I do not own Bleach!

Warning GuyxGuy, RenIchi!

Thanks for reading :D

Much much thanks to Red6 and Maru de Kusanagi for reviewing!

~Marlode~

Ichigo and Renji headed towards the city by flying over the hills. Ichigo had stayed silent, still trying to understand why this crimson haired 'Renji' would have a dragon.

Renji on the other hand felt awkward; this guy was the king of the land and he felt sort of disgraceful being next to him, or even around him.

'Why is that, Renji?' questioned Zabimaru.

'Because, I'm… dirty, and my clothes are a mess, and he's all fancied up in that suit o' armor, and I look like a friggin rat compared to 'im.' Renji bowed his head, he was no match for this fancy schmancy king.

'We are proud creatures Renji; beings such as you and I are not meant to feel walked on or lower than any other, we are at the top and we will beat anyone in our way.'

Renji smiled faintly and patted Zabimaru's head, internally responding,

'Thanks, you're a great guy.'

'I'm a female you idiot," the dragon snorted.

Renji paled, falling backwards on the dragon's back, shouting aloud,

"NO WAY?"

Ichigo turned his chocolate eyes to Renji while lifting one orange brow,

"What's going on Renji?"

"Zabimaru's a girl!"

Kurosaki stared at Renji for a while with a neutral expression, until Abarai asked him, "What?"

The king promptly fell forward onto Zangetsu's neck, laughing unabashedly.

"Ha, ha, oh really Abarai? Really? You didn't know that your own dragon was a girl? HAA!"

Renji glared at Ichigo with a soured expression while still laying on his back, until he abruptly sat up and began to wave his hands wildly, "Shut up! Shut up! How was I supposed to know?"

Ichigo sobered up, and looked to Renji with a serious expression; "Wait, so Renji, that means that your other half, your partner and your very soul… is a GIRL?"

There was an awkward silence, until Kurosaki burst into hysterical laughter.

"Oh shit! You're soul representative is a girl! HA HA HA! The part that completes you, is a FEMALE!" the king vibrated from his fits of laughter, clinging onto the leather straps attaching his hands to Zangetsu.

'AND SO WHAT IF I AM A GIRL PUNY HUMAN?' questioned a voice that could belong to that of a male or female.

Ichigo shrunk into his seated position on his dragon, "Um, I just think it's sort of weird for Renji, a guy, to have a soul representative that's a girl."

'IF YOU BRING THIS UP AGAIN IN THE DISRESPECTFUL MANNER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ADRESSING IT, I SHALL CRUSH YOU, AND TEAR YOUR INSIDES OUT AND HANG THEM OVER THE CITY WITH YOUR BLOOD RAINING DOWN ONTO THE WHITE WALLS LIKE RAIN.'

'Oh fuck,' thought a shaking Ichigo, 'Renji's dragon is pretty intense.'

"What he said!" yelled a crazily smirking Renji, who had leapt up into a standing position on the dragon's back once again.

'Do not insult a dragon's pride Ichigo; it will get you killed.'

'Hai, Zangetsu, I rather not have my insides ripped out.'

The king scratched the back of his head, "Sure, sure! I'm sorry, let's talk about something else!" he offered while smiling nervously,

and that was when arrows came raining from the sky.

"Shit!" yelled Renji, for all of the arrows were aimed at him.

"RENJI!" shouted Ichigo, and he was about to aim Zangetsu to fly to the other man's side when a wall of earth shot up between the two dragon wielders, shooting up into the high sky.

"Zangetsu, what's going on?" cried out Ichigo in desperation, for the dragon's claws could not grate through the dirt and grass, and the flame was bouncing right off and back into Zangetsu's mouth.

'Ichigo, I worry; those arrows were not average—they had scale piercing magic intertwined with the stone tips.'

"Shit, shit, shit! We just found Renji, we can't lose him!"

