Fighting

"Get your head out of the clouds!" Renji yelled at him, taking a swing with Zabimaru that almost hit hard.

"Ah!" Ichigo yelled, barely dodging. "Sorry," he said. Sometimes he wished that he and Shuuhei hadn't had sex in the training area, because sometimes at the worst moments memories would come streaming back. No, on second thought, he wouldn't give up any of those memories for the world, he thought with a smile.

"Damn it, Ichigo. He's gone, so stop thinking about him!" Renji said angrily.

"What?" Ichigo wondered if it had been that obvious what he'd been thinking about.

"If you're not going to concentrate on your training I'm going to wind up hurting you," Renji pointed out. He actually already had, in a cheap shot that Ichigo should have blocked with ease.

"Ok, give me a second to focus," Ichigo said. I've got to think of a way to at least say hi to him, he thought to himself. I guess I'm more needy than I thought I was.

"Hey, Rukia," Ichigo said as the two of them hung out in his room.

"What?" she asked irritably. She was reading one of her romance novels and had gotten to a particularly involving part.

"How hard would it be for me to get one of those soul pagers?" he asked.

"Ha, don't even think about using it for talking to Shuuhei," Rukia said. "First of all, they don't work like your cell phones. If it were easy to communicate across worlds, don't you think we would use them a lot more? We have to have special channels opened up to us. There are general channels, emergency channels, and mission channels. They are all monitored and operated by Squad 12."

Ichigo sighed. "Yeah, I figured it was something stupid like that, otherwise Shuuhei would've suggested we keep in touch that way."

He thought for a moment. "Do different squads have their own channels?"

"Yes…" Rukia answered, not understanding what Ichigo was getting at.

"Great," he said with a smile. Shuuhei might not agree to it, but he knew someone else that might help him out.

Shuuhei had been working diligently. He was a hard worker in general, and in trying to distract himself he'd been amazingly efficient the last couple of weeks. He had found that working hard and scowling at people who came near him had more or less cut down any attempted flirting on behalf of his visitors. Shuuhei had been taking his cue from Captain Hitsugaya in perfecting the "leave me alone or I'll bite your head off" look, leveling an icy gaze at anyone who lingered too long in his office. Going out would be a little different, but he'd been too busy to go out.

"Don't look so glum," Kira said, walking in.

"Good afternoon," Shuuhei said crisply, not looking up.

"Shuuhei," Kira sighed.

"Oh, sorry," Shuuhei said, putting down his pen. "What's up, Kira?" he said in a much more friendly tone.

"I have something for you," Kira said, handing him a note. "I wouldn't open it until you have some free time. Then again, considering how far ahead of your workload you are, you can probably just ditch early if you wanted to."

"Why would I want to do that?" Shuuhei said, looking at the small envelope.

"See you later!" Kira called out as he walked out the door.

Shuuhei decided to open it right away. Inside was a small piece of paper with Kira's writing on it. "Call Rangiku," it said.

That was odd. Why would it be such a big deal to call Rangiku? Why would he need to in any case? It's not like she couldn't report anything to him by just calling him herself. He pondered the note and then decided to go home and have some tea. He'd worked through lunch anyways and he could call her then.

"Hey," the voice on the phone greeted him. Shuuhei quickly became in danger of burning himself as his tea wobbled in his hand.

"Ichigo," he said with a sigh.

"Yeah," Ichigo said.

"You know, I have to wonder at what someone like you had to do to convince two lieutenants to break some rules to let you do this," Shuuhei said.

"Nothing at all, you just have good friends," Ichigo replied.

Thanks Kira, thanks Rangiku, Shuuhei thought to himself.

"It's good to hear your voice again," Shuuhei said.

"Likewise, I only wish we had more time."

"Yeah, I know they don't normally allow long conversations on these things," Shuuhei sighed again. If he closed his eyes he could almost imagine that Ichigo was there with him.

"Where are you?" Ichigo asked.

"My quarters," Shuuhei answered.

"Good, because I'm going to introduce you to something called phone sex," Ichigo said.

"What the hell is that?" Shuuhei really had no idea.

"I'm so very glad that at least once I get to introduce you to something. Obviously I haven't done it myself, but I'm fairly sure that you and I can make it work, despite the time constraints," Ichigo replied.

"That doesn't explain much," Shuuhei said.

"It's basically dirty talking plus masturbation as far as I can figure."

"Mmmm," the idea was definitely starting to sound very good to Shuuhei.

"For instance, right now I'm in my room. I just got out of the shower and am just wearing a towel around my waist. I thought about getting dressed but knew that you'd be calling soon."

"So you're naked?" Shuuhei asked.

"Well I am wearing a towel, but if you want me naked…" Ichigo left it up in the air.

"Take it off, babe," Shuuhei ordered.

"You know," Ichigo said after a moment, "I'm already all hard just from talking to you."

"Mmmm," Shuuhei moaned, closing his eyes again.

"You're going to have to do a little work too. I'm fairly sure that you are wearing way too much clothing right now," Ichigo said.

"I definitely am," Shuuhei admitted.

