Chapter 3: In the Hay
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(Thanks going out to Winterheart2000 (Will do!), Periwinkle (You are wise.), Wildwind13 (Sure thing!), Kittykins (Those elders are a pain!), Aizenfan6969 (You've got it!), ShariBerry89 (Got you covered!), Willow (You are quite welcome!), PrivateCaller (Oh, Aizen has just begun to meddle...), Yukino76 (He is pretty crafty, even though in this story, he does want to help Byakuya. He just can't seem to do that without manipulating.), SesshomaruFreak (Tetsuya's funny sometimes in that he tries to behave, but he can't help getting into trouble.), and Sariniste (You are so very welcome! And more is definitely on it's way!) Enjoy the new chapter! Love, Spunky)
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Tetsuya gathered an armload of hay and carried it into an open stall, where a tall, blue-eyed black stallion stood waiting. He set the hay down and stood next to his mount as the horse took a mouthful and munched on it contentedly. Tetsuya rested against his side, thinking back to the night before.
"It was so sudden, Arashi," he whispered to the horse, "Renji-san kissing me like that, then that vocalist from Espada grabbing me and upsetting everything. And now...now I can think of little but how good it felt to be held in Renji-san's arms, looking into his eyes, breathing in his scent like that and feeling his mouth on mine. I have never felt anything like what Renji-san makes me feel inside."
Arashi nuzzled the young man's cheek affectionately, then went back to munching quietly on his hay.
"He warned me to be cautious in my relationship with Renji-san. And I got the feeling that although he was speaking to me, warning me...that he was really speaking to someone else...to himself at a younger age, perhaps. Arashi, he has never spoken to me or to anyone I know of about why he never became a performer. I have heard him sing, and his voice is like angelsong...beautiful and fluid, Arashi! It makes me wonder why he avoided becoming a vocalist. Music is in Byakuya-sama's heart...in his very soul. But he has never shared that gift, that one piece of Kuchiki Soujun's legacy that remains alive! Even now, with the company poised on the precipice and in danger of a great fall, he does not use this talent. Instead, he offers his place, a place that he very obviously should occupyto, me, a barely acknowledged family outcast. Why? Why does he so this?
He caught his breath in surprise as warm arms captured him suddenly from behind. Tetsuya turned in those arms and came face to face with the very person who had been monopolizing his earlier thoughts.
"R-renji-san!" he gasped as the redhead's arms tightened around him and Renji's mouth captured his and possessed it hungrily, "Renji-san...H-how did you get in here? The manor is guarded by..."
"You think those hired goons can stop me from going where I want to go? Kid, I've been breaking into places since you and me were both in diapers. But, uh, don't tell the boss that, okay?"
"Hmmm," Tetsuya huffed softly, nipping playfully at Renji's lips, "I would wager that Byakuya-sama is well aware of your less than savory talents."
"Oh, bite your tongue!" Renji laughed, sucking Tetsuya's tongue into his mouth, then licking and sucking it shamelessly, as though he couldn't get enough of its sweetness.
"Hey," Tetsuya objected, gently extracting his tongue from between the redhead's attacking lips and teeth, "I need that! How am I...mmmf...supposed to sing if you...hah...devour that?"
"The only singing you're gonna do is the sounds you make when I make love to you and you feel so good, you can't hold back."
"R-renji-san!" Tetsuya gasped, blushing as he felt the other man's hands slip beneath his clothes," Oh! Oh, Byakuya-sama will kill you if he finds out about this! I am supposed to be avoiding things that could cause a scandal. If anyone sees..."
"I'll just have to eat you alive," Renji said slyly, "and be careful to not leave any evidence."
"Renji-san! Renji-san, stop! Ah!"
Tetsuya's legs went weak as the redhead's mouth found his again and plundered it forcefully. He took a step back and found himself taken off of his feet and brought down into a bed of hay. On the other side of the stall, Arashi gave a soft horse laugh and turned a blue eye to watch the two.
"R-r...!"
Tetsuya was left breathless, his heart pounding so furiously, he thought it might burst inside him as Renji's mouth found his exposed throat and assaulted the area with warm licks, feisty nips and heavy suction.
"S-stop! The house guards!" Tetsuya gasped as Renji's rough fingers teased him beneath his shirt, "Renji-san!"
