It's Worth the Wait
My first ever IchiRen. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Dedicated to all the wonderful IchiRen authors on LJ, including but not limited to spikykun , pb_cookie , writerx75 , akuni , jazz_trousers for all your fics that have been excellent reads ♥ and saiyanzrepublik for her remarkable Ichi and Ren art.
“Damn it, where the hell is Renji?” Ichigo muttered to himself as he paced around his small apartment. The redhead had promised to spend Christmas Eve with him a month ago, but that seemed to have not worked out after a message that morning.
“Sorry Ichi, there’s an urgent mission I have to go out on. It should be done quickly though. I’ll see you later.” A few hours ago, he had received another message, “I’m almost done. I’ll be down soon, I promise.” That was the last he had heard from the redhead.
Looking at the clock, then down at the specially engineered cell phone that could receive messages from Soul Society Urahara had made, Ichigo could not help but feel worried. Ever since losing his powers in the battle two years ago, the only Shinigami he had seen relatively regularly had been Renji, and that had been Renji in his gigai.
Rukia had only visited twice in the past three years, and had actually expressed surprise that Renji, finally promoted to a Captain, managed to visit him more often. She had been promoted to the Thirteen’s Lieutenant and had found herself unbelievably busy.
Still, between his friends and Renji, he had kept abreast of affairs in Soul Society. However, without his powers, he felt a pang of worry every time he heard of Renji going on a mission - he would not be able to help if anything happened.
‘Stop worrying. He’s going to be fine.’ “That’s it. I’m hungry. If you’re not here in fifteen minutes, I’m going to start with you.” Speaking aloud to the steamboat and food on the table, Ichigo scowled, having already waited for forty-five minutes. He was in his first year of college and lived out a small apartment in Tokyo he had rented, only a five minute walk from his school.
Minutes passed and the hour’s time limit he had decided on was up. Stretching as he stood up from his chair, Ichigo took a few steps over to where the phone was lying. ‘No messages.’ Walking around his apartment - the few steps took only several seconds - he finally made up his mind. ‘He’s not going to be coming.’ “That’s it. I’m going to start.”
As if triggered by his announcement, the doorbell suddenly rang. He made his way to the door and looked through the peephole. ‘Renji?’
“Sorry I’m late, Ichi. The train was delayed.” The redhead replied once the door opened.
Scowling, Ichigo retaliated with silence, his feet thumping on the wooden flooring as he made his way to the table. Renji closed the door behind him, dumping a bag on the floor and shedding his coat and muffler quickly, before heading for the table.
The orange haired teenager was already cooking his food when the redhead seated himself. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting; you must have been hungry. Itadakimasu!” Picking up the chopsticks, Renji tucked into the spread of food before him, picking up a piece of meat and waving it several times in the hot soup.
Beneath his calm expression, Ichigo seethed. ‘Doesn’t he realise that I was fucking worried about him and he comes in with a simple apology and it’s settled?’ Moments later, he listened as the redhead started recounting his journey.
“…I mean, I can’t believe how many fucking people were on the streets. It was so fucking difficult getting around. It would’ve been so much easier to shunpo over if not for…”
“If not for the fact I wouldn’t be able to see you?” Ichigo replied with biting sarcasm. Standing suddenly, he put down his chopsticks with a clatter. “I’m done.”
The next moment, he felt Renji’s hand grab his arm. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Ichi? You’ve been weird since I got here.”
‘Tell me what took you so long to get here. Tell me that I shouldn’t have been worried. Tell me it’s okay that I don’t have my powers any longer.’ Instead, he said the first thing that came to his mind. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Don’t deny it. There is something wrong and I’m not fucking letting you go until you tell me what’s up, especially not after I spent two fucking hours trying to get your present.” Not even noticing the redhead’s grip on his arm tightening, the only thought that echoed in his mind was, ‘You spent two hours getting my present?’
He did not even realise he had voiced the thought until he heard Renji’s reply. “It was… hard trying to get it. The first store I tried didn’t have something suitable so I went through a couple of stores before I found it. I forgot to bring my fucking phone after rushing out from my office, so I didn’t manage to contact you. So, will you tell me now what the hell is wrong?”
