On Top
By Spunky0ne
(I had been planning to alter this to make an original novel, but since that's going slowly, I think I'll put it back up and finish this. Sariniste was waiting for an ending, so I thought it would be better to finish it here, then decide about the other later. Enjoy!)
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(An AU Aizen/Bya, Renji/Tetsuya in which Byakuya inherits the family music business that has been producing opera type entertainers for centuries, but finds that funds are lacking. He pins his hopes on shy, beautiful cousin Tetsuya and studio musician Renji to keep the business afloat. But when Renji takes Tetsuya to a club to 'loosen him up' and he is seen/heard by Aizen Sousuke, the notorious owner of a rival talent agency, things take a turn for the angsty.)
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Chapter 1: Inheritance
Byakuya walked through the elegantly detailed cherrywood front door of Kuchiki Family Studios, feeling that even though he had been in and out of the building thousands of times since he was a child, it was like the first time again. It was the first time he had entered the place since his grandfather's death the week before, and as had been the case upon the death of his father (the shining star in the history of the famed company), there was an empty space...chiefly in the large, well appointed owner/manager's office, that now belonged to him.
He sighed softly and approached the front desk, where his cousin, Tetsuya, sat, reading and signing off on company financials and payroll documents. Tetsuya looked up at him and smiled.
"Good morning, Byakuya-sama," he said, brushing a few errant strands of black hair away from his eyes, "It is good to have you back."
"Arigato, watashi no itoko, and how are the financials looking?"
Tetsuya sighed and shook his head, riling the restrained hairs held back by his hair tie.
"They do not look stellar. The board has been rather free-wheeling while your grandfather was ill and you were at his bedside. Byakuya-sama, things are getting out of hand. The board has taken too many liberties and we are not representing as many entertainers as we were. We need someone to lift the company up...to bring the talent back to us."
"Yes," agreed Byakuya, "And I have a few ideas about that."
Tetsuya looked back at him curiously. Byakuya turned his head to look into his office.
"Please let me know when Renji arrives. I want to meet with the two of you."
"Of course, Byakuya-sama."
"I have a meeting with the board members, but it should be taken care of relatively quickly. I will speak with the two of you after that."
"Hai."
Byakuya turned on his heel and walked into the office, closing the door behind him. Tetsuya returned to his work, sighing softly as his eyes pored over the pages and his analytical mind tried to work out something to suggest to Byakuya in their meeting. He was so involved in his work, that he didn't even look up as the door opened and Renji Abarai walked in. The tall, handsome, tattooed redhead smiled as he spotted Byakuya's beautiful, conservatively dressed cousin. Noting that Tetsuya was too hard at work to notice him, he walked to the desk and sat down on the papers that the younger man was working on. Tetsuya paused and looked up at the rugged looking and punk styled musician through narrowed eyes.
"Abarai-san, will you kindly stand for a moment? You've sat on my financials."
Renji grinned and nicked the hair tie out of Tetsuya's long, wavy hair, making it drop down around his shoulders. Tetsuya gazed at him quietly, refusing to be baited.
"That's better," said Renji, "You should wear your hair down. It looks really sexy that way."
"Abarai-san, please. The board is here meeting. I do not want any of them to see me out of uniform."
Renji shook his head and sighed, watching as the younger man captured the fallen strands of silken hair and worked them back into the hair tie. As he finished, the board room door opened and a dour looking member of the Kuchiki family stepped out. He frowned at Renji's casual attire, and more deeply at the closeness of the redhead's posterior to Tetsuya's folded hands. Tetsuya pulled his hands away and put them in his lap, then blushed and looked down at the reports as Renji stood.
"Shoot," said the redhead, "Those guys are so darned severe! I hope I didn't get you into any trouble."
Tetsuya shook his head and kept his eyes on the papers in front of him.
"They only notice I am alive when I do something they do not like. They live to torment me...especially Orochi-san."
"Fuck, I hate that guy," commented Renji, "Why are they all so down on you?"
