Time After Time
[x2x]
It had been the next day, and after a night of drunken slurs, pointless acts of vandalism, and (Renji's favorite) drunk Ice-skating with Ichigo and a few friends, the man was sobering up as he went through his buddy's phone in a small coffee-house.
It was populated with scene kids, and annoying adults that had nothing to do but blog about what they had for breakfast, but Renji loved it here. It was always so warm and the scent of hazelnuts and caffeine filled brew eased him.. Not to mention the sight of his favorite table was pleasant. Every time he had entered the place he would sit at a bar-esque type of corner that was built right in front of the main window of the store. Its seatings were only uncomfortable bar stools, but that didn't bother Renji as much as he would've thought. He would actually be distracted with the sight in front of him. Sitting in that particular area of seating always allowed him to watch the people who passed, and earn him no gaze in return, which was comforting considering he hated being stared at, but he always felt like he was watching tv in this seat.. and he liked that.. he liked this place. If he could live here, he probably would.
"Renjiii..." Ichigo groaned.
Abarai let out an acknowledging grunt in response as he scanned through the pictures of Kurosaki's phone- seeing nothing special but his bitch of a girlfriend, and drunk-shots of random ass scenery from last night..
"Renjiii..."
"What Ichigo?"
"..Renjiii..."
Abarai only sighed. As usual, when the beer had showed up the other night, Kurosaki got plastered. Downing every bottle he managed to grab while slurring and cursing his relationship, allowing the others who joined, Ikkaku, Shinji and Keigo, to laugh and ridicule the boys situation then eventually cause trouble.
It was one hell of a night..
"-Renjiii.." Ichigo groaned.
"Whaat?" he groaned back.
"..My head... it's pounding.."
"Yeah.. It'll be okay, champ." he mumbled, patting the boys back with his free hand as he still looked through his phone.
"..I...I drank a lot.."
"You sure did... Y'sure did." Abarai let out, sounding like a proud father.
"My head.."
"There, there." he mumbled stroking the boys crown, flinching as he caught a picture that made him freeze.
Before the drunk trip, Ichigo had taken a picture of both he and Abarai in the park- an image Renji recalled, and yet just couldn't help but be mesmerized by a bit. Of course there was Ichigo, cheesing as if he was really about to have the best day ever in life, while Renji beside him stared at the lens slightly angry and surprised- looking like a fool.. The both of them looking to the camera, that was taken at that sloped level highschool hipsters seemed to sport a lot on their myspace's and facebook's and whatever social media they used nowadays, while a bit of snow receded in the corners of the photo..
It was a horrible picture.. but Renji couldn't bring himself to look away from it.
He was captivated in a sense, but he snapped out of the apparent tunnel vision as he had noticed Ichigo fold his arms atop one another and rest the side of his head upon them- his eyes low and face ultimately sleepy.
Figuring in a couple of minutes he'd have to walk Kurosaki to his home and leave the boy to rest, Renji glanced around looking for the barista to give him his order. Lifting his hand from the back of Ichigo's head, and turning in his chair slightly, the man continued to search from his seat, though a groaning sound brought his glance back to Ichigo, who glared at him lazily to which made Renji raise a brow.
"..What?"
"...Don't stop." he demanded in a voice that was half-gone due to his fatigue.
Renji blinked before his eyes ultimately expanded in surprise. "..W-What?" he uttered, almost forgetting which language he spoke.
Ichigo allowed a long groan to expel through his lips as he glared. "Don't stop.. please.." he spoke before shutting his eyes. "My head.. it feels like it's throbbing.. So don't stop.."
Those words had given Abarai goosebumps- Naturally without any need for thought, Renji knew he would've went to dive his palm back to Ichigo's head and feel his unruly and yet soft mop to bring ease to the boy, but he knew better than anything that Ichigo was still closer to past-drunk than sober, and he was just saying random shit to simply say it..
"G-Get outta here with that.." Abarai groaned, shifting his focus to Kurosaki's phone again. "You act so fucking weird after you drink.."
Ichigo could only groan the man's name as he put on a dissatisfied face of which Renji knew better than to look to. He knew if he had, he would've been all hyped up..
"Renjiii.."
". . ."
"C'moon.."
"..."
"My head's about to explooode.."
"Okay, shut up already!" he hissed, coddling the back of the boy's head and stroking it in slow strides.
Ichigo's strained look softened back to his earlier look of weariness, making Abarai scoff and glance away as he felt his face stiffen to a paralyzing heat his body brought.
