Silent Tears

I do not own Bleach.

Random fan: So...yeah....
Me: Nothing to say?
Random fan: Byakuya really just interrupted their date?
Me: Yeah. Byakuya will do anything to get what he wants.
Random fan: Poor Hitsugaya. I would hate to be in between Byakuya and what he wants.
Me: Pretty much, but it is a ByaRen fic. I am so sorry Hitsugaya.
Random fan: So does Byakuya get his Renji this chapter?
Me: No, he wont get him completely until later in this fic.
Random fan: get him completely? does that mean....
Me: Shut up and read the fic!

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Time: 7AM

Place: 1st division office

Hitsugaya went to work with a slight smile on his face. Last night had been a terrific night with Renji, well except for Byakuya's unexpected appearance. What the hell did Byakuya think he was playing at getting that close to Renji? He was almost to the office when one of the lower ranked shinigami stopped him. He handed him a small paper and then ran off to his other duties. Hitsugaya opened the note to find that it was the information that he had wanted. Rukia was not in the real world at all. She was just taking a few days off from work as she hasn't been feeling well recently. He frowned slightly before hiding the letter and continuing on to the office. So Rukia wasn't in the real world, then. She could have just sent Ichigo to tell Renji or even wrote a letter. He was sure the servants would have delivered a letter to Renji for her as she was not only a Kuchiki noble but Renji's lieutenant.

He entered the office and sat down at his desk wondering what exactly Byakuya said to Renji. He would have to ask Renji later. After all Renji probably didn't say anything because he was too shocked by the encounter. Yes, that had to be it. Byakuya had hurt Renji, he wouldn't give up a chance at happiness for one he knew would make him miserable. He took a deep breath and started to work on his paperwork. He had barely acknowledged Byakuya went he went into the office wanting only to get done as quickly as possible so that he may meet Renji during his hour lunch break. He worked quickly, but not so quickly that he would make mistakes and be stuck fixing them until who knows when.

A smile appeared on Toshiro's face as he remembered how peaceful Renji looked while he was sleeping. They hadn't done anything last night, but Renji had unfortunately went into a depressive state. He seemed lost as if he didn't know what to think or feel. Seeing him like that made Toshiro definitely want to know whether Byakuya had truly said something about Rukia, or if he had said something else. Renji had gotten up from the floor after their kiss and then put the dessert away giving him that ghost of a smile. He hated that smile more than anything. It wasn't a real smile dammit, it just wasn't Renji's smile. Still he knew this wouldn't be easy, but Renji had seemed a bit more alive at least before he came over. Damn captain commander! Hadn't he done enough to hurt Renji already?

He went back to focus on the paperwork in front of him. He was a little tired having not left Renji's house until two in the morning. He had stayed there until Renji went to sleep reminding him that he was with him now. That he was not going to let Byakuya hurt him in anyway and he wasn't just going to up and leave him, so just relax. Signing yet another paper, he wondered what Renji would like for lunch. Maybe he could bring him something from one of the local food places within Seireitei. The red head did have the day off, but he did not take it as one. Renji felt that he had a duty to his squad to be there every day. Of course Renji had decided he would only be there for half the day, so he would be off when lunchtime came around.

Byakuya stood up from his desk and left without saying a word to Hitsugaya. He walked out into the corridor and then down to where the newest member was cleaning the division. The young shinigami turned noticing the captain commander and bowed.

"What can I do for you Captain Commander, sir?", the young shinigami asked him.

"I merely wish for you to deliver this package to Captain Abarai. He is the captain of the 6th division.", Byakuya said in an authoritative tone and produced a package from a pocket in his uniform.

"Yes. Right away Captain Commander.", the young shinigami said taking the package and going over to the 6th division.

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Time: 10AM

Place: 6th division office

Renji looked down at the pile of paperwork he had in front of him. It was almost nearly completed which meant that he would actually be able to leave at lunchtime. He was thinking maybe he could meet up with Hitsugaya and they could eat lunch together. Sure they had only been dating for two days, but you had to start somewhere. If he were truly to give this a chance like he said he would then he would have to spend more time with Toshiro. It had been four years since he had truly felt anything and now here he was thinking of all those sweet kisses he had shared in the past two days. Their first date had been nothing short of perfect until...'I am sorry for the way I treated you before Renji, but from this point on I promise you I will never stop trying to have you by my side again. Will you stay with Hitsugaya or will you be unable to resist me?'. Byakuya's words rang through his ears. Why had he done that?

