Chapter 13

The Sixth Division Captain pulled himself out of meditation early this night; the day had been tedious, his mood as dark as the starless night itself. The Kuchiki heir would pamper himself this night with a hot bath and a soft bed, all this self regulation and mental discipline eventually wound down even the noble. Perhaps tonight, an exhausted sleep would spare him the dreams of vivid red.

He felt the reiatsu touch down in his garden. He braced himself, already identifying the shinigami attached to the aura. He didn't want to do this tonight; he was too mentally exhausted not to lash out in irritation or anger. While pulling himself into consciousness, he heard his lieutenant addressing him...there was something in that voice that made the tiny hair at the nape of his neck stand up...an awareness...

"Taicho."

"Abarai fukutaicho, you were ordered not to report to me." His voice devoid of emotion, icy…"Why are you here?"

Warmth and recognition radiated out of claret colored eyes, a wide exultant grin broke out across his features. He could see that for a suspended second, his taicho understood it too. He had seen surprise and acknowledgement in the platinum irises; but then that had been shuttered, sealed away from him, behind hooded eyes.

Renji allowed himself a moment to truly bask in the pleasure of being in his captain's company again…that they were here together, after all this time… A wonderful feeling of completion...of belonging...of warmth... filled his heart. Ironic perhaps, thinking that this was what Byakuya must have felt like when he had been found at the kendo club…when he had not recognized his captain. Guilt at that memory washed through him, but he pushed it aside to deal with the problem at hand.

It dawned on him immediately, that he was in for a battle.

His memories had come back to him with blinding clarity, everything that had transpired before the war, after the war. He distinctly remembered, especially, his last parting encounter with his division leader.

He realized too, that his captain would fight him, for his place back into the rigid noble's life. His taicho had used these two months that he had been in Karakura to build a shield around himself; to shelter his battered pride against further injury...and with everything the perfecting Kuchiki did, it looked like he had done an excellent job.

The fukutaicho slowly walked up to his captain, who had by now stood and raised himself to full height. He was the slighter man, yet his presence was intimidating, all encompassing. The kenseikan gleamed in the moonlight, the heirloom scarf fluttered without breeze, being buffeted purely by reiatsu alone. He is so beautiful...Renji had never used that word so...truthfully, until he looked upon his captain. Regal. Untouchable.

He saw his reflection mirrored in the eyes of his taicho, and for a moment he was back in the past, to his first days in the division. His captain was looking at him once again, without truly seeing him.

He started talking as he drew closer, "Taicho, I came to tell you I got my memories back. Urahara and I-"

"I am not interested in your personal life, fukutaicho." his captain interrupted, cutting him off as he turned and walked away from the lieutenant, "You do not belong to my division any longer. You must leave." The clipped and authoritative tone allowed no disagreement, and by pure habit, Renji found himself just about turning to leave...when he caught himself...and snorted.

"You almost had me there, Taicho." he replied. A dry challenging growl followed, "You're gonna do it like this, huh?"

His captain glared at him in response, not bothering to reply.

A part of Renji's mind could understand this change, emblematic of his captain to distance and protect himself like this… the other half of his brain was sputtering in outrage-- they should have been past this already! He steeled himself; knowing this was the unyielding noble fighting what could be so easy to give into, to allow everything to fall away and allow them to just be.

It would be too easy that way, eh taicho?

"Fukutaicho, you have been transferred to the Thirteenth division. Unless you have official business that needs attention...you will report to your new captain." Byakuya's voice was impersonal, almost dismissive.

The lieutenant grit his teeth in frustration…he had a quick scathing retort on the tip of his tongue about what of his needed attention, but he wasn't going to let the noble goad him into a fight…that's not what he was here for.

"You damn well know why I 'm here, Taicho. You can feel me, can't you? You know who I am." Renji growled, as he unleashed a wave of high energy reiatsu intended to curl around his captain. The vibrant crimson wave rolled its way across the pristine garden. He was surprised when the spiritual energy was blocked less than five feet away from its targeted destination… it had hit a solid wall of incandescent white reiatsu. Seemed like his captain wasn't even going to allow his reiatsu near him.

"Why are you doing this, Byakuya?" this time pain and a little bit of hurt seeped into his words, much to the lieutenant's chagrin.

