Choose Your Poison
By Spunky0ne
~xXx~
(I blame Thedrunkenwerewolf and Timewaster0123456789 for this storyline! Their collab, "Living on Lies" spawned this idea. I highly recommend that story if you love the tension between Aizen and Kisuke. Thank you for dropping by to read. Cheers, Spunky)
~xXx~
Chapter 1: The Devil Himself
The first sensation that came through the chaos of Urahara Kisuke's waking mind was a ringing headache that made him regret that he couldn't just go back to sleep or unconsciousness or whatever state he'd been in prior to this. Trying to recall whether he'd been sleeping, injured in fighting or he'd just had too much to drink only made the ringing louder and more horridly painful.
Fuck!
"T-Tessai?" he groaned, cracking his eyes open slowly.
He was grateful for the darkness in the room that shielded him from the harshness of any light. As his eyes moved to scan the room he found himself in, he realized from the unfamiliar shapes and traces of scent that he wasn't at home…or anywhere he knew. An attempt to move made him gasp as fresh jolts of pain assaulted his reeling mind.
"Ow…"
Closing his eyes again and breathing slowly, he let the pain pass before looking around again.
The room he laid in was somewhat small, but comfortably warm and although careful movements of his arms and legs revealed that he'd been bound with powerful kido chains, the bed he laid in was soft and a thick blanket had been laid over him. Turning his head carefully, he spotted another bed a short distance away and on it the curled form of someone facing away from him. The other seemed to be asleep or unconscious but unbound.
"Hey," he hissed softly, "Hey there. You awake?"
The other person gave no sign of hearing him, but peering more closely, Kisuke could see the little movements of slow, steady breaths.
What the hell is this?
What happened?
How did I get here?
Kisuke struggled to retrieve the last memories he could recall before waking to this strange situation. Fevered flash images returned of being shot into the royal realm, battles with the quincies, using his bankai, then feeling the roar of power that killed the quincy king.
So, this isn't Ywach and judging by the fact that my host has gone to some effort to make me comfortable, this isn't his underlings looking for revenge for us killing him. While it certainly isn't anyone friendly to me, it looks like they want something from me. I just need to figure out who they are and what they want. Then, we can get to where I am and what it's going to take to get outta here.
Reassured for the moment, he shrugged off the continued throbbing in his head and focused again on remembering.
After Ywach took his power back from the remaining Sternritters and they started to die, we all rushed to get to where we sensed Ichigo's battle was taking place. I remember starting down with some of the other taichos, but everything is blank after that. I can only recall the feeling that something was happening, an explosion maybe? The lights went out and I woke up…here.
Not among friends, but this is perhaps an enemy that can be manipulated.
Slow approaching footsteps brought his eyes to the door and Kisuke squinted as the door handle turned and the door began to open, letting a burst of bright light through. He stiffened under his bonds, eyes rounding as they met the ones of the wickedly handsome man who entered the room. Ice shot through his veins as the man's smooth voice underscored the reality of what he was seeing.
"Urahara Kisuke, I hope you are feeling better."
His throat tight and the shaking barely kept out of his voice, he answered.
"Sousuke."
Damn it.
Not good.
XXXXXXXXXX
Approaching footsteps on the wooden walkway outside Byakuya's study in the partially restored main house of the Kuchiki estate made the clan leader look up from the report he'd been reading and warmth flickered in his chest bringing a near smile to his lips as his red-haired fukutaicho entered the room, still bearing a number of bandages over healing wounds and limping slightly.
"Renji."
"Taicho," the redhead greeted him.
Rukia and Ichigo followed close on Renji's heels, both also still moving more gingerly than usual. The three knelt on the other side of the low table as he nodded in acknowledgement.
"Rukia, Ichigo."
"Good morning, Nii-sama," Rukia greeted him.
"Morning, Byakuya," Ichigo echoed.
"Taicho, the house watch reports that all was quiet last night," Renji informed him.
"Mmhmm."
"Michio-san says that all of the injured taichos and fukutaichos who were brought here are out of danger and several are ready to return to duty."
"That is good news," Byakuya said quietly, turning his attention to his sister, "Rukia, how is Juushiro today?"
"He's fully recovered," Rukia answered, smiling and shaking her head, "and Michio and the other healers, even Kurotsuchi taicho can't explain it. All Kurotsuchi taicho could determine was that when Ywach's reiatsu exploded as he died, there was an unidentified power that shielded Ukitake taicho and the others in the area around him. Nii-sama, although that news is good because it means that our forces were protected, it also strongly suggests that Aizen Sousuke was affected by one force or the other…and we don't know which."
