Chapter 6: Remembering Love
Tetsuya sat in the darkness on his bed, breathing slowly and trying to force his nagging concerns away.
I want desperately to believe that things are as Grimmjow said and I simply collapsed from exhaustion and he was helping me. But it just seems like too much of a coincidence, him being in that place at that time. Add to that the fact that I don't remember anything after arriving at the cafe and things become uncomfortably suspicious. Aizen Sousuke wants badly for me to record the duet with Espada, and if this was anyone else, I would be aching all over to do just that. The piece is inspired and despite his nefarious ways, Grimmjow-san is a talented singing partner. But I know that Aizen hurt Byakuya badly. And I won't risk hurting him more by working against him. We stand to lose too much if things go awry.
He was teased out of his thoughts by a sudden, soft rustling outside his balcony doors. His head turned and he glanced at the open doors, then heard the rustling again.
"What...?"
His heart quickened as he slid out of bed and started towards the doors, listening to the continued noises, then a soft curse that brought an amused smile to his lips.
"Renji-san..." he mused softly, moving closer to the balcony then watching as the other young man struggled over the balcony rail.
Renji dropped down from the rail to sit on the balcony, catching his breath.
"Damn," he whispered to himself, not noticing his friend's presence, "That was a lot higher than it looked. I hope you know what you're putting me through, Tetsuya-san..."
"I have an idea or two," Tetsuya answered, smirking and crossing his arms.
"Augh, shit!" Renji hissed, "Tetsuya-san, you scared the hell outta me! What're you doing, sneaking up on me like that? You coulda given me a heart attack!"
"That is pretty cheeky, coming from one who was attempting to sneak into my bedroom...badly, I might add. I am very surprised the guards didn't catch you, or perhaps they saw your ridiculous little display and didn't figure it was worth wasting the effort to stop you."
"Ouch!" Renji laughed as Tetsuya moved forward and offered him a hand.
Tetsuya made a sound of surprise as he was tugged down and landed ingloriously in the redhead's lap. He opened his mouth to protest, but found it quickly busied with warm, hungry kisses.
"Mmmm," Renji sighed, licking Tetsuya's lips, "Sweet...you're drinking herbal tea, ne? Having trouble dropping off?"
"Yes, actually," the vocalist admitted, "I can't seem to stop thinking about what happened, how I don't remember anything after arriving at the cafe."
"Yeah, Kuchiki-san sent some guys down to talk to the people there to see if they saw anything out of the ordinary, but nothing's come back yet. He was really pissed. Did you know that, as soon as we realized you were missing, he stormed over to Aizen's building and busted down his office door?"
"Really?" Tetsuya breathed, his eyes widening, "He...?"
"Yeah," Renji chuckled, "I woulda given a lot to see that. I don't think I've ever seen Kuchiki-san that passionate about anything or anyone. You've gotta mean a lot to that guy."
"He is very protective of me," Tetsuya acknowledged, "He always has been. As much as the rest of the family has always made me feel like an outcast, there is a gentleness in my cousin that he seems to direct only at me. I don't understand it. I mean, it is basically because of me that Soujun died."
"Hey, that's not true. None of that was your fault, Tetsuya-san. You were just a baby. It was those assholes on the board who couldn't handle Takao-san wanting something...someone a little different."
"You're right, I suppose," Tetsuya sighed, sliding off of the redhead's lap and standing. He offered a hand to Renji and smiled as the redhead accepted it and came to his feet, "I just hate that it was my presence that touched things off like that. It is sometimes heavy burden to carry."
"Yeah, I get that," Renji said, following Tetsuya in from the balcony.
The two paused, just inside the doors and Renji slipped his arms around the younger man and moved in for a longer, more indulgent kiss.
"Thank you for coming here," Tetsuya whispered, tightening his arms around Renji and meeting him eagerly for several deeper, open-mouthed kisses.
"You're not gonna get in trouble with Kuchiki-san, ne?" Renji asked, curving a hand around Tetsuya's bottom and pulling him closer.