The use of his given name had brought the argument down to a personal level. This wasn't just a subordinate questioning his leader's orders. This was his lover, talking…arguing... with his mate.

"Dammit…would you just look at me?" his voice was gruff, almost pleading this time, "Byakuya...I know what every inch of your skin tastes like, I've had you inside my body, inside my mouth…I've shared every pleasure...everything I am with you."

"Does it kill you, your pride, to know I could've caused you some pain too?"

He could see the cold captain flinch as his words got more provocative, as they got too close to the truth. His reflection in the silvery eyes wavered, but did not break.

Byakuya felt his insides start to tremble; he was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and it was too much. Why didn't the obstinate man just leave? Abarai Renji was a force to be reckoned with. On the rare occasion he would question his taicho or express a difference of opinion concerning division matters, he did so passionately and with conviction...and in those rare occasions that his taicho would even then deem it necessary to explain himself to his subordinate, the man listened, analyzed, usually concurred and always followed the orders as given.

In their private affairs, however, Abarai pushed back even more. Here, he was an even partner, and was determined not to allow the hyper controlling noble immunity from personal exploration of who they were together...away from the rigid structure of the Gotei 13. It was just like him, to boldly speak his mind like this, no matter if the choice of words were as inflammatory as these were.

In this, Byakuya had to admit, the redhead did understand exactly who he was. The inflexible noble had to be pushed hard to move past the barriers that instinctively rose to guard his thoughts and emotions from others…especially if those others were people who could actually do him harm.

Yes, it was pride that mandated he refuse to accept conditional love. Byakuya had understood the impostor that had lived in his lover's body was not trying to deliberately harm him; but it did not make it easier to accept or forgive the words that echoed out of those lips that had brought him to his knees. To be tortured by those words from a man that had reached out to him, that had returned his affections, that had wanted to be with him just as much as the noble wanted in return... To hear those words come out of that mouth was a betrayal surpassing anything he had ever felt before.

And it wasn't only pride that made him want to keep Renji away this time. It was the fact that he had found himself so... empty...without his extroverted second in command. For centuries, Byakuya's world had been colored in black and white; the ryoka invasion had added shades of gray-- Renji had added Technicolor to the palette. Everything became vivid...alive... The stoic captain found himself appreciating things more... his food tasted better, the blossoms in his garden smelled sweeter...his skin burned at his lover's touch, he felt alive.

But when he lost Renji's reiatsu in the war, and wasn't able to recover it...lost Renji...he just about curled up and surrendered his being. Food tasted of ash, he could no longer appreciate the beauty of his treasured garden...and his skin...it felt so cold, as untouched as it was. Only his responsibilities to the Clan and the Gotei kept him sane, kept him alive, if that's what it could've been called. He was able to find solace only in the mind numbing routine of duty.

Oh, Renji had caused him more than pain or loss of pride. He had taken away his will to live. It was as if he had been...heart...broken. It had shocked him, that he could be so vulnerable to this kind of... unnoble immaturity... He was so unprepared for it.

"I cannot do this again," the Kuchiki heir admitted quietly, voice traced with sorrow. "I am sorry, Renji."

The anguished noble turned, and began to walk away from the younger shinigami, putting more distance between them. If Renji didn't know any better, he'd have thought the man was running away.

It was dark, and the redhead could see that Byakuya was headed for his chambers. The servants had lit a few of the lamps in his rooms, and they cast a warm yellow glow through the delicate designs in the rice paper door, guiding his way there.

I just need to touch him.

Byakuya was walking blindly, towards the light. He needed to go. Leave. The pain in his chest was too raw. He didn't realize Renji had flash stepped until he ran right into him.

Gotcha taicho.

Large strong hands grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping him mid-stride. Surprised, he looked up, a little wild eyed, into the burning ruby orbs of his fukutaicho...his lover...his Renji. He saw recognition, remorse...love. The conflicted noble's brows furrowed. He couldn't do this again. He almost lost himself for good this time.

"Byakuya." the lieutenant's voice was so tender, he shuddered at the sound resonating in his ears in tandem with the strong grip to his shoulders.

