FicWad

**

"You mean you and Momo were in the same class?"
Renji nodded, hooking his hands behind his head. He gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Yeah. Me, Momo, Rukia, and Kira. Rukia wasn't ever with us, though. Not really sure how to explain that. I guess she just had different core classes than we did."
I had no clue how long we'd been talking. After he came back inside, I'd offered him tea, and we'd sat down to talk. He gladly accepted the tea even though it was cold. We'd been sitting in my floor for what I guessed to be an hour or two. Well, more accurately, he was lounging on my stash of pillows next to me.
We got past the serious stuff faster than I thought we would.
"Considering your current position in the Academy, and that I'm not exactly a 'teacher'... I guess I shouldn't really have a problem with all of this," he'd said, "but I can't help thinking about Captain Kuchiki and what he'll think about it."
"But he can't really do anything about it. There's no rules on it," I'd told him.
We'd agreed that it probably wasn't a good idea to be "together" yet. Not in front of everyone, anyway. It would be easier just to see each other and pal around, romance each other a good bit, instead of focusing directly on a relationship. It was more like an extremely casual relationship. At least until I got my position in the Companies figured out, even if the decision was going to be made tomorrow. I'd still have to get used to the company and all the people in it. He'd also apologized for confusing the hell out of me, which involved the whole kiss thing earlier.
But after that, I ended up talking to him like I would Ikkaku or Yumichika. It felt so much easier now that we were on the same page. "Momo looks so much younger than you, though," I said. He shot me a look.
"So I look old?" he asked. He smirked.
"You look ancient," I joked.
He acted hurt. "Well. I see what you think of me." He swept his hair over his shoulder dramatically. "I must be hideous," he said, sticking his nose up in the air.
"I'm just jealous is all. You and your hideousness. I wish I was that ancient."
He chuckled and sat up next to me. It was silent for a moment as he reached out to brush my hair back, his dark eyes focusing on mine. "Hey. You, there," he said lowly.
"What?"
"Lay back here with me." He tugged me down gently, letting my back rest against his chest and stomach tightly. "I want to hold you."
I couldn't resist. I nestled against him, letting his arm slip around my waist, and he kissed the back of my head. "Why do you want to hold me?" I asked, almost ashamed to be curious.
"Because you're beautiful."
I let myself smile. It was time to revel in something that I loved, and this was it. Even though I still blushed like a nervous school girl, I was comfortable. I loved his warmth at my back. His arm around my waist seemed to fit there. Everything from our shoulders to our hips and even our feet fit together snugly, and even his breath on the back of my neck was calming.
"When will I get to see you again?" I asked, suddenly curious.
He thought for a moment, running his hand over the curve of my waist. "Meet me tomorrow night. At the south gate. I want to take you somewhere," he told me. He tugged on my shoulder, so I rolled over to look at him. "Will you?"
"I will. I promise."
"Good." He scooted the slightest bit closer to me, bringing out faces closer together. "It's nice. Bring something to swim in."
"To swim in?"
He nodded. "You'll see. Just trust me. Now, can I ask you to do one more thing?" His hand came up to my neck, cupping it gently.
"Anything," I said quietly.
He hesitated for a moment. His fingertips traced over my collarbones lightly, pausing over the hem of my robe. "Kiss me?"
My breath caught in my throat. I could feel my chest tighten with anxiety. What if I screwed it up?
"Don't be scared," he murmured. His eyes searched mine.
I scooted closer so that our foreheads were touching lightly. His breath was warm on my cheeks, quickening by the second. He was as anxious as I was. But I could feel myself moving. I knew that I wanted to kiss him more than anything in the world, but I couldn't make myself calm down.
He nuzzled his nose against mine. I let my eyes close, my lips searching for his, until I felt them brush together lightly. He inhaled sharply, his arm slipping back over my waist more tightly now. I half-expected him to back away suddenly. But his hold on my waist only tightened as we kissed again.
His lips pressed more firmly against mine. Feeling bold, I slid my arm around his ribs, linking my ankle with one of his. He teased me for a moment, pulling away to make me hunt for his lips again. "See?" he whispered against my lips. He pressed butterfly kisses to my mouth gingerly. "Nothing to be scared of."
"I'm not scared," I said, bumping our foreheads together. "I'm just--"
He cut me off, kissing me again. "Scared to mess it up?" he finished, his hand exploring my waist curiously. "You're far from it."
"Really?"
"Would I still be doing this if I didn't like it?" His lips pressed against mine harder, almost lustfully. I shivered against him from the sensation. "Don't second guess yourself because of me," he said lowly, his hand stroking the small of my back. "You're beautiful. Now be confident about it. And be confident about everything you do. From now on."
I nodded fearfully. He was dead serious, but his eyes still drifted to my lips and back. He smiled contendedly, snuggling me closer. "I will," I told him, pecking him on the lips lightly. "I promise."
"Good." He ruffled my hair gently, but sat up and began to straighten his robe. "I need to get back to my room, Michiru," he said reluctantly. "It's late."
"But...you've only been here for a little while," I objected. I struggled for a reason for him to stay. "Please. Don't leave me..."
He pulled me up to sit with him. "You'll see me tomorrow," he told me, running his fingers through my short hair. "I don't want to leave either, to be honest."
"Then don't. Stay with me. Just for tonight," I pleaded. "Nobody has to know."
He paused as he stood up, reaching back down to caress my cheek lovingly. "You're right. But I won't be here when you wake up," he warned.
"I don't care. Just stay with me."
"Alright." He sat down on my bed. "But don't expect me to do it again."

The six a.m. bell jarred me out of sleep. It wasn't unpleasant, but I didn't want to be disappointed when I found the other side of the bed empty.
I guess I have to, I thought, sitting up slowly. The sun was just beginning to filter through my windows. It warmed the pillows and sheets deceivingly--I wanted to picture that he was still there. Still curled around me tightly.
Something red caught my eye.
There, on the other pillow, was a red hibiscus. I couldn't help but smile. He'd left me something to let me know he had really been there. I wasn't dreaming. He was just as real as the flower laying there, and it was comforting.
Carefully, I placed it in a dish of water on my table. I couldn't stop looking at it. Even as I put on my new uniform, I glanced over at my shoulder at it, smiling to myself as the bloom drifted around on top of the water. I wondered where he found it, and when he'd left it.
But I still had things to do. I grabbed Egonoki, throwing on my sandals, and headed for high court.