Hi everyone who reads and enjoys this story. I really appreciate the reviews; they've given me a truck load of inspiration to write. I just thought I'd take this opportunity to say thanks, and also to promote another story I'm writing under the same time line as this, it's called Blue Morning, and the main pairings are Ichigo and Rukia, and Ganju and Hanataro. Believe it or not, it will become a bit intertwined with this story, so if you'd like to read it, please do so.
Thanks a bundle.
**
Chapter Five
It had been nearly three years since he'd last seen Rukia Kuchiki. Renji sometimes wondered if she thought about him as much as he'd thought about her since the day he'd left.
He wondered if it was because he'd seen Byakuya the night before, that he dreamt of Rukia that night. Rukia, whose picture he kept as the screen saver on his phone, Rukia, who he missed more than anyone else in the world, but knew he could never see again.
They'd met all those years ago, in a foster home when they were children. In those days, Renji lived in a place called Karakura Town. He'd moved foster-homes once already, but from the age of five to fourteen, he'd lived in Karakura Town. He'd liked it there, he'd gathered up a group of little friends. All of them being kids with no family, they'd made a family out of each other.
Rukia had arrived at the foster-home three weeks after Renji. She'd been different from the other kids; she talked and acted a lot like a boy. She was very stubborn and mature beyond her years. She stuck up for some of the littler kids, even against bullies twice her size. She'd looked so… strange, a China doll stood between a group of big and nasty looking boys.
To Renji, she'd been his best friend, almost like the sister he'd never had. She was his family, and there was nothing more precious to him. His childhood years with Rukia and the others had been the happiest of his life. But then, as they got older, everything changed. One by one, their friends were adopted or fostered, until it left just the two of them. And then, when they were twelve years old, Renji got home from school to discover Rukia had been visited by the Kuchiki family, a rich and noble family.
She'd told him she was to be adopted. She was welcome to decline; and Renji, putting his own selfish desire for her to refuse, and stay as his family, told her it was okay to get adopted. He'd laughed and told her she was going to be better off, living in luxury, wearing nice things and eating nice things.
Of course, his Rukia knew him well enough to see he was forcing it. She'd had such a sad little smile on her face as she said, 'Oh… thanks, Renji', and let go of his hand as she walked off.
She was adopted, still living in Karakura town, but the rift between them slowly began to grow. Still it was around that time that Renji realized he was in love, Rukia had her own family; she wasn't his family any longer. He was so very much in love with her, but of course nothing in life goes according to plan completely.
As much as Renji fell for her, Rukia only thought of him as a brother and a best friend. It was Ichigo, who had been Renji's best friend at the time, who she fell for.
At first he was angry, drugged by complete soul-consuming rage, but then he just felt hurt and pathetic. It wasn't like a fling, she really liked him, and he adored her.
It was a little too much for him to bear, so he had it looked into, and he moved foster-homes to a whole different town.
"Hey, Renji, are you all packed for college?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it; I've been all packed up for a little while now. It's a killer when I need something though," he joked, smiling at the soft sound of her laughter.
"That's good then," she paused, and he could hear the traffic.
"Where are you running off too?" he asked teasingly.
"Well, Renji, don't get mad or anything," she was speaking like someone had told her he'd get angry, "but I stayed over at Ichigo's last night."
He felt slightly numb, his teeth almost cutting into his bottom lip, and then he forced calm into him like heroine, "Why would I get mad? It's totally fine, he's your boyfriend, why shouldn't you sleep at his house?" His words sounded calm, but he knew she was hearing right through him. He reached across towards the remote control and began to turn up the television, "Ooh, sorry, Rukia, I have to go – things are a little crazy here. Talk to you tomorrow – bye!"
"Hey, Renji–"
The red-head closed the call, it was then he realized his hands were shaking. Why couldn't he breathe whenever he thought about her with him? His throat felt tight, and he wanted to tear himself to pieces?
