Chapter 4: That Awkward Moment When...
Where are you, you bastard?" Ichigo shouted, standing on the side of a tall skyscraper in his inner world and looking around, "I know you're in here somewhere, now come out!"
"Tch, look who's in a bad mood today," the Shiba heir's inner hollow answered mockingly, "Did you forget to eat breakfast again?"
"That's not it," Ichigo grumbled, flash stepping to where the spirit stood, "Something happened and I think you know about it."
"What are you talking about?" the spirit asked in an off-handed tone. The only time I'm even aware when you're not is when I take over, usually because you've lost consciousness in the middle of a fight. Your will's gotten stronger. I can't take over so easily like I used to. But you know that."
"Yeah, but I'm wondering about something that seems to have happened at a time where I was...I don't know, either unconscious or just not aware."
"When would this have been?" the spirit asked, narrowing his golden eyes.
"About a month ago," Ichigo remembered, "I was in Hueco Mundo and bitten by that strange creeping vine thing."
"I remember the vine," confirmed the pale spirit, "and I do remember feeling dizzy and having strange visions."
"Visions? Visions like what?" Ichigo demanded.
"That's kinda private, isn't it? Do you really want to know what I dream about?"
"Not usually, no!" Ichigo answered honestly, "But this is different."
"Well, maybe I don't feel like telling you what goes on in my head, you know?" the hollow argued.
"You know what? I don't care what you feel like!" Ichigo steamed, "This is important! You need to tell me what you dreamed about while you were out of it."
"I'll tell you if you'll tell me what you dreamed while you were out of it that time," countered the spirit, "After all, fair is fair."
"But I don't remember anything! I was totally out after I fell in the hole and started to get dizzy. Everything just went dark. I didn't dream anything. But you did. So, tell me what you dreamed! Was it about a person? Did it involve Grimmjow?"
"What?" mused the spirit, "Why are you asking me that?"
"Just answer the question, will you, you jerk! Did you dream about having sex with Grimmjow or not!"
"Now, you're being really perverted," the hollow said appreciatively, "It's about time..."
"Would you knock it off and just tell me?" Ichigo fumed.
"All right, all right, don't give yourself a heart attack or anything. Yeah, if you really want to know. I had a dream about that cat-hollow. Who wouldn't? Especially in that cute kitty-form, Pantera. Who wouldn't want to nail that..."
"Ugh! Stop..."
"You said you wanted to know," the spirit teased him, "You sure you don't want to know all of the steamy details?"
"That's the last thing I want, but tell me anyway," Ichigo said unhappily.
"Ooh, you are getting more perverted," the spirit gushed, looking impressed, "All right, you want details? It was in a dark place, where he didn't have a place to hide and he couldn't get away. I stalked him for a few minutes, but then his scent got to me and I got hard..."
"Less detail, please," Ichigo pleaded, looking sick.
"I cornered him and stroked that pretty, long blue hair and bit him a few times while I tore his clothes off."
"Oh man..." Ichigo muttered, "You...?"
"After a few kisses, he got down on all fours for me and I..."
"All right! That's enough already!" Ichigo shouted, "Just...just shut up and let me think, okay?"
"What are you worried about?" asked the hollow spirit, "It was just a dream."
"It wasn't just a dream," said a deeper voice.
"Zangetsu!" Ichigo exclaimed, turning to face the elder male spirit.
"Why do you still call him Zangetsu? I'm the real Zangetsu."
"Sorry," Ichigo said hastily, "That's right. You're both Zangetsu, but I'm used to calling him that. Anyway, you said that he wasn't dreaming?"
"No," Zangetsu stated with certainty.
"Wait, if we were out and didn't remember things, why do you remember?" Ichigo asked, frowning.
"It isn't that I remember, but I know the difference in the way our dreams felt. While you were unaware, your inner hollow was in control of your body, but not his own senses."
"Oh my kami..." Ichigo breathed, putting a hand to his forehead, "We did it! We had sex with Grimmjow, didn't we?"
"Whoa, that makes it a lot better!" laughed the hollow spirit.
"Shut up! It does not!" Ichigo complained, shaking his head, "Because the elders said that the Shiba heir was conceived, you asshole! You fucking impregnated Grimmjow, didn't you?"
