Our Lady of Aggressive Indifference (scathachdhu) wrote in oya_ajere, @ 2007-09-13 18:28:00 |
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Entry tags: | bleach, renji, renji/rukia, rukia |
Esquilax, Bleach, Renji/Rukia
Not betaed, so will edit as I find things. Not serious. Around 2300 words.
A cheer went up as yet another toast was raised. Renji grinned to himself as he watched Rukia finish her drink, her movements slow and deliberate. He'd never seen her drunk before, but it was looking promising.
She probably thought she was maintaining her usual perfect posture, but sometime after the fourth toast she'd begun to list to one side, never losing her cool, superior expression.
Captain Ukitake was leading the proceedings from the front of the room, a light flush on his cheeks from his own drinking. His eyes traveled the room constantly, looking over his subordinates and their guests, making sure all was in order. But his gaze returned to Rukia time and again, with undisguised affection and pride in his eyes. Captain Kyouraku occasionally leaned over to speak to his friend with a teasing grin, while Ise Nanao kept a careful watch, ready to swap sake for water as soon as she'd decided her captain had had enough.
It seemed like the entire 13th division had turned out to celebrate Rukia's promotion to fourth seat. At any other party, Renji would have been getting drunk with Hisagi and Kira, but he found himself sitting alone against a back wall, content to merely sip and watch Rukia as she accepted congratulations from her fellow division members.
"Abarai-kun! What are you doing all the way back here?"
He looked up to see Kotetsu Kiyone looking down at him with a small frown. "Same thing you are," he said, pointedly taking another drink.
"Why aren't you up there with Kuchiki?"
Renji shrugged.
"But you're very important to her! What if she thinks you're not here?"
"She knows I'm here," Renji grunted.
"You should go up there anyway," Kiyone said, her face earnest.
He downed the rest of his drink before pushing himself to his feet. Rukia was starting to look a little glassy eyed, and her list was becoming a definite slant. "Yeah, she's not looking too good. I'll catch you later, Kiyone-san."
Renji worked his way through the crowd, grumbling as someone spilled their drink on his sleeve. Rukia was perched on a cushion at her captain's side; she might have passed for sober if not for the leaning, and the fact that she'd been staring at the same spot on the wall for five minutes. He nudged her with the side of his leg, pushing her upright.
She blinked, turning and facing him slowly. "Renji."
"You alright?"
"I am fine," she told him, lifting her chin.
Renji raised an eyebrow, snorting when she began to tilt back in the opposite direction.
"Think it's time to cut you off," he said, moving to her other side to push her upright once again.
Rukia chuckled, the laugh growing into something Renji didn't trust at all. Her dark eyes shone with a dangerous light as she reached for the bottle of plum wine in front of her.
"Nah, that's it," Renji said, bending down to catch her hand. "Time to go, Fourth Seat."
She narrowed her eyes, then suddenly, beamed at him. "Very well, Renji."
"Ah fuck," he muttered, hauling her up as gently as possible. "I'm taking her home, sir," he said, turning to Ukitake.
"Just take her to the barracks, Renji-kun," Shunsui called. "The Kuchiki estate is pretty far."
"Uh, well..." Renji said, looking down at Rukia, who was now smiling beatifically as she leaned against his side. "I told my captain I'd make sure she got home."
"Ah." Ukitake smiled. "Say no more, Abarai-kun."
"Can you walk?" Renji asked her.
Rukia gave him a scathing look and pushed off from his side, each step placed with exquisite care as she headed for the door. Renji put a steadying hand between her shoulder blades anyway.
Once outside, Rukia stopped walking, eyes on the ground.
"Rukia?"
She didn't respond.
"Hey," he frowned, "are you gonna throw up?"
"No," she said, raising her head.
Renji heaved an enormous sigh and picked her up, settling her against his chest. "Come on, dammit."
Rukia was quiet for the first few minutes, but then she began to squirm.
"What the hell are you doing? Knock it off or I'll drop you."
