Author's note: Oh my gosh! The REVIEWS! (: Thank you guys SO much (: I tried especially hard to update quickly over Christmas for you guys (: Could I be rude enough to ask those of you who reviewed the last chapter to review this chapter? (: Thanks in advance!
Did you guys have a nice Christmas? I hope so.
Um. Byakuya may seem slightly OOC at the end of this chapter - but I wanted him to seem vulnerable. I mean, if you peeled back his condescending layers, he would probably be a nice person! (: And I think he's cute vulnerable. Or maybe that's just me?

~Rainbow Fruit Loop.

Blossoming Romance
~Chapter 13~
A m u s e m e n t P a r k
Part Two.

Renji handed a scowling Byakuya his carton of hot chips.

"Thank you." Byakuya said.

"No problem!" Renji said, trying to change the mood.

Since they had gotten off the ride, Byakuya had seemed… distant.

Hm. He had seemed so… chatty on the Ferris wheel.

…Not that Byakuya Kuchiki is ever 'chatty'.

Maybe he disapproves of my 'love choice'?

Renji had to admit; he was pretty impressed with how he had managed to cover up his disaster.

But I can't believe I described who I loved to him.

'Gorgeous, dark hair, pale skin, dark eyes, quiet nature, hidden temper'.

I described him perfectly.

I'm such a loser.

"Where should we sit?" Byakuya asked, a frown on his face.

"Um, there's a bench over there." Renji said, gesturing. "Should we sit there? Ya said we could chat over lunch, remember?"

Byakuya sighed visibly. "So I did."

Weaving his way through the many families, Renji managed to claim the seat. "Here, Captain!" he said, grinning.

Byakuya sat down, and started to eat his chips.

Renji watched as he blew on one of them, and bit into it, steam rising from the potato.

He looked down at his own carton, and started eating.

"So, what do ya wanna know about me?" Renji asked.

"What do I want to know about you? What do you mean?" Byakuya asked.

Does he not remember the conversation we had?

"Um, on the bus, I asked ya what you would do if ya could do anything at all. And you said you'd talk to me, and learn everything there is to know about me. Remember?"

Byakuya closed his eyes briefly. "Yes, I remember."

Renji grinned. "So, what do ya wanna know?"

Byakuya was silent.

"Were… Were you telling the truth before?" He finally asked, looking up into Renji's eyes.

Renji cringed inwardly.

Has he… figured it out?

Damn it! This isn't supposed to happen!

"Before?" Renji decided to play dumb.

Byakuya sighed, looking visibly frustrated. "About Lieutenant Hinamori."

Should I confess?

Maybe I should jus' tell him. Get it all out in the open.

What's the worst that could happen?

Sure, maybe things would be awkward, but… awkward moments get better.

And he couldn't fire me, could he? He'd need an actual reason. And I'm sure Captain-Commander Yamamoto wouldn't take 'But he loves me!' as a reason.

Hmm. I'm going to tell him the truth.

Renji swallowed, and decided to ask one more question before he told his Captain the truth. "Why do ya think I'm lying?"

Absentmindedly Byakuya bit down on his bottom lip. "Well, I just don't think that someone as… timid as her would hold the interests of someone as vibrant as you."

Renji felt himself grin. "Yeah, well, actually…"

And then he froze.

If I do tell him, it's obvious that he's gonna reject me. Which… I've accepted.

But then everyone will find out. I'm not sure of I can cope with all my friends knowing that I'm gay.

Ikkaku, Yumichika, Hinamori, Kira, Hisagi, Ichigo… and Rukia.

How would I explain to Rukia that I'm in love with her older brother?

And so, once again, Renji chickened out.

"Of course I was telling the truth!" he lied, smiling. "I don't have a reason to lie…"

Byakuya nodded his head slowly. "…Alright." He ate another chip.

"Hey, before we talk about me, can I ask ya my daily question?" Renji asked.

"I thought you had already done that." Byakuya commented.

"When?" Renji asked, stuffing a few steaming hot chips in his mouth.

Crap – that's hot!

After spluttering for a bit, Renji managed to swallow. "Sorry 'bout that."

Byakuya looked at him disdainfully. "Indeed. But, 'when', you say? On the bus."

"That was a continuation of yesterday's question!" Renji whined.

That's not fair!

