Chapter 7: Slow Healing

(Yes, I know it's been a horribly loooooooooooong time since I updated this one, but it's back for REDSTRAVAGANZA and more is coming along. Enjoy!)

"So," Kisuke said, settling next to Mitsuro where the young man knelt beside Tetsuya, watching as Orihime worked to heal him, "You and Tetsuya-san are seeing each other? Does Byakuya know about that?"

"I don't know," said Mitsuro, swallowing hard and staring down at his unconscious lover's pale face, "He didn't before, but I don't know who knows what, at this point. If my brother has told Byakuya-san about us, then he could be searching for us...to kill me and take Tetsuya back for judgment by his clan."

His desperate eyes sought Kisuke's.

"Urahara-san, please, Tetsuya said that he trusts you. We have nowhere to turn! We never meant for any of this to happen. We only wanted to be together! We love each other, Urahara-san. I don't want anything to happen to Tetsuya and our baby. Please, you must help us!"

"Take it easy, Mitsuro-san," Kisuke said bracingly, "I'm not going to leave you two to your own devices."

He chuckled gently and patted the young man on the back.

"Seems like the only thing you two have done on your own is to get yourselves into a heap of trouble. I'll be glad to see what I can do to help you out."

He handed Mitsuro a cup of tea.

"It was a close call, but Orihime has things under control now. Tetsuya and your baby are going to be all right. And as soon as he's stable enough to move, I'm going to send the two of you to one of my safe houses. Is that satisfactory to you?"

"You have safe houses?" Mitsuro asked, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah, I have some safe houses," Kisuke laughed, "Believe me, Mitsuro-san, you and Kuchiki Tetsuya are not the first fugitives I've...encountered. I'm a little unconventional in my thinking. And that's pretty much the reason I was banished...that and a little bit of bad luck named Aizen Sousuke."

"Well, I am very sorry that you were unfairly banished and I hope someday you are exonerated. But if you were not here, Tetsuya would still be dying before my eyes, and I would lose the one person I love most."

"He's waking up now," Orihime said suddenly, sitting back and withdrawing her healing spell.

Tetsuya sighed sleepily and his eyelids fluttered and opened. His large blue eyes slowly focused and came to rest on the others in the room.

"Mitsuro," he whispered, sitting up slowly, "you were able to find Urahara Kisuke?"

"Yes, my love."

Mitsuro leaned forward and hugged him cautiously.

"He said that he would send us to a safe house, where we can have our baby and be protected from our clans."

"You will?" Tetsuya asked, looking up at Kisuke hopefully.

"Sure," Kisuke agreed, "I've never particularly liked the way the clans tend to handle some things. And I owe Byakuya-san a few favors. I know that even though he might not be able to help you out much, himself, he'll want someone to look after you like he wants to. Yeah, I'll send you somewhere safe, and Mitsuro-san can just agree to do me a few favors in return...nothing dangerous, just help out when I ask."

"That's more than fair," Mitsuro said in a relieved tone, "Thank you so much, Urahara-san!"

"And thank you, Orihime-chan, for healing me," Tetsuya said gratefully, "I was very worried that the drugs I was given would hurt our baby."

"You and your baby are both fine now," Orihime assured him, "All of the harmful reiatsu from the drugs has been rejected."

"Now, I want you both to rest a bit and Tessai's going to bring you something to eat, then I'm going to get you out of here. Just stay in this room and don't come out unless I tell you to, got it?"

"We understand," Mitsuro agreed.

"Come on, Orihime," Kisuke said, "You need to have something to eat after all of that healing you did. Tessai's got tea ready in the kitchen for you and lunch will be ready soon."

"Thank you, Urahara-san," Orihime said, following him out of the guest room.

Mitsuro and Tetsuya laid down, side by side and exchanged several long, penetrating kisses.

"It's going to be all right now, you'll see," Mitsuro promised, "We'll be safe while you have our baby, then..."

