Morning Mayhem

Kisuke stirred, groaning at the dull throb in his head. He tried to open his eyes and made a pained sound at the intense brightness of just the morning light coming through the window.

Shit, I got stinking drunk last night, didn't I?

Uggh, that's not good.

A faint sense of nausea washed over him, and he went to move to the edge of the bed. But something was restraining him. He frowned and looked down.

An arm was wrapped around his waist.

His eyes widened and traveled up the arm, and he froze when he saw wicked black lines snaking over handsomely tanned skin.

Renji?

What the - ?

He shifted to look at the redhead's face, relaxed and peaceful. Then his mind caught up and supplied him with images of those strong features twisted in pleasure.

Oh...wow.

We had sex last night. It was...it was good. Really good.

I feel amazing, other than the hangover.

But what will he think? I remember now, we drank...a lot. I didn't take advantage of him, did I?

I should leave.

Kisuke started to shift away from the bigger Soul Reaper, but the arm tightened around his waist and Renji gave a guttural grunt of protest.

Slowly, the auburn eyes fluttered half-way open and focused on him.

"Kis...Kisuke? Wha-?"

The redhead rubbed at his temple.

"Uggh, I'm never drinking again."

Then he froze, staring down between them.

Renji's eyes flew wide as he yelped, "What the fuck?! Why are you in my room? Why are you naked? Why am I naked?"

Kisuke held his hands up.

"Easy there," he said bracingly, "If you'll look you'll see this is my room, not yours."

The younger man glanced around, clearly still partly asleep. He groaned and rubbed his face as he sat up unsteadily. "Ok, so we're in your room. That's not makin' me feel any better, y'know. What the fuck is going on, Urahara?"

Kisuke took a deep breath. "Renji, what do you remember from last night?"

X-X-X

Tetsuya woke to the feeling of his bed moving, and Byakuya's slightly cold body slid in beside him and curled around him. He shivered a little for a moment, but relaxed into his cousin's embrace, blushing as Byakuya's mouth pressed warm kisses to the side of his neck and the back of his shoulder.

"Mmm," Tetsuya sighed sleepily, "you are back early."

"I am," Byakuya answered as Tetsuya turned to meet him for a long kiss of greeting, "The mission took less time than expected, and even had it not, I was hungry for you. I needed to feel your warmth, my love."

Tetsuya blushed brightly and his throat tightened so that he couldn't answer. But he was relieved of the necessity as Byakuya nudged him onto his back and climbed on top of him, then busied his mouth with increasingly amorous kisses. His hands undid the tie at Tetsuya's slim waist, then slid beneath and began to caress him. Tetsuya tried not to stiffen, and shut his eyes against the return of harsh memory of another cousin, kissing him roughly and handling him so forcefully that it left his pale, filthy skin bruised and battered looking.

Still, he forced himself to hold still and to meet Byakuya for each deep, plundering kiss. He felt a powerful urge to touch his cousin also, but there was a stronger impulse not to dare. With those feelings warring inside him, he found himself more distracted than aroused, and it wasn't long until his lover realized.

Byakuya paused and looked down to find Tetsuya stiffening and starting to turn his head away. A little jolt went through his insides as he spotted tears on the corners of Tetsuya's widened eyes. Instantly, he pulled free of his cousin and sat up, coaxing Tetsuya up with him.

"My apologies," he said softly, curving a warm, gentle palm around Tetsuya's blushing cheek, "I am just very attracted to you, Tetsuya. But you have endured another's cruelty and simply need more time. I don't want you to feel rushed."

Byakuya paused and bit his lips gently, carefully considering his words.

"And…if you do not also feel attracted to me…"

"But I do!" Tetsuya exclaimed, placing a hand over the one on his face, "I do feel attracted to you, Byakuya-sama!"

He caught his breath and hastily corrected himself.

"B-byakuya. I do find you attractive. I want to be with you. I just…don't know how to behave with you. I only know submission. I only know how to lower myself, not how to be your equal as you say I should. Everyone says that it will come to me, that it is instinct and I will adjust, but I don't know if that's true! I don't want to ruin what is growing between us. I am happy we are engaged. I'm just…scared to death that I will disappoint you."

Byakuya let out a soft breath and embraced his cousin tenderly, running his fingers through the wavy strands of misbehaving black hair, then he kissed Tetsuya on the top of his head.

