Categories > Anime/Manga > Bleach > Strawberry taste and tattoos
Disclaimer: I certainly DON'T own Bleach and it most certainly owns me.
Chapter 5 - Pneumonia
Ichigo laid awake, listening to Renji's irregular breathing. It was often interrupted by coughing and Ichigo actually started to get seriously worried. About three weeks had passed since Renji had gone sick, and still neither the fever had gone done nor had the coughing stopped. Ichigo had lain awake many nights and just listened. To him it seemed like Renji was only getting worse, not one bit better.
Ichigo's thoughts were interrupted by another one of Renji's attack. This time it sounded really bad. Ichigo could hear how Renji tried to suffocate it, and he could only imagine how much it must hurt. He put his hand on Renji's shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a little..."
Renji started coughing again.
"Renji..."
"My throat's just a little dry. That's all."
"Then why didn't you say so. I'll get you something to drink."
Ichigo got up.
"Don't leave me."
"I'll be back."
Ichigo hurried as fast as he could. When he came back, Renji had put himself in a sitting position, but his eyes were closed.
"Renji?"
Renji opened his eyes. Ichigo handed him the water.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Now, drink up and let's get back to sleep."
Ichigo snuggled up next to Renji, put his arms around Renji's waist and kiss him on the neck. Renji smiled and felt better than before.
When Ichigo woke up in the morning, Renji was gone. He quickly got out of bed and looked around in the room. When he didn't see Renji anywhere, he stepped out of the room. It was then he noticed that the door was open. "Didn't I close it?" He looked out and searched down the hall. When he got to the bathroom, he saw that the bathroom door was open to and Renji lying on the floor. He quickly rushed forward, and put his hand on Renji's forehead. He stated that the fever hadn't gone down. As he tried to lift Renji up, Renji woke up.
"Ichigo..." he whispered weakly.
"Schhh."
Ichigo lifted him back to the room and carefully placed him down on the bed again. One thing he noticed while carrying Renji, was that the magenta-haired shinigami had lost weight.
"Renji. You haven't been eating."
"I wasn't hungry."
"Stupid! You can't just stop eating."
Renji started coughing. Ichigo held him upright and placed a piece of cloth in front of his mouth. When Renji stopped coughing Ichigo laid him back down and wrapped him up. Then just as he was to throw the cloth on the desk he noticed something and it shocked him greatly. "Blood?"
"Renji, how long have you been coughing blood? Renji. Renji!"
Ichigo picked him up and shook him gently.
"Renji! RENJI! Stop this! It isn't funny!"
The shinigami lay seemingly lifeless in Ichigo's arms. Ichigo tried to calm down, and listened. Renji was still breathing, but his spirit force was very weak. Right now all Ichigo could think of doing was waking his dad and let him have a look at Renji. But that meant that he would probably have to tell his dad about them. He wasn't sure if he was ready to tell his dad, or if his dad was ready to hear something like this. But whatever Renji had was more then just a simple fever and more important then telling his dad about them.
He left Renji's side and rushed to get his dad.
Ichigo had been ordered to stay out of the room, while his dad examined Renji. He walked back and forth down the hall, couldn't seem to calm down. His whole world was spinning. "What's happening? Why is it...?"
The door opened and his father finally came out of the room. Ichigo almost attacked him, but restrained himself in the last second.
"What's wrong with him?"
"He got a minor pneumonia. It's still a serious thing, but with antibiotics and lots of rest he will be fine."
Ichigo felt how a large lump was lifted from his heart. Now there only was one problem left. Telling his father about Renji.
"And that means rest. No nightly activities!"
Ichigo stared at his father and blushed violently.
"H-how d-did you...? W-when...?"
"I've know for quite some time now. You've underestimated your ol' dad if you didn't think that I'd notice. Noticed the way you had changed, the way you seemed to be smiling more often. And you were always home in time. And you spent a lot of time in your room, even ate there."
Ichigo looked down at the floor. This was truly embarrassing. His father already knew and he had known a long time.
"Next time, invite him to eat with us instead of sneaking him food."
