Title: Together
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 616
Warnings: boy kissing, mention of injuries & death
Characters: Ichigo, Renji
Pairing: Ichigo/Renji
Notes: Written for two of my friends over at livejournal.
There was no fighting taking place in the nearby vicinity. No shouts, screams, or the clash of blade against blade could be heard with the naked ear. And yet… both of the men could have almost sworn that they could hear that, ringing distantly in the back of their minds.
Renji finished wrapping the bandage. "Done." He informed reluctantly. Ichigo grimaced, clenched his teeth, and slowly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the cot.
Renji twitched, clearly wanting to stop him. "You're going to open up all your wounds, dumbass."
"You're the dumbass." Ichigo snapped back, absently rubbing the bandages wrapped around his chest. Renji looked down at the sitting man, clearly not very impressed by Ichigo's battle readiness. "You know I have to go."
It wasn't a matter of Kurosaki-taichou being ordered to defend a district in Rukongai from attacking arrancar. In truth it was just Ichigo, someone that Renji knew would never let innocents be harmed, even if it meant giving his life. That was the reason Renji would not try to make him stay.
"I know." Renji sighed, glancing away and glaring at the wall behind Ichigo's head. "I've been ordered to go fight as well, after I finished helping you here. One of the other districts…"
Ichigo looked up sharply at that, an expression on his face that on anyone else would have been fear. And perhaps it was, but Renji did not want to think about Ichigo being scared.
With Ichigo looking at him like that, eyes wide, Renji could admit to himself that perhaps he was a bit scared too. Not for himself, but for Ichigo. He hated not fighting side by side with his friend, especially with how many casualties they Shinigami had seen lately. They'd already almost lost Ichigo just a few days before, thanks to the injuries that still marked his chest.
Ichigo looked down, and then pushed himself to his feet. Renji did not move back to give him room, leaving them face to face with only a few inches between them. Ichigo raised a confused eyebrow at him. "C'mon, we need to go."
"No." Renji said, his voice sounding strange to his ears. "Not yet."
Ichigo stared at him. "Wha…" His question was cut off by a rough hand on his shoulder and firm, demanding lips pressed against his mouth. He stiffened in absolute surprise.
For one tense moment they stood there, motionless, but then suddenly Ichigo relaxed against him, leaning eagerly into the kiss. His lips parted, and Renji's eyes closed as he slid his tongue into Ichigo's mouth. He felt a hand reach out to grasp his side, and he found himself being pulled up against Ichigo, their bodies pressing together.
A powerful reiatsu sparked nearby, abruptly jerking the two back into harsh reality, and they broke apart, both gasping for air. Ichigo stared at him, a look of shock on his face.
Renji just stared back and poked his bandaged chest. "Don't get yourself killed, idiot." He smirked, but there was a different, new emotion in it that Renji tried to surpress.
He stepped back and turned around, starting to walk towards the door, his hand already on Zabimaru's hilt. Ichigo continued to stare at him, one hand drifting unconsciously up to his face, fingers ghosting lightly against his lips.
Just as Renji opened the door, the situation must have hit him, for he snapped out of his daze. Ichigo grabbed Zangestu and swung it over his shoulder, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "You either, asshole." He retorted.
Renji turned and met his eyes, grinning just as widely. "Come on, then. Let's go kick some Arrancar ass."