Title: Covenant
Series: Amaranthine (third in series; sequel to Nexus and Apotheosis)
Author: Akuni
Universe: Bleach
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: M for 'Much Smut' (NC-17)
Pairing: Renji/Ichigo (Note: I always write them reversible)
Spoilers: read through Soul Society, Arrancar, & Hueco Mundo Arcs
Warnings: By this point, everyone reading this story should know that this is futurefic, with all that that implies – character development, interpretations of events not yet seen in canon, etc. There's more talk of the war with Aizen, and mentions of character deaths during the war.

Word Count: you wouldn't believe me if I told you yet ;)
Summary: Three years after Ichigo began a rewarding life as a full-time shinigami captain, an unexpected challenge changes things for everyone, and Ichigo and Renji face their biggest trials yet.

More info and author's notes on chapter 1.

Chapter 10 – Equilibrium

The news Ichigo and Renji were getting from Soul Society got better with each successive report. On the last day of their leave, the two off-duty captains visited the Urahara Shouten to discuss the latest findings, but there was more pleasant business to attend to first: Urahara had received a letter from Kon.

During the war, the Soul Society hadn't been in a position to be picky about accepting anyone who genuinely wanted to help the cause. The mod soul had surprised everyone by being the very first to reveal himself and volunteer to combat test the specially modified gigai the Research and Development Institute had been working frantically to complete.

Emboldened by the promises Kon had received – of the right to life and autonomy from Soul Society – other renegade mod souls had come forward and joined the ranks in the war against Aizen. With a vast array of skills, they'd made themselves extremely useful, and those who survived the war were given a standard gigai and their freedom.

Afraid that the leaders in Soul Society might go back on their promises, Kon had gone underground almost immediately after being discharged from his duties as a combat scout. No one saw or heard from him for over four years, though Ichigo and Renji privately suspected that the mod soul was in quiet communication with Urahara – they couldn't think of any other way a mod soul in a Soul Society gigai could remain undetected for so long.

Kon had only resurfaced when it seemed that the guarantees made during the war were indeed going to be honoured. By that time, he'd made a career for himself as, of all things, a professional tennis coach at an exclusive resort that catered especially to single women. He'd written to Ichigo only a handful of times since he'd come out of hiding, the first time offering belated, rather stilted congratulations on his promotion to captain.

After so many years of silence, the impersonal letter had rankled a bit, until Ichigo read the post script; addressed to Renji, it contained a comedic catalogue of Ichigo's faults and how to live with them, and was signed with a stylized drawing of a lion's paw print.

Subsequent letters had been more friendly; time and distance whittled away at the things they had in common, but Kon seemed to be as energetic as ever, and reading about his exploits with wealthy, willing women had Ichigo and Renji in stitches every time.

"What's he got to say?" Ichigo asked as Renji refilled their cups with cool tea. Urahara held out Kon's latest missive to the two curious shinigami.

"He's getting married-," the exile sang happily.

Tea sprayed across the table, and the folded pages fell out of Ichigo's suddenly slack fingers as he goggled.

"What?!" Renji spluttered. "That perverted li'l—!" He wiped tea from his lips with his wrist, and Ichigo hastily retrieved the letter and held it up between them.

Urahara nodded. "Mm, it seems he's finally met 'the one'."

"But… but it's Kon!" Ichigo said weakly as he and Renji scanned the letter. "Who'd marry Kon?"

"Apparently a 'well-endowed', middle-aged divorcee," Renji read aloud. "He's underlined 'well-endowed' twice – I think that's his way of bein' subtle 'bout her multiple 'assets'," he snickered.

"But it's Kon," Ichigo repeated. "And he says she's got three kids! What'll that do to them?"

"He said more or less the same thing about you, as I recall," Urahara mused. "Everyone needs someone to love, Kurosaki-san." He was waving his fan in front of his face again, but it didn't hide the humour dancing in his eyes. "Even stubborn, loud-mouthed, hot-headed—"

"Shut up." Two identical rude gestures flew at the shopkeeper.

"Even Kon," Urahara continued, unfazed. "He's not the same person he was when you met him – what was it, nine years ago? No more than either of you are."

"Well ya coulda fooled us," Renji remarked. "He's been livin' the life he always said he wanted. Now he's settling down with a ready-made family?"

Ichigo shrugged and handed the letter back to Urahara. "I guess even Kon had to grow up sometime."

Urahara left briefly to make fresh tea, and after that they got down to business, catching up on efforts to contain the effects of the crisis in the living world, and going over the news from Soul Society. "Activity in Hueco Mundo is still low, but is slowly on the rise. The researchers think there might be a cyclical pattern, but it's still too soon to tell," the former shinigami scientist-turned-shopkeeper concluded. "They said they—"

"—need more data," Ichigo and Renji chanted along with him, wryly finishing the oft-heard lament of the hard-working teams they'd escorted into Hueco Mundo. Urahara laughed and nodded.

