Chapter 5: In the Spotlight
"Captain Kuchiki," Shuji said respectfully, "I realize that the Council of Elders is putting pressure on you to do this. I understand that you don't wish to cooperate, but I will do my best to make this as positive a thing as is possible."
Byakuya nodded curtly.
"I do not hold it against you that you have been compelled to come here against my will, but you will understand if I am less than thrilled at the prospect of doing this. I don't happen to think that parading my relationship with Renji around the Seireitei is going to save my reputation…and it certainly won't help me to reassure Takashi's family that I took no dishonorable action with him."
Shuji gave him an understanding smile.
"Of course, of course. But I assure you, Captain. Presented properly, you can reassure the family that you are innocent…and that you had the deepest respect for the dedication and abilities of their son. I've outlined ideas for several articles to be run in the newspaper, as well as a few in depth magazine articles. There are sample pictures…drawings mocked up to show how I would photograph you."
Byakuya accepted the proffered portfolio and opened it, studying the pages carefully. He was at once amazed at the detail of the sketches. He was surprised at the effect of each pose on his senses. They were respectfully posed, but each captured the affection that he and Renji shared for each other perfectly. He scanned the articles and found that they focused heavily on the service that the Sixth Division performed, how the unit had grown and prospered as the captain and vice captain had joined forces to rebuild it from root to tip. As he studied the portfolio, an odd feeling of unease began to nag at him.
"Shuji," he said finally, "It is obvious that you have put a great deal of work into this. It shows in the details in the drawings as well as the proposed articles. But I have a question. How did you come by the depth of information to produce this? It is obvious that the one who prepared this has a wealth of knowledge about me."
Shuji nodded.
"Yes…it is my job to quickly assemble and make use of vast amounts of information. I conducted research in the archives of the main library and I was also given access to certain files at the Kuchiki Council Hall."
"Ah yes…Orochi would have seen to that. Which brings up another question…How did Orochi come across you?"
Shuji smiled widely.
"Your cousin noticed some of my photographs that were printed in the papers and magazines and he approached the newspaper administrator to locate me," he explained.
Byakuya nodded.
"I see why he noticed your work."
"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki. Now, if you and Renji will come with me, we can begin the photo shoot."
Byakuya motioned for Renji to join him and followed the photographer to the top of the waterfall, where Shuji stopped them. Byakuya was immediately uncomfortable with the presence of such invasive equipment. Shuji noted the look in his eyes and smiled encouragingly.
"Captain," he said, "the best thing to do in these situations is to try to ignore the equipment and imagine you are here alone with Renji. It will feel strange, at first, but soon you will adjust to the presence of the camera."
Byakuya nodded, but did not seem to be all that convinced. At Shuji's direction, he knelt beneath the sakura tree. The photographer stepped in close to him.
"With your permission, sir," Shuji said, I will need to make adjustments to your position."
Byakuya nodded.
He felt an odd, unsettled feeling as the photographer slipped a hand beneath his chin, tilting his head slightly, then looked directly down into his eyes for a moment. He made several other small adjustments, then positioned Renji beside him. He returned to Byakuya and adjusted the angle of his face again. Byakuya fought down the urge to flinch.
"Take a breath and let the tension out," the photographer said, his eyes gazing warmly down into Byakuya's, "Just imagine that it is late afternoon, and you and Renji have come here to relax beneath the trees, to listen to the sound of the water falling and to focus your attention on each other. Try to let go of everything else, to forget that I am here."
Byakuya felt Renji's hand slide into his and the tension melted away. Shuji smiled approvingly and the camera sounded again and again. Byakuya settled more firmly against Renji and tried to lose himself in the cool breezes of the afternoon, in the soft, sweet scent of sakura and in the splash of the water beneath the falls. Still, the camera sounded repeatedly, leaving him with that odd, unsettled feeling again.
"We are finished with this setting," Shuji said finally, "I have enough to work with for today. I will go back to the manor and develop the ones I took today, then make arrangements for tomorrow."
Byakuya and Renji remained beneath the sakura trees as he left, watching him disappear down the trail. Byakuya waited until he was sure that Shuji was out of hearing range, then turned to Renji with concern in his eyes.
"He makes you uncomfortable," Renji said, reading his expression.
"Yes," Byakuya acknowledged softly, dropping to his knees beneath the tree again.
He stared out over the water, over the meadow beyond, then up into the cloudless blue sky.
"I don't know why…or exactly what it is. But Renji, there is something about him that I just don't trust."
