Mating Season

Chapter Nine

By Lochness Nessie

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or any of its characters.

Warnings: The usual. :D


Rukia and Renji nodded to each other, they knew this was where Ichigo has been. They could sense his reiatsu behind this door. They both kicked in the door at the same time, expecting Ichigo to be chained up and badly beaten on the other side. They did not expect to find a naked Grimmjow in bed with a very naked and very large Ichigo, who were both groggy looking and starting to sit up in the huge bed.

"Wha' tha fuck?" Grimmjow growled, rubbing his eye with one hand. He was most certainly not a morning person.

Ichigo's eyes were barely open when he looked over to the doorway, expecting it to be Nel who frequently barged in like this, demanding attention. His eyes popped wide open when he saw his two best shinigami friends. "Rukia? Renji?" He asked, baffled.

"Ichigo! We finally found you!" Rukia cried out.

"Holy shit, Ichigo! You're naked!" Renji yelled, pointing to his friend.

Ichigo remembered that his friend was right and instantly threw the sheets over his lower half, also making sure Grimm was covered as well.

"And what the fuck are you doin' in bed with that espada trash?" Renji asked, raising a tattooed eyebrow. He took a few steps closer to his friend, one hand on the hilt of Zabimaru, ready for a fight.

"Uh, Renji…" Ichigo started to say, but then his over-eager friend continued with the questioning.

"And why are you so fat?"

"Oh, well you s-"Ichigo started.

"It's only been about four months since we last saw you, how could you have gained so much weight?"

Rukia only kept looking between Renji and Ichigo, unable to say anything. She was waiting to hear what Ichigo had to say, though even she knew Renji was being very harsh. Nobody wanted to hear about their weight gain – nobody.

"Renji, I'm –"

"Oh shit, don't tell me this is some Hansel and Gretel crap, this piece of shit is fattening you up and gonna shove you in an oven and eat your soul!"

"Hey, no, Renji!"

"That's what those fuckers do to gain power, Ichi, we both know that!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP RENJI!" Ichigo yelled at the top of his lungs. When the room was silent and everyone's eyes were wide, Ichigo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Renji, I'm not fat. I'm pregnant."

Renji choked a laugh. "The hell you are! 'Cause I'm Mickey Mouse. Come on, we'll get you some training and put you on a diet, you'll be fine. Let's get the fuck back home."

"He's serious, dipshit," Grimmjow growled, getting up from the bed. He stalked over to the loud, tattooed redhead and glared down at him. Grimmjow may only have been an inch or two taller than Renji, but with the anger in Grimmjow's eyes it didn't matter, he looked fierce and scary as hell. "Ichigo is carryin' my cubs. And don' you DARE think ya are gonna take him anywhere."

Rukia looked at her friend who was still in bed and then rushed over to his side. "Ichigo! Tell the truth; are you pregnant with this Espada's children?" Her eyes were pleading that he says no, though she was really betting he was indeed pregnant, judging by his figure. When Ichigo nodded, Rukia hung her head. "What now, Ichigo? How can we go back? You'll likely be executed; for sure the young will be put to death, for being the offspring of a hollow."

Shaking his head, Ichigo replied, "I'm not going back there."

"What did you just say?!" Renji barked. He sprinted to the bedside, next to Rukia, waiting for more to the story.

"I'm not going back to the soul society," Ichigo said simply. "I can't. My place is here now. Plus, Rukia's right – they would kill me, and my cubs." Ichigo shrugged. "I am mated with Grimm, this is my home. I'm going to have kids soon, and I can't just abandon them."

Grimmjow appeared next to his mate, wrapping a strong arm around his shoulders and pulling him into his chest. "I won' let ya try ta take him. He wants ta be here." Grimmjow's protective instincts were heightened from the fact that he was soon to be a father. He wouldn't let anything harm those cubs, not now and not ever. Arrancars were lucky to get pregnant, especially if the one carrying them lasted to term and ended in live births. They would do anything to make sure it stays that way. Ichigo's pregnancy was going so well, he wouldn't let anything jeopardize it.

