Chapter 14
*Week Six*
Ichigo scarfed down another bowl of rice, the table that had been set with food completely cleaned. Grimmjow had not expected that, having only a small portion of the large meal. Ichigo was always hungry now, but it amazed Grimmjow every time he watched him eat.
He wondered if maybe there was more than six, his eyebrow rising when Ichigo put down his empty bowl.
"Can I have more?" Grimmjow hadn't made more, but he nodded anyway. He got up, checking the pans for extra. He managed to scramble up a plate full of rice, and a couple pieces of fried shrimp covered in sweet sauce. Ichigo took the plate gratefully, eating this portion a little bit slower. Grimmjow sat back in his seat, eating a little bit more of my rice.
"Do you think I'm fat?" Ichigo asked, Grimmjow looking to Ichigo with a frown. Ichigo had gained a significant amount of weight, but he wasn't fat. Grimmjow knew how this would go down though, lowering his chop sticks from his mouth.
"No, your pregnant," he told him, Ichigo's usual reaction not happening. He didn't go back to eating with a small smile, didn't tell him he was an idiot. Instead his eyes watered up, Ichigo sniffling softly.
"If I wasn't pregnant, would you think I was fat?" Ichigo asked with a small hiccup. Grimmjow froze, unsure of how to counter that attack. He swallowed thickly, Ichigo narrowing his eyes. Grimmjow dodged the knife thrown at his head, Ichigo standing up from his seat angrily.
"It's perfectly normal for me to be this size!" Ichigo yelled, Grimmjow watching him storm off angrily. He scarfed down his own food before getting up, following Ichigo to their room. Ichigo tore his futon from the closet, placing it down and laying down with a huff.
Grimmjow almost wanted to roll his eyes, the neko pissed off over something stupid. In Ichigo's eyes, he felt like he had just been stabbed in the heart. He knew Grimmjow wouldn't understand though, his own eyes only seeing what he wanted. Ichigo rubbed his face against his pillow, Grimmjow freezing at the sight of tears. Ichigo heard Grimmjow move down next to him, arms wrapping around his middle. Ichigo grabbed his wrist, trying to push him away. Grimmjow wouldn't let him go though, Ichigo only wanting to cry more.
"I'm sorry," Grimmjow whispered, Ichigo sniffling softly. He turned over, pressing his face against Grimmjow's chest.
"I wish I had a relationship like yours." Ichigo looked up to Shinji, the blonde sitting by him at the mall. They had went there to talk and make up for lost time, Ichigo no longer angry at him. Shinji had apologized five times in a row anyway, Ichigo freaking out when he got to his knees and put his forehead on the ground.
Now they just sat there, talking about the dumb crap Ichigo was experiencing. Ichigo rubbed his belly, his stomach hurting a little bit.
"Why would you? We didn't exactly start off on good terms," Ichigo told him, Shinji smiling softly as he took a large chunk of Ichigo's rice. Ichigo slapped his hand away, bringing his bento bowl closer to himself.
"That doesn't matter. You love each other now." Ichigo frowned, the word making a chill go down his spine.
"I don't love him." Shinji looked to Ichigo, a frown on the neko's lips. Ichigo got up, throwing his bento bowl away. He walked away from the bench they sat on, Shinji following him quickly.
"Sorry Ichi, I didn't know," Shinji apologized, Ichigo walking out of the mall. He stopped by the curb, turning to Shinji.
"I don't love him, and I doubt I could. This is purely a relationship to have kittens. There's nothing else." Shinji looked away from Ichigo, the neko's ears going back. He didn't think he loved Grimmjow. The blue haired man had become a lot more gentle with him over time, but that was only because he killed off their first litter.
If it hadn't been for that, Ichigo would have still been only his toy. He would have given birth, and have no purpose or love for those kittens.
They would have been his burden.
"Does my son know this?" Ichigo turned around, hissing softly when he saw Aizen standing only a couple feet away. Shinji moved Ichigo back, his eyes narrowing slightly. Aizen raised his hands, Ichigo looking around for his men. Everybody just walked by though, not wanting to get involved.
"I'm not here to start troubles. I merely came to talk." Ichigo wasn't so sure he could trust him, and he knew Shinji felt the same way. Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowing in curiosity.
"Fine, we'll go to the park to talk." Ichigo started walking, Shinji staying close by him. Ichigo didn't say anything, only checking over his shoulder once to see if Aizen was following.
"Ichigo this is dangerous," Shinji hissed, Ichigo knowing that. He also knew that in an open environment there was a lesser chance they would get cornered. Ichigo had no problem with killing anybody who tried to hurt him or his kittens, so he was willing to risk it to find out why the asshole was being so persistent.
