Chapter 4: Holding Tight
"You looked pretty good out there today," Grimmjow said approvingly, stripping off his clothing and wading out into the heated bathing pool, where he claimed a place underneath one of the tall stone waterfalls and paused to examine a few new bruises on his slim, pale body, "You actually left some respectable marks on me."
"Am I supposed to be flattered?" Renji said irascibly, "I should be leaving you in a puddle of blood on the ground. I was pathetic. I'll do better tomorrow."
"Whatever," Grimmjow yawned sleepily, sliding a soapy hand down over his broad chest and soft belly, then lathering his ample privates, "You're making progress...good, considering the mess you were when we brought you back. Good fighting at the palace, by the way. You should give yourself some credit."
"I didn't stop that bastard from hurting Taicho."
"Who could?" Grimmjow sighed, shrugging, "We all just put ourselves out there and did what we were able to. We weren't the strongest, but we weren't exactly fodder either. We made a difference."
"I didn't know that mattered to hollows," Renji said, looking down at his tattooed torso and blushing slightly as he realized Grimmjow was observing him out of the corner of an ice blue eye and washing his nether region more slowly, "I thought you guys were more about scaling the hierarchy, survival of the fittest, shit like that."
"Things change," the Espada said off-handedly, "When the quincies came and started trashing us and using us as their fodder, we learned a few hard lessons. Things are different now."
"Yeah, you seem pretty different," Renji observed, the flush on his tanned skin increasing as Grimmjow turned, revealing his wet, round bottom, "You're not trying to really kill me, for one thing."
"No," Grimmjow agreed, "You're right about that."
"You've been real helpful with my training too."
"It's hard to find anyone around here to train with who probably isn't tempted to kill me," the Espada chuckled, "I'm still a freaking hollow, after all."
"Yeah, well, I guess this has made some of us think differently about what a hollow actually is. The ones of you with your minds recovered proved to be crucial in the war. I, for one, am not going to forget that."
"Good. You shouldn't," the hollow laughed, tilting his head slightly to rinse the soap out of his wild blue locks, "Hey, Red, my arm's killing me from earlier. You mind giving me a hand with my back?"
"Wh-what?" Renji asked, giving him a surprise look, "No way! What are you...?"
"Eh, loosen up, will you?" the Espada complained, flinching as he reached around his body to complete the task, "I'm not hitting on you. I'm hurting, see? It's hard to rotate my arm enough to..."
"Fine," Renji sighed, scowling and moving closer to the smiling hollow, "I guess you did drag my ass out of the fire, here and there. I don't mind so much helping you out. But don't get any ideas!"
"Ideas? What kinda ideas?" the hollow asked, groaning delightedly and leaning into the redhead's hands as Renji lathered and scrubbed his back, "Damn, that feels good!"
"What do you mean, what kind of ideas?" Renji complained, "I think you just want me touching you, you pervert!"
Grimmjow turned suddenly and curled an arm around the surprised shinigami, making him stiffen and glare.
"HEY!"
"Shh, don't get pissed, Red," Grimmjow chided him, glaring meaningfully into his eyes, "Or maybe you should. I really like it when you glare at me like that."
"What?! What are you...?"
Renji's words were stopped by a powerful, melting kiss that stole his breath instantly, weakened his knees and left his heart pounding almost painfully.
"H-holy hell!" he panted softly, trying to catch his breath.
"There," the hollow said, smirking, "That time, I was trying to seduce you."
Renji stood still, feeling colliding urges to yell at Grimmjow and to return his kiss with equal fury.
"What's the matter, Red?" Grimmjow said, his eyes narrowing and his tone becoming sly, "Cat got your tongue?"
"Very funny, asshole," the redhead snorted.
"Can't decide what you wanna do to me?" Grimmjow teased.
He nuzzled closer, sliding a hand down between them and making sweat break out on the redhead's forehead as he caressed what he found just beneath the water's surface.
"Well, it looks like one part of you knows what it wants to do!"
