Author's note: Wow. I'm so sorry for the long wait! I've been super busy. But here's the next chapter.
Also, I need an opinion. For Renji's birthday (yes, I know it probably the wrong season and that, but I want him to celebrate his birthday in the real word), I want him to go somewhere (with Byakuya, of course.) So, the options are: Swimming, or a Theme Park. You tell me, please. I'll go with the one with the most votes.
Thanks for your reviews! (:

~Rainbow Fruit Loop

Blossoming Romance
~Chapter9~
S h o p p i n g & C o o k i n g

Renji sat, massaging his temples, on the end of Byakuya's bed. He was cursing himself for the conversation a few hours ago.

Man, why do I always think it's a good idea to talk about my feelings…?

Byakuya was in the shower, and, when he was finished, the two were going to go grocery shopping.

It was such a human thing to do.

Byakuya had decided that he was becoming bored of eating takeouts. So they were going to try and cook something.

Renji sighed, and continued massaging his temples.

He heard the shower turn off, the door opening, Byakuya stepping out, and the shower door closing.

It really was a small room.

"Captain…?" Renji asked, for no particular reason. He just wanted to hear his Captain's voice.

He was tired, and, therefore, couldn't be expected to think properly.

He heard Byakuya sigh in irritation. "Yes, Abarai?"

Oh God. Now I've gotta say something.

"Er…"

Renji decided to apologize for speaking so intimately last night, or rather, this morning.

"I'm sorry about before." He looked down at his hands.

"Before? Please elaborate." Byakuya said from behind the wall.

"Ya know. Talking about life ambitions and everything."

The Lieutenant heard the hair dryer start.

Hm. He dries his hair with a hairdryer?

While Renji had finally made himself shut up last night, he had cursed himself for their conversation.

I can't believe I almost told him the truth...

Going on about how I'm falling in love.

And to think… he doesn't want to fall in love ever again.

Renji frowned to himself, his heart feeling heavy.

He may as well have been rejected.

His conversation with Captain Ukitake had been a waste of time; he couldn't get Byakuya to fall in love with him, no matter how hard he tried.

Renji never thought that he'd think this, but he wanted to go back to Soul Society, and be away from Byakuya.

It hurts to be in his presence.

He wanted to see Matsumoto. She always had a large supply of alcohol. Alcohol was what he needed at the present moment.

He needed to get completely and utterly wasted.

He needed to forget that the man he was falling in love with never, ever wanted to fall in love again.

What a waste of time.

I should just tell him that I don't want to stay here now, that I want to leave.

Byakuya's cold voice brought him back to reality.

"You shouldn't speak about things you don't understand."

There he goes again, talking about how he thinks I can't fall in love, because I'm too young.

Blah, blah, blah.

"I do understand, though." Renji murmured, looking downwards.

"I beg your pardon? You're mumbling, Abarai."

Just then, Byakuya stepped out from behind the wall. Renji's annoyance, and wishes to leave, disappeared.

It was the first day that Byakuya had worn his new, from-the-Real-World clothes.

…I bet he would look jaw dropping-ly gorgeous in a bin bag.

His Captain was wearing black and white converse sneakers, and a black button-down shirt. Obviously, he wasn't wearing his kenseikan, so his ebony hair was hanging loose down his shoulders.

But what surprised Renji the most, was the pair of black, incredibly tight jeans that hung low on his Captain's thin hips.

Oh. My. God.

However, if Renji thought that his heart was going to stop by merely looking at Byakuya's body, then he was in for a shock when he looked at his Captain's face.

He was pouting.

Byakuya Kuchiki, the twenty eighth head of the noble Kuchiki family, and the Captain of the Gotei Thirteen's Sixth Squad was actually pouting.

Whether or not he was aware of it, was irrelevant to Renji.

"I look like a commoner." Byakuya said, as he looked in the mirror. The look on his face was one of distinct unimpressed-ness.

"Ya look friggin' hot." Renji blurted out, without thinking.

…Oh crap.

"…Excuse me?" Byakuya raised one of his delicate eyebrows, daring Renji to say it again.

"Ya look… human, Captain." Renji sighed.

The two Shinigami made their way into the grocery store.

"Do ya know what we need?" Renji asked.

"Of course." Byakuya said, brushing his hair out of his face.

He grabbed a trolley which lay discarded next to the bananas.

"I'll take that, Captain." Renji said, pulling a lopsided grin. He made to grab the handle on the trolley next to Byakuya's hands, but misjudged the distance.

