Lone Wolves and Stray Dogs
Feb. 22nd, 2010 02:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blood_crowTitle: Dogs of War [Chapter One]
Warnings: A foul-mouthed Renji (mmm...)
Beta: The lovely![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
goldensprite even though I changed a lot since you last read it and you probably won't even recognize half of it ;_; who helped correct any typos and grammar errors. Also, your kickass feedback is always AWESOME. ILU ♥
Abarai Renji didn't learn until the third visit that the Vizard had an ex-Espada with them. He and Hisagi Shuuhei had been on a routine mission in the Living World, and when Ichigo decided to see his half-hollow buddies, the two seated shinigami went with him. At the time Hisagi seemed pretty gung-ho about the whole thing, which had Renji cocking a tattooed eyebrow. What did the ninth division captain have to be excited about? It wasn't like he knew the Vizard, and he'd never been the type to get overly enthusiastic over making new acquaintances.
Of course once they got there, Renji knew that something was up. He wasn't an idiot, he could see plain as day that Hisagi knew the silver-haired Vizard. However that had happened, Renji had no clue. But there was no denying the weird, unspoken familiarity between them; like secrets being passed with every sidelong glance. The tattooed lieutenant was curious to know what was going on there, but when he'd asked Hisagi the other man shrugged him off. At that Renji could only frown softly, because trying to force info out of Hisagi Shuuhei was akin to having a conversation with a hollow over tea. Virtually impossible.
Besides, Renji had bigger fish to fry. Like the rest of those damned hollow-shinigami. All of them seemed to accept his presence, albeit begrudgingly, because a friend of Ichigo's had to be okay by their standards. But that didn't mean they accepted him into their little group. The only one who had the decency to talk to him politely was the big guy with pink hair. The others didn't spare him more than one sentence, and then there was the bitchy one who glared at him any chance she got. Oh, and the green-haired girl who'd taken to calling him "Cherry-tan," or something else that was equally moronic. He woulda been flattered that she thought enough of him to designate a nickname at all, if it didn't sound so goddamn stupid.
It kind of pissed him off that he was left out of the loop, he'd admit. Just something else to reinforce the old "stray dog" mentality that he'd gotten used to. But it was fine, he wouldn't let it get to him. If they wanted to be stuck-up assholes who refused to acknowledge him, then so what. He'd still strut around their place like he had official business to conduct.
Hisagi, on the other hand, was seemingly welcomed with open arms. Where Renji was treated as if he didn't exist, his tattooed comrade was constantly harassed. Either on the receiving end of a fist, or the receiving end of a joke. It was the same old thing: quips over the suggestive number on his cheek. Blah blah blah, they'd all heard it a hundred times. As for the fists, the brunet got into his fair share of scuffles with the Vizard. The bitchy one, the chick with glasses, and the guy with a toothy grin dealt the most blows.
Renji knew what the boisterous show was all about. It was Hisagi's initiation, and as far as the redhead could tell, the guy was passing. He had to wonder if he was somehow going through an initiation of his own, and just didn't realize it. Did they want to see how long he'd last being ignored? Well, if that were the case, they had better prepare themselves for a long haul. Because the sixth division lieutenant could handle whatever they had in store for him.
Anyway, the first two days Renji hadn't seen him, but on the third he'd caught a glimpse of someone new. The basement below their beat up warehouse was identical to Urahara Kisuke's training grounds: all blue skies overhead and red rock below. The man had been draped over one of those rocks, and at first Renji thought the guy was dead. He'd even turned to two of the Vizard (was it Love and Rose?) and asked them what was up. They'd taken one look at the object Renji was pointing at, then waved him off with a simple, "He's just sleeping, he does it all the time."
And that was that. They didn't divulge anything else, and the redhead wanted to press them for more information, but they took off before he had a chance. It wasn't until the eight Vizard gathered around a barbecue grill that Renji managed to get Ichigo alone. After a little prodding and some heavy-set scowls, he finally got the stubborn asshole to spill the beans. The man's name was Starrk, and he was the former Primera Espada. Renji had been shocked, because as far as he knew, all the Arrancar were killed in the war. With the exception of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, of course, who was now a (can you fucking believe it?) shinigami.
According to Ichigo, it had been Urahara who stumbled across the ex-Espada, not too long after the war ended. The eccentric shop-keeper ended up making a gigai for the Primera, similar to that of his own, and the Vizard's. Since then it sounded like Starrk was wandering around on his own, back and forth between Urahara's shop, the Vizard's hide-out, and any where else around Karakura town that got his interest. It all sounded too weird to Renji, an Arrancar living freely in the Human World. Did Soul Society know..? No, they couldn't know. They didn't know about the Vizard for little over a century, wouldn't be surprising if they didn't know about this rogue Arrancar, either. Actually, it'd be more surprising if they did know.
Pairing: Renji x Starrk
Rating: PG-13 Warnings: A foul-mouthed Renji (mmm...)
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, I only steal its characters so I can go on perverted conquests via fan fics. Also, all characters involved in sexual situations are fictional and above the legal age of consent in the state of California, regardless of what age these characters may be in the material they are derived from.
Summary: Aizen Sosuke and his army of Arrancar have been defeated, and the only surviving Espada is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Or so everyone believed. When Abarai Renji meets the rogue Primera, Coyote Starrk, he slowly learns that the two of them have more in common than you'd think.
A/N: I NEED TO STOP WRITING. I shall OD on fanfiction, and crack pairings. This story is within the same realm as Smoke and Mirrors, (hence the mentioning of Grimmjow).Beta: The lovely
goldensprite Abarai Renji didn't learn until the third visit that the Vizard had an ex-Espada with them. He and Hisagi Shuuhei had been on a routine mission in the Living World, and when Ichigo decided to see his half-hollow buddies, the two seated shinigami went with him. At the time Hisagi seemed pretty gung-ho about the whole thing, which had Renji cocking a tattooed eyebrow. What did the ninth division captain have to be excited about? It wasn't like he knew the Vizard, and he'd never been the type to get overly enthusiastic over making new acquaintances.
Of course once they got there, Renji knew that something was up. He wasn't an idiot, he could see plain as day that Hisagi knew the silver-haired Vizard. However that had happened, Renji had no clue. But there was no denying the weird, unspoken familiarity between them; like secrets being passed with every sidelong glance. The tattooed lieutenant was curious to know what was going on there, but when he'd asked Hisagi the other man shrugged him off. At that Renji could only frown softly, because trying to force info out of Hisagi Shuuhei was akin to having a conversation with a hollow over tea. Virtually impossible.
Besides, Renji had bigger fish to fry. Like the rest of those damned hollow-shinigami. All of them seemed to accept his presence, albeit begrudgingly, because a friend of Ichigo's had to be okay by their standards. But that didn't mean they accepted him into their little group. The only one who had the decency to talk to him politely was the big guy with pink hair. The others didn't spare him more than one sentence, and then there was the bitchy one who glared at him any chance she got. Oh, and the green-haired girl who'd taken to calling him "Cherry-tan," or something else that was equally moronic. He woulda been flattered that she thought enough of him to designate a nickname at all, if it didn't sound so goddamn stupid.
It kind of pissed him off that he was left out of the loop, he'd admit. Just something else to reinforce the old "stray dog" mentality that he'd gotten used to. But it was fine, he wouldn't let it get to him. If they wanted to be stuck-up assholes who refused to acknowledge him, then so what. He'd still strut around their place like he had official business to conduct.
Hisagi, on the other hand, was seemingly welcomed with open arms. Where Renji was treated as if he didn't exist, his tattooed comrade was constantly harassed. Either on the receiving end of a fist, or the receiving end of a joke. It was the same old thing: quips over the suggestive number on his cheek. Blah blah blah, they'd all heard it a hundred times. As for the fists, the brunet got into his fair share of scuffles with the Vizard. The bitchy one, the chick with glasses, and the guy with a toothy grin dealt the most blows.
Renji knew what the boisterous show was all about. It was Hisagi's initiation, and as far as the redhead could tell, the guy was passing. He had to wonder if he was somehow going through an initiation of his own, and just didn't realize it. Did they want to see how long he'd last being ignored? Well, if that were the case, they had better prepare themselves for a long haul. Because the sixth division lieutenant could handle whatever they had in store for him.
Anyway, the first two days Renji hadn't seen him, but on the third he'd caught a glimpse of someone new. The basement below their beat up warehouse was identical to Urahara Kisuke's training grounds: all blue skies overhead and red rock below. The man had been draped over one of those rocks, and at first Renji thought the guy was dead. He'd even turned to two of the Vizard (was it Love and Rose?) and asked them what was up. They'd taken one look at the object Renji was pointing at, then waved him off with a simple, "He's just sleeping, he does it all the time."
And that was that. They didn't divulge anything else, and the redhead wanted to press them for more information, but they took off before he had a chance. It wasn't until the eight Vizard gathered around a barbecue grill that Renji managed to get Ichigo alone. After a little prodding and some heavy-set scowls, he finally got the stubborn asshole to spill the beans. The man's name was Starrk, and he was the former Primera Espada. Renji had been shocked, because as far as he knew, all the Arrancar were killed in the war. With the exception of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, of course, who was now a (can you fucking believe it?) shinigami.