Ichigo snarled outwardly, and took one of the middle horns from Zangetsu's back and drew it from its horizontal insertion in-between the scales. The white horn was the hilt, and the brown, silver and black cleaver shaped sword was the blade.

'Ichigo, you have yet to fully master that sword's potential; you do not know how you may harm yourself!'

'Zangetsu, I'm not going to lose Renji.'

'But Ichigo—'

"I said I'm not going to LOSE HIM DAMMIT!"

He crawled forward until he was positioned over Zangetsu's massive head,

"Throw me up into the air Zangetsu, and catch me when I fall. You know what I'm going to do, so be prepared."

In response, the brown dragon threw his head upwards and sent Ichigo flying. The king raised his sword, and as he began to descend he shot the massive blade downwards, and smashed it through the wall of dirt, making it crumble. As he began to fall, he immediately felt a bump on his back from behind and was unsurprised to find himself seated on Zangetsu once more.

When the dirty haze cleared from the falling dust, Ichigo felt his eyes widen and his heart wrench at what he saw, and he urged Zangetsu to shoot forwards.

There in the middle of the sky was Renji and Zabimaru, both bleeding profusely and with arrows in both of them. Zabimaru was barely keeping afloat, her massive wings beating unsteadily, and Renji's sword hand and arm was full of arrows, sticking up in rows out of his flesh; other parts of his figure was also littered with the magically influenced arrows, which marred the contours of his perfect body.

"Ichi—Icshgo, help uh- help us," groaned Renji through gritted teeth and a blood filled mouth.

Whoever had attacked them was gone, and Ichigo briefly wondered what bastards had snuck up on them so that neither he nor Zangetsu could sense the assailants?

He thought this as he and Zangetsu Reached Renji and Zabimaru.

'Zabimaru,' communicated Zangetsu telepathically, 'if we carried Renji, do you think you could continue to fly until we get to the kingdom? They can help you and Abarai there.'

'Yes, Zangetsu, Renji sent out his own power to shield me from the brunt of the arrows' blows… I can fly for that far only. But we must hurry, Renji took more damage by protecting me, the fool.'

Zabimaru nudged the bleeding Abarai gently over to Ichigo, with as much tenderness as a dragon can muster. Ichigo took Renji gingerly, trying to avoid the arrows; which was nearly impossible with the amount that littered the tattooed man's body. Even then, he had to hold onto some of the cuts made by arrows that had flown by; yet they had not embedded themselves into Abarai's skin.

The two dragons took off swiftly, though Zabimaru had an uneven flying pattern with her wounded wings.

Ichigo held Renji, supporting the man's back with his left arm, and keeping Abarai's head on his shoulder he shifted him so that the wounded dragon wielder's legs were bent over his own. Ichigo did not know whether or not to remove the arrows; he decided not to, he'd probably make the damage worse.

"Renji, hold on, and don't fall asleep! I will keep you awake!" said Ichigo as he looked down onto the scratched face.

"Itchigo, I feel werd, weird… like, I've known ya for more thn now… like I've known… my whole damn life…"

Then Renji buried his head into Ichigo's neck, his lips in contact with the creamy brown skin. Ichigo blushed brightly,

"You're delusional! But that's better than being asleep I guess, and, and, I like pineapples, and I sort of like oranges… and strawberries are stupid…. And…. And…."

"Yer ramblin'," muttered Renji.

Ichigo shivered, that soft mouth had stroked against his neck when it moved to form words; and yet he did not move Renji's head from its spot in the crook of his neck.

Then again, it had felt as if Renji was very familiar to him, in a strange way. He didn't know him, but Ichigo felt that he was familiar; that he had known him longer than the mere amount of time they had spent together.

"Renji, I'm sorry."

"uhh?"

"I failed to help you in time," said Ichigo stiffly, while he was actually beating himself up inside.

"Shu- up. Ya tried, is- k…"

Ichigo shook his head, "I can barely understand you, Renji."

"Mm mssing up yer shiny armr, King Ichgoo…" mumbled Renji incoherently.

