For a while, Renji had always fancied himself the alpha male. As a kid who didn't have much control over his own life in such a poor district, it was liberating to have people who listened to him and didn't mind getting bossed around by him when he got older. Sadly, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and ironically as he rose higher in power he learned more that once in a while he'd have to suck up his pride for the good of cooperation. So if Renji couldn't be the alpha, he'd give himself the beta position, at least. Maybe delta on a really bad day, just once in a while.

So how, Renji would find himself asking the night after his and Shuuhei's first official fight, did he suddenly find himself to be the chick in the relationship? The one that "wasn't ready"?

He wasn't the least bit submissive, to give himself credit. He loved being in control of kissing Shuuhei, pushing past gentle and sensual and taking Shuuhei's mouth hard with his own. He adored those moments when he could grasp and yank free a physical reaction of Shuuhei just from kissing and pushing their bodies against each other, and grew to live for the fiery glare and indignant blush that Shuuhei elicited in response to Renji's smirk when he managed to do just that.

Not even in the times when Shuuhei was the kisser and Renji the kiss-ee did he feel he was somehow being made to do something even slightly against his boundaries or that he was not in control. Shuuhei was very responsive to Renji's signals, slowing down or speeding up based on the pace Renji set forth even if it drove the scarred man crazy doing so. It was painfully fun to drive Shuuhei up the wall in that regard.

Sometimes, however, he was content to let attention be forced upon himself, and to let Shuuhei have his wicked way.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let him do that when Renji was trying to catch up on paperwork, however. Even if lying shirtless on Shuuhei's couch in the older shinigami's lap with a relatively simply report to fill the blanks in for was a pretty good place to be on nearly any given day.

"I have concluded that you are a vampire." Renji announced, twirling his pen around his finger in time with the rhythm of the sucking on his skin.

The heat of Shuuhei's mouth came away from Renji's neck with a wet sound, briefly accompanied by a tongue lapping at the attention-lavished spot before responding. "Hey, that's stereotyping. I am both offended and disgusted by your callousness. And here I was going to make you my love-slave of the undead."

"We're already undead." Renji leaned his head back to look at Shuuhei, giving the man a criticizing look. "There's no way my neck can still be this interesting to you. Don't you get tired of looking at the hickeys you make? Not to mention how embarrassing it's going to be for me here, let's not forget."

"There aren't that many marks." Shuuhei assures him, lovingly stroking the plane of skin on Renji's neck just below where his hair is tied up. His touch travels downwards, on the spine between Renji's shoulder blades, which have also been getting attention recently as per the lack of haori or shihakusho. Renji shivers at the touch, both because that's a sensitive area and because Shuuhei really needs to do something about the temperature of his hands. The guy has circulation issues, Renji swears. "I've been very careful."

"Whatever." Renji snorts, "Aren't you bored with sucking on my neck by now?"

"Ah, well." Shuuhei chuckled bashfully, "I've kinda been spacing out a bit and just did it without really thinking. What an absent-minded motherfucker I am."

"Vampire."

"Shut up."

That goes on for a little while longer, Shuuhei wrapping his arms around Renji' torso as he mouths the redhead's neck while Renji tries to concentrate and make a noticeable dent in his report. It's a pleasant kind of quiet, the the coldness of the air outside countered by the indoor furnace turned high and the sunlight happily blasting in between the muffled cover of closed curtains. They have moved past the need to cover silences with meaningless words.

Some words, however, need to be said. Maybe "need" is a strong word.

"Renji, are we gay?"

If Renji had been drinking a cup of tea he would have dramatically spat it out, dousing his paperwork in liquid. As it was, his pen stopped spinning between his fingers and launched in a windmill to the other side of the room. "I cannot believe you have waited until now to question this."

Renji slumps down in Shuuhei's lap so he can look up and make eye contact. Shuuhei bites his lip, eyes looking glazed over as if deep in thought. "Well, its like- okay, I know you don't really like hearing about my exes, but does dating you really discount like a hundred girls?"

Renji snorts again at "hundred". Shuuhei slaps the top of his head in response.

