Jealousy
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor am I making any money off of this.
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He had become captain of the 9th.
No surprise.
None at all.
Shuuhei Hisagi's new captaincy, would explain why they were at the favorite watering hole getting smashed.
Renji eyed the group, to an outsider it would seem a ragtag group, but to those in the know, it was more of a collection of heroes.
Since the great war had ended, everyone in the Serieti had been celebrating on a constant basis. Some were a lot more open about celebrating, while others, where celebrating quietly.
"Neh, I'm glad you invited me," Ichigo's voice cut in.
Renji simply nodded, not bothering to reply, as he took a sip of his beer.
It was mainly Rukia who insisted that Ichigo come. Ever since, Shuuhei had stopped the casual relationship they had been participating in, Renji had felt the pressure around him, for him to be actively pursuing Rukia. Everyone seemed to be expecting it, so when she suggested to bring Ichigo along, he had agreed with some relief. Ichigo would be able to act like some sort of buffer at least, not that he currently needed it.
It seemed that Rangiku had monopolized Rukia, and they were discussing something, from the snatches of conversation he heard, about ruffles, lace, and bunnies.
His eyes slid over to Ikkaku and Yumichika , who were both drunk, and rather close together. Not that it was a secret that those two were together.
Where one went, the other was sure to follow.
"Ahhh, this is some good sake," Kira murmured from Renji's right side.
"Is it?" Renji asked. He hadn't bothered with the sake. He felt to be more in a beer mood.
Kira nodded, offering the bottle, "Want a sip?"
For a moment, Renji's gaze flickered towards Shuuhei, the man in the center of attention, before nodding that he would take a sip.
Placing the bottle against his lips, Renji nearly spat the liquor out, as Rangiku's voice cheerily cut in.
"Ah! Indirect kiss! I didn't know you swung that way Renji kun!"
Coughing, Renji managed to swallow, before glaring at Rangiku. "Only a girl would think about something like that!"
Did that just happen in front of Shuuhei? Came Renji's panicked thought.
"Aaah that would explain some things," came Rukia's comment.
"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" Renji sputtered, as he handed the now tainted sake bottle back to Kira. "What exactly are you insinuating?!"
"Hehehe, exactly as it sounds Renji!" Rangiku tittered, her face flushed from excess alcohol.
It didn't help, that Kira was blushing like mad, and not saying anything, Renji thought with irritation.
"Eh!? Are you all high or something?!" Renji angrily replied.
"Well, it's not like it would be a bad thing," Ikakku added, and as if to prove his point, he draped his arm around Yumichika's shoulders.
"But-"
"Ah guys, stop teasing Renchan," Shuuhei's voice broke in, and Renji couldn't help but shoot a mortified yet grateful look towards him. The one man who actually knew he wasn't totally against being homosexual too.
Ah, the bitter ironies in life, came Renji's acerbic thought.
"Aaaah you're no fun Shuuhei—or should I say, Hisagi Taichou?" Rangiku whined drunkenly.
"I can't be fun anymore," Shuuhei replied seriously, "I'm a Captain now, gotta pretend to be respectable."
A snort of laughter escaped Renji, landing him with a glare from Shuuhei.
"Got a problem with that Abarai Fukutaichou?" came the smooth question.
"Ah.. no, sorry Hisagi Taichou," came Renji's playful response.
It did not help, that a memory of Shuuhei prancing around his quarters wearing only tabi, and whining about how he had no clean fundoshi to wear, had decided to make its appearance in his mind.
Especially, when he had watched Shuuhei dig his hand down into the couch, and pull out a molding sandwich that had led to the most comical expression.
What was especially captivating of that moment, was how Shuuhei's prick swung too and fro in his little dance around his quarters, which led to Renji pouncing, and initiating something that definitely did not involve a fundoshi.
The conversations had started up again, and Renji spared a glance towards a glassy eyed Ichigo.
"Fuck, how much have you drunk?" Renji asked, mostly out of mere curiosity.
"Hmm?" Ichigo looked over to him, "A couple I guess… don't drink much."
