Secrets

Seeing Renji there gripping the green robe with his fingers tore at Byakuya, and he could not stand the continued sight of Renji in distress. Silk whispered as Byakuya rose from his kneeling position, crossing the room. Placing his hands on either side of Renji's shoulders, he stooped on one knee in front of him. "Renji, do you have any other questions for me? Now is the time to ask me anything. I have admitted my wrongdoing and regret causing you such distress. I... have no desire to lose this relationship with you. I will do what it takes to repair the damage I have inflicted on your trust. Simply request what that is, and I will endeavor..."

"I... that means a lot Byakuya, but it still hurts," Renji confessed, shaking his head, so his face was buried under a curtain of scarlet. "I didn't realize how much. Damn it."

Long fingertips reached under Renji's chin to tilt it up so he could see the face half shrouded by hair. Frowning Byakuya used his other hand to push a few strands behind Renji's ears so he could more clearly see the dulled eyes, red with unshed tears. He truly saw what the term 'wounded dog' represented in that contorted face. How he preferred to see it creased with laugher instead.

"I also suffer similar pain to see you reduced to such sorrow because of me. I will correct it by any means necessary," Byakuya added softly.

Blinking up at him Renji swallowed. Byakuya's steel eyes had softened, retaining that detachment and elegance. Shimmering magenta reiatsu extended from his fingertips over Renji like a fall of blossoms as it had whenever they were happy and alone together. Wrapping around his ragged and flickering power it almost filled in the painful gaps with a soft caress.

Only his fingertips touched Renji's face, but his energy said something far greater and more affectionate, Renji realized. Through half closed lashes, he felt a slightly scratchy and smooth bit of fabric pull across his cheeks, drying away the tears. When he opened them and regarded Byakuya again, he saw the frown held concern and a probing look of curiosity. Had he wiped away his sorrow with one of those elegant gloves that matched his scarf?

"You sound like a damn diplomat," Renji sniffed, gripping Byakuya's wrists with his rough hands. He rubbed them through the cloth, then reached across and squeezed the noble's shoulders tightly.

"Renji, why did you not inform me of your discomfort in the first place?” Byakuya asked with a light note of question.

"Because I was afraid, okay?” Renji rasped voice hoarse from yelling earlier.

"Perhaps that was the reason for my... gross error in judgment," Byakuya suggested, with a somber smile. "Fear of losing you."

"That... was only part of Byakuya," Renji said, partly choking. "What really pissed me off was how mad you acted when I didn't play along. And then... then I just... got so pissed... because you were acting like a spoiled brat."

"Indeed I am a 'spoiled brat' by definition if circumstances do not follow what I perceive are the rules. I become angry and seek to correct such infractions. Yet when the rules are not made clear by example I only have myself to blame," Byakuya said.

"You talk too damn much sometimes, you know that?” Renji asked, reaching over and grasping the scarf twined around his throat. Byakuya reached up and unwound it, then lifted it up. Renji pulled away with shock when he felt the soft gossamer draped around his shoulders over his hair.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, grabbing the front of Byakuya's robe.

"Attempting to seduce you perhaps?” Byakuya said arching an aristocratic brow.

"Seduce... me? Huh, if ya wanted to kiss and make up why the hell didn't ya...” Renji started.

"Do you wish to be intimate with me or are you still angry?" Byakuya asked.

"I... I want to... I just..." Renji said, panting.

"I... I want you as you are, not as I thought you should become," Byakuya further admitted, his eyes open and somber. Yet Byakuya reached over and grabbed Renji by the front of his collar, and yanked him so their lips collided. Surprised and a bit frustrated Renji pulled hard on Byakuya's elaborate robe, nipping at Byakuya's lips before sliding his mouth out from under.

"Ya really mean that?" Renji asked, his eyes stinging with something while relief started to run through him. It eased the pain somewhat but still he felt angry.

"I am most sincere. My gravest error was in trying to alter those traits which are an intergral part of your persona. To make such expectations of you and not allow you to reciprocate..."

"So you're accepting me as I am? Stray dog and all?" Renji continued to demand, tugging on Byakuya's cheeks.

"If you can accept a frozen unfeeling noble to whom emotions are a burden, and who is unrelenting. A royal brat? I believe those are your words?" Byakuya Kuchiki admitted, forcing himself to look Renji in the eyes.

"If you won't try so hard to change me I won't try to change you. We gotta give an' take. That's what a relationship should be..."

Licking his lips Byakuya began another elaborate speech but suddenly found himself tripping over the words. "I shall endeavor my utmost to... rather... I admit sincerely to you that I want that Renji... with you from now on. No unfair expectations, just you as you are..."

"Because as pissed as I am, I know you're trying your damndest," Renji half choked. "You can be the biggest royal ass in the world, but what you're telling me shows that you're willing to bend..."

"Then... can this liason continue despite the grave miscalculations on my part?"

