Title: Links of Copper
Fandom: Bleach
Characters: Kurosaki Renji, Ishida Hanako
Theme: Copper
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me, but Hanako and Renji are and I will hunt you down if you steal them. Srsly.

The pop of the pellet gun cracked through the air with an echoing bang, loud in spite of the surrounding cacophony that was a staple of any carnival. Nearly as loud was Hanako's squeal of glee, the high-pitched sound accompanied by the girl's enthusiastic clapping. Renji rolled his eyes slightly with a long-suffering laugh as he settled the rifle back onto the counter, mindful of the cabled chain linking it to it's place. Turning, he regarded his shorter companion with a wry grin.

"Hana, I didn't even hit it, you know."

The brunette shook her head vigorously, twin braids snapping like whips as she bounced on the balls of her feet, small hands fisted in excitement.

"But you still did really good, Renji!"

The youngest Kurosaki brother laughed, shrugging his shoulder slightly as he shoved hands back into his pockets. Sometimes it was a nice, refreshing thing that Ishida Hanako got so excited over something so simple. Other times, he couldn't help but laugh and roll his eyes slightly. But then, Hanako had always been like that, ever since he could remember. The youngest Quincy took after her mother, a cheery and smiling ray of sunshine flashing unbidden through the lives of everyone around her. It was a rare instance when a case of the doldrums couldn't be remedied by a twinkling flash of Hanako's grey eyes and an explosion of giggling laughter.

They'd been friends since before Renji could even recall, owing mostly to the close bond between their parents. Orihime and Rukia, despite their outward appearance of being polar opposites, were extremely close friends. In fact, Renji had heard his father remark on more than one occasion that the most frightening thing in either of the two worlds was when Kurosaki Rukia joined one of Ishida Orihime's 'girl-bonding days'.

His father invariably muttered it under his breath when his mother got ready to go, which inevitably led to her kicking him in the shins the same way Masaki always kicked Kaien. That would, in turn, lead to shouting on the part of his father, followed by bickering and yelling that would culminate in his mother grabbing his father by the front of his shirt and snarling that she was going and he could shut up about it, before she yanked him down to her level for a kiss. Having seen the slight grin on his father's face afterwards on occasion, Renji couldn't help but wonder if Ichigo didn't do it on purpose.

Tossing his head to shake longish black bangs from his eyes, Renji cocked his head to the side and watched Hanako as the girl squealed in delight over the stuffed animals at one of the other booths. It was almost like watching a scene from their younger days, so similar was it to innumerable times he'd watched his best friend's reaction when confronted by a plethora of plush coloured softness. Long brown hair streaming down the back of her blue - he sometimes wondered if Hanako owned anything that wasn't blue, white, or grey - coat as she clapped her hands together with a joyful exclamation over every button-eyed little face.

"Hana, come on! Let's get something to eat."

Glancing up with a smile and a nod, she darted easily over to him, stopping a foot or so beside him. He fought the urge to sigh and roll his eyes again as she seemed to catch herself before grabbing his arm and twining hers around, cheeks flushed slightly and eyes averted. Hanako had always been like that, it seemed, always easily flustered and prone to bouts of startled rambling. It was one of the things he liked about her, one of the things that was always fun and amusing and he couldn't deny that he was glad it hadn't changed as they'd gotten older. He'd grown up himself, not as tall as his lanky older brother, but broader and heavier-set - something he was secretly glad of - and at nearly seventeen, even he could note the marked resemblance between himself and his paternal grandfather.

The changes in Hanako seemed more marked in some ways, the pudgy little bight-eyed child she'd been a sometimes stark contrast to the apparently-composed young woman in her white and blue. At least... until she tripped, and it was back to the wild flurry of apologies and tumbling words and insecurities. None of which bothered Renji in the slightest. Hanako was his best friend, she always had been, and he honestly couldn't picture anyone else as the one he talked to, the one he confided in.

Which made her seeming embarrassment around him frankly confusing.

Their trip to the carnival hadn't started out as what looked suspiciously - to other people, he thought they were mental - like a date, despite it's current appearance. People always seemed to think he and Hanako were dating, and while it didn't really grate on his nerves, it seemed to distress her. Which had been why he'd bloodied Yuusuke's nose the first - and only - time the blond teased them about it.

Tonight marked the first time in awhile that those people he heard his father affectionately refer to as 'the old gang of nakama' had all gotten together with the purpose of simply enjoying each other's company. No fighting, no hollows, just... fellowship. It had been his family, Hanako's family, Yuusuke and his uncle Kisuke, Sado, Tatsuki, even Hiyourin's family and his uncle Renji had shown up. The only conspicuously absent face had been his Uncle Byakuya, and as far as Renji was concerned, that was fine with him.