"...That feels good.." Kurosaki muttered, making Abarai's spine chill.
"Shut up.." he mumbled as he distracted himself with the boys phone.
He flinched soon after unfortunately, as a random arm reached between he and Kurosaki to set down a coffee. Like lightning Renji retracted his hand from Ichigo's head, glancing over his shoulder at the arms familiar originator, who began to jot down random words in his notepad for a moment. Now, Renji couldn't say he knew the man but as many times as he had come in here, he had sorta gotten used to who was. His name was Shūhei, well at least that what it said on his nametag all the time, he was a lean character with messy dark hair, who sported dark apparel where the sleeves of his shirts were either cut off or rolled up and always came complete with a choker or collar to match- plus 3 marks that trademarked him to the red-head.
A tattoo numbered '69' right below another tattoo that bridged from his left cheek over his nose however impeded beside a set of three long and thin scars over his right eye. Judging by his face and look alone, Shūhei looked like the obvious troublemaker, but Renji of all people knew to never judge a book by its cover.
Despite the lean mans look he was quite calm and proper, something that twisted a bit in Renji's mind as ironic- but was easily looked passed.
The quiet waiter continued to write for only a minute before calmly looking to Abarai with eyes that would make anyone assume he was on downers.
"One black coffee. No sugar, no cream." he mumbled, groaning afterward. "You want anything else with that, sir? Maybe something for the kid?"
Ichigo immediately sat up, glaring with a semi-drunken blush as he pointed and scowled. "I'm not a kid! I'm a gr-grown ass man!"
"I'm sure you are." The man replied glancing at him, then looking to Renji within a blink. "Sir?"
Renji shook his head, dismissing him, however flinched as he glanced at his coffee and waved it in the air, calling out to the man.
"Hey! Shūhei! Come back here!"
The man paused, not facing him, but instead looked to the roof and groaned, before composing himself and turning around to march back over.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Yeah! I ordered a black coffee with nothing in it!"
"Yes, I recall that."
Renji flinched as he stared at the man's rather emotionless mug, leading him to look back to his cup of honey brown liquid that smelled of irish cream. He was actually questioning himself as to what he had actually ordered, but he was sure to glance back at the man and glare.
"Wake up dumbass.. This coffee has cream in it."
"So it does.." Shūhei added giving it a glance. "Would you like a bagel or something with it?"
"No! I just want my coffee black! I want the cream out!"
"-I hear cream works wonders for hangovers." The man muttered making Renji jerk.
"W-What?"
"Enjoy, sir." he spoke walking away.
Ichigo could only glare, still inebriated and confused by the toxic slosh drowning his brain. "-I... I don't like that guy.." he managed to say attempting to rest his chin in his palm- missing continuously.
"Here." Renji let out sliding over the beverage. "It's for you anyway."
"Hm? Good... good.."
As Ichigo accepted the drink, Renji still played with his phone, sending the picture he secretly loved to his own mobile device and waiting for it to be received. Pulling out his red flip phone, he waited and waited until finally it vibrated.
He smirked for a second, however, the sound of a falling cardboard cup and splashing beverage made him frown and look to Ichigo.
Like an idiot, the boy managed to miss his entire mouth drinking the coffee- so much so, that Renji was sure the beverage didn't even touch his lips. It honestly looked like Ichigo had splashed the liquid on his shirt and pants then threw down the cup in surprise when it was all over.
There were no words Renji could share with the boy, instead he pinched the bridge of his nose and glanced away.
"..Whoa.. Renjii.. that kinda burned a little.."
"Ugh..."
' '
Now in the bathroom, Renji grunted as he washed the stains of coffee on the crotch area of Ichigo's jeans and the whole front of his shirt. He couldn't stop glaring as he was doing this. He was bothered, he felt like Ichigo should've paid him to do this, that and to friggen babysit him! ...but.. that wasn't the only reason why he was glaring...
Shifting his dark pupils to the corner of his eyes in an almost insidious way, Renji caught the image of Kurosaki, bare, only in his boxers, sitting atop the counter of the sink- kicking his feet as if he were a damn child. It was enough to make Abarai get a little heated and look away- scrubbing the clothes with passionate vigor. He had to distract himself..
"Renjii." Kurosaki spoke slumping a bit. "It's cold.."
"It's the dead of winter and you're in a public bathroom, in nothing but your boxers and socks.. It should be nothing but cold for you."