"Then what?" Tetsuya sighed worriedly, "Mitsuro, even though we have escaped them for now, we will have to face our families eventually. Or are you thinking we will live in hiding forever? I don't know if I can leave Byakuya-sama. I already feel horrible for running away like this, after all he has done for me."

"But you heard what Urahara-san said," Mitsuro reminded him, "Your cousin is in a difficult position if he tries to defend us. You know it's better if we disappear."

"Maybe," Tetsuya pondered uncertainly, "but I wonder how long we can really live in hiding before someone finds us. Your brother hates my family passionately."

"He does," Mitsuro sighed sadly, "I thought he would spare you, but instead, he tried to kill you, and he has brought you under suspicion for the rape and beating of your own friend!"

Tetsuya's eyes rounded as the memory of the brutal attack returned.

"Hold him!" Ryuu hissed furiously, "Let him watch his friend pay for his insolence."

He struggled in the grasp of the two men, calling out Renji's name frantically.

"Stop it!" he screamed, "I told you I'd do what you want! Let Renji go!"

Ryuu turned suddenly, striking Tetsuya hard across the face, making him gasp and stagger in the other men's firm grasp.

"Don't worry, you little whore, you'll get yours too," Ryuu snarled.

"Tetsuya!" Mitsuro cried, trying to tear free of the one who held him back, "Ryuu, stop!"

Ryuu gave a sharp, biting laugh and turned back to face Renji, whom his thugs had restrained on the bed in the room. He closed in on the furious redhead, his eye glinting dangerously.

"Don't you put your hands on me, you freak!" Renji yelled, "I'll kill you if you touch him or me!"

"You'll kill me?" Ryuu mocked him, moving closer and loosening his clothing, "You can't even move. And those kido ropes are too strong for you to break. Struggle all you want, you Rukon dog. I am going to teach you a lesson you will never forget!"

"RENJI!" Tetsuya screamed, twisting in his captors' grasp.

The scene in front of him turned into a nightmare before his shocked eyes.

"Don't hurt him! Stop! Please STOP!" Tetsuya howled, collapsing onto his knees and trying to inch towards the bed.

"RENJI!"

"Tetsuya, are you all right?" Mitsuro asked worriedly, watching as his lover quivered and tears began to fill his eyes, "Tetsuya, what's happening?"

"I remember now," Tetsuya sobbed, burying his face in Mitsuro's warm shoulder, "He made me watch while they hurt you and...what they did to Renji! Mitsuro...and they made everyone believe that I did that to him?"

"Don't think on it, love," Mitsuro whispered soothingly into his ear, "Put it out of your head."

"B-but they...to Renji, they..."

"Shh, it's over now. Renji and I are both all right. And we will clear your name somehow. Renji is alive and well, and he knows that you didn't hurt him. You would never do that. You tried to defend him."

"I failed," Tetsuya managed brokenly, tears streaming down his face, "And what they did to him, Mitsuro! It was...!"

He left off, panting and moaning miserably as his lover held him tightly and rubbed his back with gentle hands. The two looked up, wearing worried expressions and tensing as voices sounded suddenly outside the door.

"There is no time. They will be here in minutes!" Byakuya's voice exclaimed.

Tetsuya reacted instantly as the door opened and Byakuya appeared in the doorway. He pulled free of Mitsuro and stepped in front of him, calling his sword to his hand and holding it in a defensive position.

"D-don't come any closer!" he warned his surprised cousin, his eyes wide and desperate, "I won't let you hurt Mitsuro!"

Byakuya went perfectly still, laying a staying hand on Renji's arm as he entered the room.

"Whoa!" the redhead gasped, "Tetsuya-san, what are you doing?"

Tetsuya's chest heaved and his eyes flicked about anxiously. Byakuya focused on him with calm eyes and spoke softly in reply.

"I am not going to harm the father of your child," he assured Tetsuya, "Renji and I have been searching for you. Tetsuya, the second division seeks to arrest you for attacking Renji. They have sensed you and are on their way. We only just got here ahead of them. If you delay us, you and Mitsuro will be apprehended. You must lower your weapon and come with Renji and me. Come now, Tetsuya."

