Chapter 6: Instinct

(And the countdown to Byakuya's birthday begin! Here's a nice beginning to the festivities. Hmmm, how many different 'partners' have I written Byakuya with? I will have to explore that over the next few days. We'll begin the fun with some sweet Ichi/Bya! Enjoy!)

"Ah, Tetsuya," Kisuke greeted the young noble, smiling, "Thanks for getting here so quickly."

"You said that my cousin had made contact with you," Tetsuya said quickly, "yet I did not sense him. I still do not sense him. What is going on? And why did he not want anyone else to know he is here?"

"Oh, we'll get to that in a sec," Kisuke said, laughing anxiously, "First things first. You reported to the head captain that he's okay and working undercover?"

"Yes," Tetsuya confirmed, "although I couldn't give him any information on the nature of the mission, since I didn't have any. Luckily, the captain commander trusts Byakuya's judgment, and is willing to wait until his return for a full report."

Which is a damned sight better than what he'd be doing if he knew where his sixth division head really is, the shopkeeper mused inwardly.

"Y-yeah. That's gonna be some report."

"Kisuke Urahara," Tetsuya said urgently, "I can tell that something odd is going on. Where is my cousin?"

"Uh...he's...in that room," Kisuke said, pointing to a closed guestroom door.

He grabbed Tetsuya's arm as the noble started for the door.

"Erm, Tetsuya, just so you aren't too shocked, Byakuya, um, well, he looks kinda different...really different."

Tetsuya's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Kisuke, please, what is going on? Why are you beating around the bush and not just..."

Tetsuya froze and went silent, his large sapphire eyes rounding as the door opened and Byakuya stepped out to greet him.

"Tetsuya," he said, studying his cousin's floored expression, "I am sorry to take you by surprise like this."

"Byakuya..." Tetsuya breathed disbelievingly, "Byakuya, what happened to you? You are...?"

"I am all right physically, Tetsuya, but I was attacked by a strange hollow...a disruptor hollow, Kisuke called it. It exploded and destabilized my reiatsu, resulting in me taking on this form. It also seems to have disrupted my memory, which complicated things and prevented me from contacting you sooner."

"It disrupted your memory?" Tetsuya repeated, moving closer and studying him more intently, "Then..."

"Ichigo Kurosaki was with me, and the two of us were forced to flee into Hueco Mundo. It took us a couple of days to find a way back, and even when we did, it seems that changing back is presenting more than a few problems."

"I can change him back," Kisuke explained, "but..."

"But...while in Hueco Mundo and struggling to survive, Ichigo and I began to fall in love," Byakuya explained, lowering his eyes and blushing as he spoke, "We gave in to our desires, and it seems that my riled reiatsu caused me to become pregnant."

"T-to become...?" Tetsuya repeated, blinking and staring uncomprehendingly.

"I am with child by Ichigo," Byakuya said solemnly, "And while I am, Kisuke feels it is too dangerous to attempt to restore me."

"In addition to that," Kisuke went on, "I had the feeling it would be bad for the elders of the Kuchiki clan to find out what was going on. I know Byakuya is real close to you, Tetsuya. I think that he would have chosen to trust you with this."

"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, "He would."

Tetsuya moved closer to his cousin, examining him closely, then pausing.

"If I may, watashi no itoko," he said softly.

Byakuya looked back at him questioningly, then took a surprised inhale as Tetsuya's body shimmered and became water. The water extended forward, sliding easily into Byakuya's surprised form and swirling inside, reading and assessing everything. The water emerged again a few minutes later and re-formed into Tetsuya's slender body. He looked back at Byakuya through worried eyes.

"It is you," he said, touching the clan leader's face, "I know that much. But you say that you do not remember anything. You do not remember our family? Our home? Me? Anything?"

"I seem to remember things like fighting...battle strategy, things that had become second nature," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "but I do not remember people or events. It is confusing, because I have a sense that some things are important and I have strong feelings about them, but I don't know why I feel strongly about them."

"Which is why I thought that calling you here might be a real good idea," Kisuke concluded, "You've been close to Byakuya since you both were teens, and unlike your elders, I think you'll be more interested in helping him out than judging his actions."

"Yes," Tetsuya agreed, taking Byakuya's hands and looking deeply into his eyes, "Whatever I can do to help you, Cousin. You need only ask."

"Well, first of all, I need you not to speak to anyone about this. Kisuke, Yoruichi and Ichigo are aware of what has happened. I would like to be sure that no one else learns of it. I am going to remain here, in Karakura Town until the baby is born, then Kisuke will restore me and I will go home and explain things to the elders. They are likely to be more receptive when I arrive with an heir."

