characters property of Kubo Tite
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"I'm exhausted."
It was, by now, a familiar complaint. Rukia wasn't entirely sure what it was with men and training- it wasn't that she didn't understand the need to be stronger, or even the need to work off aggression, but two men spending a day and night straight doing nothing but attempting to kill each other, even if they weren't really, bordered on a little silly.
"You should rest," she said calmly, shaking out a blanket. "You'll be useless if the Bount attack with you in this condition."
"That's the plan." When she turned to face him, Ichigo was already flat on his back on the futon she hadn't been rearranging, arms flung out to the sides. "Gonna go back later... gotta sleep."
"You expectin' me to go with you?" Big hands closed over hers, pausing there for a moment before taking the blanket.
"I don't need you." Ichigo's voice was muffled in the sheets. "You stay here and be useless."
"Shut up," Renji snorted, laying his blanket out. "Who was it that kicked you back into shape, huh? Ingrate."
Rukia just shook her head. They could do this for hours. "Give me the old sheets," she ordered. "I'll take them to be washed."
Once she had gathered them into her arms, it was back to the secluded laundry room, tottering down the hallway and trying to see over the bundles of cloth. If she left it to them, they'd both be sleeping in filthy, sweaty sheets for days on end. And it wasn't that she worried too much over their welfare, but the smell would get to be a bit much. Especially sitting between them at every meal, every strategy meeting, walking and standing in the middle. Someone had to keep them from strangling each other at any given opportunity, and since it was her fault they had even met in the first place, she considered it her responsibility.
And it didn't hurt that she liked it there. It was a warm smile and a laugh on either side, two towers of strength she could feel entirely certain in turning to.
She was lucky.
Rukia deposited the sheets just inside the laundry room, stretching out the cramps in her arms, then turned to head back to the room she had been sharing with Inoue. Admittedly, this was not a situation she had planned for- fighting a force other than Hollows, bringing together Soul Society and this world she'd found outside it. New friends and old comrades, combating something she'd never even heard of. She hadn't planned on coming back to this world so early, or indeed sometimes, at all, but when she'd heard from her brother that Renji had been assigned here... Well, it had seemed like too much of a disaster waiting to happen to not intervene.
And no matter how loathe she was to admit it to herself, she had missed being here. Had missed Inoue, and Ishida, and Sado, and even Kon.
And Ichigo.
She'd expected to find Renji at his throat the moment she'd arrived, and she hadn't been too wrong. And yet, in the time since then, she'd seen glimmers of that camaraderie she'd witnessed at the Soukyouku. She'd thought before they had even met that they could be fast friends, even inseparable. They were both so fierce, so impulsive and rough, but more than any of that, so very loyal.
Rukia paused outside the room they'd been allotted, peering in, then smiled. Like puppies, they'd tired themselves out, and now they were curled up peacefully and asleep, maybe a foot between them. After a moment, she turned to go.
"Hey- Rukia."
She stopped, taking a step back. Renji was sitting up on an elbow, hair half undone and hanging over his shoulder. "C'mere," he said softly.
"What's wrong?" She padded silently across the floor, glancing at Ichigo as she went to Renji's side. No, he looked perfectly fine...
"Is- is he gonna be okay?" Renji nodded towards Ichigo, looking hesitant.
"Why, what did you do to him?" she teased lightly, sitting carefully in the space between them.
Renji scowled a little. "Nothin'- look, he was just actin' funny, 's all."
"About Kariya?" Rukia shifted slightly to look down at Ichigo, restraining the hand that wanted to smooth the hair off his face. He looked so young like this.
"Yeah." She could feel Renji's eyes following hers. "I mean, he perked up right fast, but..."
She nodded, understanding. "I know. But..." She smiled at him a little, hands folded on her lap. "If something happens, we'll both be there."
"Yeah." At that he grinned, laying back down, arms behind his head. "We c'n bail the kid out."
"It's nice that you were worried," she said unassumingly.
"I- I ain't worried about him!" To her delight, blood rose darkly to his cheekbones. "Why would I- hey! Don't go assuming-"
Rukia laughed, placing a firm palm on his chest and pushing him back down when he tried to rise and intimidate her. "I'm sorry, I suppose I was just attributing human emotions to you again."
"That was your first mistake," came a mutter from behind her.
