Chapter 4: A Moment Before Falling
(Sorry for not getting to shout outs this time. I'm off for a day at the lake and in a rush. I will catch up next chapter. Have a great day!)
"Hey, Kisuke," a male voice called softly as a small kido light appeared in the chamber entrance.
"What is it, Renji?" Ichigo whispered sleepily, lifting his head off of the shopkeeper's shoulder and noting that the redhead was still in his nightclothes.
"It's Tetsuya. We think he's in labor. He's been real restless tonight, and he says he's having abdominal pains. We gave him a pain block like you told us to, but he's still real anxious."
"All right," Kisuke said, accepting Ichigo's arm and sitting up slowly, "Go back and you and Byakuya should give him an infusion, focusing around the perimeter of the spirit chamber."
"Gotcha," Renji said, starting to turn away, "Ichigo, do you have him or do you need some help?"
"I've got him. Just go ahead and get back to Tetsuya."
"Thanks!" the redhead answered, flash stepping away.
Ichigo watched Kisuke's face closely as he helped the shopkeeper out of bed and onto his feet. Kisuke caught his breath softly several times as he rose, but managed to get onto his feet and, leaning against Ichigo heavily, was able to manage several steps before teetering slightly and being swept up into the shinigami substitute's strong arms.
"Just take a load off, okay?" Ichigo chuckled, "I've got you."
"All right, thanks Ichigo," Kisuke sighed regretfully, resting his head on the Shiba heir's shoulder as Ichigo carried him to Byakuya's bedchamber.
The two heard soft panting as they entered, and found Byakuya and Renji kneeling on the bed alongside their pregnant spouse, infusing the younger noble's rounded belly with soothing reiatsu.
"I heard someone was causing some trouble here," Kisuke said cheerfully as Ichigo set him down at Tetsuya's bedside, "What's going on, Tetsuya-san?"
"I am not sure," the blue-eyed noble admitted, his voice shaking slightly, "Things have been progressing gradually, as you suspected they would, but after I went to sleep, I woke up again in a cold sweat and I can't stay warm."
"You do look feverish," Kisuke noted.
"I feel a burning that seems to be in all of my spirit centers. I can't summon any power."
"Hmmm, sounds like the spirit chamber may have shifted or just expanded into the area of your core spirit center and is wreaking havoc. Give me a sec, I'll see what I can do about that."
"Oh...arigatou!" Tetsuya sighed, shivering uncomfortably.
The shopkeeper leaned forward and examined him carefully, testing his spirit centers gently and frowning at Tetsuya's piqued reaction to each touch.
"Something's not right here," he mused.
He sent his reiatsu into the young noble's body, reading carefully the responses in each area, then quietly considering his findings.
"What is it?" Byakuya asked worriedly, "Are Tetsuya and the baby...?"
"Part of the issue is that we don't have a baby, but more than one," Kisuke explained, "Even though they are in reaitsu form and take up less space than a physical body, they do need a little more space as they mature."
"So...we're having twins and that's what's making him like this?"
"I sense at least four independent reiatsu signatures."
"Four babies!" Renji exclaimed, "Damn, we hit the jackpot, ne?"
"Yeah," Kisuke chuckled, "but the problem with that is that some of the reiatsu from the spirit chamber is escaping. In a single pregnancy, the amount would be negligible, but the additional reiatsus are impacting Tetsuya's spirit centers. I can't stop the leakage and it doesn't endanger the babies, but to quell the reaction in Tetsuya's body, I'll have to shut his spirit centers down until the birthing is over.
"B-but, I am supposed to infuse you at given intervals to hold back the poison in your systems!" Tetsuya objected, "You know the importance of me doing that. If you shut my spirit centers down..."
"What about Arashi?" Byakuya asked quickly, "He has Tetsuya's same abilities, ne?"
"He does," Kisuke agreed, "but he is still recovering from foaling and his reiatsu is in the basement. Just, don't worry about it. It's not like I'll die that much sooner being delayed a little. I will be all right waiting until Tetsuya's had time to recover. It'll be fine."