His large, warm palm covered Byakuya's own cold hand.

Byakuya froze.

He looked downwards at their hands. It seemed as though Renji had given him an electric shock; his fingers were tingling.

Byakuya felt his heart rate speed up.

He swallowed.

He realised that Renji's hand was still on top of his; he didn't seem to be thinking about moving it.

And the weird thing was, Byakuya didn't want him to.

"Oh, oops. Sorry, Cap'n." Renji said, grinning sheepishly. He moved his hand.

Byakuya's hand suddenly felt very cold.

He stayed silent, not trusting himself to speak.

Physical contact with my Lieutenant shouldn't make me feel like this.

"R-right-"

"Ya know, I have to get things for Matsumoto." Renji interrupted.

"Such as…?" Byakuya asked, thankful that the subject had been changed.

"She said 'girly magazines'."

"…Of course. Can we get suitable magazines from this shop?" Byakuya asked, making his way over to the vegetables.

"I think so."

The two fell into silence, leaving Byakuya to think.

I am very curious as to who Renji thinks he is in love with.

More interested than I think I should be.

Maybe I should ask him?

"Abarai, I am very curious as to who your 'love interest' is." Byakuya said, trying to sound offhand and casual.

"Are ya?" Renji asked, picking up two carrots, putting them in a plastic bag, and putting them in the trolley.

"Indeed."

"Why's that?" Renji asked.

His question made Byakuya think.

Why am I so interested?

It has nothing to do with me.

Byakuya picked up a corn cob, and put it in the trolley. "You seemed so sure of yourself, that's all. I would just like to know who it is."

"Oh." Renji was silent.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Er, no. But, I s'pose ya can guess." Renji scratched the back of his neck. "But only one guess per day."

Byakuya frowned to himself.

"But, in return, I get to ask you one question. And you have to answer truthfully." Renji finished.

"…Alright" Byakuya heard himself agreeing. "But you, in turn, have to answer my question honestly."

"'Kay." Renji grinned.

For some reason, his slightly lopsided, sheepish grin made Byakuya's heart melt.

I haven't… felt something like this since Hisana died…

Is it possible that I, Byakuya Kuchiki, am attracted to-?

"What else do we need?" Renji interrupted Byakuya's thoughts.

Byakuya looked down at the list he had written.

"Diced chicken."

"Where's that…?" Renji mumbled to himself.

Byakuya followed him, glancing upwards at the suspended signs, which were telling him which products were in each isle.

Renji located the 'frozen meat' isle, and made his way down it.

"Is it, by any chance, Rukia?" Byakuya found himself asking.

Renji glanced at him, and his eyebrows pulled together. "Rukia? No way."

"Are you telling the truth, Abarai?" Byakuya asked disbelievingly.

"Of course. That was a rule, wasn't it?"

"Yes. However, I… thought it was Rukia." Byakuya said, picking up a black, Styrofoam tray full of diced chicken.

"Nah. We're friends, that's all."

Byakuya was silent.

Well, I wonder why he says that 'it will never happen'.

Surely, someone like him has a decent chance with, well, anybody.

"My turn!" Renji said enthusiastically, steering the trolley the 'dairy' isle.

"Fine." Byakuya braced himself for his Lieutenant's question.

"What's it like… being a Noble?" Renji asked casually.

"A Noble…?" Byakuya repeated, frowning slightly.

"Yeah. I mean, people do things for ya. Everyone respects ya." Renji said, stretching upwards to grab a packet of cheese.

"There is a fine line between respect and fear."

Byakuya noticed that, when he stretched upwards, Renji's dark grey t-shirt would ride up slightly, revealing the tanned skin of his toned hips.

It was very inviting.

… I can't believe I just thought that.

"Yeah. I guess." Renji said, chuckling. "So, c'mon. You haven't answered the question yet."

"It's… not as great as people think it is."

"Really?" Renji looked honestly surprised.

"Yes. People expect things from me. Sometimes… sometimes I think how different my life would be, if I had a normal upbringing." Byakuya said, surprising himself.

I had never really thought about it, but it is true.

My life would be so much… easier, if I was not a Noble.

I could do what I want… and choose who I want.

"But you're lucky. I mean, I grew up in the seventy eighth division of Rukongai. It wasn't exactly… ideal. But it's okay. I met Rukia." Renji grinned.

"Hm." was the only sound Byakuya offered.

