AN: Hello, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think. I am trying to update all my Bleach stories this week, but due to sudden work load I have recieved It might go till the weekend, If I am lucky I might be able to update earlier. Anyway, I do actually need a wild idea here, and request your help, I need a good twist I have had several idea, but I have ditched most of them. If you get a crazy idea send me PM or review and let me know. So on with the show...
Chapter 4
Saturday evening found both Byakuya and Hidehiro back at"the Bony Grasshopper". The night before when Byakuya was driving back to his own home in the middle of the night he had realized the bar's actual location. When they had first arrived there the day before Renka had been such a delightful distraction on the passenger seat that he had not really looked at his surroundings. The bar was located in a corner of a busy shopping district several blocks from the center of the town. During both day and night this area was full of people. The location was a spot on for a place like this and it did not surprise Byakuya anymore why the bar had been so packed with people.
This night the usher was not the baldie, but a humongous man whom did not seem to know right from left. Yammy had red on the man's nametag. The crowd was livelier than the night before and the bar was surprise, full. Karaoke stand was holding a group song marathon and the pool table had a good game on. Byakuya noticed that today the patrons were from all social classes from the regular salary man to a high socialite like himself and his cousin or both Ichimaru Gin and Aizen Sousuke whom he spotted among the people. He was not happy about seeing the two men as the memory from last night was fresh in his mind. Renka dancing with Aizen. The mere thought that Aizen could have another chance to grope Renka pissed Byakuya off. He did not want Renka anywhere near the brown haired socialite.
Byakuya skimmed around the crowd to locate his newly appointed "special someone". They had spoken briefly on the phone when he had called her to confirm their "next date". She had renewed her invitation to spend the evening with her and Takako's friends, also questioning whether Byakuya had a problem with same gender relationship. Byakuya had no objections about such relationships and neither had hid cousin. All he really cared was Renka herself. No-one else seemed to matter anymore. Beside his work, Renka had filled his mind.
Renka was rather easy to spot due her bright red hair. She was dressed in similar type of outfit that she had worn the previous night: an army green tight tank top that showed rather well the tattoos she had acquired when she been younger and she wore skin tight black jeans. On her feet she wore bright orange flip-flops that clashed her color scheme. The attire looked good on her and Byakuya hoped he could see Renka like this always. On the second thought he dismissed the idea; it would do no good if other people in the office would be gawking at Renka. It should be his privilege only. She sat next to a large round table in the back corner of the bar. There were several patrons around the table and Byakuya recognized Renka's housemate also among them. She was dressed in a tight white t-shirt with a pink heart on it and in dark blue Capri pants. Same as Renka she was wearing flip-flops, only red ones. He graciously pointed her to his cousin whom followed his line of gaze and ended up smiling like a buffoon. It was clear as day that Hide was smitten with the spitfire. Lord, have mercy on him. Byakuya shook his head for that. They walked closer and observed the people around the table. Byakuya could recognize the bald usher called Ikkaku from previous night; he sat next to Renka and on his lap was sitting an effeminate man with short black hair and ridiculous looking feathers in his eyelashes. This must be the gay couple Renka had mentioned. Next to them sat a spiky haired man with the 69 tattoo on his cheek. He was the same man who had sung off tune the previous night and next to him obviously his rather well developed lady friend whom already seemed to be in a stupor. On Renka's other side sat Takako who was chatting animatedly with blond haired rather depressed looking man.
"Byakuya, here come sit next to me!" Renka yelled from the table making the other comrades looking at them when she noticed him and pulled two chairs from the next table. "Your cousin can sit next to you, and yeah it's great that you came. Here, before you sit let me introduce everyone."
Byakuya and Hidehiro walked to the table and waited for the introduction.
"Byakuya,Hidehiro the baldie here is Ikkaku Madarame and on his lap is Ayasegawa Yumichika, but you have to call him Yumi, he won't hear another name. Next to them are Hisagi Shuuhei and Matsumoto Rangiku. As you can see they are our resident lovey-dovey couple. We went to college together and I think Rukia knows them too. Takako you already know of course and next to her another college friend of ours, Kira Izuru. Guys this is Kuchiki Byakuya, my boss and uumm, well my date and behind him is his cousin Kuchiki Hidehiro."
Everyone nodded, waved and said a mumbling "cool, nice to meet you and sit down before your legs gives" Byakuya greeted them politely back and sat down while smiling to Renka. Hidehiro only grinned and nodded and sat down beside a scoffing Takako.