"Not the point."

Renji chuckles as he raises a hand to pat Shuuhei's cheek over the sixty-nine tattoo. "I guess that makes you bisexual, from a labelistic point of view. Congratulations."

Shuuhei still manages a dubious look, one eyebrow drawn up in doubt. "That's still kind of extreme for just one dude."

"Only one? Ever?"

"Well, okay, there may or may not have been a handjob I gave this one guy once."

"That sounds pretty not-straight to me." Renji observed frankly, "Why do you care? Are you going to tell people about… you know?"

Shuuhei's neck went red under his choker, and he ran his hands down Renji's chest nervously, tracing the outline of Renji's tattoos. "No. I mean, not right now. Maybe in the future, when we're both ready for people to know?"

Renji wants to grin and call bullshit on that, wants to denounce Shuuhei as the terrified closet case he really is. But Shuuhei is looking at Renji searchingly, eyes that are usually so narrowed in focus and constant concentration are now wide in doubt and fear. So Renji bites down his commentary for the first time in a long time, for both their sakes.

"It doesn't matter what you call yourself. It doesn't say anything about who you really are, right?"

It's a one-sided argument that feels empty, but one that will get them both through the day for now. Because Renji would be lying if he said the thought of approaching this new, strange, abnormalfeeling growing inside of him wasn't horrifying enough without reflecting that off Shuuhei.

"Nice hickey." Ichigo observed.

Renji slapped a palm to his neck, gritting his teeth. "Go back to work. We've got hollows to hunt."

Returning to fighting hollows in Karakura Town was a pleasant distraction from busywork in the Sixth Division. Or at least it would have been, save for a few distractions of Renji's own. Hiding the signs of Shuuhei may have been easier with all his other friends, but Rukia and Ichigo knew Renji too well to brush off the obvious stuff.

Plus, they were teenagers. They could practically sniff out romantic drama like hormone-crazed bloodhounds.

Hearing a familiar crash of a fist, Renji ducked his head on instinct. Overhead, the beaten, bruised of a hollow flew overhead. Whipping his head around, Renji saw Chad clench his super-powered fist. Uryuu and Orihime appeared aside him, running to join the three shinigami.

"I think we found the hollow." Rukia commented, taking in the sight of the trampled hollow.

"Sorry we're late. We came as soon as we could." Chad said, feet backtracking to stop where Ichigo, Rukia and Renji stood.

Ichigo set his sword back into place on his back. "Well, we're down one hollow to hunt thanks to you, so I think your timing is forgiven. I don't suppose any of you guys actually want to finish last period, do you?"

"God, no." Rukia agreed, brushing her bangs away from her face, "P.E. in a gigai? I think I'd rather clean bedpans for the Fourth Division for the class time."

Renji chuckled, putting Zabimaru back in its sheath to stuff his hands in his pockets. "Figures. How many times did I have to listen to you whine about physical training in the academy? I'm beginning to think maybe it's not the classes that are bad, you just suck at sports."

Rukia gave Renji a hard look, glowering seriously. "Beginner's kido class, freshman year."

"That's a low blow."

Ignoring the bickering of the two soul reapers, Uryuu looked down at his watch. The quincy sighed, "Well, there's only fifteen minutes of school left. We're not going make it back in time anyway."

Orihime beamed, clapping her hands decisively. "Well, It is Friday, after all! Let's go back to my place to celebrate! I can make snacks."

Stomachs dropped at the idea.

"That sounds like a great idea, Inoue." Rukia smiled indulgently, tapping Orihime's shoulder. "But we don't want to impose on your time, we can just buy some food on the way there."

The topic drifted, and seeing as the majority of the group were highschoolers the conversation moved to highschool matters. It had little to do with Renji, so he let his mind taper off.

They began the walk, trekking leisurely. "So have you guys decided what you're going to do for the school dance next week?" Orihime suggested to just about everyone there excluding Renji.

"We're having a school dance?" Ichigo asked, surprise obvious in his voice.

"They've moved up the 'Spring Fling'." Chad elaborated.

