A/N: I was in the mood to write something slightly angsty that ends sweet. And apparently I have Renji on the brain, but that's fine because he deserves our attention!

Scenario: S/O is beyond pissed because Renji went to Hueco Mundo without telling her he was leaving and just returned. Slightly altered order of events, I have the whole gang returning to Soul Society for healing and recovery. Also made it that getting to her and the rescue took longer than a couple days.

From the Desert to the Dog House – Renji

By: bleachfanficfanatic

Your sandals slap heavily against your feet as you tear across the seireitei, destination the fourth division. You'd use shunpo except you're sure you'll end up cannoning into a wall so in efforts to avoid adding to the pile of injured personnel fourth is dealing with you opt to hoof it. That and you're hoping it will give you time to calm your raging anger because if it doesn't and Renji's still alive you just might kill him yourself.

Panting heavily you round a corner and tear up the path through the gates of the domain belonging to the healers of Soul Society before careening into the recovery ward. Unsurprisingly it's loud in here, voices carrying over one another as lead healers shout orders to subordinates and reunions of friends are made.

"Everyone made it back alive, it's a miracle," you overhear someone say.

Now that you're sure your lover has returned safe if not sound you're back to raging pissed at him. And when his eyes lock with yours from across the room you can see he knows he's in deep shit. Scratch that. He's in the dog house, which is full of shit and then buried in it you're that incensed. When you narrow your eyes he flinches.

"Good," you think. Now, if only you could maintain this façade and stop these stupid tears from falling it would help the whole "I'm fierce and will kick your ass" motif you have going on. But when you see his eyes fill with pain at the sight of yours you suddenly don't mind the hot, salty trails leaving puddles on the floor. You know it's childish but you feel he deserves to feel terrible after what he did.

Slowly he stands and you can't help noticing he's shaky on his feet. His uniform is in tatters, dried blood crusted on his arms, his neck, his face and you can't stop yourself from wondering how much of it is his own. The thought makes your insides twist but you stubbornly hold onto your rage. He doesn't deserve welcome home hugs or kisses; he deserves another punch to the face. How could he just leave and not tell you?

And it's not like life's been a walk in the fucking park for you either. Your mind skitters over the last few weeks and its horrors. The revelation of Aizen and his band of traitors, the accusations that Inoue-san is among their ranks willingly. The first time you heard someone utter that you'd kicked so much ass the next person who even considered that disparaging thought felt it.

The air is thick with tension as you struggle to maintain hold of your reiatsu the closer he gets to you. You want nothing more than to wail on his ass. You've never thought yourself to be one to hit and ask questions later but suddenly you find yourself understanding Soi Fon a little bit more.

Conversation is starting to wane, everyone seeming to pick up on the growing storm that is your temper. When Renji reaches you, you're moving before you give proper thought to your actions or your audience. Quick as a whip your hand shoots out, the smack to his cheek loud in the now almost silence of the room. "You stupid bastard!" you shout. Now there is complete silence, every eye trained on the two of your, save for those from the fourth who, apparently, are used to this sort of thing.

Your flesh is on fire with fury, tears of anger streaming down your cheeks as you finally let loose. "How could you do that to me?!" You punch his chest, not caring if you make him bleed again.

"I thought you were fucking dead!" Your hands clench into fists and you strike his chest again but there's hardly any strength behind the impact anymore. He reaches for you but you pull back shrieking out, "NO! Don't you dare touch me!" His hands drop to his sides.

"Hey, _-chan," Ichigo's says, his tone a mix between concern and firmness. He's trying to get you to calm down. Tch, fat fucking chance!

"Stay out of this Kurosaki!" you shout turning your fierce countenance on him momentarily. "Tend to your own affairs, like actually making sure Inoue-san is fucking ok!" you shout and he winces.

You can feel yourself unraveling, all the tension of the past weeks erupting in a blind furious rage. Ever since Aizen turned fucking turn coat and Momo a zombie of her former self after recovering from her attempted murder all of the responsibilities of the fifth division have fallen into your lap as its third seat.

