Here we are again, and at chapter four. Thank you all so much for your reviews and for reading this little story of mine. I hope to please you with this next one, but before I do, I have a few shout outs to make. MilkPowah: Thanks for your enthusiasm, I hope to not disappoint with the moments. Also, Kyomi, if you read this: Merci pour vos mots sympatiques, j'airnerais entendre vous encore!

Disclaimer: I STILL do not own Bleach. Except under my sink :D

Chapter Four

Stress

Byakuya leaned back on the sofa in the living room, watching the news. Renji was with him (on the floor) though his attention wasn't really focused on the TV. Byakuya absently played with Renji's hair as the newscaster spoke of some crime or another. Such had been their life for two weeks. Byakuya would wake up in the morning and make breakfast, usually something involving strangely shaped sausages or cottage cheese on toast. Renji insisted he get the stuff, but Byakuya had yet to have any of it.

Then Byakuya would leave for work and the entire day would be spent fuming over something Aisen did, or preparing for the Orphanage charity while taking various phone calls, each time expecting one of them would be Renji telling him the house caught fire. Strangely enough, it still hadn't happened.

Then he would get off work between seven and eight at night, receiving a tackle as a welcome home greeting from his pet. He was still attempting to get him to stop doing that. Slow going. Then there would be about an hour of time spent finding random things Renji had tried and failed to do during the day while he was gone. He tried to mow the lawn in winter and ended up creating a huge, choppy mess of his yard. He tried to mop the floors, but forgot to sweep first, so the floors ended up pretty much the same as they had started out, only with wet crumbs all over the place instead of dry ones. He had started doing laundry correctly until he had somehow dropped a marker into the pile of clothes, so when it came out of the dryer, most of his shirts had little black splotches all over them. And though he had gotten much better at making beds, the dishes were still in need of desperate help.

Once the daily damage had been assessed, they would sit on the couch with a dinner Byakuya would make and watch the news for a little while. Byakuya refused to watch the absolute dribble that Renji called television. Then, they would go upstairs, Byakuya would give Renji a bath, and they would go to bed. Renji still slept on the floor by Byakuya's bed, only the amount of blankets had steadily grown overtime. He had a small fort going on by now.

Byakuya looked at the clock and sighed. It was already ten thirty. He rubbed Renji's head and stood up, stretching his legs and back. He glanced at his pet and watched as he, too, stretched. He was a bit taller than Byakuya, nearly by five inches, he would guess. Renji's wrist had healed up a few days ago, but neither of them mentioned it. Though he didn't need to anymore, Byakuya still gave Renji baths, though he forwent the sunglasses. Neither of them really knew why Renji was still staying at the house, but neither seemed to mind. They had a cozy ritual going that was calming for Byakuya. He actually felt like Renji was his pet. He greeted him, calmed him, and was the only person on earth who seemed to truly want to be in his life. Why should he let that go? It wasn't like Renji had anyplace he could go to.

As they ascended the stairs to the bathroom, Renji glanced back at Byakuya for a moment, then brought his eyes forward again. When Byakuya was scrubbing away at Renji's head, he told him about the day he'd had. Nothing much had happened, so it was mostly just complaining that some of the new personnel were slacking off or Aisen was being a jerk like always or a funny story that his secretary had told him that day. Renji listened as he always had, not commenting on any of it. His hands played with the bubbles in the water, but his mind was elsewhere.

"Master?" He asked, jogging Byakuya from his thoughts. The older man paused for a moment before smoothing Renji's hair back so he could see his eyes better.

"Yes, Renji?" He asked, wondering what had been on the red head's mind all night. Renji seemed to squirm in the bath, trying to think of what he wanted to say. He took a deep breath and finally let it out.

"Well...it's just...Christmas is in a few days and I was wondering...what you would like?" he said less as a question and more a statement. Byakuya stilled his hands in Renji's hair.

"Nothing, I don't celebrate Christmas." He said softly. Renji clenched.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hanukkah then?" Well we've missed a few days I think, but I think we can still celebrate that if you want-"

"No, Renji, I don't celebrate any holiday this time of year. I just...don't have time." He mumbled. Renji looked at him with a confused expression. Byakuya hurriedly filled the bucket full of water and dumped it quickly onto Renji's head before grabbing a towel.

"Bath is over, Renji, time for bed." He said in a bored tone. Renji stood, grabbing the offered cloth. He wrapped it around his waist as his master left the bathroom, his mood having gone sour. They went into the bedroom and Byakuya changed silently into his nightclothes in his own bathroom. He'd completely forgotten what time of year it was, despite all the evidence blaring in his face for the last month. He had been so peaceful that he'd totally forgotten that it was almost Christmas.

"Again..." He whispered to himself. How many years had it been?

