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Pride	By : honeyMellon Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male > Renji/Shuuhei Views: 888 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: No underaged beings, humans or otherwise, are involved in this work of fiction. Bleach and all its characters belong to Kubo Tite, I just "expand" them for fun. I do not make any profit from these work of fiction.

Chapter List
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Here's the 3rd chapter! In case you haven't noticed by now, I like to cross-reference the stories I've written. For example, Rikichi's rumors began in "Noisy Neighbor", and Shuuhei's 'you stupid horny bastard' comment is from "When You're Not Home". The scarf comment from Chapter 1 hints at a future story that I have brewing in my brain *evil grin*
Feels nice being able to create my own little ShuuRen universe. ^.^
And as usual, all review welcome. If you liked it, let me know; if you hated it, let me know!

Chapter 3

By the third day of his captain's absence, Renji began to feel uneasy. It was very unlike Kuchiki-taicho to be off duty for so long, and it was unusual for one as strong as he to be ill for so many days. Should I go visit him? Renji thought while absent-mindedly touching his new maroon bandana. Shuuhei had made the bandana for Renji with his own hands—with some tutoring from Ishida—and even though it was a small gesture, Renji was really touched by it.
Wincing, Renji shifted his very sore butt in his chair. Man, they really should schedule such strenuous activities for weekends, he thought. But a smile still crept onto his face. Once again Shuuhei had surprised him. He never would've imagined that his usually-gentle lover could be such a tiger in bed.
Ahhh...should I visit him? Renji scratched his head. He had an unusual relationship with his captain; not many vice captains in the Gotei 13 could boast that they'd fought their captains in a serious battle, but Renji had—that one time when he first achieved Bankai and fought Byakuya in his attempt to save Rukia. He thought back of that fight and shuddered. He could've died—no, definitely would have—if Kuchiki-taicho hadn't taken pity on him after Renji survived the attack from Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. When Renji eventually collapsed, his captain had draped his expensive silk scarf, a Kuchiki family heirloom, on Renji's battered body before walking away. Renji still had that scarf tucked away in a dark corner in his closet, a constant reminder that he still a long way to go before his skills could even be on par with his captain's. Although...recently, Shuuhei found a much more, ahh, interesting use for it, but that's another story altogether. After that whole Aizen fiasco, he and his captain came to respect each other; one for his dedication to his duty, clan, and pride, the other for his unwavering will to fight for what's right. Was there bad blood between them? Renji didn't think so. He always grumbled that his captain shoved too much work on him, but when it came down to it, his captain actually bore most of the workload.
Even so, the bond between them was strictly on a professional level, well...that, and their love for Rukia, albeit expressed in different ways. Beyond work, Renji never interacted with Byakuya even though he was best friends with Rukia. So, really, Renji had no idea what Byakuya was like as a person. Was he as cold as he was as an officer? Did he talk and eat in his usual formal manner when he was alone in his estate? Renji couldn't imagine having to behave in such a stiff manner twenty four seven. What a prison that must be.
After several more minutes, he glanced at the clock and decided that he would check on his captain after all. Work hours were over anyway, and the paperwork had been completed on time, so Kuchiki-taicho should have no excuse to find fault with his visit.

