Finding Home

Warning this is Yaoi which means boy x boy don’t read if you don’t like.



AN: I’m sorry you guys are sad for Kira but have no fear, their happy ending is just around the corner, I think its about time to start winding down this story =). A little angst makes the romantic part all the more sweeter. Thank you to satterb, Midnight Essence, Yakumo, and Darkephoenix.



Finding Home



Its always darkest before the dawn.

~unknown~



Chapter 22



Gin stormed into Division Six offices. He was nearly to the point of physically destroying parts of Soul Society. It was times like this when he thought Tousen Kaname might not have been far off the mark in his belief that justice had left Soul Society. He pushed open the door to his lover’s office slamming it against the wall with a loud crash. Byakuya looked calmly from his paperwork, his eyes avoiding the empty desk nearby. He may have acted if he was indifferent to Renji’s presence but he had come to rely on him as a friend as well as a valued subordinate.



“Am I correct in assuming that Yamamoto has refused to allow a search party to be dispatched for Renji?” asked Byakuya calmly. It wouldn’t do for his own anger to add fuel to Gin’s more volatile personality. He kept his emotions locked down tight in the event he had to subdue his lover.



“Fuckin’ Soul Society.” yelled Gin loudly before sinking into a chair opposite Byakuya. “He said that from what he had heard of Renji’s injuries that he determined that Renji was dead and as such no lives would be endangered to look for him, or somethin’ like that.” Byakuya gave a little snort. Yamamoto had always been a bit of cautious man, that was probably one of the reasons he had lived for so long and why Soul Society for the most part flourished under his lead. It was also probably why people like Tousen felt they needed to leave. His views of justice were tailored to fit himself. For the most part that seemed to work out well but when his views and those of others clashed, tempers became short.



“Well, Izuru is in bad shape and if we don’t go find Renji, we will lose them both.” said Gin, grimacing at the thought. Byakuya settled back in his chair with a brow lifted.



“You are suggesting that we defy our Sotaicho and go bring back Renji on our own?” asked Byakuya carefully. Gin’s smile long since gone from his face, began to creep up taking on a slightly devious curve. Byakuya had come to enjoy seeing that devious glint in his eyes. Most times, such deviousness was directed towards the bedroom but such wasn’t the case in this instance. Byakuya sighed, he really was turning out to be the rule breaker in Gin’s company. First defying his family to remain with Gin now defying Soul Society to bring back his lost fukutaicho. “When do we leave?”



“I knew ya would see things my way.” grinned the pale haired man as he swooped down to steal a kiss from his lover. “We leave as soon as I can get in touch with Urahara-san.” Byakuya leaned into the kiss. That was the good thing about Gin, there was never a dull moment.



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“You guys sure about this?” asked Kisuke as he tipped back his hat to look at the two taicho standing before him in the basement of his shop. Both nodded silently. Kisuke grinned. He was hoping someone from Soul Society would take up the lead on this little venture. He really didn’t want to ask it of Ichigo. The boy was worn thin. Karakura Town was not an easy place to be a substitute shinigami. Ichigo had already approached Kisuke about going in search of Renji and Kisuke had lied and said that Soul Society had already sent in a team. If Gin and Byakuya hadn’t shown up he had been planning to go himself. This worked better. He would be able to man the gate while the other two sought out Renji.



“Alright, listen up.” began Kisuke “I have a feeling that Renji was picked up by some Hollow he had dealings with when he infiltrated with Ichigo a while back. They may have fixed him up but then again they may have killed him on the spot” Byakuya looked up sharply, if the remaining Arrancar had found Renji there was hope that he was still alive. That could also mean that he was killed on sight to in order to protect their existence from Soul Society. Kisuke‘s voice droned on as Byakuya played out all scenarios in his head. The clapping of Kisuke‘s hands together brought Byakuya out of his own thoughts. “Any questions? None? Good, lets get this party started!”



Kisuke took his position next to his homemade gateway. Tessai joined him. Both began to pour their reiatsu into the structure. Light shimmered and gradually a tunnel began to form between the pillars. Kisuke tossed a cell phone like device to Gin. Just activate that baby and Tessai and I will open a gateway for your return. However, I do advise you to find some excuse to give Yama-jii before you two are spending your honeymoon in the Repentance Cell.” Gin grinned and Byakuya nodded. Both plunged into the darkness of the tunnel leaving only Kisuke and Tessai hoping for their safe return.



As always, the trip to Hueco Mundo was a disconcerting journey. As both men stepped from the tunnel into the dry desert air of the desolate Hollow world. Gin had dropped his grin and simply gazed around the area cautiously. Seeing the citadel structure in the distance, Gin estimated their position to be about a mile from it. That wouldn’t take longer than a few minutes using flash step. Byakuya stood still, his eyes closed. His eyes shot open suddenly and he looked towards the former base of Aizen’s operations.



“He’s alive.” said Byakuya and some of the tension in his shoulders released.



