Chapter 8: Falling Softly

"A-abarai?" Byakuya managed in a stricken voice.

His heart was pounding and his head was swimming with the intensity of what he was sure he couldn't have just heard. He stared, transfixed, into the gentle brown eyes that were moving closer…that locked on his as Renji closed the distance between them and pressed his lips very gently to Byakuya's.

Despite the feather-light contact, Byakuya's heart slammed against his ribcage and he felt his breath leave him. His fukutaichou's warm lips were moving against his, still with that tentative pressure…so warm and alive…so different…

His eyes closed and his hands settled on Renji's chest. The redhead eased him gently onto his back on the couch, his lips pressing down more firmly, but his body held respectfully away. Byakuya felt the soft brush of a tongue against his lips and instinctively, his mouth opened to accept it inside. It was unbelievably warm and tasted of green tea and Renji. Their tongues curled around and tasted each other as the two kept their eyes closed and sank into a tirade of hotter and deeper kisses.

He's kissing me like he's starving for them, thought Renji, slowly lowering his body until it rested on top of Byakuya's. He felt the noble flinch and catch his breath and he opened his eyes, dreading the possibility that Byakuya would stop him. He wanted this more than anything…ever…so he let his body rest, unmoving on top of the noble's, letting him adjust to the feel of their closeness.

Byakuya bit back a gasp as Renji's weight settled on top of him. Everything in him screamed that it was breaking the rules…that it was wrong…that it would send the council of Elders into fits. But Renji's mouth tasted better than the finest food ever set before him, and his body felt more wonderful on the noble's own than the softest fabric. He risked a glance at his fukutaichou's face and flushed immediately. Renji's eyes were half-lidded and dazed, looking at him as though he was the finest vintage…the rarest of finds. He didn't remember ever being looked at that way before…not even by Hisana. It looked as though Renji would devour him…and Byakuya decided that he would easily accept that fate.

A moan slipped free of his lips as he felt the other man's hardness pulsing softly against his…held carefully still…and waiting, he knew, for a sign that it was acceptable to proceed.

Because even as a lover, Renji would not forget that Byakuya was his superior officer and a member of the noble class. But all of a sudden, Byakuya didn't give a damn about military designations or titles. He was a man, deeply drawn to another man…and all he could think of doing was making love to the redhead and kissing them until they could no longer breathe.

But one thing was holding him back. Renji knew what the council expected of him…and he had done this anyway. But what were his expectations for when this week was over? Would he simply walk away? Could it be done, so simply like that?

"Hmmm…" he moaned against the warm, pleasant lips.

Their kissing was growing harder and more passionate…and their bodies were beginning to rub against each other. He felt Renji's hands release the tie at his waist, then the redhead shifted and moved his own clothing out of the way and Byakuya got his first experience feeling the touch of Renji's swollen arousal. All thoughts of stopping disappeared into the delicious friction of skin on skin, the delightful thrust of the redhead's tongue deeper and deeper into his mouth, tasting every inch of its depths, releasing to allow him a short breath before diving in still deeper. He had never imagined something touching him in that way could feel so good. He didn't want it to stop. When Renji's mouth suddenly released his again, he gasped out the redhead's name, but before he could gather himself, the mouth that had so recently been pleasuring his found the soft skin of his throat and Byakuya was left breathless all over again as the hard friction between them continued, and Renji's mouth bit down on him, sucking and licking, nipping at his skin until he could hear himself gasping for breath and moaning wantonly. He thought he would cry out when he felt Renji's fingers touch his lips tentatively…again asking for his permission. He ached all over to part his lips, to bathe the questing fingers in his saliva…to give Renji the final signal of his complete and total surrender.

But he couldn't take his mind off of the facts.

He was pregnant.

He was required by the council to get married.

And Renji was not just male, but a peasant as well.

And there was no father.

Byakuya sighed and captured Renji's hand in his. He met the redhead's disappointed eyes and gently kissed his fingertips before pulling away and sitting up, wrapping his yukata around himself protectively.

"Renji," he said softly, "Can this really be all right with you? To have just this short time and then be parted? Can you really just walk away like that?"

"Well…" Renji said, his eyes playing over Byakuya's body hungrily, making the noble blush furiously and pull his yukata tighter around him, "It's not like we have a choice about that, right? I mean, what time we're given shouldn't be wasted. We should relax and let ourselves enjoy this."

