Chapter 6

His head was groggy. What happened really? The last thing he remembered was that husky, yet familiar, voice. He was laying on something soft, a bed? He slowly opened his eyes to view the room. Soon he realized were he was. Why the hell was he in Ichigo's bedroom?

"Ah, I see that you're awake" the orange haired teen said as he walked in. He sat down at the end of the bed as Renji sat up.

"What am I doing here?" he asked groggy. Then he remembered the cloth over his mouth.

"Did you drug me?" This was making Renji very mad. Ichigo ran his hand through his bright hair while he was starting to look a bit nerves.

"Hehe yeah, about that, yes I did but it was the only way to get you to come with me, the only way for me to save you from him" the teen said suddenly serious.

"Who?" the redhead asked but he already knew the answer.

"Byakuya"

Renji didn't look Ichigo in the eyes, he couldn't. What was he suppose to think? Should he be happy that the teen had saved him from his cruel husband or should he be angry for being kidnapped?

"What some water?" the teen asked and gave him a glass. The redhead took the glass with a shaky hand.

"You probably think this is crazy, but you must understand that I only did this to protect you" Ichigo said whit a serious look and his face.

"What do you mean protect? I'm not a helpless puppy"

"Renji, I know what he does to you and I can't see you suffering" How had did Ichigo find out? He hadn't told anyone.

"It's not right. I mean, he is suppose to love you, and this" the teen said as the firmly grabbed onto Renji's kimono tugged to revile a very badly bruised shoulder; "does not look like something your husband should do to you" Renji didn't said anything, what could he really say? He knew that Ichigo was telling the truth, yet no one had every shown him love the way Byakuya did, well at least in the beginning.

Suddenly a hand on his cheek brought him out of his thoughts. "I want you to stay here, with me. Renji, leave Byakuya." Renji opened his mouth to say something like I can't or are you crazy? but the words just wouldn't come out. Then he started to remember the felling their kiss had awoken. It had felt so nice, warm, soft and just right. Maybe he could stay here, away from the cold noble that only saw him as a mere pet for his own pleasure.

"You don't have to give me an answer now, just know that you're safe here and you are welcome to stay if you want to. I have prepared the guest room for you. It's the third door to the left. Now, I'm just going downstairs to get us some food, you come down when you feel like it"

Ichigo didn't want to freak the redhead out. It must have been pretty confusing to have been taken away without even an explanation. But what was he suppose to do? He loved the hotheaded man from the bottom of his heart and he couldn't just stand by and see him live in suffer at the hands of his so called "husband"

He had really hoped that the kiss would have made Renji realize that the teen had some very strong feeling for him. But that didn't really matter right now. Now he needed to keep the redhead safe.

About 15 minutes later Ichigo peaked into the guest room to see Renji sitting at the end of the bed, looking out the window. "Here's you food" the teen said as he sat down a tray next to them. "Thanks"

They sat in silence while Renji ate his food. "Aren't you gonna eat?" Ichigo jumped out of his thoughts and quickly answered "N..no I ate while you were sleeping" it was still a little bit tensed between the two, but Ichigo hoped that would change in time.

"Aren't I a bother to your family if I stay here?" the question made a little spark of hope to light inside Ichigo's chest. Maybe he really did want to stay.

"No my sister's are at my grandparents with my dad for their summer break" the orange haired teen took a break before asking his next question. "Do you want to stay here Renji?"

Renji slowly put his plate down and looked out the window again and with a small voice he said "Can't"

Ichigo had been expecting the redhead to start yelling at him that it was crazy or that he obviously didn't want to stay since he was married. But this kind of sad and helpless responds, he just didn't know how to handle. "What to you mean can't?"

Renji swallowed and looked Ichigo right in the eyes with red orbs filled with hurt and sorrow.

"People get hurt when Byakuya doesn't get what he wants. Don't want to you to get hurt" the last bit was more like a whisper but the teen heard it clearly.

A carefully took the other's hand, "Renji… I love you. I always have and I don't expect you to feel the same way about me but I just thought you should know" He awaited some sort of respond but the other just looked down into his lap. He knew that he wanted to stay here, he felt so loved and safe here. But he was well a wear of what his husband was capable of.

Suddenly Ichigo's phone started buzzing and he quickly answered. "Hello? Ah yes. No, he didn't. Hm, as soon a possible would be best." And he hung up. "How is that" Renji asked with a raised eyebrow. "Urahara" The redhead looked at him with a surprised look.

"Okay please don't be mad but I kind of told him about the whole Byakuya thing and that I would go and get you, so he offered to set up a barrier that would to keep that jerk out"

Renji was quite surprised that the former captain had offered his help. Yet he couldn't help but to feel a small lump in his stomach now that he knew another person could be in danger.

"W…well like I said, I can't stay here. I need to go home" the redhead said and stood up but before the reached the door Ichigo said; "You mean prison"

Renji stopped. He felt a pair of warm and strong arms around his torso. He wanted to stay in those arms forever, but could he really be that selfish? Suddenly he felt Ichigo's hands move up and down his upper arms in a very calming way. "Even if I stay, I would only be in the way of your family when they come home" the redhead whispered.

"No you won't. I have been looking for an apartment of my own for a while and I want you to move in with me" This was a lot of information to take in. It was all moving a little to fast. First he had confessed his love and now he asked him to move in with him. He lifted his hands to move Ichigo's arms but he couldn't, he felt too safe. So he just stood there and slightly leaned into the teen's touch.

"Okay" the redhead whispered, making Ichigo to beam like the sun while hugging him close.

"That's great Renji! Wait here, I have to make a call" and so Ichigo ran out the room, leaving the redheads alone with his thoughts. Was his time with Byakuya really over?

"Hey Dad, I was thinking and I'm gonna take that apartment that we looked at. Hm, yes, of course. Great! And I can go there to day? Awesome! Thanks dad."

Ichigo came back with a big smile on his face and the phone in his hand.

"Well, we can move in when ever we feel like it" Renji couldn't help but smile. He suddenly felt a hand in his, looking up in chocolate orbs. "Wanna go and check out our new home?" the grinning teen asked. Renji looked down but nodded.

He was suddenly spinning through the air. Ichigo had lifted him up and was now spinning around. "Renji! You have no idée how happy you are making me" the teen laughed. "Okay, okay, can you please put me down? I'm starting to feel sick" the redhead said while holding on tightly to Ichigo's shoulders.

The phone beeped and Ichigo's face lit up even move, if that was possible. Quickly he sat down Renji and ran out the room. He came back just a moment later and carefully tied a blindfold around the redhead's eyes. It was making Renji uncomfortable, since sometimes this method was used by Byakuya in his punishing games. He tightened his grip on the orange haired teen's hand, which didn't go unnoticed. "It okay, you know. I'm not him, I would never hurt you" it was only a whisper but the other heard it clearly.

He felt that he was now leaded out of the house and into a car. He sat rather tensed the whole car ride. After quite some time he finally heard Ichigo say; "We're here" Slowly he was lead up some stair. The blindfold was removed to revile an amazing apartment with a wonderful view. "Welcome home, my love"