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Even while deciding to become friends with him, Uta never expected Renji to be very sociable. He was alright with that, honestly; he liked Renji the way he was.
The reality, however, was just a touch different than he was prepared for: Renji wasn’t sociable at all.
Uta didn’t see Renji for an entire week after their conversation on the billboard. It was by far the longest week of his life–he had a friend now, dammit! He wanted them to go hunting together, watch bad movies together, shop together (since Renji seemed to only own one outfit)–friend things.
That Saturday, Kado and Sumi came running to Uta with news of another fight: a minor skirmish that Renji didn’t start, but very clearly finished. Figures. As proud as Uta was that Renji didn’t seem to be looking for trouble anymore, having to go find him still felt like more trouble than it was worth…not that that stopped him from going.
He found him sitting in an alley close to the Fourth’s border.
“Look, I’m really not in the mood for a fight,” Renji snapped.
“I know,” Uta replied politely. “I’m not here for one.”
“Then you’re probably here to lecture me. That piece of–”
“I already heard you didn’t start it, Renji. Believe me, I’m grateful. You’re making my job so much easier already!”
Renji frowned at him, thoroughly stumped. “Then why’re you here?” he asked.
Uta put on his friendliest smile and knelt down so that they were closer to eye level. “Because we’re friends now, and I wanted to check in. I was wondering where you were, honestly.” He pushed his glasses up onto his forehead and hoped Renji could see his sincerity.
It seemed he did, because his stormy eyes widened in shock, then dropped to the ground. “‘M fine,” he muttered. “Just a little tired. You can go now.”
“No,” Uta replied, surprising both of them.
“What do you mean no?” Renji asked incredulously.
“You don’t have a place to stay, right? And you literally just admitted that you’re exhausted–don’t look at me like that, you look like a fucking ghost. Why don’t you stay with me for the night? So, you know, you can actually sleep?”
Renji’s eyes narrowed. “What makes you think I’ll be able to sleep with you around?” he growled.
Point. Uta sighed. “You’ll just have to trust me, I guess. But I take care of my friends, whether you realize it or not.”
The subsequent staring contest was a fight in and of itself–a battle of wills. Finally, Renji’s shoulders slumped. “I guess one night wouldn’t hurt,” he admitted.
“Exactly!” Uta laughed. “Let’s get going.”
He stood. Renji was much slower, however, staggering to his feet and nearly tripping. Uta stepped closer and, ignoring Renji’s protests, pulled his arm around his shoulders. “You really are tired. Come on, it’ll be getting dark soon.”
Uta half-dragged Renji to his apartment. Renji, the bullheaded person he was, protested all the way. By the time they arrived, though, he was so spent he could hardly speak anymore.
“Alright,” Uta sighed as the front door swung open. “I’d suggest you get cleaned up first.”
He escorted Renji to the bathroom and pulled down a clean towel. “The shower’s yours for the moment. Go ahead while I find you some clean clothes, I’m sure I have something around here that fits you….”
Renji nodded. Just as Uta turned to leave, he heard a mumble so quiet he may have imagined it: “Thanks.”
Uta beamed. “Don’t mention it.”
He closed the bathroom door and made his way to his bedroom, stopping to lock the front door on the way. No visitors tonight, he thought. He didn’t need to make this any more nerve-wracking for Renji than it already was.
After several minutes of digging though his closet, he found an old black sweatshirt and jeans that were oversized enough to fit Renji. He carefully refolded them and headed back to the bathroom.
“Hey,” he called, knocking on the door. “I brought you something to change into.”
The door opened just a crack, allowing some steam to escape. Renji silently held out a hand, and Uta passed him the clothes while deliberately looking elsewhere. “I’ll be in my room, just on the side of the living area,” he said.
Renji found him just as he was straightening out his bed a few minutes later. Uta looked up to see him lingering in the doorway, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “You expect me to sleep in your bed?” he asked.
Uta tilted his head. “Is that a problem? I sleep on the couch more often than not anyway.” It wasn’t a lie–he was more simply more comfortable there–but Renji still seemed uncertain.
“You sure?”
“Positive. Besides, it’s more private here, in case anyone does decide to show up–which they won’t, of course. I locked the front door and everything.”
Way to ramble. Uta winced, but Renji didn’t seem to care.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “Thanks.”
He does have manners! Uta trampled his excitement down and smiled in what he hoped wasn’t a creepy way. “Again, don’t mention it. Goodnight, Renji.” He went to place a hand on Renji’s shoulder as he passed, but realized they weren’t quite at the casual contact level (yet). “By the way, if I wake up tomorrow and find out you left early, my feelings won’t be hurt. You’re free to come and go as you’d like.”
Was that overzealous? Uta thought so, until he saw the faint gratefulness in Renji’s eyes–gratefulness that was promptly hidden behind a sardonic smirk.
“And what if you wake up and find out I ate what’s left in your fridge? Or you?”
Again Uta fought back a wave of glee. “Who knew you had a sense of humor?” he grinned. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that, alright?”
“Whatever you say. Night, Uta.”
Uta slipped out of the room. “Night, Renji,” he said. Then he closed the door.
