Not Close Enough

By the time Renji heard the click of the door opening he put down Ichigo’s book, watching his lover enter. With one hand, Ichigo balanced the try while pulling the door shut behind him quietly. “It’s about time you got back. I’m ready to eat the wallpaper.”

“Get off my back, I just got through the damn third degree down there cause of you,” Ichigo glared at him.

“You told me to stay, didn’t ya? I’m not even gonna ASK how your dad knew I was up here.”

“It answers why he didn’t attack me and interrupt us,” Ichigo mumbled. Renji saw the fierce pink red hue on his cheeks, feeling the blood rush to his own face.

“So you want me to um… go downstairs and explain myself?” Renji asked, walking over to take the tray from Ichigo.

“Hell no. Just eat okay?” Ichigo said, pointing to the bed. “You were the one bitching about being hungry.”

“Yeah right. Thanks for getting us some grub,” Renji answered, sitting down next to Ichigo carefully with a few inches between them. He hesitated with where to set the tray, until Ichigo grabbed one corner and guided it to rest partly on his knee. Noticing Ichigo staring at him without taking food for himself, Renji picked up one of the rice dumplings wrapped in seaweed. Once he took a bite Ichigo snatched one for himself and gobbled half of it down.

“I’m starving thanks to you,” Ichigo mumbled through a mouthful of rice, but there was a slight smile on his face.

“Wore you out huh?” Renji grinned, giving him a meaningful glance. Ichigo almost choked on his next bite, prompting Renji to slug him on the back.

“You’re insane bringing up that when I’m trying to eat here?” Ichigo coughed.

“Sorry, you okay?”

‘Yeah… just went down wrong,” Ichigo coughed, feeling Renji’s hand rubbing his back soothingly.
“Take it easy, Strawberry,” Renji urged. “Don’t wanna have ya chokin’ on me.”

“Heh, no chance of that,” Ichigo whispered. Renji swallowed hard, and then put the plate down. Ichigo leaned over and grasped Renji’s robe, brushing a kiss over his lips. For a few seconds Renji’s tongue glided over his, running his hand through Ichigo’s hair.

Ichigo nudged him off the bed. He began to strip the blankets off. “Thanks to you I’ve got to throw these in the wash.”

“No point in hiding it eh? Want me to go down there an’ say something to yer dad?” Renji asked with a teasing grin.

“No, not yet!” Ichigo stammered.

“Scared? I was just kidding Ichigo! Relax,” Renji asked, helping Ichigo pull the sheets up and roll them together into a bundle. Ichigo stuffed them into his pillowcase.

“You sure have a lousy sense of humor. Look Renji… I don’t know what to do about all… this… this thing we have.”

“Glad ya admit we have a thing, Ichigo,” Renji laughed, catching the bundle of sheets. Ichigo wandered over to the closet, sliding it open. He tugged out a fresh set, and then dropped them on the bed.

“Gimme those and I’ll throw ‘em in the laundry chute.” He motioned to Renji. The sheets hit him in mid chest, and he watched Renji start to unfold the clean ones.

“Hey, what are you…”

“What does it look like? I’m makin’ yer bed. Only fair since I messed it up ya know,” Renji said pragmatically in response to Ichigo’s surprised look.

“Urahara probably trained you to do that,” Ichigo taunted with a smirk, tromping towards the door. Renji easily tugged the fitted sheet over his mattress pad, glad for once, that Urahara’s chores involved making modern western style beds. He had learned much in his time in the human world, and bed making was one of them. Running his palm over the top sheet he smoothed out all wrinkles, then mitered its corner.

“Dunno if I could bounce a quarter off of it, but it works,” he said with pride.

Ichigo returned, swinging open the door to see Renji spreading the bedspread on his bed. Something stuck in his throat, and he found it difficult to speak. Noticing Ichigo’s hesitation Renji waited for him to say something. Therefore, he sat down on the foot of the bed and looked expectantly at Ichigo. “So?”

“Gonna get a shower,” Ichigo said, looking a bit less nervous. “You could probably use one too…”

“Nah I’ll go take one at Urahara’s when I go to get my gigai. Caused ya enough trouble.”

“How can you say that, dumbass? One minute you’re saying we have a thing and you’re all happy, but now you’re bailing on me. What am I supposed to think huh? Can you blame me for being confused?” Ichigo snapped hotly, marching up to Renji and grabbing the front of his kimono.

“Well that doesn’t’ mean causing more trouble. I mean if I was gonna take a shower I’d want to take it with ya, and well… I don’t know if I could hold myself back this time,” Renji returned. Ichigo swallowed hard, heart fluttering.

“Who says I don’t want that to happen?”

