Chapter 4: Where Normality Ends
(Had to take a day to think this chapter through, and I like how it came out. Thanks to JePi for continuing to inspire on this one and hey! You must get a Bya/Ren started. I'm calling you out because I think with your great ideas it will be fun to read. Thanks also to TomyAllen (I will give Grimmy some love today! And I agree, there is going to be some real shock on Renji's part when he realizes just how backed into a corner he is. That will happen soon. Just had a few more ducks to put in a row before getting to that point.), SnowFlowerSister of Toshiro241 (Well, here you go!), Moegi (LOL, Renji will have someone to 'assist' him with adjusting. I am working on that OC now, and hemming and hawing about which of two to go with. So, you will see that soon.), Clobojojo (Oh, I love the idea of noble's competitions...EEK! A FREAKING PLOT BUNNY! HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE! SAVE ME! SAVE ME! AUGHHHHH...! And I was just thinking that since I'm almost done with the hilarious Where Bloodlust and Pride Meet, I have to come up with another good Kenpachi/Bya storyline. ACK, ANOTHER FREAKING PLOT BUNNY! KILL IT! KILL IT! IT'S EVIL!), Sorry, had to get that out of my system! Thanks to Flucifer the Fallen (Heehee! Don't we love tormenting 'our boys?' And yes, you have to catch up on manga. You have five weeks to do so, while Kubo takes a break to gear up for the next swing in the arc.), Scarlotte O'Hara (Yeah, I think I'll bring Rukia and Toushiro in for the Ichigo/Tetsuya wedding. I don't know what else I'll do with them, but it's good to dabble in different characters from time to time. Oh, and the way Renji asks Byakuya what he has to will be a stunner! It came to me last night while I was trying to sleep and made me laugh out loud, startling my husband out of sleep and really pissing off the two cats who were curled up with us!), Princess Moon Shadow (Love you!), MissLilly2012 (You inspired the piece about Byakuya remembering finding Renji asleep under the sakura tree that's in this chapter, so read and be proud!), Airenya (You bring up a really good point about the difference in the way these two define love. And that will translate into the struggle to define what's really between them as they go into married life. When the hormones of pregnancy hit Renji, they will hit hard! And Bya will not be immune. There are going to be sparks and petals flying everywhere!), MilkPowah (Awww, thanks! And here you go!), Demain Matin (You are so very welcome!), and last, but not least, the lovely Alabirdie (That council meeting is right around the corner! Next chapter, I believe!). Enjoy the chapter! Love Spunky)
Byakuya bit his lip gently, glancing at the clock, then observing the still too tall pile of reports and schedules requiring his attention. Rikichi sat quietly in his seat at the vice captain's desk, likewise encumbered. The two paused only to receive a courier from Kuchiki Manor, bringing in their evening meal, then after eating, they returned to the dreaded pile of work, still littering their desks.
As he felt drowsiness begin to steal over him, Byakuya took a deeper breath to refresh his energy, and threw himself into his work, trying not to be drawn off by the devilishly distracting image that had been sitting in the back of his mind, threatening to undo his concentration all day.
"Will that be all, sir?" Torio asked, blinking sleepily.
"Yes, thank you," Byakuya answered, stifling a yawn and turning towards his bed.
He paused, just short of it, blinking and fighting off drowsiness as it reached him that Renji's reiatsu still resonated from that same place, near the waterfall, where they had been visiting. And now, the pulsating throbs of his spiritual energy held a steady, gentle pattern that suggested the redhead had fallen asleep.
Intrigued, Byakuya stepped into the closet and found a warm cloak, which he wrapped around himself to ward off the chill, then he left his room and walked back to the waterfall, pausing a short distance off as the sleeping redhead came into view.
