Where Bloodlust and Pride Meet: Part 2 - Beyond Death's Door

By Spunky0ne

(For Geecee! See, Spunky's got you covered. You want more Kenny/Bya, I've got more. And even more is on the way.)

(You asked for it, you got it...Byakuya having more babies, yup, that's a plural there! Lots of lovely banters and outbreaks of yaoi warrior love. This is one sequel that will nip eagerly at the heels of its predecessor. Read...enjoy and let me know what you think! Love to you, Spunky)

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Chapter 1: Multiples

Torio Kuchiki came out of sleep suddenly as a rising swell of powerful reiatsu rumbled through Kuchiki Manor, making the building shake forcefully and knocking over the decorative items that lined the shelves in his room. He didn't spend any time wondering what had caused the disturbance, but was on his feet instantly and flash stepping to the Kuchiki Clan leader's bedroom. He sensed that Byakuya was alone in the room and entered, smiling despite the rise of another throb of errant reiatsu that shook the building a second time and knocked over what hadn't been upset before.

"Lord Byakuya," he said in greeting, "Are you all right, sir?"

Byakuya sat up in bed, holding a hand to his enlarged abdomen and looking much paler than usual. He started to speak, but then paused and groaned uncomfortably, going a shade paler, before bursting out of bed and heading for the bathroom. Torio sighed sympathetically at the sounds of discomfort that followed and the heavy shake of a third reiatsu flare, then started towards the bathroom, whispering to a hell butterfly to summon the clan healer. He stopped in his tracks a moment later and looked back over his shoulder as a small, pink-haired girl appeared between the open garden doors.

"Ah, Yachiru!" he said, looking relieved, "So...Master Zaraki has returned?"

"Yup!" Yachiru confirmed happily, "We just got back. Would've been here sooner, but we got lost trying to find the crossover point and then Kenny started having fun fighting and forgot about getting back quickly to make his report. Old Gramps was sure angry! He roared loud enough to hear all the way to the eleventh barracks and said Kenny had to make his report in person. But he sent me to tell Byakushi he is on his way."

"Hmmm," Torio chuckled, good naturedly, his lively green eyes sparkling, "If he doesn't get lost on the way, ne?"

Yachiru giggled and eagerly accepted an offering of several candies from the Kuchiki attendant.

"Is he in there again?" she asked, as the sound of retching floated out from the bathroom, "Sounds like he's really sick. But it's just the babies, right?"

"Oh yes, you needn't worry. Lord Byakuya will be fine. I think we can go in now. It's gotten quiet. Come."

Yachiru bounded ahead of him, into the bathroom and skidded to a stop as she spotted Byakuya, sitting on the floor, near the toilet, his eyes closed and one slender hand rubbing his belly. He paused as she reached him, managing a look of greeting that fell well short of an actual smile, but making no argument as she took over rubbing his discomfited abdomen.

"Ah, good morning, Vice Captain," he said softly, "Do I take your presence to mean that my husband has returned?"

"Uh-huh!" Yachiru confirmed, slipping a piece of candy into her mouth, then holding out a hand.

Byakuya started to refuse, then spotted the teasing grin on her face and the sprig of fresh peppermint that laid in the palm of her hand.

"No candy for you!" the pink-haired girl announced, "Just some peppermint leaves."

"Yes," he agreed, slipping one into his mouth and savoring it slowly, "That is much better. Thank you, child."

He rested for a moment longer, then accepted Torio's hand and rose unsteadily, sighing as he couldn't help but notice how odd he looked.

I'm significantly bigger than I was with Kaminari. I've barely been able to go outside. I can't be seen like this. I'll be a laughingstock.

"Did Kenpachi say when he would be coming home?" Byakuya asked, frowning as a sharp twinge passed through his belly.

"He said to stop your nagging and he'll get here after the old man finishes handing him his ass and he can't help it if you're unbalanced. He rubbed your tummy all night before he left and he thinks he hasn't stopped trying to balance you since Captain Unohana said you were knocked up, and good this time!"

"That's sounds like something he'd say," the noble said, an edge of rising anger in his voice.

A soft rumble passed through the manor, prompting Torio to excuse himself quickly to make tea.

Yachiru grabbed Byakuya's hand and led him out into his room, then through the open doors, into the gardens. But as soon as his footsteps sounded on the walkway, a sharp wail pierced the air and Byakuya grabbed his aching belly and cringed. He started towards Kaminari's room, but stopped and stared as Yachiru dashed away, then returned a moment later with the tot pressed to her shoulder, and no longer crying, but cooing softly.

"Oh, arigato, Vice Captain," the noble said, regaining some of his poise as Yachiru rejoined him, and they started slowly across the lawn.

A moment later, a younger, blue-eyed cousin joined them.

"Lord Byakuya!" he said, flash stepping to the clan leader's side, "Torio said that you were feeling poorly. Is there something I can do?"

"I am fine, thank you, Tetsuya," Byakuya said, forcing himself to straighten, despite the discomfort it caused, "Yachiru was kind enough to bring some fresh peppermint from the gardens and Torio is making a pot of ginger tea."

