Notes: For kasumii0220's request "bite". Title from the September 12, 2005 prompt for the lj community 31_days. Quote from Confucius.

"What are you reading?" Renji looked more amused than anything, but Ishida flushed and quickly started to pick up his books from the desk. Ichigo sat on the floor, flipping through a magazine, seeming completely disinterested in Ishida's questionable taste in literature.

"There's nothing wrong with reading that! Granted the storylines seem rather contrived and the characters one-dimensional but I assure you these books are quite popular!" He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"Noth—nothing wrong?" Renji spluttered. "These are...do you know what these are?"

"Sure, there's nothing wrong with it," Ichigo offered, still reading. "Plenty of women love trashy romance novels." Renji howled with laughter, and it was Ishida's turn to look equal parts shocked and humiliated.

"How was I supposed to know?" He was even redder now, if that was possible. "What do you—what do guys read?"

The corners of Ichigo's mouth twitched in what passed for a smile; Renji bent down to kiss Ishida, who looked downright miserable. "Awww, he's cute when he doesn't know everything," he still couldn't resist teasing him a little. "Pity it doesn't happen more often."

Ishida pulled away to object, hissing. "What do you think the point of reading that garbage was, the entertainment value? I was actually trying to learn something…Something useful. See if I ever do anything nice for you idiots again."

"Ah, come off it. Don't tell me you're pouting now." Ichigo smirked, hands moving to unfasten Ishida's belt. "Besides, don't lump me in with Renji."

"Well I still want to know why you thought reading books would help you get better in the sack," Renji stifled his laughter by pressing deeper into another kiss.

"There are three methods by which we acquire wisdom," he was slightly muffled by Renji sucking insistently on his lower lip, breaking it off reluctantly to focus on his struggle with Ishida's shirt.

"Damn, this is tough. Remind me why you can't wear buttons like a normal person?"

Ishida didn't respond. "First, by reflection, which is noblest—" his breathing hitched. Ichigo, who was none too discreetly removing him from his pants, was harder to ignore, but he continued resolutely. "Second, by imitation, which is easiest—" Renji's breath hot on his ear and Ichigo's distinctly lower made his head spin; for a second he couldn't remember what he was going to say. "And third, by experience, which is bitterest." He exhaled audibly, letting the warm, wet sensations engulf him. "You can see why I'd want to try books, some—"

Renji nipped harshly at his throat, mumbling something along the lines of "this bitter to you?" while Ichigo disentangled himself, teeth scraping Ishida gently as he paused to look up, clearly irritated.

"Ishida?"

"Yes?"

"Shut the hell up."