Chapter 7: Lines

(Only have like a second to publish, but will catch up with shout outs on the next. Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing! Have a great day. Love, Spunky)

Renji sat quietly at his desk, trying to focus on the report in his hand, but his mind wandering constantly back to earlier in the morning, waking where he had fallen asleep the night before, naked and wrapped tightly in Bazz-B's arms. He paused and rubbed his hands over his face, then stole a glance down at his belly and smiled at the small bump that was carefully concealed in the folds of his uniform. He felt again the pleasant caress of his quincy lover's hand touching the place under which their baby grew, and he felt the warmth of Bazz-B's smile and warm laugh as he infused the area with stabilizing reiatsu, then dragged Renji down into a long and heated sexual joining.

"Abarai, do you have the report from the team we sent to investigate the area of Hueco Mundo where a quincy remnant group was said to be gathering?" Byakuya asked, jolting him out of his reverie and returning him forcefully to the quiet sixth division office.

"Yeah, sorry Captain," he apologized, a blush rising on his cheeks, "I have it right here."

He fished the requested report out of his inbox and carried it to Byakuya's desk, where he slid into a chair and scanned the report for a moment.

"Fifth Seat Rikichi sent the report back from the site. He said they found signs of a mobile camp of some kind. Reiatsu in the area is inconclusive..."

"But we know that the quincies are capable of confusing or distorting the reiatsu to cover their movements."

"Right," Renji agreed, frowning and running his fingers through the long strands of his red ponytail, "Rikichi had the same impression. He and his group found some traces leading out of the area and started to follow them, but halted when he found signs of a trap."

"The quincies know well that we will be vigilant about finding their remnant groups," Byakuya concluded.

"According to the zombie girl quincy," Renji continued, turning to the next page of the report, "the bulk of the survivors will have returned to the shadows. It's really the best move for them. We don't have a way in as of yet and the quincies we captured have insisted that they can't reveal how entry is accomplished because it would make their civilian population too vulnerable to attack. We are negotiating to be able to send a survey group in the company of one of the quincies to monitor what is going on in that place, but there's a lot disagreement to work out."

"That makes sense," Byakuya sighed, shaking his head, "Emotions are running high in the wake of the war. Many shinigamis died at the hands of the quincies, even the ones whom have surrendered and agreed to help us in exchange for leniency. It is a dangerous time for both our civilizations. We have to worry, not only about the possibility of more random attacks by our former enemies, but about reactive outbursts from our own populace."

"Right," Renji agreed, his hand sliding down to gently rub his hidden baby bump and his mind wandering back to the baby's incarcerated father.

He realized after several moments that Byakuya was studying him with an appraising expression.

"You are concerned for him," the noble posited, "and I think rightfully so."

"You do?" Renji said, giving Byakuya a surprised look.

"Yes," Byakuya said with certainty in his voice, "Tensions are running high. There have been some skirmishes, even between groups of our own people, disagreements over the choice to work with the captive quincies. We are learning a lot that we need to know about them, but the cost of that is that the mistrust that many of our people feel for them is growing. Renji, I am concerned for the safety of the two quincy officers in the Maggot's Nest."

"You are?" Renji said, giving him an alarmed look, "Have you heard something that makes you think someone will try to hurt them?"

"Not anything specific, no," Byakuya assured him, "But there are rumblings. I received a report of a few off duty guards getting into fights at a bar near the facility after hours. There have also been some altercations between groups of off duty officers from among the divisions, getting into fights that ran from simple shouting matches to fistfights. They were broken up quickly, but..."

"It's a sign of the tension," Renji concluded.

"Yes," Byakuya agreed, meeting his eyes meaningfully, "and I think it is a sign that perhaps you and I need to have a conversation about your personal safety, Renji."

"Yeah," Renji said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair as his stomach rumbled noisily.

Byakuya gave him an amused look and paused, allowing the redhead time to return to his desk to pick up a package of freshly made taiyaki he had left there. He opened the package and removed a piece, then munched on it absently as their conversation continued.

"Do you think it will really be a problem?" Renji asked, "I mean, yeah, everyone kinda knows I'm sleeping with Bazz-B. I've taken some crap from a few guys over it, but mostly the ones who have a problem with it just gripe about it behind my back because they can't really do anything about it. I mean, I'm a vice captain, so most of'em would have to be stupid to try anything and they know it."

"That is true," Byakuya agreed, "however, I am sure you understand that as your gestation continues, it is expected that you will experience power disruptions. You may lose your powers completely as you approach your due date. This makes it unwise to simply assume that we can be lax about your safety."

"I'll be careful," Renji assured him, "I'm using the charm Tetsuya gave me when I go to see Bazz, so we're protected pretty well then, and I can just stay here as opposed to my apartment if you're worried about that."

"That would be a good plan, but I was thinking that you should come and stay at Kuchiki Manor," Byakuya suggested.

