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The Ties That Bind Us	By : KaiBlueOtaku Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male > Renji/Shuuhei Views: 3623 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Bleach and all its characters are owned by the talented Tite Kubo. I own only my story, and am merely borrowing them to tell it. I receive no payment for my writing.

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THE TIES THAT BIND US, Chapter 2 – Naughty & Nice
SUMMARY: Renji Abarai and Shuhei Hisagi are close friends. But is it possible there’s more than mere friendship there between them, simmering just beneath the surface? What will come ultimately of the changes happening between them, and what effects will it have on those around them?
                DISCLAIMER: Bleach and all its characters are owned by the talented Tite Kubo. I own only my story, and am merely borrowing them to tell it. I receive no payment for my writing.
                WARNINGS: A fair amount of coarse language, especially after Grimmjow makes his appearance in later chapters, because we all know what a mouth he has on him. This is M/M Romance, and has mature, adult lemon content. Later chapters, there will be a threesome, so that will be M/M/M and I will also list this story with a Voyeurism warning, because there is a known spectator to that scene. You have been warned.
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                The early dawn filtered through the window, warming Renji’s face, and he squinted against the bright light. For a moment his mind reeled, when he realized he was not in his own bed. Then as he felt the soft, spiky black locks of Shuhei Hisagi snuggle into his chest as he rustled lightly in his slumber, remembrance descended upon him, and it all came back to him in a flood.

                He was a little overwhelmed, to be honest. He couldn’t believe they’d finally said- and done- the things that had been in both of their minds and hearts for so long. He was worried that things would be awkward now between them, and also that his boldness last night in initiating things between the two of them might be misconstrued by Shuhei. True, they had been drinking a bit when the tattoo gun had come out, and Shuhei had suggested to touch up Renji’s tattoos, but Renji knew that he himself had not been drunk enough to blame his behavior on. He just hoped the same was true for Shuhei.

                He had seemed awfully quiet and compliant, and Renji knew that, while usually controlled and reserved overall, his friend was no shrinking violet. He looked down at the peaceful, sleeping face of Shuhei, and wanted so badly to wake him, to ask him all these questions and more, to find answers that his heart had been yearning for, for far too long, from the soft, delicious lips of the attractive older man who lay in his arms.

                He couldn’t bring himself to wake him though. He pondered for a few moments, what this meant. He’s beautiful, Renji thought wistfully. I want to touch his face, but I don’t want to disturb his sleep… I could wake up to this every morning, and be so, so happy. Just laying here, watching him sleep, while the sun comes up. A soft smile came across Renji’s face, an uncommon sight, almost as if the light of dawn had melted his heart in this moment, along with the peaceful warmth of the man at his side.

                As the sun rose higher, the patch of sunlight was slowly creeping, and it threatened to shine into Shuhei’s eyes. Renji raised his hand across his chest, shielding the sleeping Shuhei from its assault. It was a simple gesture, and one which Shuhei might never have known, had he not woken of his own accord a few minutes later.

                He blinked for a moment, disoriented by the same confusion that seemed to have gripped Renji upon his own waking. He drew back from the hand that was placed very closely to his face, and looked up to see Renji watching him, the soft smile still on his lips.

                Shuhei smiled back, sighing and melting into Renji in warm, drowsy comfort. “Good morning,” he murmured, sleep still heavy in his voice.

                “Good morning to you,” Renji replied.

                Shuhei touched a finger to Renji’s hand. “What’s this all about?” he questioned, noting that Renji’s rigid and unnatural positioning seemed somehow purposeful. Renji withdrew his hand, and blinding light poured through the window and into Shuhei’s eyes. “Oh, fuck me!” he cried in dismay, his hand flying to his face as Renji resumed his position with a chuckle. Shuhei joined in the laughter, rubbing at his eyes as spots swam before him.

                “Is that an invitation?” Renji teased. Shuhei glanced up at him in confusion, mind still clouded by sleep for a moment before the realization hit him.

                He laughed and pushed up, adjusting his position so he was laying on top of Renji, facing away from the window so as not to be blinded again. “Not this morning, we’ve both got work,” he said, and Renji whined and pouted. “Come back tonight though, and maybe we can switch things up a little bit,” Shuhei murmured suggestively, grinding his hips against Renji’s, and the red-head gave a sharp intake of breath, accompanied by a low moan.

                “That answers that question,” Renji muttered with a chuckle. Shuhei looked at him with curiosity. “Oh, while I was watching you sleep… I get to thinking sometimes, you know. About stuff. And I was wondering just how drunk you were last night, and if…” Renji made a displeased face, and looked away, leaving the sentence trailing.