Renji sighed and brushed a hand through his crimson locks. "So you're really pregnant?" Grimmjow handed him the ultrasound picture and when Renji looked at it closely, he knew it was the truth. He felt light headed and slightly nauseous. He shoved the photo at Rukia and sat down on the floor quickly. "Oh man… this is fucked up."

Rukia couldn't help but smile. "You're going to be a dad, Ichigo!" The excitement in her voice was that of a child who just found out they're going to have a little brother or sister. "Can I be the aunt? Please?!"

Ichigo laughed at his short, dark-haired friend. He should have known that Rukia would be on his side. "Of course, Rukia." He smiled and then leaned over and pulled her into a light hug. "It's good to see you again, both of you." He looked at Renji. "Though, you're being a dick right now, Renji." He punched the lieutenant's arm softly, like friends do when they say the punch line of a joke.

Grimmjow growled and pulled Ichigo away from the small girl. "What tha hell took ya so long to come fer him anyhow?" Ichigo turned his attention to his friend, curious as well as to why nobody had come sooner to look for him. He had been missing for four months, they had to have noticed.

"Captain Yammamoto wouldn't let us go," Renji replied quietly. He looked at Ichigo with and apologetic gaze. "We tried, Ichi, we did. I even begged Byakuya for help. But they said that once you'd gone to Hueco Mundo, it was too dangerous for us. He said he would get a rescue squad together, but…"

Renji didn't have to finish the thought. It was old news that the head captain was not big on rescue missions. If one or two shinigami went missing, too bad for them. He'd probably even say it was their fault for being "foolish" and "wandering off". Not everyone agreed with the head captain and his rules, but he was the man in charge so going against him wouldn't be a smart move. So, they all kept quiet and said "yes sir".

Ichigo looked away and nodded, he knew it too well. Then he looked at Renji with a shit-eating grin. "Hey, Renji, you begged Byakuya, eh?" He snickered. "You know you didn't have to get on your knees for him just to save lil old me. Or maybe it was just an excuse to suck up to him. Yes, pun intended." Rukia and Ichigo burst into laughter while Renji turned red with anger and embarrassment.

Grimmjow smiled wide, his canines gleaming in the light. "I always thought ya had a thing for yer captain!" He chuckled as Renji snapped his head at him.

"Shut your mouth, Espada!" This only made everyone laugh harder. "Oh fuck all of you! It's not like that!"

"Oh sure," Ichigo said between breaths. "It's totally platonic. Just captain and vice-captain." He raised his eyebrows quickly, twice. "I see how you look at him with the lust in your eyes! You're nasty! You're going to get in big trouble with the head captain for that! I can see it now, him slamming his cane and yelling 'insubordination!' Then he uses his zampakto to burn both of you to a crisp!"

"You're one to talk! You fucked the enemy! And you're knocked up!" Renji spat.

Rukia felt that this was not just the usual fighting between these two, this was getting serious. She had to break it up before they ended up in an actual battle. "Okay, everyone stop. Calm down, let's stop teasing each other."

Renji looked away at the doorway. How dare Ichigo bring Byakuya into this! Though he knew his friends were right, he did have a thing for his captain. A big thing, but there was no way he would admit it. No. Way. Sure, he'd kill for a night alone with Byakuya and he wished and prayed that Byakuya reciprocated even a smidgen of what he felt for Byakuya. All this thinking was making his cheeks flush again. "Aw, hell," he growled before turning back to look at his friends, and Grimmjow. "So what's the plan? You know, for the kids and all?"

Ichigo scratched the back of his head and pondered that question. "Uhh, well I'm delivering here, of course. Szayel has been monitoring me throughout my pregnancy. He knows more about that crap since he is an Arrancar and he is a scientist. But as far as after that? I dunno, I guess I'll stay here with Grimm. And we'll do the family thing." He looked over at his blue-haired mate and nuzzled his chest, leaning into him when Grimmjow put his arms around Ichigo.