"Oh, did we wake you?" Rukia inquired, turning towards Ichigo, smiling slightly as Renji's scowl deepened into a look of utter mortification.
"Never said I was asleep." Ichigo sat up slightly, brushing a hand over his face to push the hair out of his eyes.
"Eavesdroppin' little shit..." Renji muttered, turning his back, evidently to hide the flush that was spreading to his ears.
"Didn't hear anything I didn't know."
"...Shut up!"
Rukia laughed softly, sitting back on her hands. "There's nothing wrong with two grown men expressing affection for each other," she said solemnly.
"Watch who you're callin' a 'grown man'," Renji scoffed, still facing the wall. "He's just a little brat-"
"Then there's nothing wrong with a grown man expressing affection for a fifteen-year-old boy, I suppose."
"Oh, I think there is." She could hear the grin in Ichigo's voice. "We call those 'sexual predators' around here."
"Hey-" Renji fairly exploded up. "You're the one who was tellin' me t' take my clothes off-"
On her other side, Ichigo was already sitting up. "I told you, that's not what I meant, you pervert-"
"Both of you!" She had to grab hold of their sleeves and tug them forcibly apart. "You- wait, is someone going to explain this to me?"
The two faces that met hers were fixed with a nearly identical expression of awkward terror.
"N-nothin' happened-" Renji said first.
"No, it was just a misunderstanding-"
"I know," she said soothingly. "I can imagine you two wouldn't be nearly as awkward if this had been resolved."
"Exactly!" Ichigo agreed. "Wait... what?"
Renji just stared at her, ears starting to match his hair again.
Rukia shrugged, arranging her legs delicately beneath her and smoothing her skirt down. "You can't think I haven't noticed the tension between you two," she said logically. "It's fairly clear to anyone who knows you." And it was. The moment Renji had first spoken to her of Ichigo, it had been in terms glowing and trusting enough to be uncharacteristic for him, not to mention the casual trust Ichigo had shown in handing her- throwing her, rather- to his arms. Simply put, they had grown too close too fast for her to not be suspicious.
It wasn't that she minded. In fact, seeing them like this, close enough to be unsure and awkward... it warmed her, cheered her. It was what she wanted most in the world, to see the two she loved the most be happy.
"I'm simply glad you found yourself so early," she informed Ichigo, unable to keep the teasing from her voice. "See how long it must have taken Renji?"
"Now wait just a second." While still obviously embarassed, there was steel in Ichigo's voice. "I don't know about him, but I'm not- I'm not gay-"
"I'm not either!" Renji pushed in quickly. "You know that, Rukia, come on!"
"I do?" She eyed him. "Why do I know?"
Renji gaped at her silently. In the corner of her eye, Rukia could see Ichigo jerk his head, move a hand, as though encouraging.
"Because I-" In that moment, Renji looked impossibly small, powerful hands twisting together, eyes on the floor in front of her knees. "I- I always- come on, you have to know-"
"Renji..." She'd felt this ache in her chest before, this uncertain need to do something. It was strange that now that 'something' was to glance over her shoulder back at Ichigo, whether for guidance or permission, she wasn't quite sure.
All he did was nod urgently at her and make a 'go on' motion with both hands.
"Renji," she said again, this time more firmly, turning back towards him. "You have to tell me what you-"
Before she could finish the sentence, his hands were catching her up by the jaw, a curtain of red falling over her cheek as his mouth found hers, hot and hard with the desperation of more than a century. Rukia felt her eyes go wide, jaw holding still for a second before she shivered and relaxed into his grip.
Renji only held her for a moment more before pulling back, fingers smoothing down the back of her neck. For a long few seconds, it was impossible to look away from him, the twisting in her chest both gleeful and afraid. It wasn't that she was entirely surprised, but when something had years to happen and never did... one began to believe it never would.
Maybe that was why he looked so unsure, as though he still didn't know if she would pull away. She knew that it was those eyes that pulled her close to him again, as they had so many times before- no matter how many years it had been, this was still her same Renji.
The second kiss was longer than the first, and only ended when Rukia became aware of Ichigo's eyes on her back. She brushed Renji's long hair back behind a shoulder, letting her hand linger on his chest before looking back to meet the intent gaze. His eyes were hard to read, as per usual, but he didn't protest when she inclined her head, urging him closer.