                Shuhei brought a hand up, and turned Renji’s face to his, pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss, followed by a progression of increasingly intense ones, until they were fully making out again on the couch. He finally pulled back, breathless, and smiled at Renji. “Do you have any idea how happy I was, to wake up and see you here this morning? To know that it wasn’t just another dream?”

                Renji smiled. “I have an idea, yeah…” Then a thought struck him. “Hey, wait a minute… You’ve had dreams about me?”

                Now it was Shuhei’s turn to chuckle. He laid his head against the tattooed chest, rubbing his soft hair into it. “Oh sure. Lots of times. None as nice as the real thing, though.”

                “Well damn,” Renji muttered. “That’s no fair… Here here now, what about these dreams? I want to know.”

                Shuhei grinned perversely. “Oh, in due time…” He sighed peacefully, tracing his finger over the tattoos, wanting very badly for it to be his tongue instead, but knowing they both had to get ready for work soon. “Do you want some coffee?” he offered.

                Renji’s face screwed up instantly, his unpleasant first experience with coffee coming to mind. “Do you have any sugar?” he asked.

                Shuhei gave him a peck on the lips, and lay there, staring expectantly at the confused Renji, then feigned realization. “Ohhh, you meant sugar for the coffee…” he said in an over-exaggerated tone, and pushed himself up, heading toward his kitchenette. “Of course I have sugar, baka, what kind of an uncivilized heathen do you think I am, to offer someone coffee with no sugar?”

                Renji sat up and watched Shuhei bustling about, filling the small percolator with water, then coffee grounds, and setting it on the hot plate. He glanced back over his shoulder, and was startled to see a strange look in Renji’s eyes. “What?” he asked.

                “It’s just…” Renji shook his head. “I just can’t believe it. I’m still a little in shock.” Shuhei smiled softly, and came to sit next to Renji on the couch, laying his hand comfortingly on Renji’s thigh. “I mean, what do I call you?” Renji blurted out. “Are you my lover? Boyfriend? ‘Special Friend?’ I mean…”

                Shuhei started cracking up. “Not that last one, please. That’s awful Renji, really…” He brought his hand to Renji’s cheek, seeing he was sincerely troubled by this. “I’m sorry to laugh, Ren… I don’t know. What makes you the most comfortable?”

                Renji chewed his lip for a moment. “I guess ‘boyfriend…’ ‘Lover’ sounds kind of pretentious to me…”

                Shuhei nodded. “It’s funny you say that, because I actually prefer ‘lover’ I think, personally.”

                “Well, I mean, I can be accommodating to that, I could get used to calling you that, I guess…” Renji scrambled, backpedaling to avoid hurting Shuhei’s feelings.

                Shuhei cocked his head, his brow furrowed in pity as he took Renji’s face in his hands. “Oh my gosh, Renji, slow down. You’re making my head spin… I can be your boyfriend, and you can be my lover, or whatever we want as time goes on, ok? Don’t over-think this, please. You’re panicking. I mean, what flavor of frosting do you want on our wedding cake?”

                Renji’s eyes widened, and became distant. “Wait… Wedding cake? What?...”

                Shuhei laughed, and patted his cheek. “Calm down, is all I’m trying to say, Ren. You’re putting the cart in front of the horse, getting ahead of yourself, worrying about things that won’t be a problem for quite a while yet…” He turned Renji’s face, and smiled softly at his lover. “Honestly, we don’t even have to tell anybody yet, if you don’t want to. I’m fine with that. It’ll come, in time. It’s just the first day, Ren… Lets just be happy together, here in this moment. Don’t think so far into the future.” Shuhei stood and went to the rattling percolator, switching the heat off. “Geez, I’m glad you weren’t like this yesterday… We’d have both woken up in our own beds again.” He retrieved a couple of sturdy ceramic mugs from the cabinet, and poured coffee into them in equal measure. “How much sugar to you want?”

                “A lot,” Renji assured him, and watched Shuhei put five or six sugar cubes into the cup, swirling the liquid to dissolve them as he came back to the couch and handed it off. Renji took a sip. “Maybe a little less next time.”

                Shuhei smiled. “We’ve got time.”

                “What does that mean?”

                Shuhei sat down, wrapping his hands around his mug as he pulled his feet up onto the couch, crossing his legs, taking a long drink. “Time to learn all that stuff. How you take your coffee. Which side of the bed you’re going to sleep on.” Shuhei leaned over and whispered into Renji’s ear, his breath hot and robust-smelling from his drink. “How to make you moan and call my name…”

                Renji shuddered, and gave Shuhei a scathing glare. “We do have to go to work today, you know,” he reminded the lewdly grinning man at his side. “What happened to the quiet, submissive Shuhei, from last night?”

                Shuhei cocked an eyebrow. “Why, are you complaining?”

