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spyder-m · 1 year

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RR/IH - "Odd One Out"

Summary: All Ichigo wanted was to catch the latest Bad Shield United movie. Instead, he ended up having to play chaperone to his two Shinigami friends. His very handsy Shinigami friends.

AO3

Ichigo grumbled, focusing his gaze directly on the projector screen ahead of him; a desperate attempt to blot out the tangle of limbs and lips smacking beside him.

He had been looking forward to finally catching the new Bad Shield United movie all week, after hearing his friends hyping it up for so long. Though, between adjusting to his new workload at University and still dealing with the occasional Hollow, it had been difficult for Ichigo to find a session that worked with his schedule.

The film’s popularity wasn’t helping either, as most screenings sold out well in advance. Even if one of Ichigo’s lectures was cancelled leaving him with an opening, buying a ticket at such short notice was simply out of the question.

Thankfully though, with midterms coming to an end there was a lull in his classes, as major assessments were graded and plans for the next semester of material began.

Noticing he had a Sunday free, Ichigo indulged himself and bought a ticket. Happy, for once, not to have to devote his spare time to cram classes or revision.

He had reached out to his friends, asking if they might be interested in joining. But sadly, since graduation, their lives were all branching out in different directions, making it harder to find a time where they could all meet.

Though, Ichigo could at least take comfort in knowing he’d be able to enjoy the movie without Ishida's snide commentary, Keigo's whining, or Mizuiro texting girls throughout the entire showing.

Or at least, he had thought.

As fate would have it, there were two others who happened to have an opening that day and decided to tag along. Normally, Ichigo wouldn’t mind, however, there was a catch.

It had been about two weeks since Ichigo had, unknowingly, made the grievous error of arriving home early from class.

His family hadn't been expecting him until later on so the house was empty. Though he could still make out his father working away in the clinic, tending to patients.

As much as he loved his family, Ichigo had to admit, they were a handful and the silence made for a refreshing greeting.

He looked forward to savouring the next few hours of peace before they returned.

Slipping off his jacket as he entered his room, Ichigo wondered how he could best take advantage of his now free afternoon.

As he opened his closet, however, Ichigo was surprised to find it already occupied.

Although it had been a while, it wasn’t unusual for Rukia to visit, particularly unannounced.

Despite his family preparing a spare room for her, she still liked to try and worm her way into his closet; perhaps finding the enclosed space familiar and comforting. Though he could never understand the need for her to stop by, considering she rarely stayed in the Human World longer than a day, too busy with her own duties as an acting Captain back in the Soul Society.

If nothing else, it seemed she found it a handy place to keep her belongings whenever she stopped by. That is, judging by the slew of cutesy-looking Shinigami tools scattered around that Ichigo knew definitely weren’t his.

What did take him by surprise, however, was the closet’s already cramped confines being tested by the much taller, bulkier form of Abarai Renji.

Under different circumstances, this might not have been unusual either.

Rukia had mentioned before, as a Substitute-Shinigami, it was Ichigo’s duty to provide storage to members of the Gotei 13. So, it wasn’t unusual for random Gigai to find their way into his closet whenever someone stopped by to clear out hollows. Honestly, it was a mild inconvenience compared to the meetings of random Sereitei associations and clubs his bedroom would often involuntarily play host to. At least the former was, relatively, out of his way.

So, over time, he had learnt to put up with it.

What Ichigo was met with on this day, however, was something that severely pushed the boundaries of those already flimsy terms.

This was a distinctly half-naked Renji, his hair loose and upper body littered with teeth marks and small bruises as his robe pooled around his thighs. He wasn’t the rigid weight of an empty Gigai, but instead making frenzied, desperate movements as he pushed himself impossibly close to an equally naked Rukia, his tongue searing a line between her breasts. Rukia threw her head back, eyes glazed and unfocused as sweat-matted hair pooled against her bare skin.

With an unflattering shriek, Ichigo slammed the door closed, his head whipping to the side as if to shield himself from the sight.

Unfortunately, despite his quick reflexes, he had still caught enough of his friends’… that the afterimage was still burnt distinctly into his consciousness.

As it flashed before his mind's eye, Ichigo stood frozen, hand slipping loosely from the handle as the weight of what he had seen slowly processed.

