Bleeeehhhhhhh...Lately I've been in an angsty mood...and being in that mood, I looted around my documents and found this little thing...Hope that you like it...

DISCLAIMER: nope. If I did RenRuki would be canon.

It may not have looked like it, but Renji did actually plan ahead. But the thing is, life can be unpredictable. And your life can change in a single moment.

He didn't plan to become a shinigami, but look at him now: Assistant Captain of the sixth squad of the Thirteen Court Guards.

He didn't plan to attain great status, but here he was: survivor of the Winter War, and wielder of Zabimaru.

There were a lot of things that Renji didn't plan for, and one of them was falling in love.

He didn't plan to run into her while stealing that man's water. He didn't plan for her to become one of his nakama. He didn't plan to become a shinigami along side her. But, he plan to tell her what she meant to him. He planned to protect her for as long as he lived.

But life is never predictable, nor fair. He didn't plan to run out of time. He didn't plan to let her go too soon. He didn't plan for her to loose her powers. He didn't plan for her to meet the carrot top. He didn't plan for himself to be the one to retrieve her. He didn't plan for a lot of things. But what he never had never, ever imagined of planning for…was for the day that he would loose her.

:-:-:-:-:

Renji watched as Rukia walked down the isle, glowing with happiness, perched on Byakuya's arm. Yuzu and Karin were her flower girls, Tatsuki, Kyoni and Rangiku her brides maids and Orihime the maid of honour. Now that, Renji had to admit was a bit cruel.

Chad, Keigo, and Mizuro were Ichigo's groom's men. Renji remembered Ichigo mentioning that he had asked Uryuu to be one as well, but he had declined. Some crap about 'not involving himself with shinigami', but here he was all the same, this time saying that 'this was an event regarding his friends, therefore, it wasn't related to the shinigami'. Renji thought it was weird, but what the hell could he say? Although, that wasn't the funniest part of the whole ordeal in his opinion-but then again, who ever cared about what he thought? The funniest thing about the whole ordeal:

Renji was the best man.

When he had first found out, he nearly started laughing hysterically. Ichigo was asking him go be his best man? How stupid was the Strawberry? Did he seriously think that he would agree? In all seriousness, he was supposed to say no, but she begged him to do it. She could tell how he was feeling, and she knew how to make him say yes. Rukia could always tell what Renji was thinking. Renji hated her for it, but loved her all the same. And another thing that Rukia knew: that if it was reasonable, and if it was her asking, he wouldn't-scratch that couldn't say no to anything.

So here he was. Watching her being given away to another man.

To be honest, Renji wanted to leave. And now. But it was Rukia's special day. He wouldn't dare to do anything to ruin it for her. That in mind, as well as the threat of Byakuya killing him if he tried to pull something, kept him rooted to the spot.

And so, the wedding went on. Renji didn't pay attention to any of it. He remembered being snapped out of his thoughts when the pastor said 'speak now of forever hold your peace'. Renji's will power nearly snapped in two just trying to keep quiet.

And then the two kissed.

Renji wanted to die. Wanted out. Wanted anything, except that horrible, sickening, twisted feeling in his gut. Not being able to look at the two kissing, he averted his gaze to the side, to where Orihime was sitting across the isle. Renji noted that there were tears in her eyes as the gazed from the couple to her hands folded onto her lap.

And so, the wedding ended, with rice and confetti thrown in the air, and a rusted knife stabbing into a freshly open wound.

:-:-:-:-:

Renji was drunk. Actually, that's an understatement. Renji was absolutely WASTED. And still he could feel the knife twisting and digging deeper and deeper into the wound that had been reopened as of late.

Swaying dangerously, he stumbled away from the table where he sat and somehow made it outside the hall and into the gardens outside. Humming drunkenly, he staggered towards the fountain in the centre of the garden. Collapsing by the edge, he stared at his reflection, then started laughing hysterically and bitterly to himself.

"A-Abarai-kun?" he heard someone call out to him hesitantly. Turning around sluggishly, he saw Orihime looking at him with concern in her eyes. "Daijobu?"

"Sorry 'Hime. 'M not exactly sober." He slurred, standing up, wobbling precariously. "Don't worry. I won't do anything extremely stupid."

"Abarai-kun, don't you remember that you started singing and dancing the chicken dance in front of all the guests?"

Renji stared at her in horror for a moment, before she broke out into giggles. "Don't worry, that didn't happen. But you should've seen your face."

Renji scowled, and ruffled her hair. "Don't tease me like that." He growled. The girl just smiled sweetly at him. Then her expression became more serious.

"But in all seriousness Abarai-kun. Daijobu?" She asked, all humour gone from her eyes.

Renji stared at her for a moment. "Shouldn't I be askin' that to you Orihime? How ca' you be so 'appy?" He asks, the alcohol cutting off his words irregularly. Groaning, he flopped down onto the ground and stared up at the dark sky.

Orihime sighed sadly. "If I'm being honest with myself, I don't know what I'm doing here. Shouldn't I hate Rukia-chan for taking…loving Kurosaki-kun? Maybe. Should I hate Kurosaki-kun for even thinking of inviting me here? Maybe. Should I hate the fact that I have to be a major role of this wedding, and yet am not playing the role that I wish to? Maybe. But that's how life is I guess." She walked over the fountain and began running a finger through the water. "Life is unpredictable. You can try to plan for the future, but realistically, you can't. Something can change in a split second, just like that." She snapped her fingers to emphasize the point. "It may be perfectly understandable for me to hate both of them for various things, the thing that remains the same is that they're both still my friends. Parts of my Nakama. I care for them, and I love both of them. I won't steal away their moment of happiness just because they've taken away mine." She finished, a tear streaking down her cheeks. Orihime's eyes widened in surprise and a touch of sadness. She touched the path the tear left, tracing the trail all the way down her cheeks.

Renji sighed, and felt his eyes begin to water. Damn alcohol…"No. Nothing ever really goes as planned…" He would know.

It may not have looked like it, but Renji did think things through most of the time. But the thing is, life can be unpredictable. And your life can change in a single moment.

Plan C was to tell her that he cared for her.

Plan B was to tell that god damned strawberry that she belonged to him.

Plan A was to tell her that he loved her since the day that they met.

Inspired by the T.V show 'The Office' The ending at least...

Reviews are loved :)

-moony