XXXXXXXXXX
"Are you sure this was the right thing for you to do?" Isshin asked, watching as Byakuya bent and kissed Ichigo gently on the mouth, then straightened and set the lid of the glass containment chamber back in place.
"It is the only thing to do," Byakuya said calmly, "After all, as you have confirmed, Ichigo's reiatsu is within my body. The child I am carrying is his. I wouldn't dishonor either of our clans by having our child out of wedlock. And our elders are likely to be forgiving, considering our circumstances. I appreciate you performing the ceremony on such short notice, but I have it from a trustworthy source that Sotaicho is about to order Ichigo taken from Kuchiki Manor and placed in the newly restored healing center."
"I think he's fine where he is," said Isshin, stealing a glance at his comatose son, "Given you're having his kid, I think he'd want to be here with you. Thank you, Byakuya. I'm glad you told me about the two of you."
Byakuya forced down the thin shaft of guilt that gripped him for a moment and nodded briefly.
"Thank you for your assistance, Shiba Isshin."
His feelings of guilt intensified as Isshin's hand reached out to rest for a moment on the thick, warm glass and he gazed down at Ichigo's resting form through stormy eyes.
"You know I just want what's best for my son."
Byakuya swallowed hard and nodded.
"Then, we both want the same thing."
"Yeah," Isshin answered in a low, rough voice, "just neither one of us or anyone else seems able to do much of anything."
"Ichigo is alive," the Kuchiki leader reassured him, "and I promise you I will not rest until he is fully restored. He will wake, Isshin."
"Yeah," Isshin sighed, turning, "Thanks, Byakuya."
Byakuya watched as Isshin left the room then he quietly moved to close the interior doors, and then the garden doors. He walked back to the containment unit and laid a hand on top, gazing down at Ichigo through saddened eyes.
"I don't know anymore if you will ever wake," he whispered, "And now, if you wake, you will have every reason to despise me. I can only say that I saw no other way, Ichigo. The king is vulnerable in this state and I am powerless to protect him. We need you, Ichigo. There is a reason that you were chosen for this service as I was. We need your strength for our protection. Please, Ichigo, wake up!"
Long moments passed and still the Shiba heir remained silent and still. Byakuya's eyes closed slowly in a haze of loneliness and silent agony, and he turned away to gather himself. He reeled under the weight of the dark emotions that collided inside him, struggling to regain a feeling of some kind of balance.
If his majesty did not think I was strong enough to serve this purpose, he would not have chosen me. And if Ichigo was not able to protect us, he would not have been chosen. I must not be afraid.
He felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder and froze.
Ichigo!
But, it is not really Ichigo, just the king's need for our joining...although, it has been some time...
"Ichigo?" he whispered, hoping despite what he suspected.
The Shiba heir's strong arms wrapped around him from behind.
"It has been a while since you approached me. I would have thought the reiatsu placed by now. But...?"
The reiatsu has been placed, the former king's voice whispered into the Kuchiki heir's confused mind, What you must do is bond to maintain the balance of creative forces in your body. The forces that will form my new incarnation are wild and unpredictable. This bonding will stabilize and render them. Sit down.
Ichigo's arms released him and he walked to the bed and loosened his clothing, then knelt in the middle and waited. A few moments later, the bed moved and Ichigo's body settled in behind his. Byakuya suppressed a shiver as Ichigo's hands slowly undressed him, then the Shiba heir's naked form pressed up against his back.
"You said that the reiatsu was placed," Byakuya said anxiously.
Yes. I do not need to penetrate you anymore. Ichigo's body will stabilize the reiatsu within you now. Be at ease, the more uncomfortable exchanges are over.
Byakuya said nothing in reply but he relaxed so that his back rested against Ichigo's chest. He couldn't hold back a sigh of relief as the warm reiatsu seeped into his body, chasing away the heavy feeling inside him as well as a measure of the anxiety. And as the infusion progressed, he felt his pleasure centers beginning to awaken. He shifted slightly, blushing at the fact, then froze as the king's voice sounded in his mind again.
I have made you uncomfortable. I will relieve you of that when the infusion is done.