"It looks that way," the white hollow giggled madly, "although technically, you are the one who impregnated him."
"Ugh, stop it! I need to think," Ichigo said, sitting down on the side of the building.
"Ichigo," Zangetsu said solemnly, "There is little to think about. If you have impregnated that hollow, you know it violates the old rules of Soul Society. And while the war with the quincies did soften attitudes towards hollows within the Seireitei, this is going to cause some reactions within your clan and the noble's council that may make a dangerous situation."
"Yeah, I figured that," Ichigo sighed, "But that's not what I'm most worried about."
"It's not?" said the hollow spirit, looking surprised, "Then, what is?"
"The rules of the noble's council say that I have to marry the heir's mother. If Grimmjow is pregnant with the heir, and the council finds out, which they probably will, then they'll force Grimmjow and me to get married."
"If they don't just decide to kill Grimmjow," Zangetsu said darkly, "You will be at the mercy of the Noble's General Council and Central 46."
"But if a hollow is killed with a shinigami blade, the soul is cleansed and sent to Soul Society," Ichigo remembered.
"That doesn't sound so bad," the hollow spirit offered, "You could marry him then, ne?"
"Yeah, it's just...if a shinigami kills Grimmjow and sends him to the Rukongai, first of all, he won't remember being a hollow and second, there are so many districts on all sides of the Seireitei, there's no guarantee we would be able to find him."
"Well, Ichigo, the noble's council was able to sense the heir before," Zangetsu offered, "Maybe they will be able to help you find him...if that should happen."
"I don't want that to happen," Ichigo said in a haunted voice, "Can you imagine? I mean...Grimmjow is who he is because he became a hollow. He may not like being a hollow, but it's going to freak him out completely thinking he'll lose his memories of being a hollow. That'll be scary as hell. I can't do that to him!"
"But if the heir can be sensed and tracked, the noble's council will probably have him hunted, Ichigo," Zangetsu concluded.
"They'll hunt him down?" Ichigo said weakly, "Shit..."
His heart pounded madly and his head spun as he tried to think of a solution.
"Well, if that's the case," he said finally, "then there's only one thing I can do."
"What's that?" asked the hollow spirit.
"I have to find Grimmjow first and protect him!"
XXXXXXXXXX
"Rikichi," Tetsuya called softly, stroking his lover's cheek gently and squeezing his hand, making the younger man stir sluggishly and open his wide brown eyes.
"Tetsuya?"
"You're going to be fine," Tetsuya assured him, kissing his fingertips, "But you did lose consciousness and I had to bring you to the fourth division for evalutaion."
"But you say it's all right?" Rikichi mused sleepily, running his fingers through his hair with his free hand, "So, why did I pass out?"
Tetsuya's smile warmed and his eyes gleamed happily.
"You've been feeling ill lately and you passed out because...well, when I was bitten by that vine hollow and..."
The blue-eyed noble broke off, blushing.
"And you finally took me?" Rikichi provided, blushing and smiling.
"Yes," Tetsuya went on, "Because the vine hollow was flowering when it bit us and was in it's mating season, when I made love to you, it caused changes in your body that, while not harmful, have allowed you to become pregnant."
Tetsuya laughed softly at the adorably confused look that crossed Rikichi's face and he pulled the surprised youth into his arms.
"You're going to have our baby!" Tetsuya said happily.
Rikichi looked down at his slim belly with that same confused expression, then touched the area experimentally with his hand. Tetsuya's hand touched the back of his and the blue-eyed noble let a trickle of his reiatsu leak through Rikichi's hand and into his abdomen. The two watched raptly as a gentle blue glow rose around their joined hands and the area where the baby grew. Rikichi's eyes grew misted and he blinked to clear them.
"Is this all right with you?" Tetsuya asked.
"Is it all right with me?" Rikichi repeated, still sounding slightly dazed, "This is a dream come true, Tetsuya! Gomen nasai, I know my eyes are crying, but I am very, very happy!"
"I am as well," Tetsuya agreed, kissing his overwhelmed boyfriend on the cheek, "But I must also tell you that noble children are not supposed to be born out of wedlock. I don't care about that rule so much, but I am very much in love with you, Rikichi. And if it will make you happy, I want to know if you will marry me."
