Author's note: Next chapter I'm going to skip ahead to the birth! I'm so excited.
"Finally." Ichigo sighed as he looked at the new collar in his hands.
This one was a beautiful green shade, meant to match the markings beside Grimmjow's eyes. And instead of the heart, which had been put on to deliberately humiliate the Espada, Kisuke had adorned it with a bright blue stone set in a silver circle. Ichigo thought the arrancar would tolerate it easily enough. He was going to be very happy to get his powers back.
You're going to regret this. His inner hollow commented and Ichigo rolled his eyes. He's just trying to trick you so he can kill you.
"Shut up. Just because you would do it doesn't mean that's what Grimmjow's doing." He growled at the thing, trying to hide his own nagging worry. He really didn't think Grimmjow was setting him up for anything. He and the Espada had gotten so much closer in these last few weeks, it was amazing. In addition to the feedings, they were actually making love, and Grimmjow had turned out to have an affectionate side that Ichigo would never have suspected. Still, they had been enemies for a very long time. It was hard to completely trust him.
Whatever. Don't complain to me when he kicks you in the head. Ichigo could feel the hollow losing interest and was rather relieved. He gave Kisuke a smile.
"Thank you for making this for us." He said. He really was very thankful for the shopkeeper's support in all this. Things could have been very, very hard if he'd decided not to help them. Urahara waved it away with a smile.
"It was nothing. And Ichigo, don't listen to your hollow. Grimmjow's affection for you is genuine, I'm certain of it." He said and Ichigo blinked, his jaw dropping a little. But then, Kisuke had been able to hear his half of the conversation. It probably hadn't been that hard to figure out.
"Oh. Ah, thank you, I definitely won't." Ichigo blushed lightly, but that endorsement did make him feel better. At least one other person thought that Grimmjow really had feelings for him. But then, if there was one thing the Espada of Destruction was bad at, it was faking his reactions. He just wasn't a good actor. "I need to get this home. See you later Kisuke!"
"Later Ichigo!" Urahara waved his fan in goodbye, and Ichigo began jogging home. Summer vacation was almost over. The babies would be born sometime during the school year, which meant he would probably get a frantic call someday to come home for a 'medical emergency.' He was feeling a mixture of apprehension and anticipation at the thought. He would finally get to know what his children would look like.
When he got home, he found Grimmjow deeply asleep in his cozy nest of blankets and pillows. He didn't wake up even when Ichigo opened the door and let the light in, and the teen just watched him for a moment, smiling. The loose but tailored clothing actually looked good on him, and today Grimmjow was wearing dark blue pants and a dark green t-shirt with a red, smirking smiley-face.
"Hey, wake up." He said, kneeling down to gently poke the cocooned arrancar. Grimmjow muttered sleepily, squirming away. "I have a present for you." He said encouragingly as the Espada opened his eyes just a crack.
"I don't want any candy little woman." He said groggily and Ichigo just laughed. Yuzu had tried to stuff him full of candy after her rescue. Then Grimmjow blinked, really waking up. "Ichigo?" He yawned, stretching slightly. "What is it?" He asked, blinking sleepily. Ichigo smiled as he reached out to gently hook a finger under his collar. He knew that as long as he didn't tug on it, there would be no pain. Grimmjow just rested his chin on his hand, giving the teen a questioning look.
"Take it off." He said firmly to his hollow and the arrancar's eyes widened. There was a grumbling sound from inside his mind and the collar didn't come off, it simply vanished in a puff of blue power. Grimmjow's own power, returning to him. The Espada looked at him in disbelief for a moment before rubbing his throat. "Kisuke made this to replace it." He offered Grimmjow the new collar, and the arrancar took it, examining it warily. "It'll hide your reiatsu the same way my collar does."
"Ah." Grimmjow nodded and quickly snapped the new collar into place. "I'm better at hiding my reiatsu than you are, but it'll still be good to have. How'd you convince your hollow to take it off?" He asked and Ichigo grimaced.
"I nagged him a lot." He said and Grimmjow blinked before he laughed. "And the possibility of you having to run to Hueco Mundo helped." He thought that had been the deciding factor. His hollow really did want to see the Espada's offspring, and with Grimmjow able to escape that was far more likely to happen.
"Well, I'm grateful." Grimmjow said, then gave him a mischievous smile. Ichigo wasn't really surprised when a hand caught him by the collar of his shirt and he was pulled into a deep and searching kiss. "Very, very grateful." The Espada purred and Ichigo swallowed as his libido gave him a kick in the crotch.
