Author's note: Thank you for everyone who read and reviewed chapter 1. I am now on page like...130 of this story (35,000 words now, ugh). It's just me and Grammarly editing this thing so my whole life right now is writing and editing this novel-sized story. I have no idea when I'll be finished with this thing, but hopefully I will finish writing this by the end of June. Anyways, I love this chapter. I am obsessed with exploring young Byakuya's rebellious nature. I remember when I first saw teenage Byakuya in the anime and I was like... I knew it! He got some rule-breaking fire within him and it is officially my job to bring it out, lol. It's so fun to imagine how he was and how he became the stoic man he is today, I hope you enjoy it and don't forget to review, it really helps me!

Chapter 2 Trigger Warnings: Nothing really just some angst, Renji swears too much in every chapter too, lol.

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Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters are the intellectual property of Kubo Tite. I do not own Bleach or its characters.


The years passed, and the two young men continued to meet halfway between the slums and the haughty neighborhood that Byakuya called home. They grew into their teen years together, often sharing stories and laughs about the trials and tribulations that the two young teens faced. While their backgrounds were completely different, they somehow managed to always find a middle ground.

It was another summer weekend; they tended to meet more often in the summer. Byakuya was usually out of school, and his excess tutoring lessons. Renji was typically free, seeing as he didn't attend any school. Still, he hoped to learn enough to get his basic high school diploma one day. Byakuya would often help with this endeavor by teaching him at their favorite meeting spot.

"Well, you see, x is equal to y in this scenario." The once small boy grew into a young man, his ebony hair longer, his face more angular than years before.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Renji growled in frustration, throwing his pencil down. The red-haired boy had grown too. He still had a few inches of height on his friend, and his build had grown even more since then. "You said this isn't rocket science, but it sure feels like it."

Byakuya sighed, locating and retrieving the discarded pencil. He held it out to his friend like a peace offering. "I thought we would get our diplomas in a year. This doesn't seem to me like you're taking this seriously."

"Is that a challenge, Kuchiki?" Renji's dark brow raised in defiance. "You know how I feel about challenges."

"Hence why I proposed one."

"I thought you were too snobbish for stuff like that now."

"Snobbish?" Byakuya mirrored the other's insulting tone, choosing to throw the pencil at Renji instead.

"Hey, hey!" Renji deflected the pencil with a yelp, "It was a joke, c'mon."

"It was a joke." The noble teen rolled his eyes as he mimicked the other boy in a mocking tone.

Renji threw the pencil back, striking Byakuya in the shoulder. Next, he tossed his whole notebook, hitting his friend square in the head. He laughed at the anger that filled the dark-haired boy's eyes.

"You're lucky I don't resort to violence. I would kick your ass." Byakuya huffed, pushing the notebook aside with annoyance.

Renji burst into a laugh at the idea, "Okay, short stuff."

"I am not short! You are strangely tall. Maybe it's the growth hormones in your food or something; only God knows what's in those food scraps you've been scarfing down." It was usual for them to joke this way after being friends over the years. Renji took no offense to the prodding joke.

"Oh, I believe you are correct, Sir Kuchiki." Renji pretended to adjust his fake tie and monocle. "The pristine meals you have been fed on a literal silver spoon are only full of magic fairy dust and douchebaggery. The finest dining for my young lord."

Byakuya chuckled and reached out to shove Renji's shoulder, "Just shut up already, would you?"

"You started it."

"Did not."

"Did too."

Then began another fight, perhaps when Renji returned the shove. Still, history will never really know which of the young hotheads started the second leg of their argument. Some time passed, and the young men settled down again, lying side by side in the grass.

"Wanna see something cool?" Renji piped up after a while.

"Oh, no. I do not want to see your double jointed pinky again." Byakuya made a fake gagging sound as he remembered.

"No, dumbass." Renji nudged his friend once more. "Look at this."

The redhead turned to his friend and pulled down the collar of his t-shirt ever so slightly, revealing tanned skin that now had a rough outline of a tattoo inked onto it.

"Did it myself." Renji boasted with a grin.

Byakuya stared at the shaky lines for a moment before he started chuckling. The laughter grew despite his attempt to hold it back; soon, he was back on the ground, held in the grips of his amusement. "W-Why do you sound so proud of it?"

Renji scowled, pulling his shirt back up. "What's so funny? I've been tattooing some of the other guys in the orphanage. It's fun."

Byakuya howled. "Oh no, you've been doing this to other people?"

Renji didn't seem to take this joke as well as the rest. He turned away from his friend with a huff.

A few more minutes of laughter later, Byakuya realized that Renji had turned away in annoyance. He reached out a hand to the other boy's shoulder.

"Hey, I'm just joking." He attempted to apologize with a slight frown.

