Strawberries and Swordplay~

Authors Note:: I don't own Bleach in any way, shape or form sadly enough. This is a Ichigo x Renji fan-fiction so YAOI ALERT! There's no sexy time in this story (/ sad face ) but, that's because I'm lazy D:

This is my first One-shot, so, I hope you like it. Favorite and Review if you'd like. It would make my day ^^b

On with the yaoi~

Authors Note 2:: I know that there are mistakes in here, but, my computer is being a total hoe and as of now I can't fix them (though I have tried!) So please bear with me, and somehow we'll make it through.

On with the yaoi, again~

XOXOXOXOXO

Crack

A loud clap of thunder roared throughout the skies, followed by a garish, bright stroke of lightning. The duo together sounded like the crack of a whip against wet, broken, bruised flesh. The clouds above Karakura town were dark and ominous, a mixture of dark slate blue and dimmed gray. While as thick and immense as marsh mellows thrown into the microwave, against the back splash of the pitch black sky, were threatening and yet beautiful all at once. More thunder boomed overhead, above all of the inhabitants of the Japanese town, both from this world and not. Rain poured down in thick clumps, from a distance one might think it was hail. Said thick clumps has hit the window for a solid two hours without any avail. The red-haired Lieutenant who worked under Captain Kuchiki of the Sixth Squad sat on the bed of the Orange-haired nuisance that he dreaded to even hint at calling a friend or comrade, the substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki.

Renji stared out into space, his mind filled to the brim with mixed thoughts and emotions, the most potent of the two being that of his innermost desires. He had recently witnessed lately, that of Captain's, Lieutenant's, and other Soul Reaper's alike freely bursting out of the closet. It made him slightly uneasy...but at the same time slightly curious. He was absolutely sure he wasn't gay, it was simple curiosity. He wanted to know how it felt, or rather learn how it felt to... He sighed lightly, running his fingers through the forest of red atop his head and snapping out of his gentle daze as Rukia popped up like a daisy.

"It's done, finally done!!." she exclaimed, a proud and victorious smile smoothing over her lips. A gentle 'huh' sound came from Renji and he sat up a bit straighter on the bed. His neck was stiff from keeping it turned in order to stare out of the window and attempt to concentrate on the rain. He brought his hand down from his hair and down to the back of his neck, rubbing over it gently.

"What the hell are you yelling about?" Ichigo asked, his usual impatience already kicking in. The Substitute Shinigami's hands were interlocked and folded behind his tufts of almost blindingly orange hair. The words didn't even dent Rukia's motivation as she held high the piece of paper, as if she were holding up the Declaration of Independence. Renji squinted to see from across the room, yet all he could see was a plethora of colors mutated to flow together. It looked as if crayola crayons and skittles had a baby and said baby had projectile vomited all over the page.

"Beautiful. . . uh. . . rainbow thingy." Renji stated, attempting to compliment his childhood friend. Rukia's face suddenly morphed from almost jolly, blissful unawareness to that of some seventh Horseman from the deepest depths of hell.

"No, you fucking idiot! It's the bunny overlord king!." she stated rather matter-of-factly. Renji held his hands up above his face as if he were expecting a brick to suddenly come hurling towards his face.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorr-"

"Pfft, HA!" Ichigo bursted into momentary laughter, cutting off Renji's apology. Ichigo pointed his index finger out at the piece of paper.

"That- that thing is supposed to be a rabbit?! It looks like it just went through a food processor!" Ichigo said, his laughter dying down, turning more into disbelief.

"Are you're eyes screwed into you're head alright?!" Rukia said, stepping forward with one foot and bringing the hand opposite to that leg up, balled into a fist as she spoke. Ichigo walked towards her and snatched the piece of paper from her free hand.

"Are yours? I mean, look at this thing!" Ichigo insisted, Rukia took a few quick steps towards him and reach out her hands trying to steal back the paper.

"Hey, get you're hands off of him!" she screamed. Renji sighed, when Ichigo and Rukia fought it was almost as bad as himself and the orange-haired boy fighting. Renji had often told Rukia that it wasn't there fault, it was just the he needed an attitude adjustment. Yet, not matter how much Renji tried to coax her into beating the snot out of him just once, she always refused, feeding him some bullshit on letting him find out himself or some shit like that.

Suddenly, they all stopped. Ichigo's eyes shot towards the window, as did Renji's and Rukia's. They all felt it.

