The Truth in our Eyes
By Spunky0ne and SesshomaruFreak
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A secretly pregnant Byakuya learns that his cousin, Tetsuya, has been badly injured in a vicious attack. As Kisuke and Orihime work to save Tetsuya's life, Byakuya and Renji resolve to stop at nothing to locate Tetsuya's attacker and bring him to justice…but justice may or may not be on their side…yaoi, mpregs…Renji/Byakuya, Ichigo/Tetsuya
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A low, guttural gasp of pain escaped the badly staggering form of a lone, dark-haired shinigami as he fled through the thick forested area, just short of Kuchiki Manor. The tree limbs slashed at his exposed face, hands and arms and blood streaked his pale skin, leaving a trail of droplets in his wake. He couldn't be sure if he was hearing sounds of pursuit, but as badly injured as he was, he knew better than to slow down to check.
I must reach Byakuya-sama!
He headed for the back entrance to the manor, but just short of it, he heard and felt the heavy crack of a kido spell and forced his agonized body into a roll to escape its path. He came down in the bushes, ignoring the thorns that tore at his flesh as he jumped to his feet again and flash stepped away.
My flash step barely functions, even with Arashi inside me. I can't turn and fight. I can't raise a waterform. My only option now is to try to…
…get to him…
…Urahara-san…
He heard a swift flash step and rolled out of the way of another hard blast of kido.
I can't keep this up.
Desperate, he drew his sword and focused on his link to Byakuya's own private senkaimon.
Whoever it is, they can't follow me once I'm inside.
They couldn't follow, but whoever it was, managed a last heavy kido blast that took the fleeing shinigami off of his feet and sent him crashing down onto the corridor floor in the precipice world. The senkaimon snapped shut behind him, leaving him gasping and panting as he pushed his upper body off the ground, then collapsed again.
I have to move.
Move!
I have to reach…
With an effort, he dragged himself onto his feet, pausing to look down at the cuts on his body.
But the worst injuries are not where I can see them Tetsuya mused inwardly, My attacker struck from behind, and whoever it was, struck to kill. If not for Arashi, I would be dead already. As it is…
He forced all thoughts of his probable fate out of his tortured mind and focused only on putting one foot in front of the other. It was easiest, he found, to give up all but basic concern for survival and to let his spirit steed's more feral soul to take over. Tetsuya's sapphire colored eyes took on a deep, dangerous glow, and he found new strength, staggering along the dark pathway and honing in on the exit that would take him into Urahara Kisuke's underground training room.
I've never shown myself in that place, always being more inclined to remain invisible while protecting my cousin, but…
…there is no choice now…
An agonized sob escaped him as he stumbled and fell. His reiatsu burned hotly in his spirit centers, warning him that even joined with his spirit steed's soul, he was reaching the ends of his strength. He gave a primal howl and crawled forward on his belly, leaving a large trail of blood in his wake. So distanced from awareness by his anguished state, he barely recognized the exit he had been seeking, and he threw his body heedlessly through it, crashing headlong down into the sandy floor of Kisuke's underground training room.
"What the hell?" shouted a familiar male voice.
Tetsuya was too far gone to know if he recognized the man or not. He only knew that there was danger and he must survive. He came to his feet with a feral snarl and backed away as the surprised shopkeeper and the shinigami substitute sheathed their blades and moved towards him, holding out their hands defensively.
"Whoa, it's gonna be okay," Kisuke assured him, "We're not gonna hurt you."
"Looks like someone beat you up pretty bad," Ichigo said soothingly, "Let us help you. You came here for help, right?"
Tetsuya's head lifted and Ichigo made a sound of mingled surprise and dismay at the large, glowing blue eyes that sought his. He felt a strange tugging in his mind and heard a wispy voice speaking to him.
D-don't…
Ichigo's eyes rounded as the image in front of him flickered and for a moment, he saw the outline of a tall, ghostly Arabian stallion.
"What…is that?"
"Huh?" Kisuke asked, working his way closer to Tetsuya, "What are you…?"
The ghostly stallion stamped a foot, shaking the ground.
