The wisdom of a stray dog

Author’s Note: Yaoi - a bitter one. British spelling and vocabulary, as usual. Please, tell me whether you like this story or not – I’ll be very grateful for some feedback, that is. Zabimaru’s speech is underlined.

Mentioning the exclusive brands of clothing and the automotive industry was meant to create the necessary atmosphere, neither for profit, nor to display personal preferences of the author.

Characters: Renji, Ichigo, Rukia, Byakuya, Zabimaru

Summary: Renji starts new life in the human world, while Byakuya makes his own choices. Not so obviously as in the previous chapters, but still yaoi, lots of bitterness with a small amount of warmth.

Rating: R (only mentions of Kuchiki x Abarai, nothing too straightforward or blatant)
Disclaimer: BLEACH is not mine. This story is just a fan fiction.

Music: “If Only I Could Turn Back Time” Aqua; Yes, I Know The Rule (Wiem, zasadê znam) DeSu (it’s a Polish song, but I did my best to translate it into English – its melody is truly captivating)

Word count: 1785 (Oh crikey!)

Motto: “As the storm-tossed ship founders and sinks, therefore, it must reach a depth where the water below it is just viscous enough to stop its fall” – Terry Pratchett “Going Postal”


ON MY OWN

“Where is he? I want to talk to him!” Renji’s katana emitted a red glow.
“I am sorry, Zabimaru, I wish I knew” Byakuya replied, his voice filled with sadness.
“Why have you made ‘im leave? Why?!? I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!” An angry, desperate scream exploded within Kuchiki-taichou’s mind.
Byakuya turned his face from the katana to hide the tears.

If only I could turn back time,
If only I had saved what I still had

****
Meanwhile, at the home of Ichigo and Rukia, Abarai Renji - devastated, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably - finished telling his friend the story of recent events.

“I’m sorry, Renji, but it doesn’t make sense to me” Ichigo said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Why did you leave without even trying to find an explanation?” the orange-haired man handed Renji a blue porcelain mug.
“Everything went anti-clockwise, ye ken” Renji sipped his tea. “I couldnae stand it anymore, bein’ always pushed away and rejected” Renji lowered his head and stared at the carpet, avoiding Ichigo’s gaze.
“But I thought you loved him... I think you still do...” Ichigo put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
“Ah aye, but I disnae think that he should know about ‘tis! Ichigo, I cannae believe I was so naive, so stupid! Should have left him while I still had time, definit’ly before this happened! His reiatsu... Aww, never mind!” Renji replied quickly, his cheeks turning red.
“Rejection is a terrible experience... Ne, Rukia?” he said, addressing his wife, who had just entered the room, carrying their baby son in her arms.
“Yes, very bad and sad indeed. Renji, I’m sorry... If there’s anything I can do for you...”
“Rukia, please stop apologising, it’s nae yer fault, ye ken... B’sides, we’ll be able to visit each other more often, right?” Renji tried to change the subject as quickly as possible.
“So you don’t regret it in the end?” Rukia asked, taking a seat beside her husband. “Being with him, I mean...” she added, with consternation.
“O’course I disnae regret! And.. I still luv ‘im... Jus’ disnae ken whut to do anymore, I’ve run oot of the ideas! One minute he’s willing, the other he’s trying to kill me... Not necessarily with ‘is sword, o’ course! ‘Tis like riding on a bloody merry-go-round, Ichigo, after some time ye are getting dizzy and the only thing ye can do is puke...” Renji rubbed his temples absentmindedly. “I’m not willing to bet me bollocks to a barn dance, ye see” he said, swallowing the rest of the contents of a mug.
“So what are you planning to do now?” Ichigo inquired, giving Renji a concerned look and a handkerchief. “You can’t run and hide forever...”
“I’m not going to hide, I’ll jus’ stay here, in town, find myself a job and keep on living... I’ve officially resigned, so I’m free as a birdie, I can do what I please” Renji made a fruitless effort to smile, his expression switching almost instantly to gloom.
“But you have nowhere to live until you find yourself a flat, you dildo! What will you eat, where are you going to sleep? Stay here with us for a while, at least you won’t be alone...”
“Sich a diamond geezer ye are, Ichigo... I’m the luckiest lad in the world to have a mate like ye” Renji’s eyes were filled with tears.
“Can’t let you become a dosser, right, Rukia?” Ichigo winked at his wife.
“Absolutely right, my darling” the brunette replied and kissed him on the cheek.