Renji leaned back on his elbows. "Well I guess this means it's back to work as soon's we get back." He didn't look disappointed at the prospect.

Ichigo nodded. They'd enjoyed their break; they'd needed the downtime to recover from the frantic pace that they'd been keeping for months. Ichigo was especially grateful for the chance to avoid bringing out the Hollow and triggering another of the confrontations that had been growing more intense as Ichigo became more worn down. He hoped that he'd recovered enough to return to the relatively tolerable balance he'd reached with the Hollow before all this mess had started, but either way it would be good to get back to work.

Urahara poured more tea, playing the gracious host for some unexplained reason. "Hopefully you haven't let yourselves get out of shape since you've been out of action," he said lightly.

Renji sat up abruptly. "Outta shape?" His head snapped around, and Ichigo grinned at the challenge he read in his partner's eyes. "Did he say we're outta shape after only a week?"

"Kinda sounded that way to me," Ichigo agreed. He drained his tea and got to his feet. "Urahara-san, we're gonna need to borrow your basement for a few hours."

The shopkeeper's fan fluttered under his nose as he waved them toward the door.

§

"Ok, what challenges this time?" Renji stretched his arms out, glad to be out of the gigai. The new ones are better, but I still can't get used to those things.

Ichigo grinned. "No bankai."

"No kidou." Renji smirked when Ichigo snorted a laugh. Ichigo was useless at kidou – his attempts to learn during the war were a total failure, and there'd been no time to press the matter then. Though I wonder if it'd be different now he's a full shinigami…?

"No Hollow," Ichigo said adamantly.

"Ugh, definitely," Renji agreed. "No sense doin' that again 'til ya really need it."

Ichigo nodded. "Everything else is fair play." His arm went up, and Renji leaped into the air as Zangetsu came whipping off Ichigo's back.

"Hoeru, Zabimaru!" Without wasting any time, he launched the segmented blade toward Ichigo before he'd even hit the ground.

As fast as Renji was, Zabimaru whistled through the air right behind Ichigo's heels as Ichigo dodged and sprang forward with a two-handed overhead blow. A quick flash step took Renji out the way, and he skidded quickly to the side when he landed on the uneven terrain.

Ichigo grinned as he yelled and charged again; this time Renji met him straight on. Sparks flew as their zanpakutou crashed together. Renji twisted his wrist quickly, hooking the spike on Zabimaru's top segment around Zangetsu's tip and attempting to yank the broad blade out of his partner's hands.

"Too easy!" Ichigo ducked and rolled, the metallic screech a familiar sound as he dragged his zanpakutou away. His foot lashed out as he passed, catching Renji's ankle and unbalancing him for the split second it took for Ichigo to spring to his feet and flash away.

They circled each other warily, eyes searching each other while carefully taking note of the surrounding area from the sides. Even with their reiatsu restrained, an edge of adrenaline-fuelled excitement crackled in the air between them.

"All right then, bring it on, show me what ya got, smartass!" Renji challenged with a grin.

The two shinigami captains leaped again, colliding with a loud bang that echoed in the vast underground chamber. They sprang apart, then immediately closed again. Ichigo swept a cut that started low and swept up toward Renji's head; Renji deflected it, but not quite far enough – Zangetsu sliced across his bicep. He hissed and twisted wildly, shifting his weight and contorting his body to escape.

As they broke apart again, Renji jabbed a hard fist into Ichigo's kidney, drawing a pained grunt. He took two steps then spun on one heel and sent Zabimaru straight out; the head of the wicked blade clipped Ichigo's shoulder and sent him stumbling to the side.

"That better?" Renji taunted.

In reply, Zangetsu spun in a wide circle and suddenly shot out straight toward his heart. Renji retracted Zabimaru just in time to block his partner's blade.

"If that's the best you can do," Ichigo drawled. Renji chuckled, and dove back in for more.

They sparred for the better part of an hour, trading blows with blade and fist and foot. Each exchange increased the exhilarating sense of freedom and excitement. Even the sharp burn of their accumulating cuts and the dull ache of their quickly spreading bruises couldn't deflate the combatants' good moods.

Renji took a quick second to wipe his sleeve across his face, mopping away the sweat that had escaped his bandana and stung his eyes. We ain't outta shape, but we ain't been active every day and it shows.

They were both breathing hard when the idea flashed through his head in a split second, and Renji silently queried his zanpakutou between swings.

Ready for some fun?

:You seriously expect me ta do that?:

Renji stuffed his amusement down deep where he hoped Ichigo couldn't sense it. Hell yeah! You know you're enjoyin' this as much's I am. A loud snort was the only reply, and he almost laughed before he caught himself and kept his expression focused as Ichigo swung Zangetsu in a wide arc that would bisect him at the waist if it landed.

