Chapter 10: Love as a Poison

"Are you feeling better now, Tetsu-hana?" Kurushimi asked his fingers gently teasing the area he had recently possessed.

Tetsuya regarded him with sleepy, contented blue eyes and nodded.

"I am fine now. I told you," he yawned, "I am just very tired."

"Then you shall sleep soon. But first, will you tell me why on our wedding night you left like that?"

"I told you, I..."

"I heard what you said, love, but I saw that you were not saying something too. Would you tell me what you are holding back?" the Shima leader persisted.

"It really isn't important, Kuri-Kuri," Tetsuya assured him.

Kuri shook his head firmly.

"If it made you go out to walk and think under the stars like that, it is something important, and you should not hold it back from your husband. We are meant to share our troubles."

Tetsuya gazed back at him with a guilty expression.

"I suppose you are right, but you will maybe think I'm being silly. After all, you were nearly asleep when you said it. You didn't know what you were saying."

Kuri paled slightly, but managed to keep his composure.

"It was something I said that hurt you, Tetsu-hana?" he asked, "What did I say?"

"W-well, you said, You have warmed me to the core, my love...my flower, Tetsuya explained.

"What is wrong with that?" Kuri asked, looking confused, "It was a lovely statement of my affection for you."

"No, it wasn't," Tetsuya said softly, "It was a memory of the person you loved before. It was his name you said."

Kurushimi's jaw dropped and he went silent for a moment.

"Please don't think that I want you to forget him!" Tetsuya insisted, "I will never forget my first love, or that we were going to have a child together. I hold all of our good times and bad in my memory, and I want you to do the same for your Hideaki! I j-just...w-wasn't prepared to hear you say that to him while you were with me. I am sorry!"

Kuri frowned and shook his head.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" he asked, beginning to look angry, "I was the one who hurt you, my wife."

"You were falling asleep. You didn't even know what you were doing. I don't blame you either for remembering him or saying something like that. He was your first love, and that means something to you!"

A tear leaked onto Tetsuya's face as Kuri's arms wrapped around him and held him tightly.

"I will always love Hideaki," he admitted readily, "just as you will always love your Naoki. It is in remembering our love for them that we honor their lives, Tetsu-hana. But it is in living on that we honor the life we are building together. And as we build that life, I do not want the ghosts of the past to stand between us...ever! I am sorry that my tongue slipped and I hurt you. If it should ever happen again, please wake me and talk to me about it. Do not run off and cry somewhere. Be angry at me if you want, but yell at me here, in our bedroom! Do not leave and make me run all over the Seireitei, worried about you!"

Tetsuya swallowed hard and blinked back more tears as he nodded in agreement.

"I am sorry I worried you," he apologized, "Should it happen again, I will tell you."

"Good," Kuri sighed, sending a throb of surprise through Tetsuya with the intense look of relief in his handsome turquoise eyes, "We understand each other."

Tetsuya couldn't make himself speak, but he nodded and sank into his husband's strong arms.

"Sleep now, mi amante. I will stay awake and hold you, telling you just what you mean to me."

Tetsuya couldn't help but smile at the words that followed.

"Mi corazón era como el desierto, pero para mí, eres la lluvia. Te lavar mi dolor y me haces sonreír de nuevo." (My heart was like the desert, but to me, you are the rain. You wash away my pain and make me smile again.)

Kurushimi sank deeply into his smiling mouth, laying him down and plundering his body, yet again.

"I am sorry," he apologized as he nuzzled his deeply sleeping wife after their lovemaking left Tetsuya delightfully senseless, "I fear I cannot hold back ever when I am with you. Mamà and Tonia are right, I am too rough with you. But you will not be loved gently, stubborn flower. You tease me and torment me, just with your beautiful eyes and I cannot resist you. Déjame ser el sol que te hace abrir los pétalos suaves. Alcance para mí y voy a mantener el calor y vida. Nuestro amor nunca morirá." (Let me be the sun that makes you open your soft petals. Reach for me and I will keep you warm and alive. Our love will never die.)

