Prey

ter 5

Thanks to fallowell, MilkPowah and reddoggie you guys are awesome! I hope you enjoy the story, I know I did when writing it. Read and review please and thank you!

SpiceyIceey

Chapter 5

Flashback

"Ugh K-Kuchiki- sensei please take this button!" A seventeen year old Renji was holding the navy blue button from his school uniform in his sweaty, shaking and clammy right hand. There he did it.

He had been watching Byakuya Kuchiki, a student teacher from the University, who was filling in for their teacher Mrs .Ogichiwa as she was on maternity leave for over a year now. The beautiful, graceful and flawless man had come in the class smelling like cherry blossoms and vanilla and looking as warm as a slab of granite, but that wasn't what made his breath catch, cause butterflies in his stomach or the feeling as if they were the only two people in the world. No, it was his eyes, those perfect, unmatchable gray eyes that could either make his sweat drop when he didn't finish homework or make his heart race when he was looked at from the front of the room.

He was so beautiful it was almost unreal. He felt as if he tried to touch him he would disappear forever. He was unattainable, he was perfection, he was the one Renji wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Of course he didn't think that at first. In the beginning he was just a beautiful asshole, who made his students life a living, breathing hell. He gave them twice as much homework, was condescending and rude to everyone and walked around with his head held high, and nose in the air. He was exactly the type of guy Renji couldn't stand, but even through all of that from the first day he met the man he was completely and utterly swept off of his feet.

Of course his closest friends called him an idiot. Chad was silent but didn't say anything negative or positive he just said "Just be careful, a rose always has the sharpest thorns." Uryuu said that it was inappropriate to think about a student teacher that way and even if it was okay Byakuya would never give him a chance. Shinji said that love had no gender but he didn't think Byakuya was 'the one' and that he should find someone... closer to his ideals.

Renji was furious. None of them could understand, but what if Uryuu was right. He had no idea if Byakuya was even interested in males and who was to say he would even be attracted to him. So Renji came up with a new plan. He began to dress smarter, study harder, and basically be someone who Byakuya would even look at. It wasn't working at all. In fact Renji almost gave up until Rukia came in.

Rukia Kuchiki was Byakuya's younger sister. She was in the same grade as he was but he was not in any of her classes. The only reason they met was because the football players were trying to bribe her into talking to her brother to get better grades. When she refused they started to use force and that was when Renji intervened. He casually walked over and in layman's terms he threatened their manhood with his barely legal pocketknife Zabimaru. They went screaming, red faced and scared down the street. Rukia was ecstatic as she had never seen anyone get into a real fight.

When she introduced herself, Renji was ecstatic. "You're Byakuya's sister?" He exclaimed. Here was his chance to get to know him better, of course he wouldn't necessarily use her, just ask some questions and get some ideas.

"Well I would be adopted but it's a private family matter so I'm unable to talk to anyone about it." She was looking at him with those big purple eyes, her hair falling into her face and her cheeks flushed. She was the exact opposite of Byakuya but that only strengthened his resolve. If someone like her could be next to him, so could he. In the end Rukia invited him over for tea, at first he denied but she said her brother wouldn't cause any harm. So with the hope of seeing Byakuya he accepted and they agreed to meet up the following Wednesday, the day before graduation.

When Wednesday rolled around he was so nervous, his palms were sweaty, he couldn't eat, and he couldn't concentrate the entire day. Byakuya was gone so they had another substitute, and Rukia was going to meet him at the central gate. He found her with no problem, the tiny girl had climbed a rock and was waving her short arms through the air. They were picked up by her chauffer and drove out of the city to the Kuchiki Manor. To say he was floored by the massive, elegant traditional Japanese house was a severe understatement.

The servant showed him to a waiting room while Rukia dropped her stuff in her room. He just sat there absorbing everything, the sound of a pond outside in the garden, the smell of sakura blossoms and then the smell of ink and parchment. He saw the culprit, which was a very extravagant dark wooded desk with an antique quill and some very expensive parchment. He recognized Byakuya's handwriting and quickly walked away, he didn't want Rukia thinking he was cheating or anything. So he sat back down on one of the luscious floor pillows, next to a table.

Rukia came in and was followed by a servant bearing a tray with tea, cups and two plates of food he was not familiar with. After the tray was set and the servant left Rukia looked straight into his eyes. He was thrown in the overly wary zone as she looked him over. But just as soon as she started she stopped and proceeded to pour tea. She offered him the strawberry tarts, small treats from England where Byakuya went to school. He immediately asked more about him and after half an hour he knew what had happened in the last four years to the stoic man.

