Ichigo wouldn't say he had a particularly calming influence on people, discounting children maybe. He was known to get into fights a lot, less so now that he was an adult. Honestly, that probably had less to do with personally maturing and more to do with the fact that he didn't get malicious comments about his hair as much now that he wasn't in school anymore - adults didn't openly bully each other as much as high-schoolers do. In any case, even if Ichigo had mellowed out somewhat since his teenage years, he could still be quite the hothead, and shouted more than was strictly necessary.

Which is why he didn't understand why people constantly said that, concerning his boyfriend, he was a miracle-worker. Apparently he'd been the one to 'tame' and get his partner, Renji, to finally 'settle down.'

It's not like the two of them don't bicker and shout each other down in public of all places from time to time. Honestly he's surprised they haven't gotten more complaints from neighbors or concern from friends that they were abusive to each other, with how much they argued. It probably has something to do with the 'gap moe' phenomenon, because as much as they argued, apparently they were equally obvious in their affection and loyalty to one another, Renji more so than Ichigo, which was why he didn't get that he was the one who'd apparently 'tamed' the other, whatever the fuck that meant.

Nah, actually, he knew what people were referring to. He just thinks it's dumb. However subtle they're think they're being, they're talking about sex.

Ichigo didn't really know much about it due to lack of interest, but from what he'd gathered over the years, he knew that Renji, in his younger days, mostly before they had met, had used to really play the field - played it hard. Apparently he'd had a couple years of absolute craziness, a chain of one-night stands - and group sex at parties? - so out of control to the point where his friends didn't know if he'd be able to function later in life with a real relationship - 'Who's going to take care of you when you're old, Renji, if you never stop chasing tail?!'

But then, bla-bla-blah, the two of them had met and changed each other's lives, bla-bluh, and fallen in love, blaaaaah - and it's been like that ever since, the two of them together, side by side. It's been quite a few years going now. Luckily Renji's close buds had all but stopped giving them weird looks like they thought Renji had hit his head or been switched with a good twin, and even better, they'd stopped giving Ichigo the far worse looks of pity and sympathy and the stupid warnings to 'enjoy it while it lasts.'

He'd been told a couple times since they by Renji's friends, once they'd stopped acting like Renji was going to drop him like a used tissue, that they were surprised to see Renji so committed, so goo-goo eyed - who knows what that meant - and that they'd never thought anyone could get someone like Renji to settle down in one place for good, which usually made Ichigo shrug noncommittally and Renji interject that it was because Ichigo was really special, which of course got them arguing and shouting again: 'Don't say things like that openly!'

'Geez, I'm just being nice!'

'Be nice in private!'

Whatever, if their relationship meant he'd settled Renji down, then they were fucking settled and everything was fine. Ichigo didn't care about any of that stuff in the past - whoever that person had been, Renji hadn't been that man anymore by the time they'd met - or at least, very nearly after that. No matter what Renji's friends said in their occasional weird little mentions and cryptic references to 'that time,' Renji was with Ichigo now, his great love, and Ichigo was in his first and only relationship ever. Things were getting pretty serious actually.

Renji's past didn't bother Ichigo particularly other than being this thing always vaguely on the periphery, because it held no real importance in their lives now and didn't interrupt their daily life. Which meant Ichigo didn't waste time thinking about it.

Of course, there were some things about a person that didn't change, and Renji was admittedly still sort of a skirt-chaser, but a really lazy one. It was part of his personality at this point, his flirtiness, and of course, it also helped that he had a gorgeous smile, an infectious energy, and an undying loyalty to those he cares for - it won hearts left and right.

Ichigo's not a jealous guy though, which was probably why their relationship worked the way it did, despite their constant arguing. Renji flirted with girls when he was standing right next to him sometimes, but Ichigo didn't really pay attention to it much, because Renji was just doing what he did, and had more than enough left for him. It was far more sweet than it was a sexual thing, so why should Ichigo care when it wasn't causing any harm.

So maybe even though Ichigo had never known Renji during 'that time,' Renji's past life was still this thing that was always vaguely there on the sidelines, but only inasmuch as it was a personality trait so deeply ingrained in Renji that to ask him to stop would be to change him into someone other than the man he loved.

Ichigo didn't mind honestly, didn't even think twice about it. There wasn't space in his brain to summon the effort to be worried that Renji might stray, that he would be disloyal. Ichigo was confident in their feelings towards each other.

