CHAPTER 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach...

This chapter's song is Three Days Grace "Life Starts Now"...

All this pain
Take this life and make it yours,
All this hate
Take your heart and let it love again,
You will survive this somehow

Life starts now,
You've done all the things
That could kill you somehow
And you're so far down
Life starts now

Onwards...

XOXOXO

Renji couldn't keep a goofy grin off his face all damned day. It was getting so obvious that even Ichigo, his usually surly and aloof coworker, was starting to notice. The orange-haired brat looked at him sideways as they squatted in front of a 50-inch TV.

"Dude, you're bein' creepy," he grunted, voice low and husky.

Renji tried his hardest to scowl and cover up the fact that he was seconds from grinning like a fool, but clearly, his efforts went in vain. Ichigo arched an eyebrow and leaned over, shrinking the distance between their bodies.

"Did you get laid last night or somethin'?"

Renji snorted this time and met devilish, whiskey-brown eyes. He allowed a crooked smirk to tilt his lips as he lowered his voice into a conspiratorial whisper.

"Well, ya know," he started before giving the lavish living room an exaggerated once-over. "Those things tend ta happen every now and then, but last night..." Renji paused to close his eyes and hiss in mock ecstasy. "That was somethin' special."

Ichigo recoiled like Renji had punched him. "Ew, man. Gross. Aren't you too old ta be talkin' like that?"

Renji ignored the jab, his mind going back to last night. Ichigo didn't know that he really meant what he'd said about it being something special. Gin was...different..and he was great company. The silver-haired man had kept the shadows from consuming Renji, kept the awful memories of his stay in prison and his family's abandonment from rendering him little more than a depressed lump of pathetic. Gin's sharp wit and even sharper sense of humor had allowed Renji to relax and actually enjoy himself more than he'd ever done around anyone else.

Not to mention, that topic he'd brought up with his kid brother kept surfacing during his visit with Gin. There was sign after sign that popped up, convincing Renji that there was more to Gin that the silver-haired man wasn't willing to divulge just yet. It was slightly annoying, but mostly amusing.

For instance, Gin seemed to have a thing for Renji's hair. Well, Renji in general, but he'd get back to that. When he'd untied his braid, Gin's eyes had lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. Renji had pretended to be oblivious, when in reality, he'd been anything but. With an air of innocence he hadn't really felt, he'd gone on to settle his hair in the most tempting position: right against the couch and inches from Gin's curious grasp. And just as Renji had expected, Gin had been unable to resist the urge to touch it. At the time, he'd feigned surprise, but what he'd never tell a soul, including the obvious hair junkie, Gin, was that he absolutely loved having his hair played with. He loved when someone ran their hands through it, brushed and combed it, rubbed and massaged his scalp – all those wonderful things.

Gin clearly had an obsession. One that Renji didn't have a single issue with.

But back to the Renji in general thing. The way Gin had looked at him when he'd first arrived at the man's apartment had been telling enough, but as the night had progressed, Gin's expressions had evolved from passive appreciation to downright fiercely interested. Renji didn't want to jump to conclusions, but he wasn't stupid either. A lot of people liked to believe that because Renji chose to detach himself from certain social situations, it made him inept. Not the case. He was probably more aware than most people would be comfortable with, but he kept that to himself. No need to frighten the masses.

However, Gin was unique. The silver-haired man was definitely trying to keep his attraction a secret, and, honestly, Renji was OK with that. He liked being friends with Gin, and if attraction threatened to change that, then he was fine with playing the fool a little longer. Maybe one day, Gin would even trust him enough to talk about it. As it was, Renji was still figuring out a way to approach the subject without offending the man. Or worse, disappointing him too much. Last night, he'd left Gin's place with a wide grin and a little more understanding.