Renji nodded in agreement.
"Well…first off, remember who found the guy. You told me that your cousin Orochi has been wanting to oust you as clan leader and take control for ages. There's good reason to question anyone connected with him."
The redhead paused, gazing down to watch a deer grazing calmly beneath the trees below them.
"Even without that…there was something I felt when he touched you."
Byakuya looked up at him, almost smiling.
"That was jealousy…" he said, smirking.
"Jealousy?" Renji said narrowing his eyes and dropping down in front of Byakuya, "Why in the world would I need to be jealous?"
He wrapped his arms around Byakuya and nuzzled his way beneath the noble's chin.
"I don't need to be jealous, because I know what there is between us, Byakuya. It took years for it to happen…and it's a damned miracle it happened at all. I know that when I look at you. What's between us took years to form…and we had to break through so many barriers to make it all happen…"
He lifted his eyes, bringing his lips close to the noble's.
"Something like that wouldn't be thrown away by either of us. No other person could just come in and take hold of your heart, Byakuya. I'm lucky you ever opened up to me. But that took trust…and it took time…and it doesn't happen every day."
Byakuya closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Renji's, tightening his arms around the redhead. He slipped his fingers into the red hair and pulled the hair tie free, releasing the long strands to float on the breezes around them. He stared warmly into the deep brown eyes and felt the tension seep away. As it left him, he sank into the long, slow kisses, feeling the rise of reiatsu and a heated stirring within him. He deepened the kisses, placing his hands on either side of the redhead's face and holding him there as he thrust his tongue into Renji's mouth, searching out his and curling seductively around it. Renji moaned softly and let his weight fall back, pulling Byakuya down to rest on top of him. The dark haired captain continued to eagerly plunder his mouth as the redhead's hands moved to loosen their clothing. Byakuya's mouth broke away from his and dropped to his throat as the noble attacked the dark markings that ran down its length, teasing them with lips and tongue, then shifting slightly and biting down on the tanned skin of Renji's throat.
"Ah…hey…ah, Bya…Byakuya," Renji said, a bit breathlessly, "Sh-shouldn't we move this indoors? I mean, I feel kind of…I don't know, exposed out here…what, with that photographer slinking around. I know he's on our side, but he still kind of gives me the creeps."
"We'll go back in a bit, Renji," the dark haired captain said, nuzzling his throat and biting down again, "I want to watch the sunset with you."
Byakuya stretched his body along Renji's side and rested his head on the redhead's muscular chest. The two gazed up into the sky, exchanging deep, slow kisses as the light faded and the sun set in the distance. Around them, the sakura leaves floated gently down and the water splashed hypnotically.
It was just loud enough to hide the sound of a camera as it took shot after shot of the couple rested beneath the tree. Shuji was careful to stop before the flashbulb gave him away. He slipped back through the forest to the manor and returned to the workroom the captain had ordered set up for him. He remained there, developing photographs until the dinner call came. Before he left, he slipped the more intimate photos into a portfolio that he carefully hid beneath his bed. He looked back to make sure that nothing incriminating remained in the open, then flash stepped away.
Byakuya left the bathroom and moved out into the dressing area, shaking the water out of his hair. He turned toward the open closet and reached for a robe. As he moved, a pair of arms wrapped around him and he felt the towel fall away. A warm mouth teased the skin where neck and shoulder met, and a hand slid down his abdomen, slipping into the tangle of dark curls beneath and taking hold of his swiftly reacting member. He let his head fall back to rest on a muscular shoulder and settled his weight against the body behind him as one hand gently stroked each erect nipple and the other wrapped around his thickening erection and slid slowly up and down its length. Byakuya moaned softly, letting his eyes open slightly so that he could see Renji in the mirror in front of him. He caught his breath sharply as he saw, not Renji's face, but Shuji's.
Swiftly, he turned and pushed the other away.
"Hey!" Renji's voice cried as he tumbled to the floor, "what the hell was that for?"
Byakuya stood, staring. He blinked several times, then looked back at the mirror as Renji climbed to his feet. His heart was pounding madly. He was sure of what he had seen…but…
He grabbed a robe and wrapped it around himself, tying it at the waist as Renji stepped closer and watched as Byakuya gathered himself. The noble took a slow breath and released it in a shaky sigh.
"I'm sorry, Renji," he said, his eyes straying to the mirror again, "I don't know what happened. I mean, I knew it was you. I know what your touch feels like, but…"
"Byakuya, what happened?" Renji asked, slipping an arm around him, "You looked like you were seeing a monster."
