Renji Pov

I was woken up by a hand that was gently placed on my cheek, the delicate hand felt warm on my cheek and left small tingles where it was placed, the thumb was gently stroking my cheek back and forth and it made me smile as I opened my eyes to see my love looking at me whilst laying in my arms. She hadn't said anything, but just seeing her made me feel warm inside and I hugged her closer due to that. Mejii started to giggle slightly which made me instinctively pull her face closer to mine and I kissed her. Her nude body next to mine was making me ready for a morning treat but as I was about to get on top of her, she put her hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me back down into bed, my body obediently did what she silently commanded and I was left with a confused look on my face. She once again giggled '' I'm sorry Renji, but I have already overslept and need to get back to my squad. '' she spoke and slowly sat up revealing her naked torso which left me completely unsatisfied to not be allowed the opportunity. '' We have time, don't we? '' I tried to bargain, she turned her head towards me '' I wish, I'll make it up to you though '' She quickly stood up before I could pull her back into bed and went to get ready. I looked at her as she was walking away, wishing I had been faster with getting her back into my arms. I placed my hand over my eyes and sighed, I paused for a moment '' is this how this day is going to go? '' I spoke quietly for myself as there was a hunger in me now that was not so easily fed. I sluggishly sat up and yawned, it was sunny today as well, no surprise as it is summer, the temperature was nice and warm and helped ease my mind and body. I head Mejii getting ready and decided to go have a word with her before she left. I put on my white yukata kimono with reddish flower prints on and walked over to where Mejii was, she had just finished dressing herself and was combing her hair.

'' Busy day? '' I asked her, leaning against the wall. She was running her fingers through her hair. '' Yes, quite, I have been asked to hold a class today and then I have some meetings to go to. '' I was silent for a moment '' A lot of work then, will you be home late?'' She put the comb away and turned her head towards me '' I'll be back early evening latest; I should be able to finish sooner today. '' she stood up and dusted her hakama off before turning her gaze back towards me ''Are you visiting her today? '' she spoke with a serious look in her eyes, I could tell she truly wanted me to. I hadn't decided myself as I haven't properly spoken to her in a long while, but seeing Mejii like that, there was only one choice. I swallowed as I mentally admitted defeat to her as I have done many times before '' yeah I am, I'm leaving in an hour or so '' there was no point rushing anything, Rukia probably needs time as well. I looked at the floor for a second, seeing her in her cell is a nervous thought to me. I would have never previously imagined her in that spot but due to what has been happening lately there is no other option really. '' Do what you must, just make sure you go to the infirmary as well today, I am in the 11th squad, I don't do healing after all. I just did my best to dress your wounds enough last the night.'' Mejii spoke and winked at me, I chuckled and stood up properly '' and you did a fine job. '' she laughed and walked up to me wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me, I returned the kiss and held her close to me for a while before she broke the kiss. '' I have to go now, but I'll be back in the evening '' we shared another quick kiss before she put her sandals on and opened the door to leave ''be careful '' I quickly said and she just smiled as she closed the door and left.

After Mejii left, I made sure to get ready quickly so I could go to the infirmary first before seeing Rukia as these wounds needed to be looked at and Rukia wasn't going anywhere really. When I arrived at the infirmary, they helped me with my wounds and dressed them properly. '' How have these bandages not fallen off yet? '' they said when they saw Mejiis dressing technique which made me chuckle for myself. But now they had finished, and I was walking with determined steps towards Rukias location. She was held in the 6th divisions cells and even though I was a bit nervous inside, walking with determination helped. Other Shinigami's greeted me on my way there '' Good morning, lieutenant Abarai. '' to which I simply responded '' Mornin'! '' I had no time for these people today, I did come here on my day off after all and I was not looking to spend it with just anybody. Right now, I was going straight to see Rukia, so nothing is really going to stop me now. I arrived at the door that leads to the cells, I was swinging the key around my finger staring at the big door, preparing myself for the conversation and time I was about to spend with Rukia. I unlocked the door and continued my path. In the distance I heard a young man shouting ''Wait, wait! If you fly away, I'll get in trouble! I guess I have no choice...'' I was getting closer now, I saw one of the younger division members with a hell butterfly flying away from him. Suddenly he was holding a toy butterfly in a completely different color scheme to the hell butterflies '' Hi! I'm Jennifer. I'm a blood type A, Pisces. E-cup bra size and— '' I didn't let him finish his stupid rant. I kicked him so that he fell over and the young kid looked up at me. ''What are you doing?!'' I asked him, still with my leg up ready to kick him again. ''Renji! Aren't you off duty today?'' the kid spoke with a scared tone to his voice. I put my foot down as he clearly wasn't going to do anything else that was stupid. ''I'm here to check on the prisoner. Is she still sulking? '' she was last night when we brought her back. The kid didn't say much about it as he seemed unsure, he did inform me that she hadn't eaten though which made me quickly leave the kid to go have a word with her.