"I'll be quiet," the redhead hissed in his ear, making the soft, white earlobe blush hotly, "And if they catch me and beat the hell outta me for sneaking in, you can come and visit me in the hospital, okay?"
"You! You are...!"
Tetsuya broke off, inhaling sharply and tearing away from Renji as the barn door creaked open. The younger man was on his feet instantly, tucking his shirt in hastily and grabbing the currycomb, as Byakuya appeared in the barn entry. Renji fixed his clothing and reclined in the hay, chewing lazily on a piece of it as Tetsuya's cousin reached the stall and looked inside, then frowned.
"Renji," he said quietly, "I do not recall the house security announcing that you had arrived."
"Y-yeah, sorry about that," the redhead said, chuckling "It's just that I felt real bad about getting Tetsuya into trouble last night, so I came to apologize."
Byakuya's eyes traveled from the somewhat unkempt Renji to the madly blushing Tetsuya, who cleared his throat softly and continued grooming Arashi.
"I see," said Byakuya, "So, your way of apologizing to Tetsuya for scandalizing his good name is to come here and continue the assault on his character?"
"He didn't do anything wrong," Tetsuya said shortly, "The last time I checked, I was allowed to have visitors."
"Yes, of course," Byakuya answered, "as long as they announce themselves properly and adhere to the house rules, you may have guests over."
A long silence rose up between the two as they locked eyes, Byakuya's glaring meaningfully and Tetsuya's radiating righteous anger. Renji looked from one to the other and decided it was best to try to diffuse the situation quickly.
"Ah...hey, sorry about being a bother, Boss."
"You aren't a bother," Tetsuya said firmly, "You are my guest."
"Y-yeah, well I um..."
"You are going riding, Tetsuya?" Byakuya asked suddenly.
"I..."
"I will come with you," his cousin said, cutting him off, "Ikazuchi needs the exercise.
"Eh," said Renji, rising and brushing the stray wisps of hay from his clothes, "I have some things to do before work."
"Renji-san, you don't have to go."
"It's okay," the redhead assured him, "I'll see you at the studio."
"Goodbye, Renji," Byakuya said stiffly.
"See you later, Boss. See you later, Tetsuya-san."
Tetsuya said nothing, but turned away and collected Arashi's tack, then prepared the horse for riding, while Byakuya left to saddle his own mount. They met at the barn door and proceeded out of the barn and down the walking trail that led to the lake, near the mansion. Neither spoke as the two horses sensed their heavy mood and walked calmly alongside each other, knowing better than to misbehave while the two were so unsettled inside. It wasn't until the two men had reached the lake and found a place to recline in the shade of a weeping willow near the water's edge that Tetsuya gathered the nerve to speak of what had happened before.
"Byakuya-sama," he said, looking up through the tree branches and into the bright blue sky, "Why haven't you said anything? I would think that you would be in the midst of lecturing me by now."
"Do I need to lecture you?" Byakuya asked, gazing out over the placid surface of the lake, "Or can I expect that you already understand the position we are in?"
"I understand," Tetsuya confirmed, "But while I understand, I do not see what harm it does for me to take a lover! I am of age. And you have struck down most of the rules that prevented me from truly living for the past eighteen years. Did you do that, so that I would only have to forgo any happiness that I might have had? Do you have something against Renji? Against me?"
"Of course not," Byakuya said softly, "And I do not want you to have to give up your happiness for the sake of the company. I just think that you should be aware. Tetsuya, although many of the most famous entertainers are homosexual or bisexual, there are still many in positions of power who will disrespect you if too much attention is placed on your sexual preferences or your choice of partners. So, while I will not forbid you to see Renji, I also must insist that you be extremely cautious about when, where and how you express your affections."
"I understand," Tetsuya said softly.
"Do you?" Byakuya asked pointedly, "If so, I do not see why you would allow such a display as was going on in the barn when I arrived."
"What? We...we just..."
"I actually came in from the gardens, using the small door and left to enter more noisily, so as to give the two of you the time to recover yourselves."
"Oh..." Tetsuya said, flushing, "Byakuya-sama, I am sorry. I know that Renji shouldn't have sneaked in and that Arashi's stall was not the place for what happened. I let things get out of hand, and I apologize for that. I will talk to Renji and..."
