Chapter 3: Comfort in the Night
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(For Sariniste, the best and most enthusiastic Aizenfan I've met! :) My gratitude also to Aizenfan6969 (I think you're right, Aizen's much too busy planning his next move to regret the past!), Winterheart2000 (Here is more to enjoy!), Willow (I like playing out how characters are different depending on who they're with. Tetsuya is sweet and loyal with Byakuya, but will have a different reaction when Aizen turns amorous!), Kamelcake (I think Orochi isn't done. He still has a few tricks up his sleeve, but he'd better watch out. Aizen does wicked way better than Orochi...he created the concept!), Pickez80 (I think Tetsuya will wonder the same thing at first!), Beaker (I love two evil bastards tangling over pure, innocent prey.), KennishaJames (Oh yes! That isn't all that will get nailed in this one...), Sariniste (Thanks so much for the motivation! This is going on the active list!), Tcas0518 (Renji will begin his approach soon! How about now? And Orochi has gotten Aizen's attention, which is usually a pretty deadly thing. You can bet one of Aizen's first acts as a free man will be to see that Orochi is handled.), and Shima-taicho31 (You've made me want to work on some more Kuri/Tetsu-hana, so I'll be on that later today!) Hey guys, don't forget to weigh in on the new Top/Bottom poll that started yesterday. No Aizen in it because he's pretty much dominant and only one Tetsuya pairing because he's almost pure uke, but there are plenty of parings to choose between! The poll on fave couples turned out as I thought it would with Byakuya/Renji, Byakuya/Ichigo, Aizen/Byakuya and Ichigo/Renji making the strongest showings. Now, to see which way the pairings resonate with readers. Just to be clear, I do write more balanced couples in my stories...except Aizen almost always tops and Tetsuya almost always bottoms, for character reasons. I just want to see where interest lies as I consider some new storylines. Thanks for taking the time to give your opinions! Love to all, Spunky)
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Byakuya sat outside his bedroom on the edge of the walkway, leaned against a wooden support and looking up into the cloudy sky at the bright full moon. Beside him, an opened and half empty bottle of sake sat on a silken piece of cloth alongside two antique cups. Renji stepped out of a nearby guest room, dressed in a handsome green sleeping yukata and with his long autumn hair braided and let down over his shoulder. He spotted Byakuya sitting alone on the walkway, with his attendant kneeling respectfully within the bedroom and waiting to provide anything the clan leader might need.
"Hey Torio," he greeted the attendant, a sad flicker touching him inside as he realized Byakuya hadn't moved or said anything as he had approached, "I've got this. Why don't you go on to bed. I'll take care of him."
"Ah..." Torio said uncertainly, glancing at Byakuya.
"You are excused, Torio," Byakuya said quietly, "I am sure your brother needs you. It is a difficult night for all of us."
"Thank you, Byakuya-sama," the young man said, bowing, "I will be with Koji if you need anything."
Renji sat down on the other side of the sake set, looking down at Byakuya's almost empty cup and the other that had been filled and left waiting.
"Go ahead," Byakuya invited him.
"Isn't that set out to honor your cousin?" Renji asked, frowning.
A sad smile flitted onto Byakuya lips.
"Tetsuya rarely partook of anything alcoholic," he explained, "He was extremely sensitive and would become intoxicated on only one drink. I did pour this to honor him, but it was hardly appropriate, considering."
"I think it's appropriate," Renji said, smiling and picking up the cup, "It brought back something pleasant, something good that you shared with him."
Renji lifted the cup to his lips and drank deeply.
"Down in Inuzuri, whenever we'd lose a friend, we made it a tradition to bury the person with something that would remind'em of us. And it's funny. Even though what we buried with them wasn't visible to us anymore, we remembered it better because it was in the ground with our friend, and thinking of that friend holding onto a piece of our past together was a little bit of comfort. We knew we wouldn't forget, and we knew we wouldn't be forgotten. When you're invisible to most of the world, being remembered is one of the most important things...for the living and the dead."
"Tetsuya held a similar view," Byakuya said softly, taking another large swallow of sake, "I think it makes sense that he would because, like you, he grew up owning nothing and trapped in an unforgiving world. As they grew up, Tetsuya and his Naoki only really had each other...and the hope that someday, I would come to free them. But even as Tetsuya gained his freedom, he lost the person he loved, and I had his lover's body brought here, to Kuchiki Manor for burial. Tetsuya made a request of me, which I honored as a favor to him. First, I had Naoki recognized as Tetsuya's husband, as the two had given each other their vows while still prisoners and being improperly denied their rights. Tetsuya also asked me to place one of the petal blades from my bankai in Naoki's urn with his remains...as a sign that hope is always there."
