Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 103
- 104
- 105
Rest

By the time that they�d finished breaking Claims and interviewing couples, it was two in the morning. In a few cases, that meant conversations with more than two pets. There had been some strong reactions to the mandatory forfeiture of Claims, but by informing the couples of Szayel�s proposed research first, they�d cut down on the number of Arrancar who looked like they would bolt at the first opportunity or resort to violence. The Espada�s presence in the office helped with that. Permission for the Shinigami to take a leave of absence and den up, or for the sires, Arrancar and Shinigami, to forgo their patrols now that Aizen�s wrath, the Escapees and the Swarm were no longer issues further placated them.

It could have gone much worse, but things had unfolded as Grimmjow predicted. None of the Numeros had the nerve to argue with the Espada, especially Starrk. They might be unhappy about the new orders, but they wouldn�t dare disobey, or at least the smart ones wouldn�t. More than a few of the Shinigami had asked how soon their mates could reinstate the Claims. The whole ordeal was quite emotional, for the couples and for the woman who had to sunder their bonds.

The last couple was Sementall and Omaeda Mareyo, since they had been using the Arrancar�s special ability and he�d been on Unohana�s list of Arrancar she felt could be trusted with their Claim for a short while longer. Both Karin and the stallion were dead on their feet at that point and Grimmjow finally put his booted foot down. He�d caught Sementall�s woozy gaze and informed the Numeros he�d get to keep his Claim for another day. The Sixth then lowered his voice to a growl and told him what would happen if he tried to make a break for it with his mate.

Sementall opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out of his mouth. Instead, his eyes rolled back into his head as he fainted. No one had anticipated how depleted he�d become over the course of the afternoon and evening and his sudden collapse took everyone in the room by surprise.

Mareyo quickly informed everyone that she�d take him back to the Omaeda Estate, along with her long-lost father and put both of them to bed. The big man with them picked up Sementall by his collar, slung him over his shoulder like a sack of rice and stalked out of the room, but interestingly, didn�t contradict his daughter.

Once they�d left, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra took it as the signal to get their depleted mates home as quickly as they could. Karin was exhausted, and he didn�t need their link to know it. Her eyes were barely open as she leaned against him as they walked home, and she stumbled more than once. Starrk had taken off ahead of them, unburdened by the need to assist another and according to Lilinette, desperate for his nest of pillows. The Primera had been in his Resurrección most of the day and doing so was draining. Grimmjow suspected Starrk had done it as a means of keeping Lilinette under control, rather than as a means of intimidation. That it had benefited them was a bonus.

It was almost three in the morning by the time they reached the Ukitake Estate. A quick scan of the house showed Jushiro, Lilinette, Nanao and Hana in their respective rooms, but oddly enough, Starrk was in Nanao�s suite. Now that was an interesting development. They knew of Aizen�s requirement regarding the Divisions� top officers and Starrk had summoned Nanao earlier in the evening to have her Claim broken, but the dissolving of a Claim that new shouldn�t have been such a big deal. Nor should it have brought a forlorn expression to Starrk�s face, as if he�d lost something very valuable. Grimmjow was just impressed that the slender Taichou had been able to take Starrk�s power and live. Maybe shagging someone for a reason other than obligation, or corralling someone of his preferred sex, was just what the Coyote needed. The Sixth made a note to rib the old dog about it later, after some shut-eye.

Their room was exactly as they had left it when they went to rescue Ajuga, and returning to it now, three weeks later, gave him a sense of homecoming. It was an odd emotion, and one he�d never experienced before in his life. The Quincy fortress had been opulent in every sense of the word, but it had never felt like a place he wanted to stay for long.

He stripped Karin of her clothes and carried her into their shower. The bathroom was a bit musty, but Grimmjow didn�t care as long as they had hot water. He ground his fangs together as he washed his mate clean while she dozed against the wall. Dried blood and cum still caked her inner thighs and he silently thanked Orihime again for healing Karin despite her fatigue as he scrubbed it away with plenty of soap. Grimmjow wanted to kill Aizen all over again, this time using as blunt an instrument as possible, for what he�d done to her. The fantasy he�d had regarding his and his mate�s reunion, the one where he�d been balls deep in her, shrivelled and died as he soaped her up again to cleanse the last of the motherfucker from her skin and her hair. Worse, there was no way of knowing when she�d be able to bear touching him in that way.

�It�s just as well,� he tried to console himself. �Both of us are too tired to tango.�

Grimmjow let her sit on the warm tiles before he removed the grime, sweat, blood and other evidence of battle from his body. Once finished, he dried them both off with the same slightly-stale towel and peeled back the sheets on their futon. Karin went immediately to bed without a fuss. He, on the other hand, was not ready to sleep just yet. There was one more thing he had to fix.

He sat up and pulled her head into his sheet-covered lap. Karin sighed contentedly and curled up next to his warmth. She seemed to be drifting in and out of slumber. That didn�t change when he reached down to start picking apart her elaborate hairstyle, pausing occasionally to scratch her scalp when he accidentally pulled a strand too tightly in a bid to loosen it. That did the trick; he was half finished when she fell deeply asleep. It took over an hour, but with the help of a brush and some patience, he freed her dark hair from its confines.