It had been nearly four years since they'd seen each other, Renji had been with others, but he couldn't get her off his mind.
**
"Hey, Renji, are you okay?" Izuru's voice took him from his dreaming, and the red head was completely consumed by a horrible feeling in his stomach. He lurched forward a little, and groaned, sitting upright, a hand over his mouth.
"I feel sick," Renji made a little wheezing noise, before scrabbling around for a bucket or a sink. Izuru yelled out in alarm, and reached out to try and wrench his friend towards the toilet.
This quickly turned into mission impossible, he could scarcely drag Renji across the floor, let alone pull him out of a bath and into a toilet, and do it fast enough to not be puked over…
"Argh – Renji, c'mon, help me a bit, use your legs," he groaned, trying to encourage his friend, who had a hand over his mouth, his legs flailing uselessly as if they were made of spaghetti.
"Need a hand there?"
He looked up the see the beautifully sinister teacher, Ichimaru-Sensei, leaning on the doorway, watching them both. Izuru gave a little embarrassed nod, and the man walked forwards and took ahold of Renji's other shoulder, hauling him out of the bath, and together they set him down infront of the toilet.
Izuru reached down to hold his long crimson hair out of his face as he started to vomit. It was a pretty disgusting noise, and he felt horrendously embarrassed as the silver haired man stood beside him quietly, as Renji 'got over' last night.
"He gonna be okay?" Ichimaru-Sensei asked, jerking his head in Renji's direction.
"O-Oh, yeah," Izuru nodded his head, unable to meet the other man's gaze, "We do this all the time – ah – I-I mean, I didn't mean my friend's a drunkard, he's not like this often – I'm just – urm… not worried?"
Gin blinked and looked amused at the young man's uneasiness, "Oh, I see how it is."
"I…" he managed to cool himself down, and nodded his head before looking sheepishly at the floor.
"I remember ya from this morning, Izuru Kira-kun, right?" he gave him a smirk, "Ya spend a lot o' time trailing after yer friends?"
Izuru nodded his head a little, "Yes, I suppose I do, sir."
Leaning over to him a little, he sniffed the younger male, "You don't drink much at these things, do ya?"
He shook his head, his eyes on the floor. For some reason whenever he was near the silver haired man he felt like shaking. He blushed and looked away from him.
"What're ya taking this year, Kira-kun?"
"Mathematics," he mumbled, Renji was just coughing now, at last he'd managed to stop vomiting.
"Ah, I think yer on my course," Gin grinned at him, "It's gonna be nice t' know someone already. Though," his lips formed a smirk which was more teasing than malicious, "Yer gonna have a tough time learnin' if ya can't even look at me."
Izuru's entire body went completely rigid, then he managed to stiffly raise his head to look up at Gin, his cheeks had gone completely red. "I can look at you, sir," the words found their way out of his mouth with the occasional stutter.
Gin's eyes opened a little, and then he gave a shrug, a smile on his face; he raised a hand and ruffled Izuru's hair, "I look forward to seeing you in class, Kira-kun." With that, the silver haired man left the bathroom, "Bye-Bye," he waved at him as he closed the door behind him.
And it wasn't until he looked up and saw his face in the bathroom mirror that he realized he was still blushing.
**
"Iba, have you seen Yumi?"
The older man shook his head, leaning on the wall of the house, his head resting against it, his cheeks slightly green. His other arm was wrapped around his own stomach, which kept making strange and unpleasant noises.
Ikkaku patted him on the back; he was feeling slightly smug about last night. The girl had approached him this morning, and they'd laughed about 'getting into the college experience'. He was a little curious about Yumichika last night, the last he'd heard Iba told him Yumichika was dancing in a big group.
"Noo," the older man groaned, slowing sitting down on his ass, holding his head miserably.
Ikkaku sighed, and headed back into the house, rubbing his head as he stepped over half conscious students, "Yumichika? Hello, Yumichika?"
