Not Close Enough

“I smell strawberry,” Renji murmured to himself as he surfaced from sleep.

Ear pressed to a soft surface, he discerned muffled thumps while feeling minute shifts under his body. Still he kept his eyes closed, not wanting to shift from the warm cocoon he'd come to awareness in. It surrounded him up to his neck. On one side, he realized he must have been lying because of the softness beneath his left side, hips, and shin. However, something passing under his neck seemed organic and harder than a pillow. His entire left arm felt dead, just tingling to life as if pinned under a heavy weight while his right curled around someone is breathing torso.

Instinct warned him not to open his eyes. Especially when he heard female voices out of his right ear, muffled somewhat and the loud booming one of an older male. Renji focused on what his other four senses told him before even attempting to see what was around him. Yes, he was lying in what felt like a bed, with his partner pressed against him. That hot surge of breath and a pointed chin poking against his nose told him that. Between his thighs, someone had shoved his or her bent knee, and pressed their tightly wrapped arm immediately close to his chest. The other limb pillowing his neck grasped his shoulder possessively.

*Great,* he thought inwardly. *Just damn perfect. Slept so soundly I forgot I was in Strawberry's bed. Smooth move Renji.*

Specifically in the bed of someone, whose whole family could see supernatural beings? In just minutes, he expected Ichigo's father to fly in out of NOWHERE and attack, and he had no desire to be in the middle of it. Just why that had not happened yet alerted Renji to the fact Isshin Kurosaki already guessed Ichigo had a guest in his room, in his bed.

Undressed to the waist with hakama pulled down around his knees, Renji mentally added, feeling the cloth tug when he tried to move one leg. He bumped his toe against something hard and suppressed the urge to curse and move much more. So far, Ichigo had not shown any signs of movement and Renji froze. Would not do to have the kid waking up so abruptly. No, he had to be careful. He remembered the first time he had sneaked into Ichigo's room during the battle with the mod souls and scared the kid out of his mind. Just seeing the look on his face was one he would never forget when he crouched over him and whispered his name.

Under his arm, he felt the change in the youth's breathing pattern, followed by a twitching of muscles. His tingling arm under Ichigo's body now shot through with pins and needles when the teenager shifted forwards.

"Gaaaaaaahgggh!” Ichigo blurted out. Quickly Renji jerked his one arm up and clapped a hand over the boy's mouth, while moving his own body forwards.

"Shh, relax!" he hissed, cursing himself for forgetting how Ichigo often jolted awake. Opening his own eyes, he saw the half-panicked look in Ichigo's and his heart sank. This was NOT the way he wanted Ichigo to wake up on the morning after.

His hand muffled protests and Renji whispered, "Sorry ta wake ya like this but ya said yer dad jumped ya out of nowhere to wake you up. I didn't know what else to do without you thinking I was him."

Ichigo's frantic jerking stilled and he blinked across the pillow their heads rested on. To Renji's relief Ichigo did not pull away, he simply blinked once, then twice. Then his eyes squeezed shut and his nose wrinkled with that familiar frown clearly saying, "Oh shit."

Renji tentatively pulled his hand back, sliding it under the blue bedspread to wrap around Ichigo's body in a reassuring embrace. In response Ichigo murmured, "You’re still here?"

"Yeah... I guess I wasn't thinking," Renji trailed off, realizing neither of them did much of that last night. "If ya don't want me to stay I’ll leave."

"Okay, okay let’s think about this. Maybe we should hide you somewhere. You don’t have to leave," Ichigo whispered fiercely, not looking angry but more worried, and Renji did not blame him. Instead, he wriggled further under the covers and pulled them over his head once he guessed Ichigo was not going to throw him out in a panic.

"Closet?” Renji whispered.

"You kidding you wouldn't fit! Just stay in bed," Ichigo complained, wriggling to get free. "I'll think of something!"

Throwing aside the cover Renji sat up and scratched his head. He bent down to grab the pieces of his shihakusho scattered around Ichigo’s bedclothes. Quickly he retied the sash and swung his legs around to sit up. Struggling into his kimono he said, “I’ll just go out the window an make it easier…”

“Are you deaf? I say STAY THERE and don’t move, not leave okay!” Ichigo shouted. Then he snapped his jaw shut hearing footsteps in the hall. Renji’s heart stopped while Ichigo and he regarded one another with wide eyes. A second later Renji dove back under Ichigo’s covers while the teenager rushed to the door.

“Ichi-nii? Are you all right? Breakfast is ready!” Yuzu called through the door.

“Gimme a few minutes okay? I just woke up!” Ichigo called back, not opening it.