This time it was Renji she looked to, and there was a distinct sparkle in his eyes just before he pushed her lightly towards Ichigo. She caught herself on his shoulders, looking up into a face that was suddenly very much that of pure awkward inexperience.
To Ichigo's credit, he only shook a little when she pushed up to kiss him, his fingers digging into her upper arms. She could feel him breathing shakily, soft puffs of air escaping against her cheek, his shoulders tensing and relaxing for a few moments until he finally subsided against her, hands gripping her shoulder and arm.
"Is this all right?" she whispered, searching his eyes, feeling his heartbeat race against her palm.
Ichigo looked up over her head, and she was about to turn and follow his gaze when she felt Renji's warmth against her back. So Rukia just lifted her face, craning her neck in an effort to see them both.
"It's okay," Ichigo said quietly, hands on her back, eyes on Renji's.
"Are you-" Renji started.
"It's you," he said firmly, eyes on his. Then he looked down, squeezing Rukia's shoulders. "And you. So it's okay, I said."
There was a pause, a heartbeat, and then she tugged at the front of Ichigo's shirt, pulling him back down to her. Renji's hands were firm on her waist, lifting her slightly and tugging her back onto his lap. Rukia shifted slightly back against him, glancing up with half a smile before catching Ichigo's mouth again, thin fingers working through the mess he called hair. He smothered a soft sigh into her lips, hands smoothing hesitantly along the pleats of her skirt.
"Can I-" Renji's voice was muffled into her hair, fingers pausing on the buttons of her blouse. Rukia nodded jerkily, feeling Ichigo gasp when she dragged her teeth against his lower lip. His hands clenched on her thighs, and she shifted them open, arching up into Renji's fingers as he slid the buttons out of place, pulling her shirt open and off her shoulders. Ichigo's hands skimmed over her sides, pausing to touch almost wonderingly at the pale skin as she placed the blouse to one side.
"Go ahead," she whispered, surprised at how loud her own voice sounded, squeezing Ichigo's wrist when his hand paused at her bra. He looked up at her, then his eyes flicked down, brow furrowed in concentration, fingers working patiently at the hooks. She watched him, eyes on the top of his head, thighs squeezing Renji's legs as she sat back farther on his lap, shifting a little harder. He let out a soft grunt, pushing back against her, leaning down to catch a brief kiss from her while Ichigo worked the straps off her shoulders.
The combination of the cool air and Ichigo's breath on her skin made her shiver, and she tugged at his shoulders, fingers sliding up the back of his neck as his forehead pillowed between her breasts. Renji's palms were rough on her stomach, sliding down to push over her hipbones through the skirt. Rukia took a deep breath, shifting a little to urge Renji's fingers along their path, squeezing her eyes shut at the hesitant motion of Ichigo's palms over her sides, then jerking when they smoothed over her chest.
Renji's hands paused at her skirt, but before he could open his mouth to ask, Rukia was wriggling out of it and tossing her underwear to the side with it, biting her lip against a whimper as Ichigo squeezed lightly, experimentally at her breast, the pad of a thumb pushing over a swelling nipple. She could feel Renji smile against her neck, the heel of his palm pushing down her stomach until his fingertips could curl beneath her to press between the folds of skin, working firmly into the wetness between her legs.
Rukia felt a shudder run up his arm at the soft moan that elicited, Ichigo's fingers pulsing in the same surprised jerk. She took a deep, shivering breath, shifting forward slightly, easing a hand behind her to work against the front of Renji's hakama, the other hand gripping Ichigo's chin and bringing his lips to hers. Renji jerked under her touch, a huffing groan rumbling out of his throat as he pushed eagerly into her hand, his own fingers working in quick circles against whatever spot he could find that made her shake and gasp. Ichigo kissed her back with a definite hunger, the slow rub of his palms more confident the harder she leaned towards him.
Suddenly, one of Renji's legs moved- whether on purpose or as a jerk when she squeezed the growing hardness beneath her palm- and Rukia lost her balance, tipping dangerously to one side. "Down," she heard Renji mutter, and Ichigo nodded jerkily, and then the sheets of one of the futons were under her side. Renji's hands gripped her legs, pulling her back into the grind of his hips, erection pressed to the small of her back. Ichigo's mouth was on her ear, then her neck, his entire torso jerking when she slid a hand over the front panel of his pants to grip him.