The image seemed to freeze before his eyes, enchanting him instantly. Renji laid, stretched out like a cat, or more like a tiger, on the dewy grass, beneath the softly windblown branches of the sakura tree, his head resting on his curled arms, and his handsome face and body beautifully moonlit, setting off the lovely array of partially revealed tattoos. Sakura petals drifted down intermittently, adding a surreal feeling to the more primal beauty of the young man he was admiring. He chided himself for gazing at Renji for longer than was proper, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the entrancing sight.
But after a time, propriety stepped in and made him move forward quietly to his sleeping friend's side, where he paused and slipped the body-warmed cloak off of his shoulders and laid it carefully over the sleeping redhead. He started to back away, then paused and bent to slip the hair tie out of Renji's hair so that he would sleep more comfortably. A sudden breeze caught and swirled the long ends of his hair, making Byakuya inhale in surprise as they brushed against his retreated hands, feeling like fine silk and carrying the enthralling scents of earth, fire and light musk. He backed away slowly, his gray eyes slightly widened and catching bits of stray moonlight. He hardly remembered walking back to his room and lying down.
And the memory of that lovely exchange remained with him all night.
"Captain," Rikichi said softly, breaking into his reverie and bringing him fully out of his thoughts, "Hell butterfly for you."
His heart flickering in his chest from having been caught daydreaming, he turned his head and nodded to the patiently waiting insect that hovered just in front of him.
"Captain Kuchiki," said the voice of the friend he had just been thinking about, "I just received an order to confer with you about the joint mission our troops will be combining on for the investigation of odd hollow activity and reiatsu flares on the edges of Karakura Town. Because it is suspected that this is still some residual rebel quincy activity, the captain commander wants it completed quickly. If you like, we can meet at my apartment to discuss the particulars. I'm sure you've had dinner already, so I've ordered some desserts in from your favorite shop. I will also have tea ready for you. Don't worry about it being late. The security staff in the building know you're coming."
Byakuya would normally have let out a frustrated sigh at the arrival of yet more work to do, but the fact of that work involving his favored former subordinate, and offering dessert, tea and the lovely view of the moon and stars from the redhead's apartment window was too enticing for him to manage any irritation over working even later. He excused Rikichi from his labors, admonishing him to rest and be back early to continue after he was properly restored. The noble slipped into his quarters and changed into a more casual yukata, then picked out the files he needed and left the sixth division, walking in the direction of Renji's apartment building and still thinking about finding the redhead sleeping in his garden.
XXXXXXXXXX
"That didn't hurt, did it?" Kisuke asked Tetsuya, as his hands slid over the blushing noble's naked belly, sensing the placement of the spirit chamber that had formed after his careful manipulations.
"N-no," Tetsuya managed, anxiety in his voice.
"Sorry," Kisuke said, smiling at him, "I know you're pretty shy and you don't really like all of the touching, but it is necessary."
"I know," Tetsuya assured him, trying not to blush harder, "I am sorry I am not under better control."
"Hey," said Ichigo, walking in through the doorway, looking and smelling freshly showered and dressed after his training session, "You teasing my fiancé?"
"Not purposely," Kisuke chuckled, "but this procedure is a little blush inducing, which explains the pretty flush all over Tetsuya's skin. I haven't seen a blush that bright since Yoruichi slipped Byakuya that little love potion when he was a teen, to tease him."
"I remember that," giggled Tetsuya, "He was absolutely furious! I did not think that he would ever forgive her."
"Yeah, those two..." Kisuke laughed.
"Man, knowing Byakuya like I do, I just can't imagine that at all," mused Ichigo, leaning over Tetsuya and stealing a kiss, then freezing and blinking in surprise.
"Oh, sorry," said Kisuke, "I should have warned you. Now that the spirit chamber has formed, our pretty friend here will be secreting attractive pheromones at an increased rate. If you don't want to be making those babies before the wedding..."
He broke off, grinning and shaking his head as flash steps sounded and the two younger men disappeared from the lab.
"O-kay, then! I say that was an arousing success!" he quipped to himself, "Thank you...Akazaki clan. Couldn't have done it without you. You've made those two boys very, very happy."
