Chapter 3
Tatsuki watched him move around. He really had one very fine upper body. Every single inch was ripped muscle. His upper arms were bulging under all the tattoos. He was kneeling now with his back towards her and she saw that the tattoos went on. Up and down all around his back and shoulders and down to his …
"So, what's the last thing you remember before getting here?"
His deep voice resonated through the silence of the small room. She lay back on the futon, shivering from the cold air.
"I was at home in my apartment. It was late and since I had a hard day at work I went to bed. I lay down and was asleep before my head hit the pillow and then I woke up because something was dripping on my face. I opened my eyes and was in this forest and it was raining like a bitch. When I got to my feet you suddenly appeared out of nowhere before me and the rest you know already."
She took a deep breath and heard him moving around.
"Everything was normal that day? No visitors from here or hollows or stuff?"
She pulled her arms up and under her head and closed her eyes.
"Nope. A normal day. Got up in the morning, had a coffee, went to work, no time to eat between the practice sessions, more coffee, went home late after doing some paperwork, shower, coffee, bed. That's all. As I said, a normal day until I woke up here."
The futon dipped a little when he sat down next to her.
"Tatsuki, I'm now going to tell you something that you probably don't wanna hear. Please don't panic, okay?"
His tone was serious and she stiffened a little. It couldn't be that bad, could it? She nodded, eyes still closed.
"Sweety, I think you're dead."
Her eyes flew open in shock. All her thoughts scattered until just one sentence was left in her head I'm dead.
"It's the only explanation I've got for you being here without assistance of someone else. I'm really sorry."
His voice was low and empathetic. She turned her head to look at him. He sat next to her about two inches away. His shoulders slumped a little while his eyes locked with hers. There were emotions shining in them but she couldn't quiet place them.
I'm dead.
She closed her eyes and felt a tear slip down her cheek.
I'm dead.
Another tear.
I'm dead.
A sob.
I'm dead!
She curled into a ball and let her tears fall and the sobs escape. Her world was crumpling. She was dead. Suddenly she was enveloped with warmth and felt strong arms pulling her up and against a hard chest. She buried her head into his neck and let him hold her while she was breaking apart.
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He had no idea what to do. He had told her she was dead and she broke apart. Understandable. But what should he do?
He was never good with this kind of stuff. Rukia almost never cried and even when she did, she would run away. Rangiku sometimes cried when she was totally drunk, but then she would drink some more and everything was fine again. So what should he do?
She lay next to him in a weeping, sobbing ball. Should he talk to her? Or hold her? Tell her everything would be fine? He was at a loss, so he let his instincts take over as always.
Bending over her little form he pulled her against his chest and placed her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and lay one hand on the back of her head that was buried against his neck and the other around her small waist, pulling her firmer against him.
Hot tears fell against his skin while she lay in his arms shaking. He said nothing. Just held her tight against him until the sobs began to lessen and the tears stopped. And then still, he held her. She was so tiny against him. Not as small as Rukia but still. He could break her so easily.
They sat like this for a long time. No one uttering a word. Sometime her left hand came up to his neck while her right held on to the shoulder she was leaning her head on.
The fingers of her left began to play with the small hairs at his neck and he shivered at the sensation. She was doing it subconsciously he guessed but it still felt good. Normally he hated it when people touched his hair, but this felt good and he started to relax a little until her small voice vibrated against his skin.
"Renji, I'm cold."
She sounded like a little girl and utterly defeated. He lay down with her and rolled onto his side, Tatsuki still plastered against his chest. He pulled the blanket that was wrapped around her higher up so it would cover her shoulders and she snuggled even deeper into him.
Her head now rested on his bicep, her hands on his back and he pulled his right leg over her hips to give her as much warmth as he could. He closed his eyes at the sensation of her soft curves against his skin.
Suddenly she moved and pulled the blanket out from under herself and draped it over his shoulders so he was also covered with it. Snuggling back into him she brought her naked body flat against his bare one. Her ample breasts pushed against his pecs while his bare thigh was draped over her firm hips.
For a moment he didn't know what he should do. She was a friend of Ichigo. His now dead friend. And she was naked under a blanket with him also almost naked.