They got to the park, Ichigo sitting down on a bench when he became tired. He sighed softly, his stomach suddenly feeling large and abnormal. He hadn't been able to see his feet since week four, his stomach big enough that his back physically hurt if he laid down for more than an hour.
He had to be in a cold room and wrapped up with a bunch of blankets to go to sleep comfortably. Right now though, his discomfort was replaced with caution and curiosity.
"Talk," Ichigo ordered, Aizen standing in front of him a few feet away. He smirked, Shinji standing behind Ichigo and silently rubbing his sore shoulders.
"As you know, Grimmjow has been a delinquent growing up," Aizen started, Ichigo taking in a deep breath and releasing it with a sigh. Aizen continued.
"Being his father, I tried to raise him how I was raised. It seems it didn't work since he ran quickly to Shinji's father," Aizen commented, Shinji squeezing a tad too tight on Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo grunted, Shinji smoothing his fingers over his shoulder.
"When you give birth, he will take the throne. But let me walk you through the process he will go through and the marriage that will follow soon after." Ichigo's eyes widened slightly in shock at the word marriage, Aizen raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Has Grimmjow never told you?" Aizen asked, Ichigo narrowing his eyes slightly. Aizen continued, the smirk becoming an ever present smile.
"Grimmjow will bare a small amount of pain, compared to what he will receive as leader. Before your marriage, he will be whipped a hundred times. If he doesn't live through that, you will take the throne as his kitten's mother. You will only stay until your oldest reaches of age, after that you will be discarded." Ichigo moved to get up, his anger over flowing.
"So you'll just discard me as you did his mother?" Ichigo growled, Aizen tilting his head.
"That is the way life works, Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo took in a sharp breath, feeling like he had been stung painfully in his stomach. He fell to his knees, Aizen frowning as Shinji came to Ichigo's side. Shinji called an ambulance when Ichigo fell onto his side, his head spinning frantically. His vision started to fade into black dots, slipping into unconsciousness.
No.
Ichigo looked up at the ceiling of his hospital room, his eyes blank. The doctor said he was suffering from exhaustion and stress, two things Ichigo knew all too well. He closed his eyes, feeling a tear fall down his temple.
No wonder Grimmjow hated his father so much.
Ichigo slowly turned onto his side, trying to get comfortable so he could rest. He couldn't though, Aizen's words swarming through his mind like a virus. Ichigo slowly got out of bed, heading over to the bathroom with his IV stand held in one hand. He threw up in the toilet, his head spinning again.
Ichigo felt hands comb through his hair, soothing the pounding behind his eyes. Ichigo was helped up when he stopped puking, led back over to his bed.
"Ichigo." The sound of Grimmjow's voice made Ichigo's body relax, finally feeling at ease. Ichigo closed his eyes, slipping into slumber again. When he woke up, sun was shining into his room. He took in a deep breath, rolling onto his back and holding on the side rail to sit up. A doctor walked into the room, giving Ichigo a small smile.
"Good morning," he told him, Ichigo leaning back against the wall as the doctor checked his vitals. The doctor sat down next to Ichigo on a chair, looking from his board to Ichigo's face.
"Tell me Ichigo, do you know how half breeds work?" The doctor asked, Ichigo shaking his head with a frown. The doctor smiled, but Ichigo felt like it was forced. The doctor leaned forward some, like he was gonna tell him something awful.
"Half breeds do not live as long as neko's but longer than humans. They are also born early." Ichigo frowned, touching a hand to his stomach. The doctor's smile became more of a frown, his eyes looking down to his board.
"Ichigo, it looks like you have already went into the prestages of labor. You are already three centimeter's dilated." Ichigo almost choked on his own saliva, the doctor looking back to him.
"We are not sure if you will dilate quickly or slowly, but just in case, we will have you stay here." Ichigo nodded, feeling numb. The doctor told him a few more things before leaving, Ichigo staring at his hands blankly. He heard the door open and close, but he didn't look up.
It was too soon.
"The doctor said their ready," Grimmjow whispered, seeming to read Ichigo's mind. Ichigo looked to Grimmjow, his eyes searching those cerulean depths he used to fear. Ichigo swallowed thickly.
"Why didn't you tell me about what would happen when you take the throne?" Ichigo whispered, Grimmjow sitting in the chair the doctor had sat in only moments before.
"We're not ready for that. Plus, I don't plan to take the throne," Grimmjow told him, Ichigo looking away from him and down to his stomach. He rubbed the rounded flesh, wondering if this was the type of world he wanted his kittens to grow up in.