Ichigo looked at his father with new found respect.
"I thought about it a lot and came to one conclusion. If this is what you want, then I'll just have to get used to it. It's your life and all I really want is for you to be happy. All of you. Even Karin and Yuzu. Though I hope they wait longer then you did."
"This is going better then I expected."
"But I do hope that you're using protection."
Ichigo smacked his father right on the nose and walked into his room, red as a tomato.
"Ichigo. I said he needed rest!"
"Shut up, old fool!"
Ichigo went up to the bed and sat down by Renji's side. He looked really pale and you could see in his face that he had lost a lot of weight. He touched Renji's face with his fingertips, following Renji's tattoos. "Seems so fragile."
"Ichigo. That tickles."
Ichigo jumped up in surprise.
"I thought you were sleeping."
"How can I sleep without you by my side?"
Ichigo smiled weakly and put his hand on Renji's cheek. Renji put his hand over and squeezed Ichigo's hand a little. Then Ichigo got a sad look in his eyes.
"What is it, Ichigo?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Don't give me that crap! You know perfectly well what I'm talking about?"
Renji looked up at the ceiling.
"I didn't want you to get worried."
"Idiot! I was already worried! Did it ever occur to you that coughing blood MIGHT be serious? What if you...?"
"Don't even think that!"
Renji saw the tears in Ichigo's eyes. Now he could see that the orange-haired boy really had been seriously worried.
"Ichigo... I'm really sorry... I should have... I..."
"I love you, Renji!"
Ichigo threw himself I Renji's arms and Renji felt Ichigo's tears on his bare skin.
"I'm so sorry, Ichigo. I'll never keep secrets from you ever again."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No way in hell!"
"I don't remember giving you a choice! You will take your medication!"
"It tastes awful."
"I don't care."
"Well you don't have to care, cause it's not you who have to eat it."
Ichigo started to get irritated.
"We've been through this before. I ended up on top then and I will this time too. So, please, spare me the pain of wrestling you down."
"I'm stronger now."
"If you don't take you medication now, I'll swear I'll make you take twice as much once I've wrestled you down."
Renji calculate whether it was worth even trying. He reached out his hand.
"Give me the damn medication then."
"Good choice."
Renji received the bowl.
"Thought you said I had none."
"Well you didn't."
"Then why...?"
He grunted and swept down the medicine in one gulp. Shivers went down his spine.
"That didn't seem so bad."
"Shut up!"
"My, my. Aren't we just a little feisty this morning? Why don't we do something productive with all that energy?"
Ichigo leaned in for a kiss, but received a pillow in his face, thrown by Renji.
"Don't you touch me, you perverted hollow in shinigami clothing!"
"Hey! That's not nice."
"It wasn't meant to be nice!"
Ichigo crossed his arms and pouted. Every muscle in Renji's face had to work hard, in order to keep him from smiling at the scene.
"Why can't you hurry up and get well? I'm bored!"
"Can't you think of anything else than that! If that's the case, I'll stay sick the rest of my life. At least the rest of yours."
Ichigo pouted even more and Renji was almost not able to press down the impulse of laughing.
"Hell, come here then. I'll give you a kiss. But only one!"
Ichigo smirked.
"You're weak, Renji."
Renji frowned but welcomed Ichigo's kiss. However, Ichigo had other plans then just a simple kiss. He caressed Renji's chest and when their lips parted, he went straight for Renji's ear. He kissed and nibbled it hungrily. While doing this he moved his hand lower and lower on Renji's body. Renji moaned as he realized were this was going.
"Ichigo... Don't... Please..."
He felt Ichigo push things further. Renji knew that he had to put a stop to this now or else he wouldn't be able to stop it at all.
"Ichigo... st..."
Renji moaned as Ichigo went even further. Renji gathered all his willpower and pushed Ichigo away.
"I said ONE kiss!"
Ichigo smiled.
"I got a little carried away."
"A little!"
"Okay. A lot."
"Don't you ever listen to your father? Good thing at least one of us did."
"Your mean."
