Hi all! Here's the next chapter. It's long and I needed it, before the...ahem...story could progress in the direction we all want it too! *grins*
I must say though, you guys, THANKS for the reviews! Seriously, I have such a big smile on my face, my jaw hurts and people are looking at me weirdly. (Smile's still there though!) Keep 'em coming, It's my oxygen! :D
Disclaimer: I just married Byakuya...and Ichigo! (Wait, maybe I should add Ukitake to that list...*get's cold water splashed on face, wakes up and falls off the chair*...urm...hehe...no, of course I don't own Bleach...*Goes back to dreaming*
Moonlitpride
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Renji's POV:
The next day dawned bright and beautiful. Of course, that didn't necessarily mean that everyone would be feeling all bright and cheery. Especially not a certain red-headed Fuku-Taichou and his ever graceful Captain...
Renji waking up bad-tempered and scowling wasn't an unheard of phenomenon. That was usually his mood in the mornings, especially on the week-beginnings. Like everyone else, he loathed paperwork. Unlike everyone else, he never missed a chance to grumble about it.
Also, the result of the previous day's match wasn't exactly very cheer-inspiring. And try as he might, he couldn't get a particular part of it out of his head.
And so, he made his way to the 6th Squad office with such a big rain-cloud hovering above his head that the rest of the squad members steered clear of him, not even daring to greet him, as he passed them in the long corridors.
His scowl deepened and threatened to consume his entire face when he arrived at the office. He pushed the door open, not caring to knock, knowing he was going to earn Byakuya's disapproval.
No such thing happened for Byakuya wasn't in the office. Renji was quite shocked. His Taichou was always the first one to arrive and would be seated at his desk by now, browsing through the day's duties and paperwork.
The day's list of duties and paperwork was on Byakuya's table. Renji wondered, not entirely unconcernedly, where his Taichou was. It was a normal day and there hadn't been any disturbances in Soul Society of late to warrant unexpected absences.
Still, knowing that the first thing he should do is at least give a cursory glance at the paperwork and documents to be signed, Renji picked them up from his Taichou's desk and placed them on his own. He quickly went through them, deducted that there wasn't anything that required immediate attention and signed the duties for the day. He then called for the attendant squad member and handed the tasks over to him.
When he returned to his table, Renji realised that he had actually done office work. Somehow Byakuya's absence had made him do it..."A sense of responsibility...or maybe because I don't want to let down the 6th Squad and Byakuya when the Captain's not there...even for something as small as this..."
He thought about completing the long-due Squad Training Progress report but then snorted, knowing he wouldn't be completing it anytime soon...
"Where is Byakuya...?"
Just as he was about to try and find out, the office door was slammed open and Byakuya walked in. Renji immediately registered many things:
Byakuya had slammed the door open
Byakuya had an expression on his face – not just any mild one, but one of such thorough annoyance and irritation that his brows were furrowed. Yep – visibly scowling
Byakuya wasn't wearing his Kenseiken. His long, pitch-black hair was free of the ornamental heirlooms that he was seldom seen without.
Renji realised that he was openly staring and he couldn't help it. Byakuya looked a vision. "Not now, Abarai..."Renji thought, though he continued staring, as much out of shock as out of admiration.
Byakuya didn't glide to his chair and neatly seat himself as usual either. He marched up to it, dragged his chair out with an almighty screech and plonked himself, very unceremoniously, onto it. Then he looked at Renji, who managed to close his mouth just in time.
"WHAT, Abarai!"
"..."
"Have you finally lost what little control you had over that body of yours and forgotten how to speak?"
That snapped Renji out of his shock-spell and he glared back at Byakuya. "Good Morning Taichou..."
"The world generally considers it appropriate to say Good Afternoon once it is past 12pm – Surely this has not escaped your notice or is it that you do not know the difference between morning and afternoon..."
"Hold it there Taichou..." by now Renji would have been thoroughly pissed and giving some back to Byakuya, if it had been a normal day. However it wasn't a normal day and Renji was actually marvelling at how Byakuya looked at least a couple of decades younger with his hair loose and his face so expressive, without the usual unmoving mask.
Byakuya was hardly looking at him as he spoke, scowling at his desk now. He was sifting through the papers, obviously searching for something.
"Where are the Duty-list and Morning-Reports..." he grumbled
"Uh...Taichou, I have taken care of that..."
"...What is this insufferable squad coming to if a Captain cannot find the reports on his desk when he arrives..."
