The breeze wafted in though an open window smelling of sunshine and rain puddles. It then gently blew over the tattooed face of one sleeping Renji Abarai. A twittering of song birds stirred him from his slumber. No matter how peaceful he felt in the moment years of being a warrior taught him to assess his surroundings and potential enemies before making a move or opening his eyes. First on list. Body. He felt sore as hell which was not a surprise considering his rookie mistake of taking his eyes off the hollow. Renji could tell his wounds had been dressed so perhaps he was at the Kurosaki clinic. Which brought him right to the next item on the list. Environment. He knew he was lying on a comfortable bed, and the sheets were sinfully soft so there was no way he was at the clinic. He inhaled and his senses took in the pleasant scent of jasmine. He knew that smell and to who it belonged. Keiko must have taken him to her house and patched him up. Renji felt the flutter of no so hell butterflies in his stomach at the thought of Keiko.

He opened his eyes, and blinked against the morning sunlight. Renji tried and failed to hold back a groan as he rolled to his side. He was a bit more sore then he anticipated and it took some effort to sit up in the bed. Looking around he saw the bedroom was average size with typical bedroom furniture including a night stand and a dresser. There were no photos anywhere, but on the opposite wall there was a rather large oil painting of sakura blossoms at night. A few well worn rugs laid over the wood floor.

The only thing in the room out of place was a beat up chair within arms reach of the bed. Curled up asleep in chair was Keiko. Her breathing was slow and steady, and her mouth was slightly parted. Instead of rain chilled and fearful she looked warm and peaceful. Her hair was a tousled mess and a little lighter than he expected. Without the rain and night influencing his vision he saw the color was a chocolate brown as opposed to black he was expecting. He saw that her feet were bare and her toes had purple polish. She looked so vulnerable and innocent. He had no idea how someone so small had managed to get him anywhere. He remembered the hollow attack, and he remembered killing the hollow but everything after that was a bit hazy. Renji could recall bits and pieces.

Rain was pelting his face and he could smell blood. He felt white-hot pain in his right shoulder. Small, but strong hands touched his neck, chest and abdomen. "You have lost a lot of blood. Just relax now." Renji fought against the blackness trying to focus on her golden eyes. Her hands caressed his face and his last thought before succumbing to pain was her touch made his skin hot despite the rain.

Whatever happened after that would have to be filled in by Keiko. He then heard the most awful snoring. Renji looked down to see the terrible sound was emitted from a much dryer, and seemingly cleaner Kuma. The big dog was laying belly up on the dark wood floors. Renji was stunned that even with his blood loss he was able to sleep amidst that volume of snoring.

Renji reached up and touched his snugly bandaged right shoulder. It was really sore, but he was able to move it so that was good. The shinigami looked to the foot of the bed and saw his Zabimaru as well as his robes clean and neatly folded. He was surprised by her kindness…wait his robes? He looked under the covers and saw he was completely naked.

"GAH!" He brought the blankets up to his chest.

"Well, I see you're awake." He nervously looked over to see Keiko stretching her arms up over her head. The way she stretched reminded him of a cat. She yawned as she got to her feet and padded over to him. "How do you feel?"

"Fine." He was finding it hard to breathe, and he was certain his face was as red as his hair.

She gave him sleepy smile while attempting to suppress another yawn. "Good to hear. Let me take a look at your shoulder." She took a seat on the edge of the bed her hip in line with his and facing him. He gulped, and lowered the sheet giving her access to his injury. Keiko gently unwound the gauze and lifted the bandage. Renji kept his eyes closed for the examination trying desperately not to think of how close she was, how good she smelled, and how very naked he was beneath the covers. "The wound looks much better then I expected. You heal at an extraordinary rate," she said with a bit of amazement in her voice. Keiko reapplied the bandage, and Renji lifted his arm best he could as she rewound the gauze over his injury. With a smirk she said, " You will need to take it easy, and you know, not fight giants in white masks for a few days." He could do nothing except nod.

Keiko's hand briefly lingered on his shoulder, and he stopped breathing. Her affect on him was unnerving.

"If you don't mind I have some questions. Just meet me in the kitchen after you get dressed." He felt her weight lift from the edge of the bed, and figured it was now safe to open his eyes. He exhaled a shaky breath. He indulged in watching her backside as she walked out the bedroom door with Kuma right beside her.

Renji waited a full five minutes before uncovering his body and standing up to get his clothes. He shrugged on the clean robes all while nervously keeping an eye on the door. He was trying extremely hard not to picture how much time he had spent naked in front of his host last night. He tied the obi around his waist and then noticed that the shoulder of his robe had been mended. Having grown-up on the very wrong side of the Rukongai he had never once in his long life had someone mend his clothing. The Gotei 13 had tailors and whatnot, but that was done for him because of his position not out of generosity.

He was not sure of how to feel about the whole thing. He touched the stitching and then quickly felt silly for it. Assuming his sandals and socks were by the front door he walked bare-foot out of her room and into the hallway. Renji headed towards what sounded like and smelled like cooking. He followed his growling stomach, and walked into a small but open kitchen. Her back was to him, and it was clear she was cooking him breakfast. Renji stood in the kitchen entry slack-jawed and unsure of what to do or say. Renji was never good with words. He was constantly putting his foot in his mouth and for the first time in a long time he was around someone who he wanted to see him as something more than an idiot warrior.

