Author's note: Hey again! Thanks to all of you who actually read this (: Please review!

Oh, and I also bumped up the time that Ren and Byakuya are in the Real World (to eight weeks). Don't ask me why - I have no idea. Is 'I felt like it' a plausible explanation? No? Oh well.

Um, yeah. Please review and all that punk rock (never understood why it's 'Jazz').

~Rainbow Fruit Loop

Blossoming Romance
~Chapter7~
N o t D o i n g A n y t h i n g

Renji rolled over on the floor, and attempted (unsuccessfully) to try and find a comfortable position to lie in.

With an enormous amount of effort, he tossed back around to his previous position.

He had just found a semi-comfortable position, when the hotel alarm clock started beeping.

-Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep-

Renji grunted in annoyance, and stuck his head beneath his pillow.

I only jus' got comfortable…

He heard Byakuya stir in his bed.

-Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep-

The annoying sound emitted from the alarm clock was starting to irritate the Sixth Squad Lieutenant.

-Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep-

Suddenly, it stopped, and Byakuya was out of bed.

Renji released the death grip he had on his pillow, and slowly pulled his head out from underneath it.

"Do we have to wake up now, Cap'n?" he mumbled.

"Yes, Abarai."

It surprised Renji how… awake Byakuya sounded.

He was obviously a morning person.

Renji wasn't.

Ugh. My eyes hurt…

The fiery man groaned, and sat up sleepily.

"What's the time…?" he asked.

"Eight thirty." Byakuya replied curtly.

Renji glanced upwards at Byakuya.

He was standing, in his light pink silk pajamas, next to Renji's pillow. His hair was tied in a low ponytail – a rare sight to see.

"T'is to early to be awake." Renji groaned, tearing his eyes away from his Captain.

"On the contrary. This is quite late for me to have only just woken up." Byakuya commented.

"Oh." Renji was silent.

If he didn't have to be in the office in the morning, Renji could easily sleep in until past midday.

"Get up." Byakuya commanded.

Unwillingly, Renji crawled out of the little pillow-blanket cave he had made.

Renji had been made to sleep on the floor. Obviously, that was what he had expected – his Captain, a Kuchiki Noble wasn't going to be sleeping on the floor.

And obviously, they couldn't share a bed…

Unlike his Captain, Renji did not have expensive silk pajamas. He was wearing his boxer shorts, and no shirt.

I feel…underdressed. Which sucks, 'cause I'm wearing my night gear.

I shouldn't feel underdressed!

Renji stood up, and felt his back crack. Lying on the floor all night had been tremendously uncomfortable – and the white carpet was very scratchy.

Ow.

"I also advise that you put some clothes on." Byakuya said, turning his back on his Lieutenant.

"Yeah. Sorry." Renji flushed, covering his torso with his tanned arms.

"Why don't you have a shower?" Byakuya suggested.

Renji glanced over at the 'bathroom'. Luckily, the one meter wall prevented him from actually seeing the shower. So Renji would have a slight bit of privacy.

How are we going to live together for eight weeks?

It'll be so awkward…

"I am going to go out," Byakuya said "and get some clothes. Human clothes. I will have a shower when I get back."

That's right. He doesn't have any human clothes.

"Alright. Then we can have breakfast." Renji suggested.

"Indeed."

"Wait… Do we actually have any food?" Renji asked.

"No." Byakuya answered. "I'll…get some whilst I'm out."

"Alright…"

Renji completely ignored the voice in his head telling him that this is what their life would be like if they lived together.

Completely ignored it.

Byakuya had gotten dressed into the standard gigai clothes, and had left the hotel.

Renji sighed out loud, and hurried to have a shower.

…He didn't want Byakuya to arrive back whilst he was still showering.

Renji strode (in three steps; the room really was very small) into the 'bathroom'. He took off his boxer shorts, tugged his hair tie out of his hair, and stepped into the shower.

He turned it on, and felt his muscles instantly relax as the jet of scalding hot water ran down his toned body.

Renji reached for the hotel shampoo, and squirted it into his awaiting palm.

He made sure to leave enough for Byakuya, although Renji presumed that the Captain would have brought his own, expensive hair care products.

After washing his long, wild red hair, Renji simply stood in the hot water, thankful that he wasn't paying for it.

…I shouldn't use all of the hot water.

Byakuya would use Senbonzakura on me…

Renji frowned to himself, as he turned off the water. He stepped out of the shower, and reached for a white hotel towel, which was lying on the floor, next to the shower.

