Venomously Attractive
C H A P T E R T W E N T Y F I V E
Strange Day
Ren sauntered into Fifth Division to tend to her official shinigami duties. She had plenty, but usually asked one of her close companions to take care of their completion. Eiji took care of manual labor, Hiromasa did her cleaning duties, and Nakada simply spent time with her whenever she slacked off. He took care of supplying the booze for their late night outings and gambling.
That day, she didn't feel too reluctant to take care of her duties. So she attended them all, actually listening to the orders from Lieutenant Hinamori whenever she issued them without so much as an eye roll. That surprised Hinamori Momo. It was a first from the infamous Takudaiji Ren, who was rude, crude, sardonic, lazy, and too arrogant to tend to petty shinigami duties that didn't suit a noblewoman of her caliber. Many people didn't think she was suited to be a shinigami, and her reason to pursue it wasn't very concrete to start, but many changed their minds knowing she managed to ace all her classes. She had every bit of potential available to a handful of students that could make it further in the ranks, but refused to put any effort into it until she accidentally used too much force on the previous Seventh Seat that challenged her, taking her position in the process. Insubordinate officers could easily be removed, placed in another division that could straighten them out, but since her initiation into Fifth Division, Ren was never moved around. She was allowed to do everything she wanted, almost as if her captain didn't care if she humiliated his subordinates, treated them like slaves, lounged around smoking all the time, skipped entire days of work, and going as far as ignoring her superiors. Having a docile, honest, mature, and obedient Ren was a miracle of sorts. It didn't happen every day—no, it never happened.
Her good behavior ensured. Hinamori had to blink numerous times, words caught in her throat, and eyes wide. Ren stared down at the short girl without a hint of complaint, not even crossing her mind.
"Are you feeling well, Takudaiji-san?" she asked finally.
After yesterday's eventful evening, she wasn't sure being unhealthy, miserable, or frustrated was anywhere in her agenda for the next few weeks. The sex was fantastic, uncalled for, but extraordinary. Forgetting it was the difficult part. She regretted having taken such a drastic step to sever her ties with him, though it probably didn't seem like it, but she fooled herself into thinking they were the perfect words.
"Perfect," answered Ren lightly. "So, I'm guessing you need something…?"
Eiji stood a few feet from her, mouth agape and bug eyed. He definitely didn't recognize this woman.
Hinamori snapped out of whatever contemplative thoughts running through her head, remembering what she was asked to do. "I need someone to supervise the recruits in the dojo. I have to run some errands outside the division and you are the only other shinigami not doing anything."
"That's fine." Ren turned to the blond behind her, the tall man still staring aghast, and raised an eyebrow before turning back to Hinamori.
He shook his head slowly.
"Oh, Satonaka-kun, you can accompany her if you wish," Lieutenant Hinamori suggested.
"Sure."
A sweet, appreciative smile appeared on the lieutenant's face. "Thank you, Takudaiji-san, Satonaka-kun."
The girl sped off after giving them some instruction and remembering the division needed a few more shinigami on patrol. She asked them kindly; both agreed and volunteered Hiromasa and Nakada. Neither of them was working at the moment, the two decided to take some time from their long morning to take a walk around Seireitei. They filled in for guard duty all last month, and hadn't been given anything to do since then for nights. Ren and Eiji were only having a bit of fun at that point.
Once Hinamori was gone, Ren turned to Eiji with a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He returned the grin, tentatively but sure.
"Are we going or are you planning to stand there like an idiot?"
"You're incredibly obedient today." He still looked as clueless as he did when he noticed the difference in her behavior. "Did something happen?"
"This doesn't concern you, dear." She smiled sweetly, reaching for him and taking him by the collar to drag him to the dojo.
She needed to bask in the tranquility of everyday before succumbing to the duties she knew would need attention. Ren decided to do every possible right she could for an entire week, even if it was against what she believed in—even if it made her cringe, or made her insides churn. She agreed to be obedient, to not make one high-maintenance request, and somehow get through the next seven days without seeing Gin.
Regrettably, nothing ever turns out the way she planned.
During their lengthy supervision, Ichimaru Gin stepped inside the dojo, Ren actually having stepping into give few pointers to avoid looking over Eiji's bare, immaculate body standing only a few feet from her. The man couldn't go through a training session without removing his shirt to show off his muscular physique. She hated and enjoyed that aspect of him.
She dropped the wooden sword in her hands in a sparring match with one of the recruits—it being knocked out of her grasp—from the distraction of the captain entering the room, one that wasn't in charge or overlooking the division. He stepped inside, received a whirl of greetings, asked for them to continue what they were doing, and leaned against the doorframe eyes glued to her lean frame.
It unnerved her, disturbed her, more so when she bend down to pick up her wooden sword to attempt ignoring the captain. She commended the boy for taking advantage of her distraction and tossed the sword to Eiji with a begging stare. He caught it midair, his eyes not on her but on the man staring at her as if she were his prey, but took over without so much as a complaint. He knew better than to intervene with her personal business but she could read it in his face that he was fighting back the feeling to say something—anything. She wasn't sure what led to that conclusion since their relationship was purely sexual at one point, and his feelings were directed towards a woman that would never give him a second look. He vented his frustrations with her once, asked her to cooperate with his need just that once, and she did, out of pity. He may be watching her back, but Gin wasn't someone he should confront about it. He needed to address her about it.
