Chapter 12: Deadly Secrets

"What the hell could be taking so long?" complained Renji, "That old fart has been in there with Tetsuya-san forever! What is he doing? Sewing the damned costume onto his body?"

"Huh," huffed Grimmjow, picking away at the electric guitar he held, "You're just worried that ol' lech will steal his cherry before one of us does, ne?"

"What the fuck?" Renji snapped, "Don't talk about him that way, you sick prick. Tetsuya is with me, and don't forget it!"

"Heh, and that's why you haven't fucked him yet, huh?" chuckled the vocalist.

"Hey, we just got together," Renji answered in an annoyed tone, "And, not that it's any of your business, but he's shy and he's been really sheltered. It wouldn't be right to rush into that with him."

"Why not?" laughed Grimmjow, "Besides, you forget, I had some quality time with him. How do you know that I didn't already do him in? I could've done it and just not told him. You know, cleaned him up after..."

"You son of a bitch!" cried Renji, lunging at the smirking vocalist, "I'll kick your ass from here to...!"

The two went silent as the door to the dressing room opened and a coyly smiling Gin entered the studio.

"Well, I see you two are back at the flirting again, ne?" he chuckled, "But do you want to see what you've been salivating and baring your fangs over, or do you want to keep at it?"

"Bring 'im on," said Grimmjow, his eyes narrowing with anticipation, "Let's see what you've done with him."

"You two start the intro to that cover you were supposed to be practicing instead of fighting and he'll come in on his part. Trust me, you'd better be carrying tissues. Would you like to borrow some, just in case?"

"Just shut up and start the damned track, you freakin' fruit loop," Grimmjow muttered, running his fingers through his hair and nodding to Renji, "What about you, Red? You ready?"

"Yeah, whatever," Renji mumbled, scowling.

Gin laughed softly and started the music track, watching as Renji and Grimmjow shed their hostility and took their places. Grimmjow waited, listening carefully, then joined in on his part, with Renji starting the background vocal a few moments later.

Damn, mused Renji, It almost feels like the old days. Grimmjow's still the same as he was then...a stupid ass rebellious jerk, but with one of the best voices I've ever heard.

The tempo picked up and the two men forgot their differences completely, putting on that air of professionalism they had learned as part of their trade. They even smiled at each other, lulled by the feisty cadence of the music and starting to settle into their old comfortable roles, when the dressing room door opened, and as the song moved into the second verse, Tetsuya entered the studio, and the song in perfect time.

Renji almost lost his place in the song, barely managing to keep his composure as he took in the transformed young vocalist. He wasn't sure what material Gin had used in Tetsuya's clothing, but it seemed to be a very form fitting white body glove, overlaid with some manner of iridescent white material that offered sinful glimpses of Tetsuya's shapely body as he moved. The young man's face was half covered with a comely white mask that covered all of the way down to his nose, then trickled away to the sides, hiding his most telling features. His sapphire eyes, too, were disguised, set with contact lenses that made them glint and catch the light. His hands were also partially covered with white, fingerless gloves that matched the design of his mask. Renji was soundly jolted as he realized that, although he knew it was Tetsuya beneath the costume, he could almost believe he was looking at a real angel.

And when Tetsuya's voice joined in with Grimmjow's, in a sweet, playful harmony, Renji began to feel as though his feet had left the ground. The three sang their parts, while also performing the moves that Gin had choreographed for them and let them practice before stealing Tetsuya away to dress him. All the while, a grinning Gin, along with several other technicians, trained an array of cameras on the three, picking up each word and note, each step and turn, each lift and maneuver and cataloguing them carefully onto film.

The three men slowly forgot where they were, getting swept up in the music, in the words, in the dance, even forgetting for a time that it was all just pretend.

And in that haze of make believe, the competitiveness of Renji and Grimmjow began to emerge again as the two engaged Tetsuya in a dance that had them alternating roles as his suitors, stealing him away from each other and meeting each others' gaze aggressively as Tetsuya's body turned and spun between them, sweetly oblivious to their competing advances.