                Renji shrugged. “Not really, it’s actually pretty fucking hot to hear you talking a little dirty to me,” he admitted, slightly embarrassed. “It’s just… Last night, you were so…”

                “I think I was in shock, Ren,” the dark-haired man confessed. “Like, actual, clinical shock. Honestly, that was the last thing in the world I ever expected from you. If I’d ever thought for an instant that you’d have been interested, I wouldn’t have waited so long.” He sipped his mug thoughtfully. “You know, it’s crazy how I just got to feeling closer and closer with you. Somewhere, some day, it kind of tipped a balance, I guess. Got to be more than just friendship. By the time I realized what it was, I was too far gone to pull it back, so I just sat on it. Hunkered down, and kept my mouth shut. You never showed me an inkling of anything, until last night…” Shuhei grinned, and elbowed Renji gently. “When you jumped my bones… Geez Ren, were you planning that or something?”

                Renji ran his fingers through his long, tangled hair, and stared off, thinking. “Not exactly. I mean, I’d noticed a while ago, with you. Just little things.”

                “Like what?” Shuhei leaned head on Renji’s shoulder, listening with his eyes closed.

                Renji’s mouth pursed as he tried to remember any specific instances. “Sometimes, when you’d hand me something, it seemed like you’d make an effort to touch my hand. At first, I just thought that was me being weird and crazy, seeing stuff where there wasn’t anything. But then, I noticed, you’d watch me really carefully while we were drinking… You were so attentive, you know?”

                “I like to listen to you talk,” Shuhei said, with a peaceful sigh. “Your voice is nice.”

                “That is such a weird compliment, Shuu,” Renji laughed, earning himself a sharp poke in the ribs. “Okay, okay, sorry…” he laughed. “Hmm, what else… OH! There was that one time, after training, I caught you watching me in the showers.”

                “You liar,” Shuhei snapped. “I never…”

                “Yes, you did,” Renji cut him off. “I swear. Remember? I was scrubbing a little too vigorously at my crotch…”

                Shuhei’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, I do remember that now…” Renji broke into peals of laughter at Shuhei’s horrified embarrassment. “I didn’t know you saw me watching… I remember that. You were just drenched in sweat, it had been so hot that day... The water was nice and cool, and you closed your eyes, tipped your head back, getting your hair wet, and started making these… Noises…” His voice caught in his throat, then he gave Renji a cold look. “I mean, really? Were you just messing with me?” Renji was laughing hysterically, tears coming from the corners of his eyes, and he nodded, gasping for breath as Shuhei gave him a shove. “Really? Seriously? You were messing with me? You asshole,” he chuckled, crossing his arms in mock-irritation.

                Renji wiped at his tears. “I’m sorry… I had been waiting for everybody else to leave. Don’t you remember, it was just you and me left? I decided, hey, perfect opportunity, if you wanted to make your move. I left you wide open on that one, Shuu. I even started moaning a little, and touching myself, just to encourage you. And you just stood there, gaping, like a fish out of water. Of course, when I looked over, you played it all cool. But my eyes weren’t closed all the way, Shuu…”

                “I wish you would have just made a move then,” Shuhei admitted. “Why did you wait so long?”

                “You’re older. I respect you. You’re my Senpai. I didn’t want to seem, you know… Too forward,” Renji said, appearing uncomfortable. “I waited and waited forever. There were other times, and the opportunity was there, and you just never took it. I started to think maybe I was just crazy, maybe it was all in my head… And then you’d do something else, and I’d realize, no, I wasn’t making it up. Last night was just the last straw, I couldn’t let it go any more. I could see you were on the edge of confessing, you just needed a little push, so I pushed you. I’m glad I did.” He swirled his coffee. “Why didn’t you take the bait, that day in the shower? I thought it was a perfect opportunity.”

                Shuhei shook his head. “I was too afraid it would seem weird to you. I mean, you’ve always been into women. Your best friend- no, your best guy friend- coming over in the shower and trying to get physical with you? I could have startled you, and then we’d both have slipped and cracked our heads on the tile. That would have been a lot of fun, explaining that at the infirmary.” He huffed bitterly. “I was happy to watch. File it away for later.”

                Renji’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? Really?”

                Shuhei grinned shyly. “Hey, don’t judge me. Lonely nights. And you’re right, we were the only ones there, now that I think about it, because I remember how much it turned me on thinking that your moans were for my ears alone.” Shuhei assessed Renji’s incredulous look. “What, don’t tell me that it bothers you that much to find out that I masturbated to memories of you in the shower?”

                “No, it’s not that…” Renji grinned, his face coloring slightly. “But does it bother you to know that I was jacking off later that night myself, over the same memory?”

