CHAPTER 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Renji waited for Gin's answer, pretending that he wasn't totally holding his breath and expecting utter rejection. The past week and a half had been Hell for him, only because his guilty conscience had been kicking his ass. Gin had seemed pissed, sure, but he'd also seemed a tad bit hurt by Renji's dismissal, which was the last thing Renji wanted. Gin had extended a much needed olive branch in Renji's direction, and Renji had carelessly brushed it aside. He was so used to keeping people out and at a distance that he could control, that he'd lost sight of why he'd decided to get to know the silver-haired man better in the first place.

Gin tilted his head and studied him for a few beats, making Renji shift uncomfortably. He just knew that Gin was about to tell him to kick rocks. Instead, the other man gave a brief nod before turning his back.

"Wait a minute."

Renji nodded in return, surprise coloring his features. He was grateful that he wouldn't have to leave with his tail tucked between his legs.

"Sure," he said.

As Gin disappeared into the kitchen, the apricot-haired woman approached Renji, her ice-blue eyes narrowed and hard. She stopped beside him and put both hands on her ample hips.

"Gin-bo is my best friend. If you hurt him, I'll personally kick your ass," she snapped.

Renji grinned in spite of the serious situation. "I understand."

"Good. You're cute, but that doesn't mean I won't keep that promise."

"Cute?"

The woman ignored his question. "Gin hasn't been this nice to anyone but me for a really long time, so I suggest you take it seriously."

Renji chuckled and held up his hands in surrender. "Yes, ma'am."

"Don't ma'am me. I'm not that old."

"I apologize, uh..."

"Rangiku. Rangiku Matsumoto. Remember the name, and know that I'll be watching you."

Renji refused to admit to himself that the woman was scary as hell. He also refused to admit that Gin's reappearance hit him with a flood of intense relief. As Gin rounded the bar counter, long arms slipping into the sleeves of his coat, Renji caught the woman's glare over the silver-haired man's shoulder. She held her index finger to the corner of her left eye before pointing that same finger at him. Renji gulped and turned his attention to Gin. What the hell was wrong with that chick?

"So...where to, Red?"

Renji didn't answer; he just turned on his heel, in a hurry to get out of the restaurant and away from Gin's crazy best friend. Who knew that such a beautiful woman could be so mentally unstable? They stepped through the door and into the frigid night air, Gin immediately reaching for his pocket. Renji indicated which direction they were headed by lifting his chin to the right. He had a mind to take a walk while he apologized for his behavior.

The air was a little bitter from the cold, and their breaths puffed thick clouds before their faces, but it was overall a nice night. The sky was dark and dotted with a myriad of stars, no clouds in sight. The moon was fat and full and distinct, hanging over a cluster of buildings in the distance. Renji glanced at Gin from the corner of his eye. The willowy, silver-haired man walked along gracefully, his back straight and almost elegant. There was something nearly ethereal about the man walking beside him. It was unnerving. Gin's hands were deep in his pockets, even though a lit cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth. Renji hadn't realized he'd been watching the other man so closely until Gin stared at him, long and hard.

"So, what was it that ya wanted ta talk about?" he asked.

Renji jerked out of his reverie, blushing from embarrassment. What was wrong with him? He was being overly rude, and he'd been the one to invite Gin out for a walk.

"Ah, look, Gin," he said, pausing his steps as he turned to fully face the other man. He slid his hands into his own pockets as he took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize for how I behaved towards you that night. It wasn't you. I was just pissed off at something, and I took it out on you. That's not an excuse, but...still...I wanted to apologize."

"Yeah," Gin started, blowing smoke through his nostrils. He reached up and removed the cigarette from his lips before speaking again. "Ya said that part already."

Renji frowned, offended. Gin didn't seem to be taking him seriously.

"Hey, I'm being serious," he grunted.

Gin gave him another long look, then sighed. "I know, Red. I was just givin' ya a hard time. I accept your apology, but ya better not let that happen again. Talk about rude."

Renji broke into an unexpected smile. Gin's ice-blue eyes slitted apart as he stared back at Renji with what could only be described as awe, but Renji didn't pay it any mind. He was just happy that he'd convinced Gin to give him another chance at being friends with him. Why? He didn't exactly know.

"Cool," he rumbled. "So, wanna grab some drinks or somethin'? Start over?"

Gin glanced around, blue eyes taking in the empty street and sidewalks, not to mention the closed shops.

"Where'd ya plan ta do that?" he asked.

Renji lifted his chin again, indicating the direction they'd come from. "I, uh, I've got the work van. We can go to this place I know."