Byakuya paused, sighing softly and closing his eyes. His breath caught slightly as Renji's hand slid into his and squeezed gently.
"It's there for you too, Taichou," he assured Byakuya.
"Is it?" Byakuya asked, opening his eyes again and looking up at the moon, "Because, however much hope I have, Tetsuya will not come back this time."
"No," Renji agreed, "And that's hell to have to deal with that. It's a hell that you and I have gone through too many times. You lost your parents, Hisana, and now Tetsuya. I lost every friend who was like family to Rukia and me as we grew up. But even though I lost almost all of the people who mattered to me, I didn't lose them all...and you still have people who you love too. When you start looking too much at what you've lost, you can forget about how much you still have. I know you love Rukia."
"Yes."
"And you are close with Torio, Toshi and Akio, the brothers who have served your family since you were all kids."
"That is true," Byakuya agreed, blinking slowly.
"I still have Rukia also, and I have friends I've made here in the Seireitei since I left Inuzuri and came to live here. And I have someone else who is an inspiration to me, who I want to be like...who I love now, more than anything."
Byakuya froze for a moment, hardly daring to breathe as Renji's hand left his and the redhead's arm curled around him, coaxing him into laying his head on Renji's shoulder, with the sake set still in between them.
"Losing someone you love is real lonely," Renji went on, the words bringing tears into Byakuya's dark eyes, "And I think the more you love the person who dies, the more lonely you feel when they're gone. When you went up against As Nodt and I saw you disappear into your own petals, it felt like all of the hope I had dried up and died with you. I woke up briefly in the hospital, before we were taken to the royal realm, and the first thing that I thought was...is this where I start having to go on without him? How am I going to keep breathing? It hurt so bad to breathe, knowing you had to have died and stopped breathing. Then...I overheard someone say that you were somehow still alive. And even though you were still in bad shape, I felt like I could breathe again. And it was then that I decided, you know, when the war's over and we go home, I'm just going to say it. I'm going to tell him that I love him, and whatever happens will happen. I don't want one more day to go by with you not knowing how much I love you, Taichou. And even if you can't love me back..."
Renji's words disappeared as Byakuya's head tilted suddenly, bringing his sake-drenched lips together with the redhead's. They shared several long, wet kisses, then Byakuya parted their lips and looked up at Renji through hazy, reddened eyes.
"I don't know what part of my heart will be left in the morning," he said quietly, "Tetsuya's passing has broken it badly. But...whatever part of it is left, I will offer it to you, Renji. Because you are my inspiration, I want to be more like you...and...I love you too."
Renji gave Byakuya a sad smile, then helped him to his feet and back into his bedroom. He tucked the noble into bed, then slid in under the covers beside him. Wrapping his body warmly around Byakuya's, he laced their fingers together and pressed his cheek up against the weary noble's. Each feeling a little less lonely, the two surrendered to sleep, while outside, the moon shined brightly overhead.
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Ichigo tossed and turned in his sleep, his lips moving and soft moans of protest escaping as Tetsuya appeared in his mind, smiling and dressed in a simple, white yukata...his feet bare as he walked through the rain dampened grass, under a full moon. He looked back at Ichigo, saying something that he couldn't understand.
"Tetsuya!" Ichigo called out, running after his friend as something dark began to approach from behind him, "Tetsuya, behind you!"
He couldn't see what kind of horror was coming, but he could feel the wicked swell of its reiatsu as it closed in on the still smiling noble.
"Tetsuya!" he cried again, trying desperately to flash step, but hindered by the heavy reiatsu that pushed against him and held him back.
Ahead of him, Tetsuya's smile faded, and he turned to face the black terror that was already reaching for him.
"NO!" Ichigo screamed, "LET HIM GO!"
Tetsuya's face blanched as the monster's arm curled around his waist and the beast pulled him close and bent its head to kiss the pure, white flesh of the noble's exposed throat.
"STOP!" Ichigo howled, watching in dismay as the beast's head lifted slightly, and the thing's face came into view.
He had a flash impression of a surprisingly handsome and familiar face, and a long curl of brown hair that trailed down between wicked brown eyes.
"You!" Ichigo gasped, "What are you doing to him? Leave him alone!"
"Hey," a male voice said suddenly, bringing Ichigo out of sleep and shocking him back into wakefulness, "You all right, Kurosaki?"
Ichigo panted and blinked, Tetsuya's voice still sounding in his mind, and the image of Aizen's face still haunting him.
"G-grimmjow?" Ichigo managed, accepting a glass of water the Espada picked up from the nightstand and set in his hand.
He took a long swallow, blinking to clear his head.
"You were yelling in your sleep," Grimmjow explained.
"Oh," Ichigo said, coloring, "sorry if I woke you up."
