Title: Three Parts Dead
Chapter: Celebration
Rating: NC-17 | MA
Pairing/Character/s: Byakuya x Renji, Zabimaru + Senbonzakura
Word Count: 11,618
Warning/s: Spoilers. Angst. Language.
Summary: The closest thing to a bachelor party one can get when given a week to prepare for the wedding… and they have to bring their affianced.
A/N: … Mmm… Drunk Byakuya anyone?
“Friendship makes prosperity more shining and
lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it.”
- Anton Chekhov
It was a miracle that Byakuya had not completely lost his mind over the past few days. An absolute, utter miracle, considering that not only did his family wish to argue on every suggestion he made from the location of the wedding to the damned color of napkins (at that point, he did, however, leave the room), his unwanted guests had made things difficult as well. Yoruichi was the worst culprit, seeing as she enjoyed dropping by the estate and popping into meetings unannounced to either tease him or make extremely unhelpful suggestions. It was all he could do not to draw his sword on her on several occasions.
Inoue, as usual, was nothing but helpful - well, for the most part. He even found himself snapping at her when she continually asked him questions or kept prying for information on the most pointless of things. Then he'd feel Ichigo's reiatsu rise, obviously held back but still angry as the brat forced himself not to say anything. A damned good thing he didn't Byakuya often found himself crossly thinking. And on top of all of that, there was the issue of Rukia. They had barely spoken since her arrival several days before, but Byakuya honestly did not think he could remain civil with her for long had he actually said a few words to her. There was too much overwhelming his mind as it were - his family, his guests, the present he was still fretting over and unable to decide if it were good enough or...
With a heaving sigh, Byakuya shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch he had taken to in a sitting room with a quiet thud. This brief escape from meetings and people was meant to calm his nerves, not intensify the strain upon them, yet his mind and body refused to think of it as such.
"Here ya are," Renji announced upon entering the room, frustration evident in his voice. "Damn, when you hide, you completely disappear!" The redhead walked further in and quite unceremoniously hauled the frazzled man to his feet. "Come on," he grunted slightly when met with resistance, "there's no way I'm lettin' ya stay in here and brood when you should be relaxin' and enjoying yerself - we're gettin' married: try ta be a bit happier ‘bout it, would ya?"
Scowling slightly, Byakuya pulled away from the redhead, straightening on his own and smoothing his robes out of habit. "I would be perfectly happy if there weren't arguments over the color of napkins going on," he bit out, resisting the urge to run a hand back through his hair and muss it. "It is absolutely ridiculous! I cannot step outside of this room without someone jumping up to me for an opinion or question only to argue whatever answer I supply." Exasperated, he threw a hand up. "I give up."
"Good. Let's get goin' then," Renji announced, tugging Byakuya's sleeve again. "It's easy enough ta avoid them and I'm sure ya'd rather go on yer own two feet, so let's go an' forget about all this for a while," the redhead urged, grabbing the noble's up thrown hand and using it to pull him closer. "Let them handle the details fer once and spend some time relaxin' - celebrate a bit!"
Confused, but not protesting due to the mention of actually celebrating, Byakuya allowed Renji to pull him closer. He frowned up at the redhead, tilting his head slightly. "I would not mind leaving for a little while and actually enjoying myself, but what exactly do you propose we do?"
The grin brought about by such an innocent question should have been wide enough to raise flags in the back of Byakuya's mind, if he was truly paying attention. "What about an engagement party? That's usually part of tradition, ne? You all’re goin' so fast ya completely glossed over it - not that I'm surprised, really, but I can make up fer it. Wha’ do ya say? Coming?"
The look on Renji's face did make Byakuya slightly nervous, but he was too eager to get out of the manor and away from the stress of managing this entire wedding to truly care. "...All right," he agreed, then paused, looking up at his fiancé accusingly. "You had this planned all along, didn't you?" the noble sighed, eyeing him. "Exactly where is this party going to be?"
Laughing at the suddenly suspicious look on Byakuya's face, Renji could only nod and kiss the man on the lips. "I'll tell ya... but you have ta promise ta come first," he murmured against pale lips, auburn eyes catching blue as he waited for a response.
Words of protest died on the noble's lips as he was kissed, wherein Byakuya let out a soft sigh into the kiss and slowly withdrew with a slight nod. He briefly hoped he was not getting himself into anything he would regret later, but with Renji, he never knew. "I promise I'll come," he murmured, giving in to the redhead.
"Eleventh." Renji smirked with the statement, watching for Byakuya's reaction as he added, "And we're leavin now."
Byakuya's eyes widened in something resembling horror at the answer, and he couldn't keep back a low groan. "Renji, you can't be serious. And if you are, at least let me change, I'm wearing a kimono barely fit for walking around this manor in."
"'course I'm serious!" the redhead returned, crossing his arms as he looked Byakuya over. "An' you already look better than everyone else, ya' really want ta bother gettin' all prettied up? It's Eleventh; yer probably better off with somethin' yer not attached ta."
"I don't get 'all prettied up'," the noble shot back, then relented with a sigh, realizing Renji was probably right about not wanting to wear something too nice. "All right, all right, just lead the way," came Byakuya's surrender, the older man deciding that it was only fair that he was subjected to Renji's 'family' - which was what the Eleventh Division practically was - seeing as Renji had dealt with his all of this time.
"I beg ta differ," Renji countered, placing an affectionate kiss on Byakuya's forehead before taking the man's hand in his own and beginning to lead the way out of the manor. "Try an' enjoy yourself," he added in-between dodging servants and blowing off members of the family that seemed to conveniently "bump into them" all along the route to the outside world. Not pausing once they hit grass, Renji continued on down a path he highly doubted the noble even knew existed, using the old short cut instinctively. "Just relax - they're good people, 'kuya, if ya loosen up a bit, you'll have fun, I promise."
Forcing himself to keep his gaze forward and ignore the servants and family members, Byakuya kept at Renji's heels, gripping his hand tightly. His eyes cast about as Renji led him down a path he was not familiar with, his frown slowly fading as he took his fiancé’s words to heart and relaxed once they were a considerable distance away from the manor. "...I'll try to," he replied, sincere but still a bit wary. Renji's friends were certainly not the usual company he kept and he could not help but feel unsure of himself.
"If you let them, they'll be yer friends too," Renji added, knowing well enough by now what kind of thoughts made Byakuya wary. He pulled the other man closer so they were walking side by side and flashed him a smile. "Try ta keep track of th' booze, though, there's gonna be tons and you don't exactly have a high tolerance fer the stuff," he warned, half teasing just for the man's response.
The prospect of the eleventh division becoming a regular part of his life, and thus storming the Kuchiki estate and further sending his family into a frenzy was quite a satisfying mental image, and enough to settle Byakuya's nerves just slightly. Settling against Renji's side, the noble flashed Renji a half-hearted dark look at that comment. "...As if you want me to keep track of it," Byakuya shot back, returning the jab with relative ease. "As I recall, you enjoy my 'low tolerance' for alcohol."
"It's not you gettin' drunk I'm worried about," the redhead easily admitted, enjoying the way Byakuya pulled right up against him. "It's the hangover afterwards... though ya seem ta make quick work of them," he added somewhat jealously. "Oh, and, uh, please don't accept any challenges from Zaraki Taichou." Renji winced slightly and then added, "But don't blow 'im off - he does it every time one of us gets hitched or something similar."
"I don't make quick work of them - I am simply good at ignoring them, so it seems." An elegant eyebrow slowly rose as he watched Renji wince. "...Challenges? And how am I supposed to not accept and yet not ignore him?"
Blinking in honest confusion, the redhead turned his companion. "You do that sorta thing all the time... it shouldn't be hard ta turn down a fight ta the death."