Ichigo flushed slightly as Renji’s brown eyes met his. “It’s really nothing… it’s just something stupid.” The second sentence came out as a whisper, as he tried to pull his arm away from the redhead’s grasp.
“Tell me, or I’m not letting you go.” Renji smirked, pulling the teenager closer to him.
“… It’s nothing really… I was just worried that something happened to you.”
“Again? I didn’t quite catch you.”
“I was fucking worried about you, you idiot. I don’t have any powers to get you out of any mess you find yourself in, bastard. Can you hear me already?” Scowling, face still flushed, Ichigo practically shouted in the redhead’s ear before he felt his arm being let go.
“There’s no way I’ll get into that much trouble. I’m a Captain now, remember? Now that you’ve let it all out, are you up for a second round of dinner?” Glaring at the grinning redhead, Ichigo sat down and picked up his chopsticks.
“For you.” Looking at the piece of meat Renji placed in his bowl, the teenager scowled before returning the favour, placing the piece of meat he had just cooked into the redhead’s bowl.
Before long, the dinner had become a competition to see how fast they could cook and feed the other party. It ended in a stalemate.
~~~
“Here.” Ichigo dumped a rectangular box, covered in shiny wrapping paper on Renji’s lap before sitting down next to the redhead. They had cleared the coffee table and done the dishes before getting their gifts ready.
He watched as the redhead unwrapped it quickly before turning to him with the sunglasses perched on his forehead and the largest goofy smile on his face. “Thanks, Ichi! They’re damn cool.”
“Well, they were the most badass pair I saw.” He had known the pair of Oakleys were perfect the moment he caught sight of them, even though it had taken him several months to save up enough to get them.
“Yours.” Looking into the bag Renji handed him, Ichigo took out a rectangular package and gave it a shake. “Don’t spoil it.” ‘Spoil it?’ “I’m opening it then.” Removing the Christmassy wrapping paper, the teenager was surprised when he spotted the brand on the box.
“Ren, you bought this? It fucking costs a bomb.” Opening the box carefully, Ichigo took out a brand new stethoscope, running his hand along the smooth rubber. “You didn’t have to.”
“Well, I asked the lady at the shop what a medical student would need and she recommended this. The shop didn’t have one that looked good, so I went around before I got this. It looks good on you. Don’t worry about the cost though; I’m a Captain now, I’ve got more allowance.”
Punching the grinning redhead lightly on his arm, Ichigo then replaced the stethoscope in its box carefully. “Thanks, Ren. I’ll only need this next year though, but I’ll definitely keep it safely.” With that, he headed into his room, placing the box on a shelf.
Turning, he found that Renji, a smirk on his face, had followed him into his room. “Ren?”
“Ya know, Ichi. You didn’t prepare dessert tonight, which only means you’ll have to be mine.” The next moment, the teenager found soft lips crushed against his, while Renji’s tongue probed eagerly at his.
Opening his mouth to allow it entrance, he met it with his own, before the two battled for dominance. As Renji’s large hands wormed their way under his T-shirt, his hands had found the tie that held the redhead’s hair back. Releasing it, he ran his fingers through smooth, blood-red hair before raising his arms and allowing the redhead to remove his T-shirt.
As their mouths met, their hips grounded together. Between the layers of denim and cloth, he could feel the redhead rock-hard - the friction was driving him crazy. Breaking apart suddenly, he moaned a protest when Renji put his tongue to his nipple.
The teen bit back another moan as the redhead turned his attention to the other before licking his way down his abdomen. When Renji finally unbuttoned his jeans before tugging them off with his briefs to release his aching arousal, Ichigo could not help but whimper with need. “Renji.”
Quickly stripping off his clothes to expose the dark tribal tattoos that had been replicated on his gigai, Renji pushed Ichigo down onto the bed, before taking his arousal into his mouth. He licked and teased the swollen organ, making the teenager moan and whimper.
“Fuck! Ren- I’m gonna…” As soon as he uttered the words, the pleasure that coursed through his system suddenly stopped. Through hazed eyes, he spotted Renji grinning before leaning in for another kiss, tongue-on-tongue.