The style had looked wrong on her. Grimmjow liked her hair loose, or up in its usual, practical ponytail, but if he was honest with himself, he hated the braid because it was something Aizen had imposed on her. Gin had probably been the one to put her hair up, but the order had been Aizen�s doing, not hers. He set the brush to the side, dragged the coverlet over the both of them and decided he�d had enough for one day.

Karin slept like the dead until the sun came up, its light rudely streaming through their window. Grimmjow had just enough time to crack open one eye and realize where he was when all of that changed. He received a disorienting burst of confusion the moment one of the sunbeams hit her fingers, followed quickly by fear as she jerked away from him. She scrambled off of the futon, misjudging where her feet ought to go and ended up in a defensive crouch with reiatsu gathered in her fists.

He didn�t move, even though he desperately wanted to drag her back into his embrace. At least she was up and ready for a fight, not cowering in fear. When whatever it was she expected didn�t happen, she blinked and looked down at him, finally realizing that she was neither in danger, nor with anyone who meant her harm.

�Fuck,� she muttered, and his eyebrow went up at her language. She shot him a look that silenced him before he could tease her about her use of profanity, especially when she wouldn�t allow him to swear and get away with it.

��Course, I can�t think of a better word to describe the situation,� he admitted as Karin�s posture relaxed and she let go of her reiatsu. Gingerly, she crawled back into bed and her mouth opened, but he spoke before she could.

�Don�t apologise,� he ordered, pulling her flush against him and nestling his nose at her neck, deeply breathing in her scent. Kami, he�d missed her scent, the feel of her body and her bare skin. She�d buried her nose in his hair and he could tell she was getting a whiff of the shampoo he�d used the night before. The closeness to his mate had its usual effect and he cursed his libido as his cock stiffened.

�Not now, not now, not now� not after what just happened!�

Karin didn�t pull away when she detected his arousal. He felt her apprehension, and she did prop her head up on one hand so that they could look at one another. Her gray eyes had a steely look to them as she had some internal debate with herself. Then, before he could castigate his body for its inappropriate display, she began to speak.

�Other than the� incident, just before you showed up, he always raped me from behind. I made sure of it,� she announced. Her voice wavered a bit, but otherwise she kept her eyes firmly fixed on his, as if she was using them as a lifeline.

Fuck, the bastard had taken her from the front, and here he�d been hoping Aizen had just been blowing steam to piss him off when he�d boasted about gazing into her eyes. Death by his sister-in-law�s bow suddenly seemed like too good a fate for that asshole.

�Aizen forced some� some oral out of me as well,� she said, shaking as she recounted what she�d suffered, �and the one time I refused, he sodomized me without any preparation. He initially ordered Gin to prepare me, but I fought him off. That�s when I drained you. I didn�t mean to hurt you�

She whispered the last and he pulled her tightly against him again as her emotions continued to feed him fear and self-loathing.

�You didn�t hurt me. Your brother on the other hand, packs a punch. Can�t say the timing was great but I had a good physician. Stitched me right up and called us both morons.�

Karin�s eyes grew wider, if only to accommodate her horror at learning that there had indeed been repercussions when she�d instinctively reached out for his power. He reached up and caught her face between his palms, understanding that she feared he hated her for the drugging, for what had happened in the Royal Realm and that maybe he blamed her for sacrificing herself so that the others could drag he and Ajuga to safety. He�d been angry, but that was nothing, compared to the burning hatred he felt towards Aizen for hurting her, for helping himself to someone else�s mate.

�We could play the blame game,� he responded, speaking as much to himself as to Karin. �I fucked up and let him take you and you have every right to discard me for failing to protect you. I wouldn�t be surprised if you did. You did what you had to do in order to keep yourself and the twins safe and I took too damn long getting back.�

His blue eyes searched hers, trying to convey all of the worry he�d felt for her in the time that they�d been separated.

�That aside, all this shit is Aizen�s fault, and he ain�t here no more to fuck with anyone.�

It wasn�t as if he could lie to her with their Mating Claim, which had survived the ordeal with them, so he decided not to hold back and tell her the truth.

�I want to screw you so hard the only thing you will be thinking about is me, for the next bloody week. I want to do you until the only thing you can think of or feel is my skin against yours, to fill your womb with my seed and cover you in my scent. I want you to make me howl, to get your scent all over me so no one within a thousand miles will mistake the fact that we belong to each other.�

He rested a hand on top of her head, for he had a feeling that was one place Aizen hadn�t touched her. The bastard wouldn�t have wanted to muss up her pretty braid.

�I will understand if you don�t want it right now, I can take care of whatever needs I have myself,� he promised her. �At least for a while anyway. I�m a �horny panther� after all.�

�More like a spoiled housecat mewling that he hasn�t had his dessert is ages,� Karin countered with a chuckle. The shame and fear were still there, but his terrible joke had made her feel a tiny amount of mirth. The famous �Kurosaki determination� would help her overcome the rest if they let it.

�Fuck if I�m going to let a dead man ruin our lives,� she grumbled and he simply couldn�t resist taunting her.

�Language,� he admonished and followed that up with a smirk, relishing the irony.

Becoming proactive, she adjusted her hands on his shoulders and pushed him down onto his back. He certainly didn�t protest and quickly made himself comfortable in the middle of their bed. He had no problems taking the bottom; in fact, it was the only position before their official Mating where they had been face-to-face.

