Chapter 2: Standing Still

(Thanks so much to phAnt0mgh0st7018 (Oh, he will! Renji is very determined!), CastingMoonlight (Oh yes, this is going to be a long recovery ahead of them. But Byakuya will be one wonderful caretaker and friend!), Guest (Ah, I am like that too! It's hard to sleep when I want to know what will happen next! I will have another update on this one soon!), Moegi (Yes, Byakuya will be a great support through Renji's struggles, and they will definitely share some really tough times, and some very sweet ones!), DieRedPineapple (Hmmm, I have tried a lot of times to keep a story 'T' rated and have failed almost every time. I just get too wrapped up in it. So...it's anyone's guess if it will stay 'T' or intensify and need a stronger rating. I am focusing a lot on the emotions, so as the emotions get stronger, the rating might have to come up!), MissLilly2012 (Yup, it got me kind of misty. Had to indulge in a little bit of dark chocolate before the end of the chapter!), Alabirdie (Aww, glad to have you along!), Another Guest! (Don't worry! Some parts will tug at the heartstrings, but this will be a story of love and strength, so it will be good!), Shaniafangirl (Thanks so much! I will keep it going.), Chunk-ie (Thanks for the encouragement! I will have more for you soon!), StephanieRie (Sorry to keep you waiting so long for this next one, but I will keep the updates coming now that things are in motion again!), Cody Zik (Not to worry! Renji is stubborn and Byakuya is very determined. They will persevere!), Snowflowersister of Toshiro241 (Eek! Forgot to put in something about Tetsuya and Koji! Oh well, there's always next chapter!), and KarenaAngel (Well, here you go, and more is on the way!). Enjoy the chapter! Love, Spunky)

Renji groaned as pain began to reach him again, boiling up from deep within his body and raking at his considerable will to resist. But while it hurt badly enough to bring tears to his eyes, it also suggested that there might still be some hope he would recover. After all, the return of feeling to the nerves, he knew, was a step in the direction of healing. But he was chilled inside at the memory of how Orihime had already tried to reject his injuries.

"Wh-what is this?" Orihime cried in dismay, struggling to focus her power on Renji's body, "I don't understand! It's like something is getting in the way of my shun shun rikka's power!"

"F-fuck!" he panted, quivering and trying to open his eyes.

Shivers ran through him and he felt sweat beading on his skin.

"What th'fuck is goin' on?" he groaned, trying to move and finding that he couldn't, "Augh, I c-can't m-move!"

He felt a familiar, cool hand slide into his and quieted, more from instinct than from actual relief of his pain.

That touch, he mused inwardly, I would know his touch anywhere. That's the way he touches me to get my attention...to help me focus when we train together.

When we trained together, he reminded himself, his heart skipping as he remembered how badly he had been hurt.

"Abarai," Byakuya's low, soothing voice breathed, almost in his ear, "Hold still. You are not supposed to be moving right now."

"I...I am p-paralyz...?"

Byakuya's hand covered his mouth and gray eyes glared down at him so intently that Renji could feel them, even though his own eyes remained closed.

"The healer has immobilized you so that your nerves and tendons can heal properly. We will remove the immobilization kido a few times each day to stretch your arms and legs to keep them flexible."

"K-kay," Renji managed, his teeth chattering and his body feeling as though his blood had been replaced with ice, "B-but C-captain? Why...am I s-so fuckin' cold?"

"You are feverish," Byakuya answered, his voice betraying an edge of concern, "You will be fine."

"Ah...g-good to know," the redhead chuckled with an edge of sarcasm, "because I was pretty sure I was fucked, coming and going, you know?"

"Abarai, you need to refrain form being so foul-mouthed while you are in my home."

It took a few seconds for the noble's words to sink in.

"What?" he panted, forcing his eyes open and looking around the room.

The room he was in was spacious and decorated in warm, earthen tones, with expensive, dark cherrywood furniture and thick, lush bedding that seemed to cradle his heavily damaged body. The sheets were crisp and smelled pleasantly clean and the blankets around him were so soft and comfortable, it made him want to go right back to sleep. Large double doors that opened into the lovely gardens had been left open and sweet smells of flowers, water and grass floated in from outside.

