Mimic

Part XI

Author's Note : Ok so this has been a LONG time coming, but I have decided (after an entire year) to continue writing Mimic. I'm not going to try and offer any explanations for my lengthly absence other than I was not well for much of the past year. I am going to try and keep this going as long as I can, provided that writer's block doesnt get to me first. As always, Read, Review, and Enjoy.

Light streamed in through the window long before either lover stirred. When Renji cracked open a blurry eye, he was greeted with the all too adorable sight of a lightly snoring, drooling Ichigo. It was no wonder he loved the boy so much... Renji had always had a soft spot for anything masculine and cute. And masculine he is... Renji thought as his eyes drifted over the body of his sleeping lover, eyeing his hard stomach and impressive arms. Scars from his ordeals not so long ago in Seireitei still graced the otherwise perfect form lying before him. Including ones, Renji noted with a tinge of guilt, caused by his own blade. He wrapped his arms around the sleeping red-head and snuggled into his unruly locks, preparing to drift back off to sleep. No sooner had his muscles relaxed when Ichigo woke and pushed him away.

“Get off Renji. Now. You're smothering me.”

Renji sighed as he opened his eyes again and frowned at the protesting shinigami beside him.

“And why are you so crabby? It's already past 9...”

Ichigo pushed himself up and off the bed, and began to pick up some of the clothes scattered around the room. Renji smirked when he noticed that Ichigo was moving in a rather slow manner, and with a slight limp at that. His entertainment began to fade as Ichigo turned to him with a serious look and flung Renji's bell bottoms at him.

“We were supposed to be at Urahara's an hour and a half ago, dumbass.”

Renji grumbled an excuse as he belted his pants, and pulled a bright yellow t-shirt over his head. Before he even had time to secure the orange-colored headband properly he was ushered out the door.

“Not even a minute for breakfast? I'm starving...”

“Too bad. We're already late. You can eat later .”

Renji's whining stopped momentarily as he eyed Ichigo, who had bent over to tie his shoes. Ichigo looked back at him and, realizing what Renji was staring at, glared at the tall long haired vice captain. Renji smirked and gave Ichigo a sturdy slap on the rear before sauntering past him out the front door, into the bright light of a beautiful morning.

No sooner had the two rounded the second corner on the way to Urahara's when they heard a disturbing noise echoing the deserted streets. The sound of a portal to being ripped into life. Within seconds the two men were in Shinigami form, their mod-soul occupied bodies fleeing for dear life. Renji drew his zanpakuto first, quickly becoming nervous when he could not sense any irregular kidou patterns while the portal closed. Surely their foe was hiding their reiatsu well. Portals do not open themselves, after all.

Adrenaline poured into his veins as Renji scanned the area for activity. His heart quickened, sending his pulse racing. Something was very, very wrong. It had been several minutes since the portal had closed, and still neither of them had found even a slight trace of reiatsu among them. Turning to tell Ichigo that they should head to Urahara's as quickly as possible, he caught a flash of movement in his peripheral vision. His eyes widened in horror as a massive cero engulfed a clueless Ichigo. Renji dropped to his knees and screamed in pain as the second one hit him, scalding every pore on his body.
Blackness awaited him as he fell face-first onto the concrete.