I did it! I finally finished this story/pant pant/ It took over a month - partly because work was kicking my ass, but mostly because it just demanded so much more detail and depth than I'd originally planned. Who am I to argue with the muse?

Title: Nexus
Author: Akuni
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: M for 'Much Smut'
Pairing: Renji/Ichigo
Spoilers: read through Soul Society & Arrancar Arcs
Word Count(total): 20,500 (omfg!)
Word Count(chapter): 2500

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, I'm just borrowing it for a while.
Distribution: Also posted to my LJ & comms. Please ask if you want to share it :)

Dedication: To all fellow Renji/Ichigo fangirls/guys out there. We know it's impossible, we know it's silly, and we know it's damned hot!

A/N: My Bleach OTP is RenRuki, but I'm hooked on fandom Renji/Ichigo (ya ya I say this for each story, so what! ) After much blushing and chickening out (and wine), I managed to write the smut. Go me! Why is it so much harder to write than to read? Although come to think of it, the first time I read RenjixIchigo smut I did so peering between my fingers as I covered my eyes, and I'm pretty sure all the blood in my body was in my face - that might explain the swooning.

Chapter 7 – Balance

Again Renji woke first. The angle of sunlight shining through the curtain told him it was already noon. Staying in bed with Ichigo was tempting, but they were supposed to meet the others back at Urahara's after lunch, and Renji decided they'd better put in an appearance before they were hunted down. Besides, there was still something they needed to do first. He eased himself off the futon so as not to disturb his dozing lover, and snagged his abandoned pyjama bottoms as he headed for the shower.

Lovers. Who woulda guessed things'd turn out this way? Renji mused as he performed his ablutions. Heh… never woulda believed it a year ago that I'd be feelin' this way now. Sure I liked hangin' out with the guy, an' I kinda missed his company, but this's a whole other thing.

He pulled on his pants and quickly towelled his hair before kneeling next to the futon. It's more'n just that, though. The friendship is still there, it's just there's somethin' else there now, too.

Renji ran his fingers down the side of Ichigo's neck, tracing the small bruises. He smirked at the notion of Ichigo walking around with his marks on his neck. They'd be gone in a day, but he could always make more.

"C'mon, get up."

"Mmph." Ichigo buried his face in the pillow.

Renji chuckled. "We gotta get movin', they're gonna be lookin' for us at Urahara's in an hour. You get cleaned up, I'll make the tea," he offered.

"How come you're not hung over?" Ichigo grumbled as he sat up and stretched.

"Hell if I know." Renji shrugged. "Probably somethin' t' do with whatever Urahara slipped in the sake. An' I seem t' remember gettin' up an' drinkin' half a lake outta the tap last night." Renji busied himself in the kitchen as Ichigo reluctantly dragged himself out of the blankets.

Ichigo felt a great deal better after the shower, and the hot cup of tea that appeared next to the sink. He was almost looking forward to spending the afternoon with the friends he'd avoided somewhat rudely the night before. Ichigo paused as he wrapped a towel around his waist. How're we gonna handle this with them? We'd better figure that out.

"Oi, Renji!" he called. "What do we wanna tell those guys? I kinda owe 'em an apology, but… is this somethin' we wanna… I mean, how should we…?" Ichigo wasn't sure how the change between them was going to affect things with the people around them. He stepped out into the main room.

Renji was lounging in the one comfortable chair Ichigo had room for, looking up at him between the bright red strands that shaded one eye. Ichigo felt his pulse quicken at the blatantly sensual look Renji was giving him.

"Dunno. You wanna tell someone in particular or just let folks find out?" Renji asked, his voice pitched low and seductive. Ichigo knew it had to be deliberate. Damn if it isn't workin', too.

"It's no one's business, but I don't wanna make a big secret out of it." Ichigo couldn't concentrate with Renji's eyes staring at him so intently. Time to turn the tables…

Ichigo tucked his thumb into the towel wrapped around his waist. He felt a smirk pulling at his mouth as Renji's lips parted ever so slightly. Hehe… two can play this game.

"No reason t' be secret. Plenty a' reason t' brag, but we ain't the type. So just let 'em figure it out on their own." Renji shrugged lazily.

"And Shuuhei and the others?"

"They already know most everythin'." His eyes ran up and down Ichigo's body.

"I need to say somethin' about the way I acted. I was just so…" Ichigo loosened his towel. The energy level in the room spiked in a way that was becoming very familiar.

"They don't need t' know the details, but they're gonna figure out somethin's changed. For one thing, ya don't feel off-balance anymore. For 'nother, I'm pretty sure we ain't had our reiatsu apart since sometime last night." The look Renji gave him was positively smouldering. "The way we mesh together so easily, without even realizin', pretty much a dead giveaway. Should pay attention t' that; can't go 'round attached all the time, we'd be worn out. Anyway, just tell 'em sorry, an' thanks, and that'll be that. Ya know they don't care 'bout that sorta thing anyway."

