Chapter 28: Surrendering to Love

Byakuya stood in the dressing area and slipped out of his hogosha uniform and into a soft, black trimmed, gray yukata. He paused for a moment, tying the belt at his waist, then turned to leave the dressing area and found himself face to face with Abarai Renji. He couldn't help but smile at the hunger in his spouse's eyes.

"I didn't hear you come in," he said, sighing as the redhead's arms wrapped around him and their mouths met for several very deep, intoxicating kisses. Unfortunately, the kisses weren't enough to stave off the awkward feeling as Renji changed and they left the dressing area, headed for their bed. Byakuya gazed down at the bed quietly, then leaned back into the redhead's embrace as the warm arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Feels kind of strange, huh?" Renji whispered in his ear, "I almost feel like you're not mine to touch, you know?"

Byakuya nodded.

"And I don't remember what it feels like to be with you in my own body."

He shivered softly.

"For a time, I was convinced that there would be no way back from that white wraith form…"

"I never doubted we'd find a way," Renji said, tightening his arms around the noble.

Byakuya turned and brought their mouths together. They stood, just holding each other and kissing until Byakuya pulled away and slipped into bed. Renji climbed in next to him and pulled him onto a tattooed shoulder. Byakuya turned his head to nuzzle into the nest of loose red hair beneath his head.

"Renji," he said quietly, "What would you have done if it hadn't been reversed…if I had remained a wraith?"

Renji turned his head and regarded the calm, gray eyes with a touch of annoyance.

"Now why would you want to ask me a question like that? Why do you want to go there? It didn't happen…end of story. You need to not think that way."

Byakuya sighed and sank further into his hair, regretting having asked the question.

"You're right," he replied, releasing warm breath against the redhead's skin and sending a shiver down his spine, "There is no sense in looking back. And it ended well enough…well, as long as Tetsuya is…"

"He'll be okay. They said it was close, but that they stopped the advance of the poison in time. And even though he was pretty banged up, everything was fixable."

"I didn't really want to leave him, but…"

"He's in good hands, Byakuya," Renji said reassuringly, "Aizen is not going to let anything happen to him. You saw the way he was looking at Tetsuya…"

"And the way my cousin responded to his being there," Byakuya added, "You're right again, Abarai. I am overly concerned."

"But it's understandable," Renji said, burying his face in the dark swirls of sakura scented hair.

"I do need to speak to Tetsuya about the difficulties they might face…" Byakuya said, the troubled expression returning to his face.

"You going to try to talk him out of it?" asked Renji.

Byakuya was silent for a moment.

"It's not my place. I know what I see when I look at them together and it's not something that falls into the realm of choice. There is something much deeper going on between them. Nothing I tell him will change that…and he is going to need me…"

Renji sighed.

"It won't be easy for them, but then, we haven't exactly had it easy either," he said, closing his eyes and resting his face against the noble's.

Byakuya lifted his head and nuzzled deeper beneath the redhead's chin, breathing in his pleasant, masculine scent, then releasing warm breath onto the sensitive skin of his throat. Renji slipped a hand under his chin, admiring the finely carved features, the soft, pale skin, and the deep, gray eyes he had missed. Byakuya smiled and pressed their lips together, shifting to let his body rest on top of his lover's. Renji smiled into Byakuya's lips and loosed the ties at their waists, pushing back the soft fabric and leaving nothing to hinder their heated flesh from touching.

Renji's mouth fell to the noble's soft throat and he layered it with warm, wet kisses and deeper, more sensuous suction. Byakuya moaned softly into the waves of red hair and thrust his hips into the redhead's hungrily. Their hardening members rubbed together, sending flashes of heat through them and making their bodies writhe against each other, seeking deeper pleasure.

Byakuya shifted and parted his thighs, then moved onto his knees, tightening them around Renji's lean form and coaxing Renji's length into his body in slow, gradually deepening thrusts. The redhead laced his fingers into the noble's, dark brown eyes locked on steely gray, their bodies moving against each other in a slow, sensuous dance. Byakuya's eyes closed and his head fell back as the speed of their movements increased and the soft penetration became harder and more urgent. Renji thrust upward and he fell forward again, soft swirls of black hair sweeping down over his shoulders and settling around his face. Renji pulled the soft, pale hands to his chest and held them there as their bodies continued to move against each other, the motions heavy and deep, their moans of pleasure intensifying as they felt pleasure find and overtake them.