Renji spent nearly half an hour at the entrance of the Kuchiki mansion explaining the reason for his visit, then he was frisked for weapons—seriously?—and had to sign some sort of agreement that he would not speak of what he saw within the estate grounds. He felt dirty from the pat-down by the Kuchiki guard and did not hesitate to let his displeasure show, only to be completely ignored.
Finally, he was allowed to stand in front of Byakuya's door. After what seemed like forever, a servant came out to usher the redhead into the room.
Mouth gaping, Renji took in the grandeur of the large room. Although it was surprisingly sparse, its decorations were tasteful and elegant, even a commoner like Renji appreciated the beauty of it. At the very back of the room was a huge bed, and on it lay Kuchiki Byakuya. A very tired-looking Kuchiki Byakuya.
"What is it?" The captain's voice held its usual hint of disdain, albeit not as imposing as usual.
Renji gave a quick bow before saying, "Kuchiki-taicho, I'm just here to see how you are. And to let you know that everything is alright at the squad, Taicho."
His captain's lips curled ever so slightly. Renji supposed that that was the closest to a smile anyone could get from the haughty captain, so he grinned in return.
"As you can see, you're making a fuss over nothing," Byakuya said dryly.
Renji couldn't help noticing that Byakuya's hair was damp, most likely from sweat, seeing that the captain had a sheen of sweat on his pale face. Whatever it was, this illness was taking a toll on the man.
"I think you should see Unohana-taicho, Taicho," Renji said, blunt as usual. His words brought a raised eyebrow.
"I shall take that into consideration, Abarai-fukutaicho," his captain said cooly.
The two men then simply looked at each other in awkward silence. Renji had run out of things to say now that he'd seen his captain, and Byakuya was never one who enjoyed casual conversation, much less initiate it. After a rather uncomfortable moment, Byakuya cleared his throat and offered, "Would you like to stay for dinner, Abarai?"
Renji's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes...yes, I'd be happy to, Taicho," he replied, bowing slightly. Now that was unheard of...Kuchiki-taicho inviting a lower-rank officer to stay for a meal at his manor? Surely this was a record! Perhaps his illness was making him soft.
"Do you not need to have dinner with...Hisagi-fukutaicho...tonight? Shall we invite him too?" Byakuya's next words caught Renji off guard.
"Uhh...no, Taicho. He's staying late at work," Renji said, not able to hide the surprise in his voice. He waited for his captain to elaborate, but Byakuya simply waved his hand and said, "Wait in the hall, my servant will call you when food is ready. Excuse me for not joining you, Abarai. I fear my current...condition...does not permit me to enjoy food like I normally do."
Renji's eyes widened. "Uhh, I'm eating alone? In the hall? That seems...kind of odd, Taicho," he sputtered. "If you don't mind, I'd rather eat here. I'm here to visit you after all."
Byakuya's face was impassive. "Do as you wish," he said simply.
Half an hour later, Renji was having dinner, feeling very self-conscious and totally out of place as he did so. He was seated a few feet away from his captain's bed; the menu was was spicy miso...umm, some type of fish, with, err, an orangey-yellow lump which Renji found quite repulsive. The expensive-looking silver chopsticks felt awkward in his large hands, and he didn't even want to guess how much the delicate porcelain dishes cost. All of a sudden he missed his simple ramen and broiled mackerel.
From the bed, Kuchiki Byakuya threw subtle glances at his vice captain's direction. Ugh, the man's posture is terrible, he thought. He could see that the redhead was eating really slowly and carefully so as to not embarrass himself in front of the Kuchiki heir, but even so, the man's gait was awkward and rough. Just like how Hisana was when she first married him, he suddenly recalled, his deceased wife's face suddenly flashed in his mind. The thought brought a tiny cramp in his heart. Even after fifty plus years, Hisana's memory remained fresh, and everytime he thought of her, he would still feel fresh pangs of sadness and regret. He missed her dearly; her soft touches, gentle caress, and most of all, the warmth of her lithe body against his. The five years of marriage they shared were the highest point in his life; no matter how difficult the day was, a single giggle from Hisana would wash away the worries, and one light touch from her fingers would melt away the aches in his muscles. How he longed to have someone by his side again, someone to lean on when he didn't feel like putting up his stoic front.
All of a sudden he felt a pang jealousy. If Abarai and Hisagi were indeed together, that meant that his vice captain had what Byakuya himself did not and probably would not ever have again. Again he felt a flash of anger at the redhead, who was still eating and completely oblivious to what was raging in his captain's mind. After staring at the man for a few more seconds, he suddenly snapped out of it. As fast as it had appeared, the odd anger was gone, leaving him more than a little confused. Looks like I'm more tired than I thought. Byakuya decided that he needed the get the man out of his sight, so he cleared his throat and said, "Abarai, I fear I have to hurry you a little...I wish to retire for the night."
"Of course!" Renji said, his voice muffled by the mouthful of rice he'd just shoved into his mouth. He stood up, knocking over the tray as he did. Mortified, he lunged for the tray. His quick reaction saved it, but he still ended up with soup on his robes. "Uhh...oops!" he said, feeling foolish.
Byakuya waved his hand in dismissal, his face expressionless as always. "My servants will take care this. Have a good night, Abarai-fukutaicho."
After a quick bow, Renji hurried out of the room. He quickly swallowed what he had left in his mouth and nodded sheepishly at the annoyed-looking servant, who was obviously not happy at having to clean up the mess Renji left behind. Staying for dinner was a really bad idea, Renji chided himself as he left the manor. What was I thinking?

Back in the room, Byakuya closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't understand why he felt such a mix of emotions around his vice captain. In the beginning, when they first met, it was distaste, as the man came from Rukongai. The only thing that made Byakuya accept him was the fact that the man was Rukia's childhood friend. Then as he came to know Renji better, he felt disdain for the young man's brash attitude and hot temper. And to think, the young man even had the audacity to think that he could surpass Byakuya in battle! Oh, the insolence! But through it all, he had to admit that beneath all those negative feelings, there was always a trace of respect; the respect for the man's determination to overcome whatever obstacles that riddled his path. Renji had pride—certainly not the kind that Byakuya had—but he had self confidence, he was not ashamed of his past, and he would do anything for the people he loved, which was more than what Byakuya could say for himself.
And now...Byakuya couldn't put his finger on it, but what he felt about the man now was something completely different, something foreign that he did not understand. Anger? Jealousy? Why would he feel jealous that Renji had someone? Byakuya had so much more than Renji; he was rich, he was highly-revered, he was the most famous captain in Gotei 13 for heaven's sake! Frustrated and confused, Byakuya sank back into the pillows and let out a sigh. He hated the fact that his vice captain had been the only thing on his mind in the past few days, and most of all, he hated the churn of emotions he was feeling. I need to stop this, he told himself, the 28th head of the Kuchiki clan cannot afford to be bothered by such petty things. He closed his eyes and let his tired mind drift. The last thought he had before he finally faded into unconsciousness was the new bandana around Renji's forehead...

Trouble is brewing in the Kuchiki mansion! Find out more in the next chapter! I promise it'll be here soon~
And as always, drop me a review if you can, the more the merrier! ^.^
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Pride