According to Ichigo, it had been Urahara who stumbled across the ex-Espada, not too long after the war ended. The eccentric shop-keeper ended up making a gigai for the Primera, similar to that of his own, and the Vizard's. Since then it sounded like Starrk was wandering around on his own, back and forth between Urahara's shop, the Vizard's hide-out, and any where else around Karakura town that got his interest. It all sounded too weird to Renji, an Arrancar living freely in the Human World. Did Soul Society know..? No, they couldn't know. They didn't know about the Vizard for little over a century, wouldn't be surprising if they didn't know about this rogue Arrancar, either. Actually, it'd be more surprising if they did know.
After Renji had gotten the dish, he didn't do much about it. Not at first, anyway. He had to sit on the whole idea for a night, lying awake in Urahara's shop. He and Hisagi were staying there temporarily while in the Human World, though the ninth division squad leader did sneak out at some point... The secretive bastard.
During the war the redhead had only come into contact with two Espada. The faggy Octava, and the mammoth, bigger-than-Hueco-Mundo-itself Cero. Both of them seemed pretty fucked in the head, in his humble opinion. Especially the one with pink hair, the crazy fucker... So of course he couldn't just overlook the fact that another Espada was living in Karakura Town. A fucking Living World town. And no one seemed the least bit bothered by it, either, which only frustrated him more. Not the Vizard, not Urahara Kisuke, not Ichigo. Renji couldn't help himself, his curiosity got the best of him. He had to know what the Primera was like, why it was that no one had taken him out the moment they realized he was still alive.
Renji could see why Urahara or Ichigo would take it all in stride, but the Vizard? From the little he knew of them, they seemed like a pretty tight group. An elite group, one that rejected most people. So why were they so tolerant of a former Espada? He could only assume that it had something to do with what Starrk was... The man was an Arrancar, something that had both shinigami and hollow powers. That kind of made him like the Vizard, didn't it? Maybe that's why they let him hang around without being bothered... Whatever the reason, he wanted to get to the bottom of it.
The following day, the ex-Espada known as Starrk was there, much to Renji's approval. This time the Primera was awake, sitting cross-legged on the ground, the rock behind him supporting his back. Yea, there was definitely something different about that one. His energy wasn't anything like the energy Renji had felt with the Octava and Cero. Starrk's energy was far more relaxed and...nonthreatening. To the redhead it looked like the former Espada had no intention of inflicting harm on anyone.
Huh. Well he'd be fucking damned.
Squinting, the redhead watched the former Espada out of the corner of his eye. The Vizard had barbecued again, and all of them gathered around in a haphazard circle to eat. But there was Starrk off on his own, just sitting there. He seemed completely oblivious to everything around him, like he'd never been involved in a fucking war. And more importantly, like he'd never been the enemy of the eleven people whom he was sharing space with. It made Renji's brow twitch, the dual force of irritation and intrigue swirling around inside him. And what the hell was Starrk looking at, anyway? There was some kind of magazine in his hand, but Renji couldn't see the cover. He took a swig of the sake in his hand, then set the bottle down and got up so he could saunter over.
The Primera took notice of him quicker than Renji expected him to. The redhead could feel Starrk's gaze on him with each step, making him feel even heavier than he already did on a daily basis. The other man's stare looked harmless enough, and yet somehow it was still unnerving... Like there was a whisper of blistering intensity lurking just beneath it, waiting to be unearthed. If Renji hadn't taken an interest in the brunet before, he definitely would have in that moment. And as the distance between them shortened, he could see that the Primera had blue-gray eyes, in a shade that Renji wasn't familiar with. They were serene and cool, borderline bored, but something about them seemed to grip Renji's soul in a warm embrace.
"You're one of Ichigo's friends."
Starrk's voice was low, deep, and unhurried. There was something about the tone of it that relaxed Renji... He was still on the alert, prepared for anything the Espada might spring on him, but there was no denying the sense of calm that washed over him. For whatever reason he didn't feel like he was at risk, and so he allowed himself a soft grin.
"Yea. Name's Abarai Renji. I hear that you're Starrk."
Dark brows went up, and Renji took note of their delicate arch. They were overly feminine, he observed, but for some reason that didn't put him off like he thought it would. The thinness of those brows went well with the Primera's almond shaped eyes, and the sharp angle of his high cheekbones.
"Yea, that's right," Starrk mumbled, his tone softer than it was before. The redhead continued to smirk, leaning his shoulder against the rock as he stared at the other man. He was dressed like a human, which was no surprise, in an old looking military jacket. The color was gray, and there were patches of white where the material had worn down. He had gloves on too that caught Renji's attention, drew his eye to the Primera's long fingers. And that inevitably had him looking at the magazine, at a double-page spread of a naked, busty woman with blond hair. The chick had tits to rival Matsumoto Rangiku, and her legs were spread in such a way that it left nothing to the imagination. Auburn eyes widened, a tattooed brow twitching up before a mischievous grin curled the corners of Renji's mouth. The former Primera Espada was looking at a fucking porno mag. Well hot damn, for supposedly having no heart, the hollow being certainly had a pulse.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
"Lisa has a whole stash."
Brows arching faintly, Renji slowly sank down so he was crouching. He used the rock for balance, his forearms resting on his knees. The other man stared at him for a moment, before his gaze went back to the nude girl. Renji stared at the picture lazily, his mind on the "Lisa" Starrk had mentioned. She was the one with glasses, if he remembered right. He thought he'd seen her with her nose in a magazine, far too engrossed for it to be anything conventional. He'd been suspicious as to what she was looking at, but little did he know it was shit like this.
"I'm guessin' that's your type, if the drool on your chin is anything to go by," he mumbled with a sly, suggestive tone. Even if the brunet wasn't looking at him, Renji's devious smirk could be heard in the dip of his voice.
A ghost of a smile appeared on the other man's face, and the eyes that were already at half-mast drooped even farther. "She'd be anyone's type, wouldn't she?"
"Wouldn't say anyone," Renj chuckled, sinking down so he was sitting instead of crouching. He let his legs fan wide, forearms going to rest on his knees once more. "Personally, that look of hers ain't my thing."
"Not your thing?" the Primera questioned immediately. His slate blue eyes found Renji's, and the look on the brunet's face spoke of genuine surprise and confusion. "What don't you like?"
Inked brows creeping over a tanned forehead, Renji couldn't help smirking. He continued to stare into Starrk's eyes, before turning his gaze on the naked woman. "Well, her hair for one thing. I like 'em darker. And those things," he motioned towards her breasts with his hand, "they're too big."
If the ex-Espada looked surprised before, now his expression was truly dumbfounded. "Too big? You're the first guy I've ever heard complain about something like that."
Renji felt a steady burn in his cheeks, but still he managed to retain his grin. "Haven't you ever heard that sayin' before?" he asked, his auburn gaze smoldering with a wolfish playfulness. "You never want more than a handful."
Starrk really did look perplexed, his thin brows furrowed in apparent thought. Renji would have never guessed that the Primera could be so expressive, and he found himself liking it. The shock in those slate blue eyes was beginning to ebb, though, much to his disappointment. Starrk's features were returning to their previous state of drowsy-looking awareness, inch by inch.
"I've never had a problem with more than a handful," the brunet commented, his brows arched in a matter-of-fact sort of way. Renji felt his own inked brows shoot skyward, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. There were all kinds of implications in that one sentence, and he just couldn't help himself.
"Are you trying to say that you've groped big tits before?"
"Sure, why not?"
Red-brown eyes widened faintly, and Renji couldn't suppress his shit-eating grin. He'd really scored big with this guy... The brunet seemed in a league of his own, different from the other Espada Renji had been around. Not only did the "hollow" being have an easy-going disposition, he had a fucking sex drive. Or at least enough of one that he liked looking at dirty magazines and fondling tits. The redhead had to lean closer, his voice dropping an octave as he mumbled, "Who?"
Starrk's brows arched slightly, but his gaze didn't shift as he flipped through the pages slowly. "Who what?"
"Who was the girl?"
At that the other man frowned, so softly that Renji would have missed it if he hadn't been staring. He watched silently as blue-gray eyes slowly rose, then turned towards him. The Primera's stare was surprisingly intense, and Renji suddenly felt frozen, unsure of what was going through Starrk's mind. He didn't know what to say as the brunette stared at him, and then that unreadable gaze drifted, falling on the redhead's neck. Renji watched as steel blue eyes widened faintly, sleek brows pulling together. He was completely baffled by Starrk's sudden silence, and it was starting to make him uncomfortable.
"What?" the sixth division lieutenant muttered, leaning back. He tilted his head down, trying to see what it was Starrk was staring at so intently. Of course he couldn't see his own neck, so he just reached up to cover it as he shot the Primera a questioning look.