"We'll get married when were ready," Grimmjow whispered, Ichigo remembering what he had told Shinji at the mall. He sighed softly.
"What if I don't want to get married ever?" Ichigo whispered, Grimmjow looking to him blankly. Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's hand, squeezing lightly.
"Then we won't." Ichigo looked to Grimmjow, leaning forward some. Grimmjow leaned in the rest of the way, kissing Ichigo's lips.
"What if I could never love you?" Ichigo whispered against his lips, Grimmjow pulling away from the kiss to look into Ichigo's eyes seriously. He kissed his cheek, Ichigo closing his eyes as Grimmjow stood up and wrapped him in an embrace.
"I'll love for both of us," Grimmjow whispered, the corniness making Ichigo smile in a bittersweet way. A part of him cared for Grimmjow, but Ichigo couldn't call it love. Maybe in the future, but not now.
Ichigo pulled away when his stomach tightened to the point of pain, the pressure easing into his spine. Ichigo gasped softly, the pain leaving as fast as it came. Grimmjow helped him lay back down, Ichigo trying to stay calm as he dilated slowly. After fifteen hours of pain, Ichigo was finally at ten centimeter's.
He was not ready for this.
"Push," the nurse told him as the doctor kneeled between his legs, Ichigo shaking his head as he pushed with a contraction. His face scrunched up as he held back a scream, a small growl escaping.
"And relax," the nurse told him, Ichigo falling back against the bed with a small whimper. Grimmjow held his leg, another nurse holding the other. The water birth they had planned wouldn't happen, but Ichigo didn't' really care at this moment.
He just wanted it out.
"Push really hard," the nurse told him, Ichigo screaming out when he felt like his ass was being torn open completely. He grabbed onto Grimmjow's arm, squeezing it as hard as he could. Grimmjow grunted in mild discomfort, the nurse telling him to relax.
"Your doing really, this will be an easy one," the doctor told him from between his legs, Ichigo pushing hard without command. He screamed in agony when he felt his spine get pushed up, shaking his head in agony.
"Make it stop," Ichigo panted, the pain too much. The nurse nodded, Ichigo pushing hard again.
"Pull it out!" He yelled with a sob, the pain too much. The nurse told him it would end soon, Ichigo falling back onto the bed. He rose up and pushed hard when he was told to, digging his claws into Grimmjow's skin.
"I see the head!" the doctor exclaimed, Ichigo pushing hard without thinking. He screamed in agony, this pain nothing compared to the pain he enjoyed in bed. Ichigo slammed a fist against the bed, pushing hard to get the baby out. After another hour of constant pushing, Ichigo felt a sudden release. He gasped in a breath, his face and body covered in sweat as he looked to the baby in the doctor's arms. His first was a boy, his cries loud as he was placed on Ichigo's stomach.
"Cut the chord," a nurse told Grimmjow, the brute's face turning a pale green. He cut it anyway, their first child a wrinkled alien looking thing with a head full of blue hair. His tail and ears were blue, his eyes opening to show brown orbs. When Ichigo's contractions started again, he dreaded it all.
The second had orange and white stripes for its ears and tail, though she had no visible hair yet. Her eyes were a beautiful cerulean. The third had blue ears and tail, though both tips had a splat of orange. She didn't scream as loud as her siblings, but instead looked around at her surroundings with wide brown eyes. The fourth had a full head of white hair, his ears and tail the same. His eyes were actually golden brown, the small orbs shut tightly as he cried.
The fifth and sixth looked identical. They had the same blue and white striped ears and tails, their heads covered in a plaster of blue hair. One had blue eyes, while the other had brown. They were both female. After they were all born, Ichigo was exhausted and happy. He forgot all the pain he went through, only caring for his kittens. He held the first three while Grimmjow held the last three, all six sleeping quietly.
The first they called Ren, the second called Akihiro, the third they called Sango. The fourth was named Shiro, the fifth they named Kanae, and her twin was named Miyumi.
Ichigo planned to only have these six and call it quits. After learning to breastfeed, he was sure he would be a great mommy. When he was cleared to leave a couple days later, they headed back to Shinji's shrine. Ichigo was glad for his dear friend, the six kittens having their own large room. Ichigo planned to sleep with them anyway, the little one's placed in their cribs.
Ichigo watched over every single one of them as Grimmjow cleared things with his father, convincing him to wait till their kittens were a year old before he took the throne. Ichigo was glad for the break, standing over Ren's bedside as he watched him sleep silently.
A small smile touched his lips.
"I love you."
The End