Ichigo was on the point, where words were becoming close to dangerously slurring, but not quite there yet.
There was a slight flush to his cheeks, that Renji assumed was from the alcohol, except, when Ichigo's eyes slid away, and focused back on something, Renji thought it might have something to do with that.
Probably a pretty girl or… fuck. Ichigo was not seriously staring at Shuuhei dreamily was he?
"Eh? You go that way Ichigo?" came Renji's quiet question.
"Hmm?" Ichigo replied, not bothering to look. "Yeah, maybe."
Shit. He wasn't even denying it.
"I thought you and Orihime…" Renji began.
Lazily, Ichigo looked over to Renji. "No. She likes Uryuu…"
"Oh?" That was a fucking surprise.
He didn't have much else to say, except, it irritated him, when Shuuhei started talking to Ichigo, clearly not aware of the situation, even though Ichigo seemed to be blushing. No doubt Shuuhei was putting that down to too much alcohol however.
"Eeh? You still have to go to school?" Shuuhei was asking.
"Yeah," Ichigo nodded, his words were slurring now, and Renji could not help but think that Shuuhei was leaning a little too close to the boy. "Thank goodness your celebration was on a Friday, or else I'd have to skip it."
"Glad you could come then, Ichichan," Shuuhei winked, causing Ichigo to turn an even darker red.
Renji narrowed his eyes. Was Shuuhei fucking flirting with Ichigo?! In front of him?! Was that why he had decided to break things up – he was tired of him, and wanted to move onto greener pastures?
"Hey guys!!! I'm gonna balance this sake bottle on my head!" Kira's voice was loud, drunk, and wild.
The side conversations died off, when, Kira stood up, proudly displaying the sake bottle.
"Is that full? I don't think it's a good-"
However, Kira had already placed the bottle atop his head, and, with precise actions, the bottle stayed atop his head, for all of five seconds, before tumbling down in a strange stop action way, that Renji knew he would be able to stop, but then thought, that he was too lazy to bother.
The next moment, he was covered with sake, with a bruise on his head.
"Shit Kira!" Renji grumbled, as Kira fell back into his seat apologizing, but mainly ending up giggling.
"Eaaah shit," Ichigo grumbled, and Renji turned, feeling satisfied that Ichigo had been hit as well. Meant he had a good excuse to break up the tete a tete that seemed to be happening.
"Well, guess we should go back to the 6th and clean up," Renji announced.
"I'm shooorrrryy," Kira continued, drunkenly clawing at Renji, as he forcefully dragged Ichigo off his seat.
"It's ok Ren-" Ichigo began, shooting a rather furtive look towards Shuuhei, which only moved to firm up Renji's idea.
"No, booze can really damage clothes, we gotta go," Renji replied, he looked over to Shuuhei, hoping the that slight flush he always seemed to get around him later, was just put down to booze. "Congratulations Shuuhei."
Shuuhei looked at Renji, his eyes flicking between him and Ichigo, as he nodded, "Yeah, thanks for coming. Do you need my help?"
Ice seemed to settle into the pit of Renji's stomach, as he felt Ichigo begin to nod.
"No. I'm fine." Renji cut out.
"Ah… alright." Shuuhei replied, still with the strange expression.
Renji couldn't get out of there fast enough.
Ichigo heavily leaned against Renji, as they made their way to the sixth. For all intents and purposes, the orange haired substitute shinigami was totally sloshed.
"Reeennjshi…" Ichigo murmured.
"Hmm?"
"Shuuheeeis into men riight?"
Renji immediately did not like where this conversation seemed to be going.
"I don't think so," Renji lied, biting back the bile that seemed to be pushing up with his jealousy.
Ichigo's brown eyes looked at him, thoughtfully, "Thatss ok, there'ss alwaysh firsht times…"
"Why you so interested in Shuuhei? Why not me?" Renji asked, as he shifted Ichigo's leaning weight, to make the walking, which honestly was more like a shuffle, easier.
Ichigo was quiet for a while, long enough that Renji thought that he wasn't able to comprehend the question.