"It's nothing... Why are you over here, anyway? Shouldn't you be with your friends?" Starrk asked, pointing past Renji with his gloved hand. The redhead followed the other man's movement, turning his head to look at the group of Vizard sitting with Hisagi and Ichigo. He stared at the group with a lazy expression that held traces of bitterness. Fucking Ichigo and Hisagi, sitting with the hollow-shinigami like they were one big, happy family. Renji's lip curled a little, and he gave a dismissive snort before turning his gaze back to Starrk. When his eyes met slate blue he felt the beginnings of a grin.
"I shouldn't be anywhere if I don't feel like it," he drawled carelessly, "They were gettin' borin', so I decided I'd make myself a new friend."
The Primera looked taken aback by that, his delicate brows arching in mild surprise. "Friends with an Espada?"
"Well you're an ex-Espada now, ain'chya? And you looked s'lonely sitting over here all by yourself."
The redhead's tone held a trace of teasing intent, and he quirked an eyebrow at the other man. He thought Starrk looked surprised before, now he looked truly startled. And was that... a light flush on his cheekbones? No fucking way! Renji wanted to howl and grin like a madman.
"I'm not an Espada anymore because the war's over, but I'll always be an Arrancar," Starrk mumbled softly, his features smoothing. An almost forlorn look overcame the man's sculpted face, so subtle that it was barely noticeable. His elegant eyes were nothing but calm and compliant, though. Renji's grin softened under the other man's stare, and he swayed a little where he sat, shrugging his shoulders.
"Does that mean we can't be friends 'cause you're still an enemy of mine, Arrancar?" he asked, humor still lacing his words. He offered the Primera a lazy little smile, his brow quirking again. The other man just stared at him, brows furrowed over hardening eyes.
"No.."
"You do have a point, y'know," Renji drawled, glancing at Starrk out of the corner of his eye. He grinned slowly and arched both of his tattooed brows. "The Winter War is over, but shinigami will always be against hollows. So I guess you and I are enemies, ne?"
The Primera frowned softly, but his steel blue gaze was seemingly unfazed as he looked away. "I'm not against you. I'd rather go home and sleep than fight any of you shinigami. That kind of stuff was never in my nature."
"Never in your nature?" Renji cocked an eyebrow, his expression conveying that he was unconvinced. "You fought in the war, didn't you? It's hard to imagine that fighting isn't in your nature when you let yourself be a soldier for Aizen."
"That war was such a pain in the ass," Starrk mumbled, closing his eyes as he scratched at the back of his head. "I just wanted to repay my debt."
His inked brow going higher, the redhead stared at the other man questioningly. "What debt?"
Instead of answering Starrk just sighed tiredly and pushed himself to a stand. Renji watched the other man with a soft scowl, agitation building inside him as the Primera started walking away.
"I don't think you'd understand."
"Try me."
The brunet paused, standing in front of Renji's sitting form, but turned to the side so the tattooed shinigami could see his profile. Starrk was long and slender, but Renji had a feeling that there was an underlying strength hidden beneath those clothes. He could see it in the way Starrk's dark pants clung to his muscular thigh.
"All of my friends wasted away just from being around me. Aizen knew others like me, who were strong enough to get close without dying. He gave me a chance to know them too, and that's why I fought for him."
Inked brows shot up, and for a moment the only thing Renji could think to do was stare. Aizen knew people who wouldn't die just from being around Starrk? That's how fucking strong the bastard was? He had to wonder what kind of weaklings the Primera had been around before, because he hadn't died yet under the guy's mere presence, and neither had Hisagi, Ichigo, Urahara, or the Vizard...
But that wasn't the thing that really got the redhead. Starrk had said he had friends. Hollows didn't fucking have friends. And there was also the implication that he was...lonely? That's why he joined Aizen, so he could be around people who wouldn't die? Friendship and loneliness... It wasn't possible for a hollow to feel those things, that's why they were hollows. They didn't have hearts, or human feelings. So why did the Primera display those things in spades? A sex drive, a laid-back demeanor, the capability to feel lonely and have friends... It was all too human, and that confused Renji. When he decided he'd study the Primera, he expected another monster like the ones he'd met in Hueco Mundo. He expected another crazy, unfeeling freak like the Octava or the Cero. But instead he came face to face with someone who was seemingly at the opposite end of the spectrum... Starrk was slowly annihilating all of Renji's previous conceptions, and it made the man all the more captivating.
Just what the fuck are you?
"You seem strong enough to be a friend, shinigami-san."
"A friend who wants to bury you," Renji said slowly, his ink brows furrowed over a calculating gaze. After a moment he let an almost wicked smile curl the corners of his mouth. There was a dangerous glint in his eye as he pushed himself up, using the rock at his back for leverage. He stood at his full height and stared the Espada in the eye.
"Bury me?" the other man mumbled, a look of soft confusion and barely there caution passing over his features.
"Into the ground," Renji clarified, grinning wider. "You seem really strong, Starrk. Once upon a time you were the Primera Espada, and apparently your strength by itself made your buddies melt away. You must be a real beast on the battle field, huh?"
At that Starrk's brows furrowed faintly, and then he heaved a heavy side, scratching at his scalp for the second time. "I told you that I'm not a fighter. I didn't think you were the type for that blood-thirsty sort of thing." The other man paused there, another sigh falling from his full lips. The soft exhalation sounded disheartened, somehow, and his cool gaze seemed to mirror that emotion.
The brunet's words were true, Renji really wasn't the type. Yea, he liked a good fight, liked getting fucked up every now and then. But he didn't love it to the point that he could be comparable to someone like Zaraki Kenpachi. That being said, the ex-Espada was getting under his skin in such a way that made him itch like he had a rash. Renji had already come to the conclusion that this Arrancar was unlike the rest. He realized that Starrk could be putting on a front, milking the whole "gentle soul" persona to keep people off his back. But something inside Renji's heart told him that wasn't the case. Something told him that Starrk was genuine.
Now that he knew the brunet was capable of things that he really shouldn't be... Well, it had Renji wanting to unearth even more. He had an almost unbearable desire to discover everything from the inside out. One of the first things on his list was Starrk's strength. Aizen hadn't made the brunette one of his top Espada for nothing. The man had to be powerful as fuck, and for whatever reason he wasn't showcasing it. Was he scared, or was it really just "not in his nature" like he claimed?
Renji knew that he'd have to go about it carefully. He didn't want to lure the hollow in Starrk to the surface, that would only make the ex-Espada like all the rest, and essentially kill the redhead's interest... Really, the only thing he wanted was to witness Starrk's infamous strength. He wanted to know how powerful the brunet really was, because fuck, he was the goddamn Primera. The strength of his presence alone had been enough to kill other hollows, or so it was said. And to think that someone who was so calm and seemingly uninterested could possess an incredible amount of power... How could Renji not want to feel it for himself? It had to be hiding under the Primera's impartial exterior, like a bear in hibernation.
And the sleeping bear has razor sharp teeth and claws, doesn't he? Made for ripping flesh and crushing bone when the time calls for it...
As if seeing the legend come to life wasn't enough, Renji had one more reason. To see that cool, unfazed attitude crack, shaken by the intensity of battle. To see those tired eyes burning with power, and that lean, sluggish body thrumming with the need to protect itself from death.
"You'd be disappointed if we ever came to blows."
Starrk said that as if he'd been able to read Renji's thoughts. The redhead blinked once to gather himself, regrouping in reality so he wouldn't get lost inside his own mind.
"Would I? I think that you must be capable of doing some serious damage," he drawled, stepping closer to Starrk. His large hands were held casually inside the pockets of his hakama, and he jerked his head sideways, cocking an eyebrow. "You're just too lazy to make the kill, aren't you? No one's grabbed you by the balls hard enough to get you motivated the way you need to be."
The Primera just frowned, his dark lashes drooping so low that his eyes were almost closed. Then he simply shook his head and sighed softly. "What a pain. You're not gonna let me off the hook, are you? And here I thought I could finally relax. The war's over, can't you relax too?"
Looking up, Starrk fixed the redhead with a tired stare. And the next thing Renji knew the other man was shoving the porno mag against his broad chest.
"Here. Look at that and take care of yourself. Put all that aggression to something useful, shinigami-san. Maybe then you'll be too worn out to pick a fight."
Starrk let the magazine go and Renji's hand was forced from his pocket, shooting up to catch the reading material so it wouldn't fall. The brunet started walking away, and Renji watched him with a lopsided grin. "I told you my name was Abarai Renji!" he shouted after the Primera. "So quit with the 'shinigami-san' shit!"
The other man didn't turn back, just waved a dismissive hand over his shoulder. Renji chuckled to himself, his attentive gaze on Starrk's back. The ex-Espada strolled over to the group of nine, and the silver-haired Vizard (who was sitting cross-legged on the ground), held a plate in the air. Starrk swiped some of the proffered food as he walked by, and if the two men exchanged words Renji didn't catch them. The redhead continued to watch the Primera as he walked up the stairs that lead to the warehouse above, and only when the man was out of sight did Renji let himself look away.
