Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over 'Bleach' nor am I profiting from this.
Warning(s): implied/referenced child abuse.
In Renji's opinion, everyone needs a week minimum before adjusting to the new house and parents. His adjustment period involves learning his expected chores, routine, and rules. It also means breaking in typically starchy sheets.
Worse, he faces the most difficult task: determining whether these are parents that embrace nightlights or insist everyone face their fears.
Juushiro and Shunsui seem like nightlight embracers with an occasional hallway light on. Asking might make them think he's still a baby, though. Asking could come off as being whiny and demanding. His choice falls on silence, which would work much better was this a 'children are to be seen and not heard' household.
Here, it draws all the wrong attention.
Izuru and Momo keep giving him their signature looks.
His concern could be mistaken for a stomachache given that he appears to have just sucked down an entire bag of candy.
Her expression is unmistakable and comes complete with maternal tongue clicking.
It only worsens as Shunsui performs another round. Everyone is getting refills without asking and being reminded that a second helping is perfectly acceptable here.
Renji hasn't touched either. His stomach does a panicked flop as he comes closer and closer.
"I'm done," he practically shouts. "Can I leave now?"
"You haven't touched anything." Juushiro frowns with obvious concern. "Is there something wrong with the food?"
"I just don't feel hungry," he mutters and scooches back from the table. "I'm ready for bed now."
Juushiro offers an entirely different meal or he can just warm up leftovers would he prefer that. Is something touching on the plate that shouldn't be? Is there an allergy that he missed?
Renji pretends not to hear a word and closes his bedroom door behind him as gently as he can. A slammed door has the potential to draw fury or more questions.
Lying should be just as simple as in his previous households. But lying to these guys feels like kicking a puppy or stomping on broken glass barefoot.
Izuru could only lie about his feelings while their sister treats every lie like a kicked puppy. He has no hopes of relying on them for a cover story. But he doesn't turn away when they wander in without knocking.
"Juushiro saved you a plate," Izuru whispers. "Don't close the door all the way. We want them to trust us, remember?"
Momo rolls her eyes. "We don't steal or beat each other up when no one's looking."
"I ate enough during lunch," he promises. "I'm not hungry."
Izuru and Momo exchange a look and shake their heads. It looks like they're preparing for the classic older/wiser sibling logic, which he always loses against. Momo comes towards him with that maternal expression. For Toshiro, it means everything will be okay. For him, though, it means time for the overbearing surrogate mother performance which ends in a fight.
"I'll kick you," he warns. "I won't bite anymore. I'll still kick, though."
"I knew that wouldn't work," Izuru sighs. "I can use the bathroom right after we go to bed and forget to turn the hallway light off."
"You're clumsy with lights on. How can you even find the switch?"
"I'm just trying to help, and don't you even think about kicking her."
Momo shushes them and takes a deep breath. "Izuru is trying to be helpful. You can always find our bedrooms should you need us."
It still doesn't feel like a win against the older/wiser sibling logic.
No matter how many times he hopes or wishes, a disaster never arrives which prevents bedtime.
Juushiro and Shunsui tiptoe into his bedroom despite there being no way the others are already asleep.
Renji curls up tighter and tighter until he can press himself against the wall.
"I understand how difficult transitioning into a new home can be." Juushiro perches on the edge of the bed. "I grew up expecting to live in the same place forever as did my brothers and sisters. It was complicated by my health problems, though. My parents took turns for the long drive to doctor's appointments, but that put a strain on our family both emotionally and financially."
His eyes grow misty for a moment. Then, he blinks and clears his throat until the mist is gone.
"It might've been easier had our parents split us up between relatives until everything settled. Instead, we downsized to a much smaller house. I struggled with the adjustment as did my brothers and sisters, but we had each other. It helped we were angry at the same things."
"I'm the angry one," he mumbles. "Izuru is just sad. Toshiro is probably happy."
"You don't have to share with us right now. Now, is there anything we can do to make the transition easier?"
Renji shrugs; unwilling to be a baby and unable to lie. Juushiro stands but doesn't move towards the door just yet.
"Our door will be open in case you need anything tonight. I hope you sleep well."
"I might snore," Shunsui warns. "I am not a heavy sleeper, though and will wake up should you need anything."
Everyone is nice until you wake them up because you need something. But he nods and doesn't argue even when they hesitate in the doorway.
He won't need them. He won't even need Izuru or Momo tonight. It becomes his lullaby until he dozes off still pressed up against the wall.
His room is unfamiliar. His bed is wet, and his pajamas are cold. Renji bites down on his lip and tries willing the tears away. It doesn't work, and his eyes become misty as he squirms from the bed.
He tiptoes past closed doors, sniffling as he approaches their open bedroom door. A hallway light illuminates their bed and floor with a warm glow.
Juushiro sleeps like a fairy tale creature with his braid dangling by his shoulder and his hands folded over his stomach, oblivious to his partners rattling snores. He takes a deep breath and tries blinking away the mist. His lip is beginning to sting.
It takes just a light shake to wake Juushiro, who rises with too much grace for a man whose sleep is being disturbed.
"I need some help," he whispers. "I'm sorry…"
Juushiro nods and nudges Shunsui until he wakes up. "I could use some help with the laundry, love."
"I got it," he promises and stumbles from the bed. "I got it."
Juushiro throws the covers back and guides him toward their adjoined bathroom. Renji halts in the doorway and watches as he grabs a fresh towel and pushes dirty ones aside with his foot.
A bathtub is different than that washtub Gin insisted on using. Gin isn't here. No one is gripping his head and pushing him deeper and deeper into that nasty water. Juushiro isn't even raising his voice – but Gin never raised his either.
His heart thumps against his ribcage, panicked and wild as he fusses with the temperature.
"I don't want a bath," he whispers. "I don't want it."
"Would you prefer a shower?" Juushiro asks. "It would be quicker."
It's not the washtub. Gin isn't here. Juushiro is adjusting the temperature and setting the shower curtain properly. He doesn't wait for a thank you.
Instead, he places a fresh towel beside the shower and closes the door with a quiet click.
and closes the door behind him.