Holiday Baking: Kuchiki Manor: Shattered Moon Series #13
By Spunky0ne
(I think this is the perfect time to bring this story back. I added a cute little piece I had forgotten to include in the original version (where the children search for the escaped Wakame Taishi!). This brought back a lot of fond memories and put me in the spirit to finish up The Rift! I should have a chapter on that soon, as well as the other oneshot that still hasn't been reposted. Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! Love you all, Spunky)
The hell butterfly arrived just as Captain Renji Abarai put the last touches on his final report and placed it in his outbox. Thinking it would be yet another last minute request from the captain commander, he shook his head and motioned for the insect to deliver its message.
"Captain Abarai," said Captain Unohana's soft voice, "Your presence is required in the fourth division. Rikichi just arrived with Byakuya. He says that Byakuya lost consciousness during their training at the sixth division…"
He didn't hear the rest of the message because he was already out the door of the fifth division and flash stepping as quickly as his feet would carry him. He shot down the streets of the Seireitei, angling around the holiday shoppers and shinigamis returning home from work, then raced up the stairs and into the fourth division.
"Renji!" said Rikichi, "he's in the room straight ahead with Captain Unohana. She said to send you in when you arrived."
Renji muttered a short answer and turned toward the examination room, his heart skipping painfully. He burst into the room and was instantly relieved to see Byakuya sitting up and saying something to Captain Unohana. The healer smiled at Renji as he flash stepped to the bed and slipped an arm around Byakuya.
"I just got Captain Unohana's message. What happened?" the red-haired captain asked quickly.
"I'm fine, Renji," Byakuya assured him, "Rikichi and I were training using ban kai and the extended use of power drained me somewhat."
Renji rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Don't give me that!" he said reprovingly, "You don't pass out from ban kai training, Bya!"
"No," agreed Unohana, smiling at the two, "but Byakuya is right that you should not worry."
"So it's not serious?" asked Renji.
"No," said Captain Unohana firmly, "it is not serious…and it will resolve itself on its own…"
"It will?" Renji queried.
"Yes," said the healer, "in about nine months. You see, Byakuya is with child…again."
The two men looked at each other and broke into smiles.
"It must have been the night of our anniversary," Byakuya said, squeezing Renji's hand.
"Yeah," Renji laughed, "between all of the kid's stuff and our work at our divisions, there aren't so many other possibilities."
"Erm," said Captain Unohana, "Am I to assume that the two of you had Little Hajime give Captain Kuchiki another "magical hug?""
"Actually, no," Byakuya said calmly, "The spirit king told us that he would ease the way if we decided we wanted any more children."
"And I guess six just wasn't enough for us…" Renji said, grinning widely, "so we made number seven."
"Seven being a luckier number than six, ne?" chuckled Byakuya.
"So we needn't worry this time about the ability of your body to handle the changes?"
"No," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "We were told it would be easier this time."
Captain Unohana shook her head gently and continued the examination.
"You appear to be perfectly healthy, as does your baby. You are free to go home. Just make an appointment with Isane before you go."
Byakuya and Renji left the examination room and booked the appointment then flash stepped out of the healing center and back towards home.
"So, how shall we tell the children?" asked Byakuya.
Renji thought for a moment.
"Well, we're baking cookies to take to the Rukongai for the kids in Inuzuri. We should tell them when we get back from that."
Byakuya nodded in approval and the two continued flash stepping back to the manor.
XXXXXXXXXX
"All right," Renji said, sniffing the air as he stepped into the kitchen with Byakuya at his side, "Where's my cookies?!"
"You can't have any yet! We're still baking them!" announced Hajime, from where he stood on a chair dumping ingredients into bowls for Takeshi, Chisaki and Takeo to mix.
Flour floated in the air all around the kitchen and happy squeaks and squeals sounded from across the room, where Akane and Akiko rolled balls of dough that Cousin Shoji put on trays and carried to the oven.
"Have you made the special cookie to hide for our game?" asked Byakuya.
"Oh yes!" squealed Hajime, "Wakame Taishi is over there cooling!"
Byakuya and Renji crossed the room to where the seaweed ambassador shaped cookie rested on the smaller table, cooling. Byakuya nodded in approval, then walked over to join the toddler twins at the children's table in the corner.