Renji opened his eyes and blinked a few times at the unfamiliar environment. Panic almost set in until his mind decided to catch up to the here and now. As he took in the immaculate living room with plush carpeting and comfy-looking furniture, he remembered that he was visiting Gin. They'd had dinner (really GOOD dinner), and they'd watched a not so bad chick flick. Well, Renji had tried. It was Gin's fault for playing in his hair until he'd passed out. Good food, beer and persuasive fingers on his scalp was enough to lullaby him any time. He straightened his neck and grimaced, cursing himself for falling asleep in such an awkward position. He rubbed the aching muscles before turning to where Gin had been seated on the couch. A chuckle jumped out of him before he could stop it.

"Aww...," he crooned under his breath as he smirked.

Gin was tucked in the corner of the couch, a soft-looking, dark-gray throw over his slender legs that were curled in the fetal position. His head rested on the arm of the couch, his silver hair resembling that of an anime bishie's. It was wispy and tinted with lavender, and Renji knew firsthand that it smelled amazing. Gin's usually unreadable face was slack from sleep, his eyes simply closed, his lashes thick and long and sweeping the hills of his cheeks, his lips slightly parted.

And he was snoring.

It wasn't loud or obnoxious, though. Renji tilted his head as he continued to study his new friend. He felt a tiny bit like a creep for watching the man while he slept, but if this was the only way he would get to see Gin with his guard down, then he was fine with that. Gin's snoring reminded him of Jinta, back when Jinta was a toddler and used to sleep in a race car bed. The sound was there, but soft, child-like.

Gin's breath stuttered as he inhaled, one of those shuddering breaths that normally signaled a yawn. Renji's smirk widened as he turned to face the silver-haired man. He hesitated a fraction of a second before reaching over and grasping the willowy man's thigh.

"Gin," he said, voice low as not to scare the slumbering man. Gin didn't respond, and it amused the hell out of Renji to think that the guy was a heavy sleeper. He shook Gin's leg a little as he called him again. "Gin."

Finally, that fan of dark lashes fluttered. Gin's eyes slowly opened, and it made Renji freeze. Gin's eyes really were something. Blue, they were definitely blue, but not a dark, intense blue. Not even a rich, vibrant blue. They were almost transparent, like ice. That was it. Gin's eyes were like a melting block of ice, flecks of lavender and silver surrounding the irises.

Wow.

Gin blinked some more, eventually leaving those stunning eyes open, even though they were filled with confusion and more than a little disorientation. A rush of warmth flooded Renji's lower abdomen, making him swallow a sudden case of nerves. When Gin settled his gaze on Renji's face, his eyes widened and he sat up, the movement abrupt.

"What happened? Did I fall asleep?" he asked, and his voice was a drowsy husk.

For some reason, it made Renji think very inappropriate things. Things that made him anxious and unsettled. He was STRAIGHT. There was just no way he was associating Gin with that box he kept nestled in the perverted corner of his mind. Heart beginning to pound for no reason at all, Renji shifted, but was still unable to tear his gaze away from Gin's crystal-blue eyes.

"Uh...uh..." he stuttered, not sure what he was supposed to say, until his mind kicked into working gear. "I think we both did."

Gin ran his left hand through his hair, casually brushing his bangs aside as he tilted his head and revealed the right side of his long neck. Renji hated that he couldn't keep his eyes from straying to the hollow of Gin's throat. He couldn't understand why it seemed so inviting, all of a sudden. He cleared his throat and tried to concentrate on other things...like the time.

Renji glanced at the cable box under Gin's TV and was shocked to see that it was a quarter after two in the morning. It was later than he'd thought. He turned back to Gin and wished he hadn't. It was plain to see that Gin wasn't fully awake. In fact, it looked like the man was a nanosecond away from dropping back off. His usually tidy silver hair was sticking up on the left side, a hapless victim of static cling, and his shirt hung off of his narrow left shoulder. He was staring at Renji with what appeared to be a blank look, but Renji knew better. He spotted the disbelief and confusion a mile away.

