Compromise
Byakuya and Renji spent a week away. They didn't plan to spend the whole week away but every night Byakuya got drunk and his hangover was too bad to deal with the problems he would endure. They finally decided to come back even though they knew they'd be in tons of trouble with the Head Captain, the Kuchiki clan, and their squads. Neither of them were prepared for the onslaught of punishment they were going to get but they had to take responsibility for their actions.
They walked out of the Senkaimon now in the soul society holding hands and looking around waiting for their superior to appear in front of them. Captain Unohana appeared in front of them and Renji wasn't afraid but Byakuya was.
"Oh look we got Captain Unohana." Renji said relieved
"That's not good." Byakuya whispered to him.
"What do you mean she's the nicest person ever. And why are you whispering?"
"She's not the nicest person ever. Why do you think I call her witch doctor? And have you ever heard someone say 'no' to her."
Renji thought about no one ever denies her what she wants, its that smile. "Oh yeah."
"Captain Abari and Captain Kuchiki" She said in a sweet but scary voice, if its possible. "The Head Captain would like a word with you and after that the Kuchiki clan would too."
"Yes, Captain." Byakuya and Renji said
Captain Unohana turned sharply heading to the first division knowing the men would follow her. Renij held his hand out discreetly and Byakuya grabbed it squeezing tightly.
Once they got in front of the Head Captain they dropped to their knees and bowed letting their foreheads touch the floor.
"Rise" Head Captain Yamamoto said "I would like you to look at some of the people you have disappointed with your disappearance."
Renji and Byakuya stood up and looked around the room. Shiro, Ichigo and Yumichika were there but the only one who looked angry was Ichigo because he hated paperwork just as much as Renji did. The other captain's of the Thirteen Court Guard Squad were there as well some of them looked disappointed some of them looked indifferent and one of them was asleep, Captain Kyoraku. And then Byakuya looked in his spot which was supposed to be empty but was filled by his grandfather, the look in his grandfather's eyes scared Byakuya it was the one look he never wanted aimed at him: disappointment. Byakuya quickly looked away from his grandfather's gaze and subconsciously grabbed Renij's hand. Renji tightened his hold on Byaluya's hand before he spoke.
"Head Captain Yamamoto, everything is my fault." Byakuya looked at Renji but he spoke before Byakuya could oppose "I wanted a break and I dragged Byakuya off with me. He didn't want to go but I forced him to go anyway. I knew Byakuya had the noble meeting and I took him anyway. I was being selfish."
"Renji, I can not let you take the blame for this." Byakuya said, the turned to look at the Head Captain "This is my fault too. I am the elder captain I know the rules I should have stopped Renji and I did not. I could have but I did not want to."
"You were gone for a week why didn't you come back sooner?" Captain Yamamoto asked.
"I was too sick to move." Byakuya omitted the truth, they'd be in even more trouble had Yamamoto known they -he- were out getting drunk.
"How sick?"
"Migraine, stomach ache, stuffy nose, sore throat. At one point my nose would not stop bleeding." These things were true at one point Byakuya fell into a table and his nose wouldn't stop bleeding so he wasn't lying.
The room was silent for a moment while the head Captain processed this information. "What do you think I should do about your disappearance?" he asked them
"Whatever, you see fit." Renji said holding his head down.
"Byakuya you will clean the lunch hall everyday for a month." Byakuya's eyes widened for a hot second before went back to the safety of his mask but Yamamoto knowa the only things Byakuya knows how to clean are his ass and his plate. "Renji you will do your paperwork, your lieutenant's paperwork, and all the paperwork of the fourth division." Renji froze he understood his paperwork and yeah Ichigo's but the fourth division with all the in and out of the patients and injuries and all that other stuff this is going to be hell. "Do you accept your punishments?"
"Yes, Head Captain Yamamoto" they said bowing.
"Byakuya" Genrei said looking his way. "The Clan and I would like to see you and Renji. Now."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Byakuya, you may sit." said one of the Kuchiki elders, Byakuya took a seat Renji stood behind him. "Do you have any idea how irresponsible you've been?"
"Disappearing and not giving anyone any notice at all." said another elder "Not only did you walk out in the middle of a meeting you walked away from your duties as Clan Leader."
"Just so we are clear." said another elder this time female. "This will never happen again and just to make sure it doesn't happen we have set proposition for you. Either you get married."
"I can not get married." Byakuya said quickly. "As long as I am in a relationship with Renji I will not be marrying anyone."
