Title: Air
Rating: PG
Pairing/Character/s: Renji, Matsumoto, Hitsugaya, Orohime, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rukia, Chad, Ichigo, Ichigo x ?
Warnings: Ch. 195 of the manga, basically. Otherwise everyone hanging out like this wouldn't make sense, eh? Shonen-ai, too.
Summary: Sometimes all you need is to get a bit of fresh air.
A/N: Pointless fluff and OOCness! What can I say? I just really love this sorely-ignored pairing, is all.

They wouldn't shut up.

Yammering and babbling and making a damn fool of himself, Renji proved he could hold his liquor, but only in his mouth for a bit until it went straight to his brain. Matsumoto seemed no better, dragging Yumichika, Rukia, Inoue, and Ikkaku along for the ride.

At least Goat-Chin was out for the night with the girls, otherwise this would have been too much.

Ichigo huffed into his cup, his irritation echoed by Hitsugaya sitting next to him on the stairs. Chad, naturally, failed to comment.

Drinking, again. Like last Friday night. And the Saturday night after that. The way these guys acted, the threat of war and the end of civilization, the world, or at least something mildly interesting/important stood far and away.

It boggled his mind; Ichigo could hardly believe their stamina.

Or their ability to procure alcohol while masquerading as high school students.

Really, really old-looking high school students.

Standing, Ichigo bent backwards, his spine popping from bottom to top in a satisfyingly noisy fashion. No one paid him any mind as he headed out back; he needed some air. One could hardly breath with all the bull shit flying around in there.

After a few minutes of enjoying the stars and the stillness, Ichigo realized he wasn't alone. Pulling one hand from his pocket, he held it out for the other to take, their fingers slip-snuggling together, oh so quiet, all right and tight.

Ichigo realized, standing there silent and sure, that they had hardly any time for each other since their return from the Soul Society; what with everything that kept happening, he was amazed he even had time for himself. This moment, stolen so unashamedly, this was nice.

He tried to scowl as he broke the thick night-hush around them, but Ichigo couldn't help smiling anyways, just a little bit.

"Why the hell do they have to do this at my place?"

"Because," Chad answered, a tiny grin tinting his response.

Ichigo sighed, said nothing, and pulled himself closer to his boy. This was quite nice; maybe these weekend gatherings were good for something, after all.

-fin-