"Oh," Gin muttered. "Sorry 'bout that."

Renji wanted to laugh fondly at the way Gin's ears went red, but instead, he decided to give the man a break. He'd teased him enough for the night. He climbed to his feet, allowing Gin a chance to gather his bearings. He headed into the kitchen to collect his jacket, and when he reentered the living room, Gin was on his feet, t-shirt still hanging off of his shoulder and gray lounge pants riding low on his hips. His hair was tousled, his eyes hooded, and Renji came to the conclusion that Gin must look sinful in bed.

That thought caused him to inhale a swift breath as he turned to his sneakers near the coat closet. He figured that was the safer move since his mind was losing itself and clearly taking him for a ride. It was too late (or early) for this shit.

He shrugged into his jacket and slipped his feet into his sneakers, not bothering to adjust the laces. Before he could steel himself for Gin's strangely alluring appearance, Gin stepped up beside him, thin body warm and emanating a comforting scent. Renji angled his head and looked down at the slightly shorter man.

"Guess we were both more tired than we thought, huh?" he chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

Gin smiled, but it wasn't with its usual mischievousness. It was almost shy. Subdued. Warm. Renji barely resisted a frown. He didn't understand what was going on inside his mind, and it was frustrating and confusing.

"Yeah, I wasn' 'spectin' ta crash in front a'comp'ny."

Gin's words were slow and husky and it was so uncharacteristic of the sometimes flippant, most times sarcastic way Gin had of speaking. Renji nodded as Gin stepped past him and opened the door.

"Thanks fer keepin' me-"

"Nah, I had fun too," Renji interrupted. "No need ta thank me. 'Sides, you fed me. I should be thankin' you."

Gin smiled again, a genuine thing that stirred up places Renji had thought he'd killed a long time ago. He averted his gaze, alarm ringing through him like a call to arms. What the fuck was wrong with him?

"Mah...somebody's gotta make sure ya eat more than TV dinners." Gin paused to yawn, a hand covering his mouth before dropping to his side. "Well, I'm callin' it a night, Red. Text me an' let me know ya made it home safe, 'kay?"

Again with that burst of heat in his chest and stomach. Renji nodded and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, I'll do that. Night, Gin."

"Night."

Renji stared at Gin's door long after the silver-haired man had closed it. His heart was pounding, his palms clammy and hands shaky. What was that even about? His mind was too busy, too restless. He turned on his heel and made his way to the elevators, a grin making its way onto his face without his permission.

Ichigo was staring at him when Renji came out of his thoughts, a sideways smirk tilting his lips. "Who gave you Viagra, old man?"

"Hey, fuck you," Renji snapped, tired of being called old. "Not my fault yer still a kid."

"I ain't a kid," Ichigo hedged, brown eyes fiery.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We done here?"

Ichigo glanced at the TV again and nodded. "Yep, I think so. We still got another house to do, though."

"I need a cigarette."

"Yuck. Your lungs probably look like hunks of coal."

"Shut up. Lemme indulge wit'out a lecture, thanks," Renji groused as they climbed to their feet and headed to the front door.

A small dog – probably a terrier of some type – bounced around Renji's ankles, yipping and begging to be held. He had a secret soft spot for little animals, even though he'd probably never own one, so he lifted the dog around its middle and snuggled it to his chest with a quiet grin. The dog was sandy brown and white, the ears all black. It was cute. It had a black, button nose that kept nudging Renji's chin, leaving behind minute traces of moisture.

"Jeez, Mabo, you're such a spoiled little mutt," the owner's gruff, female voice huffed.

The woman was tall for a chick, had dark, spiky hair and much attitude. Ichigo glanced back at Renji with a withering glare and shook his head.

"Tatsuki, ya better grab yer dog before the old man starts humpin' it."

"Don't be disgustin'!" Renji barked before turning to the worried-looking dark-haired woman. "He's jus' bein' a jerk, Miss."

