Chapter 8: Beauty Among Thorns

Renji sat at his desk in the sixth division, poring over a stack of reports and requisitions and trying as always not to notice the empty chair at the desk across from his. He didn't want to think about Byakuya…especially not after their last meeting.

It had been difficult losing Byakuya in the first place, but he had calmed himself somewhat by convincing himself that at very least, Byakuya would be able to find some kind of happiness with Prince Tohma. And he tried to convince himself as well that he should have known something like that would steal Byakuya away from him. He was, after all, a noble and though they loved each other, a noble clan leader didn't really belong with a commoner anyway. Yes, he had gone to a lot of trouble telling himself the million reasons he should let it go. And he had almost been successful.

But when he had seen Byakuya in the park, he knew immediately that, not only was his former lover not happy…something was very wrong between Tohma and him…

Byakuya had been upset about seeing him with Shuuhei, but there was a deeper sadness about him…a lifelessness that hadn't been there before. He sensed there was disharmony between Byakuya and the prince as well. The prince's aggressive behavior and Byakuya's avoidance of conflict suggested that Byakuya was very much passive in his dealings with the prince. There were a hundred other minute things about the way Byakuya looked, how he held himself, small nuances other people would miss. But Renji knew his taichou better than anyone. It wasn't likely that such things would be lost on him.

And he wondered darkly if that, more than the fact that they were once lovers, was the reason that the prince seemed determined to keep them far away from each other…

Renji shook his head in frustration. It made no sense to keep going over it. It wasn't going to change the situation…and Byakuya had made it clear that he didn't want Renji's help. The redhead sighed and buried himself in his work, trying not to think about it.

Several minutes later, the door opened and Renji was surprised to see Byakuya's personal attendant step in through the doors. Renji smiled up at him and greeted him warmly.

"Torio…what's up? Are you here to collect something for Kuchiki taichou?"

Then he noticed the tears on the youth's eyes, the weary, pale look about him and knew it was not an official visit. His face turned somber and he motioned to the chair beside his desk.

"Hey…sit down before you fall down, kid."

Torio sat down and Renji could see he was gathering himself to say something difficult. He swallowed the small stab of fear it brought on and met the youth's eyes calmly.

"Look…something is obviously bothering you a lot. Why don't you wait for a minute and I'll make us some tea, okay?"

Torio nodded silently and sat taking slow breaths as Renji prepared the tea. The fukutaichou returned a few minutes later and set the steaming mug of tea in front of him, and the two spent several minutes sipping at their tea in silence before Torio found the nerve to speak.

"Sir…"

"Call me Renji," said the redhead, smiling, "I'm not one of those snobbish nobles you spend all your time around…and I'm not with Kuchiki taichou anymore, so you don't have to be formal with me."

"Oh…" said the boy, "Thank you, Renji."

"Why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"

Torio looked down into his tea.

"It's…it's Kuchiki-sama, Renji."

"Did something happen to him? Are he and the baby all right?" Renji asked quickly.

"Well, for now they are all right, but…"

He stopped and wiped tears from his eyes.

"Renji…I'm really afraid something bad will happen!" Torio almost sobbed, "P-prince Tohma is so cruel to him. He hardly lets Kuchiki-sama breathe without his permission…and…and when he becomes angry, he is violent. He grabs and hits Kuchiki-sama. And after he saw you together at the cherry blossom viewing, he tied my master's hands and whipped him like a slave! And my master won't fight back. I mean, he tried, but the prince's royal powers are too strong! And I'm scared for him and his baby! I know the prince will hurt them! He has even hurt me when I tried to protect my master!"

Renji placed a hand on the youth's trembling shoulder as he continued.

"Kuchiki-sama ordered me to keep silent about what is happening. He says that even though the prince is doing wrong, he is royal and powerful, and fighting him will only end badly for all of us. He tried to order me to leave…to go to Karakura Town to stay with Urahara-san…but I cannot leave my master! He is already so isolated from everyone that if I left, he would have no one but Tohma. And…and I think that is what the prince really wants!"

Renji bit his lips and closed his eyes against the words.

Damn…I knew it wasn't good between them, but I didn't know it was like this!

He thought carefully.

"Torio," he said finally, "You did the right thing by coming to me. I don't know right now how to fix things, but…look, I will go to Yoruichi. She is friends with Kuchiki taichou and she might be able to tell us what we can do to help him. She's noble too…and she will know best what to do in this kind of situation. But the important thing is to do what you can to keep yourselves safe. Where is Byakuya now?"

"He is alone at the waterfall…sitting under his favorite tree."

Renji felt an uncomfortable pang of memory.

"Okay…go back to him and stay as close as you can. Just do everything you can to keep the two of you out of trouble."