Ichigo nodded. Glad there's not gonna be a problem there.

"There's still one thing left we need t' do before that, though." Renji stood and moved smoothly to Ichigo's side.

"What's that?"

Renji grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him close.

"You're mine," he growled. "Now make me yours."

Ichigo hadn't thought of himself as the possessive type, but something coiling within him suddenly burned at the notion, igniting the fire in their combined reiatsu. The way the powerful shinigami was asking – demanding – for Ichigo to claim him… Without further thought he pressed a hard kiss to Renji's lips and pushed him down onto the bed.

If the first time was passion, then this second time was lust. Towel and pants hit the floor. Ichigo crawled on top of the flame-haired shinigami, pinning him with his weight as he fastened their mouths together again.

Their hands were already working on each other eagerly. It felt so damn good – Renji was either a fast learner or a good guesser. Ichigo had every intention of drawing this out and investigating his lover thoroughly. He was a fast learner, too.

Their breath was already coming hard and fast when Ichigo broke the kiss. His lips brushed their way across his lover's cheek before kissing Renji's jaw right below his ear. A sudden shiver gave Ichigo the clue. He flicked his tongue out experimentally, tickling the spot again. Renji's fingers slowed, then squeezed Ichigo tightly even as surprise and pleasure threaded through their energies. Might as well have painted Ichigo a sign.

His mouth latched onto Renji's earlobe, sliding his tongue around it. When Ichigo gently applied his teeth, Renji practically purred.

"Ears, huh?" Ichigo whispered, letting his lips brush the apparently sensitive flesh in question.

"Seems like," Renji shivered again as Ichigo flicked his tongue inside.

Ichigo's lips continued their exploration, once again following the dark tattooed lines down Renji's neck and chest.

"'S like a map," Renji's voice held amusement as well as desire.

"I like 'em," Ichigo's response was partly muffled as he trailed his tongue down one long fang on Renji's abdomen.

He looked up into his lover's eyes; Renji was staring down at him with a glazed expression. Ichigo opened his lips seductively, and sent his tongue out to… lick his fingers. Renji dropped his head back down on the bed with a groan.

Ichigo moved up to crush his lips to Renji's again as he gently pushed his fingers inside. The way Renji quivered against him made Ichigo shiver himself in response. Ichigo felt Renji's hips twitching upward as he pushed in farther.

One spot in particular caught his attention as he moved his fingers back and forth. Ichigo twisted his fingertips over it experimentally, and was rewarded with Renji's hoarse cry.

"I need you in me now."

The electricity between them turned into lightning that shocked every nerve in Ichigo's body, hearing the desire in the insistent voice, seeing the hunger in the dark eyes. Renji's hands trembled as they clutched Ichigo's waist and shoulder tightly.

This time when their bodies joined, it was Ichigo staring down into his lover's flushed face. Ichigo trembled, dazed by the emotions flooding him and revelling in the feeling of Renji's heat surrounding him. He brushed his lips over Renji's lightly once, twice, before he uttered the words he knew they both needed to hear.

"Mine." Ichigo thrust his hips to emphasize the point. Renji arched under him, groaning and growling with satisfaction.

"Forever." Renji's arms tightened around his lover possessively.

"Forever," Ichigo affirmed. The surge of energy between them swept away all thoughts beyond the immediate need to move.

Ichigo was nearly drowning in the new sensations. This was the most incredible feeling. The scorching heat and tightness of this embrace was overwhelming all of his senses. He slid in and out slowly, relishing the surprisingly soft little sounds the shinigami was making beneath him. Ichigo found the noises his lover was making as incredibly arousing as Renji had.

The expression on Renji's face drove Ichigo wild. It was the same expression he knew he'd worn himself earlier that morning. The thought that he'd inspired that look of pure wanton pleasure brought words unconsciously to his lips.

"You feel so good," he murmured, watching the pleasure building in his lover's eyes. "Seein' you like this… amazing." Ichigo ground his hips down against Renji's, quickening the pace. Renji growled again and wrapped his legs around Ichigo's back, pulling him in even closer and rising up to meet him solidly.

Ichigo lowered his head again, tasting deeply of the mouth that opened so willingly to his probing tongue. The thought that he had such power sent a rush through Ichigo that echoed in their combined energies, sending them tumbling toward the brink.

