Chances

He slammed his palm against his head. Always missing the chances. Did you really expect her to wait for you? Did you expect her to wait all those years, without you ever responding?

First it was that Kuchiki Byakuya, the noble, her adoptive brother, his captain. Then that human, that ryoka, Kurosaki Ichigo.

-

Renji stood by Rukia on the cliff, looking over out at the sunset, mourning for the loss of their friends.

"Rukia, I..." he drifted off. They couldn't stay here anymore. There wasn't anything for them here, they had nothing.

"Renji?"

"Let's become...comedians," he finally got out.

"HUHH?" Rukia turned, both confused and surprised.

"Well, uh, a wandering comedian duo? W-was it a bad idea?" he stutted, suddenly regretting it and feeling strangely embarrased. Was it really that bad an idea? He hadthought they were pretty funny. At times and stuff. He'd laugh. She'd laugh.People'dlaugh, wouldn't they? And then they'd both probably get paid for it.

"You're...kidding, right?"

Yeah, it was a bad idea.

"Uh, haha! Yeah, of course! Ha, that was such a bad joke, we shouldn't ever even attempt comedy. Hahaha," he finished lamely. Yeah, no way they could be comedians.

"...right."

"Heh, um. Well, anyways, there isn't much for us here. We might as well leave," he concluded seriously.

"And go where?"

"Er," he hadn't thought that far yet. His wandering comedian idea would've taken them anywhere and everywhere, hence the "wandering", ya know?

"How 'bout...running a takoyaki stand? We could be wandering takoyaki vendors!" he blurted, light-bulb over his head and all.

"Renji, we live in Rukongai, hardly anyone here needs to eat. And where the hell are you gonna find octopus?"

Oh, yeah. He hadn't thought of that. What other wandering jobs were there? He sure as hell wasn't just going to sit here the rest of his existance.

Rukia sighed and suggested, "Renji, let's become shinigami."

"Huh?" Shinigami?

"I heard the pay isn't bad, and they'd provide food, housing."

"Hn," actually, that wasn't a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all! Why hadn't he thought of it?

"That is, of course, if we pass the exams," she continued.

Damn, there was always a condition.

"But I'm sure we'd do ok, and we both have spiritual energy, it's a fitting job."

"Ok"

"Hm?"

"Let's become shinigami," he decided.

-

They'd always been together. In Rukongai, the academy. Then what? She got adopted. He couldn't stop her. She went to the human world, lost her powers. He couldn't save her. She got locked up in the Shrine of Pentinence. He couldn't do a thing. He couldn't defeat that ryoka. He couldn't defeat his captain.

He sighed as he continued to go through 7th street of Karakura while Ichigo checked the mall, looking for her missing Chappy backpack. If he couldn't do at least this, he'd never be able to live with himself.

A/N: Oh noes! I just realized I've come this far and I have nothing on the main character hmm