"Oh, brilliant," whispered Gin, zooming in as Renji dipped his lovely boyfriend and Grimmjow stole him away, "Just perfect!"

Grimmjow lifted Tetsuya and tossed him into the air, to be caught by Renji and brought in for a 'near-miss' kiss, taken off course by Grimmjow as the smirking, catlike singer lured him away again.

"Gods, I'm hard as a rock, watching them," Gin commented to himself, sighing as Grimmjow's hand curved around Tetsuya's bottom, only to be knocked aside as Renji moved in to protect his pretty mate, "I think it will take several lovers to get rid of this..."

He sighed again in regret as the song rolled into the ending, and the three men brought it then to a stunning visual and musical conclusion. They came to a halt with Tetsuya locked between his two suitors, one slender hand rested stayingly on each of the other men's heaving chests.

"Ah, so lovely and arousing!" Gin praised them, "You nearly melted the lens on my camera. Now, why don't you go on over and practice the piece of that song that Grimmjow wrote? I'll work on fixing the camera angles and be back with you in an hour to record the sample of that one."

The three younger men watched as Gin left, then moved over to the vocal practice area.

"Y'know, Red," Grimmjow said, giving Renji a sly grin, "You haven't lost your touch. You're good, just like always. And you, Tetsuya, gods, I think that last note you hit gave me an instant hard-on! That's some range."

"Erm, thank you, Grimmjow," Tetsuya said, blushing as Renji said nothing and just scowled at his former lover, "But you will remember that Renji and I are seeing each other. So, outside of the songs and dances, I will expect you to respect that."

"Sure thing. I told you. I was ordered to take those pictures before. I won't hit on you too much while we're not working."

"Too much?" Renji growled.

"And I wasn't just speaking about how you treat me," Tetsuya went on, turning both of the other men's heads in surprise, "Renji is with me. You shouldn't try to seduce him either. I know the two of you have a past together, but you ended that some time ago. I hope you will both respect me enough to remember that. As much as our interactions on stage are scripted, they should not spill over into real life. This is just acting."

"Yeah, I get it," said Grimmjow, still smirking, "Now, come on. I'll teach you two lovebirds the clip we're using for the sample."

He stalked a short distance away from the two, leaving them alone to talk. Renji slipped an arm around Tetsuya and stole a kiss.

"Hey, I hope you don't really think that I would hurt you by even considering going back to that guy. I love you. I've been in love with you and not able to show it for a really long time. I'm not going to screw that up by screwing around with him."

"I don't have a former lover, so I don't know so much about that," Tetsuya answered, glancing at Grimmjow as the vocalist fiddled absently with a guitar and sang softly to himself, "But I think from seeing how much pain Byakuya-sama feels over Aizen Sousuke, even now, that some feelings continue to run deeply even when people separate. And remember, Renji-san, you left Grimmjow-san more because of what Aizen did, than because of his own behavior. It is all right to admit it if you still have feelings for him. But you should be honest with me. I need to know what you are thinking."

Renji wrapped his arms around the younger man and sought this mouth for a warm, placating kiss.

"I'm not even thinking about wanting to go back to Grimmjow," the redhead said firmly, "I told you. I am in love with you. End of story. I'm not leaving you for him. I know what I have right here."

Tetsuya gave him a relieved smile.

"I know," he said softly, "I just...there is something in the way he looks at us, Renji. I do not know if he is merely synchronizing with his role in the musical act or if it seems real to him, but I feel something odd in him. I think he is interested in me, but he is also still in love with you."

"Yeah, right," Renji chuckled sarcastically, "You could really tell by the way we were at each other's throats, wanting to kill each other while Gin was dressing you."

Tetsuya's hands wrapped around Renji's embracing arms and he looked up into the redhead's eyes worriedly.

"Yes," he said, sending a jolt through Renji, "Exactly. Renji, if you were not in love when you were together before, it wouldn't have hurt so badly when you broke up and the feelings now, even if negative, would not be so strong."

