Rukia studied the situation from afar. Things were on a knife-edge. The situation could go either way. Both men had volatile personalities and the slightest thing could set them off. Ichigo got angry and angry and then went moody, Renji on the other hand got angry, then got mischievous and if anything happened during his mischievous phase got remorseful. Rukia noticed that the more these two were together the more frequent the volatile situations occurred.
At the moment, however, there were no volatile situations as Ichigo was doing his level best to ignore Renji. It had been 3 days since the 'snogging in the schoolyard' incident, and it seemed that Ichigo still hadn't forgiven Renji for it and it was making everyday like a chore. Renji got into class late, and sat pining at his desk looking at Ichigo, who sat and ignored him. Ichigo then left class dead on the bell so he could avoid Renji. At lunchtimes Ichigo would disappear and not reappear until first afternoon lesson and at hometime he would ignore Renji and walk home quickly.
She looked across at Renji sat on the wall.
"Renji, talk to him.
"Why should I? He's ignoring me."
"Oh, so thats gonna make things better is it? Renji, you're as bad as he is."
She walked off, leaving a shocked Renji staring after her.
"I'm not and I'm gonna prove it," he said to himself.
Rukia had gone to find Ichigo, part 1 of her plan to get the two of them talking had been put into motion, but the 2nd part was going to be difficult - it involved Ichigo. She'd heard whispers about where he spent his lunchbreaks and thought she'd check them out, and sure enough he was there in a classroom sat eating his lunch, but what was his mood like?
He jumped up out of his seat when she entered, "What are you doing here?" he snapped at her. She shut the door behind her, but not fully, "I'm allowed to be here, its a school, I learn here." she picked up a book and started reading "I wandered lonely as a cloud... Are clouds ever lonely? surely there are other clouds in the sky, so they can't be that lonely..." She was interupted again, "Rukia, what are you doing here?",
"I told you I'm learning",
"No i mean, here; now; this instance; in this room."
"Oh... well I was just passing and you looked lonely - are you missing Renji cos he's missing you? - and thought I'd come in and say hi."
"Rukia go away, I am not lonely..." She smiled, waved and left, leaving the door open,
"...what did you say about Renji...?" but it was too late, she had gone and Ichigo was left talking to an empty room. He had heard Renji's name mentioned, but apart from that wasn't taking much notice. Dammit, why didn't he listen - there could've been important things in that conversation.
He knew he should talk to Renji, but would he listen? Ichigo suddenly realised how much alike the two of them were and he was sure that if he could be calm and listen then Renji also could. He needed to talk to Renji now. He got to the classroom side of the door just as Renji got to the corridor side of it.
"Renji! I was just coming to find you"
Renji looked a bit startled, but not as much as after he'd followed Rukia in an attempt to prove it to her, and heard her talking in a classroom with Ichigo and decided to hang around in the corridor to see what happened. After she'd left the room, she whispered in his ear "good luck - he's all yours", then she left them to it. Renji walked into the classroom and closed the door.
"Renji I'm sorry, I acted like an idiot."
"I'm sorry too, I should'nt've kissed you infront of everybody."
"I just got so angry with you for doing that, i get embarrased enough over the fact that i'm in love with another man, i just don't want everyone else to see the reason."
"In love?"
"Yeah now i've said it. I've been meaning to tell you this for ages."
Renji, held him close and kissed him on the cheek.
"So what happens now Ichigo? What do you want?"
"I'm fine with this - just lets keep the 'touchy-feely' at school to a minimum ok."
"So none of this?" Renji grabbed Ichigo's crotch and squeezed gently.
"Renji no! Not yet and not in school. Definatley not in school."
"So what about the kissing and hugging?" Renji kissed Ichigo's cheek again.
"Again, I would prefer as little as possible, 'cos it makes me embarrased."
"What about in situations like this - in an empty classroom? What am I allowed to do to you?" Renji grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Can I rip your clothes off and fuck ya?"
Ichigo looked horrified.
"Ok, thats a no then, perhaps we're a bit early in the relationship for that."
"As long as no-one else is around then the kissing and hugging is ok, but only that Renji and nothing else."
"Awww.. spoilsport!"
The mood was ruined as the bell went for start of afternoon class. Ichigo straightened his attire, and with a jubilant Renji they went to afternoon class. Rukia noticed the change in mood instantly, there was more interaction between the two of them, helping each other with problems. Her plan had worked she was glad it had - she was getting fed up of the two of them bickering. And when school had finished she was to witness another surprise from Renji.
"Hey Ichigo.. there's no school tomorrow so how about going on a date with me?"
"A date?"
"Yeah, it'll be fun."
"Well... okay i guess..."
"Great! I'll see ya later."
A date? What the hell had Ichigo signed himself up for now?
TBC