Tetsuya's heart quickened at the feel of the heat that reached him, through their clothes.
"Eh, not beyond the usual raised eyebrows and reminder to have you enter through the front doors."
"So, you figure they saw me?"
"Of course they saw you...and heard you too. You really are very clumsy. I don't know how you got into the barn unnoticed before."
"Probably the same way you did earlier," Renji countered, stepping forward and backing Tetsuya closer to the bed, "So...can I tuck you in?"
"You came all of this way and slipped past our security, just to tuck me in? You're quite persistent."
"Yeah, well, you looked pretty rattled earlier. I just really wanted to make sure you were all right."
"Hmmm," mused Tetsuya, moving his hips very slightly and smiling as Renji flinched, "As noble as that is, I cannot help but think that you were hoping for an invitation to stay."
"Touché," Renji laughed, taking Tetsuya's soft lips again, "You've got me there."
"Well, at least you are honest about it."
"You sound a little jaded for someone who's never been in love before," the redhead commented, "Though, I guess it comes from being surrounded by those morons on the board."
"Yes, most likely," Tetsuya agreed, "But despite whatever doubts I might have about your motives, I am glad you came tonight, Renji-san. I felt bad earlier about insulting you with the way I acted."
"What are you talking about? You were still up in arms about what happened. Can't blame you for wanting to back off and get things under control."
"Well, then, you're very understanding."
"Yeah, that and I'm really crazy about you. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever know what your lips tasted like," Renji whispered, tightening his arms around the younger man, "How soft your skin was...where you liked to be touched."
Tetsuya's eyes closed as Renji's mouth found his again, and his hot, insistent tongue pushed between the younger man's lips to taste him. When they opened again, he caught his breath in surprise at finding himself lying on the bed, on his back with Renji leaning over him, kissing his way down his soft throat.
"Renji..." he whispered, his heart pounding.
"It's okay," Renji assured him, "You don't have to do anything you don't feel like doing. We can just kiss and touch some, if you want. Or I could kiss you goodnight and go...although, I admit it would be a little hard...erm...difficult, at this point."
Tetsuya blushed.
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of teasing you. If I had no intention of taking things further, I would have told you that."
"Heh, you've been telling me to 'stop it' and leave off teasing for months, Tetsuya-san," Renji laughed.
"That is because you were hitting on me at work and there were a thousand rules impeding us."
"Well, Kuchiki-san got you free of all of that, ne?"
"Well, we still should not make a display of things, but yes, I am free to..."
He paused, his blush deepening as he struggled for words.
"It's okay for us to make love?" Renji asked, his lips quirking, "When you're ready, I mean."
"Yes, we can carry on as we will, as long as we are more discreet than you were, climbing up my trellis in the middle of the night."
"All right," chuckled Renji, "I'll use the front door next time, even if it means Kuchiki-san will be there, glaring at me because he knows I'm laying hands on his favorite cousin."
"He will not interfere with us. I am of age, and he, himself, freed me to choose who I will. And he likes you, Renji. He knows you're an honorable person...well, when it comes to relationships, anyway."
"Well, good," said the redhead, sounding relieved, "I woulda hated to have to piss him off because I'm so determined to be with you. But it seems like I just can't stop myself from wanting to get closer. I don't want to go too fast and make you uncomfortable, though. So, we'll just go slow, okay?"
"Okay," Tetsuya answered in a flustered tone, "So...where exactly do we begin?"
He inhaled in surprise as Renji stood and slipped out of his shirt, baring his tanned and boldly tattooed upper body. Tetsuya's mouth opened, but he found himself lost for words as the handsome sight was suddenly enhanced by the warm play of Renji's attractive masculine scent where it drifted over him.
"Renji..." he said breathlessly.
XXXXXXXXXX
Byakuya stood solemnly on his balcony, watching out of the corner of an eye as Tetsuya and Renji slipped inside his cousin's bedroom and closed the doors. He sighed softly, closing his eyes and trying to cope with the colliding desires to stop what was happening and to just be grateful it was Renji who was stealing Tetsuya's innocence.
