A/N - Gah! I can't stop writing. Somebody help me!
It was a breezy summer afternoon. The warm sweet air brushing across my cheeks as I sipped at bitter green tea.
I had been dismissed early from the Gotei 13 today because Byakuya thought I looked a little sick. And even though I tried to convince him I was okay (of course he didn't buy that) he sought out a second opinion from Rukia. Who had, of course, insisted that I did look a little ill. Plus, there was little chance of Bya actually letting me stay at work after the whole fainting incident.
So he had, with the best intentions, ploped the baby in my arms and shuffled me off to the 13th division, which is where Rukia had so kindly offered to babysit me for the rest of the day.
"Renji?"
"Yes, Rukia?"
"Are you alright?"
I winced as another dull pain curled it's way through my abdomen.
"I'm fine," I forced a smile onto my face.
"You look uncomfortable," Rukia eyed me cautiously. "Have you seen Unohana-taichou recently?"
"Of course I have. Just last week. I'm fine. It's just hard to work and take care of the baby that's all." I sighed. Setting the small flask of the green liquid back onto the tray. Leaning back into the plush pile of pillows that Rukia had piled behind me. I looked over at my son who was sleeping soundly. His small limbs stretched out across the blue blanket that matched his onesie. His stuffed tiger tucked under his tiny arm.
"Rukia..."
"Yes?"
"Do you think Byakuya is right? Maybe I... should resign. My life has just had so many problems since I started back here. It's putting a strain on my relationship with Byakuya... And I just havent been able to spend as much time with my little boy since then either." I said, stroking my baby boys soft pale cheek as he slept.
"I think that would be the best option. Maybe you should just take a few years off like I did with Rin. It was nice to spend time with her as a baby but it was nice to have a little personal time as she got older... Either way, you should talk about it with Nii-san first." Her violet eyes drifted from the courtyard to my face.
I smiled, "I know. I will, don't worry."
"Being a mom has made you go soft, you pansy." She chuckled before punching me in the forearm.
"Owww," I mumbled, rubbing at the spot that would no doubt be bruised later. "And being a mom for you has obviously made you stronger. I never knew you could hit that hard..."
I twisted my body, trying to re-adjust my body among the plush pillows. Which wasn't such a good idea.
I groaned as the pain began again inside my uterus.
"Renji," Rukia said sternly , her own empty flask falling to the wood floor and clattering loudly as she leaned towards me, her hands outstretched to catch me if I happened to have another "fainting spell".
"I'm fine," I clenched my teeth as I repositioned my body to the previous position. "Just a little sore..." I tried laughing as her concerned gaze continued to examine me up and down.
"Rukia...," I started before I heard my son begin to get fussy.
I struggled as I reached down and picked up my son, supporting his head with my hands as I brought his face to mine. Kissing his pale forhead.
I lost my breath for a few moments, as the small action of lifting my son who weighs close to nothing taking a lot out of me.
"Oh, hey, buddy. What's the matter, huh?," I whispered in my "mommy voice" as Ichigo called it.
I looked over at Rukia, who obviously wasn't done discussing why I had gasped out in pain so suddenly. But she looked as if she had dropped the subject, even if only for a few minutes.
"I think he's hungry." She stated, removing herself from her previously seated position to come and pet his dark-haired head.
I watched as his glistening deep blue eyes shifted from focusing on my face to Rukia's. His lips quivering as if he was about to start crying. His clenched up hands batting at the air beside him frustratingly.
"Yeah, I think he is hungry. Are you hungry, sweetheart?," I smiled and pulled my haori apart. Bringing his pink lips to my nipple. He latched onto me immediatly and began to drink. Working fast to swallow big mouthfulls of milk.
"Yeah, he was hungry...," I smiled at Rukia, swiping a few pieces of hair from my son's eyes as his eyes drifted closed.
"Renji, are you sure your not pregnant?" Rukia blurted out suddenly after a few silent minutes of watching my baby boy eat his lunch.
I felt my eyes widen to the size of saucers.
"Wha-what? Rukia! N-no! I'm not pregnant!," I stuttered, a blush burned on my cheek's.
"Are you sure? I mean, look how pudgy your stomach is!"
"Well gee thanks...," I mumbled "Unohana-taichou said it would take a little while to work off my baby fat. And what about you?," I said, nodding to her three month along stomach, which looked four months along because off all the little amount of fat she was packing in her middle section. "Rin is almost four and you still have baby fat! So there."
"So!," She shouted, embarressed. "Your a man and your supposed to be more lean than me. And look how big you are! Your fat should have been gone by now ar at least barely noticable." She pointed at my stomach.
I frowned and, supporting my son with my left arm, i used my right hand to feel around my stomach.
It did feel a bit bigger and rounder than usual but it still lacked the solid quality of a placenta.
"It's just fat, Rukia. See, feel." I grabbed her hand and placed it on my belly. Being a mom, I was clearly no stranger to having people feel my stomach.
However, I wanted Rukia to confirm that it was just fat. To confirm that I was just crazy or hormonal. It just wasn't in my plan to become pregnant again and less than five months after having my first. But more important than that, what would Byakuya say...?
No. No way in heck. I'm not pregnant. I'm not.
Please tell me it's just fat, Rukia. Please...
"R-renji... That doesn't feel like fat."
Bloody hell...
I felt tears well up in my eyes. "N-no, you must be mistaken. I have been eating quite alot, especially since i'm breastfeeding. And-and-," Rukia cut me off with a finger to my lips.
"It's okay, Renji. I'm not a doctor. Your probably right. Don't freak out." She smiled.
I tried to smile back, blinking away the tears in my eyes.
"Sorry... i'm just hormonal," I sighed, feeling unusually light headed.
"No, Renji, as a mom it is a fear that you some to terms with. Your not hormonal, your normal." She tried to re-assure me "But seriously, almost crying over something so small made you look like a pussy. Man up." She finished, bonking me on the head.
"Ow," I muttered. Rubbing at the back of my head before I felt my son detach himself from me and before a whine could escape his throat, I switched him over to the other nipple.
She smirked and went to place her tea cup that had fallen on the floor back onto the tray.
"Speaking of eating, are you ready to go get some lunch? I'm starving." She said as she picked up the tray and began to walk towards the door, her tabi clanking on the wood floors.
I chuckled, "Yeah... just lemme get... up," I struggled to lift myself up, my lightheadedness increasing significantly. So significantly in fact that I began to lose my sight momentarily.
Remembering my son was still in my arm's and feeling the onset of a collapse coming on i quickly called out to Rukia for assistance. "R-rukia, take the baby."
"Wh-what?"
"Take the baby!" I shouted as loud as I could as I felt the muscles in my legs fail on me. Sending me plummeting to the floor along with the china that Rukia had been holding.
The last thing I remember before blacking out is seeing the broken tea cups on the floor and hearing my baby boy screaming over Rukia, who was calling for help.
I want Byakuya... Byakuya...I'm so sorry...
A/N - A big hug to whoever can predict whats going to happen next :D Please review. Gratzi.