Of Love and War
Chapter 1: Beauty to Behold
By: Raven612
Pairings: Ich/Ruk Orh/Uuryu Ren/Ruk Byak/Yoruichi and more to come.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or the characters of Bleach, although sometimes I wish I did.
Summary: Ichigo and Renji are members of rival gangs. The only thing that drives the two leaders to fighting each other is the girl Rukia. Ichigo knows that she belongs to Renji, but he fights for her anyways. Ichigo would never say that he is in a gang because unlike many he doesn't go out looking for fights, but he and his friends stand up and fight for those who can't or are to scared to. They are the protectors, and right now all Ichigo wants is to hold and protect Rukia.
It was a cool crisp morning as Ichigo threw a single white rose into the softly gurgling waters of the river. It was near the spot that she had been killed eight years ago. He sighed heavily and shed a single tear. He wiped it away and looked up and over the horizon, hoping that any day now the pain and guilt he felt inside would leave him. Suddenly he heard giggles coming from the bank opposite him. He put his hand to his eyes to shield the bright sun and he noticed two girls walking along the river talking. He immediately recognized Uuryu's girlfriend Orihime, but the other girl he didn't quite know.
She was very tiny and from Ichigo's place she looked to be no more than 12 years old, but he could almost sense she was his age. And sure enough as they came directly across from him he recognized the girl. It was the beautiful Rukia, who had stolen his heart when she came to school here 4 years ago. The two girls were unaware of his presence, for the time being.
"Feh, Ichigo you dumb bastard don't even think about it, she's Renji's, the lucky bastard." Ichigo scolded himself.
Ichigo watched as the girl continued walking and talking still oblivious to him. He jogged a short distance to a bridge connecting the two banks and made it across just in time to run into the two girls. Orihime squeaked with happiness and smothered Ichigo in a gruesome hug. Ichigo blushed furiously as he felt her very large breasts rub against his chest.
"Hello Orihime," he managed to get out as she suffocated him.
Rukia stood off to the side wondering who this boy was. She admitted he did look rather familiar and she also had to admit he was quite handsome. He had odd orange hair, and she could tell, through the tight black shirt he was wearing that he had a nice toned body. Her violet eyes widened when she noted the soft and beautiful amber of his own eyes.
Ichigo managed to shake off Orihime; he nodded to Rukia, "The names Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Kuchiki Rukia," she stated, in her tone she had an air of strength and self confidence, but Ichigo picked up on a sliver of fear. Was she afraid of him?
"Nice to meet you," Ichigo said, and he was surprised as he said, he normally didn't say such things, he just shook his head and shoved his hands into his pocket.
"Oh, Ichigo you haven't meet Rukia before? She's been going to our school for 4 years now," Orihime chimed in sweetly.
"I know Orihime, but that doesn't always mean I meet everyone," Ichigo said between clenched teeth.
"Oh, but you also told Kiego about her, and oh doesn't Kiego have a crush on her? Don't you too?" Orihime questioned.
Ichigo quickly reached over and covered her mouth, "Enough Orihime," Ichigo stuttered quite embarrassingly.
Rukia blushed, "Uhm, Orihime, I'm sorry to leave you so soon but Renji's waiting," and with that Rukia bound off over the bridge.
Ichigo flinched mentally, 'Damn him, such a beautiful girlfriend and I bet he doesn't even treat her right.' Ichigo thought bitterly as Rukia ran from them.
Orihime latched onto Ichigo's arm intent on finishing her walk along the river with someone by her side, and at this moment it was Ichigo.
"So Orihime where's Uuryu?" Ichigo asked wondering what she was doing by herself, usually Uuryu was by her side, he feared that she would run off with some other boy, but Ichigo knew that they loved each other more than they let know.
"Oh he's at some grand opening of another yarn shop," Orihime sighed, but she smiled, "You know it really is sweet how he can openly admit to people that he knits," Orihime chimed.
"Yeah, it takes a real man to knit some mittens," Ichigo said sarcastically with a laugh.
