It didn't take much.

It didn't take much at all. Renji didn't have to get very freaky for Ichigo to appear completely scandalized, and it made it more fun somehow, how little it took to thrill him. Even after a few years together in a physical relationship and being perfectly comfortable with what they did, Ichigo was still innocent in some ways, pure somehow.

Renji took great delight in this realization. The worry and guilt he'd always felt about talking about his past with Ichigo, with including Ichigo in that filthy world, it all went away - because he didn't have to do much at all. He could still feel that warm loving passion he so enjoyed and simultaneously thrill Ichigo out of his wits.

He has so much to show that boy, has so much to do with him. There are so many things he's never experienced, and Renji felt giddy from it, knowing there were still things he could show Ichigo for the first time. It was as though he were still a virgin, so brand new. Renji couldn't wait to sink his teeth into him - by degrees, of course; tooth by tooth.

Given that even Ichigo's dirtiest fantasies were still very tame, Renji was going to be gentle with him at first, explore this new aspect of their relationship slowly.

He decided that he was going to start Ichigo out with the housewife fantasy - it was one that they likely shared, honestly. Renji's always loved being taken care of and comforted - especially by Ichigo.

They were both pretty masculine and were constantly aggressive with each other in their relationship, so he figured it'd be nice to give Ichigo the encouragement to take control without expecting a fight. He could be in charge and be the man of the house, be treated like a king, like a beloved and adored husband for one night. Plus, if Renji's honest, he has sort of a thing for being bossed around.

Besides, he just knew Ichigo would blush his head off, and he can't wait to see that.

"What the fuck are you scheming?" Ichigo accused rather bluntly. Renji just smiled back at him, not even bothering to deny it, instead narrowing his eyes and giving him this 'wouldn't you like to know' look.

"Nothing."

"That is not nothing, you lying, conniving little shit."

"Don't worry about it," Renji brushes off. "Can we snuggle?" Ichigo groaned aloud, but opened an arm up for him.

It wasn't until Valentine's day that he put his plan into action.

On Valentine's, he took a half-day at work. After giving out his giri-choco to his coworkers and friends, he came home with a smirk on his face. He stood in the doorway and took his suit jacket off, loosening his tie.

He was going to blow his boyfriend away.

. . .

When Ichigo came home, he was clearly exhausted after such a long day. Renji could hear him trudging down the hall to their rooms, fiddling slowly with his keyring to come inside.

"Take out the honmei chocolates from the mold, shower, feed Renji, bed," he heard him mutter through the door. He sounded so damn tired.

Renji smiled a little fondly, waiting by the door for him to come in. When he did, opening the door, cheeks pink from the cold, shoulders drooping tiredly, Renji greeted him, taking his bag out of his hands while he took his coat off. "Happy Valentine's, babe."

"Happy Valentine's," he murmured, dazedly accepting a kiss on the cheek, and stared a little blankly when Renji took his coat and hung it up for him.

"Come sit down and rest. Dinner's ready for you." Ichigo must still be too tired and confused to react much, but Renji could practically hear the gears whirring in his head as he led Ichigo to the table and pulled out his chair for him to sit down.

Ichigo did, staring at him with narrowed eyes as he moved around in the kitchen, plating their food, having left it in the oven to stay warm until Ichigo arrived.

"What the fuck is this?" Ichigo finally said in suspicion. "Why is it so damn clean in here?"

"I cleaned everything." He's not boasting, he's just happy Ichigo'd noticed how spotless the house was.

"What's…" Ichigo stared for a second more, his expression loosening from something accusatory and distrustful into complete mortification. Renji smiled at the heat rising in his boyfriend's cheeks. He always looked so young when he got embarrassed, just like that teenage boy he'd met so long ago. "What are you wearing?!" he blurted, pointing at him with a shaking finger.

Renji looked down at his chest. It was the pink kitchen apron. It wasn't just Ichigo's, but it pretty much was, since Renji never bothered wearing it. Until right now. He smiled smugly and brought Ichigo their plates, feeding him the first bite with one hand under the mouthful to guide it to his lips. Ichigo stared for a second until Renji insisted, "Open up." Ichigo opened his mouth and accepted the food, still goggling at him openly.