Her breasts pressed up against his chest, the tips of her nipples teasing his own when they touched. She reached for the drawer to their nightstand and pulled out the first bottle of lubricant her fingers could find. His left hand ran down her back and cupped her ass while she poured a generous amount of the stuff onto her hand before putting the container aside.

He damn near lost it when her slicked hands encircled his shaft and began to stroke him, spreading the lubrication. Her deft fingers knew every one of his trigger spots, and he almost shot off of the bed as her thumbs took turns rolling over his slit. Two hands became one as she grabbed the jar again and re-lubed her spare hand. That set of fingers found her own folds, and while she was hesitant at first, it wasn�t long until she had two fingers buried in her pussy, squirming and thrusting as she pleasured and prepared her body. The sight was highly erotic and he found himself panting for breath as he watched those digits work their way in and out of her, squirming as she stroked her most intimate places.

She played with them both, bringing him close to completion half-a-dozen times, before she removed her hands so that she could straddle his hips. He sent her as much love as he could as he looked up at her through lust-glazed eyes. This was what he�d wanted when he dreamed about getting her back, and he was delighted to be living it. With a deep breath, Karin shifted her hips, lined him up with her hand and slowly sank down on his shaft until he could go no further into her. She shivered, but there was no disgust. Instead, he felt pleasure that threatened to blind him and thankfully, not all of it was his.

�I had almost forgotten how good you feel inside of me,� she murmured.

She began to move, cutting off any response he might have made as his brain short-circuited. To his ultimate shame, he came within twenty seconds, gripping her hips with both hands. Making matters worse was the fact she�d stopped as soon as she realized what had happened, staring down at him in shock as he softened inside of her, which only added to his mortification.

�Hey, it�s been almost two weeks,� he mumbled in self defence, grasping at straws in an effort to retain what remained of his dignity, �and the last time was in that bloody tent.�

�Uh huh.�

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. �Well, I haven�t had any satisfaction in that long either and I am sick of painful, unpleasant, unwanted sex. So help me, I am going to enjoy this! I�d almost forgotten how good sex can feel, especially with you, so you had better get it back up soon or I am going to tell everyone I know that you couldn�t satisfy your own mate!�

He could feel his eyes getting bigger as she outlined what for him was the ultimate threat.

�You wouldn�t!� he challenged, his arms uncrossing, but his tough front couldn�t hide his fear she would do just that. He would never live it down if the world found out that Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez had lost it prematurely. It would destroy his reputation, with no hope of salvaging it.

He�d be the laughingstock of the city.

No, worse�he�d be the laughingstock of that orange-haired demon he called a brother-in-law. Grimmjow could only guess at what Kurosaki would do with the information, but knew it wouldn�t be good.

�Women gossip,� she said loftily, adding to his terror, �plus, they have a tendency to tell their mates all about it. Gleefully. In great detail. Sometimes they embellish things too.�

�Oi, you were the one who wanted to fuck her into the ground! Get it up again, you pathetic piece of flesh,� he snarled at his sex drive, while eying his mate warily.

She meant what she�d said. He needed to think fast and act faster.

Grimmjow abruptly pulled her down for a deep kiss, more to prevent her from spewing any more threats than because he enjoyed the feel of their lips and tongues tangling, although he liked that too. Ten minutes of extremely enjoyable foreplay later and he was once again in the game, stiffening inside her. Karin sat back and began to ride him, this time a bit more slowly. He let his hands roam up her sides until they reach her chest, at which point they each cupped a breast. He gave them several soft squeezes before his fingers found and tormented her nipples.

Karin gasped and her pace increased. She kept her eyes locked onto his, smouldering grey boring into lustful blue. Her channel was so hot and velvety that he closed his eyes just so he could relish the feel of her. Karin moaned and her palms came to rest on his chest to balance herself. His mate leaned forward, changing the angle. Opening his eyes halfway, he got the perfect view of her pert breasts bouncing as she rode him. The real thing was far better than his imagination.

�I miss this, I love this,� she groaned. �I still love this, even after� I missed you so much. I feared I wouldn�t be able to stand the touch of another, not after what Aizen did to me, but if it�s you�� She trailed off and bit her lip before speaking again. �Aizen was nothing like you. Nothing about him ever made me think of you. I didn�t feel an iota of pleasure when he took me. I can�t promise I won�t ever have a bad reaction, that the memories won�t be a problem, but at least I know we can still do this,� she sighed, and his relief at her declaration mirrored hers. Still, this wasn�t the topic he wanted to discuss at that moment.

�New rule,� he growled, grasping her hands and forcing her to stop temporarily. �The only things we talk about while shagging is how good it feels, how much we love each other, what angle you want it at, and anything else that involves fucking each other into the goddamned futon. Got it?�

�Really?� she asked, feigning surprise and batting her eyes innocently at him before she grinned. �Does that mean we can talk about the �twenty second ride�?�

�Oi!�

His intended protest was lost as she deliberately clamped down around him and his back arched. Grimmjow also let out an involuntary howl at a volume that was sure to rouse the rest of the household. If they weren�t awake yet, they were likely awake now. �You are an evil woman,� he panted, having forgotten she could do that� and that, if she�d just do it again, he�d be eternally grateful.