Outside the lab, Tetsuya only managed to get halfway down the hallway, before being gathered into Ichigo's strong arms and dragged into one of the bedrooms. The Shiba heir kicked the door to the room shut, then brought his lovely fiance down onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, immediately availing himself of Tetsuya's warm, sweet mouth.
"I-ichigo!" Tetsuya gasped, reeling as his lover's tongue thrust between his surprised lips, "What has come over you?"
Ichigo crawled on top of him, a hazy, feral glint in his eyes that sent a warning shiver through Tetsuya.
"Oh...oh, Kisuke wasn't kidding about those pheromones, ne?" he managed, before succumbing to a heady bout of kissing, at the end of which he found he had been deprived of his yukata, and that Ichigo was naked and rubbing his inflamed erection provocatively against his lover's, "Ichigo, do you not want to wait for our wedding night to make our babies? I wouldn't want to get you in trouble with the Shiba elders..."
"I don't care about them," Ichigo answered in a deeper, huskier voice than usual, "And besides, we're getting married so soon, it won't matter. Also, it's not like we're virgins or anything. We've done this a few times."
"Yes, but this is different," Tetsuya said, yielding a fluttering moan as Ichigo began to prepare him, "We are...m-making our babies, Ichigo."
"I know," Ichigo panted, pausing for a moment and looking deeply into Tetsuya's pretty, sapphire eyes, "I'm just head over heels in love with you and I can't wait. Is that okay with you? I mean, I'll stop if you want. It would hurt, but I would stop, if you wanted to wait for our wedding night. What do you say, Tetsuya?"
"Ah," the noble said, his head spinning from the intense feelings of arousal, "I know that propriety says we should wait...but...but I don't want to either! Make love to me, Ichigo. I feel like I'll break apart if you don't!"
Tetsuya gasped and clenched hard at Ichigo's muscular shoulders as the Shiba heir finished preparing him, then held him down firmly, feeding indulgently on his lips as he joined their bodies. The two fell into a storm of frenzied kisses and heated thrusts, overcome with desire and wholly unable to hold back in any way. Words gave way to breathy moans and soft exclamations of pleasure. The feeling mounted, seeping all through their love-locked bodies and bringing the two over and into completion, cresting the wave together and splashing down into a lovely abyss. Even as the strong throbs of orgasm began to give way to satedness, they feasted hungrily on each other's lips and mouths, unaware of anything outside of each other's amorous eyes.
"I love you, Ichigo," Tetsuya panted, wondering briefly if he would ever regain his breath after such a wickedly beautiful encounter.
"I love you too," Ichigo managed, collapsing onto Tetsuya's sweating shoulder and succumbing quickly to sleep with their bodies still connected.
Kami, that was amazing! the two thought together, as sleep overtook them.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Hey, Byakuya," Renji greeted the noble, stepping back to allow the noble entrance into his apartment, "I'm glad you could come over. I had already left my division when the order arrived."
"Well, I could hardly turn down such an enticing offer," Byakuya said, slipping his sandals off and following Renji inside, "Dessert, tea and a lovely view, not to mention, your pleasant company."
"Yeah," Renji chuckled, "that and a whole lot of work! But, who needs sleep, ne?"
"Certainly not Gotei captains," the noble mused, shaking his head.
"Come on," the redhead said, indicating the place at the low table with the best view of the stars, "Make yourself comfortable."
Byakuya lowered himself onto the pillow, noting it was warm from having been used recently. He watched as Renji left the room, then looked quietly out at the bright moon and stars, while he waited for the redhead to return.
"Here you go, Captain...erm, Byakuya," Renji said, falling into the old habit he had formed while the noble's vice captain, then quickly catching himself.
"Thank you, Renji," Byakuya said, nodding, then admiring the tray of desserts the redhead set on the table.