"Good?"

Ichigo chewed, staring at him. When he finally swallowed, he said, "Yeah," in this weak raspy tone. Renji practically squirmed at the success, seeing Ichigo so pink in the cheeks, so speechless and flustered. How could Ichigo get so scandalized from something like this?

"Eat up," Renji urged. "I'll draw you a bath." He nearly laughed aloud then at the sight of Ichigo's expression. Honestly, his boyfriend is such a vanilla bean.

"I don't know what the fuck you're playing at, but it's not funny," Ichigo shouted, shifting uncertainly. He was so red it was silly.

"Don't let it get cold," Renji insisted with a smile, because there's no way he's going to stop now, not when it was working so beautifully.

"Don't fuck around!" he hollered, so worked up that he was practically spitting.

Renji laughed lightly then. "Don't be a spoilsport."

"Spoilsport?!"

Giving a wide smile, Renji lowered his voice, standing up and rounding the table slowly to Ichigo's side. With each step, Ichigo straightened up in his chair, leaned back away from him, watching him like a hawk, heart clearly about to pound out of his chest. "After I went to all this effort to please you," Renji murmured, perhaps unfairly, because the moment he does, Ichigo visibly gulps.

"And you're not happy," he continued, leaning down behind Ichigo, lips near his ear so he could whisper, "husband."

"Are- Are you pretending to be my housewife?" Ichigo squeaked, absolutely rigid, shoulders up near his ears, tight and tense.

"What's this pretending stuff?" Renji breathed, using that low dark voice that he knew Ichigo thought was sexy.

"Eep!"

Ichigo stopped yelling complaints then, and let him pamper him. He'd clammed up completely, openly embarrassed, red up to the roots of his hair, practically steaming from the ears every time Renji did pretty much anything. Renji was having the time of his life - he hadn't expected it to work quite this well.

After Ichigo finished eating, he let Renji send him to the bath while he stayed and washed their dishes. When he came in, he found him sitting in the tub, hugging his knees. Ichigo's head snapped up to him in surprise, eyes wide, cheeks still a little rosy. Renji watched him swallow again as he knelt down at the side of the tub.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo gulped.

"Let me wash your back."

Ichigo let his head fall back against his knees, this strange high-pitched noise coming out of him. Renji really had to bite a laugh back at that one, rolling his sleeves up and reaching his arms in to soap up Ichigo's back and wash his hair for him. It was kind of nice, actually. It's not like he didn't show Ichigo affection normally, hugging and kissing him often, but it was nice to be able to take care of him like this, completely spoil him - especially if he got this kind of reaction for his troubles.

"How was your day at work?"

Ichigo eventually uncurled and relaxed into the hot water, letting Renji scrub his head and rinse his hair, squeeze his shoulders and chest. They talked together a bit, and things seemed to cool down somewhat, but Renji could see Ichigo continue giving him these shy curious glances, could see these high spots of pink on his cheeks and ears that wouldn't go away.

He had a towel and Ichigo's sweats folded up and ready for him when he got out of the bath and dried off. When Ichigo came to bed, Renji waited for him to lay down and then smiled at him, crawling atop him. Ichigo lay there, not seeming to know what to do with himself, his arms at his sides. He's so sweet like that, his eyes uncertain and excited, he smelled so fresh from his bath, he's so soft and willing, lying there.

Renji slipped his pants down his slim hips, finding him already hard and eager - who knew how long he'd spent like that - and directed his cock to his lips, slowly licking around the head and then sucking him down into his wet mouth.

"Ohh," Ichigo sighed, "Ohh, ohhhh." Renji loved doing this. Ichigo was always so appreciative, it was so easy to tell he was enjoying it that it stroked Renji's ego a little too much. Ichigo held his head in gentle hands, sighing and moaning at the ceiling, his hips lightly thrusting.

Renji grinned and licked his lips after a time, when Ichigo began to gasp and strain, when he started to grit his teeth and curl up his toes. He pushed himself up and crawled up to him, lying in Ichigo's arms and kissing his cheek, his sweaty face, his sideburn. "How 'bout it," he hummed. "You gonna' make love to me?"