Renji peered out from under the covers again, trying to keep his eyes off Ichigo’s attempts to tug a wife beater down over his body and make himself presentable. Instead, he struggled with shoving the bottom of his kimono into the waistband of his hakama while frantically glancing around for his headband. Sliding off the bed, he grabbed his socks and sandals that were half kicked under its edge. How absurd it seemed to be scrambling around as if he had sneaked into Rukia’s bedroom some thirty years ago and almost got himself killed getting out.

“I never learn,” he mumbled, as Ichigo turned back to him.

“Why were you so hot to leave me here? After what happened last night? Are you having second thoughts?” Ichigo demanded, sauntering over to him.

“No! I enjoyed every damn minute, Ichigo. I just thought I should leave so you won’t get into more trouble. Renji blinked up at him. What a stupid question.

“Did I say I wanted you to leave? There is no way you are getting out of this house without eating breakfast okay? Damn are you forgetting Rukia stayed in this room for two months and nobody noticed?” Ichigo glared at him. “I want you to stay!”

“Yeah, but… I ain’t Rukia, and I have no idea how yer dad feels about if he catches you with a guy. Though I'd beat his ass if he says one angry word about us.”

“Heh… imagine that. Look Renji, just wait here, and I’ll be right back with something to eat, okay?” Ichigo snapped, pointing to the bed itself. Opening his mouth to shout something Renji saw the angry glare then stopped. From the way Ichigo’s muscles were shaking and the look of fear on his face there wasn’t anything he wanted to say.

Ichigo did not want him to leave, so he would stay, and trust the lad. Besides his rumbling stomach could not argue against breakfast. Ichigo wanted him to stay. He was not throwing him out.

“Stubborn kid,” Renji huffed, folding his arms and sitting on the edge of Ichigo’s bed. Shooting him another glare Ichigo eased the door open and slipped through it.

The first thing Renji did when left alone in the room was to grab the rumpled blankets. He snapped them quickly, tugging them up so he could smooth the fabric with the flats of his hands. Picking up stray pillows, he set them in place. Next, he picked up the scattered haphazard piles of textbooks and papers, carefully stacking them on Ichigo’s desk.

“Gives me something to do,” he told himself. “Anyway it’s my fault partly it’s a mess.”

Living for weeks in Urahara’s store forced him to keep his own area clean or else he would trip and fall over an unmade bed or piles of laundry. At his barracks in Soul society, they were all forced to keep things tidy for inspections. Some of the seated officers once they had their own quarters purposely left their places a mess in defiance of no longer having routine checks. They valued their autonomy and ability to express themselves. In contrast, Renji had few possessions that needed straightening out, unlike some who had started in rough circumstances that surrounded themselves with material goods with their improvement in living conditions. He knew a few who had come from backgrounds as rough as his who compensated for years of want with spending sprees.

The only thing Renji enjoyed splurging on was books, and sunglasses. Small things he could carry with him as a constant reminder of how much his status improved in the Soul Society. Left alone in Ichigo’s room, Renji wandered around. Hands tucked into the sleeves of his robe he glanced at the posters on the wall, and perused the books that Ichigo had piled her and there. He tried to leave things the same level of tidiness before he entered.

Tugging out Ichigo’s desk chair Renji sat down on it, and grabbed one of the textbooks to read. As his eyes scanned through the pages of history, he chuckled. I lived through some of this and saw parts of it. Hell I even sent the dead on from some of these events in Squad 5. He picked up Ichigo’s scribbled notes and perused them too, seeing the study questions Ichigo was struggling to answer.

“No wonder he’s got issues with this. Got no motivation to learn. Maybe I can give him some,” Renji chuckled, thinking of various mischievous ways he could encourage Ichigo to study.

***
Ichigo spat a mouthful of toothpaste out in record time before he plunked the brush in the glass. He could not have Yuzu scolding him. Flying down the hall, he leapt to the top stair, the bathroom door creaking open after him in a gust of wind. Ichigo’s head throbbed a slight bit as he trotted down the stairs. The thought of Renji sitting patiently on his desk chair in the room waiting for him propelled him faster, almost causing him to trip when he hit the bottom. Catching himself, he grabbed the railing and saw his father sitting at the table with Karin.

Yuzu turned from the kitchen, the apron tied around her hanging to her ankles. “Ichi-nii, I have something saved for you! Hurry or it will get cold…”

“Yuzu, I’m going to eat it in my room. You got a tray. Got to finish my history report,” Ichigo said walking quickly into the kitchen. His dark eyes warily trained on his father stuffing his face. The chopsticks were a blur as he shoved the rice in.

“Ichigo my boy… you took damn long enough!” Isshin laughed, putting aside his bowl. Suspiciously Ichigo wandered up, his whole body tensed for an attack.