D-don't hurt…
…my master…
I won't let you!
"Did you hear that?" Ichigo asked the shopkeeper.
"Did I hear what?" Kisuke inquired, frowning.
"Do you at least see the horse, there?"
"The…horse?"
"You don't see them? You don't hear them?
"No," Kisuke confirmed, "But if you do, then try to calm both of them. I'm going to get Orihime from upstairs. You try to calm him enough that he won't attack us when we get back in here, okay?"
"I don't know if I can…!" Ichigo objected.
"You'll do better than me," Kisuke insisted, "The horse is at least showing himself to you. It's talking to you,, right?"
"Eh, I don't know!" Ichigo said in a flustered tone, "What if I'm just hearing things or something?"
"Just…do your best to calm him down. I'll be back."
Ichigo started to raise another objection, but bit it back as the shopkeeper flash stepped away. He locked eyes with the badly shaking shinigami in front of him, reaching out a hand in Tetsuya's direction.
"C'mon, okay?" he urged Tetsuya, "I know you're hurt and you're scared, but you knew to come here for help. That's what Kisuke and Orihime and I are going to do. We're gonna help you. Please…let me get a little closer? I just wanna try to stop some of the bleeding. I wanna help you. Can I come closer?"
The image of the ghostly stallion flickered, and the beast's wild eyes fixed on his for a moment.
Please do not let us die.
I cannot strengthen my master any more.
"I gotcha," Ichigo assured the beast, watching closely as it faded and the way to the injured man was opened.
Ichigo moved forward quickly, then, abandoning caution and catching the heavily bleeding young man as he collapsed. The glow in Tetsuya's blue eyes faded, and he blinked and squinted dazedly.
"Who are you?" Ichigo asked, "I feel like I should know you, but I don't recognize you."
The feral look in Tetsuya's eyes faded and he gazed up at the shinigami substitute with minimal cognizance.
"What's your name?" Ichigo asked again, "Do we know each other? Do you know Kisuke?"
Tetsuya gathered the last of his strength and forced out a few faint words.
"K-kuchiki Tet…suya. Please send f-for B-Byakuya-s-sama!"
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The sky had barely lightened when Byakuya's dark eyes opened, and one pale hand slid down to rub his strangely aching belly. A small, discomfited groan escaped him and he closed his eyes again, breathing slowly to stop the roiling in his stomach. Then, a cold, creeping feeling of nausea sent him slipping out of the strong arms that had anchored him throughout the night. He sat up on the edge of the bed, his heart pounding as he wiped sweat from his brow with a shaking hand.
"Hey, you m'kay?"
The deep, sleep-thickened voice made the Kuchiki leader smile to himself before glancing over his shoulder. The sight of warm cinnamon eyes and the sight of a tumble of fiery strands in lovely disarray made him feel a bit better, or at least it distracted him momentarily from his discomfort.
Until Renji scooted closer, frowning.
"Hey, Taicho, you look really pale," he said, reaching out to brush rough fingers on the noble's soft, slightly damp cheek, "You don't feel feverish, but somethin' ain't right."
The motion of the bed made Byakuya's stomach pitch violently, and he had to make a very undignified naked dash to the bathroom. Dropping to his knees in front of the commode, he emptied his stomach of what little there was, and had barely finished rinsing his mouth out when he realized Renji had followed, and stood hesitating in the doorway, clearly caught between respecting his privacy and wanting to comfort him.
Byakuya spat out the water and sighed.
"I'm fine, Renji."
Renji continued to frown, carefully stepping closer.
"You still look really pale. You wanna go lay back down?"
Byakuya nodded.
"First, will you see what there is in the kitchen to eat?"
"Huh? You wanna eat after you just threw up?" the redhead asked, giving him a curious look, "Are you sure about that? It might not be so good for you."
Byakuya started to give him a scowl and a harsher order to comply, but was interrupted by a rumble emitted from his complaining belly. Renji gave him a stymied look.
"Geez, okay, it does sound like you're hungry, though I don't know how you can be."
He gave his lover a cute, saucy smirk.
