[Bleach] Shimmer
Aug. 31st, 2005 02:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonsheenToday I found myself alone in the apartment. My roommate was out. The rest of my roommates were out. I was, indeed, quite alone this establishment. My first, brief thought was: "...gee. I could close the blinds and walk around the apartment naked right this second and no one would ever know."
Which I proceeded to...not actually do. But it's the thought that counts.
This message is brought to you....with apologies to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pocky_slash, basically.
Anyway, it's August 31st. Thus, one Abarai Renji's birthday. In honor of this occasion I have written the most pointless fic ever. But you have to admit, the most pointless fic ever is kind of appropriate for a guy who blows his monthly salary on a crapload of sunglasses. Warnings for...Renji. And Rikichi. And Rikichi abuse. But also some schmoop. Because it's sure how I kind of like to think the aftermath of the Soul Society arc went. Set after chapter 181.
“…GODDAMNIT.”
Renji swung out onto the walkway and immediately had a foot fall through the boards. He pulled himself to safety, hands clenched over the rail—which was half collapsed anyway, bits of it swaying back and forth. He looked at the hole in the floor and spat. He stomped a heel down in spite. The rest of it promptly began to collapse.
“...cleaning crew hasn’t gotten here yet have they,” he snarled, when he stalked out from the wreckage, wood splinters in his hair and half a sleeve dangling. He reached over and tore the rest of it off, throwing it over his shoulder. Then, thinking oh what the hell he just did away with the entire top of his uniform. It was a hot day, anyway.
Rikichi watched with something of a pained smile. “...eheh. Yeah. Apparently one of the 12th complexes blew and some chemicals got out. They had to concentrate on that. People are changing purple.”
“Purple.”
“Yes.”
“As in the color.”
“Yes.”
“…where the hell’d you get that.”
Rikichi scratched his nose and coughed. “...Hanatarou-san’s a very bright shade right now.”
“Huh,” said Renji. As they reached a fork, he grabbed the boy by the back of his clothes, yanking him back. “Oi. Not that way. Dead end.”
“Dead end…?” Rikichi hopped precariously on the backs of his heels.
A hand fell across the back of his head. “Dead end! …jeez, you’ve been out and around for what? A week more than me? I don’t even know half of the goddamn damage--!”
The young 6th division officer rubbed his head sheepishly. “…I guess I just don’t have Renji-san’s famed sense of direction.”
“ ‘Famed’ nothing. More like common damn sense!” Renji hit him again, on principle. “FEH—Zabimaru get your quarters too?”
It took the boy a moment to catch up with the tone change—when he did, he laughed sheepishly. “…just a wall. And. Um. A roof. And half of the barracks...the 4th division offered space in one of the medical offices, though! It hasn’t been so bad…I’ve been doing most of the cooking--”
They hit the camellia grove, where the tiles had been ripped out from a distance. The trees, by some miracle, were mostly in tact, although thickest of the lot was missing the branch that had once hung over the steps. There were smashed blossoms everywhere. “Didn’t just go home?”
…flushing deeper, Rikichi shook his head. The beads in his hair rattled. “…didn’t think of that…”
“…yeah?” Renji stopped at the top of the steps, looking down at him as he reached the bottom.
Rikichi’s shoulders fell. “…didn’t want to think about that.”
“…Yeah?”
“I think I might be killed horribly the moment I step through the door.” Stumbling backwards over the torn tile, the officer shrugged for his troubles. “…but that hasn’t changed much. I wanted to keep Hanatarou-san company. And. Er. Renji-san’s favorite things…”
“‘Things’?” Renji eyed him. His expression grew very grave. “You don’t mean…”
“I was only able to save a couple of boxes of them, but...oh.”
…and Kuchiki Rukia was standing at the opposite end of the courtyard. She wore a light blue kimono, and her back was half turned to them. Hands filled with the less damaged flowers, she was eyeing them with a sour look.
