Authors note: Bam! Chapter two is up! (: Thanks guys who reviewed (: I appreciate it! Right, well, the section in italics is a flashback - and the bold writing in said flashback is Renji's thoughts.

Please review - I need to know if I should continue this story (: Thankies!

~Rainbow Fruit Loop

Blossoming Romance
~Chapter 2~

N o t Q u i t e H u n g o v e r, B u t C l o s e E n o u g h

Damn it! I'm gonna be late!

…Again!

Renji ran around his small bathroom, brushing both his brilliant red hair and his white, fang-like teeth at the same time.

He had awoken late, and had taken a long time to get put of bed. And now, he was suffering the consequences.

Motivation was something in which Renji lacked in the mornings.

Whoever said males couldn't multitask was obviously wrong.

…Focus, Renji.

"Byakuya's gonna kill me…!" Renji murmured to himself.

And his head hurt. A lot.

After he had been cramped up in the office all day yesterday, Renji had been invited to join Shunsui Kyōraku, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa to go drinking. They had all gotten completely wasted, which was never a good thing, especially when you had to work the next day.

At least, that's what Renji thought. No one else had really cared.

Although he would never admit it, Renji didn't like getting wasted. He was almost scared of the hangover to follow.

…Not that I'd ever tell them that.

Renji grinned, despite himself, as he reflected on the previous night.

"Hey, Abarai! Glad you could join us!" Rangiku yelled.

"Hey, Matsumoto. Ikkaku, Yumichika, Captain Kyōraku."

"Abarai-kun." The sleepy-eyed Captain welcomed, smiling.

"Hey." Ikkaku greeted.

Yumichika nodded his head, and smiled slightly.

"…Why are we drinking today? It's only Thursday." Renji asked, furrowing his brow.

"You don't need an excuse to drink, silly Abarai!" Rangiku said cheerily.

"I've got to work in the office again tomorrow." Renji said.

Nevertheless, he sat down at their table, and accepted the bottle of alcohol shoved his way.

"Will Captain Kuchiki give you grief, Renji?" Yumichika asked, his arms folded neatly on the table.

"Yeah. He doesn't like it when I go to the office hung-over." Renji said.

Yeah, but I can't exactly blame him.

I'm not exactly… helpful when I'm hung-over.

…Then again, I'm not really helpful when I'm not hung-over anyway.

"What will your Captains say?" Renji asked, looking at the small group.

"I don't get hung-over, so my Captain won't mind!" Rangiku boasted.

It was true. Every time the group went out drinking, their goal was to get the busty blonde to drink enough so that she had a killer hangover the next day.

Sure, she always got as drunk as hell, but she never had a hangover the following morning.

She's always bouncing around the next day…laughing at us…

I'm sure there's a secret that she knows, and isn't telling us…

"I'm my own Captain, and I certainly don't mind." Shunsui said, causing everyone in the group to laugh.

"Lucky you. Kenpachi won't care though, as long as we can still fight." Ikkaku commented, leaning back in his chair.

"Hmm." Yumichika agreed. "But I don't plan on getting drunk. It's not very beautiful."

Yeah… He says that every single time.

…But he always ends up getting plastered.

"That's what you say all the time." Ikkaku voiced Renji's thoughts.

Yumichika merely raised an eyebrow, and took a swig of his drink.

Two hours later, the group was still together.

Captain Kyōraku was wasted – which wasn't really a surprise. He was the one out of the group who drank the most – and always suffered the worst hangover. He was, at this time, in the middle of a drinking competition with Rangiku.

Rangiku, of course, was drunk – and was being particularly loud. She was laughing, and flirting with… anyone within five metres of her. Including the Eighth Division Captain.

Ikkaku had also had a lot to drink, and was currently lying on the floor, face first.

He was "pretending" to be asleep.

Yumichika was sitting on the table – Renji had no idea why – and was singing a song out of tune. He was also combing his hair.

And Renji…Renji had had quite a lot to drink, which annoyed him; he didn't want to be hung-over for work tomorrow.

He didn't want to be hung-over, period.

Renji smiled as he looked around at his little group of friends.

Matsumoto is a loud, flirty drunk… Ikkaku is a sleepy drunk. Yumichika is a vain drunk, and Captain Kyōraku is… just drunk.

Renji snickered.

"Who'sh winning?" he asked, annoyed that he was slurring his words.

"Me!" Both Rangiku and Shunsui slurred at the same time.

"Whada'ya fink, Yumichika?" Renji asked, poking the still-singing man.