Snorting softly, the red-haired vice-captain turned his attention on the magazine in his hand. It was open to a page of a raven-haired girl with pale skin, and at that his inked brows shot skyward. So Starrk had been paying attention when the redhead said he liked 'em darker? Well shit, fuck me sideways... Renji actually felt touched, because the former Espada had obviously taken the time to find a girl who'd appeal to him. What was that he determined earlier, about all-too-human behavior? The Primera was like no other "hollow," Renji was sure of that...
With a throaty laugh he licked two of his fingers, then pinched the page between each calloused digit, ready to rip it out. And that's when he felt the kick to the back of his head, forcing a stunned squawk from his mouth.
"I don't remember giving that to you. If you want one, then have the guts to ask for it yourself. Until then piss off."
Renji's head spun around, his eyes already narrowed as he sought his offender. Standing on the rock where he and Starrk had been sitting, was the bespectacled Vizard he knew to be Lisa. She perched there with her arms crossed over her chest, a no-bullshit look on her face. With the height difference between them, he could almost see up her skirt... And what a skirt it was, made from a dark material that was pleated and short. That was one schoolgirl who was very not innocent, he knew that for damn sure. Or maybe he'd just come to that conclusion because now he knew what she was looking at all fucking day..?
Nope. An outfit like that (and on a girl who looked like that) was always debauched, porn or not.
Grinning slowly, the sixth division lieutenant turned around so he was facing Lisa fully. He closed the magazine neatly, his gaze heavy-lidded as he handed the perverted property over.
"You're a real freak, ain'chya?"
The dark-haired Vizard stared at him with incredibly green-blue, obstinate eyes. "It's called having a healthy interest," she said, jumping off the rock so she was standing beside him. She swiped the magazine from his hand, then turned away to walk back to the group of nine. "The real freaks are the ones who try hiding it."
"Is that so?" Renji challenged, his dark brow arching. The woman didn't acknowledge him as he walked beside her, didn't even glance in his direction. He narrowed his vermilion eyes as he scowled at her head. And that's when realization dawned on him, and he found his eyebrow cocking again.
"Hey, just how long were you standing on that rock?
"Long enough to know that dark hair gets you off."
"You were eavesdropping?!"
"Shut up, so what if I was?" Lisa demanded, incredibly straight-faced. "It's natural to be curious."
"Most people call that being nosy," Renji corrected.
"And I'd call a shinigami bugging me a suicide by proxy. Now piss off."
Glaring harder, the redhead considered ripping that magazine away from Lisa's grasp and taking off. He considered finding her entire collection and stealing those, too. Trying to fight her was another option, but not as satisfying. He liked the idea of making her suffer for longer than twenty minutes, and he had the feeling that denying the Vizard her dirty kicks would be the fastest route there.
But all plots were forgotten when he heard someone calling his name. Irritated, he glared at Ichigo, who was standing with arms crossed, a scowl of his own marring his orange brows. Renji felt his expression soften, his gaze questioning as he stared at his friend. Ichigo didn't say anything, just jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing towards the staircase.
I guess that means we're leaving.
Sighing inwardly, Renji looked at Lisa one final time. "Your hospitality continues to amaze me," he said, a sarcastically pleasant smile on face. The teal-eyed woman stared at him, the corner of her mouth lifting to form a smirk. The gesture was just as bitingly sardonic.
"You've only seen the tip of the iceberg. If it's too much for you already, you should save yourself another soiled diaper and run back home. Shinigami belong in Soul Society, anyway. You have no business being here."
The redhead actually chuckled, weirdly amused by her abrasiveness. Not to mention that there seemed to be something in her tone, or in the way that her mouth quirked, that told him her words weren't as harsh as they sounded. Was it just wishful thinking, or were the Vizard starting to warm up to him?
Not bothering with a response, Renji just waved the woman off and sauntered over to Ichigo. It wasn't all that surprising when Hisagi told them that he was going to stay longer, which had the tattooed vice-captain squinting. The fucking bastard, what had gotten into him? Renji made a mental note of berating the guy later, or at least interrogating him. He had a pretty good idea of what was keeping Hisagi there, he just didn't know why. But Ichigo was being impatient, and Renji had better things to consider, so the two of them left without a second thought for the shady, ninth division captain.
During the war the redhead had only come into contact with two Espada. The faggy Octava, and the mammoth, bigger-than-Hueco-Mundo-itself Cero. Both of them seemed pretty fucked in the head, in his humble opinion. Especially the one with pink hair, the crazy fucker... So of course he couldn't just overlook the fact that another Espada was living in Karakura Town. A fucking Living World town. And no one seemed the least bit bothered by it, either, which only frustrated him more. Not the Vizard, not Urahara Kisuke, not Ichigo. Renji couldn't help himself, his curiosity got the best of him. He had to know what the Primera was like, why it was that no one had taken him out the moment they realized he was still alive.
Renji could see why Urahara or Ichigo would take it all in stride, but the Vizard? From the little he knew of them, they seemed like a pretty tight group. An elite group, one that rejected most people. So why were they so tolerant of a former Espada? He could only assume that it had something to do with what Starrk was... The man was an Arrancar, something that had both shinigami and hollow powers. That kind of made him like the Vizard, didn't it? Maybe that's why they let him hang around without being bothered... Whatever the reason, he wanted to get to the bottom of it.
The following day, the ex-Espada known as Starrk was there, much to Renji's approval. This time the Primera was awake, sitting cross-legged on the ground, the rock behind him supporting his back. Yea, there was definitely something different about that one. His energy wasn't anything like the energy Renji had felt with the Octava and Cero. Starrk's energy was far more relaxed and...nonthreatening. To the redhead it looked like the former Espada had no intention of inflicting harm on anyone.
Huh. Well he'd be fucking damned.
Squinting, the redhead watched the former Espada out of the corner of his eye. The Vizard had barbecued again, and all of them gathered around in a haphazard circle to eat. But there was Starrk off on his own, just sitting there. He seemed completely oblivious to everything around him, like he'd never been involved in a fucking war. And more importantly, like he'd never been the enemy of the eleven people whom he was sharing space with. It made Renji's brow twitch, the dual force of irritation and intrigue swirling around inside him. And what the hell was Starrk looking at, anyway? There was some kind of magazine in his hand, but Renji couldn't see the cover. He took a swig of the sake in his hand, then set the bottle down and got up so he could saunter over.
The Primera took notice of him quicker than Renji expected him to. The redhead could feel Starrk's gaze on him with each step, making him feel even heavier than he already did on a daily basis. The other man's stare looked harmless enough, and yet somehow it was still unnerving... Like there was a whisper of blistering intensity lurking just beneath it, waiting to be unearthed. If Renji hadn't taken an interest in the brunet before, he definitely would have in that moment. And as the distance between them shortened, he could see that the Primera had blue-gray eyes, in a shade that Renji wasn't familiar with. They were serene and cool, borderline bored, but something about them seemed to grip Renji's soul in a warm embrace.
"You're one of Ichigo's friends."
Starrk's voice was low, deep, and unhurried. There was something about the tone of it that relaxed Renji... He was still on the alert, prepared for anything the Espada might spring on him, but there was no denying the sense of calm that washed over him. For whatever reason he didn't feel like he was at risk, and so he allowed himself a soft grin.
"Yea. Name's Abarai Renji. I hear that you're Starrk."
Dark brows went up, and Renji took note of their delicate arch. They were overly feminine, he observed, but for some reason that didn't put him off like he thought it would. The thinness of those brows went well with the Primera's almond shaped eyes, and the sharp angle of his high cheekbones.
"Yea, that's right," Starrk mumbled, his tone softer than it was before. The redhead continued to smirk, leaning his shoulder against the rock as he stared at the other man. He was dressed like a human, which was no surprise, in an old looking military jacket. The color was gray, and there were patches of white where the material had worn down. He had gloves on too that caught Renji's attention, drew his eye to the Primera's long fingers. And that inevitably had him looking at the magazine, at a double-page spread of a naked, busty woman with blond hair. The chick had tits to rival Matsumoto Rangiku, and her legs were spread in such a way that it left nothing to the imagination. Auburn eyes widened, a tattooed brow twitching up before a mischievous grin curled the corners of Renji's mouth. The former Primera Espada was looking at a fucking porno mag. Well hot damn, for supposedly having no heart, the hollow being certainly had a pulse.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
"Lisa has a whole stash."
Brows arching faintly, Renji slowly sank down so he was crouching. He used the rock for balance, his forearms resting on his knees. The other man stared at him for a moment, before his gaze went back to the nude girl. Renji stared at the picture lazily, his mind on the "Lisa" Starrk had mentioned. She was the one with glasses, if he remembered right. He thought he'd seen her with her nose in a magazine, far too engrossed for it to be anything conventional. He'd been suspicious as to what she was looking at, but little did he know it was shit like this.
"I'm guessin' that's your type, if the drool on your chin is anything to go by," he mumbled with a sly, suggestive tone. Even if the brunet wasn't looking at him, Renji's devious smirk could be heard in the dip of his voice.