Ren crossed the dojo to the doorway, fumbling with a carton of cigarettes, and on her way out she shot him an even stare and gestured with her finger for him to follow. He did, slipped out while everyone's eyes were turned and slid the door shut silently. She was leaning against the wooden handrail with a lit cigarette between her lips and sapphire orbs staring off in the distance. He joined her, causally, as if to not arouse the attention of every shinigami in the surrounding area.
Everyone shot a glance nonetheless.
Ren let out a stream of smoke, let it set and dissipate in the breeze, wisps of white still lingering in the air when she decided to speak. "I'll have to return your shihakusho later." She watched him through her peripheral, noticing him standing a few feet to her left, same unnerving smile on his face, gaze locked on her. "You tore my kimono, it's only fair."
"I aint here 'bout the clothes," he said. "Jus' came ta visit yer cap'n, but he's a bit busy."
"You two plotting or something?" she asked humorlessly, taking another drag.
"Maybe yes, maybe no."
She laughed at the thought. She expected it out of Gin, but out of Aizen…yeah, right. "Do you need anything?"
"Not really."
She smashed the remainder of the cigarette against the wood's surface and blowing away the residue ash.
"Ya should really stop smoking, Ren-chan."
At that, she smiled widely, turning to him. "'Cause it's bad for the baby," she recited mockingly. "Right. Got it."
He chuckled. "Yer in a mood, aint ya?"
"Not in one where I can speak to you earnestly."
The number of people around them was thinning out, and when she was sure nobody cared for her meeting with Gin, she felt him grab her ass. She jerked around and smacked him away with a growl.
"Don't touch me," she said menacingly.
Gin cornered her again, looking straight at her with a curious glance. She felt her break hitch, heart thumping like a drum in her ears, and hands sweaty against the railing she was holding onto for dear life. She hated being corned like a weak animal, which was something he knowingly did. He opened his mouth to speak, but someone did before he had a chance.
"Gin," called the soothing voice of her captain. "What brings you here on such short notice?"
Captain Aizen managed to sneak up on them both, something she would have never expected to happen to Gin, who did the same thing to everyone else, but she notice the faint confusion flash across his obscured features. Just as he moved from his perch, he stepped down the staircase to join the man, and she noticed a bit of tension signaling for her to leave.
"Jus' came for a visit," Gin said, stepping onto the ground.
Ren turned slightly, catching a glance at both before excusing herself and rushing back into the dojo.
Eiji stormed up to her, grabbing her by the arm for a second to speak to her in private. "What the fuck are you doing getting involved with him?"
She jerked her arm from his grip and took the sword in his hands, blatantly ignoring him as she approached the only recruit sitting out the sparring matches. "I'll spare with you."
The boy didn't question her and stood with his sword at hand.
She didn't care what Eiji had to say. Never did. Not once.
Aside from the excitement of Nakada's newly shaven head and talk of Hiromasa picking up a girl yesterday evening, patrol was excruciatingly boring. Eiji was a ticking bomb that managed to blow up on everyone's face, especially hers. He claimed to be worried about what Captain Ichimaru's intentions were with her, and that's when she snapped—so much for soaking in the tranquility. She expressed how sorry she was that he couldn't keep his nose out of her business and went on to admit that she had sex with Gin at various intervals, each better than the last. She pulled her collar down just enough to show the marks on her neck and torso before saying that they were the product of the best sex she ever experienced at Ichimaru Gin's side. Her revelation made things worse. Eiji screamed louder, told her to open her eyes and stop fooling herself. Hiromasa and Nakada made a group effort to keep him as far from Ren as they could in case he went too far. Ren didn't worry. She writhed in the sound of desperation in his voice, like he was doing her a favor.
"That man is poison!" he shouted, struggling against the two men at each of his sides holding him back.
"Please, it's not like I'm in love with him." She waved a hand to dismiss the notion, cringed at the thought, and felt goosebumps fill her arms.
He laughed bitterly. "You're the same as with Ryuusei! The same! So, don't say you haven't fallen in love with him!"
Ren balled her hand into a fist and smashed it against his face, dropping him to the ground before resuming kicking him as a bit of blood from his nose managed to get on her face.
"Fuck you."
Hiromasa rushed to pull her from Eiji before she managed to beat him to a bloody pulp, but she let out a string of obscenities directed towards him. The blond struggled to stand, holding his nose with the blood flowing from between his fingers and dripping onto the floor. His eyebrows knitted in frustration, and he wouldn't shut up.
He continued comparing her behavior with Gin with Ryuusei's. He kept saying things she didn't understand without relent, went on calling her stupid infatuations a factor in every problem in her life. He clarified that she could have anyone in the world, but she always wants what she can't truly have.
