So, now you get to meet Suiren! She's going to be kind of hard to get a good grasp on right away, she's not necessarily herself. But... if you'd just woken up in Renji's bed, would you be?
The song quoted at the beginning of this doesn't exactly fit, but...it sorta does. And it's one of my favorite songs. Go download it, er-- buy it legally off iTunes.
... :3
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. If I did, Gin and Rangiku would be together. Forever.
Crooked spin can't come to rest
I'm damaged bad at best
She'll decide what she wants
I'll probably be the last to know
No one says it 'til it shows
See how it is, they want you or they don't
Say yes
I'm in love with the world through the eyes of a girl
Who's still around the morning after
-Say Yes, Elliot Smith
After he had downed two vase-fulls of cold water, Renji made his was silently back to the bedroom where the unknown woman was still sleeping, carrying the vase which he had re-filled with fresh, cold water.
Much to his combined embarrassment and enjoyment, she had rolled onto her back, giving Renji a rather generous view of her naked chest. While she wasn't as well endowed as Matsumoto—few were—she certainly had nothing to complain about…and neither did he.
Renji eventually forced his eyes down to the flower tattoos—lilies, maybe?—on her stomach, following them around until they disappeared down the swell of her hips, causing Renji to grin in a rather feral manner. Maybe he'd eventually recall exactly where the markings ended on her.
He wondered if there was a proper way to wake her as he moved around the room, back to the side of the large futon he'd woken up on, politely averting his eyes from her body. With a sigh, he leaned over and carefully tugged the sheets over her torso, allowing her as much modesty as he could for the moment when she woke up and found herself naked in a strange man's bed.
Unfortunately for Renji, covering her didn't do him much good as he was bombarded once more with more mental images from the night before. Apparently, he thought rather grudgingly, it had been quite a night—both during the party and after he'd left, he added, glancing down at the sleeping woman.
It was a shame he couldn't remember it all.
He sat himself down beside her, somewhat awkwardly as he tried his best not to disturb her or the futon, cradling the water-filled vase between his large hands. Renji could feel her reiatsu all around him, mixing with his own in a slow, churning motion—a sure sign that they had joined in the most intimate of manners the night before. Renji exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the burning that reappeared on his cheeks.
As old as he was, Renji had been with women before. He'd experienced the pleasures of the flesh, felt the joining of reiatsu's and all other physical symptoms of such a union, but never had there been after effects like there were now. He felt almost like he knew her, knew her very soul, even though he couldn't remember ever even speaking to her.
Well, he reasoned, smiling a very feline smile, he did know her.
He had to admit, he liked the feeling. It was if he could feel her, beneath his skin, a subtle tingle that continued to remind him what had occurred between them as her reiatsu seemed to mesh with his own.
A soft moan came from the body beside him and he turned his eyes to see the woman raise a hand to her head, her mouth set in a clear grimace.
Renji smiled slightly as her eyes crinkled and her mouth became a hard line. Apparently, she was feeling much the same as he did. He vaguely wondered if she could feel his reiatsu, as he could hers, along with the pounding headache she so obviously had. Her other hand came up to clutch the sheet that covered her body and she inhaled deeply.
She opened her eyes next, slowly, revealing light gray, almost silvery, orbs. She blinked, adjusting to the light and the fact that she was in a strange bedroom. A look of surprise flitted across her face, and then one of grudging acceptance as she took in her nude state and seemed to recall what exactly had happened. Renji couldn't help enjoy the slightly satisfied smile that graced her lips for a fraction of a second before she turned her head and looked at him, drawing the coverlets closer to her.
"Ohayo?" she asked, her voice soft. She smiled then, a slightly lopsided and embarrassed grin. Renji couldn't help but to smile back.
"Aa, ohayo," he said, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt. While he had been with women before, never had it been in such a strange situation— he had remembered all his other experiences, where as this time, he would have had close to no idea what he'd done last night had she not been naked in his bed.
"Water?" he offered, holding out the vase. He realized he looked like an idiot, giving her a vase to drink from, but she only looked at him quizzically for a moment, and then smiled.
"Water would be wonderful, arigatou," she said, then sat up, one hand still holding the covers about her chest, and took the vase from Renji with the other, bringing it to her lips and drinking deeply. Renji tried to ignore the strange sensation that ran through his body as her hand graced his; the contact seemed to awaken her reiatsu that was under his own skin, running through his veins. He pulled his tingling hand away and set it in his lap, settling back down on to the futon.
Renji watched her out of the corner of his eyes and saw that, as she was drinking, she was doing much the same to him. He couldn't help feeling self conscious as he felt her eyes roam over his chest, sliding over each bold, black line that covered his torso and ran up his arms and neck.