A ghost of a smile appeared on the other man's face, and the eyes that were already at half-mast drooped even farther. "She'd be anyone's type, wouldn't she?"
"Wouldn't say anyone," Renj chuckled, sinking down so he was sitting instead of crouching. He let his legs fan wide, forearms going to rest on his knees once more. "Personally, that look of hers ain't my thing."
"Not your thing?" the Primera questioned immediately. His slate blue eyes found Renji's, and the look on the brunet's face spoke of genuine surprise and confusion. "What don't you like?"
Inked brows creeping over a tanned forehead, Renji couldn't help smirking. He continued to stare into Starrk's eyes, before turning his gaze on the naked woman. "Well, her hair for one thing. I like 'em darker. And those things," he motioned towards her breasts with his hand, "they're too big."
If the ex-Espada looked surprised before, now his expression was truly dumbfounded. "Too big? You're the first guy I've ever heard complain about something like that."
Renji felt a steady burn in his cheeks, but still he managed to retain his grin. "Haven't you ever heard that sayin' before?" he asked, his auburn gaze smoldering with a wolfish playfulness. "You never want more than a handful."
Starrk really did look perplexed, his thin brows furrowed in apparent thought. Renji would have never guessed that the Primera could be so expressive, and he found himself liking it. The shock in those slate blue eyes was beginning to ebb, though, much to his disappointment. Starrk's features were returning to their previous state of drowsy-looking awareness, inch by inch.
"I've never had a problem with more than a handful," the brunet commented, his brows arched in a matter-of-fact sort of way. Renji felt his own inked brows shoot skyward, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. There were all kinds of implications in that one sentence, and he just couldn't help himself.
"Are you trying to say that you've groped big tits before?"
"Sure, why not?"
Red-brown eyes widened faintly, and Renji couldn't suppress his shit-eating grin. He'd really scored big with this guy... The brunet seemed in a league of his own, different from the other Espada Renji had been around. Not only did the "hollow" being have an easy-going disposition, he had a fucking sex drive. Or at least enough of one that he liked looking at dirty magazines and fondling tits. The redhead had to lean closer, his voice dropping an octave as he mumbled, "Who?"
Starrk's brows arched slightly, but his gaze didn't shift as he flipped through the pages slowly. "Who what?"
"Who was the girl?"
At that the other man frowned, so softly that Renji would have missed it if he hadn't been staring. He watched silently as blue-gray eyes slowly rose, then turned towards him. The Primera's stare was surprisingly intense, and Renji suddenly felt frozen, unsure of what was going through Starrk's mind. He didn't know what to say as the brunette stared at him, and then that unreadable gaze drifted, falling on the redhead's neck. Renji watched as steel blue eyes widened faintly, sleek brows pulling together. He was completely baffled by Starrk's sudden silence, and it was starting to make him uncomfortable.
"What?" the sixth division lieutenant muttered, leaning back. He tilted his head down, trying to see what it was Starrk was staring at so intently. Of course he couldn't see his own neck, so he just reached up to cover it as he shot the Primera a questioning look.
"It's nothing... Why are you over here, anyway? Shouldn't you be with your friends?" Starrk asked, pointing past Renji with his gloved hand. The redhead followed the other man's movement, turning his head to look at the group of Vizard sitting with Hisagi and Ichigo. He stared at the group with a lazy expression that held traces of bitterness. Fucking Ichigo and Hisagi, sitting with the hollow-shinigami like they were one big, happy family. Renji's lip curled a little, and he gave a dismissive snort before turning his gaze back to Starrk. When his eyes met slate blue he felt the beginnings of a grin.
"I shouldn't be anywhere if I don't feel like it," he drawled carelessly, "They were gettin' borin', so I decided I'd make myself a new friend."
The Primera looked taken aback by that, his delicate brows arching in mild surprise. "Friends with an Espada?"
"Well you're an ex-Espada now, ain'chya? And you looked s'lonely sitting over here all by yourself."
The redhead's tone held a trace of teasing intent, and he quirked an eyebrow at the other man. He thought Starrk looked surprised before, now he looked truly startled. And was that... a light flush on his cheekbones? No fucking way! Renji wanted to howl and grin like a madman.
"I'm not an Espada anymore because the war's over, but I'll always be an Arrancar," Starrk mumbled softly, his features smoothing. An almost forlorn look overcame the man's sculpted face, so subtle that it was barely noticeable. His elegant eyes were nothing but calm and compliant, though. Renji's grin softened under the other man's stare, and he swayed a little where he sat, shrugging his shoulders.
"Does that mean we can't be friends 'cause you're still an enemy of mine, Arrancar?" he asked, humor still lacing his words. He offered the Primera a lazy little smile, his brow quirking again. The other man just stared at him, brows furrowed over hardening eyes.
"No.."
"You do have a point, y'know," Renji drawled, glancing at Starrk out of the corner of his eye. He grinned slowly and arched both of his tattooed brows. "The Winter War is over, but shinigami will always be against hollows. So I guess you and I are enemies, ne?"
The Primera frowned softly, but his steel blue gaze was seemingly unfazed as he looked away. "I'm not against you. I'd rather go home and sleep than fight any of you shinigami. That kind of stuff was never in my nature."
"Never in your nature?" Renji cocked an eyebrow, his expression conveying that he was unconvinced. "You fought in the war, didn't you? It's hard to imagine that fighting isn't in your nature when you let yourself be a soldier for Aizen."
"That war was such a pain in the ass," Starrk mumbled, closing his eyes as he scratched at the back of his head. "I just wanted to repay my debt."
His inked brow going higher, the redhead stared at the other man questioningly. "What debt?"
Instead of answering Starrk just sighed tiredly and pushed himself to a stand. Renji watched the other man with a soft scowl, agitation building inside him as the Primera started walking away.
"I don't think you'd understand."
"Try me."
The brunet paused, standing in front of Renji's sitting form, but turned to the side so the tattooed shinigami could see his profile. Starrk was long and slender, but Renji had a feeling that there was an underlying strength hidden beneath those clothes. He could see it in the way Starrk's dark pants clung to his muscular thigh.
"All of my friends wasted away just from being around me. Aizen knew others like me, who were strong enough to get close without dying. He gave me a chance to know them too, and that's why I fought for him."
Inked brows shot up, and for a moment the only thing Renji could think to do was stare. Aizen knew people who wouldn't die just from being around Starrk? That's how fucking strong the bastard was? He had to wonder what kind of weaklings the Primera had been around before, because he hadn't died yet under the guy's mere presence, and neither had Hisagi, Ichigo, Urahara, or the Vizard...
But that wasn't the thing that really got the redhead. Starrk had said he had friends. Hollows didn't fucking have friends. And there was also the implication that he was...lonely? That's why he joined Aizen, so he could be around people who wouldn't die? Friendship and loneliness... It wasn't possible for a hollow to feel those things, that's why they were hollows. They didn't have hearts, or human feelings. So why did the Primera display those things in spades? A sex drive, a laid-back demeanor, the capability to feel lonely and have friends... It was all too human, and that confused Renji. When he decided he'd study the Primera, he expected another monster like the ones he'd met in Hueco Mundo. He expected another crazy, unfeeling freak like the Octava or the Cero. But instead he came face to face with someone who was seemingly at the opposite end of the spectrum... Starrk was slowly annihilating all of Renji's previous conceptions, and it made the man all the more captivating.
Just what the fuck are you?
"You seem strong enough to be a friend, shinigami-san."
"A friend who wants to bury you," Renji said slowly, his ink brows furrowed over a calculating gaze. After a moment he let an almost wicked smile curl the corners of his mouth. There was a dangerous glint in his eye as he pushed himself up, using the rock at his back for leverage. He stood at his full height and stared the Espada in the eye.
"Bury me?" the other man mumbled, a look of soft confusion and barely there caution passing over his features.
"Into the ground," Renji clarified, grinning wider. "You seem really strong, Starrk. Once upon a time you were the Primera Espada, and apparently your strength by itself made your buddies melt away. You must be a real beast on the battle field, huh?"
At that Starrk's brows furrowed faintly, and then he heaved a heavy side, scratching at his scalp for the second time. "I told you that I'm not a fighter. I didn't think you were the type for that blood-thirsty sort of thing." The other man paused there, another sigh falling from his full lips. The soft exhalation sounded disheartened, somehow, and his cool gaze seemed to mirror that emotion.
The brunet's words were true, Renji really wasn't the type. Yea, he liked a good fight, liked getting fucked up every now and then. But he didn't love it to the point that he could be comparable to someone like Zaraki Kenpachi. That being said, the ex-Espada was getting under his skin in such a way that made him itch like he had a rash. Renji had already come to the conclusion that this Arrancar was unlike the rest. He realized that Starrk could be putting on a front, milking the whole "gentle soul" persona to keep people off his back. But something inside Renji's heart told him that wasn't the case. Something told him that Starrk was genuine.