****

Three months have passed without much to speak of. Renji slowly, but surely crawled out from the worst stage of depression and finally started looking for a job. At first he tried teaching martial arts and swordsmanship, but he had no patience neither for beginners, nor for intermediate students. Furthermore, being a teacher, he could not earn enough money to pay the rent, and that irritated him strongly. Leafing through the pages of today’s newspaper, Renji found the part with advertisements and started reading it carefully. The majority of the offers did not look worthwhile, save one, printed in italics, which caught his attention. He reached for his mobile and dialled the number.

In the afternoon Renji left the house, telling Rukia that he has an appointment to attend to and adding that it was an interview. She gave him a quick hug, wished him luck and went back to her work.

Renji followed the instructions given to him on the phone and easily found the place. Climbing the spiral-shaped stairs, he finally reached sixth floor and knocked on the office door. It opened and a middle-aged, white-haired man let Renji in.

“Welcome, Abarai-san. My name is Iwasake Tsunehiko. Please, come with me. Let me introduce Marco Stephens, our brilliant photographer” Iwasake-san pointed at the tall, brown-haired man with freckled complexion. “He’ll take a few photos of you, alright?”
“Aye, o’ course. Whut should I do, Stephens-san?” Renji felt somehow insecure in this room, filled with the old-fashioned furniture, wooden floor covered with patterned, thick carpet.
“Oh, nothing particularly complicated, Abarai-san” the photographer smiled reassuringly. “Take your leather jacket and a t-shirt off, please”
Renji did as he was told. The air in the room was warm, but it did not stop him from shivering.
“Very good, Abarai-san” said Marco. “Now, turn your head a little to the right, bend it slightly, establish your shoulders on your chest... Yes, that’s right...”
“Thank you, Marco” Iwasake-san said, placing his palm on photographer’s shoulders. “That shall be enough. Take your camera and leave us, please”
“Hai, Iwasake-san” Stephens replied and left as quickly as possible.
The door closed quietly behind him.

“Now, Abarai-san, would you be so kind as to put your t-shirt and jacket back on?” Iwasake spoke in a calm voice.
Renji obeyed more than willingly. Then he took a seat, invited by the older man to do so.
“Whut ‘tis all aboot, Iwasake-san? Have I done something wrong?” the redhead asked anxiously, not knowing whether to stay or run away.
“Oh no, nothing of the kind, Abarai-san!” Iwasake Tsunehiko’s laugh was subtle and warm. “I simply have some other proposal for you, Abarai-san. But you have to know that it would be far more demanding... though much, much better paid. After a year or two you shall be completely independent, in other words: you’ll make your own choices, you’ll be working entirely on your own, I’ll act merely as your barrister. Do you understand what I am talking about, Abarai-san?”
“A little, but ‘tis all bubble and squeak to me, ye ken...” Renji locked his fingers and looked at the other man with blatant uneasiness.
“Alright, then let’s move on to the details, but before we do, remember that you can always refuse. You don’t have to accept my offer...”
“Whut do ye mean by that, Iwasake-san?” Renji asked, not only confused, but frightened too.
“Take it as read, Abarai-san” Iwasake Tsunehiko’s voice and face were serious. “Now, first of all...”

