Written For: Stages of Love. Theme: Five Stages of a Relationship - Sex/Physical or Emotional Intimacy.
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A Bene Placito – Chapter VIII: Byakuya
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Renji slinked in at midnight. He had braided his hair and wore no headband for once. He closed the door and crossed his arms, his face half-covered in shadows. His expression appeared sullen.
Byakuya continued recording his meta-report. "I do not have a report from you today."
"Why bother, since you're just going to pack me off to Rukongai, anyways?" Renji snarled.
Byakuya looked up. "I am?"
"Fine, then whatever you're going to do, just do it. I waited all day for you to summon me, and you never did."
Byakuya repressed a smart remark and turned back to his paperwork. "I received a visit today."
Renji tensed and shifted his weight from foot to foot. "From Hitsugaya."
"Captain Hitsugaya, and yes. He was rather irritated by one of your outbursts and demanded that you be disciplined."
"It was a personal matter. I'd like to say that much in my defense."
"Yes, he admitted that. I also took Captain Ukitake's commendation into account."
Renji blinked, and his mouth dropped open. "Ukitake sent me a commendation? For what?"
Byakuya shrugged. "Captain Ukitake, and he insisted that you had done a great service for a fellow Shinigami in need. He did not elaborate. He also sent a box of taiyaki for you."
"Taiyaki?" Renji perked up. "Where?"
"I sent it to Captain Hitsugaya. I even wrote a conciliatory apology letter accompanying it—with your name on it, of course."
"You gave that little bastard my taiyaki?"
"Captain Little Bastard, and it was the least you could do as an apology."
"And that's it?" Renji slashed his arm through the air. "That's all you're going to do to me? You once had me scrub your mansion from top to bottom with a toothbrush because I accidentally stepped on your foot!"
"I did not say that was all I was going to do. All considered, disciplinary action should be taken." Byakuya opened a drawer and pulled out a riding crop. "Kneel."
"You've got to be joking," Renji said.
Byakuya fished out the collar and leash he had used on the first night. "Not in the slightest. Now, kneel."
Renji hesitated, then he finally went to his knees. Byakuya approached him, twirling the collar in his hand. Renji's eyes flashed. Though kneeling, there was nothing submissive about his taut body and certainly nothing submissive in his scowl. Byakuya decided that was one of the most attractive things about Renji—he refused to break, even after being broken.
Byakuya snapped the collar around Renji's neck and pulled him to his feet. "Strip."
Another flash of the eyes, and Renji complied. He held Byakuya's gaze with his, electricity practically arcing between them. Even as he slid the shihakushō off, he never broke their mutual glare. The sound of cloth rustling to the ground dared Byakuya to admire Renji's sculpted form, but he knew if he broke the stare, Renji would think he won some sort of victory. Byakuya was not in the habit of allowing Renji victories.
Byakuya yanked on the collar, hard enough to hear Renji gasp, and pulled him towards the bed. Renji stumbled and broke the stare, but Byakuya did not stop tugging on the leash until Renji collapsed on his bed, gasping for air. Around the edges of the collar, Renji's flesh reddened. Byakuya allowed himself the smallest smile. Renji needed more marks to remind him of his place. Byakuya would not allow these to be healed.
"Stay," Byakuya snapped, tying the leash to his headboard. He headed over to the chest where he kept the rest of his toys. "Good boy."
When Byakuya glanced back, Renji was visibly grinding his teeth. He had not moved from his position, however. Byakuya returned with chains in his hand.
Renji eyed them. "What are those for?"
"On your knees, facing the headboard. And stop asking questions, or you'll receive extra lashings."
"Extra lashings?" Renji glanced back at the desk, where Byakuya's riding crop still lay, gleaming in the lamplight. He muttered something under his breath and did as commanded.
"Good dog," Byakuya said as he chained Renji's wrists together, then to the headboard. Renji shot him a look as sharp as Zabimaru's blades. Byakuya ignored it and chained Renji's ankles to the footboard.
Byakuya left Renji to stew as he fetched the riding crop. He cracked it against his desk. Renji's gaze snapped over to Byakuya, but he remained silent. He looked away as Byakuya approached and stared at the headboard. His fingers and toes curled, and he bit his bottom lip, as if he expected to be beaten bloody. Byakuya found Renji's fear disconcerting—did Renji sincerely believe Byakuya would hurt him?
"On your hands and knees."
Renji took a deep breath and complied, chains tinkling with his movement. Byakuya lightly ran the rod over Renji's back. Renji flinched and did not relax, even though Byakuya stroked him gently. Byakuya had to wonder why Renji agreed to this, if he thought Byakuya capable of harming him. Did Renji want the attention that badly?
Byakuya smacked the riding crop against Renji's ass, hard enough to leave a pink mark behind. Renji started and his chains tinkled. He dipped his head forward, his braid sliding over a shoulder. Sighing, Byakuya undid the braid and finger-combed Renji's silky locks free.
"Why do you insist on putting your hair up when you come here? You know I prefer it down."
"Just to piss you off, I guess."
"Really?" Byakuya smacked Renji's ass again. The swell of it was naturally enticing, but the pink marks made it even more attractive.
Renji jumped when Byakuya smacked him with the crop again. His hair cascaded over his face, hiding his expression. Byakuya brushed the strands away, assuring himself of Renji's blush. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Byakuya flicked his wrist again, satisfied with the smacking sound.