Now that he knew the brunet was capable of things that he really shouldn't be... Well, it had Renji wanting to unearth even more. He had an almost unbearable desire to discover everything from the inside out. One of the first things on his list was Starrk's strength. Aizen hadn't made the brunette one of his top Espada for nothing. The man had to be powerful as fuck, and for whatever reason he wasn't showcasing it. Was he scared, or was it really just "not in his nature" like he claimed?
Renji knew that he'd have to go about it carefully. He didn't want to lure the hollow in Starrk to the surface, that would only make the ex-Espada like all the rest, and essentially kill the redhead's interest... Really, the only thing he wanted was to witness Starrk's infamous strength. He wanted to know how powerful the brunet really was, because fuck, he was the goddamn Primera. The strength of his presence alone had been enough to kill other hollows, or so it was said. And to think that someone who was so calm and seemingly uninterested could possess an incredible amount of power... How could Renji not want to feel it for himself? It had to be hiding under the Primera's impartial exterior, like a bear in hibernation.
And the sleeping bear has razor sharp teeth and claws, doesn't he? Made for ripping flesh and crushing bone when the time calls for it...
As if seeing the legend come to life wasn't enough, Renji had one more reason. To see that cool, unfazed attitude crack, shaken by the intensity of battle. To see those tired eyes burning with power, and that lean, sluggish body thrumming with the need to protect itself from death.
"You'd be disappointed if we ever came to blows."
Starrk said that as if he'd been able to read Renji's thoughts. The redhead blinked once to gather himself, regrouping in reality so he wouldn't get lost inside his own mind.
"Would I? I think that you must be capable of doing some serious damage," he drawled, stepping closer to Starrk. His large hands were held casually inside the pockets of his hakama, and he jerked his head sideways, cocking an eyebrow. "You're just too lazy to make the kill, aren't you? No one's grabbed you by the balls hard enough to get you motivated the way you need to be."
The Primera just frowned, his dark lashes drooping so low that his eyes were almost closed. Then he simply shook his head and sighed softly. "What a pain. You're not gonna let me off the hook, are you? And here I thought I could finally relax. The war's over, can't you relax too?"
Looking up, Starrk fixed the redhead with a tired stare. And the next thing Renji knew the other man was shoving the porno mag against his broad chest.
"Here. Look at that and take care of yourself. Put all that aggression to something useful, shinigami-san. Maybe then you'll be too worn out to pick a fight."
Starrk let the magazine go and Renji's hand was forced from his pocket, shooting up to catch the reading material so it wouldn't fall. The brunet started walking away, and Renji watched him with a lopsided grin. "I told you my name was Abarai Renji!" he shouted after the Primera. "So quit with the 'shinigami-san' shit!"
The other man didn't turn back, just waved a dismissive hand over his shoulder. Renji chuckled to himself, his attentive gaze on Starrk's back. The ex-Espada strolled over to the group of nine, and the silver-haired Vizard (who was sitting cross-legged on the ground), held a plate in the air. Starrk swiped some of the proffered food as he walked by, and if the two men exchanged words Renji didn't catch them. The redhead continued to watch the Primera as he walked up the stairs that lead to the warehouse above, and only when the man was out of sight did Renji let himself look away.
Snorting softly, the red-haired vice-captain turned his attention on the magazine in his hand. It was open to a page of a raven-haired girl with pale skin, and at that his inked brows shot skyward. So Starrk had been paying attention when the redhead said he liked 'em darker? Well shit, fuck me sideways... Renji actually felt touched, because the former Espada had obviously taken the time to find a girl who'd appeal to him. What was that he determined earlier, about all-too-human behavior? The Primera was like no other "hollow," Renji was sure of that...
With a throaty laugh he licked two of his fingers, then pinched the page between each calloused digit, ready to rip it out. And that's when he felt the kick to the back of his head, forcing a stunned squawk from his mouth.
"I don't remember giving that to you. If you want one, then have the guts to ask for it yourself. Until then piss off."
Renji's head spun around, his eyes already narrowed as he sought his offender. Standing on the rock where he and Starrk had been sitting, was the bespectacled Vizard he knew to be Lisa. She perched there with her arms crossed over her chest, a no-bullshit look on her face. With the height difference between them, he could almost see up her skirt... And what a skirt it was, made from a dark material that was pleated and short. That was one schoolgirl who was very not innocent, he knew that for damn sure. Or maybe he'd just come to that conclusion because now he knew what she was looking at all fucking day..?
Nope. An outfit like that (and on a girl who looked like that) was always debauched, porn or not.
Grinning slowly, the sixth division lieutenant turned around so he was facing Lisa fully. He closed the magazine neatly, his gaze heavy-lidded as he handed the perverted property over.
"You're a real freak, ain'chya?"
The dark-haired Vizard stared at him with incredibly green-blue, obstinate eyes. "It's called having a healthy interest," she said, jumping off the rock so she was standing beside him. She swiped the magazine from his hand, then turned away to walk back to the group of nine. "The real freaks are the ones who try hiding it."
"Is that so?" Renji challenged, his dark brow arching. The woman didn't acknowledge him as he walked beside her, didn't even glance in his direction. He narrowed his vermilion eyes as he scowled at her head. And that's when realization dawned on him, and he found his eyebrow cocking again.
"Hey, just how long were you standing on that rock?
"Long enough to know that dark hair gets you off."
"You were eavesdropping?!"
"Shut up, so what if I was?" Lisa demanded, incredibly straight-faced. "It's natural to be curious."
"Most people call that being nosy," Renji corrected.
"And I'd call a shinigami bugging me a suicide by proxy. Now piss off."
Glaring harder, the redhead considered ripping that magazine away from Lisa's grasp and taking off. He considered finding her entire collection and stealing those, too. Trying to fight her was another option, but not as satisfying. He liked the idea of making her suffer for longer than twenty minutes, and he had the feeling that denying the Vizard her dirty kicks would be the fastest route there.
But all plots were forgotten when he heard someone calling his name. Irritated, he glared at Ichigo, who was standing with arms crossed, a scowl of his own marring his orange brows. Renji felt his expression soften, his gaze questioning as he stared at his friend. Ichigo didn't say anything, just jerked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing towards the staircase.
I guess that means we're leaving.
Sighing inwardly, Renji looked at Lisa one final time. "Your hospitality continues to amaze me," he said, a sarcastically pleasant smile on face. The teal-eyed woman stared at him, the corner of her mouth lifting to form a smirk. The gesture was just as bitingly sardonic.
"You've only seen the tip of the iceberg. If it's too much for you already, you should save yourself another soiled diaper and run back home. Shinigami belong in Soul Society, anyway. You have no business being here."
The redhead actually chuckled, weirdly amused by her abrasiveness. Not to mention that there seemed to be something in her tone, or in the way that her mouth quirked, that told him her words weren't as harsh as they sounded. Was it just wishful thinking, or were the Vizard starting to warm up to him?
Not bothering with a response, Renji just waved the woman off and sauntered over to Ichigo. It wasn't all that surprising when Hisagi told them that he was going to stay longer, which had the tattooed vice-captain squinting. The fucking bastard, what had gotten into him? Renji made a mental note of berating the guy later, or at least interrogating him. He had a pretty good idea of what was keeping Hisagi there, he just didn't know why. But Ichigo was being impatient, and Renji had better things to consider, so the two of them left without a second thought for the shady, ninth division captain.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 11:52 am (UTC)I was not disappointed.
Totally loved it, the internacting between them is awesome and Starrk is, dare I even say it, cuuuuute. :3
Hoping this isn't the end.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 07:55 pm (UTC)Go ahead and dare, I think Starrk is adorable in his own weird way. It isn't the end either, I just forgot to clarify that this was only chapter one when I posted it to communities.
So be on the look out for more, as I plan on writing plenty with these two!
And thank you for commenting :D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 01:17 am (UTC)Capslock is my antireality.
Starrk is totally adorable and totally empathise with his "fuck off guys, I'm sleeping" default respomse.
I am so glad it's not the end, I will definately be on the lookout for more, because they just go together so well. I may even friend you.
I apologise for my bad typing in the last comment and it was my pleasure. ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 04:47 am (UTC)You think they go together so well? My work here is done!!!! I'm glad I've made it believable for you, and go ahead and friend me if you want to!
Btw, I like that icon~!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 05:09 am (UTC)Yes, looks like it is done. For the first chapter at the very least. :P
Oh thank you, It's Lady from Devil May Cry. She's awesome.I like your icons alot too.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 10:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 10:45 am (UTC)Wow, totally never saw that similarity before. And Isane does have big boobs. If the Beach episode is anything to go by.
Lady is one of my very few favourite female characters. I adore her. /fangirl.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 11:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 03:09 pm (UTC)That line made me laugh.
You keep managing to pull me into these weird pairings! I don't usually ship Renji with anybody in the world but Byakuya, but you really made this work, and I enjoyed reading it. Your characterization of Starrk is, fyi, *excellent*; I don't often find that I enjoy fic-Starrk, but yours is wonderful. And the conversation between them? Excellent, and so....filled with the subtle nuances of who they are and who they've been.
