Disclaimer: Kubo Tite owns Bleach, because if I were the author, these two would be together by now.
Chapter Three
An Orange Light
Byakuya passes his fingers through the orange locks, inhales the sweet scent of something different and thinks that this is it. This is how eternity and all the other sappy things in life should smell and feel like. The scorching burn of desire and want crashes over him with such strength that he feels the desire deep within his bones to get closer to the man in front of him. He kneels in front of Ichigo and keeps his hand in the soft hair while the other one enwraps the young man's waist and starts to draw smooth circles on his back. The young man sobs in relief and sags even more against him.
Ichigo's breath still comes in harsh pants and Byakuya doesn't know what to do because at the moment all he wants to do is have this man beneath him, marking him as his own, never let him go. He feels sick to his stomach to know that he will have to let him go sooner or later and that he will have to know that he belongs to another man, and not to him. He wonders how is this even possible. They met for some time now and each time there was nothing holding them together, not even a thread, no matter how small and thin it might have been. Their only common ground was their concern for Rukia but other than that, there wasn't anything between the two of them.
"You have to calm down," he manages to croak and his voice is shattered, it's not confident at all, "and everything will be fine."
"You don't understand," says the young man as he burrows his forehead in his neck even more. "It's more than this. It's like back then."
Byakuya feels his hand slightly stutter before resuming the movement. He wonders what Ichigo refers to. He doesn't want to think that the young man in his arms has ever been broken, that somebody dared to hurt him. He wants to think of Ichigo as a happy and content person and again it horrifies him. This avalanche of feelings that he never had before, this desire to hold him closer, so much closer, until the lines between the two of them blurs to such an extent that they won't know who they were in the first place. Byakuya had men and women, he had an extensive experience and yet this boy, this barely man makes him feel weak.
All of the sudden, the elevator jerks off to life again and Byakuya feels like dying a little inside. Almost instantly the young man tenses again and one of his hands unwillingly catches Byakuya's hips and squeezes. The blunt nails dig in his expensive trousers but all he can feel is the heat. Then the young man slowly gets his wits together and before he knows it, Byakuya feels bereft of his presence, naked and exposed without a purpose. Ichigo doesn't look at him, probably embarrassed by the weakness that he has just shown and he wants to say something, anything to keep the things smooth between the two of them. He turns his back at the young man to ignore the way that hoodie clings in all the right places, the way those jeans make the young man so edible.
The elevator stops at 24 and the young man punches the code before he picks the cases just as the elevator's doors open. He avoids looking at Byakuya but just as he steps out of the elevator and the doors are about to close, he whispers "thank you" leaving Byakuya confused and open like a raw wound.
The older man tightens his fist as if to still keep the silken sensation of those orange locks and tries to concentrate until he arrives at his apartment. People don't say for nothing that he is heartless like an iceberg. He can always pull himself together. Even under the great weighs of the world, even when there are the most horrible news being pulled out of nowhere, he can still be the same strong man. He can keep his head. This is nothing that can't be worked out. He doesn't care about the young man. It was just a strange sensation of the night, arriving so late at night. The sensation will disappear later in the day and he will feel foolish enough. There's no way that the young man might be different from all the others.
As soon as he gets in the apartment, he goes to the cabinet and pours himself a drink. It's too early in the morning and he has to leave for the office in about an hour but he feels like he can't go on without the drink. He takes it in one swing and prepares for the second. He takes a second sip and then suddenly everything is too much and just throws the glass that smashes across the wall. He slowly inhales and feels the nice burn of air inside of him and he thinks he must have calmed down because his heart doesn't pound the way it did before; there's no need to get so pathetically desperate after a kid anyways. What's the point in making all the fuss anyways? The kid seemed clearly in distress remembering something from his past. He probably has claustrophobia and he was just having a panic attack. That was all. Now he can stop venting about this. He helped the poor kid and they will be back to the same normal routine between the two of them: banter over stupid things, he will be disapproval of Ichigo's incapability of being respectful and Ichigo will consider him a stuck up son of a bitch again.
