[fic] Bonfires on the Beach

[kiyala.livejournal.com]

Title: Bonfires on the Beach
Author: kiyala
Word Count: 1932
Fandom: Bleach
Pairing: Kurosaki Ichigo / Ishida Uryuu
Rating: R
Warnings: Implied boysex.
Disclaimer: Kubo Tite owns Bleach
Notes: This is written for theablackthorn who won my 2nd round auction for gulf_aid_now

This is also written as part of the 500themes challenge, using prompt #14 - unguarded touch

---

There are probably laws regarding bonfires on public beaches, Uryuu thinks to himself as the flames dance in the dark, throwing orange light on everyone, the warmth chasing away the chill the night brings in from the sea. Amazingly enough, he just can’t bring himself to care. Not right now, when he is actually happy. He’s in the presence of friends; people he couldn’t have cared less about, two years ago. Even he has to admit though; once you’ve been through enough shit together, calling each other a friend is the least you can do.

Of course, there’s the one special case. One special case who has always been a special case, whether he knows it or not. Of all the people in the real and spiritual worlds, Uryuu muses wryly, he just had to fall for Kurosaki Ichigo.

At least, to soften the blow, Ichigo had fallen right back.

They sit beside each other in the large circle the group makes around the fire. Ichigo has never been subtle with his feelings and he isn’t about to start with Uryuu. He always sits a little too close, leans in too much, and sometimes he just doesn’t take his eyes off Uryuu. It would almost be thrilling, if not for the cat-calls this provokes from Renji and Rukia. With ooh, get a room why don’tcha? in the background, it’s just slightly embarrassing.

Not that it bothers Uryuu as much as he pretends. If Ichigo’s openness had ever really bothered him, they never would be in this position in the first place. And not that he tells Ichigo this, but he definitely enjoys it when Ichigo leans in, right in front of everyone else, and kisses Uryuu full on the lips, tasting like the chocolate ice cream they’re currently eating.

Keigo protests loudly, Rukia and Orihime cheer, and Renji reasserts his opinion that the two of them need a room.

Uryuu pushes Ichigo away, albeit half-heartedly and with a stupid grin on his face that he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of hiding after they kiss. “Seriously, Kurosaki. Do you really have that much trouble comprehending the meaning of keep your hands to yourself?”

Ichigo grins a wicked grin and leans in so only Uryuu can hear his whispered reply, “Trust me, if I was using my hands, we’d definitely be needing that room.”

Uryuu turns a bright red that goes unnoticed by most in the firelight. He turns his attention to his own ice cream, letting the murmur of conversation wash over him. It’s comfortable here; a three-day weekend away to the beach with friends. There are nine of them; Uryuu, Ichigo, Sado, Keigo, Mizuiro, Renji, Rukia, Orihime and Tatsuki. Between them, the beach house they’ve rented is cosy and their weekend will definitely be lively. It’s only their first night and there’s an entire weekend ahead of them. Uryuu listens as people shout ideas at each other: beach volleyball, Tatsuki suggests, sandcastle competition – this time without any surprise crabs – Renji shouts, and is there any such thing as beach hockey?, Orihime wants to know.

For now, the hour is late, conversation is just getting interesting (especially as Orihime and Rukia try to work out the logistics of beach hockey as Tatsuki listens on in dismay) and nobody has any intention of turning in for the night just yet.

With Ichigo’s shoulder against his own, Uryuu can’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.

*

“What do you mean you don’t want to go in the water?”

It’s late afternoon of their second day and everyone’s in the water after a long game of beach volleyball. Almost everyone. Ichigo is staring at Uryuu like his reluctance to hit the waves like everyone else is some kind of mental disease.

“I said,” Uryuu’s voice is resolute, “I don’t like swimming. What does it matter? Just go swim and leave me alone. I’ll read a book or something.”

Ichigo narrows his eyes for a moment and then says, “Scar.”

“What?”

“It’s your scar, isn’t it?” Ichigo asks, resting a hand on his own chest in the exact place that corresponds to the star-shaped scar beneath Uryuu’s shirt. “I mean, you barely like me looking at it—”

“Yes it’s the scar.” Now, Uryuu sounds defensive, impatient, and maybe a little embarrassed.

“I’ve got scars too,” Ichigo points out. “We all do, now.”

Uryuu can see several scars on Ichigo’s bare chest. He can see his own, on his arms; thin criss-cross lines that are a legacy of his stupidity years ago. Scars don’t bother him. The ones on his arms don’t bother him. The one on his chest, however…

“This one,” he says, mirroring Ichigo with a hand on his chest, is personal, he thinks. Terrifying. A constant reminder of the consequences of failure. “…It’s repulsive,” is what he finally says. “Just look at it.”

Ichigo’s eyes widen when Uryuu unzips his shirt. He hardly ever exposes his scar willingly – which is why they’re having this conversation in the first place – and Ichigo’s eyes are immediately drawn to it, not bothering to look away like he usually does for Uryuu’s sake.

“I’m looking,” he murmurs in a quiet voice. “And it still looks beautiful to me.”

Uryuu snorts disbelievingly. “You’re biased.”

“Maybe,” Ichigo admits. “If anyone else looked at your chest and called you beautiful, I’d want to punch them out.”

Uryuu smirks at this, but flinches away when he feels Ichigo’s hand on his skin.

“Just stay still,” Ichigo murmurs with a gentle kiss. “Trust me.”