"In that case - when I have been wanting to murder my family for the past two weeks, it would be more difficult than you would think to turn down a way to release pent up frustration," the noble teased, then turned his head to give Renji's shoulder an absent nuzzle. "But don't worry, I'll resist."
Relieved somewhat by Byakuya's show of affection and declarative will to live, Renji allowed himself a low chuckle as they finally came in sight of the eleventh division headquarters. "Ready?" he asked lightly, pausing to let Byakuya collect himself before they entered.
"As ready as I am going to be," Byakuya replied with a sigh to himself, more or less making a mental note to not give a damn. This wasn't his family, and he was supposed to be having a good time... so he might as well give it a shot.
"Good." With that, Renji brought them the remaining distance and opened the door, pulling Byakuya inside with him.
"Well look who finally arrived-"
"Byaku-chan!" Yachiru announced loudly, completely cutting off Ikkaku and launching herself in Byakuya's general direction.
The blur of pink was quickly intercepted, however, by Yumichika who plucked up the small girl before she could cause any damage and turned her in the direction of the kitchen. "Why don't you go check on the cake, Fukutaichou?"
Renji grimaced slightly, watching her attention shift dramatically and take off in the direction of the kitchen. "... She already got ta the sugar, eh?"
"Unfortunately," Yumichika sighed dramatically and flicked his hair back even though it really wasn't in his face to begin with. "Dealing with the members who let it happen did give us something to do while we waited for you, though."
The vice captain's familiar squeal somehow managed to settle the noble's nerves, as if it were a reminder that he could at least handle that. A brief, wary glance about the room was interrupted with Ikkaku's boisterous laugh.
"Yeah, but we made sure ta clean up all the blood before y'two came," the third seat said with a grin. "Wouldn't want ya ta have to deal with that sight, Kuchiki Taichou -"
"Yachiru, dam'it! I'm tryin' ta finish cookin'!" The gruff voice from the kitchen cut across Ikkaku's words, making the man choke on a laugh. A high-pitched 'but Bya-kushi's here!' was squealed and promptly, a single eye peered out of the kitchen doorway accompanied by the slow broadening of a maniacal grin. "Well if it ain't Renji's noble." The captain stepped around the door, not bothering to shake a clinging Yachiru from his leg as he moved. "And lookin' prettier than usual," Zaraki dared to jab, his grin still in place if not widening. "Better be only for Renji that you're lookin' that nice for."
"I assure you," Byakuya drawled, managing to chant his mantra of 'I don't give a damn' at least three times mentally before responding, "that is the case."
Auburn eyes rolled in response to Zaraki's somewhat protective prodding. "He always looks that good; nothin' new," the redhead interjected dismissively.
"Of course, but it's not every day we get to see him in such fabulous colors," Yumichika added, smiling at the noble in question, "That really sets off your eyes nicely, Kuchiki Taichou, you should consider the color more often."
"Yeah, yeah, if yer gonna start preenin', do it after ya point me ta the sake," Renji interrupted, grinning when Yumi sent him a ruffled look. "And I heard some music 'fore we came in - who'd ya con inta playing?"
"Mushimoki wants to keep his arm!" Yachiru supplied cheerily from where she clung to Zaraki's leg, offering nothing more in terms of explanation.
"... That so?" the redhead supplied, glancing at the adjoining room and noticing for the first time the amount of unmoving bodies. He couldn't help the sudden laugh that bubbled up from the familiar sight. "Oi! No one said ya could stop!" He yelled over, amused that one of the bodies groaned and lurched to its feet, disappearing from sight before the music started up again. "Much better," Renji declared, looking back to his immediate group.
"'M already ahead of ya on the sake, Renji!" Ikkaku announced, jumping up from his seat and opening up a near-by cabinet. "Here, a brand new jug, just for the two of ya," he offered, extending the unopened bottle to Renji after retrieving it from the back of the cabinet. "And Yumi, shuddup. We're not drunk enough for that yet."
Somehow finding the eccentric personalities surrounding him on all sides remotely comforting, the noble allowed a small almost-smile in Yumichika's direction. "Thank you," he responded, then slid his gaze between Renji and Ikkaku. "I hardly consider a compliment 'preening'," Byakuya remarked in Yumichika's defense, to which Ikkaku just snickered and rolled his eyes.
"Go figure you two'd hit it off -"
"Stop playin' that damned music like yer dyin' in there!" Zaraki roared over the chatter, not realizing the irony of his words and not caring, either. When the music continued with a bit more gusto, the captain grinned, satisfied, and turned to eye Byakuya once again. "Y'know, I still consider Renji part of this division mosta th’ time... he's around here to bother me enough, anyway, so I wanna kept the old traditions alive; that is, I don't take kindly to anyone in m'division runnin' off with someone that's not worthy. Think ya can prove yourself, pretty boy?"
"... smells like somethin's burnin'," Renji announced casually over the jug of sake Ikkaku passed him. He glanced over at the kitchen, hoping to divert Zaraki's bloodlust to food for a while at least. Still, he couldn't help the smirk that crossed his lips the moment the term "pretty boy" left Zaraki's.
Distracted well enough by the statement, Zaraki quickly turned around and stalked back into the kitchen as well as he could, considering Yachiru still clung to his leg. "You're s'posed to be payin' attention to things in here!" he scolded his fukutaichou harmlessly as he stirred and otherwise checked all possible food that was burning.
Byakuya could only blink for a moment, taken aback by being called a... pretty boy... of all things. Shaking his head, the noble reached for the bottle Renji held, pulling it swiftly from his hands and taking a long drink himself before handing it back.
"Damn," Ikkaku whistled, his amusement from the entire situation swiftly growing as he watched Byakuya drink without batting an eye. "Looks like Kuchiki Taichou can hold his own here."
"Yeah, well, jus' watch the sake, or you'll never get any," Renji muttered, taking a swig before Byakuya could snatch it away again.
"There's more than enough alcohol to go around," Yumichika interrupted, looking slightly putout. "If you think we'd throw a party for you without doubling our supply-"
"Che - fer me maybe, ya' don't know Kuya at all," Renji cut in, waving off Yumi's statements.
"And whose fault is that?" the fifth seat replied with a self-righteous glare.
"Stop exaggerating my drinking habits," Byakuya scolded the redhead, though at the same time, he resisted pulling the bottle away once again. "And that would be my fault, actually, Ayasegawa," the noble acknowledged with a hint of apology. "I am usually too caught up in the affairs of my household to be pulled away, especially now... It is only by Renji's help that I was actually able to leave."
"Isn't a weddin' supposed to be fun?" the third seat mused, arching an eyebrow in Renji's direction. "Why th' hell have you let those nobles work him ta death the week of your weddin'? Yer both supposed to be havin' a good time." Ikkaku slowly grinned before daring to add, "And hell, Renji, you're the only one that shoulda been workin' him this week."
At that, Byakuya promptly pulled the bottle away from Renji and decided it was best kept in his possession for the rest of the evening.
"It's not that easy- hey!" Renji attempted to snatch the bottle before it could be completely pulled away, but hadn't exactly been prepared for his captain to employ shunpo like speeds for the swiping of alcohol. "Exaggeratin' my ass!" He threw up his hands in exasperation.
"Here," Yumi offered another bottle with a roll of his eyes and gestured them farther inside. "Let's at least stop standing in the entranceway. I've already set up a table for Mahjong -" he half turned to the noble once more as he led the way inside. "Do you play?"
"... 's not like I haven't been tryin'," Renji muttered as he snatched the bottle away, feeling the need to debate Ikkaku's jibe. "Between his family - they're fuckin' creepy, just pop up everywhere - and him goin' behind their backs ta change everythin' afterwards, I'd barely get ta see 'im if I was in the bedroom all day." He managed to refrain from adding the complaint that Zabimaru was getting more than he was, for Byakuya's sake as much as his own.
