Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 87207 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make profit from this snippet

Chapter List
- 33
- 34
- 35
Orihime hummed happily as she walked down the street back to her house. She greeted the vendors warmly and they smiled back. At first there had been a bit of fear of her because everyone knew she had been Claimed by Ulquiorra, but with the sunny disposition she had no one could keep fearing her for long.
In fact, in a rather amusing twist of irony, the Arrancar feared her more than the conquered population of Soul Society. She found it exasperating while Tatsuki found it damn hilarious.
Tatasuki was still at the house. Being un-Claimed left her at a vulnerability where as Orihime was completely safe from the Arrancar that roamed the streets. It didn’t mean Tatsuki was happy about being left behind while Orihime walked about, but this was important.
When Nanao had shown up at their door step with a wide smile and inviting them both to the Estate for a long over due Baby Shower, with Ulquiorra-san’s permission of course, both girls could have squealed in joy. In fact, Orihime did.
Gaining Ulquiorra’s permission had been easy enough. Orihime had a much better understanding of him now that she had mapped out his not so emotionless body (or should she say eye?) language.
She had asked him to take her in his second released form, which always broke the boundary of his control (truthfully she just loved the feel of his soft, feathered fur against her skin as she probably could have gotten him to agree in his first form), and asked him if they could go half way through.
It wasn’t until the next morning he had realized what she had done, but he hadn’t retracted his agreement. Instead he had punished her for pulling something like that off. Her insides still tingled as she recalled his so called ‘punishment.’
So now here she was, shopping for baby stuff for Karin. In fact, the more she went through the shops, the more she found herself almost longing for a baby of her own.
The thought caused her to blink in surprise. Wasn’t it just six months ago she had been trying to get it through to Ulquiorra that she wasn’t ready for kids, that neither of them where? And now here she was contemplating wanting one, or three.
“Well, six months is half a year, and half a year is a long time.” She defended herself. “And I did tell him we would try sooner if I fell in love with him.”
She had no doubt she loved him now. The gentle way he held her. The way he thought of only her and never even glanced at another woman, no matter how much prettier than she they were. The soft feathered fur of his release against her skin and the way he made her feel in bed.
Okay, that one brought a blush to her checks and she shook the thoughts out of her head and tried to get the tingling from her ‘punishment’ to subside. But oooo his feathered fur was so soft. And the way his tail lashed behind him with the beat of….
Orihime banged her head on a near by pole, causing several people to look at her as if she were mad. But at least the pain from her stupidity knocked the desired thoughts out of her head.
Her eyes fell upon the next baby shop and lit up while she headed towards it, once more a woman on a mission. It wouldn’t hurt if she browsed for herself as well, right? Window shopping was fun too.
When Orihime returned home, he knew it. Ever since Starrk’s un-Claimed pet had come by to announce that Grimmjow’s woman was permitted to leave the den, Orihime had been radiating pure excitement.
In fact, her delight, and the fact she had submitted and accepted to be his mate, made him wonder if he should brooch the subject of producing their own offspring with her once more.
As she had learned much of him, he had learned much of her. While he still felt it should have been unnecessary to conform to the social protocols she desired, he found things went a lot smoother with her when he did. It wasn’t like it hurt him do so and he would only do so for her, and Aizen-kami of course.
Just as she had said. Love was a two way street and as he did things that irked him for her, he knew she did things she didn’t particularly care to do for him without complaint. And somehow, even though it was his right, the fact she did them without needing to be ordered to left his chest feeling warm. A feeling he had learned meant love.
Perhaps when he dropped the girls off at Starrk’s Estate he would request to speak to Grimmjow on the best ways to approach producing offspring with her. Grimmjow did have an uncanny ability to read a women’s desires.
The only annoying part would be admitting he needed the inferior Espada’s assistance with any issue. Hopefully, being a father had toned the hot headed idiot down. Being with Karin had definitely had a noticeable affect on him, although Ulquiorra was positive he would have labelled most of those particular affects as negative.
Grimmjow had become even more defiant of Aizen’s will, at least where the woman and baby were concerned. He had also become more violent to those that had approached her. But, by the same coin, he had also calmed down, at least around her and those she accepted.
Ulquiorra had noticed a vast change in himself as well, more so after Orihime had agreed to accept his proposition at being considered his mate. He would still never defy Aizen-kami, for he was the lord of all.
Thinking of mate, perhaps he should permit her to know she was now entitled to his name.
“Orihime Cifer.” He tried, and found the thought pleasing.
More so perhaps because Ichigo, and several other of her friends, use to call her Inoue. Taking that away would just be severing off another piece of their unwanted history. Yes, he would definitely let her know she was now entitled to his name.