In all the time Renji could remember that man had been nothing but cold and unfeeling. Why was it now that he had something and was working towards being himself again, did Byakuya say that? Surely, he hadn't meant what he said, but then again he had never known Byakuya to lie. Renji frowned wondering what the hell was going on with the captain commander when he heard a knock at the door. He didn't recognize the reiatsu which meant it was most likely a new member from another division. He schooled his features back into the mask he wore and gave the person permission to enter. He immediately noticed that the shinigami wore the insignia for the 1st division on his uniform.

"May I help you?", Renji asked when the young man did not say anything for a few minutes.

"I...uh...yes. I was told to deliver this to you.", he said showing the package to Renji.

Renji motioned for him to place the package on his desk. "Is there anything else?", Renji asked him.

"No sir. I will be leaving now.", he said and then left.

Renji shook his head. New recruits to any division always seemed nervous in the face of a captain. He also couldn't say that he blamed him considering the reputation Renji had not long after he became the captain of his division. Most of it 'bad' things said about him were centered around the fact that he trained his squad members until they were barely able to move on more than one occasion and of course anything involving Commander Kuchiki. He turned his attention to the package that had been delivered. He wondered what was in it and who sent it to him. Just because the young shinigami that had delivered it wore the 1st division insignia on his clothes does not mean that someone didn't visit the Commander and his lieutenant and ask them to have it delivered. He opened it up and out of it came a beautiful silk headband and brand new limited edition sunglasses as well as a note.

Renji,

I know I can't buy you back with things like this, but you are a special person and I want you to know as such. Maybe they will go with whatever you plan to wear on your future dates with lieutenant Hitsugaya. Enjoy the gifts and don't even think of returning them.

Byakuya Kuchiki

P.S. Don't forget that I will have you by my side again and this time I will never let you go.

Renji read the note over again. He was rather confused now though it did not show on his face. The note gave off two very different messages neither of which gave any real clue to Renji what was going through the captain commander's mind. Why would he say that they may be nice to wear on a date with Toshiro and then say that he is still going to have Renji by his side again? He put his head in his hands. This was just too confusing. He had his boyfriend, who until he asked him out, Renji didn't think Toshiro was attracted to him. Besides a mi- ok major difference in height Toshiro was actually rather nice, sweet, and pretty attractive. While on the other hand there was Byakuya the cold hearted captain turned captain commander who had lost his wife 69 years ago. The same captain commander who was now giving Renji mixed signals.

What to do? What to do? Was this actually something he should be thinking about? He said he would give Toshiro a fair chance and he would. He had no reason to even consider his former captain. All Renji wanted to know was what was going through the man's head. Was this another way to try and make him even more miserable? To lure him into a false sense of security, before making sure Renji was more broken than he had ever been in his life. He didn't need this right now. Why could that noble bastard just let him try and be happy? It was almost as if the man had a 'Renji may be happy, make sure it doesn't happen' button. Renji put the note in his desk drawer underneath a bunch of other papers. He just needed to concentrate on finishing up this paperwork and then go along with his plan to meet Toshiro for lunch.

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Time: 12 PM

Place: A garden located close to the 6th division, Seireitei

Toshiro sat down on the grass after surprising Renji with lunch. They sat and ate in silence under a tree that had light shining through its branches. When they finished Toshiro still had about 40 minutes left to his lunch break. Renji laid back on the grass with his eyes closed. The sunlight shone on parts of his face and body and he had a look of peace on his face. Toshiro looked and smiled liking the way Renji looked at this moment. He just watched him for a little bit before noticing a piece of fabric it seemed sticking out of Renji's pocket. Curious he tugged at it, pulling out a rather beautiful silk headband that was all black with what seemed to be cherry blossoms decorating it. He shut his eyes taking a deep breath before he started to speak.

"This is rather beautiful Renji. Did you pick this headband out yourself?", Hitsugaya said in a rather calm voice that differed from the slightly annoyed and angry reiatsu he was letting off.

Renji opened his eyes merely glancing at the headband and Toshiro before sitting up and taking the headband from him. "N-No. It was a gift.", Renji said eyes not meeting Toshiro's.

"A gift? From who? Was there anything else with it?", Toshiro asked him calming his reiatsu a bit.

"It...It was from the captain commander. There was sunglasses and a note with it.", Renji said to him.

"A note? What did it say?", Toshiro asked him.

Renji bit his lip. "It said that he knows he can't apologize with material things, but to accept the gift and maybe I could wear them out on a date with you.", Renji said to him.

"Anything else, Renji?", he asked him a bit more calm than before.

"Um...no...not that I can remember.", Renji said lying. He didn't want them to fight. Maybe he could be friends with Byakuya and still work on building more of a romantic relationship with Hitsugaya.

"Alright.", Toshiro said with a smile and then kissed Renji. His lunch break was almost up. "Want to walk with me back to the office before you go home?"