"Let's try and find out..." Renji answered. Then turning his head to the side he dominated the kiss, letting go of Byakuya's robe with one hand to wrap around his back and under one arm. Aggressively he bent the noble over, so they both dipped backwards. Byakuya felt the soft carpet stop his head from colliding with the floor as Renji pressed him down and straddled him.

Seizing handfuls of Byakuya's hair Renji thrust his tongue past Byakuya's lips. Despite Renji's aggressive nature, Byakuya sensed no anger but a desire to sooth his hurt and tattered pride. Therefore, he lay back enjoying the deepening kiss he was sure would leave him with odd bruises on his pale face. Still he reached up, tangling his fingers in Renji's hair to pull and tug at it while his hips rose up and bucked under Renji's pelvis sitting astride him.

Seeing Byakuya's hair splayed in a disorganized pool around his head thrilled Renji. Because Byakuya was not pushing him away or complaining he broke the kiss, and reached down to touch the kenseikan on the side. His fingers struggled to remove the hairpiece until Byakuya whispered, "Let me show you... unless you want me to lose an unsightly amount of hair and bleed on the carpet..."

"Oh, sorry," Renji mumbled, but saw the slight smile in response. Together they managed to remove the hair ornament, without pulling out any of his black silky locks. Once the silver semi tubes were carefully placed to the side out of harm’s way, Renji lifted the scarf off his shoulders and folded it to lay with them.

"Don't wanna damage it," he whispered.

Byakuya nodded in understanding, reaching up to tug Renji back down on him. Growling Renji attacked his captain's lips again. Teasingly the noble kept them partly shut, dragging the tip of his tongue instead over his vice captain's lips in a caress. His gloved hands dug deeply into Renji's with a display of considerable strength, reminding Renji that his captain was still the more powerful of them.

"Renji...” Byakuya whispered into his lips.

"Yeah?"

“Do you wish to continue this here? Or elsewhere?”

"Let’s go to the bedroom,”' Renji suggested, climbing off the noble and kneeling to his side. Sliding his hands under his captain’s back and knees he lifted him into his arms while rising to his feet, showing off his own brute strength.

"You remember the way," Byakuya answered, raising his arm and draping it around Renji's shoulders. For a moment, Renji squeezed the noble tightly in his arms, pressing his face into Byakuya's chest. Out of the corner of his eyes, Byakuya saw the neatly folded scarf and hair ornaments, but decided against sending Renji to get them.

“Wait a minute,” Renji said, gently setting him down. “We’re forgetting your stuff.”

“I thought you were anxious to...,” he protested, watching Renji bend over and collect his symbols of office.

“Now let’s go,” Renji said, reaching out his other hand to the noble. Byakuya took it, and then they walked hand in hand together down the maze of corridors to the master suite. At least for the time being there would not be as many secrets between them.
****
Once in the darkness of Kuchiki’s bedroom they reached for one another. Carefully he reached over to untie the green silk garments, sliding them off Renji’s shoulders to reveal his distinctive markings. He bend down, kissing along his vice captain’s throat to progress across the first visible square interlocked bands. Then sliding down Byakuya drew his tongue along the lateral marks of Renji’s ribcage, while the redhead tangled his fingers in the soft black locks. He hissed through clenched teeth when Byakuya rubbed against his erection tenting out the green hakama. He felt the soft hot tongue stopping just below the waistband, then the pooling of the silk around his ankles from them falling down.

Grasping Byakuya’s shoulders, he tugged the noble to stand before him. Now it was his turn to nip along bare white flesh, unknotting the noble’s robes to push the halves of his kimono open. Byakuya unthreaded his arms from them, so it hung around his waist baring his own flawless chest. No hair covered it, its only adornment faint scars here and there in the marble white skin. Kissing across it, Renji then lingered when he walked around Byakuya to lick the markings of Byakuya’s tattoo on the strong shoulder. Byakuya sighed, loving the strong hands creeping around his hips to untie his hakama and push them down. Together his clothes fell on the floor baring his skin to the cooling air in his room.

Down his spine Renji’s kisses and nips worked, causing him to arch his back. Byakuya sighed deliciously, tossing his head so the tips of his dark hair brushed Renji’s shoulders. He spun around so they were face to face. Then he grabbed Renji’s neck so he could pull him in for a hungry kiss. Now Renji grabbed one leg to pull it up around his hips. Byakuya let his vice captain tug him into his arms, wrapping both legs around Renji’s strong waist. For a minute they kissed, Renji holding Byakuya up with his hands cupping the other man’s bottom. Chests rubbed together, sweat mingling.

Somehow, they ended up on the bed together, in a tangle of embracing arms and legs. Nipping at their lips and pulling at one another’s hair, they rolled over so Byakuya was on the bottom and Renji on the top. They finally ended up lying side by side, Byakuya straddling Renji’s leg to brush his erection along it. He reached down, curling his fingers around Renji’s erection and squeezing it with a long pull.

