Chapter 3: Reflection

(My humble gratitude to AnimeBookLover14 (Awww! *hugs* We all go through those rough times. Gosh, do I know what that's like! It's good to not feel alone in our troubles, but I sincerely hope you feel happier again soon! I am glad the story is giving you an outlet. I work off some tears each time I work on it. It is really therapeutic.), Caitriona695 (I considered the fact that the hell butterflies carry messages and probably are managed by the second or twelfth division so might be able to access or carry intelligence to troops in the field...just a little helpful extension that seemed to make sense. Ah yes, Renji's background with Sakiko will come out slowly and there will be touching scenes as well as gentle remembrances to move things along.), KingHerod (Aww, thanks! You are too sweet. I think Bya knows Renji pretty well and will think before making conclusions, and Byakuya will learn more soon!), Skrut180 (I am so glad you like it! :) Enjoy the new chappie!), Toshiruki forever (Oh, but they are such good listeners! ;) *giggles*), TomyAllen (Aww, thanks! Yup, the ones like this do give readers a change to dig into the characters and feel more with them. I should write more like this! Erm...after I finish a few! lol), Mina Kye (Thanks so much for the encouragement. My friend is still hospitalized, and they are trying really hard to stabilize the situation with her lungs, but they keep filling with fluid and having to be drained. She's having so many invasive tests and procedures and having trouble sleeping. But through it all, she is so strong. I am too until I get in my car to drive home. I'm glad it's a hundred miles, so I have time to turn up the radio and get the raw emotion out on the way home.), Firebirdever (Ah yes, Rikichi! He is around eighteen or nineteen in this and still adorable! I love him and wish Kubo would include him more!), DieRedPineapple (Good reflections! I did make the assumption here that as hell butterflies carry messages, they could carry intel too. As for Renji and Sakiko, she is a prostitute, but things are not as simple between them as they look. We will get an up close look at how they met and why he is so grateful to her. And Bya knows Renji well enough to suspect things are more complicated than Renji seeing a prostitute. He will struggle with how to help his fukutaichou, and will take some interesting actions.), Renji-Bya-Lover (Heheh, I don't think Tetsuya really wants to go through with it either. That part of the story will take a very interesting turn, so no worries! I think you will enjoy what happens.), and MissLilly2012 (Oh yes, this will take some interesting turns!), Enjoy the chapter!)

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We cannot help but see truth in our reflection. Loved or reviled, it simply is. I look into the glass, reach out and touch your fingertips. They are warm, but slowly growing colder.

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Renji's 'sick friend' is a prostitute?

Byakuya frowned thoughtfully.

I do not sense disruptions or swells of reistsu that would indicate a powerful man like Renji having sexual relations. The reiatsu around here is quiet...quite serene. This is something else, then.

He chided himself inwardly for thinking for a moment that someone like Renji would use a woman for sex.

Renji is surrounded by beautiful people, many friends and people, male and female, who would like to be more than friends. In addition to that, he has a strong moral code that grew within him while he was a street child in Inuzuri. During our training, he told me...

Byakuya's mind went back to a warm day in the training grounds at the sixth division.

He watched with a pleased expression as Renji sheathed his sword, his handsomely tattooed and attractively sweating chest still heaving from the exertion of their sparring.

"You do realize that you might have beaten me if you had taken advantage of that moment when the barricade fell and distracted me."

"Yeah," the redhead acknowledged, brushing a cluster of damp red hairs away from his face, "But it wouldn't have been right."

Byakuya sighed softly.

"You have a strong moral code," he commented, "It is commendable, but you must remember that it will make you vulnerable at times."

"You're not telling me to be more ruthless," Renji mused.

"I am telling you to be aware. I feel that this is something that has been ingrained deeply on your code of ethics. Perhaps someone you respected taught you this, or maybe something that happened to you made you think this way. But whichever it is, this is a strong compulsion."

Renji stood quietly for a moment, gazing at the noble and panting softly. Finally, he nodded.

"The kids in Inuzuri usually fell into two groups," the redhead explained, "There were those who were savage and who believed in taking what they could and survival of the fittest. There were others of us who felt differently. And we lived by three rules. Take care of people who are weaker than you. Don't hit girls. And...fight honestly. If you can't win honestly, then you don't deserve to win."

So...he is, perhaps, taking care of this woman?" Byakuya wondered inwardly, "They must know each other, maybe from Inuzuri. But she was 'until recently' a prostitute. Does this mean that Renji convinced her to leave that life and is caring for her? Does he worry, then, that people will judge him for that? Or...is it something else?

