Chapter 21: The Way Home
"You know, Byakuya," Renji said as the senkaimon opened, "I really enjoyed slow dancing with you."
"Did you?" Byakuya asked quietly, "Well then, I wouldn't be opposed to indulging you on occasion…because I found it pleasant also."
Renji paused by the senkaimon and noticed the noble's contemplative expression as he looked back over Karakura Town. He walked back to Byakuya and slipped a warm arm around him.
"What's on your mind?" he asked, following the noble's gaze, "I'd think you'd be anxious to get out of here and get back to where you belong."
It was just before dawn and traces of the sun began to shine on the horizon. Byakuya watched it appear in the distance, sliding a hand into Renji's and squeezing it affectionately.
"But you misunderstand, Renji. Because for the time I was alive, I did belong here. I came here with nothing but the body I inhabited and I built an existence on that. And in a surprisingly short time, I had an impact on my world and the people in it. It was a short life, but it was…surprisingly full."
"Yeah." Renji agreed, nodding, "When we were visiting the hospital and the dance club, I noticed how even people who only met you once…you really resonated with them. And I think I know why, Byakuya."
The noble turned to look at him, enjoying the way the rising light played over his face.
"You know, you're really beautiful as a shinigami, when you are all lit up with your power…but the times you've been most beautiful to me are the times when you had no power at all…but you still managed to be strong anyway. In Inuzuri…and here in the living world…There's just this inner strength that seems to be there no matter how bad things get."
"That's strange, because I didn't feel strong at all. I couldn't control anything, Renji. My thoughts tumbled out before I could contain them. I acted on my fears and passions without thinking or even being able to control them. How is that strength?"
"Byakuya…at home, as a shinigami, you've made it a point to hide everything. A guy has to be pretty sharp to realize that there's more to you than meets the eye. But being human made you show everyone around you what you're really like inside. I know it was frustrating for you, but that's why everyone you met as a human was really impacted by you…why they liked you immediately. What they were seeing is what I see every time I look at you, at full power or powerless, human or shinigami…you're damned beautiful Byakuya!"
"Well as flattered as I am that you find me physically attractive, Renji, I hardly think…"
"That's not what I meant," Renji said, shaking his head, "You just don't get it, do you?"
He rested a hand over the noble's heart, smiling at his look of confusion.
"It isn't what you look like on the outside. Hell, even when I hated you, I noticed that. It wasn't until I realized what was in here that I fell in love with you, Byakuya. Your heart is what really makes you beautiful. As a human, you let other people see that…maybe not on purpose, but it happened. And it made you irresistible."
Byakuya's eyes narrowed.
"Irresistible, hmm? Does this mean that now that my powers have returned and I've regained control of my emotions that you will be able to resist?"
"Hell no!" Renji laughed, pulling him into a kiss, "I lost the ability to resist you a long time ago!"
Renji felt something underneath Byakuya's shihakushou press against him. Frowning thoughtfully, he reached into the noble's pocket and withdrew a handful of seashells. He smiled up at Byakuya.
"You know, Byakuya," he said softly, "I think it wasn't just that you had an impact on the world while you were there…I think the living world had an impact on you."
Byakuya smiled and took the seashells from Renji's hand. He ran a finger over the rough and smooth surfaces, admiring the variances of texture and color, then slipped them back into his pocket. He turned toward the senkaimon but remained standing in front of it for a moment with his back to Karakura Town.
"I had a life here and it made differences…it had meaning. That life ended, but even my death had meaning. I gave back something of what Takashi gave me when he died. I protected his brother…because if I had not stopped Orochi's blade, it would have killed Tadashi…and Nia would be mourning the loss of both of her brothers. It was a very different thing than what we attempted to do before that. I'm actually glad you stopped Kisuke when you did. You allowed me to make my death more honorable, and I cannot thank you enough for that. But it's time now to leave this behind us. It's time to go home."
He started toward the senkaimon, but Renji stopped him with a touch of his hand.
"Just one more thing before we go. Byakuya…what will you miss most about being human?"
Byakuya looked back over his shoulder and smiled.
"I rather enjoyed the feeling of safety I got knowing that you were protecting me. You were a very capable protector, Renji."
