Hey readers, I've decided to try something a little different and turn this into an M-preg story. Never written one before and, since this was an experiment story in the first place, I thought it wouldn't hurt to add that element to this story!

So, if this isn't your kind of thing then I'm not forcing you to keep reading. Don't leave hate or anything in the reviews… just let this be a pleasant space for those who do want to keep reading.

I feel like there's been enough hate in the news recently, don't you? Let fanfiction remain a place for those trying to escape and remember that this is, in fact, a work of fiction so it can't hurt you?

Much love, and as always, thank you for reading!

Zangetsu twitched when he heard the door click. He opened one eye. His arm began to tighten around Ichigo, rolling his young master a little bit closer.

"Relax, I'm not a threat," Isshin spoke.

Zangetsu narrowed his eyes. "Breaking into your own son's apartment?"

Isshin crossed his arms. "Well, what else am I supposed to do when my only son won't give me a key?"

"Give him some privacy," Zangetsu suggested. He idly picked at the blanket covering his King, pulling it a little higher over orange locks to keep him hidden, even if Isshin wasn't really a threat. "So, why are you here?"

Isshin leaned a bit against the doorframe. "Well, I felt a large spike in Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure. I thought maybe he used a Getsuga Tenshou against a Hollow, but when his Spiritual Pressure suddenly dropped and almost faded altogether, I got worried."

"He's fine," Zangetsu grumbled.

Isshin chuckled. "Well, Kisuke said you'd be protective but I didn't think you'd be this grumpy."

Zangetsu arched a pale eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"The two of you… well, Hollows call it "mating" don't they? Your souls become one and a mark of possession forever appears on each other's souls. It's something not usually seen in Hollows because of their inability to love. Typically, the mark is used to possess, but here it's a mark of-"

Zangetsu scratched inside his ear. "Yeah, yeah, take your explanation somewhere else. I know what happened here and so does Ichigo. I explained it to him before we had sex. Now get out, or I'll show you how possessive a Hollow can really be when someone intrudes on their mating ground."

Isshin gulped and raised his hands. "Alright, alright. I'll be at Urahara's shop. You and Ichigo should come by later. Usually, a mated Hollow is marked for death, but since you're half Zanpakuto… well, we want to make sure nothing bad happens now that the two of you are-"

"Out," Zangetsu growled.

Isshin nodded and hopped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Ichigo sighed and snuggled closer to Zangetsu. "What was that all about?"

"Sorry," Zangetsu murmured, "did I wake you, King?"

Ichigo hummed in satisfaction at the nickname. "No, it's fine. I'm just gonna go right back to sleep."

Zangetsu hugged Ichigo close again, letting the other settled with his head on his chest. Ichigo leaned in with a satisfied sigh. Zangetsu hummed and closed his eyes. He brought his nose to Ichigo's hair and sniffed gently. Ichigo no longer smelled like those men – abominations – but now smelled like Zangetsu, and it didn't go unnoticed by the Zanpakuto that their reiatsu had grown extremely similar as well. Ichigo was embracing his Hollow side.

"Zangetsu…" Ichigo murmured.

Zangetsu blinked. "King?"

"It's 7 in the morning…" Ichigo whined. "What time did we have sex last night? Or was it earlier this morning? Do you remember?"

Zangetsu rolled over. Ichigo was sitting at the edge of the bed, a pout on his lips.

So cute, Zangetsu thought.

"It was definitely dark out," Zangetsu answered.

Ichigo slowly nodded and then rubbed his eyes. "Ugh, it's been a while since I stayed up so late. It's a good thing I don't work today, or else Unagiya-san would… well, she'd probably hunt me down and drag me to her shop kicking and screaming. She probably wouldn't even give me the chance to get dressed before kidnapping me."

Zangetsu growled under his breath, then quickly changed the subject. "Well, then… Does that mean you're free for the rest of the day?"

Ichigo blinked before his slight surprise turned into a grin. "Why? You got something you want to do today, Zangetsu?"

Zangetsu couldn't help himself from capturing that grin with his lips. Mmm, and his King tasted so much sweeter this morning too. After they parted, Zangetsu murmured, "Something to do? You mean like you?"

Ichigo huffed and his cheeks grew a noticeably darker red. "Well, you're certainly in a good mood."

"And you're not?"

Ichigo sighed, his hand moving gently over Zangetsu's head and through his hair. "I never said that. I am in a good mood. In fact, this is the best I've felt in forever."

Zangetsu nodded and leaned into his King's touch. "Me too."

Ichigo sucked in a deep breath as a yawn escaped his lips.

Zangetsu chuckled and gave Ichigo a gentle nudge back into the bed. "Rest, my King, you need it."

"I'm fine," Ichigo murmured, eyes already fighting him. He saw Zangetsu's raised brow and huffed. "Fine, but only because we were up so late."

"Yeah, yeah…" Zangetsu hummed, placing a kiss on his King's forehead. "Relax Ichigo. No one is here but me, and I'm not going to think you're weak for taking care of yourself."

Ichigo sighed happily as he let his eyes shut.

Once he was certain Ichigo was asleep, Zangetsu crept out of bed. Panting, he made his way out of Ichigo's room and down a small hallway towards the bathroom. There, he stopped and stared at himself in the mirror. He looked sick, almost, his usually pure white skin now taking on an ashy colour.