Go you, for writing this. ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 08:05 pm (UTC)Generally I only ship Renji with four people. Ichigo, Byakuya, Shuuhei, and (dare I say it?) Orihime! *gasp* So I can see where you're coming from. Really this idea was all by chance, I had made a post a couple of months back when I hard writers block. I was talking with
Anyway long story short
it is too latethe obscure thought morphed into this. The longer I thought of the Renji/Starrk possibility, the more I liked it. And like you I don't often enjoy Starrk fic either, because he's just so laid-back that it's hard to make things exciting when he's involved. But I think Renji is fiery enough to balance that ;)Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 06:21 pm (UTC)Starrk is so... innocent, and Renji going slowly insane from in was more than entertaining.
(May I ask, where the is Lilynette?)
ALSO: Did I spy me some subtle Starrk/Halibel, AND Kensei/Shuuhei?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 08:13 pm (UTC)Anyway to put it mildly, I decided not to involve her. I wanted this story to focus on Renji and Starrk, not Renji Starrk and Lilynette, which I feel would have happened because Stark and Lilynette are attached at the hip. I felt like her being there would only detract from the relationship that Renji and Starrk will have, you know? Besides, the main focus for this fic is their shared loneliness, and I want to explore what losing important people can do to a person's soul.
I've only one problem, I can't help wondering how things would go in canon if Lilynette ever died. Would Starrk regress? She was the power that made him an Arrancar, so who's to say?
Yes! I actually didn't plan on doing Starrk/Halibel, but then I thought that it'd fit in well with the overall theme. Implied KenShuu is something I can't help, lol. One of these days I'll have to write a legitimate story that revolves around them together, instead of hinting at it in other fics.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 04:04 am (UTC)I can understand that, but you know others are going to ask. Maybe Shunsui's blow made them reconverge?
I'm glad to hear it! I love both of those ships to pieces, so I swooned.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 04:52 am (UTC)I was rereading a lot of the chapters with Starrk while writing this, and I saw a panel of Halibel in her released form. I thought 'that tattoo on her face looks really familiar' and then I remembered that Renji had similar tattoos on his neck.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 09:51 am (UTC)YES! They really do look like Renji's tattoos.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 10:09 am (UTC)In all honesty, I probably don't take canon as seriously as I need to ^^;; I mean I like things to be true to the fandom, of course, but mostly I'm just here for the pr0nz! All I want is Renji fucking Starrk, lol. But I know that this Lilynette thing is something I need to sort out, it's just how I should go about that that's giving me trouble. And now I've the weirdest idea of how Renji would be in that situation, like some sort of I'm-so-not-ready-for-this stepdad to an overgrown kid.
Yes, it were the tattoos that convinced me to put her in this
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 12:04 pm (UTC)-.- I suck.
I only want Starrk pr0nz too!
You could probably get away with his just having an internal aside, remembering what it felt like for him to have her slip back into his form? A paragraph, if that. LOL.
HAHAHA Renji with a kid who likes to grab balls.
*shot*
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 11:26 pm (UTC)Now I hope you don't mind if I use this thread for brief plot-storming... It helps me to get other people's opinions on things. I was thinking earlier, would Starrk be saved regression because of his shinigami powers? It could be possible... Like Rukia who lost her powers, her actual form didn't regress in any way, she was just a powerless soul, essentially. Starrk could end up the same way? He may not regress to a lower form of hollow, just be a spirit being without any real power.
Or maybe, he could devour more hollows to regain the power lost? I kind of remember Grimmjow's fraccion talking about this when they were all Adjuchas. Apparently if part of an Adjucha is eaten by another hollow, that Adjucha can't evolve. But does the same rule apply to a Vasto Lordes? Not to mention that it would be a shinigami (Shunsui) that took Starrk's power away, and not another hollow.
All food for thought! I was just wondering what you think. And HA, you know I'm growing fond of the idea. Renji has his own kid as part of his zanpakuto, doesn't he? So he'd have at least some experience. It could either be really interesting to see him trying to balance things between Starrk and Lilynette, or it could be a distraction?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 12:43 am (UTC)Both of these ideas are awesome, but how about a fusion of the two? Because Starrk's power was taken by a shinigami, and because he is part shinigami, he can't evolve back to a vasto lordes. Maybe he still has power, but not the same level. Because Starrk and Lilynette where essentially a soul split into two, but she only manifested as ONE of his pistols, ne? Maybe he's running off of half power right now?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 01:58 am (UTC)I'm just thinking out loud here, because I want it to be believable and true to the Bleach universe! And of course I want Starrk retaining his physical form and not going back to some degenerate hollow.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 01:09 pm (UTC)THIS!!!
Yes, I totally understand, and I think all of your ideas thus far have fit into the verse perfectly.
XD
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-25 03:26 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-25 04:14 am (UTC)Really.
Seriously.
If you ever want imput (not that it's any good) shoot me a pm.
XD
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-20 08:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-20 10:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-20 05:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-21 11:02 am (UTC)No one stole anyone's idea, it's just that great minds think alike! Muwaha.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-21 08:42 pm (UTC)True, true. *grins* And similarities are so good at prompting even more divergent bunnies. >:D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-22 05:52 am (UTC)BUT PLEASE. I give all my encouragement to your S/A in hopes that it will fuel your fire and get you to produce... >D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 10:55 pm (UTC)looooools and *luff* i <3 staaaark so this was awesome as ever...
i love how you write odd pairings...it makes things so interestiiiings...
cheers!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 04:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 05:00 am (UTC)Oh, and your icon is made of win. I shall counter with my own cranky!Ichigo
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 11:48 pm (UTC)I read and re-read the first two paragraphs a dozen times and grinning like a maniac. Then I tried to settle my focus on Stark and Renji and you slipped more Kensei/Shuuhei in there. So yeah, right now I frigginloveyousomuchitsmakingmyfacehurtfromsmilingsowidely...
Whew! You take my secret love of Stark and Renji and combine it, then throw in my OTP too? (oh! forgot a triad, btw. Me and xglim are all over Kensei/Shuuhei/Starrk too. The Primera is probably the only man he wouldn't kill for touching Shuuhei, lol. And we had some crack-tastic moments of figuring out who was gonna top who between Kensei and Stark--with both of them topping Shuu of course). So yeah, I can't wait to read the next chapter. *grins* I will endeavor to not write anything new until you finish this fic...wouldn't want to distract you from such loveliness again!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 05:07 am (UTC)(yes, I remember having a brief convo with xglimsex and she told me that she liked those three together! I'm convinced that Kensei would end up topping Starrk, but you never know... It'd be interesting to see how Starrk would do as a top for someone like Ken ;))
No!! You must keep writing! Reading great fics from talented writers keeps me motivated!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 01:47 pm (UTC)(Yeah, I can never see Kensei being topped by anyone, really, though there's a glimmer of an idea of Urahara and him having a loose little arrangement where one tops the other when they need it. You know, allowing themselves to be taken care of by the other and that it doesn't make either one of them weak. Starrk would work the same way I think, even though I see it as a rare thing that he would even want to top Kensei. Their little triumvirate works with both of them focused on Shuuhei with the occasional offer of Starrk bottoming to them both. He's not a character that concerns himself with the idea that bottoming makes him weak, especially since he doesn't view Shuuhei as being weak at all..rather, Shuuhei enjoys being a bottom, and is the one who really holds the reins of power in their little triad. It's always the bottom that has the power, right?)
I was just teasing darling--I have some papers to write this week, but I fully intend to write the next piece in the "Borken" series and then the final piece between Shuuhei and Kensei (yay! Mirror-play!). Then maybe work on the other bunnies clamoring for attention (damn, now I want to write Ken/Shuu/Starrk *groans* Really, why do I do this to myself?)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 11:40 pm (UTC)(I can't see Kensei being topped either. He's one of the very few (if not the only) Bleach men that I've never been able to visualize as a bottom. Though I do like that idea of him and Urahara having an arrangement.... It's really believable!! Urahara is so intelligent and a bit of a trickster, I'd love to see their dynamic together. As for Starrk, I've always seen him as the type who's too lazy for top. Too strenuous for him! He'd rather just lay back and let someone else take care of it, haha. You tease me again with all this talk of him bottoming for Kensei and Shuu! Oooo such a hot visual. Shuuhei is one person who I think would be a good bottom for Starrk. Not too demanding, just there to feel good, yanno?)
Ah, well I look forward to it!! To all of it. I'm really loving your Broken series the best. Why do you do it to yourself, what about the rest of us? Haha, now I have about ten things I'm just dying to read from you!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 06:52 am (UTC)Heh. Starrk will top if properly motivated--and those two would keep him very motivated. And I still see Shuuhei as a handful in bed, lol. It's always the quiet ones...which means Starrk should be just as surprisingly hot-blooded under the right conditions (heh, can you picture the look on Shuuhei's face when he finds out just how "wolfish" Starrk can be? I see him lying there all boneless and completely satiated when Starrk's done with him, wrung out and soooo debauched-looking. And then Kensei will want to go again, and then Starrk will have woken up from his nap after that...and yeah. I'm getting carried away).