The two made their choices, then began to eat, taking the time to read through the captain commander's orders individually, then spending the next several hours discussing them, developing teams to manage each phase of the orders, officers to lead them, checkpoints for monitoring the mission's progress and responsibilities to be taken on by each division.
"How are you managing with your new vice captain?" Byakuya asked, as they worked at filling out the required forms.
"Heh," the redhead laughed, "You know Lisa, ne? The first day, she came in and she looked at me and put her hands on her hips and said that she couldn't believe she'd been loaded down with another deadbeat, drunk captain to have to take care of."
Byakuya arched an eyebrow.
"I hope you put her in her place immediately," he said, meeting Renji's eyes meaningfully, "You have never arrived at work drunk...not in all of the years I have known you. You do indulge in your off-duty time, but never on duty."
"Yeah, I told her that."
"And?"
Renji blushed.
"Eh...she knocked my chair out from under me and yelled at me that it had better be true or she would...well, you get the picture."
"Yes," the noble sighed disapprovingly, "Renji, I think you are going to be in some trouble with her unless you assert yourself. It is one of the first real tests of taking a captain's position, and it is very important."
"Right," Renji sighed, shaking his head, "Although outside of taking her out to the training grounds and beating the hell out of her with my bankai, I don't know how to deal with her."
"Hmmm," Byakuya mused, smirking, "You know, Abarai, your first inclination is usually your best."
"What? You're kidding me, right?" Renji laughed.
The noble shrugged.
"It is what I did when my new vice captain showed signs of high spirits," he commented, his smile growing slightly.
Renji's breath caught for a moment, and then he laughed harder.
"That's right. You did do that, didn't you? And after you beat the living daylights out of me, you went back to work like nothing at all had happened, while I dragged myself in, showered and collapsed for the next two freaking days!"
"One does what one must to preserve the honor and dignity of the captain's position," Byakuya concluded, turning back to his paperwork.
"Well, thanks," Renji said, addressing his own pile of forms, "I will make good use of that advice, then."
The two worked in silence for a few minutes, then Renji went on.
"Ah...Lisa might be kind of a pain, but she did keep my mind off things today," the redhead noted, looking out at the night sky.
Byakuya looked up and followed the path of his eyes.
"You are anxious about tomorrow," he concluded.
"Yeah," Renji confessed, frowning into his empty teacup, then looking back out at the stars again, "There's no saying I'm ready for it, you know? At least with all of the training we did together for the captain's position, I felt confident finally taking that step, but this...Byakuya, I can't be anyone but myself. I sure as hell can't let those old guys on that council tell me how to live my life."
"Nor has anyone suggested that you should," Byakuya said quietly, "Renji, perhaps in that I have not exactly been a stellar example of obedience, myself, I shouldn't advise you about what you should do. But there is one piece of advice that I will give you, without hesitation."
"Oh? What's that? Run?" Renji said, laughing nervously.
"Be yourself."
Renji gave him a startled look.
"What was that?"
"You heard me."
"No," Renji objected, "I know I didn't just hear you tell me to be myself, because myself is the farthest thing that council wants to see, Byakuya. You know that."
"Yes," the noble agreed, "But should it turn out that you are, in fact, the lost heir of the Akazaki clan, then you are a clan leader, and most of the people on the Noble's General Council, thought they might be elders, leaders they are not. A clan leader, while being bound by the rules and advised by the council, is not a slave to it. They will try to give you the impression that you should follow them. My advice is to listen to what they have to say, then let your own heart guide you in what you should do."
"Yeah? What if right now, my heart is guiding me, telling me to run?" Renji sighed, setting his paperwork down.
"That is not your heart. That is just nerves, Abarai."
"Right. I knew that," Renji said, chuckling anxiously, "But, all joking aside, this is scaring the hell out of me. I mean, I know there's no family or council of elders of my own clan. But still, there's going to be a lot of expectation. I just don't know if I want to go through with it, you know? I'm content with who I am. I don't really want to change. As much as those guys might want me to be their lost heir and revive the Akazaki clan, I don't know..."
