Just a fair warning, this story will have ooc Byakuya.

The author of this fanfiction claims no ownership over any characters in this story. Yet.

I promise

The world was going in slow motion. The ringing of the gunshot faded, leaving a silence that was way too loud. There was one heartbeat less, the loudest one having stopped. I could practically hear the silence, where I stood -or floated- a little to the side of the person who had been shot. I looked down at the body, immediately recognizing my own striking features, red hair, and wine-coloured eyes. I looked into the eyes of my friend and lover, Kuchiki Byakuya, and I could see his heart shattering in them.

He was looking at my body, my dead body. It apparently hadn't sunk in completely that I was dead, that I had taken the bullet that was meant for him. Suddenly, he began crying. He didn't make a sound, but the tears were flowing freely, unchecked, down his face, dripping onto the floor, mixing with the blood flowing from my bullet wound. It was a direct hit to the heart, I'd died immediately.

A sob suddenly tore the silence in two, and the world returned to normal. The person with the gun seemed rather shocked that they had shot me, the current leader of the Inuzuri Mafia/Yakuza mixed branch. The same person who they possibly had worked for once upon a time, or maybe they were a Rukon rat, one of the novices that didn't know we never accepted hits on the Kuchiki family. They got out of their shock rather quickly, spun around, and ran, afraid to get caught with the wrong person dead. Cowardly bastard.

There was a second sob, then a third, and my lover's knees hit the floor, the dams completely broken. There was no stopping the crying now. He broke down. I knew he couldn't see me, but I prayed he could hear me or feel my touch, and embraced him. The sobs that racked his body calmed a little, and he looked almost straight at me. "Ren…ji?" He sounded so lost; it tore my heart. I leaned back, but kept a firm grip on his shoulders, so he'd know I was still there. "Yeah. It's me."

Apparently, he could hear me too, because he looked directly at me, almost through me. I knew I wasn't corporeal, so I was surprised when his eyes locked onto mine, and the tears almost doubled. I pulled him into my chest, hugging him. He closed his eyes, and hid his face in my shoulder, his hands clutching at my back, desperately holding on, as if he was afraid I was a figment of his imagination, that I'd disappear the moment he let go.

I let him cry. He had every reason to. His friend of ten years, lover of five, had just saved his life, offering his own instead. He was lost, alone. Another loved one leaving his life. I refused to go on. I had turned back from the light to stay by the one person needing me, now more than ever. Of course, he didn't know this. He most likely thought me a hallucination or something.

But I would stay by his side, I would never leave, not if I had anything to say about it. I would watch over him until the day came that his time had come, and he joined me. Only then would I go, and then only with him at my side. Even if I was destined for heaven and he hell, I would follow him, never leaving him to pick up the pieces by himself. I had helped him last time, and I would help him this time, next time, and all the times after. From here to forever.

There was a muted thump beside me, and I looked up. There, right by the spot where the shooter had been, stood what I can only describe as an angel. It couldn't be anything else. It had a set of large white wings, shiny silver armor with gold and white details, and a halo hovering over its head. It walked over to us, and when it came closer, I could see that it was undeniably male. He stopped right beside us, looked over the scene, and sighed. "Okay, you both look the same to me, so mind telling me which one of you is the dead one? Or do I have to guess, and risk taking the wrong soul with me?"

Byakuya froze, his sobs stopping. I growled low in my throat, hugging my lover tighter. The angel rolled his eyes. "Okay, I get that you don't want to leave, but if you stay here for too long, you'll turn into a demon, and then you'll probably end up killing your loved one or loved ones, and one of us will have to chase you down and kill you. So, which one of you is Abarai Renji?"

I looked at him warily. "Me. I'm Abarai Renji." I stood up, unconsciously stepping in front of Byakuya, instinctually hiding him behind me. The angel looked me over, hummed, and nodded, before tilting his head. "Can he see you, hear you, or just feel your touch?" He motioned to Byakuya, who had stood up behind me. "All three." Byakuya sounded frigid, posture and voice holding that renowned Kuchiki iciness.

They met each other's eyes, and I could feel the tension building, up until the angel sighed again. "Okay. If you can manage a year without each other, I'll make sure you meet again. Deal?" Byakuya was sceptic. So was I. The angel rolled his eyes. "Look, you were fated to end up like this, okay? I'm just going to borrow your boyfriend and get him enrolled in the Guardian Academy, so he can come back as your guardian angel. Nothing too dangerous."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed, but I spoke before he could say anything. "Can you promise? Can you promise me that I will eventually be able to come back?" The angel nodded. "Yes, I can. I promise you both that, in a year from now or less, you'll see each other again." I nodded, then I turned to my lover, and kissed him. "I will come back, Byakuya. I promise. So don't tear yourself apart over this, okay?" He nodded, and I let go of him. He whispered goodbye, turned and walked away, his trust in my promise absolute.

I turned towards the angel, who had opened some sort of door, and nodded. I was ready.

Thank you for reading. This is the first fanfiction I managed to get the nerve to post, so I hope you enjoyed it.

I have considered continuing this, but I'm not sure if I will, so please leave a review and tell me what you think!