Renji leaned down to meet the noble's gaze, one hand came up to softly cradle his cheek in his hand, the thumb lightly brushing the delicate arch under his eye...brushing away the imagined tear. The redhead spoke in a gentle voice full of sincerity and remorse, "I'm sorry Byakuya...I'm sorry for leaving you alone...I'm sorry for not knowing who you were when you found me...I'm sorry for pushing you away, and hurting you with words I should never have said.... but most of all, I'm sorry for not finding my own way home." His voice cracked a bit and he took a deep breath, "You are my home, Byakuya." He blinked rapidly to clear the burn from his eyes, and smiled softly like an idiot.

Renji saw the optical mirror crack and fall away. Within those beautiful eyes he saw pain, loneliness, fear... it clenched at his heart to know that he was the cause of it all... that he had reduced this incredibly proud, innately strong man to this. His captain was the epitome of strength, in every facet... yet Renji realized that he had never seen this emotional side, the fragile side. His captain had never allowed him to see it. He felt strangely happy to know there was more to Byakuya than what he already knew...that they had much more to discover about each other.

An apology...

Gelid hands moved up to cradle the lieutenant's head, almost in trepidation..almost in fear of touching him again; Renji leaned into the touch, grateful for it. Lithe fingers twirled around vermillion locks that had escaped the hair tie.

"Your hair is longer again." his captain stated the obvious, voice thick with emotion.

"Yeah, just a few more months and it'll be as long as it used to be..." he murmured. The fukutaicho just went along with the conversation, not wanting to break the spell of actually having the noble touching him.

"I...missed you, Renji."

"I'm here now, Byakuya." came the strong, assured reply, "I won't let you leave me. I won't let you give up on us. We've both fought too hard to get where we are tonight to just let this go."

Byakuya looked up into a fiercely determined face-- his eyes were sharp and clear, spiritual tattoos bold, mouth set in a straight line. His fukutaicho had developed an even stronger core of strength...trial by fire. The noble had rarely come across anyone so charismatic as his lieutenant; the younger shinigami was steadily becoming a solid leader, able to persuade even a recalcitrant noble.

He felt his own faith return, his own confidence and self assuredness of their future emboldened by his fukutaicho's staunch resolve. A fleeting memory of his lieutenant once telling him "you can't win if you don't play, taicho..." fluttered through his mind. He fought the upward tug of his lips. How true.

"Then I will not, Renji." the heir committed, raising his lips up to his fukutaicho.

They had not kissed in almost a year and a half. Soft lips latched themselves to a brazen pair almost in apology for even thinking of letting this...them...slip away. The lieutenant picked up on that vibe immediately, and parted his lips for a drink of his captain. A soft groan emerged from the pliant noble's throat as Renji took control. A warm wet tongue entered the noble's mouth to seductively dance with his own, it teased his palate...stroked his cheek...and traced his teeth. It was a tender kiss of greeting, of soft warm touches. Byakuya had to come up for air, but his fukutaicho wasn't letting up just yet. A few more seconds passed and the noble placed his hand against Renji's chest and gave it a little tap with his middle finger.

Renji raised his head in question, as Byakuya inhaled a lungful of fresh air. "Perhaps we should head indoors," the aristocrat suggested, trying to catch his breath through slightly parted lips.

"Sure, taicho." the redhead smiled in response.

The lovers touched down right outside the door to Byakuya's rooms. As soon as they materialized out of shunpo, the noble found himself spun and pushed up against the the wall. A body crushed up against his and voracious lips descended to capture his mouth. Another breath taking kiss ensued, this one quite demanding. Hands threaded through his hair to hold him in place as the mouth left to nip and kiss along his jawline up to his ear. A playful tongue licked the outer shell and soft lips pulled his lobe into that hot mouth to suckle. The noble felt his knees weaken.

"Fukutaicho...inside the room would...be more appropriate," the brunette struggled for breath.

"Mmmm...right....taicho." came the distracted response, between licks and bites down the alabaster neck.

A blind hand groped to slide open the door, and back in lip lock, the two distracted shinigami tangled their way inside. They awkwardly shuffled over to the bed, and when Renji felt the backs of his knees hit it, he sat down, dragging Byakuya down with him.

