Warning: IchiRen. Yaoi, Angst. Language. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: Yea, in my dreams.
Summary: Ichigo has nightmares on that certain day.
It was that day. The day that came every year, and the day that he dreaded. It was the day his mother died.
Ichigo stood under the warn spray, shoulders hunched, palms braced on the tile. It happened again. He'd had another nightmare. His tears mixed with the water running down his face. He sank to his knees, head in hands. Sobbing convulsively, he pounded the tub with a fist. Reaching for the knob, he turned up the heat. It stung his flesh and angry steam coiled. He couldn't feel it, too lost in the grief he still carried, even after all these years. Resting his forehead on the rim of the bath, he wrapped his arms around himself.
"Kaa-san," he sobbed. "Why? Why… Kaa-san…" rocking back and forth, he made no effeort to retain his tears. "WHAT THE FUCK DID SHE EVER DO?!" he screamed into the thick air of the small bathroom. Resorting back to pounding his fist against the tile, over and over, he shouted desperately. His knuckles were raw and bleeding, copper coloured liquid swirled around the drain, clashing with the bright porcelain. His orange hair stuck to his face and was plastered to his head. He knew he looked pitiful, but he didn't care. His pleas calmed and he drew in a shaky breath. Curling his knees to his chest, he rested his head in the crooks of his elbows, hiding his face.
He didn't hear the shinigami enter his currently lonely flat, didn't sense the reiatsu, wasn't aware of the red-head's presence until he noticed the disrupted spray. Looking up, he saw him. The tattoos, the outrageous hair, the red eyes. Renji…
"Renji." He whispered. He shot into his lover's arms, burying his face in the fuku-taicho's neck. Renji wrapped his arms around Ichigo's trembling back, rubbing soothing circles into the taught muscles.
"Shh, Ichi. It's Ok. I'm here. I'm here. Yer Ok."
"Renji," he repeated the red-head's name, his own personal mantra, soothing his frazzled nerves, safe from the nightmares in his lover's embrace. Renji tilted Ichigo's chin up with a finger, looking into the chocolate gaze. He rested his forehead against the younger man's and asked, "Are ya alright?" Ichigo nodded, leaning in and pressing his lips to the ones that he had become so familiar with, getting lost in the comforting sensation of Renji gently returning the kiss. He opened his mouth slightly, inviting Renji's tongue to twine with his own, sighing as some of the tension finally started to leave his body, he relaxed into the larger man's hold.
He could deal with the nightmares of his mother's death, as long as he had Renji to hold him when his tears flow and cease to come any longer. As long as he had Renji by his side, he could deal with whatever that stupid bitch life decided needed to be thrown at him. There was no question. As long as he had Renji.
Omake:
Moi: Hello! OK, so, this was pretty angsty. When I started to write this I had the intention of fluff. Wow. It really doesn't go with the series title at all. Oh, well. Thank you all for reading, and please review. Good bye!
Owari.