All warnings and disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.
Blast.
Ichigo closed his eyes and released a deep sigh of pure bliss as his mate's arms wrapped themselves gently around him and his large hands rested on top of the swollen bump that contained their cubs.
"Come back to bed, mi hermoso. You are chilled from standing out on the balcony for as long as you have at such an unholy hour. Come, let me warm you," Starrk said as he bent down slightly to nuzzle the silky, flame-colored strands of his Beta's hair. And with that, Starrk carefully steered Ichigo back over to their large bed.
Once lithe and graceful, with power in his every movement, Ichigo was now finding himself extremely grateful to his much taller mate for the helping hand as he supported some of Ichigo's weight and helped to lower him down onto the bed with his back well propped up by enough pillows to start a store with. Ichigo's gaze was contemplative as he watched his Alpha make his way around to the other side of the bed after drawing the blankets up and tucking Ichigo in securely. Starrk met his gaze and paused for a moment before getting back into bed and sliding over to wrap himself around Ichigo.
"What has you so thoughtful tonight, mi tesoro mas preciado? I noticed that you were rather quiet at dinner as well. Is everything alright?"
Ichigo looked into the dark holes that he knew were Starrk's normally beautiful slate-colored eyes, the darkness of the room washing out all color except for shades of grey caused by the streaming moonlight. Heaving himself and his newish bulk around, Ichigo finally manoevered himself so that he was face to face with the other male and reached out a hand that he used to caress the face before him.
"It really isn't anything much. Just a random comment made by Grimmjow in passing this afternoon got me to thinking about how much my life has changed in the last few months," Ichigo could see Starrk opening his mouth and move his hand over it, gently silencing the other before he could put voice to whatever he was attemping to say. "Let me finish. It's been quite a roller coaster for me, but I just wanted to let you know that I would change nothing about it, because if I did, I wouldn't be here with you now, expecting our cubs."
Starrk gave a soft, open mouth kiss to the hand blocking him before reaching up one of his hands to pull Ichigo's hand away.
"You have no idea how much that makes me happy to hear, amado. BUT," Starrk continued with a playful, teasing note in his voice. "I seem to remember such a different reaction to myself and our impending cubs the day I explaned what had happened to you and myself."
Ichigo gave a deep heartfelt groan and closed his eyes as he remembered that day.
~~~~~Flashback~~~~~
"Well...," Ichigo drawled out as he looked over at Starrk who was sitting on the other side of the tub from him. "I think that I've been patient enough and would like my explanation now."
Starrk, who had been gazing pensively into the distance, gave a bit of a start and re-focused his attention on Ichigo once he had spoken.
"Of course. Your pardon for my wool-gathering, but I was attemping to organize my thoughts and how I should start."
Starrk sniffed the air, then frowned a bit at Ichigo before standing up and moving over to sit beside him.
"Much better," Starrk said as he placed an arm over Ichigo's shoulders and pulled him tight against his own body. "Now then, I think it would be wisest to start with some basic information on Hollows. If you-"
"Hold up!" Ichigo interrupted. "I think that you can talk without being so touchy-feely, so if you could let me GO!"
"Mmm...no," Starrk mumbled into Ichigo's hair as he kept a firm grip on the lithe male as he struggled to free himself.
"What do you mean "no"," Ichigo spat out as he contiued to try and twist himself free of the other's arms.
"Just what I said. No. If you will kindly cease your struggling, all the questions that you have will be covered. And, if I miss something, you are more than free to inquire about it at the end," Starrk felt Ichigo's chest inflate as he drew another breath for more protests. "Hush. Yes, I must hold you. Yes, you will find out why. Now let me speak."
Sensing that he had pushed the taller man about as far as he could for the moment, Ichigo stilled and forced himself to relax as much as he was able too, considering that they were both naked and he was pratically sitting in Starrk's lap. Starrk, obviously taking the slumping of Ichigo's posture as an affirmative that Ichigo would cease his struggles, began to talk once again.