“Because I want to take my time that’s why,” Renji answered.

You were trying to run, because you’re scared?” Ichigo challenged.

“Who’s scared?”

“I… I am,” Ichigo whispered, sinking to the bed next to him.

“That’s exactly why I’m backing off and we’ll just play it by ear. Just like I said last night. Look, why don’t ya get that shower, and we can meet later at Urahara's shop?” Renji suggested, as he slid his arms around the youth. Ichigo wrapped his arms around Renji, and held him tightly.

“Hey, you know I had no second thoughts about last night right? I want… I want to see you again,” Renji whispered.

“Me too. But you’re right about being careful. I guess I’ll see you over there later this afternoon?” Ichigo suggested, as Renji stroked his temple.

“It’s a date,” said Renji with a smirk. “Three work for you?”

“All right. Gives me time to get my homework done!”

Grabbing the teen’s shoulder Renji tugged him forwards. He pressed a soft but firm kiss to Ichigo’s lips, curling his arm around the substitute soul reaper's waist. Shivering Ichigo clung tightly to him, and then Renji pulled back. “See ya,” Renji said, releasing him and grabbing his sandals. The window slid open, and then Renji was gone.

“Shit, shit shit, this is weird,” Ichigo mumbled, holding his head in his hands. Sighing he got up and grabbed a set of towels from his closet. Time to take a shower and think it over.
***
Before him, Renji Abarai pushed the broom, bits of dust flurrying about as he shoved the accumulating pile. Over the floor, the bristles scratched with a faint noise, Renji using careful restricted strokes so he would not overshoot the dust pile and have to start all over again. His arms ached slightly in his gigai, binding him as tightly as the kimono across Matsumoto’s ample bosom would. In the same manner as those first times in Ichigo’s school he flexed the tight sore muscles.

“Was I an idiot,” Renji wondered. “Just throwing myself at him after one night in his room?”

Or Ichigo’s jeans. *Stupid kid, why did he have to wear his pants so damn tight*, Renji wondered. He was thankful for the white apron he tied around his waist because these thoughts would only cause another painfully obvious erection. Stupid hormones, stupid fake body.

“Gahh, I swear if I find out how Rukia dealt with this…” he trailed off thinking about her. She was back in Soul society still, choosing to regain her powers and deal with the demons of the past. Though he loved her, it was apparent that their feelings had changed. He would die for her and not hesitate to help save her because she was like family. Yet she still pined for a dead man, hear heart locked in grief and frozen in time just like her brother Byakuya after Hisana died.

“Damn ice princess. If she didn’t say she was adopted I’d think they WERE blood relatives. She’s so much like him it’s scary,” Renji laughed, realizing he no longer ached so much inside for her. Moving on turned out to be the best and healthiest thing he could do. His socked feet almost slipped on the floor when he increased his pace. Then bending over he grabbed the nearby dustpan and edged the mess inside. He half hoped Ichigo would walk in that moment and notice him bent over. Although his jeans weren’t as tight as the kid’s was they were a nice snug fit.

“Mr. Freeloader, don’t forget you have to dust the shelves!” Tessai’s voice reached his ears.

“Great,” he thought, straightening up and turned to glance at Urahara’s right hand man face to face.

“Hmm, looks quite improved. I do believe your time’s improving. Only took you five minutes to sweep in here as opposed to ten last time,” Tessai said, glancing at his watch.

“Thanks,” Renji said, touching the back of his neck. He felt the black bandanna sticking to his forehead, and his heart rate rising somewhat. At least his gigai was staying in shape with these chores.

“Mr. Urahara wanted me to bring something to your attention,” said Tessai, watching Renji grab the trash bag he had filled and swing the broom so it lay across his shoulder like Zabimaru.

“What’s that?” Renji asked, hastening into the other part of the store. Tessai followed him closely, passing him the spray bottle and dusting cloths when Renji turned around.

“Don’t forget to polish the jars after you dust them. Make sure you can see clearly through them,” Tessai instructed. Renji sighed, accepting the cleaning supplies after he leaned the broom against the far wall.

“Oh, is that it? Thought it was something earth shattering, Mr. Tessai,” Renji said a bit disappointed.

“It is quite important. You know we’ve hardly had time for me to get up there, and Ginta and Ururu broke too many containers when we tried to have them do it. Some of them contain ingredients for special herbal remedies,” said Tessai.

“Gotcha,” Renji nodded, hooking the spray bottle in his jeans belt, opposite the cloths thrust into his apron pocket. Tessai wandered over and grabbed the metal utility ladder, opening it up for him.

