The Tiger Beneath the Sakura Tree

Chapter 5

Once again, Byakuya was very close to revealing some emotion, by expressing it in terms of bodily harm on other people. Namely, Zoro.

Zoro folded his arms and stared back at him. "Like I said, I'm sick of that cell, so let me come home with you."

Sanji was snorting with laughter in the corner, so Zoro had to turn and kick him in the shin. Sanji kept laughing as he was half-heartedly spouting back insults and holding his shin.

Byakuya had to take several deep breaths before he was able to reply verbally. "You…have a mind like a lump of lead. How you manage to perform day-to-day function with it astounds me."

Sanji collapsed against the wall, banging his fist against it in poorly restrained laughter.

Zoro frowned, then tilted his head. "Is that a 'no', or what?"

"Is it a 'no'?" Byakuya repeated, with barely any volume at all. He took another deep breath before continuing. Then his face grew dark, his eyes turned arctic cold, and even Zoro had to shiver. "Perhaps you should test your theory." His hand came to rest butterfly-soft on Senbonzakura's hilt, with controlled power in every fingertip. "You can still swordfight without arms, am I right?"

After a moment of real trepidation, Zoro glanced away in a pout.

Behind these two, Renji was looking quietly at Sanji as he laughed. He said, trying to sound casual, "You must be sick of this place too."

"Hm?" Sanji muttered, grinning and wiping a tear from his eye. "Oh. Well, I'm sick of this moron, if that's what you mean. But I don't really care where I sleep, as long as I can have a nice bath."

Renji cast his gaze aside for a moment, biting his lip. Then he blushed, and started sort of fidgeting. Sanji noticed, though his grin was not completely faded. "My…quarters has an ensuite bath," he murmured almost under his breath.

Sanji raised an eyebrow at him, watching his hesitant mannerisms. Then he rested his chin on his hand; this left him with a tough decision. He very much liked teasing this man. Renji didn't seem to mind it either: on the contrary, lately he seemed to be growing more and more attached to Sanji. But there was a problem.

This shinigami was way too cute. Even the way he was blushing and trying to look tough at the same time, the way he was brazenly offering to let Sanji stay with him, even though his commanding officer was obviously so against it (though Sanji really sympathized with Byakuya there). And he was really sexy. Every time they'd fooled around so far, Sanji was always stunned at how much he reacted to this enormous, muscular man. But facts were facts, and in fact he was very attracted to him, making teasing, in this case, difficult.

Another fact that must not be denied was that they had yet to have full sex, just fooling around. And so far, Sanji had been doing most of the work, making his slight sexual frustration another reason to tease the big oaf. But…he couldn't deny, he would like to share a bed with this man. The question was this: was it more fun to tease him now, or fuck him now and tease him later?

Sanji contemplated for a few seconds. Then he grinned up at the shinigami. "You know? I actually don't mind it here. I mean, like I said, I don't really care where I sleep, but then again, I don't have a very good reason to go out of my way to move, do I?"

Renji's face fell. He looked distracted for a moment, then finally said, "I wasn't really offering. Just mentioning it. Bye," he said, and was suddenly walking away.

"Hey!" Sanji called after him, with a sudden pang of guilt. But he was not waiting around.

Zoro and Byakuya both stared at Sanji for a moment. Then Byakuya nodded. "There you have it. Goodbye."

"You too, huh?" Zoro asked him bitterly as they passed one another. Byakuya merely closed his eyes arrogantly and continued after Renji.

Sanji and Zoro glanced at one another, then both sighed. "Here we are again, huh?"

Zoro shook his head. "Hell with this. I'm sleeping on the roof."

"Nh," Sanji grunted, waving half-heartedly with his back turned as Zoro left. Sanji flopped down on his bed. That was a huge mistake, wasn't it? He sighed heavily. Then his eyes flicked open again. No, not necessarily.

He got out of bed. He put his hands in his pockets and wandered around for a bit before finding someone still working. The shinigami looked at him in amazement, since apparently his and Zoro's presence was still novel to them. Sanji got directions from him, and left.

In part, Sanji really didn't want to hurt Renji's feelings. But also, it had occurred to him that a crying Renji would be really cute. And he really wanted to see that. He arrived at the door the shinigami had directed him to, and paused for a moment. Then he knocked.

"What is it?" came Renji's official-sounding voice.

Sanji grinned, wondering if Renji could recognize his voice. In case he could, he lowered it a bit and said, "Delivery for you, Fukutaichou." He covered his mouth to stop from giggling.