"How grateful?" He asked teasingly and Grimmjow grinned before kissing him again. Ichigo gripped his shoulders, tugging him out of the closet. It was much too small in there to do anything interesting. "Mmm… remember that position I told you about?" He asked with a grin. The internet had all kinds of interesting information, and it had informed him about lube and all kinds of sexual variations, most of which Grimmjow had already known about but not had any names for. And a few of them had been new to them both. "The one where we're both standing up?" He added as Grimmjow frowned and then the arrancar grinned.
"Two Pillars." He purred and Ichigo nodded. The guide he'd found had had illustrations, which was very helpful. "Sounds great, you got that cream you ordered?"
"Yes." Ordering that cream had been a bit of an ordeal, since it was adults only and he was technically not. He'd finally got Kisuke to order it for him, with a special fee attached. Ichigo was looking forward to seeing if it was really worth it. "Let's see if it does what it says on the box." He said teasingly before kissing Grimmjow again.
There was a lot of heavy petting, and clothes were dropped carelessly on the floor before he grabbed the cream off the bedstand. It was in a small tube and he used it to coat his hands as Grimmjow rested his arms against the wall, facing away from him. Ichigo paused for a moment to just admire the arrancar. The lines of his body were flawless and even the baby belly seemed right, budding with new life.
Ichigo slid his hands over warm skin, massaging Grimmjow's back for a moment and making the Espada growl a bit in pleasure. Then he kissed the warm skin, fragrant from the scented lotion, and began to gently open the arrancar. Grimmjow's body was warm and accepting, and the Espada moved his legs apart a bit more, letting him dip his fingers in further. Ichigo reached around him to slowly stroke his member, smiling as he found that Grimmjow was already fully aroused. The arrancar whimpered softly as his fingers teased that hot, straining flesh. Then he found that special spot inside him and Grimmjow tensed, letting out that feral growl that never failed to excite the teen.
Swallowing hard at the sight of his mate, Ichigo used a bit more of the cream to coat himself before tossing the bottle away. Then he positioned himself, taking the arrancar with a single, smooth thrust. There was a yowl from his partner and Ichigo smiled at the sound. It wasn't pain, quite the opposite. He didn't really withdraw, just slowly rubbing his length against Grimmjow's insides and watching as the arrancar growled in animal passion.
He was figuring out what turned his partner on, and he used that knowledge now, keeping the pace slow but hitting his prostate dead on with every thrust. He kissed the arrancar's shoulder, licking away beads of sweat from pale skin as his hand tortured Grimmjow, sliding up and down his length in the same rhythm as their bodies. He used his other hand to tweak the Grimmjow's nipples, getting a sound of ecstasy from the arrancar. The Espada was panting now, his body lightly sheened with sweat and his legs trembling with the effort of staying upright.
Ichigo couldn't have said how long he kept his mate like that, suspended in pleasure, but it was a long time. His blue eyes were hazed with lust and nearly senseless as he glanced over his shoulder, and Ichigo took the opportunity to claim his lips, sucking on Grimmjow's lower lip greedily. The Espada made a soft whining sound that hit him hard, and Ichigo found himself increasing his speed, despite himself.
"F-Fuck Ichigo, stop teasing me!" Grimmjow gasped out and Ichigo grinned, deliberately slowing the pace again. "Ah!" He writhed a bit and Ichigo laughed softly at the reactions, giving his erection a gentle squeeze then tormenting the tip with his thumb.
"You know you love it." He whispered in the arrancar's ear, getting a feral growl in return. It was nothing but the truth, though. Before they started having sex, he would never have believed that Grimmjow could enjoy giving up control so much. But he loved it when Ichigo took charge, and the teen vaguely wondered what he would think of bondage play. But for now, he just increased his pace, taking the arrancar quickly and strongly. Grimmjow arched back with every thrust, meeting him and deepening the penetration. Ichigo bit and sucked the arrancar's neck, raising red marks with abandon as he came close to finding his moment of pleasure.
"Shit!" Grimmjow suddenly cursed, and Ichigo felt his erection throb, coating his hand and splattering the wall with white fluid. His inner walls tightened and the teen gasped, then drove in even faster for a moment before finding his own release. The pleasure was blinding and he buried his face against Grimmjow's neck, stifling his scream as he came in a moment of bliss.