"I'm only following the doctor's orders."
"I didn't know you followed orders."
Renji glared at Ichigo.
"If all you're going to be is mean, then you can leave the room."
"It's my room, you know. And my bed you're laying in."
"Gosh, you're whiny today."
"It's because I'm bored."
"Then entertain yourself!"
Ichigo's face went scarlet and he fled the room. Renji smiled. And now when everything was calm and quiet again, he fell asleep.
"I see we got Abarai-kun with us again. Welcome back."
"Thanks."
Their teacher went through the rest of the names, and then started the lesson. But Renji paid little attention to the teacher. His eyes were fixed on Ichigo's back and he didn't know if he would be able to make it until their next break. He just wanted to walk up to Ichigo and kiss him here, in front of the whole class. But he restrained himself. He was absolutely sure that kissing him here in front of everybody wouldn't be appreciated by Ichigo.
When the break finally came, Renji quickly rose, grabbed Ichigo's arm and dragged him out of the classroom.
"Hey!"
Well outside he kept dragging Ichigo around until they came to a place were no one else was around. Once there he pushed Ichigo against the wall and their lips connected. Ichigo pushed him off.
"Hey! What if someone see us?"
Renji smiled and moved in again.
"Then let them watch us."
He covered Ichigo's lips again. Once again Ichigo pushed him off.
"Wasn't it you who didn't want others to find out this way?"
"I don't really care any more."
He kissed Ichigo again and Ichigo pushed him off again.
"Will you stop that?! You said earlier, when Rukia just walked in on us, that it wasn't such a big deal. What the hell are you afraid of now?"
"That we'll get carried away."
Renji smirked.
"Unlike you, I can control my actions."
"Yeah. That I totally noticed last night. You know, I only asked for a goodnight kiss."
A mild blush showed itself on Renji's cheeks.
"Shut up!"
"Right."
This time it was Ichigo who pulled Renji closer. Just as their lips connected, Ichigo looked at the time. Their break had just ended. "Shit! We'll be late. That'll surely draw attention." He pulled Renji closer and put his arms around him. "Ah, well."
End of Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Pneumonia
Ichigo laid awake, listening to Renji's irregular breathing. It was often interrupted by coughing and Ichigo actually started to get seriously worried. About three weeks had passed since Renji had gone sick, and still neither the fever had gone done nor had the coughing stopped. Ichigo had lain awake many nights and just listened. To him it seemed like Renji was only getting worse, not one bit better.
Ichigo's thoughts were interrupted by another one of Renji's attack. This time it sounded really bad. Ichigo could hear how Renji tried to suffocate it, and he could only imagine how much it must hurt. He put his hand on Renji's shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a little..."
Renji started coughing again.
"Renji..."
"My throat's just a little dry. That's all."
"Then why didn't you say so. I'll get you something to drink."
Ichigo got up.
"Don't leave me."
"I'll be back."
Ichigo hurried as fast as he could. When he came back, Renji had put himself in a sitting position, but his eyes were closed.
"Renji?"
Renji opened his eyes. Ichigo handed him the water.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Now, drink up and let's get back to sleep."
Ichigo snuggled up next to Renji, put his arms around Renji's waist and kiss him on the neck. Renji smiled and felt better than before.
When Ichigo woke up in the morning, Renji was gone. He quickly got out of bed and looked around in the room. When he didn't see Renji anywhere, he stepped out of the room. It was then he noticed that the door was open. "Didn't I close it?" He looked out and searched down the hall. When he got to the bathroom, he saw that the bathroom door was open to and Renji lying on the floor. He quickly rushed forward, and put his hand on Renji's forehead. He stated that the fever hadn't gone down. As he tried to lift Renji up, Renji woke up.
"Ichigo..." he whispered weakly.
"Schhh."
Ichigo lifted him back to the room and carefully placed him down on the bed again. One thing he noticed while carrying Renji, was that the magenta-haired shinigami had lost weight.
"Renji. You haven't been eating."
"I wasn't hungry."
"Stupid! You can't just stop eating."