Tetsuya is an adult, and the family has interfered too much in his life. If he and Renji love each other, then they should be allowed to be together. Renji may be 'just a simple studio musician,' but he is also a genuinely kind person...and a loyal friend.
His thoughts strayed back in time to how he had first heard of the redhead, a magazine article detailing a troubled relationship with his group's manager, Aizen Sousuke. And only days later, while slipping away to calm his own turbulent heart, he had encountered Renji, dead drunk and miserable in a bar and suddenly decided to take him somewhere safer.
"Abarai Renji?" he said, gazing sternly down into dark, devastated brown eyes.
"Who wants to know?" the redhead asked, barely lifting his head to get a look at the raven-haired man speaking to him.
A moment later, he did a doubletake and his eyes widened.
"K-kuchiki-san?" he asked, blinking, "I gotta be seeing things..."
"I see that he wasn't kind to you either," Byakuya commented, "He has a habit of destroying what he cannot control. Were you lovers?"
"Augh, hell no! But, you know, he liked my tattoos and thought I should do some naked shoots to gain some...heh...exposure. Then, there was this friend of his who said he'd give us a real nice contract he wanted if I'd let the guy fuck me. I know that shit happens in the business...you know, you scratch my itch, I scratch yours, but I told him to go to hell and he tried to put the screws to me. Said I was too damned proud and I could do what he said or take a hike. There were plenty of other guys who would be willing to take off their clothes and lie down with whoever he said just to make it, you know? I don't know. Maybe it was stupid, but...it seemed wrong. I don't go for the drugs and weird shit that a lot of rockers do. I don't wanna share everything with the world and I won't fuck someone to get what I want. Maybe I am too proud, and maybe I will die like he said, a mongrel in the gutter. But I won't let that guy make me do something like that if I don't choose it."
He looked up at Byakuya through deeply pained and hazy eyes.
"Sorry, I run off at the mouth when I've been drinking. It's just that Aizen made it so I can't get a job and I don't have anywhere to go."
"Come, then," Byakuya said, taking him by the arm.
"Wha...whoa! What're you doin'? I'm still..."
"I'm getting you out of here."
"Huh? Why? Why would you do that?"
"Never mind that," Byakuya said brusquely, "You're coming with me."
"Wait a minute! You can't..."
"I'm not trying to do anything to you. I am going to dry you out and give you a job and a place to live. Get up, Abarai. I am not about to watch that man ruin another person the way..."
He paused for a moment as Renji continued to stare up at him dazedly.
"Ah, fuck, that's right," he said, remembering, "He said that you were lovers once. Damn. Sorry, Kuchiki-san. Guy's a real bastard, huh?"
"Come on, Renji. You do not belong here."
The redhead's eyes squinted and he worked at taking in what was happening.
"Y-you're really gonna give me a job?"
"And a place to live," the CEO confirmed, "Get up, Renji."
"But, what do you...?"
"I don't want anything but to see that man fail to ruin you. Come."
Renji hesitated, still struggling with whether or not to believe what was happening.
"Ah, hell, I've got nothing to lose," he said finally, "Okay, I'll go with you. But, I'm not sleeping with anyone for this, okay?"
Byakuya couldn't quite keep his lips from quirking affectionately.
"Very well. Come now, before the sun rises and we both realize what fools we are."
"Bastard," he whispered to the moon, "You lying, manipulative, scheming..."
"Ah, such lovely platitudes," Aizen's voice said softly as he slid his arms around the surprised CEO.
"What are you doing here? Let go of me!" Byakuya hissed, struggling to free himself.
"Come now, I was just here to check in and see if you had found your missing cousin."
"And for some reason, it was asking too much to expect you to use the front door?" Byakuya asked furiously.
"The security around here is inordinately lax," Aizen noted, "But then, your family has lost some of its notoriety."
"Did you come here simply to irritate me?" Byakuya snapped, "Or does your verbal meandering have a purpose?"