"I think that the first thing that you should know about Hollows is that the phrase 'You are what you eat' is completely true. Because of our diet of plus souls of both sexes and other Hollows who have been eating plus souls as well, we are neither completely male nor are we completely female. Instead we are Alpha and Beta. All Alphas, regardless of outward appearance, are capable of siring a cub and all Betas are able to become impregnated. I am an Alpha for example as is Tier Hallibel. I appear as a male in all aspects, but Hallibel is most decidedly female in form. Are you following along with me so far?"
"Yeah. Pretty much, but if Hallibel and, um...say Gin, had gotten together are you telling me that Gin would have ended up pregnant?"
"Yes. It would be a little more involved, but yes he would have. If Gin were a Hollow Beta that is. Something else you should know. The title of Alpha or Beta has no connection to strength. Unless it is referring to a mated pair, at which point the Alpha of the pair, or triad, will always be slightly more powerful than the Beta, Betas, or lesser Alpha. That is because the Alpha's foremost duty is that of defending the Alpha's mate or mates against any and all threats. The Beta is only slightly less powerful for several reasons. The Beta is the last line of defense for the cubs and must be strong enough to deal with any threats that might slip past an Alpha in a fight. If a Beta is too weak it would be crushed under the Alpha's reiatsu. Also, a weaker Hollow is a meal, regardless of gender."
Starrk paused in his telling to pull Ichigo onto his lap, wrap both arms around him, and rest his head atop of Ichigo's head.
"You should know that very few Hollows take a mate. It takes a long time and several evolutions to become interested in anything other than filling the knawing, aching void of hunger that consumes us. And by the time you are evolved that highly, it is almost impossible to find someone that is close to your level of power that you are compatible with. I will let you know that I have been seeking a mate for a very long time indeed and had given up hope of finding such. Some of the reasons for me splitting myself into two beings was for the companionship and joy that having a mate and cub would have brought to me. I was simply too powerful and all that approached me died before they could even come within eyesight of me, leaving me alone with nothing but piles of the dead surrounding me."
Ichigo couldn't help himself when he heard the deapth of sorrow in Starrk's voice as he spoke of being left alone and squirmed in the tight hold of the other until he was able to straddle Starrk's lap and look him in the face. Wrapping his arms around Starrk's waist, and stubbornly ignoring the bare skin, and other items, that was pressing up against him, Ichigo offered what comfort he could by holding tightly to the other male.
"I hope one day that you can find someone for yourself," Ichigo froze as a thought popped into his head, before pulling back slightly. "If you were an Espada, couldn't you have found someone there in Los Noches? It was full of the most powerful beings that Aizen could find after all."
"I did look amoungst the ones Aizen-sama had gathered. I crushed them all, not to death, just to disabilitly and needing recoverytime, whenever I flared my reiatsu until just recently. The Espada that you and yours fought against were the strongest yet and didn't stumble too badly against my power. Still, of the ten, eight were Alphas. I had no interest in either Szayel Aporro Granz or Zommari Rumeaux as a mate. There were numerous Betas filling the Privaron and Numeros ranks, but, again, I was far too powerful."
Ichigo didn't put up a fuss as Starrk's arms wrapped around him. For some reason, Ichigo just wasn't able to mantain any strong, negative emotions against the male.
"I think that we have gotten to the heart of the information that will most interest you, Ichigo. There are two ways for mates to find one another. An Alpha who finds a likely prospect will "court", for lack of a better term, the prospective mate. Fights will be fought to show strength, numerous Hollows will be laid before the Beta to show that the Alpha can provide for any offspring. Basically anything and everything the Alphas can think of to get the Beta to consider mating. The Beta is a bit more direct in approach although it doesn't often happen. When a Beta has found a potenial mate, it will release a phermone into the air signifying that the Beta is in heat and that will trigger the Alpha to enter a mating frenzy if there is only one nearby, or the Beta will release the scent, then begin a courting fight in the instance that several Alphas are nearby. The courting fight is used to thin out the numbers since only the strongest and fastest will win the way to the Beta. Sometimes the Beta will make use of the courting fight if only one Alpha is nearby, if the Alpha is exceptionally powerful and the Beta wishes to show that it is powerful enough in it's own right to defend and assist the Alpha ," Starrk paused for a moment and settled Ichigo more securely on his lap. Looking deep into Ichigo's chocalate colored eyes, Starrk drew a deep breath to steady himself before continuing.
