Chapter 32: Brought Back to Life

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We live in these simple exchanges…eyes that meet, hands and lips that touch, and hearts that love fearlessly. These are bonds we embrace, and bonds that will throw off all others that try to enslave us.

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"Hey, uh, we don't actually have to stay here, you know," said Renji, watching with an anxious eye as Byakuya approached the gates of Kuchiki Manor, "We can still go to Grand View Towers for tonight, if you want to."

Byakuya held Koichi against his shoulder and smiled at the tiny fingers that tangled into his hair.

"Nonsense," the noble said calmly, "This is our home. This is where we belong, Renji."

"Yeah, I know that," the redhead said quietly, "But you…went through a lot here. A lot happened, and I wouldn't want…"

"I wouldn't give those things the power to force me from my home," Byakuya said softly, "Do not worry, Renji. I know not to expect to have everything as it was before. Being in the program at Falcon Ridge, I learned to accept that some things will be different now. But there are many things that survived all of what happened, and I am grateful that our love…is among the things that survived, Renji."

"Me too," sighed Renji, slipping an arm around him.

They passed through the gates together and smiled gratefully at the two straight rows of servants and house staff who lined the walkway, all offering heartfelt greetings as the family entered the newly restored manor. Byakuya, Renji, and behind them, Rukia, Torio and the Kuchiki elders, met the eyes of each, smiling and offering words of greeting.

"Byakuya-sama," said Nori, "With your permission, we will assist with guard duty here tonight. Until we confirm the resumption of relations with the Akasawa clan, you must be placed under extra guards."

Byakuya nodded.

"Thank you, Councilor," he said quietly, "Feel free to have the visiting councilors make themselves at home in the guest wing."

Nori nodded and followed the councilors joining the house security staff for briefing. Rukia hugged Byakuya, Renji and Torio, then kissed Koichi on the cheek.

"Good night, Nii-sama," she said, smiling, "Welcome home."

"Thank you…and good night, Rukia," Byakuya replied quietly.

"Good night, Byakuya-sama, Renji-san," said Torio, bowing.

"Good night, Torio."

They watched in silence as Rukia and Torio left to go to their rooms, then they turned towards Byakuya's newly finished bedroom. They stepped inside and Renji turned on the light. Byakuya's eyes ran around the room. It was a relief to him that the design of the room had changed somewhat, so that it did not resemble the old room too greatly, and that the furniture was all new and unused.

"Would you like to go have a shower?" Renji asked, "I can take him."

Byakuya shook his head silently and handed Koichi to the redhead. He disappeared into the closet and returned, dressed in a sleeping yukata. He lifted Koichi back into his arms and crawled into bed, waiting as Renji changed, then climbed in on the other side.

"You can put him in the nursery later," Byakuya said, reaching over to brush several strands of red hair out of the baby's bright gray eyes, "I just want to have him near me while I fall asleep."

"Sure," said Renji, "That sounds great."

They rested their heads on their pillows, their eyes on their baby and the fingers of their hands entangled.

"He's so beautiful, Renji," Byakuya said softly, his eyes gently misting, "Every night at the recovery center, I thought about just this…right before I would fall asleep, I would look at the picture of our family and I would think about lying in our bed, looking at our beautiful son and thinking about our future together."

Renji gazed at the noble's pretty, dark eyes as they looked lovingly down at their son.

"Okay, let's do that, then. Let's think about our future."

Byakuya glanced up at him questioningly.

"Our future?" he repeated softly, "You mean…?"

"Marry me, Byakuya," Renji said, smiling.

"Baka," Byakuya chuckled, "You already know I'm going to marry you. As soon as arrangements can be made."

"No, I mean now. Marry me right now!"

Byakuya sat up, staring at him.

"Now? In the middle of the night?"

"Right now!" grinned Renji, "You said when we talked about it that Nori would do the marriage and that you just needed…"

"But the manor isn't quite finished and I haven't restored the gardens, and…"

"I don't care about that," he said, taking the noble by the arm, "We can have a formal ceremony later."

"But…Renji!" Byakuya exclaimed as the redhead scooped up their baby and hustled the noble out of the room, "I'm not dressed! And everyone has gone to bed. I want Rukia there and…Torio…and Tetsuya. Renji!"

"Councilor Nori?" Renji said, drowning out Byakuya's objections and handing the baby back to the sputtering noble, "Could you please marry us?"

