Title: Unrequited Love
Author: Tara Kitaide
genre: romance/angst/humor
Pairing: Ichigo/Renji
Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be so cool to own bleach? Unfortunately, I don't. If I did, there'd be hot yaoi smut every chapter.
Warning: Yaoi, language, fantasy violence
Rating: M for yaoi scenes
Dedication: To Rachel S. If it wasn't for her constant annoyance I probably never would have picked this up again. Thanks Sakura-chan.
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Ichigo was humiliated.
He hadn't stopped running until he had reached his home and even then he kept going until reaching his bedroom door. He opened the door with such force it banged against the wall leaving a small dint. He looked around his room franticly but there was no Renji. He panicked for a moment before calming himself down for a moment and remembering what time of day it was. Renji had promised to be here when he got back from school which meant he didn't think it would be a problem if he went out while Ichigo was suppose to be in school. He didn't know Ichigo would be forced to return home so soon.
Ichigo sighed and sank down to his knees. He couldn't believe everything that was going on. How could Orihime do that to him? Why did she have to do that? She could have just talked to him but... Ichigo felt tears sting his eyes and he didn't fight them. He swiped at them but more just came. He didn't hear the sound of foot steps behind him so was surprised when a large hand touched his shoulder. He gasped and immediately turned, hoping it was his shinigami lover. It wasn't.
Ichigo's father knelled next to him, his hand never leaving the boy's shoulder. Ichigo looked into his face with wide eyes. Did he know too? Did he see Renji? Isshin moved his hand from Ichigo's shoulder and put it on his head, smoothing back the boy's hair like he use to do for him when he was little. "Son... what's wrong?" Ichigo looked at his father and felt as tears streamed down his face. He suddenly felt very sick as he fell against his father. Isshin caught him, wrapping an arm around Ichigo's shoulders as his eyes widened in concern. "Ichigo...?"
Ichigo heard a door open and close before his name was shouted and the sound of someone running towards him became clear. For a moment he thought it was his father but how could that be? His father was still here holding him. Then Karin and Yuzu crossed his mind but they were at school, weren't they? It was only when a warm hand rest on his shoulder and a familiar reiatsu engulfed him that he realized who it was.
Ichigo jumped out of his father's grasp and immediately spun around. His eyes widened as Renji looked back at him, frightened and confused. "Ichigo, what's wrong?" Renji reached his arms out and Ichigo, almost literally, flung himself into his arms. Ichigo wrapped his arms around Renji and cried again. Renji returned the embrace but the fear and confusion in his eyes still shone. "Ichigo? What's wrong? Why aren't you at school? Why are you crying?" Ichigo didn't say anything for a long time. Renji looked at Isshin who looked at him, the same expression and emotion on his face as Renji's.
"Orihime..." Ichigo whined. Renji jumped a little and looked back at Ichigo. "Orihime? Did she do something?" Renji questioned. Ichigo nodded slowly. "She... told... Her and Chizuru, they t-tricked me into telling e-everyone..." Ichigo huffed, trying to steady his breathing. "She... got me to everything..." Renji didn't think his eyes could possibly widen anymore than they already had but they did. He leaned down and stroked the boy's hair as he whispered in his ear. "Oh, Ichigo... I'm so sorry... I know you didn't want this... This is what I was afraid of..." Ichigo leaned his head back and looked up at Renji. He swiped at the tears on his face before facing him and sighing. "Renji... what are we... what are we going to do...?"
The moment was interrupted by a cough from beside Ichigo that made their heads turn. Ichigo looked at his father who had been forgotten with wide eyes. He clutched tighter to Renji's shinigami robes and cringed. Renji understood why Ichigo was so uneasy. Renji ran a hand through Ichigo's hair and looked down at him. "It's okay, Ichi. He knows." Ichigo looked up at Renji, his eyes still wide. "Really...?" Renji nodded and smiled sadly. "Yes. It's okay." Renji felt Ichigo's body relax and the hold on his robes loosen.
