A long, hard wait

*One-shot*

Yes, Renji thought as he stood outside those solid doors that lead into one of the most closely guarded places in Seireitei, it had been a long, hard time of waiting. So long indeed that he sometimes wondered how long, because he could no longer remember the time when he hadn't been waiting. It was as if the waiting had always been there, like a solid being in his life, and now that it had a chance to finally come to an end he couldn't decide whether it was relief, excitement or sorrow he felt in his gut.

"Fuck it," he muttered, attracting the suspicious attention from one of the guards standing by the gate, and the redhead rolled his eyes. "The hell, guys? Ya know me by now, don't ya got something better to do than glare at me?"

No response, not that he had really expected one. Scoffing in indignation he felt the urge to tell them to quit staring at him, but before he had a chance to the gates opened and an elderly man stepped outside.

"Kuchiki-sama will see you now, Abarai-san," the old man greeted him, and bowed politely. As if by magic the guards instantly looked away and none of them even glance once at him while he walked past them into the Kuchiki compound.

"Thanks."

*

Such a big place, Renji thought as he was lead through the huge blooming gardens, and then the many corridors of the main house itself. One could only wonder what all of those closed doors hid. The shear size of the Kuchiki estate never did stop surprising him, and sometimes he thought it may actually grow larger between his visits.

"Kuchiki-sama is inside," the old man suddenly interrupted his thoughts, and he turned his head to look at the man. When the man began to walk away he added. "He awaits you."

"Thanks," Renji said over his shoulder, before turning back towards the door.

Taking a deep breath he reached out and slid the door to the side and peered inside.

Byakuya was sitting by the window, letting the sun's rays caress his white skin while he waited. He was dressed in white silk of a slightly darkener shade than his skin, and without any decorations of any kind. Renji gulped and suddenly he didn't feel too certain about himself anymore.

'What if's' and doubts whirled through his mind, but before he had a chance to give into those thoughts Byakuya raised his head, tilting it in his direction.

"Renji," that smooth voice flowed over to him, and Renji felt his heart speed up.

"Yeah," he rasped out, and realised his voice had gone raspy almost as if it hadn't been used enough. Clearing his throat he continued. " Yeah it's me, taichou."

A small smile, once so rarely seen, curved Byakuya's lips at that. "I hope you realise that you do not need to continue to address me as 'taichou' anymore Renji. It may confuse your subjects. "

"Heh, ya know what they say, tai… eh…"

"You may call me by my given name, Renji, and come into the room. "

"Ah, of course," Renji grinned, scratching his head sheepishly and stepped fully into the room. He slid the door closed behind him, and then realised that he didn't know what to do with himself.

"Come sit, Renji. Dinner should be served within the hour." Byakuya fortunately said, nodding towards where he was lounging by the window.

"Yes, ta… eh, Byakuya," Renji said, stumbling over his former captain's name. It was an odd experience to call Kuchiki-taichou by his given name, but not a bad feeling. Sitting down on the soft pillows across from Byakuya he found his gaze instantly drawn to the other man's eyes. They couldn't see him now, he knew. The kidou that Aizen had performed had robbed Byakuya of his eyesight, but they were still clear and grey, and framed by long dark lashes.

"You're looking at my eyes, are you not, Renji?" Byakuya said in a low tone, and Renji blushed at being caught. How he had been caught he had no idea.

Bowing his head Renji murmured an apology.

"There's no need to apologise, Renji. Unohana-taichou says that my eyesight should be back within another few weeks."

Looking up at his former captain again, Renji exclaimed; "Really? That's awesome, taichou!"

Again that small smile flittered on Byakuya's lips. "It is to be preferred over this current predicament."

Renji's grin widened. His captain; the master of understatement. He was suddenly filled with the urge to hug the other man, and jump up and down all at once.

"I apologise for not coming when you was promoted to captain."

Renji blinked.

"Huh?"

"You heard me, Renji."

"Well yeah, taichou," he smiled bemused, "but I'm not getting the reason for the apology."

A small frown settled on his former captain's pale forehead, as if he was annoyed to have to explain something obvious to a child.

"Becoming a captain is an important issue, Renji. As your commanding officer I should have been present at your promotion."

"But ya were wounded, there's really no need to…"

"A minor inconvenience should not be an issue during such circumstances." Byakuya argued stubbornly.

"Minor inconvenience? You were blind! That's a huge frickin' deal, cap'n!" Renji argued back.

"A 'deal' that could easily have be dealt with."

"What the heck? Ya were wounded, the only place ya should've been was in bed resting!"

"Don't argue this matter with me, Renji. It has already been settled."