Karin obligingly threw her head back and resumed her ride, increasing her pace gradually until it was almost frantic. Grimmjow thrust up to meet her and the sound of flesh hitting flesh and heavy breathing filling their quarters. Finally, Karin keened as she climaxed, her walls tightening rhythmically around him in the most delicious way imaginable. He didn�t last much longer, and his cock pulsed violently as it filled her for a second time. Thankfully, he managed to keep from yowling like a tomcat by thinnest of margins.

One thought made it through his orgasm-fogged brain and it told him that this reality was far better than any homecoming fantasy he�d been able to devise. When her body finally relaxed and her breathing evened out, he enveloped her smaller frame in his arms and buried his nose against her neck. She smelled strongly of him and their lovemaking and he reveled in the scent that was uniquely hers.

Grimmjow never wanted to live without it again.

They remained tangled together for several minutes before the sweat they had worked up began to make them cold and sticky. He also heard noises coming from various parts of the Estate. That was another difference between this large home and the Ishida mansion: the lack of soundproofing and walls made of rice-paper screens and wood was something he�d have to get used to again.

�Let�s get showered,� he whispered into her ear.

�Hmm,� Karin agreed, but made no movements that indicated she was of a mind to get out of bed. In fact, he swore she was drifting off to sleep again, her body relaxed in post-coital bliss.

Grimmjow slipped from between the covers instead and checked the light outside to see if he could determine how long they�d slept. After taking into account the lengthening days, he determined it was roughly four hours later and Karin needed more sleep than that. He was content to let her head back to dreamland and get up when she felt ready. Hell, at this point, if she�d asked him to dress in a pink bunny costume and prance around Nanao�s Division, he�d give it some serious thought.

He dashed through a solitary shower and returned with a warm wet washcloth so he could wipe her clean. Once done, he tucked her into the blankets before standing up and stretching in satisfaction. There was no one there awake enough to appreciate the display of male prowess, but that wasn�t really the point and moving his muscles to the extent of their range without either Ichigo or Kenpachi trying to beat on them felt like a novelty.

Once his back had popped and he�d realigned his spine, he opened the closet door to confront the sea of white on his side of the storage space. Scowling, he pulled out all of his uniforms, as well as the Claiming kimono Karin used to wear to Aizen�s precious meetings. All of it ended up outside on one of the paths winding through the garden and seconds after it hit the gravel, he�d turned the pile of clothing into a pile of ash with a Cero, mindful not to set either the landscaping or the house on fire. He didn�t like the idea of Jushiro and Starrk turning him into a panther-skin rug for unintentional arson.

That didn�t leave him with much clothing. The pants and shirt he�d borrowed from Ichigo had been second-hand, thrift-store finds to begin with and were little more than rags now. However, he did have two or three informal yukatas in a range of blues and blacks, which he usually wore while lounging around the Estate on his off-days, or when he and Karin needed to cover leave their quarters and cover their nudity. He picked out the most subdued one he could find, a black yukata with a white geometric pattern his mate had purchased years ago and put it on.

Karin didn�t stir as he slipped out into the hall. While showering, his stomach had ordered him to obtain food, and to do it quickly if he knew what was good for him. From the succulent, savory scents he detected as he neared the main kitchen, it was evident that other people�s guts had told them the same thing. It might not be his sister-in-law�s cooking, but his mouth practically watered at the idea of a bon-a-fide, homemade breakfast� with the emphasis on �home�.

Nanao awoke feeling as if someone had used her as a target for Kido practice. Yesterday had been a very long day and she had stumbled through the gate around midnight. She barely got to see her daughter long enough, after the first round of Claim breakings, to give Hana a tearful hug and express her relief that she was safe, before duty called them in separate directions. During that time, they hadn�t had a chance to talk, and there was something very important she had to tell Hana before someone else, mainly Lilinette, could blurt it out. That �Something Important� had to do with the man snoring softly beside her in her own bed, his naked chest flush with her own equally naked back.

When Starrk had knocked hesitantly on her door at just after two in the morning with a depressed look in his eyes, she�d let him in without question. Her Claim was broken, and while theirs was a new bond, Starrk had held Jushiro�s for fifteen years. The sudden lack of outside emotions had the male half of the First worried.

When he�d summoned her to the 4th Division to break the Claim he�d cast on her a week prior, she didn�t know what to expect, but afterwards, the expressions on the faces of most of the Arrancar still in line took her aback. Most of the males looked like kicked puppies and were twitchy as hell and the female Arrancar were nearly as bad. The fear radiating off of the female Arrancar she at least understood. Unless their mates or former pets wanted to renew the bond, they would find themselves unable to summon help if they felt they needed it.

The breaking of her and Jushiro�s Claims, despite the fact he�d supported and recommended both, clearly unnerved Starrk. Nanao also couldn�t help noticing that he�d come to her, rather than Jushiro, for reassurance that the two of them weren�t going to disappear. Maybe it was the budding relationship they�d started the night before, but she was secretly flattered that he�d sought her first.

His posture changed from unhappiness to relief the moment he stepped into her suite, slipping off his house slippers once he�d crossed the threshold. She led him to her bedroom and let the yukata she�d thrown on to answer her door slide to the floor. Then she�d crawled back into bed, completely naked. Starrk followed her a moment later, removing the top half of his uniform but retaining his hakama. Then he carefully lay down on what was becoming his side of the bed, curling up behind her.