"Keiko." He cringed at how his voice cracked a bit. She turned to face him, and leaned against the kitchen counter. He swallowed and continued, "I-I uhh I want to thank you. " He paused wanting to say more but fearful of sounding stupid. He was absentmindedly touching the mended area of his robe. Keiko noticed the movement even if he did not. She raised an eyebrow at his pause and tried to hide her smile when no more words came.

"You are welcome, Renji. After stitching up your shoulder the robe was no problem."

Stitched? "You sewed me up?"

She went back to cooking. He watched as she lifted a few fluffy pancakes from a skillet on placed them on a plate. Keiko spoke, "Well, yes. You had a deep gash on your shoulder those things do not heal unattended. It took quite a bit of stitches to get you back together again."

"You stitched me? Like with a needle? "

"Yes. What else would I use?"

He knew healers outside of the Soul Society were different from Squad 4, but they sewed people? "Like with thread?"

"Yes, a thread of sorts. Otherwise it won't close up and heal right." She was laughing at him, and he was finding it hard to maintain his scowl when he heard her laugh like that.

The phone rang. "Here, eat this." She placed a plate of pancakes on the table and pointed at a chair while she headed towards the the phone. He sat obediently and wondered what sort of woman sewed up people, laughed at them and then made them pancakes.

She picked up the receiver. "Doctor Kato speaking" She paused and listened to the caller. "No, I will be out of the office for a few days. "

Renji un-scowled his forehead a bit. She was a doctor. No wonder she was able to treat his wounds so well. She cradled the cordless phone on her shoulder and went about breakfast duties. . Renji admired her movements while pouring syrup on his pancakes. She brought over a blue teapot and poured him a cup of tea.

"Uh-huh. That should work for you then. No problem. We can schedule a follow-up for sometime next week. Okay, bye."

He listened to the last bit of her conversation while she sat down across the small table from him.

"Sorry about that. Work thing. Now then how is your breakfast?" Keiko asked him while pouring herself a cup of tea.

"It is good. Thanks." Renji turned to see her dog staring intently at his pancakes.

"Kuma, leave Renji to eat in peace. Go lay down." Kuma snorted in annoyance and trudged to the middle of the kitchen and flopped down with much doggy drama. "Sorry. New people mean the chance for food." She smiled at Renji while refilling his tea.

"You're a doctor?"

"I am. Of course you are much larger and less hairy than most of my patients." Renji creased his brow trying to figure what she meant. Seeing his confusion she filled him in as she reached for the creamer. "I'm a vet."

"A vet?" He sipped some tea.

"You know, an animal doctor."

He spit tea across the table and on to her pancakes. "ANIMALS! Like dogs and cats?"

"Well, yes and be glad for it. There is no way I could have taken you to a human hospital. I had everything here to treat you." She switched their plates and gave him her 'Renji spit' pancakes and she took a fork to the leftovers on his plate. "My job is not the one in question Renji. You have some serious explaining to do," she pointed her fork in his direction, "What the hell was that last night, why on earth were you fighting it, and why a sword of all weapons? Who exactly are you?"

Renji chewed on his bite slowly trying to figure out if he could tell her anything, and if so just how much of it she would even believe. Since humans so rarely could see a soul reaper there was really no set in stone rules. However, it was frowned upon, and as a high ranking member of the Gotei 13 it should not be something he should even consider doing.

However, Renji owed her an explanation. She had bandaged him, and taken care of him when he was injured. On top of that Keiko had made him breakfast, and mended his clothes. Two things he could not recall anyone ever doing for him. He felt the heat rise to his cheeks, for what seemed like the hundreth time that morning.

'She can see me, and that has to mean something.' Plus Rukia had told Ichicgo all about the Soul Society, but he was a human with shingami powers. Of course at the time Rukia had also given Ichigo her powers and then ended up in a whole lot of trouble. Trouble stirred by Aizen he rationalized. Thinking of all this was giving him a headache behind his eyes. It's not like anyone would ever know he told her about Soul Society.

"Um. Well," he coughed a bit trying to find the right words, "that thing with the mask is called a Hollow."

"A Hollow?"

"Well yeah. It's a soul of sorts."

"A soul? Like a human soul?"

He sighed, and knew this was going to take awhile.


A/N: Hey! Guess who wants reviews? This girl! Big menos grande size thanks for those that left reviews. I am pleased as punch there are people out there enjoying my story. I read the review feel giddy and get inspired to write more.

The fine print:
I don't own Bleach but if I did I would wear a suit made of money!

The not so fine print:
I got 2 emails on Kuma. He is based on an actually dog breed called a Great Pyrenees. It a rather large breed weighing in around 100 pounds and they are about 2'6'' at their shoulders. They are often described as confident, gentle and loyal. If you look them up you will see they look like fluffy polar bears. Which is why I choose the name Kuma. It means bear. I think?

*edited* 1/26/10