A sob of happiness escaped Rikichi and he dragged Tetsuya onto the bed, offering his enthusiastic answer as he buried his lover's mouth in a flurry of pleased kisses.
"Ahem," said a male voice from the doorway, making the two hastily separate and Tetsuya return to his seat by the bed as Byakuya and Renji entered the room, followed by Kotetsu Isane.
"What have I told you about public displays of affection, soldier?" Renji scolded Rikichi jokingly.
"S-sorry, Abarai taichou, it's just that Tetsuya made me so happy, I forgot about everything!"
"That's what you get for having a pretty noble boyfriend, ne?" the redhead chuckled, squeezing Byakuya's hand and earning a smoky look of approval, "But how did he make you so happy?"
Tetsuya blushed and lowered his eyes.
"I've asked Rikichi if he will marry me," he said shyly, stealing a glance at his cousin, who surprised him with a warm smile, "I hope that we will have your blessing, Byakuya-sama."
"Of course," the clan leader answered, "I am happy for you, Tetsuya."
"I hope you guys don't mind sharing the spotlight, cause Byakuya and I are getting married too," Renji announced.
"Is it true that both of you are with child?" Tetsuya asked.
"It is," Byakuya confirmed.
"Man, I think those stuffy elders are going to faint when they hear. They're probably going to regret trying so hard to get Byakuya to have an heir. We're going to have heirs coming out of our ears!"
"Are we likely to have multiples?" Rikichi asked, a hint of fear in his voice.
"It is strongly possible," Isane explained, "You see, there is first, the fact that the Kuchiki family has incidences of twins. Add to that, the powerful procreative factors in the venom of that vine, because when the vampire vine mates, each bite on its mate can spawn numerous flowerings. In addition to that, strong reiatsu involved in the coupling will heighten the procreative effect. Yes, multiples are going to be a strong likelihood."
"W-well, how many babies are we talking about?" Renji asked, his brashness fading slightly, "Are we going to get really big? Could there be too many and we'll explode or something?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that!" Isane said hastily, "You and Byakuya were only bitten once each, although your powerful reiatsu will encourage more offspring.. Tetsuya-san is taichou level, and was bitten in several places, so Rikichi-san may have more offspring, but you needn't worry. All of the babies will remain in reiatsu form, so there is no danger of them being too large for your bodies to manage. The greatest concern will be nutrition. All of the babies and the bearers must be properly nourished, so I will prescribe you some vitamin injections that will..."
"Whoa, hold on a sec, i-injections?" Renji queried, paling.
"Really Renji," Byakuya sighed reprovingly.
"Can't we just eat more?" the redhead pleaded, "I swear, I'll eat anything you say!"
"I am sorry, Abarai taichou," Isane said penitently, "But if you actually ate enough to nourish yourself and your babies, you would explode."
"Oh man..."
"In addition to the nutritive boosters, you will need to keep the bearers' bodies in balance. Tetsuya-san and Rikichi-san will have an easier time maintaining this balance, as Tetsuya-san was not impregnated. But all of you should be able to manage it just fine. I will see you here once a week to check your progress and administer the nutritive boosters."
"A fucking shot every week?" Renji said weakly.
"Yes, and we'll start them now," Isane said, taking out a basket, holding several syringes, then blinking in surprise as Renji groaned unsteadily and fainted into Byakuya's arms.
"I don't believe him sometimes," the Kuchiki heir sighed.
"What is the news about Arashi?" Tetsuya asked, "Is he going to foal?"
"He is, Isane replied, taking hold of the unconscious redhead's arm and administering the booster, "We also received word from Kuchiki Manor that Abarai taichou's mount, Yakkaigoto, is expecting."
"Whoa, you mean that idiot is...is going to reproduce?" groaned a somewhat recovered Renji.
"What happened between the stallions gave us lots of good information that may help a lot of couples who are trying to conceive and are having trouble," Isane said enthusiastically, "It turns out that Ikazuchi was not only able to impregnate Arashi, who was bitten, but after Arashi mounted Yakkaigoto, the factor in Arashi's semen also caused Ikazuchi's release to impregnate Abarai taichou's stallion. So, Ikazuchi is father to both Arashi's and Yakkaigoto's foals and Arashi and Yakkaigoto are also having each other's foals."