"I know how you always get so agitated when you get aroused and are wearing clothing, you find it so restricting and irritating. Right now your clothing is probably pulling uncomfortably against your rock hard erection," Ichigo said.

"God your voice is so sexy," Shuuhei said, struggling to take off his clothes while still holding the phone to his ear.

"You know, I really would love to make you wear your clothes as long as possible, but I'd really hate to be cut off in the middle of this," said Ichigo.

"I think I'd kill anyone that stopped us in the middle of this," Shuuhei replied, now completely naked himself.

"Mmmm, getting a little fierce there, Shuuhei," Ichigo said.

"I wish I could be fierce, you have no idea what I'd do to you right now," Shuuhei moaned.

"Tell me," Ichigo said huskily.

"I think I would kiss you until you couldn't handle it anymore. You'd beg for me to touch you, to press against you, and I wouldn't do it, because I miss the way that you taste so much."

Ichigo moaned in response.

"Finally I'd make my way down your neck, I'd try not to be too forceful but I couldn't help leaving a couple of marks."

Ichigo moaned again, louder.

"Fuck Ichigo," Shuuhei said. "If you were moaning like that I'd pretty sure I couldn't help but biting you at least a little."

"Where?" whispered Ichigo.

"On your collarbone," Shuuhei said.

"Shuuhei, I'm just dripping here thinking about you," Ichigo said. "I want to touch myself."

"Do it," Shuuhei ordered, hearing the very satisfying sound of Ichigo hissing slightly and then groaning as he touched his hard cock. Shuuhei took himself into his own hands hearing it, just stroking himself a couple of times. "Ichigo," he called.

"Shuuhei, I want you so bad," Ichigo said. "There's that place on the back of my shoulder blade, where you sometimes rest your head when you're pressed into me and waiting for me to adjust…"

"Fuck…"

"I want to feel your head right then now, your breath on my back, your legs pressing into mine," Ichigo continued. "Shuuhei!" he called out.

"God Ichigo," Shuuhei was fighting with himself because he desperately wanted to just go for it, to just bring himself to release, but this was so good. Hearing Ichigo was infinitely better than all the times he'd been trying to recall his lover as he touched himself, trying to stave off the loneliness, dealing with the horniness of not being able to be near his partner who was always up for sex, always up for experimentation, always up for just being close and messing around.

"Ichigo, I want to see the look in your eyes when you're coming to the end; the flush on your face, the softness in your eyes, your mouth slightly open. I want to bring you there, Ichigo," Shuuhei said.

"Yes, Shuuhei," Ichigo said.

"Ichigo, bring yourself there," Shuuhei ordered.

"Shuuhei, please…"

"Don't worry babe, I'm definitely coming along for the ride," Shuuhei said.

"Give it to me then!" Ichigo called out.

"Ichigo, you better be ready for what I can give you," Shuuhei said. He moaned again as he stroked himself harder.

"Shuuhei, I…I'm close…" Ichigo gasped.

"Mmmm, yes…" Shuuhei agreed. "Do it Ichigo! Call my name when you do!"

Shuuhei could hear Ichigo's ragged breath on the other end of the line, and it drove him crazy. His own moans kept breaking out as he moved frantically. "SHUUHEI!" Ichigo called out as he came. "God…Ichigo…you're so amazing…" Shuuhei said. "Ichigo! Ichigo, I'm coming…"

They both panted into the phone for awhile, riding out their emotions, their hearts starting to beat more regularly. Ichigo started chuckling a little, "I was pretty loud, I wonder if I just horrified my sisters."

"Oh, Ichigo," Shuuhei groaned. "How the hell did you come up with the idea?"

There was a double click of static that came over the line.

"Well, I guess it was a good thing that we hurried, that's our signal that we've run out of time," Ichigo said, trying to keep his disappointment out of his voice.

"Thanks, Ichigo. I needed the pick me up, I've really missed you," Shuuhei said trying to remain upbeat while feeling slightly heartbroken.

"I've missed you a lot too," Ichigo replied.

"Good-bye, babe."

"See you soon, Shuuhei."

"So you guys are going to the soul society tomorrow?" Ichigo asked Renji and Rukia.

"Just me, well just me and Rangiku. Captain Hitsugaya will be coming the day after, and I'll be leaving, then two days after that the two of them will come home. Then Ikkaku and Yumichika will go," Renji explained.

"That seems really complicated," Ichigo said.

"Well, we don't want to leave Karakura town undefended," Rukia said.

"You're staying here the whole time though?"

"Yeah, my captain doesn't need to meet with me so I'll be staying in the world of the living."

"Will you say hi to Shuuhei for me, Renji?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah," Renji agreed. Rukia looked at him and smiled slightly.

It looks like he's getting over it, she thought to himself. Which is good, because no matter what his reasons, he's going about it all wrong.

"Make sure to say hello to Kira for me," she called after him as he walked away.

He turned and gave her a glare.

"Woohoo! Down the hatch!" Rangiku said, as they all toasted to each other at one of their favorite bars in the Rukon district.

"How has the world of the living been?" Kira asked Renji.