Ichigo left the house with a cackle as Renji lowered the dog, Mabo, to the floor. "If ya got any questions, you can call the office," he said, offering Tatsuki a card with the main office's phone and fax numbers, address and supervisor's name.

"Thanks. Hey, Ichigo, you piece a'shit! Ya coulda said bye!"

"Bye!" Ichigo shouted from outside.

Renji chuckled as he followed behind his coworker. Ichigo was such a little shit sometimes, but he was cool. He stopped beside the van and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, studiously ignoring the glare of disapproval coming from the driver's seat.

He heard the window roll down, and Ichigo's sarcastic voice drawled, "How long's it gonna take ta get you closer ta dead?"

"Shut up, candy corn."

"Fine, cherry. I told ya that shoulda been yer stripper name."

Renji snorted after he lit up, exhaling on a snicker. "I know, right."

They had another house to hit before their shift was over, and strangely, Renji was looking forward to it. Jinta had stopped by the job earlier and taken down Renji's number, also informing Renji that he was coming over later. With his boyfriend. Renji grinned to himself as he took another pull from his cigarette. That should be fun.

XOXOXO

"You can stop glaring at me whenever yer ready, ya know," Gin droned as he wiped down the bar counter.

Rangiku narrowed her icy-blue eyes and stormed over to the register, but she made it a point to ignore Gin. Ever since their Face Time the night before, Rangiku had been giving him the silent treatment. He understood, but it was starting to get annoying. Nothing had even happened between him and Renji...

Which was a big, fat fucking lie.

Renji had let Gin play in his hair. Renji had camped out on Gin's floor until two in the morning. Renji had looked at Gin like he didn't want to leave when Gin had walked the man to the door. Renji had been staring at him. A lot.

Heat swept over Gin as he paused and gawked at his reflection in the mirror behind the liquor shelves. He was blushing. How embarrassing. He turned away from the telling glass and came almost nose-to-nose with his furious best friend. She pursed her lips and stabbed a finger into his chest.

"You're daydreaming about a straight man, Gin-bo. Pissed doesn't even begin to describe the way I feel."

Gin sighed. He felt bad, but...what could he say? He really liked Renji, even though he knew the path he was treading would lead to inevitable heartbreak. It was as if he just couldn't help himself. He wanted the red head like an astronaut wants to walk the moon. Any time he closed his eyes, he recalled Renji's tall, muscular form, his broad shoulders, his thick arms and strong-looking back. His friendly grin and deep dimples. His long, shiny red hair.

Gin shuddered and turned away from Rangiku's piercing eyes. She was one hundred percent right. He was daydreaming about a straight man. And he was enjoying every second of it. Renji's voice was something Gin had only ever dreamed about. Even Grimmjow's voice hadn't been quite as deep as the red head's, and that was really saying something since Gin had considered his former lover's voice the ultimate aphrodisiac. Renji's voice wrapped around him like a velvet blanket, soothing and sexy as all get out, and his laughter was infectious.

"Gin-bo!"

Gin started and glared at Rangiku, only to receive a hotter one in return. Sheepish, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yer not gonna let this go, are ya?"

"Of course not! Look at you! Did you kiss him?" she hissed, closing the gap between their bodies.

Gin scoffed and sputtered. "Wha? N-no! The hell, Ran, he's straight!"

"Hmph!"

"I didn't kiss 'im!"

Gin conveniently omitted the part where he'd wanted to, though. With Renji staring at him like he'd expected Gin to explain the mysteries of the universe, Gin had no choice but to wonder what would have happened if he'd just leaned forward and...

"Jesus Christ, Gin-bo, you are hopeless."

"I know," he muttered.

He was in the middle of wiping down the counter again, when the restaurant doors opened, and after a gust of swirling snow swept through, a familiar red head entered. His eyes immediately honed in on Gin, making Gin run a hand over his hair, suddenly nervous. Renji sauntered over, smile instant and completely charming.