Nori's eyes widened for a moment, taking in the sight of the yukata clad couple and their sleepily blinking baby, then softened.

"Of course I will, Abarai-san," he answered, "Give me a few minutes to gather the elders. We will meet in the gazebo in a half hour."

"But…?" Byakuya said breathlessly.

"Byakuya-sama," said Nori, raising an eyebrow, "I think it very appropriate that Abarai-san wishes to safeguard your honor and legitimate your heir as quickly as possible, ne?"

Byakuya looked from head elder to his lover and back again, then shook his head and sighed.

"I imagine you are right, Nori," he admitted, "And at least the half hour will give us time to dress properly."

"No way!" said Renji, smirking, "I want to marry you just like this!"

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"Thank you again, Tetsuya-san," said Haru, sitting down on the bed and looking out the window as Byakuya's cousin settled down on the bed behind him and gently removed the counselor's top, baring him to the waist, "You don't have to do this. We have healers here at the center."

"It would be wrong for me to leave your healing undone," Tetsuya said, extending his hands over the healing areas, "I couldn't do a complete healing while there was still combat going on around us. So now that things are calm, I will finish what I started. And anyway, my cousin would not want me to leave you tonight. Our council must determine the nature of relations between our clan and the Akasawa clan. You and our clan leader could still be vulnerable to them if they choose to retaliate."

"Hmmm," sighed Haru as the residual pain of his wounds began to fade, "I didn't even think about that. I was so focused on Tsuyoshi that I just…forgot about everything else."

"That's all right," Tetsuya assured him, "You should just rest and let us worry about those things. I will remain here on guard duty tonight, and our clan will meet with the Akasawa clan's new leadership tomorrow."

Haru's brown eyes drooped sleepily and he leaned against Tetsuya as the blue-eyed noble completed the healing he had started at the rival clan's tower. The exhausted counselor rested his head on Tetsuya's shoulder and drifted off as Byakuya's cousin lifted one of his hands, then the other and provided a deeper, more thorough healing. By the time he was finished, Haru was fast asleep on his shoulder. He leaned forward and carefully lowered the counselor's head onto his pillow. He stood and gazed for a moment at Haru's moonlit form, then turned towards the door.

"Tetsuya-san?"

Tetsuya stopped and looked back over his shoulder.

"Arigato."

"You are welcome. Good night, Haru-san. I will be outside your door if you need me."

"Tetsuya-san," said the counselor, "Would you mind asking Counselor Tumotsu to come?"

"Are you unwell?" the noble asked quickly, "Is there something that I can do?"

"Well actually," said Haru, "It is simply that, as a counselor, I know it is best to have someone close by during the night to…"

"…ease your nightmares?" finished Tetsuya, "I know how. But perhaps you prefer a more familiar hand for such a task, ne?"

"No," said Haru, "That's all right."

He looked up curiously as Tetsuya approached the bed and sat down.

"So, how did you learn about dream repressive kido?" Haru asked, "Are you a counselor?"

"Oh…no," said Tetsuya, shaking his head, "I learned it out of necessity…while I was a prisoner in Itamigiri."

"Itamigiri?" Haru repeated, "The half-breeds' prison? The one that…?"

"Byakuya-sama liberated? Yes."

"But you are so young, Tetsuya-san. You must have been only a child."

Tetsuya nodded.

"My father was noble and my mother a peasant. They were incarcerated at the prison and I was born within its walls. I never drew a breath of fresh air until Byakuya-sama invaded the prison and freed the ones he found there. I was one of the few children who survived."

"I see," said Haru, his eyes soft and introspective, "It makes sense now."

"What?" asked the noble.

"Your eyes," said Haru, "They are far too wise for one so young, Tetsuya-san."

He fell silent for a moment as they gazed out the window at the moon.

"So how is it that a half-breed and a former inmate of Itamigiri now serves on the council of elders, and at such a young age?" Haru asked.

"Byakuya-sama and I were determined that the atrocities of Itamigiri should not be allowed to occur again. In the years since my liberation, I have worked alongside my cousin to change the perception of half-breeds as an aberration, and to breed greater tolerance. It is a testimony to the parents I lost that I serve on the council of elders. They would never have dreamed that their son would achieve such a thing. That I still draw breath and that I am allowed the use of the Kuchiki surname would be miracle enough to them."

Haru sighed softly.