“…bring ‘em later,” said Renji, shortly. “And tell those bastards that they can cook for themselves tonight or their Vice-Captain’ll throw ‘em on their asses. Again.”
“YessirI’lldothat.” Rikichi darted.
Renji heard the crash and grit his teeth. “And for fuck’s sake there’s no point in trying to jump the goddamn rails to get away when there are steps right there!”
“I know! I know, sir!” …the distant thump that marked the boy’s escape told him different, though. Renji stalked forward with a growl.
“Kid’s gonna break his neck one day--” Rukia glanced at him, petals falling through her fingers. “…and there was nothing to be done for it. Before you say anything.”
“Why would I?” asked Rukia, mildly, tucking one of the more complete flowers behind her ear. “If you wanted to take up pruning duties, Renji, it is most certainly not my place to comment.”
“BITCH I’LL KILL YOU.”
His words echoed off the walls louder than either of them intended. ‘Kill’ ‘kill’ ‘kill’. Rukia barely flinched, watching him across the ways. A wind blew. It ruffled her kimono sleeves. Renji stood with a fist brandished.
“…from all the way over there,” she said.
“…don’t think I can do it?”
“It’s awfully far.”
“DON’T THINK I CAN DO IT?”
“You probably shouldn’t unseal Zabimaru.”
His voice came suddenly from directly behind her. “Like fuck I have to.” Her eyes widened, she had barely seen him move—
--he was standing three paces away. His arms crossed, a half inch of fang showing from the quirk of one corner of his mouth. “Captain ain’t here, Rukia.”
“I know. Brother’s home right now.”
He said nothing.
Rukia traced her fingers absently over the uneven petals in her hair. She scowled. “…so really, fool. Who says that I came to see him.”
Still, Renji said nothing. He dropped his head a little to the side, lifted a shoulder slightly. She took the invitation, and walked to him. They found their way onto one of the less broken paths, a light wind combing through the clear skies above and around them.
“…you really wrecked this place didn’t you. Was this where you and Brother fought?”
“Farther down. Where those tower rows…used to be,” He indicated with a stiff jerk of his head. “This was just where the fifth and sixth squads tried to stop me.”
“…and all of them…”
“…hm.”
“Oh, brave Vice-Captain,” she said softly. “Such a career choice you made.”
“Shut up.”
She looked up at him. “I mean it. Brave, brave Vice-Captain, able single-handedly take down his whole division! Although…should I still call you Vice-Captain now? Would that still be appropriate now? Fifty years to get there, and he certainly chooses to a dramatic way to risk it all! Such daring! Such--”
“Rukia.” He pulled his lips back.
Her voice dropped. “Renji,” she said, taking a few steps ahead of him and swinging into his path, so he had to stop for her, and she had to stand before him. “Fifty years…is a long time isn’t it?”
Renji opened his mouth, and shut it. He looked off to the side, to a crack in the wall—and then he looked back, with an expression of one quite handily defanged. “It’s awhile.”
She slid her hands over the great curve of his forearm; she settled them farther down, near the narrower curve of his wrist, where she could still wrap her fingers around it so easily. “I forgot,” she confessed. “Did you know that? I forgot. Isn’t that foolish of me? I never meant to. I never like to. I prefer keeping things in order. It…is a point of pride, that I keep these things in…But this. I.”
“Rukia,” he said roughly. “Bitch. You never remember things unless you write it the hell down in one of those damn notebooks--”
“Thank you,” said Rukia all at once and, slowly, stretched as far as she could go, ankles still too well trained to shake at the balancing act it entailed, leaned up to kiss him—right on his wide, startled mouth.
Which I proceeded to...not actually do. But it's the thought that counts.