The noble straddled the redhead's lap, pushing his chest against the other. He had the better angle now, so he reached up to remove Renji's hair tie, releasing the glorious curtain of hair from its restraints. Running his hands through the soft strands, and scraping his nails against the fukutaicho's scalp, Byakuya elicited a deep rumble of appreciation from his subordinate. Having the upper hand, his tongue began dominating their kiss. It rubbed over and under its counterpart, then started a suggestive thrust against the other muscle that had the redhead moaning deep in his throat.

Byakuya pulled back and stood up, causing a groan of disappointment. He moved quickly to remove the kenseikan, which he placed on his dressing table. The scarf was unwound and hung in the wardrobe along with the haori. Renji had leaned over to dig into the bedside table and looked questioningly at his lover when he came up empty.

His captain gave him a solemn answer, "I have no need for it."

With that, Byakuya turned and went to the bathroom. He returned a minute later with a washcloth and a small bottle of oil, which he placed on the nightstand.

"Had me worried for a minute there, taicho." the redhead joked, standing up to embrace the brunette.

A small smile graced the porcelain face, "I am always prepared, fukutaicho..." He leaned up for another kiss, as nimble fingers began undressing the brawny shinigami. His lieutenant had filled out again, the captain noticed, no longer skinny and underfed looking. It was a relief to him, that his fukutaicho had returned to his former self...tough muscle under tanned skin. He had been too malnourished when Byakuya found him, and too strung out on pills.

Reverently, Byakuya pressed his lips to the tattoos covering his lover's chest as he peeled the shihakusho off one shoulder, and then the other. He kissed them up and down, then used his tongue to trace their pattern. Over the collar bone to the shoulders, down the biceps, around to the back. He felt the lieutenant's breathing kick up a notch, his fists clenched, but he let his taicho have his way. As Byakuya licked at the feline stripes on the muscular back, he wrapped his arms around Renji with his hands resting on his shoulders. Slowly he pressed up against him, and using his hips, rubbed his already stiff arousal in a sensual up and down glide against Renji's firm backside. A gutteral moan was wrenched out of the redhead.

Byakuya lowered his arms to Renji's waist to untie the belt holding his hakama up. A few more pieces of material removed, and Abarai Renji was there to behold in all his naked glory. In the golden lamplight and with shadows playing across his muscular build; the noble felt his own pulse escalate at the sight of his lover. The man was gorgeous. A greek Adonis. Kami-sama walking out of the soft mists of heaven.

"Byakuya," his fukutaicho whispered huskily, "you've got too many clothes on...."

The noble was grabbed around the waist, and pulled in front of the redhead. Renji did his own thrust and grind into his captain, rubbing their arousals together. The friction elicited a sharp gasp from one and a low growl from the other. Eager hands divested Byakuya of his material belongings, and in a matter of seconds, both men were rubbing skin against glorious skin.

They made their way onto the bed, Byakuya rolling atop the redhead. He paused for a moment, again, in awe of not only where he was...but who he was with. With a light touch, he used two slender fingers to trace the spiritual tattoos on his lover's face...caressed his high cheekbones...and when he brought them down to stroke the soft lips...they were sucked into the hot wicked mouth of his fukutaicho.

He gasped as a slick tongue twirled around his digits, sucking them in deeper. The soft muscle parted the fingers, then slid up between them to tease the sensitive webbing joining them together on his hand. A low growl of approval tumbled out of the noble's throat.

"You have my attention, fukutaicho." he said in a throaty whisper, pulling the digits out of Renji's mouth.

"Good, I was thinkin' you were getting distracted by emo' stuff again."

"It is not 'emo stuff' Renji," came the dry reply, "it is called 'being romantic'."

The redhead laughed, a hearty rumble that lightened and warmed the already erratic beat of the noble's heart. The lieutenant snaked his hand around the back of Byakuya's head and brought it down for a kiss. What started out playful soon turned demanding, Renji's tongue taking ownership of the noble's mouth. His lips moved to suck on Byakuya's lower lip, and gave it a nip, then laved at it in mock apology.

The brunette then broke from his fukutaicho's mouth and worked his way down the tattooed neck, pulling the marked skin covering the jugular into his mouth for a delicious bite and hard suck. That got a whimper from the redhead. Another small smile graced itself on the noble...every passionate noise his lieutenant made was like music to his ears. He was usually rewarded with a symphony by the time the night was over.