Ichigo shivered as he folded his arms and hunched. "-Are y-you done with my stuff.."
"Tch.. I don't know why you have me doing this anyway. You're old enough to do your own laundry.."
"Sorry.."
"..Shut up." Renji grunted, squeezing water out of the kids clothes then traveling to the hand dryers and beginning his work there.
He hated Ichigo like this, air-headed and senseless. Every time Kurosaki had allowed himself to fall into one of his drunken stupor's, he had no idea what he'd do to Abarai each and every time. Giggling excessively like some sort of school girl while making delicate faces that would leave Renji's spirit wavering..
Abarai had truely wished the boy would simply stop drinking. He and everyone else in the world knew Ichigo could never hold his liquor, but that never stopped the boy from drinking.. He'd make a fool of himself and keep managing to do so even when everyone sobered up. It was as if that alcohol would never actually leave his system.. It was ridiculous and tormenting..
Renji lowered his eyes as he focused on drying the boys shirt some more, growling as the timer had run out making him hit the button repeatedly till it turned back on and allowed him to go back to work.
"Haha.."
The red-head flinched looking to Ichigo who laughed behind his palm- looking almost too overjoyed to see Abarai bothered.
"Shut up!" the man snapped.
Blinking in response, Ichigo was sure to bridge his brows in agitation and utter 'fine' before looking away, humming a tune, and rocking himself to the unknown playlist in his head.
Abarai couldn't look away. Ichigo was so tempting when he was half-drunk, stupid and clueless.. Now was a better example than any memory to prove the man's case. Ichigo was sitting around baring toned muscles that seemed to glow under the dull light of the bathroom, smiling with those half-lidded eyes, still in a state of semi-drunken bliss. At the moment, he was exposing everything he had to Renji.. Well not everything- damn those boxers.. NO WAIT!
Renji flinched looking back to the shirt he dried, focusing on the damp feeling and grunting once more as the hand dryer turned off again.
History repeated itself as another punch was given to the machine, another laugh was made by Ichigo, and another snappy statement was voiced by Abarai.
Afterward, the man continued to dry, distracting himself with stupid thoughts like the price of Kurosaki's cheap looking shirt, however another laugh from Ichigo made Abarai share a gaze with the boy.
"..What is it that you keep laughing about?"
Ichigo responded with nothing but a smile, then afterward shook his head as he looked to the floor. "Hey.. What do you think she's doing right now?"
"She who-ohhh.." Renji let out, almost singing at the end.
Ichigo wanted to talk about his girlfriend.. again.. Someone Renji would surprisingly forget about from time to time..
"Eh.. I don't know.." he managed to say. "What made you think of her?"
Ichigo slowly shrugged, making Renji groan and decide to form no response. He honestly didn't give two-no.. SEVEN fucks about that woman. She wasn't around nor apart of his interests, so simply thinking of her was just a waste of brain-space.. That was just Renji's opinion, it wasn't for anyone else..
"Renji.. do you think.. she's good for me?" Ichigo questioned, looking to him with a curious brow.
"Oh yeeeah! She's the best thing that's happened to the world since sliced bread, and bottled water! She's A-MAAAZ-INNG, Ichigo! Totally for you! Greeat catch, man!" Renji spoke with a fusion of sarcasm and hidden venom laced around every word.
Ichigo only laughed loudly as he began to rock himself again in an erratic fashion. Renji could only stare at him stupidly, but flinch as he watched the boy rock himself off the counter still laughing like he was insane. Dropping everything, Renji quickly stepped to Ichigo, catching and baring his weight with his right arm while his left held a wall for support. In a sense, he had Ichigo in his embrace- His arm, snaked around the boys torso while his right hand glued to his back protectively to stop his fall, whereas Kurosaki himself slumped on the mans shoulder barely staying on his own two feet..
A strange position and awkward hold, such as this, was enough to regrettably make Renji blush and burn all over.
The man flinched as he widened his eyes and kept his trap shut, not really knowing what to do. The only thing he could honestly find himself doing was look over his position constantly, all the while spotting the scene in reverse from the mirror's vision. Ichigo's bare back still glistened under that dull light, and Abarai's hand was actually in contact with it. His palm trembled slightly in reaction to feeling both tight muscle and the bottom curve of Kurosaki's shoulder blade, making everything in his being tense as he watched this simple action through the mirror.