Renji sat on the edge of Byakuya's bed, looking worried. Byakuya glared at the young man.

"You're breaking the rules." He warned. Renji smiled mischievously and stood up quickly, walking over to his master.

"You look...pale. Is everything okay?" Renji asked. Byakuya waved him off.

"Of coarse I am. Go to bed, it's late." he ordered. Renji obeyed and laid down in his strange fort. Byakuya buried himself under his covers, squinting his eyes shut and trying to sleep. The more he slept and kept himself busy, the quicker these next few days would pass. Then Christmas would be over and things could go back to normal.

000

"Mr. Kuchiki, you have a call on line one, it's Mr. Takane, he wants to discuss the fountain project for the spring." Yuroichi called to Byakuya over his intercom. He thanked his secretary and picked up the phone, talking pleasantly with the man on the other line. No sooner had he hung up the phone, three more calls were waiting for his attention. He picked up each one at a time, quickly going through the conversation while attempting to keep pleasantries at a healthy minimum. Each time he would hang up, he was bombarded with more phone calls, more paperwork, or more requests by his employees. Then, when he stopped answering his intercom, people actually started to enter his office lobby. Yuroichi stepped into his office, unannounced. He ignored her, trying to fill out paperwork as quickly as possible.

"The Serete wish to have a meeting this week, should I cancel one of your other meetings and slot them in?" She asked quickly, trying to ask her questions and then leave him alone. He scratched his pen to his paperwork harshly as he nodded in response. She dotted a note on her clipboard.

"Also, there is the matter of the Orphanage project, sir, shall I tell them to start it in three weeks or a month? We would be merged with Serete by then." She asked. Byakuya kept his face to his work as he answered.

"Get it done before that happens, I don't want anyone interfering with it. Is that all, Miss Yuroichi?" he snapped. She cleared her throat and looked back at her clipboard.

"Actually, there is also the matter of...Christmas bonuses." She said a little quieter than the other questions. He slapped his pen to his desk and glared at her. He was in absolutely no mood to deal with this crap.

"I specifically told you not to bother me with that. If you all want your precious bonus, then take it up with the person I placed in charge of those details, I don't wish to be bothered with it." He growled. Yuroichi was unfazed by his sudden anger.

"Yes well, I'm afraid our financial department is a bit overworked as it is what with the merge and all the projects we have been going with and the multitude of layoffs Aisen put into account this year, they simply have too much on their plate to deal with it, so it falls onto you." She explained. Byakuya slammed his hands on his desk.

"And I don't have enough on my plate, Yuroichi?!" He shouted.

"I didn't say you had to do it RIGHT now, but within the next few hours, it needs to go through preferably before Christmas. I left many memo's about it, which you ignored for so long that I had no choice but to confront you about it in person. You pushed my hand, Byakuya." She said in a serious tone. The CEO shoved papers into a bin as he grabbed more that he needed to continue the mountain of work.

"Maybe I should just forget about the whole thing this year then, it's not like anyone needs it anyway." He grumbled. Yuroichi gasped angrily.

"You can't do that! People have already spent money on Christmas that they didn't have, expecting the bonus!" She shouted. Byakuya stood from his chair.

"Well that's their problem! It's a pretty simple rule not to spend money you don't have, there isn't any reason for them to do that!" He shouted back. Yuroichi was angry now. He was being mean spirited for no reason now, even if he was overworked, he never let it get to him this bad.

"i don't know what you're problem is with this Christmas, but don't bring others into it! Just get the bonus done, and I won't bother you about it anymore." She stated with irritation.

"What the hell does anyone even deserve the bonus for?! The company is on a decline and the only reason it's ever going to survive is because of this stupid merge! But my company would have been just fine if the people I have running this damned place just kept it the way it was in the first place without making all these damn changes to it! Now I'm relying on someone I don't trust to do things in a way I know he's not doing and I'm practically being bent over for these Serete idiots who are just going to turn this company into a money grubbing organization that could only be afforded by someone with so much money they may as well be literally pissing it! So excuse me, Miss Yuroichi, if I don't feel that anyone should get a bonus this year!"

Just as he had finished shouting his last statement, a young man walked warily into the office.

"Umm, Mister Kuchiki, I'm sorry to bother you, but-"

"I don't care what you're name is, but you're fired. Get out of my office, get out of my building." Byakuya thundered. Before the young man could quiver in horror, Yuroichi tapped him on the shoulder.

"No, Kevin, he's kidding. Go back to work." She said quickly before shoving him out the door. She closed and locked it, just in case someone else was dumb enough to try and ask him a question. Byakuya pointed an accusing finger in her direction.

"I hate it when you do that." He growled.