I entered the cells and walked up to where Rukia was. She was sitting with her back against the bars on a chair, her black hair almost mixing in with the dark cell, the white clothing she wore was the thing that made her feel visible. Seeing her small figure behind the bars was indeed a new sight and not one I enjoyed. '' I'm not sulking.'' Rukia spoke to me without turning around, not in the mood to look at me I suppose, the fact that she heard me asking the kid makes this a bit less tense. I silently thanked the kid. I leaned a bit forward towards the bars and put my arm up across them, grasping one of them as if I was restraining my hand to open her cell. ''then, why don't you eat?'' she turned her slightly towards me and I saw her smirking and teasing expression '' I'm just not hungry, 'Mr. Lieutenant. '' That smug expression made me loose it a little and I raised my voice a little '' What?! You got a problem that I'm the lieutenant?! '' she turned her head away from me again. '' Not really. Way to go, Mr. Lieutenant! You are so strong, Mr. Lieutenant! Your eyebrows look so weird, Mr. Lieutenant! '' she was hella teasing me and it pissed me off, especially when she used that kind of happy but not meaning what she says tone of voice. I grabbed the bars with both my hands. ''Why you-! I'll kill you! Come out of there, you!'' Shaking with anger Rukia suddenly switched her tone of voice which caught me off guard slightly. ''Say Renji… '' ''Huh?'' was all I could say as my shoulders relaxed by the 180 turn of tone and conversation. '' Am I really going to die? '' Not realizing what she was trying to convey, I just blurted out an answer as I was still irritated by what she said ''Of course! It'll be immediate execution for someone like

you! '' I said crossing my arms. Rukia paused for a moment, '' I see. I guess so. '' ''Huh?'' I quietly said. I noticed her shoulders had sunken down a tiny bit, her voice sounded sadder and I realized that it wasn't a joke anymore. '' Stupid! I was just joking. Just a joke. '' She sat back up and turned her head towards me, she looked and sounded like she truly wasn't joking now and just wanted to hear an answer ''Which is it, idiot? '' Rukia often shifts conversations like this, it's been a while since I've spoken to her, so I was having a hard time keeping up. But this part made me think she hadn't thought about the people who were worrying about her here in soul society which rubbed me the wrong way. '' Who's the idiot here? Making us worry with your antics. Captain Kuchiki is probably asking for clemency right now. '' There is no point in going too hard on Rukia at this point to try to make her see how worried we have all been here, keeping my cool is probably the best thing I can do now. A slight reaction came from her cell but nothing that sounded joyous. Instead she turned her face away from me once again. '' I wonder… '' She spoke with that once again sad tone. '' Fool! He's your older brother! As if he'd let his sister die. '' '' No… he would kill me. '' '' Huh?'' Was all I managed to say.

'' I know full well… what kind of man he is. Forty years after being taken in by the Kuchiki family… he has never once looked at me.'' I was quite speechless, never once has Rukia said this to me and I had nothing to say at first. '' But enough about that… '' Rukia suddenly turned her chair around towards me so that I could see her, she changed her expression to a warmer one. '' How have you been? '' I smiled. '' Naturally I have been worried about you a lot but work, friends and Mejii have kept me on a straight track.'' Rukia smiled ''How is she?'' '' Mejii? She is doing just fine, still working on her katana, still doing lieutenant work and quite simply doing well. '' Talking about Mejii made me feel proud in a way. I kind of miss her.

Mejii Pov

Walking through the corridor right after finishing a meeting was always a good feeling. Knowing that you had your lunch now was an even better one. Today had been calm yet also stressful. After the lesson I had been dragged all over the seireitei for work and various reasons. I was asked by Rangiku to come and help them with some paperwork, Iba from the 7th division also needed help, which was to help with training the shinigami there, an easy task that was. Nanao in the 12th division also needed help as captain Kyoraku had forgotten about a book he was supposed to fetch from our division but never did, I was asked to bring it over. Nanao was smiling sweetly when I arrived, I could only imagine she had already beaten the crap out of him for forgetting the book.