She set the vase down in her lap, wiping a bit of water from the corner of her mouth as she turned her head towards him, her eyes slightly amused.
"I suppose I should introduce myself?" she asked, raising a delicate eyebrow, and she smiled a small smile of complete embarrassment.
Renji grinned slightly, embarrassed as well, "It would be rude of me to admit I don't remember you—but I'm afraid I have to."
She smiled. "That's forgivable… the only reason I remember who you are is because it was your party last night, Abarai taicho," she said with a grin, just to prove she did indeed know him. "Tsukinai Suiren, third seat of the ninth division under Hisagi taicho." She said, drawing herself up slightly at she spoke. Her respect for her captain, as well as her pride in her position, was obvious.
"It's nice to meet you Tsukinai-san…" he trailed off. He glanced at Suiren, still holding the coverlet to her. "Would you like to get dressed?" he asked, trying his best not to sound awkward.
Suiren laughed softly, telling Renji he had sounded awkward, "Aa."
Renji nodded to her, "I'll take the…vase back," he said rather lamely, causing her to eyes to sparkle as she handed the porcelain object back to him. He rose from the futon then, and walked over to the pile of robes, separating the remaining pieces of his own from hers. With a small smile, Renji took her set over to the bed and set them down next to her.
"Arigatou," she said, and he waved a hand at her and then walked from the room, sliding the door shut behind him.
Suiren let out a deep breath as Renji left the room, her eyes lingering on the spot his back had been. She released her hold on the sheets and put her head in her hands, closing her eyes and cursing the heavens.
Just what the hell had happened last night?
Well, she grimaced as she raised her head and then moved her body towards the stack of her clothing Renji had placed next to her; she knew what had happened— maybe how was a better question.
She had gone to the celebration en masse with her squad, as was custom, arriving with her captain nearly an hour into the celebration. The pair had stayed late at the division office, along with the editing team, adding the finishing touches to the stacks of reports and news posts they were in charge of. While Hisagi Shuuhei had been formally promoted to captain after the war with Aizen, he had yet to pick a fukutaicho for his division; Suiren, as his third seat, had taken on most of the roles of a vice captain, fulfilling the duties of fukutaicho in every way but the name.
Suiren and Shuuhei had developed a strong bond, much like that of siblings or close friends. They worked efficiently together, enjoyed working in each other's company, and ran the ninth division smoothly and without error. The pair trained together every morning at sunrise (save the days when both were nursing alcohol induced headaches) and, though Suiren was a good deal younger than her captain, she was a very skilled fighter and helped to keep Hisagi on his toes.
They had arrived with the party in full force, shinigami everywhere, laughing, singing, and dancing. Suiren glanced around and smiled, feeling herself immediately relax and the tension in her shoulders, a result of deadlines and extra work, lessen.
"Finally!" a voice exclaimed excitedly from Suiren's left, causing both Suiren and her captain to turn their heads.
Matsumoto Rangiku was bounding towards them, seemingly oblivious to the stares that followed her, a bottle of sake clutched in one hand, the other dragging a rather tipsy Kira Izuru along with her. The drunken pair pulled up beside Suiren and Hisagi, smiling broadly.
"Took you long 'nough," Izuru half-slurred, throwing an arm around Shuuhei's shoulder after he'd detached himself from Rangiku.
"Sorry," Shuuhei replied, smiling at his two friends, "duty called—not that you'd know what that sounds like, Matsumoto."
"Pft," Rangiku scoffed, waving a hand at him, and then launched herself at Suiren. "I haven't seen you forever, Suiren-chan!" she exclaimed, her voice more of a trill. Matsumoto latched her arms around the shorter shinigami's neck, pulling Suiren's head down to her chest.
Suiren had spent a brief stint in the tenth division before she'd assumed the position of third seat in Hisagi's squad. During her time with Hitsugaya and his division, she had formed a bond with his fukutaicho—a bond that ensured that Suiren's nights and weekends were always interesting and, more often than not, hazy due to the effects of sake.
She laughed as she pulled her head up and returned Rangiku's hug. "You saw me last weekend, Rangiku-san!"
Again, the tenth division vice-captain waved her hand in dismissal as she released Suiren. "How about a drink?" she asked, holding up her bottle of sake, grinning.
"Please," Hisagi said, grinning.
"Un," Suiren echoed her captain.
"Wonderful!" Kira chirped, hanging loosely onto Shuuhei's neck with one arm for support as he wobbled back and forth.
Matsumoto produced cups for the pair and she and Kira quickly filled them to the brim with sake. "A toast!" she declared, raising her bottle, "to Renji!"
