Bleach: Skating Issues

“I hate you.” A voice spat from across the roller rink. “So much, Ichigo!”
All around him skaters glided to the left, ignoring the man clinging for what seemed to be dear life to the side of the rink, his legs shaking terribly as he just barely managed to keep himself up.
Renji Abarai was NOT coordinated. Ichigo knew this. Renji was positive this was the ulterior motive for his dragging him along to this stupid place. “Ha ha!” The teen laughed as he nimbly glided over to the redhead. “It’s not that hard, Renji.”
“Shut up!” He snapped back, glaring. “I’m just not used to this stupid Gigai!” Ichigo watched in amusement as he nearly fell, again. “I bet you’re enjoying this.”
Ichigo snickered. “Hate to break it to you, but your pain is just hilarious, Renji.”
Renji glared at him again “I really hate you.”
Ichigo laughed again, then held out his hand. “Come on. I’ll teach you. This is pitiful, Renji.”
Renji flinched away from the help then as his legs decided to give out on him he lunged for the hand before he had a chance to fall on his ass again. He was nearly on top of Ichigo as he struggled to stay up. Ichigo couldn’t help but laugh again. “Seriously Renji. I knew you were uncoordinated but this is really, really sad. How did you ever make it to 2nd seat?”
“I said shut up!” He snapped, but as Ichigo threatened to let go of him, Renji immediately added, “WaitItakeitbackdon’tletmego!”
Ichigo smiled smugly. “See, you’re doing it all wrong. You can’t spread your legs out like that. You have to try to at stand on your own weight.” Ichigo pointed out, attempting to peel the sorry sight for a Soul Reaper off his arm.
Renji protested slightly as he did so, knowing he probably couldn’t take Ichigo’s advice. But as he finally tried to stand on his own two feet he found it was easier to at least stand with his roller-skates. Still he didn’t let go of death-grip on Ichigo’s shoulder, in case he decided to fall again. Ichigo realized that the man must be a pretty hilarious sight to behold. They already gathered quite a bit of attention, seeing as how Renji had bright red hair, an odd hairline, and tattoos on top of all that. The fact the man couldn’t skate for his life was priceless as it was. Even someone who didn’t know that he was actually a very skilled Shinigami would find it hilarious. Which, they did, hearing the laughter and chatting concerning the two. Renji seemed to either not have noticed it or was ignoring it. Or a bit of both.
“See? IT’s not so hard.” Ichigo said, pulling himself from his thoughts. “Look on the bright side; no one from Soul Society will ever see you!”
“Ohhh, Renji!”
Ichigo paused, a devilish grin playing upon his lips. “Oh wait.”
Renji’s look was priceless. Some combination of utter embarrassment and realization and then anger flashed across his face. “You didn’t.”
“You mean, call up everyone from Soul Society?” Ichigo grinned. “I did.”
Renji held back the (not-so) insane urge to choke the teen, seeing as the place they were in was rather public and it could be taken as murder (which it would be) if he did so at that moment. Instead, he clenched his fists and glared with all his intensity at the teen. “You are so dead.”
And then, of course, forgetting that he was supposed to be concentrating on skating, he let his legs slip. A loud THUD resonated from the rather large man as he fell on his ass, in front of a group of his peers.
There was a laugh from behind Ichigo that even made him crane his neck because it oddly sounded like… “Oh my Good God, I just think…”
“Kuchiki-Taichou just laughed?!” Renji hissed, appalled. “Seriously?!”
The crowd of reapers turned to stare at the man who held a hand over his mouth and was beginning to flush red. Rukia, who was equally shocked, squeed. “Oh my gosh, you laughed!”
Byakuya turned and cordially walked out of the room, almost shocked that he could laugh himself.
“Ha!” Ichigo chuckled. “Your pain is even amusing to Byakuya.” But he held out his hand anyway.
Reluctantly he took it, getting up once again. In a few seconds the rest of the soul society filled onto the rink, skating around themselves. Renji decided not to take the time to notice that they were all much more skilled than he.
“Let’s try this again…”
After another two hours Renji could take about two steps without falling. Which was progress considering just how awful he was to begin with. He knew he would probably never live it down, but he enjoyed himself anyway.
After it was all over he had to seek out Ichigo to thank him properly for helping him not make a total fool out of himself like he would have had he not been there to guide him. He tried to forget it was Ichigo’s fault he was ever there in the first place.
Ichigo was flirting with Rukia (shocker) when Renji found him. He managed to pull him away for a few seconds as when he realized how dumb he felt. He flushed red. “Um, I want to, erm… thank you for earlier, okay?”
Ichigo smirked. “For calling all of Soul Society to watch your embarrassment? Sure, no problem.”
“You know what I mean.” He said, rubbing the back of his head and looking away.
Before he knew it a body was pressed against his in a tight embrace. “Your welcome. Anytime, okay?” And then Ichigo was gone, back off to flirt with Rukia (Or whoever he could find) leaving Renji standing there, wondering what just happened.
Then, he smiled as he realized something for the first time: I have friend’s that really care.