Byakuya swallowed hard.
"I…perhaps it is the stress of having a stranger in my home. I just feel…uncomfortable."
"Well…next time you want me to stop, warn me before you go and shove me like that!" Renji said good-naturedly.
His smile faded as he noticed the seriousness of Byakuya's expression. The noble was looking into the mirror again. Renji slipped a hand into his.
"C'mon," he said, pulling gently, "we should get to bed. It's been a pretty stressful day."
"And it isn't likely to get any better any time soon," Byakuya sighed, following Renji to the bed.
Byakuya slid into bed next to the redhead and curled into his arms, resting his head on a warm shoulder. Renji turned his head and caught his lips in a light, gentle kiss and Byakuya settled more closely against him.
"I hate this," Byakuya whispered, "this feeling of suspicion that's hanging in the air around me. I can't begin to imagine what Takashi's family is thinking of me. I know the head captain went to them…but that isn't what they needed. They needed to hear from me that I would never have done anything to dishonor their son…or to misuse his devotion to me. And what about our squad, Renji?"
"Don't worry about the squad," Renji assured him, "You might not be able to speak to them, to tell them what's going on, but I did talk to them. I told them it's a crock of shit and that you would never do anything like what you're being accused of. But it doesn't even matter what anyone thinks, Byakuya. You and I know the truth. We both know this whole thing is bullshit."
Byakuya sighed.
"Unfortunately, knowing that won't absolve me in people's minds…or calm the council…or get that photographer out of my home. I'm worried, Renji. I'm worried about what will happen when those articles come out."
"Well don't," Renji said, kissing him, "It will be okay. And whatever happens, we'll get through it, Byakuya."
Byakuya lifted himself and settled onto Renji's chest. His fingertips traced the dark markings on his tanned skin. He nuzzled into the redhead's throat, following the tattoos there with warm lips. He felt the tie at his waist pull free and Renji's hands pushed the soft fabric off of his shoulders and down his back. The redhead's hands seemed to warm, not just the pale skin they touched, but everything beneath as well. Byakuya sighed and rested his head over Renji's heart, listening to the steady pulse of it and enjoying the feel of the hands that stroked the skin of his back and curved down over his posterior, then returned up the length of his back and sank into his still-damp hair.
He could feel the heat and the growing thickness of Renji's arousal against his abdomen, so he moved upward, bringing his own to brush against the redhead's. Renji moaned and lifted his hips, seeking more contact. Byakuya thrust warmly against him in response and was rewarded with another contented moan and a sharp nip to his throat. He pushed himself upward and parted his thighs, straightening and positioning himself over the redhead. He slowly lowered himself onto Renji's swollen member, then calmly laced their fingers together. Renji brought their interlaced hands to his chest and held them there, gently supporting the dark haired captain's upper body weight. Byakuya began a slow, intense thrusting, tightening his hands on Renji's as the motion of his hips intensified. Renji moaned louder and thrust upward as the noble's hips fell toward his, deepening the penetration and sending a shiver of pleasure through Byakuya.
Renji smiled at Byakuya's peaceful expression, the half-lidded eyes and almost smiling mouth, the tilt of his head and the soft, pleasant sounds he made. He reached down and took hold of the noble's hips, urging them to rise and fall faster and with more force.
The noble's lips parted and he panted softly as they continued to move together. Renji's hand wrapped around him and caressed him as their bodies thrust faster and harder against each other and they both became breathless. The redhead's hands gripped Byakuya's hips, holding them as he thrust upward forcefully, three times in quick succession. Byakuya gasped and fell forward, catching himself on trembling arms as he released, spilling hot seed onto Renji's skin. Renji thrust upward into the incredible tightness, emptying himself into his lover's hot core, then pulling the still-trembling body above him down and burying the noble's perfect mouth in kisses.
Outside the garden doors, Shuji hid in the bushes and watched the exchange, carefully recording every move, then he slipped back through the darkness to his room. He laid in bed, playing and replaying their lovemaking…in his mind replacing the red haired vice captain's face with his own. He wrapped his hand around his thick member and tried to imagine what it was like to be buried in that sweet tightness, to feel the heaving breaths of the dark haired captain touch his skin, to feel the explosion of hot seed onto his skin and hear the sweet sounds of Byakuya's moans as he climaxed.
Just the very thought pushed him over the edge and sent his mind spinning into oblivion.