Chapter 18: The Homecoming
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I see him in the smile on your lips, in the flutter of your hair…in every step and move and expression, I know he is with you. I would erase him from mind, heart and body…but when I try to part you from him, I see that you are bound in spirit…and I have no choice but to break it…
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Byakuya stepped through the entry doors to Kuchiki Manor and was met by the tearful housekeeper. She dropped to her knees in front of him, crying softly and kissing his hand.
"Come now," said Tohma, "You are making a fuss. My spouse is weary and still recovering. Go and have the cook prepare our lunch."
A chill went through Byakuya as the woman stood, her small frame trembling slightly and her movements somewhat ginger.
"Matsuko…?" he said questioningly, "Are you all right?"
He didn't miss the visual exchange between the housekeeper and Tohma.
"I am fine, Kuchiki-sama. I will have the food made."
She left the room as quickly as her somewhat shaky legs could carry her.
"Come," Tohma said quickly, "You will want to lie down until lunch is served, I am sure."
"Actually," said the noble, "I would really enjoy walking a bit in the garden."
Tohma frowned.
"I think you are not ready for such an excursion. You should come and lie down."
Before Byakuya could object, he took the noble's hand and started down the hallway, giving Byakuya little choice but to follow. They entered the bedroom and Tohma closed the inner and outer doors. Another soft shiver passed through Byakuya and he looked up at Tohma warily.
"I think it would be good to bathe and get yourself clean after having lain with…" the prince paused and closed his eyes for a moment, "…after having lain in the hospital amongst the ill for a week."
"But I bathed this morning," the noble objected.
"And we will bathe again…now," said the prince, firmly.
Sighing softly, Byakuya allowed himself to be turned into the bathroom and disrobed. He stepped into the shower, lowering his eyes as Tohma joined him.
"I am sorry," the prince said, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips, "I don't know why I feel this way, but…but I…I look at you…and even knowing that you only allowed him to have sex with you because I required it of you, I am heartsick at thinking of him touching you. I love you. I cannot help loving you so much that I would kill anyone who touches you…"
Byakuya gave him a stricken look.
"You…won't kill Renji…?" he asked softly.
Tohma moved closer.
"Do I need to?" he asked, "Do you still want him? Do you think back to what you felt when he was inside you and want it again?"
Byakuya shook his head, his eyes widening as he felt the dangerous shift in Tohma's reiatsu.
"No…" he said, his voice shaking slightly, "No…I felt nothing when he was with me. I only let him take me because you asked it. I no longer desire Renji."
Tohma gave him a fleeting smile.
"Good…very good," he said, taking the soap and washcloth and moving closer, "Now…let us see about cleaning away the stain on your body from this."
"But I…"
Tohma's mouth covered his, cutting off his objection as he kissed the noble forcefully.
"You seem to have forgotten your place," Tohma said with a hint of malevolence in his voice, "Need I remind you that this is why you ended up in the healing center? I would never have required those punishments had you not defied me. Now stand quietly while I wash away the stench of him from your skin."
Byakuya's head drooped in resignation.
"Of course, Tohma," he said quietly.
The prince's hands guided the washcloth over Byakuya's soft skin, gently at first, then with growing intensity. Byakuya watched with dismay as Tohma stared at the skin he was washing and frowned unhappily.
"It does not seem to want to come off…" he muttered in annoyance.
"Tohma…" Byakuya said, shifting uncomfortably as the pressure and roughness on his skin increased.
The prince scrubbed his skin, making the noble flinch uncomfortably, studying the area closely, then scrubbing harder.
"What's this?" Tohma said, his eyes widening, "It is still there? Can you see it?"
Byakuya shook his head.
"Tohma, there is nothing there…"
"There is!" the prince insisted, rubbing harder and making the noble flinch uncomfortably, "It's right there! I try…but…it will not…it…"
Byakuya caught his breath as redness began to well up on his tormented skin and blossomed on the washcloth.
