Okay, so I was approached with a challenge to write a bleach story about a brotherly relationship between Renji and Ichigo. I was intrigued and thus this story was born. I'm not used to this pair, but I thought I'd give it a try. This is just the prologue and the whole story will be roughly five chapters long if all goes well. I would like to thank TheCresantMoonWolf for presenting me with this challenge and opportunity. I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you.
Brothers
He knew they were waiting for him. It was a special day after all. They were gathered in their headquarters waiting for the boss to arrive. He clutched his hand around the present in his jacket pocket and smiled. The toddler hanging from his shoulders giggled, scrambling his little legs to keep from falling off, even though Renji's arm supported from the bottom. He would never let the runt fall. Never.
Renji ruffled the bright orange locks of his baby brother, smirking when the little monster swatted his hand away, playfully growling. The red-haired teenager strolled lazily toward the abandoned warehouse he's claimed as their headquarters. It was large, isolated and perfect for hanging out without being bothered.
He was a delinquent of his high school. He was tough, handsome, and respected...or feared? Suppose it depended who you were. No one messed with him. He didn't do his homework, failed his tests and skipped classes, but he spent that time protecting his school from other rival school gangs. He protected his neighborhood. He named his gang the Red Snakes. It consisted of other boys from his school, most of them were from his own class or the grade below him. Others were alumni, who graduated years before, but still found his strength admirable. They were loyal to him, his family and no one ever questioned him.
He climbed the old, creaky stairs to the fourth floor where his friends were waiting. He entered and greetings erupted from all over the room. They really did love him. They respected him. They were loyal to him. He had given them a place to belong. He had given them a purpose. He had given them a family. He set Ichigo, his kid brother, down and watched with soft, adoring eyes as he was greeted by Renji's followers. They patted him on the back, lifted him up to spin or toss him high playfully, and give him hugs. Ichigo was very at home and unafraid of these guys.
Renji caught the soda pop can his second, Kazuki, tossed him and plopped heavily into the large, red couch against the wall. It was old; the color was faded and the fabric was torn or worn in certain areas, but it was comfortable. He rested his feet on the table made of old crates. It creaked under his weight and the other sodas on top of it shook a bit.
"On the carpet, guys." He reminded them.
His friends picked up the toddler and carried him to the corner that was freshly carpeted and littered with toys. The warehouse was old, but sound. He didn't want his brother getting into anything that could hurt him, so he made up a corner for him to play on safely. It was carpeted and closed in with a childproof gate. There were blocks, coloring books and crayons, Lego's, cars and trucks, and books which Kazuki read to Ichigo when he was looking sleepy. Ichigo was a common visitor after all. He needed a place to feel comfortable.
Renji chugged the rest of his soda down as he watched. Today was a special day for Ichigo. He let his mind drift back. Ichigo had grown strongly attached to Renji since the day he was born. Renji was apprehensive at first, and never thought he would feel so affectionately for the boy, in truth, they were half brothers; same father, different mothers. Renji tried to remain indifferent and keep his distance, but he grew to completely adore the runt. He was fiercely protective of him and would hurt anyone who dared showed even the slightest of ill intents towards him.
He was charged with watching over Ichigo more often than not, which didn't bother him in the slightest. Isshin, his father, and Ichigo's mother, Masaki, owned and ran their own medical clinic. They mostly dealt with pregnancy, but occasionally they took in neighbors with minor injuries. They worked hard together to provide for the family and trusted Renji to look after his brother. Today was no different, except that today they were busy with something for Ichigo.
He crunched the now empty can in one hand and tossed it into the trash. He clapped his hands over his head to get their attention, then folded his arms.
"Today...is an important day! Today we celebrate!"
He weaved through his friends, climbing over the few who were laying on the dusty floor. He stepped over the gate and sat cross-legged in the play area. He pulled his brother into his lap.
"Today, we celebrate the birth...the existence...the greatness that is Ichigo Kurosaki, my baby brother."
His comrades cheered and made noise, clanging pipes, hockey sticks and bats against metal beams, the floor or together. They gathered closer, pushing their gifts for the youngster onto the carpet for him to open.
"Ichigo is two today. He is the only thing that matters today. We are going to ensure that he has a great birthday, right?"
More cheering and hollering. Ichigo turned in his brother's tattooed arms so he could see what was going on. He giggled and clapped his hands happily, smiling excitedly at all the attention.
"Kanpai! Kanpai! Kanpai!"
The few girls under his command brought the toddler a large slice of cake, which he delightedly mashed his hands in. He was covered in cake and icing within minutes.
"That's it, kid. Enjoy!" Renji barked with a grin.
They guys got him presents, which consisted of: stuffed bears and other cute animals, a baseball glove he could grow into, a set of new books from Kazuki for nap times, and a plastic bat and wiffle ball. Once he was more interested in toys than cake, Renji set to cleaning him up. There was cake crumbs and icing everywhere, but his face it seemed. Once clean, he pulled the boy into his lap again. He pulled the present from his pocket and dangled it in front of his baby brother. It was a gold chain and kanji pendant which read 'protect'. Ichigo's chocolate eyes fixed on it immediately, drawn to its shine.