"I'm sorry," Tetsuya said penitently.
"Don't worry about it. It'll be all right. Just, let's get this under control, okay?"
Tetsuya laid still as Kisuke leaned over him, his forehead sweating slightly as he located Tetsuya's spirit centers, one by one, and carefully sealed them
"I left the core spirit center functioning at minimum capacity," Kisuke explained, "He needs some to function, but we shouldn't see such a strong reaction to the babies' reaitsu now."
"Why is it such a problem for Tetsuya's reiatsu and the babies' to touch?" Ichigo asked, "Why is there that kind of reaction?"
"Well, I'm just guessing here, but I think that it has to do with the fact that Tetsuya, despite being able to have babies is still male, and the male body wasn't really intended for childbirth. The same thing happens in rare cases in some females, where the body of the mother reacts as though the baby's reiatsu is a foreign thing in her body and her systems try to attack it. In Tetsuya's male body, that reaction could be more intense, because his body isn't wired for this the way a woman's is."
"But you say that the babies and Tetsuya will not be endangered?" asked Byakuya.
"The babies are protected by the spirit chamber," Kisuke assured him, "although Tetsuya is more vulnerable because there's nothing to shield him from the effects. But with his spirit centers shut down, he will not have that strong reaction. He'll be okay."
"I feel positively horrid," Tetsuya sighed.
"Sorry about that," Kisuke said sympathetically, "You should start feeling better soon, although it seems like your abdominal wall has almost lost enough cohesion to allow the reaitsu to begin passing through."
"You mean we're almost done?" Renji mused, "Thank kami. This is nerve wracking!"
"Heh, you think it's nerve wracking for you. What about poor Tetsuya?" Ichigo teased, "He's the one having the babies."
"Goodness, did you say there are going to be four?" Tetsuya asked, panting softly as another throb of pain flickered in his midsection, "I should have known I was in trouble when Arashi had two!"
"I counted four distinct reiatsus, but it doesn't preclude there being one or two I didn't sense."
"You mean, there could be six?" Renji exclaimed.
"It should be a multiple of two," Kisuke confirmed, "But don't worry, Tetsuya. You'll be okay. And Byakuya's got all kinds of staff here to help you guys take care of the little ones."
"But we're in a bunch of caves in the middle of nowhere until the manor is rebuilt," the younger noble objected.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Renji assured him, taking Tetsuya's hand in his larger, rougher one, "The caves are kido-warmed and we have comfortable beds. We have all of the supplies we need. We're actually better off than most of the Seireitei. Those quincies made a damned mess of everything!"
"They certainly did," Kisuke agreed, "But houses and things like that can be rebuilt. The important thing is that we're all still alive."
Though, for how long? Ichigo mused inwardly, Kisuke...
"Ah!" the shopkeeper said in a pleased tone, "See here, Tetsuya? You're transitioning."
"If by transitioning, you mean that I'm having hot flashes and feeling dizzy, then I suppose I am," Tetsuya said dryly.
"Sheesh," Ichigo chuckled, smiling at Renji, "I don't think I've ever seen Tetsuya in anything but a good mood. This is kinda cute."
"Are you making fun of me, Ichigo-san?" Tetsuya asked, frowning.
"No way," Ichigo laughed, "I'm just trying to distract you a little, to ease your nerves."
"Well, lay off him, baka," Renji said, scowling.
"Hey, take it easy," Ichigo chuckled, "You're in more of a snit than he is."
"Enough," Byakuya said, quelling the two with a disapproving glare.
The three quieted as the soft glow around Tetsuya's belly began to brighten. They watched in awe as the light grew and warmed gradually, until something even brighter appeared and began to emerge.
"This is it," Kisuke said, squeezing Tetsuya's hand, "The first one is emerging."