"I was a prisoner too, but in a different kind of prison," he said quietly, "My clan sought to foster good relations with the rival Akasawa clan and thought that to offer the finest of their daughters to the clan leader would make things peaceful between us. But Tsuyoshi saw me in the entourage that went along and he asked for my hand instead. I was barely old enough for marriage and completely innocent. I had no idea what I was getting into. He was charming at first, earning my trust and gently instructing me in how to please him. I did sense that he had a quick temper, but I was young and naïve. I didn't realize how dangerous he was until one day when my servants were bathing me and Tsuyoshi saw something he misinterpreted. It was a complete misperception, but he wouldn't listen to reason. He had the slave whipped in front of me, then he took me to our bed and bound and violently raped me. He said that our being married gave him the right, and that I had asked for the rough treatment by trying to commit adultery. I didn't even understand the word."

He shook his head and sighed again, resting his head on his crossed arms in the windowsill.

"After that, he seemed to find things daily that angered him. No matter how carefully I tread or how I tried to pacify and please him, nothing I did was good enough. And after several years of his abuse, I became desperate. Tsuyoshi hired a young attendant named Akira, and I saw him having sex with the attendant against his will. I was able to meet secretly with him and we connected because of the abuses we were both suffering. We fell in love and carried on secretly, knowing that if Tsuyoshi ever found out, he would kill us both. Eventually, we put together a plan to escape. We obtained help from several sympathetic servants and put our plan into motion. But…someone gave us away to Tsuyoshi. He captured us and was going to kill us all, but Akira caused a diversion and shoved me out the tower window. I fell into the river beneath the tower and was swept away. I nearly drowned, but was pulled from the water and taken to a healing center. Unohana taichou visited the center that day and examined me…and when she heard my story, she had me transferred to Falcon Ridge for protection and rehabilitation. And once I finished my treatment, it was decided that it was too dangerous to leave the center. I remained here and was trained as a counselor."

"And according to my cousin, you are truly exceptional," Tetsuya said, nodding.

"I don't know about exceptional," said Haru, blushing slightly, "but I have been through a great deal, and it has given me insight into people. And helping those who have traversed the same difficult path I have, gives them relief…and also gives me comfort that my suffering served a purpose. Just as you found a positive outlet for your pain, I found a positive use for mine. It is an odd twist of fate that placed you in my path…that decided it should be your arm that wrapped around me and kept me safe today, Tetsuya-san."

"I agree," Tetsuya said softly.

Haru settled back down on his pillows and closed his eyes.

"I shall sleep more soundly, I think, knowing that you are here," he said as Tetsuya turned off the light and settled at the end of the bed, beside the window, "Thank you for watching over me tonight, Tetsuya-san."

"Sleep well, Haru-san."

Tetsuya sat quietly on the end of the bed, watching the stars crawl across the sky and looking over every so often to make sure that Haru slept comfortably. After about an hour, he got up and made some tea to help keep himself awake. He was just settling on the sofa, near the bed when a hell butterfly fluttered in and stopped in front of him.

"Tetsuya-san," said Head Councilor Nori's voice, "We need for you to collect Haru-san and bring him to Kuchiki Manor as quickly as possible…for Byakuya-sama's marriage to Abarai Renji."

"Wh-what's going on?" asked Haru sleepily.

Tetsuya smiled.

"Apparently, my cousin could not wait until morning to marry Abarai-san. We have been invited to his wedding, but must leave immediately."

Haru climbed out of bed and slipped quickly into a kimono, then the two walked outside.

"But how will we get to the wedding on time?" Haru asked, "They seemed in a great hurry."

"Do not worry," said Tetsuya, "We won't be late."

He turned his head and emitted a soft, odd whistling noise. Haru stared as a rustling occurred in the brush near them, and a moment later a tall black spirit steed burst out from behind it. He crossed the meadow and came to a stop in front of them. Haru's eyes went wide with amazement.

"This is Arashi," said Tetsuya, "He will carry us to Kuchiki Manor."

He helped Haru onto the horse's back and climbed up behind him.

"Have you ridden before?" the noble asked.

"Yes," Haru said breathlessly.

He held on tightly with his legs as Tetsuya nudged the stallion into a gallop. A moment later, he lost his breath again as the horse began to flash step.

"Amazing…just amazing," he whispered, "Tetsuya-san, you are full of surprises."

Tetsuya smiled and wrapped an arm around Haru's waist as the stallion surged forward.

