Chapter 2: Fall
Tetsuya woke to a familiar feeling of all over warmth and deep contentedness that brought a little smile to his lips. He moved his head very slightly so that he could focus on his caramel skinned husband's handsome sleeping face while Kuri slept soundly, his breaths slow and even.
I was worried for him when he had that nightmare last night. Ever since our wedding, Kuri has been able to sleep soundly, without dreaming of his Hideaki's sudden death, without crying. But last night, whatever he dreamed was so frightening! He couldn't speak after for a long time. And he couldn't talk about it. It had him so upset. I tried to comfort him, but it was a long time before he calmed enough to sleep again. He probably didn't want to frighten me with whatever it was. He knows I hate it when he has to go away for a long mission. We both have losses in our past. We know very well that what time we are given is precious. We will not waste a moment.
Not one.
To that end, Tetsuya carefully escaped Kuri's embrace and ducked down under the blankets. He worked his way downward slowly, cautious not to wake his slumbering spouse. It was oddly easy to slip the covers off and to very gently part his husband's thighs. Kuri sighed in his sleep as Tetsuya balanced over him and lowered himself enough to tease his navel with the tip of a probing tongue. Tetsuya's hand caressed his husband's soft inner thigh as he followed the teasing with a tender kiss on the belly. Kuri's turquoise eyes opened and watched as Tetsuya's soft lips kissed their way along the line of thick, brown hair to the awakening treasure that had given the two men the ten strong children that now graced the Shima clan.
Tetsuya's warm fingers made circles on one of Kuri's thighs, while his smiling mouth bypassed the part that most wanted his attentions and teased his other thigh with an offering of gentle kisses and hungry little nips. Kuri's fingers sank into Tetsuya's misbehaving hair, caressing lovingly and encouraging his husband's mouth to move closer to his awakened member. A slender hand rubbed the Shima leader's belly and Tetsuya paused and lifted his head for a moment to meet his husband's desirous eyes. Both knew that this would be their last joining before Kuri's departure, so they took their time.
Tetsuya crawled back up Kuri's bare torso, kissing and touching him until he was sure that not an inch of him had been neglected. He sat up then and spread his husband's thighs wide, then bowed forward and treated Kuri to an unhurried exploration of his nether region that left the Shima leader flushed and leaking, barely able to hold back as Tetsuya mounted him and joined their bodies. Kuri's strong hands wrapped around Tetsuya's slender hips, encouraging him as he began to writhe and sway erotically atop his husband. When Kuri's hips moved, Tetsuya remained perfectly balanced, and his hands spread out on the Shima leader's broad chest. He teased Kuri's sensitive nipples, making his husband's hips buck upward, deepening the hard penetration. The resulting contact inside Tetsuya left him dizzy and panting with intense pleasure, barely able to hold back as he brought his husband to the edges of bliss.
Kuri burnt into his mind the beautiful image of Tetsuya, smiling contentedly, his black, wavy hair dancing and his sapphire eyes hazy with impending orgasm, his slender legs locked around Kuri's undulating body and surrendering easily as a last flurry of thrusts left the two men happily undone. Tetsuya collapsed onto his chest, treating his husband's mouth to a final bout of fierce kisses before loosing a shuddering sigh and resting his head on Kuri's shoulder.
"Are you all right, Tetsu-hana?" Kuri whispered, kissing the younger man's soft cheek, "I know you hate it when I am gone."
"I am fine," Tetsuya assured him, "I will just busy myself with the children and managing security here. I know you will be careful, and I know you will come home safely."
"Good," Kuri said, checking the time on the clock by their bed, "I think we have time for a hot shower before I leave."
Tetsuya swallowed the little knot of worry he felt and climbed out of the bed. The two men wrapped themselves in warm yukatas and left the bedroom to walk, hand in hand, to the large bathing room. They settled under a warm waterfall and Tetsuya picked up the soap and started to move towards his husband.
"Por favor," Kuri said, smiling and stealing the soap from his hand, "allow me, Tetsu-hana."
Tetsuya smiled and nodded in acceptance, then he watched with affectionate eyes as Kuri slowly lathered every inch of his body, making sure to touch and treasure every last inch of his bare flesh.
"Te sostendré todas las noches en mis sueños mientras me voy. Te prometo que volveré a ti, mi amante (I will hold you every night in my dreams while I am gone. I promise that I will come home to you, my lover.)," he breathed into Tetsuya's ear, "Te quiero."