"You will never disappoint me," Byakuya said firmly, "There is no rush for you to learn how to return my affections. Take your time and learn to trust yourself."

He caught his cousin's hand and laced their fingers together.

"I see it, you know," he commented quietly, "the way that you look ready to kiss me or touch me, but then that hint of uncertainty enters your eyes and you hold yourself back."

Tetsuya swallowed hard and nodded.

"Orochi never let me touch him without permission, and I was usually bound or handcuffed when we were together."

"I will never subject you to anything like that, I promise you."

"I know you won't," Tetsuya acknowledged, relaxing in Byakuya's arms and laying his head on his cousin's shoulder, "I trust you…with everything."

"And I trust you as well," Byakuya replied, looking deeply into Tetsuya's pretty blue eyes, "with everything."

Tetsuya felt mingled shafts of guilt and relief as Byakuya simply held him for the rest of the time they had together. The feeling worsened when he couldn't help being even more relieved with his cousin had to leave for work and he was freed to contemplate what to do about his ongoing predicament.

I've been thinking about it ever since talking to Koji last night, and I think I might know where to find the help I need. There is someone close to Byakuya, someone who knows him well, and who also is experienced in love.

Renji Abarai.

He is a handsome man, who is very popular, and he spends time with Byakuya, so he will know what kinds of things would please him. Renji is Rukongai born, so he won't be as stuffy and proper as anyone from a noble house.

Yes.

Renji will have some answers for me. He is a good, kind person. I know he will do what he can to help, and he will be discreet. I recall that Renji was sent to Karakura Town on a mission, and I know he hasn't returned yet, so I will just…go there.

I will ask him.

Tetsuya couldn't help worrying that the redhead might laugh or perhaps try to discourage him.

But, I have no choice. I simply must learn to be a good partner to Byakuya! Renji will help me. He's the only one who can.

So…I will not give up until he agrees to instruct me!

X-X-X

Renji groaned and cradled his head in his hands as he tried to remember.

"Uhh...ok. You made supper, really good stew. Then you brought out some wine. We drank like two bottles. I...hmm. Oh ok, we were talking. I told you about Byak...fuckin' hell, I told you about how I feel towards my Taicho. And that he's engaged to his cousin, who's a breeder male. Fuck."

He turned his head away with a sense of shame, missing the sympathetic frown.

He heard Kisuke ask softly, "What else do you remember?"

Renji sighed. "Alright, alright. Fuck, askin' me questions when my head hurts. Umm...oh. We started kissing in the kitchen. Somehow, we made it in here. We were on the floor...oh gods, I think I practically begged you to fuck me. I remember you were admiring my markings."

He stiffened a bit when he felt Kisuke touch the lines on his back, the older man speaking softly. "They're beautiful, and suit you so well. I just remembered, you even have them down there. You are magnificent. I still think Byakuya has to be blind not to have noticed you."

Slowly, Renji relaxed into the touch. Determined not to think about his superior, he glanced over his shoulder at the blond scientist, who was still tracing his markings and looking at them with an appreciative gleam in his eye.

"You really like them?"

Kisuke nodded and smiled at him.

"I do, Renji."

Renji hesitated; it'd been so long since he had someone pay intimate attention to his markings, and never with that look of reverence Kisuke now wore.

He licked his lips and shifted to hide his arousal - it had always turned him on when the black lines were stroked, not to mention he'd already been sporting a bit of morning wood.

But the older man seemed to realize what was up, and caught the edge of the sheet, pulling it back to expose him. Renji's first instinct was to curl up and hide, but he forced himself to relax, watching the way those soft, pale gray eyes caressed his body.

Kisuke wouldn't hurt him.

He watched as the former Taicho ran his fingers reverently over the black patterns on his chest and stomach, headed for where he was aching so badly.

When those talented fingers crossed the line to stroke his throbbing member, his body arched into the touch. Gods, had he really been out of the game so long that it was this easy to be undone?

His thoughts scattered when Kisuke began treating his body to long licks, interspersed with light suction.

Panting, he let his eyes rove the lithe body of the blond man between his legs. 'I bet he'd look gorgeous getting fucked.'

That thought, along with the lingering ache in his own lower back, prompted him to reach out and stop the lovely attention he was getting. Pale gray eyes met his, looking a bit surprised. He smiled encouragingly.

"Not that you weren't doing a damn fine job, but I wanna show you a real good time like you showed me last night."

Kisuke sat up with a slight frown.