"But... How did he--" "I've known all along, son." Ichigo looked over at his father who cut in. "I've known about everything. From the time Kuchiki Rukia transfered her powers to you, I've known everything." Ichigo's eyes widened as he gulped. He tightened the grip on Renji's robes again and for the first time noticed Renji was a shinigami and not in his gigai. Ichigo looked back up at Renji and then to his father. He did this several times before fixing on his dad. "Dad, your... your a...?"
Isshin nodded and smiled softly. "Yes, son. I'm a shinigami."
-/-/-/-
Renji smiled softly as he pulled the covers around Ichigo and watched the boy sleep. It still seemed awfully early but the sun was already beginning to set so it must not have been too early. Renji sighed at the sleeping boy before kissing his forehead and smoothing his hair back.
"Poor boy. He sure has had to suffer through a lot lately."
Renji looked over his shoulder at the direction of the comment and heard Isshin's faint foot fall as he came and stood next to Renji. Renji watched him for a minute before turning back to Ichigo. "Yeah... And most of his suffering has come because of me." He sighed. "True." Isshin muttered. "But can you really blame yourself? You did what you thought was right by trying not to get together with him but it just ended up doing more harm then good. You tried to talk to him about it but never even got a chance because he was too hasty." Isshin paused and drew in and out a deep breath. "I'm not saying it's his fault though. No one is to blame here. Not even Inoue-chan. She was just doing what she felt was right even if it wasn't."
Renji nodded slowly. "Yeah, but..." Renji paused and sighed. "If it wasn't for me--"
"Don't finish that sentence Abarai-kun."
Renji looked up at Isshin in shock. "Wha... What do you..."
"Don't say things like, 'It's my fault' or 'Ichigo would be better off if he'd never met me'. It's not true and you know it as well as I. If it wasn't for you, Ichigo wouldn't have become so open. He doesn't like to admit it but because of you, he's changed. He doesn't scowl all the time anymore, He doesn't brush off other people's help, and he actually smiles. You made him smile again. You don't know how happy that makes me." Isshin looked at Renji and smiled softly. "So don't be blaming yourself when all you deserve is thanks."
Renji looked at Isshin in surprise, his eyes wide, his mouth open a jar. "K-Kurosaki-san..." He muttered. Isshin's smile grew into a goofy grin as he gave Renji a thumbs up. Renji's smile grew as well and soon they were beaming at each other.
Isshin redirected his smile to his son who still slept soundly and his eyes became soft. "Can't blame him for sleeping. The boy cried so hard it wore him out. Not to mention all the other horrible things he's had to put up with." Renji nodded and looked back to Ichigo too. "Yeah. He took your news better than I expected though." Isshin nodded now too and fell silent. They watched Ichigo sleep and before they knew it, it was dark.
Isshin Yawned as he stretched his arms and turned to the door. "I'm going to cheek up on Karin and Yuzu then head to sleep. Goodnight." Renji turned to Isshin and his mouth hung open for a moment before the click of the door handle made him snap back to reality. "W-Wait! Where am I gonna sleep?" Isshin stopped and looked back at Renji, a sly look now plastered across his face. "With Ichigo, of course." Renji gaped for a moment more before the meaning of Isshin's words sunk in. Renji shook his head and cleared his throat before forming a response. "Bu-But... uh..." "It's fine. Just no sex. I don't care how much you love him, he's still only sixteen."
Renji gulped hard and tried to keep his face neutral. "Uh... eh, yeah. Of curse not." Renji laughed nervously. He watched Isshin give a silent wave of his hand and walk out of the room until releasing a long withheld breath. "That guy... he better not have just been messing with me..." Renji grumbled.
"Knowing him, I bet he was."
Renji turned back around and smiled at Ichigo who now looked up at him. He sat down on the mattress and smiled down softly at the boy. "Did you sleep well?" Ichigo took Renji hand in his and laced their fingers together before sitting up and leaning against the shinigami. "No. You weren't there with me." Renji felt himself blush slightly and for once was grateful the room was dark.