“Oh, and if you get done soon, Mr. Urahara said you could use the training room for the whole afternoon,” Tessai informed him. From the top of the ladder, Renji glanced down in surprise.

“Now that’s earth shattering,” he answered.

“But only if you finish before four!” Tessai continued. “You still need to shake a leg to work off that portion of rice you tried swiping!”

“Mmm, perfect,” Renji cursed to himself, not bothering to look down when he heard Tessai’s chuckle.
If Renji glanced through the rows of aisles with candy jars, he could see Ginta and Ururu hard at work sweeping the front steps. However, now they were arguing again.

“Don’t tell ME to work faster! I STILL outrank you!” Ginta taunted.

“Ow, stop it!” Ururu whined.

“Excuse me a moment,” Tessai said, moving past Renji and crossing the floor and the yard without the need for flash step.

“They argue more then they work, and they’ve got the nerve to call ME a freeloader?” Renji shook his head, laughing. It was quite satisfying seeing them out of the corner of his eye as he grabbed the feather duster and commenced pushing the layer of dust off the top shelves. The ladder he used creased when he clambered up and glanced at the top rack of jars highest up.

“Damn it when was the last time someone cleaned these? Bet they suckered me into this cause I was tall… never mind gettin’ Tessai to do it.”

“Ah there you are Abarai,” Urahara said from somewhere behind him.

“Where else would I be, sir?” Renji mumbled under his breath, reaching over to polish the jar immediately to his left.

“Something occurred to me the other day. I think it may be good if you posed as a high school student in Kurosaki’s class,” Urahara said, fluttering his fan before him.

“Me go to Ichigo’s school? Last time I tried that the teacher tossed chalk at my noggin,” Renji snorted. “No thanks.”

“Well it would allow you to watch over the town more carefully for ‘strange’ activities,” Urahara informed him. “I did notice that Kurosaki was leaking spirit energy… and it wouldn’t hurt for you to learn the customs of this world firsthand.”

“Are ya gonna expect me to work my ass off here after then?” Renji asked.

“Let’s just say if you DO choose to go to school, you’ll be needed less of the time around here,” Urahara chuckled. “After all you do look as if you’d fit in quite easily.”

“No thanks to those threads you gave me you said would help me ‘fit in’? Ichigo’s friends were laughing their ASSES off behind my back. Some of ‘em said I looked ‘hippied out’,” Renji grumbled.

“My supply of clothes is limited at the moment. But attending the school you’d only have to worry about a school uniform and less changes of clothes coming out of your salary here,” Urahara said, pacing around the foot of the ladder. He ran his finger over one of the jars lower down that Renji hadn’t had the chance to polish, then etched the words ‘wash me’ in the layer of dust.

“Fine fine, whatever you want. I get the picture. That kid’s got a mean aim with a rubber band,” Renji relented, shuddering at the memory of his stinging hand.

“That’s quite good! And the less you’re here, the less you’ll be called ‘Mr. Freeloader’,” Urahara continued.

“Sounds good to me. I’d rather go back to school then face that,” Renji said excitedly, polishing more of the jars.

“Thought you’d consider my proposal. I’ve already sent your measurements out to have a school uniform sent,” Urahara said cheerfully.

“Damn you work fast. If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were deliberately giving me a hard time so I’d keep from sticking around,” Renji frowned.

“Who me? Besides, you’ll have more time to become used to ‘hanging out’ with Ichigo and his friends, since you’ll be more than likely facing whatever unknowns with them…”

“Great, hanging out with more kids,” Renji snickered. “Though getting hit with chalk sucks too.”

****
Several aches and pains--thanks to a faux body--later, Renji felt the hard solid wood of the floor under his right knee. Had Urahara tinkered with this gigai to make him feel every ache and pain, as well as deny him anything but mere human strength? From Rukia’s tales of how inadequate her gigai had been, he hated to think what the storekeeper had done. In other words, failed to do with the faux body.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if he set me up to suffer a bit more. Jerk. Korutsuchi is creepy, and Urahara’s just plain tricky,” Renji reflected aloud, then stopped when he sensed a high reiatsu spilling out from a point source a ways off.

The kid may as well send up a flare considering how he leaked spirit energy. Renji had warned him before, but this was ridiculous. Unless the substitute soul reaper WANTED him to see, Renji snickered to himself. Smiling eagerly, he walked on his knees to the next set of jars, letting the bottle of polish land on the floor. Bending down so his backside faced the door, Renji fumbled with the cloth.

“Hey, Renji!” Spirit energy swirled over Renji like a tidal wave, bathing him in silvery blue reiatsu that he could only see, invisible to anyone ‘normal’. He hesitated, keeping his back turned while the grin crept over his face at that moment along with a warm glow inside. Something lightly touched his backside, somewhat pointed, but only one of five such objects covered in cloth that stopped them from being hard.

