Ichigo was leaning on Renji's shoulder as they exited the closet near the back. The couple headed for the kitchen. Hungry eyes followed them as the customers watched their every move. They hadn't heard them; everyone just thought Ichigo looked utterly adorable.
Ichigo and Renji worked at Delicious Desires, a restaurant that was connected to a strip club. Both establishments were managed by their boss, a man named Byakuya Kutchki. The restaurant was for business men while the club welcomed all. Ichigo and Renji were two of the eleven employees that worked at the restaurant and club. They we called the "Elite 11". Both the club and the restaurant were hard to get employed at but somehow Renji and Ichigo made the cut.
The duo made it to the kitchen and were greeted by the Shunhei, Izuru, Ulquiora, Ikkaku and Rikichi. "Hey lovebirds, I'm sure you're hungry after that little quickie, so what'll it be?" Shunhei asked with a smug grin on his face.
"Shut up Shu, gimmie some tayaki, Strawberry here wants cake." Renji said. Ichigo nodded in agreement.
"Oh and can I have a cabbage roll, too." Ichigo added.
No one had noticed until he had said something, but Ichigo looked so innocent (through we all know that is not true) and fuckable. The blush on his face and the look in his eyes made everyone stare in astonishment.
"S-Sure, coming right up." Shunhei stammered and turned to the fridge.
"Yeah, we had a little too much fun," Renji said rubbing his back. "If any of ya lay so much as a finger on 'em I'll rip yer fuckin' dicks off 'n feed 'em to ya." Renji threatened.
Everyone turned around and acted as though they were doing something. There was a rule among the employees; Don't mess with someone else's lover. Everyone at DD was in a relationship with someone at the club. Renji and Ichigo; Shunhei and Izuru; Ikkaku and Yumichika; Hanataro and Rikichi; Grimmjow and Ulquiora; and though they tried to hide it, Uryu and Byakuya messed around every once in a while. No one could mess with another's lover. The consequences would be… drastic if anything.
"No one is gonna mess with ol' Berry head." Ikkaku assured while he flipped through his cell.
"Yeah well, I don't care, he's mine and it's gonna stay that way for a while." Renji stated tightening his hold around Ichigo.
"Forever." Ichigo corrected.
"Huh?" Renji asked.
"Forever. It's gonna stay that way forever." Ichigo stated.
"Right, forever. My bad babe." Renji apologized.
Ichigo just smiled and clung closer to his pineapple. He'd loved Renji since they were
Renji kissed Ichigo's forehead which resulted in their friends joining in a group "Awww" except for Ulquiora who thought it was stupid. Renji glared at them evilly and everyone laughed. What a weird family they had.
As Renji pondered his odd family, he heard a familiar ringtone that belonged to none other than Noba's mother. Upon hearing the upbeat ringtone, Renji dug in his pocket and pulled out his Droid. Ichigo had started an argument with Ikkaku over salmon cakes… how the conversation got started Renji would never know, but he left his lover's side to take the phone call in the corner.
"Hello"
"Renji I need you to take Noba for a while" The voice on the other end said bluntly.
"What? Why, is everything okay?" Renji asked sounding a little worried. Though they weren't together, Renji was actually good friends with his baby mama.
"I've gotta go away for a while, I'm not gonna get into the details right now but I can't take Noba with me, so can you take him or not?" She asked.
"Y-Yeah sure, no problem." He agreed.
"Ok, I'll bring him over the normal time so, see you then." She said.
"Click!" She'd hung up the phone.
Renji thought about the conversation that he'd just had. What had happened? Why couldn't she take Noba? If she could would he want her too? How the hell was this gonna work out? What did she do?
Renji felt his chest tighten at the next question he wanted to ask himself. Do I really wanna raise him in an environment like this?
His thoughts were interrupted by Ichigo jumping on his back. "Renji! Ikkaku is being a meanie and - Hey you okay?" Ichigo asked noticing Renji's face. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost.
It took Renji a second to realize Ichigo was there. "Huh, ummm yeah, I'm fine. She just wanted to know if I could take Noba for a while."
"Eh, really why? Is everything okay?" Ichigo asked getting off Renji's back.
"She didn't say, she just said she needed me to take Noba for a while. I said yeah ..." Renji said unsurely. He had a look of defeat on his face that Ichigo had seen only once when he found out he was going to be a father.
"Oh, well okay. Why do you look like you just say a ghost or something?" The strawberry asked.
"Huh, oh, just the shock I guess. I mean I dunno how this'll wok out. You and I both work nightly so who'd watch 'em?" Renji responded.
"We'll just change our shifts."
"But what about money?"
"With what we get paid here we're damn near rich."
"What if I can't handle it?"
"Hello, you've got me and about fifteen other people that love you and that kid. We'll help you."
"But-"
"Stop saying but already, everything is gonna be fine, okay."
All of Ichigo's answers were quick and correct. He did have people who would help him through this. Besides, he could take care of his own kid. He'd been doing it every weekend for the past year so why was now any different.
"Yer right Ichi, I don' even know what I was so worried about." Renji said flashing his lover a quick smile.
"Ata boy!" Ichigo exclaimed throwing his arm around the redhead.
Though Ichigo was right, there was still doubt in his mind that he could do it. He pushed the thoughts away when he heard the chime of a bell.
"Hey, are you guys gonna get your food or not?" Shunhei called to them. "I know that both of you go back to work like now so eat and get out there, more customers are coming in."
Ichigo nearly jumped for joy at hearing that his cake and cabbage roll were ready, he leaped over and grabbed two plates, Renji's and his.
"Here you go, Shu's right we gotta go back to work." The berry noted before consuming his cabbage roll in nearly one bite.
Renji took the plate and decided working would get his mind off the situation. He finished the plate of tayaki and set it in the sink.
"Well I guess it's time to service more drunken bastards." Renji said stretching. He doubled over in pain, forgetting the not so quick quickie he and Ichigo just had. "Fuck…. That hurt…." Renji mumbled to himself.
Ichigo looked guilty; Ikkaku roared with laughter along with Shunhei and Izuru; Ulquiora just shook his head in disappointment; and Rikichi went to aid the injured Abarai.
"My my, what is so funny?" A familiar voice asked.
Everyone shut up immediately as Byakuya Kutchki stepped into the kitchen.
"If I am correct, all of your breaks are over and you've been on the clock for the past five minutes. Right?" The raven haired man asked.
"Yes sir!" They all said simultaneously.
All except for Izuru and Shunhei left the kitchen and went to the main room. Once there, they separated into their groups. At Delicious Desires you could choose to have either a seme or an uke wait you. Ikkaku, Renji, Ichigo, Grimmjow and Ulquiora were the main semes. Shunhei and even Byakuya filled in sometimes when there was an excessive need for semes. Hanataro, Rikichi, Uryu, Yumichika and sometimes Izuru were the main ukes. All semes could be turned into ukes if necessary. On this particular afternoon there were many requests for ukes.