"Or give us a child in the next year." the elder finished as if Byakuya never interrupted her "That is all, you are dismissed."
Byakuya sat frozen in his chair, a worried look etched onto his face he then slowly stood and walked out of the room not waiting to see if Renji would follow. When Byakuya blindly walked to his room he crawled onto his bed and plopped down face first into his pillow. He felt Renji sit on the bed and begin rub circles in his back and he sighed.
"Sorry." Renji said softly.
"Its not your fault." Byakuya said into the pillow. "I didn't have to drink every day we were gone. I didn't have to leave the meeting either. I could of just punched Akinori and been happy with that." he rolled over on his back. "I can't get married. There's just no way." he began to babble "They're not going to let me marry you, its too early for us to get married anyway. I'm not marrying some random woman. But I also don't want kids or kid in this case. I'm not ready to have another kid. I don't even like kids. Plus I'm still living it up with you drinking and having fun and having sex all the time we can't do that with a kid. I don't even know why their pressuring me to have a kid I'm still young, I'm less than 300 years old, Grandfather didn't have any til he was like 330 so what the fuck. See that I curse too much for kids, I mean, that only started happening when you showed up but still I can't turn it off. Speaking of young, you're too young to have kids you're only like 150 you have tons of life to live. I don't wanna burden you with children..."
"Actually." Renji nervously stopping Byakuya's babbling "I want kids."
Byakuya sat up and looked at Renji "What?! Since when did you want kids?"
"Since always. I like kids and I've always wanted kids."
"And you were going to say this when?"
"Well I...never mind."
"Well you, what? Say it, Renji."
"I didn't think we'd be together long enough to talk about kids." Renji could see it in Byakuya's eyes he was hurt, he didn't mean it but it was the truth. "I'm sorry..."
Byakuya looked away "Don't be sorry about your feelings its not something you can help." he said coldly.
"Byakuya..."
"Its fine, Renji."
"No its not. Stop giving Captain Kuchiki answers." he reached over and turned Byakuya's shoulders so he'd look at him. "Look at me." Byakuya gave him a bored look and rolled his eyes Renji grabbed his chin "In the beginning I didn't think we'd be together that long we're just too different" Byakuya breathed heavily out of his nose "but I rather not be with anyone else if that's okay with you."
"So if someone you'd rather be with came along you'd be with them." he said bitterly.
"That's not what I said."
Byakuya pulled Renji's hand off his chin and stood up stretching his back. "Might as well have." he muttered and started walking toward the bathroom "I'm going to take a shower, I'll see you later I guess."
Renji rolled his eyes "Byakuya st..." but he was already in the bathroom. "I'm not leaving." Renji yelled.
"Could you though?" Byakuya yelled back. "I just really need time to think, okay."
Renji sighed "If it would make you happy."
"That's what got me into this in the first place." Byakuya said more to himself but Renji still heard.
"Sorry."
"Don't be sorry be careful." Byakuya said subconsciously.
Renji instantly reverted back to the beginning of their captain and lieutenant days where whenever Renji would say 'sorry' Byakuya would coldly say 'don't be sorry be careful' and continue doing whatever he was doing without sparing Renji a single glance making him feel invisible. "I see we're back to that."
"I'll see you later, Renji." Byakuya said quietly but knowing Renji would hear him. He stepped into his tub some of the water spilled out because he filled it too high. He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them. "We are already falling apart." he said to himself. "Job well done Kuchiki clan."
"So how was your little rendezvous?" Yorichi asked walking into Byakuya's office.
"Wonderful." he sighed.
"Then why do you look so upset?" she said sitting on the corner of his desk.
"Did you know Renji wanted children?"
"He never told me himself but him and Jinta got along quite well when he was more childlike and Jinta is quite difficult you'd have to like children to deal with him."
Byakuya sighed and put his head into his hands. "The clan wants a child. The clan knows I don't."
"And Renji wants a child so that means you have basically no say."
"It's not that I have no say its just I don't want kids. Ever. And Renij wants children and knowing him it'll be a lot."
"Sorry for interrupting." Yumichika said as he was listening to the conversation. "Why didn't this conversation come up earlier?"
"I didn't wanna bring it up hoping the topic would never arise knowing it would eventually and Renji apparently didn't think we'd last that long." he said the last party bitterly.
"I'm sure that's not what he meant." Yorichi said
"That's what he said." he sighed "I'm sure this was the plan all along and I'm sure it was all Akinori's idea."