"Ano, Rangiku-san, shouldn't he be here for the toast?" Hisagi questioned, though he was ready to down his sake anyways, the cup halfway to his mouth. Matsumoto frowned slightly at him.
"I don't even know Abarai-san," Suiren added, mostly to see Matsumoto's frown deepen, though her words were true.
"Do you think that will stop her?" came a flat voice from behind the foursome. All four heads turned; Suiren and Hisagi grinned, Kira tried to focus, and Matsumoto smiled so widely it made the other's cheeks hurt.
"Taicho!" their busty friend exclaimed, nearly falling on top of her still-shorter captain as she made to hug him.
"Matsumoto, I think you've had enough," Hitsugaya said, wrenching free from her grip. He turned his aqua eyes to the rest of the group, nodding to each. "Kira-san, Tsukinai-san, Hisagi taicho," he said as his eyes fell on them in turn.
"Good evening, Hitsugaya taicho," Suiren said, smiling down at him. She'd always liked the rather grumpy captain. Being his subordinate had been a pleasant experience, as well as thoroughly entertaining she thought as she watched Matsumoto attempt to embrace Hitsugaya once more.
Kira didn't seem to notice Hitsugaya's greeting, and he took a large swig from his bottle.
"Hitsugaya," Hisagi returned, amused by the little captain's staunch formality.
"Taicho, have a drink!" Matsumoto whined, waving her bottle in front of his face.
Her captain swatted her hand away in annoyance. "No."
"I guess we'll just have to carry on without you," she said with mock sadness.
"You always do," Hitsugaya returned, narrowing his eyes slightly as Suiren let out a poorly concealed snicker. "I'm leaving, Matsumoto. I trust you can find your way home," he said, raising one eyebrow at his fukutaicho.
Matsumoto grinned slyly. "Of course, taicho. I'm not as drunk as I seem," she said, her eyes taking on a look of complete seriousness.
Hitsugaya eyed her for a moment, tilting his chin slightly and then nodded. He glanced at the other three and nodded once more, then turned on his heel and departed.
"Every time I offer him any sake, he always says no…" Matsumoto said as she stared at the spot her captain had just vacated. She then shrugged at the three of them, her corn-blue eyes sparkling, "Where were we?"
"Toasting Renji," Hisagi supplied, raising his cup once more.
"Well, let's get one with it then!" Matsumoto ordered.
"Yes!" Kira exclaimed, realizing the toast was about to happen.
The quartet raised their glasses and Suiren clinked her clay cup with her captain, Matsumoto, and Kira's. "To Abarai taicho," she said, one eyebrow raised in amusement.
With that, she, Matsumoto, Kira, and Hisagi tossed back the contents of their respective cups (and bottles) for the first (and not-so-first) of what was to become many times that evening.
Suiren let out another sigh as she began to put on kimono, a variation of the uniform with no sleeves and a deep-v neckline in true 9th division fashion. Her words to Renji earlier had been a lie; she knew exactly who he was—everyone did. After securing her kimono, she grabbed her hakama, sliding one long leg through the garment at a time.
While she knew Abarai Renji was a close friend of her own captain, Suiren had never met the eccentric, tattooed, former 6th division fukutaicho—though she certainly knew who he was. It was widely known that he had played major roles in the battle against Aizen, and the fight to save Kuchiki Rukia from execution before that. Rumors of his power and abilities were frequent topics of conversation and gossip in the Court of Pure Souls, and most of them were accepted to be true she acknowledged as she pulled on her hakama.
Besides, even if one had never met Abarai Renji, he was easy to pick out in a crowd with his wild, flame colored hair and unique tattoos.
After she tied the white sash of her hakama, she grabbed the two stiff, black, cloth wrist bracers, the last of her belongings that Renji had placed on the futon. Suiren stretched her neck after she'd pulled both bracers on, sliding each middle finger through the small loop that pulled the bracers into a triangle over each of her hands, and ran a hand through her long, tangled locks. She winced slightly at the state of her hair. She usually kept it twisted up in an elegant knot—or at least half of it pulled back if she was feeling incredibly lazy—with a black ribbon she kept on her wrist when it was not in use. She wasn't all that surprised to find the ribbon missing, and she quickly scanned the floor for any sign of it.
Suiren grinned rather triumphantly as she spotted a thin, black leather band—not her own ribbon, but it would do—next to a doorway different from the one Renji had disappeared through. She walked over and bent to pick the ribbon from the floor, peering through the open doorway as she did so. Her jaw dropped slightly as she saw what was one of the largest bathrooms she'd ever laid eyes on. Polished tiles lined the floor and countertop, a large, wall-to-wall mirror, a plush white rug… she peered in further as she straightened, taking in the large shower and tub, as well as the stacks of towels and the line of candles on the counter top, obviously freshly laundered.
