Chapter 8: Reading and Speaking

"You okay, Byakushi?" asked a little girl's voice, stirring the sluggish noble.

Byakuya groaned as he was stricken with an intense wave of nausea and instant dizziness upon sitting up. He didn't dare trust his legs, so grabbed a small trashcan and loosed the contents of his stomach violently. The pink haired vice captain climbed onto the bed, patting his back gently and talking in a sympathetic tone as he heaved again. The stars before his eyes thickened to the point at which he could not see, at which point, he attempted to set the trashcan down, lost his balance and crashed to the floor.

Kami, I'm glad to lose consciousness..., he thought as everything went dark and quiet around him again.

When he woke, he wasn't so sure.

"Wh-what is happening?" he gasped as he came awake again.

"Lie still," Kenpachi growled softly in his ear, "You came unbalanced again. You almost bought it, too. So, lie the hell down and don't move, okay?"

"Ugh..." groaned Byakuya, closing his eyes.

"That's better," said Kenpachi.

"What's happening? How did I get to the fourth division?"

Kenpachi laughed shortly.

"How do you think you got here? I carried your lazy, fainting pansy-ass down here when you quit breathing on me. You know, Kuchiki, I've really wanted to kill you before...still kinda do, but I want to be the one to beat you to death, not have you collapse at my feet like a little kid."

"You're repulsive. Get away from me before you make me throw up again!"

"Like you have anything left in you to throw up," chuckled Zaraki, pulling his hands away from Byakuya's belly and standing.

"Where are you going?" Byakuya asked, frowning.

"Huh..." said the other captain, flippantly, "I run the eleventh, remember? I gotta go to work, honey."

He turned back and kissed the blinking noble on the cheek.

"Don't let the little bastard in there burn out your insides while I'm gone. I have stuff to do."

"Kenpachi..."

Zaraki stopped in front of the door, with his back to Byakuya, but said nothing.

"Arigato...for not allowing me to die."

Zaraki glanced over his shoulder and grinned.

"I expect a real good fight when you pop that little monster out of your belly and you're working on all thrusters again, okay?"

Byakuya sighed.

"Very well."

"I'll put that on my calendar," chuckled Zaraki, giving the noble a sly wink, "You be good or Captain Unohana will have your ass."

"As though such a thing is even possible," Byakuya muttered as the other captain left the room, "Though she would probably be a hundred times more pleasant..."

He gave another bored sigh, looking around the hospital room for a source of distraction. The television offered little of interest and there was nothing to read, so he turned his head to look out the window, and tried to imagine what the child he was carrying would be like.

Kami, I hope that he doesn't inherit his father's death wish. But then, I think that is more a function of where Zaraki grew up, and it is not so much a matter of individual nature. Then again...

The door to his room opened and Hanatarou entered the room, bearing a tray piled with food, and with Captain Unohana a step behind.

"Well," the lady healer said, smiling, "You look much better, Captain Kuchiki."

"Yes," Byakuya said in a bored tone, "I imagine that breathing is better than not breathing, is it not?"

"Ah, I see your mood is still being affected by your condition? Or is this your natural charm coming out?"

"Amusing," the noble said, his lips twitching very slightly, "Do you have any information about why I nearly died or have you come to drain me of blood for more tests?"

"Oh, I took all I needed while you were blissfully unconscious," Unohana said pleasantly, "I have made a few conclusions, but I have some questions as well."

"Well, as you can see, you have a captive audience," he answered dryly, "I become dizzy and faint when I try to stand, as that barbarian was, I am certain, eager to point out."

"Yes," Unohana giggled softly, "He did say something to that effect..."

"But in a much more repulsive way, I am certain."

"Of course. But do not worry. There is a reason why these things are happening."

"Please do not tell me that these are just the joys of gestation," Byakuya warned her, "I have known pregnant women, and their side effects, though at times annoying, went away at some point. So, why is my body reacting to violently to this...besides the fact that I cannot bear the presence of the little brat's father?"

Captain Unohana cleared her throat to stifle another laugh.

"Oh, don't be so irascible, Captain Kuchiki. You know, Captain Zaraki was very gentle with you while you were unconscious...quite unlike himself."

