Chapter 21: Renji's Gift

(This chapter is lovingly dedicated to all the Moms celebrating Mother's Day. I hope you feel as loved as I do today! I am surrounded by smiling faces, lots of yummy food, candy, balloons, and more love than one person could contain. So, to all Moms and people remembering their moms today, I'm just sending some of that lovely warm feeling out to all of you. Be well, be content, be loved! With warm regards, Spunky)

Byakuya woke to the pleasant sensation of warm lips exploring his throat, long, graceful fingers curling into his hair and around his head, and a soft hand tenderly moving over his skin, following the curves of his body, pausing to caress and pleasure, and curling around him, pulling him in closer.

He kept his eyes closed, but couldn't help but release a contented sigh as the enticing contact continued and the intensity of the touches increased. Their reiatsu flared softly, and even with his eyes closed, Byakuya could feel its glow around their bodies. Renji's mouth trailed kisses down his collarbone, then paused for a moment as his finger lightly touched the heavily bandaged wound on his chest. Byakuya opened his eyes and read the melancholy in Renji's eyes. He sat up and wrapped his arms around Renji, drawing him in for an exchange of slow, passionate kisses.

Byakuya waited until the tension drained out of Renji and he seemed to relax, then he met the dark gray eyes again and brought a hand to his face.

"Why don't you tell me what is bothering you," Byakuya requested quietly.

Renji remained silent for several minutes, leaning into Byakuya's embrace and breathing warmly against his tanned skin. Byakuya remained silent as well, contenting himself with nuzzling into the other's throat and kissing his way up its length, then letting his head rest against Renji's shoulder.

"We got so busy with looking for the Neko-hineri and getting caught and all of that, that I almost didn't remember what day tomorrow is."

The words ignited a memory that rose up from Renji's body and filled Byakuya's mind with the faces of the friends…no, the Inuzuri family that he and Rukia had lost. And Byakuya then remembered how every year Renji and Rukia took their leave of the Seireitei and disappeared into the Rukongai, only to emerge again at nightfall and resume their normal lives. Neither had ever explained it to him, but Renji's body infused his mind with the memories of all of those lost and the simple, bittersweet ritual he and Rukia used to honor them.

Renji gently turned and touched the bandages on Byakuya's chest, looking into his eyes with that same, deep melancholy. Byakuya longed to do something, anything to take the sadness out of Renji's eyes, to take away the awful memories, but he remained frozen, fearing that to move would cause Renji to lose focus and to stop talking…to shut down and hide what he was feeling.

"When I woke up and I saw how badly you'd been injured, I asked about what had happened…and why I collapsed too. And Yoruichi didn't want to tell me. She kept trying to get me to rest. But I refused to rest until she agreed to tell me everything."

He sighed and tightened his hold on Byakuya.

"She told me how the switching caused us to both become vulnerable…how if one died, the other would too. That was damned scary, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been, because then at least we would have been together and no one would have been left behind, you know?"

Byakuya nodded and kept his silence.

"But when she admitted to me that we actually died before Orihime got there, I thought about it and I realized something. I remember being in that other place with you…and sharing in your memories, looking at all of the people who left you behind. And I started to understand what you and I have in common. It doesn't matter one damned bit that you were born to a noble family and I was a street kid. You and I both know what it's like to grow up without parents and to lose people we love. And even though you don't show it so much on the outside, you think every day about the ones you have lost…and not just your wife…everyone. Just like me, you carry the weight of those memories on your heart and in your own quiet way, you remember and honor them. And that was what made me think that maybe you could understand…maybe you could do what I will ask you to."

Byakuya wanted to answer, but he felt as though he couldn't draw a breath. He knew what Renji was going to ask of him…and he knew without the question being asked that he would agree. He held his breath and waited.

"Once every year, Rukia and I travel to Inuzuri…to honor our friends who weren't lucky enough to escape as we did. We leave in the morning dressed in civilian clothing and walk there through the other districts. We always take money so that we can buy food for the street kids, so that for just that one day each year, they don't have to feel that hunger, wonder if they'll eat that day, take risks and make sacrifices just to survive. There are so many of them, Byakuya! And every year, many of the faces we saw the year before disappear. It's like a part of us never left that place at all. In a way, we're still there, watching our friends die all around us. We've gotten out of that place, but we haven't forgotten the ones like us who are still there."

He turned and took Byakuya's face in his hands.

"I can't go with Rukia this time. You understand why. So what I wanted to ask you…"

"Yes," Byakuya whispered, unable to hold back anymore, "I'll go to Inuzuri with Rukia."

Renji looked stunned.