They started with about five inches between them, but as the minutes passed, his body inched closer to her. His hand at first rubbed the bed beside her, before his fingers shyly started to brush her back. By that point, she�d had enough.

�Oh for the love of�� she�d groused, grabbing his arm and pulling it over her as she scooted backwards, until her spine made contact with his bare chest.

�I�m not going anywhere, nor do I have any plans to scuttle what we�re trying to build, simply because Claims have been temporarily outlawed. We will tell Hana in the morning what�s going on between us, before Lilinette shouts it at my daughter while standing on her futon. Now go to sleep!�

His skin was warmer than usual, probably because he was blushing like mad at her bold words, but with her promise that she wasn�t going to stop seeing him, he had settled down. She found sleep quickly too. It was nice having a strong presence at her back. Moreover, despite Lilinette�s snippy complaints, she had yet to hear him snore at the decibels described by his female half.

When she woke, Starrk had spooned up behind her and held her tightly against him as if afraid she would run if he let her go while he slept. He was still sleeping too, based on his deep, even breathing. Smiling, she allowed her normally punctual self to relax for a minute, and enjoy being in his presence. She would also admit she was relieved that they�d both made it through the revolt, Aizen�s execution and the troublesome task of dealing with the Arrancar unscathed. It was a selfish thought, but she�d feared the worst and this felt like the gift it was.

�I am looking forward to see where this will go,� she realized. �And now, we have the freedom to do so without Aizen�s interference. Once everything settles down, we might actually get to enjoy some real peace for a change.�

There was, unfortunately, work to be done. Nanao reluctantly squirmed out of Starrk�s grasp so she could get ready for the day. Today might be longer than yesterday and someone had to make breakfast. She didn�t trust Hana and Lilinette to do so. The first would need real, uninterrupted sleep after burning through so much of her reiatsu the day prior. Nanao couldn�t wait to talk with her daughter to find out the details about the Kido she and her teacher had used. The second couldn�t be trusted with a burned-out match without supervision.

She had just emerged from the shower, naked with her hair wrapped up in a towel, when she realized Starrk had woken up, though he was still horizontal. The First�s male half usually slept deeply and he�d burned a considerable amount of energy in maintaining his Resurrección for the majority of yesterday. Nanao actually expected him to remain abed until well after noon, if not later.

�You are up early,� she commented as she walked passed him, not at all concerned she hadn�t bothered with a yukata. It wasn�t as if he hadn�t seen her naked before.

�There is a lot to do today,� he answered, though his eyes followed her as she moved.

�True enough,� she agreed. �But you still could have wrangled another hour or so of sleep. It will take that long to get breakfast going.�

She pulled a fresh shihakusho from her closet and went about getting dressed, going through the layers and ties with a practiced ease. She had just finished tying off her sash when she felt his hand rest on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder to see him standing there with her haori draped over his arm and her hairbrush in his hand.

�May I?� he asked hesitantly.

�Of course,� she agreed, a hint of a blush touching her own cheeks. How odd was it that parading about in front of him naked seemed natural, but a simple request to brush her hair made her cheeks flare like those of a first-year Academy student?

She walked into her kitchenette and sat on one of the chairs. Starrk came up behind her, still wearing nothing more than his hakama, and got to work. It was relaxing, and very nice to have someone reach those hard to get spots near the nape of her neck.

�What do you plan on telling Hana?� he asked, breaking the silence.

�The truth,� she replied. �We are dating, to see if this relationship will go anywhere or not. We�ve no reason to lie to her, especially at her age. As hard as it is to admit, she is not a child anymore and deserves to be treated as an adult.�

�What if she doesn�t approve?� he asked, his hands going still in her hair.

�Well, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. There�s no point fretting over things that might not even occur. If has any concerns, we will listen to them, and give her a chance to speak her mind, even if what she has to say may be hurtful to hear.�

Starrk finished brushing out her hair in silence, as if he�d taken some time to chew on what she�d said. He handed her the rest of her uniform once he was done. She folded her haori over her arm and made her way out of her suite and to the household�s main kitchen. Jushiro was awake and sitting at the table, a pot of tea beside him with a half full cup next to that.

�You�re awake early,� Jushiro noted as Starrk followed her into the kitchen.

�So I�ve been told,� the Arrancar yawned and scratched his side, then added another word. �Work.�

Jushiro�s pale eyebrows rose but he let it go and placed a bookmark in the volume he�d been reading when they walked into the room.

�Everything went well last night?� Starrk asked of him.

�As well as can be expected. The tension�s going to be thick for a while, until we can assert full control and start repairing the damage. I believe it will foster better relations between the Divisions if we make a concerted effort to fix the Seireitei and the inner Districts and if the Arrancar help, that�s only to the greater good. There is always going to be some prejudice, that�s just the way the world works sadly.� Jushiro sighed. �Fortunately, the majority of those I talked to blame Aizen, not the Arrancar. It helps that the majority of our troops are relatively recent graduates. They were trained as Shinigami with the idea of working with the Arrancar, and don�t necessarily see them as enemies as much as they do a layer of �authority�. I think it�s ironic that the curriculum changes Aizen made are one of the things helping keep things calm.�

�Do you plan on bringing your family home, now that you can?� Nanao asked Jushiro. They�d be discussing such things later that day and she deemed a change of topic in order. She also began pulling food out of cupboards and the refrigerator while she waited for his answer.

