Another one? What's up with me and these angsty little one shots?

(Bleach and its characters are not mine, I just do this for fun)

The parts written in italics are phone conversations.

Anyway, enjoy ;)

My body is his artwork, an ever-changing canvas of black and blue and purple and green and yellow. His love is splashed across the planes of my skin, marking me as his chosen. It's just the way it is, whoever said everything about love had to make sense?

And that's just something that my family and friends would… no, something that they could never understand. Because he loves me, I know this, I see it clearly in the little things that he does. Like the little notes he leaves around the house for me, or when he brings me thoughtful little gifts… a pretty shell from the beach… candles from my favourite store… a glass rose the last time he had to go away for business… proof that he thinks of me when I'm not with him. I should be grateful that someone so considerate chose to love me.

So what if he sometimes loses his temper? Most of the time it's my fault anyway, I know he's tired when he gets home but still I provoke him. I never mean to, it just happens. I know his job is extremely stressful and important and I try so hard to help him relax. Sometimes I hate myself for not even being able to do that right. I mean, that's the main reason I quit my bartending job… so we could spend more time together… well, that and the fact that he didn't like the place I worked at. After all, he was just concerned for my safety… not liking that I was being ogled by grabby customers night after night. Anyone would have been upset. Sure, I thought he would be less… jealous isn't the right word… less… protective once he had me all to himself, but somehow I always manage to screw up. But I'm working on it, it will get better.

I no longer hang out with my friends because the last time I went out with them I got a little too drunk to drive and they didn't want to give me a ride home. What a disaster. Poor Renji must have been worried sick when I didn't come home. The argument that followed was a bad one and Renji had to drive me to the hospital for a cast and stitches. But the pain in his eyes as we drove home afterwards hurt me even more than the multi-coloured bruises that covered my body. The knowledge of what a truly horrible person I was cut more deeply than the angry red lines that had lined my skin. Because only a monster would go so far to hurt the one they love so much, why would I force him to hurt me like that? I hated myself then because it just proved what he had been telling me the whole time, my so called friends could not be trusted. From day one, from the very beginning they were only trying to break us up. That's why I stopped seeing them. Me. It was my decision.

Don't even get me started on my family. What happened to unconditional love? What happened to trust and acceptance? Why couldn't they just see that he means everything to me? That he is my sun and moon and stars? He is my sonnet, my love song, my Sistine chapel, the axis of my universe. Time and time again they refused to give him a chance, to get to know him like I do, and if they couldn't even do that much for me, how could I willingly keep on associating with them? In any case, I always ended up in a bad mood after having to deal with their constant bitching and moaning about how I was fucking up my life. Renji usually got irritated and angry that I let them get to me and we would end up fighting. Who could blame him for getting mad? If anyone's to blame it's my family and their intolerance.

So what if some days I can't leave the house because of a black eye or split lip… so what if I sometimes have to wear clothing with long sleeves even when it's almost 90 degrees outside… so what if at times I get a little lonely and frustrated with my own company during the day… so what if the intensity of his love sometimes burns us both… so what if some days I can't get out of bed because he was feeling particularly artistic the previous day?

In the end it's a small price to pay for happiness. Because I am happy, truly I am. When he holds me close whispering an apology or sweet words of love in my ears it completes me. It fills my heart and lifts my spirit. I am truly blessed, what did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful man? How could I even think of wanting more than this?

A few weeks ago we got a new neighbour. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem, neighbours come and go, but the orange haired med student (I've seen him at the hospital on one or two of my visits) has taken to calling the cops every time Renji and I got into a fight. That caused huge problems for us. Normally Renji would get mad, explode and then calm down and help patch me up. But because the cops kept showing up on our doorstep he didn't get a chance to calm down and that only led to us fighting even more. Eventually it frustrated me enough that I went over to his place and yelled at him to stop interfering. Ichigo just laughed it off and made us some tea. After that it became a bit of a habit… Renji and I fought, Ichigo called the police, the next day I'd go over to yell at him and we'd end up having tea. It was a comforting relief to be around Ichigo because he never judged me and my relationship with Renji. He never pointed out my new bruises and never told me to leave Renji.

I should just have told Renji.

xxx

"Hey babe, is everything okay?"

"Hanatarō, what are you up to?"

"Not much babe, just hanging around home deciding what to make for dinner. Is there anything in particular that you're in the mood for?"

"So you're at home?"

"Um… yeah sure babe, why?"

"That's strange because I took the afternoon off to surprise my boyfriend but he's not home…"

"Awww babe, you came home to surprise me?"

"Hanatarō where the fuck are you? What are you hiding, why aren't you at home?"

"I'm not hiding anything babe, give me a minute, I'm just next door."

"Get your ass home right now!"

"I'm coming babe…"

"NOW!"

xxx

"911 what is your emergency?"

"Um, hi… I'd like to report a case of domestic violence."

"Kurosaki-kun, is that you?"

"Orihime? Yeah, it's me… again."

"Same address as last time Kurosaki-kun?"

"Yup, they've been going at it for over twenty minutes now. I think it might be my fault this time."

"Nonsense, it's not your fault. But… you do know that there's very little the police can do if he doesn't press charges?"

"I know Orihime, but what else can I do?"

"Okay Kurosaki-kun, Ikkaku and Yumichika are in the area. I'll send them over immediately"

"Thanks Orihime."

"My pleasure Kurosaki-kun."

xxx

"Yo dispatch, we're going to need an ambulance at 064 Shinigami Road like in now!"

"Sure thing Madarame-san, what is the situation there?"

"One confirmed dead, one unconscious. Yumi inside with the survivor but I'm not sure he's going to make it. It looks like things got out of hand and the big red head shot the little one before shooting himself."

"Dammit, another one?"

"Afraid so."

"Right Madarame-san, the ambulance is on its way."

"Thanks dispatch… please tell them to hurry."

All done. Yes I know it ends abruptly without me saying who survives... I leave it up to you who have read this little fic to decide :)