He flicks his last cigarette in the air and watches it dwarfing away as he stood on the balcony surrounded by cold, frigid nights and shifting silhouettes. His long fingers brush the fine fabric of his suit, tasting the smoothness, the lines and then snorted softly... It cost a lot of figures to wear this kind of shit. He unbuttoned it, so he can lean over; not minding his tattoo to peak out from his chest, and watch the dancing lights down below, lining inside the curved and snaky roads. The busy streets are not that demanding before, he thought. Even billboards and street signs are not lucrative as he remembered. Changes. Changes. He used to live in this neighborhood, but now he felt like an alien from the place he begged for shelter and food to survive, and retract a snobbish reply. Though his childhood was a nightmare, he never dreamed of leaving the city that made a mark for him. However, he must, and since then the world he left behind moved on.
And so thus Renji Abarai.
His black-tinted hair swirled as the wind hit the back of his neck, that every now and then he raked it with his hand. His amber eyes under the blue contact lens soothe to focus on one far corner of the city, to his right, where a place someone waits for his return. It pained him to remember, but then again, he promised to be there...
He will come. Surely, he will come...
Not tonight, though. If his plan accomplished its goals, without a doubt, he would come. He must do something first, and he needs all his guts to do it so. Renji Abarai must be ready himself for the change.
Even so, the change has to wait, as his attention was descended when a sundry laugh sounded behind the glass doors.
Though the night is still young, galas and those aristocratic faces sweeping across the fancy hall made him feel duller even more.
Pompous ass'...
He turned his attention to his glass and sighed, no more wine. But then again... forget it. There's no way he's going back inside to snatch another one. The world of infamous personality, politicians and the likes was not his style. Not that he has a bad behavior to begin with, he just... hates it.
He shook his head and smiled to himself. No. He laughed at himself. Renji Abarai can leave any time he chooses; he doesn't have to endure all this hypocrisy. If not for a reason, he could drop it all and marched away through that door. But it took him forever to be here, no way to ruin it now. Another cigarette would do. Fuck if he had one.
"I can see boredom is depleting you."
Renji cocked his brow haughtily, but kept his eyes plastered somewhere out there without moving much of a budged. Human behaviors are weird to begin with, and so does the ampler surprise. A voice of a man behind him started him yet he shows no response to it. Either deliberately or otherwise, Renji just stood still.
"Forgive the intrusion," said the man who's now starting to walk towards the lamppost of the veranda. The sound of his voice was like a hymn from those of fairy tale books. "I hope I didn't disturb you?"
Renji snorted softly and glance over his right. He saw a figure of a man with shoulder-length hair stood under the light, and Renji controlled himself not to laugh, for the man has a pink mane—a color too ridiculous for an adult male.
"Can I help yah?"
"No." The man with a weird taste of color shook's his head. "But I want to ask you the same thing."
Renji smiled, but as soon the man stood in front of him, arm's length, the smile faded.
The eyes under the silver-framed glasses of the other man shivered Renji Abarai. He saw amber. No. Gold, and felt his jaw tightened seeing the like of it again, anger creasing as though burning his nostrils. The stranger's face appeared to be young and treacherously beautiful. The black suit he wears contrasts the frame that attached to his neck. Anyone who believed attraction at first sight was a myth; the stranger has an exception for it. His smile alone can weaken the toughest predator, drag anyone to its knees and beg for more. However, for Renji, none of these came. In fact, his hands want to move voluntarily and strangle the man with everything he owns.
But the eyes...
Renji looked away, hating to see his reflection from those golden orbs.
"Did I frighten you?"
"No."
"Did I say something to—"
"No." Renji closed his eyes, shut it tighten, and then the stranger heard a murmur coming from his lips. When he was about to withdraw from the somewhat crude gesture, Renji spoke and this time it sounded like a purr. "No. I'm sorry if I acted... rude."
The stranger smiled. "Your glass is empty. Here—" he offered Renji champagne.