"Aishiteru yo," Tetsuya answered, closing his eyes to hide the tears that were forming in the corners, "Watashi wa anata no mono (I am yours forever).
Tetsuya rubbed his soapy body against Kuri's and used the lather to slowly bathe his husband from head to toe. They surrendered to their passions one last time before exiting the shower and walking slowly back to their bedroom. Their attendants dressed Kuri in his uniform and Tetsuya in his house guard's uniform. They walked out to the corral, where Kuri's tall Andalusian stallion waited for him. Tetsuya watched him mount, then approached him and accepted a final tender kiss on his lips. He allowed himself a single tear as Kuri rode away, then he turned back towards the house, smiling as the sound of their children's running feet reached him. In moments, he was buried in hugs and heading to the dining room, where delicious cooking smells already filled the air.
XXXXXXXXXX
Takiyo laid still, his large grey eyes watching closely as Kisuke leaned over him, laying gentle fingertips over his spirit core and loosing a flicker of reiatsu. The shopkeeper's face remained calm and gave the boy neither encouragement nor reason to be fearful as he checked each spirit center, then conducted a deeper scan of his entire body.
"Tell me again what happened last night?" Kisuke urged him.
"I was walking with Suki and a hollow appeared in front of us," Takiyo recounted, "I flash stepped around to get behind it, but it sensed me and turned. It grabbed my sword and laughed when I said I wouldn't let it hurt my sister. It said that I don't know anything, not even who I am…and it broke my zanpakutou."
"Has your zanpakutou healed?" Kisuke asked.
"Yeah, it's fine. Still won't talk to me, but it never has anyway."
"Well, you're not damaged, not in any way I can see. I think you're fine."
"Good," Takiyo sighed, rolling his eyes, "Will you please tell that to Papa Ichigo?"
The shopkeeper smiled bracingly.
"Is he being overprotective again?"
"I know he's afraid because all I really have is a flash step, but I'm not weak. I handled the hollow just fine, even though it broke my sword. He doesn't fuss over the others and I don't want him to worry so much about me."
"I understand," Kisuke assured him, "I'll have a talk with Ichigo. You know he's probably just extra sensitive because he is pregnant again."
"Yeah, he and Papa Byakuya told us."
"And what do you think?" the shopkeeper asked, smiling.
Takiyo shrugged.
"I don't remember when Akina was born. I was still pretty little. It will be fun, I guess. I like playing with Cousin Tetsuya's babies, so I'm sure we'll have fun with the baby when it gets here. I just hope it's not too long. Papa Ichigo worries too much while he's like this."
"Eh, his heart's in the right place," Kisuke chuckled, "Give him a break, okay? He loves you. He and Byakuya-san struggled really hard to make sure you got here to be with the family. They're going to worry about you more, but you just keep your chin up and keep showing them what you can do."
"Papa Byakuya doesn't have trouble seeing that," Takiyo sighed, "He helps me a lot. Papa Ichigo just seems like he doesn't know what to do with me. I think he's more worried about me not having powers than I am."
"That's okay," Kisuke said bracingly, placing his hands on Takiyo's shoulders, "It's all out of love, so just roll with it and don't take it too seriously."
"Can you please tell me something honestly?" Takiyo asked, meeting the shopkeeper's eyes squarely.
"Okay, shoot."
Takiyo took a steadying breath.
"I know you don't want to scare me, but I need to know. Do you honestly think there's hope that I am going to have powers someday?"
Kisuke gave the boy a wide, warm smile and patted his back.
"Takiyo, I think you already have powers."
"Huh?" Takiyo said, giving him a confused look, "What do you mean? I know my spirit centers aren't…"
"It's not about what's in your spirit centers. It's about what's in here," Kisuke said, placing a hand over the boy's heart, "Your spirit centers are okay. They are ready to handle the reiatsu when the time comes and your power starts flowing through them. But I think that what will decide the time is your heart, kid. You will know when that time comes. It won't be when you're out there with your siblings, feeling embarrassed about what you can't do, and it won't be when you constantly test yourself to see if you can force the power to emerge. I have some experience with these things. See, there's this moment I think you're gonna reach when you are pushed to the extreme and you know there's no going back. You'll be protecting someone you love or maybe your own life, and there won't be anyone but you who will be able to do it. You'll find out what you're made of then, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. I feel the potential in you."