"You're kidding." Ichigo intoned, "There's still snow on the ground!"

Uryuu snorted, adjusting his glasses so the fickle light flickered off the lenses. "There was a situation with the budget cuts. Apparently the school couldn't afford to book a DJ any later than March. I don't see how it really matters, considering that no one ever goes to those dances, anyways."

"Oh, I don't know." Orihime said wistfully, a new spring in her step, "The theme is 'A Night in the Jungle'! Doesn't that sound sort of exciting?"

"Sure, if you're interested in that sort of thing."

"I guess you're right." Orihime admitted, "Still I think we should go. It might be fun!"

"It also sounds like it would be a wasted Friday night surrounded by people I spend five out of seven days a week around anyways."

"Ishida, your social anxiety is showing, again."

Renji never thought he would get tired of takeout. Cheap restaurant food was his passion, and his savior during the inexpensive school years. And yet, the udon noodles that had been sitting under a heating lamp for about an hour just weren't even nearly up to par with Shuuhei's home-cooking.

Thinking about that was kind of depressing as of now, as it only served to remind him of the current lack of Shuuhei in Karakura Town. The wistfulness was dangerously foolish, Renji realized, because he'd never be able to function if he couldn't go without Shuuhei for more than a day. Still, they'd seen so much of each other recently that the sudden lack of contact was sort of startling, like a withdrawl. Suddenly Renji was feeling a little crowded, and if anyone noticed when he slipped off from the group to finish his meal on Orihime's roof, they didn't come to satiate their curiosity.

At least not everyone.

"Hey, Renji." Rukia called to him, "Stop stuffing your face for a second."

Renji looked up, disappointment and noodles hanging from his face. "But… food!"

"Renji!" Rukia pressed. Renji watched as she shimmied out the window, crawling up on top of the roof and scooting over until she was sitting next to him. Her feet kicked listlessly against the air next to his as they dangled over the edge.

Renji set down his box of takeout and regarded her with suspicion, leaning back onto his palms. "I'm starting to realize that whenever you corner me away from everyone else you're going to say something I don't like."

In the dark, Rukia was rather difficult to pick out from the shadows, with only her pale skin and the moon's reflection off her indigo eyes standing out against the otherwise softened features of her face. "It's hardly my fault that you can be so difficult to talk to, sometimes. Speaking of which, I came up here for a reason. I have a proposition for you.

"No."

Her face dropped, bottom lip sticking out dramatically. "No? You haven't even heard what I was gonna say yet!"

"True." Renji said with a shrug, sitting up so he could fold his arms confidently, "But I don't trust you when you've got that 'Evil Rukia' look."

"At least listen before you make a judgment!" Rukia pressed, swatting Renji's arm. "Okay, I know you've got all these nameless mystery girls climbing over each other to slap hickeys on you, but if you had a real girlfriend you'd tell me, right?"

Well, technically. It was fortunate that Rukia was too absorbed in her own plan to notice Renji's response of a less than affirmative "Uh."

"You pass well enough as a highschool student, you know." Rukia continued, getting a faraway look in her eyes.

Was that a compliment or a derogatory statement?

Renji fidgeted in his seat on the roof, tightening his arms wrapped around each other. He cocked his head, suspicious and alarmed, "Rukia, what's this actually about? You're not, like… asking me out, are you?"

"What?" Rukia's gaze snapped back into focus. She made a face, sticking her tongue out, "Eww, no! Of course not."

Ouch, that hurt.

"Oh, well thanks for that!" Renji barked, mouth curling into a scowl.

Rukia put her hands up defensively. "No, no it's just- I mean, that'd be like dating my brother! I was going to say I think you should go to the school dance with Orihime!"

That wasn't what Renji had been expecting. His spine jolted in surprise, despite the fact that he still had to look downwards to make eye-contact with the shorter vice-captain. "Why Orihime?"

Suddenly, Rukia turned bashful. Her shoulders rose like hackles on a cat and her gaze drifted. "Well, I was going to tell you about this sooner, but you were gone so much last week. I think I'm going to ask Ichigo if he wants to go with me. I just don't want her to feel left out."