He moved down the neck, to the hollow of the collarbone, lapping at the perspiration already working its way out of the redhead's skin. He inhaled deeply, wanting to drown in the fragrance of his lover... a spiciness, an earthiness... and if he could describe it, he would call it life. Abarai oozed life.

Byakuya's hands were never idle. They moved and caressed the hot skin; sometimes ghosting over the ribs, or scraping his fingernails across a taut abdomen, feeling the muscles jump and tighten under his hands. Now his left hand was working its way up, stroking smooth skin to stop at a bronze nipple. Lowering his head to the opposite pairing, he simultaneously pinched and rolled one between his thumb and forefinger, while sucking the other into his mouth. The combination of sharp stimulation and wet heat garnered a sharp gasp and groan. He suckled on it to bring it to a hard bud, pulling at it with blunt teeth, then used the tip of his tongue to flick it, tease it, lave at it, until the redhead started to writhe beneath him.

He continued on his journey to follow the tattoos, kissing them down to the abdomen, then taking his tongue to circle around the belly button. He poked his warm tongue into the dip, watching the muscles ripple and clench. He glanced up at Renji, to see that his head was tipped to one side, hair ablaze upon the pillows. Desire laden eyes were heavy, but watching him. He could see the glimmer off the ruby lenses, intense and blazing...watching him move toward his next destination...the throbbing erection.

He met that gaze directly as he used the flat of his tongue to lick the rock hard shaft from base to glistening tip. A harsh exhale worked it's way out of the tattooed throat, as Renji fought to keep his eyelids open. Byakuya swirled his tongue around the rosy head, and pulled the tip into his mouth for a light suck. The point of his tongue teased the sensitive opening atop the head before descending down the solid length; a rough gasp and an even louder moan followed. Restless hands found their way onto an onyx head, threading themselves into the soft mass, eliciting an appreciative hum from the captain. Hands tightened in reflex to the vibration sent from Byakuya's mouth to the redhead's cock, a nice tug to the hair resulted.

Renji lost his battle in keeping Byakuya in his sights. His lids slid closed in pleasure, eyes rolling into his head. The heat, the soft wet heat of Byakuya's mouth enveloping him was driving him insane. And the tongue...he was being worshiped with that knowing tongue teasing all his sensitive spots, stimulating every one of his nerves to center right there. He was being pulled into a vacuum where the only thing he could feel was how good, how hot he felt. He was burning.

Byakuya felt his eyes dilate at that delicious pull to his hair. He used lips and tongue to work his mouth down the engorged rod, using a light suction and rubbing and teasing under the shaft with his tongue. He moved his head up and down, hollowing his cheeks and engaging in a harder suck on some upswings, and more muscle play on others. He could hear the gasping of his fukutaicho getting louder, and less controlled.

He reached up for the bottle of oil, and liberally slicked up two fingers. As he continued his oral ministrations, Byakuya glided his hand along the lean flank of his fukutaicho, to caress the firm muscle and tease at his opening. Slowly he eased one finger into the redhead, hearing the soft groan that accompanied that action. He pumped his finger in deeper, spreading the oil, stretching that incredibly tight, incredibly hot cavern. He added a second finger to help the first, encouraged by the ever increasing volume from the uninhibited redhead. He groped higher into his lover searching for the tight bundle of nerves, and found it a second later when he felt hips buck into his mouth and heard the sharp gasping cry. He focused on that spot; on pleasuring his mate.

Renji was walking a fine line of tight control. Every time Byakuya massaged that spot inside him, waves of indescribable pleasure rolled through him, crushing his thoughts, taking over his need to breathe, bringing him closer to the edge. He knew noises were escaping his throat, but he was unable to hold them back. His taicho was so good at this... reducing him to a puddle of delirious goo...mindful of only one conclusion-- release.

"Bya...kuya.." at a loss for oxygen he called, tugging lightly at his captain's hair; groaning when the brunette's mouth and fingers let go of him, but eager to move on. Still keeping a hold of his captain, he brought Byakuya's face up to his and kissed him passionately, with tongue and teeth and lips; restraint all but lost due to the expertise of his lover. When he pulled back, they were both panting.