He didn't want to give thought to what that relief might entail, so he remained in the moment, looking down at Ichigo's hands as they moved over the pale, soft skin, feeding and balancing the forces working within him.
You will need more and more frequent infusions of reiatsu, the king explained, It is good that you have secured access to Ichigo, although I know you feel reticence at your dishonesty with Shiba Isshin. Then again, you are also being dishonest with yourself.
"With...myself?" the noble queried.
He went breathless as Ichigo's hand captured his chin and coaxed him into a long, passionate kiss.
You have feelings for Shiba Ichigo. It is not unexpected that you would. Your bond with Ichigo made the two of you good choices for this undertaking.
"But...Ichigo and I are just friends," Byakuya objected.
Your confusion, too, is to be expected. It is unfortunate that Ichigo remains unconscious and cannot assist you in sorting through your thoughts. As an immortal, I lack the perspective for that.
"Will Ichigo ever wake?" Byakuya asked, an odd pain rising in his throat and belly as he spoke.
That is not something I can foretell. Many things will affect this. You must try to be patient.
"Of course."
He felt Ichigo's possessed eyes gazing at his profile.
I know waiting is difficult.
"Yes. But I will be patient."
Your emotions are settling. That is good. You must remain strong while you wait for Ichigo to awaken, and as the time draws closer for my reincarnation, you must be even more vigilant. But I would not have asked this of you if I did not believe in you. You truly are the greatest of my servants...you and Ichigo. I am grateful.
Byakuya remained perfectly still as Ichigo's hand captured his chin again and he was drawn into a longer, more passionate kiss.
"Your majesty..."
I am sorry. I tread upon the lines of inappropriateness, but I have been affected while being in Ichigo's body. My impulses are harder to control.
"I understand."
I do not want to make you uncomfortable with me. I actually tried to keep more distance by not speaking to you during our mating, but I was causing you pain when I tried to distance myself.
"I am fine," Byakuya insisted.
Your heart is tasked because you are confused about your feelings for Ichigo. You believe that you only feel something for him because I have used you this way, but you must understand that I would not interfere with your choices in that manner.
"Then, you are saying..."
Your emotions regarding Shiba Ichigo have always been passionate, even when you considered him an enemy. You have grown closer as allies and you have become friends. But your heart has progressed even further.
"What about Ichigo?" Byakuya queried, "Can you see into his mind? Is he also...?"
I cannot interfere with Ichigo's choices, so I cannot answer your question. Only Ichigo can answer that question.
"Of course."
The king's voice faded out of Byakuya's mind for a time, and he rested in Ichigo's strong arms, enjoying the relief that the infusion of the Shiba heir's reiatsu brought. Within minutes, he drifted off into a deep, restorative sleep, not waking even when the infusion was finished Ichigo's possessed form fed him a gentle parting kiss.
Thank you, Byakuya. You ease the burden of emotion that reaches even me as we work together to bring about my successor. I only hope that Ichigo wakes soon and offers you relief from your confusion.
Rest assured, your emotions are not yielded in vain.
Byakuya remained blissfully unaware as Ichigo's body returned to its chamber and evening deepened into night. He only finally came awake as footsteps sounded outside his door and he heard Tetsuya's voice rise up in anger.
"You cannot simply intrude on the property of the noble families!" he objected, "Byakuya-sama is sleeping and cannot be disturbed. You must leave at once and schedule your visit in the appropriate manner, not bursting in past midnight and making demands!"
"Take it easy now," Kyoraku's soothing voice intoned, "We wouldn't have intruded into this section of the manor, but we were given orders by the Royal Guard to remove Shiba Ichigo to the healing center, now that it's been rebuilt, where we'll continue to see to his healing."
"But we were given no notice of this, none at all!" Tetsuya snapped scathingly, "Royal Guard or not, you have no right to interfere with our royal privilege."
"But I am afraid that the Royal Guard does," Ukitake countered calmly, "A direct order from that unit is not something we can ignore. You must allow us to take Shiba Ichigo with us."