Byakuya shook his head. "Fine."

"Cool! Alright, my question is… Do ya like anyone?" Renji asked.

"I like a few people." Byakuya said, nodding. "Just because I'm not an overly friendly person, doesn't mean that I dislike everyone."

Renji chuckled. "I mean, like like."

When Byakuya gave him a blank stare, Renji decided to elaborate. "Ya know. Are ya attracted to anyone?"

Byakuya, who had a tomato sauce-covered chip in his slim, elegant fingers, paused.

"I don't think that is something I want to discuss with you, Renji." He said coolly.

So, he's definitely attracted to somebody. Otherwise he would simply have said 'No'.

But the question is… who?

"Aw! C'mon! I told ya about Hinamori…" Renji pleaded, curious as to who the great Byakuya Kuchiki could be attracted to.

"There is nobody." Byakuya said, narrowing his steel grey eyes.

"Sure." Renji rolled his eyes.

"Do you not remember when I told you that I had no intention of falling in love ever again?" Byakuya asked, pursing his lips.

"Yeah, but it's not somethin' ya can control, is it? I mean, I didn't intend to fall in love with you, er, I mean Hinamori."

Damn! I hope he didn't notice my stuff up.

"I beg your pardon?"

Renji breathed a sigh of relief.

"I said: Ya can't control whether or not ya fall in love."

"But you can try." Byakuya said, sounding slightly cross.

"You're avoiding my question, Captain." Renji said, shaking his head. "Tell me who it is!"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Renji sighed.

Gee. I can tell him who I'm attracted to (kinda), but he feels that it is beneath him to talk to me about his love life.

Hmph.

"Alright, ya don't have to tell me. But… there is someone, right?"

Byakuya was silent.

"Please tell me." Renji asked, his heart pounding.

Please say 'no'. Please tell me that you aren't attracted to anyone.

Byakuya sighed. "You're an infuriatingly persistent person, aren't you?"

"Yep!"

"…Well, in answer to your second question… Yes. I am attracted to somebody. Unfortunately."

…No.

"Who?"

Byakuya made to open his mouth, before shaking his head. "Do not try to fool me into telling you."

"Is she pretty?" Renji asked, his heart heavy.

Ha… Good thing I didn't tell him that I loved him.

It would have been super embarrassing.

"I would like to desist in this line of questioning." Byakuya said. It didn't sound like a request, however - it sounded like an order.

"If ya want, Cap'n." Renji said, cramming another few now-cool chips into his mouth.

"Alright. I thought we were going to talk about you for the duration of our lunch break, Renji."

"Oh, yeah." Renji said. "What do ya wanna know?"

A strand of Renji's scarlet hair blew across his face. He ignored it.

"What do you think of me?" Byakuya asked.

Oh God.

"Er, as a Captain, or a person?"

"Both." Byakuya answered.

However, before he got to answer, Byakuya reached forward and tucked the red strand of hair behind his ear.

His Captain's cool fingers lightly brushed Renji's cheek.

W-Why did he do that?

It was almost… affectionate.

But then Renji remembered his Captain's mild form of OCD.

It was probably jus' annoying him.

Renji looked down at his feet, trying to hide his blush. Because of this, he missed how Byakuya's eyes widened slightly, and how he took a deep breath in, obviously to banish his stress.

I should probably answer his question, so he doesn't think that I was affected by his action in any way.

"Um…Right… Well, as a Captain, I think you're… strong. You can easily cope in catastrophes of any sort, and always manage to make me feel like everything's gonna be fine, so long as I stay by your side. You're the reason why I love being in the Sixth Squad." Renji paused. "And… as a person… I think… well. You have trouble opening up to people, which makes it hard to really get to know you. But, Captain, you're surprisingly considerate, and kind." He finished truthfully.

"Thank you. I think. Why did you decide to become a Shinigami?"

And, for the duration of their lunch break, Byakuya asked Renji everything there was to know about him.

"Can I choose the next ride, please?" Renji asked, as the two started walking.

"If you insist. But… please not that thing." Byakuya said, gesturing up at a large, flashing, spinning ride.

"Sure." Renji nodded his head, and craned his neck. In the not-so-far distance, he could see his favorite ride; the roller coaster.

"Come this way." Renji said, grinning madly.

"What horror are you going to put me through?" Byakuya asked apprehensively.

