Chapter 10: Shining Petals
"So…Gin," Aizen went on sedately, "I think Renji just offered you something. Are you interested?"
"Oh," said Gin, "I don't think he was simply referring to me. I think it was more of a general invitation."
"Oh, wasn't I clear?" Renji said, figuring he was probably dead anyway, "I meant for the two of you to go fuck yourselves…or each other…your choice!"
"Hmmm…" mused Aizen, "Dreadful manners, but very nice presentation. I'm nearly swooning."
"Don't worry," Gin assured him, "I'll be sure to catch you when you fall."
"Yes," chuckled Aizen, "Catch me and drop me off the nearest cliff, ne? But come now, all of this talk has made me aroused. We should do something about that."
"Well, Renji did invite us to fuck each other. We could indulge, although this cell isn't the most comfortable of places."
"I don't feel like walking all of the way back to our room."
"Hmmm," laughed Gin, "It seems we have a problem. Because I only see one bed in here and Renji is currently using it."
"Oh, you guys are welcome to it," Renji offered, "Just let me up and you can have at…"
"We will be 'having at' soon," Aizen said, sliding a hand down his back and letting it settle on his very unprotected and vulnerable ass, "but first, if you'll pardon the pun, we want to play a game. One of us will lie down on your back and get a bit friendly with you…and if you can tell us who it is, then we will put you in a cell and forget you are here. If you are wrong, we go to round two."
"What's round two?" Renji asked sarcastically, "You each stick a finger up my ass and see if I can tell who is who? You two are fucking crazy!"
But he really didn't have any choice but to play along. He felt someone move closer, standing between his parted thighs and lying down on his back, letting a dangerously large and aroused member rest against his ass, where Aizen's hand had been. A hand pulled the tie out of his hair and spread his hair out along his back, then spent several minutes stroking it before moving on to pull the hair aside and nip sharply at the back of his neck. He tried not to feel guilty at the instant reaction in his groin at the intimate treatment.
"Uh…he said, stalling…that's got to be one of the Espadas. Neither of you pencil-dicks could be that big," Renji said sarcastically.
"Damned good guess," said Grimmjow's voice in his ear.
"Shit, I was joking…" muttered Renji, "I didn't even know you were here!"
"That was the point, dumbass!" growled the Espada, "They were trying to trick you."
"Well…they didn't, so now I go to my cell, right?" Renji said hopefully.
"Hmmm…said Aizen, resting his hand on Renji's tattooed bottom again, "I think we made that a little too easy for you."
"Besides," said Gin, "You admitted you were joking in your answer, so we'll need to try another game."
"Ah," groaned Renji, "just my luck…"
XXXXXXXXXX
Despite Renji's absence, Byakuya couldn't quite suppress a smile as he returned to the sixth division, holding in his hand the official announcement of his engagement to Renji. Knowing that much had to happen before he could release the announcement, he opened his desk and slipped it into the blue book, taking a moment to write in a few notes about his council session. Looking over at Renji's desk, he sighed softly and finally decided that he had allowed Renji enough time to sulk. It was time for them to sit down and to talk things out. Even if they couldn't be together, they had to be able to sit in the same room and to work alongside each other…
He extended his senses and focused one by one on the areas where he usually found Renji when looking for him…his nearby apartment, bars, friends' houses, Ichigo and Urahara's homes in the living world, but nowhere did he sense Renji's unique reiatsu. He sent a hell butterfly, recalling Renji to the office, then turned to the third seat, who sat at the redhead's desk, busily working on reports.
"When was the last time Abarai Renji reported in?" he asked.
The third seat gazed at him blankly.
"Just before the two of you left together," the youth answered, then turned back to his work.
The thought nagged at him as the day wore on. He tried reaching out with his senses again and again, but could not find his reiatsu anywhere. He sighed in frustration, not certain how to proceed. He was just about to contact the second division when his hell butterfly returned, having failed in its delivery. He gazed at the black insect, frowning, suddenly noting the presence of a small amount of sand on its body.
And suddenly…chillingly, he realized where Abarai Renji must be.
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"So," said Gin, "Round Two. For this, we'll turn you onto your back."
There was a moment of silence as the silver haired shinigami made the adjustment and carefully checked Renji's blindfold. He tried to bite the hand that touched him and earned a sound slap that turned his head and echoed in his suddenly spinning head.
"Really…" remarked Gin, "You were right about his manners."
"I did warn you," Aizen said blithely.
"Now…each of us will have a turn at you and the one who makes you scream the loudest wins. Any questions?" Gin asked.
"Yeah…uh, what are we talking here…sex or pain…what?" Renji asked nervously.