"Will you give me word, you will not try to separate us?" Tetsuya pleaded.

"As long as you are not captured, I will take no action to see that you are. But we must leave now. There is no time, Tetsuya. Come," he said, extending a hand in his shaken cousin's direction, "We have to go now."

Mitsuro met Byakuya's eyes warily, but wrapped a bracing arm around Tetsuya and guided him towards the door. As they reached Byakuya, Mitsuro invoked a quick kido spell, dropping Tetsuya into the Kuchiki leader's extended arms. Byakuya swept him up and the group hurried down into the underground training area, where Kisuke waited beside an open garganta.

"I am sorry," Mitsuro apologized, earning a dark look from Byakuya, then a grudging nod of acceptance, "It was my fault that Tetsuya went out of bounds in the first place. Please believe that I love him very much. I have never been in love before. I didn't know that...it would bring such grief to him, or I wouldn't have tempted him."

Byakuya glowered back at him, considering his words carefully.

"If you love him, as you claim to," he answered finally, "then you will be willing to lay down your life to protect them, if it becomes necessary."

Mitsuro swallowed hard, his eyes fixing on his unconscious lover who laid still and silent in Byakuya's possessive arms.

"If we are captured," he said in a slightly shaking voice, "I will surrender to your clan, and I will take responsibility for seducing Tetsuya against his will."

"Was it against his will?" Byakuya asked sharply, holding on to Tetsuya more firmly.

"I lured him and I tempted him into letting me make love to him. He didn't want to go against your wishes."

"But Tetsuya knows his own heart very well. He knew what he was choosing when he gave in to you. All I can say is that you had better worth the sacrifice. If you break Tetsuya's heart, there is nowhere you can go where I will not find you, and nothing you can do to avoid what I will bring down on you."

Mitsuro made a sound of surprise as Byakuya laid Tetsuya gently in his arms.

"Tetsuya and this child are your responsibility. Do not fail them."

Mitsuro watched wordlessly his heart pounding, as Byakuya moved to join Kiuske near the garganta. A little shiver went through him as he realized that Renji was still standing near him, and looking at him with haunted eyes.

"Abarai-san," he said regretfully, meeting Renji's gaze warily, "you have my deepest apologies for what my brother did to you. I wouldn't blame you for hating me. You put yourself in harm's way because I failed to protect Tetsuya from Ryuu. I owe you for that. I can't undo what he and his men did to you, but..."

"Stop," Renji said wearily, "I know who hurt me, and who watched and didn't care, or who enjoyed seeing me hurt. It's all coming back now. You were held back, just like Tetsuya was. You weren't going to stop them. I don't blame you for what happened."

"You should," Mitsuro said, lowering his eyes, "Tetsuya was my responsibility and I was about to stand by helplessly and watch him be humiliated in front of everyone because I was too weak to save him. You threw yourself in their path and I..."

"I couldn't save him either," Renji said, cutting him off abruptly, "I failed him too, Mitsuro. But...it won't happen again. And the next time I meet your brother, I am going make him pay...for what he did to Tetsuya, and for what he did to me. He won't get away with it. I hope you understand, I have to make sure he doesn't."

"I understand," Mitsuro said sadly, "When the time comes, I will not stand in your way. I agree, my brother must pay for his crimes. But what will you do, Abarai-san? Are you going to kill him?"

Renji remained silent for a moment, his eyes intense. Then, he shook his head briefly.

"I don't know. I won't know until it happens."

Mitsuro gave him a shaky nod and stepped aside, watching as he moved to join Byakuya.

"Are you all right, Renji?" Byakuya asked, frowning at the shakiness he sensed in the redhead's reiatsu, "We came here at flash step speed and you are still recovering."

"I'm okay," Renji said quietly, "I will rest when we get to the safe house."

"Which we should be getting to right now," Kisuke chimed in, "Come on. We want to get out of here before the second division shows up and makes things get unpleasant."