"Do you guys. . .?" Ichigo asked, in response Renji and Rukia nodded. Within moments, the three of them were dressed in the usual black robes, swords in their sheaths and at their sides. Renji laid his body down on the floor, as did Rukia. Ichigo laid his under the blankets, to make as if they were all sleeping. Renji opened the window and leaped out, he was followed first by Rukia and then Ichigo. They ran from rooftop to rooftop, and through alleyways making haste towards the Hollow that they all felt, and it's monotoned cries.

As they approached, the Hollow seemed gargantuan. Huge, at least the height of a three story building, even that was somewhat of an understatement though. Three pairs of eyes looked up, mouths opening slightly. It was, though, just an ordinary hollow, and though it may have been tall, didn't seem very strong, or for that matter very bright, seeing as how it didn't notice them standing there. Ichigo smirked a bit and the bandages that normally were used for a sheith fell off of his sword.

"I can handle this one." Ichigo said, Renji rolled his eyes a bit. He was over confident. . . as usual. The red-head crossed his arms over his chest and sighed.

"Don't disappoint us. . ." Renji murmured, sighing once more and sitting down on the wet ground.

"Don't underestimate this one Ichigo, I have a bad feeling about all of this!" She shouted, hoping that he could hear her warning, though down in her heart she doubted that he did.

Ichigo ran at the Hollow, he brought his sword up to make a stab in it's flesh that was pigmented a dulled green color. With fast reflexes, though, the Hollow swiped at Ichigo with it's hands, its fingernails freakishly long and as sharp as daggers. Renji watched as Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't been expecting the beast to be so fast, and it showed as Soul Reaper's body was slammed down into the earth, the Hollow giving off another shriek. This cry was followed suddenly by a much louder, almost deafening one, the giant's hand quickly came up off of the boy's body, as it did it was easy to see that Ichigo's sword had pierced it's hand all the way through. Ichigo wretched the sword out and swing, leaving another gash. This action caused the Hollow to begin thrashing about madly, it's bloodied hand and the other began blindly swinging at Ichigo. The Soul Reaper was barely keeping up with the Hollows movements, Rukia unsheathed her sword and began to run in. Renji came up off the ground and grabbed her by the arm.

"Let him do this alone. . . he can handle it" Renji said, now letting her arm go as he looked in her eyes and saw she agreed. The two stood and watched as the Battle seemed to drone on, both the Hollow and Ichigo taking damage. Before long, though, the Hollow fell down, dead, Ichigo's sword buried deep into it's skull. It's body seemed to disintegrate into the air, Ichigo huffed, his body heaving up and down. He slammed his sword into the ground and used it for support, though it didn't help as he fell to his knee's and fell face first into the concrete. Renji felt emotions swarm around him: guilt, sadness, worry; all as he watched the Substitute Soul Reaper fall down, hopefully exhausted rather than dead. Rukia looked over at Renji and put a hand on his shoulder.

"He'll be alright you know, don't worry about it. . . I think he's just worn out. . . I'll take him to Kisuke's, you should probably go back in case one of his sister's wakes up" Rukia said, with fake confidence. Renji nodded and left, fully knowing that Rukia didn't know at all whether Ichigo was okay or not. He could hear it in the way she spoke and then she looked at him. If he'd let her help him, would Ichigo have been better off? If he himself would have helped him, would he have been better off? Though, how could he have known? Renji got back into the house through the opened window, he returned to his human body and continued to lay there on the ground, his thoughts eating him up. Not only that of his curiosity now, but that of the life of the boy whose home he was currently in. A flame flickered, a scorching heat consumed his whole lower stomach as his thoughts continued to wash over him and pound him like harsh waves, one after the other.

xoxoxoxo Three days later xoxoxoxo

Renji stood outside of Kisuke's shop, he'd heard that Ichigo woke up the day before, but, he'd been helping Toshirou all day with getting used to human schools and the like. That, and making excuses to Ichigo's sisters as to his where-abouts. Eventually, after running through scenario and scenario, he'd come up with the excuse that Ichigo was staying at Orihime's and tutoring her in math. Obviously it worked, because they didn't ask anymore questions, though they were blushing a bit and Karin had murmured something about boys and testosterone. Other than that, on the spare free time Renji had, his thoughts kept moving back to that of his "curiosity." With each passing moment he thought of it, the more curious he became, the more he wanted to try it and get it over with, the more he wanted it. Period. Renji opened the door to Kisuke's shop and walked in, his hands buried deep in his pockets. It looked like some sort of freakish reunion. There was Rukia, Orihime, Toshirou, Rangiku, Chad, and the two little buzzards that worked for Kisuke.

