#ikkaku is also handsome and silly and i’m giving him a little kiss but YUMICHIKA

[yumichikamadarame]

boys will be married and go on shopping sprees and take selfies in the fitting room together

commission by the lovely @cha-r4

[tappity-tap]

FOREVER BElonging WITH YOU

PART I - THE RECEPTION

<< COVER || PART II >> Story Rating: M Chapter Warnings: Mild suggestive themes, alcohol. [This chapter is sfw]

“Oi, I’ll see ya guys off. It’s the 6th’s senkaimon, after all.”

The four people he was addressing-Ichigo, Inoue, Sado, and Ishida-stopped walking and looked at him, surprised. Ichigo tilted his head. “Oh. Uh, thanks, Renji.” The others nodded their agreement and continued onward.

With a pointed glance back as if to say “I’ve got this,” Renji followed behind and left Rukia to silently observe their retreating backs.

His actions did not surprise her in the least. They had been quietly discussing a certain matter with each other all evening and she had a feeling she knew exactly what he was planning on doing about it. Rukia considered her hunch confirmed when he returned to the table several minutes later unaccompanied and looking slightly more confident than before.

She asked him anyways. “You said something to him, didn’t you?”

“Hey, I just did what had to be done. The kid needs a push every once ‘n a while.” Renji put on an air of aloofness and pretended to fix his finely tailored haori with a casual shrug, the same action he’d repeated frequently throughout the day.

“Don’t I know it,” Rukia snorted as he plunked himself down onto the plush seat beside her. “So how did she respond when he told her?”

This time, he was forced to adjust his coat for real. “Eh, he didn’t tell her he loved her right there, but lookin’ at her face I think she might’ve figured it out. He asked her to ‘make time for him’ to ‘discuss something important.’ Subtle, right?” Renji finished straightening the hem and it fanned out over the back of his cushion.

Then as if to spite it all, he crossed his arms behind his head and reclined into a sloppy posture that visually contradicted the elegance and sophistication of his formalwear. “So…how long’re we talkin’? A year? Two? Five?” He thought for a second and snickered, “3 months?”

Rukia scoffed and swatted Renjij’s side. “Three months? Do you really have that little confidence in them?”

He batted away her second swipe and caught the third and fourth in each hand. “Ow! Hey! Not how long they’ll last! How long before they get to this point!” Even in the midst of their struggle he managed to gesture between the two of them. The action flung the sleeve of her magnificently embroidered kimono up before her eyes and suddenly their surroundings came clearly into focus.

Under them, a thin carpet of petals and leaves dislodged from the meticulously manicured branches that spread over the courtyard in a weaving canopy of color. Around them, smells of delicious food still lingered and the fumes from the lanterns gradually blazing to life as the sun sank below the rooftops grew thick. Above them, curtains of hanging gossamer streamers and strings of tiny folded paper cranes rustled softly with every small disturbance in the breeze. In front of them, a lacquered oak table adorned with sprigs of tiny flowers and empty plates.

This point…

The scuffling stopped. They blinked at each other.

Slowly, Rukia’s arms slackened as Renji’s grip on her fists went soft. His thick fingers gently jimmied under and around hers until their hands knitted together, palm-to-palm.

“Hey,” Renji whispered warmly. Tender, even. “How ya feelin’, Mrs. Abarai?”

Rukia flushed from his intimate affections and the use of her new name. “Renji! Not in front of everyone!” she protested, though there was no denying they made her heart soar in a very pleasant way.

He released her hands and leaned over until his forehead nearly touched hers. “No one’s payin’ attention to us, they’re too busy gettin’ boozed up while they can. See?” One long finger placed itself on her chin and turned her head slightly to the side.

Rukia glanced around. This was true. Filled with vibrant music and laughter in the hours before, the venue was nearly silent and empty now, save for the stragglers taking advantage of the last morsels of food and drink in the 15 minutes before the banquet officially ended. Not that she minded, though. It was not every day that most of them got to dine on such high-class fare, after all.

Several pieces of black hair in her line of vision were suddenly lifted and swept away. She raised her eyebrow at the culprit. “What are you doing?”

Renji carefully tucked the strands behind her ear. Putting on a devilish grin, he curved his hands around the sides of her head and ran his thumbs over her still very red cheeks. “Tryin’ to give my wife a proper kiss,” he replied, demeanor ripe with mischievous intent.

Rukia’s stomach gave an abrupt lurch. Her hands immediately flew to his chest to prevent him from leaning forward any further. “RENJI!” she sputtered, mortified, “W-we can’t do that! I mean…we can…it’s just…it’s not that I don’t want to…but not here! It’s too embarrassing!”

His hands dropped to her shoulders. Renji’s features scrunched in confusion and it looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh at her. “Rukia, we already kissed here. Before the banquet. In front of everyone. You were fine then.”