"Hey."

Gin attempted to keep an impassive expression on his face, but it wasn't working. Renji was knocking down all of his ironclad composure.

"Red."

That was when Gin realized that Renji wasn't alone. A shorter, younger-looking red head stood to his left, while an equally young-looking pale-haired teen stood to his right. Gin arched a curious brow as he took in the youngsters, his question probably written all over his face. Renji smiled knowingly.

"Can we get a table?"

"Oh! Yeah, a'course. Follow me."

He refused to look Rangiku in the eyes. It was bad enough that he could see from the corners of his that she was glaring grisly death at Renji. Gin grabbed three menus and tried to mask his nerves with a carefree saunter over to a booth located near the rear of the restaurant. It was semi-secluded and peaceful, something he was sure that Renji and his companions would appreciate. When he set the menus down, he watched the two teens shuffle into one side of the booth, elbow to elbow, grins small and affectionate. It was heartwarming and cute. Renji plopped down on the other side, eyes still on Gin as if he was trying to figure him out. Gin fought the urge to shift in place as he withdrew his notepad and pen from the black half apron he wore and cleared his throat.

"Can I get you somethin' ta drink?"

The red-haired teen spoke up first this time, and damn, it was eerie how much he resembled his brother. With a low tenor that was only a few shades higher than Renji's, he said, "I'll have a Bud-"

"As if, Jinta!" Renji snapped, disbelief coloring his eyes and voice, but the teen was already chuckling.

"Calm down, big bro." Jinta turned his dark, intense, yet mischief-filled gaze back to Gin, a smile still lingering on his lips. He adjusted the black glasses resting on his nose as he moved with a fluid grace that mirrored Renji's. "I'll take an iced tea."

"Jinta, yer such an idiot," the pale-haired teen beside Jinta admonished.

His hair was shoulder-length and a little shaggy, his messy bangs covering his right eye, but the left was a muddy gray. Gin watched as the teen scanned the beverage section of the menu and slipped out of his dark-green winter coat. He was slender underneath the red sweater and light-colored jeans he wore, and when he turned back to Gin with a smile, Gin noticed he had a mouth full of braces that did nothing to take away from his easy, boyish charm.

"Can I have a Sprite?"

Gin smiled and nodded. "Sure." After he scribbled the drinks down, he cut his eyes over to Renji, who was watching him with a sideways smirk. "Guinness?"

"Mm," Renji hummed with a tilt of his chin.

Gin wrote it down, unaware that everyone at the table was staring at him. "Ya ready ta order yet? Or ya need more time?"

"I'll take the usual," Renji continued and dammit, he was still staring.

Gin hummed as he wrote down the order. "Mm." He glanced up just in time to catch Jinta frowning at his brother in confusion.

"What's the usual?"

Without thinking, Gin answered the question before Renji could respond. "Steak and scampi, mashed potatoes, asparagus, steak medium well." He turned to a still smirking Renji. "Right?"

"Absolutely."

Jinta chuckled, and the noise reminded Gin of Renji so much, his head snapped in the teenager's direction, expression stunned. Then his mind caught up to the situation, and he had a hard time keeping heat out of his face and ears. He'd answered for Renji like he'd known him his entire life. He hoped Jinta didn't think he was a stalker or some type of creep who was perving on his older brother.

"Well, I'll have the grilled chicken alfredo," the pale-haired teen said, nudging Jinta and giving him a stern look.

Jinta coughed into his hand and schooled his face into a semblance of seriousness. It was completely suspicious.

"Y-yeah, I think I'll have what Ren's havin'."

Gin jotted the orders down and nodded. "I'll go put this in and be right back with yer drinks."

He was in a hurry to get away. Something felt off, like there was something he was missing. As Gin scuttled towards the bar, he glanced over his shoulder and found Renji with his chin in his hand, elbow on the table, russet eyes hooded, still glued to Gin and gleaming with amusement.