"I will talk to Renji," Byakuya said calmly, "As head of our family, it is expected that I will keep order within it."
"But, I can handle this!" Tetsuya insisted, "I told you I am sorry about what happened before. Why won't you let me show you that?"
Byakuya sighed softly and slipped a hand into his cousin's, squeezing gently and turning his head to look into Tetsuya's unhappy eyes.
"Tetsuya, I know the content of your heart. I know that you are sorry and that you will make sure that this does not happen again. I will only speak to Renji on your behalf so that the one speaking to him will not be distracted with his romantic overtures at the expense of his understanding the situation."
"Oh!" Tetsuya said, his blush deepening, "I see. Very well, then. If you think it is best."
"I do."
"Thank you, Byakuya-sama."
"No thanks are necessary, watashi no itoko."
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"Ah, you're here," Renji said as the practice room door opened, "I hope that Kuchiki-san didn't..."
He broke off, scowling as he found himself looking at Jaegerjaques Grimmjow.
"What the hell are you doing here, you freak? Get outta this place before I throw your ass out!" he snapped, starting towards the singer.
"Take it easy," Grimmjow said, shoving the redhead away as he tried to force the singer back towards the door, "My boss is here to meet with your boss."
"What?"
"Aizen-sama seems to have it bad for that little cupcake you were swinging around at the club last night. He thought he'd come to see if he could offer Kuchiki-san a way off this sinking ship."
"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Renji huffed, sitting down at the piano and dismissing the other man.
He ran through his warmups, looking up again as Tetsuya entered the room and slid to a stop, his blue eyes going wide at the sight of the rival singer.
"Grimmjow!" he hissed, "What are you...?"
"Hey, don't get your panties in a twist, darlin'. I am sorry that we got off on the wrong foot. My boss read me the riot act for not being more of a gentleman. Why don't you allow me to make it up to you? I have a new song that we're going to be releasing. It's a duet. You can sing it with me."
"What? No!" Tetsuya snapped, "I will do no such thing!"
"Just get outta here, Grimmjow!" Renji said angrily, "We're not going to fall for your..."
Renji paused, frowning as the sound of a pulsating introduction played through the room.
"Hey!" cried Renji, "What did you do? Hijack the equipment? I'll kill you for touching that!"
"Oh, shut up and just let me apologize to Tetsuya-san," Grimmjow said, grinning.
Tetsuya and Renji looked on in dismay as the words appeared on the prompter and the blue haired man began to sing.
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"Aizen Sousuke," Byakuya said, biting off the words furiously as he entered his office to find the brown-eyed manager sitting in a comfortable chair and waiting for him, "How dare you set foot in this place! After what you did..."
"What I did?" Aizen repeated, looking deeply into Byakuya's widened eyes, "What do you mean? Do you mean that I widened your horizons? That I opened your eyes to what you were missing and gave you an opportunity to shine, Byakuya?"
"I mean that your treachery ruined my life!" Byakuya said, his handsome features darkening with memory, "You...you single-handedly took away any chance I ever had to be a part of the business that meant everything to my father and grandfather! My family..."
"Your family was the reason that everything came down on you, Byakuya. You must remember, I did nothing but remind them of the truth about you."
"Shut up! You promised never to speak of that again!" snapped the raven-haired man, his gray eyes blazing, "I gave up everything to keep you from saying those things. Now, all I have left is this company...and Tetsuya."
"Yes," said Aizen, "Tetsuya. Tetsuya is precisely why I have come to see you.
Byakuya froze.
"What?" he asked, biting at his lip gently and turning away for a moment, "You...?"
"I just want you to listen to something. Just that and I will be on my way. But you need to open your eyes and see what I am telling you. In the way that you were meant for a career in mainstream music and not this, Tetsuya is born for it also."
The brown-eyed man failed to notice the sudden look of relief that touched Byakuya's eyes, then faded swiftly.
"Well, if that is all you want, then my answer is no, and you should just be on your way. I am this company's CEO now and I control Tetsuya's future as a vocalist. There is no way that I will open my cousin up to your interference. I already made that mistake and believe me, I paid dearly!"
"You needn't have paid anything at all," Aizen reminded him sedately, "You had a choice, Byakuya, and you chose to run from your fate."