"Like hell it has. An argument doesn't just stop 'cause ya say so, taichou!" Renji exclaimed, angrily slamming his palm down on the floor with a bang.

"An argument cannot go forth unless there are two participants."

"Hey, yer the one arguing with me, taichou. If I say there's no need to apologize there is no damn reason to!"

"And if I wish to apologise even a child should know not to argue my right to do so."

"But there's no damn reason to…!"

"There was, therefore I did." Byakuya stated, crossing his arms across his chest and turning his head away.

Renji glared at the other man, noting the stubborn, tense way his jaw was set. That conceited, stubborn bastard, he thought, going around sprouting… then another though crossed his mind and as he considered this thought he couldn't help but to start chuckling.

He noticed that Byakuya turned his head in his direction a bit when he heard the chuckling, but the other man didn't question the reason for his glee. Of course not, his cap'n was too proud and too stubborn to admit to have so much as an ounce of curiosity in him. Renji laughed harder, until he had to bend forward a bit, feeling his stomach hurting as he continued to laugh.

"Hey…" he gasped between his bout of laugh. "Hey… ya know… fine. I accept yer apology, alright?"

"That hardly sounded as if you meant it, Renji." Byakuya replied in a clipped tone that made Renji snort. "Would you cease that noise?"

"Ok, ok, taichou," Renji said, waving his hands although Byakuya couldn't see it. "You win, alright? " He took a deep breath. "I'm not sorry for sayin' there's nothing to apologise for, 'cause there really isn't anything to apologise for. I'd not have wanted ya there anyway."

"Excuse me?"

"Ya heard me." Renji repeated what Byakuya had said earlier, grinning the whole time. "I'm not sorry, and I didn't want ya there." As he watched an odd tense look settled on his former captain's features, and he forced himself to say the last part of his little speech. The part that might, for once, let him win an argument with his captain. "'cause I care about ya."

As he watched, his heart hammering madly in his chest, Byakuya's lips parted as if to say something, but then closed again. A confused frown danced across Byakuya's face, then quickly smoothed as if the man subconsciously remembered that he was not supposed to show emotion.

Letting his instincts lead him Renji reached out and touched the other man's cheek, and Byakuya winced as if he was surprised at the physical contact.

"I care 'bout ya. " Renji repeated, softly because his voice felt oddly weak. Byakuya stared in front of him with sightless eyes, a faraway, relaxed look on his face now. Leaning closer Renji cupped the other man's cheek softly in his large, calloused hand and brought the other one up to wipe a strand of dark hair away from Byakuya's face. "A lot."

The last part he merely whispered against soft lips before catching them with his own in a kiss.

*

It was over, Renji mused, a lazy smile on his lips as he lay on his back. Finally that long, hard wait was over, and he didn't miss it one bit.

He had waited for a very long time, so long that he couldn't recall how long, but now it was time to move forward. Now that such things as rank no longer stood between them he finally had his chance to move forwards. And hopefully Byakuya wouldn't put too many obstacles in his way, but knowing his former captain he wouldn't make things easy for him. It didn't matter. He intended for this new thing to last a lot loner than the wait had, after all.

Next to him Byakuya stirred in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent, and Renji rolled over on his side, facing the sleeping man. Gently, not to disturb his sleep, he reached up and caressed Byakuya's cheek, down his neck and shoulder until he reached his waist. With a content growl he pulled the sleeping form closer until he could bury his face in his dark hair.

The scent of him brought back the memories of earlier to his mind.

The feeling of Byakuya under him, his skin against his own, his hair falling across the skin of his arm when he pulled him close and deepened the kiss, it was all imprinted in his mind, on his skin. He could still feel those slender fingers on his chest, on his lips, on his back and shoulders, and the sensation of strong thighs around his waist when he pushed inside. The gasp involuntary wrought from those soft lips, and the sound of a deep, lustful moan, he'd remember it forever.

He growled again as he felt his groin react to the memories.

"We never had dinner."

Renji's eyes flew open, and he moved back a little to gaze down at the man pressed up against him.

"Yer awake, taichou."

"Indeed." The other replied drily, and then a small smirk creased his lips. "How am I supposed to sleep with you growling like a hound, Renji?"

"Heh, sorry 'bout that, taichou." Renji grinned sheepishly.

"I told you to use my given name," Byakuya reminded him.

"Yeah, ol' habits die hard, and all that."

*

Author's notes: Oneshot's are fun, aren't they? I always enjoy writing them anyway, even if the quality isn't always the best. And RenBya has always been one of my fav pairings XD

Lol, when I did a spellcheck on this the computer wanted to change inconvenience into incontinence – which would give this little story a whole other dimension I am sure.