“I wouldn’t put it past those guys to hold him as a hostage to keep their secret.” smirked Gin as he glanced towards the place that had been his ‘home’ for the better part of a year. Nodding to his lover, Gin flickered from view as he flash stepped towards the citadel. Byakuya was not far behind.



Both men paused at the large menacing gate unsure how they should proceed. They didn’t have to debate long. A small figure dressed in a green light weight shit and grey pants flickered in front of them. The zanpakuto attached to his waist, the fragmented bone half helmet on his head, and the heartbreakingly sad eyes were more than enough to determine his identity.



“Ulquiorra-chan, its been far to long.” said Gin, allowing a little bit of humor to color his voice. The smaller man bowed to Gin and then to Byakuya.



“And yet I had hoped to never see either of you again.” he answered in a monotonous voice that would have done Byakuya proud. Gin simply grinned.



“We just came to pick up one of our wayward youngin’, ya wouldn’t happen to know the where abouts of a redhead so annoyin’ ya want to beat him, do ya?” said Gin his playful tone remained but his stature took on a tenseness that said he could attack at a moment’s notice. Ulquiorra nodded without cracking a smile and turned from both taicho.



“Follow me.” he said and began to make his way through the gates. Both followed but their hands continued to rest upon the hilt of their zanpakuto. They both understood the lengths that people, even creatures such as Arrancar, would do to protect themselves. Neither would let down their guard until they were safely out of Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra noted that both men’s hands rested on their zanpakuto but said nothing. It didn’t matter, he could understand their mistrust for he, himself was not completely at ease with their presence. Heaven forbid Grimmjow find them here. He had left his lover napping on a window seat and hoped to have his business with the two shinigami taicho concluded before he awoke.



Leading them into the infirmary, both taicho stopped and stared in surprise. Renji was there, his upper body wrapped in bandages. That was not the surprising part. Renji was sitting on top of a slender Hollow with a bug shaped mask. His hands were clenched around the thing’s throat. A large ridiculous looking Hollow soon joined in the fray and to be honest it looked like something out of a slap stick comedy routine.



“Get off of me you freaky clown Hollow.” yelled Renji as he struggled to push off Dondochakka. The stuff that Nel had put on him had done wonders. What should have taken days to heal, had happened in a few short hours. Renji was still sore but over all he felt nearly recovered. A clearing of a throat drew the attention of all three. Renji glanced up, eyes widened as he saw his taicho and Ichimaru-taicho looking at him like he had grown another head. Prying the large Hollow from his body, Renji jumped to his feet.



“Taicho!” said Renji as he bowed towards the two taicho.



“What’s all the racket about?” yelled Grimmjow as he prowled into the infirmary. He froze in his tracks at the sight of not one, but two Soul Society taicho. If he had a visible tail it would have been three sizes bigger.



“What the fuck are they doing here?” yelled Grim his hackles thoroughly raised.



“Aww did the kitty cat get woken up from his nap? Don’t worry, we will go get you a nice bowl of milk.” teased Gin. Grim simply growled low in his throat. He was about to pounce on the taicho when an elbow to his stomach stopped him. He looked down and saw his lover standing there as if nothing had happened, the same sad look on his face that he always wore. The only difference was the tiny almost unnoticeable smile that was on his lips.



“Renji, how long until you can be ready to leave. We should get you back to Soul Society, Kira-fukutaicho is in bad shape.” said Byakuya. That phrase alone wiped the smile from Renji’s face. A look of pure terror crossed his face. He grabbed Zabimaru from the table and strapped it to his waist. Thoughts were racing through his mind. He thought of how bad it must have looked to Izuru as the rift had closed. He himself had thought his chances of survival slim. He didn’t even want to consider how Izuru was taking it.



“I’m ready, Taicho.” said Renji. Gin nodded and turned to the two Arrancar.



“I sincerely hope that this is the last time that we have to meet. I would appreciate that should any random shinigami become lost or trapped here ya would hold on to them for me.” said Gin. Ulquiorra bowed to the man that once upon a time had found him bloody and beaten, nearly dead. That day Ulquiorra had thought he would die but the fates had a different plan in store for him. Grimmjow growled but didn’t interfere as the three shinigami made their way outside. If his mate thought he could trust the fucking shinigami then he would.



Gin punched in a few buttons the device and a few moments later a gateway opened. Gin and Byakuya stepped through first followed closely by Renji. On the other end they stepped into what looked like one of the Rukon district.



“I took the liberty of sending you home. You should be in Rukon 87 or 88. Good luck. “ said Kisuke through the device before it went silent. Gin nodded to the other two and they began to make their way towards Seireitei. Renji was nearly jumping out of his skin, wanting to hurry towards his beloved. He would travel to the gates of Hell if he had to in order to save Izuru. And his heart broke at the thought of his Izuru’s soul in shatters. He would help him.



TBC



AN: Thanks for reading, this story is going to start winding down in 2 or 3 more chapters I think. I’m not 100% sure yet. Until Next time.