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With his height, it wasn’t unusual for Renji’s lips to seek hers out spontaneously, a gesture that consistently woke a dizzying rush within her.
It began with a flood of weightlessness before she was anchored, steady in the heat of his embrace, head nestling perfectly against his chest.
It was a sensation that Rukia was still becoming accustomed to, despite his apparent determination to ingrain it into her memory.
Whenever Rukia tried to reciprocate, however, things proved difficult.
Fortunately, Renji was attuned enough to the subtleties of her actions to know the meaning and intent behind him. A lingering touch at his elbow, her fingers threading through the fabric of his shirt, tender eyes covering the space between them.
Each time, his eyes would flicker as recognition set in, a sly smirk pulling at his lips. As his knees dipped, Rukia swallowed, feeling the uneven throng of her heart reverberating through the shell of her ear.
Perhaps nearly as intoxicating as the kisses they exchanged, were the churns of anticipation she felt as her body arched upward to meet his.
In those moments, her senses became enraptured with every tiny detail. The flutter of his breath as they eventually aligned, the way his hair spilt along his neck, how the scorching touch of his mouth tempered the ache of straining herself to reach him.
With how much Renji had endured as a constant, integral part of her life; throughout even the hardships and separation; Rukia thought she had come to know every thought, each feeling and sensation he could evoke within her. Yet, these moments always seemed to uncover a new, unfamiliar facet of their relationship, something she was still adjusting to.
Something she wasn’t sure she wanted to, for fear of losing this thrill.
Still, as much as Rukia appreciated how willing Renji was to oblige her, she was jealous of how easily he could steal kisses from her and how much more difficult it was for her to initiate them in the same manner.
As if sensing this, over time, it became something Renji would deliberately use to his advantage.
If Rukia were ever lost in thought, staring off into the distance, she’d often find lips ghosting unexpectedly at the top of her head, or lean fingers catching at her chin to turn her gaze upward. These exchanges would always manage to leave her flustered, a state unhelped by the cocky grin crossing his face, or the low rumble of laughter vibrating from his chest.
The reactions became something he took great pleasure in and would actively try to draw out.
It had been difficult enough to brush off his teasing when it was mere passing, flirtatious comments.
Now he was only growing more daring, trying to rattle her in increasingly public settings. In the company of their friends, while visiting her in the 13th Division Barracks, sometimes even outside the Assembly Hall before she had an important Captains' Meeting. It left her struggling to drag herself from the awkward, frazzled mess she was reduced to.
Though Rukia’s body would betray her, displaying clearly how much she enjoyed his affection, she would still level Renji with an indignant glare; a warning somewhat undermined by the deep red staining her cheeks.
Yet the same smug, triumphant grin would remain etched across his face, an obvious sign he was not deterred.
.
It wasn’t until years later that Rukia found an opportunity to turn things around.
Despite the time that had passed, Renji’s fond displays of affection had not ceased, nor had the flutters of pleasure they managed to evoke in her. Rukia had simply grown better at masking their effect, managing to steady her racing heart and will away the heat rising to her skin.
One evening, as Renji stood basking in the serene twilight of their garden, Rukia approached him discreetly, ready to catch him unaware.
Even with the tiny body she had lifted onto her shoulders, Rukia she would still need to stretch to cross those last few inches between them.
“Renji,” she called.
Shaken from his reverie, Renji’s gaze lowered, expecting to find Rukia hovering around his chest, as usual. He was surprised, however, by the small pair of hands that settled against his cheeks instead.
Always happy to see her papa, Ichika giggled, pulling herself up the rest of the way to press a sloppy kiss against his face, just like her mama had told her to.
Though a more chaste gesture than what he was guilty of, its effect was just as palpable.
Renji froze, colour steadily dusting his cheeks under the evening’s soft light as he took in the sight of Ichika perched atop her mother’s shoulders with a bright, blinding smile.
His eyes drifted lower, meeting Rukia’s waiting, triumphant grin as she revelled silently in victory. Briefly, Renji’s expression furrowed, only for understanding to cross his features soon after.
Rukia stumbled slightly as Renji dragged the pair toward him, the added weight on her shoulders throwing her balance off slightly. Still, she was righted, in familiar fashion, against the warm planes of his chest.
From above her, she could make out Ichika’s peels of laughter as Renji peppered kisses against her face.
Though, this time, as his head dipped further to seek out Rukia’s lips, she was more than ready to meet them.