Chapter 01

Endless Retreat

Now –

"Eh, so action movies really makes him fall asleep?" Ikkaku stared at the carrot top.

The usual group from Soul Society was told to be in Karakura Town for a while, but they were never told for what reason, allowing them to fool around most of the time. During this very moment, everyone was watching an action film on the television at Keigo's house because Ikkaku asked his psychotic sister who was madly in love with him. This was why Renji, Ichigo, and Toushirou were sitting on the long couch in that very order while Rukia, Orihime, Tatsuki, Rangiku, Ikkaku, and Yumichika were sitting on the ground to watch the movie as Keigo went to buy drinks. Somehow during the first thirty minutes—first ten minutes to be exact, Kurosaki Ichigo had fallen asleep with his arms spread out behind the two others against the top of the couch with his head slightly dipped back.

"Excellent," Rukia fished out a marker out of her pocket and gave it to Rangiku. "Put marking's on him!"
"Oh, good idea!" The large breasted woman replied as she uncapped the marker, trying not to giggle.
Annoyed, Tatsuki took the marker away from her, "given him a break will you? He's had a really bad day."
Everyone looked at her, wondering how she would know such a thing, and Orihime frowned. "Oh yeah…"
"Did something happen, Orihime-chan?" Ikkaku asked curiously, curious as to what was wrong with him.

"Tatsuki-chan and I were walking home from school together today and we saw Kurosaki-kun fighting with a group of guys. He beat most of them up, but they just kept coming." The orange-haired high school student looked to the ground. "I wanted to help him, but he said not to, and he was tired after all of it."

"Ichigo can handle his own fights," Yumichika stated without much care.

"He went to visit his mother's grave today, so he wasn't in a good mood." Tatsuki defended her childhood friend from them. "I wanted to help him too, but he had to deal with it on his own or else he would've been mad at us." She clenched her fists, "beating up a guy just because he's different from them, the bastards."

"What, you mean his orange colored hair?" Rukia asked curiously, but then knew. "Oh, because he's—"
"Rukia," Renji spoke sternly, shaking his head at her when she looked at him. "Don't say it."
Rangiku looked at the redhead with a frown. "Oh come on Renji, tell us why!"

"Because he's bisexual," a voice called, and they looked to the entrance to see Keigo with the sodas.

Everyone stared at him—either angrily or in disbelief when hearing the high school student saying this, and then most turned to Renji and Rukia to see if it was true. They knew it was the truth when they looked unhappy about such a thing being blurted out in this type of manner, causing most to look at the sleeping orange-haired male. Most wondered as to why he would keep this a secret from them, especially Rangiku who was making a fuss over the issue of never being told. They paused, something did not make much sense to a few of them — like, why would people go after him because of his orientation, which was cruel.

"Homosexuals get beaten up too, but being someone who likes both genders? It sounds like that can't even decide what they want." Tatsuki answered their thoughts, then placed a hand on Ichigo's knee, shaking him lightly so he would awaken. "Ichigo… hey, wake up." He began to stir. "Just go home."

Ichigo placed a hand to his head, "sorry… I guess I dozed off." He then noticed everyone looking at him, so he blinked confused. "Was I snoring or something? I'll do my best to stay awake during the movie, I—"
"Renji, take Ichigo home, okay?" Rukia looked at the redhead with hopes of him doing her this favor since it would not help if she walked home with him. "Ichigo's really tired, he should go home and go to bed."
"Ah, sure." Renji got up, stretching some stiff bones before looking down at the exhausted carrot top, but he was not getting up, so he kicked his foot lightly in annoyance. "Hey, come on, you're going home."
"I believe I will leave too." Toushirou stood from the couch a moment after Ichigo did. "The last thing I need is to miss some important message by staying here watching these sort of things with you people."

The three left the apartment, and their spots were immediately filled by the girls squishing together to make room for each other, leaving the boys to stay on the floor.

Silence coated the three males walking down the empty street in the direction of their separate homes, it was making Renji a little upset. The only one who seemed to enjoy the silence was the little white-haired captain, though, it did give him reason to worry about the others. Someone from behind them gave a wolf whistle to tease them, which Ichigo stopped in place in order to turn around to glare furiously. It was the same group of thugs from earlier in the day that he had gone into a fight with, and they wanted more.

"Oh, first you had girlfriends walking you home, now you have boyfriends too?" They all began to laugh.

Toushirou mentally rolled his eyes as he expected to watch Kurosaki Ichigo throw himself into a fight with the humans, but he did not see what was coming. Ichigo started to motion his attack toward them until a hand rested on his shoulder before another charged into battle for him instead. Renji beat them all to the ground because they were already weakened from earlier, and he returned with a cocky grin on his face.