They lay together afterward, their sated bodies calming in the peace and silence of midnight, still wrapped around each other and loathe to let go.

"I missed you too much," whispered Renji into the noble's hair.

Byakuya answered him in a slow release of warm kisses that followed the pattern of tattoos down the length of his lovely tanned form.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya woke again the next morning and found that he was no longer in the infirmary. He had, it seemed, been returned to one of the bedrooms and was deeply wrapped in blankets and so comfortable he couldn't remember ever feeling so good.

He was fairly certain, however, that movement would change things significantly. But, he decided, if he wanted to mend more quickly, he needed to just get onto his feet. Once there, he could take the rest slowly…but…he needed to take that first step. He turned and found himself face to face with a sleeping Aizen Sousuke.

He couldn't help but smile…

He studied the peaceful, gentle looking features, freed of the evil that had once infected them, and admired the lines and curves of his body. Aizen Sousuke was easily the most enchanting person he had ever met…as much so sleeping, he found, as awake. He was, in fact, even more so when asleep…and to fall asleep alongside him like this was a sign of both trust and affection.

He needed to think about the connotations of that…

Kuchiki Tetsuya might be innocent, but he was well versed in the ways of the nobles. He knew that although he had overheard that the king was set to issue an official statement detailing what had happened to Aizen and pardoning him of all charges related to his prior actions, there were going to be those who, while not directly defying the king's order, would seek ways around it. And after all that had happened, all of the lives taken, lives disrupted and torn apart, he could see why the road ahead would be difficult for them.

But the mere fact of difficulty didn't change the way he felt…

Still, he did need to think, and he was relatively certain that sleep was going to be impossible, knowing how close he laid to every dream he had ever had, made into flesh and blood and brought to life. He slipped out of bed, stifling a groan as he got his feet under him and stood unsteadily beside the bed, one hand on the edge to maintain his balance. He took a ginger step to test his strength and balance and found he was able to walk, albeit slowly. He made his way to the dressing area and slipped into a clean shihakushou. Turning out of the dressing area, he walked out onto the balcony and stood for a moment, admiring the blue lake and the expanse of green grass around it. And it wasn't long before the desire to be a part of it overtook his reasoning and he flash stepped down from the balcony, landing too hard and falling onto his knees, his body screaming at him for his heedlessness. He sat for a moment, quietly breathing in the sweet scent of the grass and the light mist that hung in the air. Gradually, he made his way to his feet and started toward the lake. His eyes half lidded, he moved slowly across the grass, listening to the sounds of the birds and feeling the soft pulse of life beneath his skin. Everything seemed sharper, more colorful, more real.

He paused at the edge of the lake and lowered himself onto his knees, coming to rest beneath the shade of a tree at the water's edge. The crystalline blue surface of the lake shimmered and rippled softly and Tetsuya smiled, feeling the approach of a very familiar spirit. The water ahead of him swirled into a small whirlpool and slowly, a petite, elflike blue spirit rose out of the water.

Her body was blue, the same crystalline color of the lake's surface with glistening beads of water lighting her skin. Long, wild swirls of darker blue hair danced around her shoulders, framing her fine features and setting off star blue eyes that twinkled at Tetsuya, prompting his lips to curve upward in return. Sunshine touched the dark blue crystal inset in her forehead and sent beads of light arcing around them.

"Re-kuhime," he said softly, meeting her eyes, then bowing his head slightly.

"Kuchiki Tetsuya…it is good to see you awake again," she said, moving forward to land lightly on the shore in front of him.

He started to speak, but was interrupted by a velvety equine nose that nudged his shoulder impatiently, then moved on to bury itself in the swirls of black hair. He turned in surprise and found himself looking up into startlingly blue eyes attached to the huge black stallion he had ridden in his return to the palace.

"But he didn't have blue eyes," Tetsuya mused, stroking the stallion's face and patting his neck gently.