The shopkeeper extended his hands, infusing the area around the emerging reiatsu with his own, then coaxing the glowing cluster along.
"Keep breathing slowly," Kisuke said, keeping his eyes fixed on the cluster, "Relax and just let your body do what it needs to do."
Behind him, Torio and Koji entered the room and took up positions near the bed.
Kisuke smiled as the reiatsu cluster slowly rose upward and then dropped into his waiting hands. The gathered men watched intently as the light around the cluster flickered fitfully, then the reiatsu began to gradually resolve itself into the shape of a tiny infant.
"It looks like baby number one is a boy," Kisuke announced to the delighted parents, "Black hair, eyes kind of remind me of Renji's. He's got Tetsuya's lighter build and spirit centers on the level of Byakuya's. He looks to be perfectly healthy."
"Thank kami," panted Tetsuya, relaxing slightly as Koji moved forward and washed his face gently with a cool, wet cloth.
"He's so tiny, Renji mused, "There's barely a kid there!"
"I'm sure he'll grow," Kisuke said, smiling.
Kisuke set the firstborn in Byakuya's arms, then moved back to Tetsuya's side and leaned over him again as a second reiatsu emerged. All eyes watched as he captured it and held it close, watching with entranced eyes as the body began to resolve.
"Red hair, lots of it," he reported, "Pretty grey eyes like Byakuya's and a sturdier build like Renji's...and a girl. She'll be a tall girl, definitely a fighter type. Watch out. Good sized spirit centers. And she looks healthy too."
"Thank goodness," sighed Renji, accepting the little redhead into his arms and grinning down at her, "She's great, isn't she? She's going to get into all kinds of trouble, ne?"
"She certainly won't be pushed around, that's for sure," chuckled Kisuke.
He paused as Tetsuya gasped and made a guttural sound of pain.
"Hey, you all right, Tetsuya? What's going on? Describe it to me."
"It...burns and stings inside," Tetsuya managed, pausing and loosing another groan of discomfort, "It f-feels like too much pressure around the opening!"
"Hmmm," mused Kisuke, studying the area carefully, "It looks like babies three and four can't agree on who should go first, so they're trying to come through at the same time. I'm going to give you a stronger pain block, so you might pass out, but I'll help these guys through, no problem. All right?"
"Okay," Tetsuya managed weakly, sighing in relief as Koji washed the sweat off of his face and throat again.
"Urahara-san," Koji said softly, "You look awfully pale, sir. Would you like me to place the pain block? I am trained to heal Tetsuya-san."
"All right, kid, you're probably right that I shouldn't be doing that. Go ahead. And don't hold back. I don't want Tetsuya in any pain, understand?"
"Yes, Urahara-san," Koji said, moving closer to administer the pain block, then watching as Tetsuya gave another sigh of relief and closed his eyes.
"You still with me?" Kisuke asked, sliding his hands along Tetsuya's rounded belly, then wrapping his reiatsu around the two emerging clusters.
"Mmhmm," Tetsuya breathed sleepily.
"Good, I'll tell you when to open your eyes so you don't miss this."
"Mmhmm..."
"I don't want to tamper too much with them, so I'm going to both widen the passage and compress their reiatsu just slightly to bring them through."
"The compression won't hurt the babies?" Byakuya asked softly.
"No, it's just very slight. And the pain block will keep Tetsuya from feeling anything."
"Very well," Byakuya said reluctantly, "Do what you must."
Kisuke ran his hands around the opening, putting gentle pressure and stretching it as the two reiatsus pushed eagerly against it.
"Koji, can you hold the edges while I help them through?" the shopkeeper asked hastily.
"Yes, Urahara-san," the attendant agreed, placing his hands at the edges of the opening as Kisuke's touched the emerging reiatsus and his own reiatsu swirled around it.
"Okay, Tetsuya, open your eyes. Here they come."
Tetsuya managed a soft sigh of understanding and his eyes cracked open and struggled to focus.