"You better watch out man, Jigura's back. He's territorial, the log considers her more like a little sister, been like that for ages." Ikkaku mocked at Hidehiro.
"Thank you for the warning, but I think I can handle it. I doubt the man would actually harm me when he finds out that I am here to treat her like a princess."
The crowd laughed and sniggered. Byakuya seemed to be completely off from the inner joke until Renka nudged his arm and nodded to a space behind Hidehiro and Takako. Behind the scowling woman and utterly unaffected Hidehiro stood a man. Byakuya was rather impressed by his dark demeanor. The man had to be at least 7 feet tall, he had long black hair that could compete with Hidehiro's. The man's face did not look pleasant due to his rather impressive maniac grin that showed the man's perfect line of white teeth and he wore an eye patch on his left eye. He did look rather scary and would have probably worked better in a store for Halloween costumes than behind a bar. And yes, to Byakuya the "walking telephone pole" seemed rather accurate description of the man now that he saw him. Byakuya smiled inwardly. Oh definitely, Lord you truly should have mercy on my cousin.
"Nnoi, Imma knowing ya standing there. Can feel ya breathing on my neck. Whadda ya doing here, ya supposed ta still be in yer sick leave?"Takako was not anyway affected; she stared her nails and then took a big swig from the beer bottle.
"Shuttup bitch, Imma waiting Kenpachi. Payback time, big time." The man smacked his fists together and then made a rather strange noise when he realized his still had painfully broken arm.
The rudeness of the man's words did not go unnoticed from both Byakuya and Hidehiro, but a small shake of a head from both Ikkaku and Renka let them know that they should not interfere. It seemed that rudeness between Takako and this man named Nnoitra was something common to occur.
"Told Yammi not ta let 'im in. He's banned fer next two weeks. What's this thing with Kenpachi again, why ya so pissed? And sit down if yer planning ta stay."
Nnoitra grabbed another chair under from some poor patron from the next table, and scooted between Hidehiro and Takako. The grin on the man's face told every one that he did it only to piss Hidehiro off, which seemed to be working.
"Yachiru."
The rest of the group only looked at the tall man in understanding. Renka leaned towards Byakuya and whispered an explanation. Byakuya shivered when feeling her lips close to his sensitive ear, but it seemed that Ren did not even notice how her closeness affected her boss.
"Yachiru is Zaraki Kenpachi's daughter, his princess. Zaraki is one of the regulars here. Nnoitra is Yachiru's boyfriend and if you can understand that the chemistry between the two men is not at the best. They try to make a fight every time when Yachiru is not around the keep them inline. Usually Zaraki is not coming here when Nnoi has his shift, but three weeks ago they saw each other and it ended up in a brawl with Nnoi breaking his arm and Zaraki missing his front teeth. Yachiru is not talking either to them right now."
Byakuya nodded in understanding and Renka leaned back to her seat. They stayed quiet for a while until the man named Yumi opened his chest of words.
"Well, that is not beautiful at all, as ugly as you and your pink haired girlfriend are both separately and together I believe that this matter is something that needs magic to make it beautiful. We must do something to mend the fractured heart of our lanky comrade and sweep the feet of his ADHD suffering cotton candy lover. I am suggesting that I will go to my uncle- "ugly mugg"-Kenpachi and set him straight. Without alcohol in his system he has to hear reason and if I have Yachi-Chan behind me them, oolalaa, we have a peace treaty. How would you like that long pole?"
"Now, if I may interrupt, how can you be sure that he does not drink when he is not currently allowed to come drinking here?" Hidehiro decided to put his two cents in. Byakuya frowned.
"Ah, a valid question from a person whom is not yet but soon is in our inner circle, nice shirt by the way, its from the spring collection from Ishida am I correct? Hmm, yes where was I? Oh yes, my uncle is unfortunately banned from every other bar in this town, also the liquor shops. "Grasshopper" is the only place he has been allowed to come. Probably because he doesn't want to mess with Takako."
"Yumi, can we change the subject. Let's talk about something else. And Nnoitra, you should consider Yumi's idea, but still I'm sorry about what's going on, I know how much you like Yachiru."
"Well bottoms up then! More sake! *Hiccup*" Rangiku yelled. The crowd looked at her and nodded, Nnoi whistled to the bar keeper to come and bring their orders. Byakuya sat cool and kept quiet, he noticed that the extremely tall man now sitting between Takako and Hidehiro was intently watching his cousin.