"After you, Red."

They headed back down the sidewalk, a comfortable silence settling over them. Actually, Renji didn't know what to say now that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do, but he was enjoying Gin's company, nonetheless. He wondered why that was. He hadn't known the other man that long, didn't even know anything about him except where he worked and what he went to school for. Oh, and that his father was the owner of Renji's favorite restaurant. Other than that, though, he knew nothing about Gin.

It only took about a minute and a half for them to reach the RAC van, and Renji immediately unlocked the doors and hopped inside. He started it up and pumped the heat, thanking God that it hadn't been off long. Gin slid inside the van, body lithe and movements so fluid that it made Renji jealous. He couldn't move like that if he tried.

"Ya keep starin' at me like that, Red, an' I'll be forced ta think ya like me," Gin said, face all seriousness.

"Gin, were you ever into dancing?"

He supposed the question had been a little random, especially if Gin's resulting expression was anything to judge by. His eyebrows had disappeared beneath his silver fringe and his pale-blue eyes were wide open. Renji almost reeled. He was already so used to Gin's unflappable countenance that any look outside of it was surprising. He found himself getting lost in those wintery blue depths, and hell if they didn't look like they had silver flecks hidden in their midst. Renji caught his lips parting in amazement and shook his head. He cleared his throat as he turned away from those captivating eyes.

What the hell was wrong with him?

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to," he grunted, making sure to keep his gaze far from the man in the passenger seat.

There was a small space of silence, where Renji wanted to shift with discomfort, but also didn't want to bring attention to himself. Finally, Gin delicately cleared his throat and spoke into the all too quiet van.

"'Scuse my surprise. I wasn't expectin' a question like that. But...ta answer it: yes, I used ta dance when I was younger."

Renji tentatively turned to look at Gin from the corner of his eyes. "Really?" he asked, voice low and admiring.

"Yeah. Ballet."

"Why'd you stop?"

Gin sighed and sat back against the suede seat. "I hurt my knee."

Renji almost cringed. He'd been a little careless with his questioning, but he'd been so fascinated with Gin's background, he'd failed to spot the disappointed tone in the silver-haired man's voice.

"Damn. I'm sorry, Gin."

Gin held his hand up with a small, sad-looking smile. "I've dealt with it. I don't need the pity."

"I wasn'-"

Gin gave Renji a look that took the words right out of his mouth. Instead of finishing his statement, Renji sat back against his own seat with a hefty sigh. He let the silence stretch on for a few awkward moments before he blew out a breath and turned his head in Gin's direction.

"How 'bout those drinks?"

Gin smiled almost gratefully. "Waitin' on you, Red."

XOXOXO

Gin chanced another sideways glance at the beautiful, red-haired man driving. He couldn't believe the man had come to see him, and not just to personally apologize, but also to attempt starting over with...well, whatever it was that they were doing. His lips curled up into a small, pleased grin as he thought about how Renji's honest effort to know more about him had led to what Gin had internally dubbed the "question of the night." It had come flying out of the dark like a heat-seeking missile. Gin had been left speechless and quite vulnerable, all of his guards down. Memories of his dance-filled youth had come spearing at him with all the force and speed of a bullet. Ballet had been his life in those days, until his dream had come to a crashing halt during a Christmas recital. They'd been performing The Nut Cracker – he'd never forget. There had been a newbie in the group, who'd screwed up the steps, causing Gin to come crashing down on his knee, shattering the patella. After four surgeries, the doctor had delivered the worst news of Gin's life. After that, he threw himself into school, hoping it would help him heal. In many ways it had, but the main factor in that had been Grimmjow.

Gin swallowed a rare lump and glanced out of the window. That was all he needed was to break down in front of a man he barely knew. Besides, he'd finally come to accept Grimmjow's death. There was no reason for the sudden emotional relapse. He slanted another look Renji's way and jerked with surprise to find the red head looking right back at him before his eyes returned to the road.

"Somethin' ya wanna say, Red?"

Renji took a moment before he gave a careless shrug and rumbled, "You look like you've got a lot on your mind. I hope I didn't piss you off or somethin'."

How cute was that? Gin grinned and passed a hand through the hair hanging over his forehead.

"What if ya did?"

Renji gave him a quick stricken look before focusing on the road again. The man's jaw clenched and unclenched as a scowl formed across his brows. His hand even tightened on the steering wheel. Gin wanted to crack up laughing, but was curious about what Renji might have to say in response.

"I didn't mean to, you know? I was just-" the red head stopped talking once he gave Gin a quick look. "You're messin' with me, aren't you?"

