Of Birthdays and Siblings

Numbing

Toshiro followed the woman and his uncle back to the infirmary. He found himself ushered to sit down before letting out another coughing fit. The boy glanced over at his uncle and saw that the bandages his uncle had around his injury were beginning to soak through. "Uncle?"

The man glanced up, the corners of his mouth twisting up. "Don't worry."

"Don't worry?" The woman placed her hands on her hips. "I told you not to move, but you had to go running off because you heard there was a commotion going on in the throne room your highness. You may be royalty, but lets face the fact that your royal status does not make you immortal."

The white haired boy stared at his uncle, only to suddenly find a finger thrust in front of his nose. "That also goes for you, your highness. You need to learn to take better care of yourself. You are still quite young and our people would be devastated if we lost you."

"I never asked for that." Toshiro spoke up, only to go into another coughing fit.

The woman let out a deep sigh before waving one of her helpers over. "Could you look at this young man while I re-bandage his highness' wounds."

Schwarz took a deep breath before standing up and closing the curtain. "Actually, it would be better if you take care of him while this young lady takes care of my wounds. This child isn't very trusting of other people and since he's already had you look over him it is best that you handle him."

The woman frowned before turning to Toshiro. One hand reached up to touch his forehead. "You don't have a fever, but your body temperature is freezing cold."

"I'm used to that."

"Excuse me."

Toshiro glanced over his shoulder at his blade. "I have an ice zampaktuo. Hyorinmaru is an ice dragon to be exact."

"That doesn't make you immune to its effects. All it does is make it so that you feel the effects later then everyone else. Now lift up your shirt, or do I have to lift it myself."

The boy at first stared at her before lifting the shirt up. "You're like Unohana. You don't take no from your patients. I don't think it is a good idea to get on your bad side."

"Really..." The woman let out a deep sigh.

"By the way, how is Ichimaru doing?"

"Who?" The woman paused as she listened to his lungs with the stethascope.

"He's the man grandfather was thrashing."

"You mean..." The woman paused. "Right now he's under sedation and a few of my helpers are working on his injuries. He'll survive though."

"That wouldn't surprise me. He's always been stubborn like that."

"I'm curious... you speak of him as if you are interested, but the way you speak of him seems to be... how to put it, as if you don't really know him."

"The only person he let himself get close to was my fukutaicho. He's... I don't know how to put it. He's not normal." The boy glanced at the ground.

"You've coughed a dozen times at least since you got here. I'm going to give you some medicine that needs to be made into a tea and I want you to get plenty of rest." She watched as Toshiro frowned at her. "I'll have some reading material brought from his majesties library for you to read. Resting is not an option, though if you need to stretch your muscles you can walk around the room a bit. But mostly you need to rest as you are ill."

Toshiro's cheeks began to puff out in irritation and he suddenly felt her pinching them. "Apologies your majesty. While those here in Vandienreich may spoil you children, when it comes to your well being we will not. It doesn't matter how cute you look pouting like that too."

The boy found himself chocking back the sudden indignation that he felt. However, this caused him to go into another coughing fit. The curtain pulled aside slightly. "Can I take him back to his quarters?"

"But..."

"Both of you take it slow and both of you rest. Do you understand me? The healers orders trumps that of even royalty."

Toshiro felt the sleeve of his shirt gently tugged and he stood up and followed the man. They slowly walked along. "What is going to happen to everyone who came thinking they were rescuing me?" The man remained silent. "Uncle?"

"Who knows. His majesty has a temper as you can see." They arrived in the room and Toshiro felt his uncle tugging on his clothing.

"I can take care of it myself." However, this led to a coughing fit.

"Really?" The man sighed as he went to the closet.

"You'll open up your injury." Toshiro swallowed. "You'll get yelled at again. If its a yukata I can just slip it on after I slip off my clothing."

"True... and you do seem to prefer wearing that kind of clothing." The man pulled a heavier one while the boy pulled his clothing off. He turned to look at Toshiro, only to find himself flinching at the scars he saw on the child's body. As he did this the boy glanced up and his bright teal eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed up. Schwarz looked away and let out a deep sigh. "Sorry little one."

"I..." There was a silence and then Toshiro spoke up again. "It's safe to look."

The man turned around. "Are you uncomfortable because you don't want people to see those scars you have?"

"Not particularly. It's part of the problem. My body's small and I have the muscle definition of a little kid rather then one of my own age."

"Do you even know how the body of someone your age needs to look?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

The man let out a sigh and went to the door and asked for someone to bring hot water. "How much time to you spend with others your age."

"I don't know. People tend to stare for some reason or another."

"Sorry that I asked. Just lie down and I'll wake you when the tea is ready."

"As if I could sleep without it."