"You never seemed available." Ichigo's voice seemed shockingly clear, and Renji shot him a startled look. However, the glazed look was still there.
"Huh?"
Ichigo looked up at him, a slight smile on his face, "You sheemed like you were already taken by someone…. Rukia?"
The question at the end threw Renji for a loop. Everyone assumed he was with Rukia, and to have drunken Ichigo looking at him, and questioning that made Renji nervous.
"Oh really? Never thought I gave that impression," Renji glibly responded.
Ichigo's head was resting against Renji's shoulder, as the shuffled slowly towards the sixth.
"Yeah, you do," Ichigo mumbled, "Been wondering who you're with… doesn't seem like Rukia."
An icy hold crept over Renji's stomach, as he realized Ichigo's voice wasn't so drunk sounding anymore.
"Why not Rukia?" came his question, playing along.
Ichigo's body felt like a dead weight, as he stopped walking.
Renji took an extra step too many, dragging Ichigo for a moment, before he got the idea, and stopped walking as well.
He looked at Ichigo, who was intently looking at him.
"You don't look at her as if you want her." Came the serious response.
"What do you mean?" Renji asked quietly.
Ichigo tilted his head, the glazed drunk look seeming to come back into his eyes, making him look soft and vulnerable.
"Jusht what I think… hey… Shuuhei's single riight?" Ichigo asked, his mind unable to fully focus on the conversation on hand.
"Didn't you already ask that?" came the snorted reply.
His eyes shifted over Ichigo's sleeping face.
After a long slow walk, they had finally made it to the sixth, and Ichigo pretty much passed out the moment his head hit the futon.
Not so with Renji.
Ichigo's words, and insinuations kept racing through his brain.
It irritated him that Ichigo was so calm about the entire situation about being possibly gay – even going so far as to 'scope out' the target.
The idea of Ichigo with Shuuhei made him want to punch holes in the walls.
Which Kuchiki Taichou would no doubt disapprove of.
Shit.
He needed to get some air.
Crawling out of his futon, Renji secured his favorite pink sleeping kimono about him, as he quietly left the tatami room.
Slipping on his geta, he walked towards his belongings, feeling satisfaction as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.
His eyes narrowed as his thoughts turned to how Shuuhei always smugly lit his cigarette with kido, while Renji struggled with getting the lighter to work.
What was the spell?
Sticking the cigarette between his lips, Renji attempted to remember it, and when he was certain he had the right cadence, he focused his energy into lighting his cigarette.
Late, tired and drunk, is never a good way to start mastering a technique.
Especially one such as lighting your cigarette.
After a frantic few moments where Renji quickly beat out the cigarette on the floor, and managing to just save his eyebrows, he capitulated to the lighter and a new cigarette.
He chanced a glance towards where Ichigo was sleeping, and hearing the gentle snore, felt some relief.
No need to have Ichigo question him about the fire.
Quietly slipping out, Renji began to walk, not caring at all that he was inappropriately dressed, as he took long drags of the heaven sent nicotine.
Shit. If Ichigo, who was as dense as a board had picked up that he wasn't into Rukia, did that mean anyone else had? If so, why hadn't Shuuhei?
Leaving the confines of the 6th, Renji enjoyed the quiet night, taking in the brilliant stars above him.
They always made him feel small, and depressed.
His problems were really minuscule, compared to the rest of the world.
Jealousy. That's what he was feeling. Jealousy over a man he couldn't have.
A low whistle caught his attention, and Renji immediately went onto the defensive.
"Out flashing the general populace Renren?"
Renji immediately relaxed.
"Shuuhei? Or should I say, Hisagi Taichou?"
"Shut the fuck up Renji, just call me Shuuhei. If all my close friends seriously started calling me Hisagi Taichou, I'll have to kido myself to death." Shuuhei walked closer, away from the building he had been standing beside. "Whatcha doing by the 9th?"
"Am I?" Renji took in his surroundings, realizing with a dull flush, that Shuuhei was right. "I was out walking… needed to clear my head."
