Fandom: Bleach
Title: Choices
Author/Artist: Cheza-chan
Theme(s): #27 – Love, hate, and the like; emotions
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: First off: no, this was not beta-ed. If you find outstanding typographical errors—all me! XD READ HERE! I'm letting you know now—I uploaded my drabbles onto AdultFanFiction because there was a lemon—might be more, who knows. If you want to read it, the linkage is in my profile. Anywaaaaaays…! I squeezed this into the current timeline, somewhere. Like I usually do, and others also, I jumped ahead and hopefully, things fit. The italics means it's taking place in that lil' zanpaku-to world—the one where we always see Zangetsu-san! (big smile)
Choices
The former special division captain closed her eyes, focusing her attention on the boy's enraged screams. She opened them slowly then turned. Shihouin "Shyushin" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at the man behind her. Urahara Kisuke shook his head, smiled, and silently beckoned her back to his side. She walked over, sparing one last glance over her shoulder at the boy.
Blood stained Zangetsu's handle—Kurosaki Ichigo gripped the zanpaku-to that tightly. "Sorry…" he panted for almost the fiftieth time, raising the blade once more. With a roar, he brought it straight down, the black getsuga slicing through countless miles of earth.
The young Shinigami was releasing his frustration in Urahara's underground training area. With every wild, aimless swing, Ichigo thought of Aizen Sousuke's cold voice, empty eyes, and smug features.
"Howl, Zabimaru!"
He spun, blocking Abarai-fukutaichou's zanpaku-to with his own. His brown eyes narrowed. "I'm not in the mood."
"You're not the only one upset," the redhead scoffed, landing a few yards away. With a jerk of his hand, he drew the weapon back and balanced it across his shoulders. "The Gotei 13 and all of Soul Society—"
"Shut up!"
‡ ‡ ‡
Zagetsu sighed, bowing his head. The action provided no protection against the howling winds, crashing thunder and lightning, and thundering rain. "Ichigo…"
"Maa!" The orange-haired figure sitting beside him on the edge of the building grinned broadly, swinging his legs back and forth; his yellow eyes shone brightly. "He's pretty upset, isn't he?"
"Un…" the man agreed.
The Hollow giggled, tucking his hands under his chin as the rain suddenly became more placing and the thundering let up. "Yare, yare. What's he thinking about now?"
‡ ‡ ‡
Tired of struggling, Ichigo allowed his body to go lax, laying his cheek against the harsh ground.
Renji had been forced to use a binding kidou and physical strength to restrain the boy. He sighed, raising his head to stare at the underground sky. He sat atop Ichigo's lower back, legs stretched out before him. "What's the real problem?"
"You," Kurosaki Ichigo snarled. "Get the hell off of me… Renji!"
"No. Not until you tell me what's wrong." Silence followed his words for several good moments and the redhead closed his eyes as a slight wind blew.
"I'm not strong…"
"Eh? What was that?" Renji tilted his head, a bored expression on his face, and stuck his finger into his ear.
"I'm not strong enough!" Ichigo shouted, squeezing his eyes shut. "To think… that man was suppressing his reiatsu even in Soul Society. He caught Zangetsu with… a finger—" Ichigo's eyes widened and, slowly, the pain set in from the punch that landed to the side of his face. He stared at Renji out of the corner of his eyes.
The redhead wore a fierce scowl and his brow was knitted tightly in anger. "I already told you…" he forced out through gritted teeth. "You're not the only one affected by this." The Sixth Division vice captain bowed his head. "There's no reason for you to take it so hard. I know exactly how you're feeling…"
‡ ‡ ‡
"Hmm?" The fair-skinned figure held out a hand, watching what few drops of rain were left fall into his palm. He glanced up to see the clouds dispersing and the sun pushing through. "What's this?" he chuckled. "And here I thought he liked the girl—he fights so much for her sake… even against this guy! Did you know about this, old man?"
Zangetsu glanced at the Hollow for a brief moment then gave a slight nod.
"Well. I never paid much attention to his love life. Though, that noble would've been more fun to play with." The Hollow grinned and stood, dusting off the back of his yukata. "Oya… You have a visitor." He vanished.
Zangetsu turned his head as another joined him. Zabimaru strolled up and he placed a hand to the baboon's head. The snake tail gave a hissing scoff but gently wrapped itself around the man's arm.
‡ ‡ ‡
Abarai Renji smoothed a hand over his zanpaku-to's blade and smirked as its shikai form appeared. "Baka," he drawled. "All you have to do is work harder. Like I did!"
"Pathetic…"
"Huh? Speak louder!" The fukutaichou glanced over his shoulder and smiled as the boy's head knocked lightly against his.
"I called you pathetic," Ichigo repeated, turning his head so their lips brushed.
Renji captured his mouth in a firmer kiss, releasing Zabimaru in order to tangle his fingers in the other's short, orange hair. "Let's go back." He placed a light peck to the bridge of Ichigo's nose. "And have Urahara or someone take a look at your hands."
"Fine." The substitute shinigami pulled away and stood so abruptly, Renji had no time to recover as his support vanished and he fell onto the ground. With Zangetsu once again concealed within its cloth, Ichigo grinned down at the redhead. "Baka," he taunted.
"Ban…"
Kurosaki Ichigo's eyes widened and he began backing away. "Renji… That's not something to be used and taken so lightly—"
"Kai!"
Yumichika and Rangiku giggled as they watched the couple communicate. Both dangled, upside-down, through the trapdoor in Urahara Shoten. The blonde sighed dramatically, "If only I had love like that."
"You're beautiful enough, Matsumoto-fukutaichou," Ayasegawa cooed, sparkling as he smiled.
"Yumi-chan, arigatou! That means a lot, coming from you."
Hitsugaya's eyebrow twitched where he sat and he turned slightly to address the situation but Madarame Ikkaku beat him to it. "Beautiful this! Beautiful that!" the Eleventh Division third seat shouted, springing to his feet. "Why don't you two go out together! Maybe it'll put an end to all this nonsense…"
Yumichika looked thoughtful for a moment, cutely pursing his lips, then smile brightly. "Matsumoto-san's not my type. You, on the other hand…" He lowered his gaze coyly and Rangiku struggled to refrain from laughing. "You're perfect for me, Ikkaku-cha—"
Renji and Ichigo pulled apart at the shrill screaming in the distance and guessed it could only be three out of four select people—Toushiro wouldn't lower himself to such standards; at least… not his current self.
Ichigo grinned and leaned his head against Renji's shoulder. Maybe he wasn't as strong as he'd hoped to be, but there was still time, even if it was limited. The redhead wrapped an arm around the smaller figure, staring at where clouds of dirt were forming a mile or more away. He grinned.
There was no choice but to continue living their way of life to the fullest.