Renji sighed and leaned his head against Ichigo's. "Yeah, yeah." He muttered. Ichigo wrapped his free arm around Renji's waist and leaned up to kiss his cheek, instead meeting his lips. Renji smiled and poked his tounge at Ichigo's lips to grant access. Ichigo happily obliged and opened his mouth. Renji slipped his tounge inside and couldn't help but let a small sound of pleasure escape him as their tounges met.
Renji felt himself be flipped and pushed down onto the bed as Ichigo hovered above him and straddled his waist. "Ah... Ichi, were not--" "Sh..." Ichigo put a finger to Renji's lips before reclaiming his mouth and running his hands underneath the folds of Renji's shihakushÅ. "Ichi..." Renji whined. Ichigo just silenced him again with a kiss and caressed the shinigami's chest. "Renji..." He called in his ear. Renji squirmed under Ichigo's touches and let out a small moan. "Ichigo..."
Just then, the door opened, not quite bursting but loud enough to halt them both. Ichigo looked over at the door with wide eyes and Renji did too. Ichigo gulped and smiled nervously at his father who hung in the door way, staring at the two with a neutral tone. "Uh... H-Hey dad..." Ichigo laughed nervously. "K-Kurosaki-san I--"
"No sex." Isshin said calmly. Then he turned and shut the door, leaving the two alone again. It was awhile until Ichigo looked down at Renji, the same nervous expression on his face. "Uh... I guess we better do what he says." Renji nodded and chuckled nervously. "Y-Yeah..."
Ichigo moved off of Renji to lay beside him. The shinigami wrapped an arm around the boy's waist and pulled him into his body as he shifted onto his side. Ichigo sighed and rest his cheek against Renji's chest as they slowly began to melt together. "Hey, your not gonna sleep in your shihakushÅ are you?" Ichigo asked after awhile. Renji grumbled and pulled Ichigo closer. "Well I ain't gonna sleep naked." He snorted. Ichigo sighed and wrapped his arms around Renji's waist and neck. "Well you did last time." Renji blushed again. "S-Shut up! That was... different."
Ichigo chuckled and nodded before nuzzling Renji's chest and resting comfortably against it. "Yeah..." All went silent except for the sound of their heavy breathing as they began to slip off to sleep. "Hey... Ren?" Renji looked down at Ichigo and smiled. He liked hearing Ichigo call him that. "Yeah, Ichi?" Ichigo shifted for a moment before resting his head against Renji's neck. "I don't know... what to do anymore..." Ichigo paused and listened as Renji sighed and squeezed him tighter. "I mean, all of this... with Orihime and dad and the school and... us. Everything is just changing so fast. I don't know... if I can handle it..." Renji nuzzled Ichigo's hair and breathed deeply in his sent. "I know, Ichi..." He sighed. "But... you don't have to do any of this alone, you know? Whatever happens, I'll be right there to help you through it. We'll do this together."
Everything went silent once more and the only thing that could be heard was Ichigo's deep breathing. Renji stroked the boy's hair and kissed his head tenderly. "Ichi...?" Renji looked down at the boy who had finally drifted off to sleep in his arms. He smiled softly and kissed Ichigo's forehead. "I love you, Ichigo." There were a few moments of silence before a soft hum came from the boy. "I love you too... Renji..." Renji smiled and continued to stroke the boy's hair before he soon too fell asleep right along with Ichigo.
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A/N: Meh. My chapters seem to be running short lately. Oh, well... Just to let you guys know what's going on, on August 4th I'm going to my dad's house for a week before flying up to Indiana for the Gen-Con. That means I'll have no time near a computer so I wont be able to type but if I'm lucky I can go to the library to read yall's reviews!! YAY!! And then after I get back from Indiana on the 16th, I start High school (lucky me -.-) so I don't know how much I'll be able to type a week. Ah, well... I wont abandon you guys, don't worry! But I won't be able to type for awhile, so sorry... T.T
I LOVE YOU ALL!!! THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH ME SO FAR!!