10.

TITLE: My Funny Valentine

WORD COUNT: 1,275

SUMMARY: Ichigo's never been really fond of Valentine's Day. That is, until Renji decides one day to follow human customs on that day.

RATING: PG - all safe and sweet, befitting a day like this!

NOTE: Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! The last piece (for now?) for this compilation, and the final one of the ten to be written. I had the first line sitting around in the master document for forever while I tried to think of other possible topics and directions to take this one in; re-reading "Strawberry Sex part I", though, gave me an idea involving chocolate, plus the mental image of Renji turning beet-red while holding out a box of chocolates was just too good to pass up on.

You're my funny valentine, sweet comic valentine/You make me smile with my heart

- Fayray, "My Funny Valentine"

As far as Ichigo could remember, he had always hated Valentine's Day.

He thought that perhaps it was because it had all seemed so excessive to him, the outbursts of affection people displayed towards each other, as he watched Chizuru try to hug Orihime as tightly as she could while exclaiming, "Hime! Let me give you my love!", the orange girl laughing rather good-naturedly (albeit with a slightly confused look on her face as to why the other was trying to touch her breasts all the time), and Tatsuki whacking the bespectacled girl on the head hard for the umpteenth time, swearing under her breath that Chizuru was going to get it real goodfrom her for sexually harassing Orihime.

And it was also because his admirers kept trying to give him gifts, which annoyed him to no end – the chocolate and candy he could deal with, passing the greater deal of it to Karin and Yuzu (and much later on, Rukia), who were always pleased with getting free sweets, but the other non-edible gifts he had no idea what to do with. Granted, it wasn't as if he received many of them each year – he did have a reputation for being a weird kid at school, after all, and people always whispered that those who considered him attractive were probably the same, if not even weirder – but still.

It wasn't as if he could just throw them away like that – no matter how much he's disinterested, Ichigo knew that the sender had put in some thought to the gift, picking out what they thought the Kurosaki-kun they knew would like best, and it'd be utterly cruel of him to discard it just like that. Luckily (or not) for him, Isshin's more than pleased to wear whatever T-shirts he got, more often than not dramatically smooching Masaki's poster and exclaim while dancing about, "Look at what Ichigo's girlfriend got him, Masaki! I think we might have to arrange a wedding for him soon! Our big boy, all grown up now!"

(It's usually at that point that Ichigo punches him squarely in the face, scowling even as the dark-haired doctor continues blabbering, oblivious to Ichigo's displeasure; "Bring her home one day for Papa to see! Or maybe I should go over and meet her parents first!")

Not too long after the whole Soul Society debacle, though, Ichigo had started seeing Renji, after Aizen, Gin and Tousen had simply left without so much as a backwards glance, after existing ties between shinigami had been strained, broken, repaired, and new ones formed, the shinigami substitute and Sixth Division lieutenant falling into the latter, a deep friendship changing into a romantic relationship. Ichigo had wondered for a while how to tell his family, but realised he didn't have to when he came back one day to see his father all over his mother' poster, going, "Oh my dear Masaki! We'll have a new son-in-law soon! Ichigo's such a charming young man, getting his way with both the girls and the guys! Papa's jealous! Teach me your ways, Ichigo!" (Ichigo had punched him hard in the face. Twice.)

Before he knew it, six months had passed, and it was already mid-February. February 14th, to be precise. Not this day again, Ichigo grumbled internally as he made his way to the classroom, the sight of girls from other classes trying to pass gifts of chocolate and what else to other guys making him roll his eyes at the all-too-drawn-out displays of affection. Sighing as he opened the door to his classroom, though, he raised an eyebrow when he saw Renji backed into a corner by Matsumoto, who appeared to be very amused, a leer on her face as she leaned in inquisitively towards the small box he held in front of his chest, almost as if trying to protect himself with it. "Hey Rangiku-san, Renji."

"I….Ichigo!" His expression a mix of both embarrassment and horror, Renji stuttered as he quickly hid the blue box behind his back, and Matsumoto turned around, a wide grin on her face. "Oh morning Ichigo, you're pretty early today!"

"What's all that about?" Ichigo inquired while walking towards his seat, Renji's face turning red as he tried to make himself less noticeable. "And what's up with you, Renji?" He frowned.

"I… I…" Rukia quickly butted in for her red-haired friend as he stammered over his words. "He has something he wants to give to you, Ichigo! Just that he's apparently too shy to", she finished, casting a very knowing look at Renji while wiggling her eyebrows, who returned it with a look of horror. "H…hey Rukia! Mind ya own damn business!"

"Tch, be grateful she's helping ya speak, ya damn oaf", Ikkaku grumbled as he played with Houzukimaru absentmindedly, while Hitsugaya nodded. "Be thankful, Abarai, that she's helping you with this one."

"And why're all of ya here so early anyway!" Renji all but yelled at the group who, Ichigo finally noticed, had gathered around the two of them. Yumichika sighed, curling a lock of his hair around his fingers. "Isn't it obvious? We're here to watch what happens between you and Kurosaki – although that yelling was so ugly and unnecessary", he said, purposefully ignoring the dirty look the red-headed shinigami was giving him.

"Go for it, Renji!" Matsumoto yelled and not-so-subtly pushed (with her very well-endowed chest, Ichigo noted) the red-headed shinigami towards Ichigo, all eyes on the both of them now. Ichigo cleared his throat. "So… you've got something for me?"

"N…nothing much. Just s…some chocolate…" Renji's normally boisterous demeanor was unusually subdued, his loud voice small and timid as he shyly pushed the ribbon-wrapped box in his hands towards the younger shinigami with much trepidation.

"F… for me? Why?" It was now Ichigo's turn to blush, finding himself at a loss for words. While he normally wasn't happy about receiving anything from people on Valentine's Day, it was Renji on the giving end this time, and he looked so scared about the whole thing that Ichigo couldn't help but worry for the older man.

"Dunno. It was all over that damned manga Rukia reads, and I kinda realised today's that date…" Renji's voice grows smaller as the shade of red on his face grows progressively darker, his fidgeting growing more noticeable as he tried not to look Ichigo in the eyes. "So, uh", he mutters, tentatively pushing the small box of chocolate in his hands towards the orange-haired teenager. "I…I…l…love you and…H… Happy…Valentine's?"

It was now Ichigo's turn to stutter, even as he stared stunned at Renji, the blush on his face blossoming into bright crimson rivaling the older man's hair, as he grew suddenly aware of the many pairs of eyes now cast upon him. "I… I… th…thank you, R…Renji…" His voice grew faint even as he extended one arm out to take the box from the other man's hands.

Ikkaku wolf-whistled while Yumichika commented, with an arched eyebrow, that for once Renji was doing something pretty almost never to happen again given his usual boorish behaviour. Matsumoto yelled, "Way to go, Renji and Ichigo!", and Rukia snickered as Hitsugaya stared on impassively, a very faint blush colouring his cheeks. Ichigo sighed as he buried his face in his arms, even while Mizuiro coolly remarked that between the two, he had been sure Ichigo was the bottom, leading Keigo to go "AAUUGHHH!" and clutch his head in his arms, the whole class suddenly exploding with everyone discussing Ichigo's and Renji's love (or, for a few, sex) life.

Really, Ichigo hated Valentine's Day.

But he supposed he could make an exception for Renji.