Renji started coughing. Ichigo held him upright and placed a piece of cloth in front of his mouth. When Renji stopped coughing Ichigo laid him back down and wrapped him up. Then just as he was to throw the cloth on the desk he noticed something and it shocked him greatly. "Blood?"
"Renji, how long have you been coughing blood? Renji. Renji!"
Ichigo picked him up and shook him gently.
"Renji! RENJI! Stop this! It isn't funny!"
The shinigami lay seemingly lifeless in Ichigo's arms. Ichigo tried to calm down, and listened. Renji was still breathing, but his spirit force was very weak. Right now all Ichigo could think of doing was waking his dad and let him have a look at Renji. But that meant that he would probably have to tell his dad about them. He wasn't sure if he was ready to tell his dad, or if his dad was ready to hear something like this. But whatever Renji had was more then just a simple fever and more important then telling his dad about them.
He left Renji's side and rushed to get his dad.
Ichigo had been ordered to stay out of the room, while his dad examined Renji. He walked back and forth down the hall, couldn't seem to calm down. His whole world was spinning. "What's happening? Why is it...?"
The door opened and his father finally came out of the room. Ichigo almost attacked him, but restrained himself in the last second.
"What's wrong with him?"
"He got a minor pneumonia. It's still a serious thing, but with antibiotics and lots of rest he will be fine."
Ichigo felt how a large lump was lifted from his heart. Now there only was one problem left. Telling his father about Renji.
"And that means rest. No nightly activities!"
Ichigo stared at his father and blushed violently.
"H-how d-did you...? W-when...?"
"I've know for quite some time now. You've underestimated your ol' dad if you didn't think that I'd notice. Noticed the way you had changed, the way you seemed to be smiling more often. And you were always home in time. And you spent a lot of time in your room, even ate there."
Ichigo looked down at the floor. This was truly embarrassing. His father already knew and he had known a long time.
"Next time, invite him to eat with us instead of sneaking him food."
Ichigo looked at his father with new found respect.
"I thought about it a lot and came to one conclusion. If this is what you want, then I'll just have to get used to it. It's your life and all I really want is for you to be happy. All of you. Even Karin and Yuzu. Though I hope they wait longer then you did."
"This is going better then I expected."
"But I do hope that you're using protection."
Ichigo smacked his father right on the nose and walked into his room, red as a tomato.
"Ichigo. I said he needed rest!"
"Shut up, old fool!"
Ichigo went up to the bed and sat down by Renji's side. He looked really pale and you could see in his face that he had lost a lot of weight. He touched Renji's face with his fingertips, following Renji's tattoos. "Seems so fragile."
"Ichigo. That tickles."
Ichigo jumped up in surprise.
"I thought you were sleeping."
"How can I sleep without you by my side?"
Ichigo smiled weakly and put his hand on Renji's cheek. Renji put his hand over and squeezed Ichigo's hand a little. Then Ichigo got a sad look in his eyes.
"What is it, Ichigo?"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Don't give me that crap! You know perfectly well what I'm talking about?"
Renji looked up at the ceiling.
"I didn't want you to get worried."
"Idiot! I was already worried! Did it ever occur to you that coughing blood MIGHT be serious? What if you...?"
"Don't even think that!"
Renji saw the tears in Ichigo's eyes. Now he could see that the orange-haired boy really had been seriously worried.
"Ichigo... I'm really sorry... I should have... I..."
"I love you, Renji!"
Ichigo threw himself I Renji's arms and Renji felt Ichigo's tears on his bare skin.
"I'm so sorry, Ichigo. I'll never keep secrets from you ever again."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No way in hell!"
"I don't remember giving you a choice! You will take your medication!"
"It tastes awful."
"I don't care."
"Well you don't have to care, cause it's not you who have to eat it."
Ichigo started to get irritated.
"We've been through this before. I ended up on top then and I will this time too. So, please, spare me the pain of wrestling you down."
"I'm stronger now."
"If you don't take you medication now, I'll swear I'll make you take twice as much once I've wrestled you down."