"Huh, how do you figure that?" Renji asked, "Tetsuya, you haven't been with a lover before..."

"I told you. I am very close to my cousin, and I saw, first-hand the damage that their love did to them when they were broken apart. The evidence did not die with their affair, but is still so painful for him. Renji," Tetsuya said sadly, his eyes tearing, "Perhaps before we go any farther, we should..."

"Whoa," Renji objected, placing his hands on the sides of Tetsuya's lovely, masked face, "No way am I letting you go or even thinking of letting you leave me."

"I am not saying that we should separate," Tetsuya continued in an even softer tone, stealing another glance at Grimmjow, "We should just be careful to communicate what is happening...even if what is happening is difficult to admit."

"Wait a minute," Renji said, his frown deepening, "Tetsuya, are you saying that you are attracted to him?"

"I am saying that I only just found out that the two of you were involved. And as much as I trust you, you did just find out that Grimmjow wasn't as much in control of his situation as you thought."

"That doesn't mean that I want to go back to him," Renji answered, a wounded look in his brown eyes.

"I know," Tetsuya assured him, resting his head on the redhead's shoulder and holding him more tightly, "I am just saying we should be cautious. I didn't mean to be hurtful, Renji, truly."

"Hey, sweethearts," Grimmjow said off-handedly, "You wanna get over here and practice this song with me before Gin comes back?"

Tetsuya yielded another warm kiss and smiled up at the redhead.

"Come, Renji. We will speak more of this later. Just know that I love you too, and I am not going to leave you."

"I'm not going anywhere either," sighed Renji, capturing Tetsuya's face in his hands and kissing him again, "I waited too long to be able to be with you."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya woke to find himself freed of the secret chamber and still blissfully naked, wrapped snugly in cool sheets and soft blankets, and lying in a very comfortable bed in Aizen Sousuke's own bedroom. His body still hummed with life inside, having been taken repeatedly, and for the first time he could remember, he felt something other than disgust at what he was.

This is why it was so easy to love him. As wicked and scheming as Aizen Sousuke is, he is the only person to ever embrace all of me. I never knew what it was like to feel beautiful and fully accepted until this man discovered my true nature and instead of being repelled, loved me for my whole self.

The family always tried to hide what I am, as though it was a mark of shame. And because they hated that about me, I feared that all others would. I hid myself carefully. I tried to always walk the cautious path. But there was no way to do that anymore, once that man loved me.

I see him in Tetsuya. Although he has blue eyes, like his grandmothers did, and the strong Kuchiki features are certainly there, I see the little things...some of his expressions, the way he moves sometimes and the deep intelligence, but without Sousuke's calculated edge. Yes, Tetsuya has a soul, which has, like mine, been confined and held back. He might have stayed that way forever, had things not changed and Sousuke not returned to us.

But what should we do now?

Sousuke is right that Tetsuya has natural talent that will serve him in any arena, musically. And he has a solemn sort of wisdom that most his age do not, because of his past within the family. I am sure that although he despises Sousuke for cornering him, he is secretly reveling in what he is doing. I only hope that the family does not realize what we are doing, should this go on. Making the single with Grimmjow might not expose him to discovery, but if the song is successful and Tetsuya tours with the group, it will make things more dangerous for him.

This will also make things more dangerous for me.

I haven't forgotten the family's anger when I became pregnant with Aizen Sousuke's child. And I understand that anger. That man did try to steal the family company. He seduced me and used me to do that. I thought it was all coldly done, and I thought that Sousuke didn't truly love me. But there is love in his hands when he touches me. And while he can be a cruel man, he is not cruel to me. He is careful with Tetsuya because of me. I want to tell him now that Tetsuya is our son, but I was admonished never to give up that fact to him. The family doesn't want him to know.

