Bleach: Diversity Writing (Fanfic Challenge)

a.71 - Non Canon Scene - (Father Fever Dream)

Toshiro's mind was groggy with fever as his hands shuffled through the paperwork. He blinked a couple of times and his head darted down, flinching when his finger slid across the edge of the paper. He twisted the finger around and stared at the blood dripping out. A sigh caused him to flinch again and his eyes dart to the door. "Ichimaru... what are you doing here."

Gin slid over and grabbed Toshiro's finger. "Rangiku's going to be mad if you don't take care of yourself." The man stuck the boy's finger into his mouth and used his other hand to open up the desk drawer. A frown spread on his face. "Chibi... where do you keep the band-aids."

Toshiro yanked his hand way, his feverish cheeks becoming even more feverish from embarrassment. The man let out an annoyed sigh and went to dig in Rangiku's drawer and came back, placing a bandage on the child's finger. The man looked at his face and brushed away the silvery locks, leaning forward with a frown on his face "You've got a very bad fever. To bed with you."

Toshiro let out a yelp as the man scooped him up and carried him to his room, protesting the entire way. He dumped the boy on the bed and leaned over.

M

Toshiro blinked a couple of times and looked up as he sat up in panic. "Ichimaru..."

"Taicho... Ichimaru is gone. You've a very bad fever." The boy drifted back to sleep.

M

Gin was there again, leaning over him. The man brushed the hair away from the boy's forehead. Toshiro felt himself choking. "Why... why are you doing this? You aren't going to..."

"To what?" The man remained silent, only for his pale teal eyes to open upon realization. Gin sighed and brushed more hair away. "Nah. Not ever gonna happen Shiro-chan."

"Then why. You're not one to be..." The word Toshiro was looking for was affectionate, but he realized that he really didn't want to push the subject.

"Affectionate... you're delirious with fever so I doubt you'll remember me ever being affectionate to you, like the other times." The man leaned forward and kissed Toshiro on the forehead, causing the boy's panic to rise. The man paused. "I told ya, not ever gonna happen."

"But you're thinking it." The words squeaked out.

"Not ever in a million years." The man began to hum a lullaby and Toshiro realized that the man was acting like a parent.

M

Toshiro woke again and looked at Rangiku. "Did Ichimaru ever take care of me while I was sick?"

"Not that I remember, unless you got sick while I was on a mission to the world of the living."

"I see..." Toshiro folded his hands in his lap. "He was acting like a parent. And as if Rangiku wasn't there. I guess there was a time. But like a parent?" The boy blinked a couple of times as realization hit him. "Oh well... he's gone now."