Practicing my technique

Renji and Rukia have always been friends, but is there more to it than that?

It's been three months since Ichigo and his friends returned to the world of the living. The Soul Society has been slowly trying to rebuild itself after the damage caused by Sōsuke, Aizen and Ichimaru, Gin.

My powers have still not fully returned since I gave them to Ichigo. I have spent the past months training, trying to regain my strength. Brother Byakuya helps me when he can, but his time is mostly consumed by his duties as a captain.

I practice in a field on the edge of the Seireitei. I come here often. The grass is a welcoming shade of light green that sways back and forth in the wind, waving at me. The sun is beginning to set, reflecting a beautiful combination of pink and orange on my sword. A weeping willow stands in the center of the field. It's branches are reaching down to tickle the grass. Some of the willow's leaves are blowing away in the wind, leaving with summer.

I pull out my Zanpakutō, and begin practice my technique.

I have only been practicing a few minutes when a shadow approaches me. "If you're trying to get better than me, you can give up, it's just not possible". "Is that a challenge Renji?", I ask.

"If you want it to be" he replies. He's already reaching for his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, so I don't bother responding.

We both know it's against the law to draw your Zanpakutō to fight a fellow soul reaper, but I will never improve my combat abilities if I can't practice.

"Do you trust me not to hurt you" he asks with a smirk, but his tone is dead serious.

"I trust you Renji."

He begins charging towards me, sword drawn. I step to the side and watch him run by, his long red hair trailing behind him. Now I attack, I come at him from behind, but he sees it coming and dodges my blade. He pulls his sword above his head, preparing to strike me, I ready to counter his attack by angling Sode no Shirayuki horizontally in front of my chest.

Zabimaru comes flying down expecting to hit me, but instead meets my Zanpakutō. Sparks go flying. Renji and I are now only a few feet apart.

I look up at him, breathing heavily, when I catch his eye a smile stretches across his faces. "I guess you've been practicing" he says.

I move my sword and step to the side, the force he has been putting on Zabimaru sends his blade flying into the ground. I use a flash step to move swiftly behind him. Sode no Shirayuki is centimeters from his neck, running lengthwise from his left shoulder to his right.

He turns around slowly so that he is facing me, my sword lightly grazing his shoulder as he does so.

My arms were barely long enough to keep my Zanpakutō against his neck, now that he has turned, I have lost my grip on him, dammit.

He takes a step closer, lessening the space between us. His soul reaper kimono is tied loosely, leaving his muscular chest mostly exposed. My eyes trace his intricate black tattooes from his jagged shoulder blades to his abdomen, his skin is smooth and tan from the countless hours he has spent training in the sun.

He takes another step closer, this time planting his foot awkwardly behind my legs. I know what he's about to do, trip me, it's a cheap move.

With his left hand, the hand not occupied with Zabimaru, he pushes me backwards and I stumble over his foot. In a desperate attempt to stop myself from falling I grab Renji's arm, pulling him down with me. Shocked, he drops his sword. He tries to break his fall by putting his arm out (the one I'm not tightly gripping onto).

Well fuck, this is awkward. Renji is on top of me, propping himself up with his hands. His crimson hair is falling down over his head tickling my face.

"Just can't get enough of me, can you?" he mocks.

I try to swat some of his hair out of my face. I cough, maybe on hair, maybe on the pure awkwardness of the situation. "Shut up Renji."

" Well I've got you pinned down now, making me the winner of this battle," he says with pride. "Although it's not like I ever thought you would win."

He's going to keep going on if I don't shut him up. He begins saying something, but I cut him off.

A surprised gasp escapes his mouth before he kisses me back. His lips are dry and cracking in contrast to the smooth inside of his mouth. He's now holding himself up with his elbows, closing most of the gap between us and making it easier for me to kiss him.

He presses harder against my lips, so I do the same. I wonder how long we have hid our feelings for each other. I feel like we are pouring all the passion for each other we have kept hidden into this one kiss, it feels like it will never end, and I don't want it to.