He frowned as he saw a very refreshed Yumichika coming down the stairs; it was one of those habits his lover had which really pissed him off. Yumichika could drink loads and loads, be silly on the night; but be completely fine the next morning.
Ikkaku went to wave, when he saw Yumichika was deep in conversation with Shuuhei Hisagi, who looked exhausted and hung-over; however, he also looked completely happy.
His eyes narrowed a little as he saw Shuuhei's arms coil around the beautiful man's waist, and he nuzzled into his neck. Yumichika laughed, and tried to prop him up, "Come on let's get you a glass of water."
It was then Ikkaku realized, Yumichika was wearing Shuuhei's jacket from last night. The one he'd made such a fuss about Renji trying on. Not to mention that Yumichika had that sort of bright eyed look he always got after a night of passion.
This certainly wasn't what he expected.
For a moment, he felt a little pissed that some other guy had his hands all over something Ikkaku had taken first. But then a calmer feeling drifted through him, he and Yumichika had talked about this. They'd agreed on this, it was fair.
It was a good thing Yumichika had gotten into the college experience; he just didn't expect him to instantly go to bed with someone. He chuckled; trust Yumichika to pick out possibly the best looking guy here.
"Oh, Ikkaku, good morning," he said with a little shrug.
"Well don't you too look cosy," he smirked, walking up and kissing Yumichika on the cheek, "Good morning."
Shuuhei ruffled Yumichika's hair, "I'm gonna go make me some coffee."
"See you later," he waved at him, giving him a teasing wink, before leaning against the wall, staring back at Ikkaku.
"You slept with him, right?"
"Right," he shrugged his shoulders, "What was it like being with a woman?" He'd just about managed to cut the ice from his tone.
Ikkaku shrugged back, "To be honest I don't really remember. It was nice though, that girl was a real babe," he leant in and kissed Yumichika softly on the mouth, raising a hand to stroke his hair. "What was it like being with someone else?"
"Exciting," he admitted, wrapping his arms around Ikkaku's neck and kissing him incredibly tenderly, before pulling back and wrinkling his nose, "your breath smells like old beer."
The bald man laughed and smacked his ass as Yumichika walked past him; the slender male looked back at him and kicked someone's shoe at him playfully, before entering the kitchen.
Ikkaku shrugged and stretched out. He'd been a little surprised by this, although he'd instigated this in the first place; he'd never really expected it to last. He was sure if he'd woken up this morning to a hung-over and tearful Yumichika, who was sulking and hurt by him sleeping with someone else, he'd intended to call it off.
But Yumichika didn't seem upset or cold, infact he seemed playful and happy. This was probably for the best; Iba had gotten to him a little more than he thought he had.
**
"You do realize we're meant to be in class, don't you?"
That was a line nobody really wanted to hear as they sat around the living room, some people finishing off last night's alcohol, some were just chilling out and eating cereal.
Izuru had come downstairs, fully dressed, getting his things ready for class, when he blinked, spotting everyone else, and some people sitting with vomit stains on their shirts, with no intention to do much more.
"Dude, what's the rush?" one of the guys's asked him.
That was when he said it.
"Urm, no, term doesn't officially start till Monday," Renji called from his seat next to Ikkaku.
Izuru gave him a blank stare, "Today is Monday."
This seemed to cause a ripple of complete panic throughout the room. Those who didn't have class (about four out of fifteen) shrugged and sat back. Everyone else was on their feet, frantically getting their stuff, all cursing at Renji, who'd accidentally had them all under the belief it was still Sunday.
They were all running through the front door, Yumichika sighed and got up to follow them, when Shuuhei's hand caught ahold of his, and turned him around to face him.
"I'll see you later, okay?"
"Yeah, of course," he grinned at him, then paused, "Urm, Hisagi-san, we're not, dating or anything, right? I'm with Ikkaku, but it's… open for all, as it would seem."
