Chapter 19: Cautious Footsteps
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See how the night has closed in around us, how the stars have ignited and burn so hot all around. Beauty is dangerous and passion can incinerate. When everything comes apart and explodes, we are left with only ashes…
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Tohma stood outside the open garden doors, looking up at the stars and breathing the cool night air. He tried to calm the gnawing concerns inside, and glanced back over his shoulder to where Byakuya lay sleeping.
He is so beautiful…and he is mine. So…why do I keep having such feelings?
He stepped back inside the room, stopping to close and seal the doors, and approached the bed slowly, gazing down at the pale, moonlit form lying curled around the pillows. He reached the bed and carefully deepened Byakuya's sleep, then rolled the noble onto his back and knelt next to him. He spread out the open yukata around him, then arranged the lengths of black hair more attractively around his head. Leaning forward, he kissed the deeply sleeping noble's lips, then settled back, his eyes sliding down the body he had so recently taken, and suddenly feeling an intense need to do so again.
Why? What are these emotions inside me? What is happening?
He studied the noble's lovely face in the moonlight, feeling a twinge of guilt at the tension in that beautiful visage, even in sleep. He touched Byakuya's face with his fingertips and soothed the worries away.
"Yes…sleep peacefully, my lover. Let your cares fall away…"
But his own cares, it seemed, would not leave him. He had been unsettled ever since bringing Byakuya home…ever since realizing that he could see the stain of their lovemaking on Byakuya every time he looked at his spouse. He tried to push the insecurity away, but it hung in his tired mind, tormenting him and making him shake softly with building rage.
I have to stop it…I have to. He only did as I instructed him to. He said he doesn't even remember Abarai taking him. I have to stop thinking about it.
But the thoughts lay heavily against his mind, causing the heady anger inside him to flare again. He leaned forward, letting his shadow fall across the sleeping noble's lovely form.
I hate him…
I hate him for being so beautiful…
And for fucking that redheaded peasant…
Even though I ordered it, I hate him for it…
It feels like a betrayal, even though I know it was not…
Still, he committed adultery…and we must pay for our sins…
Well intended, though they may be…
Tohma's power rose around him.
"I am sorry," he whispered apologetically to Byakuya, "but you must pay for your sins."
Pink petals rose into the air all around them. Tohma positioned them carefully, then one by one, released them to leave their markings on Byakuya's body. At the first cut, the noble's body flinched. His eyes blinked open and found Tohma's. He said nothing, but his eyes went wide and his chest heaved softly in anticipation. Petal after petal fluttered down and left their markings on his skin. Their eyes remained fixed on each other throughout the exchange.
You know that you deserve this…
It is the only way to erase the guilt…the sin…
So you accept the pain gracefully, because you know that you deserve it…
Byakuya's eyes blinked suddenly and seemed to regain some lucidity. He gasped softly and tried to pull away, but Tohma's eyes froze him in place and his hands pushed down on the noble's chest, holding him physically.
"T-tohma," Byakuya whispered, "Please…stop this…"
A chill went through him at the dazed look in the prince's eyes.
"You still want him…" Tohma whispered.
"No…"
"You are lying to me…"
The petals still hovering in the air shuddered threateningly.
"No…I do not desire Renji. I am yours…"
"I can see it written everywhere he touched you," the prince went on, sending another few petals down to leave their markings on his skin, "I hear you calling out for him in your mind. Do not lie to me and say that you don't think of him. I know that you do…"
"No…I don't…"
"Liar!" screamed the prince, grabbing him by the throat.
Byakuya's hands rose and a sharp kido blast sent them tumbling onto the floor. Byakuya tore free and flash stepped towards the garden doors, only to be brought down just short of them. Wide gray eyes met deadly golden and Byakuya tried to pull away. Tohma's hands wrapped tightly around his wrists and he glared into Byakuya's eyes, his power flaring around him dangerously.
He felt wetness under his fingers and looked more closely, seeming to just realize that there was blood on Byakuya's skin. He stared at the blood dazedly, his mind straining for understanding.
"Byakuya?" he said in a trembling voice, "B-byakuya…what…what happened?"
The noble stared at him disbelievingly.
"Byakuya…who…did this to you?" he asked, confusion swirling in his mind.
Byakuya forced down the feelings of dread and touched the prince's face gently.
"You do not remember?" he asked softly.
"I…"
Tohma stopped and sank wearily into Byakuya's arms.