“Th-that’s different. It was a required part of the ceremony to make everything official,” she grumbled and attempted to concentrate on anything but the nearness of his handsome face to her own, which currently felt like it would burst into flames any second.

He stared. Then his chest lurched under her hands and he finally released a stifled bark of laughter. Even as she scowled crossly at him, Renji slid his arms around her until she relented and rested her heated face on the cool fabric of his silk kimono. “You can be so silly sometimes, Rukia.” he whispered to the top of her head, though not without fondness.

Normally Rukia wouldn’t be up for such an open physical display of their romantic feelings for each other in public, but as it was their wedding day she supposed she could let this instance go. Besides, she was already wrapped in his warm embrace and moving now would only expose her to the rapidly chilling air.

“I mean it, Renji,” she muttered thickly into his chest, “you know I like kissing you. “

“I know. ‘An I like kissin’ you.” Renji brushed his fingers through her hair, lightly.

Her grip on the front of his clothes tightened. “I want to kiss you.”

A chuckle. “Again, same.”

“And, um…” A quick peek around his arm confirmed no one was within earshot. Her heart thudded and she began nervously fiddling with the edges of his haori. “There are…other things…” she admitted, hesitantly, as flashes of a recent dream replayed in her mind.

The hand caressing her hair paused mid-stroke. “…Ohhh?”

Renji sounded calm and collected, but Rukia knew underneath that cool exterior his heartbeat was also picking up in tempo. She could feel it even through the heavy layers of cloth separating them.

Before she could gather up the courage to say any more, a rowdy chorus of wolf whistles erupted close by. One of the perpetrators hollered out, “Oiiii ‘fore ya get too busy over there, we’re splittin’!”

Rukia yelped and leapt up, nearly knocking Renji over. “We were not doing anything!” she declared fiercely to the pack of 11th Division elites in front of them as their heckling turned to snickering.

Renji, who had stayed behind to nurse the spot on his face where one of Rukia’s massive sleeves had whacked him, glared up at them. “’An even if we were…screw you all. You coulda left without interruptin’ us.”

“Oh, but a good guest always says goodbye to their host. We were just trying to be good guests.” Yumichika flippantly tossed his hair and flashed the couple a cheeky grin. Another round of snickering ran through the group.

Renji finally got up from his seat, still rubbing his chin. “Yeah, I bet you were,” he muttered under his breath.

“Ahhh, sorry we disturbed ya at a bad time, Renji.” Ikkaku stepped forward to clap him heavily on the shoulder. The strong smell of alcohol followed. “We’ll let you ‘an Rukia-chan get back t’yer…uh…tête-à-tête.” He nodded solemnly and shuffled back with a flop of his hand that could have been an attempt at a salute. More titters arose as the group departed en masse.

Rukia huffed and crossed her arms. “We weren’t doing anything,” she insisted again even though they had already moved out of earshot.

“Yeah. Bastards.” Renji scowled at the stumbling squad. He folded his hands together behind his neck and shook his head. “Shoulda banned ‘em from the liquor.”

As if to validate his remorse, a voice behind them slurred loudly.

“Kuchiiikiiii! Reeeenjiiiii!”

“And they’re not the only ones,” Rukia stated dryly before she suddenly found herself being pulled along, half her face squished against something large and soft covered in lavender fabric.

“H-hey, Rangiku-san.” Renji’s reply came out in a strangled croak, no doubt from the slender arm flung tightly around his neck that he was trying to (unsuccessfully) pry off. “Enjoyin’ yourself?”

Rangiku grinned widely and tossed her head, smacking the exposed side of Rukia’s face with several locks of long blond hair. “Yeeeah! How could you tell?” The sake bottle next to Rukia’s ear sloshed noisily.

Renji finally broke free from her hold and straightened up to adjust his clothing. “Just a hunch.” He kept stride next to Rangiku and eyed her carefully, likely waiting for an opening to liberate Rukia as well.

“I hate to leave such a nice party…your brother throws nice parties.” This was directed at Rukia, still pinned to her side. “Buuuut Captain said he’s had enough and needs to go to sleep now. I think it’s past his bedtime.” Rangiku leaned towards Renji and loudly whispered the last part.

“Matsumoto! That is not what I said!”

A very irate Captain Hitsugaya stomped up beside Rangiku and grasped her wrist. In one fluid motion, he somehow freed Rukia and started pulling his lieutenant down the pathway to the large ornate gates leading outside. “We’re leaving because you’ve had enough and you need to go to sleep.”

“But I’m fiiiine,” Rangiku protested. Yet pout as she did, she obediently trudged along behind her captain.

Hitsugaya nodded back to Renji, who had immediately flown to Rukia’s side once she was released. “Abarai.” He looked at Rukia and gave her a nod also. “Kuchiki. I wish you both well.”