"You had better not," she said darkly, jamming her foot between two of his ribs.
"...the fuck? Are you climbing me?" he growled, reaching for her.
Rukia looped her arms around his neck and swung around to his back. Renji grumbled, but hooked his arms beneath her legs and kept walking.
"Let me know if you're gonna get sick. If you puke on me, I really will drop you."
Her only reply was a snort, recognizing the threat for the bluff it was. Renji shivered at her warm breath on the back of his neck, and searched for something to say to distract her.
"Ah...they did a good job with the party."
"The captain insisted," Rukia murmured, laying her head down. "He is very good about that sort of thing."
"Your captain's a good guy," he agreed. She nodded against his back, and Renji cleared his throat. "You deserve it, anyway," he said, feeling his face heat.
She didn't respond, but he felt her arms tighten around his neck briefly. Or, you know, maybe she was slipping. He hitched her up on his back just in case.
The walkways of Seireitei were almost eerie at night, only the occasional distant sound breaking the echo of Renji's footsteps off the surrounding buildings.
He'd begun to wonder if she had passed out when she spoke again. "Your hair..."
"Move if it's in your face," he said absently. "Or, you know, you always could get down and walk yourself."
She ignored him. "It looks black."
"Yeah, well, it's dark out, dammit."
"You should not have black hair," she said, her voice stubborn.
"Good thing I don't, then," he grunted. Using shunpo was a good way to make her throw up all down his back, so he'd just have to get her back to the Kuchiki estate the hard way. Which apparently meant listening to whatever the fuck popped into her head at any given time.
Rukia grumbled, but didn't respond, which Renji hoped meant she was done. A few moments later, he felt her fingers dragging through his hair.
"What now?"
"Quiet," she said, her heel thumping his thigh. "Turn here."
"I know how to get to your house, bitch," he growled, turning the corner.
"Good for you," she said. At the next turn, she thumped his thigh again and made a soft clicking noise. And she still wouldn't let go of his hair.
"You're so fucking weird," he sighed.
She gave another dark laugh, but didn't say anything. For the next few turns, she kept making that clicking sound and tugging on his hair.
It was kinda annoying, but way less trouble than she could have caused, so he ignored it. But the more she did it, the more it needled him, and he couldn't help thinking she was doing something really really fucking wrong. When it finally came to him, he froze, stopping short in the middle of a wide plaza.
"Rukia..." he gritted out.
"Hmm?"
"I am not a FUCKING HORSE!" he roared.
He stood motionless as the last echoes of his voice faded away, seething as Rukia pulled her hands from his hair.
"Of course not," she said, sounding almost sober.
Renji didn't trust her, but they couldn't stay there all night, so he adjusted his arms and resumed their trip back to the Kuchiki estate. But a few moments later, almost too soft for him to make out, he heard her click her tongue beneath her breath once again.
"That's it," he snarled. He stalked over to a bench, shadowed beneath an elm tree at the plaza's edge. Whipping around, he slid his arms from beneath her legs. She stumbled as she landed, clenching a hand in his robe to steady herself.
Her brow furrowed and her mouth puckered in vague irritation. "Honestly, Renji, you've become so sensitive lately."
"...bitch, I will fucking kill you."
"We should spar sometime," she said, drawing him closer.
"Did you even hear me?" he howled.
"Yes, yes. Did you hear me?"
He made a disgusted noise and pulled away, his clothing slipping through her fingers. He lifted his face to the sky; a veil of clouds drifted across the half-moon, momentarily dimming its light.
"Are you leaving?"
He looked over his shoulder at her. The white at her collar and sleeves stood out, the rest of her appearing to recede into the shadows beneath the tree.
"No," he said gruffly, drifting back towards her. "I'm just not carrying your crazy ass."
"Ah," she nodded. She lifted her hand once more, almost hesitant as she placed her palm on his chest.
Renji swallowed, not sure what she was up to.
"You know," she mused, "it has been some time since I have had so much wine."