Oh.

Honestly, Rukia being interested in Ichigo wasn't a huge surprise. In a lot of ways they had an unhealthy obsession with each other. In a manner of speaking, Renji was sort of relieved. Vying for Rukia's attention as her best friend would be easier if Ichigo had a different role to play in her life altogether.

Still, there was the other issue he had with the situation. "Why me?" Renji pushed, "Ishida seems to like her!"

"Ishida and Yasutora are going together."

Oh. Again. Well, that also sort of made sense. Good for them.

"Come on!" Rukia demanded, giving Renji her best puppy-dog eyes, blinking at him innocently. "Orihime really wants to go and she'll be all on her own! You don't even have to dance, just dress adequately and get her punch. It's not like you've got an excuse to just sit at home in Soul Society all by yourself when there's a beautiful damsel in need of your help. Pleeeeease?"

"Well, er…"

Rukia pouted, clearly distraught that Renji wasn't bending to her will as easily as she had hoped. "Is there some reason you don't want to go? It's not... Lieutenant Hisagi again, is it?"

Ding ding ding, we have a winner. Renji's eyes flicked down to the streets below, momentarily wondering how he would have to position his body in midair to result in his death upon impact."

"He still has feelings for you? Oh, Renji, I though you resolved this!"

Okay, now is probably the perfect opportunity to just this issue as it stands- Come on, Renji, just tell the truth. He can resolve so many painful situations right now. It's right there. He's so close, just gotta-

Nope. Not happening. Renji is a failure.

"He doesn't." Renji insisted, making a motion with his hand that cut off Rukia before she could respond. "I've taken care of it. In fact, you're right! With that entire situation off my plate, there's no reason I can't go out and have some fun, is there?"

Shuuhei was not going to be happy.

It was the next day that Renji saw Shuuhei again. This time the dark-haired man was already in Renji's quarters when he arrived, happily chopping up vegetables on a wooden cutting board as if it was the most important thing he could be doing in the world. He gave Renji an endearingly lopsided grin when he came in, spinning the knife haphazardly and laughing when Renji ducked on impulse.

"How did you even get in?" Renji demanded, brushing off his nerves.

"Your door wasn't locked." Shuuhei said as he turned his attention back to the food he was disassembling.

"Yes it was." Renji argued.

"Well, your window wasn't."

"Yes, it was."

"Well it's not anymore."

Renji rolled his eyes as he carelessly threw his overnight bag in the direction of the couch. "You know, I could just give you my spare key. You're going to need it if you let me start to get used to coming back to my little housewife making me a home cooked meal." He teased.

Shuuhei turned from is work to give Renji a bitter glare, "Who said any of this was for you?"

"Notice how you didn't argue about the housewife part."

"Keep it up, Renji, and watch me laugh when you go hungry. I hope for your sake you ate before you came." Shuuhei snorted, "And here I was going to tell you about all the exciting new things that happened while you were away. Guess what happened yesterday."

Renji walked past and flopped down on the couch, lying lengthwise so he could watch Shuuhei in the kitchen as the man cooked. "Ikkaku finally grew hair?"

Shuuhei snorted. "In his dreams.

"Something blew up in the Twelve Division?"

"It doesn't count if it happens every day!"

"You learned what sixty-nine really means?"

"Smartass. No, guess again!"

"Just tell me!" Renji chuckled, throwing his head against the armrest.

Shuuhei put down his ingredients and quickly rinsed his hands before sliding to sit on the coffee-table in the living quarters. Renji smirked at the normally severe man's excitement. "You know who talked to me yesterday?"

"Who?" Renji asked dully.

Shuuhei smirked at him, smugness written all over his face. "Rangiku."

That relit Renji's attention. He wasn't sure how to interpret Shuuhei's pride about the situation, but he hoped it meant something good.

"Yeah, she asked me out on a date. And-" Shuuhei announced, lifting a finger before Renji could respond. "- I told her, with room for uncertain terms not employed even the tiniest bit, 'no'."

"Oh yeah?" Renji asked, "Was she upset?"

