Chapter 21: Where the Heart is
(Thanks so very much to Eva Galana (You bet! When readers go to the extreme effort to reread sometimes over a hundred pages and give their thoughts, I am so unbelievably grateful and deeply motivated to offer more for them to enjoy! So, thank you and I hope you enjoy the end of this one. It definitely left me warm and fuzzy.), Nyma (I'm so glad you enjoyed that!) and Alabirdie (I have missed you too! I don't know what I'd do if my muse took too many long vacations. I get depressed when I'm not writing obsessively! And you are beyond sweet. I'll have more for you to enjoy very soon!) Next, more Renji chapters are in the works, and I will FINALLY finish restoring Blood Red Fang and Pride With a Vengeance from the Shattered Moon series. I have chapters of A Thousand Pleasures, A Vibrant Display of Love and Affections, Blood Rain, Akumu and Obvious (which will be completed soon. Stay tuned! Love, Spunky)
Byakuya sat quietly on the bed in the guest room that he and his vice captain had been given, his mind drifting somewhat as healing reiatsu flowed from Renji's hands into his now healed shoulder and back.
"That better, Captain?" the redhead asked, offering the noble a more amorous touch on the cheek, "Orihime would have healed you, but they were kind of worried about your cousin Tomio. He's been pretty restless and uncomfortable. I really think he's going to have that baby soon."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "I think so. But not to worry, your healing skills are more than sufficient. And...you have other skills as well I feel in need of right now."
"Oh," the redhead said, smirking, "That's okay by me. Just promise me that you won't be making me put on that collar and zapping me while we're making love. And don't think I didn't notice that Shira handed the collar to you after she took it off of me! Where are you hiding that thing, anyway? I didn't feel it in your yukata there while I was healing you. Where'd you stash it?"
"I should have known that you had an ulterior motive for healing me, and let's just say that it's in a safe place."
"And what about that savory outfit Sai had made for you?" the redhead said, smirking, "I actually hope you're bringing that home, although I'd have to get your promise not to let anyone but me see you in it."
"I doubt I would remain leader of the Kuchiki clan for a minute longer if I was spotted wearing that...clothing," the noble said dryly, "but enough talk about clothing and implements of torture. I've missed you."
"It hasn't been that long since we made love, Captain."
"I would like to make love to you without worrying about us being killed for it, for a change," Byakuya sighed, "Or do you think that our sexual exchanges will be less enjoyable without the threat of death to add adrenaline?"
He caught his breath in surprise as Renji pulled him onto his feet and into a long, enthusiastic, open-mouthed exploration, then brought them back down onto the bed together. Byakuya nuzzled in beneath the redhead's chin, breathing in his warm, attractive scent while nipping the tanned skin of his throat and gently tracing the bold, black tattoos on his lover's proud chest and softer belly.
"I don't think we need any more adrenaline," Renji chuckled, sliding a hand down Byakuya's pale, slender back and rubbing his bottom to encourage its erotic, grinding motion to continue, "I think you can feel how much adrenaline we have, all on our own, ne?"
"It hadn't escaped me," Byakuya noted a little breathlessly, nudging his way further between the redhead's thighs and beginning to prepare him.
"So, what do you like better?" Renji posited, sucking in a heated breath as the noble teased him inside, "Me naked? Or me in that freaky little, barely there, fighting uniform?"
"Let's just say that while that uniform was compelling as a means of seduction, I rather like finally being able to get it off of you without you dying," the noble replied, moving into position and teasing his way inside the blushing redhead, "Anything that covers your natural beauty isn't going to stay on you long when we are alone together anyway."
"Ooh!" Renji panted, reeling at the heat of his lover's invading member, "I like how you think, Captain!"
Words gave way to a long exchange of heavy thrusts and breathy groans of rising pleasure. Byakuya's lovely, dark eyes remained tightly fastened on his red haired lover's, somehow both glinting in challenge and betraying a glimmer of deep relief and gratitude. But it was that very complexity that made Byakuya far more than just beautiful to the former lower Rukon child turned powerful vice captain. And to see such a person reach in his direction with that enchanting, wanting expression was nearly enough to make his heart burst. He held the impassioned noble tightly in his arms, accepting in full the dangerous beauty that was Byakuya Kuchiki's love. And he wondered how a gentle woman like Hisana hadn't been swept away encountering him as she did.
But he had a sneaking suspicion that Byakuya, while loving her sincerely, had never been able to fully relax with her for that very reason. But there was no danger of Renji being incinerated. He could look into those deadly eyes and bear the full power of the Kuchiki heir's intense affections. And Byakuya held nothing back, loosing himself fully on the reeling redhead, then surrendering himself to the deep, numbing abyss of orgasm.
Renji felt a scathing explosion of melting heat inside him and felt circumstances leave his control. A ringing howl of pleasure erupted from between his parted lips and his body shuddered until he thought it might break. Surviving that, he sucked in a deep, languid breath and let it out again, falling into those dark affectionate eyes and forgetting all hopes of escape.
