It had taken renji and byakuya's relationship a while to get to where it was today. Byakuya was a closed off person, the barriers he had would drive most people away. But renji cared too much to just give up.
He understood why byakuya was the way he was. he had lost a loved one, the stress of that hit him hard. Renji had lost people, but not the way byakuya did.
They were mutual friends in the beginning, renji being best friends with rukia, byakuya's sister in law. He tried everything to get byakuya's attention, but it took making a fool of himself to make byakuya smile.
Flashback
It was muddy from the rain the night before, rukia invited renji over to talk about chappy related things. She had a problem. Renji was walking the dirt path leading to the manor when he saw byakuya. Byakuya kuchiki was doing yoga.
He couldn't help but stare at the glorious ass on display to him. So distracted was he, he couldn't avoid the rock in his path. He fell with a manly scream, which garnered byakuya's attention. When he managed to get up he had mud on the seat of his pants.
"Shit." He cursed aloud.
Byakuya raised an eyebrow at his language. "Yes, it would seem you did shit your pants renji." He said with a smirk.
'So he thinks this is funny?' Renji thought to himself. He groaned as it all hit him, he just embarrassed himself in front of byakuya. 'Great' he took a deep breath. "I didn't shit my pants, I fell."
Byakuya found renji explaining amusing. " yes you did, it was as graceful as an elephant in a mud puddle."
Renji rolled his eyes. "It was your fault, bending over like that. Especially in those pants." Byakuya blushed. If it was one thing renji could do to byakuya, it was make him blush.
"Who told you to stare?"
End flashback
And that's how it got started. Renji got the courage to finally ask byakuya out and he said yes.
It was three years later and they were happily in love. It was date night and renji was on his way to his and byakuya's favorite diner.
He was sure he'd fly away he felt so light. He was going to propose to byakuya. The ring was practically burning a hole in his pocket.
Yes I do
I believe that one day I will be where I was
Right there, right next to you
His heart was pounding hard and his palms were sweating. Never mind that it was raining. He was in too much if a rush to remember his umbrella, but he wouldn't let that bring him down.
He was two blocks away when he heard it, a gunshot. He didn't know how, but he just knew it was byakuya. Adrenaline ran through his veins, he ran.
There, laying on the dirt covered ground was a pale figure with a black curtain of hair covering its face. He dropped next to the person, tears threatening to fall. It was byakuya.
He wiped away the hair and stared into those beautiful gray eyes. "Hey babe" the tears fell.
And it's hard, the day just seemed so dark.
The moon, the stars are nothing without you.
Your touch, your skin, where do I begin?
Byakuya's gray eyes were dull. "R-renji. I waited for y-you." Byakuya let out a bloody cough. He knew he needed to be strong for his red head. He smiled with blood stained teeth, reaching up a shaky hand to cradle renji's cheek.
Renji leaned into the touch. "I know bya, I know" he let out a sorrowful sob. He was losing the love of his life.
No words can explain the way I'm missing you
Deny the emptiness, this hole
I have inside.
These tears, they tell their own story
Renji hugged byakuya to his chest, the tears falling freely now. "Please byakuya, don't leave me." the words came out choked. Byakuya just let renji cry, he knew it was needed.
Renji calmed down, he was going to do what he planned. He smiled a sad smile and looked into those beautiful gray eyes. "I was gonna surprise ya." He pulled out the ring box and showed byakuya. "Will you marry me?"
Byakuya's gray eyes gleamed, as he looked into renji's burgundy eyes. He smiled so big it would have shocked anyone but renji. "Of course I'll marry you, baka." a tear rolled down his cheek and mixed with the rain.
Renji tried not to cry more as he put the gold band onto byakuya's finger.
Byakuya wiped them away."renji, don't do what-"
Renji shook his head. " don't byakuya. I can't."
" no renji, don't do what I did, don't become cold. Be brave for me." byakuya took renji's face in his hands, they were cold as ice.
"I'll try, but I can't live without you."
Told me not to cry when you were gone
But the feeling's overwhelming, they're much too strong
Renji watched as byakuya whispered his last words. "I l-love you r-renji, always." He held himself together as best as he could.
"I love you too, bya."
Byakuya was gone. He knew that, but it didn't seem real. He just stood as the paramedics took byakuya away, staring where his body was. He knew he had to call rukia, but not tonight.
Can I lay by your side next to you, you
And make sure you're alright
I'll take care of you
I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight
The next day he called rukia, she cried for a long time. But he was strong for her, he had to be. He had a little brother to look after, jinta loved byakuya. After rukia settled down they started to plan the funeral.
During the funeral he didn't cry, couldn't. He had already shed his tears. Byakuya's family didn't understand, his friends did though. He had told them about the proposal, they were happy for him, despite the situation.
He was going to get through this,he would make sure he did. But he would never stop missing byakuya.