It's nothing. He inhales again. It's really nothing. Those orange locks weren't so special, though his hand keeps remembering the tingling sensation of them inside it; it remembers how soft they felt and how wonderful. And his nose keeps remembering that sweet wild scent that made him mad with desire. It's all crazy and he's tired for he hasn't slept in about 48 hours so he decides to do that and not thinking about a brat that can't keep his mouth shut and always has to be disrespectful and roll his eyes at whatever Byakuya says. It always works for him: sleeping his problems away even if he has to be up a little later than usual.
The following days pass in a blur. There's a crisis at a construction site and there's a misunderstanding with a big company over their long projected new building and it's taking all Byakuya's energy, so he doesn't have time to over analyze things because he has too much trouble in real life anyways. He doesn't think of orange locks and melting chocolate eyes and wild scent. And if he dreams about them, there's no one to tell anyways so he figures it must be a good thing. He clearly forgets about everything until Sunday morning when his sister calls him to remind him about the lunch that he's supposed to be having at his grandpa's house and all of the sudden Byakuya panics. Now he isn't ready to meet the damn brat again but his grandpa won't forget easily such an affront. Damn it. The kid will come with his stupid lover and he will share his stupid gay love with those stupid lovely gestures and Byakuya doesn't know Ichigo's lover personally but he fucking hates him already. Which isn't exactly a mature thing to do when you're supposed to be exactly that. Mature.
This is all getting a little ridiculous so Byakuya huffs and puffs and ends up dressing casually set not to stay long at his grandpa and cutting his visit short. He kind of concentrates in the car to make sure that he will do his best to ignore anything related to that orange brat when Renji starts talking and makes things difficult.
"I heard that Ichigo comes to lunch today."
"Who told you that?" He asks in a blank voice. He's getting really good at this.
"I talked to the phone yesterday with Rukia."
"Since when are you familiar with my sister's neighbours?" He says again carefully. Renji shrugs and that gesture always annoyed Byakuya.
"Rukia invited me to a couple of parties that the mad couple had along this year."
"The mad couple?"
"Orihime and Ishida." Renji shudders. "Seriously the crap that woman can cook is out of horror movies. And Ishida actually encourages her sick habit. I'm talking about food that even if you were starving, you wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole."
"I see." Byakuya notes duly because he has never been the type to make stupid minimalistic conversations with people. "I didn't know you were friends with my sister." He adds after a while in a not so friendly tone that makes Renji blush.
"Relax. It's not like I don't know she's way out of my league anyways. We are just friends."
"Well, you'd better keep it that way." He thinks it's a friendly warning but he sees the way Renji's shoulders tense and he thinks about how much the Kuchikis are for the formal status of the ones that they will have to marry. At least him, if not his sister too. His driver and personal assistant is really annoying, but even Byakuya can see that Renji is a good man. Had he been from a different social stratum, he wouldn't think twice before offering his sister's hand. But as things are in reality there's one thing that can make from see Renji with a broken heart and that is warning him about the consequences of such an affair. He is heartless but these things must be done. Both him and Rukia will never marry because of love. They are bound to keep tradition in place and even if he is currently whoring himself around, while his sister's choosing to live away from what rich means, that doesn't erase the fact that after all they are Kuchiki and they have a duty to perform.
Renji doesn't continue his thoughts, although he has made Byakuya a little curious about why he has brought everything up. But the tensed line of Renji's shoulders tells him that he shouldn't be asking that anyways.
When he arrives at the mansion he discovers that he is the last one to arrive as his sister and Ichigo are already there. Byakuya looks a little startled because he doesn't see Ichigo's boyfriend and he wonders briefly if he will be coming later. His sister is wearing a nice purple dress with a black bolero on top while Ichigo wears a blue shirt and some clean black jeans. Hm, so the brat can dress himself better sometimes.
"Ah, Byakuya, there you are." His grandpa exclaims and Byakuya notices how Ichigo's shoulders tense at the sight of him. "I thought you weren't coming anymore."
"I apologize. My conference with Thailand kept me more than I envisioned."
"Never mind, never mind. It's good to have you here." His grandpa has a suspicious smile on his face and he bows slowly in front of him thinking why the old man seems so sneaky this afternoon.
"Thank you. Hello, Rukia." He kisses her gently on the cheek and she flushes contently at him. It's nice to get such a reaction from her. "Hello, Kurosaki-san."
