see you tomorrow | ukitake jushiro x black reader

part one| hello, stranger

The situation you'd gotten yourself tangled in was least desirable for any self-respecting woman. Of course, as a doctor, you couldn't exactly turn patients away. However, tending to your ex was far from ideal, especially if a couple of fiery third-seats pressured you into it. You didn't even have the choice of torturing yourself with an awkward atmosphere. Denying them was your only option at first, but still, you found yourself arriving before the quarters of Ukitake Jushiro.

Up until the moment you sat outside his door, your stomach flipped and flopped about. It'd been centuries since you last saw Jushiro: your first love. It wasn't as if the two of you ended things of bad terms, but you could never admit to yourself that you missed him after all it took to get over him.

Despite your hesitance, you couldn't just sit there like an idiot forever. Inhaling deeply, you fought the urge to clench your eyes and drift away as you slid the door open. "It's you...," muttered the man just before a fit of coughs snatched his breath away. You watched him squirm under your gaze even as he fought to catch his breath.

"Yes, it's me," you sighed, seemingly indifferent—almost uncaring. You stood from your knees with a soft grunt and trudged inside with your bag, just barely sliding the door shut before those loud third-seat slipped inside. Jushiro's insistent coughing settled as you sat by his side. Though his eyes rested on his lap, you felt like he just stared into your soul.

"I didn't expect that we'd see each other again like this... I'm really happy to see you again,____," Jushiro said softly, looking to you with a gentle smile. You adverted your gaze to your bag immediately, withdrawing a myriad of pastes and herbs.

You told yourself to keep a wall up, but you we're definitely no engineer. There was no telling just how quickly it would crumble. "We went through this already," you answered rather curtly, pulling out a glass bottle of a clear fluid. "Here; drink." You practically shoved the bottle into his lap, not missing the way his fell for a moment.

"Right...," said the soft spoken captain, opening the bottle. He rose the bottle to his lips but paused, turning to you. You swallowed a huge lump in your throat. 'Shit, he's going to say something,' you thought nervously, wiping away a few drops of sweat from your forehead. Just as Jushiro opened his mouth, you so rudely cut his off. "Drink the tonic, okay? J-Jeez, it's hot...," you huffed, turning away to fan yourself when it was, indeed, the middle of fall.

Jushiro looked to you, quite disappointed that you would revert to something so childish. Still, he pushed on with his thoughts. "I know what you're doing... You can stop," he said before downing the tonic, face scrunching at the taste. His words brought a frown to your face. He could still read you so well. "You're making me feel crazy for not being able to still my heart even as you shun me."

Your cheeks burned a deep rosy color as that damned heart of yours fluttered. "Stop... I know what you're doing, too," you muttered and retrieved the empty bottle hastily. "I'm just here to treat you."

"Well, I'm only being honest... It seems like only one of us is willing to do that right now," he sighed, hitting the nail on the head. Your jaw clenched tight; that maturity of Jushiro's could be so lovable and deplorable. At that moment, you strongly felt the latter for it. "I have my reasons," you said rather vaguely, retrieving a green ointment from your bag.

"And they are? If you don't mind telling me..." You looked at Jushiro with an unreadable expression for just a moment before turning away. Visibly worried, his mocha eyes focused on you closely. "You remember why we broke up the first time," you started, uncapping the ointment as Jushiro hummed softly. "Yes... I had to leave for the Seireitei," he responded. "Part your robes and lie back," you sighed, a solemn wave coming over you.

You stared at your lap while Jushiro did as requested, and you continued. "Well, you left once. Now, you're ill and part of the Gotei Thirteen. You connect the rest." Your fingers dug into the ointment rather aggressively while Jushiro wordlessly pieced it all together. He didn't have to tell you he understood; you could look into his eyes and tell.

"I'm sorry... That's completely valid...," Jushiro sighed sullenly as your soft, warm hands pressed against his chest. Spreading the ointment carefully, you replied, "The weird thing is... I don't know if I can even keep trying to be mean. I'm obviously not doing a good job..."

"Well, it's all up to you. I just know that... I never stopped loving you...," Jushiro whispered. You halted immediately. Sighing shakily, you huffed, "You were supposed to think I was a bitch and turn me away."You halfheartedly hit the man's chest. He just chuckled softly and coughed softly. "You know you still love me," Jushiro said jokingly.

You didn't know what came over you, but it all just came gushing out like Jushiro had kicked down your weak, little dam of straw. "Yeah, I do... What about it?..." you grumbled with fresh, hot tears falling freely down your flushed face. It was definitely a bit of an overreaction on your end, but you just couldn't help it.

Jushiro expectedly panicked, shooting up to come to your aid; it only brought more ache to your poor heart to see how much he still cared. "H-Hey, it's alright... No need to cry, dear..." The captain quickly put a hand to his mouth and frowned.

Ironically enough, hearing one of the many pet names you loved drew an odd feeling from you. It wasn't sadness or happiness—just yearning. Softly, laughs fell from your lips as your wept. It seemed like that damned Shunsui was right about Jushiro "sticking his dick in crazy" because you couldn't even explain your reaction. Jushiro could only stammer apologies while you had such an odd reaction, and it went on like that until it ran its course.

Finally quiet, the two of you sat awkwardly for a moment, avoiding each other's gazes. He'd been right about you avoiding the truth, and doing such benefitted neither of you. "Let me finished rubbing the ointment in," you spoke first, sniffling softly. "R-Right..."

Quickly, Jushiro was on his back again with your hands rubbing into his skin. You could tell he had something else to say. Snorting, you gave him a small nod of encouragement. "I'm not going to lose my shit and cry again. Go ahead," you said. Jushiro's chest decompressed under your hands as he sighed in relief.

"Can we... at least be friends?" inquired Jushiro, staring at you with flushed cheeks. You cleared your throat and stopped your movements. "You don't look at friends like that," you murmured. If he kept it up, the guarantee of you really just treating him would be gone out the window. Well, you'd be treating him in a different manner.

He called out your name in a soft, lighthearted and chiding tone, drawing a small huff from you as your rolled your eyes. You didn't say anything for a moment and just sighed. 'I'm really doing this... Damn,' you thought with a small smile.

Leaning down to Jushiro's level, hands still on his chest, you kissed his cheek chastely. It was probably the dumbest thing you could've done even with its innocence. Stunned, the white haired man's face ran red like the very apple you had for breakfast. "You know damn well that we won't just stay friends...," you whispered, almost afraid of his response.

Jushiro broke off into a soft laugh that easily progressed into a coughing fit while all you could do was back away and stare in concern. You wondered if you should avoid making him laugh all together. "Uh... Jushiro?" you muttered worriedly. He forced himself to settle and find a steady breathing before looking to you with that smile—that smile that made you fall in love all those years ago. You never even stood a chance.

"I think I'll be cured with a real kiss," Jushiro said softly, feigning hoarseness in his voice. Fuck it. The act of trying to deny him had gotten old a long time again. "Shut the hell up...," you whispered and cupped his rosy cheeks.

Of course, the thought of losing him again still tumbled around in your head. However, as your soft, plump lips met his thinner ones, you could only think about the present and how you were still completely and hopelessly in love with Jushiro.