"No wonder you're so jittery," Ikkaku teased, clapping his friend on the shoulder as they stepped into the main room. "Why doncha just grab him in front of the damned family and make use of a wall? That'd get 'em off your case and you'd actually get some."
Resisting the urge to comment on that, Byakuya quickly took another drink from the bottle he held, focusing his attention on Yumichika because he actually seemed tolerable. "It has been awhile," the noble admitted, "but if it means not listening to that - " he glanced back over his shoulder at Renji and Ikkaku.
"Dinner'll be ready in about ten minutes!" Zaraki yelled from the kitchen, the words accompanied by a rather large spoon being waved around the kitchen door. "Don't get too comfy, pretty boy! I still gotta finish talkin' t'ya!"
"Eh, well, I'd rather keep th' house, ya know..." the redhead offered by way of explanation.
"Ikkaku's just jealous, don't pay attention to him," Yumichika suggested, unruffled by the topic of conversation and his captain's gratuitous screaming. "But it is more enjoyable with more than two people, so it would be in our interest to keep them around."
"... I never realized it before, but you two are scarily similar," Renji interjected, eyeing the fifth seat warily.
Almost amused now by his fellow captain's actions, Byakuya did not allow the threat of being 'talked to' bother him. "I suppose they serve that purpose," Byakuya agreed to Yumichika's statement, then added easily, "but if all Renji can come up with is 'you know' as an excuse for not dragging me away from work and to more private quarters the week of our wedding -"
"I'm not jealous!" the third seat growled, quickly interrupting before Byakuya could turn the conversation with Renji against them. "And y'know, Renji, yer right - maybe we should just let 'em sit around and discuss fashion tips while we drink all the booze."
"I could throw ya over th' table right now if yer really so upset about it," the redhead suggested, ignoring Ikkaku for a moment in favor of enjoying an unabashed once over of the man next to him.
Byakuya opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again, allowing a small pause as he thought of something less eager than 'by all means.' "The key word is private, Renji," the noble managed levelly, sending Renji a sideways glance that still clearly held good humor.
"Che, I'll ask ya again in an hour," the redhead answered with a wink.
Rolling his eyes, Yumichika slid into a chair at a nearby table. "An hour isn't nearly long enough to eat and enjoy a game."
"Well an hour is all yer gettin' if he keeps drinkin' like that," Renji replied, dropping into a chair across from the fifth seat.
"If so, I think it would be advisable to stop," here, Yumi's attention slid to Byakuya himself, "considering our captain's tendencies and that you wouldn't want to get blood on such fine silk."
Managing to confine any blushing to an inward expression, Byakuya simply raised an eyebrow at Renji before sliding into a chair next to him. "Ignore him; it will be longer than an hour."
"You have been downing that thing back pretty fast," Ikkaku pointed out, gesturing to the bottle Byakuya had set upon the table.
Artfully ignoring the third seat, Byakuya continued speaking with Yumichika. "And really, if Zaraki Taichou is to bloody anything up, this kimono would be best. I was going to change, but Renji insisted it would be best if I didn't... and I suppose he's right."
"He always did have the inclination towards beautiful things, it's only natural he'd offer such advise," Yumichika replied with a slight inclination of the head.
"Yumichika-" Renji half growled, half muttered, seemingly embarrassed and trying to hide it.
"What? The fact that you're marrying him is enough evidence alone-"
"Yumi-"
"- You don't think he's beautiful? I have an eye for such things, Renji, really, and it's unsightly to debate any topics concerning beauty when your skin is turning that shade of red that should not appear prior to at least four containers of sake - unless your tolerance has gone down since we were last able to enjoy a drink together." Ayasegawa paused, a smug smile on his lips as his friend merely grumbled defeatedly into the top of his drink.
Quite entertained, the noble rested his elbow on the table and lightly rested his chin in his palm as he turned his head to watch Renji, eyes flickering in amusement. "...This response of yours is even more pitiable than the 'you know' supplied earlier," Byakuya quipped, managing to keep his face perfectly straight. "Considering our wedding is tomorrow, and you cannot properly compliment me when a relatively new acquaintance can quite readily..."
He should have remembered Yumichika. Renji growled softly, sending a hot glare at said person before turning his attention back to his fiancé. "I can compliment ya fine, and you know it - and I don't need ta rely on what yer wearin' ta do so," he retorted and then added with a smirk, "Or ya really havin' that hard of a time rememberin' the last time I called ya' 'beautiful'?"
Somehow managing his usual calm expression still, Byakuya levelly met the other man's eyes. "...Perhaps. It has been awhile."
"Aww, if you two are goin' ta get all mushy, get a room," Ikkaku grumbled as he slid into a seat next to Yumichika, crossing his arms.
"If their week's been half as bad as Renji said, then we can spare them a moment to ‘be mushy’," Yumi defended, thwapping Ikkaku's arm harmlessly.
"I'll take that moment, then," Renji declared and then promptly lurched to his right, grabbing Byakuya by the front of his kimono and pulling him closer, kissing him deeply and thoroughly.
Automatically, Byakuya reached out to grasp Renji's shoulder to steady himself as he struggled briefly not to melt into the kiss. That struggle ended quickly when he quickly found that Renji's kisses were, as usual, better at making him feel drunk and dizzy than actual alcohol. Thus, the noble relented and leaned against his fiancé, eyes fluttering shut as he decided that this display of affection wasn't so bad, seeing as their current company did not seem to mind -
"Glad ta see y'two havin' fun," Zaraki's voice cut across his thoughts, making the noble's eyes snap open and his fingers compulsively cling to Renji's shoulders. "But ya don't have my approval yet, Kuchiki," the captain stated with a grin, towering over the other two shinigami from his place behind their chairs, "and I don't want ya messin' around with one of my own 'less you've proven yerself."
Forced to break the kiss he was so enjoying, Renji turned to look up at Zaraki somewhat crossly. "I can at least mess with him," he answered with a frown.
"Perhaps we should get this out of the way before dinner," Yumichika suggested (un)helpfully. "At least then there will be less to clean up."
With a roll of his eyes, Renji sat back, pushing Byakuya back into his own seat. "Fine with me."
Not exactly happy to be pushed away, Byakuya irritably smoothed out his kimono, giving the other captain a vaguely dark look. "Then do inform me how I can 'prove myself'."
"A fight to the death!" Zaraki answered predictably; prompting eye rolls from all those present, save for Byakuya, who simply stared at him. "If ya kill me, ya can marry Renji," he continued his grin widening.
Byakuya continued to stare at him blankly for a moment before sitting back with an amused snort. "Please excuse me if I offend you by saying this, Zaraki Taichou," the noble began, seeming perfectly collected, "but do you really expect me to fight you to the death dressed like this?" He gestured to the kimono he was wearing, and quickly continued as Zaraki made to speak. "And that aside, Renji certainly has full intentions to make use of tonight and our wedding night, during which I would prefer not being previously bloodied and injured by your hand." Byakuya tilted his head, catching Zaraki's eye. "I am sure you would not wish to ruin Renji's fun, and neither do I - so I believe we see eye to eye quite perfectly, as we only intend to focus on Renji's best interests. Does that not warrant your approval?"
"He's perfect."
Renji glanced over, surprised that Yumichika had sighed out exactly what he was thinking just then. He couldn't help the smug grin that crept across his lips as his gaze slipped back to his fiancé and then the captain looming above them. "I hate ta say it, but I think ya' lost this one, Zaraki Taichou."