"Well, at least allow me to join you on a walk around the gardens," his cousin insisted.

"Very well," Byakuya sighed, hating the feeling of being watched over like a child.

Tetsuya noted the look on the clan leader's handsome face and smiled at him.

"Not to worry. It won't be much longer. And then, you will look and feel more like yourself again."

"At very least, I'll be able to be seen in public," the Kuchiki heir said in a piqued tone, "I can barely step outside my door and haven't dared attend a council meeting. What they would think..."

"Lord Byakuya," Tetsuya chided his cousin, "Everyone knows that you are with child, and they certainly don't hold it against you. You needn't be so self-conscious."

"Says the man who wasn't impregnated with a litter of babies by that beastly barbarian!" Byakuya huffed, "I know that the head captain didn't order him to take that last mission. He just got tired of looking at me and not being able to..."

He paused, looking at Yachiru for a moment and reconsidering his words.

"Not be able to think of a proper use for me," he finished, meeting Tetsuya's eyes meaningfully, "He was happy enough to make the little demons, but he isn't the kind to hang around and actually deal with the result of his actions. Let us just be honest. He finds me boring this way. He has taken repeated missions because I cannot keep his interest while..."

Tetsuya saw the hint of tears and acted quickly.

"Don't talk like that," he said, shaking his head reprovingly, "You know that isn't true. Master Zaraki is very much in love with you. But he is a captain, just as you are, and while you are on leave, he is only taking on more because things have been busy."

Byakuya felt a soft quiver inside as he considered the recent increase in odd sightings.

"You are probably right," he said, frowning, "A lot has been going on. The strange appearances, but lack of reiatsu traces to identify the intruders...the testing of our defenses by unseen perpetrators. I should be more involved in the investigation, not lying about, eating too much, getting sick all of the time and just growing as big as a house."

His eye caught his reflection in a koi pond as they passed, and he turned his head away quickly.

"I can't even look at myself anymore. Why would he want to look at me?" Byakuya said in a softer, hurt tone.

"What the hell is that bullshit you're spouting?" said a rough, gravelly voice behind them, "Are those little bastards I put in you cutting off the flow of blood to your brain and you can't think straight?"

Byakuya's lips tightened and he turned his head away, scowling. Tetsuya and Yachiru exchanged knowing glances.

"Please excuse us," Tetsuya said, bowing briefly, "We will rejoin you after your walk, for tea."

"Yeah," said Kenpachi, grinning as he studied Byakuya's stiffened pose and furious expression, "I've got this."

Byakuya started to walk away, but inhaled in surprise as he was taken off his feet and carried off, down the forest trail.

"Put me down, you ridiculous baboon!" he complained angrily, "You don't have to carry me!"

"Aww, I've carried things a lot heavier than you," Kenpachi said, smirking at him, "Big hollows, living world cars. Once I carried a...Oof!"

He nearly dropped the noble as Byakuya elbowed him sharply and struggled to free himself.

"Hey, you wanna not do that?" the bigger man complained, "It's not nice to tease me like that when I can't hit you back, you know."

"F-fuck you!" Byakuya seethed, his reiatsu flaring around them, "Put me down, you overgrown monkey! I've no need to be carried around by you and listen to your horrid insults!"

"Aww, I wasn't insulting you," Kenpachi said, still smirking, "I was pointing out that there are still lots of things bigger than you."

"Ugh!" Byakuya groaned, ceasing his struggles as a painful tremor passed through his abdomen, "You're awful! But fine. Just do whatever you want, then. I don't care."

Kenpachi came to a stop next to Byakuya's favorite waterfall and set the noble back on his feet beneath a small, pretty sakura tree on a cliff that overlooked a lovely blue lake and deep green meadow.

"Relax, will you?" the bigger man said, pulling him down and sliding in behind him.

Byakuya bristled and gave a scathing reply, but quickly fell quiet again as his husband's hands slid down beneath his yukata and caressed his swollen belly slowly. Soft, white light flared gently around Kenpachi's rough hands as he infused his uncomfortable mate's body with stabilizing reiatsu.

"You see," Kenpachi said in that softer, rumbling voice that entered into the Kuchiki heir's ear and moved straight down to his long neglected loins, "You're okay. You just got a little unbalanced while I was gone. This is all you need. Just shut up now and let me make you feel better, okay?"

"Oh, if only that meant what..."

He stopped himself, blushing brightly at having let the words escape him. Kenpachi's deep, rumbling laugh warmed his back and sent another jolt of longing through him.

"Don't worry. We'll get to that too."

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya sighed, closing his eyes and resting the back of his head on Kenpachi's muscular shoulder, "I doubt you could find the way in, let alone enter it, the way I am now. No wonder you don't want to be here. I know there are much more interesting things out there."

"Stop talking nonsense," Kenpachi said, stealing a kiss, then cursing as he pulled away, nursing a bitten lip, "You're just feeling sorry for yourself. You shouldn't look at things that way."

"What way am I supposed to look at things?" Byakuya said sourly, "I am not a brood mare, Kenpachi. I am a captain and a clan leader. I wasn't meant to be powerless, barefoot and carrying kami knows how many babies! I'm a disgrace."