"They still won't exactly be pleased," Kisuke added.

"But, they won't be in the fits they would be in to see you this way and to know that you were pregnant and unmarried," Tetsuya concluded, "I understand. I think this is the only thing you can do. Of course I will help you. Whatever you need."

Byakuya smiled at him gratefully.

"Kisuke told me that he thought you would be the right person to confide in. And if you are involved, I have access to the resources I would not if faced with handling this on my own."

"Yes," Tetsuya confirmed, nodding, "I will be happy to provide any funds or things that you require while you are here. I have full authorization to act on your behalf."

"And he is completely loyal to you," Kisuke said approvingly, "This does help a lot."

He sighed and glanced over his shoulder, in the direction of his laboratory.

"Well, if you guys are squared away, I have to get back to work. When the time comes, I want to be very sure to get the details of the transformation right."

"Thank you, Kisuke," Tetsuya said gratefully, "for your help and for your discretion."

"No problem. You guys make yourselves at home. Byakuya, Tessai has your student ID and I have a school uniform and gigai for you. Tessai should be in here with them pretty soon, so you can leave for school."

"You are going to school here?" Tetsuya asked, looking amused, "Why, Byakuya?"

The Kuchiki heir shrugged.

"I have a lot of time until the baby comes," he sighed, "I thought that it would be a better use of my time than sitting about, worrying."

"Also, you may not remember, but you have only ever been privately educated. You did not have the experience of attending the shinigami academy with your peers, but had private tutors and received all of your training from celebrated professionals. It was good training, but you used to lament that if it wasn't for me, you would have been lonely, being isolated from everyone that way. But you were heir..."

Byakuya's smiled warmed.

"I am glad that I had you to keep me company, Tetsuya. You seem very understanding."

"Well, we have been close ever since our teen years. And I owe you always for coming to my rescue when I was held in the noble's prison as a child."

"Yes, Kisuke told me about that," Byakuya mused sadly, "I wish that I could remember. But even though I don't, I feel that I can trust you. I do feel the bond between us resonating. I know you are special to me, even though I do not remember exactly what happened. It was the same way with Ichigo. With him too, I had a sense that he has long been important to me."

Byakuya's eyes went a shade darker and he sighed again and closed them for a moment.

"Tetsuya, I must confess to you that Ichigo is conflicted about suddenly being told he is going to be a father. I know that it was a surprise, but when Kisuke told us, I couldn't feel anything but happiness. Ichigo was beside himself with worry about it. He really isn't ready for this."

"Well," Tetsuya said bracingly, "there is plenty of time for him to grow into acceptance before the baby comes. Please, Byakuya, let your mind be at ease about that. You know that Ichigo, although young, is a wise and caring person. He would not disappoint you in this. I think he will come around."

"I am sure you are right," Byakuya said, his dark eyes still sad, "It is just that...I felt so happy, not just knowing that we were having a child, but that it was his and mine. Tetsuya, you remember what I was like before. Was I...was I maybe falling in love with Ichigo all along? These feelings I have for him are very strong. And when I feel them, it has the same feel that it does when I fight. It doesn't just feel like something I discovered now. It feels like something that has been there for a long time."

Tetsuya smiled and slipped an arm around his cousin.

"You have long had strong emotions when it comes to Ichigo Kurosaki. But I think that before, you were confused by them. I don't know. Maybe...maybe the gift of what is happening to you now, is that it is helping you get past that confusion."

"But, Tetsuya," Byakuya said worriedly, "what if he doesn't feel the same? What if he likes me a lot, but he doesn't really love me in return?"

"You don't have to worry about that," said Ichigo's voice from behind the two.

Byakuya sucked in a surprised breath and turned, his gray eyes meeting Ichigo's warily.

"Ichigo..."

The shinigami substitute smiled disarmingly at him.

"Hey, you aren't an easy guy to keep up with. You think you can hold still for a few minutes so that we can talk before we have to go to school?"

Tetsuya stepped back, releasing the clan leader and smiling at Ichigo.

"I will be nearby if you need me, Byakuya."

He disappeared in a flash step, leaving Byakuya and Ichigo alone in the hallway. The two regarded each other for a moment and braced themselves to speak, but were spared for a moment as Tessai appeared in the hallway, carrying a gigai.

"Ah, Lord Byakuya," he said respectfully, "I have your gigai here and your identification materials."

"Thank you," Byakuya said, accepting the items, then watching quietly a the man left.

He looked back at Ichigo.

"I should...get dressed," he said softly, "It's almost time to leave."

"Can we talk while you change?" Ichigo asked, "There are some things I really need to say to you."