"Hello, Byakuya." The young man's voice seems clipped and seriously if he weren't a 30-year-old man, he would probably roll his eyes at the blatant lack of respect. But since he is the better man, he doesn't say anything and merely sits in the armchair opposite the couch where Ichigo and Rukia stay.
"Well, Ichigo was just about to tell me why he hasn't brought his lovely boyfriend," his grandpa says as the young man actually winces and Byakuya feels a little bad for him. Just a little. "I actually had a nice discussion with him about finances the last time he came and I was hoping to see him today as well." Ginrei looks like he just surrounded his pray and again Byakuya wonders what the old man is planning.
"Li Ren and I have broken up." Ichigo says quietly while Rukia puts a reassuring hand over Ichigo's thigh. There are two very different reactions in Byakuya in that particular moment. On the one hand sudden and very strange relief the fact that Ichigo is no longer with any man; and the second is a disturbing sense of possession, as he hates, he absolutely loathes that his sister's hand rests where it rests. He wants to yank it away and put his hand and wait a minute, where did this thought come from?
"I am sorry to hear this." His grandpa seems really sad for it and it hits Byakuya how much the old man actually likes Ichigo. He wonders if he would be so kind towards his own grandson, should he ever confess a love for men and not planning on having children. Like never. "I hope that you are well and that this lunch hasn't been an inconvenience for you."
"Of course not, Gin-ogi-san." Well, that's new. Byakuya almost chocks on the tea he was served with, but his grandpa seems rather thrilled to have such a nickname so he doesn't say anything. It highly seems fair, when he's never disrespecting his grandpa with such nicknames. But secretly he kind of likes Ichigo's warm voice when he isn't addressing Byakuya. "I am very happy and honoured that you invited me here today."
"Thank you, young man. It's definitely a pleasure to have you here as well. An old man needs company and you are good company, Kurosaki Ichigo." His grandpa smiles wickedly when he sees the young man flushing in embarrassment at being so obviously praised. "So tell me how the work at the animal shelter goes."
Byakuya is startled. Again. This is definitely a good thing to be so often surprised by the young man. He listens with a half an ear about the young man's endeavours there while being secretly thrilled at seeing Ichigo so animated and so happy to talk about something that he obviously likes. It's something amazing enough to see those wonderful chocolate eyes going alive with passion and Byakuya feels the stab of envy going strong within his heart because most of the time he doesn't do what he wants to anymore.
When the lunch is served, Byakuya is surprised to see that his grandpa has chosen the cozy dining–room with its windows towards the large garden. It's not an imposing room and it's meant for friends and family. Even when Rukia or Byakuya would bring some friends over dinner or lunch, they were always served in the formal dining room. What makes this lunch so special and what makes Ichigo so special in his grandfather's eyes? He questions the old man's motivations, therefore he doesn't say much during lunch but for once the other guests make conversation. Rukia and Ichigo banter like an old married couple and he's a little jealous of that because he knows he doesn't have any type of intimacy with anyone. There's Renji who knows a lot about him after spending so much time together but other than him, there's no one.
After lunch, they drink more tea in the garden as the lovely sun begins to slowly descend in the late afternoon. Byakuya excuses himself soon after the lunch is over and soon goes home as well to finish some papers as the night finally descends on Karakura town. The strangeness of the lunch made him feel awkward and the muscles felt strained under the expensive shirt that he was wearing. He is feeling strung, as he's about to commit a stupid mistake. He knows that there's still much work to be done but, after almost a week of fantasizing about a boy that today presented himself at his grandpa's house like nothing happened between the two of them, he feels like he needs some attention. A special kind of attention.
"We're going out!" He says to Renji as soon as his personal assistant picks up and hangs up really quickly. He dresses himself in some black slacks and a blue shirt, which screams money, but without being incredibly ostentatious. He doesn't let his black jet hair cover his shoulders anymore as he keeps it in a tail and he's ready to go as soon as Renji phones him on the interphone.