They stood together a moment, exhausted and sated, before Ichigo pulled out of the arrancar. Grimmjow whined a little at the empty feeling, then sighed in contentment before taking a few steps and flopping down onto the bed. Ichigo smiled at the sight of his naked lover, then glanced at the mess on the wall. That would need to be cleaned up, and sooner rather than later. Finding the box of tissues, he took care of the problem as Grimmjow watched, his eyes half-closed and sleepy.
I will admit, that was better than a kick in the head. His inner hollow admitted reluctantly and Ichigo shook his head, amused and annoyed. His hollow made everything difficult. He'll change after he kits, just wait.
"Shut up." He told his inner hollow before joining Grimmjow on the bed. Or rather, trying to. The arrancar had taken up the whole thing, spreading himself out like a cat. "Hey, move over." He said, amused, and the Espada growled before reluctantly making room. "I thought you didn't like beds."
"I do when they have your scent on them." He answered and Ichigo smiled, feeling warmed by the response. He slipped in beside Grimmjow and rested a hand on his belly, offering a bit of gentle power to the little lives there. They devoured it greedily, which made him frown.
"Do you need to feed?" He asked softly and the arrancar shook his head, his blue eyes still hazy with the afterglow.
"Nah. I take some of your power when you fuck me, you know." He said, drawing a lazy circle on Ichigo's side with his fingers. The teen shivered a little at the contact. "It's not as much but I'll be good until morning." That was their pattern now. A feeding in the morning, and real sex in the evening. "The cubs are just growing. Although, if you can feed them like that, why can't you manage to feed me?" Grimmjow didn't sound resentful, just curious and Ichigo thought about it for a moment. It was a good question.
Paternal resonance. You have an innate connection with the cubs that you do not have with Grimmjow. Zangetsu supplied and Ichigo repeated to his partner. It made some sense, as much as any of this did. Then Ichigo suddenly grinned.
"What do the cubs think of our lovemaking?" It was an interesting question. They could sense everything their dam was feeling. Grimmjow chuckled, putting a hand to his belly.
"They're just happy when their dam's happy. At least, the girl is. The damn boys are still going at each other all the fucking time." He made a face and Ichigo laughed. "I think they're not gonna be the best of friends."
"Give them time. They might just be feeling a bit too crowded in there." Ichigo said, amused. Grimmjow sighed.
"Well, I'm not getting bigger to give them more room. I'm huge as it is." He squirmed again and Ichigo laughed before giving him a gentle peck on the cheek. The arrancar smiled, nuzzling him for a moment before yawning and closing his eyes. Ichigo watched him sleep for a moment before pulling a blanket over them both. It was summer, but the evening breezes could still be a bit chilly. Feeling happy and content, he rested his head on the pillow and went to sleep.
A few days later, in Ichigo's bedroom.
"You're sure about this?" Grimmjow opened a single eye at that voice. It was vaguely familiar, in a way that spelled no threat, but he honestly couldn't recall who it was. It was female, and that puzzled him. Could it be one of Ichigo's friends? But the only girls he'd met so far were Orihime and Tatsuki, and he was sure it wasn't either of them.
"Of course I'm sure!" A second voice huffed and Grimmjow frowned, opening both his eyes and reaching for Pantera. Again, the voice was female and familiar. But he simply couldn't place it. Who were these people?
Master, you're being thick. Grimmjow scowled at the amused tone in his zanpakuto's voice. They're –
"Girls, be quiet." That voice made him sit bolt upright, almost hitting his head on the cupboards above him. He'd heard it plenty of times, and the echoing quality was unmistakable. "You're going to wake him up."
- Harribel's fraccion. Pantera finished, unnecessarily, and Grimmjow frowned. What were they doing here? Then he scowled. He might as well just go find out.
"Too fucking late." He said as he shoved open the closet door. Four sets of surprised, feminine eyes turned to look at him. "What are you guys doing here? And if you bring the shinigami here I swear my ghost will haunt you." An empty threat, since he already technically was a ghost, but it got the point across. Harribel's three fraccion eyed him with reactions that ranged from alarm to amusement. He noticed they were still wearing Aizen's uniforms. But then, that was likely all the clothes they had.
"We were very careful coming here, I assure you." Harribel said as Grimmjow pulled himself out of his nest with a grunt. "Grimmjow, I never expected this of you." He scowled at the amusement in her voice.