I never had a clue that love could feel like this.
Byakuya, my captain...my lover, you are...
"Amazing..." he whispered dazedly, earning the slightest, but most profound of smiles from the enigmatic, raven-haired beauty that rested lazily splayed out on top of him, breathing in their mingled scents and almost purring with contentedness.
"So, am I forgiven for carelessly letting myself get abducted, made to dress in barely anything and fight hollows to the death?" Renji asked jokingly.
"You forget to mention making the heir of the Kuchiki clan recklessly endanger himself, putting Rikichi's life also in danger and causing me to have to act like a weakling and dress provocatively enough to give the elders all heart attacks."
"Yeah, they would shrivel up and die of shock, wouldn't they?" Renji giggled, earning a molten glare and a renewed attack on his flushed lips.
"Probably," Byakuya agreed between biting kisses, "But I don't intend on them ever knowing, and you are never to breathe a word about it to anyone or..."
He breathed the next words into Renji's blushing ear, making the redhead's heart and loins throb painfully in reaction.
"Or you will never, ever see me wearing it again," the noble finished, punctuating the words with a blindingly swift re-entry into his lover's sweat dampened body.
"My lips are sealed," Renji promised, closing his eyes and grinning widely.
He wasn't all too certain what exactly happened next, only that it included a vigorous claiming and a flurry of heated thrusts, after which he stole the upper position and rode his pretty mate for a time before being brought down onto his belly and taken from behind. Still in the throes of an even more powerful orgasm, he collapsed beneath an equally breathless Byakuya, thanking his lucky stars they were still alive and so in love. And while still in that buzzing and happy state, he was brought back to reality as a tapping sounded on the door.
"Yeah, what is it?" Renji said gruffly, managing to drape a portion of the bedsheet over them as the door opened and Rikichi stepped in, then flushed brightly and started to back out again.
"S-sorry, sirs!" he stammered penitently, "I'm...oh, I'm really sorry!"
"It's fine," Byakuya said quietly, his unaffected response calming their flustered subordinate somewhat and allowing him to yield his message.
"Tomio has gone into labor," Rikichi reported, "You asked me to let you know when..."
"Yeah, thanks," Renji said, nodding, "We'll be there in a sec, okay?"
"Okay," Rikichi said, backing out and closing the door as Renji slipped out of bed and offered Byakuya a clean yukata.
The noble accepted the offered clothing and wrapped it around his lean frame, while the redhead did likewise. The two exited their guestroom and walked through the bright marble hallways to where Tomio laid in the master suite, partially upright with Sai Dal supporting his upper body from behind, while Orihime leaned over him and set her healing area over him.
"I have been able to reverse all of the negative effects of Mr. Tomio's injury and the long stasis," she reported, "The baby's reiatsu feels normal and should emerge any time now."
Byakuya moved to his cousin's side and sat down, taking Tomio's hand in his and watching raptly as light glowed around the pregnant hollow's midsection. The golden light intensified and Orihime extended her hands to gather in the small cluster that rose out of his body. She cradled the cluster for a moment, then laid it in Tomio's waiting arms as it began to change, flickering, then slowly resolving into the form of a tiny child.
A stronger throb of reiatsu billowed around the surprised parents and their newborn, swirling and filling the room, blinding all of those within momentarily, then leaving them speechless as they realized first...
That's not a hollow! It's a shinigami!
Then, the wave of reiatsu swept over them, and each one touched by it gasped and watched, entranced, as they were likewise transformed. Only two sets of eyes met amidst the chaos, in full understanding.
"This was the power of your zanpakuto!" Byakuya exclaimed softly, staring into Tomio's rounded eyes, "Kokoro no Kakyoku, song of the heart...a compelling song that causes any who hear it to remember their heart's desire and abandon all else to reach for it."
"It wasn't a power meant for battle," Tomio whispered, looking deeply into his newborn son's lovely blue eyes, "At least, while I lived before, I never used it that way. And even when I did, it never gave life to hollows before. But I had reached manifestation, and my zanpakuto told me that it had the potential to do great things. Although it wasn't in my heart to kill even hollows, I very much wished to learn how to help them to regain their lost hearts. I never thought that power would be the one that would bring me back out of death! But...we are alive! We are all alive!"
The door to the chamber burst open and Mitsuru dashed into the room, followed by his stunned parents.
"Daddy!" Mitsuru yelled, then he paused and frowned thoughtfully, "I mean...Uncle, look at us! We are all...!"
"Alive," Sai breathed, gazing into Tomio's happily teary eyes.
He touched the baby's soft cheek and smiled as the boy gurgled and cooed softly in Tomio's gentle embrace.
"You truly are a miracle," he whispered into Tomio's ear, "No wonder I went out of my mind after losing you."
"I never wanted to leave you," Tomio whispered back, "and now, despite everything, we can have faith in our future together again."
"We don't even have to stay here anymore," Sai mused, shaking his head, "We could live in Soul Society."