Ichigo felt his skin flush, a plethora of emotions flowing through him. Beyond the initial mortification and awkwardness of walking in on two of his best friends' foreplay, it was surprise that struck him most vividly. Though, not so from finding the two together.

Ever since he and his friends had breached the Soul Society and stopped Rukia’s execution, her and Renji’s friendship had been rekindled. From that day, Ichigo rarely saw one without the other. Whether it was charging into battle, mounting coordinated attacks or casually turning up in the human world, they were inseparable. At times, they even made their entrances with perfect synchronicity.

Even the most innocuous words or gestures he caught between them carried a restrained intensity as if holding back something deeper.

This was no more apparent than the time Renji had lifted Ichigo up from the brink of despair, as they headed to confront Ywach Back then, Renji had vowed to always push him forward, forever indebted to him for bringing them back together.

In Ichigo’s mind, despite how much they might deny it, he had always believed something more would eventually blossom between them.

Though, with how long they had tip-toed around one another, Ichigo sensed that might not be until he was at least a hundred years old.

That’s why he was stunned to have found them acting upon their feelings in the most direct, carnal manner.

For that reason, Ichigo knew what he had witnessed couldn't have been some recent, spur-of-the-moment development. He knew the two well enough to know they wouldn't want to risk tarnishing their friendship unless they were seriously, romantically pursuing one another.

Even with their decades of history, he was sure that such intimacy would have taken weeks, months even, to reach, meaning they must have been together, in secret, for some time now.

The shock flowing through Ichigo was brief as he soon made out the faint scurrying and hushed, frantic voices carrying from the other side of the thin wooden door. It seemed the couple had caught onto the fact they'd been found out and were quickly scrambling to make themselves presentable. Ichigo, however, wasn’t sure he could stomach facing them just yet.

Having finally regained the ability to form coherent thoughts, Ichigo’s voice broke once more, calling their names amongst a mix of obscenities, before storming out of the room in a cold sweat.

To his luck, the hallways were still empty, despite the commotion.

No one, it seemed had arrived home.

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure he’d have been able to cover for himself after bursting loudly and abruptly out of his room like that. Worse still, he dreaded the idea of having to shield his younger sisters from stumbling in on the two naked idiots in his room.

Knowing that he was alone, Ichigo headed towards the bathroom, needing a moment to collect himself without being interrupted.

He ran a cool splash of water over his face, all the while making thorough plans to burn the entire contents in his closet. He would really miss those clothes, his Nice Vibe and NMNL shirts, his favourite pairs of jeans.

As Ichigo made his way back out into the hall, he braced himself with a heavy exhale.

Before he could enter his bedroom, however, he was greeted by his friends already waiting by his door. Mercifully, they were dressed, though still flushed and noticeably dishevelled.

He hadn’t expected them to be nervous. Yet there were flashes of genuine apprehension in their eyes that gave him pause, his initial dread giving way to concern. It was ill-fitting for two people usually much more confident in themselves.

However, for reasons beyond the simple awkwardness of that moment, they seemed hesitant to speak with him. As though worried over what may stem from this conversation.

"Heey Ichigo," Rukia greeted, her voice and smile both strained; the precursor to a loaded, uneasy conversation.

When Rukia and Renji had finally rekindled their friendship, it had been in the wake of Aizen’s betrayal, threats of his next move still looming.

For the time being, any old feelings they’d held for one another were silently set aside.

After all, they believed, naively, they would have plenty of time to address them later.

They were grateful enough just to be a part of each other’s lives again.

The Thousand Year War, however, proved otherwise. As their initial clash with the Quincy saw them both gravely injured to the point of almost losing their lives. Even some of those close to them weren’t as lucky.

They had recovered together, confined to those two cold, infirmary beds, an arms-length apart, drifting in and out of consciousness.

They honed in on the steady flow of the others' breathing, their heart rate, clinging desperately to it, driven to pull through.

It gave them time to reflect and understand what really mattered most to them.

But, perhaps most crucially, it became increasingly clear that their lives; though much longer than the average human’s; were just as fragile. Just as easily capable of being ripped away.

The second chances they had been handed with were too precious to waste with trepidation.

While training with Squad Zero, forging connections with deep, powerful and unrealised facets of themselves. Feelings they had tried to brush off were only intensified, confirmed as meaning exactly what they had been too stubborn or afraid to admit.