"Well," said Aizen, tickling the skin of his thigh, "I imagine either one would work…so let's do this. I will indulge sexually and Gin will use torture. Which would you like first?"
"Ah, well," said Renji, thinking quickly, "It's been a long time since I ate. Could we like, have a snack first and then get to the torture?"
"Oh my," smiled Gin, "You are just too cute Abarai. I might vomit."
"But I think Renji is right. He will need energy for the next round. Perhaps we should feed him," suggested Aizen.
"What do you think we should feed him?" asked Gin, "We gave all of the shinigami remains to the hollow guards…and the hollow remains are really just skin and bones, not good for eating at all."
"I may have a suggestion," offered Aizen, "You know, they say that semen is actually nutritionally valuable."
Shit!
"I've heard that too," agreed Gin, "but remember…he bites…"
"Ah…yes, there is that. Well, perhaps if one of us holds him by the hair with a knife at his throat and the other 'feeds him,' he won't be so inclined to bite," Aizen suggested.
"But what if we are a little too eager and we jostle him. His throat could be cut by mistake!" Gin objected.
"Well," said Aizen, "I could always use some hypnosis to gain his cooperation."
"More fun for us, but it loses something if he is too willing or not involved," complained Gin.
"Look, would you guys mind?" Renji moaned, "If you're going to kill me, just do it and get it over with! My hands are falling asleep and I can't stand being on my back like this!"
Aizen had just opened his mouth to answer when something struck the fortress, shaking the grounds from end to end.
"Well," said Gin, "I wouldn't expect that they'd trouble themselves for the likes of him. This must be something else. Who would you say it is?"
Aizen focused quietly for a moment.
"Zaraki taichou…and someone who would rather not be noticed. Someone strong…probably Kuchiki or Komamura."
"My money's on Byakuya," said Gin, grinning, "and it would make sense, you know. This is his fukutaichou…"
Aizen leaned close to Renji again as another blast rocked the fortress.
"He's going to a lot of trouble, Abarai fukutaichou. You sure you haven't been treating him to more than tea during those late night work sessions?"
"Screw you," Renji snapped, "Byakuya doesn't need me enough to come here. He'd send someone who actually gives a damn!"
"Oh, listen to the sound of a heart breaking, Sousuke!" Gin laughed, "I'd say our friend Renji-kun has a crush on his lovely taichou, wouldn't you?"
"Perhaps," said Aizen, "Maybe after we kill whoever is being so rude as to attack our fortress, we should come back here and give Renji a taste of Byakuya. I think I can create a proper illusion."
"Ah shit, don't give me the creeps like that!" Renji pleaded, "Just do it as yourselves! That guy is just fucking scary!"
The fortress rumbled again.
"Well," said Aizen in a bored tone, "let's go see who's knocking, shall we, Gin?"
"Oh, all right. But I want to be first when we get back. I think I've waited long enough."
Renji heard the footsteps fade away. He realized suddenly that they had left him naked and restrained…on his back…with his legs spread wide…not good…
"Hey guys…you wanna put me in a cell? At least uncover my eyes? Guys? Uh…Guys? Please tell me Grimmjow's not still in the room…hey…hello? I can tell that someone's here. You wanna say something? You're kinda creeping me out. Hello? Ah, shit, maybe I'm dreaming…"
But he knew he wasn't when a body moved in between his thighs and someone leaned over him, pressing soft lips to his.
"Did you have some trouble finding your way home, Abarai?" asked Byakuya's smooth, velvety voice.
Suddenly, being naked and tied up didn't feel nearly so bad…
"Taichou!"
He caught himself, wondering if this could be one of Aizen's tricks. But the kido holding him down suddenly shattered and then Byakuya was pulling him to his feet, removing the blindfold and releasing the seal on his powers. Renji ignored the fact that the noble was disguised in a heavy cloak and instantly threw his arms around Byakuya and sought his mouth hungrily.
"This is…not the time, Abarai!" Byakuya said, dragging him along.
He shoved a handful of dusty clothes into Renji's hands.
"What are these?" Renji asked, "My own stuff is just over there."
"Trust me, Renji," Byakuya said, "You'll need these to help get us out of here again. Come."
Renji threw the clothes on, balking at the smell and at the bony accessories included with the clothing. He found Zabimaru and rejoined Byakuya by the door.
"So we're going to try to blend in," he said softly.
Byakuya said nothing, but led him out of the room, past a pair of dead guards and down several hallways. Renji looked around and noticed that they had entered what looked like a storage area. As they did, alarms sounded loudly all around them and they heard the sound of pounding feet. Byakuya pulled Renji under the cover provided by stacks of boxed supplies that filled the room they were in. They studied each other in the semi darkness, each trying to decide what to say.