“It’s time ya did something too.” Renji teased, licking at his ear after his whisper. “I want ya ta stretch yourself for me.”
Despite the blush on Ichigo’s face, he reached over and slid open a drawer on the side table. Opening the cap to the bottle of lube, he met the redhead’s equally glazed over eyes as he coated his fingers, before manoeuvring into a sitting position. Making small circles around his entrance, he hissed as his first finger entered, feeling the cool lube.
Moving his finger in and out slowly, Ichigo then inserted another finger while maintaining the same pace. With a scissoring motion, the teen inserted a third finger, before increasing the pace slightly, biting down on his lip as the fingers brushed his prostate.
Renji, who had been watching at the side and languidly stroking himself, saw the need in Ichigo’s eyes as he heard him trying to stifle his moans. “Ichi, fingers out now.”
Sitting down on the bed, he coated his cock liberally with lube and patted his thighs before watching as the teen crawled over with his pert ass in the air and member weeping. Locking lips as the orange haired student lowered himself on his hard cock, he heard the teen gasp and groaned as he found himself sheathed tightly within the teen.
“Ichi, you’re fucking tight.”
Pausing for a moment as he got accustomed to Renji - it had after all been two months, Ichigo took a breath before he started moving. Once, then twice, he rose then lowered himself, with Renji’s arms wrapped around his lower back. The third time, he felt the redhead hit his pleasure centre and writhed as pleasure blossomed.
“Ren… fuck… me.”
Pushing him down on the bed, Renji placed Ichigo’s legs on his shoulders before thrusting in and out slowly, building up his speed gradually. Wrapping his hand around the teen’s weeping member, he stroked it in time with his thrusts.
As pleasure pounded his body, Ichigo knew he had reached his limit and with a “Fuck!” he came; seconds later, he felt the redhead reach his climax as well. Sated with pleasure, he leaned into Renji’s kiss as bells rang out in the distance.
“Merry Christmas, Ren.”
“Merry Christmas, Ichi. Up for another round?” Renji grinned.
“Fuck yeah. You know I can never get enough of you, Ren.” The grin on Ichigo’s face matched the one on the redhead’s as their lips locked in a tender kiss.
“Damn it, where the hell is Renji?” Ichigo muttered to himself as he paced around his small apartment. The redhead had promised to spend Christmas Eve with him a month ago, but that seemed to have not worked out after a message that morning.
“Sorry Ichi, there’s an urgent mission I have to go out on. It should be done quickly though. I’ll see you later.” A few hours ago, he had received another message, “I’m almost done. I’ll be down soon, I promise.” That was the last he had heard from the redhead.
Looking at the clock, then down at the specially engineered cell phone that could receive messages from Soul Society Urahara had made, Ichigo could not help but feel worried. Ever since losing his powers in the battle two years ago, the only Shinigami he had seen relatively regularly had been Renji, and that had been Renji in his gigai.
Rukia had only visited twice in the past three years, and had actually expressed surprise that Renji, finally promoted to a Captain, managed to visit him more often. She had been promoted to the Thirteen’s Lieutenant and had found herself unbelievably busy.
Still, between his friends and Renji, he had kept abreast of affairs in Soul Society. However, without his powers, he felt a pang of worry every time he heard of Renji going on a mission - he would not be able to help if anything happened.
‘Stop worrying. He’s going to be fine.’ “That’s it. I’m hungry. If you’re not here in fifteen minutes, I’m going to start with you.” Speaking aloud to the steamboat and food on the table, Ichigo scowled, having already waited for forty-five minutes. He was in his first year of college and lived out a small apartment in Tokyo he had rented, only a five minute walk from his school.
Minutes passed and the hour’s time limit he had decided on was up. Stretching as he stood up from his chair, Ichigo took a few steps over to where the phone was lying. ‘No messages.’ Walking around his apartment - the few steps took only several seconds - he finally made up his mind. ‘He’s not going to be coming.’ “That’s it. I’m going to start.”
As if triggered by his announcement, the doorbell suddenly rang. He made his way to the door and looked through the peephole. ‘Renji?’