"When did I get here?" Renji asked, breathing in a little more deeply and trying in futility to move again.

"Will you please hold still?" Byakuya asked wearily, "I told you. You have been immobilized to allow your nerves and tendons to heal. You must hold still. Now, stop talking and sleep."

"Kay, but Captain, why am I here?"

Byakuya paused for a moment, remembering his last conversation with Hanatarou.

"I am sorry, sir. We have done all that we can. We have even had Orihime work numerous times at healing him. But the quincy that attacked him left his reiatsu inside him, and that reiatsu is interfering with his recovery. Because the quincy died, that reiatsu will dissipate. But it will take time. And we cannot tell if Renji will recover fully, even once it is gone. The truth is, it does not look right now as though he will ever walk again."

"So, you expect I should just give up on him?" Byakuya snapped angrily, "I won't do that! I promised Renji that I would help him recover, and that is what I am going to do!"

"Of course. Of course, sir," Hanatarou said quickly, "I understand. And as I told you before, we don't know what will happen. But, the kind of support Renji needs now, we just don't have the staff or supplies to do! We are pressed just keeping up with the ones still coming in from the battlefield...transfers coming in from the living world. Renji needs special care that we are, right now, incapable of giving him. Perhaps as things return to normal..."

"Never mind," Byakuya said shortly, "If you cannot heal my vice captain, then I will take him to my home and have my own healer care for him."

"B-but sir!" Hanatarou objected, "Renji will need constant care...and specialist therapy. Even the nobles' own healers are in short supply. How will you...?"

"You let me worry about that. Just get him ready to go. I will have Arashi return with a carriage to carry him home."

"C-captain?"

"You are here because the healing center was overflowing with injured people. We decided that you would receive better care here."

"Ah...right," Renji said softly, his eyes meeting Byakuya's meaningfully, "They should focus on the people they can help, ne?"

Renji felt a shiver go through him that had nothing to do with his fever as Byakuya's gaze darkened and his reiatsu throbbed, making the redhead feel like he might be suffocating.

"I have already told you, Renji," the noble said sternly, "You are going to get well. And if I have to drag you out of that bed and hold you up myself, I will get you back on your feet again. Now, stop saying stupid things like that and rest."

"Kay, but Captain, can I ask you one more thing?"

"Fine."

"Why are you doing this?"

Byakuya's glare became even more icy, strangely making Renji feel like laughing at the familiarity of the response. His answer might have sounded cold to an outsider, but the redhead had been with his captain long enough to hear what was beneath them.

"I do not want to go to the effort of training a new vice captain. I have invested a great deal of time in training you, so I am going to reap the benefits of that effort, whether you feel like yielding it or not."

We are friends.

This is what friends do for each other.

When one is weak, the other is strong for him. There will be times when I am weak and will need your strength too. That is why I am doing this.

"Heh, you're so full of shit, Captain!" Renji giggled deliriously.

"And you are high on the painkillers," Byakuya said dryly, "Go to sleep, Abarai. And pray that when you wake, you will be more sensible. But I know already how unlikely that is."

"Ah-heh heh, stop it, Captain!" Renji laughed, his eyes tearing at the pain it sent flashing through his body, "Oh...oh shit, that hurts!"

"Then, go to sleep and you will be more comfortable, you fool," the noble snapped softly.

He leaned forward and mopped up the heavy sweat on Renji's flushed face, making the redhead sigh and reach a shaking hand up to touch the one that comforted him.

"Th-thanks, Captain," he managed sleepily, "That feels better."

He drifted off again, still vaguely aware of the solemn, gray eyes that never seemed to stop watching him.

I'm sorry Captain.

I'm sorry to hurt you like this.

It's like when I crashed down, I took you with me.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How is he?" Byakuya asked, his eyes burning with lack of sleep as he watched Michio examine the sleeping redhead "Has his fever broken? Is the immobilization working?"

The old healer smiled sadly at the clan leader, feeling a warmth inside at Byakuya's unusual devotion to his injured vice captain.

"His fever has broken," he confirmed, "but we should keep him immobilized a bit longer before trying to assess how it is working. Remember, it takes time for the quincy's reiatsu to dissipate, and then his body needs additional time to do the healing it can't now."