XXXXXXXXXX

"May I help you, sirs?" asked the surprised looking young council assistant, blinking and staring curiously at the tall, blue-haired hollow at Shiba Ichigo's side, "Did you have a question about the matching?"

"Did we have a fucking question about the matching, she asks," Grimmjow said sarcastically, "Don'tcha mean the shotgun matching that you did behind our goddamned backs while we weren't even there? Yeah, we have a question. How do you get yourself unmatched and unhitched, lady?"

"Hey, don't be mean to Midori-chan," Ichigo chided the Espada, "She's just doing her job, you know. I don't think she had anything to do with the matching."

"Actually, a computer took care of that," the young woman explained, looking somewhat encouraged by Ichigo's warmer treatment, "A program identified all known noble males and females of child-bearing age as well as some exceptional beings, like your friend, Jaegerjaques-san."

"Heh, you can call me Grimmjow," the hollow said, smirking in a more friendly manner, "Sorry I bit your head off, but can you imagine waking up to being told you have to marry that jackass, there?"

"I understand," the woman said sympathetically.

"Hey!" Ichigo objected as Midori realized her mistake and blushed.

"My apologies, Shiba-sama," she said in a flustered voice, "I didn't mean to be impolite."

"She called me and exceptional being," Grimmjow said in a self-satisfied tone, "I think the girl's right on target, Kuro...erm, Ichigo."

Ichigo crossed his arms and scowled.

"Well, we're here because that's obviously a mistake. Look, Midori-chan, there is no way in hell that Grimmjow is a former Shihoin..."

"But it's right here in his profile," the young woman said, moving to allow the two to see her computer screen, "It says very clearly that Grimmjow-san was an illegitimate Shihoin born of a full Shihoin and a half noble mate, making him three quarters noble."

"But he's a goddamned hollow!" Ichigo objected, "I didn't see any other hollows being shoved off on shinigamis like me!"

"Hey, you wanna mind your manners, Kurosaki?"

"It's Shiba, sir," Midori reminded him politely.

"Whatever!" Grimmjow huffed, "The point is that Shiba Ichigo and I shouldn't be married right now. We weren't asked and we sure as hell weren't there for the massive shotgun wedding or the multi-house orgy that came after. We're just two freaking guys who don't want any part of that. But you said we're married, so we want you to unmarry us!"

Midori blinked in confusion.

"You...are unhappy with your matching?"

"That's an understatement," Grimmjow noted off-handedly, "Look sweetheart, just go in that computer of yours and make a note that this travesty that shouldn't have happened, didn't happen, okay?"

"Wh-what?"

"You heard him," Ichigo said, nodding, "You need to dissolve our marriage. We never agreed to it and it sure as hell was never consummated, so it's not a legal union."

"Eh..."

"Hey, I know you're just doing your job, here, and you didn't stick us together," Grimmjow urged her, "but you can unstick us, can'tcha?"

"U-unstick you?" the woman repeated blankly.

"Hey, are you all right?" Ichigo asked, "You look pretty confused."

"Let us make it simple for you," Grimmjow said, glaring at her, "Take this marriage that didn't happen, break it up and shove it in the deepest wormhole in outer space, because Kurosaki...Shiba Ichigo and I have never been a thing and we're never fucking gonna be!"

"W-well, I can pass on a message to the council to review the information in your files. Do you have proof that there was no consummation?" Midori asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Eh, how do you prove we didn't have sex?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, that's easy," the woman said, taking a handheld device from her desk that looked a little like a microphone, with a long, thick handle and a rounded top.

"That won't shock me or anything?" Grimmjow complained.

"Oh, no, Grimmjow-san," Midori assured him, "It only measures the Shiba heir's reiatsu in your body. If you were intimate within about the last week, there will be resultant reiatsu in your insides."

She brought the rounded tip of the device close to Grimmjow's trim belly, blushing as he lifted his shirt to show off his muscular abdominals. The three stared in surprise as the device emitted a telling set of beeps.

