AN: Thank you for the few reviews I have already received, I hope that you continue giving me them, so I can see if there is anything that I can make this better. New chapter for you and I apologize for any grammar etc errors.


Chapter 2

The Sixth Division taicho was suffering. Not because of any pain of body, but he was suffering of the mere closeness of his fukutaicho. It had been very clear to Kuchiki Byakuya that he had developed a fascination and feelings towards his second-in-command. He tried his best to hide it. For a very long time the man had been alone and the thought of being involved with anyone be it male or female had not even crossed his mind. Now when everything in Seireitei was calm, the thought of finding someone to share his life had come to his mind. He no longer wanted to wake up for a new day alone. The Counsel had proposed him to find a new mate. They had thought that it would be a high time for their leader to find a companion. Yet, it was not simple. There were rules and protocol to follow. The counsel had requested a banquet so Byakuya would find a suitable person to court with but that had not appealed Byakuya. Not since he had realized he harbored feelings for his lieutenant. It did not feel right to marry anyone who he did not love. How ever Byakuya was rather sure that Renji did not share his feelings thus he kept it quiet and suffered. All he could do was to look at his second-in-command when the man was not looking.

I could not even ask him for a dinner. Our social status is different. If he were a woman the protocol would be more simple, but he is male thus I cannot open the discussion in this matter even if he would share my feelings. The courting has to start from his behalf.

Byakuya decided to indulge him in his secret harboring and when the red haired man was not looking Byakuya immersed the picture in front of him to the back of his mind. Renji was sitting in front of his desk, slowly writing his signature in the papers in front of him. Byakuya did not see what the papers were but assumed them being some of the reports Rikichi had earlier brought in. The red hair that was before tied in a high ponytail was now half open making the red mane cascading on the broad shoulders. Tattoos on his fukutaicho´s forehead were hidden in the magenta colored scarf and the top of the shihakusho was partly opened revealing apportion of the tattoos on the man´s chest. Byakuya knew he should stop staring the man, in was impolite but the man in front of him was a handsome man in his rough way. The hands that were now furiously signing the name were calloused and for a brief moment Byakuya wondered how it would feel to have those hands touching his skin. Byakuya stopped his thoughts and blushed slightly. It was better if he stopped to look; it would only bring thoughts in his minds that were not suitable in this precise time and environment. He could indulge his little fantasies later. The Kuchiki rose from his desk and walked to the door informing his fukutaicho to finish his work and leave for the day. It was near the end of the day anyway. After this the man left.

Renji was happy that he was able to leave soon. He would have only few more papers to sign. There were not reports but some plank papers Rukia had left him. She had said that her brother had been displeased about his handwriting and Renji should practice it. First he had been pissed being reminded about it, but he knew the fact himself. Several times his taicho had mentioned that his handwriting looked like a bird had been stepping on his papers. The scribbling had been awful. Because he wanted to please his taicho he had taken the time after he had actually finished the day's paperwork to practice. Renji knew that Kuchiki-taicho loved calligraphy so he tried to sign his name as pretty as he could. He looked at the hundred papers he had signed. It still looked awful, but at least you could make his name out of them. Don´t know why the hell Rukia wanted me to sign one hundred papers, but it´s better never to ask. She can be a bit weird.

Renji had watched his taicho leave. The man was still as unreachable as the moon. To Renji the raven haired man was the most beautiful creature that the know world could possess. He had had his secret love towards the head of the Kuchiki the moment he had seen him talking with Rukia at the Academy. He just had been denial. After they had solved their disagreement with Rukia incident their working relationship had come flawless. But now he had opened his heart to other feelings as well and it made it hard to breath when the other man was in the room. To Renji Byakuya would be a dream come true. Renji had know for years that he preferred men and when he had needed help to accept it he had talked to one of his closest friends in Inuzuri. This friend was always there to talk to and he gave good advises. Even today they met occasionally when he and Rukia visited Inuzuri. The man was probably still living in the small cottage near the river. Renji sighed. Yes, he was in love with his taicho and his taicho was still in love with his deceased wife and the man was probably as straight as a pole. So Renji could not have any chance on conquering his ice cold taicho´s heart. He was fooling himself but it was nice to go and wonder what life could be if he could ever melt the ice on the raven haired man´s heart. He shifted and laid the last paper on the pile. Wonder what he hell Rukia is going to do with these papers? He stood up, opened the door and left to his house with the papers. Rukia would be waiting and he was getting tired.

Rukia was sitting in front of Renji´s apartment and waited her friend to arrive home. She had her plan in motion. She would get Renji to do what she wanted, but the stubborn man needed some pushing. Rukia knew that Renji usually did what she wanted, but in this case there might be some problems. She had already gotten Hidehiro involved and she was pretty sure that the tall man would warp Byakuya in her plan without her Nii-sama even realizing it. Hidehiro was one of the head archivists in the Kuchiki family. He was a tall raven haired man, with blue eyes who was definitely molted from the Kuchiki line. He was the same age as her Nii-sama and the two men had grown up together. She knew that Hidehiro preferred men and it was no secret among the Kuchiki´s. The man was just a bit too shy and was a true romantic in his heart, a bit of a dreamer if you could say so. He had good reaitsu and he was protective of his family and friends and wanted the best for them. When Rukia had told him her plan he was eager to help. It was rather sweet and the man had revealed to Rukia that he hoped that someday maybe someone would do the same matchmaking to him as well.

She giggled. Now she needed those signed plank papers to proceed. And she also needed another person to back-up her plan to get those two men together. She would have to visit Inuzuri after the first step had been done. All she had to do now was to inform her friend about what was to happen. She did not have to wait much longer to see that Renji had arrived. The man seemed a bit tired and he offered her the papers. She smiled and hugged her friend.

"Thank you Renji. I knew you could do it. There is something I have to tell you."

"Eh, what is it? You are not in trouble are you? Better not or taicho is going to be mad."

"No, you blockhead!. Of course not. I am just informing that starting tomorrow you are officially going to court Nii-sama." She smiled sweetly and shunpoed to the Kuchiki mansion leaving Renji with a gaping mouth.

"I´m going to WHAT?"


AN2: Would you please be kind and review and tell me what you think?