"Delivery?" came Renji's voice suspiciously. There was a sound from movement from inside, and as he opened the door he said, "What kind of d-…"

"A kiss-o-gram!" Sanji said, holding his arms out with a big grin.

Renji stared at him for a moment. Then he gritted his teeth, went bright red and slammed the door.

Oh, well that's no fun, Sanji thought. He leaned against the door, sadly. "I was only teasing earlier. Won't you let me in?"

A pause. "I don't need your pity."

Sanji sighed. This was getting far too serious. And anyway, what was this aching in his chest? "Why would I pity you?" he said softly, pressing his hand against the door.

This time the pause was longer, and when it came the voice was soft and broke a little. "Never mind. Go back to bed, I'll see you in the morning."

Sanji sighed, leaning against the door. If any other man had said so, he would probably leave. But Renji wasn't a woman. So why did Sanji feel the need to comfort him? Sanji slid down and sat with his back against the door. He folded his arms and leaned his head against it, thinking.

"I don't really mind where I sleep. Since you won't let me in, I might as well sleep out here."

"Don't sleep there. Go to bed," Renji answered instantly.

Sanji smiled a bit and rapped the back of his knuckle softly against the door, like a cat wanting to be let in. "Isn't your bed big enough for me?"

There was a scoff and then a long pause. "Can't you just go? I don't like this," Renji murmured.

Sanji frowned. "Don't like what?"

Then, Renji gave Sanji a huge shock. "…feeling alone."

Sanji's eyes widened. In surprise, he murmured, "Won't you be less alone if I'm with you?"

"It's being with you that makes me feel alone."

Sanji felt as if his chest shattered. He was in shock for a few moments, gazing down in front of him. He'd never been told something so horrible before. He couldn't think of anything to say.

"I'm…a virgin," Renji murmured. Sanji glanced back at the door. "I'm a man. I don't have any experience, and I always suffer because of it. I can see, you know… You don't need to tell me how little you think of me." Sanji's chest ached, and he shut his eyes tightly. "Still, I tried to accept that at first. But it's unexpectedly painful to know I'm just a tool for you to amuse yourself."

Sanji turned to face the door on his knees and thumped his head against it. What could he say? After what he'd been thinking, even on the walk over here, how could anything he said mean anything? Additionally, for some reason some drops of water fell on his knees. His eyes were stinging too, but he wasn't sure why. He gritted his teeth.

"If you understand, then you should go back to bed," Renji continued, softly.

What could he say? Sanji wracked his brain trying to think of something that would make any of that sound better, but he couldn't. Even if a credible lie came to mind, his guilt was weighing his chest too deeply to lie. He was quiet for a long time.

Eventually, when he didn't hear sounds of him leaving, Renji murmured, "Sanji?"

Some of the pain in Sanji's heart lifted. He wasn't sure he'd heard Renji say his name directly before. Still, it didn't help with the situation. Sanji sighed, pressing his head against the door.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm going."

He did not realize until he spoke that his voice broke. And though he said he would go, somehow his legs just wouldn't carry him. He stroked the door with his fingers. What kind of idiot was he, to get all out of sorts over a man?

He did not realize that the nature of his voice had caught Renji's attention. The shinigami rose from his desk. He stayed there for a moment, staring at the door and still hearing no sounds of movement. Slowly, he walked toward it. He pressed a hand against it. "Sanji?"

Sanji still said nothing, pressing his fingertips to the door, as well as, unconsciously, his ear, in the hopes that Renji would speak again. There was another long pause, then slowly the door opened. As the light from the room slowly came down on him, Sanji kept his head lowered. He was too embarrassed and torn up, he couldn't look Renji in the eye.

Renji took a step backward in shock. "Sanji…" he murmured.

Sanji clenched his fists over his knees. "I won't come in," he said. "I'll leave before you get up. I just want to stay here."

Sanji should really have looked up at that moment, because the thing he'd wanted to see when he first arrived was happening now. In a disbelieving voice, Renji murmured, "Is this another game?"

At the sound of crying in his voice, Sanji's head flew up. In the process of course, he revealed the sorry state of his own face, but he didn't care about that now.

Renji's eyes and cheeks were red, his whole body was lightly trembling, and his gaze cast sweetly away. Several tears dripped down his cheeks. "You're a good actor, and I'm stupid about these things, so you have to tell me. I don't know."

Sanji gave a hesitant smile. "I'll tell you if you let me in."