Renji nodded sheepishly and took the glass from the alabaster hand. He acted as if he was apologizing, but beneath the hooded eyes, Renji was smiling—a triumphant, so to speak. He already knew he's been watched by those prying gaze of the pink-headed man since he came out to the balcony. Or better yet, since he stepped inside the premises of this building. Renji's goal is to be the bait, yields to the man's inner request and hopes to stay that way...
...Till morning at least.
He drank his wine.
The stranger looked around the balcony. "Alone, I see?"
"The date runs off." Renji shrugged. "It happens."
"How sad."
"In a while. People inside might think I'm insane talking to the wind out here, but since you came..." he stopped. It's too early.
They both gazed at the horizon.
"Do you like what you see?" Renji said suddenly, almost a whisper, a tease.
"I'd seen it a thousand times."
"I wasn't talking about the stars..."
The man laughed softly.
Renji inched up a little, lifting the glass to his mouth. "So how about you, someone runs off from you too...?"
"Granz," the man answered his new companion's silent query. "Dr. Szayel Granz. You can call me by name, though. No sir or doctor, please. I wouldn't allow that kind of formality when I'm outside my profession. It ruins everything. And no. No dates for tonight. No dates for a long time, in fact." He sipped from his glass. "And you are?"
Renji had to lie. Forgive me...
"Kurosaki." Renji held up a hand. "Ichigo Kurosaki. No preambles, no titles..."
"I see."Granz probe for a moment. "Never have I remembered putting you on the guest list."
"Oh." Renji then laughed. "Saw you're the host of this boring party?"
A raise brow from the direct candor. "Touché, Kurosaki-san. I like that. However... look over there." Granz motioned to his right where one giant man stood near the threshold of the door, dressed so formal like a pissed-off federal agent, and Renji wondered right away where the hell the large man came from and how he got there without making a noise. "You know I have the capability of... what's that word... throw anyone out for crashing my party? Nevertheless, I do sometimes have an exception, Kurosaki-san." He laughs a little. "Save for Medazeppi, of course. He doesn't like gatecrashers. Well, he doesn't like anyone, in particular, in fact. He despised everything that moves." Granz smiled at this, having the presence of his bodyguard really do affect someone with raw nature.
Renji lowered his glass and set it on the table near him. "My apologies, I guess I'm busted then. Do you want to kick me out now?"
The doctor studied him for a moment, scanning him from head to toe. Renji tried to relax with those eyes of which he noticed there's a hint of mischief in it. "Well?" he followed.
"Are you begging for your punishment, Mr. Kurosaki?"
"Am I entitled?"
"That is up to you. Do you know who I am?"
"A doctor?"
"I am more than that."
"Can you be my host, then?"
"Like I said it's up to you."
Renji pushed himself from the veranda and closed their distance, and stop until their noses were a few inches apart. Between them, a hand was raised. "From what I witness tonight," Renji purred, "you need my help in that department."
"Then you better show me how."
Bingo.
"And the gorilla?"
Granz glance towards Medazeppi. The giant man nodded back and opened the glass door.
"Do not worry about him," Granz said, leading Renji towards the door. "He's harmless."
"And your party?"
The pinkhead man smiled and walk ahead of him. "What party?"
xxxxxx
Renji was gazing up the walls—the plaques and the recognition complicates his eyes. Dr. Szayel Aporro Granz was a known surgeon and a popular one too. Books were already published under his name, and his methods were used all over the country. He's a genius and a skilled medicine man—saving lives, aye? However, that is not enough for Renji though.
"Russian?" Renji said, sitting on the couch, beer halfway to his mouth.
"Hm?"
"Granz. Is it Russian?"
"Romanian," the doctor replied.
"Really?" Renji bit his lower lip. "You don't sound like one."
"You travel a lot, I see."
"Yes. Other than for practical reasons, I like to learn more."
Renji wandered his eyes again. The house was huge; everywhere he looked there were doors. And the room was bright—too much light in one area of the house. There are antique vases, paintings—which obviously costly, and furnitures he'd never seen before. Granz watches him from the wet bar, smiling, waiting, until Renji landed his eyes to one wall... where a katana displayed behind the glass casing. "What's that?"