"I sure didn't!" Apacci said, giving him a shit eating grin. Before he'd gotten his memories back, he'd have made her eat it. Even now he was tempted to do it. "So that hollow took away all your powers, eh? How's the kitty dealing with being defanged?" She taunted him and he just stared at her for a moment before giving her a spectacularly evil grin. It was an expression he'd perfected a long, long time ago when he was psyching out opponents in the cage fights.
"How would you like me to blow your head off?" He said pleasantly and Apacci just laughed. She didn't get it. "Just for your information, bitch, Ichigo got that hollow to take his collar off me two days ago. This little thing just hides my reiatsu." The look on her face was priceless. Sort of 'oh shit' combined with the urgent desire to be anywhere else. "Fortunately for you, I've got a better grip on my temper these days or I'd be fucking up your face right now."
"Apacci." Harribel quietly reprimanded her subordinate as the deer arrancar hastily backpedalled, making Mila Rose and Sung-Sun laugh. "I'm surprised that the shinigami would trust you with your full powers, Grimmjow." She said and he could tell she was skeptical of his claims. Grimmjow shrugged, just meeting thoughtful green eyes for a moment.
"I've remembered my past as a living man. It makes a difference." He said and could almost feel Harribel's puzzlement.
"You mean you didn't remember before?" She asked and Grimmjow blinked at her, surprised. "Ah… of course you didn't. You were an adjuchas when you were turned into an arrancar, weren't you?" She glanced at her fraccion. "Do any of you remember your living lives?" They all shook their heads and Harribel nodded to herself. "It must have been because I was Vasto Lorde. I think I remembered when I made the shift. I didn't realize remembering made a difference in personality."
"It does, probably because if you can't remember the shit you can't deal with it." Grimmjow said and smiled, a touch sadly. "I bet you anything Ulquiorra was such an emotionless cocksucker for the exact same reason I was a raging bastard." Now that he knew how the wounds festered, he was sure that Ulquiorra's rejection of emotion was rooted in his past sorrows. Not that it mattered now.
"Do you actually want to stay here, Grimmjow?" Harribel said seriously and he blinked at her. "We thought you were being held against your will. We're trying to gather up all the remaining arrancar to defend Hueco Mundo against the shinigami, and you would be useful, even with cubs. And the cubs need to be protected. Do you want to come to Hueco Mundo with us?"
"No." Grimmjow said instantly. "I appreciate the offer, and I admit it might make more sense than trying to hide out here. But I can't do that to Ichigo." He said firmly. He knew it would kill the shinigami if he just up and left him. "Besides, the cubs ain't gonna be arrancar. They'll be Visored, so they might not be able to feed like us." Although he wasn't certain about that. As far as he knew, none of the Visored had ever tried to eat like arrancar. They'd all started as shinigami, so the thought would probably horrify them. Harribel nodded.
"That would be a problem. Very well, I hope this works out for you." She said and he got the sense that she was smiling, behind her coat and mask. "It's a shame you didn't remember sooner."
"Yeah, I might have been interested. You were always hot as hell, but your personality was such a huge turn off." Mila commented and Grimmjow couldn't help but laugh. It was nothing but the truth.
"Yeah, I know. I should have had all the pootang I wanted, with these looks. Instead I can't remember the last time I got laid in Los Noches." He said with a smile and Apacci dared to snort.
"Pootang? Didn't that expression go out fifty years ago? How old – urk!" Mila took rather direct action against her companion as Sung-Sun sighed behind her sleeve.
"You are as stupid as you are ugly, Apacci." Sung-Sun said, making her companion squawk in outrage. Grimmjow was afraid a brawl might break out in Ichigo's room but Harribel summoned her erring fraccion with a single glance. Grimmjow could only admire it. Even at his best, he'd never been a leader like that. It was no wonder she was putting together the resistance in Hueco Mundo.
"Well, good luck Grimmjow. And if you ever need a haven, join us. We've set up a camp near Outpost 26." She said and Grimmjow nodded. That actually gave him a pretty good idea of where to find them. That outpost was far from anything, which was undoubtedly why they'd chosen it, but he'd been there before. "Now, we should be going."
"Goodbye and good luck, Harribel." He watched as she chivvied her fraccion out the window and sighed for a moment, wishing he could follow. Hueco Mundo was still more his home than the living world, in a lot of ways. But he wasn't going to hurt Ichigo like that.
Hopefully, they'd manage to keep everything quiet.