The flush on Renji's face deepened, and he glared at Byakuya. "Fuck you."
Again, Byakuya hit him with the riding crop. "It's the other way around, Renji."
Renji turned his face and did not answer except with the tinkling of his chains. Byakuya smacked him again and reached underneath Renji. As he suspected, Renji was hard and waiting. "You do like it." Smack.
Two flicks of the wrists later, and Renji cried out. "Fine, I like it!"
Byakuya whipped him again and leaned forward. He brushed a fingertip down Renji's erection. "Would you like me to do something about that?" Smack.
"Fuck," Renji swore. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, and he stared at Byakuya with wide eyes. "What do you want from me?"
"Tell me that you want me."
It took another slap of the crop for Renji to speak. "Yes, fuck, I want you."
"What do you want me to do to you?"
Renji glared. "Isn't it fucking obvious?"
"Such language." Byakuya flicked his wrist again. "Say it."
Renji turned his face away again. "Fuck me, dammit. Fuck me now."
Byakuya dropped the riding crop to the floor and bent down to whisper in Renji's ear. "Now, was that so hard?"
Renji swallowed, but did not answer. Byakuya moved away again to change. He still did not feel comfortable revealing his nudity to Renji, so he undressed in a corner where Renji could not see. The point of their game was to leave Renji vulnerable, not himself. He slipped on a blue kimono and grabbed a bottle of oil.
When Byakuya rubbed the oil across Renji's reddened backside, Renji twitched, but said nothing. Byakuya prepared Renji as he always did. He kept his free hand on Renji's chest, feeling the way Renji breathed, the way his heart beat. Renji's body raced beneath Byakuya's palm, though they had done this many times before. Renji still feared him. There had been a time when Byakuya would not have cared, perhaps even have enjoyed it, but that time had passed. Instead, Byakuya's stomach twinged with guilt, as if he had done something wrong.
Byakuya finished preparing Renji. He withdrew and considered his options. Usually, he took Renji from behind, but he wanted something more personal this time.
"What are you doing?" Renji asked, shifting and tensing as Byakuya maneuvered himself beneath him. The clink of metal filled the room. Byakuya looped Renji's chained arms around his neck and used the leash to pull Renji forward, onto his lap.
Renji squirmed and pulled back. "Tell me what you're going to do."
Byakuya yanked Renji back with the leash. "Be quiet, Lieutenant."
Their chests were pressed so close that Byakuya could feel Renji's heart pounding against his. His heart seemed to respond in time to the beat, and his pulse quickened. He reached down between them to slide open his kimono. "Ride me," he ordered, spreading Renji's thighs so that Renji straddled his hips.
Renji's breath caught, and he blinked. The feral cast to his expression faded, and he looked almost boyish as he let Byakuya guide him high enough for Byakuya to enter him. Renji's chains clattered in complaint, but Byakuya had ensured there would be enough slack for this. He sighed with contentment when he sheathed himself inside of Renji.
Renji rocked his hips at Byakuya's command, though his rhythm was determined more by nature. Byakuya gripped the leash with one hand and Renji's ass with the other, giving Renji leverage. The rhythm caught Byakuya in its beat, in the swells and dips, the arias and the cantatas. He listened to Renji pant and moan, but he wanted more. He wanted to hear what Renji had told him last night, those three words that he had not heard in so long.
Yanking on the leash again, Byakuya leaned forward to peer into Renji's face. "Tell me that you love me," he demanded.
"What?" Renji's eyes, so dark with lust, widened. His body would have stilled if Byakuya did not keep guiding his hips.
"Tell me that you love me."
Renji's eyes glistened. "Why? Don't make me—not that."
"It's symbolic of your submission." Byakuya licked the side of Renji's salty face. "Say it."
Renji shook and lowered his head. "Damn you."
Byakuya rolled his hips and forced Renji to keep rocking, his body swelling with the coda of their rhythm. Even with his mind fogged with heat, Byakuya had enough control to speak. "You agreed to the terms. Now say it."
"I…" Renji's hair slid in front of his face, leaving one glittering eye visible. "I love you."
Orgasm came only a few short moments later. Byakuya rocked upwards, thrusting hard. He let go of the leash to make sure he did not strangle Renji and rode out his pleasure. It took longer to bring Renji to orgasm, especially since he would not look up, but he eventually came with a groan and a shudder.
Byakuya leaned back, the feel of Renji's chained wrists warm against the back of his neck. Renji still sat on his hips, his hair obscuring his face. He trembled enough that his chains still tinkled. Byakuya cupped Renji's cheek.
"Untie me," Renji said after a moment, still not looking up.
Byakuya furrowed his brow. Renji had an open invitation to sleep in his bed—an invitation he had taken up every night since Byakuya had first offered it. Renji's reaction did not fit his character. What they had done was part of the game. Despite his complaints and questions, Renji had always seemed to enjoy it before.
"Untie me. I want to go home."
Byakuya undid Renji's chains. Renji hid his face, even when Byakuya undid the collar. He stood up with feline grace and stalked over to his clothing. Byakuya watched Renji dress, his chest aching. He wanted Renji to stay, but he would not ask. Byakuya never asked for anything. He only demanded.
As Renji walked out of the door, Byakuya called out after him. "I expect yesterday's missing report on my desk by morning."
"Yes, sir," Renji said, slamming the door shut so hard that it splintered.
To be continued…