Rukia looked up at Ichigo from her spot on the floor, where she'd sat down. "Does your father know?"

"Fuck," Ichigo paled. "I never thought about telling him, really. I know that sounds bad. But, I just don't think he'd take it well. I am a guy, and I've having kids with another guy. Who is an Espada. That's not so kosher with a lot of people, probably not even him." He looked almost sad, as if he wish his father were here to help him. He had surely helped his wife through the pregnancies for himself and his twin sisters; it would be nice to be with someone who knew more from that perspective than a scientist's point of view. Nobody here had gone through a pregnancy yet, Ichigo and Grimmjow were the first pair of mates who had conceived.

"I say fuck it, and tell him," Renji smiled at his orange-haired pal. He gave a thumbs-up sign. "I got your back if he hulks out, bro."

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh at Renji for using the term "bro". It was too funny. He nodded as he thought about his situation more. He did want his father to be here, and to know his grandchildren. So, might as well give it a shot. "But, I don't wanna take the risk of traveling to the living world, I'm almost full term. Maybe, Grimm, you could go with Rukia or Renji and tell him?"

"So I can get beat up by your dad?" Grimmjow asked, glaring at Ichigo. He shook his head. "I don' think he's gonna like me too much. I did knock ya up and all."

Ichigo gave Grimmjow the puppy dog eyes and pleaded with him. "Please, Grimm, I can't go right now, and we are mated. That's a marriage license in this world. They aren't bastard children, they will have two loving parents, and he has to understand that." Ichigo leaned in and sweetly kissed Grimmjow's cheek. He put his lips next to Grimmjow's ear and whispered, "If he comes, he can help babysit. And I promise if you go do this, I will let you fuck me so hard after the cubs are born and after I heal."

Grimmjow grinned manically, liking this bargain. "You swear it?" He raised a blue eyebrow and stuck out his hand, waiting to shake on it.

"On my mother's grave," Ichigo nodded, taking Grimmjow's hand and shaking it firmly. He winked at Grimm and lazily drug his tongue across his bottom lip.

"Oh god, you guys are being gross!" Rukia said turning away; her cheeks were fire engine red from embarrassment. "Get a room!"

Grimmjow whipped his head in her direction. "You're in it, shorty!"

Rukia stuck her tongue out at Ichigo's mate and held her finger down on her cheek, showing the bright red skin on the underside of her eye like children do in grade school. It was something Rukia was known for, and Ichigo just shook his head and Grimmjow growled at the dark haired girl.

"Ya got yourself a deal, Ich," Grimmjow smirked at his lover. He leaned in and gave him a long, deep kiss and then jumped up from the bed. He was naked, but he didn't care if his lover's friends saw his manhood – he was damn proud of his birthday suit, so they can fuck off for all he cares. He was going to throw on his usual Espada uniform but then frowned at his closet. If he was going to be meeting his father-in-law and telling him to prepare to be a grandfather, he should probably dress up and make himself liked. He did, after all, want to come back for his end of the bargain, and to do so he must still be in one piece.

Grimmjow decided on some black slacks, which Ichigo didn't even know Grimmjow owned, and a dark blue button down shirt that was very sleek and fitting for Grimm. It really brought out his piercing blue eyes, not to mention his hair. Ichigo had to say, the way he left the top two buttons open to show his collar bone made him mouth-wateringly sexy. Running a hand through his messy blue locks, Grimmjow turned around and nodded to Renji.

"Come on Red, Shorty, let's go get gramps!"


** Well. I hope you all liked this chapter. A bit too much filler maybe? I still liked Renji and his fat talk, though. :] and ho mans. I can't wait to add in Ishin. :D And of course, for babies! Thank you so much to everyone who commented and who left name suggestions for the babies! I'm not going to give anything away yet about the cubs, but I REALLY appreciate the suggestions. If you still have some, there is still time! ;) And thanks to all my recurring commentators and readers who watch for updates. You all make me so happy with your lovely words and praise!**