Tetsuya bit his lip, not feeling at liberty to discuss family problems. Instead, he gave the redhead his usual answer.
"It is complicated."
"Yeah?" said Renji, "Well, why don't you go out with me after work and we'll talk about it? I'm sure that, given enough time, you could explain it to me."
Tetsuya's blush deepened.
"I do not think so, Abarai-san," he said softly, "I am required to follow strict rules as part of my position here. The board only accepted me because of Byakuya-sama. They are just waiting for me to do something wrong so that they can take this job and everything else away from me."
Renji started to say more, but was interrupted as Byakuya emerged from his office.
"Ah, Renji, you are here. Good. Will you and Tetsuya wait in my office, please?"
"Yeah, sure," said Renji, gazing at Byakuya's perfectly tailored suit, "What are you doing? Finally getting rid of those bums?"
"Those 'bums' are all family, and it is in our charter that all segments of the family must be represented on the board. However, they have overstepped their boundaries, taking advantage of my grandfather's illness. They are about to pay for that!"
"Heh," chuckled Renji, "I wouldn't want be them right now!"
The comment brought the slightest of smirks to Byakuya's lips as he turned away and headed into the boardroom. Renji glanced at Tetsuya and nodded.
"Well," he said questioningly, "He said to wait in his office. You coming?"
"Hmmm," said the younger man, slipping the financials into a folder and placing them in a locked cabinet.
He stood and followed the redhead into Byakuya's office, where he sat down and Renji leaned against the wall, looking down at the pretty strands of Tetsuya's hair that had trickled out of the hair tie and decorated the white flesh along the side of his neck.
He's so damned cute with those big blue eyes, and with his hair let down. I'll bet that's why those stuck up bastards make him wear it up like that! But why do they act like that towards him? Tetsuya's shy as a kitten...not aggressive at all. But I guess that puts them at odds with him. Maybe with them, it's kill or be killed. Poor kid...
Tetsuya noticed Renji staring, but kept his hands in his lap and his eyes lowered as they waited for Byakuya. At one point, the sound of raised voices floated into the room and the two young men exchanged curious glances.
"I wonder what's going on in there," mused Renji.
Tetsuya blinked and shrugged, but remained silent. Several minutes later, the boardroom door opened outside Byakuya's office, and the board members filed out, talking angrily amongst themselves.
"He cannot do this!" huffed one, "We had every right to do as we thought was best while he was tending to his grandfather. And if he wants to blame someone, he should blame that trashy, bastard cousin of his! If Soujun hadn't tried to step in when we had him taught a lesson, he would still be alive and we would not be in this predicament!"
Renji glanced at Tetsuya, whose head had lowered, and whose eyes had taken on a wounded look at their words. Suddenly, all he wanted to do was to make the lovely young man smile again.
"Hey," he said softly, earning a guarded glance from Tetsuya, "Don't listen to them. They are just a bunch of snobby stuffed shirts. They don't know shit."
Tetsuya bit gently at his lip.
"But...I am afraid that they do," he whispered, looking miserable, "What they said...about Byakuya-sama's father coming to my father's aid...is true."
Renji sensed that, for once, Tetsuya didn't seem to be able to hold back, and he decided to push.
"What do you mean?" he asked, sitting down in the chair beside the younger man and turning to face him, "What happened?"
Tetsuya kept his eyes focused on his slender, graceful fingers.
"My father and Soujun were first cousins, who grew up together at the family mansion. They were close from the time that they were small. And both inherited the family talent for singing. Soujun quickly became the company's rising star, and Takao, my father, was nearly as talented, but not so interested in a singing career. Soujun took on the life of an opera singer, while my father studied to become an investigative reporter. But every now and then, the family would make demands on my father to come and perform with Soujun. He did so, to keep the peace, but his heart was not in it. Well, it happened that he met a girl of more common descent, who was also a reporter, and because they knew that the family would object, they eloped. Soon after, my mother became pregnant."
He swallowed hard and blinked to clear his eyes.