The men held their collective breath as the two reiatsus emerged slowly through the opening together, neither relinquishing the claim to be the next born. Kisuke captured both together and Koji swiftly relieved him of one.
"One redhead and one with black hair," Kisuke sighed in a relieved tone, "both with big, adorable blue eyes. But be sure these two are going to wreak havoc on the Kuchiki clan and probably the Gotei 13 too. Good-sized spirit centers and it looks like there's a pretty strong connection between them. Wow, these two little princesses are going to give you pretty hell, I think, guys."
"But they are all healthy and that is the most important thing," Byakuya replied calmly, "Tetsuya, you are to be congratulated. Thank you for..."
The clan leader paused, noting that his cousin's eyes had closed again and that his breathing seemed much lighter and faster than before. Kisuke frowned and examined him quickly, then hissed a short command to Koji.
"Get Orihime now."
He shook Tetsuya gently.
"Come on, Tetsuya. Now's not the time to be sleeping. You want to see your babies, right?"
"What's going on?" Renji said, sounding alarmed, "Is he all right?"
"He's kind of shocky," Kisuke surmised, "This wasn't easy for his body to handle...wouldn't have been, even if there'd been only one. This..."
"He stopped breathing," Byakuya said in a low voice, immediately turning the child in his arms over to a newly arriving attendant, then moving to begin breathing for the younger man.
"Damn it!" Kisuke snapped in self-reproach, "I don't feel a pulse."
"I've got it!" Renji volunteered, handing the baby he was holding off to another attendant, while Kisuke handed the last off to a white-faced Torio.
Renji began alternating chest compressions with intermittent breaths being given by Byakuya.
"Come on," the redhead pleaded softly, "Come on, Tetsuya!"
They continued their efforts for just over a minute before they sensed a flare of power and Orihime's healing shield rose around Tetsuya as the girl ran into the room. The men in the room watched with guarded eyes as Orihime's healing power wrapped around Tetsuya's distressed body, infusing him with its golden light and slowly bringing his heartbeat and respirations back into a steady rhythm.
"He'll be all right now," the human girl informed them, "His body was just really stressed out, but I've got him more relaxed now. I think he'll be unconscious for awhile, but he'll recover."
"That is good news. Thank you," Byakuya said, gratefully, "Now, Urahara Kisuke, you should leave my cousin to Inoue's care and return to your chamber."
"I don't know..."
"Byakuya's right," Ichigo said, wrapping an arm around the shopkeeper and helping him stand, "I'll help you back to bed."
"Ah...all right."
The two walked back to Kisuke chamber in silence, each anxious inside about what the other was thinking. It wasn't until Ichigo laid the shopkeeper in bed and started to climb in after him that Kisuke stopped him.
"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked warily, "I'm going to warm you up and give you a little infusion."
"Before you do that, we need to talk."
"How about we talk while I take care of you?" Ichigo asked stubbornly.
"J-just wait, okay?" Kisuke insisted, "I think I need to be fair about this and just tell you. I'm not getting you pregnant, Ichigo."
"Wh-what? You mean, just because Tetsuya...?"
"Tetsuya is a natural born breeder! And even he had trouble with the delivery, which is among the reasons why messing with a person's genes is not a good idea."
"Look, I'm not worried about that happening to me. It'll be okay?"
"I'm not going there!" the shopkeeper shouted.
Ichigo sucked in a surprised breath, first at the outburst, then at the look of agony that crossed Kisuke's face.
"Are you all right? Do you need...?"
"N-no, I'll be fine," Kisuke said, shaking his head, "I just need to stay calm, because stress quickens the advance of the poison. Just, let's not talk about this right now, okay? I just...need to rest."
"All right," Ichigo said bracingly, "But I'm still gonna take care of you now."
He laid down and curled around the shopkeeper's body, his eyes widening as he realized Kisuke was trembling.
This isn't illness.
Kisuke is scared to death.
But we'll get past this. I'm going to convince him somehow to go ahead with this!