This message is brought to you....with apologies to
pocky_slash, basically.Anyway, it's August 31st. Thus, one Abarai Renji's birthday. In honor of this occasion I have written the most pointless fic ever. But you have to admit, the most pointless fic ever is kind of appropriate for a guy who blows his monthly salary on a crapload of sunglasses. Warnings for...Renji. And Rikichi. And Rikichi abuse. But also some schmoop. Because it's sure how I kind of like to think the aftermath of the Soul Society arc went. Set after chapter 181.
“…GODDAMNIT.”
Renji swung out onto the walkway and immediately had a foot fall through the boards. He pulled himself to safety, hands clenched over the rail—which was half collapsed anyway, bits of it swaying back and forth. He looked at the hole in the floor and spat. He stomped a heel down in spite. The rest of it promptly began to collapse.
“...cleaning crew hasn’t gotten here yet have they,” he snarled, when he stalked out from the wreckage, wood splinters in his hair and half a sleeve dangling. He reached over and tore the rest of it off, throwing it over his shoulder. Then, thinking oh what the hell he just did away with the entire top of his uniform. It was a hot day, anyway.
Rikichi watched with something of a pained smile. “...eheh. Yeah. Apparently one of the 12th complexes blew and some chemicals got out. They had to concentrate on that. People are changing purple.”
“Purple.”
“Yes.”
“As in the color.”
“Yes.”
“…where the hell’d you get that.”
Rikichi scratched his nose and coughed. “...Hanatarou-san’s a very bright shade right now.”
“Huh,” said Renji. As they reached a fork, he grabbed the boy by the back of his clothes, yanking him back. “Oi. Not that way. Dead end.”
“Dead end…?” Rikichi hopped precariously on the backs of his heels.
A hand fell across the back of his head. “Dead end! …jeez, you’ve been out and around for what? A week more than me? I don’t even know half of the goddamn damage--!”
The young 6th division officer rubbed his head sheepishly. “…I guess I just don’t have Renji-san’s famed sense of direction.”
“ ‘Famed’ nothing. More like common damn sense!” Renji hit him again, on principle. “FEH—Zabimaru get your quarters too?”
It took the boy a moment to catch up with the tone change—when he did, he laughed sheepishly. “…just a wall. And. Um. A roof. And half of the barracks...the 4th division offered space in one of the medical offices, though! It hasn’t been so bad…I’ve been doing most of the cooking--”
They hit the camellia grove, where the tiles had been ripped out from a distance. The trees, by some miracle, were mostly in tact, although thickest of the lot was missing the branch that had once hung over the steps. There were smashed blossoms everywhere. “Didn’t just go home?”
…flushing deeper, Rikichi shook his head. The beads in his hair rattled. “…didn’t think of that…”
“…yeah?” Renji stopped at the top of the steps, looking down at him as he reached the bottom.
Rikichi’s shoulders fell. “…didn’t want to think about that.”
“…Yeah?”
“I think I might be killed horribly the moment I step through the door.” Stumbling backwards over the torn tile, the officer shrugged for his troubles. “…but that hasn’t changed much. I wanted to keep Hanatarou-san company. And. Er. Renji-san’s favorite things…”
“‘Things’?” Renji eyed him. His expression grew very grave. “You don’t mean…”
“I was only able to save a couple of boxes of them, but...oh.”
…and Kuchiki Rukia was standing at the opposite end of the courtyard. She wore a light blue kimono, and her back was half turned to them. Hands filled with the less damaged flowers, she was eyeing them with a sour look.
“…bring ‘em later,” said Renji, shortly. “And tell those bastards that they can cook for themselves tonight or their Vice-Captain’ll throw ‘em on their asses. Again.”
“YessirI’lldothat.” Rikichi darted.
Renji heard the crash and grit his teeth. “And for fuck’s sake there’s no point in trying to jump the goddamn rails to get away when there are steps right there!”
“I know! I know, sir!” …the distant thump that marked the boy’s escape told him different, though. Renji stalked forward with a growl.
“Kid’s gonna break his neck one day--” Rukia glanced at him, petals falling through her fingers. “…and there was nothing to be done for it. Before you say anything.”