"Wha…Byakuya, I am still capable of protecting you! Just because…"
"It was different there, Renji. It was different knowing that everything was in your hands. I couldn't protect myself at all. And you were there for me. I liked depending on your strength…because that is one of the things I love the most about you."
He took hold of Renji's hand and stepped into the senkaimon. The two passed through together and the doors closed behind them, leaving the park in the warm shine of morning.
A few moments after the doors closed, a large, dark figure removed itself from a nearby bush. A bony hand stretched out and created a rip in the blue of the sky. It passed through into Hueco Mundo and headed toward a dark cave. As it passed through, something fell from its pocket and fluttered to the ground. It landed face up on the grass, leaving the snapshot of Byakuya turned toward the bright morning sun.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Lord Byakuya," Councilor Nori said respectfully, "Council accepts your request to allow you to personally oversee the resolution of the situation surrounding your abduction and transformation. Although we question your allowing the two involved to escape with virtually no punishment, we recognize your right to make that decision without deference to our perhaps wiser recommendations. However…we must also address the behavior of Councilor Orochi. You contend that Councilor Orochi contracted with someone he knew to be dangerously obsessed with you and gave that person access to you, wanting him to abduct and/or assault you, perhaps kill you. You also claim that when Shuji failed in his mission, Orochi then killed him and the newspaper administrator, then used threats to force Tadashi to attack you…that situation resulting in your being fatally stabbed and your human form being killed. You contend that he then attacked those attempting to protect you. Is this correct?"
"It is," Byakuya said quietly.
"Councilor Orochi has denied any knowledge of Shuji's tendencies and denies that he sought to use Shuji to attack or harm you. Council has looked into the deaths of Shuji and the administrator and has found that Shuji was not murdered, but committed suicide…and that the administrator died of natural causes. As to the matter of Tadashi, the fact of the matter is that you have admitted that he transformed you and nearly killed you without any interference from Orochi. Therefore, we find it difficult to believe he was forced in any way to attack you later. Orochi has said also that you were only stabbed because you sought to keep him from killing Tadashi when Tadashi planned to kill you. He said that your sudden move caused your being fatally wounded. And finally, the fight on the beach was merely the result of confusion over all of the uproar. It seems emotions were high upon your death and things simply got out of control. Council refuses to hold Orochi responsible for any of your claims…but we accept your request to hold Renji, Rukia, Tadashi and Nia harmless. Council will pursue no action against them."
He looked warily into Byakuya's flaring eyes.
"I am sorry if some parts of our decision displease you, but we were only able to act on the information at hand."
Byakuya gave him a scathing look, but nodded in acceptance.
"Now, that being resolved, Council moves to dismiss…Lord Byakuya?"
Byakuya nodded.
"Council will adjourn," said Nori.
Byakuya caught Orochi glaring at him with a look of triumph in his eyes. The clan leader held his gaze with equal iciness for a long moment before turning and sweeping out of the room.
Byakuya flash stepped angrily toward the Squad Six Headquarters, wearing a deep frown. Although he was grateful that no harm would come to Tadashi and Nia, Rukia and Renji, he was dissatisfied at his snaky cousin slinking his way out of any responsibility. But it was typical of Orochi to weasel his way out of responsibility for his actions and for the council to protect its own…even when their own must have been involved in some kind of wrongdoing. He sighed and shook his head in frustration, deciding for the hundredth time that sometimes he really despised his family.
He reached the headquarters and went inside. A waiting hell butterfly informed him that Renji was in with a training group. Curious, Byakuya slipped down the hallway and looked through the doors into the training room. Loud music thundered all through the room and the shinigami were arranged in perfect lines and moving in unison with the beat of the music. Looking closer, Byakuya realized that every scripted move they made was related to moves they would make when training later with their zanpakutous. Although unsettled by the loud music, he also noticed that it kept the group moving together and increased their awareness of those in close proximity to them. In a way, it mimicked the way that, in battle, they must maintain awareness of their surroundings and their position in relation to their enemies. Despite his aversion to the commotion, it really seemed as though Renji knew what he was doing. Add to that the fact that since Renji had taken over training, both physical fitness ratings and fitness for battle had improved greatly in the squad. So what if it looked like he was conducting an aerobics class? It obtained results. And it also wasn't lost on Byakuya how attractive Renji was in the more casual workout clothes. He watched a moment longer, enjoying the way Renji was smiling and moving, then turned and made his way back to the main office.