"And why do you think that?" Yorichi asked
"Because Renji makes me happy and anything that makes me happy must be destroyed. And unfortunately I'm the only one who knows Akinori's game."
"That's not what I said!" Renji yelled at Byakuya.
"It came out of your mouth, essentially, that means you said it." Byakuya yelled back.
"You are always taking shit out of context. That's why I hate talking to you because you only hear whatever the fuck it is you wanna hear."
"Then why don't you just leave."
"Fuck you." Renji walked out of Byakuya's office slamming the door behind him.
"I would but you won't let me." Byakuya yelled making sure he would be heard.
Byakuay walked behind his desk and plopped down in his chair, he ran his hand over his face and sighed heavily. They had been fighting since they got back, which was a week and a half ago, and it does nothing but stress both of them out. Every time they spend even a second together it instantly turns into a screaming match between the two because the kid thing always comes up and neither is willing to back down. Byakuya is afraid they are falling apart and everything is only going to get worse between the two if one of them doesn't stop being so stubborn and apologize.
Byakuya sighed and stood up opting to be the one to make the first move. He walked out of his office and made his way to Renji's office. When he got there the door was closed and he was about to knock but he heard Renji talking.
"I don't know, Ikkaku, everything is just a fight with him and it stresses me out. Sometimes I don't even wanna see him anymore because I know it'll turn into an argument. Somehow one of us reverts back to this kid thing and we just get into it every time." Renji confided in his friend.
"What will happen if he doesn't have a kid or get married?" Ikkaku asked
"He won't be clan leader anymore and can't live in the manor."
"So this is a big deal."
"Huge deal, which is why I don't get why he won't just agree to have children he has a lot at stake. It doesn't make sense to fight me all the time. He's not going to marry some woman so kids is the next best thing."
"I mean you can't force him to have children that'll only cause resentment for you and then or it."
It was quiet for a while before Renji spoke again. "You knew I wanted kids, right?"
"Yeah."
"I always imagined I'd be married like a newlywed or something and we just bought a new house with a white picket fence and we have a dog and then surprise she's pregnant and we'd be all excited and we'd pick baby names and do all the other baby stuff and finally they'd come and I'd be a great dad and we'd be one big happy family."
"Because you have a wife and not a husband."
Byakuya's heart stopped and he could feel his eyes brimming with tears, he tried his best not to cry but he could feel the tears spilling over.
"You never talked about kids with Byakuya because it wasn't a part of your plan." Ikkaku said
Renji silence was the only answer both Byakuya and Ikkaku needed. Byakuya took a deep shaky breath and then flash stepped away as fast as he could to the manor. He ran to his room and slammed the door behind him leaning on it and sliding down to the floor. He hugged his legs and laid down on them letting the tears fall from his eyes.
Byakuya was sitting on his bed reading a book when he heard a knock on the door, it was Renji he knew that he wanted to ignore him but knew he couldn't. He sighed put his book down and went to go unlock the door.
"Hey, babe." Renji said leaning down to kiss him Byakuya turned his head so he's kiss his cheek instead of lips. "Is everything okay?"
"Its fine." Byakuya said walking back to his bed getting readjusted and picking his book back up.
Renji walked further into the room sitting on the bed. "Um I thought I'd come over and watch a movie."
Byakuya didn't look up from his book "I'm actually really tired and I'm going to go to bed early."
"Do you want me to sleep with you?"
"Nope, that's fine" Byakuya lied knowing he hated sleeping by himself but he wasn't willing to forgive Renji yet even though the man hadn't even know he had to be forgiven.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Byakuya said quickly "Go hang with your friends I'm sure they miss you."
"What is your problem?"
"I don't have a problem."
Renji snatched the book out of Byakuya's hands "What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing." Byakuya said reaching for the book but Renji moved it. "Can you please give me my book back?"
"No tell me why you're acting so childish."
"I said I was fine so give me my book."
"No."
"I don't know why we need children clearly we're childish enough as is." Byakuya muttered sitting back crossing his arms.
Renji rolled his eyes and threw the book down on the bed. "Fuck it, I'm leaving." Renji said standing up "I'm sick of arguing with you."
"I'm sure if I was a woman you wouldn't mind." Byakuya muttered again.
Reni stopped and looked at him "What did you say?"
"Nothing just the fact that I'm sure you'd be a lot happier if I was a woman with a uterus instead of man with a penis."
"What are you talking about? Where are you getting this from?"
"Nowhere, Renji."
"Tell me."