He jumped and caught his breath in surprise as soft equine breath tickled his ear and neck. He turned his head and found himself gazing up at the lovely, quizzical face of his cousin's black Arabian stallion.

"Arashi!" he mused, shaking his head, "Did Tetsuya tell you to follow me?"

He doesn't like you going out alone and unguarded without your powers, the stallion's wispy voice whispered into his mind, I am only respecting his wishes.

"That is fine, but do attempt to be discreet. I do not want Renji to know I am here. My reiatsu is low and he is not very sensitive to it anyway, but you are more obvious."

Arashi made a sound of assent and invoked Tetsuya's shikai power, making his body take on a watery, transparent composition. He stepped back into the bushes, disappearing from view. Byakuya watched silently, but then hastened to the stallion's side again.

"Arashi, I know that Tetsuya's power allows you to include others. Can you use that power to allow me to enter that house?"

That depends. Why do you ask this of me? You are a person of character, so why do you wish to enter someone's home without permission?

"Something is weighing heavily on Renji's heart. He has been acting strangely, coming to work late and leaving early. He has been clumsy and out of sorts...short tempered with himself..."

You are worried about him?

Byakuya swallowed hard, considering the connotations of the question.

"Yes."

And you think that breaking and entering and disrespecting the boundaries between you is the right thing to do?

Byakuya let out a frustrated breath and reconsidered.

"I am just...worried about him. And I wonder what is weighing on him."

Have you asked him?

"He won't tell me."

And so, you are invading his privacy?

"I do not want Renji to suffer," Byakuya said insistently, "If you do not want to help me, that is fine."

He went quiet and shrank into the bushes as Renji emerged from the house and stood on the front porch for a moment, reaching up with a hand to rub at his eyes.

Renji is crying?

What is going on here?

He moved further into the bushes as a familiar looking man emerged from the house and approached the unhappy looking redhead.

"She's worse, right?" he asked softly, "The treatment you tried didn't help?"

"I am afraid not," the elderly man answered solemnly.

Michio? Byakuya thought, remembering the old healer from Inuzuri.

"I know it was expected," Renji said haltingly, "But...I thought we had more time, you know?"

"I told you that there were no guarantees on how long it would be. Renji-san, you have been an angel to her...getting her out of Inuzuri, renting this place and trying everything to help her be healed. She could not ask for a better friend."

"I couldn't believe it when Inoue couldn't even heal her," Renji mused sadly.

"Ah, yes," Michio replied, nodding, "Her reject power failed because of the insidious path this disease takes."

"That's what she told me," Renji affirmed, "She said that because the disease invades the cells and corrupts them from inside, it changes them so that they can't go back. Then, those cells invade others and corrupt them. Rejecting only slows the progress by reverting the affected cells to what they were when they were first infected. It can't make them normal again."

"Because when they change states, they change in nature," Michio acknowledged, "So, now her own body is slowly destroying itself. I am so sorry. Inoue Orihime and I will continue to do what we can to prolong her life, but we cannot save her."

"I know," Renji said, tears rising in his eyes again, "It's just that...you know...I really owe her. She was there for me at a time when things were really bad, you know?"

"Yes."

"I had a lot of confusing feelings about my taichou, and Sakiko was a good listener. She helped me think things through. I think that I would have gone off the deep end if it hadn't been for her. Shit just got so crazy...and after the war, everyone else seemed to go back to normal, but for some reason, I just couldn't."

Renji caught his breath softly and stared as Michio's hands captured his and the old man looked up into his teary eyes.

"You will feel normal again someday, Renji-san. But while this goes on, you need to have someone there for you. Have you told anyone besides Orihime?"

"Huh..." Renji huffed, letting a tear roll down his face, "I can't. I mean, it's not like I'm worried about my reputation. It's just that some people would be judgmental about her past as a prostitute. I don't want people saying bad things about her. She's my friend and I don't give a shit what she used to do. If she hadn't been who she was, she wouldn't have been able to help me."

"But Renji-san," the healer objected, "You know that your friends in Karakura Town wouldn't react that way. Ichigo-san is a good boy and his friends are very loyal and friendly. And you need someone..."

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. Look, uh, I have to go home and get a few hours of sleep. I'll be back to see her again all day tomorrow."

"Then, you will likely see me again," Michio concluded, "Take care of yourself."

The old man reached into his satchel and searched around for a moment, then pulled out and brown paper bag and handed it to Renji.

"What is this?" Renji asked, frowning curiously, "You giving away your dinner?"

"Noa made your favorite meat pies."

"She made that for you," Renji said, trying to hand the bag back.

"I am going home now," Michio answered, refusing the bag, "I can eat another when I get there. Go on, Renji-san. I know you are not caring for yourself."

