Title: Perplexity

Fandom: Bleach

Rating: M, sex, language, some blood/battle. Yaoi, Het inferred but not detailed.

Description: ByakuyaxIchigo. Canon, set after the war. Renji, the father of Rukia's unborn child, is missing. Ichigo made a promise to Renji protect Rukia no matter what so he stands by her. Byakuya is still coming to grips with his attraction to Ichigo when he "finds out" that Ichigo got Rukia pregnant. Now he has to live with Ichigo, trying to fight his love for the man he thinks loves his sister.

Disclaimer: Bleach is created and owned by Tite Kubo, I merely pay homage to characters and a story I love.

Beta: Chain of Fate

A/N: I've been sick and not able to go out, which means I get to gift you with lots and lots of writing!

Warnings for this chapter: This fic is going to be pretty dramatic and angsty at points, so I'm counter that with some wackiness at times. This is one of those chapters. Beware of hallucinations/dreams, fake genderbending, and the appearance (but not really) of RenjixIchigoxByakuya. Also there's some RenjixRukia. Then shit gets serious, lots of blood.

Perplexity:

1: the state of being perplexed: Bewilderment

2: something that perplexes

3: Entanglement

Confusion

"Love is like a friendship caught on fire." – Bruce Lee

Renji tried not to be impatient waiting for his captain to return to the Squad 6 office, but his captain was never late for his tea and it was currently sitting on his desk cooling. He had made a new blend. The card had said it was special made for Captain Kuchiki, although Renji hadn't turned it around to see thaton the back it said, "Compliments of Squad 12", because otherwise he would never have made it. He certainly wouldn't have drunk it, which is what he decided to do now. 'I'll just have to make another hot batch when he gets here', he thought to himself, sipping on the small handle less, hand painted tea cup he had set out originally for his captain. 'Wow, this stuff sure makes you hot', he thought fuzzily, before drifting off to sleep.

Ichigo and Byakuya both burst into the office at the same time. "RENJI!" they shouted.

"Whoa, what happened to you guys?" Renji asked, eyeballing them unashamedly.

He definitely would have recalled if his captain was sporting Rangiku-sized breasts, and would have noticed that Ichigo had such a feminine face and plush rose colored lips.

"Don't look at him that way," Byakuya said, wrapping her delicately muscled arms around Ichigo protectively.

"What's with the change in attitude? Why are you touching him?" Renji asked.

"I think it's whatever changed us. I feel closer to Ichigo now. Maybe it's just a…female thing…," Byakuya said.

"So you guys are like both fully female right now?" Renji asked.

"Isn't it terrible?" Ichigo cried into Byakuya's arms, her long eyelashes catching her tears, her now shoulder length hair slightly sticking to her face.

"Uh huh, terrible," Renji pretended to agree, still ogling the two.

"Don't be such a dog," his captain scolded, her low, sensual voice causing shivers down Renji's spine. Her hair was waist length now, and her shihakusho needed to be closed more, since Renji doubted that his captain wanted to be flashing cleavage. Then again, with breasts like that, maybe she couldn't help it.

Renji stood up and slowly walked towards the pair, enjoying seeing the two of them together. "I told Rukia that you liked Ichigo but she didn't believe me," he said.

"I do not like him…her," Byakuya claimed, quickly letting go of Ichigo's small waist.

"Oh no, don't stop touching her. By all means hold onto her," Renji said.

Ichigo was looking at him now, her defined jaw having become more pointed andher lips full and bow like.

"So, uh, remember how you used to have a crush on me, Ichigo?" Renji said, still moving closer.

"Don't bring that up again," Ichigo replied sadly.

"I'm just saying that if you ever wanted to do anything, this is the time," Renji moved up to Ichigo and wrapped his arms around her.

"What? Really?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm not letting you take her out of my sight!" Byakuya claimed.

"Oh, that's even better," Renji said, walking backwards into Byakuya office, Ichigo still in his arms and Byakuya following them closely. He closed the door behind him and turned to face them, his lust evident on his face.

The time frame jumped. Renji didn't really know how he had gotten there, but they were all naked and on Byakuya's futon. Ichigo was leaning back into Byakuya's arm, Byakuya's hands around Ichigo's full breasts, her own face etched with pleasure as she sucked on Ichigo's neck. Ichigo was moaning as Renji was pumping into her.

"Oh, Ichigo…" Renji moaned.

"EXCUSE me?" his captain asked.

Renji popped an eye open. He was so shocked he fell backwards off of his chair. He jumped up. "When did you stop being a girl?" he asked.

Byakuya's eyebrows rose so hard they almost escaped his face. "I'm going to ignore that and ask why you are dreaming about Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Oh, sorry Captain, I know you have a thing for him," Renji said. He realized that before had been a dream. "Wait, no…that's not what I meant. In my dream you had a thing for him. And you were both women. Wait, no… that's not what I meant to say either…"

"Renji, are you okay?" his captain asked.

"Besides, I don't like Ichigo OR you, I like R…" He suddenly slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Who?" His captain asked with deadly intent, leaning forward.

"R-r…" All of a sudden someone walked in the door. "RIKICHI!" Renji said.

"Um, Lieutenant?" Rikichi asked.

"Oh shit, not Rikichi. I mean, I don't like him."

"You don't, sir?" Rikichi said, a little sadly.

"Oh, I mean, I like you well enough – but not romantically."

"Sir?"

"I mean…err…Renji starts with R too. That's what I meant."

"You meant to say that you like yourself?" his captain asked.