Renji sniffed, then grabbed Sanji by the shoulders, both pulling him to his feet and pulling him inside the room. Sanji was surprised again. He hadn't even grunted in effort, and Sanji's feet briefly left the floor. This man's strength was incredible. In any case, since Renji had grown silent again, and wouldn't let go of his shoulders, Sanji gently pushed the door closed with his foot.

Renji still held Sanji's shoulders, looking at the floor in front of him. Sanji leaned his soft blonde hair against one of Renji's hands. Then he asked him, "Can I touch you?"

Renji swallowed, and his trembling increased, but he hesitantly nodded.

Sanji took Renji's face in his hands. He gazed deeply up into his eyes. Then he stood on his toes, and softly lapped up Renji's tears with his tongue. At length he kissed his eyelids, then pulled back. Renji was panting, his face tortured, but his body was reacting to Sanji's every move.

Sanji pulled down Renji's face to rest their foreheads together. Sanji stroked his bright red hair as he spoke, noticing it was in a braid instead of the usual ponytail. "Why do I tease you, why do I like you, or something you don't know about me. You can pick one this time. More another day, maybe."

Renji blinked at him. He thought for a moment. Softly he muttered, "Something I don't know."

Sanji nodded. "Good choice. But you're not going to believe me when I tell you."

"Okay."

Sanji took a deep breath. "I hate men."

Renji deflated with a huge sigh. "Are you messing with me? Seriously?"

"Come on now, pay attention. I really do hate men. I grew up with a bunch of contemptible, magnificent bastards, and as a result I love women so much I barely acknowledge any other existence. So obviously, I could never get hard for a man."

Renji looked confused and hurt. "So…you were thinking of me as a woman?"

Sanji konked their heads together in annoyance. "Would you listen? Ugh. I could never get hard for a man. Could never care for another man. Could never purposefully want to spend time with a man. So do you think I break all these precepts of my character, just to idly tease someone? Because I was bored?"

Suddenly, Renji's eyes started to widen. Then his cheeks started filling with color.

"So here's the thing you don't know: in spite of how I may seem, I'm just as inexperienced as you. So…does that…I mean…"

Sanji grew hesitant, blushing, but there was no need. Renji trembled for a moment or two, then he lifted his head and pressed a firm kiss to Sanji's lips. Sanji melted into it, his body giving him pleasurable sensations telling him how much he'd been wanting this. He met Renji's kiss and pulled them together even harder. In a gap, Renji gasped sweetly against his lips. Sanji's body lit up, way too ready to do some very bad things to this nice young man.

Sanji pressed a few more kisses to Renji's lips and then held his face to reluctantly pull apart briefly. "Renji…" he whispered, and the other man shivered, leaning into his hand. "I want to cum inside you. Is that bad?"

Renji gasped, panting heavily just at the suggestion. Sanji observed this, and surreptitiously moved one hand around to the small of Renji's back to hold him. Then he thrust their hips together.

"Ah!" Renji cried, grasping on to him and shaking. There it was; the face that simultaneously struck Sanji's heart and his crotch with undeniable passion.

Sanji deeply kissed his neck and then whispered in his ear, "Can you feel how much I want you?" He thrust them together again, provoking another sweet gasp. "It makes no sense. But you're just so precious, I want to cover you in my scent so no one else can touch you. I want to mark you as mine from the inside out." He licked Renji's ear, and by now Renji's knees were going weak. "Let me paint your insides with my cum."

Now with both hands, he grabbed Renji's ass and thrust their hips hard together. Renji moaned loudly, his fingers digging into Sanji's shoulders. His voice slowly faded, but his body kept on twitching. Sanji smirked with a hint of surprise.

He affectionately licked some drool from the corner of Renji's mouth, "That was fast," he pronounced.

Renji was panting and bright red. "I…I'm sorry…I don't…"

Sanji kissed him hard again. "Don't say anything. Tell me I can come inside you."

Renji moaned even at the suggestion, resting some of his weight on Sanji. "Sanji…" he whispered, passionately.

Sanji's cheeks lit up with color. He swallowed. "Okay, that's it," he said. With some effort, he picked a surprised Renji up in his arms, carried him over and dumped him on the bed. He immediately climbed on top of him, not wanting to give him a chance to escape. "I can't hold back anymore, so if you want me to stop, you're just going to have to fight me."

Saying this, he yanked apart Renji's night kimono and sucked down hard on his nipple.

"Ahh!" Renji cried, holding Sanji's head and unconsciously shifting his hips.

Sanji found himself moaning slightly as he ran his hands all over Renji's body. He untied his obi and parted the light garment so Renji was in his fundoshi only. Both Renji and Sanji blushed, since Sanji had never seen him undressed this far before.