Yumichika stopped singing, and narrowed his eyes. "I think, the pershon who can d-drink the next glass of alcohol firsht, is the winner." He announced, also slurring his words slightly.

"Y-Yeah!" Rangiku enthused, hiccupping.

Shunsui merely nodded his head sleepily.

"I'll go and get the alcohol." Yumichika said.

He hopped off the table, and promptly fell over the half-sleeping body of Ikkaku.

"I'll get the drinks." Renji snickered.

He stumbled over to order the alcohol.

When he came back, he stepped over the tangled limbs, belonging to Ikkaku and Yumichika.

Oh yeah. Ikkaku's also a cuddly drunk…

Luckily (for everyone), Yumichika was too intoxicated to notice that Ikkaku had his arms wrapped around his slim waist, and was cuddling him in his sleep.

Horror would have ensued.

Renji handed Rangiku and Shunsui their drinks, but didn't get to see the end of the 'match'. He had already passed out next to the now sleeping bodies of both Ikkaku and Yumichika.

Good times…

But now I have the hangover from hell.

Byakuya won't allow me to have a day off because I've been drinking…

Renji groaned, and looked at the clock.

…I'm still running late…

He ran (well, moved as quickly as he could in his current state) out of the door, and out into the street, only to have to go back inside to retrieve his Zanpakutō, Zabimaru.

…I can't leave without Zabimaru!

By the time Renji had used Shunpo to get to the office (and he greatly regretted it), he was already forty minutes late.

That's what I get for sleeping in…

Hesitantly, he opened the door.

"Captain Kuchiki?" Renji asked uncertainly.

"Abarai." Byakuya raised his steel-grey eyes to watch Renji enter the room.

He didn't say anything else.

The red-haired man bowed out of respect when he reached his Captain's desk.

He gulped, his mouth dry.

I hate it when he doesn't say anything…

Just that look of disapproval he gives me…

It sends shivers down my spine.

"Sorry I'm late…Again." Renji mumbled.

"It's becoming quite a habit of yours." Byakuya said coolly.

Renji chuckled. "Yeah. Sorry. I, er, slept in."

"Of course you did." Byakuya said, looking distinctly unimpressed.

"…Do you need me to fetch anything for you?" Renji asked, trying to be helpful.

"No. I would just like you to finish today's paperwork." The Captain said.

What? All of it?

Renji glanced in disdain at the pile of paperwork.

Hm. At least I don't have to do yesterdays paperwork as well.

True to his word, Byakuya had finished all of Renji's paperwork from the previous day. It actually meant quite a lot to the lieutenant – the fact that Byakuya would help him to finish his paperwork.

"Thanks, Captain." Renji said, sitting down at his desk.

"Hm?" Byakuya made a soft noise, and looked up from his work.

"Thanks for finishing my paperwork." Renji said, looking downwards.

"…It's fine." Byakuya said.

Renji hid a yawn, and pulled his hair into its usual ponytail.

…Urk. I really shouldn't have gone out drinking last night.

He groaned.

My head feels like it's about to explode.

"What's wrong, Abarai?" Byakuya asked, looking up from his work.

"Nothing! Everything's fine." Renji said.

Byakuya raised his eyebrow delicately, and continued working.

"Abarai, you can have your lunch break now." Byakuya informed the feisty lieutenant.

Renji yawned. "Thanks, Captain." He said, standing up.

…He obviously went out drinking last night.

He is not in his usual 'happy-go-lucky' mood.

Byakuya watched as Renji stumbled outside the office, and walked off somewhere.

The Kuchiki Noble had decided against reprimanding his lieutenant for coming to the office hung-over.

He did apologize for being late….

Byakuya shook his head, and then wondered exactly why it was that he had been lenient on Renji.

He deserves to be punished. I can not be compassionate merely because…

Why am I being compassionate?

…I should not be wasting my time thinking about my fiery lieutenant.

Byakuya frowned slightly as, again, he looked at the clock. The day was moving exceptionally slowly – and, for some reason, the Captain wasn't in the mood to be working.

Maybe I will take an early lunch break.

Byakuya stood up, and put his brush down.

He strolled out of the offices, and headed towards his manor. He decided against using Shunpo – the weather was too nice.

The sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in the bright blue sky. There was a slight breeze, and Byakuya noted that the air smelt like sakura blossoms – which pleased him.

It certainly smells different out here than it does in the office.

…The office smells like cinnamon…and spice.

Like Abarai.

…Not that I am aware of how he smells.

Since it was such a nice day, Byakuya decided to take the 'long way' to reach his manor. This meant that he would pass the lieutenants' quarters.