�Not just yet, but soon,� Jushiro replied with a wide smile. Nanao didn�t blame him a bit. He hadn�t seen much of them in the years since he�d sent them to the Rukongai, save for short, clandestine meetings with the eldest of his sisters. �Both of you are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want. Even with my mother and siblings, the place is much too empty. I plan on making the same offer to Grimmjow and Karin.�

�Won�t my strength be a danger to them?� Starrk inquired while reaching over her head to hand her the spice box she�d been trying to retrieve from its spot on the top shelf.

�Maybe,� Jushiro frowned. Not all of his siblings had the kind of reiatsu he did, and while Starrk could suppress himself for long periods of time, he could not do so indefinitely.

�What about a limiter?�

Jushiro blinked and she did her best to explain what she meant.

�I mean, Aizen, Barragan and Yammy are all dead and they were the only ones who could really hurt you. I am sure Szayel could make you some kind of suppressor that would cut your power to the point where you won�t pose a risk to others. You would still be stronger than most of the Shinigami and the Arrancar.�

�That is true. I don�t think Ichigo would have any reason to assault me,� Starrk mused. As far as they knew, Ichigo was the only one who might be able to hurt him, though if Lilinette didn�t learn to curb her tongue around Karin�s brother, there might be an issue.

Starrk took the knife she�d pulled from the block out of her hand and moved over to where the cutting board and vegetables waited on the counter. She raised one eyebrow, but didn�t protest. It would seem the usually laid back Espada felt restless this morning. Leaving him to slice ingredients, she took another knife and began preparing the meat. Soon, the sound of sizzling protein filled the kitchen.

�Holy shit Starrk, are you cooking?�

Lilinette poked her head into the kitchen ten minutes later. She wore a shocked expression as she took in the scene and Nanao hid a smile behind her sleeve.

�Merely assisting,� Starrk answered, not looking up as he made short work of a leek.

�Ah, gotcha!�

Lilinette�s sly gaze fell on her next. Nanao greeted the other half of Starrk�s soul with a cup of tea, which she promptly took as she plopped into the chair to Jushiro�s right.

�Morning Shiro-chan.�

�Good morning, Lilinette-chan,� Jushiro said warmly.

�It�s Lilinette� you know what, screw it, �chan� is fine,� she slurped her tea before smiling at the Taichou. Jushiro returned it and Lilinette asked about the book on the table, inquiring about why she couldn�t read the lettering on the spine. Before he could answer, a sleep-mussed Hana staggered into the kitchen and took the chair on Jushiro�s left. Her daughter looked, for once, like any normal teenager in that regard.

�You have no idea how nice it is to sleep in one�s own bed again. Oh, thank you �take-ji,� Hana mumbled, picking up her cup of tea to take a sip, before sitting up straighter and almost spitting it back out. �Starrk-ji, what are you doing up at this hour, and why are you in the kitchen? Are you� are you seriously cooking? Am I still dreaming? Did we free the wrong dimension by mistake?�

Starrk sighed, sounding pained and Nanao stifled her laughter even as Lilinette gave into hers. She reached over and patted the First on the shoulder before flipping each piece of meat on the grill so that it could cook evenly. Once she�d done that, she decided that they could no longer delay the inevitable, necessary conversation. She turned to face her daughter, her resolve to get this done taking precedence.

�Hana-chan, before anyone says anything else, there is something I need to tell you.�

She�d put up a confident front earlier, but now she felt herself falter. What if Hana really didn�t approve of Starrk courting her? Would she be able to handle that? Taking a deep breath, she drew herself up to her full height and moved to stand next to Starrk, who had ceased cutting vegetables the moment she opened her mouth.

�Starrk-san and I are dating.�

Hana�s expression didn�t change as Nanao finished her announcement. The girl sat still for a moment and then picked up her teacup to take a sip. Grimmjow had walked into the kitchen in the meantime, but even he held his breath as Hana placed her cup back on the table and looked Starrk, not her mother, in the eye.

�Good. I always wanted to call you O-tou-san,� Hana replied.

The room relaxed while a huge yawn worked its way out of the young woman�s mouth afterwards. Then she asked something that Nanao had not anticipated.

�So, what are the chances of getting a sibling to torment? Ajuga-chan is too old and too strong to tease any longer and I miss being able to boss brats around without Hitsugaya-Taichou writing me up for being �unprofessional�.�

Lilinette guffawed, at both Hana�s reaction and the astonishment on Nanao�s face. She immediately held her hand out for a �high five,� one Hana delivered. Jushiro chortled and leaned back to let them do it. Grimmjow snorted and with the threat of melodrama effectively neutralized by teenaged indifference, sat down and poured himself a cup of tea. The other Espada opened his mouth to make a comment, but closed it tightly when the knife in Starrk�s hand sank into the wooden cutting board and threatened to lodge in the counter below it.

�Yes, I am helping in the kitchen. Not a word,� the First warned.

Nanao had missed this: the joy of a lively household and a simple meal spent in the presence of these particular people. She felt a sudden burst of desire for another child, to add to the delightful chaos before she remembered she had professional commitments she couldn�t� ignore and a few problems to solve before anything like that could occur.