Gin tried not to scowl, but it was a near miss. There was definitely a fly in the ointment. As he sauntered past Rangiku to take his order to the kitchen, she grabbed his arm, blue eyes concerned.

"What's going on? What was that about?"

"I dunno. I think maybe an inside joke's goin' over my head."

Rangiku harrumphed and sashayed back to the register, where she resumed glaring in Renji's direction arms folded over her ample breasts. Gin was surprised Renji's skin wasn't sizzling. When Rangiku got in one of her moods, she was simply unbearable, and right now was definitely one of those times.

Gin entered the kitchen and sent the head chef a tiny grin. Baleful, gray eyes peered at him over a stainless steel shelf.

"Slow tonight, huh, Hana?"

Yamada Hanataro shrugged and reached for the order slip. "I just do the cooking, Gin."

Gin gave a careless shrug himself before swinging through the doors and heading to the bar to fix Renji and company their drinks. He was still trying to avoid Rangiku's laser eyes, but it was getting harder and harder to do. Finally, after he filled a tall glass with Guinness and added it to a round tray with two other tall glasses of iced tea and Sprite, he turned to his best friend, hands on his hips and brow pulled into a deep scowl.

"I get it, OK? Can you not already?" he snapped.

Rangiku narrowed her eyes for a few moments, but eventually relented, her gaze softening. "I just don't want you to get hurt, Gin-bo. And that's exactly where this is going if you keep it up."

Gin sighed as he turned back and grabbed the drink tray. "I know, I know." He paused and shrugged with one shoulder as he studied the floor. "I know this shit is askin' fer trouble, but...I jus' can' seem ta help myself when it comes ta that guy."

Rangiku edged closer and laid a hand on his upper arm. He hated the look in her eyes, and not because he thought she pitied him or anything equally foolish; it was because he hated making her worry. He hated making her upset. She just wanted the best for him, and he was making life extremely difficult for her right now. He knew that, he understood that, but... He glanced at Renji's table and sighed when he saw the man laughing at something his brother said. He'd never liked anyone this much after Grimmjow.

"Just...I don't even know what to say, Gin. I don't wanna see you hurt, but if you insist on this, then there's really nothing I can do. I hope you know what you're doing."

He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll be fine. Trust me, OK?"

Rangiku thinned her lips, but nodded. Gin breezed by her and headed back over to Renji's table, all eyes landing on him once he was within ten feet. Renji straightened, and there was that smile again. Gin took a discreet deep breath and started unloading the drinks after stopping next to Jinta.

"Sprite. Iced tea. Guinness. Yer food should be out in a few. Can I getcha anythin' while yer waitin'?"

Renji chuckled and patted the seat beside him as he scooted over towards the window. "Why dontcha take a load off? There's no one else here 'sides us in this weather."

His voice was warm and inviting, and really, Gin just wanted to crawl in the man's lap and wrap his arms around his neck. Maybe ki-

"Earth ta Gin!"

Gin barely suppressed a jump as he gave Renji a slow smirk. "Mind tellin' me why yer out in this weather ta begin with?"

He'd just decided to ignore Renji's offer of a seat, when Renji's large hand shot up with more speed than Gin expected and wrapped around his forearm. Gin was pulled onto the booth cushion, causing him to plop down and stare at the red head with offended pride. Renji just grinned at him some more.

"Sit dowwwwwn," he drawled. "Lemme introduce you ta my little brother and his boyfriend."

It took every ounce of calm Gin possessed not to punch Renji in the throat, and instead turn his attention to Jinta and said boyfriend with a practiced poker face. Renji continued speaking as if he hadn't just forced Gin into a seat beside him, as if his body heat and intoxicating scent weren't distracting as hell.

"Gin, this is Jinta, my brother, and his boyfriend, Di Roy. Guys, this is Gin."