“Sorry I’m late, Ichi. The train was delayed.” The redhead replied once the door opened.
Scowling, Ichigo retaliated with silence, his feet thumping on the wooden flooring as he made his way to the table. Renji closed the door behind him, dumping a bag on the floor and shedding his coat and muffler quickly, before heading for the table.
The orange haired teenager was already cooking his food when the redhead seated himself. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting; you must have been hungry. Itadakimasu!” Picking up the chopsticks, Renji tucked into the spread of food before him, picking up a piece of meat and waving it several times in the hot soup.
Beneath his calm expression, Ichigo seethed. ‘Doesn’t he realise that I was fucking worried about him and he comes in with a simple apology and it’s settled?’ Moments later, he listened as the redhead started recounting his journey.
“…I mean, I can’t believe how many fucking people were on the streets. It was so fucking difficult getting around. It would’ve been so much easier to shunpo over if not for…”
“If not for the fact I wouldn’t be able to see you?” Ichigo replied with biting sarcasm. Standing suddenly, he put down his chopsticks with a clatter. “I’m done.”
The next moment, he felt Renji’s hand grab his arm. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Ichi? You’ve been weird since I got here.”
‘Tell me what took you so long to get here. Tell me that I shouldn’t have been worried. Tell me it’s okay that I don’t have my powers any longer.’ Instead, he said the first thing that came to his mind. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Don’t deny it. There is something wrong and I’m not fucking letting you go until you tell me what’s up, especially not after I spent two fucking hours trying to get your present.” Not even noticing the redhead’s grip on his arm tightening, the only thought that echoed in his mind was, ‘You spent two hours getting my present?’
He did not even realise he had voiced the thought until he heard Renji’s reply. “It was… hard trying to get it. The first store I tried didn’t have something suitable so I went through a couple of stores before I found it. I forgot to bring my fucking phone after rushing out from my office, so I didn’t manage to contact you. So, will you tell me now what the hell is wrong?”
Ichigo flushed slightly as Renji’s brown eyes met his. “It’s really nothing… it’s just something stupid.” The second sentence came out as a whisper, as he tried to pull his arm away from the redhead’s grasp.
“Tell me, or I’m not letting you go.” Renji smirked, pulling the teenager closer to him.
“… It’s nothing really… I was just worried that something happened to you.”
“Again? I didn’t quite catch you.”
“I was fucking worried about you, you idiot. I don’t have any powers to get you out of any mess you find yourself in, bastard. Can you hear me already?” Scowling, face still flushed, Ichigo practically shouted in the redhead’s ear before he felt his arm being let go.
“There’s no way I’ll get into that much trouble. I’m a Captain now, remember? Now that you’ve let it all out, are you up for a second round of dinner?” Glaring at the grinning redhead, Ichigo sat down and picked up his chopsticks.
“For you.” Looking at the piece of meat Renji placed in his bowl, the teenager scowled before returning the favour, placing the piece of meat he had just cooked into the redhead’s bowl.
Before long, the dinner had become a competition to see how fast they could cook and feed the other party. It ended in a stalemate.
~~~
“Here.” Ichigo dumped a rectangular box, covered in shiny wrapping paper on Renji’s lap before sitting down next to the redhead. They had cleared the coffee table and done the dishes before getting their gifts ready.
He watched as the redhead unwrapped it quickly before turning to him with the sunglasses perched on his forehead and the largest goofy smile on his face. “Thanks, Ichi! They’re damn cool.”
“Well, they were the most badass pair I saw.” He had known the pair of Oakleys were perfect the moment he caught sight of them, even though it had taken him several months to save up enough to get them.
“Yours.” Looking into the bag Renji handed him, Ichigo took out a rectangular package and gave it a shake. “Don’t spoil it.” ‘Spoil it?’ “I’m opening it then.” Removing the Christmassy wrapping paper, the teenager was surprised when he spotted the brand on the box.
“Ren, you bought this? It fucking costs a bomb.” Opening the box carefully, Ichigo took out a brand new stethoscope, running his hand along the smooth rubber. “You didn’t have to.”