Yet somewhere between his father getting into an almost-brawl with the uncle Renji himself was named for; and his mother getting that scary look on her face as she'd advanced towards the Chappy-themed booth with Masaki in tow he'd realized that they'd all somewhat paired off. His father and Hanako's father had followed along behind their respective wives, both with long-suffering looks on their faces - his father's far more pronounced - as they found themselves weighted down with parcels.

Chad and Tatsuki had wandered off towards the strong-arm contest booth, shepherded along by Tatsuki's echoing talk of how she was going to make a bundle. Urahara and the ever-present Tessai had melted into the crowds, the former making insinuating comments at Jinta and Ururu, the taller of whom launched loud red-faced protests. Yuusuke had, to her startled surprise, asked Renji's flustered older sister to accompany him. Hisana had turned crimson and simply allowed herself to be led towards the rides. Summarily deprived of both Hisana and Yuusuke's company, Masaki had latched onto the unwilling figure of Souken and demanded he keep her company, in spite of the older Quincy's protests. Hiyori had dragged Shinji off towards the food stalls, sandal brandished in her hand.

The only odd ones out were the younger Shinji, who was a loner to begin with, and his uncle Renji, who followed along after Ichigo's group. Even his own oft-antisocial brother had contributed, silencing a complaining Hiyourin with a sudden and unexpected kiss before simply taking the stunned blond girl's hand and leading her off.

That one had stung slightly, but he'd realized a year ago that his crush on Hirako Hiyourin was just that; a crush. A momentary infatuation borne as much out of regard for Hiyourin herself as from a desire to surpass his brother, whom she adored. Either way, the group's splitting up had left him and Hanako alone, so he'd simply done what he'd always done, and grabbed her hand to lead her towards other venues.

It had been an enjoyable evening, and by the time the sun had sunk below the horizon and heralded the multicoloured explosion of lighted lanterns, they had ridden nearly every ride, and played nearly every game. Hanako's long braids were slightly frizzed from whipping around her head on the roller coaster - not that she hadn't squealed with glee as it went upside down - and she was munching contentedly on her blue and purple puff of cotton candy as they walked, a plethora of stuffed animals and other favours tucked beneath the arm of her white sweater.

He himself was carrying the more unwieldy objects - the 4-foot tall purple stuffed gorilla, the enormous bag of taffy candy, and the huge inflatable sun-bonnet - as well as the intricately painted water balloons and the 3 goldfish in their small bags. Gaze focused more on negotiating the crowd of people with as little collateral damage as possible, Renji nearly tripped as a small, slightly sticky hand caught his sleeve.

"Geez, Hana, don't do that! You'll make me drop everything!"

As soon as he said it, he mentally scolded himself for snapping at her. Hanako was an extremely sensitive girl, and criticism from him always hit her harder. But as he maneuvered himself around to see what had caught her attention, there was no heralding of tears. In fact, her grey eyes were focused in rapt wonder at one of the other booths. Well, not exactly at the booth itself, but at the display of sparkling, multi-coloured jewelry standing next to it.

There was no need to ask, the awestruck way she was gazing at it was plain to see. Besides... girls liked pretty things, right? Shifting the larger things he was carrying, he stepped over to her, orange eyes sizing up the game that went along with the display, stifling the grin as he did so. It was too perfect; one of those things where you had to hit the metal plate at the bottom and send the weight up to strike the bell.

Perfect...

He'd always liked his shikai, the rune-covered black blade with it's heavy width and imposing length, and he'd always enjoyed the fact that hefting that hunk of metal gave the added benefit of more strength than even his stocky frame belied. Handing off the lighter things to Hanako, he set the giant plushies down and passed a few coins to the vendor. Stepping over towards it, he reached down and picked up the hammer, testing it's weight as he grinned at Hanako.

"Pick out the one you want, Hana!"

With a laugh, he swung the mallet down towards the target, stepping back to watch as the weight soared up to slam into the bell with a resounding clang that echoed over the cheers of the crowd. Hanako squealed in delight, bouncing up and down as she clapped her hands together, parcels and prizes forgotten in an abandoned heap at her feet - Renji took a moment to be mentally thankful he'd set the goldfish down with HIS stuff - as she dashed over to look at the wide assortment of trinkets. As he gathered up his armful of prizes, she made her selection and happily took the bracelet from the vendor, slipping the simple linked chain around her wrist.