*grins* You should really come play on AIM with
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 08:34 am (UTC)(Get as carried away as you'd like, lol. I always like hearing these brief little summaries. I do imagine that if someone rubbed Starrk just the right way, that he could get downright feral. My Renji muse seems pretty intent on dragging that wild and dirty side out of our Primera. The more you talk of Starrk and Shuuhei the more I want to see it for myself! It sounds so good *_*)
You're really inviting me to play? I'd be honored! And just a little nervous and shy :D; Feel free to give me your address in a PM, and I'll give you mine in return!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-22 11:59 pm (UTC)And oh my goodness, isn’t Renji a big flirt! Haha! It was like he was hitting on Starrk from the get go…. Primera is in for the ride of his life, eh? (no pun intended there.) Also the allusion to the Starrk/Harribel was awesome! I loved the porn/ sex/ preference discussion!!
Seriously though, this was great. You’ve stuck Renji as an outsider (which totally makes sense with that group of people), so it makes him seek out Starrk. I can see how Starrk’s character intrigues him-- with the power vs. apathy vs. the naïveté. Because if anything, Renji admires (? don’t know if this is the right word) those with great power. And he definitely likes challenges. :D
And YAY! Chaptered fic! I can’t wait for more. :)
You, missie, are on a roll! DON’T STOP WRITING! (or else where would I get all my crack!fic fixes?)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-23 05:31 am (UTC)I like Starrk/Halibel, they're such a pretty couple! Like I told someone else, I was reading through the manga while writing this (it always helps with characterization) and I caught of glimpse of Halibel in her released form. The thunderbolt tattoos on her cheeks are very similar to the ones on Renji's neck, aren't they? When I saw it I couldn't help myself, I just had to give Starrk a history with her for this fic.
Renji does seem to admire strength, hence his obsession with Byakuya? Though Rukia must account for that one too. I've always thought Starrk was really interesting, because most of the Arrancar seemed to love fighting and inflicting pain. The two exceptions were Halibel and Ulquiorra, who seemed to do it out of a simple sense of duty, and then Starrk who seemed completely and utterly uninterested in the whole thing. Renji is very intrigued by that attitude, and there's just an innate pull between them that we'll be dissected in chapters to come!
I will try my hardest to keep my current luck with writing going! Thank you!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 07:49 am (UTC)Yes, characters write their own ways into the fic. It's interesting the way that goes sometimes! :) I can't tell you how many times I've been burned...
Renji has that (pardon the pun again) doggedness to his personality. He sees the goal, then moves heaven and earth to achieve it, is how I like to view him. He's sometimes got his insecure side, his... low self esteem, (at least in canon) and yet he's also got that unyielding pride. The SS arc showed us a man caught in the middle of DUTY to his captain (the man he's epitomized; wanting to surpass for decades; the driving force as to why he's been pushing himself so hard) and Rukia, who's meant more to him than anyone else in his life, but has stayed away from until he can stand by her side as an equal. (I assume this was KT's hint to Renji's LOVE, but as a shounen manga, won't ever go there.) Duty vs. love. The ultimate dilemma.
Whoa. did I just go off? .... sorry. :) *is sheepish*
Those tattoos!! i was wondering where you were going with Starrk staring at Renji's neck! OH DAMN, THAT'S HOT!!
From blonde and busty to a hard redhead that just oozes sex... I guess Starrk likes all kinds!! :D (but paraphrasing as Starrk says, and I agree-- (they'd both) be anyone's type!) :)
But I can see that it's Renji that's the persuer... it suits his alpha male side... and although I would say the same about Starrk (being a wolf); i think his laid back attitude would appreciate being the one chased after. :) (lazy ass!)
They're gonna go at it like dogs, yeah? *is more of a pervert than you* :)
Starrk was my favorite Espada too. He seemed the most 'human'... and geez, his loneliness just made me empathize with him so much! He shall live on in fanfic!!! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 08:48 am (UTC)Oooo yes! I really do love Renji's insecure and unsure side, it makes me very endearing. I do think that it's genuine love Renji feels for Rukia, and in the romantic sense. I'm not really a fan of that pairing (I'm not a fan of Rukia/anyone, honestly) but there's no denying it. I mean there was that one scene when she was standing in the river, and Renji was staring at her all glisteny-eyed. If that isn't pining, I don't know what is...
I SHOULD HAVE LET IT REVEAL ITSELF, BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN'T KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT. It's totally where I was going :) I could like all kinds too, if they looked as good as Renji and Halibel! Haha!
Renji is definitely the pursuer in this. Like you said, Starrk's just a lazy ass. I can't see him having the motivation or attention span to chase after someone. At least not the way most of us would. I can see Starrk lazily sitting back and watching the same person for... well, forever, lol. But I can't see him being bold and striving to make that person his the way I can see Renji doing it. Starrk will save his alpha male tendencies for the bedroom, after Renji's managed to win him over ;D
It was Starrk's backstory with Lilynette that really won me over. Before that I just liked the way he looked, but other than that I didn't feel any strong connection to him like I did with other characters. But then came that heartbreaking story of his, and his loneliness and the wolves. That was just beyond cool. I must have a thing for animal-like characters. First Grimmjow with his cattiness, and now Starrk with the wolves.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-25 07:04 am (UTC)I don't ever see her with Ichigo, that relationship to me runs deeper than romantic love. It's like old-soul-love... like she's giving back to him what Kaien did for her-- mentors him, teaches him, in that tough-love kind of way. To me, she treats him like a kid brother who needs that combination of 'kick in the ass' and philosophical motivation.
I do agree, that if I had to disillusion myself out of my slashing fantasies, that Renji does love Rukia... but I can't decide if it's a romantic love (she does mean the world to him) or a devotional-familial love (she's the only family he has so he'll do anything for her). It's probably a combination of both, actually. :)
YES. Renji or Harribel would make me switch either side! Not a question. :D
I look forward to all the wonderful doggy-chapters to come! Something about guys with animal instincts and characteristics kinda hit all my buttons too!!! :D (my kinks... the list keeps getting longer!, lol)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 07:17 am (UTC)this is really interesting! Never gave this pairing a thought, but the way you portrayed these two together has gotten me hooked! :D they're both very IC in my opinion and just the interaction alone is very nice to read. Can't wait to see how these two will develop :D
Thanks so much for sharing! :D
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-24 08:20 am (UTC)Thanks so much!!! My mission in life is to make seemingly crack pairings believable, so I'm sooo happy to hear you say that. And thank you for thinking they were both IC, too! I hope you'll continue to be pleased as things unfold for this story :)
You're welcome, and thank you for commenting!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-20 08:49 am (UTC)I love this so far. Shuuhei's initiation is adorable (poor Renji, although his being shunned could be a kind of initiation in itself), and the allusions to Starrk/Hallibel. . .I don't know why I like it but I really, really do. ;_; I even like the Ren/
ByaRuki hints, and the thought of them together weirds me out more than actual incest (although the line in my head was "And those things,they're too bigthey should be pecs." XD). Renji and Starrk's interaction. . .I'm reminded of a dog that gets REALLYREALLYEXCITED about a rubber toy. It's inanimate, but HOLYCRAPITSQUEAKS, and I can't wait to see what happens if/when Starrk finally stops playing possum. :D(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-20 10:09 am (UTC)ALSO you're right to read that line that way in your head :D Renji has a preference for men, and so that kind of seeps into how he feels about women's chests. The smaller the better.
Starrk has to be the sexiest rubber toy that Renji has ever come across, then!
Thanks again for the kick-ass comment XD
(no subject)
Date: 2010-07-24 12:41 am (UTC)I loved your portrayal of Renji! Absolutely loved it, also the whole bit of "not one of us" that he got from the Vizards, being as how he has always been associated with Soul Society, and didn't know any of them to begin with (the end with Lisa, I'm glad I was done drinking my milk before I read that).
Also that verbal 'testing' between him and Starrk, was awesome, especially over the porno mag lol!
Starrk is new to me, very new. Its one of those things where he is utterly intriguing and awesome, but I don't feel like I know him at all, but he is still there kind of things. Like the person you can't help but stare at awkwardly across the room, but can't quite go over to and talk to yet. I know it sounds weird.
However utterly loved his human qualities, which I know are completely canon which also adds to his awesomeness.
Also, since I can't help but read comments; Starrk/ Akon. WANT!!!
And, I took a look at capslock where you got the idea, and I think my brain flatlined......
Also "At that Renji could only frown softly, because trying to force info out of Hisagi Shuuhei was akin to having a conversation with a hollow over tea. Virtually impossible."
Lol, foreshadowing! I can totally see it happening now with Starrk.
And I'm glad I'm not the only one that refers to my OTP in fic that has little to do with it, cause we all know why Shuuhei hasn't come back to Urahara's shop at night. *grins*