Renji allowed his brother to bat at it playfully before putting it around his little neck.
"Happy Birthday, Little Berry."
They continued their celebration until close to five o'clock. Masaki should be done with preparations by now. His father and Masaki were planning a party for Ichigo at the house. His daycare friends and other family members would all be present. There would be a large spread of food and cake, presents, music, games and a special surprise. Anyone else would have been jealous that they were upstaged, but Renji was just happy that he got to have special time with his brother on his birthday. It was important to Renji that his brother knew he loved him.
Renji told his friends to bag the gifts and leave them by the couch. He would pick them up later. He picked up and cradled a sleeping Ichigo and started walking back home. He pulled out his cell when it rang.
"Yeah, we're on our way. He's asleep," there was a pause as he listened, "Well, then he'll be all rested for the party. Don't worry, he'll love it, Pop."
Another pause, then, "No problem. We're at the bridge, we'll see ya soon."
He snapped his cell closed and replaced it in his front jeans pocket. The even breaths of his baby brother soothed him as he walked. He crossed the bridge and turned the corner. They were three streets away. He stopped when he saw movement ahead of him. Four large men crept out of the shadows brandishing pipes, bats and brass knuckles. He couldn't see their faces, but he didn't need to. They belonged to a rival gang from another school. He and his gang had beaten them senseless for attacking three of their teachers and putting another in the hospital. He thought they'd learned their lesson. Clearly he was wrong.
They started towards him, but he couldn't risk fighting them. Ichigo might get hurt. He turned and quickly dashed down a side street, cut into an alley and jumped the fence at the end. He flipped open his phone as he ran, pressing the speed dial for his father. It was busy.
"Damn!"
He ran toward the park, cut through then turned down another side street. It was a shortcut toward his house. He was stopped midway. One of the four blocked his path. The man swiped at him with the metal bat, narrowly missing his shoulder and Ichigo's head. Infuriated, he jumped, spun and kicked the man in the face, slamming him into the trash cans along the wall. He took off again, running as fast as he could. He had to get Ichigo to safety.
Two of them were still close behind, so he couldn't double back. He could tell he was minutes from the house. He tried his father again.
"You forget something?" His father barked.
"Meet me outside. You have to take Ichigo."
Isshin heard his heavy panting and knew immediately something was wrong.
"What's going on?"
"I'm being chased. Punks from another school. I can handle it, but not with Ichigo. Meet me outside."
"Are you sure you can handle this. I'll call the police."
"I got this, Pop. One down, three to go. "
He closed his phone and charged through the street toward his house. He turned twice more and was finally on their street. He could see his dad running toward him, his face white with fear.
"Ichi, wake up."
The third he'd lost track of blocked his path. The two following him finally caught up. He was surrounded. One swung a rusted pipe at him, missing him, but he felt the force of a bat against his back, causing him to lurch forward. The wind was knocked out of him for a second before he regained his balance.
"Ichigo, get up!"
He was shoved into the wall and coughed. This woke his brother.
"'Enji?"
He lashed out. He head butt the one nearest him and made a mad dash for his father. He set his brother down and pointed to his dad, "Go Ichigo, run to Dad!"
He pulled back. He kicked one, then kneed him in the gut when he doubled over. He turned back to his brother, "Run, Berry!"
Ichigo cried, and ran to his father, screaming his brother's name.
"'Enji! 'Enji!"
Isshin wanted to help his son, but he needed to get Ichigo inside. He left him with Masaki and returned to help his eldest son. However, by the time he got back, which was no more than five minutes, he was too late. Upon returning, he found his son laying in the middle of the street, his attackers gone. He knelt down next to his eldest, tears falling freely.
Renji was battered badly. Blunt force trauma, laceration and he knew there were broken bones. But that wasn't the worst of it. There was a large puddle of blood beneath him. Isshin shifted Renji's body only slightly and saw what he feared. It looked like the assailants switched to knives at some point. Renji was bleeding out and there was nothing Isshin could do in time. His son was dying.
"Renji?"
"Pop..."
Isshin caressed his son's battered face, "Oh, Renji."
"It's okay, Pop. Ichi...go...is he...o...kay?"
Renji coughed, blood spattering onto Isshin's clothes.
"Yeah. You did good, son."
Masaki couldn't take it anymore. She needed to know what was going on and Ichigo was becoming belligerent. He was calling for his brother. She carried him outside and gasped when she saw Renji lying on the ground, red staining the street. She went to her husband and knelt next to him. Ichigo wiggled free of his mother and leaned against his brother.
"'Enji? 'Enji!" he cried. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew something was wrong, "Up! Up!"
"Hey...buddy...Stay...strong...Little Berry."
Renji knew, and now saw, his little brother was okay. He could let go now. He could relax. He let out a breath and let death take him.
The Kurosaki family mourned his death for months. As time went on, it got easier to deal with, but they would never be the same. Unfortunately, Ichigo was too little to understand and inevitably forgot. The pain was still too close and so, to avoid a touchy subject, they never brought it up again. The necklace Renji had given him was never removed. 'Protect'. It was what Renji had died for that day and what Ichigo would grow to represent.
