Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Next Stage by AAA
Ending Theme: TBA

This chapter written 09/26/2022

Bleach: Cross
Fifth Division in the Red II:
Princess Division
by Eugena

Rated M

Chapter Two: Princess Waking

天国的白雪公主

SOUL SOCIETY - FOURTH DIVISION - SHIRAHIME THORNE'S ROOM

Shirahime stirred in bed. She rolled over and stretched her legs. Her tense muscles screamed at her.

Her foot bumped into something - someone.

She opened her eyes, not missing the black strands of hair that fell over her face. She turned.

Kisuke Urahara lay sleeping on top of the covers. His right wrist was tied to hers with the same kind of spirit bonds Unohana used on Kenpachi and Yachiru.

Yachiru. Daichi. Raiko. Had it worked?

"Urahara," she said. "Urahara, wake up."

She noted the bandages wrapped over a large portion of his visible body.

"Urahara," she urged again.

What exactly had happened?

She dangled a few strands of her hair in her face.

Black, not white. Human again.

As long as her children were safe, she didn't care.

She looked again to Urahara.

"Chichiue."

He opened his eyes. "Aijou, you called me -."

"Yeah, don't get used to it."

He smiled and pulled her back close to him. "Get some more rest. Everything is okay now."

She looked up as Retsu Unohana walked in. Another person came in behind her, a hood covering the person's face.

"Good to see you're awake," Retsu greeted her. "Time to change, Urahara."

"Oh, come on," Urahara complained. "She just called me 'father'."

"Try not to forget," Unohana suggested. "It may not happen again."

"Can't I stay longer?"

"Enough of your reiatsu has been used by now," the other person, a man, answered.

Shirahime stared at the man.

"Mayuri, why are you hiding?" she asked. "Where's your paint?"

"I took it off," he answered. "For you."

"What else are you planning to take off?" Urahara asked.

"Anything she wants," Kurotsuchi answered.

"I really don't think now's the time for her to get pregnant," Urahara growled.

"I really don't think it's your business," Kurotsuchi objected.

"Speaking of business, explain to me why everyone thought Kuchiki got her pregnant."

"I would have thought you understood the reproductive system."

"I mean explain this 'poison' event."

"Gentlemen, and I say that loosely, please. There are more important things at hand," Unohana objected.

"Like where are my children?" Shirahime asked. "Where are they?"

"Don't worry," Unohana comforted, "they're in a different room. "They are fine."

"How many?"

"All of them," Urahara answered.

"All of them?" Shirahime repeated. "All . . . ?" She could cry tears of happiness.

"Urahara, you idiot!" Unohana hissed at him.

Unohana took her hand. "You should get some rest. You still have a long way to recover."

"No," she said. "I'd like to go see them. All of them. I'd do this all over again. All of them."

"Urahara, you stupid fool!" Unohana was ready to kill him.

Retsu had told patients they would be okay before, no matter what odds, but she never wanted to do that sort of thing to Shirahime. Urahara had just made her.

"They're okay," she said to her. "But you need to rest first."

Cooperating with Retsu Unohana seemed a usual thing now for Mayuri Kurotsuchi. So, he took off his robe, his chest bare.

"Now, wait a minute!" Urahara objected. He looked to Unohana. "I object!"

"I don't care," she said.

Kurotsuchi sat beside Kisuke. Unohana transferred the spirit bond from Kisuke's wrist to Kurotsuchi's.

Mayuri felt his skin burn as it touched Shirahime's. Then he felt the burning elsewhere. Mayuri didn't have the courage to look at her.

"When you feel better, we will go see them," he said to Shirahime.

"Come on, let's give them some privacy," Unohana said to Kisuke.

"I'm not leaving her with him," Kisuke objected.

"Too bad."

Unohana dragged him out.

"Kurotsuchi," Unohana called, "there is one thing you have I am jealous of right now. Make good use of it."

"What are you -?" Kisuke asked, his question cut off when Retsu shoved him out the door.

Kurotsuchi understood what his former taicho implied earlier. He knew without doubt what part of him Unohana meant. Even with as much control as he had over his body, Kurotsuchi still felt part of him raging to repeatedly volunteer to impregnate her. Not just for the act, but for the honor of being the father of one of her children. Pregnancy was so rare for shinigami, but it was not secret it was possible with her. He could be closer to her if he was a father to one of her children. And the act. He could finally admit to himself he wanted it. He had thoughts he shouldn't have with her. No matter how much he reminded himself of why he was here, why he was now tied to her, he felt the shame of what he wanted.

Before she summoned Yukihime, she called Nemu her daughter. Would that count? Was he a father of one of her children? He worried over what to say to her now that they were alone.

"I can be whoever you want. Offer you whatever you want."

There, his words were out. He wanted her to take his offer. Even if he had to look like someone else to do it.

"You promise too much," she said. "What if I was to demand yourself?"

"I will do anything - anything - you want."

She held her free hand up to his face, studying him.

Kurotsuchi knew he could never go back from this moment, from his words.

He kissed her fingertips.

"Don't leave me again," he begged.

"You see my hair, don't you?" she asked. "Another time, Yoruichi and Kisuke refused to acknowledge what it meant. So did Kenpachi and Yumi. But, surely, you and Retsu know?"

"I don't care about that."

"That I'm human? Shinigami live a lot longer. You understand, right?"

"I'll fix it," he promised. "Just rest now. Just go back to sleep. Unless you want to -."

"Want to?"

He gave in and kissed her. He told himself to stop. He climbed on top of her before he could stop himself.

"I can be anyone," he said again. "I don't have to be -."

"Why would I want you to be anyone else?"

He pressed against her.

To be with her. And to be himself.

"You haven't that poison tea, have you?"

谢谢你们的阅读。