He went to school in England as he wanted to perfect his English. They also had the best pre law program, out of the nations. He didn't play any sports but did practice Kendo. He was President of the debate club and ran for Student Office all four years moving to secretary, to Vice President and President his last two years. He had a perfect grade point average and graduated Summa Cum Laude which was the highest honor in the European and American school systems, for his resume he started substituting at the high school. Rukia didn't say why but he was glad the man did. He was almost finished with law school and would start his own practice with the help of his grandfather.

Before Rukia had finished she was called out, she rushed out of the room after muttering an apology. Renji was occupied for all about five seconds. Sighing he gathered the tray and walked in the direction of the kitchen. After 5 minutes, several wrong turns he stumbled into the kitchen of every housewives dream.

There he found Rukia, boiling water, the cupboards opened and many packages strewn on the gray marble covered isle. "Um Rukia?" He watched as Rukia gasped and almost knocked the pot over, but he jumped forward and rightened it.

"Sorry Renji, Nii-sama asked for something but Simon his personal butler left for the day after not feeling well, so here I am making tea." She slumped, shoulders dropping in defeat. He glanced at the items she had and smiled. All of those times to the faculty lounge were so worth it.

"Well first of all he doesn't drink any of this stuff." Rukia was baffled as she watched him navigate his ways through the kitchen, pulling out an old iron jar. He grabbed one of the teaspoons and dumped it into the cup, he poured the hot water and let it sit for a while.

"Renji what tea is that?" Rukia was looking at the jar. All of her time here she had never seen it but he comes in and knows things she doesn't.

"It's white tea. I saw him make it a couple of times in the faculty lounge, but he makes it a specific way so I just happened to remember." Renji was sweating bullets, he couldn't let her find out he had been..."stalking" him but it was so surreal to watch him. He couldn't look away.

"Rukia-sama please you are going to be late for your fitting. Please come at once." One of the maids came in through the door and left with Rukia. She told him to serve her brother the tea in his study. So as carefully as he could while trembling he walked to the study. Opening the door he almost fell to the ground as he saw Byakuya.

He was sitting on the deck outside of the house, where the garden was. He was wearing a lavender button down, and black slacks, his bare feet swinging. He looked... normal. Approachable even. Byakuya looked up and his eyebrows shot up.

"Abarai, what are you doing here?" His voice was still perfect as ever. Renji stumbled as he sat down the tray and poured his tea with shaking hands. He could have sworn he saw Byakuya's lips twitch but he was probably hallucinating.

Byakuya looked at his student. Renji Abarai, captain of the soccer team, Senior and the man who was completely in love with him. Of course he wasn't stupid but Renji wasn't as subtle as he should have been. He remembered seeing him in the teachers' lounge, sometimes making copies or just skipping class. He saw the way that Renji looked at him, he was definitely unfamiliar with it but he had seen it. The boy was crass, had no class, was loud, obnoxious but for some reason Byakuya couldn't get him out of his head.

Was it lust? He wasn't attracted to men so that couldn't be an option. Was it his blaring fire engine red hair that made him memorable? Or was it the fact that he had never been pursued so thoroughly that it made him feel needed? These thoughts were bothersome for a person like him. He glanced at the boy again and saw him wringing his hands.

The boy looked up at and their eyes met and Byakuya was somewhat entranced with the burgundy colored eyes that were staring at him. They were full of love, hope, and lust but Byakuya wasn't bothered.

"Um Kuchiki-sensei p-please take this button!" Renji's head was down and he held out his hand. He was shaking and his hands were clammy, in his palm was a small navy blue button from his school uniform.

Byakuya stared at the bowing figure. This was unexpected. "Abarai what are you doing?" Renji jerked his head up and paled. Of course he had planned Byakuya kicking him out of his house and probably getting him expelled, but he hadn't thought about him questioning his actions.

"Ugh w-well Kuchiki-sensei I-I um I love you! Please accept this button as proof." Renji's forehead was on the floor, his ponytail looking like every bit of his name sake and for the first time in his life he was scared.

He had faced countless bullies, knifes, seedy neighborhoods, he had seen his best friends die before they even turned 16, he had been abused, saw his brother gunned down in an alleyway but he had never been more scared in his life.

Byakuya looked at the boy. "Abarai, please rise I am not an emperor or anyone of importance. So why do you attempt to honor me in this way?" He was honestly curious. No one had ever confessed their love for him they were to afraid. He reached out and took the button, studying the tiny piece of plastic in his hand. It was insignificant, irrelevant, and unimportant but to this boy it meant sacrificing his pride and laying his future on the line.