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"I can't believe we're doing this…and I'm not even dressed!" Byakuya mused, holding Koichi and looking around as the staff gathered in the courtyard, "But I am going to insist on one thing."

"What's that?" asked Renji, smiling at him.

"I am going to fix the gardens."

"But that would take…!"

"Nonsense," said Byakuya curtly, "All it takes is a bit of concentration…and a gift my father left me."

"Oh?" said Renji, "This I have to see."

He took Koichi from the noble's arms and watched curiously as Byakuya moved to a patch of dry earth at the center of the gardens. He knelt down and touched his hands to the prepared soil. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes and imagined how he wanted the gardens to look…every minute detail, down to the last blade of grass. He fixed the picture in his mind, then focused on the ground and loosed his reiatsu.

"Hey, uh, take it easy," said Renji nervously, "Your spirit centers are still healing."

"This is a different kind of power," Byakuya assured him, "It will not affect my spirit centers."

The gardens were slowly swept up and covered by a thick fog. It swirled around, giving the gardens a ghostly look, then slowly, as Renji watched with startled eyes, the grounds around them began to change. Long green grass sprouted out of the ground and flowers sprang up everywhere. Water welled up in the two large koi ponds and sakura trees sprouted up here and there around the gardens. When the noble finally removed his hands from the soil, Renji was speechless. He stared at Byakuya and couldn't think of a single word to say…except…

"Amazing…just amazing, Byakuya. How in kami's name did you just do that?"

Byakuya gave him a warm smile.

"It is a gift that my father had…and he passed it on to me. And perhaps our Koichi will inherit it."

"Wow…" Renji said, overcome, "Just…wow, Byakuya…"

"Now," said the noble, "As soon as my cousin arrives, we should be able to begin."

He broke off as Arashi thundered in through the gates and stopped at the entrance to the gardens. Byakuya and Renji exchanged smiles as Tetsuya slid down off the stallion's back and turned back to help Haru dismount. The two joined Byakuya, Renji, Torio, Rukia, the elders and the house staff in the gardens around the small, white gazebo.

Byakuya handed Koichi to Rukia, then joined hands with Renji. Nori glanced at the two and nodded, then began to speak.

"We are gathered here tonight, under the lovely stars and moon to join these two impetuous gentlemen in the bonds of holy matrimony. Love is a great gift, and Byakuya-sama and Renji-san have set their hearts upon that love, and will make a bright future for their son and the other children they will make to join him. We invite them now to speak the vows they will make to one another."

"Byakuya," Renji said, squeezing the noble's hands gently, "Even at the beginning of the time when I knew you…even when I was obsessed with growing strong enough to defeat you, I always wanted, more than anything, to be close to you. That has meant a lot of different things over the years, but over time, we moved closer and closer to each other, and what I felt for you became stronger and stronger feelings of love. And nothing opened my eyes to that love more than watching how you struggled to survive what no one should have to. You faced danger and pain with the same grace that you face everything that comes at you…and you overcame everything and came back to me in the end. I have always admired your strength and sought to gain strength like yours. And as strong as we have grown together, I know now that we can hold onto each other through anything. So I promise now to love and honor you, to cherish our love always, to make a family with you and to always be the friend you can turn to for anything."

"Renji," said Byakuya, "Our lives have been connected for many years, and always we have acted to protect what was most important to us. We have protected family and friends, our comrades and our home…and we have protected each other. You sought to gain strength to better defend the ones you love, and I am honored to be among the ones you defend. Your loyalty, your love is something I have felt with me through the darkest of times, and having now emerged from that darkness, I am freed to return those gifts in full measure. So I promise now to love and honor you, to cherish our love always, to make a family with you and always be the friend you can turn to for anything."

Nori nodded in acknowledgment and placed his hand over theirs.

"Now having exchanged your vows and promises, Byakuya and Renji, I hereby declare you partners in life, bonded in love and given to each other with the blessings of the council of elders. May your love flourish and bring you great happiness. Now, please exchange a kiss as a token of your affection."

Byakuya slipped his arms around Renji and looked up into his new spouse's lovely red-brown eyes.

"I cannot believe you made me get married to you in my pajamas, in the middle of the night on a moment's notice," he said, smiling, "It is the most impetuous, reckless…and most enchanting thing anyone has ever done for me. I love you, Renji. I am going to love you always."

"I love you too," Renji said, bringing their lips together.