She figured she shouldn't be all that surprised; she knew that the captains all had rather lavish quarters. She had never been in her own captain's rooms as it was highly inappropriate, but she made a note to ask him if his own bathroom was so magnificent.
Discreetly, of course, it wouldn't do for him to know Suiren had slept with Renji…she winced at the thought.
Suiren conspiratorially glanced back at the door Renji had left through and then back to the bathroom, lit by the sunlight that was streaming through a large, rather ornate skylight.
She stepped into the bathroom, the marble cold against her bare feet. She had not been able to find her tabi or waraji, and she held out hope that they were somewhere else in Renji's obviously spacious apartments. Along, she thought, with her zanpakuto. She could feel her swords steady pulse within her, and she knew it was nearby.
Stepping before the mirror, Suiren took in her rather rumpled appearance. Her hakama had odd creases in them, and she frowned at the small pieces of white lint that clung to her top. Picking some of the larger pieces off with her fingers, Suiren then turned her attention to her hair and face. She frowned at herself, and she slowly turned the faucet on, cupping her hands to catch the warm water and then rubbing it over her face. She took one of the hand towels from the large stack beside the sink, somewhat abashed as she dried her face with a towel that did not belong to her.
After she had finished drying her face and hands, Suiren ran her hands through her long hair, a rather pathetic attempt to brush it, then pulled it back into a lose ponytail at the nape of her neck. In doing so, she caught sight of a row of red marks that trailed down her neck, ending just above her exposed collarbone. Quickly, she redid her hair, pulling only the top half of it back, letting the rest of her locks fall over her shoulders, effectively shielding the marks from view. Now satisfied that she looked somewhat presentable, Suiren tossed the used towel into a straw hamper located under the large sink.
Squaring her shoulders after giving herself a final once over, Suiren exited the bathroom and then the bedroom, determined to handle the odd situation she found herself in with as much dignity as she could handle. As she slid the door open, she caught sight of her tabi and waraji, set up neatly near the threshold of the door. She smiled slightly and quickly put both on, hastily tying the laces of her reed sandals.
Suiren found her way down a long hallway, peering into the open doors as she passed. She passed by a large guest room, a private office, as well as a room that looked like it had been used for yoga or some type of meditation, or even sparring. It was lined, wall-to-wall, with tatami and spongy-looking mats. She came to the end of the hall and found herself in what she assumed was the private living room, connected to a large kitchen.
There was a single couch in the living room, and it was there she found Renji, still half dressed, his hair down around his shoulders with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the back of the sofa and staring down at his feet.
She let her eyes roam the corded muscles of his back and arms as she drew nearer to him, following his lines of tattoos up and around his body. She felt ridiculous as the breath was seemingly whisked from her lungs. She had certainly seen the male physique before—her captain had stripped to the waist during their sparring sessions if he got too hot—but never had she found herself fascinated as she did now, staring at Renji.
Renji looked up as she drew closer to him, berating himself for not sensing her approaching reiatsu. He could still feel her, tingling beneath his skin, and it was throwing him off of her movements.
He noticed Suiren had straightened up, and he was sure she'd made use of the large bathroom he'd caught a glimpse of on his way out of the bedroom. Like all shinigami, Suiren was dressed in black. Her kimono had no sleeves and left her shoulders bare, reaching a deep-v down her chest, hinting at the swell of her breasts. The rest of her kimono was pulled tightly around her body, accentuating her feminine curves ever-so-slightly before disappearing into her hakama. Her arms, crossed lightly over her chest, were toned; just enough to show her strength but keep a feminine edge, and black bracers adorned her wrists. Suiren had pulled some of her dark hair back off of her face, with what Renji did not know, and the rest of it hung over and below her shoulders, reaching nearly to her elbows.
"Ohayo," Renji said as their eyes met. He smiled slightly at her.
Suiren shifted awkwardly on her feet, her lips twitching as if she was trying to not return the grin. "Aa, ohayo…" She sighed, running a hand through her bangs. She glanced around the room, her eyes quick and calculating, and Renji chuckled.
"You zanpakuto is over there," he said, "by the door."
Sure enough, leaning elegantly against the sliding door that lead to Seireitei, was Suiren's zanpakuto. Suiren was positive he had placed it there for her, and she glanced at Renji, then back to her sword. It seemed to reassure her. "I—I should be going," she said, and she took note of her uncharacteristic stutter. She resisted rolling her eyes at herself however, and kept her eyes locked with Renji's.