                Shuhei set his coffee cup on the floor, eyes fixed on Renji, utterly aghast. “You did not. You are messing with me, Renji Abarai.”

                “I swear to you, I’m not, Shuu. I really did.”

                Shuhei stood up off the couch, and kneeled on the couch, straddling Renji’s lap, pressing him back in a hungry kiss. “That is so incredibly fucking hot, Renji,” he gasped breathily, mouth working at his neck as Renji shuddered beneath him. “You have no idea…”

                Renji lay there for a few moments, enjoying the attention, then snapped to alertness. “Oh shit, Shuu, we’ve got to get ready for work!”

                Shuhei pulled back in disappointment. “Yeah, I guess you’re right… But you know what’s going to make work today fun?” Renji waited for the punch line, and Shuhei leaned in close with a lascivious grin on his face. “All throughout the day, you’re going to think of me, and last night. And it’s going to make you all hot and bothered. And you’re going to come over tonight all riled up…” he whispered, even though there was no one else to hear. “And then we’re going to have a sleepover again.”

                “I’ll pack a bag this time, before coming over,” Renji said, wrapping his arms around Shuhei’s slender waist. “I’m just going to have to wear this same shihakusho again today. One of yours sure as hell won’t fit me, and I don’t have time to run home and get changed. Do you care if I use your shower?”

                Shuhei pretended to think about it for a moment. “Hmmm… Well, okay, I guess.” He flashed another lewd grin. “…But only if I get to watch.”

                Renji returned his naughty look. “Why watch, when you can join me?”
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                Shuhei grabbed them some towels, which only took a second, but when he got into the bathroom, Renji was already magically stripped out of his clothes, and standing under the water. He gave Shuhei a sly grin and tipped his head back, letting the water run through his hair, and began to make quiet, pleasured noises, rubbing himself with the soapy washrag. Shuhei leaned against the doorframe, watching him appreciatively, then sighed, grinning. “You need some help over there, Renji?”

                “Well, sure, Shuu,” Renji teased as his boyfriend quickly undressed himself and stepped into the shower stall. “You wanna scrub my back?”

                Shuhei wrapped his fingers around Renji’s half-erect length, humming happily as it swelled in his hand. “I’d rather help you with your front…”

                Renji chuckled mischievously. “We’re supposed to be getting clean in here, Shuu.”

                Shuhei pressed the redhead against the wall of the shower stall, the water cascading over the two of them, making their bodies slide against each other. He leaned in and bit Renji’s shoulder, licking and sucking at his ear. “Well, let’s get good and dirty first, ok?” he whispered.

                Renji moaned at the suggestion, and reached for Shuhei’s arousal, already much harder than he himself was. “Well, somebody’s a little worked up this morning…” the redhead joked, stroking in time to the rhythm that Shuhei’s hand had set on himself.

                “This is pent up energy that’s been building for a long time, my lover,” Shuhei murmured into Renji’s ear, and he shuddered, bowing his head against Shuhei’s shoulder, panting.

                “Yeah, I like that,” Renji moaned.

                “You like what? When I stroke your cock?”

                Renji moaned again, louder this time, and sagged against Shuhei a bit. “That too…”

                “When I talk dirty to you?”

                The redhead smiled, eyes narrowed and glazed with lust. “Of course that… But…”

                “But what?” Shuhei insisted, leaning his forehead against Renji’s shoulder, mirroring his posture.

                “When you call me that,” Renji admitted.

                “Lover?” Shuhei asked, and Renji shivered again, nodding against his shoulder. “Is that because you like the idea of being my lover, Kohai?” the dark-haired man taunted in a husky tone, speeding his strokes at the increase of the volume of Renji’s moans. He pressed Renji between his body and the wall, their fists rubbing against one another as they pumped in unison.

                Shuhei gasped as he came, leaning softly against Renji as it ripped through his body in a violent convulsion, blackness spinning momentarily before his eyes as he spilled all over the floor of the shower, landing some of it on Renji’s abdomen. He pulled himself together, then knelt and glanced up at Renji with that hungry, predatory look which the younger man was so beginning to love, knowing it was only for him. Shuhei’s tongue snaked out and lapped at the splash he had left on Renji’s well-muscled stomach, working his way over and down, replacing his hand with a hot mouth. Renji couldn’t help but stare down at the erotic sight of the dark, downy soft hair, slowly becoming saturated, dripping with rivulets of water that chased down Shuhei’s face and sinewy body in a way that made Renji suddenly jealous, wishing they were his fingers and tongue along that pale flesh, tasting the flavor of the sweat that clung there, dried from the previous night’s activities, as his beloved bobbed in long, slow strokes, fingers massaging at his thighs, creeping up and teasing at his entrance.