With a grumble and a sigh, Zaraki fairly sulked, not happy to lose yet another chance for a fight. "Yeah," he relented, eyeing the noble once more before his usual wide grin returned. "Guess so - you'll do, pretty boy!" he announced, clapping Byakuya hard on the back and easily ignoring the bitten-back growl Byakuya directed toward him. "'S'long as ya keep makin' Renji happy, you've got my approval. And if Yumi thinks yer 'perfect', then I guess y'pretty damned near are."
"Your approval is appreciated, then," Byakuya replied sincerely, turning his head to catch Renji's eye with a slightly smug glance of his own.
Renji met the gaze easily, feeling rather proud just then and reflecting it. "Now that that's done with - we are gettin' food, right?" He tossed the question up at Zaraki, leaning back casually. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving."
"You spend all that time at the Kuchiki estate and don't feed yourself?" Yumichika carefully adjusted his forearm strap; it had moved a millimeter out of position during their conversation.
"'course not, the only person who even wants me there is Byakuya - they probably think that if they don't feed me, I'll leave," the redhead joked lightly, drinking more as he waited for an actual answer to his inquiry.
Renji's gaze sent a wave of satisfaction through the noble, making him settle back quite contently. It was... nice to see the open approval on his fiancé’s face. "I'll be sure to remedy that in the future," the noble commented, making several notes to scold his family on this matter, or work them to death, whichever came first after the wedding.
"I'm gettin' the food," Zaraki growled, reaching down and deliberately ruffling the redhead's hair. "Stop complainin'; you didn't have ta cook at least!" With that, he turned and marched back to the kitchen, mumbling about the ungrateful bastards he had to deal with. "Ikkaku! Get in here and help me!"
Looking completely put out at this, Ikkaku nevertheless heaved himself from his seat and dragged himself toward the kitchen. "Taichou~ Why doesn't Yumi hafta help, too?"
"'Cause he's busy suggestin' ways for Kuchiki ta be prettier for Renji!"
"I don't hear any suggestin' -" The protest was cut off with a yelp as Zaraki promptly shoved an armful of plates and chopsticks into his arms, and muttered a quick suggestion to an eager Yachiru that Ikkaku's head tasted like candy.
"I highly doubt that's possible," Yumichika pointed out, but kept his voice low enough so only Renji and Byakuya would hear him. Really, so long as he didn't have to worry over what could possibly spill over while in that kitchen...
"Will ya stop that already?" Renji muttered, glaring slightly.
"Stop what?" For once, the fifth seat found himself uncertain as to exactly what the redhead was referring to.
"Complimentin' him like that. Yer makin' me look bad." Renji frowned and glanced over at his captain, feeling a bit perturbed to say the least. "And it's not like I'm not thinkin' all that - an' more - ya just don't need ta be reminded of it constantly," he added before Byakuya could get too offended. Leaning on the table and letting his eyes drift back to Yumichika once more, the redhead sighed a bit. "At least it's just you - can't imagine what he'd do with Sen."
Yumichika blinked a bit. "Sen?"
"Just me?" Byakuya gently teased, noticing that Renji was a bit ruffled by the constant compliments. "First of all, I am quite aware of your thoughts - you are marrying me, after all," the noble pointed out as he rested a hand against Renji's arm lightly. His blue gaze shifted to Yumichika at the man's interested to their conversation. "He is referring to -" Byakuya blinked as he was interrupted by a screech from the kitchen, accompanied by the clanging of pans or something similar dropping. When the noise died down to a dull roar, he shook his head slightly and continued. "He is referring to my zanpakutou and his usual manifestation," the noble vaguely explained.
Yumichika was lost, and it wasn't a state he preferred to be in. "... You mean to say that Senbonzakura's manifestation holds comparative beauty?" he hazarded.
"... Somethin' like that," Renji managed, regretting his statement the moment he'd said it.
Eyes lighting up like stars, Yumichika's attention shifted entirely to the noble present. "Is that true? Oh, it sounds breathtaking - is it a human form? You wouldn't believe how lonely Fujikujaku can get - it's impossible to find zanpakutou of similar caliber below my seat, and Houzukimaru refuses to manifest." He sighed deeply, leaning back artfully.
With a small smirk, the noble gently brushed at the back of his mind, coaxing Senbonzakura to at least pay attention to what was being said. "Yes, his manifestation is human," Byakuya responded, and then tilted his head slightly in interest. "Really, now - Senbonzakura has little company as well... Outside of Zabimaru," he added after a moment's thought. "Perhaps you - and in turn, your zanpakutou - would like to be introduced to him?"
A gentle wave of energy rolled back against the noble, indicating the sword's awareness of the topic at hand.
"I'd love to - you wouldn't mind?" Yumichika answered immediately, obviously thrilled at the idea.
The noble's quick response was an almost playful tug against the zanpakutou, suggesting that he manifest at least for a few moments. It wouldn't hurt, after how hospitable Yumichika had been, to give him at least a brief introduction. "Seeing as they are still preparing dinner, I don't see why not."
Before Yumichika could even complete his reply, the sudden formation of fog stilled his tongue long enough for Senbonzakura to fully manifest. Although he chose to forgo the mist and sakura petals for a more physical form, it was perhaps that understatement that caused the fifth seat to, for the first time since Renji'd known him, fall into a shocked silence.
Sanguine eyes regarded the fifth chair for a moment before bowing formally. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ayasegawa Yumichika."
Eventually snapping out of shock, Yumi rose gracefully to his feet to return the gesture, smiling brilliantly. "The pleasure is all mine -" he stopped again, seemingly entranced by Senbonzakura's simple beauty.
Renji groaned and massaged a temple, muttering something along the lines of, "Cut it out..." as he glanced to the side.
"... You really are beautiful," Yumichika murmured finally, extending his hand seemingly without knowing it to gently touch the cuff of a pristine white sleeve. His smile only widened at the perfect manner in which the faintest of blushes traced Senbonzakura's white skin. "...Fujikujaku would greatly enjoy perhaps spending some time with you if you wouldn't mind..."
"I will remain manifested if Kuchiki-sama permits," the sword spirit answered calmly, glancing at his shinigami charge for confirmation or otherwise.
Watching the interaction with some amusement, Byakuya briefly caught the zanpakutou's gaze and nodded. "If you wish, you may." His eyes then slid to Renji, observing the redhead's apparent headache. A light squeeze of fingers resting on the man's forearm gave Byakuya the opportunity to catch Renji's gaze and give him a questioning look.
"Zabimaru," Renji grunted lowly by way of explanation, giving the noble a faint smile to show it wasn't anything to be worried about.
"Wonderful!" Yumichika announced, casually extending his hand to the sword spirit currently present. Instead of moving to take Senbonzakura's hand, however, he stilled.
A faint image overlapped him and then extended forwards, breaking away and solidifying as a tanned hand laid itself lightly on Senbonzakura's pale one. Dark blue eyes caught the carmine gaze and held it levelly. Barely bound with a golden tie, waist length black hair shifted under what appeared to be a layer of long peacock feathers hung from a cerulean band that rested just above the spirit's ears and looped low around the back of his head. A deep green robe covered most of his lithe form, though it remained open enough to reveal similarly dark blue pants worn beneath. He smiled very slightly, dark red lips bending the delicate lines of a black tattoo whirling intricately down from his left eye.
"I am honored," he murmured in a low tenor, bowing his head slightly in his greeting.
The irritated brush against Renji's mind flared at the arrival of the other zanpakutou before settling into a simmer of clearly jealous energy. Feeling the subtle shift of Renji's reiatsu, Byakuya frowned, artfully tilting his head to the side and resting it against Renji's shoulder before murmuring low enough for only Renji to hear, "Please inform Zabimaru to stop being jealous, as these two are more likely to work for hours on their hair together than anything else."