Renji frowned and a flicker of concern went through his unsettled insides.

"You want me to come and stay with you?" he asked uncertainly, "You're that worried that something could happen?"

Byakuya hesitated, considering his words carefully.

"I don't wish to alarm you," he answered finally, "and perhaps nothing will happen. Most likely, nothing extreme will happen. But it has been my experience that prejudice can become dangerous very swiftly. And how it presents itself in a situation can vary. It's not something we can anticipate at this point, and I don't like to be caught unprepared. So, if you have no objection, I would like you to come and stay at the manor."

"Okay, yeah, thanks Captain," Renji said gratefully, "Not that I think anyone would really mess with me, but..."

"I also have an idea of how to offer Officer Bazz-B some protection as well."

"Oh?" Renji inquired curiously, "How are you going to do that?"

Byakuya gave him a rare, fleeting smile.

"With a creative turn of clan law," he said cryptically, "I will only resort to it if there is reason to believe it is absolutely necessary, but rest assured that if there is a credible threat to the father of your child, I will act on his behalf."

"Thank you, Captain," Renji said gratefully.

Byakuya nodded briefly and stood.

"I have a captain's meeting," he informed the redhead, "but afterwards, I will return here and we can walk home together."

"Sure," Renji agreed, rising and starting towards his desk.

He paused a moment later and flinched, making a sound of discomfort and rubbing his belly.

"Are you all right?" Byakuya asked, giving him a look of concern.

"Yeah, fine," Renji chuckled, "Just think I have to throw up again. Damn, I can't wait to get past this part."

He turned into the hallway and headed for his quarters, earning a look of sympathy from the noble. Byakuya started towards the front door of the office, his mind already turning to the agenda of the captain's meeting. But he stopped just short of it and turned back as he heard Renji make a exclamation of surprise and dismay. Byakuya flash stepped across the room and into the hallway, gaining Renji's side and staring at the scene of destruction in Renji's quarters.

Renji's clothes laid, torn apart and strewn haphazardly around the room. His bed and bedding had been slashed almost beyond recognition. Nothing within the room had been spared, but even the dresser and bed frame had been shattered. Thick red fluid spelled out a warning message on the wall.

DIE QUINCY WHORE!

"Holy hell," Renji whispered, going pale and clenching at his stomach, "is that blood, Captain?"

Byakuya stepped into the room, carefully avoiding touching anything and moving to the wall behind the destroyed bed. He held out a hand and touched the area with a flicker of his reiatsu.

"It is goat's blood," the noble concluded, looking back at Renji with a guarded expression.

Renji felt a icy jolt go through his shocked body and his stomach lurched warningly.

"Captain," he managed shakily, "do you think Bazz-B is in danger?"

Byakuya let out a steadying breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I think that most probably," he concluded.

"I should get over there..."

Renji broke off, clutching at his belly and running out of the room and down the hallway to the common bathroom. He dropped onto his knees and emptied his stomach violently, his head spinning and spots dancing in front of his eyes. He surged to his feet and staggered out of the bathroom, heading back towards the front office, only to find his way blocked by his captain.

"Sir, what are you doing? I have to get to Bazz-B! What if...?"

"Renji, I will send someone to check on Officer Bazz-B. You are in no condition to..."

"But I have to go!" Renji argued, swaying as another bout of dizziness passed over him.

"Renji, you can't possibly..."

"I have to, Captain!"

Renji started to turn, then felt a gentle throb of kido surge into his body, dropping him into Byakuya's arms. He stared, wide-eyed up into Byakuya's regretful gaze as he began to lose consciousness.

"Captain!" he gasped.

"I am sorry Renji," Byakuya apologized, watching solemnly as the stunned redhead's eyes closed and his body went limp, "Under these circumstances, I cannot risk your safety. But I will take care of Officer Bazz-B. I will take you home and make sure you are under guard, then I will go and see to his safety personally."

XXXXXXXXXX

Bazz-B laid naked on his back in his bed, gazing up at the ceiling and smiling as his mind wandered back lazily to the same place it had gotten used to going whenever the boredom of his captivity began to invade. He imagined Abarai Renji, bared and stretched out on his belly on the bed, the lovely array of bold, black tattoos in full view and the long strands of autumn hair tumbled around his muscular shoulders, spilling over and trickling down onto the bed.

"Damn!" he whispered, closing his eyes to intensify the image, "I wish you were here, Red."

One seeking hand slid down his slender, white torso and began a warm stimulation as his mental image of Renji sharpened and began to come to life before his eyes.

"O-oh!" he moaned softly, imagining laying himself on the redhead's back and pulling his hair back to gain access to the black lines on the side of his neck. His already erect member twitchedas he imagined rubbing against Renji's soft, tattooed bottom, tilting his hips to angle himself and entering slowly.

"Mmmmmm...damn it Renji! I can't stop thinking about you," he whispered into the air.