Ichigo felt the surge as he reached down and stroked Renji quickly. Again their cries blended into one. Hands and knees dug in, gripping Ichigo fiercely as the tight heat contracted around him, drawing a rumbling sound from his chest. Ichigo's body moved almost on its own, thrusting him in firmly, striking something deep within Renji that had his lover crying out raggedly. The sound of his own name escaping Renji's lips as the wetness splashed between them was more than enough. Ichigo's head dropped onto Renji's shoulder, and he let his lover's body support him as pleasure shot through every nerve, weakening his arms and making his head spin from the sheer ecstasy.

They lay panting, limbs that were finally exhausted from the day's repeated exercise still locked around each other. When they caught their breath, they untangled themselves and settled more comfortably on the bed, curled up side by side. Ichigo rested his head on Renji's shoulder, smiling as he felt the strong arm snaking around him and resting familiarly on his waist – he was coming to enjoy these moments of closeness afterward.

Renji's arm tightened around Ichigo as he broke the comfortable silence.

"That's a serious word, for shinigami."

"I know."

"Good." Renji declared. "Saves me havin' t' compete with your other admirers. Hate t' hafta kill 'em all."

Ichigo snorted. "No competition."

Their words were light-hearted, but the emotion flooding through their energies made their meaning unmistakable.

"We really need t' get up an' get goin' now. Just 'cause they're gonna figure this out instantly don't mean I really want 'em walkin' in on it." Renji grinned and pushed Ichigo over easily. "Plus I left my gigai over there – who knows what they'll do with it."

"Yeah, yeah." Ichigo reached down to retrieve his towel from the floor, and made an attempt to clean up.

"It's hopeless; we're gonna need another shower." Renji's smirk was pleased. As he looked around for clean clothes, he noticed something on Ichigo's desk that made him nearly miss a step.

Oh hell, please tell me that ain't what it looks like…

Renji groaned as he picked up the note. There were three distinct sets of writing on it. "Ichigo," he began. "We had company."

"What! When? Who?" Ichigo didn't want to think about the possibilities for embarrassment.

"Guess."

Renji read the note aloud, taking a stab at impersonating the authors' speaking voices.

"Hey. We've been called back to Soul Society. Some kind of crisis – nothing major, but all leave has been cancelled. I'm sure you'll hear about it when you wake up. We stopped by to say goodbye this morning but you were both fast asleep. You're a lucky bastard Renji, you know that? Ichigo, the next time you come to visit we'll have to do something more with that tattoo. Renji has some good ones, I'm sure you've seen them. Something in a 'Zabimaru' motif. See ya, Strawberry."

"Shuuhei," Ichigo guessed with a shake of his head. Renji snickered, and continued.

"See yas later. Ichigo, come visit us sometime, will ya? You ain't been back ta Soul Society in years, an' it's yer turn ta buy th' booze. We'll even promise not ta pass out drunk on yer – on Renji's floor this time so ya can have a nice 'visit'."

Ichigo grinned even as he felt his cheeks grow red. "Ikkaku," he stated confidently. Renji did a more than passable imitation of his former squad mate.

"Love is a beautiful thing; even Ikkaku's crude innuendo cannot spoil it. We look forward to your next visit to Soul Society, and I promise to try to keep you out of any more tattoo parlours."

Ichigo couldn't hold in the laughter as Renji over-dramatized Yumichika's flowery speech, but that one word stuck out in his mind. He eyed Renji curiously, wondering what he thought of Yumichika's blatant statement.

Renji quirked a tattooed eyebrow in return. "What?"

"You were right. They already knew."

"Che. 'Course I was right. Known those guys a long time." Renji shrugged. "They've known me a long time, too. We don't need Yumi t' state the obvious, though."

"Nope." Warmth flooded through their combined reiatsu, settling comfortably around Ichigo's heart.

"Looks like we got the day t' ourselves then. Whatcha wanna do?" Renji grinned at him.

Ichigo looked around. "Laundry."

"Eh!" Renji blinked.

"We wrecked all the sheets."

"Oh." Renji snickered.

Omake
Ch 7 omake

Akuni: Whew, that was harder than I expected. Renji, you just kept uke'ing out too much and I had to keep editing you. It's important that you both share equally, but I usually think of you as seme. I really didn't know you had that in ya. Uh, figuratively, I mean…

…

Akuni: Aw hell. /waits/

…

Ichigo: Sorry we're late.

Akuni: Ichigo, finally! Ok seriously, how can he change like that so much? One minute he's a total badass, a real junkyard dog, and the next he's whimpering like a puppy!

Renji: I heard that, yanno.

Ichigo: I'm just that good. /flex/

Renji: Hey, I'm right here!

Ichigo: Well I was!

Renji: Yeah I remember, I was there, idiot.

Ichigo: You were damn good, too.

Renji: Hehe… true. Made ya scream pretty loud.

Akuni: Aww!

Renji/Ichigo: . /stare/

Akuni: Riiight… I'll just go… write the rest of the story now…

Renji/Ichigo: Good.