                Renji’s head fell back, and he tensed with a guttural cry as he climaxed, fingers twining in the shaggy black mop of wet hair, tugging it at the roots in an effort to ground himself as the world slipped away from him for just a moment, replaced by the all-consuming pinnacle of ecstasy he was so absorbed in.

                Shuhei pulled back and stood with a graceful and fluid motion, something that only such a lithe and compact body as his could accomplish in such a confined space. He gave Renji a smile, and pressed him into a heated kiss, which tasted sharp from the remnants of the fluid he had swallowed as though it were some delicious treat. A speck had escaped, and Renji removed it from his lip with a flick of his tongue. “You’re something else, you know that?” Renji said in utter wonder, sliding his hands along the well-defined lines of the older man’s body.

                “Would you have it any other way?” Shuhei teased.

                “I’ll have it any way I can,” Renji admitted, a half-joking, half-sincere look on his face as Shuhei broke into brash laughter.

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                They both ended up being late.

                This wasn’t too much of a problem for Shuhei, who still had no captain over his squad, since Tosen had left the position vacant when he had defected to Hueco Mundo.

                It was, however, a huge problem, for Renji.

                Of all the captains for me to be placed under… Why him, today, of all days? Renji lamented as he slunk into the office. He tried to look confident, but he wasn’t sure it worked. Byakua glanced up at him with that emotionless, stoic expression he always wore, and only cocked an eyebrow as Renji strode across the room toward his desk. “Good morning, Taicho,” Renji said cheerily, trying to be unassuming and sincere, and positive that it came out guilty and sheepish instead. Byakua’s eyes followed him across the room, and held him pinned as he sat at his desk, shuffling through his pile of paperwork for the morning. The silence grew until Renji felt he would be smothered by it, and he wished, not for the first time, that he worked under a captain more like Kenpachi, who would just chew your face off if he was mad.

                “Abarai…”

                Renji withered, and glanced up, finally knowing he’d been had. It was almost a relief; anything was better than Byakua’s disapproving stare boring into his head from across the room all day long.

                “Your uniform looks as though you slept in it,” the Noble Kuchiki reprimanded him with soft distain, and Renji choked, unable to open his mouth to confess that was indeed the case. “Take more pride in your presentation, Lieutenant. Your appearance is a reflection of the honor of the Sixth Division, and the Gotei Thirteen overall.” He turned back to his papers. “And if you are late again, I will be forced to take disciplinary action,” he added.

                And that was it. Conversation over. Renji heaved a huge sigh, suddenly thankful now that he worked for Byakua. Kenpachi or any of the others would probably have grilled him on his whereabouts, he realized, and wanted to know the reason for his tardiness. But the Noble head of the Kuchiki clan couldn’t be bothered by such nonsense. He couldn’t have cared less why Renji had been late, and for that, Renji was truly thankful. He had been scrambling to come up with a good excuse, and none had come to him, which was probably a good thing in the end, because he was a terrible liar anyway, and he knew his discerning captain would have seen right through it. With a relieved sigh and a mumbled, “Hai, Taicho,” Renji settled in and began to pore over the reports.

                The work day was intolerably long. After what felt like thousands of forms, and hours and hours of impatient sitting, it was finally time for lunch. Byakua excused himself and left for home, as he often did during his lunch hour, instead of eating in the division break room, or at his desk, as Renji was more in the habit of doing.

                Renji reached into the drawer of his desk to retrieve an apple, which he kept there for busy days. After a bit of blind scrabbling came up empty-handed, he yanked open the drawer and discovered a note with a crudely drawn apple, above the letters “I.O.U.” and the signature of the Eleventh Squad Lieutenant, Yachiru Kusajishi. Renji’s empty stomach rumbled, perhaps cursing his luck as much as his mouth was at that moment, and he regrettably elected instead to tip his chair back and sleep through his lunch period.

                A knocking woke him some time later, and he cracked an eye, surprised to see Shuhei leaning against the door frame of the office. There was a sack in his hand, and he held it aloft. “I bought us some bento, are you hungry?”

                “Shit yes!” Renji cried eagerly, pushing paperwork to the side as the dark-haired Lieutenant made his way across the Sixth Division office and perched himself on the corner of Renji’s desk. He fished one of the boxes out of the sack, handing it to Renji, and took the other for himself. “I thought you were too cheap to buy take-out,” Renji mumbled around a mouthful of rice.

                “Not true,” Shuhei declared haughtily. Then he gave a sheepish grin. “Tuesdays are ‘buy one get one free’ on bento… So I thought I’d treat you.”

                “Thank you,” Renji said sincerely, and they locked eyes, a moment of lingering warmth passing between them. “That little pink-haired rat Yachiru took the apple out of my desk, so I was just going to skip lunch today,” he explained, reaching into his desk and flashing the I.O.U. to Shuhei, who studied it with a smirk.