"Oh, please! He was going to pee his pants, and you only did it because you're on your man period, so chill out. Besides, I like him. He brings me coffee."

"He likes to look at your breasts in the morning, which is another thing we should discuss. It's unprofessional. You need to start buttoning those shirts up all the way. It's a distraction to the other workers and, quite frankly, is unbecoming." He spat. Yuroichi turned up her nose to his orders.

"When you start bringing me free coffee and lunch ever day, I'll consider it. But in the meantime, don't make this about me. You're issues are not everyone else's problem, so quit making it. Yes, Aisen has done some pretty terrible things, but he's a necessary evil. The world is changing, Byakuya, and you have to come to terms with that. This company is going to change too, and we have to change along with it. Stop being so afraid of things you don't understand and live a little. You spend so much time in your office or doing work that you never get around to doing anything for yourself. I'm surprised that dog of yours is still alive." She argued. Byakuya huffed and sat back down in his chair.

"Maybe you need to go home. Take some time off for yourself, Byakuya. I can handle things here. I'll even take care of the bonuses if it will calm you down. Go home, take a bath, get laid, I don't care. But don't bring that nasty attitude back here, okay? Random workers will appreciate not getting fired over your foul moods." She said with a sigh. Byakuya glanced at her briefly while tossing his papers around.

"I should fire you for talking to me the way you do." He grumbled. Yuroichi laughed at that.

"Yes, and I would be hired right back in a new york minute after you realized just how much you need me. Seriously, go home. I can handle everything from here, and what I can't do, I'll give to Urahara. Just go home and relax. Take Renji for a walk or something." She suggested.

Byakuya actually smiled at the idea of taking a walk with that ball of energy. He felt he might actually have to put a leash on him, just to make sure he didn't run into traffic.

"No, I'm staying. I've never left early."

"All the more reason why you should. Listen, you've looked pale all day, and god help us if you get sick or something. There will be no living with you. Just go home, I can handle this." She pushed.

Despite Byakuya's full trust in his secretary, and despite the fact that most of the remaining work for the day was simply busywork or signatures that she was used to forging from him anyway, he was incredibly wary at leaving his usual routine. Should he leave work, what would he do? He supposed a little time off wouldn't kill him. Renji would make things interesting enough, so he would try it, just once. He didn't feel like getting sick, so he may just sleep the rest of the day.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" He asked, putting the files in order. He'd never taken a day off before, even if it was only a half day. But he really did need to get out of there. His head was throbbing and he felt slightly dizzy. His friend smiled and nodded.

"Yes, for heaven's sake, get out of here. You should start taking days off. You really need it." She clucked. Byakuya grabbed his coat and headed for the door, placing a hand on her shoulder. They got into fights like these only this time of year, and this one had been particularly bad. As he left, he made sure to give the evil eye to the young man he'd fired before Yuroichi un-fired him as he passed him through the lobby. He really hadn't deserved it, but that didn't mean Byakuya still wasn't pissed that he'd just waltzed into the office as he was busy having such an animated argument.

As he walked to his car, he felt like he was a bit more out of shape than before, his breath coming in puffs as he made his way to his usual parking spot. He slid inside and pressed the start button, the engine starting up almost silently. He kept his mind blank as he drove home, thinking only of spending time with his mutt and possibly getting some sleep. It probably wouldn't be possible with the young red head bouncing up and down, whining for his attention as usual.

Upon reaching his house, Byakuya skipped steps to his front door and fiddled with his keys as quietly as he could so Renji didn't have the time to get a running start for his greeting. His head was aching badly now, and his breath was short from the run. Plus he still felt a bit dizzy, so he wasn't sure if he could handle an all out tackle from the large, heavy individual on the other side of the door.

He opened it quietly and peered inside, looking for his pet. For the first time in two weeks, the happy "Welcome home!" followed by a full body attack to his person didn't happen. He braced himself just in case it was a sneak attack this time, but that never came either. He hung his jacket on the rack and took off his shoes, looking around the hallway.

"I'm home! Renji!" He shouted through the house. He looked in every room. The dishes were messily done and the bed as well, but there was no sign of his pet. He frantically searched every corner of the house, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Renji...doesn't leave! He's never left, he stays here all the time! What reason does a pet have to leave the house!?" He shouted, not thinking straight. He was struck by another spell of dizziness as he leaned against the wall for support. His pet wasn't there. He was all alone. Again.

Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

000

Renji opened the door to the house, placing the spare key back in the bowl he'd found it in by the front door. As he walked down the hall he turned into the kitchen for a snack when a horrible sight befell him.

His master was lying, clutching his head and breathing in short gasps on the floor, pale as a ghost.

"BYAKUYA!"

Dun dun DUUUUUN! Cliffhanger! Review please!