"Eh..." the redhead said, coloring slightly, "Yeah, I guess. It's hard to think about that."

"I know. But that girl needs you to keep your strength up. She doesn't have anyone else to look after her."

"All right," Renji sighed, smiling at the old man and accepting the bag, "Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

Byakuya stood silently, watching with sad eyes as Renji walked away. He thought back through what he had overheard.

He said that she helped him...and that what was weighing on him before had to do with me.

He looked around and spotted the healer walking back in the direction of Inuzuri. The area around the house grew quiet, and the light slowly began to fade as night approached. Byakuya considered his options carefully, then looked back at Arashi.

"I think you were right to caution me before," he said softly to the stallion, "It would be wrong to sneak around to get information. This is a difficult situation. And I think I really must do something. But..."

He felt a stab of remembered pain pass through him as he looked at Sakiko's dwelling and thought about what to do. His thoughts scattered as the door to the house opened and a woman wrapped warmly in a cloak and hood stepped out onto the porch, heading for a comfortable porch swing. A few steps short of it, she paused, swaying slightly and looking as though she might fall.

Byakuya reacted instantly, flash stepping to the woman and catching her as she collapsed.

"Oh!" she gasped, grabbing onto his arm for support and leaning against him as he helped her to sit down in a chair near the porch swing.

"It is all right," Byakuya assured her, "You are safe now. Do you need me to find a healer for you?"

He froze as the woman's head turned and she drew back the hood that had been covering her face. In silence, he took in the fine lines of her face, the raven black hair and wide, lovely gray eyes that looked dangerously like his own. From a distance away and with her shapely breasts concealed, she could have passed for him.

The girl looked up at him curiously, studying his face as he had studied hers. A slow smile touched her pale lips and her eyes brightened.

"You are him," she said breathlessly, "You are Renji-san's taichou...Kuchiki Byakuya!"

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"Thanks for helping out, Kuchiki-san," Rikichi said, smiling at Tetsuya as the noble finished with the last of the papers in front of him, "That would have taken me a whole night to do on my own and Kuchiki taichou needed it done as soon as possible."

"I was glad to help," Tetsuya assured him, relieved that after several hours, he had managed to untie his tongue and talk to the other young man, "And you needn't be so formal. Tetsuya will be fine."

"Thanks for helping, Tetsuya-san," Rikichi said, smiling, "I don't know about you, but I am starving."

"Yes, I've worked up quite an appetite myself," Tetsuya admitted, "I had best be going if I want to be back at the manor in time for dinner."

He registered suddenly the tiny flash of disappointment that registered in Rikichi's brown eyes and felt a jolt of uncertainty.

I have...offended him somehow?

"Well, have a good evening, Tetsuya-san," Rikichi said, turning towards the squad kitchen.

Tetsuya tried to think of something to say, but found his tongue tied all over again. He had little choice but to watch as Rikichi walked away, leaving him alone in the office. He thought briefly about following Rikichi, but wasn't sure how the other young man would respond to such a thing. Instead, he loosed a soft, unhappy sigh and left the sixth division. He started to whistle for Arashi, then remembered that he had sent the stallion to watch over Byakuya. He continued home on foot, his eyes lowered as he thought over what had happened.

I wonder if he wanted me to ask him to dinner, Tetsuya mused inwardly, Or if maybe he was leading up to asking me to stay for dinner at the division. Maybe he wanted to cook together. Curse me for being so stupid about this! I just don't know what to do when I'm around him. Naoki and I were friends for several years before we noticed each other sexually. But...I don't even know if Rikichi-san would like me that way. It is so complicated!

"What are you doing, wandering around in the dark?" a mocking voice asked suddenly.

Tetsuya scowled.

"What do you want?" he asked, giving his cousin an annoyed glare.

Orochi looked around, his black eyes glinting.

"Where is that flea-bitten nag of yours? I don't sense him."

Tetsuya realized suddenly that they were standing on a nearly deserted street, and stepped back to give himself some distance from the other man. Orochi ran his fingers through his black, slicked back hair and smiled slyly.

"Get away from me!" Tetsuya said shortly, trying to move past the other man.

He inhaled in surprise as a hand wrapped firmly around his wrist and Orochi shoved him into a dark alley, just off the street.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Tetsuya cried, trying to tear his hand free, "Orochi-san!"

Orochi's eyes darkened with anger, and his hand tightened on Tetsuya's captured wrist. Tetsuya felt a shiver of foreboding as Orochi's lips moved and several devastatingly familiar words sounded.

Damn it!

The submission command spell from the prison!

Instantly, as the suppression spell was uttered, Tetsuya's limbs froze and though his mind screamed, his eyes looked up into his cousin's submissively, waiting for his order.