"What fate?" Byakuya said, turning away and looking out the window, "Did you really expect that I would turn my back on the company that my father and grandfather founded? That I would abandon them and let myself be seduced away by you?"
Aizen's lips curved into a sly smile.
"But I did seduce you...and because I did..."
"Because you did, I will never follow in my father's footsteps. My dreams are dead and you are the one who killed them, Sousuke. You have no right to come here and try to damage this family anymore! Get out. Get..."
Byakuya went silent as the sound of music floated in from the nearby practice room.
"What is that?" he asked, frowning, "That is not Tetsuya's..."
"No," said Aizen, catching the raven-haired man by the wrist as he started to rise.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!"
"I will, but calm down. This is Grimmjow's new single. I just want you to hear it."
He moved closer, gazing deeply into Byakuya's shocked eyes. Byakuya stood frozen as Grimmjow's voice rose up, singing an upbeat melody. He calmed slightly, unable to miss the fact that the song sounded wonderful.
"Fine," he said shortly, "I listened. Now, go!"
"No," Aizen said, his smile widening, "Listen, Byakuya."
Byakuya's body went taut as Tetsuya's lovely voice picked up the harmony, blending playfully with Grimmjow's and giving to song a beautiful lift.
"There now," Aizen said, moving closer and slipping an arm around his former love's waist. A warm hand cupped the stunned man's cheek and Aizen's lips brushed against his ear provocatively as he went on.
"You hear it, don't you? You remember. You were like this too, Byakuya. And now, your cousin has reached this point. He too, has the voice and the presence to entertain beautifully."
His fingers touched Byakuya's flushed lips as the CEO tried to object.
"No...don't speak yet. Listen. I will contract him only for this duet. It will bring Tetsuya into the public eye and it can refill the coffers of your family's business. You want to save this place, Byakuya? You can't do that, banking on Tetsuya's voice and the same old operas. Let's work together on this. We will each benefit, and when it is over, you will be free to do as you will. My old offer stands. If you wish to return to me, to place your company within mine and your heart in my hands, you can revive those dreams that you thought lost."
Byakuya tore away suddenly, running out of the room and down the hallway to the practice room. He burst inside and slid to a stop, his distraught eyes taking in the sight of Tetsuya, seated close to Grimmjow and singing along with the other vocalist. Upon seeing him, Tetsuya stopped singing and stared back at him with wide, uncertain eyes.
"Come away from there, Tetsuya," Byakuya said sternly, "You know that such a thing is not allowed."
"I know," the younger man said penitently, "I am sorry. It is just that it sounded so beautiful. I couldn't help myself."
"And you sounded wonderful. But you know the rules. Now, go with Renji and practice your own material."
"Hai, Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya said softly.
He said no more, but rose and left the room silently with Renji at his side. Byakuya turned back as Aizen entered the room and exchanged a look of approval with Grimmjow.
"I will say it one more time," Byakuya said in a low, angry voice, "Leave this place and never come back here. You have no right to set foot on my family's property, nor to steal what does not belong to you! You may have been able to blackmail me into silence, Aizen Sousuke, but you will never hurt Tetsuya like that. I won't let you!"
"I don't want to hurt Tetsuya," Aizen said, closing in on Byakuya again,This deal will..."
"You know that once he appears as a popular artist, he will never be accepted as a serious talent," Byakuya argued, "We may earn the money we need to keep the company going, but we will destroy our credibility."
"Which doesn't matter, because if you merge your company with mine, then your company's losses will cease to matter. You can keep it up as a personal project, if you wish. I am only trying to help you here. The other possibility is to leave you as you are and watch the company flounder before slowly dying. That young man cannot save this place, Byakuya. I can."
Byakuya glared up into the other man's eyes furiously.
"I would rather burn the place to the ground myself, and damn the very ashes, then to turn it over to you!" he hissed viciously, "Now, get out! Get out and don't come back here again!"
"I will let you think about it," Aizen said blithely, "Just don't keep me waiting too long, Byakuya. I have already waited far too long for you to return to me."
Byakuya stiffened and glared as Aizen and Grimmjow fell in together and strode out of the room. His heart pounded fitfully in his chest and tears burned in his eyes.
"I said that I would never forgive you for what you did to me," he whispered brokenly, "And no matter what tricks you use, I will never be taken in by you again, Aizen Sousuke. I would rather die."