The tattooed man chuckled, "I had noticed, Yumichika," he pinched his cheek, "But I still intend to see you later."
He smiled softly to himself and waved as Ikkaku called him from the front lawn, he dashed off to join his boyfriend.
**
Gin blinked as he opened his office door to find two men already inside. He raised an eyebrow, and folded his arms, keeping his calm expression, "Ya know it's rude t' go into someone's office without their permission."
"Forgive us, we're on orders," one of the cloaked men turned to face him. Gin sighed; it was Ulquiorra, one of Aizen's little toys. He could make out his pale skin and intense emerald eyes.
"It ain't breaking in if we have a key," snapped a rougher voice. Whereas Ulquiorra wouldn't remove his head, Grimmjow flipped his back, revealing bright blue hair and electric blue eyes. He smirked nastily at Gin, and raised a finger, he dangled a key from it.
"Fair enough," he shrugged, walking to his desk and sitting down. He was one of the few people in the country who'd show no fear at being confronted with one of these men, let alone two. "So Sosuke sent yer both t' check on me? How sweet o' him, I should send him flowers."
Grimmjow's eyes narrowed, "You takin' the piss?"
"A little," he shrugged his shoulders, "Ya got a message for me?"
Ulquiorra stood infront of his associate, and kept his eyes focused on Gin's, "Yes, Aizen-sama sent us with one. He'll be keeping a close eye on you."
Grimmjow nodded, clearly disappointed it was that and only that.
"Oh," Gin just gave them a cocky smile, "That's nice to know. So I suppose yer'll be on yer way? I mean, wouldn't want the students seein' the pair of ya, right?"
"Yes, of course," he bowed a little and headed for the door. Shooting a look back at the blue haired man who was glaring at Gin with some contempt. "Come along, Grimmjow."
"Yes, a good dog always goes back t' his master," Gin smirked nastily at him, leaning on his elbow.
"You'd know, right Gin!" He spat back, punching the desk.
His eyes flashed as he saw a dent, before looking up, "Oh, yer mistaken there. I'm more of a favourite son. Yer the dog the Master just doesn't have the heart t' put down."
"Why you –!"
"Grimmjow!" In an instant Ulquiorra was by his side, gripping his arm and yanking it back, his eyes narrowed, "Did you not hear me? I said 'Come along'."
Hastily yanking out of the hold, the broader man stomped out of the room, Ulquiorra following him, Gin gave them a mocking wave as they shut the door behind them.
*
Byakuya Kuchiki glanced down at the pants on the chest of drawers. He gave a little sigh as he glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It was unlike him to sleep in; he took his position as a student teacher very seriously.
Still, he didn't need to be in today. Aizen-Sensei had called him to say that it was probably best for the teachers to get to know their classes before any student/teacher was introduced.
His dark eyes drifted back to the pants Renji had given him last night, and he gave a little sigh, rolling onto his back. The last time he'd seen Renji Abarai, it was through the shaded car windows. He had gone with Rukia to see Renji off on his train out of Karakura. He'd waited in the car and watched them walk towards the platform; there were times Rukia enfuriated him very easily. And her ignorance to Renji's feelings were part of that. He'd known it wasn't his place to tell her, but he hated being so painfully aware of the red-head's feelings, where his adopted sister was completley unaware.
It seemed strange to think that the dirty bumpkin of a boy had grown into the young man he'd seen last night. There wasn't much of an age gap between him and Renji: Four years, seeing as the boy was a year older than Rukia. He supposed Renji was still embarrassingly in love with Rukia, Byakuya sighed and scowled at himself. It wasn't appropriate or necessairy for him to really care about a student, particularly a former best friend of Rukia's.
The elegant young man got out of his bed and tossed back his hair. He walked towards the mirror and caught a brief glance at his reflection, before he headed out of the bedroom, and towards the rather magnificent bathroom he had put into the model apartment on campuss.
No more Renji, he told himself, dusting off his hands and opening the bathroom door.
**