Gin allowed his lips to lift into a parody of a grin, but he was still reeling from being so utterly close to Renji. Their bodies were pressed together from calf to shoulder, warmth emanating from Renji's hard muscles and the velvety soft hoodie he had on. It was too much. Gin wanted to move, but if he did that now, it would be noticeable, and he'd hate to embarrass Renji after the red head had gone to all the trouble of getting Gin into the seat in the first place. So, he remained still as a sculpture as he focused on Jinta.

However, it wasn't Jinta who spoke first. Di Roy smiled, showing off his braces, and there was something distinctly knowing in those brown-gray eyes.

"Nice ta meetcha, Gin."

Gin nodded. "Same here, Di Roy."

Jinta snorted and dissolved into laughter. When he calmed down enough to speak, he said, "Sorry, sorry. I just thought it was funny that you both got light hair."

An arched brow was Gin's only response as he turned to Renji for an explanation. Renji shrugged and sipped his Guinness.

"He's weird like that sometimes," he grunted.

Gin couldn't hide his smile. Renji didn't realize it, but he was grinning from one long sideburn to the other as he looked at his brother with palpable fondness. It was adorable, honestly.

"It's nice to meet you, though," Jinta continued, eyes going serious. "Ren talks about you a lot."

"Hey!" Renji snapped, his calm, cool composure finally slipping.

Gin watched in surprised amusement as Renji's ears and cheeks went pink. With a smug smirk, he focused on the younger red head. "Oh, really? Is that so?"

"He's exagger-"

"Oh, come on, big bro, don't be shy," Jinta commented with a casual wave. He turned to Gin with a sneaky smile that reminded Gin so much of himself, it made him snicker. "Ren's a lone wolf these days, so hearin' so much about one person was shockin'."

"Mmm, I unnerstan'," Gin played along. He was enjoying the swallowed-a-bug look Renji was sporting. "What's he been sayin' 'bout me?"

"Jinta," Renji growled, sitting forward on the seat, his big hands balling into fists on top of the table. "Shut. Up."

Jinta ignored him and plowed on. "Well, he says you're a really nice guy. You're sarcastic and smart, a greeeaaaaat cook. Hm, what else? Oh yeah-"

"Jinta."

It was just two syllables, but the way Renji said them seemed to still the air in the entire restaurant. Jinta's mouth snapped shut as he stared across the table at his brother, and Gin noticed that even Di Roy's eyes had gone a little wide and frightened. Gin chuckled as he climbed to his feet and retrieved the drink tray from beside the booth, tucking it under his arm.

"I'm gonna go check on yer food. Try not ta kill 'im, ne?" he said, voice stern and directed at Renji.

The red head seemed a little murderous, so it was time to wave the white flag. Renji's hard gaze shifted to Gin, but Gin wasn't fazed. For some reason, Renji didn't scare him. In fact, Gin was holding back laughter the longer he looked at the irate red head.

Suddenly, Gin couldn't resist. He reached over and tucked a stray lock of that sinfully soft, red hair behind Renji's ear. "Aren't you always tellin' me ta lighten up?"

With that, he walked away from the table as unhurriedly as he could manage, one hand in his pants pocket, the other clutching the drink tray. Meanwhile, his heart was threatening to pound through his ribs and straight out of his body. He couldn't believe he'd just done that! And in front of Renji's family! Ugh, he wanted to strangle himself, but morbid curiosity made him glance over his shoulder to assess the damage he'd created.

Renji was staring at him, stunned, lips parted and face flushed almost the same color as his hair. Di Roy and Jinta, on the other hand, wore twin, mighty grins as they watched Renji with obvious delight. Gin smirked to himself as he turned away.

Maybe he had hope after all.

Thanks for reading! Hey, check me out on deviant art. The name's Racey-Sama. I left a few previews of a couple of oneshots I'm working on. I'll try to be expeditious with more updates, but please chill. I am only human, and I am trying. Thanks again!