"Sure.", Renji said giving him another kiss and they headed to the 1st division.

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Time: 1PM

Place: 1st division

Renji gave Toshiro one more meaningful kiss right outside his and Byakuya's office before leaving to go home. They had agreed to meet later tonight at some restaurant in Seireitei. Hitsugaya wore a small smile on his face as he entered the office and shut the door behind him. He went to his desk and started working on finishing his paperwork. Maybe he could catch Renji earlier than the meeting time and they could have some fun together. He was just about to write up a list of things that another division could try as far as training techniques, when Byakuya decided to start up a conversation with him.

"Have fun during your lunch break with Renji?", he said randomly and without looking up from his paperwork.

"Yes I did. Once again how is it your business? And I'd really appreciate if you didn't send my boyfriend gifts.", Toshiro said as he started on the document.

"I merely wish to know what my lieutenant is up to in his free time. It would be bad if something like dating my former lieutenant started distracting you from your work.", Byakuya said. "As for the gifts, they were merely tokens of appreciation. I am assuming he told you about the note that I sent with it."

"He told me about it.", Toshiro replied.

"Interesting. I didn't think Renji had it in him to tell you what it said and the fact that you are taking it so very well intrigues me.", Byakuya said in his normal monotone as he signed off on yet another paper.

"What does that mean?", Toshiro said not looking up from his work, but curious as to why Byakuya phrased his sentence like that.

"Well I am sure if it were anyone else they would have tried to have my head by now. After all having someone state that they will return to their side and never let them go. Usually from what I have read, the partner of the one who received such a remark would lash out against the one who sent it.", Byakuya said coolly.

Toshiro frowned. Renji hadn't told him about that part of it, maybe it was because he was worried about him. Of course, that had to be why Renji didn't tell him the whole thing. "Well then I must be an exception to that rule. I trust Renji."

Byakuya signed more paperwork before answering. "Well thats a good thing to have in a relationship. You should always trust the one you are with.", he said and then signed his last paper. "I must get going. Enjoy your weekend.", he said to him and then left.

Toshiro glared at him as he left before working on finishing up his work knowing that he and Renji would have another beautiful date tonight.

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Time: 2:30 PM

Place: Renji's apartment

Renji was looking for something to wear on his date tonight. He had put the sunglasses and headband he had gotten from Byakuya on the table beside his bed. He had to own something nice and casual. Maybe he should have gone clothes shopping instead. He had decided on wearing some of the clothes he had gotten in the real world on his last visit. Finally picking out a black shirt and a pair of what Ichigo had called blue jeans, he laid them on the bed and went to make some tea. He sat at the table reading the newspaper while waiting for the water to boil when he heard a knock at his door. Sighing, he got up and answered it to find Byakuya once again at his door.

"Hello Captain Commander. What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?", Renji asked him trying to be a bit more polite after receiving such nice gifts.

"I just wanted to stop by.", Byakuya said his expression giving no clues to his intentions. They stood there for a few minutes neither one moving or saying a word.

"Well I was just about to have some tea. Would you like to come in for a cup? I mean its the least I can do as a thank you for the lovely gifts you gave me.", Renji said to him in a monotone voice.

"Thank you Captain Abarai. A cup of tea would be most welcomed right now.", Byakuya said and then walked into the house when Renji stepped aside.

Renji shut the door and led him to the kitchen. He motioned for Byakuya to sit while he made their cups of tea. It almost reminded him a bit of when they were captain and lieutenant in the 6th division. He made the tea the way he remembered Byakuya liked it and placed the cup in front of him. Renji sat down on the opposite side of him and the two drank their tea in silence. It seemed like hours passed but it had only been about an hour with neither of them saying a word and drinking multiple cups of tea. Finally, Byakuya stood up.

"Thank you for the tea, Captain Abarai. It was just the way I remember you making it. You always made it best.", Byakuya said to him.

Renji stood up as well to walk Byakuya out of the house. "Your welcome Captain Commander.", he said as they walked to the door.

Byakuya reached the door first with Renji walking behind him. He turned to face Renji and moved closer than he should have. "Thanks again, Renji.", he said in a soft voice that had hints of emotion in it.

"It was no pro-", Renji was cut off by the feel of Byakuya's lips pressed against his own with the commander's hands on either side of his face. The kiss was soft, alluring, and unexpected.

Before Renji could react or say anything back to the captain commander, Byakuya was gone. Renji's fingers touched his lips and he just leaned against the wall still in shock. That wasn't fair. Why? Just why?

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There will be a time skip coming in the next chapter and maybe a lemon as well. Not sure yet. Hope you all enjoyed the slight taste of the ByaRen...Byakuya still has a lot of work to do. :)