If Ichigo ever found out about this he would be dead. More than dead. Mutilated and hacked into thousands of pieces that even Captain Kuchiki with his Senbonzakura would envy Ichigo's work. But he shrugged inwardly.
Who wants to live forever, eh?
He pulled his arm under the cover and let it rest on the small of her back. His fingers drawing circles on her soft skin. Burying his head in her hair he inhaled deeply and smelled her own unique scent for the first time. She smelled of warm air with a little bit of lily.
Her arms came around his back again and her fingers started to play over his skin. She turned her head slightly until her breath tickled the sensitive skin just under his ear.
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She felt warm for the first time in hours. The shock of hearing that she was dead had left her drained of all energy and now all she wanted was more warmth. It didn't matter to her that she was naked under the blanked with a man she barely knew.
She just wanted more of the warmth he was giving her. She had felt numb until he had pulled her in his arms and made her feel at least warm if nothing else. She snuggled deeper into him, pushing her body flat against his much bigger one.
His hand lay on the small of her back and the heat it radiated almost branded her. But it didn't matter. She needed more. She turned her head so her face was against his neck were she smelled rain and earth and fresh air. Not the scents from outside but his own scent.
Her hand was on his back, feeling his strong muscles under her fingertips. He had held her the whole time and had soothed her through her break down. She should be thankful and she was, but she still needed more to feel.
She was afraid, that if she didn't do something to feel anything that she would stay in this numb state forever.
So she inhaled his scent again and pushed her lips softly against his neck right under his ear were his tattoo ended. The skin was soft against her lips and she kissed the spot again. His hand gripped her hip as her lips touched his skin. A low moan erupted from his chest.
"Tatsuki, I don't think that's a good idea." came his deep voice.
But she ignored him. She needed this. Trailing kisses along his neck and his jaw he pulled her even deeper against his body and she could feel the unmistakably evidence pressed against her belly that he thought it was a good idea.
Her hands slid from his back around to his chest and up until she could bury them in his thick hair. She pulled his head down to kiss her way further along his jaw and cheek until she felt the corner of his mouth.
"Are you sure want this?" he whispered against her lips but she didn't answer.
Instead she began to nibble his lower lip. He moaned deeply, his hand gliding up from her hip to her waist, her ribs, her shoulders, her neck until he cupped her jaw in his big palm, his thumb caressing her lower lip.
They looked into each others eyes for only a moment and he must have seen her need for this 'cause in the next moment his lips were on hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth, battling hers. There was nothing soft about this kiss. It was just need. As if they both needed this.
She stopped thinking at this moment and just let her body feel. His hands burned a path down her back while he pulled his leg off her and instead gripped here thigh and pulled it over his hip. It felt as if his hands were everywhere on her. The kiss grew even more feverish until it was a battle between them for dominance.
He rolled her onto her back, coming down between her parted legs without breaking their kiss. Her core was pressed against his abdomen and she couldn't hold back her own moan at how good he felt. His weight was pressing her down into the futon and he broke the kiss only to start a path down her neck over her collarbone until he reached her breast and began to nibble on her soft flesh.
She arched her back up at the feel of this, moaning loudly when he took her puckered nipple between his lips and sucked hard. She buried her nails into his back as he did the same with her neglected breast, throwing her head back with a scream of ecstasy.
She couldn't take any more without feeling him inside her, so she pulled his head up and he understood her directly as he took hold of her thigh, positioning himself and than he rammed into her with one hard thrust. They both gasped loudly and for a second they were both motionless, getting used to the other.
He was big and she could feel every inch of him inside her. He held her hip in a vise grip while the fingers of his other hand were wrapped around her thigh and she was sure that he would leave marks on both. He began to move.
At first slowly but after a few times his thrust were getting faster and faster. She didn't mind in the least 'cause that was exactly what she needed. Her hips moved with his on their own accord and it didn't take long for her to come. She screamed his name and bucked under him while he was still thrusting into her forcefully. She came down and was back high within a few seconds. He was incredible.
She was never one for vanilla sex. She loved her sex wild and hard. And he was just that. She pulled him down to her, scratching his back some more on his way, which elicited a loud moan from him. He was pushing her hard now and all she could do was hold on to him. When she felt him swelling a little inside her she acted on pure instinct and bit down into his neck. Hard.
He screamed her name and went stiff while he came with such force that she followed him into the abyss.