"The roller coaster!" Renji chirped.

Byakuya froze.

"Are you being serious?" he asked, looking at the giant track, and the colourful cart rocketing around said track.

"Of course. Are you… going to chicken out on me?" Renji asked, feeling hypocritical.

After all, it was he who had chickened out numerous times that day.

"I guess not…" Byakuya said hesitantly.

"Come on." Renji said, holding out his hand. "I'll be moral support."

He expected Byakuya to look at his hand disdainfully, and ignore it. So, Renji was pleasantly surprised when he felt Byakuya's cold fingers wrap around his own.

His skin prickled and tingled with the most uncanny sensations.

"Moral support? You're the one making me do this."

Renji grinned. "I s'pose I am."

As they walked up to the roller coaster, Renji couldn't help but to smile as Byakuya's grip on his fingers tightened.

The great Kuchiki Noble… is frightened by a roller coaster.

Finally, the two Shinigami made it to the front of the line.

Renji – who was still dragging Byakuya around – clambered into the back cart of the roller coaster.

"C'mon, Captain!" he encouraged, watching how Byakuya slowly climbed in.

A few people looked at Renji quizzically.

"Maybe you shouldn't call me 'Captain' in public." Byakuya advised quietly.

Renji turned to face a paler-than-usual Byakuya. "Why not?"

"I'm not sure. People looked at you weirdly when you said it before." Byakuya shrugged.

"Maybe they think it's a kinky thing?" Renji mused, tightening the strap around his waist and chest.

"A what?" Byakuya asked, copying Renji's actions in tightening the strap around his own slim waist and chest.

"Did I say that out loud?" Renji asked, cringing.

Maybe I shouldn't say anything for the rest of the day.

"Mm." Byakuya gave a vaguely affirmative noise.

"You'll be fine, Captain." Renji said, smiling warmly at Byakuya.

"That's a matter of opinion." Byakuya said, scowling. "And… call me 'Byakuya' when we're out in public."

"Alright." Renji said, nodding.

Byakuya…

Just then, the man in charge of the roller coaster came around, and lowered the safety bar in front of Renji and Byakuya.

"Are you okay, mate?" he asked Byakuya, who was now gripping tightly to the bar in front of him.

Renji noticed that Byakuya was biting his lower lip nervously.

Wow… He's showing actual emotion.

…I don't think I should be so happy that he's scared.

"He's fine." Renji assured the man.

"Alright…" the man said hesitantly. "You do know that you go around the track three times, yeah?"

Byakuya narrowed his eyes at a chuckling Renji. "You didn't tell me that, Abarai." He said crossly.

"He's fine." Renji repeated to the man, who nodded in reply.

"I'm not comfortable doing this." Byakuya said, as the roller coaster started moving slowly. "I… I get motion sickness."

Renji was too busy peering up at the large, creamy-white track to hear Byakuya's qualms.

Hm. We do go up quite high.

Not that I mind.

Maybe it was a mistake forcing Byakuya to come on this ride…

Nah. He'll be fine.

Because they were at the back of the roller coaster, Renji couldn't see the track in front of him. So, he got an enormous shock when they suddenly dropped.

Woah…!

Renji felt himself lift from his seat, and was only kept from being flung out of said seat by the firm straps around his chest and waist.

The roller coaster made a sudden left, and, before Renji knew it, they were hurtling upwards. The higher they made it up the track, the slower the roller coaster moved.

And then it stopped.

Renji grinned to himself, and peered over the edge of the cart. They were a good fortymeters up. People who were walking around underneath them seemed tiny.

Ya get a pretty good view from up here.

Though I don't suppose Byakuya's really enjoying it.

He glanced at Byakuya.

"A-Are we supposed to have stopped?" Byakuya asked breathlessly.

"Yep. It's cause we're about to drop." Renji said.

Byakuya made a noise of disapproval.

The front of the roller coaster disappeared from Renji's sight, and then, once again, the two Shinigami were sent on a downwards spiral.

"Whoop!" Renji yelled, releasing his grip on the safety bar in the front of the cart, as they went around a loop.

"Don't let go, you idiot!" came Byakuya's muffled, trembling voice.

As they continued to whirl around the large track, Renji managed to turn his head to see how his Captain was doing.