"As am I," Senbonzakura returned politely, though clearly intrigued by the arrival of the other zanpakutou. Despite being in Eleventh, Fujikujaku hardly seemed suited for the typical hard-hitting damage usually expected of the division's members. Knowing his charge's thoughts ranged on the same topic, the sword spirit spoke for them both. "I hardly expected to come across another zanpakutou of my variety here."
Cracking a smirk at Byakuya's commentary, Renji answered equally as quietly. "That's what I said, but he got uppity anyway." Senbonzakura's observations, however, broke his attention and drew it to the two manifested zanpakutou and then to the fifth seat, gaze curious. Smile abruptly fading at the declaration, Yumichika glanced to the side, avoiding Renji's questioning gaze. Auburn eyes widened slightly at the silent confirmation. "... Seriously? But I've never seen- you've never-"
"I did warn you," Fujikujaku interrupted the string of confusion effortlessly, turning to his charge as he spoke, "that he would, in all likelihood, know."
"You did," Yumi answered, offering the zanpakutou a vague smile, "but do you honestly think I could resist? The two of you are stunning side by side - and I am sure you will enjoy the conversation."
The darker spirit inclined his head slightly, silently accepting the small sacrifice as he turned back to Senbonzakura, offering a soft apology for the deviance in their conversation. However, Renji interrupted before it could begin anew. "Whoa – wait a minute, you can't just - just say nothing!" The redhead sat up straighter, eyeing shinigami and zanpakutou alike.
"Is there a particular reason he cannot?" Fujikujaku interjected calmly, but with blue eyes honed sharply on the vice captain. There was a strange motion, as if his image was dragged slightly to the side and then set properly back into place, but was so faint and quick that the redhead wasn't sure he'd seen it at all.
"... Yeah; like the fact that Yumi's fucking fukutaichou level and he's been usin' a kidou type zanpakutou like a direct attack - how does that even work?" Renji spun his gaze to Yumichika then. "I've seen yer shikai - and it's got nothin' ta do with kidou-"
"Renji, ignorance may be alluring, however stupidity is not," Yumichika cut in sharply. "You have only seen one part of the initial release - please, leave it at that."
Blinking back obvious shock, Renji sunk into his chair once more, unable to find another response and merely trying to process everything.
Watching the argument quietly, the other zanpakutou decided not to comment on the strange shift of Fujikjaku's energy, or the obvious way Yumichika brushed aside further explanations. "My apologies if my observation was ill-timed," Senbonzakura offered softly to both fifth seat and zanpakutou after a moment's pause.
Sitting back and simply observing as well, Byakuya could not help but find it as strange as Renji that, with Yumichika's ability and kidou-based zanpakutou, he still remained where he was in the eleventh division. The noble allowed a small shake of his head, deciding now was not the time or place to discuss such things. "Perhaps you should go check on Zaraki Taichou and dinner, Renji," Byakuya suggested, catching his fiancé’s eye.
Shifting his gaze quickly between all present, Renji finally just sighed and relented to Byakuya's prodding. "Sure. Things've gotten kinda quiet, anyway, I should make sure they didn't manage ta kill themselves," he announced while standing, squeezing Byakuya's shoulder once before turning and adopting a wary gait similar to the way one would approach an unknown battlefield.
"As I said - he was warned," Fujikujaku replied easily, "the observation was going to be made eventually, if not by you, than by another."
Giving Renji a brief, grateful look over his shoulder, the noble turned back to the conversation, blue eyes landing upon Yumichika. "Forgive my forwardness, but I am as intrigued as Renji was as to the reasoning behind keeping this hidden. I am quite aware of the distaste Eleventh Division has towards kidou, but word has it you are quite capable and would easily find a higher-ranking position elsewhere."
Clearly uneasy with the topic, Yumi nevertheless returned to his seat and stated evenly, "I am sure my reasons are similar to Renji's for staying in sixth, Kuchiki Taichou."
Byakuya quickly echoed the other man's uneasiness with a frown, sitting back a bit more in his chair. "I am not sure that I understand what you are implying -"
"Dinner's ready!" Zaraki interrupted loudly, stalking into the room and dropping several plates of food onto empty end of the table. He paused at the scene before him for a moment, eyeing the uneasy shinigami, the relatively familiar manifestation of Fujikujaku, and the new presence.
"What the fuck -" Ikkaku began for his captain, only to be interrupted by a carmine gaze swept in his direction a second later.
"My apologies for the lack of introduction," Senbonzakura quickly interjected, shifting closer to his charge as he spoke. "I am Kuchiki-sama's zanpakutou, Senbonzakura."
"Go figure Kuchiki'd have a pretty sword, too," the other captain grunted, casting a wary eye in the pale spirit's direction. Kidou - all that damned energy, it grated on his nerves. He couldn't sense it, but he could almost smell it, and it made him as uneasy as Yumichika and Byakuya seemed to be. "If yer sword's gonna flirt with cherry blossom boy, here, Yumi, get 'em a room."
Ruffled by the situation and disliking the thoughts that now weighed upon his mind, Byakuya glanced in Yumichika's direction, all but saying 'we'll talk later' before eyeing the two zanpakutou. "Perhaps it would be best if the two of you conversed after dinner." The suggestion was accompanied by a reach for his bottle of sake - about three quarters empty, now, and less than that after Byakuya took another sip.
Frowning at the interruptions and general abundance of ruffled feathers, Fujikujaku stepped between his charge and the spirit he'd been attempting conversation with, keeping his gaze on the noble. "If we must. However, I do not see why could not simply follow Zaraki Taichou's suggestion. I do not think we will be needed for dinner."
The noble's frown deepened, but he nodded anyway, relenting for Senbonzakura's sake. Gods know his zanpakutou could use some socializing time outside of himself and Zabimaru. "...All right." Though Zabimaru is going to be horrendously jealous, Byakuya noted with a sigh, hoping that Renji's headache isn't too bad after this.
Ignoring Zaraki's... comments, Senbonzakura gave Byakuya a small nod of thanks before turning to Fujikujaku once more. "Please, lead the way."
"Of course," Fujikujaku smiled thinly and nodded to Byakuya in a subtle form of thanks before turning and gesturing for Senbonzakura to follow him.
Grinding his teeth against the current of agitated reiatsu that slammed into skull, Renji provided the mental equivalent of a smack upside the head and a repressive seal as an incentive for his zanpakutou to calm the fuck down. It seemed to work for the moment. He plopped down the tray he was carrying and slid back into his seat. "Let's eat up already - Ikkaku, ya' got the plates?"
Yumichika subtly inclined his head towards Byakuya, thankful that his zanpakutou would have some company for once, but also to lock gazes quick enough to show that he would prefer their conversation and all its contents to end in current company. "Well, what did you make? It smells delicious!" he beamed at Zaraki, making up for his previous lack of sparkles by sheer force of will.
"Yeah, I got 'em," the third seat grumbled, still resenting that Zaraki had managed to break several of the said plates and blame it on him while they were in the kitchen. Carefully sitting them down onto the table, Ikkaku plopped back down next to Yumichika, not particularly noticing the shift in his friend's moods.
"Well, even though our 10th seat said he wanted to keep his arm, I took it anyway and sautéed it!" Zaraki announced with a darkening grin. All present groaned, or at the very least, rolled their eyes, save for Byakuya, who took another drink from his bottle, thus finishing it completely as his zanpakutou (and perhaps last bit of sanity left in the room, aside from Renji) slipped away with Fujikujaku.
"How pleasant," he commented dryly, prompting a booming laugh from the other captain.
"I like you, pretty boy," Zaraki beamed, uncovering the large plates to reveal a surprisingly appetizing-looking mix of rice dishes, seafood, and individual servings of soba with various toppings, all still steaming and hot. "A feast in th' happy couple's name!" The captain clapped a hand on both Renji and Byakuya's shoulders. "Y'two serve yourselves first - there's plenty ta go around - while I get s'more sake!"