Ichigo barely understood what the man had said, but responded quietly, "My wardrobe will have to suffer for me not saving you in time."

"Wa—was that a joke?"

"A lame one."

"Noo, is fine… I like lame jo—" and then the red head began to heave, and flipped himself over without warning, leaning over Zangetsu as he threw up blood, accidentally shoving some of the arrows deeper into his stomach.

"Idiot!" yelped Ichigo as he took Renji's shoulders and watched the man heave more blood, until he finally slumped forwards to which Ichigo jolted backwards; making sure Renji wouldn't fall overboard.

The orange haired male held Renji as close to him as he could, wiping the bloodied mouth of the other with his black glove.

The king turned his head slightly, and noticed that they were approaching his kingdom.

'Finally,' Ichigo sighed in relief.

After Landing Somewhat Roughly, Renji's Dragon is Led Away to be Treated with Zangetsu to Watch Over the Treatment. Ichigo Carries Renji Bridal Style and Sets Him on a Stretcher Set Up by Medical Wizards.

Ichigo sat outside Renji's door, waiting for news of how the red head was doing. Every time a medic passed him, they would bow, and say their greetings to the king. As time wore on, instead of returning their greeting with a nod Ichigo merely ignored them, and closed his eyes, listening for the opening of the door to Renji's room.

After three hours, Ichigo was gently awakened by one of the Medical Wizards who was thanked and pushed aside by Kurosaki as he blundered into the medical room.

His worried expression turned into a smile as he saw Renji sitting up in bed, flexing his arms and bending his fingers.

"Ichigo," he said in wonder, "how did they do that? They took out all the arrows and now I feel perfectly fine!" exclaimed an exuberant Renji.

"You are still fragile Mister Abarai," said the head Medical Wizard, Unohana.

"You are to refrain from strenuous physical activities, such as riding dragons."

Renji gaped at her, "No way, lady! I will do whatever I want to, I feel fine!"

Unohana's smile turned chilly as she continued to look at Renji, "YOU WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY STRENUOUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS RIDING DRAGONS." Her voice did not get any louder, but the power in her words moved Renji to nod profusely, agreeing with her command. "Oh, and you're dragon is fine now," she added.

Renji nodded, "I know."

Abarai got out of bed, slowly, and was presented with a pair of crutches to help him stabilize his still healing body. He grudgingly took them under the watchful eyes of Unohana, and left the Medical Ward with Ichigo.

However, as soon as they got ten steps (for Ichigo), and ten slight hops (for Renji) out of the medical center, a porcelain skinned man suddenly stopped in front of them.

"Byakuya Kuchiki," greeted Ichigo, his posture straightening up further under the cold man's gaze.

"Who is this, man that you have brought?" questioned Byakuya.

"Well, we are going to figure that out tomorrow with the other elders Sir Kuchiki; in the meantime I will take Renji to his resting quarters."

Byakuya took a quick step forward, and grasped Renji's jaw with his long fingers, and moved his index finger to pull at the edge of Abarai's mouth.

Without thinking, Ichigo swatted the man's hand away from Renji; how dare he touch him like that?

Byakuya merely turned away from the two, and headed off, saying "I shall see you two tomorrow, early in the morning at the designated meeting time." And with that, he was gone.

Renji rubbed his hand over his mouth and jaw viciously, "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry Renji, I have no IDEA why he did that," Ichigo seethed.

Renji moved his face to rub into Ichigo's neck, whose breathing hitched.

"There, now I don't feel too weird anymore," grimaced Renji. "Who does that guy think he is?"

They both continued walking down the hallway, talking about how big the palace was, with the windows lined up upon the halls beside them, allowing the beauty of the surrounding land to peer into the castle.

Thanks for reading, thank you! I hope you enjoyed that :D

Please review kindly!

Ps: the pairing in this story WILL STAY RENICHI. It is not going to change.

Thank you!

~Marlode~