Author: Sinian
Title: A penny for your thoughts
Rating: from PG-14 up to R (probably)
Pairing: Byakuya X Renji (or the other way round, that's fine by me)
Warnings: fluffy, angst and English is not my first language
Summary: "Well, I thought of setting my iPod on shuffle and for every song we try to think of a scene from our relationship that fits the music." - A set of drabbles loosely tied together by a background story.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.

Once again many thanks to mysocalledhell for beta-reading! *hugs*

This had started out as the regular shuffle-your-music-and-write routine but since I'm so damn slow, I barely finished a few paragraphs and so I've come up with this alternative version. I listened to the song, thought of a scene and wrote it down. There is definitely more to come but they pretty much can be seen as oneshots. I don't know when the next song will be done but I'll do my best.

If you want to listen to this song or one of the following chapters, maybe read through the lyrics... just google it. ;)

Have fun!

A penny for your thoughts

Renji was sprawled on a checkered picnic blanket, his arms crossed behind his head and enjoyed the warm sun on his face. There was a barely audible sigh right beside him and he cracked an eye open to glance at his lover. Byakuya lay on his side with his head resting on Renji's shoulder and his left arm possessively curled across his stomach. That made him smile fondly and marvel at the fact that he was the only one allowed to see this side of the usually so cold and distant noble.

The two of them had been together for quite some time now and were enjoying one of the rare weekends when they both weren't on duty. They had left their Captain haoris behind and the responsibility for their divisions in the hands of their Fukutaichous and just went away. Finally they had found this beautiful place near a small lake where they had a more than delicious lunch, thanks to the skills of Byakuya's cooks. Renji decided that they would go for a swim later on but for now he was content to just lie there with Byakuya right beside him.

"Hey, Taichou," he whispered and lightly kissed his forehead, "how're you feeling?"

Byakuya grumbled a little and shifted closer to the body beside him without opening his eyes. "You don't need to call me that," he answered and tightened his hold on Renji.

"I know, but I still like it." Renji grinned and closed his eyes again. Even though he wasn't his Fukutaichou anymore he sometimes fell back into their former pattern just because Byakuya was so very cute when he grumbled like that. Not that he would ever tell him that, of course. Then he had an idea. "Hey, how about a little game?"

Byakuya yawned and propped himself up on his elbow to lazily kiss his lover who sighed contently and kissed him back. "It depends," he answered when they broke apart. "What do you have in mind?"

Renji hummed and traced Byakuya's cheek with his finger. "Well, I thought of setting my iPod on shuffle and for every song we try to think of a scene from our relationship that fits the music."

There was a little twitch curling Byakuya's lips. "Sounds good to me."

"Okay then." Renji shifted a little and reached for his bag. The iPod had been a gift from Rukia for his birthday and he had spent a whole afternoon with Ichigo to decide which songs he liked to have on it.

Finally he settled back down and plugged one of the earphones into Byakuya's and the other in his own ear. "Ready?" he asked and when Byakuya nodded he started the first song. They both listened to it and Renji couldn't help but hum along. When it was over he stopped the player and looked at his lover expectantly, thinking of something on his own.

Byakuya blinked twice and then leaned back. "I have something," he said, "but it is from a time before we got together."

"Well, I'd say that's okay," Renji answered and kissed him lightly. "Let's hear it, I'm all ears."

oOoOo

[Amaranth – Nightwish]

Byakuya winced and his hand reached up to massage his neck. He had been sitting at his desk all day long because some incompetent fool from the 12th division managed to burn the main laboratory along with the reports of the last four months. That meant that every other division had to help sort out the mess.

He didn't try to stifle a sigh since he was currently alone in the office. Renji had gone to fetch something to eat for the two of them and so he allowed himself to close his eyes and slump back in his chair. Right now he didn't have to pretend, to hold up the image of the noble who never gets tired and generally is all above everyone else.

Sometimes Byakuya hated this. Being born into the noble Kuchiki clan surely meant to have certain privileges but on the other side there was the daily struggle that came with having to live up to everyone's expectations. Maybe that's why he preferred to be alone in his free time. With another sigh he stood up, walked over to the window and leaned against the frame. The sun was setting and Seireitei was flooded by a red glow that gave the whole scene a slightly surreal look.

Suddenly there was a creak of one of the floorboards and immediately Byakuya straightened his posture, cursing himself for letting his guard down like that. No one should see him exhausted, least of all his Fukutaichou.

"Don't do that, Taichou," Renji said softly.

"Do what, Abarai?"

"Pretend that you aren't tired." There was a faint noise as Renji set their dinner down on the desk. "I know you well enough by now to see that you really should take a rest."

Byakuya didn't answer but continued to watch the sunset. He felt Renji stepping right behind him and then there were fingers tentatively touching his shoulders. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked in an icy voice, but the hands didn't disappear as he had hoped. Instead they began to slowly massage his tense muscles, obviously trying to tell him without words to let go just for now. "Stop it." There was no response and after a few moments of debating with himself, Byakuya finally gave in to Renji's very talented hands.

After what felt like a long time Byakuya opened his eyes he didn't remember closing and saw that the sky was completely dark. How long had he been standing here with Renji massaging him?

"Are you feeling better, Taichou?"

Byakuya allowed himself a soft sigh and nodded. "Yes."

"You're welcome." Something incredibly soft touched the back of his neck and for a moment Byakuya wondered if he imagined it. "Go home, Taichou, and get some rest."

Byakuya only nodded and for once their roles were reversed, as he followed his Fukutaichou's orders.

oOoOo

Renji couldn't help but smile at the memories that Byakuya had conjured up. "So you admit that you really were exhausted back then?"

Byakuya nodded. "But I had no idea that you could read me so well to notice something I had not wanted to admit to myself."

"You forget that for a long time it'd been my goal to reach and then surpass you. Of course I watched you closely." Renji thought of all those little things he had noticed along the way and how bit by bit he had reached an understanding of his former Taichou.

"Hmm." Then Byakuya opened his eyes again. "You know, I have always wondered... did you really kiss my neck back then?"

He blushed lightly, something he hadn't done in a long time. "Umm.. well, in fact I did," Renji admitted softly. "Just couldn't resist you, you know. There I got you all loosened up and at peace for once, so I figured you wouldn't notice if I stole a tiny kiss." He cleared his throat and reached for his iPod again. "Next one?"

"Go ahead."

Thanks for reading!
There will be more...