One might ask why it even bears repeating that Renji had more notches than his belts had space for when it doesn't have a thing to do with their daily lives now.

That's because after about four years of being extremely, almost obliviously secure in their relationship, all that changed for Ichigo rather suddenly one night.

It all started when he and Renji went out with friends after work for a night of drinking. They were admittedly mostly Renji's friends, but Ichigo got along with a couple of them - mostly Ikkaku. They did a couple of barhops, wandering outside in the snow from place to place, which allowed Renji to flirt with five or six different servers, and eventually they landed on a club. After sitting all together in a booth, it had somehow become a point of discussion that Ikkaku and Yumichika were still 'friends' - whatever you want to call those two - after coming up on something like a decade and a half of knowing each other. How did people not get sick of each other, how did people like them keep it interesting? Ikkaku was so not into the conversation, and Ichigo neither.

He got up after a couple minutes and wandered to the bar, not paying them any more attention so he could drink and people-watch. Renji came and they danced together for a time, but they separated again when Ichigo wanted another drink. He eventually made buddies with the guy sitting next to him and chatted with him for a while as they watched the dance floor. He was pretty cool, the stoic and serious type who wore leather jackets and doc martens and, while willing to have a conversation, was of few words - he honestly reminds him of Chad a little.

They were getting along pretty well, that was, until Hisagi Shuuhei, Renji's old friend from college, slapped himself against the counter on Ichigo's other side. Ichigo glanced at him, sipping his beer. This guy always got too drunk after work if people let him, him and his buddy Kira both.

"Where's," Hisagi started, voice slow and slurred. He hiccuped. "Where's Abarai?" Ichigo shrugged a shoulder and pointed out at the floor where Renji was still dancing with more than a couple girls. "Whuthu' fuck, you're just watching him do it now?!" Hisagi complained, too loud, waving a hand forward at the display. Ichigo scrunched his brow. "You two really are weirdos. It pisses me off, man."

"Friend of yours?" Ichigo's new buddy asked.

"Friend-in-law."

"Mm."

Ichigo glanced to Hisagi again, Renji's usually composed and overly serious senpai, now a pink-faced swaying mess with, apparently, no inhibitions. Hisagi was never this talkative, normally very mature and even a little uptight at times, but he had his good moments. He was oddly enthusiastic about his hobbies from what Ichigo had seen over the years, and seemed to be a kind person. Ichigo didn't particularly like him, but he didn't have a grudge or anything against the guy - they're just not close. What he hadn't realized until that night was that Hisagi did seem to harbor some resentment, which he unloaded on him and his new barmate in the form of telling him again about the old times.

Ichigo didn't see how it was any of Hisagi's business, but apparently it annoyed him when Ichigo and Renji were out together to see Ichigo not so much as bat an eye at Renji doing… Renji stuff, like right now, dancing with those girls and playing around. "It's like you don't even fucking care. Like you're fucking taking all of," Hisagi ran a hand up and down the line of Renji's figure from a distance, "that for granted!" He grimaced when Ichigo didn't say a goddamn word, watching Renji and those cute girls and sipping his drink.

"There!" Hisagi shouted, throwing a hand out. "Look at him with that total babe, doesn't that make you mad?!"

Ichigo dug his pinkie in his ear. He's starting to get irritated. "Uhh, no. Why should it make me mad. He's not doing anything bad."

"So you just don't care then." He looked up and found Hisagi staring at him hard, and it's different from his usual stern expression. It's flushed, and far more creased with hot emotions.

"I do. I'm just not an insecure loser."

"Okay, maybe he is just messing around, but you're gonna' let him disrespect you like that?" Ichigo scrunched his brow.

"He's not." Renji's never disrespected him. Maybe Ichigo just doesn't think of it that way, but to him it's seemed like Renji's flirting has always had a clear line. He made friends everywhere he went, maybe bought them drinks, played with girls and danced with them, but there was a line he didn't cross, and he always, always returned for Ichigo's affection, not to mention he'd drop everything and come running if Ichigo wanted him by his side. Even now, Renji glanced over to see them talking and gave them a happy wave. Ichigo held up a couple fingers back.