"Everyone says that!" Takiyo said, sounding exasperated, "Everyone says to wait for the right time. But no one else's power has to wait for a time! They all have it already."
"Let me tell you something," Kisuke said, moving his face closer to Takiyo's so that the boy went silent, "I've been around a long time and you're not the first guy who's said something like that to me."
"This has happened before?" Takiyo asked, frowning.
Kisuke shrugged.
"Similar things have happened. And I'll tell you that I can usually sense things like this. I can tell the difference between a person with no hope and no potential and one whose power may be fated to emerge differently. And every time I see this…it's not a good thing that makes the power necessary."
Kisuke noted the spooked look in the youth's eyes and hastened to calm his worries.
"Don't worry about it, okay?"
"But you think something bad's going to happen, don't you?" Takiyo inquired anxiously.
"Think about Tetsuya-san's divine power," Kisuke urged him, "It's a power that doesn't emerge early and it requires careful training and preparation to grow. Your power is more like that. I feel the potential and I know that it's there. No doubt in my mind. But you have to prepare yourself so that when it busts out of you, you're ready to be that strong. So…get out there and train like your parents tell you to. And trust us, please. Your time will come, kid. And someday, lives will depend on you. That's what I think."
Kisuke looked at his watch and made a sound of surprise.
"I have got to get outta here. Say hi to your folks, okay? I'll be back next week unless there is a change, and in that case, I'll see you sooner."
"Okay, thanks Urahara-san."
"Take care, kid."
Takiyo watched as the shopkeeper flash stepped out of the room, then he closed his yukata and walked out onto the wooden walkway outside his room. A flicker of annoyance touched his insides as he spotted Ichigo coming out of the master bedroom, but, remembering Kisuke's words, he forced the feeling down and flash stepped to his father.
"Hey, Takiyo," Ichigo said, giving his son a hug, "How did things go?"
"Fine," Takiyo said confidently, "Urahara-san said that my spirit centers are fine and that when my powers are ready, he thinks they're going to emerge."
"He said that?" Ichigo asked hopefully.
"Yeah, he said that," Takiyo assured him.
"But there's no change for now," Ichigo concluded, a little glimmer of sadness in his tone.
"Nope," his son said, shrugging, "Hey Dad, do you want to go riding with me?"
Ichigo blinked in surprise.
"You want to go riding?"
"Yeah, we can pack a lunch and ride Ikazuchi down to the lake. Everyone else is over at Shima Adobe, playing with Cousin Tetsuya's kids and having lunch there to keep Tetsuya-san company the first day Kuri-kuri-sama is gone."
"You don't want to head over there?" Ichigo asked.
Takiyo shook his head.
"I kind of like being with just you," he admitted, "There are always a lot of people around. I mean, I'm glad I have so many siblings, I just…"
He stopped at the look of happiness and genuine affection his confession earned.
"Sure," Ichigo answered, "Why don't you run to the barn and bring Ikazuchi. I'll have Matsuko pack that lunch for us."
"Great!" Takiyo exclaimed, "Meet you are the barn!"
"I'll be there," Ichigo promised.
He watched his son blaze away, out that back gate and gave a little sigh.
"You're a good kid," he whispered, "I'm so glad that we could save you. You'll be okay, Takiyo. I know you will."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Goodness," Aderia chuckled, watching the children flash step after Arashi as Tetsuya's tall black Arabian stallion dashed around the corral in a game of chase, "Where do they get so much energy?"
"I think they steal ours," Tetsuya sighed, dropping into a recliner and smiling as his sister-in-law put the footrest up, "I wasn't even out there with them for long, but I feel so tired."
Aderia smiled and patted his face.
"That is your body growing our next little miracle, angelito. You know that."
"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, "It just feels….heavier today."
Aderia smiled at him sympathetically.
"You miss my brother already."
"I always miss Kuri," Tetsuya confessed, "I suppose I am just more anxious about it because he had a very bad nightmare last night. He hasn't had a nightmare that made him cry since our wedding."
"Was it about Hideaki?" Aderia asked, "Or maybe about you?"
"He said he couldn't remember," Tetsuya reported, a little chill going through his insides, "And I wonder if it was about something happening to him, because when I woke him, he seemed like he was in pain, although I could find no source."
Aderia forced down a twinge of worry and smiled encouragingly at Tetsuya.