"So, either Ywach's power overcame the power of the hogyoku and destroyed Aizen and the orb, or…"
"Or Aizen's on the loose again," Renji replied, scowling at the thought.
"And the fact that Urahara Kisuke is missing," Rukia added, "It's…worrisome."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "but Urahara has disappeared before and returned safely. And if, perhaps, he is tracking Aizen, it may be awhile before we hear from him."
"Yoruichi says she hasn't heard from him," Ichigo interjected solemnly, "and those two being partners in crime so often, you'd think she would have. She told me she, Tessai and the kids are going to keep looking…"
The substitute broke off, his lips tightening and his golden-brown eyes stormy.
"You could join them," Byakuya offered, "You have recovered enough, have you not? Or were you going to the living world to check in on your family?"
Ichigo let out a flustered breath, shaking his head.
"My dad says that Karin and Yuzu are fine. Karin is even helping in the search for Kisuke. Dad came back to Soul Society."
"Yes, I'd heard," Byakuya noted, an edge of disapproval in his voice.
"Then…I guess you know," Ichigo added tentatively.
Byakuya's eyes rose to meet the substitute's directly.
"That he is actually the reported missing Shiba Isshin and you are the Shiba family heir?" the noble inquired, "I was informed."
He sighed, letting his eyes drop to look at the papers in front of him again.
"Some were surprised, but given that clan's propensity for causing trouble, I thought it made sense."
Ichigo chuckled.
"Like father, like son, I guess."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, "and is that why you are still here instead of addressing the Shiba elders this morning?"
Ichigo exchanged glances with Rukia and Renji and the other two nodded back at him.
"I'm still here because Kisuke's not the only one who's missing," he answered, the declaration making Byakuya take a sharp little inhale and raise his eyes to meet Ichigo's again.
"Ichigo…"
"Look Byakuya, Rukia and Renji are still on medical leave…"
"And they are supposed to be resting here," Byakuya said firmly, "There are also restrictions in place because of the continued attacks from small groups of quincies. Add to that the number of others who are also missing…"
"Taicho," Renji objected, "I know you've been going out to look for him at night."
He ignored the instant flare of his taicho's reiatsu and pressed on.
"Tetsuya's our friend and don't forget he's the reason there still are surviving Kuchiki elders and family."
"Yes," the noble sighed, his dark eyes closing for a moment, "all of what you say is true."
"Sir, I know he's not a military asset or someone the noble clans consider important enough, but…but we can't just sit here when he's out there somewhere missing!" the redhead snapped, his temper flaring, "You know if it was any of us…"
"Very well, you may search for him."
"…he'd be out there searching for us!" Renji exclaimed.
"I said you may go."
"And I don't care what those crusty old elders say…"
He broke of suddenly, giving his superior a baffled look.
"Wait, what?" the redhead stammered, "We can…?"
This time, Byakuya couldn't stop the tiny, pleased smile that touched the corners of his mouth.
"I will grant the three of you a pass to search the area where Tetsuya was last sensed," the noble offered, "and if you wish, you may also join me and search for him tonight."
The three in front of him froze and a blush crept onto Renji's face as the noble added a quiet, "Thank you."
"Thank you, Nii-sama!" Rukia exclaimed, smiling and bowing.
The three rose and turned to leave.
"Abarai, will you stay for a moment?"
"Huh, yeah, okay Taicho," Renji sputtered, watching the others leave, "Eh, is there something else?"
Byakuya nodded and the two knelt on either side of the table.
"First, I want to thank you for taking on the work that my cousin would normally be doing here at Kuchiki Manor."
"Eh, you know that's no problem, Taicho," the redhead assured him, "It's just what I would be doing at the division…erm…if it hadn't been destroyed."
"Nonetheless, your service to my clan is appreciated," the noble went on, "Not only that, but the fact that you have attended to private matters of concern to me is deserving of note as well."
Renji gave him a cutely baffled look at the unexpected praise, blushing almost as brightly as his red hair. He cleared his throat, his body stiffening.
"Th-thank you sir!" he sputtered, "I'm glad to help."
"Especially on the matter of Tetsuya," Byakuya continued, moving around the table and taking up a position beside the redhead so that they were partially facing each other, "I don't know if Tetsuya, even being friends with you, has confided in you about his past and our connection."
"I know that Tetsuya's loyal to you," Renji answered, calming slightly, but still looking flushed, "and you seem like you really…love him, Taicho."
The word love seemed to catch slightly as Renji spoke it.
"I do love my cousin," Byakuya confessed, taking the redhead's rough hands in his and looking into Renji's eyes, making him freeze in place, staring back, "We are very close, though…we are not in a relationship."