I have to move!

Please...please move!

Orochi gave him a cruel smile.

"That's better, isn't it?" he said, moving forward and trapping Tetsuya's body between his own body and the stone wall, "You're so much more pleasant this way."

Tetsuya's blood turned to ice in his veins as Orochi's invasive hands slipped beneath his clothing and sought his warm, soft privates.

"N-no!" Tetsuya panted, straining against the binding spell, "S-stop!"

Orochi scowled and wrapped a hand tightly around his throat.

"Be quiet!" he hissed, "And do what you're told! On your knees."

Still unable to break free, Tetsuya was dragged down onto his knees, facing his elder cousin. Orochi moved closer again and sank his fingers into Tetsuya's silken hair. With his other hand, he bared his already aroused privates and guided his thick, wet member to the younger shinigami's trembling lips.

"You were always quite good at this," Orochi sneered, "Go ahead. Suck."

Tetsuya winced as Orochi's fingers twisted in his hair.

"If you bite, I'll cut your throat," he said warningly, looking around to make sure they were still alone.

Orochi's powerful scent drifted over Tetsuya's dulled senses, sending a shudder of revulsion through him. He renewed his resistance and managed to pull free. Still rubbery from the binding spell, his legs gave way as he tried to rise, and he fell at his cousin's feet.

"Insolent peasant!" Orochi hissed, grabbing his hair and dragging him back onto his knees, "Obey me at once!"

"N-n-no!" Tetsuya panted, sweat breaking out on his forehead, "Get...ah...away from me! You have no right, e...especially while I am undergoing purification!"

"You pure?" Orochi snarled, "Don't make me laugh!"

"Bastard, stop it!" Tetsuya cried, struggling.

He reeled as his cousin's fist connected with his cheek, taking him roughly to the ground. Orochi dropped down on top of him and began to move his clothing aside to bare him.

"Hey!" cried a youthful, male voice from the end of the alley, "What are you doing to Tetsuya-san?"

Careful to keep his head turned, so as not to be seen, Orochi glared down at his stunned cousin.

"Don't you dare tell anyone!" he hissed, sending a powerful jolt of disruptive kido through him.

He flash stepped away as the shinigami who had yelled at him reached Tetsuya's side.

"Tetsuya-san!"

"R-ri..ki..." Tetsuya managed, beginning to lose consciousness.

"Don't worry, Tetsuya-san," Rikichi said, kneeling at his side, "He's gone. I'm gonna get you to the fourth division."

"N-no!" Tetsuya managed, fighting to remain conscious, "I...don't want anyone to..."

"But you're hurt!"

"I'm all right," Tetsuya whispered, closing his eyes against the pain as he held on to Rikichi and the other young man helped him to his feet.

His ears rang loudly and his legs shook warningly, but he managed to lean against Rikichi and stumble along as the young man led him back to the sixth division.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the fourth?" Rikichi asked, "Whoever that was beat you up a little. I'm not a great healer, but I could help, I suppose."

Tetsuya mumbled a few words of gratitude, then fell quiet as Rikichi coaxed him into the squad six building and back to the third seat's quarters. Rikichi left him dressed, but tucked him into bed, then leaned over him and healed what cuts and bruises he found. Tetsuya laid quietly on his back, looking up through dazed eyes as Rikichi looked down at him and smiled.

"Is that better?" he asked.

"Yes," Tetsuya replied softly, "Thank you, Rikichi-san."

"It's okay," the younger man assured him, "You look a little better. I'm going to go and make us some tea, okay?"

Tetsuya nodded wordlessly and closed his eyes again, succumbing quickly to sleep.

Rikichi returned a short time later, bearing a tea tray with hot green tea and a little bit of food.

"I thought that you might be hungry," he said, smiling, "since you didn't even get home before you got grabbed by that guy. Who was that guy anyway? It was lucky that I found I was out of milk and decided to go to the..."

He broke off, blinking as he realized that the very comely young noble had fallen asleep in his bed. Chuckling softly to himself, Rikichi ate some of the food and drank his cup of tea, while stealing glances at Tetsuya's sweet, tranquil sleeping face. When he was done, he selected a sleeping yukata and went into the bathroom to change. Upon emerging, he noted that Tetsuya was still deeply asleep, and he curled up on the far side of the bed, sleeping on his stomach with his head turned so that he could check on his sleeping friend during the night. He turned out the lights and drifted off to sleep, smiling at the light, gentle sakura scent that reached out from Tetsuya's sleeping form and teased his senses.

"Good night, Tetsuya-san," he whispered, "Sleep well."