                “Well, at least she had the courtesy to leave you the note,” Shuhei offered, but Renji only glowered as he dropped the page back into the drawer, slamming it closed. “I’m glad now that I brought you something. With nothing but coffee for breakfast, skipping lunch would have made you weak and shaky by evening. Not the sort of state I wanted you in.” Shuhei grinned lewdly as Renji choked on a piece of his lunch, and glared at the slender man seated on his desk.

                “You’re incorrigible,” Renji accused him, getting some water from the cooler behind his desk, sipping it as he continued to cough hoarsely.

                “Don’t I know it,” Shuhei retorted. “I’ve got a lot of lost time to be making up for.” He leaned back on Renji’s desk, looking positively sultry as he riffled through Renji’s stack of papers. “What are you working on here?”

                “Nothing exciting,” Renji said with a shrug. “Profiles on the incoming recruits, just updating their division placements and details.” Renji turned and refilled his water glass at the water cooler, taking another drink. “I’ll be glad we’re doing field training tomorrow, to get out from behind this stupid desk.”

                “Maybe I’ll see you out there tomorrow,” Shuhei said. “And maybe we can take our time and hang back a bit in the locker room afterwards…”

                “Fucking hell, Shuhei!” Renji’s face turned as red as his hair, and he shoved the laughing Shuhei off his desk. “I’ve created a monster! You just don’t stop!”

                Shuhei leaned in close, giving a breathy whisper that send chills racing up Renji’s spine. “You like it though, I can tell… And besides,” he added, “It’s too much fun to tease you.” He glanced over at the empty desk across the room, sitting along the wall perpendicular to Renji’s. “Does Kuchiki Taicho always go out for lunch?”

                “Yeah, he usually goes home to eat.”

                “Hmmm…” Shuhei leaned down on the desk and canted his hips, resting his chin in his hand. “Well then, maybe we’ll have to make these lunch dates a regular thing.”

                “You’re not going to buy us lunch every day,” Renji scoffed, narrowing his eyes in disbelief.

                “No… I was going to pack something tonight,” Shuhei said suggestively, and reached over the desk to brush his fingertips across Renji’s lap and over his hip, grabbing his backside in a firm grope.

                “You’d better get out of my office, Lieutenant Hisagi, before I file sexual harassment on you,” Renji scolded with a coy grin.

                Shuhei stood and gave a languorous stretch. “I probably should get back, actually.” His disappointment was evident in his tone. “With no captain over Division Nine right now, all of the paperwork is falling squarely on me. I’ve got to be at least a week behind right now.” He stuffed the remnants of his lunch into the bag and headed toward the door, tossing a sly glance back over his shoulder. “Remember to stop at home and grab a bag before coming over tonight.”

                Renji rolled his eyes. “Ugh, no joke. I got my ass chewed by the Taicho this morning… He told me it looked like I’d slept in my shihakusho.”

                Shuhei gaped in depraved amusement. “What did you say?”

                “Are you kidding me?” Renji cried. “I didn’t say shit! He was going on and on about ‘pride’ and ‘honor’ and ‘nobility’ and ‘representing,’ and then finally told me that if I was late again, he’d write me up.” Renji picked at the remainder of his lunch. “Thank goodness he’s not the conversational type, or I might have had to come up with some kind of explanation.”

                Shuhei snickered. “You’re too cute when you’re embarrassed, do you know that?”

                The redhead gave a half-joking scowl and plucked a wadded up page from the top of the waste paper basked, pitching it at the Lieutenant and hitting him in the shoulder with it, causing them both to laugh. “Get out of here, you pervert… Go do your paperwork.” Renji paused, then dropped the sarcasm, giving his lover a gentle, sincere smile. “Seriously though, thank you for dropping by. This has been the longest day ever, for some reason. I just want to be with you.”

                “I know,” Shuhei agreed with a laborious sigh. “But it’ll be over before too much longer. We’ll be together again before you know it.” He flashed a mischievous grin, then left.

                Renji was already working on his paperwork when Byakua returned from his lunch break. He seemed surprised to see his lieutenant already buried elbow-deep in forms again. “Just making up my time from this morning,” he offered, and the captain gave a slight smile and nodded his approval of Renji’s renewed dedication to his work ethic.

                Around three in the afternoon, there was a knock at the door, and Shuhei walked in.

                “Good afternoon, Hisagi Fukutaicho,” Byakua greeted him cordially. “To what do we owe the honor of your visit today?”

                “Good afternoon, Kuchiki Taicho,” Shuhei replied politely. Renji noted the documents in his hand. “I have some profiles here from the incoming recruits for your division, which seem to have ended up in my office.” He handed them to Byakua, who quickly scanned over them.