If Renji is surprised by his late departure, he doesn't say anything. Byakuya knows that it's reckless enough as tomorrow is Monday and there will be a lot of paper work at the office. But for now he feels like his body requires relieving some of the tension accumulated in the passing week. It's hard enough for him to concentrate on mundane affairs when he feels like that and Renji knows best not to ask any questions. In the car though Byakuya feels like he shouldn't be going alone so he calls the only person who's just as cold as he is but with a taste for beautiful women.
"Hello, Toushiro. How are you?"
"Byakuya? Hello, good to hear from you. How are you?"
"I'm fine, thank you for asking. I was heading out and thought you would like to accompany me."
"Sure." There's a small hesitation in his friend's voice and Byakuya knows that this is not usual for him but the man at the other end of the phone doesn't say anything about it and continues: "Do you have a place in mind?"
"No, not exactly. I was kind of hoping you'd come with a helpful suggestion."
"Ok then. I will ask just this." Toushiro's voice gets a little rougher around the edges when he asks next. "Why are we going out?"
"To relieve some tension." Byakuya's prompt answer seems satisfying enough for the young man.
"Ok, then let's try the club Urahara's Shop."
"It sounds a little ….. plebeian."
"Trust me, it's not. It actually has quite a clientele. I think we should check it out. It's definitely good for our purposes tonight."
"It sounds familiar. I wonder why. I hope not because people there are too kin to have fun."
"It's not. I assure you."
"Should we come and pick you up?"
"No, thank you. Hyorinmaru will bring me."
"Very well then. I will see you there."
"Ok, talk to you later."
Byakuya knows that he has to trust his friend when it comes to things like this so he doesn't hesitate to get out of the car in front of the newly discovered club. At the entrance there's a tall man with black spikes and a huge assed grin on his face as if he's crazy enough to throw punches around. But Byakuya knows that these sorts of people are usually highly lucrative for the domain in which they work. Next to the guy there's a smaller one, bald as a baby's bottom and he checks a list while tells others to wait. There are a lot of people outside waiting to get in and Byakuya wonders briefly if he has to have an invitation fort his sort of club.
When he gets out of his expensive car, he finally draws attention over him. He knows that everything about him screams money and he wonders briefly if this will be enough to get in.
"Ah, Kuchiki-san, welcome." The baldy says and Byakuya feels a little startled but there's nothing showing on his face. "Hitsugaya-san is already expecting you in the VIP seats. One of our lovely ladies will take you there."
"Thank you." He nods a little politely and enters as he is slowly taken to Toushiro. The club is more than a little crowded but Byakuya knows the minute he walks in why he has been taken to this place by his friend. Inside there are people of all ages and he even recognizes business partners with wives and children at home. It feels like the perfect place to wind down especially after a hard week like his and he pays attention even more.
The club is huge and around hard dark marbled columns falls soft dark red material, enwrapping around them with an almost insidious manner. The club has two levels: the first one contains the bar and most of the crowd while level one contains the VIP tables where apparently Toushiro expects him. The music is loud and there's smoke, laugh, shouts and screams, and he feels a little dizzy as if his brain receives too much information all of the sudden. But his lovely companion takes care of him and takes him upstairs where Toushiro expects him already.
"Good to see you." He says in his rough voice and then he finally places his order while waiting for Byakuya to decide. It's an easy decision to make and as he waits for his drink he takes a look around, now that he finally has the view. The bar is huge, built like a square and in the middle there are shelves upon shelves of drinks. There aren't many baristas, just four: two men and two women and they seem more than fit to serve the hoards of people that clash over at their bar, not to mention the orders that are placed by the other people.
"It's ok, right?" Toushiro asks after a while somehow concerned that he might have taken the wrong decision.
"It's more than." He replies shortly and then starts a conversation about the final financial difficulties that a renowned company has had in the recent months. Toushiro's brain was cut to be all about finances and he is one of the most sought after financial counselor in Japan. He likes to be free-lancer so that he can take as many companies as he can and then kick back and take three months vacation if he feels like it. They have been college roommates and they bonded over the seriousness with which they treated life in general. They also have similar backgrounds as their grandparents raised them both. Toushiro's parents died in a plane crash so his grandmother took care of him since he was four.