"My father knew he shouldn't come back, but he missed Soujun horribly, so he brought my mother...and he tried to smooth things over. But...some among the family called him a disgrace for abandoning the family and marrying beneath him...taking a job that was not appropriate for someone of his standing. They set him up to be beaten...but...things went very wrong when Soujun found out what they were going to do and went to intervene."
Tetsuya's blue eyes closed, and a tear escaped the corner of one.
"The men didn't know which man was which, and Soujun refused to tell them. My father tried to, but the men began to beat them both. Soujun was fatally injured and died then and there. My father died in the hospital. Byakuya-sama was only a teen himself, but he convinced his grandfather to take in my mother and, when I was born a little less than a year later, me. My mother was often ill after that...and our finances dwindled. But, by the time she died, we had nothing. Kuchiki Ginrei had taken us in as a kindness and he was paying our bills by the time my mother died. But...others among the family despised me because they blamed my mother and me for Soujun's death. They took advantage of Ginrei's advanced age and manipulated things so that I was obligated to work to pay the family company back for money they claimed Ginrei borrowed from the family business to pay for our expenses. I have been working to pay off that debt ever since. The board deducts rent for me staying at the mansion, and they have a set of behavioral rules I must follow."
"Not anymore," said Byakuya's voice from the doorway.
"Byakuya-sama!" Tetsuya exclaimed, turning his sapphire eyes onto his cousin, "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said, watashi no itoko," said Byakuya, "I have used part of my inheritance to buy your freedom from them."
"What?" gasped Tetsuya, "What do you mean? You...?"
"I forced them to claim how much you owed, and I paid it. You are free of them. You no longer have to pay them most of what you earn."
"I cannot believe this!" Tetsuya said, shaking his head and trembling, "B-byakuya-sama, I don't know what to say! How could you...? How much? I will...I will never be able to pay you back, and I..."
Byakuya shook his head gently.
"You do not have to pay me back, Tetsuya," he assured the younger man, "But...what I would ask, now that you are free of their rules is...will you train to perform for the company?"
Renji's eyes widened.
"Tetsuya," he said, looking at him as though through a new lens, "I didn't even know you sang! You never said anything...never made so much as a peep, here!"
Tetsuya met Renji's eyes quietly, but said nothing.
"He was forbidden to sing anywhere outside of the mansion...as part of his contract with the company."
"What?" said Renji, incredulously, "That's fucking crazy! Insane! That's gotta break some kinda law...at least..."
"Renji," said Byakuya, "You have worked for the company for several years, so you know that the family does not hold much by what the law says. They are, in a manner of speaking, their own lawmakers. And they have gotten away with a lot while my grandfather was in decline. If he hadn't fallen ill, they would never have gotten away with what they did to Tetsuya."
"Or what they did to you, Byakuya-sama," added Tetsuya.
Renji blinked in surprise.
"What?"
Byakuya shot Tetsuya a look of warning, and the younger man went quiet, looking back at Byakuya apologetically.
"Never mind," Byakuya said, "The important thing is that the company is going to need new talent, and we cannot afford to use the usual avenues. We need someone from within the family."
"What about you?" Renji asked, "I've heard you sing, Byakuya. You're..."
"No," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "I have to watch those board members like a hawk to make sure that they do not do any more damage. Besides, Tetsuya is younger, and will have a bright future in the industry."
He glanced at Tetsuya, who looked back at him, his large, sapphire eyes uncertain.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, "I thought that you wanted very much to pursue a career in music."
"I do," said Tetsuya, still looking somewhat dazed, "It is just that...it is happening so suddenly. But...thank you, Byakuya-sama! Thank you so much for this opportunity! I am so grateful!"
"All right!" laughed Renji, "This calls for a celebration. What do you say, boss?"
Byakuya smiled, but shook his head and gave Renji a knowing look.
"I have to work late...however, you are welcome to have dinner with my cousin, if he is willing, and if you remember that you will both be in the studio, working tomorrow. So do not stay out all night."
"Oh," said Tetsuya, blushing, "I don't know...I..."