“Will you want extra breakfast to carry you over for lunch? I mean just in case?” Yuzu asked, with a small smile on her face, suggesting she was quite happy about a new secret. Ichigo flinched when he saw a tray sitting with two plates of food already on it. “Dad said you were busy all night studying and make sure you had your privacy.”

“Uh yeah that’d be great,” Ichigo said, dodging out of the way as Isshin leapt out of his chair. Face first on the floor his father crashed, letting out a loud groan.

“Nice one, Ichi-nii, he made a bigger dent this time,” Karin dryly observed, not looking up from her bowl.

“Not now Dad, I’m starving. Can’t you give it a rest?” Ichigo growled.

Karin glanced at Isshin slowly pressing the flats of his hands against the floorboards. Indeed a sizeable dent had warped the floor, roughly the dimensions of their father’s bruised face. Spluttering he shoved his easily and levered his body up. In an instant, he leapt to his feet, dodging around between Yuzu and Ichigo. “Ichigo, my grown up son! How does it feel to be a man?”

“What the hell are you blabbering about?” Ichigo growled, as his father grabbed him by the shoulder and tossed him towards the wall. He ducked out of the way of a flying kick inches from his face, before bringing up his own leg in a sweeping arc. Feet cut from under him Isshin fell flat on his back, hitting the linoleum floor with a loud oomph.

“When a young man studies all night and doesn’t come down for breakfast till ten, it means he’s had some ‘help’ studying!” Isshin laughed. Mortified Ichigo clutched the tray so hard the dishes rattled; his knuckles were turning white from shock.

“You… you… that’s not how it is!”

“What the hell’s wrong with you, boy? Why didn’t you let your ‘study partner’ in through the door so your old man could get a good look at them eh?”

“Dad, eww I'm eating here! I’m so not here!” Karin yelped, clapping her hands over her ears and frowning with distaste.

“Let Ichigo eat, Dad! He’s looking so pale he’ll pass out!” Yuzu scolded, moving around in front of Ichigo.

“You’re crazy Dad! Why don’t you keep your sick fantasies to yourself you lunatic?” Ichigo snarled, bringing up his right foot to kick Isshin in the jaw. Both Yuzu and Karin simultaneously rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

“Are you hiding your secret lover upstairs? Why not invite them on downstairs to meet the folks?” Isshin coughed, sitting up shakily.

“You crazy goat, not at the breakfast table!”

“Ichi-nii’s just shy. It’s only natural he would want to keep his secret friend to himself. Maybe they’re too shy to come down,” Yuzu whispered.

“Is everyone gonna go on about my personal life? Don’t I get any privacy?” Ichigo stammered, feeling his face heat up. He was sure they could see steam coming out his ears.

“There you don’t deny it!” Isshin boomed triumphantly, hauling himself up by slamming one hand on the table.

“It’s not polite to point!” Yuzu scolded, tapping their father’s wrist with the spoon she held.

“Ichigo, tell your friend to stop slamming the door on the way to using the bathroom in the middle of the night. I could hear him down the hall for cripe’s sake,” Karin scolded Ichigo, looking him straight in the eye.

“A boy? Ichi-nii, which of your friends is he?” Yuzu blinked, with a cute grin. “Is he the tall one or the one with the glasses?”

“It’s not the tall guy. It’s the redheaded skater guy who tackled you earlier this month Dad,” Karin said, voice muffled a bit by the orange juice glass she sipped from.

“The one who was excited that Rukia was back, and who came in the window? Ichi-nii, you could have invited him in through the door you know?” Yuzu pouted, staring accusingly at her brother.

“Don’t you think you’ve embarrassed me ENOUGH dad? Damn it! I’m out of here!” Ichigo exclaimed, racing up the stairs with the tray held over his head.

“Well this answers a whole bunch of questions,” Karin said pragmatically, leaning back in her chair.

“Two redheads. How adorable,” Yuzu giggled, turning to grab the coffee pot from the maker. “I should make some more red bean rice!”

“He’s WAAAY past a first crush, darling!” Isshin crowed, plunking down into his seat. “I was worried for a bit but Ichigo’s finally made me proud, with a fine strong young man who’s capable of taking me by surprise.”

“Huh, guess I was thinking you’d be upset about him not having grandkids so easily…,” muttered Karin.

“But they can always adopt you know,” Yuzu reminded her.

“You’re absolutely right, and there’s always when you two find yourselves…”

“Dad, stop looking at US like that! Keep your perverted mind to yourself! Now’s NOT the time to be picking baby names for your grandkids you’re pushing us to have!” Karin snapped, clobbering Isshin on the head as he opened his mouth to say something.