                “Hmm, strange,” he commented and stood, heading into the adjacent room to return the profiles to the filing cabinet.

                “Taicho,” Shuhei called through the open doorway, “I have something I could use a hand with, if you could spare Abarai Fukutaicho for a while?”

                Byakua was returning to his desk as he replied, “Of course. Abarai, please assist Hisagi Fukutaicho with whatever he needs your help with.” He turned his focus back toward his stack of forms on his desk, effectively dismissing the both of them.

                “Thank you, Taicho,” Shuhei said, then turned and walked out. Renji chased after him, confused as to what task the Ninth Division lieutenant might need his assistance with.

                “Hey, Shuu, show down!” he called, but the darker haired man had a good lead on him already, and made it to the Ninth Division’s office first. “What did you need my help with?” Renji asked him, but Shuhei only opened a door and gestured inside. Renji went through, but came up short when he realized that it was just a storage closet. “Shuu, what…”

                Renji heard the door knob latching closed, then the lock clicking. He turned around to see the stormy grey eyes of his lover fixed intently on him. “I took them,” he said, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

                “Wait… What?”

                “The profiles.” He pressed Renji to the back wall, tongues entangling in a fevered kiss. “While you were refilling your glass from the water cooler.” More kissing. “So I had an excuse to come over to your office later.”

                “But what did you need my help with?” Renji asked again, confused.

                “You are so adorably dense sometimes.” Shuhei stepped back, grinning as he untied his hakama and let it drop to the floor. “I can’t very well suck myself off, now can I?”

                Renji was incredulous, clutching his head as it spun. “Are you kidding me? You asked my captain to let me come help you with something like this?”

                Shuhei jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the door he blocked. “The latch has been sticking. We’ll say we took it off the hinges, if anybody asks. But they won’t, if you’re quick about it.”

                “You’ve got some brass, Shuu,” Renji said, shaking his head. “During work? Really?”

                The older man crossed his arms in mock sternness, and did his best to hide his smirk. “Your captain ordered you to assist me with whatever I needed help with, Abarai Fukutaicho. If you disobey your captain’s orders, I’ll have to consider that insubordination, and will have you written up.”

                Renji grinned. “You’re a dick.”

                Shuhei grabbed a fistful of the front of Renji’s shihakusho, and leaned in to his ear. “Then suck me,” he taunted the younger lieutenant in a whisper.

                Renji shuddered and kneeled in obedience, a sly glint in his eye as his tongue swirled around the head of Shuhei’s swollen arousal, fingers tightening along the length as the older man gave a soft moan, leaning back against the door.

                Shuhei had been right; It didn’t take long. Between the surprising skill of his lover’s untrained mouth, and the added thrill of them doing this in secret, it was only a matter of minutes before Shuhei tangled his fingers in Renji’s crimson hair, gave an almost inaudible sharp intake of breath, and came. Renji managed to contain it all, and quickly swallowed any evidence, lest he end up with some on his uniform and receive a really scathing chastisement from his captain, which he wanted to have to explain even less than his rumpled uniform. Shuhei gave him an endearing smile as he stood, pulling him into a kiss.

                “Have I assisted you to the degree of your satisfaction in this matter, Lieutenant?” Renji asked playfully.

                His partner pressed a finger to his lip thoughtfully. “Hmm… For the time being, I suppose. Although later, I’d like a little something more.” He grabbed a double handful of Renji’s muscular backside, pulling him against his chest into another kiss. He could feel the slight harness of Renji’s own arousal, and he laughed lightly, letting him go. “Looks like you’re looking forward to that as well…”

                “Damn straight,” Renji chuckled. “I should probably run though, before things get suspicious.”

                Shuhei pouted in resignation, but stepped aside, opening the door. Renji gave him a quick kiss, then waved, heading back to his own Division’s office.

                Shuhei leaned in the doorway, sighing with unrestrained longing as he watched the tall, muscular frame of his lover retreating back to finish up the last few hours of his work day. He glanced at the overflowing pile of reports on his desk and shook his head. At least he’d gotten a small reprieve from the ocean of paperwork he was drowning in right now, and he gave a different sort of sigh as he himself returned to complete his own duties.

                The moment Renji saw Byakua packing up for the day, he hastened to follow suit. “See you tomorrow, Taicho,” he said briskly as he rushed out the door and raced home. He glanced around and wondered what all he might need, and threw a clean uniform into his duffel bag, along with a toothbrush and his hairbrush, wincing when he realized he hadn’t brushed his hair that morning, and that it was going to be a terrible mess of knots. He gave up then on filling the bag, and decided he’d leave any other details for another day. He figured he’d get better at this ‘bag packing’ business as time went on, and it became evident to him which things he was forgetting.