Renji didn't know how to respond. He felt like he should…apologize? Offer her food? He resisted smacking himself—food? What was he going to do, offer her the flowers that were still on the kitchen counter? "Listen," he said, uncrossing his arms from his chest and straightening, "I'm sorry—"
He stopped speaking as Suiren smiled slightly and shook her head at him. "You don't need to apologize," she said, "this doesn't need to be any more awkward," she added, more to herself than to him.
"Right," he nodded, glancing at her. "Well…" he was completely unsure what to do now.
Suiren bowed then, which took him by surprise. "Sayonara, Abarai taicho," she said, and before Renji could reply, she had used shunpo, grabbed her zanpakuto, and vanished from his sight.
He caught the scent of fresh, flower-filled, springtime wind as he felt her go past him, and he could still feel her reiatsu beneath his skin; it seemed to flare slightly when she was near.
"You can call me Renji," he said quietly to his empty apartment. He sighed, falling back onto the edge of the couch, his arms limply at his sides, and his head drooped down, his chin on his chest. He was hoping for a somewhat less awkward parting, but he figured he couldn't expect much from such a situation.
Of all the ways to wake up in the morning, this certainly had to have been one of the most interesting.
A breeze ruffled his hair from an open window and again Renji caught the scent of flowers, different from the ones he was used to. Suiren's face flashed before his eyes and he sighed again, running a hand through his hair. He raised his eyes, scanning the bare walls and empty floors of his new quarters, and he figured he might as well get on with his day. He headed back down the hallway to the bathroom.
If Ichigo was still around he planned on cajoling the human into helping him move, a task that would certainly keep his mind off the woman he'd woken up with. He quickly turned the faucet on, splashing his face rather haphazardly with cold water. He could get working on the material that Yamamoto taicho had given him as well, Renji thought, rather grudgingly. He was not looking forward to the piles of paperwork he would soon have. Walking back into the bedroom, Renji grabbed his kimono and shrugged into it.
He found it odd that soon he would be wearing a white haori over the plain black he was so used to. Renji made to leave the bedroom when he realized his hair was still down around his face and shoulders, and he turned and scanned the room for the leather tie he'd seen earlier that morning when he'd handed Suiren her own robes.
Nothing.
It too him a moment to realize it was none other than Suiren who'd taken the tie, and he found himself smiling. With half a shrug, Renji left the bedroom and returned to what he would be turning into his living room. He'd placed Zabimaru against the couch earlier, after he'd moved Suiren's own zanpakuto—a surprisingly light weapon in a dark blue sheath—along with his tabi and waraji.
After he'd dressed his feet, Renji grabbed his sword and shoved it unceremoniously into his hakama sash. He could feel Zabimaru's annoyance at such treatment and Renji scoffed as he opened the door Suiren had so recently disappeared through.
"Oh stop," he muttered to the baboon, which snorted indignantly in his own plane of existence. Renji had a feeling the baboon was dying to mock him about the thoughts that were currently running through his head, thoughts that, not surprisingly, rested on Suiren.
As he crossed through the fifth division compound, jumping slightly whenever one of his soon-to-be subordinated greeted him as 'Abarai taicho', Renji figured he'd have to make his way down to the division office sometime soon. He'd have Hinamori show him around and introduce him. Renji turned the corner as he exited the compound, making his way to the Kuchiki residence, where he was sure Ichigo would be, with Rukia—most likely, much to her brother's dismay and poorly concealed annoyance.
Renji grinned at the thought. His first full day as a captain (or rather, soon-to-be captain) had started off well, albeit slightly awkward, and he saw no reason why it wouldn't continue to be so. Whistling a rather jaunty tune to himself, Renji crossed into the Kuchiki grounds and prepared to mock Ichigo for his lack of alcohol tolerance, enjoy Byakuya's obvious discomfort and disapproval with said human, and then eventually force Ichigo into helping him move.
It was, most definitely, going to be a good day.
Well...? I like this chapter a lot. Hopefully, you did too. This story is getting more and more complicated as I keep going with it. Suiren has developed quite a history, which I'm trying hard to make believable. It's hard, and require subtle hinting that I feel is becoming to obvious! I have chapter three done (mostly) and am starting to work on chapter four. It might take a while to get going, but I'm hoping this all turns out how I want it.
Also, don't expect the next update anytime in the immediate future-- finals are coming up and I need to PWN them. I also need to buckle down and eventually finish 'Breaking The Surface'.
If you're looking for more Bleach, I have a relatively short GinRan fic, that I really like. Check it out if that pair floats your boat.
Please, please, please review if you enjoyed this! It really helps with the motivation!
-Luin