He couldn't hold it in anymore. He chuckled, his eyes slanting with mirth. "Mah! I'm sorry, Red. Yer jus' an easy target."

"Jerk."

The word didn't hold any heat whatsoever, and Gin found himself staring at Renji's profile for the umpteenth time that night. What was it about the tall red head that he liked so much? Well, yeah, there were those rugged good looks...and that phenomenal body...and that deep, rich voice...OK, there was a lot physically that Gin could admire about the man. But there was also more. Renji was a mystery to Gin. He'd said himself that he didn't have many friends; he had a painful background; he wasn't close to his family anymore; and he was a man of few words. Though, it was clear that Renji was intelligent. Not to mention, just one of those intense looks from the guy, and Gin felt like he would go up in smoke at any second. He sighed. It really had been a long time since another man had given him butterflies.

XxxxxxX

"So, your best friend...she's a bit intense, eh?"

Gin had a vodka and Red Bull mixture held to his lips when Renji asked his question, and was hard-pressed not to drop the glass. Red's face was hilarious. Gin could see the amusement, but the most prevalent emotion was fear. What the hell had Rangiku said to the man to make him look like he'd seen a ghost?

"She's harmless," he answered with a wave of his free hand and a low chuckle. Renji made a face, and Gin chortled again. "Honestly! She barks a lot, but she doesn' really have any bite."

"I can't tell," Renji grunted as he leaned over and lined up his next shot.

Gin watched the red head from the other side of the pool table, his eyes focused on the man's strong-looking arms. Renji had come out of the upper half of his blue coverall, the sleeves hanging around his trim waist. Underneath, he wore a short-sleeved, black v-neck tee that hugged his torso and hinted at a collection of tattoos across his collar bone. Needless to say, Gin was intrigued. In fact, he was seconds away from outright drooling. Renji's bright red hair hung over his shoulder as he concentrated on the pool balls, those russet eyes warm and focused.

After a few drinks, Renji had loosened up a lot. He talked more, which allowed Gin a peek at the man's true personality. In short, Renji was funny as hell when he wanted to be, and he was great at idle conversation. The more time he spent with him, the more Gin wanted to know. It was dangerous because Renji was clearly a straight man, but Gin couldn't help himself.

Rangiku would kill him if she knew.

A tall, blonde woman with long legs and a killer body strolled by their table. Renji paused and glanced up, his dark eyes appreciatively sweeping the woman from head to foot before turning back to the pool table. Gin wanted to squirm with jealousy. He wished Renji would look at him like that. The blonde paused at the bar, which was across from their table, and eyed the red head with so much lust, Gin could almost taste it. He also wanted to rip the woman's hair from her pretty little head. She had blazing, gemstone green eyes and boobs that went on for days. She wore a tight, black miniskirt and an off the shoulder sweater. Gin noticed Renji's eyes straying to her more than once and decided a distraction was in order. Quick.

"So, whattaya usually do when yer not at work, Red?" he asked after clearing his throat.

Renji thrust his pool stick forward, his arms briefly hinting at the power resting within, and pocketed the ball he'd been aiming for. He straightened and turned to Gin with a casual shrug.

"I come here, or I stay at home and catch up on a few flicks. Nothin' special. What about you? What do you do when you're not at work or school?"

"I hang out with Ran, 'er at home. I like cookin', so I watch a lotta Food Network. Ya know how ta cook?"

"Nope," Renji answered immediately. "Well, I don't think microwavable stuff counts. Do you?"

There was amusement in Renji's gaze, but Gin's upper lip still curled back. "Yer kiddin', right? What the hell d'ya eat?"

Renji's laughter was hot. It rolled like thunder and warmed Gin's insides. "Hungry Man, Hot Pockets, Stouffer's, DiGiorno-"

"Stop! Jus' stop, ya monster! How c'n ya eat that crap an' look as good as ya do?"

Gin snapped his lips shut as his mind caught up to his mouth. Shit! He really hadn't meant to say that out loud. Renji arched a brow and grinned wolfishly.

"Hohhhhh? You think I look good, huh?"

The red head was clearly teasing, but Gin wanted to shout, "YES! YES, YOU GORGEOUS BUFFOON!" But he wouldn't dare make more of a fool of himself than he already had with his previous statement. Now, normally, he was quick with the comebacks, but Renji had flustered him.

"Mah, I was jus' bein' nice, Red. Never heard a'that before?" he grumbled as he focused on the pool table.

Renji snorted. "Calm down. I know you've probably got the ladies falling all over you."