Fundoshi were unraveled and tossed down as well so nothing was between them. Soft curls were brushed through by Byakuya’s hand rubbing at his based then along his shaft. In turn, Renji palmed and caressed the noble’s erection, more vigorously pumping and working the first drops of liquid from it. Tongues and lips merged with the action of two hands on each other’s cocks, loving the attention and ease of exciting each other to frenzy.

Byakuya’s hand flayed out, observed by Renji who grabbed the container sitting on the bedside. Dark brown eyes followed the cue of steely blue ones, opening the lid and pouring the oil onto his fingers. To his surprise Byakuya lifted his knee and grabbed Renji’s hand guiding it between them. Fingers pressed in on the tight ring of muscle, wringing soft grunts from Byakuya as they probed and stretched. Renji whispered, “Are you okay with this?”

“I can endure it…” Byakuya whispered. “It is your turn to… reciprocate what you gave me.”

Renji leaned down to capture Byakuya’s lips in a kiss. Not lying on his back Byakuya, rested one ankle on Renji’s hip, while three fingers curled and rubbed his passage. Inhaling deeply Byakuya nodded, reaching for Renji’s cock and slathering it with more of the oil. Still with his tongue caressing the roof of Byakuya’s mouth Renji felt his tip touch the noble’s opening. Then Byakuya twisted onto his back, pulling Renji down on him. Hips were repositioned so Byakuya’s ass was braced on Renji’s kneeling thighs, and his calves on the tattooed shoulders. Opened wide Byakuya hissed as Renji thrust inside him in a single push.

Such a strong and tight embrace almost wrung Renji’s orgasm immediately. Byakuya panted, his eyes narrowed, gleaming a light purple. His hair sweaty stuck to his forehead, increasing the allure of his passion-filled face. “Now,” he rumbled, lifting his hips. Renji thrust in hard, feeling Byakuya’s hands reach up to grab his wrists. They moved together in an ever increasing and wild fight to wring an orgasm out of the other. Between them Renji caressed and stroked Byakuya’s length in time with his thrusts.

Renji half-growled Byakuya’s name, collapsing on top after burying himself as far as he could go. Byakuya cried out Renji’s name, biting down hard into his shoulder while digging his fingers in enough to leave bruises among the tattoos. They were hidden by Renji’s fall of hair. It dangled partly around him as he saw Renji’s pleasure contorted face. Then the full weight of his vice captain crashed down deliciously, pressing him to the bed. His body still contained the sticky heat of Renji panting, head pressed between Byakuya’s head and shoulder.

“Stay where you are, Renji,” Byakuya whispered, when he felt Renji finally shifting to move.
“Ya sure?” Renji asked, feeling his captain kissing his ear and cheeks.
“I would not have said it if I did not mean it, Renji,” Byakuya answered, voice a bit shaky. It surprised Renji pleasantly.

“Good,” Renji answered, stretching out on top of his lover. Byakuya lay completely still, his legs still wrapped around Renji’s hips, while his hands played with the sweaty scarlet locks.

“Renji?” Byakuya asked after a time. Half lulled asleep by the sated contentment Renji blinked. He lifted his head enough to look at Byakuya’s serious face. Still the calm look in the dark eyes told him what he needed to know.

“Are we… is our dispute resolved? Do you forgive my….”

“Yeah. It’s okay now. We’re okay now. And you gotta admit the makeup sex is great,” Renji answered, kissing Byakuya’s lips lingeringly. Byakuya took his time returning the soft caresses, and then let his head drop to the pillow. Satin sheets were saturated with the evidence of their lovemaking.

“Makeup sex?” Byakuya frowned slightly. Renji kissed his slightly wrinkled brows, graceful and black hidden behind the hairs still splayed over his face. They were tangled and mussed as his own.

“Yeah. We’ve made up. That’s another thing two people do when they’re in love ya know?”

“In love?” Byakuya murmured, and then gave a slight smile. “Then we are… resolved? I am for my part ready to take this relationship to the next logical step. If you will excuse the need for protocol.”

“We got to make our own protocol for some things. Now let’s just enjoy layin’ here and when I’m rested we’ll make sure we’re good,” Renji panted, rubbing his cheek to Byakuya’s.

“I would enjoy that,” Byakuya answered, nibbling on Renji’s ear.

“No more secrets, Byakuya?” Renji asked.

“No more. We will figure out what we will tell our colleagues and friends tomorrow,” Byakuya reassured him.

Renji’s heart leapt and he settled down again. The captain did feel wonderful to lay on, strong and steady even if he was a pain in the ass at times. Even though there was still resentment, he had a sense they could fumble through it together. Byakuya and he pulled the blankets around them, and enjoyed the warmth of their reiatsu in harmony once more.