They are so engrossed in their serious discussion that they don't see the hungry looks that people have started to throw in their direction. Every once in a while they would order another drink and then Byakuya would cast a glance hard enough to know that if he chooses so, he will have someone to take back home when the night ends. Preferably someone with hard muscles. He sees that a young man with a strange hair colour smiles in his direction. He's near the bar, down stairs and Byakuya all of the sudden feels as if the hunter in him woke up. The guy is about his age and Byakuya thinks there's nothing that a quick fuck in the bathroom can't solve so he gets up and sways a little.
"Ah, I see." Toushiro smirks at him all knowing. It's the same game they played in college as well. He knows that Byakuya is bisexual and has never had problems with that, although he is straight.
"Talk to you later."
"Sure." Toushiro smirks at him but Byakuya just leaves, thinking if he should just say what he wants without making any stupid conversation with the man downstairs. He's almost there when all of the sudden there's a brick wall crashing into him and he feels like his air is momentarily knocked out of him.
"Watch where you're going, brute." He mumbles annoyed in his asshole voice and the man tenses. He has blue hair with a strong jaw and looks like he wouldn't like anything else than to crash Byakuya into a wall and fucking beat him to death.
"Who do you fucking call a "brute", asshole?" The man comes dangerously in his breathing space and Byakuya tenses because firstly he doesn't want to make a scene and secondly there are more important things in life than having a fight with a damn stupid stranger in a club. But he's also pissed off because his prey has just left him there and he wasn't going to get fucked. Right now he really wants that fight.
"I think that's more than obvious, genius."
"Are you calling me stupid now?" And the stranger's cat-like eyes get thinner by the second. There's a vein popping around his temple and all can Byakuya think about is how bothersome this is.
"No, I'm just playing with you." His voice is cold and in the loud music he thinks that maybe the stranger hasn't heard him, but his eyes burn with sudden anger and Byakuya thinks that maybe a fight is all he needs.
"How about we fix things by taking a walk outside?"
"It's my pleasure to teach you some manners."
"Boy, you really want to get you ass kicked."
"The only person that will have his ass kicked will be you, if you don't fucking cut it, Grimm." The voice startles them so much that they both take one step back and actually flinch. There's a predatory new gleam in the eyes of the stranger called Grimm but somehow Byakuya understands it perfectly because there he is, Ichigo, in all his glory looking like he might murder the both of them. He wears his well-worn blue jeans and the required white t-shirt, which makes him so fucking edible that all around him people look like there are about to worship at his goddamn temple if he only lets them.
"Since when do you take sides to pompous assholes, Ichi?"
"I don't take sides, you moron, and I told you not to call me Ichi." The brown eyes are fascinating when they are lit in anger and Byakuya sort of wants something totally different than what he wanted five minutes ago.
"I just want to teach this bastard a lesson, Ichi. Is it too much to ask?" Grimm almost pouts but he sees the feral tension in him and thinks that Ichigo should take care of himself with this man around.
"Well, I might ask Kenpachi to teach you a fucking lesson. Starting with you not calling me Ichi."
"Kurosaki Ichigo, there's no need for you to defend me." Byakuya surprises the both of them. "I can take care of myself perfectly. There's no need for your intervention."
Ichigo is for a moment too astonished to think of something but then he scowls even more. Byakuya should have known better.
"Who the fuck asked for your opinion?" he snaps. "We are getting out of here. And you'd better stay away, Grimm, or I'm sure that Kenpachi would love to hear from you. Let's go, Geronimo." Byakuya tenses at the sudden nickname but he knows it's neither the place nor the time to make an observation. He will personally make sure that Ichigo will be this familiar with him just this once.
"It's not over, Ichi." Grimm actually growls and Byakuya believes him, but the kid seems unconcerned.
"It's never over with you, Grimm." Ichigo smirks as the blue haired guy finally goes away and then turns to Byakuya. "Come on."
Byakuya doesn't know why but he feels like he should just do it. So without analyzing too much, he follows the orange light in the sea of hot bodies and loud noise.
A/N: I know that it may seem like I got rid of Li Ren too easily, but trust me on this. Things will definitely be explained. Thank you so much for the kind words to my reviewers. They definitely encouraged me. XD And a big thank you to those that favourited/ alerted this story and to those of you who are out there and read it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. As always a big apology for the mistakes that might be in it.