"You are doing a very good job of rolling the dough," he said, kneeling at the table and moving to join them rolling the dough.
Renji went into the dining room and set out twenty brightly decorated holiday buckets to hold the cookies. He went back into the kitchen and sneaked up behind Hajime, wrapping an arm around his waist and dragging him off his chair, kicking and squealing.
"Arrrrrrr!" growled Renji, playfully, "I have the best cookie now!"
He held Hajime up in the air and spun in a circle.
"First, I'll make you dizzy with my lightning spin and then I'll eat you all up!" he cried.
"Dad, look out!" cried Takeshi as the red-haired captain turned and toppled over another pulled out chair.
He crashed down onto the table, throwing ingredients in all directions, coating the bakers with flour, sugar, eggs and colored sprinkles.
"Oh…sh…" he began, then saw Byakuya's narrowed eyes.
"Shoot!" Renji sighed, picking himself up and looking to see if Hajime had landed well.
Byakuya rose, shaking his head and fished the laughing boy out of a sea of mush, placing him on the ground, just as Renji tried to get up and upended a bowl of flour. The white flour rained down onto the wet and messy Hajime's body, turning him into a cute, white monster.
Hajime descended into a fit of giggles as Chisaki tried to clean him off, then dashed off and closed in on Akiko and Akane, growling and snarling.
"I am the Wakame Taishi monster!" he howled, "I've come to tie you up with seaweed and tickle you to death!"
The small girls jumped to their feet, sending dough balls flying in all directions as they slipped and slid across the now messy floor, looking for an escape from the 'monster.'
"Hajime!" laughed Renji, "Get back here!"
Hajime roared and turned back, running at Renji at full speed, then leaping into the air and landing in his arms.
"I am Wakame Taishi!" he shouted ferociously, "I will eat you up!"
Renji turned the boy upside down, holding him in the air by the ankles and gazing at him in amusement.
"You're going to what?" he repeated, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm going to EAT YOU!" growled Hajime.
"Oh no!" Renji yelled playfully, "There's only one way to save myself. I must dump Wakame Taishi head first into the snow!"
He carried the upended boy out the door with the little girls and Byakuya following close behind. Outside, he carried Hajime to the nearest soft snow bank and turned him and let go, dropping him neatly into the snowbank and watching him sink in up to his waist.
"No! No!" howled Hajime, "Anything but a snow bath! Wakame Taishi melts in the snow bath! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Akane and Akiko stood, holding Byakuya's hands and squeaking with delight as Hajime sank slowly down into the snow until he disappeared.
"Well," said Byakuya, "It seems we have defeated the seaweed ambassador and may now finish our baking and clean up the kitchen.
The two girls pulled free of Byakuya and dashed back inside with the raven-haired captain on their heels and Renji following after fishing a wet and laughing Hajime out of the snow.
They returned to the kitchen and moved the cooling racks full of cookies into the dining room. Takeo and Takeshi took cookies from the cooling racks and dropped them into small bags held by Shoji, Chisaki and Hajime, then they carried them to Akane and Akiko, who were helped by Byakuya and Renji to place the bags of cookies into the prepared buckets. Again and again, Takeshi and Takeo returned to the cooling racks until all of the buckets were full to the brim. The older children returned to the kitchen to put the ingredients away and cleaned up the gloppy mess that had invaded the kitchen. When all was clean again, the children ran to get their cloaks and then came back to join Byakuya and Renji in the dining room. Each child was handed a bucket or two of cookies to carry, then Byakuya opened a senkaimon to carry them through the precipice world, where they walked in a straight line, carrying their cookies, and emerged sometime later on the dreary streets of Inuzuri. They were spotted as they came into the center of town, where several others had gathered. One group handed out warm donated cloaks to the street kids. Another poured out steaming cups of hot chocolate, spiced apple cider and tea. The Abarai-Kuchiki family stood in a straight line and handed a bag of still warm cookies to each child that approached them. When all of the cloaks and cookies had been handed out and the children were sitting in groups around the central square, drinking their hot drinks and eating their cookies, Byakuya sat down with Akane and Akiko, each sitting on one of his knees, and he began telling stories. And while he told stories, Renji walked around the gathered children with Hajime, healing any injuries the street kids had suffered and not had anyone to help them with. The stories went on until the cookies and drinks were warm in the stomachs of the gathered children and it had become late at night. Finally, the last story was told, and the older street kids led the younger away to their sleeping places and hideouts. The volunteers walked around the central square, picking up any mess left over and then Byakuya and Renji gathered the children and turned them towards home.