Kenpachi grabbed his face and glared into his eyes meaningfully.

"I'm gonna tell you one more time to cut the bullshit," he said warningly, "And you'd better listen to me. You're no disgrace. You're fucking beautiful barefoot, pregnant and carrying a load of our babies. And you'll be beautiful once you dump them out and you're back out on the battlefield, bloody, spitting petal blades and tearing hollows to shreds. I don't care which one you are at the moment, and you shouldn't either. Quit your pissing and moaning and stop feeling sorry for yourself. I'm home now. I'm on leave until the babies are born, so shut it! You need stabilizing, I've got it covered. You want ginger tea and peppermint leaves, Torio can handle it. And if you're so hot to get fucked, I'm sure we can find a way to do that too. In fact, I'm kinda horny from the balancing right now. What say we give it a go?"

"You're repulsive! Get away from me!" Byakuya hissed, breaking free of him and starting to stand.

"Oh, you wanna play hard to get, huh?" Kenpachi laughed, yanking him down again and observing his partially revealed nether region, "Well, I wouldn't do too much of that with your own thing being so swollen like that. It might explode."

"Shut up!" the noble fumed as Kenpachi's hands captured him again and stripped his nightclothes away, "Let go of me!"

He grabbed Byakuya's wrists and forced his arms down, kneeling and embracing him tightly from behind.

"You're not going anywhere, princess," the bigger man breathed hotly in the angry noble's flushed ear, "Even if not for the fact I know you want it, you got me riled. And you don't do that, then refuse to take care of it for me. You're a noble. You should know that's not good manners."

"And what would a primitive caveman like yourself know about m-manners!" Byakuya managed as Kenpachi's hand pressed against his back, bringing him down onto his hands and knees and pushing his head and shoulders down low, "You've not even learned to...ah...w-walk upright!"

He groaned as wetted fingers invaded, stopping his words and making him pant harshly and rest his burning cheek on the cool grass. He went quiet as their bodies were suddenly joined, and his husband's strong, impatient thrusts relayed that he wasn't the only one who had felt neglected.

"I don't have to be able to walk upright to do this to you, princess."

"Stop calling me that!" Byakuya panted, closing his eyes against the swell of heavy sensation and gripping emotion that went with it.

Their words disappeared into hungry gasps and ringing moans as their pleasure mounted and finally overtook them. Byakuya screamed heedlessly in release, almost losing awareness as they started to collapse together, and Kenpachi rolled them onto one side. They laid still together, their chests heaving and their breaths short and quick as they worked to recover themselves. And the mingled scents of sweet flowers, water, crushed grass blended with their more masculine aromas, leaving Byakuya nearly senseless with their beauty. He rested more calmly in his husband's strong arms, feeling his own strength seeping back into him and regaining more of his more regal bearing as Kenpachi's attentions stoked his failing pride.

How is it that just this man's presence can bring me back to myself this way? It is beyond understanding...impossible...yet undeniable.

"I love you, Kuchiki."

Byakuya frowned.

"That is Byakuya Zaraki-Kuchiki," he corrected the other man stiffly.

"Whatever," the bigger man sighed, letting his hands wander over Byakuya's swollen belly and smiling, "You're fucking beautiful, filled up with our babies. I know you don't like it sometimes, because it makes you feel weak, but you don't know how good it feels to look at you...to put my hands on you and hold you like this."

"Then, why have you been away so much?" Byakuya aksed quietly.

"Oh that?" Kenpachi said, smirking, "Captain Unohana said that I had to go easier or I might send you into early labor before. You're far enough along now. We can have all of the fun we want. It'd be good to get your labor going now. Sooner the better, I think. we need to get you in fighting shape again."

Byakuya froze for a moment, ignoring the obvious attempt to rile him as he took in those last words.

He's worried.

I wonder what he found while he was out there that has him feeling that way.

Aizen is under control, and although Ichigo Kurosaki is losing his powers, there haven't been any real threats to us.

What is it then?

What do you see approaching us?

"Is there going to be trouble?" he asked, keeping his voice calm.

"Yeah," Kenpachi answered, catching his eye, "I don't know what kind of trouble, but...yeah."

Byakuya looked down at his cumbersome belly and laced his fingers together with his husband's where they rested there.

"Not to worry. I will be finished with this and ready to fight soon."

"Good."

Kenpachi gave him a teasing smile.

"Cause you're kind of a bitch when you're moody. I want you back in order so we can spar physically and with our words."

"That's the best way," Byakuya agreed, "Then, I can give you the beating you truly deserve."

"Not if I beat you first, beautiful."

"Shut up, you're making me sick again."

"C'mere and kiss me some more. I missed you."

"You're delusional."

"And you're making me hard again."

"Hmmm, when do I not?"

"Good question, now shut up and kiss me!"

"I wouldn't kiss you if you were..."

His words ended suddenly as he was rolled onto his back and his mouth was invaded forcefully. They left off speaking then, embracing the cool of the morning, the freshness of the scene around them and the flooding warmth of their connection.

From a short distance away, in the shadows, a pair of dark, malevolent eyes watched them closely.