"But Ikazuchi is not...?" Byakuya began.
"No," Isane answered, "He didn't receive seed from Arashi, so..."
"That figures," Renji chuckled. leaning against Byakuya's shoulder and flinching as the healer injected the Kuchiki heir, "I guess we know who's boss, ne?"
"I am releasing the four of you, but I must also allow you clearances for only desk work until you give birth, due to the unusual circumstances, making you at higher risk for complications."
"What kind of complications?" Renji asked, looking spooked.
"Do not worry about that," Byakuya said, giving him a reproving look, "We will manage."
"But what about me?" asked Tetsuya, "I am not pregnant."
"But you were bitten by the vine and you fathered Rikichi's children, so we need to watch you as well during the gestation. The fact that Rikichi is having your babies may affect your body in ways we can't anticipate."
"Anyone for a real long vacation, full of shots?" Renji mused unhappily.
"Just think of what will happen at the end of the gestation," Byakuya reminded him.
"That scares me as much as the shots!"
XXXXXXXXXX
"If I ever see that fucking Kurosaki, I am going to KILL THAT BASTARD!" Grimmjow roared, kicking a boulder and sending it crashing into another, which caused both to explode into a shower of rocky shards that flew in all directions, "THAT STUPID, MANIAC INNER HOLLOW OF HIS KNOCKED ME UP!"
"Man," Pesche sighed, where he crouched behind several more large boulders a safe distance away from the infuriated sexta Espada and Nel in her equine form, "I think he's gonna bust something!"
"Didn't he already bust up a bunch of rocks?" Dondachakka asked, scratching his head.
"Stop trying to think so hard and stay down!" Pesche scolded him.
"Stop overreacting," Nel said sternly, "It may not kill you now, but if you continue to rampage like that, your reiatsu could go out of control. And you know whenever you start getting mad like this, you throw up more and eventually pass out. So, stop it."
"Stop it?" Grimmjow hissed, his reiatsu swelling as he kicked another boulder, which unexpectedly flew towards where Pesche and Dondachakka knelt, forcing the two to hastily abandon their position and flee to a new hiding place as the rock they had been crouching behind exploded.
"YIIIIIII!" the two yelled, "Whoa, he's really, really pissed!"
"How am I supposed to stop the fact that asshole filled me full of BABIES?" Grimmjow raged, "I'M NOT GONNA BE HIS GODDAMNED BABYMAMA!"
"Calm down!" Nel scolded him, shielding her fraccìon as Grimmjow sent another boulder flying towards their new hiding place, forcing the two to flee again, "Getting mad isn't going to help. You need to go to Ichigo and tell him what happened."
"NO WAY! NO WAY IN HELL AM I GONNA DO THAT!"
"Why not? He's the father. He deserves to know, doesn't he?" Nel pointed out.
"He deserves to know?" the sexta Espada steamed, "I'll tell you what that fucker DESERVES! He deserves to DIE PAINFULLY ON THE ENDS OF MY FUCKING CLAWS, THAT'S WHAT THAT ASSHOLE DESERVES!"
Nel shook her head and sighed as the raging reiatsu around Grimmjow overheated and the sexta Espada howled and burst into his ressureccìon form.
"Baka..." she muttered, rolling her eyes.
"AUGH!" yelled Grimmjow, putting a hand on his belly as his face turned green and he succumbed to a sudden bout of nausea.
The fight seemed to go out of him and he remained on his knees afterward just looking sick and weary.
"I really hate that guy right now."
"I thought you told me you enjoyed 'kicking quincy ass' with Ichigo and that you kind of liked him now," Nel reminded him.
"Huh!" Grimmjow huffed, clenching at his aching belly, "Friends don't let their stinking inner hollows take over and impregnate their friends, Nel. I'm going to fucking kill that guy if he ever comes near me again."
"Grimmjow?" said Ichigo's voice, drawing a hateful glare and a warning growl from the sexta Espada, "I think we should talk."