"Although, we did burn a lot of energy between those sheets tonight, didn't we?"
"Abarai…"
"Sorry," Renji snickered, "Okay, I'll go find something for you."
As Renji started to turn away, Byakuya sucked in a shaky breath, his body hardening, his heart starting to race again, and a warning throb awakening his loins.
"Wait."
Renji froze at the more husky, wanton sound of his partner's voice, but before he quite knew what was happening, Byakuya had pounced, pressing himself up against Renji's chest and kissing him voraciously.
"Whoa!"
Renji answered the surprise offensive without reservation, making a sexy little growl against his lips. But, still aware of his slighter partner's discomfort from before, the bigger Soul Reaper paused, gently breaking the kiss and cupping Byakuya's face with one hand.
"Are you really sure you're up to this? You just got sick, Byakuya."
Byakuya pulled away slightly, his cheeks warming as he realized.
"My apologies. I imagine that makes me rather repulsive to you at the moment."
To his surprise, Renji smiled reassuringly and wrapped an arm around his waist.
"No, that's not what I meant. If you were up for it, I'd sleep with you while you had the flu. What I meant was, are you really up for getting frisky right now?"
Byakuya nodded as waves of need washed through him, leaving him weak and almost unbearably aroused. He wasn't sure what made his next words escape him. He was sure he had never sounded so awfully needy before.
"Yes, Renji. Please?"
What is wrong with me?
His lover's eyes widened. Byakuya had never once said 'please' in the several months they'd been secretly seeing each other.
It was completely against his usual nature, but clearly, Renji liked it.
Byakuya found himself lifted a few inches and pinned to the wall as hungry, biting kisses claimed his mouth. His legs lifted instinctively to wrap around the younger man as one of Renji's hands slid down lower to prepare him.
The sensations from the penetration of those large, rough fingers alone made strange noises come from the usually reserved taicho's throat. It was as if the pleasure was even more intense than usual.
Then Renji shifted forward, slowly filling his body and making his head fall back against the wall at the sheer perfection of them being connected.
His lover began moving, a few slow, gentle thrusts at first to get him ready. Renji always started out careful, even if it had only been a few hours since their last joining.
Byakuya felt his breath catch at the tenderness, but impatience overruled his sentimentality. He dug his heels into the top of Renji's ass, urging him on.
The bigger Soul Reaper grinned at him, then indulged him, moving hard and fast, claiming him roughly against the wall.
Byakuya could only hold on, not recognizing anymore the sounds he was making. Normally, he was quieter, his reserved nature and concerns about being discovered in such a position limiting how much he'd express his pleasure. But now, he couldn't seem to stop himself.
Have I lost my mind? Have these months of holding back so much to protect our privacy made me go insane? Indeed, I have never felt like this.
He moaned and made little cries with each powerful thrust into his body. The sounds seemed to spur Renji on, until Byakuya was being fucked harder than his subordinate had dared before.
Teeth raked lightly over his shoulder, Renji groaning and growling in response to his noises of enjoyment.
"Fuck...yeah, Byakuya...that's it, baby...let me hear how much you like this."
Byakuya cared absolutely nothing for the flicker of mortification he felt at what he knew to be an endearing, not demeaning reference, that reaction dying a quick death.
This is just how Renji expresses his abandon when we are together. It is not that he dismisses me to a submissive role, but that I am so deeply embedded in his heart that his words become more tender. And he still calls me that when our roles are reversed.
He was overcome by the pleasure Renji was giving him, and he was so close to climax, even without his aching, leaking member being touched. Then, Renji's hand slid down in between them to wrap around his hungry member, sliding up and down in time with their movements, making the noble forget all decency as he clawed at the redhead's broad shoulders, obeying his partner's sultry request.
"Ahh, Re-Renji! Oh gods, yes, please!"
"Oh, holy fuck!" Renji gasped, the sound of his proud lover's aroused plea touching off a violently intense orgasm.
"B-Byakuya!"
Warmth erupted inside the noble and his entire body shuddered with his own powerful release. Renji was grinding against him to ride out the gripping waves of pleasure, holding him securely. After what seemed like hours, Renji finally separated their bodies and gently set him on his feet.