"How did you know?" Renji asked, "Where I was? What happened?"
Byakuya shook his head.
"It doesn't matter. I'm going to get you out of here…and we're going to home. We have some things we need to say to each other, but this really isn't the right place."
Renji managed a sad smile.
"What are you talking about?" he said softly, "Who in the hell needs a 'right' time or place to say, 'I was an idiot.' Or 'I'm sorry.'"
Byakuya returned the smile and lowered his eyes.
"Very well, then," he said quietly, "I will tell you that I am sorry if it seemed as though I intended to use you. The truth is…I was attracted to you…and I didn't know how to tell you. We have apparently been the unfortunate victims of a number of misunderstandings. But let me make one thing clear…Abarai Renji, aishiteru yo."
Renji leaned forward and met the noble's lips with his own, then sat back and gazed at Byakuya.
"Are you going to go through with it?" he asked softly, "Are you going to get married?"
"Yes," Byakuya answered, meeting his eyes.
Renji's face fell, but Byakuya caught his chin and returned the redhead's eyes to his.
"To you, Renji," he added, stopping Renji's heart in his chest, "if you will have me."
"Shit…" whispered Renji, "Are you proposing to me? Here? In the middle of enemy territory? While we're trying to escape with our lives? You're crazy, Taichou! You're damned crazy!"
"So is that a 'yes,' Renji?" Byakuya asked.
"No," said Renji, watching Byakuya's eyes darken threateningly, "That's a 'Hell yes!'"
He wrapped his arms around the noble and kissed him warmly.
"Okay, so…you got in here. How are we getting out?"
"Oh," said Gin's voice, "I don't think you are getting out!"
His zanpakutou sliced across the distance and Renji had a strong sense of history repeating itself as Byakuya rose up in between them. But at the last moment, Senbonzakura crashed against Gin's weapon and Byakuya forced him back roughly.
"Run, Renji!" he ordered his fukutaichou.
And he did burst into a flash step, but curled an arm around the noble as he passed and pulled Byakuya along with him.
"How the fuck did he manage to find us like that?" Renji yelled as they ran back down the hallway, turning the corner just as Gin's zanpakutou slammed into the wall behind them.
"I don't know," Byakuya admitted, falling into step with him, "but we don't have time to concern ourselves with that. We must assume that Aizen Sousuke knows we are here now, and knows where we are. Renji, there's to be no more hiding out."
"You mean it's time to run like hell?" laughed Renji.
"Yes," said Byakuya, "I believe that is one way to put it!"
Renji felt somewhat guilty at the fact that his slower flash step lowered Byakuya's chances of escape, but hardly had time to consider that as several hollows joined Gin in the chase and lit out after them, growling and snarling. They turned several more corners, then Byakuya motioned for Renji to stop.
"Stand back!" he warned the redhead, "Hado #63 Soren Soukatsui!"
Even prepared as he was, Renji was nearly thrown off his feet as a hole opened up in the wall and Byakuya shoved him through it. On the other side, he could see only sand, running off into the distance. They burst through the opening and flash stepped away from the fortress. They had almost reached the cover of the nearest rocks when the sound of pursuit rose up behind them. Renji felt the heat and oppressive reiatsu of incoming ceros. Then, suddenly he heard Byakuya's soft intonation and a thousand pink swords rose up all around them. Everything went quiet and calm as the two stood within the fighting chamber, gazing at each other appraisingly and catching their breath.
"I'm going to detonate my senkei," Byakuya told Renji, "Be ready with your ban kai. We will need to make a strong offensive, so that we can make our escape."
Renji lifted Zabimaru and called forth the skeletal snake.
"Ready when you are, Taichou," he said quietly.
Byakuya nodded and lifted Senbonzakura. As he began the detonation, the air around him seemed to shimmer and Renji felt a quiver of fear pass through him.
"Taichou!" he cried as Aizen appeared next to Byakuya.
Byakuya turned as the senkei exploded and barely managed to raise a kido shield as Aizen's sword slashed down at him. The shield shattered, but held long enough to give Byakuya a chance to flash step away. Renji sent Zabimaru flying at the enemy shinigami.
"Hikotsu Taiho!" he shouted, sending a fire blast that engulfed Aizen.
He turned back to Byakuya and found that the noble had dropped to his knees. Not waiting to find out why, Renji simply swept him off his feet and flash stepped for his life, wanting to cheer as Zaraki taichou's group suddenly appeared in front of him, allowing him to tear free of the pursuit. Back among allies, Renji slowed and set Byakuya back on his feet. To his dismay, Byakuya simply collapsed at his feet. Renji dropped to his knees and turned the noble onto his back. When he pulled his hands away, he was chilled to see that they were covered with blood.