Granz smiled and sat beside him. "Zangetsu."
"Huh?"
"Zangetsu. The name of the sword."
Renji whistled. "Looks priceless."
"Yes. It was an antique. It played a big part in history."
"Killed a king, something like that?"
"No. More like little boys. A sacrificial blade."
Renji's jaw tightened on that note.
"More beer?"
"No thanks." Renji looked away and glanced at his watch. "It's getting late."
Granz frowned. "Oh."
"Let's get down to business."
The doctor's eyes flick differently. He almost lost hope.
"What do you prefer, Kurosaki-san?"
"Ichigo."
"All right. What do you prefer, Ichigo?"
Renji stood up and inched closer, pulling the other man from his sitting. Granz took the hint.
"You almost got me there. I thought you lost your interest. This way..." He leads Renji upstairs—to the bedroom. "Tell me, Ichigo, have you... done this before?"
"Fucking a doctor, and famous at that?"
"Candid."
"Straightforward. Do you play?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not the first man who ever entered your room, I'm sure. What do you want me to do first?"
They reached the bedroom door.
"Just fuck the living daylights out of me?"
"Candid," Renji purred.
"Straightforward," Szayel smiled.
xxxxxx
Medazappi mentally groaned when his attention suddenly caught by the rhythmic thump behind his master's bedroom door. At first, he was hesitant, but curiosity empowered him. He stepped closer towards the door. Besides he never heard such a chant from Szayel before.
"Yeesss... Oh fuck yes! Harder... like that... don't stop, don't stop!"
Medazappi gulped the lump down to his throat. Boy, his master was indeed chanting.
"Deeper... Yes! You're good at this aren't yah...! Yeah, yes... Like that! Oh god yes!"
"Are... you sure... you're all... right." Medazappi creased his brows when he heard Renji's voice. He doesn't trust the man.
"Shut up! Just fuck me! I didn't drag you here to talk!"
"Turn around. I want you on fours."
"Why, don't you like the view?"
"You'll see."
Another thump and there it goes again. Medazappi twitched his mouth.
"Ah fuck... why didn't you tell me... Yes! Oooooh... YES! It'll be the end of me if you keep that up!"
"Oh... you'll be surprised."
Medazzapi walked away. Enough for that. He would have to go to his room if he kept this up.
xxxxxx
The shadow behind the door was gone, inch by inch swallowed by the lights outside. Renji grinned at this... finally alone. His eyes flick back to the man under him—
—the show was just starting...
The bed linen was skewed, looking like a wild tide beneath the hail storm. Pillows were thrown away here and there, too crowded for the two of them. For the first fifteen minutes, the doctor holds the pillow with his dear life—until he decided he doesn't need it anymore. Well, what do you know...Renji let Granz enjoy the fucking ride of his life, yet twitching his lips from the chattering mouth who moans and curse like a possessed whore. How long will he go to endure this, Renji doesn't know. Not until he heard the other man's breath became ragged, pleading him to go on. Oh yeah... keep it up... keep it up. To bleed, to come, to feel he's alive because he wants to enjoy his time and perhaps demand another round. Beg, you motherfucker. Renji knew Granz would, and so he slowed down, teasing him slowly... patience, patience, soon the show will be over.
"How long..." Granz gasped. "How long..."
"It's for you to decide..." Renji grinned.
"Now. I want it, now!"
"Are you sure?"
"Fuck yessssss!"
Renji, holding the hips, thrust deeper, making the man under him wiggled to insanity. His groin prose to solidify the trust, to reach the other man's peak...
...But Renji's eyes are burning, saw differently. There's no lust building there, only the dark scheme writhing inside his mind.
Few more... Yes. Just a little more.
And then...
Time's up.
"What are you doing?"
"Shh..." Renji pulled Granz to his chest, hand palming the neck, mouth to the ears. "Trust me..."
Granz relaxed a little, his muscle eased by the caress of that hand, closing his eyes again.