"Of course, I have a purpose," Aizen said softly, looking up at the moon, "I want what I wanted all of this time. I want you to come back to me, Byakuya. I want you to..."
"My company is not going to become a part of yours," the raven-haired man said with finality, "and there is no way in hell that I will ever come back to you as a lover. That you even ask after what you did to me, only makes me believe you are angling for something else and you are using this to distract me."
"Am I distracting you?" Aizen asked, pulling back a curtain of black hair and teasing the fine skin beneath it with his breath, "I told you. I came to make sure that Tetsuya was found safely. I didn't think that you would allow me in if I knocked politely."
"A distinct possibility," Byakuya acknowledged, flinching as the other man's lips touched his throat, just beneath a pale earlobe, "Will you just go?"
"Why are you so determined to push me away?" Aizen asked softly, licking Byakuya's earlobe, "Hasn't it occurred to you that it would be better for you to come to me? I would, of course, leave the running of Kuchiki Studios to you, and only you. I only want to profit from the rise again in popularity when you begin to perform the features that your father composed for you. That's all."
"But you also want Tetsuya to turn to popular music performance. Sousuke, you know he isn't going to be able to handle the demands of that type of life. There are just some people who aren't meant for it."
"You are speaking of Abarai Renji?" Aizen asked, "He knew what he was getting into when he joined the group, Byakuya. Did I ask him to pose naked? Yes. It is something that many rock artists have done that have increased their sales. It was business."
"As was setting him up with that perverted abuser from...?"
"It was an important contract. The tradeoff would have been fair and would have benefitted your stubborn friend well enough."
"I am not letting you put Tetsuya in that position, Sousuke. You will never do that."
"I would not ask those things of him," Aizen promised, "He would be considered 'privileged' as an artist. As callous as it sounds, he holds enough promise in terms of sales that I can shield him."
"And you think that after you also promised to 'shield' me and after you spit in the face of your promises, I would even consider trusting you again? You are a fool, Aizen Sousuke. I am never going to do that."
So, you will let your father's dreams die without a fight?" Aizen asked, shaking his head, "Byakuya..."
"I think that I answered that question a long time ago," Byakuya said, turning and gazing up into Aizen's softly glinting eyes, "If the price of saving the company is letting a bastard like you have ultimate control, then 'surviving' isn't enough. I will mourn the company if it is lost, but I won't let you dirty it with your manipulations and shady dealings. We have never been associated with any of that...not ever!"
Aizen's lips moved closer, until they were nearly touching Byakuya's, then paused.
"What if I would be willing to conceal that it was me who was your partner?" he asked, brushing his lips against the other man's and watching the blush that rose on his skin, "I would sign a deal that would make it a confidential arrangement through a third party."
"Don't you understand?" Byakuya answered, flinching as his lips brushed against Aizen's again, "I will not be put in the position to be forced by you to do anything!"
"And what if I also agree to leave all decisions in your hands and remove the Kuchiki board?"
"They would likely kill me themselves, rather than to 'sell' me and the company off to you."
"Perhaps if they had no choice..."
"Stop," Byakuya said, touching his fingers to the other man's lips, "I won't hear any more."
Aizen kissed his fingertips, then teased his lips again, gently.
"Don't you want to perform the works your father wrote for you? Are you going to let them go, unperformed, even now?"
"It doesn't matter," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "The board will never agree to give the company to you...nor allow me to go back to you, even if that was what I wanted. As easily as you could destroy me by revealing what you know, they could do the same, if they are going to lose anyway...and that would bring shame to my father's good name. I won't do that, Sousuke, no matter how much I want to perform those pieces. I didn't know that you even knew about them. I won't ask you how you learned of them. So, is that what you really want? My father's unperformed works? Why not just ask to buy them?"
"They are worth more to me if you perform them," Aizen said, touching Byakuya's lips with a solemn fingertip, "I will not have it any other way."