Byakuya and Renji each lifted a sleeping toddler girl into their arms and Takeo set Hajime onto his shoulders. Chisaki, Takeshi and Shoji walked close together, talking softly as they passed through the precipice world and returned to Kuchiki Manor. The family stepped down into the misty, snow covered gardens, then went inside where hot tea waited to warm their bodies after the night out in the cold. They gathered around the Christmas tree and Byakuya stood in front of them with Renji beside him, each still holding a sleeping toddler girl.
"You know how every year, we each open one present on Christmas Eve?" Renji said, smiling at the gathered children.
The group of children nodded and erupted into a chorus of affirmations.
"Well," Renji went on, "This year, Byakuya and I have a gift so big…that it's for all of us."
"What is it! What is it!" the kids cried.
"You remember a few years back when Hajime gave me a magical hug and I had Akiko and Akane? Well after that happened, the spirit king said that we could have other babies. So our gift to all of you this year is a little brother or sister, who will join our family in nine months!"
The room erupted into pandemonium. The children came to their feet and hugged Byakuya, laughing and chattering excitedly. Awakened by the hubbub, the twin girls opened their eyes and blinked, staring at the laughing, happy faces and not quite knowing what to think. The family settled back and fell into place around the Christmas tree, sipping at their tea and listening as Byakuya sang Silent Night. More carols followed, the children and Renji joining in until all were singing. They sang themselves hoarse, then Renji announced,
"Hey guys, did any of you check to make sure that Wakame Taishi didn't escape?"
"Oh, we forgot!" Hajime exclaimed, charging out of the room with the other children on his heels.
The three returned to the table where the cookie had been cooling and made exclamations of dismay at finding it was gone.
"Where is he?" Byakuya demanded, using his more commanding tone, "You officers were charged with making sure he did not escape. Now, you must find him before he wreaks havoc upon the Seireitei."
"And eats up all the cookies!" added Renji.
"Fin' him!" shouted the toddler girls, crawling under the table and scampering around the room. The older children laughed and followed them around, checking the corners of the room, then taking the girls by the hand and leading them into the room where the Christmas tree stood. They searched carefully, but found no sign of the cookie villain.
"He's nowhere to be found!" Hajime shouted, "What shall we do?"
"Hmmm," Byakuya said, his gray eyes blinking slowly, "Wakame Taishi is very smart. He may be hiding in lain sight and you might have missed him. Try looking around the room again."
The children scoured the room again, then returned to the tree where their fathers waited.
"Boy, he hid himself well this time," commented Chisaki.
"I'll find him!" Hajime said, his eyes glowing golden fro a moment.
"Hey, what have I told you about using your god powers for play, squirt!" Renji said, scooping him up.
"The tree! The tree...mphh!" Hajime managed, before Renji's hand covered his mouth.
"Twee!" Akane yelled, pointing.
"Oh no!" Takeo said dramatically, "He's almost to the Christmas angel at the top! Get him!" He lifted Akiko off her feet, while Takeshi lifted Akane, and the two grabbed at the offending cookie, breaking him in half and squealing, then chomping down on him.
"Hooray! They destroyed Wakame Taishi!" cried Hajime, giggling and accepting a piece of broken cookie from Akiko.
"All right, kids," Renji laughed, "That's enough crime fighting for now. Time for bed! If you want Santa to come, you have to go to sleep!"
Byakuya and Renji carried the twin girls to their room and set them down in their beds, giving them a last goodnight kiss on the forehead. The tucked Hajime in next and bid goodnight to the older kids, before turning towards their own bedroom. Renji swept Byakuya into his arms.
"That's not necessary," the raven-haired captain said serenely, "I'm not so big yet that I can't walk…"
"I know," Renji chuckled, "but I like carrying you to our bedroom…"
Byakuya settled against him and let himself be carried. Renji turned into their bedroom, pushing the door shut behind them and then setting Byakuya onto his feet. They entered the dressing area and stripped their warm clothes away, then moved on to the shower, where they stood close together under the hot fall of water.