"Good, things have settled down," Renji replied. He turned to Shuuhei. "Ichigo says hi, by the way."

Shuuhei just smiled at that. He had already handed an envelope to Rangiku as soon as she arrived with his message back to his lover. He only wished he could see Ichigo's face when he got it.

"Aw, so cute," Rangiku said at the happy expression that crossed Shuuhei's face.

Kira was happy too, it seemed like things were going to be normal between everyone after all. He was glad that Renji finally seemed to have come to terms with Ichigo and Shuuhei's relationship.

The night passed uneventfully, full of raucous laughter and exaggerated stories, and of course drinking. Shuuhei hadn't been drinking hardly at all since his return but was drinking heavily now, and it was definitely showing. It definitely starting picking up when Renji kept telling stories that all seemed to revolve around Ichigo; just he and Ichigo hanging out, fighting, shopping, grabbing food, whatever. Kira would have thought that Shuuhei was being sensitive, but it seemed like Renji was being almost…spiteful in the way that he was talking. Kira frowned but there was nothing wrong with what he was saying though so maybe he was just imagining it. He decided that maybe he should stop drinking just in case. He wasn't sure what the "just in the case" might be, but he was picking up some sort of weird danger signals. He moved in closer to Renji in case he needed to do something.

Rangiku seemed to have picked up on it as well. She looked the same as ever, large smile, laughing, but she stopped drinking as well, which should have been a dead giveaway considering Shuuhei had already told everyone he was buying.

"You know, I go to Ichigo's room at night sometimes, just all times of the night," Renji said.

"Why would you do that?" Kira asked, before Shuuhei did.

"Well, some people wouldn't know, because they don't know him well enough, but he has insomnia. I don't need a lot of sleep myself, so if I'm up and about, or just ending a patrol, I check up on him to see if he's awake and bored," Renji said.

"Why don't you just call?" Shuuhei slurred.

"If he's asleep I obviously wouldn't want to wake him up," Renji said, glaring at Shuuhei like he was an idiot for asking. "You know something else?" he asked with a smile.

"Um, hey, anyone hungry?" Rangiku called out. Renji was starting to get a dangerous look in his eye.

"Sometimes Ichigo has nightmares," Renji said, ignoring Rangiku. "He doesn't talk about it to anyone, I just know because I've been there. So I just wait there and hang out with him when he wakes up, and don't say anything about them to him."

Shuuhei was glancing at his glass sadly, which wasn't the response that Renji was hoping for.

"Then again, I guess it's nice for him to have someone that's there for him," Renji continued. Kira actually gasped out loud over that, and Rangiku was looking pale.

"Renji…" Shuuhei said, slowly, drunkenly.

Renji just stared at him, willing him to be angry with him.

"Renji," Shuuhei said again, leaning on him, looking at his face closely. "The next time you comfort Ichigo after he has a nightmare, will you give him this for me?" Shuuhei kissed Renji fully on the mouth.

"YOU BASTARD!" Renji roared, pushing Shuuhei off and wrapping his hands around his neck.

"RENJI!" Kira yelled. Rangiku was already around the table behind Renji, getting a grip on him. She was wondering whether or not she should just do a kido spell to bind him or whether or not that would wind up hurting Shuuhei more.

Shuuhei was profoundly drunk and even more confused. He had been thinking about Ichigo, and how he would like to comfort him in the night, Renji had said something about always being there…he wasn't really sure if he had kissed Renji or Ichigo. He had thought it was Ichigo at first, but then he had been sad that Renji hadn't reacted or tasted at all like Ichigo. He had no idea why one his closest friends was now strangling him.

Renji could see that Shuuhei wasn't struggling at all, just watching him blankly with an innocent look on his face. "Fuck!" Renji yelled, letting go. Kira instantly pulled Shuuhei away to safety and Rangiku was getting Renji out the door before Renji even knew what was happening.

"Kira?" Shuuhei asked confused as to why he was in Kira's arms.

"It's ok. I'm going to help you home. Actually, if you don't mind, you're going to stay at my place tonight, ok?" Kira suggested. Shuuhei seemed way too drunk to take care of himself, and he didn't know if Renji would still be pissed off enough to come back again later.

"Renji, what were you thinking?" Rangiku asked.

"I…he kissed me," Renji offered lamely.

"What were you doing before that point, besides trying to start a fight?" Rangiku said angrily.

Renji didn't have an answer for that.

"Don't you think that Ichigo is going to be pretty upset with you for this? In my opinion he's been pretty nice about your attitude so far, do you really think trying to kill his boyfriend is going to help things?"

"I didn't try to kill him" Renji defended himself.

"Oh no, just tried to strangle him."

Renji sighed. He wished he were drunker than he was so that he could blame the whole thing on sake. Fuck, he thought. What the hell is wrong with me?

"I'm going home," he said.

"Are you sure you're ok? I can stay with you," Rangiku offered.

Renji laughed as he turned her down. How many people turn down a night with Rangiku? Not very many I bet, he thought to himself. Not that any sort of good times was what she was offering.

Ichigo, I'm sorry, he said to himself.