Starrk finished chopping the vegetables as she moved the now-cooked meat onto a hot plate. Her cooking companion cleaned the frying pan for reuse while she cracked eggs into a bowl and whisked them, adding a few spices and salt to the mixture.

�Is Karin still sleeping?�

�Yeah,� Grimmjow answered Jushiro�s question with grin. �I came over to see if food was ready. If I had my way she would be confined to the den for a week, but I like my balls where they are so I thought I would bring her food instead and snuggle until we have to get to work.�

�When are Ajuga and Diaemus due to return?�

�Just before noon. Nel should be coming too. Yuzu will have to return home in a few days. She has duties of her own to handle in the Living World. Damn though, I never knew she had such potential. Should have Claimed �em both.�

Nanao hoped he was only being half-serious. Karin would have a fit if she heard what her mate had just said, even if he�d said it in jest.

�No wonder Kenpachi put his tail between his legs when she scowled at him. At least Renji got the majority of his injuries healed last night. If Nel saw his condition yesterday, he�d be in real trouble with her.�

Now she really was confused and let it show.

�Who are you talking about?�

�The former Tercera Espada. Nnoitra had it in for her,� Starrk answered for her. �I had assumed she had died before Ichigo found her during his invasion into Hueco Mundo.�

Grimmjow corroborated Starrk�s bare-bones description and added his own to it.

�She and Red hooked up a while back on the sly, around the time that Orihime fixed his ass. She�s been holding his Claim instead of Pinkie, and judging by how big she�s grown, I�d say Renji knocked her up the last time she refreshed his Claim.�

�Vindula-chan is going to be jealous when she find out,� Hana sighed. �Still, I like Renji�s wife and I think Vindula-chan will warm up to her quickly. Nemu-san is always so busy, but I get the impression that Nel will be completely into braiding hair and tea parties.�

�If she gets over not being invited to the wedding� guess that�s a big thing with girls,� Grimmjow added.

Nanao finished making two dozen unrolled omelettes and moved the plate over to the table. Starrk was full of surprises this morning; he�d put most of the rest of breakfast on the table while she�d been concentrating on making the eggs, including the vegetables he�d not only chopped but also cooked, as well as the sauces.

�Oh that smells good,� a sleepy Karin mumbled as she entered the room to collapse in a chair next to Grimmjow.

The rest of breakfast past pleasantly as everyone grabbed an omelette with the serving chopsticks and filled it with vegetables, meat and a sauce of their choosing before digging in. Karin made the next batch of eggs and Nanao sat back to drink another cup of tea. Hana was more than willing to tell the rest of the table some of the things she�d been through, and she couldn�t help feeling proud at her little girl�s accomplishments.

Galloping hard on the heels of that pride was loss. She was ready to leave the next and strike out on her own. Hell, she might even meet a boy soon and start dating, assuming any boy was brave enough to approach her, knowing that he�d have to have Starrk�s approval first. The den would be so quiet again once she was gone.

�Karin, have you thought about having more children?� she asked wistfully.

�More than once,� Karin admitted. �You?� she asked.

�Mmm,� she agreed dreamily. �Starrk asked, and I am considering it.�

Karin choked on her breakfast, and it was than Nanao realized her Fukutaichou hadn�t been there for the earlier announcement, and thus, had no idea the two of them were together.

�Hey Starrk, bet I can put a cub in Karin before you can knock your woman up!�

�She has not yet agreed to be my mate, so I have no doubt you would succeed first,� Starrk yawned, ending the match before it could begin.

�With an attitude like that, you won�t be planting any seeds anytime soon either,� Karin snapped, glaring at her mate for his crassness at the breakfast table.

�Just so long as we beat Ulquiorra again, I can live with it.�

Karin curled her lip at his answer and then turned to Nanao.

�You want to switch? You can have the horny panther and I�ll take the lazy coyote? Heavens know I might actually get some sleep in the evening.�

�Sorry Karin, but I enjoy Starrk�s company. Besides, I am not sure I could keep up with your over-amorous mate.�

�Gah! Do we need to talk about this kind of stuff while I�m eating?� Hana groaned. �It�s bad enough watching Ajuga and Diaemus snuggle all the time.�

�What�s this about snuggling?� Karin asked, evidently intrigued by the news.

�I already put �em on notice. Told �em straight up that they had better not consummate whatever this is until they�re older.� Grimmjow tapped his chopsticks against the side of his plate. �I didn�t even strangle the bat or yell at him.�

�Good,� Karin stated, approving the way he�d handled things.

�The same goes for you, Hana,� Nanao added. Hana rolled her eyes and chewed what she had in her mouth before swallowing.

�Yeah, and I�m drowning in men here,� she snorted. �Please, I�ll worry about that when I find one worth dating. They aren�t really thick on the ground. I think my standards are too high,� she sighed.

�No dear, the real reason you can�t find one is because you have standards, and I hope you keep it that way. It takes time, but it is worth it when you do finally find the right person,� she advised her daughter. Nanao stole a glance at Starrk as she said this and Hana�s eyes went towards the ceiling again.

The meal concluded shortly after the discussion of her daughter�s thankfully-nonexistent love life, and one by one, the others left, until she was alone with Starrk once more, left with the task of dishwashing. Karin, along with Grimmjow, intended on being there when Hachi returned with the others, before going to the 4th Division to see Rukia and see if she couldn�t spend some time with her sister. Jushiro left for the 5th Division to get some quick work in and see to his troops before attending the meeting.