"I don't know what is wrong with me…" he said wearily, "I am…confused."
"You need to rest, Tohma," Byakuya said calmly, bringing them to their feet and starting back towards the bed.
The prince went along quietly, allowing Byakuya to guide him to the bed. He laid down on his back and reached up to stroke Byakuya's cheek lightly.
"Arigato…" he said softly, "It is nice to know that there is someone in the three worlds who cares what happens to me…although…I don't know why you do. All I ever seem to do is to hurt you…"
Healing green light rose around his fingertips and he let his hands travel slowly over Byakuya's body, carefully erasing the damage he had caused.
"There now," he said softly, "it's all gone now. I've erased it. Do you need something for the pain?"
Byakuya shook his head silently. He watched as Tohma drifted off, then rose and started towards the garden doors. Halfway there, sickness rose up inside him and he flash stepped back to the bathroom, where he fell to his knees and emptied what little there had been in his stomach. He rested quietly against the wall afterward with a hand on his abdomen, rubbing gently. After a few moments, his eyes widened in surprise and he stared down at his body.
Am I…?
He felt the soft swell of a new reiatsu beneath his hand and caught his breath in surprise.
So soon? Can it be?
He glanced warily out the bathroom door at the prince's sleeping form.
I have to be more careful this time…
He shook softly, remembering…
He is so unpredictable…
I should tell him…but he…he might…
He is already so sensitive about Renji fathering the child…
What do I do?
Tears rose up in his eyes and panic set in. He dragged himself to his feet and tied his yukata in place, then swallowed hard and slipped past the sleeping prince to the garden doors. He tried the door and found it locked. Yet, even when he released the lock, the door refused to open. A hand touched his shoulder and he turned, placing his back against the wall.
"T-tohma?" he whispered, "I thought that you were sleeping…"
The prince's hazed eyes bored down into his.
"Where were you going?" Tohma asked.
"I…I just wished to walk in the gardens…"
"Were you going to fuck him again, behind my back?"
"No…" said Byakuya, shaking his head, "I do not want him…I don't. You are all there is for me…Tohma."
Power seemed to fire itself out of the prince's eyes and through Byakuya. His chest heaved uncomfortably and his heart ached from beating so fast.
"Am I?" the prince asked in a low voice, "Am I really?"
"Yes…" Byakuya whispered desperately, "There is only you."
"I want so much to believe you…"
"What do you want me to do?" the noble asked softly, "How can I help you to see…"
A gentle hand touched his face.
"You have to stay with me…hold me…love me…Byakuya. Everything is beginning to fall apart around me. I need you to be the one thing that does not fall away…"
"I am here," Byakuya said, bringing his lips to the prince's, "I won't leave you."
Tohma smiled weakly.
"Arigato…thank you, Byakuya. I am sorry for being a burden to you…"
His hand reached up and released the seal on the doors.
"Go then," the prince said, nodding.
"What?" Byakuya breathed.
"You said you wanted to walk in the gardens. I trust you. I will wait for you here. Go and enjoy your walk. Just…do not leave the gardens or overextend yourself. You have only just returned from the hospital…"
The prince turned away and returned to their bed. Byakuya stood quietly for a moment, his body frozen with indecision, then slowly, he passed through the doors and started down the garden path.
What will I do?
How will I keep this from him?
He is so unbalanced now…he could kill us…
Tears rose in his eyes and leaked out onto his face as he made his way silently down the dark pathway.
What can I do?
He turned a corner and suddenly found himself looking at Rukia. His sister stared up at him, stepping forward and reaching up to touch a tearstained cheek.
"Nii-sama…"
"Rukia," he said quietly, "You and Ichigo have to leave…now."
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Tohma felt the senselessness leaving his body and reason beginning to return. He lifted himself out of bed and walked to the garden doors, reaching out with his senses to locate Byakuya and finding him at the end of the gardens and just around a turn in the trail. Sighing, he leaned back against the wall to wait.
A moment later, a hell butterfly appeared and tried to pass him. He smiled at his cleverness at setting a field around the manor so that all such incoming communications were sent to him. He captured the struggling insect and glared down at it. Then, he forced it to yield the message it had brought for Rukia.