"Yes it does," Orihime chirped happily completely oblivious to Ichigo's sarcasm.
"So Orihime, how long has Rukia been dating Renji?" Ichigo asked, hoping he wasn't being too obvious.
"Oh about 2 years now, you know they met when she lived in Tokyo."
"You mean they've known each other for a long time?" Ichigo asked worried, if that was true then it would be harder to break them up.
"Well Rukia told me that she's known him since she was 10, so yeah, quite a while." Orihime said with a finger to her lips signaling she was thinking hard.
Ichigo chuckled as they continued their walk along the river. It was well past dinner time when he finally turned up home and his father greeted him with a swift kick to his abdomen.
"Better luck next time son, you need to work on being prepared." Isshin chuckled as he walked away from his squirming son.
"Why do I need to be prepared for a fight when I'm walking into my own HOME?" Ichigo screamed as he picked himself up off of the floor. The truth is, he and his friends regularly found themselves fighting and because of it many people around school had labeled them a gang.
Ichigo mumbled and grumbled as he walked into the kitchen and greeted a cheery Yuzu. She was currently concentrating on baking a cake, and she had decided to add her own little twist to it.
"Yuzu, what are you doing?" Ichigo asked noticing the most intent look on her face that he's ever seen.
"I'm baking a cake for mommy," she said simply.
Ichigo flinched, so she did remember, well of course she did, her and Kairen and his father always went to visit her grave, but Ichigo couldn't bring himself to go there, not yet, but he always visited the spot on the river that she had died.
"Do you want to help me?" she asked knowing that their mother's death affected him even more than anyone, because he was there when it happened.
"No thanks, I have a ton of homework." He knew it was a lame excuse and he knew Yuzu would see right through it.
"Okay," she chimed happily waving good-bye to him with her wooden spoon.
Ichigo shook his head and headed to him room. Just as he stepped into his room the phone rang. He answered, it was Kiego.
"Ichigo, there's a problem," and that's all Ichigo had to hear, he knew it meant a fight.
"I'm coming, where are you guys at?" he asked.
"We're across from the park, near the river." Kiego stated as he hung up the phone.
"Right," Ichigo mumbled as he put his sneakers on. He ran to the river just in time to see Ooshima kicking a smaller boy around and laughing.
"Yo, Ooshima, what's your deal?" he shouted to the bigger guy.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Ichigo, the freaky orange haired kid." He sneered as he walked towards him.
"Ooshima, you better re-think your actions." Ichigo said as he cracked his knuckles, Kiego, Mizuiro, and Chad were all there to back him up.
"Pheesh, with a pip squeak like you?" Ooshima asked laughing.
With that Ichigo wound up and punched Ooshima square in the jaw. Ooshima doubled over in pain and spat out a tooth.
"You son of a bitch, you knocked out a tooth," Ooshima screamed lunging for Ichigo.
Ichigo smirked and took a step back and brought his hand down hard on Ooshima's back as he ran past Ichigo. Ooshima fell hard to the ground. He flipped over and made a grab for Ichigo's legs, but he stepped away and Ichigo landed a kick square into Ooshima's ribs.
"That'll teach you to pick on anyone, for a while," Ichigo announced as he dusted off his hands.
"Hey Kurosaki," Ichigo spun around to face who had just called his name.
There was Renji, flanked on all sides by his gang, and holding onto his waist, much to the envy of Ichigo was Rukia. But upon deeper looking, Ichigo found that Rukia looked very upset. He noted the soft trail of tears on her cheeks. It looks as if she had just gotten done crying.
"Heh, Renji, and what the hell do you want, I have no quarrel with you right now," Ichigo said icily.
"Think again, Ichigo, you mess with one of mine, you mess with me," and with that Renji ran at Ichigo and landed a hard punch to his right temple. Ichigo heard his angel scream at Renji to stop before his world went black.
A/N: And what do you think? I had gotten this idea while I was working the other night, so now I'm working on two Bleach stories right now. Go read Where Life Take You! RIGHT NOW!!! Lol and please review both stories!!!!