It's been you comforting crying shinigami over their bastard of a former captain betraying them, betraying all of you. It's been you handling whatever paperwork happen to manage to make it to your desk. It's been you, worried literally sick about your boyfriend who neglected to mention he was leaving on a forbidden mission to save your mutual friend.

Oh yeah, you're ripped, raring and ready to go. You feel like you could take on Kenpachi with all the suppressed anger you've caged.

Only instead of punching and kicking you're screaming and crying, becoming hysterical really. Because the one person you needed the most when all the shit hit the fan took off without even leaving a note. You'd had to hear through the gossip mongers what had happened to him as well as several other of your friends and fellow shinigami.

Turning your gaze back to Renji you see his eyes filled with guilt and remorse and if you look close enough you swear there are tears threatening to fall. "Serves you damn well right," you think viciously. You don't recognize yourself but you also can't seem to stop. So you don't, you continue ranting.

"I could have helped!" you yell at him, "Inoue-san is my friend too! I would have gone, willingly, if you'd only told me! But no! You had to go off in the middle of the fucking night and not even tell me where you were going!"

He takes another step towards you and this time you don't retreat. You're not going to back down, not now, not until you've had your say. As he takes one more step you choke out through your tears, "Why Renji? Why didn't you take me with you?" Another flash of anger spikes through your chest. "Is because you think I'm weak? That I would just get in the way? Who needs another woman on the mission or some shit like that? Well, let me tell you something! I am not weak! I didn't become third seat by default you asshole, I fucking earned it!"

Apparently he's reached his fill because he grabs you roughly by the shoulders. "That's not it at all! It's because I fucking love you and I didn't want to risk you getting killed!" he shouts and you stop, staring at him. It's his first time saying he loves you and it's while you're fighting, in front of who knows how many people. Just…perfect.

Your eyes narrow but before you can say another word he's speaking again, "And before you continue on and on about how strong you are, I already know it. In fact I know you're stronger than me!"

Those words send your train of thought on a permanent derailment. Is he seriously mocking you right now? He sees your frown and steps closer, closing some of the distance between your bodies.

Taking a deep breath and speaking more gently he says, "You're stronger here," he taps your head, "and here," he adds placing a hand on your chest over where your heart is still thundering against your ribs.

He sighs. "I have no doubt you would have kicked major arrancar ass but you have to understand _-chan," he draws you closer his breath ghosting over your face, "if you were there, there is no way I could have done what I needed to do. Because all my focus would have been on keeping you safe, whether you needed me to or not. Because I can't live without you, so please," he inhales deeply closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against yours, "please forgive me for leaving and making you worry."

Your own eyes close and you swear to yourself if you cry again you're kicking your own ass. Enough is enough. Leaning up you press your lips to Renji's and feel him start in surprise before he kisses you back. It's a gentle, simple kiss but it holds so much depth. When you part it feels as if the whole room lets out a collective sigh of relief. The storm has passed on.

Looking up into his smudge covered face you whisper, "I love you too, but if you ever pull a stunt like that again I will kill you myself, got it?"

He chuckles but nods. As you embrace the world around you seems to start again. People are talking amongst themselves and you're sure this little scene will be repeated ad nauseam but it's no less than you deserve for acting out like that.

Pulling back you take Renji's hand. "Come on, let's get you home so you can shower and change. I'll make you some taiyaki since I'm sure you're starving. But," and you raise one finger in front of you, "this discussion isn't over. We need to set some ground rules and agreements. This is a partnership Abarai, have a little faith in me."

He pulls you close again and kisses your temple. "I never doubted you, I doubted myself."

You pat his cheek looking in his eyes. "Then we need to work on your confidence honey, because you're amazing."

He smiles fully for the first time since arriving home and you feel the cracks in your heart start to heal. There is so much to be done and so many more hardships coming but you know you can face them all because you're by each other's side and have each other's backs.