The two gathered the nerve to act upon their shared feelings.

Initially, they were happy enough to alleviate themselves of that weighty, unresolved desire and tension. Strengthening themselves with clarity, mental and emotional fortitude unlike they had ever known before. Enough so that they began to believe should this war be what took them, they could pass without any regret.

At the war’s end, however, they were blessed. Not only to have survived but to be able to have a future together. No longer burdened by the weight of love unexpressed, with everything out in the open.

For the first time, it felt as though the life they had yearned for in Rukongai was truly beginning.

Still, despite the joy this newfound connection brought them, they had yet to tell Byakuya and were dreading what his reaction may be.

The admission surprised Ichigo. Knowing how much the man loved his sister and had come to trust Renji as his second-in-command, he couldn’t imagine Byakuya disapproving of their relationship.

Though, thinking on it longer, he wondered if it had something to do with noble Clan politics.

Even though Renji was respected as a Lieutenant, he was still a man of common birth without a family to his name. Someone traditional clan elders would likely turn their nose up at.

Not to mention, if they were to raise children of their own, it could bring up the discussion of potential heirs to the Kuchiki Clan.

For that reason, Renji and Rukia wanted to hold off from revealing their relationship. At least until Rukia had officially taken her place as the Thirteenth Division’s Captain. That way, she may be in a better position to ward off any protests.

While the news was made known to only a select few of their friends, Renji and Rukia would try to keep their relationship in the Spirit Realm as professional as possible. No public displays beyond what might be shared between good friends.

This, however, quickly proved difficult.

Even venturing outside of the Soul Society was too much of a risk.

Even if they somehow managed to avoid being caught out by one of their colleagues, there was the chance that rumours might spread about them; particularly given Rukia's status.

They didn’t want to have to be on guard every time they planned a romantic evening together, and while they enjoyed the privacy of their own quarters, there was only so much that they could do together.

It was for that reason they were drawn to the human world. Not only did it feel safer, but it offered many exciting ways to spend time together, with tasty unfamiliar foods and a plethora of new, exciting activities.

Though there was one disadvantage that came with confining themselves to that realm. They didn’t have the luxury of returning to their own homes when they wanted to be alone.

Opening a Senkaimon and passing back through the Dangai was a possible solution but it couldn’t exactly be done in a timely manner. Not to mention, by the time they made it home the mood would have likely passed.

So, against her better judgement, Rukia had suggested Ichigo’s room, which led them to where they were now.

It became obvious to Ichigo why they had been so anxious to talk. That they were afraid news of their relationship might spread through him and the happiness they’d been experiencing could be at risk.

Honestly, Rukia wasn’t sure she could blame Ichigo if he chose to do so. They’d been selfish, going against his trust and encroaching on his privacy; all for their own selfish desires.

What if Isshin-san or one of Ichigo’s sisters had caught them?

Fortunately for them, Ichigo wasn't so needlessly cruel that he would reveal their relationship against their wishes.

As far as he was concerned, it was happiness the two deserved.

Besides, he was hardly fond of gossip to begin with. He would gain nothing from outing them.

So, Ichigo agreed to keep their relationship secret, provided they promised to stop using his room for after-date rendezvous.

Rukia, though, was still worried they would raise suspicions if she and Renji were both frequently visiting Karakura. Particularly when, with Aizen and Ywach vanquished, there weren’t as many missions in the real world that called for Gotei members of their capability. Especially with Ichigo and the others around to assist in clearing hollows.

So, more often than not, they would use visiting Ichigo as an excuse for their frequent trips, even coercing him tag along with them; as he was already privy to their secret.

What Ichigo hadn’t realised, however, was that Rukia and Renji only having this limited window to be together publicly would see trying to release all the pent-up urges they couldn’t in the Soul Society, for fear of being caught. Making them extra… handsy.

Since the encounter in his room, the two now appeared completely unbothered by his presence and would ravish one another with little to no restraint. Any awkwardness at the time, it seemed, stemmed from fears of their relationship being outed, rather than the novelty of being walked in on by a friend. Once those worries were dispelled, any earlier inhibition expressed by the two was abruptly cast aside.

