Author's note: Wow it has been a very very long time since I have written anything so it's good to be back. Let me know if I'm rusty. This story was inspired by the Breaking Benjamin Song "Diary of Jane". I do not own the song or the characters
If I had to
I would put myself right beside you
So let me ask
Would you like that?
Would you like that?
Byakuya…Kuchiki Byakuya…there aren't many words that Renji could come up with right now that could describe the hatred that was boiling inside his veins as he pondered that name over and over again in his mind. Kuchiki Byakuya, the cold-hearted bastard of the Seireitei, the ice princess (name given courtesy of Zaraki) of the captains' court, the one that is a powerful monster with kidou and sword play under his belt. But the part that pissed Renji off the most, was that it was Kuchiki Byakuya who took Rukia away from him, away from the only family she ever had, one that cared and loved her and accepted her without a question, and he took her under his noble wing. Sure she has money now and never has to worry about finding water or food or even a place to sleep for the night, but he's seen her recently, slowly become more distant and as cold as he was. Nails bit into the tight calloused hands of the once Rukongai boy turned shinigami grit his teeth as he stared at the double doors before him. He passed the academy, give or take a few explosions and a few punishments for brawling with Ikkaku and drinking with Hisagi, but he was here now. The doors opened and he held his breath for what was to come.
"Abarai-Renji." A dominating voice boomed over the council. Quickly, the fiery, crimson-headed shinigami bowed, dropping to his knees before the Court, trembling ever so slightly as he felt the eyes of all the captains trained upon him.
"Hai, Soutaicho." Yamamoto Genryusai stood atop on the closest seat that could b called a throne, looking over the entire chamber of gathered members.
"I will extend a hand of applause to you Abarai for your accomplishments that have brought you to stand before us. You have passed the academy, defended your fellow students in times of great need, and shown acts of heroic feats and dedication to the Gotei 13."
"Arigato, Soutaichi."
"Hmph." The sounding of the great wooden cane slamming onto the floor sent a jolt down Renji's spine as he braced for the worst. "We are here today to determine the position and squad this new shinigami is to be." Murmurs could be heard echoing through the entire auditorium.
"He is excellent when he comes to physical strength and endurance." One whisper stated. "However, his kidou was held failing marks and did not improve even within his last year." "He is very heroic, he has been known to throw himself in front of on coming enemies to take the hit rather than his other squad members." "His zanpakuto also has also evolved a great extent in a very short time."
During this time, brown eyes gazed up from beneath flowing crimson bangs, scanning around, until he met those eyes. Cold, grey, steeled to the world, not saying a word as he watched everyone else talk and debate.
'It's like he thinks everyone else are cockroaches.' The hatred flared, and so must have his reiatsu because suddenly, those grey eyes pierced his, holding the gaze and at the same time, tearing it apart piece by piece until all that was left was his soul and deepest inner thoughts. Brown forced themselves away from the grey but he could still feel them burning through the back of his skull.
"Soutaicho." He heard the steady baritone voice speak up and silenced the entire room.
"Yes, Kuchiki-taicho?" What on earth could that cold-hearted bastard want now? Renji had to grind his teeth to hold himself steady in his position and refrain from punching the living daylights out of that perfect porcelain face of the noble princess.
"I would like to request that he serve me as my vice captain." This time he could hold back and Renji choked, turning the attention back to his kneeling form. "And what do you think of this Abarai-Renji." Is this bastard serious? He of all people could know exactly what I think of him. I want him broken, shattered, everything torn away from him because of what he did to Rukia. I want to bring him to his knees and make him know that he as just another one of us Shinigami, noble or not. Is he asking for his death wish?
"Abarai-Renji." The sharp voice snapped his attention back to the assembly all-waiting eagerly for his answer. Locking eyes with the infamous captain, Renji gave the steady grey gaze his signature sneer and gave his answer.
"I accept."
As the assembly filed out, and he followed his new captain to his new barracks. He couldn't help but trudge and purposefully drag his feet, glowering at the six character on the back of his personally declared mortal enemy.
"Abarai-fukutaicho, is there something on my back that need be lit on fire at the rate you have been squinting your eyes at me?"
"No…Taicho." He spat the last bit out and smirked, waiting for a reaction. Nothing, damn the guy seriously is made out of ice.
"The office opens at 8 sharp and I expect you there. There is much paperwork to do."With that, Kuchiki Byakuya flashed stepped away leaving Renji rubbing his eyes, and the next second, there was blade at his neck. The red head froze as the same steady baritone voice whispered into his ear.
"If it is my life you seek, then you are welcome to come at it, but you have much to learn before you can ever reach me. You are a monkey, I am the moon, nothing is going to change that no matter how much you attempt to drown yourself fighting."