"C'mon. We only need to get Matsumoto's magazines now." Renji said. "Then we can leave."

Renji winced as he looked at the recipe. "Aw, man, we're gonna fail so badly." He murmured.

"What was that?" Byakuya asked, glancing at his Lieutenant.

"Nothing!" Renji said brightly.

The two men were squished up in the small hotel room kitchen.

Renji was wearing a red apron, for, what Byakuya presumed was, comedy relief.

Said Lieutenant was holding a recipe for chicken and carrot soup.

"Right. What do we need to do first?" Byakuya asked, tying his hair up.

"First….'Cut the carrots into small cubes.'" Renji read out loud. "Ha, ya could use Senbonzakura!" he joked. When Byakuya gave no response, Renji stopped grinning, and reached for two knives.

Gee, take a joke, Captain.

After the two men had cut the carrots up in silence, Renji reached for the recipe with his now orange-stained fingers.

"Combine the carrots and the gravy in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and stir it often."

"It doesn't mention the corn." Byakuya said frowning.

"Maybe ya have to do that separately?" Renji pondered aloud.

"Cook it by itself, or eat it by itself?" Byakuya asked, the frown still on his face.

…This is why I don't cook.

"…I dunno."

"Well, it is in our best interest to follow the recipe." Byakuya said, raising his chin slightly.

"Yeah." Renji agreed.

"We need a saucepan now." Byakuya sighed.

It was very unlikely that the hotel kitchen would have a saucepan.

"Um. Well," Renji paused as he ducked down underneath the drawer full of plates to search for a saucepan. "Will this do?" he held up a pan, and grinned sheepishly.

"Do you want stir-fry?" Byakuya asked, raising his eyebrows.

"We don't have a saucepan in here, so this'll have to do."

Byakuya shook his head disdainfully, but said, "Indeed."

The Vice Captain stuck the pan on the heated element of the stove, whilst Byakuya combined the two ingredients in said pan.

Renji located a wooden spoon, and started stirring (perhaps a little too manically).

People say that cooking is such a chore. But it isn't! This is simple!

Unfortunately for him, Renji had put the element on too high a temperature, so the bottom of the pan caught on fire.

Oh God. I spoke too soon!

"Argh! What do we do, Captain?" Renji asked, startled at the smoking carrots.

He started blowing at the fire, which only supplied the flames with more oxygen, therefore making them bigger.

Byakuya raised his eyebrows, amused. "Abarai, remain calm, and for God's sake stop blowing." he said. "Turn the heat off, and transfer the 'soup' into this bowl." He handed Renji a large polka dotted bowl.

Well, it's good that someone here knows how to handle a disaster.

Since the carrots and gravy had been well fried, and Renji had put out the fire (with the aid of a wet tea-towel), he looked at his recipe. "It says: 'Add the chicken, and cook for fifteen minutes, or until the chicken is a light brown.' Why don't you do this part, Captain?"

Three wooden spoons, two knives, one pan, one fire, and a mess later, Byakuya and Renji had actually produced an edible soup.

"Well, I'm proud of our efforts." Renji concluded, as he lifted his spoon up to his lips. "Even if I did almost burn down the kitchen."

Fool.

Byakuya watched as the Lieutenant blew on his soup.

He, too, took a sip. It was surprisingly nice.

Hm.

"I suppose I agree." Byakuya murmured.

Renji grinned. "You know, I don't think we'll get food poisoning."

"Don't tempt fate." Byakuya warned.

"Ya believe in that crap?"

"I guess." Byakuya shrugged, and flicked his fringe out of his face.

"Why?"

"You only get one question a day, remember?" Byakuya asked, his eyebrows pulling together.

"Oh yeah." Renji shook his head. "My rules. Hey, who's gonna wash up?"

Byakuya was silent.

"Paper, scissors, rock?" Renji asked. "I'm good at that."

Byakuya rolled his eyes at his Vice Captain's maturity, and held out his palm.

"Paper, scissors, rock." They said in unison. Renji was grinning, whereas Byakuya's face was as expressionless as always.

Renji looked down at their palms. His own hand was clenched in a fist, whilst Byakuya's was outstretched.

"Paper beats rock." Byakuya said, pushing his bowl towards Renji, a small smile gracing his features.

"Damn it!"

Byakuya never lost at paper, scissors, rock.

Never.

Renji groaned, and Byakuya sighed.

"Here, I'll help you."

And, as he stood up and stepped towards the kitchen, he missed the affectionate smile Renji cast his way.