Byakuya gave him a cutely confused look as the redhead gazed at him in awe and he whispered, "I sure's Hell ain't complaining, Taicho, but what just happened? That was amazing! I mean, it's always amazing to get to be with you, but that...that was incredible!"
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Byakuya purred into his ear, giving the soft lobe a frisky lick and nibble, "I enjoyed being with you also."
Byakuya felt his chest swell with happiness, then his eyes began to burn oddly as Renji went blurry. Lifting one hand to his cheek, he felt warm tears running down his face.
What?
I am…?
What is wrong with me today?
Renji's tone shifted from 'satisfied partner' to 'concerned partner' in the blink of a teary eye.
"Byakuya?! Are you ok? Did I hurt you? Shit, I'm sorry! Show me where it hurts, baby - I'll heal you up."
He shook his head, swiping at his tears and blinking the remainder away.
"Stop it. Do not patronize me, Abarai," he snapped, regaining a measure of composure, "I am not hurt. I...I am not sure what's wrong with me this morning. I've been feeling…strange."
"Yeah," Renji agreed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "I kinda noticed. The throwing up, the cravings after being sick, the frisky sex. If you were a girl…"
"I am not a girl!" Byakuya snapped, his temper slipping as it reached him just how needy he had been, "And if you need me to prove that…"
"Take it easy," Renji chuckled, lowering his head to bury his face in Byakuya's soft, silken hair, "I know damned well you're not a girl."
He lifted his head to admire Byakuya's still angry face.
"But you're welcome to show me your rough side too, love. You know how much I like that also."
"Renji," Byakuya huffed, losing the ability to stay angry as the redhead's lips found his, and the two exchanged, hard, penetrating kisses while they stumbled back to the bed.
They remained beside it, still indulging in a flurry of kisses and warm caresses. Then, Renji climbed onto the bed and knelt facing the noble, wearing a sexy, welcoming smile.
"You wanna rest?" he asked, looking up at Byakuya, "Or do you wanna give me that lesson now?"
Byakuya started to answer, then he froze, staring as a hell butterfly floated into the room and hovered in front of him.
"Byakuya-san," Kisuke's voice said in a serious tone, issuing from the fluttering insect, "I need you to come to the shop, and you need to come quickly. Your cousin, Tetsuya, just arrived here, and he's badly injured. Orihime and I are doing our best, but he's in really bad shape, and he was asking for you. He said that we needed to tell you that Arashi has been pulled back inside him, and he's barely holding Tetsuya's inner world together. I'm sorry. We'll do our damnedest, but…"
"Shit," Renji breathed, "Tetsuya, that's your…"
"My bodyguard and healer," Byakuya managed, flash stepping to the closet and grabbing a clean uniform as Renji also began to dress, "He's also been covering for me, using his powers to make everyone believe I was alone in my bed at home while we were meeting."
"But, he wasn't with you tonight?"
"No," Byakuya said, working swiftly to tie his clothing in place, "He has been monitoring certain members of the family council, making sure they're not aware that you and I are seeing each other. The council has been growing in its insistence that I follow through on marrying and providing an heir."
"Damn."
Byakuya paused as he finished dressing, his grey eyes reading his lover's troubled expression.
"Renji, I am not going to leave you, and I am not going to let anything bad happen. I just have to be careful."
"Yeah?" the redhead sighed worriedly, "But, if your cousin has just been attacked while he was monitoring them, and the attack was meant to kill, I'd say that something bad has already happened."
"Renji…"
"Hey," Renji said, taking Byakuya's face in his hands and kissing him, "I'm not sayin' I wanna give up or anything. I'm just worried, okay? I'm here with you. I'm gonna be there to protect you. I'm not going anywhere."
"Thank you, Renji," Byakuya said gratefully, "Come now, we must hurry. We'll take my private senkaimon."
Byakuya summoned his blade to his hand, then extended it in front of him, opening the pathway. As soon as it opened, the two were through the doorway and flash stepping towards Karakura Town.