A sudden knock on the door snapped Bazz-B back to alertness and he glanced hopefully at the door as he climbed to his feet and wrapped a warm robe around his naked body.

"That you, Red?" he called out, heading for the front door.

"Officer Bazz-B," a youthful male voice called back, "I am sorry to bother you, but you need to come quickly. Your comrade has been injured and we need advice on how to treat her injuries."

Bazz-B frowned and hurried to the door.

"Liltotto?" he mused as he opened the door.

He suffered a moment of shock as he was met with a huge fist heading menacingly towards his face. His teeth clenching, he reacted instantly, stepping aside and grabbing the marauding fist, then yanking the man off balance and throwing him to the ground.

"What the fuck?" he yelled as two more men lunged at him.

"Quincy murderer!" one of the men shouted, "We're gonna kill ya!"

"As if..." Bazz-B huffed in an annoyed tone, looking around for some sign of a guard as he tripped one of the men and slammed a fist down on the back of his head, then kicked the other in the stomach, dropping him onto his knees, "Where the hell is a guard when you want one?"

He looked up and ducked swiftly, just avoiding another attacker swinging down from a tree branch.

"Seriously..."

A loud ringing sounded and Bazz-B nodded in approval, elbowing a last attacker in the face and watching the blood explode from his nose as a group of guards ran up the trail, heading for them.

"It's about fucking time!" he complained as the guards closed in on them, "These bastards..."

"Lie down on the ground!" one of the guards shouted at him, "Don't move!"

"Wha...? Fuck, really?" Bazz-B complained, sighing in annoyance as he began to comply, "They came and attacked me, fool!"

He had almost laid down, when he felt a hard impact in his side and his body crashed into, then through the door of his cottage.

"What the fucking hell are you guys doing?" he gasped, "I was getting down! Stop!"

He put up his hands and backed away as six guards surrounded him and another blocked the door.

"What the hell is going on here?" Bazz-B demanded, backing up against the far wall of the cottage, "I obeyed your order. What do you think you're doing?"

The guards answered by charging as one at the lone quincy.

"Assholes!" Bazz-B howled, "you fucking cowards know I have no powers, so you gang up on me? Is that how it is? Well, I have a surprise for you. I don't need my powers to kick your asses!"

He whirled, landing a solid kick that threw one guard into a second. He turned and thrust and elbow into the face of a third, the grunted as one of the remaining guards drove a fist into his stomach.

"Ugh..."

He felt another hard impact under his chin, then toppled onto his back. He kicked out, forcing back one man trying to gain a hold on him, then squirmed out of the grasp of another. A chair crashed down onto the ground next to him and he rolled away, barely avoiding another that broke apart as it struck inches from him. Something struck the back of his head and stars exploded in front of his eyes.

"B-bastards!" he spat, struggling as a sea of hands held him down and a furry of punches left him gasping for air.

A rough hand took hold of his mohawk, yanking his head back, and a low, angry voice spoke into his ear.

"You quincy bastards need to die."

"Fuck you!" Bazz-B snarled, reeling as heavy blows seemed to rain down from all directions at once, and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, "You'll pay for this!"

"Enough!" shouted a loud, commanding voice, making the attacking guards go still, one of them holding Bazz-B on his knees.

"Thanks," the quincy said gratefully, "I don't know what the hell is going on. A bunch of guys attacked me and these guards just..."

"Silence!" the watch commander said, striking him roughly across the face and dropping him onto his belly, "Officer Jun, what happened here?"

The guard who had been holding Bazz-B stepped forward, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his nose.

"This man was involved in an altercation with other prisoners and refused to obey our orders, sir, so we were forced to subdue him!"

"What the hell? I didn't refuse to do anything! I was lying down when these bastards started beating the daylights out of me!"

"Be quiet!" the commanding officer shouted, placing a booted foot between Bazz-B's shoulder blades and forcing him down hard on his belly, "Officer Bazz-B, you were warned that if you defied the guards, you would lose your privilege of being here and be transferred at once to the Central 46 prison!"

"That's horse shit!" Bazz-B objected, struggling under the foot that still held him down, "I obeyed your fucking orders! You can't do this!"

"Shut up, quincy scum!" the officer said, grabbing him by the hair and striking him harder, sending him crashing to the ground and seeing stars again. He followed with a punishing kick that send Bazz-B crashing into the wall. Bazz-B came down hard onto the floor, his vision dimming as he landed.

"Th-this is nuts!" he panted weakly as he began to lose consciousness, "You guys are f-fucking crazy..."

"I see you just can't shut up," the commanding officer said ominously, "Perhaps I need to use stronger methods, although doing so just might kill you."

"Stop," said a smooth, deep male voice.

Bazz-B caught a glimpse of the handsome noble who led the sixth division and sighed in relief as he passed out completely.

"No one is to lay hands on that officer," Byakuya said sternly, "I claim him as a protected noble of an enemy clan!"