He was incredibly pale – well, paler than usual – and his dark hair was mussed up. His eyes were closed – he was probably trying to imagine that he was anywhere but on a roller coaster with his Vice Captain.

He was also gripping onto the bar in front of them as though his life depended on it.

Aw. He's actually terrified.

I feel so mean.

After a few more minutes of spiraling loops, terrifying drops, and general speed, the ride came to a stop.

The same man as before came around and raised the safety bar, therefore allowing the Shinigami to get out.

Hesitantly, Byakuya opened one eye.

"It's over…?" he asked quietly.

"It's over, Byakuya." Renji said, undoing his straps.

He scrambled out of the cart, and held out his hand to Byakuya, helping him to get out.

"Are ya alright?" Renji asked, as Byakuya made his way towards a bench.

"I'm…fine." Byakuya said, sitting down.

He didn't look fine.

"It was fun, right?" Renji burbled.

"It most certainly was not." Byakuya said vehemently.

"Oh. Wait… hold on a mo." Renji said, his eye catching a small shack next to the roller coaster. He ran up to it.

It was a photo shack.

Whilst he had been upside down on one of the loops, Renji had noticed a small camera.

If I'm right… then there's a photo of us going around the loop.

Sure enough, Renji located the photo of himself and Byakuya.

He had his arms raised, and a goofy grin on his face. Byakuya, on the other hand, had his eyes closed.

Renji noticed how close they were.

Hm. We're shoulder-to-shoulder.

"Can I buy this photo?" Renji asked the woman behind the counter.

Memento!

"That's why I'm here." The woman drawled.

"Alright. How much is it?"

After handing over the correct amount of money, Renji took the photo.

"Your boyfriend looks like he's going to be sick." The woman observed, looking over Renji's shoulder.

"Who?" Renji asked, not thinking that Byakuya could be mistaken as his partner.

"Your boyfriend…? The pretty one with the dark hair."

Renji turned around, and was alarmed to see that Byakuya was clutching his stomach, and was a light shade of green.

"Oh. Er, thanks." Renji grabbed the photo, and put it in his pocket. "I'd better go and see if he needs my help."

It was only as he was running over to Byakuya, that he realized that the woman had called Byakuya Renji's 'boyfriend.'

Do we give off a 'couple' vibe?

The thought made Renji's stomach turn somersaults.

Focus, Renji. Byakuya's gonna throw up at any moment.

"Byakuya?" Renji asked hesitantly.

"I don't feel too well." Byakuya murmured, his grey eyes locking onto Renji's.

"I can see that." Renji chuckled. "C'mon, let's get you to a bathroom."

He helped Byakuya get up, and desperately tried to remember where he had last seen a bathroom.

I don't want to drag him around the entire Amusement Park in search of a toilet.

Luckily for Renji, he spotted a restroom a few meters away.

He grabbed Byakuya's arm, and pulled him over to it.

Once inside, Renji closed the door, and locked it from the inside.

He won't want a bunch of people he doesn't know to witness this.

Hell, he'll probably kick me outta here.

But he didn't.

Byakuya leant over the porcelain sink, and closed his eyes. "Motion sickness." he mumbled.

Renji, being the loyal and caring Vice Captain that he was, stepped over to Byakuya, and held his Captain's dark hair out of his face as he threw up.

His gorgeous hair is as soft as it looks.

Damn it! Now is not the time to be thinking about Byakuya like that.

After a few seconds, Byakuya stopped heaving, and wiped his mouth.

"I'm… really sorry that you had to witness that, Renji." Byakuya said softly.

"It's fine, Captain." Renji whispered, his heart melting as he realized just how vulnerable Byakuya really was.

It's not surprising that I fell in love with him, really.

And, for the second time that day, Renji pulled Byakuya into a hug, his chin resting on top of his Captain's head.

Renji thought that he heard Byakuya mumble the words 'How utterly degrading' into his chest, but he wasn't sure.

As Renji stood there, with Byakuya - the most gorgeous man he had ever laid eyes on - in his arms, he felt a flash of jealousy run through him.

I really, really envy the person he likes.

I would give anything for him to love me.

And he had no idea that Byakuya was thinking the exact same thing.

Naw. Is it only me who thinks that Renji caring for Byakuya is too cute? (: Please review - I accept anonymous reviews! (: