Chapter 11: Shelters
(I am on the road today, but wanted to get this out to everyone waiting. Enjoy the new chapter! Love to all, Spunky)
Ichigo fidgeted, shifting uncomfortably as his attendant dressed him in a fetching, but somewhat stiff formal kimono. Nacht worked at his desk nearby, looking up now and again to see their progress and making a sound of disapproval as Mandel struggled with the tie.
"It looks as though that will need to be taken out," Nacht advised him, "Ichigo's waistline seems to be expanding quite rapidly."
"Hey, Verril said that my weight and size are normal for a bearer," Ichigo complained, scowling.
"I was hoping that we could get one more public appearance in before having to keep you out of sight."
"Oh, I forgot that this was all about your stupid image," Ichigo whispered under his breath, making Mandel flinch, although the attendant chose not to say anything, "Forget for a moment that I'm having a baby, here."
"Did you say something?" Nacht asked, looking up at him.
"No," Ichigo said sullenly, "But you know, it's normal, what's happening. I think you're just picking at me because this isn't your kid. Hopefully, when we start having kids together, you'll loosen up a little and stop being so cruel to me."
Nacht stiffened for a moment in reaction, then a curious look overcame his face and he rose and moved to join Ichigo in the dressing area. Ichigo held still, hardly daring to breathe as he awaited his unpredictable master's response. Nacht moved in closer, standing behind Ichigo and burying his nose in the young man's hair. He breathed in slowly and exhaled, then laced his fingers together with Ichigo's. Ichigo was careful not to resist.
This is the only way this guy is ever going to trust me a little. If I want a chance to escape him, I have to use this.
But he couldn't help feeling sick to his stomach as Nacht's lips crawled along his neck and that man's teeth nipped the tender, white flesh, making it blush. He flinched uncomfortably and stiffened as a sudden memory invaded.
"H-have you…?"
"No," Ichigo answered, blushing brightly, "I told you I never wanted anyone this way. B-but you were with Hisana, right?"
"Making love to another male is different," Byakuya managed, sliding his hand down Ichigo's sweat dampened body and seeking his virgin entrance, "I do not want to hurt you."
"You won't hurt me," Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes and raising his hips scandalously as Byakuya's fingers found the sensitive nerves inside him, "Oh my god! I feel like I'll die if you don't…if we don't…"
His words descended into incoherent moans, and the thrashed wildly as Byakuya's wetted fingers prepared him. He quivered and met Byakuya's lusty eyes as the noble paused and kissed him more tenderly.
"Tell me if it hurts," he whispered, positioning himself between Ichigo's parted thighs and beginning his entry.
"Oh!" Ichigo gasped, his legs shaking and his back arching as their bodies were slowly joined, "Oh god, Byakuya!"
Ichigo felt the Kaiser's eyes burning into him and shook his head to clear it. But as Nacht's arms locked around him, the memory of his shinigami lover continued to flare with a painful brightness in Ichigo's roiling mind.
His name is Byakuya.
When he touched me, I felt something I never feel with Nacht.
He felt the Kaiser's hands fumbling with his clothing and had to exert tremendous control not to stiffen.
Nacht has to believe that I'm becoming hopeless.
He kept himself still as his kimono was removed and Nacht tossed it to the shifting and blushing attendant.
"Go and have that altered," Nacht said tersely, "and do it quickly. We have guests coming."
"Y-yes sir!" Mandel said, grabbing the kimono and hastily exiting the room.
Nacht turned his attention back to the man he held firmly from behind.
"You seem tense," he noted, "and yet, your words made it sound as though you might be beginning to return my affections."
"Well, what do you expect?" Ichigo asked softly, "You've taken me away, out of everyone's reach, so that I'm separated from everything and everyone I know, except for you. You control everything around me. You leave me no openings to escape, and no one knows where I am, so they can't rescue me either. There's nothing I can do."
"Hmm," sighed Nacht, "It does seem that you are trapped…and even if you did find a way to go back, you would only find troubles waiting for you."
Ichigo gave him a curious look.
"What do you mean?"
Nacht removed a slip of paper from his breast pocket and held it so that Ichigo could read it.
To all taichos and fukutaichos: Please be advised that the reiatsu of Kuchiki Byakuya, taicho of the 6th division has disappeared. The second division has commenced a thorough investigation of the matter, and they have learned the following. Images have surfaced of Kurosaki/Shiba Ichigo appearing alongside what appears to be a new quincy leader. An arrest order has been issued for Kurosaki/Shiba Isshin to question him regarding his desertion and his connection to the noble quincy families. An arrest order is hereby issued for Kurosaki/Shiba Ichigo for questioning regarding a possible connection to Kuchiki taicho's disappearance. Ichigo is to be considered a dangerous fugitive, so be cautious in approaching him and attempting to restrain him.
"You look very pale," Nacht commented, "Come. Sit down for a moment."
Ichigo followed him numbly to the bed and sat down, the words of the order repeating in his shocked mind.
They think I have something to do with Byakuya's disappearance? I guess I do, because he disappeared so that he could follow me here to rescue me. He was right in what he said about the danger to him. If Nacht learns who he is…
Ichigo's heart sank as Nacht set the paper down on the nightstand and wrapped strong arms around him, attacking his throat and shoulder with hard, biting kisses. Ichigo's mind continued to spin restlessly as he was held down, and the man on top of him took his pleasure.
It doesn't sound like they know about Byakuya and me being lovers. They obviously think I lured Byakuya away and I led him into a trap. That could become the truth if we're not careful. I have to relax and get through this dinner tonight, then…I have to get to Byakuya and warn him! If Nacht knows Byakuya is missing, he's dangerously close to guessing where he is.
I can't let Byakuya be captured!
XXXXXXXXXX
Kisuke smiled and gave Tetsuya a little wink as he placed a number of sticky tabs on the younger man's bared belly, then turned to make several adjustments on the monitor behind him. He took a steadying breath and touched the button to commence the scan, then he laced his fingers together with Tetsuya's as the two watched the display. The monitor beeped, and an array of numbers and symbols flashed on the screen. Kisuke read the notations, his heart skipping as the reading reached completion and the results were displayed. He couldn't speak for a moment as his throat tightened and his eyes burned in reaction. Beside him, Tetsuya was suffering a like response.
"Congratulations," Kiuske managed after a few giddy moments, "we're gonna to have a baby, Tetsuya!"
Unable to find his voice, Tetsuya wrapped his arm tightly around Kiuske's waist, burying his face in the elder man's breast and shaking all over with emotion.
"You all right?" Kisuke asked, ruffling the untamed waves of Tetsuya's silken hair, and sitting down on the edge of the examination table, "You seem a little overwhelmed."
"It's hard not to be," Tetsuya managed, after the deep throbs of emotion eased and he could speak again, "I had given up on ever being able to have a child. Even now, I am afraid, because I lost my last child."
"Hey," Kisuke said encouragingly, "I'm going to be with you every step of the way. You're going to be fine, and we are going to have a happy, healthy baby."
Tetsuya smiled and nodded wordlessly, burying his face in Kiuske's shoulder and closing his eyes against the dark memories that flickered threateningly at the edges of his mind. Kisuke hugged him bracingly and kissed him on the top of the head.
"So, what would you like us to do for a ceremony? Tessai is authorized to marry us, so we can just fill out the paperwork and he can sign it, or we can do that and also have a ceremony. What do you think?"
Tetsuya considered quietly, freeing himself from Kisuke's arms and straightening.
"I wish that Byakuya-sama could be here," he mused softly, "It won't feel right without him."
Kisuke's head tilted and he studied Tetsuya's somber expression.
"We could do the basics now, so that the marriage is legal and have the ceremony later, after we rescue your cousin and Ichigo," he suggested.
"Could we?" Tetsuya asked hopefully, "I would like something simple, but I want my family there…Byakuya-sama, Rukia-chan. I also would like to include our friends."
"I'd like that too," Kiuske agreed, "I understand why you want to wait. I think it's fine. I will have Tessai prepare the paperwork this morning and we will get that filed asap, all right?"
Tetsuya nodded.
"All right."
"Okay," Kisuke chuckled, turning and taking Tetsuya in his arms, "now, let's celebrate."
"But, we are in your laboratory!" Tetsuya objected, blushing, "There are…experiments and…and someone could walk in!"
"Well, that just makes it a little dangerous," Kiuske teased him, smirking and removing on of the small monitoring pads he had placed on Tetsuya's abdomen. The younger man blinked and stared as the shopkeeper placed the pad over one of Tetsuya's budding, pink nipples.
"Oh, I see where this is going!" Tetsuya exclaimed, "P-please, can't we…?"
"Shh," Kisuke soothed him, setting another of the pads over Tetsuya's other raised nipple, "I locked the door when we came in. It's okay. I just feel like playing a little."
"Well, if no one is going to come in," Tetsuya said uncertainly.
"What? You don't believe I locked the door?" Kisuke chided him, "C'mon, I like to tease you, but I'm not mean."
"No," Tetsuya agreed, watching as Kisuke set more of the pads in several sensitive regions of Tetsuya's body.
He turned away and adjusted several settings on the machine behind him.
"Okay, love," he said, turning back to Tetsuya and grinning widely, "get ready. You're about to feel very, very aroused!"
Tetsuya's eyes widened as he realized that the shopkeeper had bared himself and was also wearing a number of the pads on his own body. He sucked in a surprised breath as the machine made a whirring sound and warmth and a soft vibration teased the areas under the pads.
"Ah!" Tetsuya gasped, reaching for one of the pads.
"Ah-ah, don't do that," Kisuke giggled, "It's an endurance test. We'll see how long we can tolerate it before we can't stand it anymore and we make love, okay?"
"Oh, I don't think we'll endure very long!" Tetsuya panted feverishly, flinching and beginning to writhe beneath Kisuke's equally responsive form.
"That's okay," Kisuke purred in his ear, "We're here for fun."
Tetsuya started to object again, but was shocked into silence as the vibration increased to dizzying levels that left him reeling and clinging to Kisuke as the shopkeeper quickly prepared him and joined their already piqued forms. Their mouths collided roughly as their hips moved in a furious flurry of heated undulations that culminated in a blinding explosion of erotic pleasure. The two men surrendered to the gripping shudders of a thunderous completion. Tetsuya's ears rang loudly and his vision darkened warningly. He clung tightly to Kisuke as the two slowly recovered.
"Well, you were right that time," Kiuske snickered, nipping at Tetsuya's flushed lips, "It didn't take long."
He noticed the touch of guilt that flashed on Tetsuya's comely face, and he frowned thoughtfully.
"Tetsuya," he said, capturing his younger lover under the chin and looking into his pretty sapphire eyes, "it's not wrong for us to have some happiness. I know you're worried about Byakuya, but we're doing something about that. In the meantime, we should embrace what happiness we can find together. We know it doesn't last forever. We want to make the most of it."
Tetsuya considered his words quietly, then nodded and hugged Kisuke tightly.
"Thank you," he whispered, meeting Kisuke for another bout of long, warm kisses, "I don't know what I would do if I was facing this without you."
"I don't know what I'd do without you either," Kisuke answered, running his fingers through Tetsuya's hair, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I love you, Tetsuya."
"I love you too."
XXXXXXXXXX
Ryuuken's head throbbed painfully, bringing him awake and making him squint at the bright morning light that streamed in from the open balcony doors. He sat up slowly, flinching at the ache between his thighs and reaching for a cup of warm tea that waited at his bedside. He breathed in slowly, bringing himself fully awake, then he climbed out of the bed and wrapped a yukata around his slim, naked body. He walked out onto the balcony, where he found Isshin similarly dressed and looking out, over Karakura Town as he sipped from his own teacup.
"You don't look like you slept very well," Isshin sighed.
"You were out of sorts," Ryuuken said calmly, "It took half the night for you to stop ranting about them coming after you."
"Yeah, sorry about that," Isshin apologized, "I always knew that they'd find out eventually. I just thought it would be because Ichigo or I told them, not them getting the news some other way and coming here to raid my house. I'm just glad we got the girls out of there."
Isshin slammed his fist down on the iron railing.
"Bastards!"
"Does it really surprise you?" Ryuuken asked reprovingly, "Isshin, you have been…and you still are, sleeping with the enemy. My cousin, then me. At least with Masaki, you had a good reason."
Isshin gave him a meaningful scowl and pulled him into a warm embrace, turning to kiss him passionately.
"Love is the only reason for us," he said firmly.
The words caused a powerful twinge in Ryuuken's insides that he couldn't quite hide.
"See," Isshin teased him, "You know that stuff is bullshit. You love me too. You don't care that shinigamis and quincies have been enemies."
"They are still enemies," Ryuuken argued, "I suspect that the quincies probably leaked that information about you."
"What?" Isshin inquired, his frown deepening, "Why would they out us now?"
"Think about it," the quincy said, closing his eyes for a moment, "It forced you into hiding, made you a fugitive. And they are using it to cause others not to trust you. Also, they are using your quincy ties to cast suspicion on your son. You must see it, don't you? They are setting Ichigo up to be blamed for Byakuya's capture, and perhaps later, his execution at the hands of the quincies."
"Holy shit…" Isshin breathed, shaking his head numbly, "I think you're right."
Ryuuken glanced back through the doors, then returned his gaze to his shinigami lover.
"I think it's not even safe here for you and the girls," said worriedly, "Isshin, I think we need to…"
He broke off, staring as a flurry of flash steps began to sound and a large group of armed shinigami soldiers appeared. Isshin stiffened and wrapped a tight arm around Ryuuken, shielding him as he faced the intruders.
"Shiba Isshin," Kyouraku Shunsui said, stepping out to the front of the group, "I am afraid that I have to place you and this quincy under arrest."