"But you think he will get better? He will...walk again? He will be able to fight?"

"Patience, young master," Michio said, shaking his head, "I know you are worried for him. But these are things that cannot be rushed. And while we wait to know how things are working, you should not be neglecting yourself so. You need food and rest. Your body is healing too."

"H-he's right, Captain," Renji said softly, startling the two, "Please...you have to take care of yourself. I'm gonna be fine...whatever happens. So, just...do what the healer says, okay?"

Byakuya gave the younger man a derisive look that only barely hid the flare of genuine affection beneath it.

"Abarai, you are a fine one to say that to me. You are supposed to be resting, and yet you insist on chattering away like a damned monkey!" he snapped, "Now, close your eyes or I'm going to just knock you out."

"Erm...that might not be the best idea," Michio said, looking amused.

"Captain," Renji said weakly, "I promise I'll sleep...if you'll do one thing for me. Will you?"

Byakuya froze at the genuine concern in his vice captain's voice. He spent one long, breathless moment, staring into Renji's dark, pained eyes, then nodded in acceptance.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, more calmly.

"I want you to sleep for awhile too," Renji sighed sleepily.

"Renji..."

"Hey, it's okay if you don't want to leave me. There's...plenty of room right here, next to me. Just...lie down and I swear, I'll go to sleep. Okay?"

Byakuya frowned and Michio's smile of approval widened.

"That sounds like a wonderful compromise, Lord Byakuya. I think you should respect your vice captain's wishes. You certainly won't suffer from getting a bit of rest and you would calm your rather excitable young comrade, here. So, what do you say, sir?"

Byakuya waited a moment longer, then let out a piqued breath.

"Oh, very well," he sighed in annoyance, "If it will convince you to sleep, then fine."

He turned away, causing Renji to make an exclamation of dismay.

"Hey, where are you going? Aren't you going to stay?"

Byakuya turned his head and looked back at Renji out of the corner of one cool, gray eye.

"Yes," he answered, "But if I am going to go to sleep, I need to change into a more comfortable yukata. I will be back in a moment."

"No need to leave, sir," Torio said quickly from the doorway, rushing into the room with a yukata in hand, "I caught the gist of what was going on and anticipated you might need this. Here, let me help you change."

"Ah, very well."

"So now," Michio said, looking into Renji's still hazy eyes, "All is well and you will get your rest, Master Abarai?"

"Yeah," Renji agreed, glancing over at where Byakuya was changing, then looking back at the healer, "But look, while he's busy over there, I need to ask you a question. And I want an honest answer."

Michio looked back at him silently, already suspecting he knew the question.

"Am I gonna get well? Am I gonna get my powers back and...be able to fight?"

Michio moved closer and slipped a hand into Renji's.

"Young Master," he said with deep seriousness, "always in healing, it is the will of the one being healed that has the most to say about what is or isn't possible. You have a very strong will. You were able to reach bankai because of that. And I believe that a person with a will that strong...has every chance of accomplishing what you want. Rest, eat, heal. As you grow stronger, you will begin to do more. But be patient with yourself. You were nearly killed. The only reason that you survived was first, because of your strong will, and second, because Lord Byakuya stayed at your side and stabilized you so that you could reach home to be healed. That didn't happen for nothing."

"R-right," Renji said, not sounding completely convinced, "Okay, so just...rest, eat and get better. I can do that."

He paused, smiling, as Byakuya returned to the room wearing a handsome, deep red yukata and with his long, black hair combed to a shine. He walked to the far side of the bed and laid down beside his wounded vice captain, sliding under the covers, leaning back against the pillows and accepting a hot cup of tea from his attendant.

"That smells good," Renji commented.

"It is chammomile tea," Byakuya explained, "It helps me to fall asleep. Would you like try some?"

"Sure."

Byakuya held the cup steady and brought it to Renji's lips, waiting as he blew gently on the tea and then took a few small sips.

"That is good," he said approvingly.

"Torio, will you bring Renji a cup of chammomile tea as well?"

"Yes, Lord Byakuya," the attendant said, bowing, then flash stepping away.