And if he silently applauded and bounced up and down like a schoolgirl? Well, that was no one’s business but his own.
The night was rather quiet for a while after that. For hours Uta reclined on the couch, sketching mask designs and planning his next moves as peacekeeper.
Then he heard the sound of a key in a lock.
Shit! How could he have forgotten the one person he gave a key to?
“Why’d you lock the door?” Itori asked, pushing inside.
“O-Oh, I–” Uta tried to explain, but she shrugged.
“Whatever. Anyway, I have the craziest story! So earlier I talked to this girl from the Thirteenth, right? And she said–”
Uta stopped listening as she started for their usual hangout spot: his room. She didn’t seem interested in listening to him, either, as she paid his protests no mind.
“And so I said–”
“Itori!”
The bedroom door swung open, and all Uta could think was bless him, he’s so tired he didn’t even turn the light off.
Itori stared at the bed for a long time before Uta finally had the presence of mind to steer her away, turn off the light, and close the door.
“Uta?”
“Yes, Itori?”
“There’s a boy in your bed.”
“I’m well aware of that, Itori.”
“Was that Raven?” she practically shouted. “When did you–?” She gaped at him, eyes widening, face going red. “Uta! Did the two of you–?”
“No!” Uta screeched, voice pitching up at an octave. “Why would you even–no! God, no!”
Itori’s eyes narrowed. “Then what’s he doing here?”
“He was exhausted and didn’t have a place to stay and I wanted to be nice, okay? Damn,” he heaved a sigh and desperately hoped they hadn’t woken Renji up.
Slowly her expression softened, and she grinned. “What now?” he asked, stricken.
“Nothing! I’m just proud of you. And surprised, considering that you never told me you and him came to a truce.”
Uta flinched guiltily. “Yeah, sorry about that. I would’ve told you, but…I kinda want him to do that himself. He’s not socialized at all, and he really needs the practice.”
She giggled. “Yeah, I can tell. It’s okay–I’m just happy you made a friend. I mean, you were obsessed with this guy for weeks and–”
“Okay, that’s enough outta you,” he griped. “Since you’re here, and it’s not super late, I’m gonna go make some dinner. Don’t wake Re– Raven up, okay?”
“You can count on me,” Itori teased, saluting him jokingly. Uta rolled his eyes and walked away with an affectionate smile.
The moment he was gone, Itori turned back to the bedroom. After all, he’d just said not to wake him up, not that she couldn’t go in.
The moon through the curtains cast just enough light to see by. Itori crept inside, stepping over the mess of art supplies and dirty clothes on the floor.
Sound asleep, the kid who had been giving Uta so much trouble for the last month looked like just that: a kid. He was curled up on his side under the blanket, silver hair splayed across his pillow. How could someone so vicious look so peaceful?
Itori perched on the edge of the bed, studying Raven’s face. He turned suddenly in his sleep, and a lock of hair fell across his face. She hesitated, then slowly reached out to brush it away.
The moment her fingers touched his face, he shot upright with a decidedly undignified yelp. In an eyeblink he was on the other side of the bed, blanket clutched to his chest. “Who the fuck–? Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that–”
“I’m gonna stop you right there,” Itori interrupted. “Hi! I’m Itori, and I’m a good friend of Uta’s. Don’t blame him for any of this, because I’m the one who barged in here. It’s good to finally meet you, Raven, and I know that’s not your name but it’s all I know you as until you introduce yourself,” She stuck her hand out, finishing with a deep breath. Raven blinked slowly, the gears visibly turning in his head.
“Okay,” he said finally. The blanket slipped from his hand, and Itori didn’t even have time to understand the fact that he was wearing Uta’s shirt before he was tentatively shaking her hand. “Name’s Renji. Don’t call me Raven.”
Renji. Itori tried it out in her head, then grinned. “Good to meet ya, Renji. Again, you can call me Itori.”
“I remember you. Were you…taking bets on the fights Uta and I got into?”
Shit. “Yes, but that’s not important right now. What I wanna know is–”
“Dinner’s ready!” Uta yelled from the kitchen.
Renji glanced at the door, dropping Itori’s hand. She smiled wider. “Never mind what I wanna know, because food! You hungry?”
If he was honest with himself, Uta didn’t not expect Itori to go into his room. The way he saw it, it was her business if Renji woke up and got pissed off.
However, what he didn’t expect was for her to come skipping out with a half-asleep Renji in tow. “How come you don’t cook more often?” Itori complained. “Is it just cause Renji’s here?”
Uta rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to cook very often, so what’s the point? You’ve never expressed much liking for my food anyway.”
“See?” Itori glanced at Renji. “Told you.”
“Huh…” Renji muttered. “Who knew?”
Deciding that these two teaming up was the last thing he needed, Uta quickly intervened. “Okay! Itori, grab the plates down from the cabinet? You know where they are. Renji, can you clear some of that stuff off the table? Just set it aside, it’s no big deal.”
They shrugged and set to work. As he was plating up their dinner, Uta couldn’t help but glance around: at Itori, bustling around the kitchen like she owned it; at Renji, wrapped in Uta’s blanket with his hair sticking out all over the place.
Uta smiled to himself.
This feeling–this scene–was something he would very much like to get used to.