"I told you about my promise..."

Renji caught the shopkeeper's hands as he gently cut him off.

"Yeah, to a guy who betrayed all of us, including you. That bastard doesn't deserve your loyalty. I can make you feel better than he did. And besides," he gave the older man a conspiratorial wink and smirk, "wouldn't breaking that promise with me be like the ultimate 'fuck you' to that narcissistic creep?"

He saw Kisuke hesitate, and was about to back down. After all, he wasn't the kind of guy to force this sort of thing.

Then a mischievous smile curved Kisuke's lips.

"I can definitely appreciate that logic."

Renji scooted closer, smiling at how the blond's fingers continued methodically retracing his markings. He figured Kisuke's analytical mind was likely memorizing the patterns, and something about that was unbelievably sexy.

He slid both hands into the hair at the back of the scientist's head and kissed him deeply, guiding the shorter shinigami onto his back and shifting between his legs.

Suddenly, a horrendous pounding at the door startled the two.

"Mr. Urahara! I can't find Renji! That moocher better not have left without saying goodbye!" Jinta was screaming at the top of his lungs, but Renji and Kisuke just shook their heads and smiled.

"Damned little brat," Renji half-chuckled, "Figures…"

"I gotta teach that little guy a thing or two about timing," Kisuke snickered.

Renji drew in a deep breath, pulling his yukata back around him and fastening it in place as Kisuke climbed out of the bed and walked to the door, wrapping his yukata around him as he went. He opened the door a crack and looked sleepily out at the youthful offender.

"What were you sayin?" he asked, blinking wearily.

"Oh, sorry to bother you," Jinta apologized, looking only slightly penitent, "Moocher ran off without saying goodbye. I was gonna…"

"Renji's here," Kisuke interrupted, "He and I were just having a little…discussion. We'll be out in a bit. Run along, okay?"

Jinta frowned and peeked past Kisuke to where Renji sat on the edge of the shopkeeper's bed, looking sleep-deprived and, the boy guessed, hung over. Jinta's eyes narrowed.

"You caught him stealing liquor from the cabinet?" he guessed.

"That's not your business," Kisuke admonished the youth, "Now, get outta here and get to your chores."

"Eh, fine, whatever," Jinta huffed, "Just don't leave without sayin' goodbye. It's not good manners, not that moochers have very good manners or anything."

"Shut up and get outta here!" Renji snapped, picking up a sandal and hurling it at the kid, who disappeared in a hasty flash step.

Kisuke shut the door and looked back at Renji with a cute, wicked smirk.

"Now, where were we?"

Renji stood up and stalked the elder man, tugging on the tie at his waist and letting his yukata fall open again.

"I'd say we were right about…"

The two men groaned as a knock sounded on the door.

"Jinta, I told you…!" Kisuke began, opening the door as Renji fastened the tie at his waist again.

The shopkeeper paused and sighed as he spotted, not Jinta, but Tessai outside the door.

"What's up?" Kisuke asked.

Tessai seemed not to notice the unusual presence of the scantily dressed redhead behind the shopkeeper.

"Apologies, Boss," he said solemnly, "but Tetsuya Kuchiki just arrived and he was asking for Renji. I…noticed his reiatsu was radiating here."

"Yeah, I'm here," Renji said, stepping forward, "You say Tetsuya Kuchiki wants to see me?"

"Did he say why?" Kisuke asked.

"No, sir," Tessai replied, "only that it was a personal matter, and that he had heard Renji was staying with us."

"Right," the redhead said, running his fingers through his tumbled red mane, "I'm gonna run and get dressed."

Tessai nodded briefly.

"I will serve tea to Kuchiki-san while he waits," he offered.

"I'll be out in a sec," Kisuke added, "I can keep him company too."

"Yeah," Renji laughed, "you probably just want to eavesdrop or something, right?"

Kisuke shrugged and snorted.

"I'm just givin' you time to get ready leisurely-like and not rush. Got to be hospitable."

"Just don't be fuckin' rude to him, okay?" Renji chided the playful shopkeeper, "He's nice and he's my superior officer's cousin and betrothed. You mess with him, I'll probably be the one Taicho blames."

"I'll be nice," Kisuke promised, turning back to the closet to change quickly into his clothes as Renji headed into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Kisuke and Tessai found Tetsuya still waiting in the candy shop, his pretty sapphire eyes scanning the colorful offerings.