"What else do you do to fall asleep, Captain?" Renji asked, "Cause, right now, I'm kinda distracted, worrying about if I might not ever get out of this bed again. I just need to put my mind on something else."

Byakuya thought quietly for a moment, then nodded as Torio returned with the tea.

"Torio, will you bring me the book on my nightstand?"

"Hai, Lord Byakuya," the attendant said, bowing and exiting the room again.

Byakuya released the part of the restraining field that had been holding Renji's arms still, then watched as the redhead picked up the tea and took several sips. Torio returned a few minutes later, carrying the book that the clan leader had asked for, and Byakuya opened the book and turned a number of pages, while Renji looked on curiously.

"What's that?" he asked, earning a rather stern glance in reply.

"It is a book, Renji."

"I know that," the redhead chuckled, "What's it about?"

"It's a book of poetry," Byakuya explained, "Just close your eyes and listen."

Renji smiled and closed his eyes, feeling a warmth inside as Byakuya's deep, tranquil voice read softly. Never having indulged in much poetry, it seemed odd to him, at first. But he soon realized that, like music, the poetry had a cadence to it. And Byakuya's voice being both familiar and extremely soothing when lowered as it was and mellowed with relaxation, made Renji's body relax too. He no longer felt like he was being held still, and some of the pain seemed to leave him as he sank into the gentle, steady rhythm of Byakuya's recitation. Byakuya's eyelids, too, grew heavy as he read, and he slid down on the pillows, pausing several times to yawn sleepily, before abandoning the book and tea and closing his eyes. He heard a soft, contented snore and felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips as he saw that, not only was Renji sleeping, he looked more comfortable than he had during most of the time since they had returned from the battlefield.

It is good to see his face more relaxed like that, rather than showing pain and fear. That really did seem to help.

He turned onto his side so that he could open an eye to check on the redhead every so often, as Renji slept. But given the radiating warmth and pleasant, masculine scent of the other man's body, he drifted off and finally fell into a deep sleep for the first time in days.

"Captain," Renji's voice said, bringing him back from the reverie he had been in, "watch."

Turning his head to look, he caught his breath in surprise as Renji let go of the low wall he was hanging onto and took a few, slow, staggering steps. He tried several more, but stumbled and cried out as he started to fall.

Byakuya flash stepped forward and caught the younger man, mid-fall, then set him back on his feet and let Renji hold onto him as he nodded approvingly.

"That is much better, Abarai."

He wanted to say more, but his throat seemed to constrict and his eyes burned strangely.

"Captain?" Renji said softly.

He felt Renji's hand touch his face cautiously, and he froze, staring wordlessly.

"I wouldn't even be alive, let alone getting better, if it hadn't been for you. Thank you for making sure I came home."

Renji's face came closer, then closer still. His scent filled Byakuya's overcome senses and he barely realized when those warm, rough lips touched his. His eyes closed reflexively, and he felt Renji's arms wrap around him. They kissed again, then lowered themselves slowly down onto the bed, still kissing.

Byakuya came awake suddenly, and realized that Renji's head was turned towards him and the redhead's eyes were open and fixed on him. He wore a worried look, and his trembling hand reached out to brush away a tear from the noble's fine cheek.

"You have a bad dream?" Renji asked.

"No," Byakuya said, turning away quickly, "It...was a good one."

"What was it about?"

Byakuya paused, searching for some kind of answer.

"It was about...healing."

"Oh. You mean, me?"

"Go back to sleep, Renji," the noble said shortly, making the redhead smile.

Huh. It was about me.

He really wants me to get better, and I'm not going to disappoint him.

Byakuya waited until he was sure the redhead was asleep again, then he sat up and looked down at Renji's handsome, sleeping face. He gazed down at the other man's lips, remembering how warm and pleasant they had been in his dream.

What is this? he wondered silently, It must have just been the emotions in the dream, because I desire so strongly for Renji to get well.

But even so, his curiosity finally got the best of him, and after using a gentle touch of kido to make sure the other man didn't wake, he leaned over Renji and very slowly tasted his lips.

He pulled back quickly, blushing and feeling a heady jolt of arousal.

That was wrong. I shouldn't have done it.

But.

That was even better than in my dream...