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THAT was the best sex he had ever had in his long existence. Holy Shit!
He lay next to her, breathing so hard that he feared his lungs would explode. She had scratched him like a wildcat but when he almost came she had bitten him so hard that all he could do was scream her name and spill himself inside her in the most amazing orgasm he had ever experienced.
She lay on her back next to him gasping for air while a very goofy smile started to stretch over her face. He pulled himself up on one elbow to look down at her. She was just breathtaking (in more than just one way) as she lay there with her alabaster skin glistering in the dim light and her long hair spilled around her like a halo.
She opened her dark blue eyes slowly and looked up at him, the stupid grin still on her face. He couldn't stop his own grin to form. Leaning down he placed a soft kiss on her lips before he pulled her on top of him and draped the blanket back over them. She snuggled into him while he held her in his arm carefully to not hurt her.
They both closed their eyes and it didn't taken them long to fall into a blissful deep sleep.
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Tatsuki came awake slowly. She had to still be dreaming of a warm beach with a soft breeze caressing the skin of her neck and shoulder and back... wait!
She wasn't dreaming anymore. There was no sand under her but a futon.
But if she wasn't dreaming then what was caressing her back?
In a flash last night came back. Naked skin, hot lips, hands roaming all over her...
She turned her head slowly to see Renji braced on one elbow leaning over her while the fingers of his other hand followed the lines of her tattoo down her back to her ….
With a squeak she scrambled up, clutching the blanket to her front. A low chuckle came from behind her and she gave him a murderous glare over her shoulder.
No one had ever seen the full extend of her tattoo not even Orihime. She knew the parts on her back but not the ones that came around her chest to curl under and around her right breast or the parts that went down over her left buttock to swirl around her thigh to end in the back of her knee (okay, the last part she had done only a few weeks ago and since Orihime was on a trip right now she hadn't had the chance to see it).
She loved her tattoo but it was nothing she showed around. There were just very few people that knew she had it and not one had ever seen the full extend of it. Until now. She was a bit uncertain how he would react. When she had ask people what they thought about something like this they told her that they don't like women with tattoos especially such huge ones. It wouldn't be feminine most would say.
His eyes went back down over her back until they came back up to meet hers. A soft smile on his lips he ask quietly.
"May I?"
He pointed at her back. She gave a curt nod. He had already seen it last night. He slid behind her and planted his legs on both sides of her. She pulled her hair together over one shoulder to give him a better view. His fingers followed the lines once again, making her shiver.
"It's beautiful. The one who made it was a true artist."
She felt him follow the line down her neck over her shoulder to her rips and around. His lips came down on her neck and he pulled her against him while his hands came around her to rest on her stomach. He is good!
But then he pulled back and let go of her, breathing heavy.
"That's not a good idea, Tatsuki. If we don't get going we'll be here for the rest of the day."
He gave her shoulder on last kiss before he got up and went to get their clothes.
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Renji could slap himself for his fucking conscience. Why the hell was he standing naked in the room, pulling on his still damp and dirty hakama while he had the chance to stay in bed with a beautiful woman all day?
Oh, yeah! 'Cause she is one of Ichigo's dear friends and he will kill you if he ever learned about what happened last night.
His life sucked sometimes. Pulling the bindings around his waist he cursed his luck until he saw her walk over to her clothes, naked.
He held his breath as he saw the real extend of her tattoo. Last night he was a little preoccupied with other things to notice it and when he woke up the blanket was around her hips concealing the lower parts from his view.
Holy Shit! Fuck!
Why hadn't he saw it last night? He could have had so much fun with it!
She bent down to get her pants, wrinkling her nose at the dirty material but pulled them on none the less. Next came her top which was obviously still damp since he could see her breasts quiet fine through it. She cursed when she seemed to notice it.
He couldn't take her to Seireitei looking like that so he retrieved his black kosode and went over to put it over her shoulders. She looked up at him thankfully and slipped her arms into the sleeves. Looking back down, a frown creasing her brows she turned around to face him.
He couldn't hold back for a second. He burst into loud laughter at her sight. The hem reached over her knees and the sleeves dangled empty at her sides since her hands were somewhere where his elbows normally were. She looked like a little child in one of her daddy's shirts. Tears began to leak out of the corners of his eyes thanks to his hard laughter.