I wonder how Abarai spends his breaks.

With the other lieutenants? Or by himself?

Byakuya sighed to himself, as he realized that, one again, his thoughts had drifted off to a certain tattooed man.

His thoughts had been doing that quite a lot recently – and it was starting to make the Captain think.

I certainly shouldn't be thinking about that man so much; I have better things to do.

However, Byakuya didn't ponder too much on the subject of why he was thinking about Renji.

It didn't seem of great importance.

By this time, Byakuya had passed the lieutenants' quarters, failing to notice if Renji was there. He had passed a group of Shinigami belonging to the Fourth Squad, who had bowed in respect. He had also passed Nanao Ise, who, when Byakuya looked back, had a camera in her hands.

…She had better not have taken my photo for one of her silly 'Shinigami Women's Association' calendars.

The wind ruffled Byakuya's Captain's robes, as he approached a large sakura tree. As the noble got closer, he noticed a figure curled up underneath it.

It was the very man who had been intruding Byakuya's thoughts.

He was curled up in a ball underneath the tree, and Byakuya realized that he was asleep. His brilliant red hair was out of its usual ponytail – a sight that, over the past few days, was not as rare as the Kuchiki had once thought – and was draped around his face and shoulders.

His Zanpakutō, Zabimaru, lay next to him, and, for some reason, it was unsealed.

The overall 'scene' made Byakuya's lips twitch upwards into a small smile. The sakura tree, and the bright sun. The gentle wind, and the sleeping male.

Contrary to popular belief, the Kuchiki noble did have emotions, and he felt a sudden strange surge of affection towards his lieutenant.

…Should I awaken him?

Byakuya's eyebrows furrowed.

Instead of waking the sleeping male, Byakuya bent down and picked up Renji's Zanpakutō.

I am certain that he would not want it to be stolen.

The noble sighed silently, and swore to himself that this would be the last time he would be merciful to his lieutenant.

Renji awoke with a start. He sat up, and was pleased to notice that he was feeling a lot better.

However, his now cheerful mood changed when he noticed that it was getting dark.

Oh… I should'a been back in the office quite a few hours ago…

Captain's gonna have me killed!

Renji sat up, and felt around on the soft, green grass for his sword.

Damn it! Where's Zabimaru?

The tanned man couldn't find his Zanpakutō.

…Has someone stolen it?

Renji scowled.

He didn't have time to start a search for Zabimaru – it was getting late, and he needed to get back to the office to apologize to Byakuya.

On his way, Renji wondered how his Captain would punish him.

Maybe he'll make me stay in the office all day?

Maybe I'll have to finish all of his paperwork for him?

Maybe he'll stop training with me every Monday?

…Maybe he'll use Senbonzakura on me?

Maybe he'll…

Renji's eyes widened as he thought of a few more horrible punishments.

Maybe he'll let Captain Kurotsuchi perform his tests on me?

Maybe he'll give me to Captain Zaraki for fighting practice?

…Maybe he'll make me go into the real world and work with Ichigo?

The lieutenant shuddered.

Working with Ichigo wasn't as unpleasant as he had once thought, but the 'Shinigami Representative' really rubbed him up the wrong way. The two men were continually fighting – which earned some well-deserved kicks in the face from Rukia, who, despite apperances, was actually quite strong.

Renji used Shunpo to get to the office, and burst through the door.

"Captain!" Renji bowed. "I'm sorry! I fell asleep! Please forgive me! Please don't send me into the real world to work with Kurosaki! I'll try harder to be a better lieutenant!" he said hurriedly.

"I did not understand a single word of that inarticulate nonsense, Abarai. Please enunciate your words so I can comprehend them." Byakuya said calmly.

"Um, yeah. I'm sorry for, er, not being here for the rest of the day. You see, I fell asleep, 'cos I was really tired, and then I…" Renji trailed off as he noticed Zabimaru in the corner of the room.

"Zabimaru! Where did ya find it, Captain?" Renji asked.

"You were asleep, under the sakura tree. Your Zanpakutō was lying next to you. I presumed that, since it was unsealed, you had been using it, but I brought it back here to avoid it from being stolen." Byakuya said, returning to his work.

Renji stood awkwardly – hovering around his Captain.

"T-thanks, Captain." Renji said, smiling.

He saw me when I was asleep?

…That's kinda' embarrassing…

But nevertheless, Renji's heart felt warm.

Chapter two is finished (: Well, please review, as I've said numerous times.

Next chapter? 'Byakuya and Renji work at night, and Renji chats to Captain Ukitake.'