"Tohma!" he said urgently, grabbing the prince's hand.
Tohma's other hand rose threateningly and Byakuya pulled away, staring at him in dismay. The prince froze, gazing at the blood on Byakuya's skin and shaking his head as though coming out of a nightmare.
"B-byakuya…" he said, staring at the bloodstained cloth, "b-but…I…"
A terrified look flashed in his eyes and he fled the shower, flash stepping out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He started towards the garden doors, but was stopped by Byakuya before he could open them. The noble took hold of a naked arm and pulled the prince into his arms. Tohma's legs collapsed and the two dropped to the floor together.
"I…I hurt you," the prince whispered, tears flooding his eyes, "You're barely home from the hospital…not fully healed. I…I swear I meant not to harm you! I didn't want to hurt you again! Wh-what's wrong with me?"
Byakuya's arms wrapped around him tightly and the noble's cheek rested against his.
"Stop," Byakuya said quietly, "Don't do this to yourself…"
"What?" the prince sobbed softly, "Why are you saying that? I hurt you! All I ever do is hurt you! I hurt everyone…you…myself…your…your Torio…our baby…yes, even our baby, because I hurt Torio and he fled…and you were hurt and our baby and Torio killed when you tried to defend him. I hurt…my mother…my father…my brother…"
"Tohma?" Byakuya queried, "What are you talking about? How did you hurt them? How did you hurt your family?"
The prince caught his breath sharply and bit his lip, then swallowed hard and met Byakuya's eyes.
"I…I just meant…that I…dishonored them…with my behavior," the prince managed.
Byakuya froze for a moment as a dark memory flashed across his mind.
I was not born of the queen…
…there was only one more piece of her evil to contend with…
His lips frowned as he looked up at Tohma.
"You…you said something…" he whispered, "I…remember…"
He never saw the kido blast that struck out of nowhere, leaving him unconscious on the bedroom floor.
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"Byakuya?" Tohma's voice said softly, breaking into the silence around him and making him open his eyes.
He blinked several times, trying to remember how he had ended up asleep in his bed. He had a vague memory of arriving at the manor…of seeing the shaky housekeeper…and then walking with Tohma down the hallway. After that, everything was blank.
"Are you…all right?" the prince went on, "I was really worried…the way you collapsed like that…"
He suddenly remembered a burning feeling on his skin…and blood…
"What happened?" he asked softly, "I don't remember what happened."
"Shh…" said Tohma, wrapping his arms around the noble.
It struck Byakuya then that he was naked. He looked down at his body where he still felt a slight burning in his skin.
"I was bleeding?" he asked softly.
Tohma frowned.
"What?" he said, "No…no, Byakuya, you weren't bleeding. We came home from the healing center…and you were weary, so I ordered the cook to make us some lunch. You were so tired that…you fell asleep here and only just now woke. Are you hungry? There is food here."
"N-no…"
Byakuya…the woman…my mother. Her surname…was…
"You look pale, Byakuya," said Tohma, "Why don't you try sleeping some more?"
What did I…?
"Lie down, watashi no koi, rest…" Tohma said, pushing him down and crawling into the bed with him.
"T-tohma…I don't…feel well…" Byakuya said in a shaky voice.
"Shh…" Tohma said soothingly, "We have been apart for a week. No wonder you are so out of sorts. But we'll make it right."
He curled his bare body around Byakuya's and the noble had the feeling of being slowly strangled. He forced his breathing to slow and looked up into the prince's calm expression.
"There now," he said bracingly, "Isn't this better than that hospital room? We couldn't even touch each other. I longed for you so badly…so badly that I…I laid in our bed all alone…thinking of all of the beautiful things we would do when you came home. And now you are here…"
He kissed the noble's lips and Byakuya could feel the intense, burning hunger in his body.
"I know you don't feel well…but I've missed you so much, Byakuya. I would die just to touch you…"
His hands were gentle and he watched Byakuya's face carefully as he ran his hands over the noble's softly trembling form.