"So, you want the company, me and Tetsuya, ne? And you know, going in that you will ruin Tetsuya's future as a serious vocalist by having him record that duet with Grimmjow Jaegerjaques."
"Actually, I had something different in mind," Aizen said, a smile coming to his lips as he withdrew a small drawing from within the folds of his clothes.
Byakuya stared at the image of a partially revealed, image of a young man wearing a lovely white and silver mask over his face.
"Y-you!" Byakuya hissed softly, "You...!"
"Relax. This is just an artist's impression of what it would be like. Tetsuya is not known in the music industry yet. He can record the duet with Grimmjow and even be pictured on the new release."
"And what about performances, Sousuke? He will be vulnerable..."
"I will take care of him," Aizen promised, "And this way, you can also groom him for his debut. With the two of you performing, Kuchiki Studios will regain what it has lost since Soujun's death. And later, after Tetsuya has debuted as an opera vocalist, we can reveal him as Espada's Mitsukai, the angel."
Byakuya stared at the drawing, swallowing hard at the provocative image and shaking his head.
"No, Sousuke. I just couldn't do this to Tetsuya, nor to the company, nor even the family. Maybe you think I still hold a grudge, but that is not it. It's just that, I have already lost my father. I cannot lose my family, not even as dastardly as they can be...and I cannot lose my...I cannot lose Tetsuya. Please, just go. I will not hear any more of this."
"Ah," Aizen sighed, capturing Byakuya's lovely face in his hands and offering him a kiss of parting, "I see that you will not be moved. Well, then, I had best go. Perhaps if you give this some more thought..."
"Goodbye, Sousuke," Byakuya said, aching inside as he surrendered to a final kiss.
He loosed himself from the other man's arms and walked back inside, closing the doors between them. Aizen stood, quietly looking at him through the glass, then disappeared into the darkness. Byakuya stood frozen for some time after, before sighing and sitting down on the bed.
"Damn you," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes, "Why can't you just go away and let me forget you? And why do I still want so badly to believe you?"
XXXXXXXXXX
"Oh..." Tetsuya managed, his breath catching as his eyes strayed over the beautiful, intricate expanse of tattoos, "Renji-san...you are a work of art. I've never seen the like."
He stood and moved closer, taking in the sight of the bold black lines that played out across the back of his neck, spread out on his muscular shoulders and dancing down over his chest and abdomen to frame what was down lower, and still, for the moment, hidden. An unthinking hand extended towards them, then Tetsuya caught himself and flushed brightly, starting to withdraw his hand. A jolt went through him a moment later as Renji's rough-skinned hand captured his and slowly guided it to his chest, just over his racing heart.
"Go ahead," he offered, "Touch them all you want."
Tetsuya remained, frozen like a deer, gazing at him stricken, then he forced his stunned fingers to move, and was jolted again as Renji emitted a sound somewhere between a purr and a soft growl of pleasure. The redhead watched closely as Tetsuya's softly shaking fingers traced a large square marking on one breast, then followed a spiral dangerously close to one dusky nipple. He moved his hand lower, enjoying a series of finer, triangular markings that teased him gradually down to where the redhead's slacks hid the rest of his markings.
"You wanna stop there, for now? Or would you like to see more of them?"
Tetsuya swallowed hard, his mouth unbearably dry and his heart ready to burst from within his chest as he tried to come up with some sort of answer. When words failed him, he brought his hands down to Renji's waist and tugged gently at his clothes, while burying his flushed face in the redhead's shoulder and shivering delightedly. Renji captured his chin and kissed him more gently, smiling as he stepped back and removed the last of his clothing. Tetsuya stared at the stunning spectacle, everything perfect from the redhead's long, released mane to the comely lines that decorated nearly every part of him. Another heady jolt went through him as it occurred to him.
Is that...?
Oh gods, it is also marked!
He tried not to stare, but couldn't help it as he studied Renji's huge, inflamed and proudly tattooed member. Renji read the younger man's expression and turned slightly to display the tattoos that ran down his back, accentuated his round bottom, then trickled down each leg.
