Okay so I had promised to post more often and damn I will try but fuuuuuuck a master is hard. I almost died in my undergrad I dont know why I thought this would be any different
Apologies this took as long as it did, I had huge writers block on this chapter which sucks cus I have the whole story worked out and I couldn't get past this. I am horrible I know
So excuse the weak chapter hopefully it will get juicy again, if it ever was…
Thank you all for sticking with it, I know its been draggin on for a while and im sorry. I will try to do better.
Also shout out to Kaimee83 who let me know how fucked the first posting of this chapter went. Thanks and enjoy!
Chapter Fourteen
Most of the next day is spent in bed nursing a migraine. Hiding under the covers till late afternoon my husband finally has enough, he rips open the heavy curtains letting the afternoon light permeate the room. I groan and bury myself deeper into the covers, which Ichigo promptly tears off me.
"Get up you oaf, you can't spend the whole day in bed." he starts to pull some clothes from his wardrobe for me.
"Watch me" I mutter into the pillow. Ichigo retaliates by throwing a set of breeches, a shirt and a waist coat.
"Common I wanna show you the city, don't let the clothes we had made for you go to waste." He walks into the bathroom and gives orders to have a bath drawn. I look at the clothes he's thrown at me, they are simple cream shirt tan breeches and a black waist coat. Nothing to spectacular which will do well wondering the city. Only when I hear the maids leave and Ichigo settling into the water do I leave the comforts of my bed to join him. His tub is smaller than the one we share at my place, so it makes squeezing in behind him all the better. Ichigo blushes deep at seeing me undress in front of him, once nude I nudge him forward so I can slip in behind him, he gives me room to settle before leaning back against my chest. The warm water feels incredible, made all the more pleasant by his company.
Both of us are slowly working together to make this relationship work. I drag my fingers up and down Ichigo's front. He wiggles but does nothing to stop me. I drag my finger nails over his hardening nipples and revel in the gasp he makes in response. I bring my other hand to wrap around his growing erection and give him a few strong pulls. He arches against my chest bringing his hand up to bury in my hair.
"We don't have time for this." He tries to deter me but makes no move to remove my hand.
"So stop me" I growl into his neck as I busy myself with marking the fair skin there. I increase the pressure of my hand giving him a squeeze, my other hand coming down to fumble his balls tugging them briefly. I can't help but smile at the whimper Ichigo makes in response. I start to worry the skin of his neck with my teeth, tempted to bite down and leave a more permeant scar.
Ichigo is getting close his hips start twitching up into my hand, and his fingers pull harder on my hair. He throws his head back over my shoulder when he does finally climax. He gives my hair a particularly painful tug which I retaliate with a harder nibble on the junction between his neck and shoulder. He shutters and chuckles a bit, rolling his head to give my neck a quick kiss. The gesture is affectionate, it warms me down to my core and I can't help but smile. I crane my own neck to bring my lips to his and share in kisses promising more than just quick release.
Ichigo maneuvers to face me, he takes my face in his hands and deepens the kisses. One hand hesitantly moves toward my groin and his fingers gently graze the tip.
"Let me return the favour." He says firmly. He's watching his hand below the water, he still hesitates and that's all it takes for me to realize he still not ready for more.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Ichigo's beautiful eyes snap up to me and a brief hurt looks crosses his face.
"Not that I don't want you to, but we do have a town to see." Ichigo sees it for the excuse it is, brow furrowing in anger.
"The waters also getting cold, we don't want to catch our deaths." I try to reassure him. He gives me a curt nod and climbs out of the tub, walking back to the room with no regard to his nakedness.
I curse under my breath and follow giving myself a hard squeeze boarding on painful so I'm a little more presentable when I follow him back to our chambers. Ichigo is dressing with quick, angry efficiency, his back full of tension. I dress quickly as well in the clothes he had thrown me. He finishes first and waits for me by the door. I walk up to the door and he storms through it before I can get too close to him. He is royally pissed and although this visit through the city would under different circumstances be quite pleasant, I can't help but wish I had stayed in bed.
As I had expected the city was quite a beautiful one, the architecture was old, and the citizens looked happy even with the threat of war looming over them. Walking through the streets I could see why a treaty was required. Time and security had softened the Seireitei's, the closest thing this city had seen to a battle in centuries was the treason of my father and his comrades, even then the death count had been minimal. The people had grown accustomed to peace and in times like these that was deadly. The Seireitei's armies were well trained and their forces lethal, but even than numbers could overwhelm even the most elite of soldiers. Although the people of my father's kingdom were not unknow to battle it is an ailment we also share. Our ranks are minimal however widely skilled. An open front battle between two opposing armies would result in countless dead and exhaustion with little effect done to the opposing ranks.
My husband much to my dismay was quite the entire tour, his sisters that decided to join us chatted and pointed the sights out to me with enthusiasm found only in youth. I smiled fondly at the child, Yuzu was a kind and sweet girl, and her smile reminded me of Ichigo's when I was blessed enough to see it. We had spent most of the afternoon wandering the streets and greeting the people. To my surprise although they appeared weary of my appearance, I saw no open hostility. They may not be as ignorant of their situation as I thought.
What struck me the most walking through the streets were the children. Hearing pearls of laughter of youths as they navigate the busy streets was something that pulled my heart. Home would never sound like this. The curse that lay over our land made sure of it. Citizens who wished to start a family would always leave after a failed attempt or two. Upon their return the youth would be on the brink of adulthood and had something to prove by joining our military ranks, if they were to return at all. My father's words echoed in my ears, a heir was required. Chances of conceiving at home were impossible. I glanced at my young husband, just entering adult hood himself. Young and fertile my treacherous mind supplied. Myself, although over 10 years his senior could possibly carry a child to fruition, but the curse may lay with the people and not the land. It would be a risk to attempt to carry a child myself and waste time and Ichigo's youth. Not to mention should the tense peace no longer hold I had a battalion to command. Ichigo was not as similarly burdened.
We head back to the keep my thoughts plagued with the frailty of mortality for the first time in my life. The reality of starting a family hitting me hard. I was a grown man who cared little for much other then myself. How was I to raise a child? Knowing my sadistic father he would spout some crap that "being a father builds character" and deny me aid of a nanny or maid. Ichigo although my husband in law only was even younger then myself and yet I could already see him being infinitely better prepared for parenthood then myself. For the first time the unfairness of the situation hits me, not as it had before thinking my days of fornicating and chasing skirt were to be moved to the shadows and whispered in gossip. No, the injustice of staring a family with someone who I share little knowledge of, and to expect the man taken from everything he knows to be accepting of this circumstance as well. Ichigo had the toughest position of all of us I start to realize, and I had been so terribly cruel to him.
I excuse myself from dinner, not needing to feign illness. The crushing weigh of responsibility making my stomach as unsettled as if I had eaten spoiled meat. I strip my clothes and leave them scattered on the floor curling into bed in nothing but my smalls. The blankets are heavy, and the hearth has a healthy fire I don't fear catching a chill. I lay awake for what must be hours. I hear the door creak open and my husband join me in my room. He gives a cluck of his tongue in annoyance at the disarray I left in my wake but doesn't go to move them. He changes into his night wear silently then rolls into bed beside me. He must be teetering on the edge of the bed with all the space he leaves between us. I roll over and gently place a hand on his back. He tenses at the movement but doesn't move away or say anything. I want to just grab him an reassure him just how attractive and desirable he truly is. My cock as already started to stir with his close proximity. But our relationship is delicate and rushing him would do nothing.
My thoughts today still plague me, and I can't help but let the words "you'd make a great father" spill from my lips. I can tell immediately it wasn't the thing to say. He tenses even more. And whips his furious eyes to look at me.
"Is that all I am to you? A breeder? I never expected a marriage of love, that would be folly but is it too hard to ask for one of respect?" he doesn't raise his voice, but his whisper is just as harsh. I try not to get hostile in this situation, it takes much of my considerably minuscule self-control.
"You have nothing but my respect Ichigo, and you should have had it the moment I married you. I have wronged you many times and have done little to consider the struggle of leaving all that you know to join a stranger in his bed. I had thought little of you at first, I won't deny that. I thought you would be giving yourself over to someone so easily. I was a fool to think it was easy for you, and I am truly sorry for how I have treated you." I am truly remorseful, but his face is skeptical. And I cannot blame him. I have done little to inspire his confidence.
"Let me earn your trust." I say simply, and roll over to give him space. We both have much to think on and I doubt wither of use will get any sleep, but the truce has been renegotiated and I only hope we can come to a compromise where neither of us are miserable.