"What is that?" Ichigo demanded, "What's all that beeping?"

"Um, just a moment," Midori said, adjusting the settings on the device, "It said you have had sex recently, so I have to check you for early signs of pregnancy."

"Who'd'wha-th'fuck?" Grimmjow stammered, staring in shock.

"Whoa! What the hell?" Ichigo gasped, "There's some kinda mistake or something!"

Midori watched closely as she held the device to the stricken Espada's belly again and received a steady pattern of beeps.

"What's that saying?" the hollow demanded, "Who'm I gonna kill?"

"Congratulations," Midori announced, beaming, "You two have been successful in conceiving the next Shiba heir..."

"What the fucking hell?" Grimmjow and Ichigo yelled together.

"Or heirs, actually," the young woman continued, "There are at least two, and maybe more babies on the way, probably due to Grimmjow-san's power being a cat-type. They tend to have a litter."

"You wanna come-a-fucking-gain?" Grimmjow snapped, "Lady, there's no way in the ever-loving world that I'm having any babies, first, because you have to be fucked to have babies, and I can guarantee you, I HAVEN'T BEEN FUCKED. Add to that, I definitely haven't been fucked by that guy. I may have slept beside him cause there weren't enough beds, but we were sleeping, chica! We absolutely weren't fucking!"

Midori's eyes narrowed.

"I am sorry, Grimmjow-san," she said sternly, "While I am sympathetic, all of the arranged marriages are legal under the guidelines laid down by the Noble's General Council."

"But I'm not a noble!" Grimmjow shouted, "You don't have the right to tell me what to do!"

"We do have the right, as you are clearly, as shown in your profile, a former member of the Shihoin family!"

"That's utter, raving bullshit!" Grimmjow yelled.

"Grimmjow's right," Ichigo added in a more civil tone, "There's no way..."

"And you have also already consummated the marriage..."

"WE DID NOT!"

"It has been confirmed by our council-approved method. And there are babies that have been conceived."

"Hey lady!" Grimmjow hissed, pointing to his slim belly, "There ain't nothing in there but muscle!"

"Say that again in a few months when the babies' reiatsu causes a big bulge," Midori said dryly, "Sirs, I told you that I am sympathetic, but you destroyed your argument, coming here, clearly already having made heirs. I will note your objection, but I warn you that the council is not going to approve a dissolution with heirs on the way."

"Well, I don't care whether those perverted old freaks approve or not!" Grimmjow steamed, "I'm telling you for the last time, I ain't a fucking Shihoin, never have been. I haven't been fucked by Kurosaki-Shiba Ichigo and there are no goddamned vermin in my insides! You got that?"

"I suppose we'll see about that," Midori said, smirking meaningfully, "I think we have concluded our business, here. If you gentlemen will kindly leave my chambers..."

Grimmjow and Ichigo exchanged furious glances and let out a mutual huff of indignation before turning and stomping out of the room.

"Kami," sighed the council assistant, "what is with those two? I don't know why they're complaining. They are one just like the other. They should be happy..."

She shook her head and turned, smiling as the next appointment entered the room.

"Ah, Sasune-sama and Orochi-chan."

"What the hell did you just call me?" Orochi steamed, scowling malevolently.

"Well, you are the designated clan wife..."

"I am not that man's wife!" Orochi shouted, "And I never will be!"

"Eh, here we go again," Midori sighed, rolling her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, when will I start to get a baby bump?" Renji asked, looking down at his bare belly and watching as Byakuya bent to kiss him there.

"Oh, it will be a few months," Byakuya explained, "and you will not get as big as a woman, because in male shinigamis, the baby stays in reiatsu form until after the birth."

"Eh, how's the little devil gonna get out?" the redhead inquired, looking down at his nether region, "I mean, I'm not gonna..."

"No," Byakuya said, shaking his head, "The area of your stomach above the spirit chamber will soften and lose cohesion, allowing the baby's reiatsu to pass through. It will go back to normal afterward."