"Renji..."
The redhead walked past Tetsuya and laid down on his back on the bed.
"C'mon, go ahead and touch them some more, if you want to."
Tetsuya followed him to the bed, then knelt beside him, looking down at him uncertainly.
"Renji-san, I am...I don't mean to tease, but I don't know...well..."
"C'mere," Renji said, smiling and touching Tetsuya's blushing lips with his fingertips, "Just touch them with these, then."
Tetsuya's lips trembled as he fell forward onto his hands and knees, leaning over Renji's relaxed body and slowly approaching a strong, tattooed shoulder. He said no more, but simply watched as Tetsuya remained, poised over him for a moment, then very slowly, let his lips brush against the other man's skin. The younger man's heart fluttered erratically as he felt the pounding of Renji's heart under his lips, and he fought not to let his eyes close. He traced the markings on one shoulder, then moved on to work his way down a finely sculpted breast.
I wonder what he tastes like?
Tetsuya's pink tongue extended and tasted Renji's tanned flesh, then paused as blue eyes watched the bigger man's strong reaction to the contact. He proceeded then, slowly down Renji's flushed torso, alternating between warm kisses and longer, wet strokes, appreciating every line and curve of the handsome redhead's body as Renji carefully held back, despite a growing urge to pounce on the younger man and eat him alive. He began to lose some of his resolve to hold back as that pristine mouth traveled over his sensitive belly and Tetsuya's tongue slipped into his navel.
"Ah," he panted softly, "Tetsuya...I think we'd better stop now, if you don't want me to lose it and..."
He went silent as he felt a warm puff of breath cool the sweat on his skin. Then, a delicious softness gently brushed against him, and he heard Tetsuya gasp as his defenses crumbled.
"Oh!" Renji panted, his body seizing and his release spilling out, unexpectedly.
He looked up, blushing and expecting Tetsuya to react, but found himself silenced and incapable of words anyway as the younger man bent low over his body, still exploring him. He paused as he finished, looking uncertainly down at the redhead's flushed face and dazed expression.
"S-sorry," he whispered penitently, "I have never done anything like this, so...if I was somehow...if I..."
Renji surged upward, bringing the younger man down on his back and plunging into his mouth, feeding on their mingled tastes and at the same time, loosing the tie on Tetsuya's sleeping yukata. He captured the vocalist's hands and laced their fingers together, holding them off to the sides as he plundered Tetsuya's mouth, then his throat and fine, pale breast.
"Renji!" Tetsuya panted, sweat breaking out on his forehead, "I don't know if I can...!"
"Shh, I won't make love to you yet," Renji vowed, "I just want to return the pleasure you gave me."
"But I barely touched you!" Tetsuya objected.
"Yeah, I know," Renji laughed, teasing the younger man with his tongue, then licking his way down Tetsuya's soft, white belly.
"Oh, hah! Renji!"
"Feels damned good, ne?" Renji whispered.
Tetsuya opened his mouth to answer, but could only emit a gasping moan of delight as Renji's hot mouth and tongue pleasured him. His back arched and Renji's hands wrapped around his pretty, white bottom. A piqued, sapphire eye peeked down at Renji, where he was spread out on the bed.
"Renji!" Tetsuya gasped a last time as the coil snapped viciously in his belly and he climaxed.
He watched raptly, hypnotized by the beautiful sight of the tattooed man. He almost cried out loud as the spasms faded and Renji's mouth stopped its manipulations, leaving him still panting and shaking softly on the bed.
"Holy hell..." Renji breathed, returning to his lips and sharing their mingled flavors, "You're really something special, Tetsuya."
He went still against Tetsuya's side, burrowing into a swirl of sakura scented hair.
"You think Kuchiki-san will kill me if I'm still here for breakfast...cause, I don't know if I'll have the energy to climb back down that damned trellis."
"By all means, stay then," sighed Tetsuya, "Just don't mind if he glares at you. You've thoroughly earned it, you know."