Ichigo growled, his eyes trained deliberately on the projector screen ahead; a desperate attempt to blot out the tangle of limbs and lips smacking beside him.

All he’d wanted was to finally catch the new Bad Shield United movie after hearing his friends hyping it up for so long.

Instead, he found himself playing chaperone to his two, much older, Shinigami friends.

They were still, clearly, in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, and considering it was founded on the back of more than forty years of unresolved tension, they seemed determined to make up for lost time.

Upon first entering the theatre, they were quick to notice how the armrest separating their seats could be lifted, allowing Rukia to make herself comfortable in Renji’s lap.

Ichigo rolled his eyes, already having an idea of where this would lead, but kept his gaze fixed ahead, trying to pretend like he didn’t know them.

It wasn’t long into the previews before the two were giggling, whispering and sucking on each other’s necks like a pair of hormone-riddled teenagers.

Ichigo couldn’t have imagined he’d one day long to go back to when the pair had constantly been at each other’s throats. Yet, right now, he would be willing to take anything over having to sit beside his two closest friends caught in the throes of lust.

It was excruciatingly awkward.

Equally so, he could imagine, for the dozens of other people in the cinema.

He didn’t understand why those two even bothered with Gigai if they were going to draw so much attention to themselves.

They weren’t exactly conspicuous as it was. What with their distinct height difference, Renji’s bright hair, tribal tattoos and clothes that were at least two decades out of date. Not to mention the overly stiff and archaic way Rukia spoke to others, a dialect she claimed to have picked up from reading his volumes of Shakespeare.

They should have known to reign themselves in.

He knew they were from an entirely different world with its own customs but surely they had some concept of consideration for others?

Apparently not, Ichigo realised. As, against his wishes, he was drawn to a broken shudder spilling from Rukia’s lips as Renji’s hand slipped underneath her top.

At that point, Ichigo had had all he could take.

“Oi!” he growled, elbowing Renji in the ribs. “Will you two knock it off?! You’re going to get us kicked out!”

Mercifully, Renji extracted himself from Rukia’s mouth, his hair dishevelled and bandana askew. There was a delirious but contented haze flooding his eyes. Rukia’s eyes fluttered open, a pout pulling across her face as her own delirium passed and she registered the sudden lack of Renji’s lips against her own.

At another point, Ichigo might have expected a more violent response from Renji; be it raising his voice or slugging him back. But, he had mellowed noticeably since being with Rukia. Perhaps owing to the literal decades of unresolved tension that had been lifted from his shoulders.

His once hair-trigger temper had shifted into a relaxed confidence, his expression resting in a perpetual, smug grin.

So, instead of lashing out, he opted to lounge back comfortably against their seats, lifting his arm as Rukia nestled back in place against his chest.

The two returned their attention to the film, no doubt completely lost trying to follow the plot as they had spent the better part of it attached to each other’s faces.

Hopeful that there wouldn’t be any more disturbances, Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose before turning back to the screen with a sigh. While Bad Shield had never been particularly plot-dense, he too found himself struggling to follow what was going on; his attention having been divided between the movie and his friends.

Ichigo sighed in frustration, already mentally planning a time to catch the next encore screening.

He was happy for his friends, honestly. It touched him even more knowing that he had apparently played an role in helping to bring them closer again, something they both felt indebted to him for.

Yet it felt as though they were doing everything in their power to cause trouble for him.

Even as the credits rolled and they exited the theatre together; Ichigo, by some miracle, not having resorted to murdering the two; they seemingly couldn’t go a moment without shared contact.

Rukia leaned heavily into Renji’s side, as if suddenly incapable of holding up her own body weight. Their hands were intertwined as they strolled leisurely back out into Karakura’s shopping district, Renji’s stride slowing to match Rukia’s shorter steps.

Ichigo hung back slightly, allowing the pair some space. For his sake, as much as theirs. As unbothered as they seemed, Ichigo wasn’t comfortable hovering around them during such intimate, private moments.

Though, he still wasn’t sure he could trust them enough to let them entirely out of his sight.

As they lingered in his periphery, Ichigo was surprised by how much their relationship seemed to have changed, how differently they behaved around each other.

Renji was uncharacteristically gentle.

Having grown up on the streets together, knowing and respecting her strength as a fighter, Ichigo was more accustomed to him approaching Rukia with the same bravado he would a member of the Eleventh.