"So you do go traditional all the way," Sanji murmured, losing most of his propriety with his lust. He didn't notice how his mouth was watering. He moved slowly down the bed and started stroking Renji over the wrapped cotton garment.

Renji's back arched and he moaned. Then he managed, "Wait…I just came…it's sensitive…"

Sanji chuckled hesitantly, unable to pull his gaze away from the hard outline, and also the wet spot from before. "That's sort of the point," he murmured. "Man. Who would have guessed I'd be lusting after a fundoshi?"

Renji blushed, but blinked in confusion. "What?" And then through his head back again. "Ohhh!"

Sanji had wrapped his mouth around Renji's reawakened cock, over his fundoshi. Renji could not stay still, writhing and seemingly looking for a way out. His hands alternately buried themselves in the bed sheets and in Sanji's hair.

Finally, Renji gained his voice, "S-Sanji...not just…my cock…do more…"

Sanji took in a quick breath, staring at him. He needed no further encouragement. He deftly untied Renji's fundoshi and tossed the fabric aside. Then he propped Renji's hips up on his elbows and promptly thrust his tongue inside him.

Renji wailed, arching his back. "Ah…no…not your…ahh!"

Sanji paid him not the slightest bit of attention. He felt his cock hardening even further as he thought about the fact that he was fucking Renji with his tongue. More than that, even if Renji wasn't writhing in unbridled pleasure, it was clear judging by the precum leaking from his tip that he was not unhappy about this. Renji's moans soon went from desperate to passionate.

He was unconsciously telling Sanji what places felt best, and Sanji remembered them. Then he briefly removed his tongue and kissed Renji's rear a few times. "Renji," he asked in a husky voice. "Do you have any lotion?"

It took Renji a few moments to return to sanity. Half-heartedly, he gestured to the bathroom. Sanji quickly got up and retrieved some hand lotion, which would do just fine. While Renji was still recovering, his forearm resting over his eyes, Sanji unhesitantingly spread the lotion over Renji's asshole.

Renji jumped. "Oh…it's cold…"

Sanji bent down and kissed Renji on the cheek. "Not for long, though."

Sanji swirled his finger around the opening for a while, already causing Renji to bite his lip and shudder, then finally pushed one finger inside. Renji grunted, and Sanji glanced up at him.

"Did it hurt?"

Renji shook his head. "Not much."

Sanji continued, knowing from his experience with women that anal sex was often tough at first. He dragged his finger in and out slowly, and gradually increased the speed. When it looked like Renji's face was free of tension, he started to wiggle his finger around inside him. Renji's eyes widened.

He gasped, then murmured, "Wait…that's…don't', I…ahhh!"

As Sanji brushed a somewhat hard area inside Renji, roughly beneath his balls, Renji's whole body tensed, and precum streamed from the tip of his cock. Sanji's eyes widened. "Was that…your prostate maybe?" He blushed. "I've heard women say their boyfriends love it, but…never tried it myself. What does it feel like?"

Renji buried his face in his hands. "Please…no more…If I talk about it, I'll remember…I don't want to cum yet…"

Sanji's eyes widened. "That good?"

"Sanji…!" Renji pleaded.

Sanji smiled. "Sorry. I'll save that spot for later then. Just hang on a few more minutes."

He pressed another finger inside him. This time, the tension in Renji's face only lasted a moment, and then lust returned. Sanji was blushing. Renji's facial expressions really drove him crazy. Soon enough, he added a third finger too, and this time Renji's only reaction was a slight furrowing of his brows, and then his passionate gasps returned.

But this time, as he was driving his fingers deeper, Sanji pressed his thumb against an area between Renji's hole and his balls. Renji jolted, gasping, but said nothing. Sanji grinned. He knew about this one from personal experience.

He continued to thrust his fingers inside him, but with his other hand he vigorously rubbed his perineum with his thumb. Renji was twitching and moaning desperately, looking for a way out from all this pleasure.

Finally he gasped, "No! I'm going to cum!"

Sanji couldn't wait anymore. He took his fingers from Renji, causing the other man to sigh, then he moved up and straddled Renji's chest. He stroked his hair.

"If you don't think it's gross, will you do me a favor?" he asked, panting and feeling hot.

Renji blushed heavily, looking at Sanji's cock. He swallowed, then with the sexiest expression Sanji had ever seen, gently took it into his mouth. Sanji moaned and hissed through his teeth, holding Renji's head. Renji's mouth was so hot. He started unconsciously thrusting his hips inside Renji's mouth, but to his shock, instead of gasping or choking, Renji closed his eyes and started to moan.