"You don't understand Kuchiki-sensei, since the day you came into class I was in love with you. I knew I had no chance with you whatsoever but I still couldn't give up, I just wanted to be near you, to know the things you like and the things you don't. When you looked at me, I felt as if I could float away. You have been haunting my dreams for months, and every waking thought has something to do with you. I can't touch you because I am not worthy enough to. But please accept my feelings." Renji wanted to cry. Byakuya was going to think he was a fool, maybe he was but he couldn't deny his feelings any longer. He didn't hear Byakuya reply or object to anything he said and that made him a little sad but he would take anything as long as he could be with Byakuya.

Byakuya rose to his feet. "Obviously this relationship is not proper. This type of relationship is prohibited, you are a mere child, and I am an adult. What you ask of me is not proper. I refuse. I don't understand your feelings but I do acknowledge that you might have very strong ones towards me." He left without a backwards glance, leaving Renji alone.

Renji stared at Byakuya's retreating form. He had done it and no it wasn't the reaction he had been wanting or even dreaming about but Byakuya did recognize his feelings and that's all he wanted. He left the manor, refusing the car and just began walking. He was alone.

The next day at Graduation Renji was faking smiles left and right. Of course he was happy he was finally done with high school but Byakuya hadn't even acknowledged him when he saw him. Rukia of course was there and proceeded to make him feel extremely uncomfortable by draping herself all over him. When they were alone she asked for his button. He told her that he didn't feel the same way and he had already given it to someone else. She started crying, slapped him and ran away. Renji went out to dinner with his adopted parents, celebrating his achievements but he couldn't feel happy. No matter how hard he tried.

During the summer he couldn't take it anymore and told his parents he was gay. His 'mother' screamed, and slapped him, his father threw him out of the house. Both of them were shouting how he was an abomination. He was going to come get his stuff later. He stayed with Shinji who invited him to move in with him and his soon to be roommate Ichigo. Renji agreed and began a new life.

The school year began and Renji was working two full time jobs, he hadn't applied early enough for the fall semester, so he would go in the spring. The night of his birthday was spent in his room, sulking while reading manga and eating takeout. Shinji and Ichigo were gone for the weekend so he had the apartment to himself. Around 11 pm the doorbell began to ring. 'People just can't leave me alone.' He trudged over to the door and threw it open.

Standing there was Byakuya Kuchiki. Renji stood gaping like a fish. Byakuya sighed. "I believe it is customary for one to invite their guest into their house." Renji nodded dumbly, his eyes blinking owlishly. Byakuya almost chuckled but he was above that, so he settled for a very small smirk.

Renji waved him in, scooping papers, trash and other items on the floor and couch into the trash. "Um um can I get you some water? It's bottled." Byakuya nodded and he ran to the fridge. He couldn't believe it, Byakuya was in his home. Grabbing the cool bottle of water he handed it to the man. Byakuya hadn't moved from his spot on the far side of the couch. Renji stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak.

Byakuya looked thoughtful and then said a sentence that would cage Renji's life forever. "Abarai, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind." Renji almost fainted because he was absolutely positive there was no way on God's green Earth that Byakuya Kuchiki would ever say that. "When you confessed I was definitely taken back but not surprised. You are not the stealthiest of stalkers." Byakuya continued.

Renji could only stare. He knew?! Oh god he was such an idiot. He groaned. This couldn't be happening. He could die right now and he would welcome it with open arms. To die at 18 and still be a virgin. What a shame.

Renji grabbed a beer and sat on the other couch. He cracked it open and downed it within a couple of gulps. Byakuya didn't say anything he knew by coming here Renji would be distraught. He had to ask Rukia where he was staying because he disappeared, when he asked his parents they said they had kicked him out, they wouldn't stand having a homosexual son. So Renji had been kicked out because he was gay? Byakuya wanted to see the boy again so he finally cornered Rukia and she told him that from a mutual friend that he had moved in with a classmate named Shinji and his best friend Ichigo.

Byakuya glanced around the room, it was cozy. The flat screen had a huge entertainment system, the living room was painted a light shade of blue, two black leather couches and a warm brown recliner dominated the room and there were pictures of the three roommates around the room and on the coffee table. There was a one that stood out in the room. In one of the entertainment systems shelves was a picture of a smiling Renji. He was at the beach. His long red hair hung down his shoulders, his tattoos were prominent against his tan skin, and he was wearing black swimming trunks and a tight fitted sleeveless t-shirt. The boy was attractive he would admit.

By this time Renji had drank the whole six pack of beer in the fridge, emptied the bottle of Patron and was on his way to the kitchen when Byakuya grabbed him. "Abarai I think you have had enough for the night." He half carried him to his bedroom, which he assumed was the one that had R on the door and smelled like his cologne. Byakuya laid him back on the bed and turned to leave when he was stopped by a hand grabbing his pants leg. He looked back at Renji and for the first time he was truly aroused.