He dried his body, and thought briefly about getting another tattoo whilst he was in the real world.

…Then he realized that tattooing his gigai wouldn't make any difference to his soul.

Renji grabbed his light grey jeans (he kept all of his human clothes in a box with his gigai, and had brought them with him to the hotel), a black belt, his white t-shirt, and his light brown jacket, and pulled them on.

I wonder what Byakuya will buy?

If he manages to find a freakin' robe somewhere, I will be forced to stab him.

We've got to blend in.

Now that he had showered, Renji had no idea what to do.

Am… am I going to be his 'servant'? Is he expecting me to make his bed? Clean the room? Make breakfast for him?

Renji scowled. He was not going to be stuck doing housemaid duties.

So, instead of cleaning/making beds/doing anything constructive, Renji flopped down on Byakuya's bed, and started watching the small television.

He pulled the thick, white duvet up around him.

This is so much softer than the thin blanket I was using. And the bed is soft.

And… whilst Renji was alone, he placed his head on the pillow Byakuya had used, burying his face into it.

It smells like him…

Like sakura blossoms… and… honey?

Makes sense, I suppose.

Renji yawned. He was tired. He had spent most of the night awake, and listening to Byakuya sleeping.

Not because he was a stalker or anything, but just because… it was different. To be in the company of another person so late at night was different to Renji.

Byakuya's breathing comforted him. The steady pattern of him inhaling and exhaling.

Renji was pleased to notice that Byakuya didn't snore.

…Not that Renji had been expecting him to.

Nobles don't snore, right?

So Renji had slept very little the previous night.

Which annoyed him.

I wonder when Byakuya will be back.

As Renji drifted in and out of consciousness on the bed, he wondered when he had started calling his Captain 'Byakuya' in the privacy of his head.

Heh… I guess it doesn't matter. He'll never know.

Unless he can read minds, in, which case, I'm screwed.

And Renji grinned, as he fell asleep.

Byakuya was thoroughly fed up of humans. They were all slow and incompetent.

It had taken him twenty minutes to purchase two pairs of – much to Byakuya's distaste – jeans. One pair was black, the other a light blue.

He had also bought a pair of black converse sneakers, and three different coloured button-down shirts.

He had been looking to buy something a little more… noble, but had looked around at the men in the streets. Most of them were wearing jeans and t-shirts.

And Byakuya had to blend in.

So one frustrating shopping hour later, Byakuya's purchases had all utterly irritated him.

Byakuya reached the hotel, only to remember that he had forgotten to buy breakfast.

I am not going shopping by myself again.

…We'll have to go out somewhere.

He opened the door, and walked up the stairs. He was greeted by the same woman as the previous day – but he ignored her.

He was in a bad mood.

He strode down the long corridors until he reached his – no, their room.

"Abarai?" Byakuya opened the door.

No reply.

Where's he gone now?

Byakuya sighed, entered the room, and shut the door behind him. He was just about to call for his Lieutenant, when he noticed the red head.

Asleep.

In his bed.

Why is my Lieutenant always so useless…?

Byakuya sighed.

His Lieutenant was completely incompetent. Completely and utterly incompetent.

Renji's red hair was loose, and draped around his shoulders. He was snoring lightly.

Now I'm going to have to wake him up.

Byakuya placed his many bags on a chair, and paced over towards his Vice Captain.

Said Vice Captain looked… at ease, an emotion that he hadn't shown since the two men had traveled to the Real World.

It made Byakuya wonder.

Is he… scared of me? He seems worried.

But still.

He looks… nice.

…No, he doesn't.

Nngh…

Byakuya narrowed his eyes at Renji for causing him to have strange thoughts, and placed his hand on the red head's shoulder.

"Abarai. Wake up now." He demanded.

Silence. Stillness.

Is he… still asleep?

Byakuya tried again. He shook his Lieutenant's shoulder. "Vice Captain Abarai!"

Silence. Stillness.

Byakuya was already irritated.

The Kuchiki Noble reached out and punched Renji in the shoulder. Not too hard, but hard enough.

Renji stirred. "Whaa…? Ow! What'ya do that for?"

"I left you alone for an hour, and you haven't done anything at all."

Renji grinned sheepishly.

"I advise you that you get your act together, Vice Captain Abarai. I was at least expecting that you might have cleaned up your pile of clothes." Byakuya said callously.