"Aw, come on, Tetsuya," said Renji, "We won't go far, I promise. And I'll have you back in time to get plenty of sleep for tomorrow."
"Ah...well, all right, Abarai-san," Tetsuya said in a flustered tone, "I suppose I do need to eat anyway..."
"Good," said the redhead, "Come on. I know just the place!"
He dragged the younger man to his feet, then frowned at him.
"But...before we go..."
He snatched the hair tie out of Tetsuya's hair and watched it fall free around his shoulders.
"Abarai-san!" Tetsuya exclaimed.
"I think it looks rather more natural," Byakuya said approvingly, "And we can talk more about hair styles and such when we meet tomorrow."
"Now, let's get these outta the way," Renji said, removing Tetsuya's tie and unbuttoning several buttons.
Then, he unbuttoned the cuffs and rolled them up.
"Much better," the redhead said, nodding, "Like he said, much more natural."
Tetsuya glances uncertainly at Byakuya, who gave him an approving nod.
"Very well, then. Shall we go?" Tetsuya asked.
"Sure," said Renji, "Come on."
Tetsuya followed him out of the building and down into the parking garage. He paused as they came to Renji's red sports car, then climbed in and sat nervously in the passenger seat as they sped out of the parking garage and across town. Renji stole glances at the younger man as he drove, admiring his wavy, layered black hair and lovely profile. Tetsuya cleared his throat softly and tried to ignore the redhead's staring. But as they pulled into a crowded parking lot and Renji parked, Tetsuya's eyes widened.
"Abarai-san, this is..."
"Yeah," said Renji, "It's a dance club. But they do serve dinner...if you're hungry. Come on."
Tetsuya looked as though he wanted to object, but then followed him into the crowded club.
"Hey," said Renji, "It looks like it's amateur night."
"Oh," said Tetsuya.
"Hey," said the redhead, "Let's do it. Let's compete!"
"Wh-what?" said Tetsuya, "Abarai-san, I don't think that's..."
Come on!" Renji said, dragging him towards the entry area.
He pored over the songs and chose two.
"You know these, ne?" he asked Tetsuya.
"W-well, yes, but..."
"Good, come on, Tetsuya. It's about time you cut loose a bit and had some fun."
"Ah..."
Tetsuya went breathless for a moment as Renji dragged him to the stage and whispered something to the announcer, who nodded and set up the songs.
"Abarai-san," Tetsuya said nervously, "I've never done this in front of people!"
"So...you're going to have to get used to it. And the people here are drunk off their asses, so they won't give a fuck if you're a little off key. Just relax and go for it, Tetsuya. You know the songs. Just have fun with it."
Tetsuya froze for a moment as the announcer introduced them, and the stage lights blinded him. He felt an impulse to run, but was stayed by Renji's hand on his shoulder as the redhead began to sing the introduction to the number. But, a moment later, the song rolled into his part, and Tetsuya's voice rose up in harmony with Renji's.
And down in the throng of dancers, and further back in the tables, people paused at the sound, and looked up at the two men on the stage. Heads nodded, and the people on the dance floor smiled and began to move again.
Renji slipped his arms around Tetsuya as they continued to sing, and coaxed the younger man's body to move with the music as Renji worked the melody and Tetsuya's sweet harmony seemed to float on top of it. And as the music went on, Tetsuya calmed, and began to move more with Renji, until the two were dancing and singing, and the younger man was smiling beautifully and, for the first time Renji remembered, looking like he was really having a good time.
The first song ended, and applause broke out all around them. The announcer sent them quickly into a second number, then a third.
And all the while as they sang and danced together, a brown eyed man with brown hair, a strand of which ran wickedly down between his narrowed eyes, watched quietly, his eyes studying Tetsuya carefully. He leaned over and touched the arm of his blue haired companion.
"Grimmjow," he said softly, "I want you to go up and introduce yourself. Get them to come over here when they are finished."
"Yeah, okay, boss."
The man's lips frowned and Grimmjow narrowed his eyes rebelliously, but in the end, he backed down.
"I'll be right back," he said, "Aizen-sama."