Edited and Rewritten
I don't own Bleach
She felt Renji smile against her lips before pulling away. Her eye's were still closed so she didn't see the cocky grin that appeared on his face, before he stood and walked away. Touching her lips, she opened her eye's and looked over to where he was standing. "Well, I guess that settles it then. I'll be staying here tonight." He looked back at her, "But I'm sleeping on the couch and you're sleeping on my futon." He turned to leave. "I'll be right back."
"Wait, where are you going?" She asked surprised that he was leaving.
"I'll be right back, just going to get a seated member to go to the World of the Living and take care of your friends." He said with a laugh.
"You make it sound worse then it is."
"While I'm gone, why don't make a short list of some thing's you want from your apartment." Renji pointed to a desk setting under an open window. "There's a pen and some paper in the top drawer that you can use. Don't make it too long."
Nodding, Renee watched as Renji waved and left her alone. She stood and walked over to the desk. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out a blank piece of paper, and a pen to write a detailed list on what she wanted brought her apartment, and where the items could be found. Leaving the note on the desk for Renji, she stood again and walked back to the couch. Shifting through the clothes, she decided on a purple kimono and headed for the shower.
It didn't take her long to figure out how to work the hot and cold water. Stepping in, she let the hot water soak her black hair, before picking up Renji's shampoo. She was never one to use a mans shampoo and body wash, but she figured there was probably somewhere she could buy her own. Only to remember that she was in what seemed like another country, and her money would be no good. For the first time in her life, she was completely broke, and she didn't like it one bit. Sighing heavily, she finished washing her hair. There was nothing she could do about it now.
Finished with her shower, she stepped out. Grapping the only towel, she proceeded to dry off. Renji's scent was all over it. Hanging the white towel back where she found it, Renee dressed in the outfit Rukia let her borrow. She felt weird wearing someone's clothes. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was Toni, or even Fez, but this belonged to a complete stranger. Then she thought back to a little bit ago, in the bar. The look Renji gave Rukia made her shiver. He cared about her a lot, and it showed in his eye's when he looked at her. Whether he realized it or not.
Gathering her dirty clothes, she opened the door, and stepped back into Renji's room. She saw that he wasn't back yet, but the note on the desk was missing. She guessed that he'd gone to see off whoever it was he had chosen to go back and take care of things back home and get her stuff. Sighing she walked over to the futon. Slipping back on her jacket, she sat down on the mattress. Taking out her ipod she turned it on. After making sure it would last, she looked though her play list. Finding what she wanted, Renee pulled the white blanket out from under her and laid down underneath. Rolling over onto her right side, facing the wall, she listened to the band's entire marching show. Even if she wasn't there, she could still try and learn what she could by listening. She didn't hear when Renji opened the door.
Returning back to his room, Renji found Renee lying down on her side, facing the wall. As he got closer, he could faintly hear music coming from the white ear buds. Bending down, he gently touched her shoulder. He didn't expect her to freak out, and when her fist connected with his nose, he was completely shocked.
When she saw who it was, she quickly sat up and pulled the ear buds out. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't hear you come in. Shit you're bleeding." Standing she disappeared into the bathroom. He heard the water come on and turn off. "Here, use this."
He took the washcloth from her outstretched hand, and applied it to his bleeding nose. "Damn girl, I was only trying to let you know I was back. Why'd you have to go and bust my nose?"
Placing her hands on her hips, she glared down at him. "Well, you should've known I couldn't hear you. So why'd you sneak up on me?"
When he was sure the bleeding had stopped, Renji sent her his own glare before standing. "If you didn't have that ipod so damn loud you would've heard me come in. It wasn't like I was being quiet or anything."
"Fine, you've got a point." She gave me a concerned look as she reached for his face, touching his nose. When he winced she pulled back. "I'm really sorry Renji, I didn't mean to hurt you."
He shrugged it off. "Nah, I'm sorry, shouldn't have woken you up."
She smiled, "I wasn't sleeping."
"Your eye's were closed."
"Yeah well, I do that when I'm concentrating on my music. Helps me think about what I'm going to be playing."
He watched as she bent down and picked up the forgotten ipod. Confused he asked, "You mean you can play that music you let everyone listen to?"
"What? Oh," She waved it off and tossed the ipod at him. What he heard coming from it was a totally different type of music. "No, I was studying this years marching band performance. I've gotta keep practicing some how." She shrugged and sat back down on his futon. "Band means a lot to me, and if I start getting lazy I won't keep my first chair position. Some freshman will think he's better then me, and try and challenge me for my spot. I can't let that happen."
"Yeah, I can understand that." He said, tossing back her ipod and lying down on the couch, covering himself with a spare blanket.
They stayed like that for sometime. Neither one talking, lost in their own thoughts. Renee broke that silence. "Renji, can I ask you something?"
"Go for it"
She gave a sigh, "That Rukia girl, what does she mean to you?"
