Title: here we are
Author: Bri
Characters/Pairings: Renji, Chad
Rating: T; language
Word Count: 370
Notes: For
ansela_jonla. Her request is the summary because it seemed to fit. Title from the September 1, 2005 prompt for
31_days.
Summary: They'd both follow Ichigo, even into Hell itself.
Beat a guy into the ground for weeks on end and you really get to know him. Arm and sword, arm and snake. By now Renji figured he had a pretty good estimation of Chad's character. The kid just wouldn't quit. So when they were bleeding out in the godforsaken sands of Hueco Mundo and Chad answered his questions and jokes with nothing but silence, Renji didn't take it personal.
"This really sucks, doesn't it?" he managed around a mouthful of blood. There was a girl hovering in the periphery of his vision, nice boobs, decent face. Isane, his mind supplied. His chest ached, he knew there were quite a few ribs poking organs they shouldn't. He also knew Chad was much worse off. So he kept talking for both of them while he scrambled to remember what he'd seen before falling. Couldn't remember whether Yammy had merely dislocated Chad's shoulders or ripped the arms clean out of their sockets, although Renji sincerely hoped it was the former.
The espada was cruel and stupid, like a mean kid. He saw an image of an ant burning people under a magnifying glass. Yeah, he was losing too much blood. Losing his head. Damn Isane sure was taking her time seeing to Chad. He hoped she was doing some good; arms could be reattached, right?
"That bastard...doesn't even know what the hell he's doing...fight Aizen...be the big damn hero." They didn't deserve this crap. Just innocent bystanders dragged along on another of Ichigo's glorified suicide missions. He was in pain, dizzy from blood loss, and it wasn't doing much for his temperament.
Sure, Ichigo could always pull a secret power out of his ass and be all right but Renji had his own mortality to think of. While he was thinking of it, he conveniently forgot the part where he begged his captain and ignored Gotei orders in order to come. Chad suddenly spoke and Renji wasn't surprised at all. Short bursts of thought exploding out of a careful quiet, that was Chad's way. It was if he had read Renji's mind.
"Still glad you came?" his voice was deep, but not accusatory.
Renji snorted. "Wouldn't be anywhere else."