Gin almost choked on his drink. Is that what Renji thought? Did he honestly not realize that Gin held zero attraction towards the fairer sex? Hell, they'd been at the bar for over an hour, and he hadn't even glanced at a female...unless it was to assess her worth after seeing Renji ogling her. Should he tell him? But how would Renji react? Would he be disgusted? He probably wouldn't want to hang out with Gin anymore, especially not after that looking good comment. Gin wanted to face-palm. What the hell was he supposed to do?

He didn't realize his thoughts had him so preoccupied until he felt warmth right beside him. He glanced over to kindly inform the person crowding his space that he didn't do PDA with strangers, when he found a deep, reddish-brown gaze drilling into him.

"Did I say somethin' wrong?" Renji asked, his voice a low rumble that vibrated into Gin's side.

The better question was when the hell had the man moved? Gin cleared his throat, but he didn't step away. As apprehensive as he was about sharing his sexual orientation with Renji, he still enjoyed the man's nearness.

"Nah. I was jus' thinkin' 'bout somethin'."

"You sure?"

This wouldn't do. He didn't need Renji suspecting him of anything, so he turned to the red head with a deadpan stare. "When I need a shrink, I'll be sure ta let ya know, Red."

Renji gave him a blank look before smiling and running a large hand through Gin's hair, mussing it. Gin swatted at him after making an appalled noise, but really he was trying to disguise the blush he felt creeping over his face, neck and ears. God, Renji had him behaving like a teenager with a crush. He turned to the bar to set down his drink and give himself a few moments to gather his bearings. He could do this. He could go back to being his cool self, where he didn't show how Renji affected him. He took a couple of deep breaths and patted his pockets.

He could really use a cigarette.

XOXOXO

Renji watched the silver-haired man continue to flounder. He prided himself on having a good eye for a person's character, and the longer he hung out with Gin, the more he was starting to see the cool guy underneath the indifferent facade. Gin was funny. He was sarcastic as hell, but he had a genuinely kind heart. Renji could tell from the tips the man left and from the way Gin talked to others. However, there was one thing that kept nagging Renji from the back of his mind. He had yet to notice Gin checking out a woman. Renji had seen plenty of hot females roaming the bar, but the only one he could remember Gin even bothering to glance at was the last one. The blonde chick with the pretty green eyes and amazing body.

As a matter of fact...Renji turned his head slightly and caught the woman staring at him. She was at the other end of the bar, her eyes hooded and her expression extremely suggestive. He contemplated going over to get her number and see what kind of fun they could have later, but then his attention was pulled back to the man standing beside him trying his damnedest not to blush. Which brought Renji back to the topic at hand in his head. Did Gin already have a girlfriend? Was that why he didn't pay attention to any of the women at the bar? Not only that, but this wasn't the first time Gin's behavior and demeanor had made Renji curious. The man used to dance ballet, he was slender as a reed...and he liked cooking and watching the Food Network. Plus, there were the other little tidbits of information Gin had dropped, like his love of romantic comedies, the fact that he actually liked shopping, and that he was able to have such a gorgeous woman as a best friend.

Renji wasn't one to judge or assume, but he also wasn't one to ignore signs. How the hell was he supposed to ask Gin such a loaded question though? What if Gin wasn't what Renji was thinking? Then, the man would be pissed and not want to hang out anymore. Truth be told, Renji didn't want that. He liked kicking it with Gin. Sure, he didn't have many friends, and yeah, Gin could be a little weird at times, but he was overall a cool dude. Renji could use a good friend like him.

"I'm gonna go have a smoke, Red. Ya comin'?"

Renji turned to the silver-haired man who was giving him a level stare. So Gin had built up that unbreakable facade again, huh? Renji grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

From the way Gin flattened his lips, snatched up his coat and turned on his heel, it was obvious he'd been hoping to get away for a few minutes. Renji didn't know what was going on, but he knew he liked messing with the other man. He shrugged into the sleeves of his coverall and retrieved his hat from his back pocket as he followed Gin to the door.

The winter chill was a welcome presence as he stepped outside. He was a little warm from the four shots of Jack and the two beers he'd consumed, but he was far from drunk. One thing about him, he could handle his liquor well. He patted his pockets and grabbed his pack. Once he lit up, his eyes wandered over to Gin, who was huddled close to the door, lit cigarette hanging from his lips and hands deep in the pockets of his coat. His hair made him look younger than he really was, and Renji found it a little endearing.

"So, you got a girlfriend, Gin?"

He couldn't help it. He had to know.