"Eh, who can sleep?" Grimmjow complained off-handedly, "It's just settling in that the war is over and we can start going back to normal."
He huffed out a soft, heated breath.
"Although, what the hell is normal? Those quincies really fucked things up here. It's going to be a while before it even looks, let alone feels normal around here."
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, looking down and unclenching one hand that was still holding onto the bedding, "and some things aren't going to go back to normal. A lot of people died."
"Seems like one in particular is haunting you," the Espada observed, "You were calling out his name."
"Yeah?" Ichigo mused, "Well, it's still settling in, I guess. It doesn't feel real. It still seems like he's just out patrolling the grounds and he'll show up at breakfast with everyone else. I should feel it inside if he's gone, right? Cause I don't feel that."
"But you know he's not coming back."
"I know. It just...feels like I can't really be awake. I have to be dreaming this. It's weird how close he still feels, even though he died."
"Give it time," Grimmjow advised him, "Ghosts always fade over time."
"That's not going to help me stop bugging you while you're trying to sleep," Ichigo sighed wearily.
"Well," Grimmjow mused, "if you're going to be stubborn and keep waking me up anyway, it'd make more sense for me to sleep in here, so I can elbow you and make you wake up faster. Then, we'll both get more sleep, ne?"
Ichigo blinked in surprise.
"You wanna sleep with me?" he asked, looking confused.
"I don't want to get into your pants or anything," Grimmjow snickered, "I'm just trying to make it so we can both sleep better...though, if you want to have sex, I wouldn't mind. It's been a while..."
"Fuck you! No way!" Ichigo snapped, blushing brightly, "Get out of here, I'm not having sex with you! Besides, I thought you wanted to fight me, not have sex with me!"
"Fighting, sex," Grimmjow chuckled, ducking as Ichigo swatted at him, "Both of'em get your heart pounding and make you feel alive, right?"
"Would you get outta here, you damned pervert? I'm trying to go back to sleep!" Ichigo complained.
"Fine, whatever," Grimmjow said, still looking amused as he rose and started towards the bedroom door, "You know where to find me if you change your mind about the sleeping together or the sex."
"Grimmjow!"
"I'll be sleeping whenever you stop having nightmares and yelling."
"Ugh, all right! Fine, stay if you want!" Ichigo snapped irritably, "Just don't be touching me while I'm out, you got it?"
"Sure, fine," Grimmjow said, smirking as he climbed in under the covers, "No touching."
Ichigo settled down again, turning away from Grimmjow and snuggling around a large pillow.
"Hey."
"Hmm?"
"Can I look?"
"Asshole! Shut up and go to sleep!"
"Okay, no looking either. Man, you're no fun at all, Kurosaki."
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Soft, muted sounds of pain and fear brought Aizen Sousuke out of sleep and focused his attention on the heavily bound noble, who laid nearby in the darkness. He listened for several minutes, trying to ascertain whether Tetsuya was awake or asleep and concluded that he must be sleeping.
"Kuchiki Tetsuya?"
He heard the noble draw a hissing breath and the sounds died away. He could hear an edge of humiliation in Tetsuya's voice when he finally spoke.
"I'm sorry I woke you."
"It's fine," Aizen assured him, "At very least, it is good to have someone to talk to, although you've spent more time unconscious than conscious since you arrived. But now that you're awake, perhaps we can talk about your abilities."
Tetsuya paused, considering.
"I still don't know if I feel comfortable explaining my powers to a man who won't even tell me his name."
Aizen smiled under the bonds that covered his face.
"That is understandable," he agreed, "But consider that I didn't simply give you a false one. That should tell you something."
"I suppose," Tetsuya said hesitantly, "But if you won't tell me your name, can you tell me something about you?"
"What would you like to know?"
"Are you here because you committed a crime?" Tetsuya asked, "Or were you incarcerated for more political reasons, like me?"
"You think you are here because of political reasons?" Aizen inquired curiously, "What reasons would those be?"
"I am of mixed peasant and noble blood," Tetsuya explained, "This is why I was incarcerated with my parents in Itamigiri, and it is why my father was executed."
"But I would argue that it is not why you are here," Aizen posited.
"What do you mean?" Tetsuya asked, a note of confusion in his voice, "I was set up. Orochi killed the fighters who were with me, and he tried to kill me also. He did this to purge the family of my mixed blood."
"That is true. However, none of that is why you are here."
"Then, why am I here?" Tetsuya asked, "and where am I? What is this darkness?"
"You are in a prison for violent criminals," Aizen informed him, "And I would say that the reason you were brought here is because your cousin was spooked by whatever power allowed you to escape death when he stabbed you in the heart. I brought it up, because I overheard him speak of it to you, and when I did, he radiated fear. It was this that made it easy for me to intimidate him into leaving without raping you again."
