Chapter 11: Jealousy

Characters/Pairings: RenjiTatsuki, Ichigo

Rating: T, at most.

Summary: This story is another one of Tatsuki's memories. Renji saw Tatsuki walking home and decided to follow her. He sees Tatsuki talking to a sullen Ichigo and sees them hugging each other. You can guess what happens next.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters!

Note: Thank you for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter. And yes, my other story (Tears of a Man) is woven into this chapter. Suggestions, advice, encouragement, praise, and etc. are appreciated! I'll work hard to make the chapter longer so you guys will be just a bit happier, if not satisfied.

It was another pleasantly warm afternoon. The sun was about to set, just beyond the buildings. Tatsuki had been grumpy the whole day. She had forgotten her lunch at home and had come to school lunch-less. Her stomach had been growling, and now she was walking home with an empty tummy.

Renji had heard her complaining about not having any food. But she wouldn't take the food Orihime or her other friends offered her. He heard her say things like, "Don't mind me complaining. It was my fault." and "No. I shouldn't take your food." He decided to save his lunch and just give it to her after school. Renji wasn't one to resist hunger, but he did it today. He didn't know why, but he did.

He turned the corner and stopped. He quickly hid behind the outer walls of a random house, leaning enough to see Ichigo and Tatsuki. But he didn't want to be caught.

Ichigo seemed to be crying. And Tatsuki had a frustrated expression plastered onto her face. Then Ichigo pulled her close, leaning on her. Renji felt something in his chest. It hurt and made his mouth dry. He had felt it before. When that damn Ichigo took Rukia away from him. Now he was taking Tatsuki.

Renji saw her face. Tatsuki's eyes went wide, supporting Ichigo. Ichigo closed his eyes. They held on to each other for the next few minutes. Then Ichigo said something to Tatsuki who nodded her head. He slowly departed, going home.

Renji was bitter. Jealousy had swallowed him up. Why did he even hope? Somewhere in his mind, he already knew this was going to happen. He was going to have something wanted taken from him. He dropped his lunchbox and ran in the opposite direction-away from Tatsuki. He didn't want to hear her name or see her ever again.

Tatsuki sighed. She didn't know if Ichigo opening up to her would draw them any closer together, but she knew he still remembered the times they spent together as childhood friends.

She began to walk towards her home, away from the place that Ichigo had been moments before. She saw something on the ground. She rushed over to find out what it was. Whatever it was, it was wrapped in white silk cloth. She opened it up and found a note.

"Uh… I heard you complaining about being hungry, so I thought you would want something to eat. Just eat this and give me the box back at school tomorrow. Uh… Yeah."

Abarai

Tatsuki frowned. What was his lunchbox doing here? She smiled after reading the note again, and then she carried the lunchbox back home.

The next day…

Renji was bitter inside. His expression told everyone that he wasn't in a very good mood.

"Oi, Renji."

He looked up. It was that bastard, Ichigo.

"Fuck off."

"What? What's your problem?"

Renji snorted.

"You don't have anything else to take from me. So fuck off."

Ichigo's eyebrows were knit in agitation. What was the problem with this guy? Ichigo knew he hadn't done anything to upset. He also knew not to say anything else or irritate Renji. Ichigo began his walk towards the school building.

Tatsuki didn't see him outside. She had filled Renji's lunchbox up with food she cooked earlier. She also taped a note onto the top of the box and wrapped it up in the cloth she had found it in, yesterday. Tatsuki didn't want to admit it, but she had enjoyed the food.

Since she didn't see him outside, she just decided to find him and give it back to him later.

Lunchtime…

Tatsuki rushed outside. She saw the usual gathering of her friends under the shady tree, but she needed to find Renji, first. He wasn't hard to find, with his extraordinarily tall height and his flaming red hair. She walked towards him. He seemed a bit pissed off during class…

"Abarai!"

He turned around.

"…You."

Tatsuki grinned.

"I just wanted to say… Thanks. For the lunch."

He assumed that she had found it on the floor.

"Ah…here. I packed you lunch…to return the favor."

She walked closer to him and held the sack up.

A low growl formed in Renji's throat. He knocked the lunchbox out of her hands. She was alarmed.

"I don't need your thanks."

Tatsuki's face hardened into an expression of mixed emotions: confusion, hurt, anger.

"Oh… Uh…sorry."

Her voice was barely a whisper. She turned her heel and ran as fast as she could, away from that…that Abarai. She bit her tongue. She didn't know why her eyes were starting to fill with tears, but she held them in. She didn't want to cry. Ever since he had come, she started to get these new feelings and she did stupid things. She never thought she would cry over what a guy said or did to her.

Abarai felt a slight pang of guilt from his chest. Damn. This gigai was a useful invention, but it was useless when dealing with negative emotions. He crouched down and picked the fallen lunchbox up. He tugged on the knotted part of the cloth and pulled it off. He found a note on the box.

"Thanks for the lunch, yesterday. I wanted to thank you, so I decided to cook something up. Geez, You eat a lot. Yeah. I've seen you eat, Renji."

Arisawa Tatsuki

Renji smirked. She called him by his first name. Then his past actions swerved around and shoved his guilt up his ass. Man. Why did he have to ruin everything?

After school…

Renji saw her walking home, again. Déjà vu. He rushed towards her. She seemed absent-minded, because she didn't turn around. His footsteps were clearly audible. He wrapped an arm around her from behind. He had to bend down a little, though.

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

She recognized that voice. Anywhere, anytime, she would know who it was.

"I'm sorry, Arisawa…I'm sorry. Tatsuki…."

Her name sounded so foreign, coming from his mouth. But she knew she liked it better when she said her first name.