Lazy fool…

"…Sorry?"

"Sorry Captain Kuchiki." Byakuya corrected. "Just because we have left Soul Society, doesn't mean that you can forget about showing me respect. I am still your Captain, Abarai."

And with that, Byakuya turned sharply on his heal, and strode off to have a shower (which wasn't exactly as dramatic as he had hoped, as the Captain only disappeared behind a one meter wall).

Twenty minutes later, Byakuya came out from behind the one meter wall, his hair wet.

He was expecting to either see no Renji, or Renji lounging around doing what he did best: nothing.

So he was… surprised to notice that his bed was made, the room was tidy, and Renji was sitting quietly on a chair, his cheeks slightly flushed.

He actually did something constructive.

Renji stood up and spoke. "Captain, I'm really sorry for being lazy. I guess I'm just kinda on edge. I'm also tired, and… Yeah. Please forgive me." And he bowed.

Byakuya took… pity on his Lieutenant.

Maybe… I'm too harsh on him?

"Yes, Abarai. We both need to share the responsibilities of living in a hotel. And you need to remember to show me respect."

"Yeah."

Byakuya didn't say anything else.

"Er, Cap'n?" Renji asked.

Byakuya sighed. "Yes?"

"Am I forgiven for my rudeness?"

"…Yes. But don't do it again."

Renji grinned. "Alright! Did you buy stuff for breakfast?"

The cheek of my Vice Captain…

"No. I was too irritated by the incompetence of humans, and was distracted." Byakuya said, his face expressionless.

"You forgot?" Renji asked, scratching the back of his head.

"…Well, if you put it like that…"

"Well, I know the perfect place! Rukia, Ichigo and me went there once." Renji exclaimed, interrupting his Captain.

"Rukia, Ichigo and I," Byakuya corrected. "Where is it?"

Fifteen minutes later, Renji had found the milkshake bar that he had been so enthusiastic about.

"You can choose whichever flavour ya want." He explained.

"Are they sweet?" Byakuya asked, having never tasted a milkshake before.

He glanced around the bar with disdain. The stools were all white and high. The room was painted in bright, pastel colours – pale yellow, pale pink and pale blue.

Very un-noble.

"Yeah. But they're nice. So, which flavour do ya want?" Renji asked, grinning.

"Er," Byakuya looked up at the flavour list. "Banana." He decided.

Renji nodded.

Milkshakes… I remember Rukia telling me about them.

Although, if I remember correctly, she said that she drank one for lunch, not breakfast.

…Sweet sugary drinks for breakfast?

Sometimes Byakuya worried about his Vice Captain's judgments.

Byakuya handed Renji the money, and watched as he ordered the shakes.

"Do ya wanna sit down?" Renji asked, handing Byakuya his banana-flavoured milkshake.

The Kuchiki Noble nodded, and together, they made their way over to the stools.

Byakuya perched on the hard plastic stool, and sipped at the milkshake. Renji sat across from him.

The ice at the bottom of his glass tinkled as Byakuya delicately sipped from his pink-striped straw. The cold, sweet liquid hit his tongue.

"Do ya like it?" Renji asked nervously, watching Byakuya's every move.

Byakuya took another sip.

It was surprisingly nice. Although Byakuya disliked anything sickly sweet, the milkshake was different.

It helped that he liked bananas.

"It's not too bad, Abarai. It's drinkable."

Renji grinned, knowing that that was Byakuya-Kuchiki-speak for 'I'm really enjoying it – it's yum'.

"…Told you."

Renji was sipping his own strawberry flavoured drink.

"That milkshake clashes awfully with your hair." Byakuya noted.

"Yeah, it probably does." Renji chuckled.

He took another sip.

Silence ensued; the only noise being the tinkling of ice.

"Is your milkshake satisfactory?" Byakuya asked politely, feeling slightly awkward in the silence.

"Yeah! Ya wanna try it?" Renji asked.

Byakuya frowned, not quite understanding what his Lieutenant was asking.

"Try…it?"

Renji shoved his now half empty glass forward.

Byakuya stared at it unintelligently, before hesitantly taking a sip from Renji's straw.

The strawberry flavour was nice, although not as nice as his banana one.

It wasn't until Renji grinned, took his drink back, and clamped his pinky-red lips around the straw, that Byakuya realized just what he had done.

The two men, Captain and Lieutenant, had just indirectly kissed.

Please review! Milkshakes for those who do! (: