A/N: Sorry this took so long to write! I hope the wait was worth it though, and understandable as well. Between finals, moving out, moving back in, working on a novel, grad parties, and one's muse running headlong into an oncoming train, not a lot of writing got done. On a brighter note, this is the longest chapter I have ever written! Literally ever! It practically doubles my word count! And on another bright note, I have finally seen Grimmjow in Bleach! I watch the dubs, so I'm a little behind. (Hey, if I wanted to read it, I'd buy the manga.) That's right, I've been writing Grimmjow's character completely by ear! Ear? ...Fingers. I've been writing Grimmjow's character completely by fingers. Whatever.

Warning: If you don't like a bit of cute, angsty yaoi of a pairing I have yet to reveal...then I'm sorry. Because it's there, and I don't want to give it away just yet. I promise, it's nothing unusual, and actually considered nearly canon by most of the fandom (that I know of).

IkimonoNoNoru, I stayed up until 4:00 just to type this up for you. (EDIT 6-15-09, midnight-ish: I fixed about 10 or so errors. My spell check wasn't working before, sorry about that.)

To all my other wonderful readers: thank you for sticking around through this rough patch, and I really tried my hardest to give you some good plot as an apology/bribe. XD

Grimmjow's fur was such an attractive teal. I kept swirling my fingers through it, drawing nonsensical patterns and curlicues. He was purring thickly, nearly asleep in my lap. Ichigo was snoring lightly in the makeshift bed, even though it was sometime after noon.

I was thankful that Ichigo had let me sleep earlier when Byakuya came to collect the dressy clothes I had been wearing yesterday. I don't think I could handle seeing him just yet. I felt a twinge of pain shooting through my chest, and my vision blurred again.

Grimmjow snarled in annoyance: I had accidentally gripped his fur a little too tightly. Ichigo snorted and rolled over, eyes glossy and lucid.

The fur was replaced with rough pants and skin. After he had hauled himself up and hitched up his pants, Grimmjow made his way to Ichigo's side and tapped him lightly with his foot.

"Hey, sleepyhead, it's definitely time to get up," Grimmjow snorted.

"All right, all right." Ichigo yawned and stretched massively, cutely rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Hey, Renji, feeling any better today?"

I glared at the ground, a scowl perpetually stretched into my face.

"I'll take that as a yes," Grimmjow smirked.

Ichigo elbowed his lover in the side. "Don't be a jerk, he's really hurting, Grimm."

Teal was such a great color. I wanted Grimm-kitty to come back, so I could let myself drown in his sleek warm teal-ness. I didn't want to think about anything except teal. What a great word it was. There was even a kind of bird called a teal, but I'd never seen one. I wondered if it was teal, like Grimmjow. Maybe it ate cats? That would be ironic. Ahh, teal was the color of the sea and the sky, too. The only two colors better than teal were ebony and sakura petal pink.

"I don't deal with touchy-feely crap, Ichigo. Go do something."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and obediently followed orders. He sat down next to me, crossing his legs and carefully folding his hands in his lap.

"Renji, we're your friends. I don't really know how to say this, but I don't think either of us really know what's going on right now. Would you talk to us, help us understand? We want to help you, but it's difficult to know what to do." He held out his hand to me, offering a portal back to sanity.

I knew I could trust my friends with everything that had been happening. If Ichigo was willing to make corny friendship speeches, then I was willing to take him up on that offer.

"Okay," I whispered after a long silence, "but you guys are gonna laugh at me and my stupidity."

"We would never laugh at you, Renji."

"Speak for yourself, berry-head!"

Ichigo nailed Grimmjow in the jaw with his wooden cup. "Shut up, Grimmjow! Now, if there will be no more interruptions from the highly unintelligent peanut gallery, Renji is talking."

Grimmjow held up his hands in surrender, eyes bright with mischief.

"Please continue, Renji. If Grimmkitty does anything else to interrupt you, I won't speak with him for a week."

"You wouldn't do that to me, would you?" Grimmjow hung his head, downtrodden.

"Remind me why I fell for you in the first place? Oh, that's a good story for a later time. Remind me to tell that story sometime, Renji."

Grimmjow looked further deflated, and his panther self was back at my feet again, begging for more attention.

I ran my fingers through the teal fur again, unsure of what to say. And Ichigo, bless him, gave me all the time in the world.

"I have to start at the beginning. It all starts with me being captured and meeting Byakuya..."

Byakuya, a few floors up, was pacing a rut into his bedroom carpeting.

"And you might want to get more of those medicated tea leaves ready, vampire," the ghost grinned.

"Shirosaki, I don't have time for--"

Three deep bangs on the main door cut him off.

"Toodles!" Shirosaki faded into the wall, laughing maniacally.

Byakuya sighed, slipping quietly from his bedroom into the hallway where Hitsugaya had been waiting. The ice queen appeared to be napping against the wall, but was really trying to pretend that he hadn't been eavesdropping.

"Hitsugaya, retrieve the wolf and bring him to the main doors. If that's who I think it is, I'll be in need of a pack mule." Byakuya scowled deeply as Hitsugaya gave a quick bow and scampered off. He walked slowly, one hand on the railing and the other massaging his forehead.

He entered the kitchen, dark granite countertops gleaming against the cherry cabinets, tan walls, and red accents. A locked door near the back of the room led to a large storeroom filled with both alchemical odds and ends and assorted alcohols-after all, it made little sense to let one's servants become intoxicated. Byakuya heaved a bulging burlap sack of heavily perfumed tea leaves over one shoulder, and dropped it on the nearest counter. The door was relocked and an unlucky servant was ordered to waddle, bag in tow, after Byakuya. He headed to the main doors just as Hitsugaya permitted Byakuya's visitor entry.

An explosion of personality burst through the door, pink kimono, sake, rice hat, and all.

"Heeeeey, if it isn't my buddy Byakuya!" the man drawled.

My story was drawing to a close when the ice-midget emerged from the stairwell.

Of course, I couldn't stop myself from telling my cell-mates the truth, even with an audience. I continued declaring my undying love for Byakuya, still crying, even though I knew the man hated me. I was just a dog to him.

"And that's what's been going on. That's why I can't stop myself anymore," I sobbed out as Ichigo hugged me and scowled at the same time.

"It sounds like you've got it bad." Grimmjow raised his eyebrows at me.

"It sounds like you're the type that falls in love and never falls back out again," Ichigo muttered, one hand patting the small of my back.

I nodded helplessly, depressed and relieved that I had finally been able to tell someone.

"If you really love him, Renji, then never give up."

Ichigo's words made an electric shiver run up my spine. I sat up straight, the words reverberating in my skull. I suddenly had hope again.

The ice midget chose this stretch of silence to speak.

"Renji, Byakuya ordered your wolf form to the main doors. I'm sorry, but...he said he needed a pack mule."

I shook my head and rose to my feet. "Never give up," I whispered to myself with a little smile, and saw Ichigo sigh in disbelief out of the corner of my eye.

I trotted to the front doors, ears drooping and eyes on the floor. I tried to ignore Byakuya and the overly friendly man he was chatting with, but the sheer loudness made him very hard to overlook.

"You see, Mr. Kuchiki, I've been feeling a bit..." here he stopped to give a weak cough, "...under the weather recently. I thought I'd stop by and ask for some more of those wonderful tea leaves you always seem to have." The man put an arm around Byakuya's shoulders and used the other to cradle a massive jug of what smelled like strong rice wine. "What do you say, old friend?"

The vampire coldly pushed his "friend" away, and snapped his fingers twice. Hitsugaya strapped a saddle-like contraption on my back, suspending a large basket on either side of my ribcage. A hefty bag of tea leaves was put into each basket, each one only half full. I gave a pathetic little whine, and then let my tail droop even further when Byakuya only blinked at the pitiful sound.

"I suppose you'll be paying me in liquor again, Shunsui? I have little use for it, other than cooking and trading."

"What more do I have, Byakuya? I've already given you the allotted amount of servants you asked for, don't pretend like I owe you anything more than liquor." He handed the sloshing jug to Hitsugaya, a triumphant smile plastered on his face.

"I suppose you're right. Your continuing support is well worth the cost in tea." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest with a defeated sigh. "Renji, go." He shooed me with the flick of a wrist.

I gave him the saddest puppy face I could muster before complacently following a still-beaming Shunsui.

Perhaps it would help if a bit of explanation was given here.

Werewolves, and all other were-animals, have just as much humanity as any other race. You've seen this in practice. The only difference between myself and Ichigo, besides the obvious, is his lack of being able to become an animal at will. I'm no less human because of whatever else I was born as.

And so, it follows logically that a werewolf would despise being treated like an animal and not a person. In fact, the most insulting thing to do to a were is to use them as a workhorse or other domesticated working animal. Riding a were pisses them off, and using them to carry bloody tea leaves like a donkey was just as bad.

The saddest part about this story? This is extremely common knowledge. Byakuya knew that, by ordering me to carry anything for him, he was insulting me in the worst way possible.

Did Byakuya care? Probably not.

But I still carried them, just as he had ordered me to.

Never give up.

It was nearing dinnertime when Shunsui and I arrived at his manor. For some reason, we used the tiny back door instead of the large front doors. The baskets refused to squeeze through no matter how I contorted myself, so Shunsui (thankfully) unbelted the entire contraption and allowed me to use my human form.

As soon as I had thrown the bags onto his carpeting and he clicked the lock shut, he started apologizing profusely for making me do all the work.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, I didn't want Byakuya to hear...but I'm really sorry about this, thank you so much, you don't know how much I appreciate this..." He graciously shook my hand until my elbow felt like gelatin.

I wasn't sure what to say. I couldn't say "you're welcome" because he was very much not welcome to ever do this to me again; I couldn't say "no problem" because, as you saw, this was definitely a problem for me; and I felt as though I couldn't say nothing at all.

"But you don't look sick!" I finally blurted out, then looked stunned as what I had just said caught up with me.

Oops.

Dangit.

Crestfallen was an understatement. Shunsui looked as though I had just bashed his brains out with a lemon wrapped around a large golden brick, and not in a I-just-drank-the-best-alcoholic-beverage-in-the-known-galaxy kind of way.

"Well, I suppose I have to show you then...but remember, this stays strictly between us. By that, I mean I don't care who you tell as long as Byakuya never hears of it." I felt better when he cracked another smile.

"Of course," I assured him with a little bow.

He ushered me into a back living space that lead into the kitchen on our left. It was cozy, with a crackling fireplace, a squishy sofa, and plush cream carpeting from wall to wall. A window showed off a beautiful little courtyard with a miniature waterfall bubbling into a koi pond, and an ancient oak. Flowers bloomed in the courtyard, and several indoor flowerpots were overflowing with bundles of fragrant blooms.

In the center of the room was a man in a wheelchair, fast asleep. His hair was long and bleached white from his apparent sickness, and he wore thick cream robes to fight off the chills that came with the fever. He was thin, probably a bit anemic, and still managed to retain some of his handsomeness.

"Please, put the tea leaves in the kitchen and start a kettle of tea. I'll be right there," Shunsui whispered to me.

I nodded, and slipped into the back entryway to grab one of the huge bags. I lugged it through the living room and into the kitchen, threw it on a counter, and extricated a pouch of compressed leaves the size of a small melon. I then scratched my head as I tried to puzzle out where Shunsui would keep a kettle, and managed to run smack into something solid.

"Oof," I coughed out, then noticed I had hit something not just solid, but very much alive.

She batted a hand out, replacing her glasses with practiced ease. She looked mildly annoyed, her hair pulled back in some sort of up-do and a strict look on her face.

"Sorry," I muttered sheepishly, and held out a hand to help her up.

"You must be new," she commented as she brushed her black cotton robes off.

"Just visiting on business," I explained, holding up the tea leaves briefly. "I'm Renji, Abarai Renji."

She took my offered hand and shook it firmly. A woman with a good strong handshake was a woman who was strong, independent, dominant, and afraid of nothing.

I had my tail between my legs already.

...Metaphorically, of course.

"Nanao. Ise Nanao." She scowled again, opening a low cabinet with her foot and yanking a bronze teakettle out of the clattering mess. "I'm guessing you're looking for this."

I instinctively flinched as she brandished it in my direction, thinking she might nail me in the head with it.

"Nanao! How nice of you to join us!" Shunsui greeted her enthusiastically. He wrapped one arm around her in a bear hug she didn't seem to appreciate, and used the other to relieve her of the kettle.

"Hello, sir." Her voice lacked amusement, and she shoved him away as though she'd been doing it for years. From what I'd seen of Shunsui, she probably had been.

I plucked the kettle away from Shunsui, finally starting the task he had assigned me. I filled it with crisp water and set it over the controlled magical fire most aristocrats had installed for cooking these days.

Nanao opened the sack of leaves, and transferred a pinch of the strong-smelling stuff into a tiny linen satchel. She tied a string to it, and set it aside in a dry mug she produced from another cluttered cabinet.

"Well, I see you've met my secretary, Renji," Shunsui chuckled as Nanao pushed me out of the way to find a dishtowel. "Nanao, this is Kuchiki's new werewolf. He's a nice fellow, really. You could be a little kinder to him."

This information made Nanao smile-a toothy, clever smile that told me she would use every word to her advantage.

Now, my tail was between my legs and I was whimpering in fear. Still metaphorically, thankfully.

"What's he like? I've heard he's quite the slave driver, and I'm not trying to be clever when I say that." Suddenly, she was very chummy. I think my misfortune amused her.

"He's very...mean to me," I said pathetically.

"I guess they go both ways..." Nanao sighed, with a meaningful look towards Shunsui.

I had to chuckle at that. I was surprised when she smiled at me; this time, it was warm and meaningful.

"Anything else about him that's interesting?" This time, she wiggled her eyebrows in an exaggerated manner. I'm pretty sure she was just doing it to amuse me, so I laughed again.

"He likes pink," I offered.

"Ahh, something they have in common."

We both dissolved into giggles as Shunsui flourished his pink kimono, laughing along with us.

The kettle whistled impatiently, so Nanao poured some steaming water into the mug with the tea leaves.

I peered around the corner, considering curling up in front of the fire while we waited for the tea to steep, and instead found the white-haired man from earlier starting to stir. He was now on the couch, and probably more comfortable because of it, but considerably less mobile than in his wheelchair. He was struggling to sit up, one hand on his head. I scurried over and helped him right himself, worried over the iciness of his hands and the warmth from his fever.

"Shunsui, he's awake!" I called out.

He was at my side in an instant, pulling the sick man into his lap and cradling him against his chest. Nanao brought the tea with her, gently blowing on it to help the cooling process along.

"How do you feel, Ukitake?" he asked gently.

Ukitake tried to reply, but instead started to cough. Shunsui whipped his handkerchief out of his pocket and cupped it over Ukitake's mouth. Ukitake gave a final, shuddering hack, and spat into the white cloth.

"Nanao, the tea," Shunsui requested as he rubbed Ukitake's back. He took the handkerchief and swapped it with the soothing tea. "Small sips, okay? Don't strain yourself." He checked the contents of the handkerchief before quickly balling it up and shaking his head. Ukitake sipped a tiny bit of the tea, letting it swish around in his mouth and clean out the taste of death. He swallowed, then took another sip, and another.

"Sir, was there...?" Nanao asked, worried about what Shunsui had found in the handkerchief.

"Yes." Shunsui let his hat cover his eyes. "A bit of tissue. It could be worse, I suppose." He didn't sound convinced.

I was thoroughly confused at this point, watching the interaction in the same manner as I would watch a spooked flock of birds. I didn't know where to look, and I didn't know what to think.

Ukitake was much more calm now, resting his head on Shunsui's shoulder and letting the medicine take effect. It smelled like honey and spring, with a tang of citrus fruit and magic.

Tissue? What did he mean, tissue? He coughed up...wait a second, this man was coughing up lung tissue?? I wasn't sure which hit me first, the wave of nausea or the wave of nauseating sorrow. This small, absurd family was being torn apart by Ukitake's illness, I could sense it as well as see it in action. Every motion the others made, no matter how small, was made out of compassion for the sick man.

Shunsui shifted slightly as Ukitake finished his tea, to better steady Ukitake where he sat. Nanao took the empty cup in silence, and brought it to the kitchen. The sounds of furious scrubbing could be heard for a minute or two, and then she reappeared to serve Ukitake once more.

"Are you ready to try napping for a while longer? The medicine should make you start to feel better in a little while," Shunsui asked.

"May I have some more tea first?" Ukitake replied, his rich baritone voice sounding scratchy and exhausted.

Shunsui gently kissed his forehead. "Of course. Would you like anything extra added? Honey, raspberries, mint, lemon, or anything else?"

"Just a little bit of lemon, please. I'll be fine, Shunsui, you don't have to worry so much." Ukitake adjusted his robe and gently placed his head on Shunsui's broad chest again.

Nanao quickly returned with the mild tea and lemon juice, bowing her head in respect as she handed the mug to Ukitake.

"Did you have to beg Kuchiki for more tea?" Ukitake scorned Shunsui lightly. "I know how much you hate having to beg the ice queen for any favors. You don't have to do that for me, you know."

"Even if I had to beg him for hours to keep you with me for only minutes more, I would do it. I don't care what it takes, I won't just sit here and watch you die." Shunsui was on the brink of silent tears, his knuckles white where he gripped the arm of the couch.

Nobody knew what to say anymore, so we sat in painful silence as Ukitake took careful, precise sips and Shunsui composed himself. With only a mouthful left at the bottom of the cup, Ukitake set it down and began blinking drowsily. He fell fast asleep in Shunsui's arms, his chest rising and falling peacefully and his color miraculously returning. Shunsui carefully cradled him, and rearranged him on the couch where he could sleep more comfortably. Shunsui plumped a pillow and slid it under Ukitake's head, and wrapped Ukitake in another warm blanket. He brushed a few strands of sweaty hair out of Ukitake's eyes, and kissed him twice on each high cheekbone.

Shunsui rose and addressed me. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he muttered, eyes downcast. "He's slowly dying...and I can't do anything but slow down the process. Byakuya can't know what I'm doing here, he'd never allow his good medicine to be used on a human like this." He growled in frustration. "Why are humans so fragile? I don't understand."

"Do you really love him, Shunsui?" I asked, my anger at Byakuya flaring up suddenly.

"I would die for him, Renji," he whispered back, "but I know that won't make him better."

"If you really love him, Shunsui, then never give up."

I poked him in the chest for emphasis, which seemed to adequately snap him out of it.

With a somber little smile, he had to ask me, "How did you come up with that advice?"

"A friend of mine told me...If I really love Byakuya, I should never give up. And I won't. But I am going to hurt him for making you go through all of this. I don't care what he does to me."

"Renji?" Shunsui's voice was very concerned. That's when I felt the tear slide down my cheek.

I was...crying? Why was I crying? I didn't even know why. Maybe I could attribute it to my bottled up rage at Byakuya, or maybe it was because I cared so deeply about poor Ukitake and Shunsui. I'm still not sure why, but I didn't care because it felt right.

It even felt right when Nanao wrapped her arms around my chest in a warm, friendly hug. "It's so beautiful!" she sobbed into my neck. I wasn't exactly sure what to do, so I kinda hugged her and awkwardly patted the crown of her head.

"Renji, if you ever need a place to stay, you are always welcome here. I'll leave the back door open for you, and if I do lock it, the spare key is under the mat."

"Thank you," I said as I wiped off my face. "And remember, neither of us can ever give up. I'll ask everyone I know about Ukitake's illness and see if something useful doesn't crop up. Thank you again."

On my way home, I contemplated running away instead of returning like an obedient mutt. What could Byakuya do? It was unlikely that he would catch me on his own, and the time it would take to gather his allies would give me leeway in my escape.

But I knew why. If I disappeared, Byakuya would surely go to Shunsui for answers and find a human drinking his prized tea. I had also promised to make Byakuya pay...and I couldn't give up on him, either. Running away was giving up, and I wouldn't give up even if it meant taking a few more kicks to the sides.

I slunk in as soon as Hitsugaya had the door open a crack, bowing my head in thanks as he led me silently back to the cage. Grimmjow and Ichigo were sound asleep, both blissfully tangled in the other one's limbs.

Maybe it was just me, but it definitely smelled as though they'd been entwined for a while, but not asleep for very long. At least they had the decency to wait until I was gone, and not use my sheets.

Just to be safe, I slept on the other side of the cell from them. You know, just in case.

I carefully thought out what my plan of action for tomorrow was, as sleep evaded me.

After careful review, I decided I must be a masochist. After all, I was about to show that I was a glutton for punishment.

Ichigo was woken up earlier than he would have liked by a weird, somewhat familiar voice.

"Ichigoooooo..." it called out, distorted and eerie. He looked around, trying to find the source of the noise.

"Where are you?" Ichigo growled back.

"Right here, Ichi!"

Ichigo jumped as the ghost materialized just inches from his face.

"Shiro? But...how?"

The poltergeist grinned widely. "I haunt this house, Ichi. Ever since I died, I've haunted this house. Looking for you."

"What do I have to do with anything, Shiro?"

"Oh, you have everything to do with me, Ichigo," Shiro teased. "Mostly, I just get bored though. So I play tricks a lot."

"You were always a lot more mischevious than evil, I'll grant you that. But why were you looking for me?"

"I guess you'll just have to figure that out!" Shiro disappeared with an echoing laugh, leaving Ichigo with goosebumps as he curled up closer to Grimmjow.

A/N: So, Shiro just likes causing trouble and isn't actually malicious? Will Ukitake die if Byakuya finds out? What is Renji going to do that makes him think he's a masochist? Grimmjow likes being scratched behind the ears? Are any of the other characters going to reveal their secrets any time soon? How cute is stubborn little Hitsugaya? Find out in the next installation! And remember: Constructive reviews power my muse. Hey, it even rhymes! Not bad for 4:00 AM.

...Did anybody catch the H2G2 reference? XD