"And immediately upon my waking, he forced me to agree to duel after the baby is born to pay him back for it."

"Ah, I don't think that is what he was referring to. In all seriousness, Captain, he seemed truly concerned."

"Yes, he looked it when I..."

"You need to listen to me and understand this, Captain Kuchiki. I am a physician. I know the physical signs of stress and what they mean...exactly what they mean. Captain Zaraki was very worried about you."

"And what do my physical signs tell you?" asked the noble.

The healer turned her large blue eyes on him, and Byakuya felt an odd stab of unnaturally powerful anxiety.

"You are very difficult to read while you are awake, Captain," she said finally, "however, while you were semi-conscious, you sought his hand as eagerly as he sought yours. And you asked him to stay."

Byakuya's eyes closed and a soft blush rose on his face.

"I imagine he had something horrid to say in response?" he asked, biting at his lips.

"Actually, he didn't answer aloud," said the healer.

Byakuya's eyes opened and met hers questioningly.

"What...?"

"He squeezed your hand to let you know that he was still there...and he kissed your fingertips. He...thought I wasn't looking."

Byakuya found himself momentarily speechless.

"You know," Unohana went on, "The two of you seem to have a language all your own between you. You speak and understand it perfectly until your hearts begin to engage, and then you forget how to read and talk to each other. It is lucky for you that I also understand the language that you speak, and I hear very clearly what you are trying to tell each other."

"And that is?"

"Oh, come now, Captain Kuchiki," said the healer, giving him a knowing look, "You already know, ne?"

Byakuya shook his head.

"Yes, you do," Unohana insisted, "You simply don't want to say it out loud, so I will say it for you."

"If you are going to say that I am in love with that stupid, reckless, brainless barbarian, then..."

"You are in love with him, and Captain Zaraki returns that emotion wholeheartedly."

The first part of her statement made him roll his eyes, but the second froze him in place.

"Wh-what?"

"I said that you..."

"I heard that part, and it is ridiculous, but what did you say after that?" he asked stridently.

"I said that Captain Zaraki is in love with you," Captain Unohana said, matter-of-factly.

Byakuya stared at her silently, trying to make sense of the words, but he couldn't for the life of him imagine Kenpachi Zaraki loving anyone. Beating or killing...removing body parts, perhaps, but not...

"But enough about all of that," the healer went on, "Why don't you get started on your lunch and I will examine you and ask a few questions."

Byakuya started to decline the food, but read the look on the lady healer's face and somehow found an appetite for the food forming.

"Your baby seems to be growing at a slightly faster than normal rate, but is perfectly healthy. You may give birth a bit sooner than anticipated."

"That would be good," Byakuya sighed, "a relief."

"But there is an issue with the baby's reiatsu..."

"What?" asked Byakuya, his hand seeking his abdomen in what seemed a protective gesture.

"Oh, do not worry for the child," Unohana assured him, "In fact, it is you I am worried about."

"Why?"

"Well, as you know, Captain Zaraki is possessed of dangerously strong reiatsu. And it seems that this child too, possesses that same gift of intense power."

"I have powerful reiatsu as well," answered Byakuya, frowning.

"Yes, but for some reason, this reiatsu has been showing signs of instability, swells of intense power, of something affecting it."

"But you said that it will not hurt the baby?" Byakuya asked, tension in his voice.

"No, it will not hurt the baby, but you may need some help coping with the power swells associated with it."

"I thought that was what Kenpachi..."

He stopped himself.

"I thought that was what he was doing with that bonding."

"That is only part of the answer," said the healer, "I have yet to understand why these power surges keep happening. At first, it seemed random, but when you were brought in, there was something odd about you and the reiatsu chamber within you that Aizen put there."

"The chamber?" Byakuya queried, "What was wrong with it?"

"It had been manipulated...by someone who knew how," Unohana announced.

"M-manipluated?"

"Captain Kuchiki," the healer said, looking into his eyes, "Do you remember leaving Kuchiki Manor last night?"

"L-leaving...no, no I don't. I was there the whole time!"