Uryuu does his best not to move, but his shoulders tremble just a little when Ichigo’s index finger traces one arm of the star. It feels smooth and raised, and when Ichigo’s finger moves on to the next arm of the star, Uryuu shivers.

“Shh,” Ichigo kisses him again. His free hand finds Uryuu’s, hanging at his side. His fingers curl around the archer’s, thumb stroking the back of his hand. His entire right hand is pressed against Uryuu’s chest now, fingers splayed out, covering the scar completely. He runs his fingers across the raised skin once again and gives Uryuu a small smile.

“I love your scar.”

They kiss deeply, tongues hot against each other, and Uryuu thinks that Ichigo is done – and realises that he actually feels better – but Ichigo then kisses down Uryuu’s neck, far from finished.

“Mm,” Uryuu hums at the feeling of Ichigo’s lips and tongues on his collarbone. He knows what comes next, but also knows that he’s in no position to stop it. He doesn’t fight it, just lets his head fall back with a sigh at the feeling of Ichigo’s tongue on the uppermost point of his scar.

Looking up, Ichigo grins and manoeuvres Uryuu so he’s sitting on the edge of his bed. The house is empty save for the two of them. There’s a flush across Uryuu’s cheeks that speaks of the same arousal stirring in Ichigo’s belly.

With one more long, wet, kiss, Ichigo lowers his mouth onto Uryuu’s scar.

*

“We never actually got around to swimming,” Ichigo remarks as they get out of the shower, drying themselves off and getting dressed. The sun is setting and they’ve decided it would be a good idea to be decent by the time the others start returning to the house. He pulls Uryuu closer, nibbling on his lips before kissing them, and smirks. “Everyone else is gonna put two and two together, you know.”

“I know. And they don’t need unnecessary information. I’m just saying.”

“Yo, Ichigo! Ishida! Already going at it like bunnies, eh?” Renji greets as he enters the lounge room. “Man, we turn around for five minutes—”

“Just because they’re getting laid,” Rukia replies, throwing a cushion at Renji’s head. “Besides, I read that if you leave two guys in a room—”

“Please don’t cite boylove manga as facts,” Uryuu interrupts, knowing from experience to stop Rukia when she’s just getting started.

“Anyway, look. We got presents!” Rukia indicates a cardboard box on the kitchen counter with a big smile.

“What… watermelons?” Ichigo asks in disbelief as he looks. “You mean the killer watermelons from last time weren’t enough for you?”

“But these ones don’t bite back!” Rukia points out cheerfully.

Ichigo sighs. “Fine. I’ll cut these up for everyone.”

Uryuu watches in amusement as Ichigo delights in hacking the fruit into slices, pausing every now and then, as if to challenge the watermelon into becoming another reiatsu-sucking monster.

“You’re not normal, Kurosaki.”

“Like you can talk, Ishida.”

“Hey, how come Ishida gets away with calling you names?” Renji asks from the couch.

Ichigo looks up from the watermelon he’s chopping and smirks at Uryuu. “The hell makes you think he gets away with it?”

*

“I’m holding you responsible. If people stare, I’m going to punch you.”

“Fine. You do that. If anyone stares.”

Uryuu narrows his eyes and hesitates. “…One more thing.”

“Mm?”

“…I’ll have to take my glasses off.”

Ichigo grins. “So you can’t see if people are staring anyway. Look, I’ll be honest. If they stare, I’ll tell you to punch me.”

“You’re the only person who’d be stupid enough to do that.”

“Thanks Ichigo, you’re so honest, would’ve been nice, too. You can just leave your glasses with the rest of our stuff on the beach. I’ll help you find your way around after that if you want.”

When they join everyone else outside, a few of them raise an eyebrow at the scar on Uryuu’s chest, but then they simply shrug it off and look away. Ichigo squeezes Uryuu’s shoulder reassuringly as they set off for the five-minute walk to the beach.

Once Uryuu takes his glasses off, the world goes blurry. He can make out vague things: the yellow of the sand, the indistinguishable blues of the sea and sky, and the orange of Ichigo’s hair in front of him, accompanied by the gentle touch on his wrist, leading him into the water. He can tell where the others are from their reiatsu if not his sight. He can hear them clearly, too.

“Nobody’s staring,” Ichigo informs him and his smile is clear in his tone.

The water is cool, a welcome change to the heat of the sun. Even without being able to rely on his sight, Uryuu’s sharpened senses give him enough feedback about his surroundings to allow him to relax and enjoy himself.

He finds Ichigo and pounces, dragging him down into the water. They resurface laughing and Ichigo splashes him. Of course, this starts an all-out splash fight that lasts for longer than anyone can keep track of. It ends with the eight of them all ganging up on Ichigo until he surrenders, gasping for breath between all the laughter.

Renji is then distracted by the bigger waves that begin to roll in, and it captures the attention of the others and they go swimming into the deeper water. For a moment, Ichigo and Uryuu are left alone once again.

“Y’know,” Ichigo says after a moment’s hesitation, “There was staring.”

Uryuu’s shoulders draw together and he looks away. “Ah.”

“Well, just one. But you can punch me anyway.”

“…Who was it?” Uryuu asks, sounding resigned.

Ichigo leans closer so his lips brush Uryuu’s ear. The Quincy can feel his smile. “Me. You’re fucking hot when you’re all wet. Trust me, I’d know.”

“…Seriously. What am I going to do with you?” Uryuu asks, already knowing the answer.

First, he punches Ichigo.

Then he pulls him into a kiss.

x