"Inoue and Tatsuki told you, didn't they?" Ichigo looked at him unhappily. "About me being in a fight…"

"Yeah, and the brat that lives there blabbed to everyone about your orientation too." The redhead replied.
He flinched at this though he turned away. "That's fine, at any rate, others were bound to notice this—"
"Why aren't you angry!" Renji grabbed his arm. "If it were me, I would have killed him on the spot!"
"Let go of my arm, Renji. I don't like harming people who are my friends." His voice did not waver.
Unhappy about the reply, he slowly released his arm. "I should go back and punch him for you."

"There's no need to get violent. Everyone that was in the room are friends of mine, now, if they spread the word of my orientation or not is up to them." Ichigo began walking. "Besides, there's no reason for you to be so defensive for my behalf, you left me in order to be with the woman you always wanted to be with."

Toushirou looked back and forth between the two once; surprised they were once an item.

"Don't give me that bullshit, we're bonded." Renji smirked cockily. "Plus you said I have a great ass."
"Probably because you didn't taint it with tattoos," replied the carrot top that covered his mouth to yawn.
His cheeks tinted red at this—from frustration. "S-Shut up, there's always some unique trait of everyone!"
"I know, but your ass has nothing to do with it, idiot." He explained while they followed him reluctantly.
"Fine," Renji pointed to the captain. "How about you tell me what so unique about Hitsugaya-taichou!"

"Oh, trying to bring Toushirou into this huh?" Ichigo paused to look at him. "You're trying to get me mad?"

"It's not like you ever answer us." The redhead replied cautiously as he treaded on thin ice.
He glared even more than earlier. "My opinion on others doesn't concern you, Abarai-fukutaichou."
"Don't call me that!" Renji snapped instantly, running over to grab his collar. "What the Hell is with you!"
"You know I won't answer, it's the same answer for everyone: I don't say my opinions about others."
He flinched when he started to understand a little bit. "You think I'm going betray you again."

"Well… are you?"

"Abarai, stop your nonsense, we're escorting him to his house before going separate ways. Secondly, do I have to tell you every time I see you that it's Hitsugaya-taichou to you, Kurosaki Ichigo?" The little captain stated coldly for having to watch them argue like children. "It's obvious that he is not exactly mentally or physically fit in case another group decides to jump him for whatever the reason might be, understood?"

Renji growled for a moment before releasing him, and smirked. "I bet you're happy."
"Yes, I'm sure you're jealous." Ichigo replied tiredly, dusting his clothes off a bit.
"Both of you shut up already." Toushirou glared at them. "Let's get moving."

The redhead watched as Ichigo kept his eyes on him before turning to obey the small captain, obviously infuriating the former to no end. He sped up a bit to be at Ichigo's side, trying his best not to be left behind in their dust while announcing that the other would not get what he wanted. His mouth dropped when he watched the orange-haired male nodding casually to him—it was almost as if he were being ignored!

Renji opened his mouth to tell him how stupid he was, but Ichigo stopped when they were at his house.

"See you guys later," the human waved; receiving a nod from the captain and nothing from the lieutenant. He sighed and came to him, leaning his forehead against his—he was a few inches taller than Renji due to more growth for being a teen. "What are you so upset about?" His brown hues watched the redhead look in the direction of Toushirou, so he smirked calmly at this. "It will always be a one-side love story."

"But it's not fair to you…" Renji gave the saddest frown ever, earning a flick on the forehead. "Ow!"
"See you later, Renji, Toushirou." Ichigo walked away and entered the house without looking back.
The captain growled lowly as he began to walk off. "I hate that man, I would kill him if I could…"
"You shouldn't say that when he's around, he might kill himself for you." Renji replied quietly.
"Then it would be the first time he listened." He turned to see him. "Maybe I should say it."

The redhead frowned at him, and looked up at Ichigo's window where a light turned on, but sighed and began to walk in the same direction as the captain. "The reason why I broke up with him was because we both wanted someone else. It was great being with him and all until I realized he was distracted by a new face he was interested in." Renji walked past him, eventually they both walked at the same pace. "Since I wanted Ichigo to be happy after everything he has done for us—Soul Society, so I cheated on him."

Toushirou glared at him from behind. "Why are you telling me something that isn't my business?"

"Ichigo was upset when he found us together, but managed to forgive me because of that oversized heart of his, it was only until I said I wanted to leave him did he stop—yet still cared about me." After walking a few blocks to where they would separate, he turned to look at the captain. "Ichigo's going to hate me for saying this even though I know he's not going to do anything about it: the person that Ichigo is mostly interested above any other right now, is a taichou. One that barely recognizes his existence…"

He almost chuckled at this, finally amused. "So, which egotistic person is Kurosaki Ichigo interested in?"

"You."