"No, no, I get it." Renji brushed Byakuya's hand away with a controlled snarl. "You're too much of a pretentious bitch to even like something like this, huh?"

Byakuya flinched away, his stormy grey eyes clouding with pain as he held his knees to his chest and went quiet.

Now Renji realized it was his turn to apologize.

"Oh, shit. I didn't mean it like that." He sighed, placing a hand on his friend's knee. "You ain't like those other noble bastards. You and your dad are different. Just can't picture you with a tattoo, to be honest."

The dark-haired boy merely glared at the hand on his knee. They sat in silence like that for some time before he finally spoke again.

"You're right. They have this control over every little thing I do. The way I wear my hair. The way I tie my shoes. You've seen those stupid 'family heirloom' hair clips they want me to wear. What the hell are those about?"

"Uh." Renji tried to think of something not offensive to say, "Good thing you look cute in them, I guess?"

Steel grey eyes shot out another glare, "Wrong answer, Renji."

Renji withdrew his hand, scratching at the back of his crimson hair. He chose not to follow up on his previous sentiment.

"Okay," Byakuya called out in a defeated tone, "Give me a tattoo already."

Renji practically choked on air as he sputtered, "Do what to you?"

"Tattoo. Now." The bratty teen demanded in a directive tone.

"Listen, don't do anything you don't want to. What if your family finds out? They'll flip shit." Renji put his hand back to the other's knee, where he gently rubbed as if to reassure him.

Byakuya groaned in frustration as he plucked a patch of grass with his hands, "It will be a cold day in hell before I care what the 'Kuchiki clan' thinks of me. We are one step away from being a glorified cult."

A wolfish grin spread across the redhead's lips, "I knew you were cool after all." He reached over and rummaged through his rucksack. Luckily for Byakuya, the boy from the streets always came prepared with his stick-and-poke tattoo set.

"T-That's it?" Byakuya mused how a single needle and some pen ink were meant to do anything.

"Well," Renji brushed his hands off onto his pants as if to clean them before starting. "I never said this was professional. Now, where do you want it, and what are we doing?"

"Hm…" The noble boy mused, taking off his shoe to expose a pale and high arched foot. "How about here? I will just keep it covered up with shoes or socks."

Renji took the other's foot in his hand, tracing over the arch of his foot with calloused fingertips. "And the design, Mr. Kuchiki?"

Byakuya grinned, he had a perfect idea. "How about the kanji for the number six?"

"The number six? Weird but okay." Renji shrugged, dipping the needle tip into some ink he kept in a little container.

"You don't remember?" The dark-haired boy seemed to pout a little bit.

"Am I supposed to remember somethin'?" Renji had already put the first few pokes into the noble's left foot.

Byakuya furrowed his brow as he felt the needle's sting repeatedly pierce his delicate ivory flesh. "W-We met on the 6th day of the 6th month. Just figured it could be a special number."

"Aww." Renji cooed, long locks of red hair falling out of his ponytail as he tried to focus on the tattoo. "Something to remember our friendship by. You're surprisingly sweet. Bet the ladies at your special school love you."

"Hardly." Byakuya managed, trying not to tense up his foot too much.

Give or take about thirty minutes, and the novice tattoo artist's work was complete. He pulled away from his project to admire it.

"Oh my, the Mona Lisa will definitely be put to shame when the world gets their eyes on this." Renji's signature playful smile danced on his lips.

Byakuya's grey eyes flitted down to his foot, taking in the sight of the small kanji for the number six, a bit wobbly and thick. It stood out like an ink stain on his pristine white skin.

"I mean, sure." He laughed, stretching out his foot to look at it once more.

"Well, I gotta get headed back. That took longer than I thought." Renji grinned at his friend once more before packing up his supplies. "Meet here at the same time tomorrow unless your family kills you?"

Byakuya precariously slipped his sock back onto his foot, only flinching once. "Well, at least if I go missing, you know who did it."

"Alright, young lord. I hope you enjoy the ink, and I hope it doesn't get infected. No promises, though." Renji reached out to give his friend a quick embrace, holding him there for what might have been longer than necessary.

"Renji." Byakuya squirmed when the hug dragged on, "I won't die, probably. No need to give me a farewell embrace."

The redhead finally pulled away, examining his friend's flawless face. "Ah, I know. You were just so cool today; I thought it deserved a hug."

"Thanks." The flustered noble muttered, finally pulling away.

Renji started off in the opposite direction before shouting out, "Oh! And have fun with your dad tomorrow. He's supposed to be back from that business trip to Europe, right?"

Byakuya lit up at the mention of his father's return. However, he would not mention to his dad the tattoo that was still throbbing on his foot.