                He tried to appear casual as he made his way over to Shuhei’s, but he knew he was probably walking a little quicker than usual. His heart felt as though it was going to burst out of his chest, he was so happy and excited. He reflected on the amazing predicament he found himself in, as he walked. It was still completely new to him, his relationship with Shuhei, but this was a comfort and a joy that he had never thought would be realized. Oh, certainly he had hoped, but the dark haired man’s reluctance to admit his feelings had kept Renji himself from doing so for a long time. He supposed that was part of Shuhei’s quiet, calm demeanor, that he’d had such self-control over his feelings for so long as to keep them hidden, and he was thankful at that moment for his own strong-headed impulsiveness, and that he’d been brash enough to finally make the first move, even though he had honestly been a little terrified that things would go horribly, horribly wrong.

                His own fear hadn’t been as paralyzing as Shuhei’s, although he realized now in retrospect that Shuu’s reasons for keeping silent for so long were completely justified. It was a possibility that Renji could have been entirely disgusted by his friend’s advances, and might have withdrawn and distanced himself from the older man. But Renji had run equal risk the night before, perhaps even more so, because of the fact that him trying to put the moves on someone he regarded in such high esteem he did his Senpai, might have been considered the pinnacle of disrespect. He sighed in thankful relief that things had actually gone as seamlessly as they had.

                When he arrived, Shuhei had made them some dinner. He was a surprisingly good cook, much to Renji’s delight, and they enjoyed a simple meal, making comfortable small-talk and sipping sake together.

                “This is nice,” Renji commented suddenly.

                “What?”

                “Just…” Renji gestured vaguely around himself. “This. Dinner, sake, chatting. Just spending time with you. I mean, the sex has been amazing, don’t get me wrong… But this is nice, too.”

                Shuhei gave a soft smile and nodded his agreement,then relieved Renji of his empty bowl, taking it to the sink. He heard Renji give a mumbled curse behind him, and he turned sharply to see he had let his hair down, and was struggling to run his brush through it. “I was in such a hurry this morning, I didn’t comb it out,” Renji lamented, wincing as he yanked on the tangles.

                Shuhei went to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, drawing one leg up. “Come lay down, I’ll help you,” Shuhei offered and Renji came to him, handing the brush over and stretching out on his stomach. Shuhei held a section of Renji’s hair in his hand and worked gently at the knot there, brushing from the ends and working his way up, section by section.

                The younger man sighed peacefully. “That feels really good,” he admitted. “Thank you for helping. I don’t have patience for things like this.”

                “That’s why we’re so good together,” Shuhei murmured, focusing on a particularly nasty knot, teasing at the loops and twists with nimble fingers until it fell apart, and he was able to brush through it freely. “We balance one another. Your headstrong fire, against my cool, collected disposition.”

                “You’re a lot hornier than I expected,” Renji chuckled, and let out a laughing yelp as Shuhei gave an intentional yank on his hair.

                “You’re maybe a little less dominant than I had expected, from our first encounter,” Shuhei confessed, and Renji sighed.

                “Yea, I was thinking about that on the way over. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to mislead you, I just… I got tired of waiting, you know? I didn’t think you were ever going to take the initiative.”

                Shuhei nodded. “You’re right, I probably wouldn’t have. But I’m so glad that you did.” Most of the tangles had been worked out by this point, and he ran the brush in long, full strokes from Renji’s scalp to the ends of his hair, and Renji moaned pleasurably. “And don’t worry, Ren… I’m not too set in anything. We’ll work out the details as time goes on, and take it day by day.” The look of peace that had settled on Renji’s face was delightful, and Shuhei began to hum quietly, some sort of lullaby he had heard once, when he had been a child. It was comforting, even though the words were long since forgotten, and he lay the brush aside, carding his fingers through the full, textured red locks that ran down Renji’s back. The gentle rise and fall of his lover’s chest gave him a sensation of serenity, and when Renji’s lips parted and he gave a soft snore, Shuhei couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. He slipped out of his uniform and into his sleeping yukata, switched the light off, and curled up next to the strong and sturdy body that lay, slack and placid now, in his bed. He draped an arm over Renji, and the younger man shifted in his sleep, pressing into Shuhei’s smaller frame, a contented sigh spilling from both of them as Shuhei lay in the dark and drew his fingers softly over the tight muscles, memorizing their every rise and dip, every ripple that shuddered under that tanned skin as his companion turned over on his side to face him. They nestled there together in the dark, and Shuhei smiled, whispering, “I’ll take a rain check on our other plans, for tonight… You’re right, Ren…   This is nice.”
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The Ties That Bind Us