“Well, I asked the lady at the shop what a medical student would need and she recommended this. The shop didn’t have one that looked good, so I went around before I got this. It looks good on you. Don’t worry about the cost though; I’m a Captain now, I’ve got more allowance.”
Punching the grinning redhead lightly on his arm, Ichigo then replaced the stethoscope in its box carefully. “Thanks, Ren. I’ll only need this next year though, but I’ll definitely keep it safely.” With that, he headed into his room, placing the box on a shelf.
Turning, he found that Renji, a smirk on his face, had followed him into his room. “Ren?”
“Ya know, Ichi. You didn’t prepare dessert tonight, which only means you’ll have to be mine.” The next moment, the teenager found soft lips crushed against his, while Renji’s tongue probed eagerly at his.
Opening his mouth to allow it entrance, he met it with his own, before the two battled for dominance. As Renji’s large hands wormed their way under his T-shirt, his hands had found the tie that held the redhead’s hair back. Releasing it, he ran his fingers through smooth, blood-red hair before raising his arms and allowing the redhead to remove his T-shirt.
As their mouths met, their hips grounded together. Between the layers of denim and cloth, he could feel the redhead rock-hard - the friction was driving him crazy. Breaking apart suddenly, he moaned a protest when Renji put his tongue to his nipple.
The teen bit back another moan as the redhead turned his attention to the other before licking his way down his abdomen. When Renji finally unbuttoned his jeans before tugging them off with his briefs to release his aching arousal, Ichigo could not help but whimper with need. “Renji.”
Quickly stripping off his clothes to expose the dark tribal tattoos that had been replicated on his gigai, Renji pushed Ichigo down onto the bed, before taking his arousal into his mouth. He licked and teased the swollen organ, making the teenager moan and whimper.
“Fuck! Ren- I’m gonna…” As soon as he uttered the words, the pleasure that coursed through his system suddenly stopped. Through hazed eyes, he spotted Renji grinning before leaning in for another kiss, tongue-on-tongue.
“It’s time ya did something too.” Renji teased, licking at his ear after his whisper. “I want ya ta stretch yourself for me.”
Despite the blush on Ichigo’s face, he reached over and slid open a drawer on the side table. Opening the cap to the bottle of lube, he met the redhead’s equally glazed over eyes as he coated his fingers, before manoeuvring into a sitting position. Making small circles around his entrance, he hissed as his first finger entered, feeling the cool lube.
Moving his finger in and out slowly, Ichigo then inserted another finger while maintaining the same pace. With a scissoring motion, the teen inserted a third finger, before increasing the pace slightly, biting down on his lip as the fingers brushed his prostate.
Renji, who had been watching at the side and languidly stroking himself, saw the need in Ichigo’s eyes as he heard him trying to stifle his moans. “Ichi, fingers out now.”
Sitting down on the bed, he coated his cock liberally with lube and patted his thighs before watching as the teen crawled over with his pert ass in the air and member weeping. Locking lips as the orange haired student lowered himself on his hard cock, he heard the teen gasp and groaned as he found himself sheathed tightly within the teen.
“Ichi, you’re fucking tight.”
Pausing for a moment as he got accustomed to Renji - it had after all been two months, Ichigo took a breath before he started moving. Once, then twice, he rose then lowered himself, with Renji’s arms wrapped around his lower back. The third time, he felt the redhead hit his pleasure centre and writhed as pleasure blossomed.
“Ren… fuck… me.”
Pushing him down on the bed, Renji placed Ichigo’s legs on his shoulders before thrusting in and out slowly, building up his speed gradually. Wrapping his hand around the teen’s weeping member, he stroked it in time with his thrusts.
As pleasure pounded his body, Ichigo knew he had reached his limit and with a “Fuck!” he came; seconds later, he felt the redhead reach his climax as well. Sated with pleasure, he leaned into Renji’s kiss as bells rang out in the distance.
“Merry Christmas, Ren.”
“Merry Christmas, Ichi. Up for another round?” Renji grinned.
“Fuck yeah. You know I can never get enough of you, Ren.” The grin on Ichigo’s face matched the one on the redhead’s as their lips locked in a tender kiss.