Previously posted as part of a Multifandom Drabble Collection.
Requester: SpiritualEnergy
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Renji & Orihime
Word/Situation: wandering/watchful
Mood/Theme: Silly/Frustration
Approximate Timeline: After Soul Society Arc (in between soul society and when Ulqoirra takes Orihime)
Other: Romantic
Title: Recovery
Author: Winter Ashby (rosweldrmr)
Disclaimer: Bleach © Kubo Tite
Rating: K
Word Count: 500 - exactly!
Summary: Renji is cleaning Urahara's shop when he gets a visit from Orihime (Renji & Orihime)
Authors Notes: I don't know how well I pulled this one off. I don't write Bleach much, and I've never written Renji... and I'm no good at 'silly' so - meh! I don't know how good this is going to be. Oh well, I tried Spira.
Renji bound his hair tightly against the base of his skull, and tied a face mask across his mouth and nose. He pulled his sleeves up, with more force than was necessary, and dropped to his knees.
"Scrub, scrub, scrub." He repeated with every stroke of the thick cloth in his hands over the dusty floor of Urahara's shop.
"And don't miss any spots, Freeloader-san!" Jinta yelled from the other room.
Renji's eye slimmed, but he kept scrubbing.
The wooden sliders to the back rooms moved, and Renji looked up just long enough to see Orihime's bare feet slide across his newly cleaned floor. He paused and pulled down his mask.
"I just cleaned there."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Abarai-kun. I didn't know." She stood on her tiptoes.
"Forget it. I'll just redo it later." He tossed the rag into the bucket beside her.
"Oh no! No, please, let me help you."
She dropped to knees, loudly, and winced. It wasn't until then, however, that Renji saw anything more than her legs.
Her head was still bandaged, and her arm was in a sling. "Oh, no no! Inuoe-san, I didn't realize you were still injured. Please, don't –"
But it was too late; she'd already reached her one good hand into the soapy water and was busy trying to ring out the rag with one hand.
Renji scooted closer to her and gently took it from her hands.
"Please, I want to help." She looked over at him, with those huge brown eyes, and Renji was momentarily caught off guard. He'd never really noticed her eyes before. They way they picked up the flecks of light that filtered in through the cracked door, or how her lips seemed to pout near the middle.
"That's really not necessary." He scratched the back of his head, just for something to do.
"It's frustrating being this useless."
"You're not useless. You're injured. You're only job right now is to get better." He watched her bite back tears as she nodded and bowed farther into herself.
"You're right Abarai-kun. I'm no good to anyone like this. I have to get stronger, so I can protect everyone. No more wandering on the sidelines, I want to fight." She balled her hand into a fist and looked right at him.
And for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. Hearing his own resolve echoed in her and the look in her eyes as she said it, he wanted nothing more than to watch her achieve her goal. He wanted to see her strong, and fight. He wanted to see her gain power for the sake of others.
"Inoue-san," Renji looked right at her, with those shinning brown eyes that reflected perfectly everything he strived to be, "let me help you train."
She smiled at him, lopsided as the bandages around her hair crinkled at the effort. But he could tell, she was happy.
"Thank you, Abarai-kun! I won't let you down."
Renji smiled, despite himself. "I know."