"There is no way you are setting foot beyond those doors!" Tetsuya insisted, placing a hand on his weapon.
"Hey, take it down a notch, okay?" Urahara Kisuke said, appearing beside Tetsuya and laying a bracing hand on the noble's, "We're not your enemies, Tetsuya-san. We're just obeying orders. Come on, now. We don't want you to get hurt. We don't want to hurt anyone. Just let us through to pick up Ichigo and we will leave you and Byakuya to sleep and not bother you anymore."
"My apologies," Byakuya said, stepping out onto the walkway with his sword drawn, "but no one is moving Ichigo anywhere."
"Byakuya!" Ukitake exclaimed, his face paling.
"Hey now, Kuchiki taicho," Kyoraku said soothingly, "You know better than to draw a weapon on your superior officer."
"When anyone tries to interfere with a member of my clan, I will both draw and use my weapon to defend them," Byakuya answered icily.
"Your family?" Ukitake queried, "But we are only here for Shiba Ichigo. We weren't interfering with anyone from your clan."
"And did you not think you should at least share your plans with Ichigo's next of kin before taking him?"
"Shiba Isshin?" Kyoraku mused.
"No," Byakuya replied, earning curious stares from everyone present, "I am Shiba Ichigo's husband."
"You?" Kyoraku mused, rubbing his beard thoughtfully, "I didn't see that one coming."
"You married Shiba Ichigo?" Ukitake queried, "But how is that possible when Ichigo has been unconscious since he destroyed Ywach?"
"It does sound kinda fishy," Urahara agreed, "You want to tell me how you managed it?"
Byakuya took a steadying breath.
"Shiba Isshin came to the manor earlier today...as your second division spies should have told you," Byakuya said coldly, "He confirmed that I am carrying Ichigo's child and he granted us the right to be married as he holds his son's proxy for all actions if Ichigo is incapacitated. We are legally wed, and as such, it is my decision that it is best for my husband to remain here at Kuchiki Manor for his treatment. Our healers are among the best in the Seireitei, but you know that."
"Yeah, we do," Shunsui confirmed, "All right. The guys upstairs aren't going to like it, but I guess there's nothing we can do. But you understand that because of the Royal Guard's interest in Ichigo, we will need to have access to him."
"I understand," Byakuya said, sliding his weapon back into its sheath, "And as long as you do not attempt to take him from the manor, I will permit upper officers to visit."
"Whew! Talk about turning the tables," Shunsui mused, smirking, "I'm impressed, Kuchiki taicho. Just...be careful. We lost a lot of good people in the war. We don't want to lose you in the aftermath."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tetsuya asked angrily, "Are you threatening our leader?"
"No," Byakuya said quietly, "he was only warning me to be careful. Kyoraku Sotaicho is not our enemy, Tetsuya. I do believe he was trying to help."
"May we see Ichigo?" Shunsui asked calmly.
"Of course," Byakuya answered, nodding briefly, "Come in. Just be aware that I have taken steps so that if you attempt to move him from this room, he will only be returned here."
"Pretty crafty," Kisuke said appreciatively.
"I am glad you approve," Byakuya said sedately.
Tetsuya waited until the others had filed into Byakuya's bedroom, then he flash stepped back to where Aizen Sousuke remained shackled. He checked the defenses around the room carefully, then glanced at the prisoner appraisingly.
"You seem agitated," Aizen observed, "Is something wrong, Tetsuya?"
Tetsuya ignored the question completely.
"Aizen Sousuke," he said, frowning, "How long has it been since you were able to stretch your legs?"
Aizen's lips curved upward.
"Too long," he answered.
"Come then," the noble said, snapping an additional silver band on his wrist and shattering the kido bonds that held him, "Just be aware that if you make any attempt to harm anyone or to escape, you will be instantly transported back here and restrained."
"I understand."
He rose onto unsteady legs and made a sound of surprise as Tetsuya reached out to help him maintain his balance.
"Thank you."
"You are welcome," Tetsuya responded, glancing at Byakuya's closed garden doors, "Come, the restored section of the gardens is this way."