"That is how I found myself with a mate after being alone for so long. It was during the last battle of Aizen's War when I was assaulted by the most amazing scent that has ever been my pleasure to inhale. I had lost my fight against a Shinigami Taicho and was laying in the rubble that I had found myself in afterwards. When the scent reached me, I looked around frantically for the one emitting such an aroma and was greeted, finally, by the sight of the Beta in a nearby fight. When the fight moved onwards, the Beta left it and settled on the ground before me in a guard position. Obviously, the Beta was trying to show it's worth to me. When the pheremones increased in strength, indicating that the Beta was in heat and receptive to it's chosen Alpha's advances, I could not hold back. Quietly pulling myself upright, I then carefully made my way over to the Beta. I was extremely weak and injured from my last fight and didn't want to draw attention to myself or the delectable Beta before me as I would be unable to defend either of us at that moment. Due to the my injuries and the battle occuring around us, I was only able to mark my mate as claimed at the time. Before I passed out again, I could only hope that allies would find us and take us to safety and allow us the chance to consumate fully the bond between us. That was lucky enough to have happened, Ichigo, since the two of us woke in a secure room, healed to some extent and free from any bindings or blocks on our powers. At which point I ensured that you, my mate, were well and truly mated. During which process you marked me as your mate in return," Starrk tilted his head to one side, letting his hair slide away to reveal the palm-sized area of glowing red and black intricate swirls that denoted his successful mating.
~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~
Ichigo was drawn from his memories by the sound of Starrk's deep chuckling. Focusing his attention back on the here and now, Ichigo couldn't help but laugh along with his mate, who had buried his face into Ichigo's hair as he continued with his laughter.
Gathering himself together, Starrk spoke into the top of Ichigo's head.
"Forgive me my humorous moment, mi corazon. But I was remembering your reaction."
"I didn't think confusion, interegation, and, finally, acceptance followed by really, really hot bathtub sex was all that funny," Ichigo grinned over at Starrk as he spoke.
"No, no. Not that. I was thinking of your reaction to the news that you had entered heat by the orders of, and assistance from, the Sou Taicho. I had not known that you were so fluent in so many other languages' curse words until that day, mi amado," Starrk bent his head until his mouth was even with Ichigo's ear, at which point he started to mouth along the gentle curve of the outer shell. Breathing out lightly and ghosting his tongue over the delicate appendage, Starrk was rewarded by a mewling cry from Ichigo as the smaller male grabbed tightly to his shoulders and bucked his hips foward.
"You were magnificant in your rage that day you confronted Yamamoto about his interference. So passionate," Starrk breathed out. "And later, at the negotiations, so cunning...Making Yamamoto give up so many concessions. It was all that I could do not to tear off all of the clothing covering your lucious self and take you there and then on the negotiation table, burying myself deeply into your welcoming, heated deapths."
~~~~~Flahback~~~~~
It had been three months since the official end of the war with Aizen and the temporary cease fire amoung the various factions. When they all found themselves seated at a ridiculously large table in Urahara's basement training facility. When everyone had healed, before they left the various care providers, they were informed that there would be a meeting that would take place three months to the day of Aizen's defeat to decide on a more lasting peace solution between the many different factions.