I was currently sitting outside in the 11th divisions gardens, enjoying the warm weather whilst sitting in the shadow of a tree. Not much was happening in the 11th division, being a shinigami from the 11th division meant you are mostly only a fighter and was only called for when needed, there isn't much to do at our barracks. Therefore a few of us tend to help at the other divisions to get some work done. The 11th division was therefore mostly empty, besides my two lovely friends Ikkaku and Yumichika who never left our barracks. They had been running around the barracks for a bit and seemed to have calmed down now. I heard them talking about a place to nap at and sure as hell they opened a door to the outside where they infamously tend to nap. Upon opening the door, they noticed me sitting there and decided to walk over to me instead. ''oi Mejii, so this is where you were!'' Ikkaku started. ''We heard you were in today, sorry about passing out so early last night.'' Yumichika said and chuckled apologetically. I shook my head and smiled. ''Don't worry, it was right as Izuru and Rangiku left anyway. I also had a nice talk with Shuuhei before Renji got back later.'' The two guys sat down on my right side before continuing the conversation. ''Yeah? How did his mission go?'' Ikkaku said, he himself has been waiting for a mission for a while now so he enjoys hearing the ones others go to. ''Apparently, they did catch Rukia but Renji got wounded by the substitute shinigami on the other side.'' ''He must be pretty good then…'' Yumichika said and playfully looked at Ikkaku who was beaming. ''Or Renji is bad. Sounds like someone I want to fight though!'' He said raising a fist in excitement. I didn't react to the comment about Renji, these two will joke about until they can't breathe anymore. ''Knowing the commander, he will have him killed way before anyone of us gets the chance to fight him. '' Yumichika suddenly spoke, utterly crushing the look of excitement Ikkaku showed a second ago. I was chuckling at the two guys who were now fighting each other but it also made me think. This substitute shinigami managed to hurt Renji, a Lieutenant, whilst only being so new to the shinigami role. Was it luck or was it talent is what I want to know. I was sure that I had no bad feeling towards him though, despite hurting Renji. In all seriousness, Renji probably got too cocky as he has before and overestimated the hell out of him. The wounds he had gotten though were nothing to play with, especially the shoulder one though, so secretly, I am concerned.

I spent my remaining time of my lunch joking with Ikkaku and Yumichika before going back to work, waiting for evening to fall so I could go home to Renji once again.

No ones Pov

The day passed, and it was finally time for Mejii to go home, she managed to finish her work an hour early and was on her way home in quite a quick pace. Being summer the sun hadn't quite set yet, rather, the sky had taken on some lovely shades of yellow, pink, orange and purple all fading into each other at different areas. The clouds were really blending in beautifully with the sky and Mejii caught herself staring at the sky for too long. Realizing that, Mejii quickened the pace in order to get home faster. Once home she found Renji sitting at the porch, when he saw her a smiled appeared. '' Took you long enough '' he said teasingly and Mejii simply smiled. '' I'm home ''. The two of them sat down on the terrace with a bottle of sake between them, enjoying the cooler evening air. It was still warm, but at least now, being outside wasn't too hot. Mejii turned to Renji ''How did it go with Rukia today then?'' Renji didn't really look at Mejii, he kept staring at the sky as he talked and grasped his hands together. ''I think it went alright; she was acting the same as usual but at the same time the opposite.'' There was a pause. ''What do you mean?'' Mejii asked and Renji continued. '' well, she was joking like she used to, switching subject like she used to. However, she seemed sadder. She asked me if she was going to die '' Mejii widened her eyes a bit. ''What does she mean?'' ''Well, it is a serious crime she has committed, but I believe captain Kuchiki is working on it to make sure that doesn't happen. '' Mejii didn't say anything, she knew nothing really of captain Kuchiki nor his and Rukias relationship. She trusted though that Renji knew what he was talking about. '' Are you going to see her again?'' She spoke with a slight smile on her lips. Renji turned to her and gave the same smile back. ''Maybe, for now, I want to be right here with you''. Mejii smiles and kissed him and Renji will never not kiss her back. The evening turned to night and after a while it was time for sleep. Mejii was in deep slumber but Renji was laying awake next to her, thinking back to his and Rukias conversation. Surely captain Kuchiki wouldn't let her die. Renji thought, convincing himself. But Rukia didn't sound sure about that at all, and although he trusted his captain, that did keep his mind awake a bit. He got up for a bit and walked outside. He stood on the porch for a bit, allowing the now colder air to take the uneasiness off him and not too long after that Renji went back to bed and this time, managed to fall asleep.