"Sounds good ta me!" Renji grinned, previous ails forgotten as he snatched up his plate and proceeded to pile it eight inches high with the mountains of food. Glancing over at Byakuya as he set his plate down, the redhead sighed and grabbed up the noble's plate as well, placing considerably less on it, but at least part of every offering, before setting it down in front of the man. "First rule of good food is never askin' where it's from," he advised as he passed his fiancé a pair of chopsticks. "Dig in."
"I'll keep that in mind," the noble drawled, taking the chopsticks with a small nod of thanks. Before he could even remotely 'dig in', however, Zaraki returned and was content to seat himself on Byakuya's right after setting several jugs of sake upon the table.
"Drink s'more, Kuchiki - it'll loosen ya up," the captain insisted, pushing another bottle into the noble's hand. "An' now that they've got theirs, it's our turn!" As soon as those words were spoken, Zaraki and Ikkaku all but leapt upon the food, despite the plentiful amount of it. Idly, Byakuya shifted closer to Renji before considering eating.
Yumi plucked his chopsticks up from the table and every twenty seconds or so, darted them in, retrieving moderate pieces of food and placing them on his plate. "So, how long have the two of you been an item?" He asked casually over the two men battling viciously for the remainder of the meal.
Renji only nudged Byakuya for an answer, already far too invested in feeding himself to bother replying. He did, however, manage to snatch the bottle of sake Zaraki had passed his fiancé and start drinking it before the noble could react.
Byakuya blinked for a moment, then simply sighed at Renji and turned to his own food. "...Almost six years now," he answered as he carefully dodged Zaraki's arm that would fly back from time to time. "Though, really, less than that, if you consider Renji was in the living world for five years and we had little contact." Pausing, Byakuya waited for Zaraki to cease for a split second before reaching over and retrieving another bottle of sake for himself.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," Yumichika quoted breezily. "He only came off assignment - what? - three weeks ago? Making up for lost time?"
"Damn straight," Renji cut in, setting his bottle of sake down with a respectable thwack as he paused for a breath. "I ain't waitin' around again."
At this the fifth seat smiled somewhat vaguely, as if the statement held more meaning than face value. "Good, then. I have to say, though, how surprised I was when I heard that you're actually legalizing this. Your family must have had a fit," he added, glancing at Byakuya before taking his first sip of sake.
"You have no idea," the noble sighed, taking a long drink of sake before continuing. "The second we came back from an emergency in the living world, they jumped on my case about my relationship with him in a four hour meeting... When our engagement was brought up at a later date, they were threatening me. It was absolutely ridiculous." At that, he absently stabbed a piece of fish in his remembered frustration before turning back to eating.
Yumichika nodded, "The Arrancar mess. We should have been there to handle it, but Fifth sidetracked us." A slight gesture with his free hand showed precisely what he thought of that particular division just then. "Although, you obviously had a wonderful fight - the clean up for that was ridiculous. How did you convince them, though?" Chopsticks flew up to the side of his head, blocking a flying bone Ikkaku broke off from the main dish with the meat that had been thrown on his plate.
Carefully, Byakuya slid about six inches to his left, briefly pressed against Renji's side as Zaraki shifted to whack Ikkaku across the head over the last bowl of curry. "Well, one of the elders confronted me while Senbonzakura was manifested," he explained as he returned to his seat more comfortably. "And after scolding me thoroughly for even considering the idea, Senbonzakura stepped in and helped the matter significantly by basically verbally besting him in every sense." Not daring to reach back into the murder scene that was the previous neatly laid out main platter, Byakuya's chopsticks reached across his own plate and into Renji's, stealing a more heavily spiced piece of fish before returning to his own food. "After that, my family seemed to be much more tolerant... Though I still have to go back and change every decision they make afterwards, seeing as they constantly disagree with me."
"So Senbonzakura manifests fairly often, then? What a wonderful idea - I always thought keeping our zanpakutou locked up as we do is quite the disservice, don't you think? Look at how much good it did the two of you to have an extra voice, let alone how nice it must have been to get out among people." Yumi sat back, bringing his cup of sake with him as primly continued to make up for lost time in the way of intoxication.
Taking a moment to slide more of the spicier entrees on to Byakuya's plate, Renji briefly planted a kiss on the man's cheek and then sat back to avoid the war raging just beyond his fiancé, unperturbed by the prospect of injury or death as he drank straight from the bottle of sake previously swiped from his captain.
Returning the affection with a turn of his head and an absent nuzzle against the redhead's shoulder, Byakuya then glanced back to Yumichika. "Quite often, yes; and I am inclined to agree that Senbonzakura's manifested presence is quite beneficial... I scarcely believe I would have managed the years Renji was on assignment without my zanpakutou's presence." Abandoning his half-eaten plate for a moment, the noble shifted in his seat to lean closer to Renji, favoring his fiancé’s bottle of sake over his own and promptly tugging it from his hands to steal a swallow.
"Fuck - you have your own sake, 'kuya," Renji muttered, grabbing said bottle since his fiancé seemed intent on stealing his. Other than the faintly exasperated tone, however, the redhead didn't seem too upset with the man's actions.
"... An hour indeed," Yumichika murmured with a smirk, and then suddenly stuck his chopsticks in the middle of the war between his captain and friend, catching them both with the movement. "Settle down, we need to clear the table for mahjong while the majority of us are still sober."
Not really paying attention to what Renji was saying, Byakuya simply shrugged and in the process, nestled up closer to the redhead's side while finishing his plate between sips of sake.
"Majority of us?" Ikkaku managed between swallowing a rather large mouthful, downing back sake from his own bottle to wash it down. His eyes then fell on Byakuya and he snickered, settling back into his chair with an amused glance in Renji's direction. "Less than an hour."
"He sped up," Renji stated by way of explanation. "I should have enough time for at least a round of Mahjong, though, before I have ta drag 'im home." His hand swung around behind the noble, resting easily on the other man's hip.
"All right then, are you both finished destroying the table?" Yumichika piped, standing up as he did and beginning to stack the dishes regardless of their answer.
"We didn't destroy the table," Zaraki pointed out, "jus' the food. And hey - I wasn't done with that!" Quickly, before Yumichika could pull the dish away completely, he snatched a last piece of fish away and munched quite contently upon it.
"Che, should've known nobles couldn't hold their alcohol," the third seat said with a grin, rising to help Yumichika clear the table.
"Unlike you, I do not have the practice, and no doubt have better attendance to all division matters in the morning," Byakuya drawled lowly, making Ikkaku glower in his direction, to which he responded with a smirk and another sip of his drink.
"I wonder what would happen if I ever didn't cover those," Yumichika sighed wistfully as he stacked the dishes towards the center of the table.
"Ya' might actually drink s'more?" Renji offered unhelpfully.
The fifth seat frowned and sent an irritated glare at the redhead. "There is beauty in moderation - and if I didn't," he continued before the man could get a word in edge wise, "not a single person around here would have any idea what goes on on a day to day basis."
"'m sure if ya gave her enough caffeine, Yachiru'd go."
Yumichika shuddered at the thought and just shook his head, grabbing the plates and hauling them towards the kitchen with strength hidden by his slim form.
Grabbing whatever plates Yumichika missed, Ikkaku followed him into the kitchen with a grumble about being made into a housewife. Zaraki snickered, climbing from his seat to follow in turn. "Both of ya get back out there! I'll take care of all of this, ‘s my kitchen, anyway."
Taking advantage at the momentary privacy, Byakuya turned his head, pressing his lips lightly against the redhead's throat as his reiatsu briefly skidded across Renji's in a sensuous purr. "It has been an hour," he murmured, though offered nothing further. He seemed quite content to direct a small smirk in Renji's direction as he settled back against his side when Ikkaku and Yumichika re-entered the room.