Because, as one of Tetsuya's biological parents, he would have standing in the family, and a right to custodianship of Tetsuya's stake within the company. And with just that much, it would not be difficult for him to take control. I grieve that this should be so, but I know that Sousuke would not hesitate to make full use of that. And while Sousuke is a crafty man and would probably be able to avoid the family's wrath, Tetsuya and I would be vulnerable. I don't think that even Sousuke could protect us.

So, keeping this secret seems the only thing to do.

But, my heart longs for me to tell him. I wanted to tell him then, even when I felt so betrayed. Something in me has always accepted that there can be no one for me but Aizen Sousuke. So, even though the safest thing is to remain silent, I must find a way to say the words. But in saying them, I risk a great deal. If Sousuke is angry enough, he may simply use his place as Tetsuya's legal parent to steal Tetsuya away. Even though he is technically an adult, Tetsuya does not have full privileges until he is twenty-five and he receives his full inheritance and voting status. Until then, his legal parents carry his proxy and assist him in his decisions.

Part of me says that I should wait until then to reveal Tetsuya's true identity to Sousuke.

But the greater part wants to tell him now.

It is a great risk. It is enough to bring about a family disaster akin to the one that took my father's life. Tetsuya doesn't know the truth of what happened...of how my father's attempts to protect Tetsuya and me were what led to the family debacle that killed him. Yes, I have long known that what happened to him was no mistaken identity. He ran afoul of the family because he tried to protect me when they found out that I was having Sousuke's love child. They were going to kill me, with Tetsuya inside me. My father got in the way of that and he died because of it. It shocked the family that things went so wrong, and they had no real choice with Soujun gone, but to accept things...but it was always with the understanding that neither Tetsuya, nor his father were ever to know about Tetsuya's parentage. They concocted that story about my father's death and Takao's and forced the rest of us to go along with it. They said that they were protecting the company, but...they were protecting what wealth they had left after they took my father's life and almost destroyed us all.

I should have let Sousuke take them apart.

If I hadn't been so young, I would have known better what to do. But I cannot go back and fix the past. I can only affect the future with what I do now. And right now, I don't know which is the safer path.

If I tell Sousuke, can he really protect all of us?

If I do not tell him and the family discovers what Tetsuya is doing, will I be able to protect him?

What can I do?

He turned his head to look out the large bay window and realized suddenly that the huge sunken tub in the room had been filled with water and Aizen Sousuke was quietly reclining it, up to his shoulders and watching Byakuya. Byakuya slipped out of the bed and, leaving his body bared, walked slowly across the room to join him. He slid down into the water and settled onto the other man's lap, spreading his thighs and laying his head on the other man's shoulder. Neither spoke, but Byakuya could feel the intense warmth between them that threatened to swallow him whole.

I really do love him.

And he deserves to know.

I cannot keep this from him anymore.

I never wanted to in the first place...not even though I felt so betrayed. And now, it is possible that he has impregnated me again. I will not be forgiven for this. It is very likely that, if the family finds out, they will have me killed and they will take control of Tetsuya's future until he is twenty-five. They will probably try to corner him as they did to me after my father died. And my grandfather is no longer here to protect us...

Can Sousuke?

Can anyone?

I think I have no choice anymore.

"Sousuke," he said softly, breaking the comfortable silence, "There is something that I need to tell you."

He felt his heart freeze inside him as Aizen's dark brown eyes focused on him questioningly.

"It is about Tetsuya," Byakuya went on, forcing the words out, "Sousuke, I am only telling you this, because Tetsuya and I might be in danger from the family, and I don't know anymore if I can protect us as I have up until now."

"This sounds serious," Aizen said, sitting up straighter, "What is it then?"

"It is serious," Byakuya said, his voice shaking slightly, "Sousuke, I was forbidden from telling you for reasons that I am sure you will understand when you hear. The truth is...that Tetsuya was not born of Kuchikis Takao and Kiko."

"Oh?" queried the other man, a sudden hint of curiosity and expectation in his piqued eyes.

"No," Byakuya went on, his heart pounding, "Tetsuya...Sousuke, Tetsuya is our son. Yours...and mine."