He couldn't keep his cool composure, his face was actually getting redder, and seeing himself look so pathetic made him shaden even more. As if the god of relieving awkward moments suddenly appeared, Abarai was allowed to watch Ichigo stand straight and grip his jacket as he lifted himself slowly- silently staring at the floor as he did so, with that half-lidded, idiotic expression.
"...Renji..." he began, before forming a glare. "Why'd... Man.. why'd you do that..?"
Abarai only rose a brow still staying silent, as Ichigo pushed himself from off of him and leaned on the counter just behind the two, glaring at the ground for a moment before rubbing the back of his head. "-I'm not drunk anymore.. I coulda-caught myself.. Man.."
Two blinks were given from the man before he scowled. "Hey! Catching you wasn't exactly a fucking cake-walk, you clumsy fuck! You should be thanking me! I could've just let you fall and break your face!"
Ichigo glared pathetically, but was sure to frown seconds after. "Sorry man.. I'm so just.. sorry.."
"Whatever!" Abarai cut at- grabbing the boys clothes and shoving them into his chest. "Do yourself a favor and stop drinking! You're acting like an idiot.. It's embarrassing.."
"You know.. Y'know what's embarrassing..?" Ichigo spoke before frowning. "My relations-ship!"
"Oh God.." Renji facepalmed. "Ichigo.. just get dressed."
"Hold on.. My nose is running." he spoke taking his clothes to a stall.
Renji could only shake his head, eventually groaning as he heard the boy blow his nose like a broken trumpet.. But it was afterward, when he heard the boy shuffle to put his clothes on that Abarai felt his body tense once more. Almost without his control he lifted his right hand and glanced at it, recalling the hard tightness of tough muscle, smooth skin and a faint warmth that emitted from Ichigo's back against his palm.
Immediately Abarai grabbed the opening of his coat rather nervously as he knew he'd never forget that feel, though he was sure to mentally curse himself for it.
Why savor these kinds of memories when it's ultimately for nothing?
His mind couldn't help but utter this to him- forcing the man to knock himself on the head. He didn't want to think about that..
"Renjii!" Ichigo groaned opening his stall, leaning on it slightly. "-I was thinking.. starting right, like, right now! I'm not going to drink!"
"Great, I'll let the mayor of Karakura know, so he can throw you a big ass 'congrats for having some self-control' parade.."
Ichigo smiled, nodding to the statement for a moment, but once he realized that it was just Abarai's stupid sarcasm he glared making the man laugh.
"You're an idiot."
"And.. you're a total ass.." Kurosaki retorted with a point as he slightly stumbled to the exit. "..Hey.. can we get some aspirin after this.. I feel.. sick.. and my head still kinda hurts.."
"Take it like a man, Kurosaki." Renji smirked following the boy, and ultimately opening the door. "Let this be a learning lesson for you to stop drinking."
"You're..such an ass.." the boy hissed. "..You're not my mom.. I'll drink whenever I want!" he voiced before wincing to his own voice.
"If you keep drinking, then you're an even bigger ass than you know." Renji groaned.
Ichigo squinted, "What-the.. What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Renji said nothing, just groaned as he looked to the roof despairingly, however stopped to glance at Shūhei who approached.
"Is everything fine here?"
"Yeah-just-candy!" Ichigo groaned stomping off, leaving the two to stare as he took a seat at the window again.
Renji only took a deep breath, shutting his eyes to exhale before looking to the man beside him. "He means 'just dandy'.."
"I got it.. You want another coffee for the kid?"
Renji only glanced at Ichigo who was staring at everyone stupidly, flinching and cutting his glance away from Abarai angrily when their gazes connected, leaving the man to ignore his quivering soul.
"..Is that a yes?" The man of monotone questioned.
"Yeah.. I'd appreciate it."
Rather than hop to it, Shūhei held out his right hand to Renji, leaving the man to glance at the empty palm then back to the man who actually looked to him stupidly- allowing Renji to ultimately question.
"What?"
"5 bucks."
Renji's body spasmed to that. "That's 2 dollars more than the other one!"
"I'm going to put extra cream in it."
Again Renji's body spasmed as he eyed the quiet man carefully, but in the end, almost apprehensively he pulled a 10 out of his pocket and handed it to Shūhei.
"I expect chang-"
"I'll pocket the rest as a tip." the man muttered walking off leaving Renji to drop his face, though he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
Instead he looked to Ichigo, who honestly looked like he was about to fall asleep in his seat, making him lower his eyes and sigh, shaking his head.
Ichigo truely had no idea what he put Abarai through after drinking.. it was so tormenting.