"I don't know," Tomio said uncertainly, glancing at Byakuya appraisingly, "I don't know how well we would be received after everything that has happened."
"The family will welcome you home," Byakuya promised, "Although some might still hang on to old hatred, the clan has become much more tolerant. When faced with the fact that you, your husband and your child are all shinigami souls, they will accept you back home, Tomio. You can return, if that is your wish. I shall place you under my protection, whatever you decide."
"Thank you, Lord Byakuya," Tomio responded, smiling brightly, "Thank you so much!"
His eyes saddened slightly as he remembered the clan leader's gentler, kinder father for a moment.
"Soujun would be so proud of the person you have become," he said sincerely, "I am only sorry that he is not here to be so blessed as we are to know this."
"Arigato," Byakuya replied, lowering his eyes respectfully in memory, "Though he was not strong of body, my father had a courageous and loving heart. I strive every day to make myself more worthy of being called his pride."
"You do him credit," Tomio assured the clan leader, "Now please, will you do me the honor of officially placing the first blessing of our son's name? He will be Nobu, which means faith...something we all must rely on in the depths of our despair."
"Nobu," Byakuya repeated, lifting the baby into his arms and gazing down stoically into the child's wide, curious eyes, "Welcome into the Kuchiki clan."
Renji felt a strange tightness in his chest and an ache in his belly as he watched the clan leader kiss the infant gently on the forehead, then hand him back to Tomio, before congratulating the new parents.
Damn, I really see it now. Byakuya's going to be a great father. I think when we get home and things are quiet again, we need to start figuring out how to make that happen. I think we'd both like a big family if we have a choice. I don't know how we'll do it, but I know it's the right thing.
Yeah.
We'll make it happen.
"Now," Byakuya said, straightening, "It is time for Renji and I, as well as our friends to leave for home. We have drawn the former Captain Aizen's attention with our presence here. It is best that we go quickly, before there is trouble. Sai Dal, are you sure that you and Tomio will be safe while things are in transition?"
"We will be fine," the former hollow assured him, "It won't take long for me to get my affairs in order, then we will leave. I think our child needs a better upbringing than this...somewhere with bright sunshine and maybe near the water, those things we have suffered so much for the lack of, while we were here."
"I will inform you as soon as we are settled," Tomio promised his cousin, "And we will come to Kuchiki Manor to see you soon."
"I look forward to that."
"I hope we shall see you as well, Renji Abarai," Tomio said, smiling.
"Oh, where you see my captain, that's where you'll find me!" Renji exclaimed.
"And I think I shall have to keep him even closer now, to be sure that he does not stray from me again," Byakuya said, eyeing the redhead meaningfully.
"Who knows what lengths he might have to go to the next time," added Shira, smiling a little too pleasantly and making Renji wince in reaction, "You are a capable fighter, Red Warrior. I think your captain is in safe hands."
"Th-thanks," the redhead answered anxiously, "Excuse me if I don't gush about how fun it was. Not that it was all bad. Just, the collar and shocks were a pain in the ass, honestly, but ah...thanks for the compliment."
The group met in the compound's courtyard and Yoruichi opened a gateway into the precipice world.
"I'll bet you're glad to be going home," the cat woman chuckled under her breath, "You seem to be getting into a lot of trouble lately, Captain Kuchiki."
"Well, fortunately, once again, we have found our way out of it. You have my gratitude, Senpai, for your assistance."
"Any time," Yoruichi laughed.
"Thank you as well, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya added, meeting the shinigami substitute's warm eyes, "Your assistance is also appreciated."
"Anything for a friend," the youth assured him, smiling.
The group passed into the dark passage and Renji slipped a hand into Byakuya's, then gave him a little kiss on the cheek.
"What is that for?" the noble asked, tilting his head to observe his subordinate.
"It's a way of saying thank you for coming to save me."
"You don't have to..."
"I know," Renji said, stopping him with another kiss, "You've invested in a future with me, and you were protecting that."
"Renji, I'm not asking you for anything. What I said before about punishing you was meant to be facetious."
"Oh, don't tease me, Captain," Renji chuckled, "But seriously, when we get home, we need to talk about this. I know I've been kind of anxious about the details, but..."
Byakuya shook his head silently, stopping the redhead.
"We will talk about nothing while we are in the moment," he said firmly, "If we lie tonight in each other's arms and wake to that same intent, then speak it to me. Just do not do so until you are sure that it is what you want too, Renji."
The redhead gave him a winning smile and pulled him closer.
"All right, when we've lain together all night and we wake up tomorrow, I'll tell you again how I want to marry you and have kids with you somehow."
Byakuya gave another slight shake of his head and continued walking.
So impulsive...
But, I do hope that you wake with the same resolve for our future. I think of it more every day. And every time I think of it, our future becomes closer and more beautiful.
Thank you for bringing back what was lost to me before.
I love you, Renji Abarai.
I will always love you.