"I heard you say it." Byakuya snapped "I heard you say your dream is to be with a woman so she can birth your babies and you can be happy." Byakuya crawled to the edge of the bed with tears in his eyes. "Do I not make you happy?"
"That's not what I said."
"Then what did you say? You said you'd have your wife and your white picket fence and your dog and your kids and you'd be one big happy family. Its clear now why you didn't see us being together that long. Its because I'm a man and not your perfect wife."
Renji walked up to Byakuya and wiped his tears "Stop it. That's not what I want. I want you and only you."
"Well you wanna know what I don't want. Children. I don't want kids. Ever. When Hisana got pregnant I was only happy because she was happy. Kids were never in my plans and they're not now. I will not be forced to have children."
"So what am I supposed to do?" Renji said a little angry with Byakuya that he was not willing to compromise. "Just throw away my dreams because you don't see children in your future. I want children and there is no way I'm not having them."
"So what now?"
Renji sat down next to Byakuya "I don't know." It was silent for awhile before Renji thought about something "You're willing to lose everything because you're too stubborn to give the clan what they want?"
Byakuya looked over at Renji with a little anger in his eyes. "Too stubborn to give them what they want or too stubborn to give you what you want?"
"Isn't it the same thing?"
Byakuya stood up and walked to the bathroom. "Go find you a wife, Renji." he slammed the door behind him.
"Maybe I will." Renji said marching out of Byakuya's room and slamming that door.
Byakuya looked in his mirror rolling his eyes when an image of Sendonzakura popped up. "That was mean." he said. "Relationships are about compromise and you're not willing to compromise." Byakuya rolled his eyes and walked back into his room getting in his bed and pulling the cover over his head.
"I'll apologize when I wake up." he huffed
"I can't do this anymore." Renji ranted to his friends after his second bottle of sake "All we do is argue. All we do is fight. We have two completely different views on life and we want different things." he slammed the empty bottle down on the table "I need some air." he stood up walked to the back of the bar and went outside. He leaned against the wall across from the door and sighed he had a lot going on on his mind and needed space to think about it all. There were times he wanted to just break up with Byakuya just to make things easier for the both of them but he's no quitter and he also cares a lot for Byakuya and wouldn't want to lose him. Renji looked at the door when he heard it open.
"Oh sorry, I didn't know someone was out here." a busty blonde with blue eyes walked out of the bar. She smiled at him. "I just needed some air."
"Yeah, me too."
She walked over to him and leaned on the wall next to him. "I seem to be having boyfriend troubles." she sighed
"Me too."
She turned to look at Renji "A handsome devil like you having boyfriend troubles? I guess the better looking you are the more troubles you have."
"Maybe that's it." Renji smirked "What's the problem your having with your boyfriend?"
"He's just so stubborn he'd rather fight me all the time than agree with me."
Renji snorted "Seems we're having the same problem. My boyfriend would rather lose everything than to go against his own wishes."
The woman moved so she was in front of Renji and smiled putting a hand on his shoulder. Renji's drunk mind didn't seem to see the problem with it. "Why is it that we must suffer for love."
They heard the door open again and the blonde haired demon leaned up and kissed Renji.
"Renji I..." Byakuya said opening the door but stopping mid sentence when he saw the scene in front of him. He instantly turned on his heel walking away from the door as fast as possible.
Renij pushed the woman away from him and chased Byakuya. "Byakuya, wait." he yelled. "Listen to me." he reached out and grabbed Byakuya's arm but was slapped making him let go.
"Don't you ever touch me." Byakuya sneered. "I hate you. And I never want to see you again." he began running out of the bar again.
"Byakuya wait, please, wait." Renij said chasing him again. Renji finally caught up with him when they got outside the bar. He grabbed his arm again but blocked the slap that was coming next. "Listen to me. Listen to me, please." Byakuya tried pulling away but it didn't work Renji only held on tighter.
"I hate you."
"Listen to me."
"I hate you."
"It was an accident."
"I hate you."
"I don't even know that girl."
"I hate you."
"I'm sorry."
"Leave me alone." Byakuya finally snatched his arm away from Renji. "You don't have to worry about arguing anymore because we're through." and then he disappeared.
"Fuck." Renji cursed punching the wall next to him.
Byakuya marched to him home once he knew Renji hadn't followed him. He wiped his tears before walking up to his door, he stopped before walking inside the manor. There was a guard on the left and right side of the door and Byakuya had something important to tell them.