Which was how Ichigo found himself scowling fiercely over at Yamamoto from his place: seated next to his Alpha mate as they sat at the table to represent the residents of Los Noches. He just couldn't help himself. He may have been happy with how his life had turned out, but he was extremely displeased over the fact that his choices had been taken from him. Ichigo was drawn from his musings as the last people they had been waiting on finally arrived and began taking their seats, greeting and chatting with those that they knew and were friendly with. Hearing Mayuri's name, Ichigo rested his hand on the bump that was expanding daily as the cubs grew inside of him and hid a smirk. He overheard someone asking if Mayuri had ever stopped screaming at the sight of needles and the smirk turned into a cough as he attempted to contain his laughter. Ichigo waved Starrk off as he turned concerned eyes his way before reaching for the pitched of ice water that had been placed on the table when they sat down and poured himself out a glass to sip from.
Glancing around the table, Ichigo noted that everyone was settling down and as they did so, all their attention was gradually turning to Yamamoto as he sat in the middle of the Shinigami delegation. Seeing that he had almost everyone's attention, Yamamoto stood up and began to speak. Ichigo tuned him out almost immediately and instead took the time to study the four groups being represented in the negotiations. He knew all about the ex-Espada group that he was with as he and the survivors had become rather close over the last few months, so he turned his attention elsewhere.
Sitting to the Los Noches delegation's right around the large, circular table were those representing the people that the Soul Society had exiled. Ichigo thought that Yoruichi Shihoin, Shinji Hirako, and Kisuke Urahara were the best people for the job and was really looking foward to watching them tear into the Soul Society.
On Ichigo's left hand side were those representing the living world. Both Uryu Ishida and Ryuken Ishida had come, which Ichigo still wasn't to sure of knowing the opinion Ryuken had of Shinigami's, as well as Yasutora Sado, with whom Ichigo had spent a great deal of time before the meeting just talking to and catching up on what their friends had been doing while Ichigo had been out of the loop in Los Noches.
As he looked across the table, Ichigo's eyes caught briefly with those of Retsu Unohana. He inclined his head slightly in her direction as a greeting and acknowlegdement before moving his attention to the other member of the Shinigami delegation. Ichigo didn't personally know the man all that well, but from what he heard from Rukia and what he had had the chance to experience for himself, Ichigo could say that he was pleased to see that Jushiro Ukitake was one of the Shinigami representatives.
Done with his mental wanderings, Ichigo brought his attention back to focus on the proceedings just in time to hear Yamamoto state that he hoped that the ex-Espada would be able to maintain a secure border on Heuco Mundo and keep themselves and any Hollow from coming over to either the Soul Society or the Living World.
"Sounds fine to me," Ichigo drawled out. "I don't know how the Shinigami are going to take to being confined to the Soul Society though. I know for a fact that Rangiku will hunt down the person responsible for keeping her from her shopping."
"That is not what I said. I said nothing about keeping the Shinigami confined to the Soul Society. I was speaking of the Hollows."
"Oh? Well since you were speaking of confining people you had no say over to their world, I simply assumed that you had already, or were going to, do the same to those you had direct control over. I'm sure that you didn't want to give the impression that you are trying to rule everyone like a God afterall. That way lays Aizen all over again."
Yamamoto's eyes opened wide as he stared at Ichigo, who was leaning back into his chair with his hands resting comfortably on his pregnancy bulge, giving the appearance of not having a care in the world.
"But who would see to the safety of those in the living world if you would have us confine ourselves to our home," Yamamoto thundered out.
"How about those who were born here, of course," Ryuken spat out. "Without those of us from the living world, you would never have known of Aizen's treachery until it was too late and he already ruled as a God over us all. And do not forget their importance in the last battle, along side of those the Soul Society had already exiled."
"But that is the purpose of Shinigami! To protect the living and guide the souls to the Soul Society."
Yamamoto had drawn himself up and it was easy to tell that he was furious.
"Well then," Ichigo gave a lazy smirk as he stared at Yamamoto. "If you are going to send your Shinigami to the living world, which isn't your own, let's talk concessions."
"What did you have in mind, Kurosaki-kun?" Unohana asked.
Only Ichigo had caught the tiny, quick wink she had flashed his way.