"Let me," she whispered when Ichigo went to shrug out of his shirt, and lifted her hands to work it open, sliding a leg against his to hold him still. He shivered a little under her hands, then went rigid- glancing up to see why, Rukia had to bite her lip when she saw that Renji had caught his mouth, a hand on the back of his head to hold him there. She smiled to herself- let Renji occupy him- then went to work at his pants, shivering at the soft whimpers that wrung out of his throat at the pressure of her hands and the insistence of Renji's mouth.
She was almost hesitant to come between them, but it was Renji's hands that pulled her up, pressing her between them. Renji shifted half onto his back, pulling her with him, and she caught hold of Ichigo's arm, urging him to follow. It only took a glance up at Renji to understand what he was suggesting, and she slid an arm around Ichigo's shoulders, lifting one leg to press the knee into his side, leaving Renji ample room to slide an arm beneath her and wrap his fingers around Ichigo's length. He stroked once, lingering and shivering a little at the whimper Ichigo let out, then guided him slowly into her.
Ichigo's hand clenched on her side and he gasped sharply, eyes shut tightly, trembling. Rukia took a deep breath, shifting a little, trying her best to relax- it wasn't as if she hadn't done this before, but this was- this was Ichigo, with Renji's breath on her neck- and then Renji's hands on Ichigo's hips, helping him move, and Ichigo's face in her neck, gasping and moaning- some of it him, some of it her. It wasn't long before he was tensing, jerking, and one of Renji's hands let him go to work between them, fingers pressing and curling into her until the desperate huffs of breath from her lungs matched Ichigo's.
Ichigo's arms tightened hard around her back with a groan, and he came with one last desperate jerk, a few seconds before Renji's fingers sent her following. Rukia rode out the jolts of electricity that swept her, fingers dug hard into the back of Ichigo's head, then shuddered, opening her eyes and taking a deep breath.
After a moment, Ichigo shifted, then let out a soft gasp against her neck. "I- I shouldn't've-"
Rukia smiled, restraining the urge to ruffle his hair. "It's a gigai," she reassured, pinching Renji when he threatened a chuckle. "It's fine."
"O-oh." He reddened a little, then slumped back.
Rukia tugged lightly at his arm. "You're not done," she said softly, shifting forward. "Come over here."
Ichigo cocked his head, but slid forward a little. Renji shifted, sitting up halfway. "Hey, what're you-"
Rukia just pushed him back down- relatively easily, as Renji didn't resist her- and set to working the shinigami uniform off. Renji made a little noise of dissent, but quieted with a sharp gasp when she tugged the hakama off in one swift yank, then motioned Ichigo over.
"Pay attention," she suggested, then leaned down to dart the flat of her tongue up his now-exposed erection, pausing at the head and sucking lightly. Renji swore, legs tensing, one hand winding into the sheet. Rukia watched him, taking a deep breath and taking a bit more past her lips, working over the throbbing length slowly, speeding and then slowing as his breath harshened. She could feel Ichigo's eyes on her, and she glanced over at him before closing her eyes and working down about halfway, shivering a little when he groaned. She took a deep breath and pulled back, squeezing Renji's leg when he made a discomfited noise.
"Come here," she mouthed to Ichigo. After a moment of hesitation and a slight flush, he did so.
Rukia laid a hand on the back of Ichigo's neck and urged him forward, moving back to suck lightly at the head as he ducked below her to work hesitantly over the shaft. The long shudder that ran through the prone form beneath them seemed encouragement enough for him to keep it up, and Rukia let him go.
Renji's chest heaved, hand fisting in the sheet, incoherent whispers pouring out of his throat. After what must have seemed an eternity to him, but only moments to her, he was jerking and urging her back with a low mutter of warning, every muscle tensing before he came with a sharp groan.
She could see Ichigo smiling, the twitch of his lips exhausted. She tugged at his hand, not bothering to speak, and squirmed around to lay back on one of the two futons- the sheets had mingled together enough by now that she didn't know which was which. Ichigo was on his back beside her, Renji curled around a pillow, blankets flung everywhere.
They were all going to smell tomorrow.
Rukia looked up at the ceiling, relaxing into the sheets. One of the two had already begun to snore, and all the blankets were slowly migrating to Renji's side. She was already hurting a little, and breakfast was going to be supremely strange tomorrow.
She didn't know anyone in the world as lucky as her.