“Hey, you still can’t hear me? Renji!”

“I could sense you a mile away. You’re still leaking too much damn energy, Strawberry,” Renji answered, still on his hands and knees, angling up his backside to give Ichigo a far more tantalizing view of the cloth tightening over his ass.

Fingers curled around his belt, tugging him backwards across the polished floor of the shop. What he failed to expect was that same hand then yanking down, taking his whole body so he tipped backwards. Another hand grabbed his shoulder, pinning him down so he blinked up at those dark brown eyes set in a shadow with an orange shock of spikes. A playful gleam in those eyes despite Ichigo scowling told Renji what thoughts really went through that carrot topped head.

“So does that mean you’d rather work your ass off in Hat and Clogs store then chew out a substitute Soul reaper for screwing up? Thought you Vice Captains had to have your act together! You’re slipping, Renji!” Ichigo taunted.

“You wanna repeat that?” Renji retorted, glaring up at him, seizing Ichigo’s shirt.

“Slacker!” Ichigo whispered.

“Carrots for brains,” Renji countered.

“Sideshow runaway! Did the circus leave you behind when they skipped town?”

“Oh great coming from a loudmouthed hothead…” Renji bantered back.

Ichigo leaned his face down so his nose almost brushed Renji's. “Hippie reject from Woodstock!”

“Okay what the hell is Woodstock?” Renji blinked up at Ichigo, who widened his eyes in shock, then sat up.

“You’re kidding me! You’re wearing tie dye and you don’t know what the hell WOODSTOCK is? Man are you LAME!” Ichigo groaned, sitting back and rolling his eyes dramatically.

“Wait a minute, isn’t he that fuzzy bird from the comics who can’t fly straight? You know the one who hangs out with that Snoopy dog?” Renji snapped his fingers.

Ichigo groaned, “All right, close enough. Guess it’s up to me to teach you about the summer of love. I’d let my old man tell you all about the sixties, but he’s so freaky he’d probably scared the hippies away.”

“Summer of love?” Renji joked, grabbing Ichigo’s head and rubbing his hair. “Now THAT sounds interesting.”

“I didn’t mean THAT I meant that’s one of the things that happened back then… you know in prehistoric times,” Ichigo grunted, shoving Renji playfully back. Renji pressed the flat of his hand and toppled Ichigo back, then suddenly found two hands grabbing his vest while Ichigo tugged him over and pressed him to the ground.

“Boys, if you want to blow off steam, I suggest you try the training room?” Urahara interrupted. Both redheads glanced up at the amused face peering over the fan, his hat shading his eyes.

“Thought I had to finish up in here,” Renji glanced up at his ‘boss’.

“Unless you want something ELSE deducted from your salary, Abarai?” Urahara singsonged. “For unnecessary breakage?”

“You chiseler,” Ichigo snorted, still sitting on Renji’s hips. “You’d do that.”

“Abarai is right though. You could use some practice and training in controlling your spirit energy, Ichigo,” Urahara said, folding his fan, and then tapping the tip on his opposite palm.

“All right already, I get it! I can’t freaking control my energy! Do you have to keep bringing that up? Damn it!” Ichigo huffed angrily.

“Relax, Ichigo. Don’t let him rile ya up. That’s my job,” Renji joked, bending up so Ichigo sat in his lap in full view of Urahara. Noticing that amused glance, Ichigo scrambled quickly to his feet, almost tripping over Renji’s long legs in the process. Renji also climbed to his feet, reaching for the hand that Ichigo extended.

“Exactly why Abarai is the perfect one for the job,” Urahara laughed, pointing to the Vice captain of squad six with his folded fan. For a second Ichigo cast Renji a wided eyed look, his jaw trembling.

“Who him? Thought YOU were my master,” Ichigo said, brow wrinking in that familiar frown. Renji hid his smile at the sudden blush Ichigo tried to hide behind one hand. Urahara unfurled his fan with a quick snap getting both their attention. Renji was certain he was hiding his own smile. Old guy could probably see through them like glass.

“Why should I do it? If you’re the one who trained him to fight you’d be the logical one,” Renji hastily argued.

“Consider it part of your job here then,” Urahara proposed, unfurling his fan.

“Whatever,” Ichigo snorted, kicking at the floor. He glanced at his watch, seeing Renji nodding.

“Better get to it then, before he finds me something ELSE to do,” Renji said, untying his apron and tossing it so it draped over the ladder. Ichigo sauntered out of the room, hands shoved into his pockets, with Renji walking a discrete distance behind him.