She glared up at him, stemming her fists into her hips which just resulted in more laughter. Huffing she turned around and tried to roll up the sleeves without much success. Having pity with his little wildcat he pulled her back around and got down on his knees to help her.
When her first hand showed she stretched it out and ran her fingers through his hair, slightly scraping his skull with her short nails. A purr escaped his throat at the sensation and she giggled at the sound.
He got back up when he was finished with her sleeves and turned to pull his captain's haori over his otherwise bare shoulders. Zabimaru lay on the table and he put it in its usual place at his left side.
Turning he saw her finger-combing her hair when an idea hit him. They both would need something to hold their hair back, so he went over to the "bedroom", pulled Zabimaru out of its sheath and cut two strips off of the curtain. Sheathing Zabimaru he went over to her, handing her one of the strips.
"Thanks"
And with that she started to braid her long hair into one thick ponytail, securing the end with the strip. He pulled his own hair back and wrapped the material around it.
"You're ready?" he ask when he saw her getting up from the floor. She nodded and they went out into brought daylight.
He debated for a moment to investigate the case of the missing people but he had to take Tatsuki to safety. Decision made, he held his index finger up in the air and summoned a Hell Butterfly. Dictating his message he sent it on its way.
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Tatsuki stood there in awe. Everything looked so different in the bright sunlight. She noticed Renji holding up his finger and saw a black butterfly landing on its tip. He closed his eyes for a long moment and the butterfly flew away. She was curious.
"What was that?"
He came over to her, talking on his way.
"That was a Hell Butterfly. They are something like messengers for us. We call them, dictate them our message and they'll go to whoever the message is for and repeat it. They're quiet convenient at times."
A butterfly? As a messenger? Yeah, right!
The doubt must have shown on her face 'cause he just grinned before continuing.
"You'll get used to stuff like that. Now hop on so we can go."
He turned and bend down, arms stretched back. What?
She just stood there without knowing what he was talking about.
"What are you waiting for?" came his voice in a questioning tone.
"Why should I piggy-ride on your back? I can walk on my own."
She was truly confused. He took a deep breath and turned back towards her.
"We will not walk, we'll use flash-step. If we walk we'll need at least two days to get to Seireitei. With flash-step it will be about an hour. So would you please hop on, Tatsuki?"
He spoke to her in quiet but firm tones. But flash-stepping?
Ohh, no!
She shook her head, taking a step back. Her mind racing. She wanted to see Ichigo as soon as possible but racing through an uneven landscape using some foreign technique on Renji's back? That was a bit frightening (even when she would never admit it).
He came to stand in front of her, lifting his hands to cup her face.
"Listen Sweetheart, nothing will happen. I'll promise. You just need to hold on to my back and close your eyes. I'll hold you and before you know it we'll be in Seireitei. Everything will be fine."
She closed her eyes at his reassuring voice and warm hands.
"Promise?"
He kissed her forehead, mumbling against her skin.
"Promise!"
Taking a deep breath, she nodded and jumped onto his back before she could change her mind.
I'm crazy!
Her long legs wrapped around his lean waist, her arms around his neck, face buried between his shoulders. She held on for dear life as his hands took hold of her upper thighs, squeezing once.
"Ready?"
She nodded again and with that he flash-stepped away. The air left her lungs for a moment but after a minute or so she got used to it. The wind was whipping against her hands and legs and she could feel the movements of his muscles.
She turned her face slowly and peeked her eyes open. The landscape was a blur. She couldn't make out much. But it wasn't that bad.
"Renji?"
"Hm?"
"How can you see where you're stepping? It's all just a blur."
She was really curious. She felt his chuckle more than she heard it.
"I can see just fine. If you're used to flash-step, your eyes get used to it too."
She closed her eyes again 'cause the blurring was making her a bit dizzy. After a few more minutes she loosened her death grip around him a little and snuggled into his muscular back.
They didn't talk and the movements under her were making her sleepy. Before she knew it she drifted off.
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Renji could tell the exact moment she fell asleep. A little afraid she would slip off his back in this state, he paused and pulled her carefully around to his front. Her head rested against his neck and he tightened his hold around her small waist before racing on.
He let his mind drift off to what he should do with her when they arrived. He had no real idea. She sure would want to see Ichigo. And then?