"But I feel awful…knowing how soon it will end…"

Renji leaned toward him and kissed his lips gently. Byakuya felt his heart quiver and knew he wouldn't be able to resist much more. If Renji kept pushing him, then he was going to make love to the redhead…and after the week was up, he would have to leave Renji behind. He didn't think that it was right to do such a thing to Renji. He didn't even know if it was possible to do such a thing.

"Do you want this to go on, Taichou?" Renji asked him suddenly.

Byakuya looked deeply into the lovely brown eyes.

"I want this to go on forever, Renji," he said softly.

"Then we'll fight for it," the redhead said firmly, reaching out and taking the noble forcefully into his arms.

His mouth plundered Byakuya's relentlessly and there was no more room for words. He managed to mumble out something about the sofa not being a proper place for their lovemaking and then he was being lifted, his mouth still fastened tightly on Renji's, and carried into the bedroom.

Renji set him down on the huge, soft bed and reached down to open his yukata. This time, he met with no resistance, just a slight flutter of the dark gray eyes and the slightest of nods. Renji was already naked, having shed his clothing before lifting him from the couch. Byakuya looked up and caught his breath at the sight of the moonlit tanned skin and the bold, beautiful markings that seemed to run everywhere. He reached out with searching fingertips to trace the pattern on his stomach as Renji climbed onto the bed next to him, kneeling and allowing Byakuya's fingers to explore him. Byakuya lifted himself to sit in front of the redhead, the wide gray eyes taking him in and loving the sight of him as the deft fingers worked their way over the length and breadth of his tattooed skin.

There was something both tender and beautiful about being touched by Byakuya this way. Renji smiled into the noble's serene expression, wondering how Byakuya could make him feel so beautiful with just touches of those deep dark eyes and graceful hands. But the slender hands and graceful fingertips continued to touch him and Byakuya's face moved closer until he claimed Renji's lips again and pushed him gently down onto his back. Smiling, his moved the redhead's legs so that they were parted wide and he was spread out beautifully on the huge bed, looking to Byakuya like a work of art. He placed himself between the redhead's parted thighs and started again at Renji's forehead and worked his way down the redhead's body, this time tasting every inch of the sharp, black lines with tender lips and a hungry, lustful tongue.

Renji closed his eyes and let his head fall back, shivering when warm breath tickled the places the noble's tongue touched him, moaning softly as the noble moved down lower and lower on his body, then gasping with pleasure as Byakuya's tongue buried itself in his navel, making him arch his back and call out Byakuya's name. He felt Byakuya tremble softly as his name was called and his touches on Renji's body became deeper and more passionate. He placed his hands on the redhead's thighs and pushed them wider, then lowered himself and began to pleasure him more intimately. Renji stared at the noble's beautiful, wondering at what was happening. He moaned louder, panting for breath as the noble worked passionately in his efforts, continuing until Renji was breathing so hard that he thought he would lose consciousness and he felt damned ready to start begging for the noble to take him already. But just when he was ready to start pleading for it, Byakuya slid back up his body and reclaimed his mouth, teasing Renji with the lovely blend of their tastes until the redhead thought he would explode. He felt Byakuya lace their fingers together, then he lifted Renji's fingers to his lips, kissing them first as he met the redhead's eyes with nearly unbearable warmth, then slipping three of them, one by one in between his parted lips and coating them with saliva.

Renji turned his body and brought Byakuya down onto his back, sliding his fingers down the length of the beautiful pale torso and meeting the noble's lips for a deep, penetrating kiss. At the same time, he began to explore Byakuya's body, returning in kind the pleasure Byakuya had given him before. The noble sighed and leaned into the pleasant touches, writhing against the redhead as he proceeded.

Byakuya was surprised at how little pain there was…this being his first attempt at male on male intercourse. He felt some discomfort with the penetration, but Renji's mouth distracted him pleasantly, and all semblance of pain swiftly disappeared. Finally, he felt Renji's fingers slip out of him and the redhead repositioned himself between Byakuya's parted thighs. He leaned down, smiling and brushing light kisses on the noble's soft brow, blushing cheeks and parted lips, then brought himself to the tight entrance and slowly brought their bodies together.

