Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters.
Note: Thanks for the many Gin-hating reviews^^! As promised the new chapter focuses on Renji. Enjoy!
Chapter 16:
When they had left the 4th division's quarters for a second time, Rukia and Renji walked slowly down the streets, side by side.
"She looked like she was having horrible nightmares", said Rukia in a strangled voice.
"Yeah", mumbled Renji. "And her reiatsu feels more than strange."
Suddenly, the small woman threw herself at him and began sobbing into his uniform.
Renji gently placed his arm around her and smoothed her hair with the other hand. Rukias hands clung to his back desperately, the nails digging in.
He did not mind the pain. He himself felt like hitting things so hard it would hurt.
"Why did they take her?", he murmured, more speaking to himself than to his crying friend. "She's not even a shinigami."
His chest hurt. Was it because Rukia pressed her head against him so hard?
It seemed like a long time until her sobs grew fainter.
Finally, Rukia looked up and rubbed at her face with her sleeve. Her eyes were rimmed with dark red.
"Thanks, Renji", she said and smiled through her tears.
The rest of the day seemed to pass very slowly.
Back at the 6th squad barracks, Renji was wrapped up in his own and his taichou's duties. Training the recruits, finishing letters and writing reports let him barely a moment to think.
Yet, he couldn't keep his mind occupied enough to block out the memories of that pale face looking up to him, now in so obvious pain.
He hadn't even forgiven her, before she was taken. Now the whole case about her engagement seemed unimportant, childish even. He wondered vaguely, whether her fiancé was allowed to stay at her side.
Renji shook his head to clear it and forced himself to concentrate on the documents before him.
He managed to make it through the evening alright, but too soon he found himself walking around in the office in search of more work to do.
He sighed. This is not me, he thought. Abarai Renji, hungering for work, who would've thought that?
He decided to head home. For a moment, he had considered going out for a drink with Ikkaku, but quickly abandoned the idea. He didn't feel like being around people now.
It was already dark outside, when he hurried home. Lamps had been lit and dipped the streets in mild golden light.
Heavy silence greeted him, when he entered his flat. Without pausing to make light, he put Zabimaru on the table and threw himself on the bed.
Time stretched out while he lay there on his back, staring into the blackness, his head empty.
His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything today. It took Renji all his willpower to drag himself up and trudge into the kitchen.
With his usual routine, he whipped up a meal and sat down to eat. Why was it, that even eating seemed to take so much effort?
He should have gone to the living world earlier, without Soul Society's consent. Fuck them and their stupid bureaucracy!
Rukia's face swam before his eyes, her almost hopeful tone when she said 'You really sure about it, Renji?' Yeah, he had been sure. They all were sure now.
He almost envied Rukia for her being able to cry. He didn't feel like crying. He was angry, he wanted to smash the world to pieces, he wanted to rush to Hueco Mundo and crush Aizen Sousuke under his heel.
A sudden pain in his right hand told him that he had unconsciously cracked his chopsticks. He threw the remains against the wall. They clattered to the floor with a sound that almost seemed like laughter.
Pull yourself together, Abarai Renji, he thought. Destroying your belongings won't help in the slightest.
In his head resounded the cool voice of his taichou. 'You should be aware of your position, Abarai-fukutaichou.' Damn him, speaking so high and mighty as if nothing mattered.
Yet, in the back of his mind, Renji knew that this was Byakuya's way of dealing with things. He had observed it on a number of occasions, Rukia's death sentence being one of them.
He sighed and tugged at his hairband. His red hair fell down and enveloped him in blissfull darkness.
How to set things right now?
Renji stood up slowly. He opened a lower cabinet and grabbed the bottle he had stored away there. 'Let's start with a good night's sleep', he thought and took a long sip.
How did you like it? Is Renji in-character? Please please review, it makes me really happy!