Renji shuddered briefly at the touch, biting back any further reaction, yet tightening his hold on Byakuya's hip. He watched his two friends begin to set up the game and couldn't help thinking to himself that he might just have to leave Byakuya behind if he ever wanted to spend time with them again. As it was, the man's soft statement, wrapped in layers of promise was boring into his will to stay.
"Do you want to play separately, or together?" Yumichika's voice cut into his thoughts. Renji blinked and cast the noble a questioning look, hoping the man would have a preference that could ground him into staying as long as he'd originally hoped.
"Together," Byakuya answered as he subtly canted his body into the hand resting against his hip. "It has been awhile since I've played, so Renji can assist me."
"Good luck with that," Ikkaku snorted with his grin returning. "Renji hasn't won a game yet 'gainst Yumi. I think Zaraki Taichou beat 'm once but that was that one time Yumi got really drunk..."
"I'm sure once Kuchiki Taichou remembers the game, he'll be a worthy opponent," Yumichika interjected, and then smirked at Renji and added, "Think you can last until then?"
"... Depends on how much more he plans on drinkin'," the redhead answered honestly, trying not to get too distracted by the noble's subtle movements.
Unable to resist commenting, Byakuya slowly shifted further against Renji's side, leaning his cheek against his shoulder. "And that would depend on how much more you want me to drink."
After taking another sip of his own sake, Ikkaku somehow managed to find that comment rather amusing. A loose Byakuya was quite hilarious, after all. "It's been past an hour now, Renji," the third seat teased, "maybe you should take the hint?"
"...You have no idea how appealin' that is-"
"Well go on then," Yumichika laughed, shooing his friend away. "Do you really think we'd keep you here?"
Renji all but launched from his chair, pulling Byakuya close as he did. "Looks like I'm goin', then, thanks fer the food an' everything-" he gave a quick wave and then simply picked up the noble and flashstepped out.
"Hm... well, that makes shopping for them so much easier," Yumichika quipped, rearranging the tiles to suit a three person game.
--
His normal train of thought was, luckily, too far gone to worry about compromised pride in being all but scooped up and tossed over Renji's shoulder. "We might want to use the garden entrance to my room," Byakuya suggested in a low purr, tipping his head to the side so that his lips grazed across the thudding pulse on Renji's neck.
"A' course," Renji muttered, having already angled himself towards that entrance and finding it soon after. He slipped in through an open garden door, which he quickly closed afterward, moving deeper into the large room and setting his lover gently on the bed. "... It's our last night before we're legal, ya know," he murmured, leaning over the noble. "Last chance..."
Bracing back onto one hand, the noble tipped his head back slightly, throat bared as he focused on shaking windswept hair from his face. He then lifted his left hand and caught Renji by the front of his sash. "For what?" Byakuya asked softly as he tugged lightly on the material he held, trying, somewhat clumsily with only using one hand, to undo the knot there.
Kneeling on the bed with the noble, Renji laid a hand over the one fumbling with his sash, stilling the motion as he locked eyes with Byakuya. "Last chance ta' be a noble with an infatuation with a street rat from Rukongai..." He leaned in closer, a breath's away from pale lips. "Tomorrow... it's gonna be even; official. I'll have as strong a hold on you as you do on me."
Crystalline blue eyes darkened at the words, meeting auburn readily as he spoke, voice low and slightly breathless, "And I am looking forward to such things becoming 'official'... though perhaps you did not realize it, but you have had a similar hold on me for quite some time... You do still, even right now."
Forgoing any attempt at answering such a statement, the redhead closed the remaining distance between them, sealing their lips together in a firm, yet gentle embrace. His hand slipped from its position over Byakuya's, dropping slowly to the silken robe draped over the noble's body and carefully removing the cloth. He paused with each new expanse of skin revealed by the slow removal, caressing it with the backs of his fingers and occasionally adding the touch of fingertips: reacquainting himself with the intricacies of his lover's flesh.
A soft sigh escaped from the noble's lips, his own parting beneath Renji's as he relaxed from the other man's affections. Pulling his hand from Renji's sash, Byakuya slipped an arm from the layers of his kimono, exposing a much greater expanse of skin to the redhead's wandering hands. His own hand lifted again, fingertips brushing down Renji's jaw and the side of his neck to rest on a strong shoulder; slowly pushing away the material there so that pale fingers could splay across tanned flesh and dark tattoos.
"Nice an' slow tonight, Kuya," the redhead murmured against the lips of his lover, shifting to first untie the sash at his waist and then slip what cloth the noble sought to remove from his shoulder. Pressing a kiss to the corner of Byakuya's mouth, Renji trailed his lips down the jaw line and then tugged gently on an earlobe, slipping his tongue around to tease the back of it. "Just relax... and enjoy yourself, hm?"
Passion-darkened eyes slid shut half-way as he fell prey to the promise in Renji's words and touch. A low murmur of approval escaped Byakuya's lips, his fingers sliding against the shoulder they rested against, thumb brushing the edge of a jagged tattoo as his head tipped into the warmth of his lover's mouth. It wasn't the alcohol that made him dizzy and incoherent now; it was Renji, and the warmth his touch always brought.
Satisfied with his lover's response, Renji pulled back slightly, just enough to adjust his weight to better balance himself and carefully thread his fingers through Byakuya's hair. Smiling warmly to keep the man at ease, he began methodically unwinding midnight strands from moonlight containers. As each section was removed from the complex hairpiece, Renji ran his fingers through the loosened hair, gently massaging the scalp with the tips of his fingers. "Mm, like that?" Auburn eyes drifted down to meet darkened blue-grey as the redhead continued the careful removal of every article yet attached to the noble.
Dark eyelashes fluttered as Byakuya struggled to keep the redhead's gaze and not simply shut his eyes and melt into the touch. "Yes..." he breathed, his reiatsu shifting to a deep, rumbling purr from the ministrations. It was silly, perhaps, but there were few he'd trust to remove the blatant symbol of nobility from his hair outside of Renji. His lover's touch made it all the more enjoyable, even soothing.
"Good..." Renji's voice was low and quiet; a tone not often used even when they were alone. The last part of the kenseikan slid off and was placed with the rest, sword calloused hands running through the now freed hair, brushing pleasurably against the scalp. The younger man leaned down again, lightly dusting fluttered eyelids with gentle kisses that spread to other, usually forgotten spaces; the forehead and nose, the chin, and the spot where ears and face connect. As questing lips moved to a pale throat, Renji's hands fell to Byakuya's torso, slowly pushing the remaining fabric aside and running his hands softly, yet unceasingly down the bared flesh.
A lingering shudder of pleasure spread through the noble's form, his nerves further sensitized and increasing the pleasant tingles of sensation. Carefully shifting, Byakuya's hand lifted from where it was braced against the bed, shaking the clinging silk from his arm before lying back slowly and using his right hand's grip to draw Renji back with him. A slight toss of his head sent his hair fanning back across the white silk of his bed, the dark strands a stark contrast as his throat was arched, encouraging Renji's lips. "I like it when you are like this," he murmured, a slim hand tracing down from Renji's shoulder to caress the taunt skin of his chest, following the patterns of his tattoos as if mesmerized by them.
Auburn eyes lidded half way at the appreciative murmur, the redhead's lips fervently worshipping the pale skin before him. Slipping his left arm beneath Byakuya's right, Renji set his weight on that elbow, slowly drawing his attentions down to the noble's chest. His right hand came up, skipping along hard muscle until it settled on the soft skin of a nipple, which he firmly rubbed and stimulated. Similarly, his mouth moved to the other nipple, lapping and sucking at the pert flesh, slowly building the stimulation.