"You…will? I mean, Taichou…Byakuya, do you know that…"

"Your memory will guide me."

"But you're not used to…"

"For that one day…for you, I will simply relax and allow myself to be used. I'll follow the dictates of your memory to the letter, no matter what I am asked to do."

Tears of gratitude welled up in Renji's eyes.

"You would do that…for me?"

Byakuya smiled and brushed away the tears.

"Of course. I told you that I love you. This is important to you. And it's important to my sister. So, I'll do this for you…for both of you. Only…you must promise me that Rukia will never hear from you that it was me at her side. Can you promise me that?"

"Byakuya…I…I would promise you anything…anything you ask!"

Byakuya found himself smiling again as Renji took hold of him and kissed him over and over, repeated 'Thank you' again and again and laughing and crying, both at once. Byakuya was stunned at the sight of his own, usually stoic face gripped with intense emotion, eyes filled with happy tears and his mouth smiling. He was so entranced that a shock went through him when Renji gently pushed him down onto his back and began kissing his mouth, his face, his throat. He held Byakuya down and kissed him everywhere his lips could reach, repeating those sweet words over and over.

"Thank you, Byakuya…thank you…thank you…"

Renji's kisses fell everywhere on his body and his hands touched Byakuya with heartbreaking tenderness. Byakuya's breath was taken away again as pleasure rose up and gripped him. Everything disappeared into the sound of Renji's voice, the touches of hands and lips, the rising intensity of pleasure. Byakuya moaned and tried to catch his breath, clenching the sheets with one hand and sinking the fingers of the other into Renji's hair as that wonderfully warm mouth wrapped around his thick arousal and sank down on him, forcing a gasping cry of pleasure from him. He couldn't think anymore as passion took hold of him, sweeping through his body and leaving him shaking and panting. He sat up and pulled Renji into a desperate, crushing embrace, his voice trembling as the words tumbled out of him, heedless and out of his control.

"I can't wait anymore," he whispered brokenly, "I just can't!"

"But you said you wanted to wait until we were switched back…"

"I know," he went on, "but I can't do this anymore. Renji…nothing matters anymore but being with you. I just want to be with you…I…I want to…"

A hand cupped his cheek affectionately and he nipped impatiently at the thumb that traced his lips.

"You don't know what you're saying," Renji whispered in his ear, "We've been through a lot lately."

"No…Renji, I know what I want…"

"Shh," Renji whispered, kissing his words away, "You're not thinking straight. You're not in any shape for that anyway."

He curved one hand around Byakuya's head and wrapped the other arm around his body, slowly lowering him down onto his back.

"I shouldn't have gotten you so riled, not while you're still healing."

"Renji, you cannot leave me like this…"

Renji smiled warmly, leaning forward and kissing a flushed cheek.

"I won't just leave you like that, but I think we should slow things down a little."

"Renji…"

"Hai…"

"You have no idea how much I hate you right now."

"Hmm," Renji said, recapturing his lips, "You may think so now, but when we get switched back, you'll be glad we waited."

"Great…and right now, I'm…"

"…going to be taken care of. Trust me."

Renji laughed softly at the unusually stormy look that came over Byakuya's features and for a moment, he was sure the Kuchiki clan leader was going to upend him and eat him alive. But as he began to regain some of his composure, he settled back against the pillows and turned himself over to his fukutaichou. Renji sighed softly in relief and settled down beside him, brushing his eyes closed and planting short gentle kisses on his lips and face. He stroked the soft lips with a questing tongue and after a small hesitation, Byakuya's lips parted and allowed him entrance.

He began a teasingly slow exploration, carefully tasting and touching each surface, sinking down into its depths and exploring him everywhere inside. Byakuya seemed to lose awareness of everything but the strong, insistent tongue that probed his mouth. His breathing slowed and deepened and he moaned lightly into the mouth that pleasured his.

Renji felt a shiver move through the length of Byakuya's body as one hand slid down to take hold of his blushing and leaking erection. He kept the touches slow and gentle, but he could feel Byakuya's hips thrusting upward into his hand and could feel the tremble of his body, straining for release. He released the noble's lips and moved downward curling his hand around the soft sac at the base of his arousal, then treating him to a long, slow lick from base to tip. The sound that issued from Byakuya was like the growl of the Neko-hineri and Renji sensed that any more teasing would likely be the death of him. He wrapped his mouth around the noble's swollen member and began moving up and down its length as Byakuya descended into incoherent moans and pleasured sighs. He sucked hard and watched his taichou's face become blissful, his body tense, his back arch and his hands clench as pleasure claimed him. Hot fluid pulsed into Renji's mouth and he swallowed again and again until Byakuya had emptied himself. He licked the last drops away, then stretched his body alongside Byakuya's and laced their fingers together. He settled onto a warm shoulder, breathing in the slowly calming reiatsu and bringing an arm to rest on his chest.