Renji and Rukia bowed simultaneously. “Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya.”

The sake bottle came dangerously close to flying out of Rangiku’s hand as she waved cheerfully. “Bye-bye! Have lots of fun tonight, you hear?” She then thrust it at them with a deliberate jab and scowled in a comically threatening manner, “Renji, you make sure she’s thoroughly satisfied or I’m going to-”

“Ah, here, Rangiku-san, I’ll carry that for you!”

A figure seemingly materialized out of nowhere and swiped the bottle from her floundering hand before it could cause any destruction.

“Ohhh, thank you Hinamori!” Rangiku chirped to the girl grasping her elbow.

As Hinamori helped Captain Hitsugaya lead his sloshed subordinate away, she called over her shoulder, “Thank you for inviting us, Abarai-kun, Kuchiki-san! We had a lovely time. Congratulations to you both!”

Hinamori’s own captain strolled past the couple after his lieutenant and gave a nonchalant flick of his wrist. “Eh. What Momo said.” He paused before adding slyly, “And I guess what Matsumoto said, too.”

It took a moment for Renji and Rukia to recall just what that was. This time, it actually sank in. Color rapidly filled their cheeks as they somehow managed to fumble through what barely passed for respectful bows.

“U-understood! Th-thank you for coming, Captain Hirako!” both of them sputtered simultaneously. The captain’s toothy grin flashed brightly and vanished from their sights.

The rest of their loitering guests started slowly filtering past them, signaling the party had formally come to a close. All offered kind (and in the case of their closer acquaintances, occasionally suggestive) words of farewell and congratulations to the couple as they left the scene.

Soon, only one remained.

“Captain.” Renji greeted his approaching superior respectfully with a deep bow at his waist.

“We are not in uniform, Renji. There is no need to be so formal.” Byakuya stopped just short of them on the path and directed his sight to the sinking sun on the horizon. “Especially with family.”

Renji straightened up and blinked in surprise. “Er…right, um, Bya-I mean, Kuchiki…san…ma?” he stammered awkwardly and cringed before making his final hasty correction, “Yes...Captain.”

The corners of her brother’s mouth moved up slightly before he addressed her. “Rukia.”

Rukia stepped to his side. “Yes, Nii-sama?”

He stood silently for a moment, continuing to gaze at the sunset as if unsure what to say next. Then his eyes closed and a subtle sigh left him. “I arranged to have the rest of the new furnishings delivered during the ceremony. You should find everything in order when you arrive home.”

She knew this already but still bowed her head in a show of gratitude. “Thank you, Nii-sama.”

Byakuya continued, “If there is anything else you need, I will be more than happy to provide it. My only condition is…” he hesitated then.

Rukia lifted her head after several tense seconds ticked by and watched the features of his profile clench and unclench multiple times. She could feel something significant was about to happen.

The instant he finally looked down at her, the stoic hardness ever present in his face suddenly lifted and a transformation occurred right in front of her eyes. Before her stood a man she had never seen, softer and much younger in appearance, but Rukia knew who he was right away. This was the Kuchiki Byakuya from 60 years ago; The Byakuya who had loved, and been loved by, her sister. When he spoke his voice did not waver or break yet it overflowed with the same crushing sadness that swam in the depths of his gaze.

“Do not take this for granted, Rukia.”

Anyone outside the situation would have read this as the head of the Kuchiki clan warning his relative not to take advantage of his generosity, and yes, he still could have been saying that. What his words truly meant, however, was not lost on her, and Rukia’s heart swelled with emotion. The tears she had been holding back all day finally loosened and she drew in a trembling breath. “I won’t, Nii-sama,” she promised him, and meant it with every fiber of her being.

Then as quickly as the apparition from the past appeared, he vanished. The Byakuya of the present now turned on his heel and adjusted his sleeve. “I will take my leave now. I bid you goodnight.”

Rukia quickly wiped the back of her palm across her eyes and dipped down as he strolled away. “Goodnight, Nii-sama.”

Byakuya stopped when he was shoulder to shoulder with Renji, who stood transfixed by what he just witnessed. Neither man looked at the other or said a word as the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. Darkness began to settle over the Seireitei.

After a beat of careful consideration, Byakuya lifted his chin and spoke with a pinch more inflection than usual in his standard monotone.

“Try not to disappoint her, Renji.”

He resumed his departure. Renji’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Author’s Notes: You know a creator has done a good job making varied and dynamic characters when they’re this much fun to write interactions for. *thumbs up in Kubo’s direction* Hopefully how I chose to set up the wedding venue doesn’t clash too much with novel canon. @_@

The first few chapters are Rukia’s POV but worry not! Renji gets his fair share of POV time as well. This deviates in the final chapter when the narration shifts to Ichigo and focuses more on his relationship with Orihime.

Continued in [Part II - The Threshold]