“Why would I?” asked Rukia, mildly, tucking one of the more complete flowers behind her ear. “If you wanted to take up pruning duties, Renji, it is most certainly not my place to comment.”
“BITCH I’LL KILL YOU.”
His words echoed off the walls louder than either of them intended. ‘Kill’ ‘kill’ ‘kill’. Rukia barely flinched, watching him across the ways. A wind blew. It ruffled her kimono sleeves. Renji stood with a fist brandished.
“…from all the way over there,” she said.
“…don’t think I can do it?”
“It’s awfully far.”
“DON’T THINK I CAN DO IT?”
“You probably shouldn’t unseal Zabimaru.”
His voice came suddenly from directly behind her. “Like fuck I have to.” Her eyes widened, she had barely seen him move—
--he was standing three paces away. His arms crossed, a half inch of fang showing from the quirk of one corner of his mouth. “Captain ain’t here, Rukia.”
“I know. Brother’s home right now.”
He said nothing.
Rukia traced her fingers absently over the uneven petals in her hair. She scowled. “…so really, fool. Who says that I came to see him.”
Still, Renji said nothing. He dropped his head a little to the side, lifted a shoulder slightly. She took the invitation, and walked to him. They found their way onto one of the less broken paths, a light wind combing through the clear skies above and around them.
“…you really wrecked this place didn’t you. Was this where you and Brother fought?”
“Farther down. Where those tower rows…used to be,” He indicated with a stiff jerk of his head. “This was just where the fifth and sixth squads tried to stop me.”
“…and all of them…”
“…hm.”
“Oh, brave Vice-Captain,” she said softly. “Such a career choice you made.”
“Shut up.”
She looked up at him. “I mean it. Brave, brave Vice-Captain, able single-handedly take down his whole division! Although…should I still call you Vice-Captain now? Would that still be appropriate now? Fifty years to get there, and he certainly chooses to a dramatic way to risk it all! Such daring! Such--”
“Rukia.” He pulled his lips back.
Her voice dropped. “Renji,” she said, taking a few steps ahead of him and swinging into his path, so he had to stop for her, and she had to stand before him. “Fifty years…is a long time isn’t it?”
Renji opened his mouth, and shut it. He looked off to the side, to a crack in the wall—and then he looked back, with an expression of one quite handily defanged. “It’s awhile.”
She slid her hands over the great curve of his forearm; she settled them farther down, near the narrower curve of his wrist, where she could still wrap her fingers around it so easily. “I forgot,” she confessed. “Did you know that? I forgot. Isn’t that foolish of me? I never meant to. I never like to. I prefer keeping things in order. It…is a point of pride, that I keep these things in…But this. I.”
“Rukia,” he said roughly. “Bitch. You never remember things unless you write it the hell down in one of those damn notebooks--”
“Thank you,” said Rukia all at once and, slowly, stretched as far as she could go, ankles still too well trained to shake at the balancing act it entailed, leaned up to kiss him—right on his wide, startled mouth.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 07:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 07:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 07:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 07:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 08:53 am (UTC)Why haven't I written down the characters' birthdays?? Why do I miss them all?? I was feeling like drawing Renji again soon, and it would have been perfect...
**hits herself**
Other than that, this was absolutely lovely. I love your Renji to bits!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-31 10:26 am (UTC)I am doing the thing with the squee! and the awww! and the incoherent flailing. And the. yes. I adore your Renji, and Rukia and her poking at him and the awww. Awww!
a crapload of sunglasses
They are SUPERCOOL X-RAY GOGGLES and it is absolutely imperative that he has them! Because they're necessary! Really!
(beeheeheehee.)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-09-02 12:49 am (UTC)♥
Just...
...
I have a ways to go before I reach your level.
I wax envy and admiration!
And it was simply perfect.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-09-06 08:14 am (UTC)