"You won't come to talk to Kuchiki-sama?" asked the boy, wiping his eyes, "I hate seeing him so unhappy. He barely eats enough to keep the baby growing…he's so pale and he never smiles anymore…and he…he…"

"What?" Renji prompted the boy.

"N-nothing…just, please help my master, Renji! I don't know how to help him, but I know you can!"

Renji shook his head, sadly.

"Torio, you know it will be difficult for anyone to do anything. They're noble and royal…and commoners like me? We are expected to stay out of their business."

Torio's eyes became desperate and Renji put up a staying hand.

"I said I would help, kid, and I meant it. You just need to realize that it won't be easy, nor will it happen quickly. That's why I need you to keep things as stable as possible for him. Do what you can to make things calm around him…and tell me immediately if the prince hurts him like that again."

Torio nodded and wiped his eyes again.

"Thank you, Renji," he said in a teary voice, "I knew that Kuchiki-sama and I could count on you."

He paused for a moment, looking over at Byakuya's empty desk.

"J-just so you know…my master was never so happy as when he was falling in love with you, Renji. I am with Kuchiki-sama all of the time and I imagine I know him even better than you. Everything about him was lighter and more carefree when he loved you. He was never so happy before or since. His eyes are always sad now…and even when Tohma is kind to him, he is heavy of heart. I think he hasn't forgotten. I think he can't, because he is still in love with you."

"But you and I live in the real world, Torio," Renji said gently, "He married into the royal family, his choice or not…and now, whatever we feel for each other…we have to let it go."

Torio's eyes widened, then grew sad again.

"So…it is as I expected," he said softly, "You still love Kuchiki-sama, too."

Renji gazed at him in silence.

"For some reason," the youth went on, "even though you say you have to let it go? It gives me just a little bit of hope, Renji. Again, I thank you."

Torio bowed, then flash stepped away.

Renji stood and summoned a hell butterfly.

"Yoruichi-san, I need to speak with you about Kuchiki taichou. Things are worse than I thought. I really need your advice about what to do…or if we can do anything…I will be in Karakura Town as soon as I can get there."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya sat silently beneath the sakura tree where he and Renji had been together, where they had engaged in the gentle exchange of passion that had yielded the child that moved restlessly inside him. It was nearly time for the baby to be born. He rubbed his abdomen gently, wondering if even the joy of having Renji's child could take away the darkness that seemed to have closed in all around him.

He wasn't sure why his melancholy never seemed to lift anymore. Tohma had not been unpleasant with him, not since the cherry blossom viewing. And in fact, the prince had been unusually kind to him, smiling at him more, calling for his favorite foods to be made. And their lovemaking had become gentler and more affectionate. It seemed that Byakuya's acceptance that Renji was no longer a part of his life had calmed Tohma. But even as the prince seemed stable, a part of him did not trust the situation…and in fact, only waited for the next thing that would set off the volatile prince again.

But perhaps, he thought, the worst was over. Perhaps, now that he accepted that he must never tell Renji about the baby being his, things would be different.

Byakuya sighed and closed his eyes…

He had always faced reality before and he knew that was only wishful thinking. He could not escape the prince's temper forever. And so, he opted to take what comfort he could from the quiet times.

"Byakuya…"

He wasn't sure why he felt tears threatening whenever Tohma spoke to him.

"Why are you out here all alone and unattended? Where is that fool, Torio? I should have him whipped for leaving you alone in your condition."

"Please don't blame Torio," he began, then he had to stop at the lump that formed in his throat.

Tohma sat down and put an arm around him.

"I know you're unhappy," he said, pulling back the black curtain of hair and kissing him on the shoulder, "but remember that you are just about to have a child. It is normal for you to feel out of sorts from the chemical changes in your body. Perhaps, once our child is born, Unohana taichou can prescribe you something to help your mood lighten."

"I am fine," Byakuya said quietly, "I need nothing to elevate my mood. I have never been prone to great amounts of emotion, positive or negative."

Tohma smiled and kissed his lips lightly.

"Now, having looked at the pages of your life, I know that is not true, Byakuya. You had plenty of life in you as a boy. I wish I had known you then. Maybe…if I had had someone lively like that…someone who, like me, didn't feel like conforming to stiff rules and regulations, maybe I wouldn't have turned out so…"

He broke off, seeing a tear trickling down the noble's face. He caught it on a finger and stared.

"This is so unlike you," he said sadly, "I keep hoping that some of your finer spirit will return…but…Byakuya…I really made a mistake in whipping you like that. I…don't know what made me do that…and I have apologized repeatedly. I have given you my word that it won't happen again. And I have been gentle with you ever since. Will you never forgive me?"

Byakuya's head turned slightly.