****

“So, Kuchiki-taichou, I believe you should find another fukutaichou to replace Abarai Renji...” Yamamoto Genryuusai gave Kuchiki Byakuya an inquiring look.
“With all due respect, Yamamoto so-taichou, I will not request for another fukutaichou.” Byakuya replied quietly, bowing.
“Is that your final decision, Kuchiki-taichou? Have you considered all the consequences?” Yamamoto Genryuusai asked the younger man.
“Yes, I have considered them. I am prepared to leave, sir. Here is my demission, Yamamoto-so-taichou” Byakuya handed his superior a paper compound in four. “I shall return my captain’s coat as well” he added. “May I have one request, sir?”
“I am listening” Yamamoto replied, clutching his wrinkled palms on his walking cane-disguised zanpaktou, Ryuuijn Jakka.
“With your permission, I would like to take Senbonsakura and Zabimaru with me”
“I suppose you may, Kuchiki-san” the old shinigami general said with a sigh.
Kuchiki Byakuya bowed, turned and left the office.

*******
Ichigo was on his way home. It had been a very tiring day, plenty of documents to sign and an important project to complete. Yet another day in the office. Luckily, it was Friday evening, and that meant no work for whole two days.

Something, or rather someone for that matter, suddenly caught Ichigo’s eye: a man with magenta red, long, evenly cut hair walked down the street, straight in Ichigo’s direction.
The colour of his hair was unmistakably like Renji’s. The man wore a perfectly tailored, Prussian blue three-piece suit, elegant shoes made of the finest leather, a stunningly white shirt and a wrist-watch which must have cost a fortune.

“Oh blow me! Izzut truly ye, Ichigo? Long time no see, mate!” the familiar voice rang in Kurosaki’s ears.

“How long has it been? Three... No, four years since you’ve moved out! But Renji...you... you look so different... Your clothes, your hair! Do my eyes deceive me, or are you wearing a suit? What happened to jeans and leather jacket you used to like so much?”

“Me new job requires wearin’ tailor-made silk or woollen suits and white shirts, ye ken...” Renji smiled, but it was an insincere smile, a crooked one.

“But Renji... I don’t want to be impolite, but how can you afford such expensive clothes? This suit looks like an Armani to me... I have seen one of our business partners wearing one”

“It is an Armani, Ichigo” the answer came straightforward and simple. “And before ye ask, aye, these shoes are Prada, and the car parked here belongs to me. And aye, I truly earn that much money, but it’s nae easy peasy lemon squeezy job as ye might think it is...”

“Renji, we’ve missed you so much! Since you’ve moved out you rang us only twice, told us that everything was alright and we never heard from you again! We thought that you have vanished off the face of the earth... Renji, have you forgotten your friends?” Ichigo demanded, his voice filled with despair. “Can you explain that to me?!?” he shouted, ignoring the people passing by.

“I’ll always be yer mate, Ichigo... I’ll be there, when ye need me, ye ken... Me life is a shambles, I disnae wantae to get ye involved in it too much”

“Are you in aggro, Renji? If so, please, tell us, we’ll try to help you!” there was a deep frown on Ichigo’s face.

Yes, I know the rule
With enemies you’re dancing
Tears of your friends will dry
Eventually, you always say so
Yes, it is fear
Cold glances multiply
You are lonelier than ever
Please, stop hurting us


“Ah nae! Ichigo, I must go now, but I’ll ring ye, I promise!”
Renji waved his hand, turned on the heel and disappeared into the night, driving the black Lamborghini Gallardo.

He never meant to keep his word, knowing what would be best for his friends.
Get used to living alone, Abarai Renji, because from now on, you’ll be alone forever.
And forever means eternity for an ex-shinigami.


Explanatory notes

Aggro - trouble
Anti-clockwise – in AE: counter-clockwise
Barrister – a lawyer who can represent his client in court
Blow me – blow me down; used as an exclamation of surprise (typically British ;-))
Diamond geezer – a solid, reliable person
Dosser – a down-and-out, tramp
Dildo – a dipstick, divvy, dimwit
Puke – vomit, throw up
Shambles – chaos, mess
I’ll ring ye – in AE: I’ll call you


Additional author’s note:
If you have any suspicions about Renji’s job, do not reveal them in your published reviews, I beg you! The fifth chapter is in progress, so please be patient!

And last, but not least...
Ashke, Setsuna, BrucesGirl, Silver Wolf, Flamable: Thank you very much for your support and reviews. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.