A/N: Hello again! So, I'm not entirely sure about this one. . . It has a weird feel to it that's different from my other ones. I wrote it at two in the morning. I was very tired. . I apologise in advance! Reviews are . . . well you know.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Bleach. Tite Kubo does. I just toy with the characters a bit.

J: Jealous

It had been weeks since the incident with Rukia. Weeks since he took Ichimaru Gin's blade to save her, and weeks since his lieutenant took his own to do the same. Kuchiki Byakuya found himself thinking back to that time often. That was when everything changed. Not just because of the betrayal and the inevitable war that was to follow, but also, because of Abarai Renji.

Byakuya couldn't explain it, but he found himself growing closer to his lieutenant. Or at least wanting to. His heart stopped every time Renji's hand accidentally brushed against his. Whenever their eyes met, Byakuya had to hold back a sigh. All while keeping his famed outward composure. It was frustrating.

Not, however, as frustrating as it was to watch Renji laughing it up with his comrades. It was unnerving how close the sixth division lieutenant seemed to be with his friends. Especially since Byakuya wanted to claim him all for himself.

"Get offa me!"

"Fat chance!"

The sixth division captain scowled as he opened the door to the office he shared with Abarai Renji. His fiery lieutenant and Shuuhei Hisagi froze in their tracks as soon as they felt Byakuya's cold glare. Renji was leaned over his desk, Hisagi's elbow pushed roughly between his shoulder blades while holding a tattooed arm behind his back. The normally stoic captain's reiatsu flared in anger at the sight of his lieutenant in such a position.

Renji shoved the other lieutenant off of him and jabbed him playfully in the shoulder. Hisagi managed to get in one more punch in the ribs before flashing a smile and heading out the door. "Later Abarai."

The fiery lieutenant chuckled softly, waving at his departing friend before bringing his attention to his captain. Byakuya had managed to rein in his reiatsu, but Renji could still taste the anger flowing heavy in the air. "Is something wrong, Taichou?"

"Please refrain from such displays of affection in our work space, Abarai," the Kuchiki noble said flatly. "I do not wish to be forced to see it."

"Affection?" the tattooed man raised an eyebrow, "What'r you talking about?"

"Do not pretend to be daft," Byakuya seethed, his control slipping. "It is of no concern to me what you and that ninth division boy do on your free time, but in the office, you must control your more carnal tendencies."

"C-carnal?" Renji stared at his captain, brows furrowed in anger. "If I didn' know any better," he snapped, "I'd say you were jealous."

Byakuya opened his mouth to reply, but closed it quickly as he took in what his lieutenant had said.

Jealous?

"Do not be ridiculous, Abarai."

Renji's eyes grew wide. Though his pale captain had answered quickly enough, the pause was unmistakable. Could his captain really be jealous?

"T-Taichou?" the crimson haired man stammered. "I was only jokin'. I mean . . ." he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I didn' mean to suggest that you were jealous of me. There's nothin' going on between me'n Hisagi."

Byakuya sighed, the anger building in his reiatsu fading away. An anxious lump formed in his gut as he chose his next words carefully. "I will admit, Abarai, that I am jealous, though there is no reason for me to be jealous of you, Fukutaichou."

Renji stared. It was not often that the thin noble elicited such shock to form on the sixth division lieutenant's features, but today seemed to be full of them. "A-are you sayin' that you're jealous of . . . Hisagi?"

Byakuya nodded, looking away to hide the embarrassment that he knew had to be coloring his face. He felt as if he were reverting back to his youth. To a time when his stoic façade did not exist and emotions ran wild through his veins.

"Don't hide your face," Renji murmured next to Byakuya's ear. When did his lieutenant get so close? "I want to be able see every part of you." Warm arms wrapped themselves about the smaller man's waist as Renji buried his face into raven locks. "Every emotion you keep hidden. Every blush that covers that flawless skin."

Byakuya closed his eyes, wanting so badly to lean into every whisper that floated from his young lieutenant, but forcing himself to hold back. Instead, he murmured one word so softly that if it weren't for the fact that he was standing so close, Renji would never have heard. "Why?"

"'Cause I care 'bout you. And . . ." Renji swallowed, running his tongue across dry lips and forcing himself to say the words that he had been wanting to say for some time now. "Aishiteru yo, Taichou."

Byakuya let himself go at these words, spinning his body around to cover parched lips with his own, tongue probing, caressing soft walls. The older man tangled his fists into the others kosode, pulling away long enough to whisper a small but powerful phrase before crushing their lips together once more.

"Aishiteru yo, Renji."