Rukia, Yoruichi and I have discovered some new information and we need something from you. But it will be dangerous. You have to make sure that Byakuya amd Tohma do not learn what you are doing. I need you to collect a sample of the prince's reiatsu and bring it to me. I have a suspicion about him, but I have to have some of his genetic material to confirm it. Just…be careful. And you need to have Ichigo accompany you when you bring the sample. We are getting close on this. But if we want to get your brother out of this alive, we need to watch ourselves…
A dark, wicked smile crept onto Tohma's face as he crushed the hell butterfly and watched its ruined body fall soundlessly to the ground. He turned back into the bedroom and returned to bed. A short time later, Byakuya came through the doors and approached the bed with cautious steps.
"It's all right," the prince said quietly, "I am not asleep. Come."
Byakuya slipped into bed next to Tohma, holding still as the prince's arms wrapped around him.
"How was your walk?" he asked.
"It was…refreshing," Byakuya said, smiling briefly.
"Did you speak to anyone?"
"Just Rukia," the noble answered, "She and Ichigo will be returning to Karakura Town in the morning."
"Ah," said Tohma, "It will be sad to see them go. I do enjoy your sister's liveliness…and her friend is quite interesting as well."
"I am sure they will be back soon," Byakuya assured him.
"Yes," the prince said, "I do not doubt that."
He turned and began kissing Byakuya, gently at first, then harder and with more passion…opening his mouth and attacking the noble's fiercely. He loosed the ties at their waists and brought their bodies together roughly, holding Byakuya's hands down and sucking hard at the skin of his throat while thrusting into him.
"I missed you so much while you were gone," the prince moaned, "Don't leave me again, Byakuya…you cannot leave me again."
Byakuya held his eyes steadily, his mind whirling and mulling over the prince's odd behavior.
He is coming undone…
His behavior has become dangerously erratic…
It is good that Rukia is gone from here…
But what do I do now?
What will I do?
Tohma's body convulsed with pleasure atop his, then the prince pulled away and looked down at him.
"You did not climax…again. But…perhaps you are simply too weary. Sleep, Byakuya."
The noble closed his eyes and settled into Tohma's arms. He didn't intend to fall asleep, but Tohma's hand touched his face and he felt a soft shock of kido pass through him. He tried to resist, but felt his consciousness fading.
"Sleep now…I will be back."
The darkness closed in around him.
I cannot let this go on anymore…
Sleep pressed in on his beleaguered mind. He fought the sensation, but it pushed him back into darkness several times before he was able to surface. He lay in the darkness of his room, unable to move and not knowing what he would do if he could.
He is evil…
And that evil rests beneath my skin and poisons me…
Evil runs everywhere around me now…but it will not win…
I won't let it…
His power flared hotly around his sleepbound form, rumbling through the room and roaring through the hallways. Voices rose up in alarm, but though they pounded on the doors, none could enter. Byakuya's power flared wildly, escaping his control and passing outward. The voices rose into screams as the light of his reiatsu turned to flame and descended on the manor.
Footsteps sounded all around as the buildings caught fire. Servants fled in all directions now, but several continued to throw themselves at his door, screaming his name.
The evil will die now… It will be burned away…
He opened his eyes one last time and froze as he realized that he was alone and his power had completely escaped his control.
"Kami…no!" he whispered, rolling to his feet.
He flash stepped to the door and threw himself into it, then sent a blast of power through. There was a breathless moment of terror as his eyes met the faces of those who had stayed behind to help free him from the burning building…then they were thrown to the ground as reiatsu burst from him and the buildings exploded and all that remained was a soft rain of falling ashes.
"Kuchiki-sama…" Matsuko's trembling voice whispered, "Why? Why did you…?"
"My power…went out of control," he whispered, "Go now…before it flares again. All of you…Go!"
The servants looked at each other, as though trying to decide what to do.
"Go!" he yelled at them, "Run!"
His power rose around him again, burning hotly against his skin. He dropped back onto the cool grass as it flared, groaning as it began to consume him. He felt the brushing of a strong reiatsu and looked up. Unohana taichou's eyes found his and her hand touched his face, sending him spiraling into the darkness again.
"You will be all right now. I have sealed away your power…rest."
Other voices sounded and he was lifted and gently extracted from the ruined manor. Byakuya felt his lips curve upward as he realized that Renji, Rukia and Ichigo's voices were all among the voices he had heard. He felt the redhead's hand touch his.
"Thank kami, she sensed what was happening," Renji said, touching his face, "You could have died…"
And the evil would not have been stopped…
I would only have killed myself…
But…where is he?
Where is Tohma?