily-tattooed forehead rumple as he frowned at her.

“No. You're going to sleep.”

“No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you are. You're at least going to lie down and rest, like a good little patient.” Renji should have known better than to say that to any capable shinigami, especially a female one and super-especially Rukia Kuchiki.

“I am NOT!”

“Are!”

“Aren't!”

“You will, too!” She hadn't realized he had such a strong opinion about this and yes, she did feel a bit woozy. But after what he'd said? There was no way in Rukon, Seireitei and wherever else anybody wanted to cite that she'd bow to his wishes. No. Never. And she told him so.

“Will not!” Rukia stuck her tongue out for extra effect, widening her stance and crossing her arms.

“That's what you think!” Yelled Renji, pushing her arms down and apart. They were fighting needlessly, just like old times. Older, yes. More powerful, yes. But he felt no more wrong wrestling her down and sitting triumphantly on her stomach than when they'd done the same thing when they were ten years old. They'd both lost their age. Just like old times. “I told you you were going to lie down.”

She just shook her head, letting her body relax.

“You know, I really don't see why you're such a worrywart sometimes.”

“I'm a worrywart. Right. Who was it who nearly fainted during her last exam?”

“It was trajectory theories. You know I'm not good at trajectory theories.”

“For Pete's sake, Kuchiki. You got a ninety-six.”

Silence. She wriggled out from under him and flopped onto the bed. “You win.”

Rukia fell asleep soon enough. Renji got up and turned on the laptop, deciding to help Rukia out with her files. But not before he kissed his old friend goodnight.

 

 

 

 

 

END