"Don't you remember the name..." Renji started as his one hand reaching something under the sheets. "The name you breathe, the name you cursed a while ago?"
Granz was too busy tasting the delicious body grinding behind him, hardly heard or understand what Renji was saying.
"Are you a good boy now... or still the bad one...?"
"W... what?"
"The name I told you at the party," Renji said. "Ichigo Kurosaki? Ring any bells?"
"I'll put it on a check. Now stop teasing and finish what you started."
"Wrong."
Alarmed by that tone, Granz's eyes snapped open. He used to play games too, but the young man behind him plays differently, too infectious to ignore. And before he could protest, his neck was gripped with a large hand and the words "I waited for fifteen years to do this" prickled his ears.
He pulled away, or trying to, he's outnumbered and Renji knew what to do. The plan worked.
What the fuck are you talking about, Granz wanted to say out loud, but not until he felt the stinging pain below his collarbone... and the wetness that goes with it.
The thrusting stopped. Renji stopped, and the doctor could hear the silent laugh behind the back of his neck.
He reached up where the hand Renji rested. The younger man was holding something cold, and for a while Granz thought it was a joke...
... Until he saw red.
His eyes began to widen. Renji withdrew from him and turned to face him.
Blood. There's blood, and Szayel Aporro Granz knew it was him who's bleeding.
"I'm... I am..."
"Yes, that's right," Renji replied triumphantly. His grin was scary. "You're going to die."
"You... you... you..."
"Is that all you have to say after all these... drama?"
"You... you bastard..."
Granz was about to reach his bedside, looking for the alarm, when Renji grabbed his arm. "Uh-uh," Renji said. "Not so fast."
"What did I do to you...?"
"Now that's a funny question. Let's start with Ichigo Kurosaki," Renji answered under his gritting teeth. "Or how about Shuuhei Hisagi... and me?"
"W... what?"
"Ah, I see. Names don't matter to you because back then you're so fucked up to remember everything!"
"I... I don't know what you're talking about. I don't..."
"You don't?" Renji peered closer. "Now, try harder."
Fifteen years ago...Where was I? Who am I? Szayel Aporro Granz, that's my name!
You're a doctor, yes? "I save lives, yes..."and famous at that, yes? "I am... I am!"
You lure young boys; gave them shelter and then what? "No... no..."
You have them drugged, shut them from the world and bring them hell. "No... I didn't mean to..."
You sold them to the highest bidder after testing the merchandize, right? "No... no..."
And when one of them goes against your will... you kill them. "Please God no..."
"Do you remember me now?"
The golden eyes began to widen. "Renji."
"Yes, your favorite." Renji grinned. "I told you I would be back."
"No... no. This can't be." Granz pushed away, holding what's left of his flesh. "You're dead... this can't be!"
Renji let go the doctor's arm—only to grip the dying man's neck. "One mistake you made. One. And here I am. How does it feel to be literally impaled now, you sick fucking son of a bitch!"
And before Renji could pull the blade away, or wait for the weeping man to answer, Dr. Szayel Aporro Granz spurted blood from his mouth and tumbled backward, dead.
Renji glanced at the lifeless body for a few minutes, and then pulled the blade finally from the dead man's wiped the blood clean, stood up, picked up his clothes and walked away, simple as that, like nothing happened.
There's no gorilla at the main balcony, or the hall, or the stairs. Medazeppi was nowhere to be seen inside the house. The giant man was dead, Renji assured of himself. He saw Medazeppi beside the pool, laying face-down, eyes wide open. Back at the gala, Renji thought the gorilla was a tough nut to crack... guess he was wrong. Gluttony killed the ape, and Renji made sure the poison would work wondrously according to his time frame.
He walked across the hall, taking his time, looking for something to... Ah! there it is.
Zangetsu.
He lunged up and pulled the glass cover, took the katana from the wall and wrapped it carefully inside his jacket.
For fifteen years, he waited to bring the sword back.
Zangetsu can now go home to his real owner.
The owner who died fifteen years ago...
Ichigo Kurosaki.
NEXT