"Very well," Byakuya said, turning into the bedroom and waiting as Ichigo followed him inside and closed the door.

The Kuchiki heir moved to the dressing area, while Ichigo sat on the bed, watching him with troubled eyes.

"Look, I'll just start with I'm sorry," Ichigo said quietly, "I was taken by surprise when Kisuke told us that you are pregnant, and I wasn't thinking. I just reacted."

Byakuya let out a soft, amused breath.

"I can hardly blame you for that. I do quite a lot of that since I became this way. We are young and somewhat impulsive."

"But, you see, that's the thing," Ichigo went on, "I am young and impulsive. You may look young, but you still have your more grown up instincts, even if your memory has been lost and you have become more impulsive. Byakuya, I never had those experiences like you have to prepare me for things. So, when Kisuke told us, I had..."

"A reaction appropriate, considering your age," Byakuya finished, "You are young, even for an adult. I understand now."

"I know it doesn't make up for the fact that my reaction was hurtful to you and kami knows, I said all of the wrong things, but...you know, I really do love you."

"Ichigo!"

"And...I'm not going to abandon you. Even though I don't feel so ready to be a dad, I did make this baby with you and...as much as I'm kinda scared about the consequences...I'm happy too."

"You are?" Byakuya asked, not noticing at all as the gigai slipped from his hands and fell to the floor, leaving him standing naked in front of the mirror, "Really?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said, moving to join him.

He wrapped his arms around Byakuya's slim body, placing his hands over the noble's soft belly and kissing him lightly on a blushing earlobe.

"I'm really attracted to you," Ichigo went on, "I've never felt like this about anyone before. That's why I'm so clumsy and I keep saying things that piss you off."

"I know," Byakuya said, turning his head and meeting Ichigo's lips for a gentle, over-the-shoulder kiss, "I shouldn't have reacted so impulsively. I just..."

"You were hurt because you love me, and you just want me to love you too. I do. I promise. Even if I mess up sometimes and we argue. I don't know what's going to happen when the baby's born and you get changed back to your older self. I mean, you might feel differently about me, and that's okay. It's not your fault. I only hope that you won't forget this time that we've had together like this."

"I feel the same," Byakuya agreed, turning and meeting him for a longer, deeper kiss that ended in a slow fall onto the bed.

The two exchanged hard, open-mouthed kisses as Byakuya's hands worked to loosen Ichigo's clothing.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Ichigo asked, frowning, "Didn't Kisuke say...?"

"I will be fine," Byakuya panted softly, baring his lover's nether region, then rubbing seductively against him, "And if my reiatsu begins to destabilize again, you are right here to see to it."

"I guess you're right," Ichigo answered, surrendering to another bout of hot, wet kisses, "Anyway, I can't resist you when you do this to me. I know I'm really in love with you. I feel it all the way through me."

"Me too," Byakuya agreed, shifting and raising himself slightly.

He gazed affectionately into the shinigami substitute's loving eyes as he slowly joined their bodies.

"I'm scared of this going away when you change back," Ichigo admitted, holding Byakuya's hips still and looking deeply into his widened, gray orbs, "I know that you can't stay like this forever, but going back means that maybe you won't remember this and that hurts to even think about."

Byakuya's hands found his and held them tightly as he began a slow shimmy atop the ginger-haired youth.

"Well, you know that things that have become instinctive...second nature, if you will, are the things that survived in me before."

"Yeah?"

"So," Byakuya surmised, smirking, "If we make love so many times that it is second nature, then there is no way that I will forget!"

"I don't know," Ichigo said, smiling gamely, "It might take a lot of times before it's really instinctive."

"I think I am up to the task, if you are," Byakuya panted, moving his hips more forcefully.

Ichigo went breathless as he watched Byakuya's lovely body writhe and sway atop his. He moved with his lover's undulating form, clasping his hands and grinding hard against him. Neither could speak anymore as climax overtook them, and their fingers clenched as their joined bodies shivered with the explosion of intense pleasure. Byakuya groaned indulgently and collapsed onto Ichigo's heaving breast, seeking his mouth and warming it with a flurry of finishing kisses.

Ichigo gazed dazedly into the noble's pleased, gray eyes and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Byakuya asked.

"I think we're gonna be late for your first day of school," Ichigo laughed.

"That's all right," Byakuya said, resting his head on the shinigami substitute's shoulder, "I am sure that Kisuke will write us an excuse."

"Yeah, Please excuse Ichigo and Bya for being late, as they were having 'make-up sex' and couldn't be bothered with being on time. Right. I'm sure they'll think that's fine!"

"Ichigo?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you."

Ichigo grinned helplessly.

"I love you too."