Title: Land of the Midnight Star
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Renji/Rukia
Rating: PG
Word Count: 444
Summary: Renji challenges Rukia to narrating a bedtime story to their children.
A/N: Written for
Table 10, prompt #1: land of the midnight star,
5_prompts.
In the land of the midnight star they frolicked, tearing through fields of sunflowers, inhaling the sweet scents of freshly cut grass, of nature and all its mysteries.
In the land of the midnight star they lay, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, listening to the only thing that broke the silence - their breathing.
"In the land of the midnight star..."
"Renji, will you please be quiet?"
Jerked back to reality, Renji glanced over his shoulder at the young brunette, who glared at him with her arms crossed over her chest. Much in contrast to his expectations, she didn't look the least bit pleased. He shrugged, trying to pull a goofy grin. The scowl on her face wasn't at all encouraging.
"What's up? Wasn't interesting enough?"
"No, that was ridiculous," she snapped, and then sighed, smoothing a hand over her hair as a breeze caught up. "Really, Renji, if this is how you're going to tell bedtime stories to the children, I'd rather have Kon do it."
"You can't compare me to that little yellow stuffed bag of...of...of-"
"Of?" Rukia couldn't help but giggle behind her hand at the way his cheeks coloured. "I, for one, wouldn't want my kids to have to listen to their father's horrid narrative."
"Well, why don't you do it?" Renji threw the thin picture book at Rukia, who caught it easily with a deft hand and a smug smirk.
"Not tonight. What's the use when they're all asleep anyway?"
"You're trying to talk your way out of this, I know it!" Renji folded his arms across his chest, glared down his nose at her. "Now, read the damn book. Show me what you got."
"I'm not reading for someone who isn't here, Renji. I'll look like a fool."
Renji thought for a while, and then: "You've got an audience. He's right in front of you." He flopped down onto the rooftop and lay on his side, his head in Rukia's lap. "There. Now, read."
For a moment, Rukia could only blink in surprise, and then she allowed a faint smile to grace her features. She ran her fingers through his long, red hair.
And under the starry sky, she began to read till her husband fell asleep.