Disclaimer: I am forever doomed to...well...not own Bleach. O fie, fie, cruel fate!
A/N: Aaand we're back with an incomplete Chapter 2. By the way, if anyone cares, this fic has a theme song I picked after I'd started writing it—"Come In From The Cold" by Joni Mitchell...By some weird coincidence, this laid-back, insightful song fits reeally well with the story (except the first few lyrics or so) So if you feel like it, you can go and look at the lyrics or find somewhere to hear the song and whatnot...Anyway, presenting more Ren-Byaku-shortcake-hawtness!
Part II.
The whole world might as well have had a "pause" button--and it had just been pushed. Renji just stood there, a bright red tint starting at his cheeks and fanning out to his ears, with the tips of his fingers just inside Byakuya's pale lips. Byakuya, hand paused in midair, looked down at Renji's own hand, showing faint signs of surprise.
Renji, finally realizing what he'd done, was about to withdraw his hand and just brush off the whole faux-pas with some joke, laughing like an idiot. But before that could happen, Byakuya's raised hand held Renji's still as he licked the remaining cream and chocolate off Renji's fingers one-by-one, locking eyes the whole time.
A tingle coursed through Renji's tensed arm and down his spine as his heart rate started to speed up. Byakuya let go of him and chewed the strawberry before swallowing it, then stated plainly in his deep voice, "That was exquisite. You must have worked hard to make everything so...delicious."
Renji stiffened and blushed almost as red as his hair, wondering what the hell was going to happen now, where this was going…Well, he knew one thing. They'd gone somewhere past the mere relationship of officer and adjutant, that was for sure. This was the point of no return.
And Renji…well, Renji had no idea what to do anymore.
"It was…nothing," he managed hoarsely, mind whirling as though he were on drugs. "It's not like I made the strawberry or somethin'," he laughed tensely.
"I know."
"I really should've tried it before letting—" Renji trailed off.
"Ah, would you like to taste it? Here, allow me." Without warning, Byakuya took Renji's chin in his hand, leaned in, and captured his mouth.
Renji's eyes widened, but he closed them and surrendered, letting the sensation of the kiss mingle with the symphony of flavors in Byakuya's mouth and soft soft lips, flavors he'd created himself…the whipped cream and rich chocolate sauce made from scratch, the fresh ripe strawberry…And no mistaking it, there was definitely the taste of Byakuya—
It was too much. Renji could feel his self-control trickling away, and he broke off and looked away, wide-eyed and panting. "I could've…tried some…myself, y'know!" he said in a low growl.
An enigmatic smile hinted at the corners of the older man's lips. He licked a dab of cream from them, saying in a sultry voice, "Oh, but I think you much preferred things this way."
His paralyzing blue eyes were drenched with…what was the word that came to Renji's mind?
Desire. Yeah, that was definitely it. And it was making Byakuya look sexy as hell—Even more than usual, thought Renji, finally admitting to himself that okay, maybe he had always been drawn to the captain in some way, shape or form. But not like now—now is kinda different. Like it's stronger or somethin'...
It was true; the air was practically pulsing crimson between them, sparks flying, each waiting for the other to make the next move. Renji was still having a little trouble wrapping his mind around the notion that he could be this powerfully attracted to another man, but he was already stepping back towards him, burning, aching for more.
This time Renji led the way, driving Byakuya back until they bumped up against the counter. A small pitcher of milk tipped over and spilled in the background, but neither of the men noticed, let alone cared. Byakuya's off-white robe had slipped slightly from his right shoulder and Renji took full advantage, lips moving hungrily along the bared flesh. He was brushing aside one of his dark locks and moving up his neck when Byakuya ordered, "Stop."
...How can he keep his damn bossy attitude at a time like this? Renji groaned inwardly. "Oh come on, what is it?" His frantic need raised his voice a few pitches.
Byakuya attempted to catch his breath. "Have you lost your senses completely…or are you aware…that we are still in a kitchen?" From his tone of voice, he obviously knew the answer was the first one.
Renji glanced around at their surroundings. What the hell. If they ended up going further, they could be on the wood flooring for all he cared. They could even be outside in the deathly cold—they had more than enough heat between the two of them to make up for that anyway. He grabbed Byakuya by the collar of his loose yukata and was about to fling him down to the floor when the captain interrupted again.
"I said stop, before I have you discharged from Squad 6! Did you not hear me?"
"Jeezus, who shoved a stick up your ass?!" growled Renji, then clapped a hand over his mouth, realizing there were certain…connotations behind his words.
Byakuya snorted lightly. "I will pretend that last comment was never made. …My, look at that shortcake"—he interjected, turning his head to indicate said cake—"it's so perfect, and we are merely letting it sit there. Do you think, perhaps, we should…have it somewhere else? In a more…accommodating—"
He was interrupted by Renji who, already catching on, grabbed the shortcake and the two forks that were lying there. Then Byakuya suddenly gripped the wrist of the hand holding the forks and Renji was shunpō-ed off to the sitting room he had seen not long before. Of course, when he had seen it, he had no idea that…that things like this would be taking place here.
(Shunpō: "flash step")
Renji pulled his hand free of his taichou's grasp and swiftly slid the shortcake onto a small table near the wall—getting it out of the way. Not wanting to lose the moment, Renji wasted no time in tossing Byakuya down (on a futon? couch? He didn't notice and cared even less), and—
"Who gave you permission to treat your captain so roughly?" demanded Byakuya, but it was clear that even he was losing his dignified, regal air.
By then Renji was bent over him, already pulling the loose robe off Byakuya's shoulders and hastily fumbling with the knot tied at the waist. It was now or never; he'd actually built up enough nerve to say it:
"I don't give a damn if you are my taichou…" he muttered breathily, "…I'm gonna screw you senseless. Happy birthday."
Byakuya only gave an amused laugh. "I'd like to see you try, kozou."
(Kozou: "little boy," or just boy)
Leaning down until their lips were barely touching, Renji murmured, "You would, huh?" and took Byakuya's mouth by force.
A/N: And I am soo sorry, people, but that is simply all I have at the moment. Since my friend has absolutely been putting off working on the lemon-y part that follows, I've been trying to get possible versions from others---people that I know and, well, now you guys too. I'll consider anything that I'm given (yes, I am willing to read the yaoi-tastic endings that people can come up with---it is my story; I hafta---but I just can't process 'n write a lemon sequence myself; my brain is not quite so corrupted yet and would likely explode. Eheh.)
Credit will be given where credit is due; give it a try! Or else this story may be left hanging until the end of time, and you don't want that, now do you...?
Things to keep in mind: the power struggle between Ren&Byaku (as in, literally---switching a few times between seme/uke, each trying to be the one on top...'cause you know they would...) Hint: Renji wins, using the element of surprise.
Don't worry about the wrapping up of the fic, I've got that taken care of. Just the lemony part. Good luck!
R&R, please & thanks! Also, if you liked this, go check out my drabbles under the name of "It's Drabble Time"--there aren't many, but the first one is a hinted RenByaku one that's kinda-sorta supposed to be a companion to this fic (though they really don't have much to do with each other...). Thanks again to the lovely reviewers!