"Tohma…" Byakuya whispered, shivering.
"I know…" the prince sighed, sinking into Byakuya's mouth, still gently, but with growing intensity, "I want you too…"
"I cannot…"
"I will be gentle…quiet now…"
He quivered as Tohma's fingers slowly prepared him and the prince turned and laid his body on top of the noble's.
"Unohana taichou said that…"
"She said that we just had to move slowly…" the prince said, pushing into his body in soft, insistent thrusts.
He stopped when he was fully entrenched in Byakuya's body, kissing his eyelids and whispering loving words that sounded genuine. But Byakuya felt a strong sense of something being very wrong with the situation. He knew better than to fight the prince, but as Tohma began moving on top of him, he strained his mind to remember…
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
"Byakuya…Byakuya…" moaned Tohma, "Aishiteru yo…I'm sorry…so sorry we had to be apart. I won't let them take you away again…"
His hand slid down between them and stroked Byakuya's length as he lowered his head and continued to thrust in and out of the noble, the words falling from his lips more carelessly as pleasure took hold of him.
"Mmmm…Bya…Byakuya…ah…ah…I was…so…lonely without you. I won't…let them take you from me. I will die before…I let…anyone…steal you from me! W-we will go back…home…and…and our baby…we will have our baby far away…from him…from them…"
He kissed Byakuya roughly, thrusting in harder and with greater desperation.
"Please say something…Byakuya…" Tohma breathed against his throat, "I want to hear your voice…want you to call out my name…please, watashi no koi! I must hear you…"
Byakuya's glazed eyes blinked dazedly.
"T-tohma…Tohma…stop. I don't feel…"
But the harsh thrusting continued until the prince froze for a moment atop him, then shuddered and pushed into him, releasing pulsing waves of heat inside him. Tohma held him tightly, burying his face in dark, sakura scented hair and moaning loudly. He rested on top of the noble for several minutes before looking down at his face and frowning deeply.
"I haven't made you climax…" he said dully, "Why are you holding back?"
Byakuya shook his head.
"I was just released from the hospital…I…"
"I'm sure you came for him…" the prince said, his eyes darkening, "You did, didn't you?"
"I…I don't even remember," Byakuya said, panting as Tohma pulled away and looked down at his partially aroused member.
"It hasn't been the same between us…since that night," Tohma said softly, "the night you lost our baby. You haven't really healed from that, have you?"
Byakuya gazed at him wearily and said nothing.
"Will you please try? Will you let me pleasure you? You will never be happy again unless you let pleasure take you, Byakuya. I know. I know what that's like."
He moved down between the noble's parted thighs and mouthed the soft sac gently, stroking the skin along the inner thigh, then slowly running his tongue up the noble's length. He took the hardening member in his mouth and sucked warmly, moving up and down and teasing him with a hardened tongue. Byakuya moaned and closed his eyes, lying back on the pillows and feeling an odd dizziness pass over him. Tohma slid his fingers inside the noble's slicked entrance, curling his fingers and pushing into the bundle of nerves inside him. Byakuya's back arched and he gasped softly.
"That's it," whispered the prince, sucking harder, "let yourself feel it…the pleasure. You deserve to feel good, Byakuya. You've been in too much pain."
Byakuya's body went taut, and hot seed pulsed into Tohma's smiling mouth. He swallowed several times, then relaxed between the senseless noble's parted thighs and licked away the last stray drops of his release. He continued licking Byakuya's softening cock, the warm, wet sac, and down where his own release had left its sticky reminder.
Byakuya drifted on the edges of consciousness, his struggling mind trying to make sense of the confusing flashes of memory.
What is wrong with me?
Why can't I remember?
And is this really memory or am I only dreaming that I heard it?
I need to know…is this real?
And if it is…then…what was it? What was it that I heard?