"Oh," Renji managed, blinking, "you're not?"
"No," Byakuya confirmed, "Our fathers were first cousins and very close, but Tetsuya's father married a commoner in a time when such behavior was punished much more severely. At the time, there was a hateful group that made several prisons in which they locked away many family members who they thought had transgressed, but they couldn't punish more openly. Tetsuya's parents were incarcerated in one of these prisons and they died. Tetsuya was born in the prison and I was unable to find him and free him until he was nearly grown. His recovery from that was long and painful, and it brought us closer together. I wanted Tetsuya to be safe…but in my haste to make my cousin strong, I neglected to be supportive of what he really wanted to be."
Renji smiled, looking down at their still joined hands.
"A healer?"
"You know my cousin well."
"Yeah, well…we're friends, Taicho."
Byakuya nodded.
"Tetsuya speaks very highly of you as well," Byakuya said more quietly, "It made me wonder if you were…interested in Tetsuya."
Renji's blush returned in full force.
"H-huh? Ah…Tetsuya and I are friends and I do think he's really cute, but ah…"
"You…aren't interested in seeing Tetsuya romantically?" Byakuya asked, "I did see you having what looked to be a rather intense conversation in the days just before the war. I thought that maybe…"
"I was asking him about someone…eh…something else!" Renji stammered, looking like he wanted to sink into the floor, "Sorry, Taicho, I didn't mean any disrespect towards Tetsuya."
"You are interested in men, though," Byakuya persisted, "Are you in a relationship, then? Is there someone you are interested in?"
"Uh…"
"The reason I ask is that your great service to my family and the honor you have brought to your name are things that would be of benefit to my family."
"Your family…" Renji repeated, gazing at him blankly.
"Renji, I appreciate all that you've done for us," Byakuya said, giving the redhead an amused look that seemed so beautiful and out of place on the noble's handsome face, Renji found himself lost for words, "so I was offering you a place in the family. Since I thought that you were interested in Tetsuya, I thought to offer him in marriage and the two of you could choose to use your name or the Kuchiki name."
"Y-you would do that?" Renji mused, shaking his head, "Taicho, I don't know what to say. I mean, I'm really honored, but I…"
"You do not have to marry into the family for me to make you a part of it," Byakuya clarified, "although if you were interested in a family member…Rukia, perhaps?"
Now it was Renji's turn to look amused, and it gave him time to recover slightly from the shock he'd been given.
"Taicho, you know she likes Orihime, right? I'm like a brother to her."
He paused for a moment, looking more closely at Byakuya. Suddenly, he realized what he was seeing and he nearly lost his breath again.
He…Taicho is…?
"I am interested in someone," Renji admitted, noting the flicker of disappointment in his taicho's eyes, "but I don't know for sure if he likes me."
"I see," Byakuya answered, still looking into the redhead's eyes, "Have you told him?"
Renji gave a very slight shake of his head.
"He…ah, had a wife, so I didn't know if he was also interested in…"
His words stopped as Byakuya closed the distance between them, kissing him warmly on the still talking mouth.
"Mmph!"
As much as he wanted to sink into the noble's arms right there, Renji held back slightly, just cautiously returning the kiss. Byakuya rocked back, his face flushed and his hands still holding Renji's
"I think he would be receptive," he responded, leaning forward to kiss Renji again.
The two exchanged several more lingering kisses before Byakuya pulled free of him and squeezed his hands.
"I know you need to go now," he acknowledged, "Tetsuya needs to be found and brought home. I thank you and your friends for helping to look for him. It may be helpful to take Tetsuya's attendant with you."
He turned his head to glance at the study's inner door.
"Torio?"
"Sir," the noble's attendant answered, stepping into the room.
"Will you please summon Koji and have him meet Renji, Rukia and Ichigo in the gardens."
The noble turned his attention back to his waiting fukutaicho.
"Koji, as you might know, is close to Tetsuya. He has cared for Tetsuya since his release from the noble's prison. If there is anyone who can sense where he might be, it is Koji."
"Thanks, Taicho," Renji said, bowing his head respectfully, "and you can be sure, all of us are going to do our best to find Tetsuya.
He rose and headed to the door, pausing to look back at Byakuya.
"Hey," he said tentatively, "when you said what you did about that hate group, were you saying that…it might still exist or something? Do you think they might have taken Tetsuya and tried to make it look like it was the quincies?"
"I do not know what happened to my cousin," Byakuya answered in a worried tone, "I was simply making sure that you had all of the necessary facts to understand what you could be getting into. Renji, be careful. If my cousin has been abducted, then whoever has taken him is extremely dangerous!"