His hair was falling out of his ponytail, his clothes were skewed, and he could see the outlining of the arousal through his basketball shorts. His cheeks were flushed, he was panting and he had the most dreamy bedroom eyes. Byakuya's breath hitched as he leaned up and kissed him square on the mouth. "Please."

Byakuya grasped his hands gently. Leaning down he kissed his cheeks, his ears, his neck listening to the soft moans and whimpers coming out of the intoxicated male. "Are you sure?" Renji nodded and began to divest their clothes, Byakuya watched mesmerized as Renji prepared himself. Their bodies came together in a slow, sweet tango. Soft groans, the bed springs and Renji's frantic movements brought them both over the edge. As they lay there, entangled in the sheets Byakuya couldn't fall asleep. Renji had thrown an arm across his chest and he was for lack of a better word, stuck.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, he wasn't supposed to feel this way, he had originally come over to tell him some news that he thought would be of importance to him. This wasn't supposed to have happened. He found that in the end, he regretted this terribly.

The next morning came storming down on Renji's head. His skull felt like it was a puck in a hockey game. He groaned, and scooted to the side of his bed. He attempted to walk to the bathroom only to collapse as pain shot up his lower back to the tip of his spine. He grabbed the edge of the bed, and slowly made his way to the bathroom. After a much needed shower, combing the knots from his hair and brushing his teeth he walked to the kitchen to make some coffee.

As he maneuvered around he noticed on the small counter next to the fridge was a note. He saw the marks in the mirror, and he smelled Byakuya's cologne on the sheets. His hips hurt and his ass was killing him so it could only mean one thing. He had slept with Byakuya Kuchiki.

He grabbed the note and scanned the page.

Renji,

Last night was a mistake. I took advantage of you and for that I apologize. I originally came to tell you that I was getting married. I hope this letter finds you well, because this will not happen again. You were a mistake, something I had to get out of my system. Nothing more.

Byakuya.

He ran to his room and began tearing everything up, in the end after he finished destroying his room very thoroughly he sat in the corner with the note still clutched in his fingers. He fell asleep, holding the paper like it was his lifeline. That was how Shinji and Ichigo found him the next day.

To say the two were surprised was a severe understatement. Renji had acted fine all week, of course they thought it was unusual for him not to want to celebrate his birthday but honored his wishes. To find his room a mess and their roommate in a catatonic state set their blood on fire. When they shook him awake, he only shrugged off their questions and avoided their eyes. Ichigo snatched the note and read it. Anger overtook his face.

"Renji what happened." He demanded, he handed to the note to Shinji who gasped. When Renji didn't say what happened Shinji filled Ichigo in. After they had managed to clean the room, get Renji in the shower, and filled his stomach with hot food they asked him again.

"Renji please what happened?"

Renji kept his eyes on the floor. "I fucked up."

That same day the newspapers and social media blew up over the Kuchiki heir marrying and officially taking over as the Kuchiki Head. While Byakuya was smiling to the reporters and holding the hand of his new wife Hisana. Shinji and Ichigo were comforting their best friend over heartbreak.

They had never seen Renji act this way, this wasn't him. He was supposed to be the moocher, the guy at the party who can't hold his sake, and the one obnoxious guy that put chopsticks in his nose for a day to get Shinji to laugh after a bad break up. Shinji and Ichigo went into his room and took out everything that could remind him more of Byakuya, they happened to find a letter from Rukia that Byakuya was supposed to deliver. She stated that she still loved him, and she would do the best to make him happy, Shinji rolled his eyes and threw the note away after ripping it to shreds.

Ichigo called his dad and asked for advice but his father Isshin said that it wasn't medical, he just needed his heart to heal in its own way.

The call came a month later. Byakuya wanted to meet and against Shinji and Ichigo's pleas he met the man. They had coffee at a small, expensive cafe. Byakuya asked how he was doing and Renji just smiled and put up with it. It was nice, it was definitely straining on his emotions but he honestly didn't care anymore. They weren't supposed to go to a hotel and rent a room for two hours. It wasn't supposed to happen the next time either.

In the end, their affair went on for three years. In those three years, he had to keep many things secret but none of them were the real one, the one he hadn't told anyone and it tore him apart...

0*0

Anyone else want to hate Byakuya right now? *raises hand* this was some background I thought was really important to the story don't worry I'm not focusing on Byakuya and Renji long I promise. It was just for some plot development. Next chapter you're in for a loop. I hope you like but you hate it at the same time. Please read and review guys! Thanks for sticking with me, and thank you for all your wonderful support. I hope I can make the story even better for you, bye my little sunshine's!