"So... why the copper one, Hana? Wouldn't you rather get something nicer?"

The dark-haired shinigami frowned slightly as he studied her new bracelet, coppery eyes tracing over the diamond-shaped links with their delicate tracery of geometric etching on them. It was pretty, no doubt, but it still seemed rather plain in comparison to some of the gem-studded and more ornate things she could have chosen. Not to mention, just the fact that it was copper, instead of gold or silver, was strange in his opinion.

Clutching her hand close to her chest with a happy smile, she shook her head.

"I like this one because it's the same colour as Renji's eyes..."

Her voice was quiet, wistful. Almost as though not aware that she was speaking out loud. Something about the tone of her voice was different, and Renji felt his stomach knot up and his cheeks warm as he stopped, staring at her.

"Wh...Hana...?"

As though just suddenly realizing what she'd said, Hanako's eyes widened impossibly and she devolved into a flurry of red-faced sputtering, playing her fingertips across the links of the bracelet.

"I... that is... I mean..."

She swallowed, biting her lip as her eyes began to tear up slightly.

"R...Renji's my favourite...and...and..."

And suddenly it all made sense. The way she'd been acting, the way her voice always shook when she spoke to him, even how she could never seem to meet his gaze for long. He could feel his cheeks warm as he thought back to all the times he'd teased her for her shyness, laughing at the way her face reddened and she cut her eyes sidelong at him, white teeth gripping her lower lip as though she wanted to say something that she couldn't get out. Hanako...liked him. Maybe even... loved him. And he'd just been so oblivious the entire time to what was right in front of his eyes. Renji inwardly cursed himself for it as he tried to think back to when it must have first started, ashamed to acknowledge the likelihood that she'd probably harboured feelings for him for quite some time and simply...never spoken up.

God... I'm such an idiot...

Anger joined the shame, anger not at her, but at himself. How many times had he filled her ears with his complaints, his wistful yearnings for Hiyourin's notice, for the things his brother had so easily? How many afternoons had they spent together sitting on a hillside or wandering the shops in town while he droned and rambled on about his troubles or his problems and she listened as silently and raptly as though he were imparting the secrets of the universe to her. How it must have hurt her...

Swallowing, Renji raised a shaking hand to clumsily tuck a stray strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear. Hanako's eyes widened, tears brimming at the corners as though she were expecting nothing but the rejection, the - what must have been obvious to her - revelation that she was merely a friend, that her feelings were trivial or misplaced or even just a 'Sorry, Hana, but I can't see you as anything but my best friend.' The slight glisten of fear and trepidation in her eyes cut deep, but it did more than that. His own heartbeat quickening, for the first time he could ever remember, Renji looked at her.

And didn't see his best friend.

What he saw instead, was a sixteen year old young woman with long chocolate-brown hair and big grey eyes set into a perfect heart-shaped face. A girl standing on trembling legs, gloved hands clasped beneath her chin, every line of her body drawn with nerves and tension and hope. He saw the way her cheeks flushed from the cold but also from her proximity to him, and the way her face seemed to lean unconsciously towards his hand as it lingered by her jawline. And in her eyes... he saw everything. Everything she wanted, everything she treasured, and everything he'd never bothered to stop and notice that he wanted as well.

He saw the one he had treasured most all along.

Renji had never been much of one for words. Sure, he was better at it than his brother, yet another fact that he felt inwardly proud of, but he was no poet to spout lovely words and thoughts and feelings. Catching lower lip in his teeth for just a moment, the black-haired shinigami sucked in a quick breath and hesitantly closed the distance between them to brush lips softly against hers. He heard and felt Hanako's startled gasp as she tensed for one second, two seconds...and then relaxed into the kiss, tentatively pressing lips back against his as her fingers slowly unclenched from each other. Taking her acceptance as initiative, the teen gently cupped her face in his hands as he deepened the kiss slightly for another moment or two before pulling back to meet her shining, tear-filled gaze. Hanako opened her mouth to say something, but he silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"Hana... I'm so sorry. I was so busy looking for something else... that I never noticed what I already had. Can you forgive me?"

The girl's face broke into a smile as she sniffled and wiped her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. Even still, more tears kept coming and the only response that Hanako could make was to nod before burying face into the front of his shirt. Startled at first, Renji simply sighed, shaking his head with a soft chuckle and wrapping arms around her to rock her gently. There would be time enough later to figure things out more. Right now...this was enough.