Ryuusei's name just set her off. She was over it, long ago, since before she met Gin so he wasn't an impediment in the start of any relationship. She was free of attachment, mourned, cried, and said goodbye. But the crass comparison to her mush of feelings for Gin to those she had for Tsujimura—it set off a switch. The frustration flooding back, anger taking over, she was tired of standing around being the idiot. No one deserving got what was coming, she always did, except she didn't deserve any of it. What did she do to make her family merit death? A spoilt brat could only accomplish so much. Tsujimura was of noble birth, the only man she ever wanted to marry, but apparently she didn't deserve him because he went and got himself killed. Why was she stuck in the middle of something that didn't earn the time of day? Why was that psychopath targeting her, of all people, her? Why was Gin even important to her?
"Stay out of my life." She shoved Hiromasa from her, eyes red and hazy as she turned away.
"You're making a mistake."
"Well, fuck me and my damned mistakes."
No one spoke to her like that.
Fusae waited at the gates of the Sakamoto manor, muddied box hidden underneath her right arm. The blond didn't look as perky as she usually did, a sullen look decorated her features and an air of caution mixed between the cold, crisp evening air. Ren's eyes narrowed at the sight of her, anger flooding back into her system and urging her to put an end to everyone who wronged her, even if said person swore their loyalty to her from the bottom of her heart. She was resentful, nonetheless. She could taste the air of secrecy in the air, intensifying the atmosphere between them so much that the shorter blond seemed reluctant about turning over her findings.
She stepped back when Ren was towering over her with a sharp glower. "You knew?"
Fusae stared at her, perplexed. Large eyes unable to decipher the look on her mistress's expression, but smiled to erase the emotion from her face. "Knew what exactly?"
She felt like an idiot even needing to explain herself. "The Saioji clan is your problem, never mine," she said bitterly. "My problem has been in front of me the entire time, yet you hid this from me, mislead me to believe the Saioji had discarded a number of documents on their history just so I could run around in circles." It stung. The fact that Fusae, who had sworn her life to her, had the audacity to lie made her insides lurch. She felt rotten, disgusted, and hurt. There was definitely a lot of ache in her chest knowing what happened. "I'm not an idiot, nor am I so weak that I need everyone protecting me—"
The bespectacled blond looked torn, the words sinking in too quickly to keep her emotions from the influx. "Ren-sama, you don't understand," she managed. "I—"
"Is that mine?" Ren interjected, brushing aside her own emotions.
Fusae nodded robotically, losing the sliver of hope remaining in her eyes. Ren wouldn't be moved by petty comments or excuses. She wasn't a child that needed everyone to protect her from the truth. She was a grown woman with every right to know.
Ren took the box from her arms, slipping past her to the large gates.
"Stop," her servant called.
She did. With one hand on the doorway, she halted her steps waiting for that wretched girl to say what she needed to hear.
"It was too early for you to acknowledge it, you were so happy at the time that I had no right to say something so dire," Fusae explained, as quickly as she could. She was desperate in explaining himself. "I never meant to make a fool of you; I was only trying to protect you."
Ren turned around with a small smile on her face to hide the rising tide of anger threatening to choke her. Three people were trying to protect her from some bigger picture she wasn't aware of. It bothered her more than it should since she expected it to be that way. Always knew she wanted Fusae around to do her dirty work. If she wanted something done, Fusae would take care of it, even if that something meant murder. But she had grown tired of being treated like a doll made of glass from everyone she chose to trust. They held her delicately as if not to shatter her with a single move. She wanted more than that simple status. She wanted to get strong enough so everyone would think differently of her. She grew tired of being the infamous Takudaiji Ren, who spent valuable time smoking, drinking, gambling, ruining people's lives, and having sex with whoever she please. She wanted to rebuild her clan, shake of her enemies, be strong—grow infinitely strong, as dubious as it seemed—and wanted people to rely on her…not the other way around. The entire month served as a reminder of how pitiful her life had become.
"I need to be alone."
Gin approached Aizen that same evening since their previous conference had been cut short. The bespectacled man walked by his side wordlessly waiting for him to speak, but he didn't feel like saying a thing.
After a moment of silence, Aizen spoke, "Do you need something, Gin?"
"Nah, jus' takin' a walk."
Aizen walked at a faster pace than he, never slow enough to enjoy a trip through the wide streets of Seireitei or feel the calm evening breezes carrying the eclectic scents of the gargantuan area. He hardly cared for peaceful walks, the fact he humored Gin gave him the distinct impression that there was something the captain wanted from him.
"That woman has something I desire."
There ya go. "We talkin' 'bout Takudaiji?" he asked, amused. He knew Ren would be a subject of one of their conversations, and he had been waiting patiently for that day to come since the moment she was sent to his division as punishment. He earned her trust believing it would lead to that very conversation.
"Yes, that woman," he confirmed it.
"She's a troublesome one, aint she?"
"You should know better than anyone."
Gin chuckled in response. Whatever she had, he knew it wasn't something he should have.
This chapter, and the five that follow will be dedicated to the readers. Sorry for not have been able to leave a better (a/n) at the end, but I'm a bit pressed for time. Hope you enjoyed. :)