"But your attendant told the healer we sent that you were sleeping," added Unohana, looking at him meaningfully.

Byakuya took a surprised breath.

"An...illusion?" he queried.

"Sousuke Aizen did have the chamber placed in your body and was responsible for Captain Zaraki having intercourse with you in Las Noches, ne?"

"H-he was," admitted Byakuya, "but...but he...why would he do this? Why would he purposely impregnate me with Kenpachi's baby and...and manipulate the chamber to make the effects stronger?"

"I do not know the answer to that," said the healer, worriedly, "But I know that he is working a plan of some kind here."

"Sweet Kami!" gasped Byakuya, looking ill, "Captain Unohana, wh-what if the whole thing is an illusion and Kenpachi is not the father! Aizen had me unconscious. he certainly could have impregnated me, then set that whole thing up with Captain Zaraki! He would know that it would take a strong shinigami to bear his child, but he wouldn't want to make it obvious, lest the child become a target."

"I don't think that he..."

"But how do we really know?" asked Byakuya, looking alarmed, "I could be carrying that man's child!"

He barely noticed Captain Unohana's arm wrapping around his shoulders and her healing power flaring.

"Oh my kami...what if...? What if...?" he repeated dizzily, "How do we know? With his illusions...?"

"We do have a means to work around that," said the healer, "Remember that to be fooled by his illusions, one must have been hypnotized..."

"But he hypnotizes some without them knowing! And if he came to Kuchiki Manor, I know that many of the ones around me had not seen his shikai! They should have known if Aizen came to the manor, but no one seems to have noticed!"

"Captain Kuchiki, you must remain calm," the healer chided him, "The powers in your body are increasingly more unstable. I will have you examined by a group of healers. some who have seen his shikai and some who have not. We should have clashing conclusions if Aizen did impregnate you."

"But whether he did or not, he seems to be able to waltz in and reach me at any time..."

"Was Captain Zaraki with you last night? All of last night?" Unohana asked suddenly.

"N-no," said Byakuya, still looking pale and nauseous, "He...we made love..."

An instant blush came to his face as he realized what he had said.

"I mean...we were together...in the same room. But he...left. He went to the lower Rukongai and patrolled for a time, then returned and found that my reiatsu had become unbalanced."

"So the imbalance happened while he was gone, ne?"

"Yes."

"And you know that he would have 'replaced' you with an illusion. You know as well that one very close to you would be able to detect it."

"Are you telling me that the only way to keep Aizen away from me is to convince that barbarian to stay with me all of the time? We would drive each other mad!"

Unohana smiled.

"That would be better than letting Aizen reach you easily, ne?"

Byakuya sighed and shook his head.

"You cannot tell Kenpachi Zaraki to remain with me like a bodyguard. He excels at crushing bodies, not protecting them," he objected.

"But he loves you. So, he will do this."

"You had better tell him then," said the noble, shaking his head, "He will likely tell you that Aizen can have me if he wants me."

"Captain Kuchiki, what a thing to say!" said the healer, frowning, "I am sure that when I talk to him, he will agree to watch over you, without hesitation."

"Hmmm," muttered the noble, "Only if you employ your convincing powers on him."

"Captain...you insult me," the healer chuckled.

"I respect your abilities," Byakuya said, quieting as he considered things, "Go ahead, then. I will entrust myself to Kenpachi if he is willing to stay with me."

"I will," said the healer, looking pleased, "And you eat a significant amount of that food so that your reiatsu grows stronger to better balance with your child's...and then rest. I am going to keep you here, as I think Sousuke Aizen will be less likely to be able to reach you here."

"Shouldn't you determine first that he is attempting something?" asked Byakuya.

"I will do that now, and then I will contact your...I will contact Captain Zaraki."

Byakuya watched as Captain Unohana left, then placated a hovering Hanatarou by eating more than he felt capable of eating. He surprised himself by feeling better...enough so that he could drift off.

The last thing he felt as he entered sleep was a large, rough hand sliding into his and Zaraki's voice in his ear.

"Damn, you are a pain in the ass, Kuchiki."

It took surprisingly immense effort to hold back a smile and to hang on to his pride.