When Byakuya never showed up at their meeting spot the following evening, Renji pondered if he had, in fact, been murdered. Maybe he had just gotten caught up in having fun with his dad? Or he had actually just been murdered for a tiny, crappy tattoo. The hours passed, and dusk soon turned to night. Renji's anxiety heightened as he was seriously worried about his friend's whereabouts. Byakuya usually never was late, and given the rambunctious actions of yesterday's impromptu tattoo, he was even more concerned than usual.

Renji had learned where Byakuya lived over the years, but he was never permitted to enter. It was also hard to miss the Kuchiki manor seeing as it was one of the largest mansions in the neighborhood. Renji had snuck around the area before to scope out just how lavish the other boy's life was, but he had never planned to climb the fence. That is, until tonight.

Of course, the Kuchiki manor had guards, but this was not something that really worried the young thief. He had been stuffing food and clothes into his pockets and making a run for it before he could even remember learning his first word.

He snuck around the large, cast-iron gate that encapsulated the Kuchiki manor. He knew Byakuya's quarters were to the east of the house. He snuck around as quietly as the almost six-foot boy could. He peeked through the holes in the ornate iron gate, trying to glimpse the inside. He saw the light in what he presumed to be Byakuya's bedroom. So, he wasn't dead. But he might be on permanent house arrest.

That was when he heard the sobbing. The howling, wretched, sobbing.

Byakuya.

Renji's hands gripped the fence as he set his mind to climb this damned thing. He couldn't leave his friend like this. Renji's tattered and old sneakers barely gripped and he almost fell down a few times. He gave the fence a few more tries before managing his way to the top. He dropped down onto his legs but tripped on the jagged surface below and fell, scraping his knee and ripping his already dirty jeans.

"Dammit." Renji winced as he noticed the blood pooling around the spot of ripped jeans. His attention was quickly grabbed once again by the sobbing near the window.

He crept over to the ajar window, glancing to both sides for any guards before he dashed across the garden. He finally knelt near the window, feeling a painful tug in his heart as he listened to the cries of his dear friend.

"Byakuya." He whispered, barely audible.

The sobbing ceased for a moment. He heard a sniffle.

"Byakuya. It's me." He tried once more, a bit louder this time.

"Renji." The tired voice inside the house croaked, "W-Why are you here?"

"I was worried when you didn't meet at our spot. I came to check it out, and damn, I could hear you crying from the street. Is this about the tattoo? I'm sorry." Renji began his apology but found himself cut off as the noble boy opened the window entirely.

Renji was dumbfounded when he saw the look on Byakuya's face. His sweet angelic face was ravaged with sorrow. His ordinarily bright grey eyes were dark and puffy from crying. Byakuya suddenly reached out and, with strength that Renji was not aware the other boy possessed, pulled him through the window in one swoop.

Renji crash-landed on top of the slender, raven-haired boy as he came tumbling into the room. He didn't even have a moment to consider how rich and luxurious everything was in Byakuya's room. He had been pulled into his friend's embrace. Byakuya sobbed into Renji's matted shirt like a child.

"B-Byakuya…" Renji gasped, quite taken aback by this open display of despair. He hugged his friend, gently smoothing down his messy black hair. "Are you in trouble? Did your grandpa hurt you again? I swear to God if that old fart lays a hand on you again, I'm going to–"

Byakuya choked out his words in a small voice through his tears, "My dad, my dad…my dad, he…." The sentence ended in a blubber of frantic breaths. The raven-haired boy was clearly in the middle of a panic attack.

"Shh… I'm here." Renji held him close to his chest, taking this moment to inhale the sweet cherry blossom fragrance of the other boy's hair. Byakuya had always smelled so clean and beautiful; even after days of playing in the mud as kids, he never was less than perfect.

They didn't speak for a long time; Byakuya trembled in Renji's arms like a shaking leaf. Renji was afraid one wrong move might break the once stoic Kuchiki. They were both hotheaded and irrational, at best. But he'd never seen the other boy act like this. It terrified Renji.

"Renji…" Byakuya whispered against the tan chest that his face was pressed to.

"You don't have to say a word." Renji silenced him by crushing him with an even stronger embrace.

Byakuya's breath hitched, and the smell of heather and moss encircled him. Renji always had that earthy, deep, leather-like scent to him. The musk encircled and relaxed him. His tears stopped momentarily. He finally had enough courage to say the words.

"He's gone, Renji."

Renji's heart sank into the pit of his stomach. That was a phrase he had heard too many times.

"Bya… he… how…?" Renji's own amber eyes started to brim with tears. He could feel his friend's loss in his own chest. He could feel his sorrow as if it were his own. He knew how it felt to have your whole world taken away.

Byakuya spoke into the other's chest, his words in short staccato breaths, "Private jet. Crashed. No. Survivors."

"No." Renji paled in the face.