"Fuck me..." he growled desperately, eyes fever bright, "like its been too long...fuck me like you never want to be without me ever again."

The response from those mercury depths was to darken even further and ignite…a black flame. Byakuya could feel his body responding to the encouragement immediately, something within him quickening. He crushed his lips into the redhead, taking what breath the other had left, thrusting urgently with his tongue, promising more...more...

The noble slicked himself quickly, eyes fluttering closed for a second as his own touch felt so good on his long neglected arousal. In short time, he was positioned at Renji's entrance, the redhead's long legs over each shoulder. Byakuya leaned forward over his lover; he ground out a short "brace yourself", then thrust in with one smooth snap of his hips. He bit back a shout, feeling himself engulfed in such soft, tight, heat... he wanted nothing more than to lose himself mindlessly into the one beneath him.

Oh gods...that exquisite, delicious stretch. Renji moaned loud and deep, as the back of his head pushed into the soft pillows. Trying to regain his senses, he was quickly swept away by the momentum of the man conquering his body.

Giving the redhead but a second to adjust, Byakuya began a slow series of long hard thrusts meant to give Renji the most pleasure. The long legs moved to wrap around his waist, to pull him in tighter, as hips bucked up to meet him. Byakuya leaned down to taste again, the elixir of Abarai, running his tongue into the panting mouth, a mouth giving rise to moans unfettered. He picked up the rhythm, watching the pleasure play out on the beautiful face below him.

It felt so good...but it wasn't enough...he needed more. "Hold on..." he whispered.

Byakuya spread his thighs to widen his base, then placed his left hand on Renji's hip, the other wrapped under his back with the right hand between his shoulder blades. He lifted the fukutaicho up so the redhead was now sitting in his lap, straddling his thighs. This new position not only forced him in deeper, it allowed him the angle to brush repeatedly against that pleasure spot within his lover with every thrust.

Now they were chest to chest, slick skin on slick skin. Byakuya kept his arm around Renji's back, burying his face into the crook of his fukutaicho's neck. His hot tongue darted out to lick at the hollow above the redhead's collarbone, placing open mouthed kisses there, sucking and biting on the tight skin. He bathed the tattooed flesh with long strokes; tasting the salt, the sweat... the sex and virility of Abarai Renji on the tip of his tongue.

Byakuya was able to satisfy his need to be totally immersed…to feel and taste every inch of sweat and skin, to be buried in such incredible heat... The captain smoothly rolled his hips upward, using his legs and thighs to raise himself off the bed, then stroked in a steady rhythm, snapping his hips forward and up, to impale his lover with every stoke.

A lusty groan had the redhead acknowledging his satisfaction at this positional change. He tightened his long legs around Byakuya's waist, and ground his hips down to meet his lover. His head fell back; his crimson mane sticking to his neck and sweat soaked back, his half lidded eyes glazing over in pleasure. He stretched and angled his taut neck, the black markings danced as he swallowed convulsively, whimpers of pleasure starting to escape his throat unheeded.

Byakuya had never been more encouraged by such simple noise, he was driven by an escalating passion, a primitive need for more…he tipped his head up, flicking his tongue to the underside of Renji's chin…to attach his mouth to that one spot Renji loved…and sucked…hard. His hips ever demanding in their insistent pace.

Renji choked on a groan, felt his pulse skyrocket…that electrifying pull went straight to his groin. The warmth, it spread…he could feel the tingle at the base of his spine, starting to work its way to his fingertips. His length, rubbing erotically between the toned bellies of both men, heavy and velvety smooth, twitched and jumped… the friction tearing another groan from the enthralled fukutaicho.

Renji raised his hands, and threaded them through damp silky raven hair. Blunt fingernails scraped against Byakuya's scalp, extracting a hum of approval from the quiet man. Using his hold for leverage, he pulled Byakuya's lips off his throat and tilted his lover's face up. Renji's mouth descended upon his captain's; hungrily searching with lips and teeth, sucking on the noble's tongue to the same tempo moving inside him. He pulled back, panting open mouthed, his forehead resting on his lover's…"It's been…too long… Byakuya…" his voice thick and needy, "…I can't…I'm gonna…"

Byakuya leaned back a little to grasp Renji's sizable girth in his oil slicked immaculate hand. He pumped him quickly, knowingly, exactly the right way his lover needed it… in time to the increasing grind of his hips. He canted his hips a little, changed the angle just so… and then he was pounding directly into his lovers prostate. The result was instantaneous. Renji's eyes squeezed shut, mouth wide open, an unceasing escalating moan ripped out of his throat.

