Title: Expressions of Love
Author/Artist: Cheza-chan
Theme(s): #3 - Anvil; Banter
Pairing/Characters: Kurosaki Ichigo/Abarai Renji
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach... but when I marry Tite Kubo, I probably will XD
Summary/Notes: Takes place... during... meh, before the completed Arrancars descend down to fight; when Renji and the others show up from the Soul Society.
Expressions of Love
They were at it again. Ever since Abarai Renji had somehow managed to weasel his way into the Kurosaki home, the two headstrong Shinigami had never ceased their frivolous bantering.
Rukia happily ran off with Mizuiro and Keigo when they made their usual morning appearance for Ichigo. "He'll be fine," she told them, hooking her arms into theirs. "He said he wanted some time to himself." The Thirteenth Division Shinigami smiled brightly at the boys as they disappeared around the block together.
Kurosaki Ichigo pounded on the bathroom door. "Renji, you asshole! Hurry up! Yuzu and Karin also have to—" The boy's brown eyes narrowed and he swiftly turned to counter Isshin's flying dropkick. As the man came down on air, Ichigo outstretched his arm, flooring his father with a "clothesline" attack.
"Watch your language," Isshin choked out. "You're becoming a bad influence on your sisters. Karin already beats me up…!"
"You set that example yourself," said child mumbled, walking by her fallen father. "Yuzu and I already took our baths, Ichi-nii." Karin smiled at the dark look crossing onto her brother's face and hurried into the kitchen to help herself to breakfast.
"Abarai Renji, you damn bastard! Open this damn door!"
Yuzu hurried by the carnage, the motionless Kon in her arms. She smiled and joined Karin.
§§§
"You've been late fifteen consecutive times in a row," their homeroom teacher told the two boys standing before her. "I'm not sure what goes on in that house of yours, Kurosaki-kun, but maybe you should try leaving a little earlier." She wrote something on a slip of paper and handed it to Ichigo. "To the principal."
A series of gasps went through the room and the foreign Shinigami looked around quizzically. Rukia had her face covered and was shaking her head; she'd only met him once but knew he was not a friend of the students.
"He's had it out for Ichigo ever since he set foot in this school," Tatsuki sighed, leaning her head atop her steepled hands. "And Ichigo's been trying to avoid that confrontation. Ne, Kuchiki-san…" Leaning back in her chair, she stared at Rukia. "How many people are staying at the clinic now?"
"Seven," the Kuchiki—by marriage and adoption—replied, not raising her head. Doing so, she missed Tatsuki's bewildered stare.
"Six," Orihime laughed loudly. "She means six, right, Kuchiki-san?"
Rukia glanced at the girl and her eyes widened. 'I counted Kon; crap!' "That's right," she also laughed. "Six!"
As their laughter rose, so did he amount of sweat drops throughout the room.
"You two, be quiet."
"Hai, sensei!"
"Kurosaki Ichigo." The man sneered, rubbing his hands together. "I've been waiting… almost centuries for this day to come." Ichigo shot the redhead by the window a glance then closed his eyes, sighing. "Don't ignore me, boy!"
"I have a name. You just said it."
"Don't get smart with me, boy!"
Scowling, the orange-haired boy childishly stuck his fingers in his ears, only succeeding in goading the man's temper more. Renji's sigh drew the principal's attention and he turned to tell the redhead stay out of it, but ended up spun out of his chair by the punch the older Shinigami landed.
Kurosaki shot to his feet and grabbed the fukutaichou by the front of his shirt. "What… the hell were you thinking—hitting him!"
"Well, he was too loud, for one thing." Renji shrugged. "Second, the two of us were sent here so the two of us should be blamed."
"You're gonna get expelled," the boy groaned, allowing his head to droop.
"Am I?" Reaching into his pocket, Renji produced a Kioku-chikan. Ichigo managed a small smirk at the sight of the memory-scrambling device.
§§§
They were at it again. Ever since Abarai Renji had somehow managed to weasel his way into the Kurosaki home, the two headstrong Shinigami had never ceased their frivolous bantering.
Dinners had become worst. Abarai Renji and Kurosaki Ichigo fought over what the get and when to ask for seconds. Isshin became a third when he thought his son was being rude in front of their houseguests.
Kon watched the family from out of sight by the stairs, but he was well aware of the man knowing where he stood. He shook his lion head as the Sixth Division vice captain became caught up in another father-son battle.
Rukia sighed as she headed into Yuzu and Karin's room; she could hear them still going at it on the opposite side of the hall.
Exhausted, Ichigo dropped face-first onto his bed and groaned loudly at the hands massaging his shoulders.
Renji leaned down to place a light kiss to the exposed skin of the other's neck. "Sorry," he mumbled. "About the school thing."
"Nn…"
He grinned, tousling the light-colored hair. Abarai Renji and Kurosaki Ichigo because it was how they expressed themselves and the love they had for each other; only a select few knew of their relationship.
The substitute Shinigami rolled over to stare up at the redhead. "Boke," he sighed.
"Baka," Renji replied before claiming the boy's lips.