"That's because I took them and finished them too..."
"And where is the letter to the 4th Squad about remedies for seasonal flu..."
"I HAVE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED THEM, ASSHOLE!" Renji yelled, standing up and slamming his fist on his table
That seemed to bring Byakuya back to his senses. He stared at Renji, flushing slightly, opened his mouth to say something and then closed it. He tore his gaze away and started going through the remaining papers on his desk.
Renji sat down again, heart pounding and head reeling slightly. He wondered when Byakuya would realise that he had called him an 'asshole' and stole a quick look at the door. It was open halfway – maybe he could shun-po fast enough. He'd, of course, have to move a second before Byakuya would calmly say "Scatter..."
But nothing like that happened and after about 15 minutes of waiting, Renji decided that he had better start on his paperwork. It was a particularly nasty pile and had issues dated to even a month ago. Thinking that it wouldn't be advisable to irk Byakuya when he was in such an unpredictable mood, Renji pulled out a paper from the pile and with a groan, set to going through it.
It was quite a while before he looked up again and to his surprise the shadows outside the window had lengthened considerably. Byakuya was at his desk and Renji gave a start as he looked at him. He was writing something and looked perfectly normal, scowl gone and face as smooth and inexpressive as ever. He looked up at Renji
"You have been at your work for quite a while, Abarai Fukutaichou. It is past 4 already"
If Renji was a slightly weaker man, he'd have fallen off his chair. He knew some hours had passed since Byakuya had entered the Office in a foul mood. But he still couldn't understand how he was so normal all of a sudden. He had hardly registered what Byakuya was saying and continued staring at him for about a minute before what he had said registered.
"It is past 4 already..."
"Ah...Taichou, Shall I prepare Tea then...?"
Byakuya gave a small inclination of his head and went back to writing.
Renji prepared the tea with rising suspicion. He couldn't wrap his head around what had happened in the morning. He placed the Pot and the cups on a tray and walked back to the Office. Byakuya hadn't moved and still appeared as normal as ever.
Renji placed the pot on the side table. Poured out Byakuya's tea and placed it on his table. Then he took his own cup, filled it and went back to his place. All the while he was watching Byakuya out of the corner of his eye.
Byakuya picked the cup, sipped some tea, set it down and looked at Renji.
Renji couldn't take it anymore.
"You're feeling better now, Taichou?" He asked
Byakuya's expression remained unchanged. "I don't understand, Abarai..."
"I mean...you're all calm now..." Renji muttered
"You seem to imply that I wasn't earlier..." Byakuya said, closing his eyes and sipping the tea again.
"WHA...?" Renji wondered whether he'd woken up from sleep or was still dreaming after falling asleep the day before. Byakuya was smoothly denying his outburst in the morning and was acting so, so normal "You...You were all flustered just a few hours ago...Don't mess with me, you..."
"Abarai, I don't 'mess' with people. Now please finish your tea and get back to your work. You might as well break record and complete that pile today..." Byakuya put his cup down and stood up and without another word, swept out of the office.
Renji was left staring open-mouthed and angry at the door which Byakuya had closed behind him. It was Monday and Byakuya left after Tea on every alternate Monday to attend the Calligraphy Association meetings.
Renji's fists curled up into tight balls. He wasn't going to let his Taichou get away with this. He didn't know what it was, but something made him feel that he shouldn't let this go so easily. And he also wanted to see Byakuya lose his cool again...and again...Renji closed his eyes and sighed.
"I can't think like that..." but he was. Somehow, in an odd way, he felt that he could be closer to Byakuya if Byakuya would lose that mask every now and then. That mask was a huge part of what distinguished him as the Noble that he was. Renji's brashness and often crude manners and behaviours were what distinguished him as the orphan, once low-life from Rukongai. Anything for that gap to lessen, anything...
"Not that I'm hoping for anything to happen..." This time Renji groaned, not able to keep his frustration within him. He wondered what people would say if they knew exactly how much he craved for Byakuya's attention and respect...and then some more. He wondered what they would say if they knew how obsessed he was with him. He wondered what Byakuya would think if he knew...
...
So? I know this is a big chapter and not 'much' happening either, but trust me, it'll get there! ;P
Really needed to have this before I could get them closer!
The next one will have Byakuya's POV...we have some explaining to do, right!
So, you know what I need, them golden, molten chocolates called reviews! hehe!
Moonlitpride