"He's just having fun." Hisagi sighed, turning to the counter and ordering himself another drink. He was thankfully quiet for a while, which let Ichigo and his buddy continue to people-watch in companionable silence.

"Boyfriend?" the guy finally said, starting conversation again, which Ichigo didn't mind. Ichigo glanced over.

"Huh? Him? No." The guy shook his head and pointed out into the crowd at Renji. "Oh. Yep." The guy nods and drinks a little more, and the two of them watch Renji dance.

"Problem?" Ichigo muttered at last when he didn't say anything else.

"Nope. Guess he looks cool."

"Thanks."

"Hot too."

"Thank you."

"Ugh, see?!" Hisagi butt in again, drawing their attention. They both raised their eyebrows at him.

"Never mind, forget it." He shook his head though and muttered, "I just dunno' how Abarai deals with it, I've seen him," he burped, "seen 'im go nuts, y'know, in the old days." Ichigo glanced to him mildly, not much invested in having this conversation. "And you, you-" He held his hands up around Ichigo's chest level and made these grabby motions. Ichigo looked down for a moment and then, suddenly catching on, snarled, going from a two to a ten in a second flat as usual. He viciously shoved Hisagi's arm away. "Whadda' you got, huh? Are those even A-cups?"

"Dude," Ichigo said, scowling. "You are so blasted. Settle down."

"You really don't ever worry at all?"

"No. I don't."

Hisagi seemed to accept that for the moment, at least was willing to let it drop as his drunk-brain came back to the boobs thing. "Okay, Kurosaki, but lemme' tell you, Abarai is a boobs-man through and through, and he's been suffering for you for a long damn time." He took another gulp of alcohol, spilling some down his chin. "I mean, you're just one man."

Ichigo didn't pay credit to one word he was saying, because he was so drunk that a serious professional guy like him had pretended to grab boobs earlier, but the more Ichigo didn't answer him, the more Hisagi wouldn't shut up.

"Maybe if there were three or four a' you, you could take the edge off. You dunno' how many times-"

Ichigo stared him down in both crazed drunken eyes, and only looked up at that moment when he heard his boyfriend approaching. "Hey! Senpai, what are you telling him!" Renji shouted as he came up on them, seeming embarrassed somehow when he caught on to what Hisagi was talking about - although, who knows how he'd heard in this loud ass club. Ichigo didn't know what to make of that look on Renji's face either, slightly scrunched with embarrassment, which was absolutely silly if half the shit he's heard about Renji's past is to be believed.

Renji shooed his drunk friend away. "Go on," he insisted, scolding, "Get away from him!" He watched Hisagi go, hands on his hips, until he saw Kira and Hisagi meet in the distance and start. . . Ichigo would call it dancing, but it's more like flailing, they're both so hammered. He turned then with an anticipatory grin. "Hey! Ready ta' play some cards, Ichi?" Ichigo nodded absently, shrugging a shoulder. "Who's this?" Renji asks directly, grinning widely.

Ichigo glances to his drinking buddy, who introduces himself. Renji shakes his hand and ordered his own drink. "You can come too, man. C'mon, let's go play, guys."

They find a booth together and shoot the shit, playing cards and drinking together with their new friend. Renji stays close at his side the rest of the night, occasionally looking up to give an eye out over the dark noisy room. Other than asking offhand if Renji knew whether Hisagi had gotten home safe, Ichigo didn't think much on what Hisagi had said, knowing that if the guy remembered dick from tonight, he'd be humiliated for life.

Renji gets up to get them another round, and Ichigo watches him tease and grin at the server. Ichigo put his chin on his hand, and for a second, stares at his boyfriend and his happy face and thought… and for a second, he doubted.

It was the first time he'd ever second-guessed them like that, and he brushed it off almost immediately, but when they said goodbye to their drinking buddy and to Renji's remaining friends and went home that night and got in bed together, the thought came back to him, floated back through his head.

He really had spent these last few years watching Renji gaze at girls and flirt to his heart's content. Hisagi, who'd always seemed somewhat supportive of their relationship, drunk off his ass, had probably told him what he'd really secretly thought the whole time. He'd insinuated earlier that Ichigo was just one guy - he's just one guy, so how can he possibly be interesting enough to satiate Renji's philandering soul?

Ichigo didn't think Hisagi was right, but he had a feeling that it might be the most honest thing the guy's ever said to him.