Tohma's mouth returned to his to share their mingled tastes, but Byakuya barely moved.
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
Why does it keep repeating in my mind?
Why do I keep hearing him referring to the queen?
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
…there was only one more piece of her evil to contend with…
The queen? He was saying that she was…evil?
Tohma's hands ran slowly over his body, finding the tension and caressing the tight muscles until they calmed and Byakuya began to drift off.
"Yes…" Tohma whispered, "Rest now…now that we have renewed our love."
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
Tohma's hand touched his face and he mind began to spin away.
Byakuya…the woman…my mother…
I was not born of the queen…
…her name was…
…her name was…
…Aba…
His mind turned around the words and he sank down into the darkness, where they slipped away again. But the last thought that entered his mind was a promise.
I will…remember…
I…will…
I…
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Renji flash stepped out of the senkaimon and through the park, turning in the direction of Kisuke's shop. His mind burned inside, wondering what had made Kisuke send him the confidential hell butterfly just asking him to come to Karakura Town. He ran down the street and burst into the shop, panting softly as Kisuke walked into the room.
"Abarai-san," he said, nodding, "Thank you for coming so quickly. Yoruichi and I have found some information that we thought you should know."
"Yeah?" the redhead inquired, "What did you learn?"
"Well…we started by going back to old records…and she was able to get her hands on some notes that were taken down by Naoki just before he was taken into custody. He concealed them carefully in his personal effects and only when she searched more carefully did she find them."
"What do the notes say?" Renji asked.
"They say that Tohma keeps a dark secret about his past…about his mother."
"The queen?"
Kisuke nodded.
"The spirit king's wife…Tohma's mother…was killed. It was said to be an accident. The king issued a statement. He first banned the information from being leaked out of the spirit realm…and then, he declared that there need be no investigation as it was clear there was no foul play."
"His wife was killed and he didn't let anyone investigate? And he covered it up? Why?"
"Naoki's notes claimed that Tohma was the one who killed her."
"What?"
"And they said something more. Renji…Naoki said that the queen did not give birth to Tohma…but he wasn't sure who did. Put that together with him killing her…and his probable involvement in the king and crown prince's injury…"
"I saw blood on his sword…" Renji said suddenly.
"What?" asked Kisuke, "When?"
Renji sighed.
"It was the night Byakuya lost our baby…when he came to take Byakuya away…"
Kisuke caught his breath and closed his eyes.
"Then…that makes sense."
"What?" Renji mused.
"Renji…that night…a group of men was found brutally murdered just outside the spirit dimension. I think…I think they may have been Tohma's cohorts…the ones who were helping him. Damn! He failed in his mission to kill the king and crown prince…and he took them out to protect himself."
"So what do we do? How does this help us? If the king, himself, hid the information about the queen's death…then…"
"He was protecting Tohma…or maybe the new queen, if she had anything to do with it…"
Kisuke furrowed his brow, thinking.
"Renji…we need some of Tohma's reiatsu. I want to try to do a lineage check."
"Isn't that a little dangerous if the king is involved?" Renji asked warily.
"Yeah…well…what we've done already is pretty much grounds for execution. You'd better hope we find some answers soon or we are going to be in some really deep shit…"
"So…you want me to…"
"No," said Kisuke, frowning and furrowing his brow, "I'll send a message to Rukia."
"I don't like her being caught up in this," Renji complained.
"It'll be okay," Kisuke assured him, "She still has Ichigo helping her."
But the more he thought about it, the less sure Renji was that anything Rukia or Ichigo could do would stop the prince. He sighed in frustration and slammed his hands down on the table in front of him.
"Damn it!" he hissed, "Damn it, this had better be worth it! Byakuya is barely holding himself together…and if anyone makes a wrong move, Tohma will kill him!"
"Then we'd better not make any wrong moves," Kisuke said wryly.
Renji's narrowed eyes and furious expression told the shopkeeper just how likely he thought that was…