"Something look good to you?" Kisuke asked, "Try some, if you want. Samples are free."

"Oh…" Tetsuya said, flushing slightly, "I wouldn't know what to choose. I've…never tried this."

"Huh?" Kisuke said, frowning, "You've never had candy? Ever?"

Tetsuya's face reddened and he seemed to lose the ability to speak for a moment. Then, the shopkeeper remembered.

"Oh right. Sorry, Tetsuya," he said in a sincere tone, "Maybe try one of the chocolates? I can't believe that Byakuya never introduced you to candy before."

"I've had sweets," Tetsuya explained, "just not candy. My education was in sweets as they were associated with formal social functions…banquets and balls."

"All the fancy," Kisuke mused, picking up one of the chocolates with a set of tongs and dropping it into Tetsuya's palm, "But I assure you, some of the best things in life are amazingly simple. Go on. Try it."

Tetsuya looked down at the chocolate for a moment, then lifted it to his mouth and savored it slowly. Kisuke's eyes betrayed more than a little sympathy at the younger man's closed eyes and blissful expression.

"Well?"

"It is simple," Tetsuya agreed, "but it has its own charm. I love it! It would be very good even chilled, ne?"

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, handing Tetsuya a hard candy, "Now, try this one. Just don't bite it. Enjoy it slowly. It's hard, not soft."

"It's very good too!" Tetsuya exclaimed, his face brightening, "Thank you, Urahara-san!"

"It's Kisuke," the shopkeeper laughed, "Come on, Tetsuya. Renji is here, but he'll be a few minutes. Let's go and have some tea while we wait for him."

"Of course. Thank you."

"Right this way," Kisuke said, turning into the hallway.

He led Tetsuya to the kitchen, where Tessai was preparing the tea, and the two sat down at the table.

"I didn't know you and Renji were all that friendly with each other," he commented as the two men sat down to wait.

"I suppose we aren't," Tetsuya admitted, "but Renji is a very good friend and close comrade to my cousin, and I know that Byakuya would like for us to be friends."

"Is that what this is about?" Kisuke asked, "You came to get to know him better?"

"W-well, sort of," Tetsuya hedged, "Erm…I…"

"I'm here!" Renji announced, heading into the room dressed in his shihakusho, with his wet hair braided and tossed over a shoulder, "Hey, Tetsuya, it's good to see you. Tessai said that you were looking for me? What's up?"

"Ah…" Tetsuya said, shifting in his seat and blushing, "it is actually sort of…private."

"What? Kisuke?" Renji inquired, "Don't worry about it. Kisuke is my good friend. He doesn't bite, and he'll keep his mouth shut about what he hears."

The redhead shot the shopkeeper a look of warning and Kisuke gave him the slightest nod in reply.

"I will," he added, "Promise."

"All right," Tetsuya said, biting at his lips and steeling himself, "After all, Urahara-san has known Byakuya a long time too. Maybe…both of you can help me?"

Kisuke and Renji exchanged glances.

"You want him an' me t'help you?" Renji asked, tilting his head, "How?"

Tetsuya took a breath and started to speak, then he seemed to lose his nerve and tried to take a drink of his tea, but spilled it clumsily.

"Sorry!" he managed.

"It's okay," Kisuke said bracingly, "It's just a little tea. You know…it's obvious that something is really troubling you. Renji and I are happy to help. It's okay. Whatever you have to say…"

He trailed off and Tetsuya took another shaky breath.

"Well, you see, I was…I didn't have a childhood like most noble children."

"Right," Kisuke agreed, "I recall that you were a prisoner in Itamigiri before."

"Itamigiri?" Renji asked, frowning.

"It was a noble's prison," Tetsuya explained quietly, looking down at the spilled tea as he spoke, "My parents were incarcerated there with me because my father was a noble son who married a commoner, against the rules of the family. This was long before Byakuya was married to Hisana-sama. The rules were much stricter then. My parents and I were incarcerated. My father was executed when he refused to repent of his sins, and my mother died of illness. I was raised in that place, and I did not escape it until I was a teen. Byakuya was kind enough after my emancipation to take me in and have me educated…but…there is something that was not addressed in that education I was given."

"O-kay," Renji said slowly, "so you want me…us to teach you something?"

"What is it you want us to help you with?" asked the shopkeeper.

"Well," Tetsuya said, gathering himself, "I need to learn…how to please my future husband!"