The smaller man glanced up at Renji's face, shocked to find tears there, too. "Are you crying?" He managed, his pale pink lip quivering.

"Damn right I am." Renji wiped at his tears with grimy palms. "Fuck. Never even met the man, but I know how much he meant to you. I am so, so, sorry." More tears fell from warm cinnamon-colored eyes, "I know how hard it is to lose your parents."

"Yeah, I know you do." Byakuya reached up to gently cup his friend's face. Renji's jaw was so strong and pronounced in his weak and trembling fingers. "I'm sorry for you, too."

"Fucking orphans, both of us." Renji laughed despite himself, "Fuck. I hate this whole stupid fucking world. I wish it were just you and I. I wish we could just run away. Far, far away."

Byakuya's sorrowful eyes scanned Renji's face with an unreadable expression, "But what would we do?"

"I don't care. Make more soda can monkeys, work at a carwash, sell crack cocaine for all I care. I can't stay here anymore in this horrible place. And now, you will be alone with your cold-hearted grandpa in this ghost of a manor. I hate that for you. I won't let my best friend live this way."

Best friend. That had never been said before.

"But, at the funeral, I have to at least see that my dad gets the ceremony he needs. The ceremony he deserved. Together now, with mom…." Byakuya's sentence ended in tears again.

Renji could only watch in horror as those big, beautiful, galaxy grey eyes filled with tears. He could do nothing now to ease this pain. "The funeral, is it already decided? Let's leave after it's over."

He sniffled, wiping his tears onto his shirt sleeve, "This weekend. Sunday. At the local cemetery. Mom is already there, waiting."

"Consider it done. Pack a bag." Renji straightened his back and spoke with great conviction in his voice. He gently placed his hand on Byakuya's, relishing at how soft the skin was underneath his own.

"You can't be serious." Byakuya watched their hands mingle and intertwine. He felt warmth in his chest radiate throughout him. "I'm a Kuchiki. They will find me. I will become the head of the house as soon as the rest of the nobles see to it that my dad is forgotten. They will make me one of them, a zombie, a drone, a blind rule-follower."

Renji furrowed his dark brows as he used his free hand to tilt Byakuya's narrow chin upwards. Calm grey eyes met fiery brown. "My Byakuya? Never. You're too fucking brilliant for that. They wish they could take away your spark. But they never will."

Their eyes remained locked in a serious hold. Byakuya's heart skipped a beat. He had never felt this way near Renji before. He had always felt safe and secure, but this was entirely different. Renji's eyes drifted to Byakuya's lips. He felt himself being pulled in, his eyelids closed. He could feel Renji's hot breath graze his features. He parted his own lips, leaning in so that they grazed Renji's chin. Then they were barely touching, almost kissing, like butterflies' wings, their lips fluttering against each other.

"Byakuya! Quiet down in there, would you?" A voice from just beyond his door boomed through the room.

The young noble jumped back, blinking as he realized what they had almost done. He quickly shoved Renji towards the closet.

"Y-Yes, grandpa. I apologize!" Byakuya stammered out a reply, hoping that his grandpa would leave it. He locked eyes with the equally shocked redhead. They stayed still and quiet for a long moment until they heard footsteps leading away from the bedroom door. They both released a sigh of relief.

Then came the realization of the near kiss. They both tried to search for the other boy's feelings by scanning each other's faces. They both decided not to speak of it.

"Listen, I really should go. They'll probably arrest my sorry homeless ass." Renji smiled in a self-deprecating way. "I wish I could stay here with you. I hate to leave you alone."

Byakuya returned the smile, albeit rather sadly, "Yeah, you shouldn't be here."

Renji stood, turning towards the window, "Hey, Sunday, I'm coming to get you. Even if we don't ditch forever, we could see how long hiding from the Kuchiki family works. You in?"

Like with the tattoo, this was a test for the young Kuchiki. Each rebellious step he took away from his family came with a price. But he couldn't really be bothered anymore.

"Just take me away from here," Byakuya murmured, his eyes locked on the floor.

"Just call me your knight in shining armor." Renji tried to lighten the mood, his lip tugging upward as he slung a leg out through the window.

Byakuya became agitated at the insinuation, "I am not a princess who needs saving."

"Yeah, you're right." Renji's smile spread across his face. He was so beautiful and warm, like the rays of the sun. "You're the one who's saved me, after all."

Renji seemed somber before he hopped out of the windowsill and into the garden. Byakuya rushed over to the window, his heart immediately aching as the distance was put between them. He didn't want to be alone.

"I-I'll pack my bag!" Byakuya called out in a fervent whisper.

Renji gave him one last concerned glance before hopping the fence.

"And, I'll miss you." The noble finished his thought quietly to himself as tears pooled in his silver eyes.