Kisuke led the group into the opened garganta, passing into the dark cavern with Byakuya and Renji just behind him, Mitsuro carrying Tetsuya and Tessai watching the path behind them.

"Soi fon's not a big fan of the garganta," Kisuke explained as they fled, "She and her band of merry men will try to sense where we go and use the senkaimon to follow. It'll take them time to figure out which way we went, and by the time they do, a few little tricks I employ will make sure they go in the wrong direction."

The group hurried along the chosen path, staying close together to avoid drifting off into the abyss around them.

"I sent Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime ahead of us to make things comfortable for us. When we get there, we'll make sure everyone's fed and healed up, and we'll get some rest. The barrier around the safe house will ensure that we're not discovered. Just...don't go outside of the neighborhood boundary I've set in place or you'll give us away."

"We'll be careful," Byakuya promised, glancing back at Mitsuro and Renji, who nodded in agreement, "but I will need to be able to leave to conduct research in the family archive and to meet with our elders to discuss Tetsuya's situation."

"I'll make sure you can do that," Kisuke assured him, "I just don't want Romeo and Juliet over there taking chances or for Renji to set out on his little revenge quest..."

"Hey, I'm not going on a revenge quest!" Renji objected.

"You did say you were going to make Ryuu pay," Mitsuro reminded him.

"But I won't be stupid. I know he's dangerous, and he's a leader who's out to end all of us now. He already tried to kill Tetsuya. I know he won't hesitate killing any of us, including his own little brother. The guy's a psycho. I'm not going to play games with him."

"Good," Byakuya said approvingly, "That is best."

The group quieted as they moved forward, and Kisuke led them, first, out into the desolate sands of Hueco Mundo, then back through a secret senkaimon into the living world. They dropped down into a small neighborhood outside of Karakura Town, near a group of rolling green hills. They made their way up a tree lined street and past a large blue lake, to a pretty, cabin-like house set at one end of the water.

Kisuke opened the door and smells of fine wood and the warm, friendly scents of cooking food beckoned them.

"You guys made it!" Ichigo exclaimed, walking out of the kitchen and offering Kisuke a long, enthusiastic kiss of greeting, "I was getting a little worried."

"Oh, we're okay," Kisuke assured him, "Soi fon's fast physically, but she has yet to catch up with me."

"Hey, you aren't letting Orihime do the cooking, are you?" Renji said, lowering his voice, "I'm almost hungry enough to eat it."

"Do I look that dumb?" Ichigo chuckled conspiratorially, "Rukia had her take care of getting the bedrooms ready. You can go take a shower before we eat. She's already finished a few of the rooms."

"Thanks, I'll do that," Renji said, looking relieved.

He stole a glance at Byakuya as he started towards the hallway, smiling as his taichou followed. They commandeered a bedroom at one end of the hall and closed the door behind them.

"I hope you don't mind sharing while I am here, as the number of rooms..."

"It's fine with me," Renji said, smiling at him, "I uh...don't really like being alone. Not to sound scared or anything. I just...get into my head when I'm alone."

"That is understandable," Byakuya assured him, "I am glad to offer what comfort I can."

"That's really sweet, Taichou," Renji said, his smile warming.

Byakuya moved closer and slid his arms around Renji, bringing his lips to the redhead's and exchanging several kisses.

"Would you like to use the shower first?" Byakuya asked.

"Hmm," Renji sighed, "That's nice, but...would you maybe want to use it together?"

Byakuya paused, looking back at Renji questioningly.

"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to," Renji said, backpedaling slightly, "I just would like to if you want to."

"Are you sure you are ready for us to take another step forward?" Byakuya asked, "Because I don't know if I can stand naked with you, looking at all of you and not want to touch you, Renji. It's like teasing."

"I'm not teasing," Renji said, his voice sad, "I don't want to be alone. And even more than that, I don't want to be afraid to be touched. I've felt jumpy and nervous since what happened. Maybe letting someone I trust...someone I really like, touch me that way will take some of the bad feelings away."