"Renji is no longer allowed in this house and if you see him kill him." Byakuya said coldly before walking into the manor. He walked to his room slamming the door behind him and walked into the bathroom and got naked getting ready for his shower before he went to bed. He turned the shower water on and stepped in he slowly washed his hair and the rest of his body and then stood there staring at the wall letting the water hit his back. He put his hands on the wall to lean on it, he let a sob loose and then another and another until he dropped to his knees and sobbed loudly. Byakuya cried until his water ran cold then he dried off and laid down in his bed wiping his ever flowing tears.
Byakuya walked to his office with a box in his hands and his old, cold mask plastered on his face, everyone could tell he was angry and quickly moved far away from him. When Byakuya finally got to his barracks he could see Renji standing at his office door talking to Yumichika he walked to his office without sparing Renij a single glance ans greeted Yumi.
"Good morning, Lieutenant Ayasesawa." Byakuya said calmly
"Good morning Captain."
"I would appreciate it if you spoke to your friends at lunch and not outside my office, thank you." Byakuya turned the knob to his office door but before he could walk into his office he heard his name, from him.
"Byakuya, can I..." Renji started but was interrupted
"Here." Byakuya said handing Renji the box in his hands.
Renji reached into the box and pulled out what looked like confetti. "What is this?"
"Your things." Byakuya walked into his office without giving Renji a second glance.
"Well look at you taking all of us like four years back in time." Yumi said "If you hadn't noticed he called me by my last name. So thanks for fucking it up for everyone." Yumichika rolled his eyes and walked into the office. He was disappointed in Renji he thought the man had changed but it seemed he had not.
The office was silent Byakuya had thrown himself into his work and Yumi was too afraid to say anything, the way Renij used to talk about him Byakuya went a little too far when giving punishments. It was so silent they could hear a hell butterfly flapping its wings and landing on Byakuya's shoulder, Byakuya listened to the message and sent the butterfly on its way.
"I have an emergency clan meeting, I'm sure its nothing important, so you don't have to fill in for me in the captains' meeting. I'll probably just be late." Byakuya said standing up and walking out of the office, he stuck his head back in the door. "I don't want Renji in here."
"I understand." Yumichika said with a nod of his head.
Byakuya walked in the captains' meeting late and now even more angry than before. He walked to his spot in the line up with a dark scowl on his face and even darker spiritual pressure coming out in waves around him. "I had an emergency clan meeting." he said looking up at the Head Captain and then across the room at the wall. The meeting soon came to an end but before the Head Captain could dismiss them the doors opened again and this time a busty woman with long, thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes walked in all eyes were on her but she had her eyes on someone else. She walked right over to Byakuya and linked their arms smiling up at him.
"Dear, have you told everyone the good news?" She said.
'Kill her.' Senbonzakura said in Byakuya's head 'There's something about her I don't trust.'
"No" Byakuya said indifferently pulling his arm away from her.
She looked around the room eyeing Renji a little. "Byakuya and I are getting married." she said with a huge smile but there was something about that smile that no one in the room trusted. Everyone looked at Byakuya with wide eyes but could tell he was not happy, he was glaring at the woman darkly and then he clenched his jaw it seemed he trying not to snap. "Our wedding will be February 13 in the Kuchiki gardens at the manor. All of you are invited, well most of you." he looked at Renij briefly.
"What is your name?" Captain Unohana asked
"Mariko." the woman answered.
"Well its nice to meet you." Restu said bowing her head slightly.
"The feeling is mutual." Mariko smiled
Yorichi in her black cat form walked up to Byakuya's feet and meowed loudly, Byakuya leaned down slightly so she could jump on his shoulder. She walked across his shoulders getting as close as she could to the woman. The woman reached out to pet the cat but was hissed at and snatched her hand back.
"Dear, I'm not a big fan of cats." Mariko said
Byakuya smirked a little before turning to her. "Oh that's unfortunate." he said pretending to worried. "I don't know what to do." he rubbed Yorichi's head "Demon, here is very important to me there's no way I could give him up. I'm sure he just has to warm up to you, he loved Renji." he added Renji to the mix just to rile her up. Yorichi purred in his ear. The older captains could see the evil gleam in Byakuya's eye and were no longer as worried about him as they were for her.
"I am sure we will all attend the wedding." the Head Captain said a bit confused, he would have to talk to Genrei later. "This meeting is dismissed."
The captains slowly walked out of the meeting room stealing glances of Mariko. Renji looked back at her and they caught eyes Mariko smirked darkly at him and then linked arms with Byakuya again. Renji then realized he was tricked and so was Byakuya.
Here's another. Please review.