He noticed right away the tightened hands on his shoulders and the suddenly uncertain look that entered Byakuya's eyes. He laid still on top of his lightly trembling lover, buried in his heated depths and feeding him a slow flurry of gentle kisses as he waited for the noble to adjust. A few slow breaths later, Byakuya's reiatsu and body calmed and Renji moved experimentally, causing the noble to catch his breath and move with him. He began slowly, watching as Byakuya's eyes glazed over and his face was made over with bliss. His hips rose up hungrily against Renji's, his fingers digging into the redhead's skin as the deep friction and blinding heat began to overtake him. Renji shifted slightly and thrust hard into the noble, tearing a harsh, ringing cry from his throat that nearly stopped Renji in his tracks, but the noble's slender hips bucked up into his again and he thrust hard several more times, then heard Byakuya gasp, felt his hands tighten and felt the hot pulses of the noble's release between their joined bodies. He thrust in deeply one more time and held onto Byakuya, panting against the noble's shoulder as he emptied himself deep inside, then relaxing into his lover's embrace and falling into a blinding rush of slow, deep kisses that ended only when the two of them drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

Renji was convinced that things couldn't get any better than they were, but he was proven wrong when Byakuya gave a soft sigh and whispered, "Abarai Renji, aishiteru yo."

The redhead fell asleep with a beautiful smile plastered all over his face.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji woke just before dawn and worked his way free of the noble's arms to slip into the bathroom. As he stepped inside, he spotted Byakuya's pack lying open near the sink. As he washed his hands and splashed some water onto his face, he noticed a manila envelope that had been torn open and had several papers sticking out. One dropped to the floor as he went to shove the rest back inside and he picked it up, gazing at it absently. His brow furrowed and he looked more closely at the file, noting that the pictures and descriptions were all of noble women and were accompanied by a note.

Byakuya-sama, enclosed you will find a file of eligible noble women from which you may choose your bride. Please be prepared when you come to council at the end of the week to inform us which one you will wed. We will also accept another noble female of your choice, if you so wish.

Renji dropped the note and stepped back, a sick feeling rising up inside him. He turned to flee and nearly ran into Byakuya. The noble looked from Renji to the file on the floor and blanched.

"Renji, wait…"

"Oh hell, don't do this," Renji said in a low voice, "Don't tell me that it isn't what I think."

"Renji…you said that…you knew," Byakuya said, staring.

"That you were being force to get married…no…no, you see…I heard you talking about your 'condition' and how it couldn't be cured. I heard you say that you only had a week. Taichou, I thought that you were dying!"

Byakuya's face fell and his eyes went dark with pain.

"You…did this, because you thought I was dying?" he said, looking mortified.

"I thought you were dying," Renji confirmed, "but I was in love with you and if I was going to lose you, I had to tell you how I felt about you. I feel so stupid. I had no idea you were just using me to take up time until you got married."

"That's not what it was!"

"Right…well, Taichou…I, uh, I think I should go."

"Renji…please don't. Don't leave."

The redhead turned away, trying to hide the fact that he was nearly in tears.

"I thought that you loved me," Renji whispered.

"I do," Byakuya said quietly, "and I thought you wanted to fight for that."

"Taichou…that…what you just did? That's not what someone does when he is in love. It's what someone does when he is desperate."

Byakuya lowered his eyes to hide the impact of the redhead's accusation. He stared down at the file that represented his future, the surrender of yet another of his desires to the rules of the clan. He said no more, but simply stood quietly, waiting for what he knew would come next.

"Look," Renji said, not looking back at him, "maybe you were raised differently than me. Maybe you really don't see that what you've done is wrong. But I have to go where my heart tells me. And my heart is telling me that I can't be with you anymore."

"You're…leaving me?" Byakuya whispered.

"I'm sorry, Taichou."

"Are you…going to leave…the sixth division?" Byakuya asked, his voice betraying an edge of fear.

Renji remained facing away from him.

"I, uh…I don't know. I need to get out of here. I need to think."

He walked slowly to the front door and looked back to where Byakuya stood, his face sheet white and tears on his eyes.

"Good luck, Taichou. I really hope you find happiness. I do."

"Don't go…"

He almost turned back, but the memory of the files, the note…rose up in his mind and broke over his heart, leaving him with that awful, sick feeling again and he forced his feet to carry him into a flash step. He tried not to hear as a choked sob sounded in the cabin behind him.