Where should she stay? What would she do in the future? Only time would tell. He thought about the paperwork he still had to do and had to suppress a shudder. Oh, how he hated paperwork. But the Head-Captain would roast him if he didn't get it done.
His mind drifted off some more, the feeling of her small warm body tucked against him soothing. And before he knew it Seireitei was on the horizon. A few more minutes and they flew past the gate and entered the city of the Gotei 13.
He saw a few Shinigami giving him curious looks as he flash-stepped past them but that was one of the benefits of being a Captain. No one dared question you except the Head-Captain and sometimes the other Captains.
He entered the Squad Seven grounds and directly flashed towards his quarters. No need for his squadmembers to see their Captain like that. But luck wasn't on his side this morning.
When he opened the door to step inside his quarters he stopped dead when he saw Ichigo and Rukia sitting on his couch arguing like they always did. Their heads turned when they heard him.
"Yo, Pineapple. How was..."
Ichigo's voice drifted off as he noticed the small figure that hung to Renji's front. He cocked his head to one side, the always present frown on his brows deepened even more as he got up. Renji closed the door behind himself and stepped into the room.
"Keep it quiet, will ya? She's asleep."
Ichigo stopped and opened his mouth to say something but Rukia was faster.
"She? Who is that Renji?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Give me a moment and I'll explain."
With that he went into his bedroom and carefully put Tatsuki down on his bed, covering her with a blanket. He stared down at her for a moment. She looked so tiny in his big bed. A cough sounded from the door and he turned and walked out, closing the door to let her sleep peacefully.
He stepped into his living room to see Ichigo and Rukia standing with their arms crossed in front. It was Rukia who spoke first.
"Renji, who is that?"
Her brows raised expectantly. He sat down on one of his couches before answering.
"You should both sit down."
They exchanged a puzzled look but did as they were told, taking seats opposite from him.
"What's wrong?" it was Ichigo and he started to sound a little nervous.
Yeah, it just wasn't Renjis usual style to be so serious. He looked up at his friend.
"Ichigo, that's Tatsuki Arisawa in there."
No need to talk around. Ichigo's face fell.
"Ta...Tatsuki? But...How?"
Rukia's hand came up to rest on his shoulder. Talking a deep breath he went on.
"She's dead. I'm sorry, man."
Shaking his head in denial Ichigo sprang up and almost shouted.
"No! There is no way Tatsuki is dead! She can't be!"
His face a mask of disbelief and grief. Rukia stood in front of him, her hands pressed against his pecs.
"Ichigo! Listen! Calm down. We will sort this out. Renji, tell us the rest."
Ichigo had calmed a little, putting his hands on top of her smaller ones, squeezing lightly.
"I was in the 74th District looking for a place to stay for the night since it was raining like hell. There were no villagers there and I searched for traces of reiatsu in the vicinity and found one in the nearby woods. It was her. She had no idea how she got there, since the last thing she remembered was going to bed in the world of the living and coming awake in the woods a moment before I've found her. We stayed in one of the houses for the night and came here."
He let out the parts of her knocking him out and what happened the night since Ichigo didn't have to know all the glory details.
"That doesn't mean she is dead, baka! Someone could have brought her here!"
"There was no one else around other than the two of us. Trust me. I've searched."
Ichigo was loosing it again but it was Rukia who spoke next.
"Ichigo, Renji is right. The only way for her to be in Soul Society is to have died in the world of the living."
The orange haired Captain got up and started to pace back and forth mumbling under his breath
"That can't be! You're mistaken! I don't believe this!"
Ruffling his hair with his hands. Rukia and Renji looked at each other helplessly as the bedroom door opened to reveal a sleepy looking Tatsuki still wearing his kosode.
She looked around and her eyes landed on Ichigo who turned around to look at her with so much grief in his eyes that Renji had pity with him.
Time stood still for a moment until Tatsuki stepped up to her friend and punched him in the gut with so much force that Ichigo doubled over.
"Don't you dare look at me with those puppy eyes! It's not your fault that I'm dead so get a grip or I'll kick your ass again!"
He straightened up again and Tatsuki threw herself in his arms, crying and sobbing. Ichigo's arms came around her in a bone crushing embrace, a tear rolling down his cheek.