Byakuya closed his eyes and rested his head on the redhead's shoulder, weary from the long day and so comfortable there that he began to drift off. Renji's hands slid down his back and curved around his bottom, pulling him closer as he lowered his head and his mouth found Byakuya's and calmly invaded it. Byakuya's eyes didn't open, but his lips parted and his tongue welcomed Renji's, curling warmly around and stroking lightly. Renji held him like that, kissing him deeply and tightening his arms, pulling his hips forward so their bodies were as close as they could be.
"You're beautiful," the redhead whispered between heavy, lingering kisses, "and every year…every kid we have…everything we do…you just get more beautiful to me, Bya."
"You're beautiful to me too, Renji," Byakuya answered softly, "I love you."
They relaxed beneath the falling water, slowly lathering soap onto each other's bodies and then rinsing it away. They stepped out of the shower and dried each other off, before slipping into fresh yukatas and tumbling into bed.
Renji laid his golden tanned body onto Byakuya's paler flesh, sliding down between his parted thighs and nipping at his lips. Both were sleepy, tired from the long day, but their bodies moved against each other, each longing to taste the other, a gesture grown deeply familiar, but not a bit less heated.
Byakuya arched his back, pushing upward into Renji's body and sliding his awakening arousal against his lover's. He slid his tongue up the length of Renji's long throat, tracing the heavy black lines and pausing to suck warmly, listening to the growing heaviness in his lover's breathing and moaning his name.
Renji's hand slid down between them, capturing their hardened members and pleasuring them. Byakuya moaned his name again and writhed against the redhead, his hands sliding down Renji's back and his nails biting gently into the redhead's skin. Renji growled pleasantly at the sensation, moving his hips and creating wonderful friction that quickly left the two breathless.
Renji lifted himself and slowly descended Byakuya's waiting body, assailing it with hot, ravenous kisses, deep, languid strokes and long, lingering licks. He sought the noble's nether region and inflicted warm, intense stimulation, bringing Byakuya's hips off the bed and making him gasp and pant heavily. He began to prepare his lover for their joining, making Byakuya cry out sharply and causing his body to seize with pleasure. Hot pulses of release were quickly devoured by the handsome redhead and Renji moaned with delight.
Raising his body over his lover's again, he slowly entered his still incoherent life partner, kissing him repeatedly and licking indulgently at his sweet lips. He moved more urgently now, still feeding his beautiful spouse kisses and sharing their mingled tastes as he thrust eagerly into his life partner's hot, willing form. His kisses grew almost bruising in intensity now and Byakuya's hazed eyes looked up at him, loving the sight of the beautiful, olive skinned warrior who laid atop his body, biting hungrily at his skin, lacing together the fingers of one hand and emitting low, intense growls of pleasure as his movements grew in force and his strong body loved the enchanting one beneath it. Byakuya watched closely as pleasure erupted across the wild, tattooed features and Renji's body tightened against his. Heat erupted inside him, sending Renji's blazing warmth all through him as Renji's mouth found his again and buried his in longer, slower kisses. They rested calmly after, kissing more gently, their bodies still joined and humming with completion.
Byakuya's graceful fingers lovingly traced the tattoos on Renji's face and the two exchanged smiles. Renji shifted, sliding down beside the noble, and bringing his hand to rest on Byakuya abdomen over where their baby grew.
"So," he chuckled softly, "Seven kids…"
Byakuya's smile widened.
"Ahem…unless we have another set of multiples."
"But seven is lucky and if we go over, we'd be near double digits…and if we're that close…"
"You don't think more than seven is too much?" Byakuya asked, jokingly.
"I'd say when we reached the point where they outnumbered us we were pretty much doomed…but I've said it before and I'll tell you again. I love you, Bya…and I'd have a million kids with you!"
Byakuya chuckled softly and nuzzled closer.
"Well then, it's going to be quite a busy new year, ne?"
"Yeah," laughed Renji, "I guess it is!"
He turned and kissed Byakuya again.
"Merry Christmas, Bya," he said softly.
"Merry Christmas, Renji," the noble answered, closing his eyes and settling against the redhead's strong chest.