"Then why did you ask me?" A small squirk of another shunpo and those grey eyes were bearing into his brown again. Renji felt his hair tie come undone and the long crimson locks flow down his back as a delicate white finger held the ribbon along its glowing length. With another flash step, the captain was gone, leaving Renji blinking in confusion.
"You're not the only one good at games." Renji smirked to himself as he caught the figure jumping off one of the distance roofs. "And this is one I am determined not to lose." "HAVE AT IT KUCHKI-TAICHO!" Back at the manor, grey eyes closed and a gentle curve settled itself along thin, pink lips. Pocketing the hair ribbon, Byakuya sipped tea and prepared for bed.
And I don't mind
If you say this love is the last time
So now I'll ask
Do you like that?
Do you like that?
Time passed quickly and soon the barracks were long used to the sound of their loud-mouthed fukutaicho stomping through the halls, and doors being torn apart during training or an argument that took to the violent side of things. This whole time, Kuchiki-Taicho had yet to draw his blade. A shunpo here, a Kidou there, or simply disappearing and walking away seemed to handle most fights that everyone knew their fukutaicho was trying to provoke. It was never anything new and honestly, it was more becoming a wear and tear on the usually quite barracks of the 6th. It was almost beginning to feel like the 11th division.
"THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" And here we go again. The brilliant red head stomped out of the room, closely tailing the gracefully, almost looking like he was gliding Kuchiki Byakuya.
"I told you already Abarai-fukutaicho it is out of the question."
"Well for your information, TAICHO, I am questioning it because I have planned this trip with Hisagi and Kira for a month now."
"You still have yet to demonstrate a reason in which this entire argument should not be questioned."
"YOU ARE SUCH A HEARTLESS BASTARD!" A smash rocked the entire barracks again as they saw brilliant crimson streak across the sky, sword drawn, teeth clenched in anger bracing for a roar at the calm and steady hand of the pale, erethreal captain.
"You should watch your language," was all that had come as a reply.
"HOERO ZAMBIMARU!" The whip-like sword extended downward to the white hoari jacket. Pale finger caught in smooth palm and pulled, sending the fukutaicho tumbling downward.
"Bakudo no rokujo ichi: Rikujōkōrō." The crimson stopped, a mere foot away from its intended target, snarl still buried in its throat, brown eyes glaring into the steeled grey as a mental battle commenced. Byakuya closed the distance between in an instant.
"Hadou no Yon: Byakurai." The slender appendage extended itself and the brown closed as the crimson locks spilled down the fukutaicho's back as he arched backwards, trying and failing, to avoid the blinding pain that pulsed through his torn shoulder.
"This is the only time I was allow you such a manner of speech without removing you from existence myself." A cold baritone voice hissed into Renji's ear as grey once more locked on the hazed over brown. "It can always pass for a training accident and you as well as I do, they well take my word long before they ever listen to yours."
"A…monkey…trying…to reach…the moon huh." Renji chuckled. "At least the monkey…now knows the moon can be within his grasp." A bloody hand reached forward and forcefully punched the porcelain face that was centimeters from his panting breath. Shock crossed over those eyes and for just a moment, it looked almost as if the great Kuchiki Byakuya was about to cry. Renji blinked it away and instantly, the cold mask was back, so the crimson headed shinigami passed if off as an illusion. It was just a punch.
"Do you like that…Taicho?" There was silence, the addressed still holding a graceful hand to a throbbing cheek. "Can you still feel anything at all anymore? Or is it true that when everyone says that there is only ice running through your veins? Because in that case, you aren't a heartless bastard, you just don't have one to begin with."
"Abarai-fukutaicho."
"NO WONDER RUKIA HATES THE MERE SIGHT OF YOU!" The glassy eyes came back of grey, and silence echoed through what seem like the entirety of the Seireitei. The binding Kidou faded away and the red head stumbled as he felt blood leaking through his arm and blackness begin to weave itself into his vision.
"This is the last time I will tolerate such language. You will do right to remember I can have to transferred or removed with a single flick of the pen."
"You'd like that right Taicho?" Renji chuckled, stumbling his way closer and closer to the captain of the six division, hand still placed on the side of the wounded cheek. "You'd like seeing me on my knees before the court, begging like the dog that I am in your eyes, begging for a second chance. Is that what gets you off at night eh...Taicho?"
There was a flinch as if the words had physically slapped him, causing Renji to sneer in triumph.
"Keep this in mind, this is the only time and the last time you will live through something like this."
'I'm sure.' the next time the fukutaicho woke, he was surrounded by the white walls of the fourth division.
No!