He felt the man above him tense in anticipation, a rough growl crawling out of Renji's throat as his arms wound and tightened around the brunette's neck and shoulders.

With a hoarse shout, the redhead's neck snapped back, as his body convulsed and shuddered, white light painted his vision, as his essence shot out to coat their bellies and the noble's pristine hand.

The exquisite sensations of intense heat and rhythmic clenching muscle on his arousal, coupled with the auditory reverb of his lusty fukutaicho sent Byakuya spiraling into his own climax. With a strangled breathy moan, his head fell forward onto Renji's shoulder as his hips and back arched up into the spent redhead. He thrust just twice more as he felt the blue fire of electricity trip up and down his spine, to coalesce at the center of his being and explode, spilling himself into the relaxing heat of his lover, propelling him to euphoria as he rode out an intense wave of rolling pleasure.

Exhausted and panting, Byakuya stretched out and laid them both down on the bed. He rolled onto his back, taking in deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He reached up with his left hand to move soaked strands of ebony hair off his forehead and cheek, only to find that a large, warm hand had already beaten it there.

He purred as that hand moved to comb through his hair, leaning into the addictive touch on his scalp. He opened his eyes to find sated burgundy orbs languidly staring into his own; a large, satisfied grin accompanied the comforting touch.

"You are...fuckin' incredible..." the redhead declared warmly, slowly catching his own breath.

Byakuya arched a graceful eyebrow, then smirked openly. "..Indeed..." he chuckled. It felt good to laugh again…only Renji could do it after this mind blowing experience they just had.

His young lover leaned in to bestow a tender kiss... soft lips moved over his own, encouraging his to open to a leisurely tongue that gently and sensually rubbed with his own. Eventually, Renji pulled back, and when the noble looked into those eyes again, his breath hitched. A seriousness and somber expression gave him pause...

"I love you, Byakuya." His words echoed through eternity, filled with the promise of their future, "Thank you for coming to find me... thank you for bringing me home."

Oh, what this man will do to his heart…Byakuya paused, and reached into his own soul, to bare it to the love of his life…"Renji, you are the one who has brought me back into the realm of the living, who has shown me that the heart that beats in this chest, no matter how much it may want to hide away, is not dead. It is I who should be thanking you...for sharing your love of life, with me."

"You have taught me that I want to live... with you. I love you, Renji."

He paused, then wanting to tease a little, ominously intoned, "I told you I would always find you…Fukutaicho, I did not mention it was whether you wanted me to or not." Another quirk of his brow followed.

The redhead choked. "Are you attempting humor?!" Renji chuckled and pulled the brunette up against his chest, to nestle into his shoulder, "Wake the Soutaicho…Soul Society is burning!"

A sharp tweak of his nipple was the response he got.

"Ow! Hey!...don't be starting things you can't finish!…"

He was pinned quicker than he ever thought possible. The noble straddled his waist, his wrists were restrained on either side of his head by strong delicate hands, and there was a dangerous glint in those charcoal eyes…as his taicho leaned down…

"You forget your place again, Fukutaicho." His captain purred into his ear…the hot breath tickling his senses.

"Then you better show me where my place is…" Renji replied, a little breathier than we wanted to sound. The power play action always pushed his buttons.

"Mmmm…my pleasure…fukutaicho…I think for this, you will need to be taught over…and over…and over again…." Byakuya's seductive baritone sending a shiver down his spine; each "over" constituted a leisurely lick of a wicked tongue and nip of teeth on a bared neck.

The last coherent thought Renji had that night was "...hallelujah".

A/N:....and there it is.
I hoped you all enjoyed the longer chapter...if I had broken it up I think I would've gotten hate mail.
Thanks to everyone who read, kept up, and had such wonderful comments on this story! It really became a monster from the short story I had originally planned on doing. This was my first multi chaptered fanfiction, I really enjoyed writing it. Thanks for coming along for the ride!