"Um…yeah…man you had great breasts. Where did they go?" Renji asked.

"RENJI!" Rikichi said in shock.

Captain Kuchiki, at this time, had noticed the open box of new tea and read the card. "Did you drink this?" he asked Renji.

"I made some for you, but then you were late so I drank it. I'm sorry, I'll make you some more," Renji apologized.

"This is from Squad 12. You do know that, don't you?" his captain told him.

"Oh no, I guess I didn't read that part. Oh well, it tastes great anyways," Renji replied.

"It has made you…high…or drunk…," his captain said, looking at him with what was almost concern, but mixed with distain.

"Oh, well I…"

"Please, just stop talking. Try to get your work done," his captain ordered him, leaving.

Rikichi left too, after being asked what sized boobs he thought he'd have if he was a woman.

Rukia walked in.

"Rukia!" Renji jumped up and gave her a sweeping hug, swinging her around the room.

"Um, hi Renji," she said breathlessly.

"I love you, you know that?" Renji said.

"I love you too, Renji," Rukia replied.

"I don't mean as a friend. I mean that if you were to ever kiss me I'd probably dream about it for months. I mean, I dream about you anyways. Except when you're brother is a chick, but he was into Ichigo anyways, plus that was kind of a onetime thing, because…"

"Renji, what's wrong with you?" Rukia was blushing furiously at this point.

"Renji, what are you saying to my sister?" Byakuya said from his office door.

"I think he's sick!" Rukia covered Renji's mouth before he could answer. "Maybe I should take him home."

"He's ingested something from Squad 12," Byakuya told her. "Perhaps you are rightin that he should just go home."

"I'll escort him to make sure he makes it home," Rukia said.

Byakuya nodded.

"Oh Rukia," Renji had his arms wrapped around her. "It's so nice when you hold me this way."

"You weigh a ton…you'd better start walking or I'm going to fall over," Rukia said.

Renji did one better, sweepingRukia up into his arms and carrying her to his quarters. She was red faced the whole way but decided that she'd wait on beating him until he was more lucid.

It was in the early evening that Renji woke up the futon in his living room, cuddled around Rukia. His heart started to beat faster. 'Oh my god, what did I say?' he tried to recall. He, unfortunately, remembered it all. He groaned, but still didn't let go of her little body.

"Did you mean it?" she asked, noticing he was awake and a lot calmer.

"I…yeah…"

"You're such an idiot," she told him, facing him. "Why didn't you say something back then?"

"Back when?"

"Back before I left. I would have stayed if you had asked me to," she told him softly.

"Really?" Renji said, grabbing her hand and lifting it to his face. She wasn't protesting so he kissed it delicately. She didn't pull away so Renji drew her closer.

One Year Later – Hueco Mundo

"You have to promise me," Renji said, stopping to cough up blood. "You promise me you'll take care of her."

"You'll take care of her, Renji," Ichigo replied, tears in his eyes.

"Look, if I don't…"

"Just…shut up," Ichigo said. "I…I don't want to leave you but I have to find someone to heal you…I won't leave you here, okay?"

"Don't go until you promise me. Promise me that you'll look after Rukia just like I would," Renji said, clasping Ichigo's hand tightly.

"Of course," Ichigo promised, trying to ignore the fact that his hand was now sticky with Renji's blood. "I swear it."

"Thank you," Renji said. "I just love her so much…and I can't bear to think of not coming home to…"

"STOP," Ichigo insisted. "Please, stop saying stuff like that. I'll be right back; I just need to go over the ridge to find some Squad 4 guys."

Captain's Meeting – The Seireitei

"I'm sorry for the interruption, sirs, but we've been informed that the away party into Hueco Mundo has received serious casualties and…" Byakuya's brain was traveling a million miles a minute. Was Renji okay? But also…was Ichigo…

"Excuse me. Do you know whether my lieutenant was injured?" Byakuya asked, interrupting the man.

"He is…" the man didn't finish, stopping to listen to the commotion at the door. Byakuya's spirits rose when he sensed who was making the racket. Of course it was Ichigo, who else had the capacity for such destructive… But, what was wrong with him? Byakuya frowned at the fluctuating spiritual pressure. He looked across to see every captain staring intently at the door.

"Please let Lieutenant Kurosaki in," Head Captain Yamamoto told the guards with a sigh. They opened the door to see Ichigo yelling at the doormen. He looked up and walked in, stumbling, splattering his blood on the ground.

"Ichigo!" his captain ran to him.

"Captain Ukitake," Ichigo said, looking at him. "Please you have to let me back. You have to let me go back!"

"What?"

"Renji…they dragged me off…they made me leave him there! God damn it, he's alive! He was just injured…why the hell…I have to…" Ichigo was becoming incoherent. He shambled over to Byakuya and raised a bloody fist to his haori, pulling on it to balance himself. "Byakuya, send someone for him, please… I'm begging you…" Tears were in his eyes.

"I will, of course, send people," Byakuya clasped that bloody hand and met those bloodshot eyes.

"Thank you…thank you so much," Ichigo said. "I-I can't hold it in any longer…" he said, falling to his knees.

Byakuya went white and bent down to the lieutenant. "Lieutenant Kurosaki, are you…"

Ichigo sighed and then a hundred wounds opened up at once, pouring out blood. His spiritual pressure dimmed and he fell to the wooden floor.

A/N: So a little everywhere so far, but do you like? This is going to be a slow burn ByakuyaxIchigo. Because you just know that even if they didn't have obstacles in the way they'd both be stubborn about it.