Shuuhei beamed as he spoke. "She was more curious as to why I rejected her more than anything. She asked me why I said no, and I told her the truth; that I was already seeing someone who was very special to me."

Renji's heart melted in his chest and he couldn't help the smile spreading across his features. "Aww," he cooed, "Softy."

Shuuhei's smile turned to an indignant scowl as he kicked Renji's shin. "How about you? Anything interesting happen in Karakura town, or just your basic hollow hunting trip?"

The gooey feeling in Renji's heart froze like ice. His hands went to his lap to fiddle anxiously, and suddenly the texture of the couch was very, very interesting. "Well… funny story, actually…"

"Shuuhei, can I come it yet?" Renji whined, hitting his forehead against the door.

Shuuhei's voice inside was only slightly muffled by the barrier of wall and wood. "Believe me, Renji, this is for your own safety. Just, you know, gimme a sec."

"It's not like I want to!" Renji protested, slumping against the door. "I didn't know how to say 'no'! It would have looked suspicious! And Rukia would have brought Inoue out and had her look at me with those big, sad eyes!"

"You know who else has eyes?" Shuuhei responded, irritation and disapproval obvious in his voice, "Me! They are staring at you judgmentally through this door."

"I feel their judgment. I do. Believe me, I get why you're mad." Renji began, reign in some control of the conversation.

Still behind the door, Shuuhei laughed. "Oh good. That makes everything all better! You know this is exactly what you were bitching to me about during our last fight, only reversed and taken to the extreme. What was it about wanting commitment, again?"

"Can you just let me back inside my own home yet, Shuuhei?" Renji pleaded, although it bordered on a growl. He looked nervously up and down the quartering area's halls. "Someone's gonna come out and see me and wonder why I'm talking to my door."

"Fantastic, you can ask them what you should wear on your date!"

"It's not a date!" Renji exclaimed, turning his body so he could lean one shoulder against the door. "I'd only be going to make Inoue feel better about all her friends hooking up all over the place without her. I'm probably gonna spend the whole night standing alone in the corner while she dances and chats with her friends. It'll be like I'm not even there!"

Silence came from the other side of door for a minute. Renji began to wonder if he should just go and hole up in one of his friend's places for the night. Maybe he shouldn't have made the housewife comment earlier, as now it seemed the metaphor had come to life.

Finally, a small noise like an exasperated sigh came from inside. The door slid open and suddenly there was a lack of door to lean on and Renji tumbled over back inside the room, sliding to the feet of a very annoyed-looking Shuuhei.

"It's not a real date, right?" Shuuhei asked seriously. Disappointment still dripped from his voice, but at least he didn't appear mad.

"Not even remotely a real date." Renji answered from the floor. "I swear, I'll take her straight home afterward and come back here to Soul Society and we'll never talk about it ever again."

Shuuhei still looked like he wanted to protest, his lips pressed dangerously. He ran a hand through his spiky hair, looking at the ceiling as if praying for patience before turning his gaze back down to Renji.

"Fine. But I don't like it. Get in here and eat your supper."

"Finally!" Renji bounced back onto his feet, smiling with relief in his voice.

Shuuhei snorted but closed the door after Renji as he entered. "You're just lucky you get away with everything because you're so damn cute."

"I forgive you for that, but only because I know you say it out of anger."

Author's note: Friends, countrymen, fanfiction readers. Lend me your ear. Or eye.

Through all of the support I've gotten on this (and know dearly that I love each and every one of you) I notice that I have maxed 65k words on this fic for this one pairing that so few people care about. This makes me happy, and not just because RenShuu makes me happy. You see I have been working towards a goal, and in less than ten-thousand words I will have reached that goal.

That's right. This is my dream.

To write a fanfiction longer than the first Harry Potter book.

You heard it here first, folks. The fanfic you are currently reading is literally the length of a small novel. I thought this was important to let you know. Thank you dearly for making this fantasy a little more plausible as I crawl closer and closer to my desired 75k words. I wish you nothing but happiness and I appreciate your support and patience. I hope you will continue to enjoy what I have in store.