Renji carried a strength deliberately honed through years of training. Perhaps it was because Ichigo most often saw him fighting; trying to channel that power to the fullest; the sight of him reigning it in, handling something with such care and delicacy seemed off.

While Rukia’s face was not set with the smug, knowing grin or scorn Ichigo had known her to address him with, but was soft and serene as she regarded Renji.

Though, as Ichigo thought about it, perhaps changed wasn’t the right word. There had always been trust and intimacy between the two. It was familiar but to a more intense degree.

Still, the sight of them gazing longingly at one another, eyes shining, was almost enough to make him want to turn away. He wasn’t entirely sure why. It’s not like there was anything offensive about the sight of the two. If anything, it was sweet.

But it just felt wrong, seeing two people he was close to, considered almost family, acting like that.

Not to mention, he wasn’t sure he’d ever experienced that state of mind. Being so lost in your own feelings that you become completely unaware of your surroundings.

Though, he supposed he was the wrong person to judge.

He’d never really been one for romance.

There had been far more pressing matters to worry about during his teenage years, and he’d missed out on a lot of those crucial moments; crushes, first dates, kisses.

Still, he didn’t feel short-changed because of that.

He had friends and family who he cared for deeply. As far as he was concerned, that was enough affection for him. It kept him fulfilled and happy.

He'd finally managed to find some semblance of peace and balance in his life and wasn’t looking to complicate things.

“Kurosaki-kun!”

The soft, familiar voice broke Ichigo from his stupor, pulling him back toward the Cinema’s entrance.

He found Inoue approaching him hesitantly, sensing she had caught him deep in thought.

“Inoue? What are you doing here?”

“I was going to meet Tatsuki-chan.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Did you come with your family?” Inoue asked, glancing around. “Or are you by yourself?”

“No, Rukia and Renji are with me too.” Ichigo answered, eyes drifting across the outdoor plaza eventually spotting them standing outside a stall selling sunglasses, which had no doubt caught Renji’s attention.

Rukia had found a ridiculous white pair with rabbit ears extending from the frames and was trying desperately to slip them over Renji’s eyes. Each time though, Renji would simply stand taller or brush her hands out of reach. The laughter spilling from his lips suggested he wasn’t actually opposed to the gesture but resisting playfully.

“Aren’t they so sweet together?" Inoue sighed, clasping her hands together. "I’m really happy for them.”

Ichigo blinked, surprised, at first, to know that Inoue was apparently privy to their relationship. Had Rukia already shared the news with her? He wondered. Or perhaps, like him, had she always suspected there was something between them?

Beyond that, he was drawn to the tone of her voice. It was almost wistful. Every so often, Ichigo’s gaze would flicker back to her, as she closely watched the couple. Not quite able to parse her expression.

After a moment, she snapped back to attention, eyes widening with a momentary panic.

“Ah, I’ve got to go! It’s almost time for the movie! I’ll see you later, Kurosaki-kun!”

“O-oh. Yeah,” Ichigo nodded. “See you, Inoue.”

Ichigo's gaze held longer than necessary as she moved toward the cinema, a bounce in her step and a radiant smile lighting her features. Even after Inoue had already turned and made her way inside, he couldn't pull his eyes from the thick waves of auburn hair, glimmering in the evening twilight, slowly slipping from his view.

He felt compelled by a protective urge to keep her in his sight, despite there being little that could bring her harm and Shun Shun Rikka being more than enough to keep her safe. It was in his nature, he reasoned. The same thing he would do for his sisters, his father (begrudgingly) or any other one of his friends.

If for nothing other than his own, selfish comfort, Ichigo kept her in his sight, to the point that he almost lost his footing on the stairs outside the complex. Reflexively, Ichigo righted himself, with a blush, eyes darting the area around him, as though he'd just now become conscious of the crowd.

Luckily, it seemed like no one had caught notice of him.

The waves of people milling around the concourse were talking and laughing happily together, caught up in their own busy lives.

Somehow, he had just drowned it all out.

It was strange.

He'd completely lost focus.

It was almost as bad as Renji and Rukia-

Oh, Ichigo realised, catching himself. Uh oh.

#renruki #ichihime #fanfiction #post-tybw #pre-wdkaly

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