"Dude, ya said some shit about treating ma Taka like a princess. Ya like her or something? I've gotta stand up fer her, ya know. Your cousin has to stand up against someone else, or Renka herself can kick his ass to the moon if he's not treating her right, but if you mess up with Takako, I'll take Santa Teresa and chop ya head of, ya hear me?"
"Chrystal."
"Good, now that's settled. Let's get smashed. I'll drink you under the table, Taka can drag you home. " Nnoitra exclaimed and Takako almost choked on her beer.
Renka only shook her head and leaned back towards Byakuya. She had a look on her face that seemed to be apologizing. Maybe it had not been such a good idea to have Byakuya and Hidehiro with them this night after all. This crew that had been their fiends for years might just scare Byakuya away.
"Interesting friends you have Renka. Don't worry we will manage. I told you that I want to get to know the real Renka, with that I must meet your friends as well. "Byakuya leaned towards Renka and almost touched her ears with his lips. Byakuya noticed that this had produced shivers in Renka as well. The attraction was now definitely mutual.
The evening continued with steady flow of alcohol and jokes. It was rather surprising how well Renka's and Takako's friends had approved them in their inner circle. They talked of many topic's, from Hidehiro's shirt to last night's football scores. Two hours and several beers later, the dynamics of the crown had changed a bit. Nnoitra was treating Hidehiro like a good friend and had switched places with him so that now Hide was sitting next to Takako. Takako had started to approve the man as well and they had begun a small talk. During their talk she had several time fingered the shirt that had been once a discussion. Renka had given her chair to the next table when one of its patron's had apologizing questioned his chair back and currently she had taken a seat on Byakuya's lap. Without saying anything Byakuya had wrapped his arm around Renka's waist and secured her position. It was rather fast move but it felt so natural that they did not even question it.
"Ahha! Knew it! It's mah shirt!" Takako ceremoniously declared while having a part of the front of Hidehiro's shirt in her grasp." Ishida design, but Imma sewed it! Look, there that's ma signature!"
Takako's face was three inches short from Hidehiro's chest and she was pointing at one of the button holes in his shirt. Then the woman blush bright red when she noticed how close she really was with the man and let go of his shirt. Hidehiro only smiled and whispered something to her ear that made her blush even harder. Then she smacked his shoulder, but instead her usual style as hard as she could she did it playfully. Renka sniggered in Byakuya's lap.
"Remarkable Takako! You still can see the fruits of your work even after the four eyes fired you. You should be proud. The design is very good the color suites him and of course it must be your sewn, you make magic with just fabrics, line and needle. Which reminds me, what has been your last creation of your own that you completely finished?" Yumi eagerly said.
"Ah, Imma last project came finished yesterday when the person whom ma made it got it on her for fitting. Long sleeved fiery red ball gown dress. And it was mah masterpiece!"
Byakuya's hold on Renka became tighter. The fiery dress she had worn the evening before. The one gown that had made Byakuya seen the true woman behind the façade of polite secretary. He would have to thank Takako some day for making it.
"You were truly beautiful in it Renka."
Renka blushed and turned to look at Byakuya. His breath was caught in his throat when he saw her eyes. They were full of life, enjoyment, laughter and the most important love. If Byakuya had not fallen in love with her yet, he did now. All he could see was her and the rest of the room seemed to disappear.
The two of them were so caught at looking each other that they did not hear Hidehiro say.
"They look good together. Byakuya has been alone for a long time. He needs that kind of fire that will melt his heart and burn him with passion."
"True romantic ya are then huh? But yeah, yer right they look good and Imma noticed from the beginning that yer cousin is a good man. Otherwise he's be chopped with Santa Teresa too or Zabimaru."
"Care to explain?"
"Katana's"
"I see, martial arts. She into that? Are you too?"
"Yup, since she was a little kid and nope, Imma just kick and scream."
"I hope you are no longer screaming to me or going to kick me neither."
"Nah, Yer starting ta rub in ta me. So ya really that much after me? Ya wanta treat me like a princess too?"
"Yes, that I do."
Takako nodded and took another swig from her umpteenth beer. She was getting drunk and her inhibitions were loosing or then maybe it was the cologne she could smell emanating from the man next to her. But then if Nnoitra considered the other tall man ok, then maybe she could give a chance for this guy. The evening was not over yet. Rangiku was not yet passed out and Shuuhei had not sang yet. Yep, she would have some time to decide.
AN2: The night will continue in the next chapter, but as I said let me know if you get a nice idea for a twist. And of course I really do hope that after reading this chapter you will take some time and review, it will let me know what you thought of the story, and if there is something I can do to improvemy story and skills. Thank you so much reading.