~~~~~Flashback~~~~~
''Finding out that you had out manoevered Yamamoto before the meeting had even started, using conversation with Sado-san as your cover as you gave covert signals to your allies was arousing to the point of pain when you later told me what had occured," Starrk breathed into the nearest ear as he palmed Ichigo's rigid length and making the other male's breath hitch.
"Oh kami-sama! Please...oh please!"
Starrk could easily tell what he was doing to his mate with his words and actions and when Ichigo cried out after his last sentence, Starrk couldn't stop himself from giving Ichigo what they both wanted.
"It is my greatest desire, mi amor, to give anything and everything that you need and crave."
And with that said, Starrk carefully lifted and nudged Ichigo until he was on his hands and knees, with his pregnant bulge supported by several of the numerous pillows littering the bed. Once Ichigo was placed and supported to Starrk's satisfaction, he reached over to the nearby nightstand and pulled out one of the many bottles of lubrication that the two had acquired. It wasn't normally needed since Beta's produced their own form of lubrication, but Szayel had, at Ichigo's last check-up, informed the two mates that they needed to be extremely careful during the last month of the pregnancy when they were intimate if they didn't want to trigger an early labor and birth. Hence the drawer that was kept completely full of tiny bottles of lube at all times.
Slicking up his fingers, and giving his aching member a quick coating before throwing the bottle somewhere in their room, Starrk then carefully began to prepare his pregnant mate. Starrk made short work of stretching Ichigo's entrance, quickly making his way through the four fingers needed to adequately stretch the small opening that he so needed to be buried in. Hearing the mewls and whimpers of Ichigo as he rocked backwards trying to force the fingers deeper into his body wasn't doing him any favors either. Giving one last, harsh press of fingers against Ichigo's prostate, Starrk pulled his fingers out of the way and pressed his needy erection home before Ichigo had time to do more than let out a slight whine of dissapointment at the removal.
Pausing for only a moment to let Ichigo adjust, Starrk quickly began thrusting at a furious pace, knowing that the two of them were of one mind in this. Tonight they needed each other fiercely, passionately, NOW. There would be other times to make slow love, to draw out the fire that burned between them until they were reduced to beings of pure need.
Starrk could feel his orgasm rapidly over taking him and reached a hand around his mate and under the large swell resting on the pillow stack to wrap his long fingers around his needy mate's erection. Giving it a few firm strokes had Starrk being rewarded by Ichigo tensing, letting out a long, low cry, and a pulsing wetness that spread over his hand to drip down onto the bed. Ichigo's orgasm triggered Starrk's own as Ichigo's walls clamped down tightly around him, milking him for all he had to offer.
Starrk leaned over Ichigo's form as they both panted and fought for breath before he gently pulled them both over to one side, placing Ichigo into the cradle of his arms. Reaching down, Starrk was rewarded when his fumbling, searching hand found the blankets that the two of them had knocked out of the way and he pulled them back into place over the two of them, not wanting them to take a chill as the breeze entering from the balcony dried the sweat from their exertions. By the time Starrk had manged to get the blankets up and Ichigo and himself arranged to his satisfaction under them, Ichigo had drifted off into sleep. Hearing the soft breathing of his mate, Starrk let out a gentle sigh and pulled the Beta tighter into his arms.
"Sleep well, mi amado," Starrk whispered into the moon-light darkness of the room. "Know that I am more grateful than words could ever tell that you have never blamed me for how the two of us came about and, when I am with you, I am no longer a Hollow, for you fill every part of me."
Due to the interest expressed in 100% of the previous chapter's reviews, I have been writing like a mad woman to get an epilogue done. I'm halfway there! Yay! Thanks to all those who fav'd, alert'd, and reviewed. Especially:
XxShadowfangxX
clobojojo
Cuzosu
darkhuntressxir
tomboy8888
Love Psycho
Dark Inu Fan
Nuriko Kurosaki
mimifoxlove
Hono no Kage