Sighing himself, Renji put his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "We grew up together in Inuzuri. That's the 78th district of Rukongai. We all hated it there. After our friends died, it was just her and I. We decided to join the Shino Academy, a school of sorts, where Soul Reapers go before actually becoming Soul Reapers." Taking a breath he went on. "Not long after, I was sent to the World of the Living. When I returned I found out that she was being adopted into the Kuchiki family. I was happy for her, really."
"But you were angry that your friend was leaving you behind." She spoke as if she knew how if felt.
"Yeah, I guess that was it. Since then, I've been trying to become stronger so I can surpass Captain Kuchiki." He finished.
"I understand." She sighed. "So you care a lot about her."
Rolling onto his stomach, he looked over at her. She had her back to him, again facing the wall. There was something in her voice, as she said the last bit. "Are you thinking that Rukia and I have a thing for each other? Because that's not what it is. She's like sister to me, not a lover."
Renee shrugged, "I saw the way you looked at her in the bar tonight, and after the first song, you were all tense and shit. I don't have to read your mind to know that at one point time you cared deeply for her."
"Maybe, but that's not how it is now. I wouldn't have kissed you if I did."
Renee smiled and touched her lips, she could still feel his pressed against them. Deciding she could trust him, she rolled over and found him looking at her from the couch. "Alright Renji, I believe you."
"Good," Seemingly satisfied with her answer, he gave her a wink and rolled back over onto his back. "Now get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us."
"Goodnight Renji."
"Night."
The next morning, Renee found herself surrounded by several different people. Renji told her that some were seated members in the squad, while others weren't. She could hear some of their thoughts pushing past the barrier that Captain Unohana had placed around her mind. She had hoped that the barrier would've stayed intact a little bit longer, giving her time to sort through her own thoughts, before adding more to it. Unfortunately she wasn't that lucky.
"Alright, now I want you to focus on one mind at a time. That shield on you're mind will help you to filter through them." Renji said from her left.
Sighing she closed her eyes and focused on the only female in the group. She pictured a phone line of sorts, connecting her mind to that of the woman's. When she entered the girl's mind, she was shocked that she could hear her thoughts and not that of anyone else's.
The sound of the girl gasping in shock, sent Renee slamming back into her own mind. Chaos clouded her thoughts as all at once, as the barrier shattered. The group of about ten people bombarded her head. Groaning she sealed her eyes and tried building her own shield to keep them at bay. A hand on her shoulder helped to quiet the voices, as she placed the new barrier in place.
Opening her eyes she smiled up at Renji. "I did it, I was able to connect with a single mind. I heard her thoughts, saw her hopes and dreams. It was amazing. And just now, with your help of coarse, I was able to put my own shield up. Blocking out the majority."
He didn't smile at her, just nodded and looked back at the group. "Good, now I want you to go through each person. The farther up the line you go, the harder it's going to be. Remember to concentrate wholly on that one person."
Confused, Renee looked at the group in front of her. She couldn't visibly see a difference in them. They just looked like a bunch of people waiting around to have their brain's picked at. "Renji, what do you mean it'll be harder the farther up the line I go? What did you do to them?"
"I asked Captain Unohana to place a barrier on each member here. Each one a little bit stronger then the other." He glanced down at her. "I want you to try and break through those barriers."
"You're trying to kill me aren't you?" She asked in disbelief.
Renji shook his head. "No, just trying to help you learn how to control your power."
Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the group. Dropping her shield she began concentrating on the girl again, trying again to break down her shield and penetrate just that mind, while blocking out the others at the same time. By the end of their training session, she was completely worn out. Her nose was slowly leaking blood, from over working herself. She was just ready to go back to Renji's room and curl up under a blanket.
Renji walked away from the squad 6 training area with Renee on his back. He could tell she was exhausted from the dull look in her eye's. 'Maybe I over did it?' He thought as he carried her back to his room to rest.
The training had been productive though, and he was happy with that. She could now block most thoughts, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could enter one single mind. Pluck what information she needed and leave again without the person really knowing. He figured that with time, she'd be capable of entering and leaving completely undetected.
He felt her take a breath in before she spoke. "Renji, I'm glad you're trying to help me and everything, but I'm just ready to hide under a rock somewhere and disappear. My head is killing me."
He gave a short laugh, "Yeah, I figured your first day would be difficult. But you're doing a hell of a lot better then when we first meet."
"That may be, but I think I would've eventually learned all that on my own."
He nodded, "You might have, but with me helping you, it'll be a lot easier."
She shrugged, "Yeah, but only because you have some strange affect over me, which allows me to concentrate better." Her chin touched his right shoulder, "You've got me hypnotized don't you."
He gave a laugh, "Even if I knew how to do that, I don't think it would work on you."
Giving her own weak laugh she replied, "Damn, you're right."
When her breathing evened out he knew she'd fallen asleep. Smiling to himself, he continued on to his room.
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