"Well, if you decide that you must, you certainly have the option of abdicating the position," Byakuya said, frowning.
"But...you don't think I should?"
"I am not the one who has to live with the dictates of the decision. I cannot tell you what to do, Renji. But, I can tell you this. You have everything you need to take the shambles of that clan and make it a proud one. What you need is the motivation to do so. It has to be in your heart to protect and preserve your clan, or you will be miserable, going through the motions. So, walk away if that is what you must do. But if you decide that protecting your clan from extinction is important, then accept the responsibility and put all of your effort into that."
Renji went silent for several long minutes, looking out at the stars and hearing the noble's words repeat in his mind. Finally, he gave a long sigh and looked down at himself.
"Well," he said, breaking the silence and drawing Byakuya's curious eyes back to his, "I guess that it's because of them that I have the powers and abilities I do. Without them, I couldn't have picked myself up and gotten myself out of Inuzuri alive. So...it makes sense that if I got the strength to do that from their blood, then I should not be selfish. I should think about how that strength could help to protect this place, and the people I care about. I have to go through with this, then. No two ways about it. That's what my heart is telling me. But...how do I know that's the right thing?"
"As I said earlier, in reference to handling your vice captain," Byakuya answered solemnly, "Your first instinct is usually your best."
"What, run?" Renji said, laughing nervously again.
"That is not what your heart told you first."
"No."
"Then, trust your instincts. They will lead you correctly."
"Thanks," the redhead sighed, looking back at the mountain of finished paperwork, "Kami, what time is it?"
"Time for me to go and let you get some sleep...hopefully in a warm bed, this time."
"Hey, what's wrong with curling up under a tree, from time to time? I slept outdoors all of the time in Inuzuri!"
"I suppose there is nothing inherently wrong with it, although it does tend to make people think you are a bit...eccentric."
"Yeah, so? If it's in my heart to sleep under a tree, I should just do it, ne?"
"Not exactly an interpretation I would prescribe to, but it does suit you. You looked very comfortable. That is why I did not disturb you."
"Well, thanks. I got some good sleep."
"I am happy for you. Now, if you will just find the final packing list for our Karakura teams, then I will leave you to your rest."
"Ah, right. I think I was in the bedroom when I set it down," Renji said, rising with the noble and turning down the hallway, with Byakuya on his heels, "You can look at it, but it might need a little tweak to suit the plan changes we made."
"Very well," said the noble, watching as Renji located the listing, then sat down on the bed.
A moment later, the noble sat down beside him, studying the listing as Renji held it.
"Hmmm, it does need something," Byakuya sighed.
"Darn," Renji said, "Look, I can work on it and have it to you by morning."
"I'm not going to leave you to do that," the noble said, shaking his head.
"All right. Suit yourself. But, I at least insist on making us another cup of tea, or we're going to fall asleep."
"Very well," Byakuya said, taking the papers from his hand and perusing them, making several changes, while the redhead left to make the tea.
Finishing that, he set the papers down and laid down for a moment, only intending to relieve the weariness by closing his eyes for a few minutes until Renji returned. But resting on the soft, comfortable pillow, breathing in the light bits of Renji's warm, familiar scent, he dropped off quickly and was sleeping soundly when Renji came back with the tea.
Spotting his sleeping friend, the redhead chuckled and set down the tea, then slipped in under the covers and took the papers from under Byakuya's limp hand. He sipped at the tea and worked quietly, so as not to disturb the noble. And when the work was finished and his tea was gone, he curled around his pillow, turned so that he could see Byakuya's calm, sleeping face.
I'd wake him up, but he'd just lose sleep having to get up and walk home, and it's already nearly morning. Besides, he's cute like that, curled up and sleeping, his barriers down and so relaxed. I wonder, considering how we started out, how Byakuya Kuchiki ever trusted me this much again.
I'm a damned lucky guy.