He leaped high over the attack and flashed several metres away, appearing directly behind Ichigo. Renji immediately spun his extended blade in a circle overhead while Ichigo was still turning to face him.

Renji launched Zabimaru and flash stepped one more time. "Gotcha!" he exclaimed as the zanpakutou wrapped around them both, putting him only centimetres from his partner's face. Ichigo swore as the whip-like blade encircled them, pinning his sword arm to his side, but he was smirking as he shifted within the sharp cocoon.

Ichigo sent a sharp jab at Renji's ribs that almost knocked all the breath out of him. "This's a pretty good trick, but you didn't gain anything here," Ichigo taunted. Ichigo was very good at close fighting, and he knew the secret to escaping this metallic embrace – given just a little more time, he would do just that.

"No?" Renji grinned. Before Ichigo could break loose, Renji wrapped his free arm around Ichigo's waist and leaned in, pressing a hard kiss to his partner's lips. The battle-forged heat took on a new intensity as their struggle abruptly changed focus.

§

That night Ichigo took a long look around his childhood bedroom. It was different now, filled with Karin's things, but still somehow the same. Whenever they visited, Karin insisted on sleeping on a spare futon in Yuzu's room, letting them stay in Ichigo's old bedroom.

"There's still somethin' kinda weird about bein' back in this room." He leaned back against the wall, hands locked behind his head. "I keep expecting weird shit to happen."

Renji smirked. "What, like havin' shinigami sleepin' in your closet an' hidin' in the attic?"

Ichigo laughed. "Yeah, or showing up at the window in the middle of the night and dragging me off to a fight."

"Well I wouldn't want ya to be disappointed." Renji grabbed Ichigo by the ankle and hauled him across the bed. Ichigo met him with a grin, reaching over to grab his lover in a headlock and wrestle him down.

Ichigo fought to keep his teeth closed as they rolled together, not wanting a broken jaw from a stray elbow, but it was hard to resist the urge to laugh. It had been a while since they'd had the chance to just let go of it all – and this was one of the things they loved best about each other. Neither one of them was made of glass, and they never needed to restrain themselves once the mood had been established.

First things first – gain the advantage Ichigo was better at grappling than Renji, but that didn't mean he could let his guard down – Renji could take a lot of punishment, and sheer stubbornness would keep him from going down easily.

In this case, the easiest way by far for Ichigo to gain the upper hand was to interfere with Renji's vision. Ichigo made a closed-fingered grab for the much-abused tie that held Renji's newly trimmed hair back. Renji growled as he dodged the first two attempts and intercepted the third, but a quick fist to the ribs winded him long enough for Ichigo to yank it out. The bright curtain fell and Renji was momentarily blinded, but he'd fought through far worse than his hair in his face during his decades as a shinigami.

The knee to the kidney eliminated Ichigo's immediate advantage; he twisted out of the way with a grunt, giving Renji the chance to scrape the hair out of his eyes and launch another tackle.

They grappled wildly, breath huffing out as they accepted hits and delivered bruising responses. Ichigo finally caught Renji's fist before it connected with his gut; he shoved his partner's arm up over his head and held it down at the wrist, forcing Renji's back onto the mattress. The smirk spreading across Renji's face was disconcerting, but Ichigo ignored it in favour of deflecting another jab, this one aimed at the sensitive spot right under his arm.

But Ichigo couldn't ignore the leg quickly wrapping around his back – he knew just how flexible Renji was in this position, and that leg could squeeze his ribs 'til they cracked. Ichigo raised himself on one knee so he could get a lock on Renji's throat.

Renji squirmed out of the way, ducking his chin and flinging his head to the side so Ichigo's hand missed its target. Ichigo found himself with a handful of the tangled hair flying loose and didn't hesitate – he twisted his wrist around the long strands and hauled Renji's head back, moving swiftly to pin the rest of his long frame to the bed.

Renji howled. "Sonuva… cheater, leggo a' my hair!" His foot hooked around Ichigo's knee and Renji heaved sharply, painfully sacrificing a dozen crimson hairs as he reversed their positions and got his arm on Ichigo's throat.

"Urk!" Ichigo managed. Renji grinned down at him, taking Ichigo's croak as a sign of his victory.

Renji released his hold and collapsed on his back beside him, winded. "This's gotta be one of the things I love best about ya," he gasped, echoing Ichigo's earlier thoughts. "If ya really try, I could get my ass kicked. Not that either of us seem to mind losin' when payin' the price is so much fun." Renji raised himself on his elbows with a chuckle and flashed him another grin. "What?"