"Whew, that's a relief!" Renji chuckled, "But are you sure the old council farts aren't going to be pissed at your for getting yourself knocked up too?"

Byakuya smiled and looked down at his own slim abdomen.

"We will just not make too much of an issue of it," Byakuya answered calmly, "There is no need to be explaining ourselves. If we say nothing and do not make an issue of it, most will assume that you just had two babies."

"Yeah? How's that gonna happen when you start popping out too?" Renji giggled, "Are they gonna say it's just sympathy weight gain?"

"I will probably be expected to avoid the public eye during later months of my gestation," Byakuya suggested.

"Sounds like you and I are gonna have a lot of time on our hands," Renji said, grinning and pouncing on his lovely mate, "I can think of just how I wanna spend that time with you, Byakuya."

He sank into the Kuchiki leader's willing mouth, sucking indulgently as he rubbed sensuously against Byakuya's writhing body. Byakuya's fingers traced the bold black lines that marked the redhead's tanned back and firm bottom as they continued kissing and rolled over so that Renji laid on his back. Byakuya moved to mount his feisty lover, but paused as loud voices sounded outside their room. They broke free of each other and ran out onto the wooden walkway as Kurushimi backed out of his bedroom, clutching at something that had impaled his shoulder and staring in shock as Tetsuya emerged from the room with his sword in his hand and mayhem in his deeply hazed eyes.

"Tetsu-hana, what are you doing?" the white-faced Shima leader panted, holding on to what looked to be a large icicle that had penetrated his shoulder.

Byakuya flash stepped to his possessed cousin, striking him with a shock of kido and dropping Tetsuya into his arms. Kurushimi yanked the icicle out of his shoulder, hissing a string of curses and staring down at his unconscious clan wife.

"Why the hell did he do that?" Renji whispered, staring in shock, "Tetsuya would never...just attack someone like that!"

"No," Byakuya agreed, studying Tetsuya carefully, "My cousin has been somehow tampered with."

"You m-mean, during his disappearance?" Kuri managed, holding his bleeding shoulder as Magdelina and Antonia rushed to help him.

"What is this devil's play?" Magdelina gasped.

"What happened to our poor Angelito?" Antonia added.

"I am not sure," Byakuya said uncertainly, "But until we know, I am afraid that Tetsuya must be placed under restraints...for everyone's safety."

Kuri shook his head emphatically.

"You cannot restrain Tetsu-hana," he objected, "He was once a prisoner. You know it will drive him loco! We could lose our child! He could die, himself, Byakurai!"

"I understand," Byakuya agreed, "but you must understand that, whatever the reason, Tetsuya just attempted to take the life of a clan leader. Until we know why and make sure that whatever caused it has been abated, we cannot chance that he will attack anyone again."

"He won't understand this!" Kuri snapped furiously, "Do you want him to die, fool?"

"Of course not," Byakuya insisted, "and no one knows better than I do how much it will terrify him to be imprisoned, even in your family holding cell. But you must understand, there will be questions. Now, allow your family to heal you. I will take my cousin to the holding cell."

"No, Byakurai, if you love that young man, do not do that!" Kuri shouted.

"I am sorry. You are a clan leader. You should know. The best thing we can do to help Tetsuya is to do everything exactly by the rules and show no favoritism. We can keep him unconscious, if you want, but the rules say he must be restrained until he is deemed guilty and imprisoned, or he is freed of what made him do this and exonerated."

"Please listen to Byakuya-san," Magdelina pleaded softly with her son, "You are hurt. Let Antonia treat your wound. Byakuya-san won't let any harm come to our Angelito. He will find what happened and Tetsuya will be freed again quickly."

"I hope so," Kuri said, watching with heartbroken eyes as Renji lifted Tetsuya and carried him away alongside Byakuya, "I already lost Hideaki. I won't lose Tetsu-hana and our child. I will cut my own throat first!"