"But it could also trigger memories of what happened to you, set off your defenses."

Renji shrugged.

"I won't know until I try. And I'll never get well if I don't try. What do you think, Taichou?"

Byakuya gave him the ghost of a smile.

"I think that if we are involved enough to be naked together, then you should be using my proper name when we're in casual settings."

"Okay," Renji agreed, "C'mon then."

Byakuya followed him into the bathroom and watched silently as Renji turned on the shower, then turned back to face him. He stood in front of Byakuya, looking into his eyes expectantly. Byakuya's hands rose slowly and began to undress him. And as his hands worked to free Renji from his uniform, Renji's answered by removing and carefully folding and setting aside Byakuya's clothing. In a few minutes, they stood naked in the steam filled bathroom.

"It's okay to look at me, Renji assured him, touching Byakuya's face and watching as the deep grey eyes focused on his bare, tattooed body. A flash of unpleasant memory made Renji tense for a moment.

Hard, hateful eyes glared down at him derisively and he felt a chill run up his spine.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya asked, touching his face.

"Yeah. I just had...a bad moment, but I'm okay."

Byakuya nodded briefly, then moved to the shower and stepped inside. Renji followed, focusing his eyes on Byakuya's slender, white back and pretty, round bottom.

I've seen him naked before, but we've never touched each other while we were naked. But I know how his hands feel from when he made corrections to my hand position on Zabimaru or repositioned my focus during our training. I like how his hands feel when he guides me. How will they feel when they touch me for pleasure?

He moved closer to Byakuya as he watched the hot water run down the expanses of perfect, pale flesh, wrapping his arms around the noble and pressing up warmly against his back. He rested his chin on Byakuya's shoulder, rubbing his rougher cheek against Byakuya's softer one. Byakuya made a sound of contentment and leaned back against Renji, turning his head so that they could kiss while the water rained down on them. Byakuya turned and nuzzled under Renji's chin, brushing the area with kisses and licking lightly at the water droplets.

"You know, you don't have to be so careful," Renji whispered, "I'm okay."

"You've been hurt," Byakuya said softly, keeping his touches slow and gentle, "You need to be touched with care...with love."

Renji smiled helplessly as Byakuya's hands found the soap and lathered it onto his body. Renji's eyes closed and soft sounds of blissfulness escaped him as those slicked, graceful hands slid all over his body, first tracing the bold lines of the tribal markings, then sliding over the expanses of golden-tanned skin, seeming bent on memorizing every inch of him. Solemn grey eyes followed the motion of his fingers as they enjoyed each slope and curve, appreciating and soothing with tiny swirls of concentrated reiatsu.

"That feels wonderful," Renji sighed, opening his eyes as Byakuya's hands slid down his lower back and paused as they reached his soft, tattooed bottom.

Renji's jaw tightened suddenly as another flash of memory struck him.

"Pretty stripes, eh?" Ryuu taunted him, raising a leather strap and snapping it down against the vulnerable skin of Renji's naked bottom.

Renji gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly as more strikes added harsh red and pink markings to the black ones already there.

"Renji!" Byakuya said urgently, breaking him out of his reverie.

He stared wordlessly into his taichou's worried eyes, his heart pounding. Byakuya's fingers brushed the wet strands of red hair out of his eyes and he realized all at once that it wasn't drops of water from the shower in them.

"Sorry," he apologized, trying to turn away.

Byakuya held him in place and brushed the tears away from his eyes. Renji froze uncertainly as the noble's soft, wet arms wrapped around him and held their wet bodies pressed tightly together, so that all he could feel was the pleasant touch of Byakuya's perfect skin, all he could see was a swirl of raven-colored hair and all he could smell was the sweet, wonderful scent of sakura. His heart slowly calmed and the hard ache of memory faded mercifully.

"Thanks, Byakuya," he whispered gratefully into the other man's ear.

"Just get well and it will be thanks enough," Byakuya whispered back, an edge of lingering worry in his voice.

"I will," Renji promised, "I swear I will."