"What's the big deal, what's everyone-"

"Shh!" all of them said, bringing index fingers to their lips. Renji's head moved back a little at the sudden, harsh movement and as everyone fell silent, he could hear muffled screaming coming from the room.

"Drink it, dammit!" came a voice that Renji kenw was familiar, but couldn't place.

"Hell no, that stuff smells disgusting!" he heard Ichigo yell.

"Drink it NOW!"

"No, I can heal on my own, I don't need that crap!"

"If you want to fully heal you do!"

"If you push that shit near my face again, Uryuu, you'll be wearing it!" Ichigo screamed. Renji made the mental note that it was, in fact, Uryuu he was fighting with.

"I give up, you're hopeless!" Uryuu said, he could hear something being set down and then Uryuu emerged from behidn a door, slamming it behind himself, murmuring what Renji thought to be curses under his breath. Uryuu pushed his glasses up onto his face and looked at the group, shaking his head as if to say no. The group let out a sigh and then looked to Renji.

"You're up, Soul Reaper" Uryuu said, crossing his arms and sitting down. Renji cocked an eyebrow.

"Up for what?" Renji asked.

"We need him to take his medicine. We've all tried, and he won't take it. If he doesn't take it, his wound's will heal, yes, but the moment he tries fighting again, they'll tear open and cause further damage" Ruki cut in and explained. Renji began to say 'Hell no' but then remembered that he was partially to blame for Ichigo's current state. He looked from face to face in the group before sighing and walking past them and into the room, closing the door behind himself.

"Hn? What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo asked. His head was wrapped and he had a wrap around his waist, he was shirtless and there was a white bandage on his cheek. Renji looked away and down at the ground where a cup filled with green liquid was. He assumed this was the medicine.

"I'm hear to make sure you don't act stupid, now take the fucking medicine." Renji said, shooting the orange-haired boy a look that said 'you will drink it one way or another.'

"They sent you in here, didn't they? Well you can tell them to fuck off. I'm not taking that god damn medicine, it's disgusting, just smell it!" Ichigo said, a frown painted onto his lips.

Renji looked down at the glass, he picked it up and brought it to his nose, and took in a good sniff. He tried desperately to hide his disgust. It smelled awful, like moldy daikon and horse radish. "It's not that bad" Renji said, quickly taking the foul smelling substance away from his face. Renji walked over to Ichigo, glass in hand, and put it near his face.

"I'm not going to drink it!" Ichigo stated, pushing Renji's hand away.

"Just hold you're nose and swallow dammit!" Renji insisted, taking Ichigo's hand and throwing it back down to the floor.

"No!"

"Just drink and get this over with!"

"No way in hell!"

"Why do you have to be so fucking difficult all the time?!"

"Why can't you take a hint, I'm. Not. Drinking. That. Shit."

Renji's eye twitched a bit and he sighed, attempting to relax. He took another look Ichigo, lying there scowling beneath him. He actually looked better beat up. . . or it could have been the fact he was shirtless. He thought of his situation and Ichigo's and thought of a solution to benefit the both of them. Renji yet again sighed and pinched his nose, and poured the medicine into his mouth. Ichigo gave him a look of disbelief and disgust. Without any warning, Renji took Ichigo's jaw lightly in his hand, and brought his lips down on top of the other Soul Reaper's. Using his tongue, Renji propped the other males lips open. Ichigo moved his head slightly down in an attempt to break the kiss, even a little, yet Renji found himself leaning down with him. As Ichigo's lips opened, just for a moment, Renji slightly opened his own mouth, letting the liquid, which actually tasted rather good, fall from his mouth and pour down into Ichigo's. Once the last of the liquid had left Renji's mouth, he brought his head up, deciding that his underlying intentions would be discovered if he continued any longer, yet to his surprise, as Renji now attempted to break the kiss, Ichigo brought his head up. Heat invaded his cheeks, a blush spread like wildfire across his features and he moved his hand ever slightly and gently along Ichigo's jaw.

Creak

Both men quickly pulled away from one another as they turned and looked towards the door. And their, at the cracked door was what seemed like a million sets of eyes staring back at them, shock written on each one of them.

'Shit'