"No," Gin answered immediately, but he didn't elaborate. Renji almost squirmed with curiosity. He wanted to know why. Like he'd said before, Gin was a good-looking man, so it didn't make sense for the guy not to have a girl. Gin glanced over at him, ice-blue eyes amused. "Why ya wanna know, Red?"

"I dunno. I guess I just wanted to know more about you."

"I don't wanna girl. Let's jus' leave it at that, hmm?"

Renji shrugged, but inwardly, he was disappointed. It was obviously a sore spot for Gin, so Renji would respect the man's wishes and let the topic drop. It didn't change the fact that he wanted to know, though.

"D'you got a girl?"

The question was almost timid, which was odd coming from Gin. Nothing about the man seemed shy. Renji smiled as he shook his head.

"Nope. Girls don't want me as a boyfriend, Gin. They just want sex. I'm not take-home-to-mom material, I guess."

"Mah...their loss."

Another curious thing for Gin to say. Renji studied his companion, wondering why that feeling kept coming back to him. There was a big something that he was missing when it came to the silver-haired man, and he was determined to find out what it was. Maybe...maybe he was right about what he'd been thinking about Gin earlier.

Somehow, the mood had dampened, so Renji shook himself and grinned. "You're a sweetheart, Gin, you know that?"

Gin gave him a scalding glare, which only made Renji laugh. "Ya want me ta kick yer ass, don'tcha?"

"Aww, c'mon! Admit it! You're a total softie!"

"Red, I'm two seconds from sticking my shoe up yer ass!"

"Haha! No, thanks!"

Gin cracked a reluctant smile, and it warmed Renji. Why was it so nice to be around this man? He wasn't even this comfortable around Shuuhei, and he'd known Shuuhei for much longer than he'd known Gin. Maybe Gin just had his father's naturally drawing personality.

"I think it's time fer me ta head home, Red," Gin said as he tossed his spent cigarette into the nearby snow. "I got class in the mornin', an' I'm a grouch if I don' get enough sleep."

"That doesn't surprise me at all."

"Whatcha tryna say?" Gin snapped good-naturedly. "Didn'tcha jus' say I was a sweetheart?"

Renji nodded as he tossed his own cigarette. "Yeah, but somethin' tells me you have an evil streak."

"Mah, ya better believe it."

Renji was the first to head to the van parked in the side lot, Gin beside him. He noticed he was a couple of inches taller than Gin...and that Gin's hair smelled light and sweet – like melons or something.

"What do you put in your hair?"

Gin looked at him like Renji had just spoken a different language. "What?"

"Your hair. What do you put it in it to make it smell like that?"

"Smell like what?"

"Like fruit. It smells good."

Gin's jaw clenched as he looked away, and Renji smirked when he noticed yet another blush. That made how many that night? Man, he was on a roll.

"It's jus' shampoo. Nothin' special."

"Mine doesn't smell like that."

"Ya goin' somewhere wit' this, 'er ya jus' makin' an observation?"

Renji shrugged as they made it to the van, and Gin strolled to the passenger side. "Don't be such a drama queen. It's nice is all."

The ride back to the restaurant was silent, but it wasn't awkward. Renji had a lot on his mind, and maybe Gin did as well. Normally, the other man was more talkative. That night had been interesting, yet fun. It'd been a long time since Renji had gone out with another person and actually enjoyed himself. He pulled up to the front of the restaurant and idled at the curb. He turned to Gin with a small smile.

"Thanks for hanging out with me."

Gin nodded as he reached for the door handle. "No problem. Take it easy, Red."

Gin was about to leave the vehicle, when Renji called out to him. "Hey, Gin! Why don't you give me your number so we can do this again sometime?"

Gin's reaction was odd. When he'd been about to leave the van, his body had seemed tense and uncomfortable, but after Renji had made his proposal, the man's shoulders relaxed and he turned back to Renji with a smirk.

"Can't get enough a'me, Red?"

This time, Renji felt himself blushing. "Don't be an idiot. Just gimme your number."

Instead of a lightning fast quip, Gin merely smiled and pulled out a wallet. Inside, he retrieved a card and handed it to Renji. "There ya go. Don' be a stranger, Red."

With that, Gin left the van and hustled into the restaurant. Renji watched for a few moments more as Urahara and Gin's best friend approached the slender man. Then, he glanced down at the card in his hand. It advertised Gin as an Interior Designer, his number at the bottom right corner. Renji smiled as he tucked the small piece of paper into his left breast pocket and pulled away from the curb.

He felt better than he had in years.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!