To you, my Taichou...

Renji sat at his desk, writing slowly on a sheet of white paper.


It was rare that anyone see Renji actually at his desk.
There was a point in time where he didn't even know he had a desk.... and now he was working at it, intensly scribing.


He set his brush down, picking up the quickly drying sheet.

"Perfect." He said to himself.
He glanced over the paper, reading what he had wrote.

'You're beautiful... more than I could think.... more than what I know. I long for you... burn for you... ache for you. Never leave me... or ever harsher still, never command me to leave you.'

Renji's smile brightened as he looked over more of it.

'I need you every moment of my life... the closer I get to you, the more I wish to be nearer. Stay with me always... and never...never...go.'

A sigh escaped him.
"As if... I could ever let him see this..."


"Let who...see what...Renji?"


Renji spun around, face in shock.
"K...Kuchiki-taichou!"
He stood up at once and bowed to the man.


"What is it that in your hands, Renji?"
Byakuya stepped up to him slowly.

Renji held it behind his back.
"I-it's nothing, Taichou."

"Let me see it."
The dark haired man looked at Renji seriously.


Renji made a hesitant pause... and handed the paper to his captain.
"P-please don't be angry... I-I-I never meant for you to see it."

Byakuya took it and held it in view.
No emotions passed over his face as he read, his eyes scanning and taking every syllable into his mind.

He finished reading and looked up at Renji.


His vice captain's face was flushed red, as if he were going to fall over.
"I-I truly am sorry... I'll throw it out at once."



"...the closer I get to you, the more I wish to be nearer." Byakuya repeated.
He hmphed and looked into Renji's eyes.
"Is that true? Do you honestly feel this way?"

Renji bit into his lip a bit.
His throat felt dry and empty, all of the moister gone from nervousness.
"Y...yes."


Byakuya looked to the side.
"Are your feelings truly this strong?"


Another small nod and an even more quiet, "...yes."


"What exactly are saying to me, Renji? Am I something you need to feel strong?..."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Or just a worthless form of comfort?"


There was an abrupt silence.
Renji could feel the stress weighing down on him.

It was now...
...or never.


"No, Kuchiki-taichou!"
His head snapped up straight.
"I...I..."


"You what, Renji?"


Renji tightned his fists.
"I LOVE YOU!"


The echo of his own voice was a bit more intense than the silence that was there before.
It was complemented only by the sound of Renji's short pants.


He bowed his head again.
"I love you... Kuchiki-taichou..."


"Then why did you wait so long to tell me?"


Renji looked up in shock again, this time into his captain's face.
"T...taichou?"


"Renji...did you think I would reject you?"
Byakuya put his arms around Renji's torso.
"Did you think...I would turn you away?"
He brought his mouth and lips an inch from Renji's.
"...did you think... I would send you far from me... dispelling you out of my existance?"


He pushed forward, kissing his subordinate with a sudden hardness.


Their kiss lasted more than a kiss alone should.

When their lips parted, Renji found himself against his desk, a lighter body above him.

"Taichou..." He whispered.


"Hush."
Byakuya brushed his nose against the red head's.
"I already know. You've said all you wanted to..."
He kissed him again softly.

"It is I... that needs to show you...

...how much you mean to me."