Renji calculate whether it was worth even trying. He reached out his hand.
"Give me the damn medication then."
"Good choice."
Renji received the bowl.
"Thought you said I had none."
"Well you didn't."
"Then why...?"
He grunted and swept down the medicine in one gulp. Shivers went down his spine.
"That didn't seem so bad."
"Shut up!"
"My, my. Aren't we just a little feisty this morning? Why don't we do something productive with all that energy?"
Ichigo leaned in for a kiss, but received a pillow in his face, thrown by Renji.
"Don't you touch me, you perverted hollow in shinigami clothing!"
"Hey! That's not nice."
"It wasn't meant to be nice!"
Ichigo crossed his arms and pouted. Every muscle in Renji's face had to work hard, in order to keep him from smiling at the scene.
"Why can't you hurry up and get well? I'm bored!"
"Can't you think of anything else than that! If that's the case, I'll stay sick the rest of my life. At least the rest of yours."
Ichigo pouted even more and Renji was almost not able to press down the impulse of laughing.
"Hell, come here then. I'll give you a kiss. But only one!"
Ichigo smirked.
"You're weak, Renji."
Renji frowned but welcomed Ichigo's kiss. However, Ichigo had other plans then just a simple kiss. He caressed Renji's chest and when their lips parted, he went straight for Renji's ear. He kissed and nibbled it hungrily. While doing this he moved his hand lower and lower on Renji's body. Renji moaned as he realized were this was going.
"Ichigo... Don't... Please..."
He felt Ichigo push things further. Renji knew that he had to put a stop to this now or else he wouldn't be able to stop it at all.
"Ichigo... st..."
Renji moaned as Ichigo went even further. Renji gathered all his willpower and pushed Ichigo away.
"I said ONE kiss!"
Ichigo smiled.
"I got a little carried away."
"A little!"
"Okay. A lot."
"Don't you ever listen to your father? Good thing at least one of us did."
"Your mean."
"I'm only following the doctor's orders."
"I didn't know you followed orders."
Renji glared at Ichigo.
"If all you're going to be is mean, then you can leave the room."
"It's my room, you know. And my bed you're laying in."
"Gosh, you're whiny today."
"It's because I'm bored."
"Then entertain yourself!"
Ichigo's face went scarlet and he fled the room. Renji smiled. And now when everything was calm and quiet again, he fell asleep.
"I see we got Abarai-kun with us again. Welcome back."
"Thanks."
Their teacher went through the rest of the names, and then started the lesson. But Renji paid little attention to the teacher. His eyes were fixed on Ichigo's back and he didn't know if he would be able to make it until their next break. He just wanted to walk up to Ichigo and kiss him here, in front of the whole class. But he restrained himself. He was absolutely sure that kissing him here in front of everybody wouldn't be appreciated by Ichigo.
When the break finally came, Renji quickly rose, grabbed Ichigo's arm and dragged him out of the classroom.
"Hey!"
Well outside he kept dragging Ichigo around until they came to a place were no one else was around. Once there he pushed Ichigo against the wall and their lips connected. Ichigo pushed him off.
"Hey! What if someone see us?"
Renji smiled and moved in again.
"Then let them watch us."
He covered Ichigo's lips again. Once again Ichigo pushed him off.
"Wasn't it you who didn't want others to find out this way?"
"I don't really care any more."
He kissed Ichigo again and Ichigo pushed him off again.
"Will you stop that?! You said earlier, when Rukia just walked in on us, that it wasn't such a big deal. What the hell are you afraid of now?"
"That we'll get carried away."
Renji smirked.
"Unlike you, I can control my actions."
"Yeah. That I totally noticed last night. You know, I only asked for a goodnight kiss."
A mild blush showed itself on Renji's cheeks.
"Shut up!"
"Right."
This time it was Ichigo who pulled Renji closer. Just as their lips connected, Ichigo looked at the time. Their break had just ended. "Shit! We'll be late. That'll surely draw attention." He pulled Renji closer and put his arms around him. "Ah, well."
End of Chapter 5
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