"No," Re-kuhime agreed, "That is the leavings of our power…and is likely to stay with him."

"I hope you don't mind," the noble said, scratching behind the horse's ears.

The huge beast nickered softly and lowered its head, nudging him again.

"He looks young," Tetsuya commented, studying the horse closely, "I wonder who he belongs to."

"There you are!" called a voice from somewhere on the other side of the stallion.

The warhorse lifted his head proudly and snorted as a stable attendant approached. The attendant stopped short, staring at the beautiful lake spirit and the man who sat next to the kneeling horse.

"Oh, beg your pardons…" he said, bowing hastily, "I didn't see you there. My apologies, Kuchiki hogosha-norite!"

The noble's eyes narrowed.

"What did you call me?" he asked, confused.

"Sir," the attendant said respectfully, "you have heard of the section of the King's Hogosha called the Norite?"

"The riders, yes," Tetsuya answered, "I have heard they are the riders and standard bearers who travel with the king. They assist in his protection and are part of his elite fighting unit when he goes into battle…but…what has that to do with me? I haven't been made a rider."

"You apparently don't know about the warhorses they ride," the attendant went on, "The norite are not chosen by the king. They are chosen by the warhorses. These horses are born in the king's own garden, then are trained with our fighting units until they bond with a rider."

"But he was only given to me to ride back to the palace…I…"

"With all due respect, sir, he would have thrown you instantly, had you not been his rider. I saw him go out with the troops for training on the Hueco Mundo invasion…but he wasn't ridden by anyone before you."

The lake princess giggled softly.

"So it seems you have been drafted into the King's Hogosha," she smiled.

Tetsuya turned a critical eye to the proud beast that knelt next to him.

"I don't know if I very much like the idea of being pushed around by a big lump like you," he muttered, sinking his hand into the horse's silken mane.

The warhorse nipped at his hair and nickered again.

"He's probably expecting you will give him his name, now," the attendant prompted him.

"He wants me to name him…" Tetsuya mused.

He placed his hands on the creature's soft, black face and looked into the intelligent blue eyes.

"Well," he said softly, "I suppose you've walked around for long enough without one."

He gazed at the horse, who reached out to nibble on his shihakushou.

"Arashi," he said finally, "It means 'storm.' And because you run faster than a whirlwind, I think it suits you."

The warhorse tossed his head, letting out what could only be equine laughter and surged away with the attendant running after, calling his name. Re-kuhime giggled.

"It looks as though your mount has the same heedless temperament as you."

"I beg your pardon! I do not have a heedless temperament. I do what needs to be done," he said archly.

"And that explains why you are meandering all around out here instead of resting in bed and letting your body heal…"

"Nobody here is meandering! I am resting on the banks of a tranquil lake and conversing with my zanpakutou. I can hardly get into trouble doing that."

The lake princess laughed softly.

"In any case, I needed to make sure you were all right…and I needed to speak to you."

"About Aizen Sousuke?" she asked.

Tetsuya nodded.

"You are the closest to my heart, being that you are a part of me, and all of my choices about him must always come from the heart. Do you understand?"

The spirit nodded.

"Then tell me honestly…what do you see?"

He lifted his eyes to meet hers. Re-kuhime stepped forward and slipped a hand under his chin, raising his eyes until the light flooded into them. She studied them carefully and gave a soft, worried sigh.

"You are decided. There is nothing anyone could say or do to change your mind…not that there ever is…"

He froze, breathless.

"And you should not let them," she finished, "This is definitely love…obviously mutual…and frighteningly profound."

She paused, still studying his eyes.

"I worry for you," the lake princess went on, "Your path is obscured…and you will face great difficulty…but you will also know love that will never fail you. Master, watch your back. The arrow that comes from your own is the one that will penetrate the deepest…"

She released him and turned back toward the water.

"I am glad you are well," he whispered as she sank back beneath the surface of the water.

He sat quietly on the bank of the lake, staring out over the water, barely moving until he heard approaching steps and lifted his eyes to meet his cousin's.

"Byakuya-sama," he said, his heart racing softly beneath his skin.