"What makes you think that I haven't?"

"This…" Tohma said, moving closer, "This little world you go into all of the time. You're here physically, but your mind and heart are absent. I fear for you, Byakuya. I do not wish to lose you to your melancholy. Perhaps we should see Unohana taichou now?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"It is unnecessary. As you said, I will have the baby soon and the chemical changes that are causing this will fade. I will be fine."

Tohma kissed him on the mouth gently, then more deeply and ran his fingers through the long black strands of his hair.

"I hope so. I do not want anything bad to happen to my lover. I don't know what I would do if I lost you, Byakuya."

"Why do you worry? I told you I will be fine."

"But you do not look fine. You are too pale…and you do not eat enough. I know that I hurt you by punishing you, but now, it seems, you punish yourself…"

Byakuya sighed.

"I will attempt to eat more if that will ease your concern, my lord."

Tohma nodded and took his hands, pulling him to his feet.

"Come then, I am having the cook make us a wonderful lunch and before we eat, we can lie down for a spell and just enjoy holding each other."

"As you wish, Tohma."

They walked back to the manor in silence and retired to their room, exchanging their clothes for silken yukatas. Tohma led Byakuya to the bed and laid down next to him.

"Now then, my lover. You will decide what we shall do. Tell me what you desire and I will do whatever you ask."

Byakuya turned into the prince's arms and rested his head on Tohma's muscular chest.

"I feel weary," he admitted softly, "I really just wish to be held…and touched gently…and nothing more."

Tohma's lips tightened, but he nodded wordlessly and let his fingers run through the noble's hair and down his back. He reached down between them and gently rubbed Byakuya's protruding abdomen, smiling at the contented look that came over the noble's face at these soft, unobtrusive touches.

"I think I understand," he said quietly, "I thought that if I wanted you to feel loved, I should have sex with you more often…but as often as we are together, even when you climax, you never look pleased…only relieved…as though you cannot wait for me to leave you alone. But when I touch you like this, you actually look content. Why is that? You don't desire me sexually?"

"That is not it," Byakuya said without opening his eyes, "You are an attractive man…and I am not immune to that, Tohma. I merely need, sometimes, to feel that there is something deeper than physical attraction holding us together."

"Hmmm…" sighed Tohma, kissing Byakuya's forehead, "I see. Then you only need say when you feel like being held this way. It is pleasant for me as well…and seeing you look anything but sad is a comfort…just…I hope you won't always want just this. I think that…well…some lovemaking is necessary, ne? You aren't suggesting…"

"No," said Byakuya, smiling, "not at all."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tohma left Byakuya sleeping and stepped out into the gardens. He flash stepped back to where he had found Byakuya before and looked around. A moment later, a dark cloaked man stepped out of the trees.

"My lord," he said, bowing.

"Are things ready?" Tohma asked.

The other man nodded.

"All is in place."

"Then I shall come to the spirit dimension with you this evening. I shall send word that Byakuya and I are not to be disturbed and will make sure he sleeps, so he will not be aware. We will meet here and cross over together, secretly. No one will even know we were there."

"Yes, my lord," the man answered, "No one will suspect anything…"

Tohma watched as the man flash stepped away, then walked back to the manor. As he reached the gardens, he spotted Torio coming in through the front gates. He flash stepped to the youth and took him by the arm.

"Come with me, Torio," he said tersely.

He led the youth to his quarters.

"What is it, sir?" Torio said in a trembling voice, "Did I do something wrong?"

"You left your master unattended. That is not to happen again. Do you understand?"

"Hai…I will not leave him again…" Torio promised.

"Where were you?"

"Kuchiki-sama gave me leave to go out. I was…visiting a friend, sir."

"And while you visited your friend, Byakuya was left alone. You must be punished for that. Lie down."

Torio stared at him in surprise.

"I will not tell you again."

Torio laid facedown and shivered as the prince bound his hands and gagged him.

"I will not do anything too much…this time. You have apologized and promised it will not happen again, so I will be more lenient. But do not leave Byakuya alone again. I have certain fears about his emotional state and he cannot be left alone. Do not let it happen again."

He bared the youth's back and drew his whip across the skin, sending a frightened shiver through Torio.

"This is a warning…not so harsh. You are lucky I am not going to kill you."

The whip snapped across the youth's back once, twice, and a third time before Torio made a sound of pain. He struck twice more…to be sure he had gotten the point across.

"I will leave you bound for the night, Torio, and will be back to free you in the morning. Someone else will look after your master until then."

He pulled the gag out of the youth's mouth and glared at him warningly.

"You are not to make a sound...and do not attempt to leave this room until I come back."

Torio nodded, but said nothing.

Tohma turned and left the frightened servant alone and bound in his room.