Renji was surprised to feel wetness beneath his hand and to notice the coppery scent of blood reach him. He raised his head, staring, then pulled away.

"Damn! I shouldn't have…You're bleeding again."

"It's okay, Renji," Byakuya assured him, "It's very minor. I'll be fine."

"Minor, my ass! That's not minor…"

Byakuya glanced down at the slowly expanding redness.

"Ah, you may be right. We might have pushed the limits a bit," he admitted.

Renji carefully removed the bandages and slowly cleaned and flowed healing energy into the wound. When the bleeding stopped, he examined the area again and replaced the bandages.

"That should hold, but we shouldn't do anything else that would put stress on the injury."

"Well," Byakuya said, smirking, "I will try to behave if you will."

Renji couldn't help but laugh.

"Taichou, neither one of us has been able to behave the whole time we've been switched! But I will try if you will."

"Very well, then. And Renji?"

"Hai…"

"It's Byakuya."

"Hai, Byakuya."

"That's better," Byakuya sighed, "much better."

Renji turned and sank down into Byakuya's arms, bringing his head to rest on the noble's shoulder.

"Thank you, Byakuya," Renji said sleepily, "You have no idea how much it means to me that you're going to do this."

Byakuya smiled and rubbed his cheek lightly against the top of Renji's head.

"Oh, Renji, I think you were more than clear in communicating your gratitude," he whispered.

Renji chuckled softly.

"I'm just sorry I started your wound bleeding again."

"Actually," Byakuya corrected him, "I think it was my enthusiastic response that caused my wound to re-open. It wasn't your fault."

"But you wouldn't have done that if I hadn't gotten you so riled."

Byakuya released a short, clipped laugh.

"I assure you, Renji, that the mere sight of you seems to rile me these days. Kisuke had best work quickly on getting us switched back…or we may have to simply avoid each other to prevent…excessive bouts of passion."

Renji lifted his head and met Byakuya's eyes questioningly.

"You wouldn't really start avoiding me, would you?" he asked worriedly.

Byakuya's smile widened.

"No," he assured Renji, "Because I would rather ache with want in your presence than to spend a day without you."

Renji let his head drop back onto the noble's shoulder. He felt tired, but all of the worry and excitement left him anxious and too full of thought to settle down.

"Byakuya," he said quietly, "Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into, going with Rukia to Inuzuri tomorrow? She…acts different with me than she does with you…"

Byakuya sighed.

"I imagine I can handle yet another day of her shocking familiarity…calling me an idiot and striking me in the head," he said, closing his eyes, "At very least, I will only have to endure it until we are switched back. And after the open invitation you gave my sister to continue the behavior, you will be the one to suffer the long term effects of that."

Renji went silent for a moment.

"You…heard that?" he asked finally.

"I was unable to move…to even open my eyes," Byakuya explained, "but my ears, on the other hand, were working just fine…as were my mental abilities. Is there some reason you felt compelled to encourage my sister to assault me?"

Renji flinched.

"Ah…I was…well…"

"Yes, Renji?"

"Ah, hell, Taichou…Byakuya, I just. I mean…it's what normal brothers and sisters do. Well, maybe it's not what noble siblings do. I wouldn't know. But…if you have to be me for a while, I was just…wanting you to know what it's like. You and I have some things in common, like I said before, but you didn't have any siblings. You didn't have that…I don't know…that special person, someone who slipped beneath all of the defenses and got to you, made you lose it sometimes, made you crazy. But someone who knew when you needed to feel loved and gave you that, too. Maybe I'm not making sense."

Byakuya laughed softly.

"Strangely enough, I do understand what you mean," Byakuya said softly, "and for a short time during my childhood, I did know what that was like. It ended too soon, of course and I was left wondering if it had been worth it. It took me until now to understand it for the gift that it was. So thank you, Renji…for offering me a reminder of what that bond feels like. I do find it strange, however that you would act as though I'm doing you a favor, when in truth you are handing me a precious gift. So it's me who should be thanking you…Renji."

Renji smiled and sank more deeply into Byakuya's embrace.

"In that case, you're welcome, Taichou."

"Byakuya."

"You're welcome, Byakuya."

He kissed the noble's throat lightly.

"Let's just see if you still think it's such a gift when Rukia gets finished with you!" he laughed softly.