"What's wrong with me?" Zangetsu brought shaking hands towards the sink. He turned the water on and flinched. Cold. The water was cold.

Of course. Bells rung in Zangetsu's head. He was cold.

He needed to be warm again.

He shut off the tap and made his way back to the bedroom.

Warmth. Heat. Need heat.

His eyes scanned the room. Ichigo was warm. Not warm enough. Warmer. Safe.

Zangetsu moved towards the closet. He slowly slid open the doors. Must not wake sleeping mate. He took out two spare pillows and three blankets.

Ichigo slowly blinked awake. He chuckled, finding his face squished against Zangetsu's neck. "Morning…"

"Mm… King…" Zangetsu murmured.

Ichigo slowly stretched out when he noticed something. "Oi, Zangetsu? Why are all my blankets and pillows surrounding us?"

"Nest…" Zangetsu whispered.

"A… nest?"

"Safe."

Ichigo gulped. "You're worrying me here."

Zangetsu pulled Ichigo towards him, a low growl in his throat.

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak when another voice sounded. "Easy!"

Ichigo recognized that voice. "Urahara-san?"

"Ohaiyo, Kurosaki-san!" Kisuke greeted. "Seems you've got yourself a possessive Hollow, hm?"

Ichigo snapped his attention back to Zangetsu. "Hey," he murmured, immediately catching hold of Zangetsu's eyes. "Relax, alright? He's not going to hurt you."

Zangetsu's grip loosened and his growl faded, but Ichigo noticed his posture hadn't changed.

Kisuke sighed and took a few steps back.

"What's going on, Urahara-san?"

"Well, seems like you've successfully mated. He's protecting you like Hollows would protect their… claimed kill, but obviously you're not dead… You would be at this point if he wasn't also your Zanpakuto."

Ichigo gulped. "Noted. What's that mean?"

"You're his wall, Ichigo. The piece that completes the nest. Like I said, usually it's a dead corpse that victorious Hollow will feed on, but… Well, anyway!" Kisuked grinned, his smile flashing. "You won't be able to move for a month!"

Ichigo's eyes widened. "A month!? What!?"

In another room, Ichigo heard Isshin laughing.

Kisuke waved his fan. "I'm only joking, Kurosaki-san! You'll have to stay in his arms for… probably half an hour at most, until he's calmed down and deemed it safe to be revealed. He's protecting precious cargo, yanno?"

Ichigo raised an orange brow. "Cargo?"

Kisuke chuckled and waved his fan at Ichigo. "You mean, you haven't noticed it yet? You always were dense, Ichigo. Put your hand on his stomach."

Ichigo blinked and placed his arms under the covers – the many layers of covers. He felt Zangetsu shift closer, a sort of purr making its way from Zangetsu's throat. Ichigo's hand found skin when a spark suddenly shot up Ichigo's arm. His instincts screamed at him. Protect. Protect. Protect. Protect.

"Life?" Ichigo muttered. "He… We have a baby?"

"Hollows don't abide by humanity's sex or gender roles," Kisuke answered. "He can carry a child – and likely you can too – because your bodies are part Hollow. All it takes is reiatsu shared equally between partners, a rare thing amongst actual Hollows since they're mostly trying to eat each other, but you get the point. It's been rumoured that some Arrancars have carried children."

Ichigo leaned into Zangetsu. Protect. He felt all too aware of the situation now that was clued in. Ichigo could feel the new life beginning to grow stronger. He could sense how close Isshin was to the door. Ichigo could feel Zangetsu's presence grow threatening as Kisuke inched closer.

"Urahara-san, he's gonna attack if you get too close…" Ichigo warned. "Better just go away for today. I'll give you a call when you can come check on things, okay?"

Kisuke nodded. "Alright. I'll come the moment you call~! Good luck!" He just about bolted when Zangetsu growled.

Ichigo brushed Zangetsu's hair behind his ear. Zangetsu blinked and the spaced-out, nearly murderous look in his eyes vanished. "Ichigo?"

Ichigo chuckled as their eyes met. He placed a kiss on Zangetsu's lips and the other welcomed the contact however short it may be. Before Zangetsu could speak, Ichigo beat him to it, "So… you're carrying a child, huh?"

Golden eyes glanced down at his belly, then back up at Ichigo. "That… explains a few things."

Ichigo smiled. "You mean you didn't know?"

Zangetsu relaxed into his pillows and closed his eyes. "No… this morning has been a blur. I think… instinct completely took over. I don't really know what I did or why."

"You said something about a nest?"

Zangetsu's eyes snapped open and he took in their surroundings. "Yes… a nest…" He grinned at Ichigo and curled up against him. "Mm… you smell nice."

Ichigo's face turned red. "Uh? Thanks!?"

Zangetsu chuckled. "Relax, I'm not going to eat you. You smell nice, not like those fuckin' men. Yer mine now, King. Mine…"

Ichigo sighed in relief and then smiled softly as his sleepy Zanpakuto. "Rest, Zangetsu. I'll watch over you, okay? You look like you could use at least another hour."

"M fine…" Zangetsu muttered, even as he drifted to sleep.