"Oh," Tetsuya mused, "but the truth is, I don't know exactly what happened."
"Maybe it would help to start from the beginning," Aizen suggested.
Tetsuya considered quietly for a moment, then nodded.
"You already know that I was incarcerated in Itamigiri for all of my childhood. Heavy seals were placed on all of Itamigiri's children, so that our powers never emerged. We were not fed, because they wanted us to be weak. We were beaten severely or locked in an underground coffin-like structure called the pit if we disobeyed our captors. Orochi was sent to Itamigiri by Byakuya-sama when he learned of the prison's location and planned an assault to free the prisoners."
"Something tells me that he wasn't a good choice for the job," Aizen said solemnly.
"Orochi might not have wanted us mixed bloods dead like some other people did, but he did look down on us and he wanted us to submit to him. If we showed any sign of willfulness, he crushed it. He was cruel to my cellmate, Naoki, and to me, and he enjoyed using us for his sexual perversions. By the time Byakuya-sama raided the prison, I had been sexually trained to respond to Orochi. The only other person who dared touch me was Naoki, when we were sure no one was about. Even after I was rescued, it took a long time to break the mental chains Orochi had placed on me."
"You say your powers were sealed for the duration of your childhood. How did they emerge, once the seals were removed?"
"The truth is that the seals weren't removed," Tetsuya confessed, "I broke them."
"I see," Aizen said, his curiosity piqued, "And how did that happen, Tetsuya?"
"My lover, Naoki, was killed before Byakuya-sama reached me. My cousin brought Naoki's body, and we started out of the cellblock. As we emerged from the building, a group of guards attacked us, and Byakuya-sama was unable to react quickly enough. We were going to die, and it was...strange. I felt something...burning in my heart, then bright white light exploded out of me. I thought that I was going to die, but the light faded and we saw something standing between the attacking guards and Byakuya-sama and me. It was a black Arabian stallion. He screamed at them and then fired a volley of ice blades from his nose and mouth, killing the guards and opening the path for us."
"Interesting," Aizen said raptly, "You say this horse emerged from your body? Is this your power, then?"
"Actually, my power is water based," Tetsuya corrected him, "I give the command Touei, and I can create waterforms that I use to position myself for offensive or defensive moves in my battles. I can shift my body from waterform to waterform, or I can create a lot of waterforms and scatter them to confuse my enemy. In bankai, my waterforms are compacted and turned to sharp ice blades that I fire from my sword."
"And you say your stallion can also use these attacks?" Aizen inquired.
"Yes," Tetsuya confirmed, "Arashi is able to use all of my abilities. He exists separately from me, but in truth, we are parts of one soul. The best I can do to explain is to say that he is the force of my will that could no longer be contained when Byakuya-sama was threatened after saving me. He carries and wields that part of my own power that my body wasn't strong enough to tolerate."
"That is fascinating," Aizen said appreciatively, "Can you tell me, do you have any natural abilities that are not reiatsu based?"
"Yes. I can breathe in water and although I am uncomfortable in the cold, I will not freeze to death. I can also cause things...or enemies to freeze from the inside out if I pierce them with any weapon."
"Hmm, as I said, fascinating, but nothing I've heard explains what happened when your cousin stabbed you."
"I told you, I don't know exactly what happened. I think Arashi may have done something, but I can't ask him, because he disappeared and I have not been able to speak with him in my mind as we can usually do. I don't think he was killed. Orochi would have made fun of it if Arashi was dead. He may be in our inner world, but I can't enter it while I am under the bonds Orochi placed on me."
"Well, you did break them before."
"I don't know if I can simply do that. Before, my life and Byakuya-sama's were threatened."
"I think that your lives are in significant danger now," Aizen suggested, "After all, your cousin first tried to kill you, and now has taken you out of the picture. Have you asked yourself why, Tetsuya?"
Tetsuya's insides clenched painfully.
"You think he is going to hurt Byakuya-sama?" he asked urgently.
"It makes sense. He took advantage of the conditions of wartime to take you from Byakuya's side, and now Byakuya has less protection around him."
"You're right!" Tetsuya exclaimed, struggling, "I have to get out of here!"
"Struggling that way won't help," Aizen advised him, "What you have told me suggests that what we need to do is to try to create a trigger for the release of your powers. I think you can break the bonds holding them back. You just need the right stimulus."
"And how do we do that?" Tetsuya asked stridently.
"Why don't you let me work on that question while you rest and try to build up your strength?"
"You really think I can do this?" Tetsuya asked.
"It isn't a matter of what I, or anyone else thinks," Aizen said with certainty, "The simple fact is...you can."