Ichigo just lays there and gasps, his deep breaths moving his chest up and down. "..."

"Your lil' wifey?" Renji whispered into his ear, grinning. Ichigo doesn't laugh though, doesn't laugh at the teasing, the ridiculous nature of it. Instead, he swallowed hard. Renji did laugh then, once, low in his throat, and rolled them, making Ichigo get on top of him.

"You've had such a long day," he breathed, "Lemme' comfort you." Ichigo grabbed him then, an almost desperate spark in his eyes. He was so close to snapping, Renji could feel it, he was so close to abandoning the humiliation, the shyness, and doing as he pleased.

Renji kept still and docile, which he never did otherwise, and after a few moments, Ichigo reached a hand down between them and spread his legs open, moving back to be able to see what he was doing. His chest was heaving, his mouth open with his deep hungry breaths as he reached to grab their lubricant bottle and wet his fingers. "Don't worry. I'm all ready for you, sweetheart," Renji told him, and that's when Ichigo threw himself atop him, clinging onto him around the chest, under the arms, pressing against him needily, gasping in his ear. He fumbled between them to put a condom on and get his cock inside, penetrating him with a long moan of relief.

Renji lay still beneath him and remained mostly quiet, letting out little moans with his head turned modestly to the side. Ichigo held onto him and shuddered, his face pressed to the side of Renji's, his mouth open and gasping in his ear. He was a mess, pressing their bodies together with complete abandon.

"Haaah," they sighed together, at last coming to a slow. Ichigo sprawled across his chest, exhausted, and Renji let his legs come down, smiling, thoroughly pleased with himself.

Ichigo began to tense up, his head in the pillow. Renji glanced at him. He was so fucking red.

"I was so loud," he heard him murmur, muffled.

"You're into that kind of thing, huh," Renji noted. Ichigo managed a nod.

"Shut up, I didn't know," he muttered, turning his head out of the pillow, but still didn't look him in the eye as they separated and lay side by side. "I never imagined you… like that…"

"Oh yeah?" Renji wondered, ears perking as he put an arm around Ichigo's shoulder, scooting his gasping exhausted body close to his as they came down from the high together.

"Yeah," Ichigo whispered, head on Renji's chest, just under his chin, forehead pressed to his neck. "I could see you as like…" His fingers played idly over Renji's tattoos, his long hair, as he slowly spoke. "... I dunno', a lifeguard, or like… a fireman." Seeming to really consider it then, he added, "Or a hot basketball player."

"Hey, you know I like futsal."

"Something really manly," Ichigo ignored him. "I didn't think…" He went silent then, laying there in thought. Renji cuddled him in his arms and pondered his success.

Ichigo had been really surprised, hadn't he, if he'd expected 'something really manly.' It made sense why Ichigo had been so blown away by those lacey backless underwear he'd worn before. It probably made this weirdly sensual contrast with his bulging musculature.

He hadn't put it together until now, why Ichigo had blushed so intensely at realizing he was wearing an apron. The realization only made it more sweet.

"Did I make a good housewife?" Renji wondered, feeling he had the right to tease a little bit.

Ichigo just grumbled, refusing to answer. "Mmrgh," he sulked.

"C'mon, don't I make a good wife?" Renji insisted, shaking him a little and grinning like the little shit he was. "I tried so hard to please you, be your little waifu, " he said in english to really maximize the silliness.

Sure enough, Ichigo flushed all over again, from one second to the next. It was like watching paint bleed through a napkin, it was so fast. "Stop saying it, sheesh!" he sputtered hotly. "Yes, I liked it, okay?"

"..." Renji smiled in satisfaction, rubbing his cheek on Ichigo's hair affectionately. He's so glad. Renji loved him, he really loved him.

"So are you done, or…?" Ichigo muttered, fidgeting.

"Done what?" he wondered blankly.

"... Done… trying to kill me?"

"Is it as bad as that?" Renji teased.

Ichigo got really red and mad at that, but he swallowed it, and all he said was, "No."

"You want me to keep going?"

"I'll be in your care," he grumbled, pulling on his hot ear and looking away. "Do your best." Renji beamed, filled with newfound determination.

"I will!"