Groaning softly, Byakuya arced up against the heat of the redhead's mouth and the firm touches of calloused fingers. His own hands slid around the back of Renji's neck, struggling briefly with his hair tie before freeing the crimson mane and tangling slim fingers into it, tightening with a hitching sigh of his lover's name as Renji's fingers twisted against sensitive skin in just the right way.
Renji's fingers changed movements, rubbing circularly around the sensitive nub as the redhead moved his lips back to meet the noble's in a brief, but affectionate kiss. Straightening then, his right hand brushed off the now sensitized torso as he leaned to the side, blindly shifting through the bedside drawer until he found a small container of oil. He settled back, adjusting Byakuya's hips slightly so he could move more completely on to the bed while staying between the man's legs. The cork popped out easily, allowing the oil to pour easily into Renji's waiting palm - just the amount needed - before it was returned to the top of the bottle.
The shinigami set the bottle aside and carefully spread the oil over his fingers. Satisfied with the consistency and warmth of the viscous liquid, he gently set his lover's leg apart for easier access. "Just like that, Kuya," he murmured, leaning over the other man just enough to register reactions as he carefully slid a pair of fingers through Byakuya's puckered entrance. His fingers turned and bent, gently stimulating as well as stretching.
The noble's fingers slid from Renji's hair, dropping to firm shoulders and clenching there as a low moan escaped. The utter lack of tension in his body made the action all the more pleasurable and his hips shifted forward against the intrusion and coaxing a change in the fingers' angle. The resulting croon that poured from Byakuya's lips was ragged, accompanied by the slight heave of his chest when he sucked in a slow, albeit shaky breath. "Right there," he all but purred, letting his head fall back languidly as he surrendered to sensation.
Renji smirked and twisted his fingers to brush the spot again, spreading them as well to continue the intended purpose of the action, aside from pleasure. "Like that?" His voice was low and carried the tones of pleasure gained from simply watching the display below him.
This time, Byakuya's voice escaped in a far more vocal keen, his fingers curling tightly into Renji's shoulders as he arched more firmly into the intimate touch. "Yes," he gasped, his thighs falling open rather submissively as he all but clung to his lover. "Yes..." he repeated in a low groan, his eyes fluttering shut without any resistance.
"Perfect..." the redhead rumbled, removing his fingers and using the remaining oil to slicken his erection. Repositioning himself over the noble, his arms slipping beneath the other man's shoulders, Renji slowly pushed his lover, drinking in all the reactions he was given as he completely immersed himself in Byakuya. A low moan poured from his lips as his most sensitive area was surrounded by the man's tight warmth. "Gods you feel good..." Muscles clenched, tensing as the redhead paused to allow his companion to adjust to the intrusion.
A ragged groan echoed Renji's voice as Byakuya's legs compulsively clamped around his lover's hips, drawing him in deeper, panting softly as his body tensed automatically before relaxing and almost melting beneath the other man. Pleasure tugged at his nerves, setting him on fire with warmth as he moved back against Renji, moaning lowly and only encouraging more.
He began slowly, as with the rest of his touches that night, letting the pleasure build as he increased to a moderate pace and from there only adjusted his angle to increase the pleasure. Breath left him quicker than before, his lungs soon aching for more air, faster, as he stalled needs for quicker action, wanting to enjoy this, to make it last a bit, to drown completely in the feel of his fiancé. "... You're ... too good," he gasped out, moaning deeply when the other man's muscled tightened even slightly around him.
Byakuya found himself breathless, his hips canting upward, rocking against each thrust with Renji's name falling from his lips when his mind could coherently manage. His legs tightened around his lover's waist, fingers digging into the flesh of Renji's shoulders, all actions seeking to draw the man closer and feel more of him. Burying his face into his fiancé’s neck, Byakuya heaved out a shuddering sigh, lips pressed against Renji's throat as he whispered soft pleas, voice a deep rumble that was only mirrored by the sensuous curl of his reiatsu, for once hot and blazing against the redhead's.
Groaning loudly at the surprisingly active reiatsu brushing against his own, Renji pushed his own energy back against Byakuya's, meeting, enjoying, and amplifying the touch. His hips instinctively thrust forward, pushing himself even deeper into his lover. The coiling heat drew him into a faster pace, the noble's name a mantra as he fell from the peak of pleasure, releasing deep within the other man.
The noble's reiatsu flared, coiling tightly about Renji's and holding tightly to the redhead in both that essence and physically as his entire form shuddered, arched, and clung to the man above him. The intensity of the climax lingered, a simmering heat that refused to withdraw as Byakuya panted shallowly, letting his head fall back with his eyes glazed and unseeing from pleasure.
Soft kisses played down the side of Byakuya's face, gently trying to draw his attention. "Kuya...” Renji murmured, tracing the edge of the noble's chin with his free hand.
Still-blurred vision forced itself to focus, still-darkened blue eyes blinking sluggishly before sliding to Renji. "Mmn...?" Byakuya tipped his head against his lover's hand, absently nuzzling it as his reiatsu slowly began to settle.
The redhead smiled warmly, pressing a kiss to his lover's temple. "Nothing," he whispered, glad to feel the reiatsu settling down again. "... Love ya, Kuya." He shifted gently, moving to pull the covers up over them.
The noble's answer was almost a purr as he shifted as well, curling against Renji and nuzzling tiredly at his neck. "...Love you, too, Renji."
--
OMAKE:
Gali: 21:53:35
(Byakuya and Renji’s kid sooo is going to grow up in that division. and call Zaraki 'uncle ken-chan')
Kira: 21:53:59
(... LOL dear god, the possibilities)
Gali: 21:54:06
(XD;;)
Gali: 21:54:33
(Then he'll have a little redheaded backpack along with Yachiru, rofll... Byakuya will sit there and fret all day about his child's safety)
Kira: 21:55:21
(I just imagined Senbonzakura picked up said kid from eleventh... and getting challenged by every person below the top five seats. rofl. Daily bloodbath... )
Gali: 21:55:40
(....roflll XDDD;;;)
Gali: 21:55:53
('he's pretty! look at all that hair, we can take him on with no problem!')
Gali: 21:57:00
(And the byaren kid sits there watching with Byakuya-esque boredom)
Kira: 21:57:23
(I can just imagine the conversations....
"... Is that blood?"
"It seems to be, I apologize, Kuchiki-sama, I seem to have been a little sloppy today."
" ... *pause* You did win, correct?"
"Of course."
"All right then, go wash up.”)
Kira: 21:58:11
(... That kid would so go home and ramble off every detail of the fight to Renji. I can totally see it)
Kira: 23:44:19
(... *imagines Byakuya insisting on knowing the extent of Yumichika's ability... and promptly gets sucked clean of half his reiatsu or whatever limit Fujiku has.*)
Kira: 23:44:27
(Yumi doesn't seem to have bad moods :x )
Gali: 23:44:58
(He gets really riled up and pissed, though, in a fight - if someone fucks him up. like Byakuya does, actually. >>;)
Gali: 23:45:28
(And Byakuya would NOT be happy if that happened, heh. Sen-chan would probably be in UBERFRET OMG mode)
Kira: 23:45:38
(... ROFL images! Images of the TOTAL PRISS PWNAGE that would occur...)
Gali: 23:45:52
(XDDDD;; Jesus Christ)
Gali: 23:45:57
(It makes me laugh so much omg *dies*)
Kira: 23:46:13
(Omg, we need to get these two in a sparring match, like NOW *cackling* )
Gali: 23:46:33
(rofllll XDD)
Gali: 23:47:37
(In the end they'd all be '...I don't like blood.' 'Well, neither do I! <3' 'k, let's go drink tea in the manor.')