Disclaimer: Don't own, if I did, Rukia would be dead, Hanatarou would be king and it would be a LOT more yaoi-ey than it already is! ; )
A/N: Okay, so I had a rockin' day so I decided to write the next chapter! (Jumps for joy) This is where the story gets interesting but no lemon, yet!Gomen, gomen, suimasen geez! Well without further ado, enjoy the fic and R&R or you can say sayonara to this lovely little confection!
It had been three years since Renji had met Ichigo, three years of swiping from the markets, playing in the forests and hiding about learning everything there was to know about one another. Everyone referred to them as 'brothers' because they where so close and always looked after each other, though there was never a repeat of the little kissing episode. What they didn't know was that their three year anniversary of meeting was the day that their lives would change forever.
Ichigo lounged on the bank of the murky Roku-juu-kyu River, sharpening a large stick to a fine point by skidding it across a grainy rock. Renji sat beside him, groaning and whining, "Strawberry! I'm so hungry! Why didn't we bring food?"
Ichigo sighed, standing up and steadily crept into the shallow depths of the river, focusing all his attention on a single koi that was weaving gracefully in the water. "Shut up Pineapple, I'll get you something, one second." He bit his lip as he aligned the sharp point a foot overhead the fish, his tangerine spikes falling in his face. In a flash of skill and precision the point sunk into the koi stilling it, as he lifted it from the water, smiling, "now let's cook it before I punch your face in, you dumb toad." Ichigo slunk out of the water as Renji began to gather sticks in a disheveled pile.
They where about to set the fish over the kindling when they realized they had nothing to start the fire with! "Oh great, fucking fantastic!" Ichigo curse, feeling his own stomach grumble in need.
Renji contemplated whether he should do something or not, he had never kept any secrets from Ichigo so he had to come out sooner or later. "Hey Ichi, stand back." Ichigo gave him a questioning look but complied and watched as Renji pressed his palms firmly together.
He screwed his face up in extreme concentration as a faint glow began to emit from his clasped hands. The glow grew larger and more apparent until it became a perfect ruby orb. Ichigo sat dumbfounded, completely in shock, 'what is that thing?' He gasped as Renji lowered the orb to the pile of sticks catching the firewood aflame. Suddenly realization dawned on him and it felt like being plowed by a speeding truck, 'that was Renji's spirit energy!' Ichigo jumped up excitedly as flames danced from the makeshift bonfire and the dead koi began sizzling, "you can do it too?!" Ichigo asked hurriedly grabbing Renji and hoisting him up into a tight hug. "I thought I was the only one! I thought I was some kind of freak!"
All worries of separation quickly fled from Renji's mind at these words, "you can summon spirit energy too?"
Ichigo nodded wildly as he pressed his own palms together, producing a large emerald orb with relative ease, "what does it mean Pineapple?"
Renji chuckled warmly, "it means once the people of the Seirietei, the Soul reapers, discover our spirit energy, they'll summon us to the Soul reaper's Academy, we'll have a chance to make something of ourselves Ichi!"
Ichigo smiled brightly but his smile slowly faltered, "But what about the others?"
Renji clasped Ichigo's hands, staring into his warm, chocolate brown eyes, "as long as you have me then we don't need anyone else! C'mon Ichigo, we don't have to be hood rats anymore, we don't have to steal anymore," he cupped Ichigo's face in his hands as he tilted their foreheads together so they touched, the firelight ghosting over their features, "we don't have to hide anymore."
Ichigo took in a sharp breath, "but if we move to the Seireitei, what if one of us exceeds the other and has to move on?"
"Then we'll wait for each other, helping along the way and offering encouragement, we won't let those snobby stiffs get in the way of us becoming great!" Renji smiled as he slowly placed his lips on Ichigo's, the familiar taste of salt-water and rock-candy ghosting his dry lips. He wrapped his arms around Ichigo and held him until the fire burned out and the thoroughly cooked koi lay waiting to be eaten. He kissed Ichigo again as the ambers gave an orange glow to the two young boys, the stars above twinkling magic around them. Renji's eyes locked on Ichigo's as their lips parted, "and no one can bring us down."
Ai O Anata-no Kudasai
A/N: Yay! Okay okay, I'm sorry for the lack of lemony-goodness but I swear next chapter will be tinged with citrusy flavor! I had an awesome day so instead of lazing about I wrote chapter 3! Yayyy! R&R or Ichi and Renji will end up falling in love with two extremely annoying yaoi-hating girls!
P.S. I'm thinking of throwing in Bya-bo in the mix later, if you appose say "ne", if you support then say "hell ya threesome!"Sayonara, Doomo Arigatou!