"Yeah?" Shuuhei began to walk, and Renji fell into step. "Thought you were with Ichigo."
Renji completely missed the side glance Shuuhei had shot him, and nodded. "Yeah, well, I was, but he passed out. Couldn't sleep, figured I would walk."
"Oh." Shuuhei focused resolutely in front of him. "How's it going for you with Kuchiki Taichou?"
"He's the same prick as always, sometimes I wonder why the fuck I put up with him," Renji replied, hoping that Shuuhei wasn't picking up on how physically excited he was getting from being so close to the man he desired.
"If ya want, I could always pull some strings, and you could be at the ninth," came the casual response.
Renji snorted, "As if. What would you want me at the ninth for?"
Tilting his head, Shuuhei fluidly captured Renji into a headlock, and roughly noogied the suddenly protesting redheads head. "Cuz I could do this to ya on a daily basis!"
After managing to break free, Renji glared at the shorter man. "Why would I want that?!"
Grinning, Shuuhei stole Renji's nearly defunct cigarette, and took a long drag.
"Because it would be a hell of a lot more fun than working for Mr. Ice."
"Yeah, I guess." Renji grumbled, as they resumed their walk.
Shuuhei continued to smoke Renji's cigarette, until it hit the filter. He laboriously dug into his uniform, and pulled out a small box. Renji felt amusement, as he watched Shuuhei put the cigarette butt in it, glad that some things didn't change.
"How's it going with Rukia? Thought you'd be engaged and shit by now…" Shuuhei suddenly asked.
"Uhm erm…" Renji looked at Shuuhei's hands, as they tucked the box back into his uniform. "Still working on it…"
"Not like you to delay Renren…" came the quiet comment.
"Yeah well… can't really spring things like this on Rukia, she'd sooner punch than say yes," Renji half joked.
Shuuhei shook his head, "I'm sure she'd say yes. If you don't hurry up, the orange haired kid might steal her."
Renji stared at Shuuhei. "What?"
"Oh come on? Haven't you noticed how Ichigo keeps his eye on her? I swear, if you don't do anything soon, Rukia might get tired of waiting, and go to him." Shuuhei replied, with a little irritation.
'Shuuhei must be very drunk right now', Renji thought. 'Ichigo was staring at you, you idiot!'
"Ah, don't worry about that Shuuhei," Renji found himself replying, "If Rukia doesn't accept, then it means that we just weren't meant to be, and it's just me being stupid."
"Yeah?" Shuuhei looked off into the distance for a moment, before adding, "Well, as long as your happy Renji… Guess we should go to bed. Get some sleep before I wake up to run the company."
"Yeah…" Renji replied, feeling empty at the abrupt end to their conversation. It had been feeling almost like old times. "Guess I should get back to the 6th. No need to have Kuchiki taichou breathing down my neck."
"If you were my fukutaichou, I'd promise I wouldn't breathe down your neck," Shuuhei teased.
"Yeah yeah, fuck off," Renji grumbled smiling slightly. "We'd end up killing each other probably."
"Yeah, maybe." Shuuhei turned towards his rooms. "Night Renren…"
"Night Shuuhei."
Renji watched, as Shuuhei took a few tentative steps away from him, before he turned slightly, his grey eyes catching Renji's reddish brown.
"By the way, you really should break that bad habit of indirectly kissing people. Might give the wrong impression." With a wink, Shuuhei quickly shunpoed off, leaving Renji standing there staring at Shuuhei attempting to comprehend the last comment.
Until.
"Shit, my cigarette."
With a sigh, Renji trudged his way back to the sixth, whispering, "Fucker."
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AN: I did continue this, but, well, it's not resolved which I quite like.
I'm a jerk. It's like a one shot, of a one shot. Great isn't it? :D
The highlight of this, was obviously, Shuuhei setting a lovely example of not littering..
Please review! ;D
Thanks for all the reviews of Casual! Makes me realize that my writing isn't so crappy. Glad to see that some of you also feel I'm keeping the characters in character too. :3
Not sure if this 'continuation' is any good. xP