Hana had a long report to give to both Toshiro and Harribel at the Third�s den so that her daughter wouldn�t have to tell her tale twice. It was probably more comfortable for her there too, as the 3rd Division needed some major repairs and her friends among the officers and the unranked Shinigami there would pounce on her the moment she walked through the gates, demanding an answer, among other things, for her absence.

Starrk cleared his throat after they put the last of the washed breakfast dishes away.

�What is it?� she asked.

�I was wondering if it would be too presumptuous to accompany you to work this morning. We both need to be at the meeting in a few hours anyway.�

�I would like that, but today I am going to have to decline,� she held up her hand to forestall whatever his response might have been. �Please, hear me out first. I would love for you to walk me to work Starrk, but not yet. It�s not because I don�t love you or think our relationship isn�t going anywhere, but we have to consider appearances. The Claims might be broken, but until people see the Taichou acting on our own, without any former Masters hovering in the background, we�ll be subject to the Shinigami�s distrust. As Taichou, I cannot have my troops questioning my loyalties, orders and actions.�

�That leads me to another point I know won�t make you happy. Even if we were to agree to get married and have children tomorrow,� and here Nanao paused and looked at him sadly, �I would have to say �no� to another Claim between us. Ichigo aside, you�re the strongest Arrancar. As long as I bear you Claim, the rest of the population will wonder whether or not we have replaced one figurehead with another. They�ll wonder whether my actions and opinions are my own and most will decide they are not.�

�On a more personal note, if there�s no Claim on me, then when I say that I love you and want you in my life, because I care for you and for Lilinette, the rest of the world will know I�m telling the truth. It�s a small consolation, but it�s all I can give you for now.�

Starrk�s face displayed all of the depression he�d shown the previous night, but he put his hands in his pockets and nodded resignedly.

�I understand, although��

His forehead wrinkled, as if he were having some kind of internal debate, before he spoke again.

�If Szayel and Karin can put together something that will create a Mating Claim between an Arrancar and a non-Arrancar partner� would you be amenable to it? Unlike a one-sided Claim, a Mating Claim will not allow one partner to control the other�s speech or actions. It will allow you to feel what I do, just as I could tell when your emotions ran high. Moreover, you could, in theory, draw on my power if you needed it. If you siphoned it off on a regular basis, to use as you wished the bond might be more reliable than a suppression device, and far safer. I could always take the power back if Lilinette and I needed it during a fight. It would negate any danger to Jushiro-kun�s family and it would close the gap between our relative strengths. The latter would help if you wish any children from me.�

His proposal had real merit, especially if the Shinigami as a whole saw an Arrancar willingly sacrificing his powers to one of the Taichou for their own use. The thought of having access to and wielding that much power was enough to give her goose bumps. There was much to fear, but the possibilities if it worked�

�I can�t give you an answer today, but it�s intriguing. I need to leave, but I will see you in a few hours at the meeting,� she promised. Nanao first laid a chaste kiss on his cheek, intending to leave it at that, but when his eyes didn�t leave the kitchen floor, she grasped his scruffy chin between her thumb and forefinger and lifted it. It startled him enough for him to open his mouth, and she took shameless advantage of it by giving him a much more intimate kiss than she first intended. Starrk hesitated for less than a second and then he kissed her back fiercely, their tongues sliding against one another until she remembered she needed air. She was dimly aware that his hands had settled on her waist and for a few, dizzying seconds the space between their bodies vanished. A tiny, traitorous part of her wished the cloth layers separating them had dissolved too.

He pulled away first and the look he gave her made her feel as if she was wearing her winter-weight shihakusho instead of her normal garb. It seemed far too warm...

�You should go. I�ll see you soon,� was all he said.

�You�re right. I��

�Please� if you stay any longer, we�ll have to clean the table again.�

He deliberately looked away from her, fists clenched at his sides and it was then that Nanao realized this would be a real test of both of their resolves. Fleeing to her office seemed like a very good idea and in the time she could count to ten, she was out the door and past the Estate�s outer gate. It wasn�t until she reached the Seireitei�s great gates that she slowed down to breathe.

She had a lot to think about, but it would have to wait until later. Her people needed her to keep her wits about her and to lead them through the confusing times ahead.

The first thing she noticed when she arrived was that the majority of her troops, including the ones to whom she�d granted maternity and paternity leave, were already there in anticipation of the meeting. The Arrancar sires acted like guard dogs ready to tear into anyone who looked at their women in a way they didn�t like. Annoyed, Nanao knew she would have to put a stop to the hovering and snarling before someone got hurt. The Masters of those who had once been Claimed but weren�t expecting acted less like guard dogs and more like puppies desperate to keep the hand petting them from straying to another pooch. The only ones missing other than Karin were those at the 4th Division for injuries or out on patrol.

She adjusted her glasses and made it a point to track down her 3rd Seat, who would have to take over the Fukutaichou�s duties for the morning. Yumichika and Ggio were out of commission and Karin had an obligation to greet those coming home. There were no words to describe the relief she�d felt when she�d finally seen Hana after three long weeks apart and she�d be a terrible friend if she didn�t allow Ajuga�s mother the same opportunity to see the new Spirit Queen when she finally made it home.
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2