Sanji couldn't believe it, so he tested it by tilting Renji's head slightly so he could get further down his throat. This time Renji did gag a little, but plaintively looking up at Sanji, then swallowed and moaned again as he tried the move himself. Sanji groaned. So Renji was just a natural? It must be, he thought. I've never seen a woman get turned on by sucking my cock.

Sanji could easily cum from this, but would be very disappointed if he didn't get it in Renji's ass tonight. So with the most self-restraint he had ever shown in his life, he pulled away. He panted for a moment, watching Renji's lusty gaze.

Then he grabbed Renji by the hips and flipped him over so he was on all fours. He hugged him from behind briefly, rubbing his cock along the seam between Renji's buttocks. Renji was already moaning. Sanji kissed his back.

"It'll probably hurt at first. Are you ready?"

Renji nodded, panting hard.

Sanji reached down to line himself up outside Renji's warm hole. Finally, he slowly pushed the tip inside. Both men gasped and breathed harder at the sensation, and Renji's elbows grew weak. It took many long moments for Sanji to get all of himself inside Renji's wet warmth, and by the time he finished, his body was wracked with pleasure and he could hardly think. He had to hold back from pounding inside him. But he had to know how Renji was doing.

"Renji," Sanji murmured softly, holding him. "It's all in. Can I move?"

But at this point, Sanji shifted and got a look at Renji's profile. Renji's mouth was hanging open, drool coming out of one corner. His breath was uneven and his face flush with color. He almost looked shocked, almost in pain, but then a bit of his voice escaped, and Sanji's eyes widened.

Renji half turned, still gasping. He desperately managed, "So…good…"

That was when Sanji's brain exploded. He stared at Renji for a few moments. He swallowed. Then he grasped Renji's hips and growled at him, "You'd better take responsibility."

He slammed himself inside again. Renji moaned, arching his back in a mix of slight pain and incredible pleasure. Sanji could tell now from his voice that he was feeling it as much or more than Sanji, and Sanji was going to make him feel it so hard he'd lose his mind. He pounded Renji's hot body, more and more losing himself to the sensation.

"Ah…ah…Sanji!" Renji cried, throwing his head back over and over like a limp doll. "So good…there…higher….ahhh! Yes! It's so good! Sanji!"

Sanji's face went bright red and his cock ached. He'd heard women say similar things before, so it made no sense that he was losing his power to think with so much lust and pleasure as Renji said it. But he couldn't help it. He wanted Renji to cum so hard.

Without stopping his thrusts, he leaned down toward Renji's ear. "Where is it good? Hm? Here?" He pulled out until only the tip was in, using shallow thrusts to hit near Renji's prostate. Renji moaned loudly, his hips shaking. "Here?" Sanji slammed it in him as deep as it would go, over and over. Renji gritted his teeth with a passionate cry. "Or somewhere in between?"

This time, he rolled his hips so his cock was stroking the middle of Renji's insides. Renji nearly screamed. "There! A little further…ahh…ahh…Sanji…don't stop!"

Now Sanji lost his ability to tease. Desperately he panted as he fucked him, "I won't but…don't complain to me tomorrow!"

He banged Renji's insides so hard that before long, they both lost control. Even though he had cum already, Renji was the first, screaming Sanji's name and spraying his own sheets with cum. As he came, Renji's hole tightened around Sanji, who'd already been at his limit. His fingers bit hard into Renji's skin, he gritted his teeth and cried out as he poured his cum inside the other man. They both lay twitching for minutes afterward.

Eventually, Sanji had the presence of mind to pull out, and collapsed next to Renji. After a few moments, he muttered, "Shit."

"Mm," Renji murmured in agreement.

They were silent for a long time after, and Sanji felt himself getting sleepy, so he closed his eyes. Then an unusual sound made him open them again. He glanced over at Renji. Like something out of a porn film, though Sanji had been fucking him silly only moments ago, Renji's fingers were softly thrusting inside his asshole as he panted and let out small noises of pleasure. Sanji stared at him, trembling. Then he gritted his teeth.

He threw his arms around Renji, startling him. "You asshole!" Sanji cried.

"Wha-…I wasn't…why…?" Renji stammered.

"Wake me up if you're going to do that kind of thing! Damn it! How can you be so sexy, but so clueless about sex?! Let me do you again."

"Huh?! Well…um…okay."