He was hard at work when Renji returned, freshly showered and dressed in his shihakushou. The redhead started toward his desk, but stopped when he realized that Byakuya was looking at him…rather heatedly. He grinned at Byakuya's hungry expression.
"Did you like what you saw?" he asked, taking slow steps in the noble's direction.
Byakuya blinked. He hadn't been aware Renji had seen him.
"It was an interesting approach to training," he acknowledged, "Noisy, but effective. Grating, but I cannot argue with the results."
Renji laughed.
"Maybe it's unconventional, but I modeled it based on martial arts and aerobics classes I saw in the living world. I realized how it worked physically and mentally to prepare for fighting."
"Well…as I said, the results favor your impression, Renji. So I won't question it."
"You are welcome to join us sometimes, Captain," he said, smiling widely, "I think you would look great in the workout clothes!"
Byakuya barely suppressed a smile.
"Not in this lifetime, Renji," he said calmly, "However, I would not be averse to seeing you dressed that way from time to time."
Renji did a doubletake.
"Byakuya…did you just say I look sexy in my workout clothes?"
"Did I?" Byakuya asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," said Renji, leaning over to kiss him, "You did!"
"Renji," Byakuya said, pulling away and looking a bit flustered, "I told you that it's not a good idea to be…affectionate in my office. Didn't you learn from what just happened?"
Renji nodded, but looked at his captain without remorse.
"Can we be 'affectionate' in your quarters then?" he asked.
He laughed, noticing the light blush on his captain's face.
"It is during work hours."
"We need a break, right?" Renji said, taking hold of his hand and pulling him to his feet, "Byakuya, we just got back from the living world a few hours ago and because of that damned council meeting and returning to work, we haven't gotten to be alone together for even a minute. Come on…you at least have to tell me how the meeting went!"
Byakuya followed Renji into the captain's quarters, closing and locking the door behind him. He started to turn, but found himself pushed back against the door with an attractively firm and nicely scented body holding him against the door and a seething mouth fastened on his. He tried to object, but found that opening his mouth only ended with him having a hot tongue forced into it. He captured the invading appendage and sucked at it, stroking it heatedly with his own. He didn't know quite how it happened, but he found that while he had been distracted, Renji had removed their clothes. He lifted the noble off his feet and carried him to his bed. He set Byakuya down, then stood for a moment, gazing at his body appreciatively. Byakuya gazed back, smiling now.
"So…" he said calmly, "Did you want to hear about the council meeting?"
Renji narrowed his eyes and dropped onto the bed, trapping Byakuya beneath him. He attacked the noble's mouth and throat hungrily.
"Fuck the council," he mumbled between kisses, "I don't want to talk about them."
"I can see that," commented Byakuya, meeting him kiss for kiss, "but isn't that why we came in here? That's what you said, isn't it?"
"I don't remember," Renji moaned, locking his hips against Byakuya's and rubbing their thickening members together, "Look, can we just forget all of that for like, a minute here? I just want to be with my lover."
"I know that," Byakuya whispered, nipping at his ear, "I was just attempting to rile you."
Renji's eyes flared.
"I don't need you to rile me, Byakuya," he said, his reiatsu pulsing, "I was already riled."
Byakuya turned suddenly, flipping the unprepared redhead onto his back.
"I knew that, too," he commented, pushing his lover's thighs apart and working his way into his tight entrance, "I like seeing you riled."
He raised his spiritual pressure until his body glowed with it.
"You said you wanted to be with your lover, Renji. So which lover were you referring to?" he asked quietly, "Your human lover or your shinigami lover?"
"B-Byakuya…" he moaned hungrily, "I don't give a damn whether you're human or shinigami…I just want you!"
Byakuya placed a very tender kiss on the redhead's parted lips.
"And I love you for that," he whispered.