Ichigo felt the heat rising within him. "You just surprised me, that's all." He smiled. The terms of endearment that at first were whispered only into intimate moments and cried out breathlessly at the height of passion came more naturally over the years, though were still reserved mainly for rare use in private.

"I was thinkin' pretty much the same thing. I miss this. I miss havin' time to just… yanno? Relax or whatever. Not worry about conserving energy for the alert that will probably come in the next few hours." Ichigo tucked his foot under Renji's ankle.

"Know what ya mean." Renji blew out a sigh as he pushed his hair back. "Never thought it'd get so bad. Even with thirteen fully active Divisions," he gave Ichigo a wide smile, his pride at both of their accomplishments flowing clearly through their energies, "we're still workin' harder'n any time since I've been part of the Gotei 13."

Ichigo nodded. "It's rough. But we'll make it better. We have to." The alternative was unthinkable.

"Enough of that," Renji stated firmly. "I won, now I want my prize!" He held out both hands and made grabby motions, mimicking one of Rukia's gestures.

Ichigo chuckled at his deliberate over-eagerness. "Right. You won, so I get to decide what we do tonight." It was an odd system they'd adopted, far too simple to abuse, but their competitive natures simply wouldn't let them give in.

Renji gave him a thoughtful look. "On second thought, I dunno if that's such a good idea," he said, his tone laced with mischief. "Last time we were in this room and ya picked something, we broke your sister's bed."

"My father," Ichigo groaned as Renji snickered loudly. They remembered only too clearly Isshin's reaction when the entire Kurosaki family had responded to the enormous crash by racing into the room expecting to fight an army of invading Hollows – only to find the two of them half-dressed, sprawled haphazardly across each other and the remains of Karin's bed.

To their horror, Isshin had loudly proclaimed his delight that his sons were so vigorously devoted to pleasing each other. He'd offered suggestions for better ways to get the proper leverage, which had the very red-faced Ichigo flying across the room and into an impromptu sparring session with his father.

They hadn't bothered denying what everyone assumed to be the cause of the destruction; they really hadn't been doing anything more than getting ready for bed, but they both knew their activities the night before had probably weakened the old bed to the point where it simply collapsed when they sat down on it. They hadn't particularly wanted to explain that, though.

"That was all your fault, ya know," Renji reminded him with a sly look. "You just had to live out that teenaged fantasy. Even made me sneak in through the window."

Ichigo snorted a laugh. "Fair's fair – I spent the night in that dive in Rukongai with you for yours, and it was your idea that we should play 'em out in the first place. And…" He rolled over and pressed their lips together. "I remember you kept asking for more – how could I refuse?" he whispered, dropping his voice down low and breathing deeply.

"Well in that case…" Renji cupped the back of his neck, fingers playing at the ends of Ichigo's hair. "Ya know I can't refuse you, either. Whaddaya wanna do?"

Ichigo rolled, pulling Renji over top of him. "We're stayin' in. Tonight I want more…"

§

Omake

-Chapter 10-

Akuni: Well I hope you guys enjoyed your vacation.

Ichigo/Renji: Hell yeah!

Akuni: -smiles happily- Great! So you're ready to get back to work now?

Ichigo: You're kidding, right? -looks exhausted-

Renji: That's gotta be a joke, 'cause it's too cruel to be real. -looks equally exhausted-

Akuni: … What the hell are you two talking about?

Ichigo: …You really don't know?

Renji: How can she not know?

Akuni: -waves a hand- Yoohoo? What's the problem? I just sent you both on vacation for a week, I thought you'd be thanking me!

Renji: Well yeah, we did enjoy that part. Was good to actually sleep a whole night through again.

Ichigo: Oh yeah! But… today was a bit much, don't ya think?

Akuni: You didn't go anywhere last night, you stayed home… -confused-

Ichigo: We trained in the afternoon…

Renji: …an' then wrestled in the evening…

Ichigo/Renji: …then sexed it up all night!

Akuni: I DIDN'T MAKE YOU DO THAT! I faded to black!

Ichigo: -snorts- That's the problem.

Renji: If ya don't show us goin' to sleep or something after, we ain't gonna stop at just once ya know.

Akuni: -folds arms- Any sleep you lost because you can't control yourselves is entirely your own fault!

Ichigo: Hey I didn't say it was a bad thing. -grins-

Renji: We just ain't ready for work yet. -smirks-

Akuni: That's why I gave you your last day of vacation back home in Soul Society. You can sleep it off there.

Ichigo: -grins again-

Renji: -grins back- I don't think that's gonna help.

Akuni: Oh dear…

Art

See the story posted on LJ or ygal for links to the art that goes with this chapter. Link to my LJ – where this story is very prominently featured – is on my bio.

'Urahara Kisuke' in black & white and in colour.

Music

♫ 'Don't Stop Me Now' – Queen