RENJI'S POV

I hadn't seen him in days. His voice was carved in my mind, and his touch gave me shivers. Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of Squad 6… the man I had fallen in love with.

I sat at the small table in Urahara's shop; drinking warm green tea, I held the white china with both hands. I can't seem to keep Byakuya off my mind. I took a sip of tea then looked down at the brown table, damn. Nightfall always seemed to make me think of him, it was a full moon out that night.

I heard someone enter the room; it was Urahara, "Hey, Renji, how are you doing this lovely evening?" Urahara smiled, waving his fan and then tilting his hat.

"I'm doing fine I guess." I shrugged, taking another sip of tea. Urahara was the nosey type, god, don't have him ask me a bunch of questions about my personal life!

"Ahaha, well, I guess I'm going to go get some fresh air." Urahara opened the front door and left me alone.

I can't believe Old Man Mamamoto sent me here for another mission to exterminate hollows. Just when Byakuya was going to tell me something important…

The door opened again, this time it was Rukia. "Renji, is Kisuke here?" She asked, I looked up at her. She was the sister of my love.

"Nope, you just missed him. He said he was going for a walk." I looked back down at the table. Rukia sat down next to me.

"Renji, what's wrong?" She put her arms around me, her arms were warm, they made me feel safe.

"It's nothing."

"It?"

"It. Is. Nothing."

"I know you better than that. What's up?" Rukia crossed her arms, and gave me a stern look.

I sipped my tea once again, finishing it. "Do you really wanna know?" Rukia nodded. I sighed, "Fine…Rukia….I'm in love with your brother."

Her eyes grew wide, her mouth dropped open, and she stared at me with a blank face. Damn, she probably thought I was a fag or something. But then she smiled, and pulled me into an embrace, "You are so foolish."

"What do you mean?" I asked, she giggled and put her index finger to her mouth.

She hushed me, "Shhh, it's a secret. I'm not allowed to tell you." She giggled. What the hell was she talking about?

I heard thunder outside, and small drops of rain began to fall. Kisuke entered the room with a small shopping bag, "Good evening, Rukia. What brings you here this lovely evening?"

"Kisuke, I need some soul candy."

"Coming right up, Miss Kuchiki." Kisuke waved his fan then went in the shop with Rukia.

What secret was Rukia keeping? Damn, I want to know!

I heard a familiar voice coming from the shop, it sounded like Ichigo. What the hell was he doing here?

"Kisuke, is Renji here? I need to talk to him." I heard Ichigo yell.

"Yeah, he's inside." Kisuke replied, then I heard Rukia giggle again. Damn.

Ichigo opened the door. I looked up at him puzzled, what the hell did he want? He approached me, "Renji, I need you to do me a favor. I want you to help me get stronger."

"Now? It's pretty late, Ichigo. Can't this wait—"

"No it can't! I need to get stronger now!" Ichigo clenched his teeth and grasped his fist.

I sighed, "Fine, get down to the arena." Ichigo smiled…there was something about his smile that...made me feel warm. Something about him…made me feel… lovesick.

As we went down into the arena, he transformed into his soul reaper form. I had changed into my shinigami attire, and held my zanpakuto in my hand tightly. My hands were sweating. Damn.

"So are you going to attack first?" Ichigo asked cockily.

I snapped out of my daydreaming and smirked, "You bet 'cha!" I made my first move with a simple swing of Zabimaru. Of course, Ichigo dodged it easily.

Ichigo jumped onto a rock, "Is that the best you can do?"

"I'm just getting warmed up."

"Well hurry up!" Ichigo made his move and slashed his zanpakuto with an enormous amount of spiritual pressure. I barely dodged it.

I panted, damn he was good. Ichigo approached me and had that ridiculous grin on his face. "C'mon Renji, give it all you got. I'm not getting any stronger with your weak attacks!"

I grinned a little, with a sinister laugh. I held my combat stance, " Heh…all I got? Well If you say so…Roar, Zabimaru!" I released my shikai, and then, "Bankai!" I decided to use my bankai. If Ichigo were to get stronger, I would have to use my bankai.

"Finnally." Ichigo licked his lips and had blood-thirst in his eyes. Zabimaru extended towards him with an open mouth. Ichigo's zanpakuto gashed into Zabimaru's head. Zabimaru bit down, sending Ichigo flying into a boulder. Blood trickled down his forehead, bruises covered his arm.

"You're too slow!" I cackled, I whipped Zabimaru again; he left himself open. Then he lifted his hand infront of his face, a hollow maske covered it. Ichigo hollowfied.

"Now let's see who's stronger…" Ichigo flash stepped to me, slicing my shoulder. I gasped in shock. Damn. Blood dripped on the rocks.

I whipped Zabimaru once more, but this time he completely evaded away. He hacked me again in the chest. Damn, for this being practice, I was getting banged up. "You've gotten better." I huffed, smiling a little bit. I kneeled down on one knee.

"Well it's that, or you just got weak." Ichigo laughed, he approached me. He held out his hand, "That's enough for today."

I reached up for his hand, as soon my finger touched his hand I felt a shock. I pulled away quickly. Static. Ichigo laughed a bit, then grabbed my and pulled me up. "heh, wanna get something to eat? I don't know about you but I'm starving!" ichigo scratched the back of his head and grinned.

I hesitated, "Um…uh…sure, why not?" I followed Ichigo up stairs. I thought about the shock… static…it was the same feeling I had felt when I touched Byakuya.