"Don't worry, angelito," she soothed him, "It is just nerves. That burro will be back, safe and sound, before you know it."
"I am sure you're right," Tetsuya agreed, an edge of uncertainty in his voice.
He made a sound of relief as Byakuya entered the room with Akina and Suki at his side. The girls ran to Aderia and Tetsuya, hugging them in greeting.
"Buenos dias, prima Aderia! Buenos dias, primo Tetsuya!"
"Buenos dias," Aderia greeted them, "Good morning, Byakuya-san."
"Good morning, Aderia. Good morning, Tetsuya."
"Good morning, Byakuya."
Byakuya looked more closely at his cousin.
"Are you feeling all right," he asked, frowning, "You look pale."
"It is just the pregnancy," Tetsuya sighed, smiling as one of his daughters arrived with a glass of iced tea for him, "That and Kuri being away."
"Well, you needn't worry," Byakuya assured him, "Although the outpost he is going to is somewhat far, so he will be away longer, things have been peaceful lately."
"I know. I just miss him."
"We will just have to keep you occupied until he returns," Byakuya concluded.
"Our children have been doing a capable job of that," Tetsuya chuckled, good naturedly, "I am so tired right now that I don't think I can get up."
"We could play a game," Suki suggested.
"What a lovely idea," Tetsuya said approvingly, "What would you like to play?" "Charades!" Akina said excitedly.
"Yes," Suki agreed, "I'll go with Minè to get the rest of our cousins!"
Tetsuya laughed.
"I think with everyone playing, we will have pretty big teams."
He watched as his and Kuri's children scampered into the room, a little bit of remaining sadness in his blue eyes.
Kuri, please come home soon. It just is not the same when you are gone.
XXXXXXXXXX
Kuri's turquoise eyes scanned the section of forest ahead of his scouting group and he extended his senses carefully. He listened for a moment, then nudged Ambrosio into motion. The pretty silver stallion snorted discontentedly, but moved ahead as directed.
"What's wrong?" Kuri asked, patting his horse's neck gently, "You don't feel so good about this either?"
He glanced at his fukutaichou and the young man nodded in agreement.
"I feel eyes watching us."
"I do also," Kuri agreed, "Can we go back and stay closer to the river?"
"The forest is too thick. If we are to go forward, it must be this way."
Kuri nodded and slipped down off of Ambrosio's back. He drew his weapon and sent Ambrosio into the trees, following the stallion in a route that ran parallel to the path. The rest of the group remained on the path and moved forward cautiously, remaining behind their concealed taichou as Kuri examined each section and signaled the group to advance. They reached the center of the forest and encountered nothing dangerous. Kuri breathed a little sigh of relief as the moonlight began to break through again, lighting the way for them. He continued to exercise caution, scanning the misted trees and reading the reiatsu traces. But as careful as he was, he nearly missed the moment when the reiatsu in front of the group rose suddenly, and a large, black doorway opened up ahead of them, revealing three white clad quincies.
"What do you want with us?" Kuri demanded, holding his weapon ready, "I warn you not to take another step forward."
He breathed a soft curse as more black doorways opened all around the group of shinigamis. Instantly, his zanpakutou's black chains erupted from the ground, surrounding his men protectively.
"Open a senkaimon!" he ordered his fukutaichou, "I'll hold the defenses for as long as I can."
He poured his power into the curled chains that protected them as quincy arrows fired from all sides, pounding against them and slowly chipping away at the Shima leader's strong reiatsu. Kuri's teeth clenched and he backed towards the senkaimon, his heart pounding and his insides freezing as he realized.
Not all of us are going to make it out of here!
His defenses shattered as the last of his men scrambled into the senkaimon, screaming for him to come after them, as the doorway began to close. Swallowing hard and picturing Tetsuya's smiling face in his mind, he turned away from them.
The leader of the quincy group smiled wickedly at him.
"What do you plan to do now, Shimigami taichou?" he asked mockingly, "You cannot hope to beat all of us. Put down your weapon and we will not hurt you."
"Vete a la verga culero (Fuck you, asshole!)," Kuri snarled, "Yo cago en la leche de tu puta madre!" (I shit in your whore mother's milk!)
The quincy officer's eyes darkened and took on a deadly furious gleam.
"Hurt him," he ordered the others, "Make him bleed. But don't kill him. We are taking him alive!"