"We'll, uh, have to go out drinking some time. Build up your tolerance," Renji stammered. He felt his skin pebble as she drew a cool finger from the base of his throat down his chest.
"Your hair is red again."
"Man, you're hammered." Renji fidgeted, fighting down a blush.
"Is there a problem, Renji? You seem uneasy." Her mouth curled as she lifted an eyebrow.
"Because you're being all weird!" he hissed, trapping her hand against his chest. "What the hell?"
She looked up at him, her teasing grin smoothing out to something more rueful. She tugged on his top, and he let her draw him slowly down.
He didn't have it in him to tell her no, even if she was drunk and might regret this in the morning. Her lips were warm as they feathered over his jaw and he groaned as she slid her mouth up to his ear, biting gently.
"Ah, fuck, Rukia," he said, his voice hoarse.
"Mm," she agreed, taking his face in her hands and kissing him.
Plum wine had always been too sweet for Renji to truly enjoy, but as he ran his tongue along Rukia's lower lip he thought he just might be developing a taste for it. Her thin arms pressed against his chest as he drew her closer, her toes hitting his knee as she shuffled forward on the bench.
He could have easily stayed there, Rukia and the moon and the night air washing over his skin, but he pulled back, far earlier than he would have liked.
Rukia's face was soft for just a moment as he broke the kiss, before she blinked up at him in faint surprise.
"Hey," he said, brushing her hair back from her face. "Tomorrow, if you still want--right now, it's--"
She relaxed. "Fool," she said, her mouth curving gently.
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "Look, I probably oughta get you home."
She nodded, stepping lightly to the ground.
They started walking again, side by side. Neither spoke until they reached the outer gates of her home, when Rukia stopped and looked up at him.
"I will not change my mind," she said, her voice firm.
Renji swallowed as he met her eyes. "...I...all right," he said lamely. He wanted to reach for her again, but knew she wouldn't permit it here.
Lamps were lit along the entry walls, and Renji hung back, not certain how far in he should accompany her. The decision was made for him when they reached the receiving room.
"Ah...good evening, brother."
"Rukia." Byakuya sat at a low desk, a stack of papers and a ledger book covering the surface. He looked distant and elegant even in the less formal clothing he wore at home.
"You did not need to trouble yourself by waiting up for me."
"Hn," he said. "Your new duties will no doubt require you to rise early."
Rukia bowed her head. "Yes, brother." She turned to Renji. "Good night, Renji. I thank you for seeing me home."
"Uh, yeah." Renji tore his eyes away from Byakuya, convinced the other man was about to slice him to ribbons for letting his sister get drunk. "No problem."
Rukia didn't smile at him, but her eyes were soft, her steps only slightly unsteady as she made her way to her room.
As he turned back to Byakuya, the curling warmth in his chest froze solid under his captain's disapproving eyes.
"Well, I guess I'll just let you get back to your work, sir." Renji began backing away.
"Renji." Byakuya's voice wasn't loud, but Renji's feet stopped automatically anyway.
"Aw, come on, Captain, seriously," he said, feeling himself begin to sweat. "When have I ever had any control over her?"
Byakuya's eyes pinned him, and he felt his stomach churn. "One may guide and suggest without controlling."
"Yes, sir," Renji mumbled.
Byakuya held his gaze for another moment before giving him a slight nod. "You may leave."
"Ah, right. Good night, Captain."
Byakuya didn't answer, but then Renji didn't really expect him to. He turned and left the room, still feeling the other man's eyes on him as he walked away.
Still, he mused as he left the Kuchiki grounds, Rukia had never lied to him before...well, not about anything important, anyway. If she said she wasn't going to change her mind, he couldn't help but believe her.
He looked up at the sky again; it was clear now, the moon no longer behind a haze of clouds. He probably looked like an idiot, standing there grinning at nothing, but he didn't care.
Renji placed his hands behind his head and walked towards his quarters, whistling. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.