A part of him suddenly desired for them to meet with the Hybrid again just so he could have the satisfaction of watching her correct the boy, in telling him she could no longer be referred to as Inoue.
He was broken out of his thoughts as he heard Orihime and Tatsuki exclaiming over whatever it was his Woman had returned with for this ‘baby shower’ they would be attending tomorrow.
Why a bunch of women needed to gather to bathe a child was very confusing, but she had assured him it was a human tradition. He had pointed out that Grimmjow and the baby were hardly human. She had countered that Karin was. He conceded she had a small, valid point. She had smirked in triumph.
Ulquiorra stretched as he got off the bed he had be laying on and dared to enter the living room. He almost wished he hadn’t because before he knew it she was showing him all sorts of little outfits and bright coloured blankets and toys she had acquired.
If this was the kind of thing having kids entitled, perhaps they could hold off for a while. The agreement had been a year and it had only been six months. Besides, he really didn’t want to have to admit to Grimmjow he needed help with anything. In six months he could simply announce the year of waiting was up and they could start really trying then.
Hopefully by then all this craziness would have been cured. Perhaps he should get Szayel to test the girls to make sure they were not being affected by some sort of strange, contagious disease.
The men, and by men they meant Starrk and Grimmjow, had retreated quickly when the giggling had started that morning. Ukitake hardly seemed affected by the sudden strange behaviour that had overcome the female population of the Estate.
In fact, he was currently the one holding Ajuga while Karin greeted Orihime and Tatsuki as the two waltzed into the garden they had chosen to host the small party.
Karin’s list of friends was pretty small. However, given the rare gift that Ajuga was, concessions had been made to permit this little gathering of the few people she did know. It had taken a bit of work, but between Ukitake and Nanao they had managed to get everyone who knew the girl to be gathered.
The hardest battle had been convincing Nnoitra to let Matsumoto come. Nnoitra still had a bone to pick with the rather humiliating pounding Karin had giving him. In the end is had been Tesra who had found the key to getting Matsumoto permission to come. What that key had been no one asked.
Toshiro and Unohana also stopped by, the first staying just long enough to congratulate Karin while the second stayed and took the opportunity to do a quick scan of baby and mother.
Hana had proclaimed herself ‘keeper of gifts’ and was guarding the small pile with steel determination. Lilinette was the only Arrancar, other than Ajuga, who attended. The girl didn’t seem put out by this at all and alternated bringing ‘the stalwart guard Hana-sama’ food to ‘keep up her strength in defending the gift pile,’ and running to the kitchen to grab another platter of food when one ran low.
Karin apparently still had a voracious apatite, which Unohana assured her was fine and probably due to the fact Ajuga was consuming milk AND reiatsu. Everyone fussed over the little girl and the amount of cooing over her cute little ears and warm, fuzzy fur would put any flock of doves to shame.
“I still can’t believe it.” Orihime sighed, looking down and the baby girl in Ukitake’s arms. “I never thought you would be the first one to have kids.” She almost squealed.
Karin nodded in agreement, her mouth currently full of food.
“And she is so adorable.” Matsumoto gushed.
Ajuga started to fuss, earning another wave of awes from the women present.
“I think Ajuga-chan is hungry.” Ukitake offered the baby back to her mother.
Karin took the girl to the cushion designated as hers under one of the large trees while the other guests found spots around them. They shared some more small talk about how the pregnancy went and how Grimmjow had handled things before Ajuga was once more settled down.
This time Karin passed the baby to a beaming Lilinette, who sat down beside her and held Ajuga as if she were made of glass. At this point Hana pulled her wooden wagon, loaded with present, to where they were sitting.
“All pwesents here.” Hana saluted. “I count to make sure.” She beamed.
“Thank you Hana-chan.” Karin smiled at her, patting the cushion to her other side.
Hana quickly settled on it next to her mother. Nanao brushed a stray lock of her child’s hair aside and beamed proudly down at her daughter. Hana returned the smile before turning her attention back to the wagon of gifts.
Karin started going through them. Toys, blankets and various outfits slowly started to reveal themselves. Karin was happy to see the blankets. It was amazing how many they went through a day. One a feeding for sure and Ajuga had a rather large appetite.
They were at the end and Karin was about to thank everyone when she noticed someone was approaching. The reiatsu was rather off and she instantly recognized Nemu because of it.
The other women, and one man, noticed her distraction and they all turned to face the woman as she came into sight.
“Forgive my intrusion.” Nemu bowed.
“What can we do for you?” Nanao asked politely.
“I am here to deliver this from Szayel-sama to Karin-san.” Nemu held out a small box.
Hana was quick to retrieve it while the rest looked at Nemu, and the box, warily. Karin could detect no strange reiatsu from it and accepted the small box as Hana proudly presented it to her.
She opened it hesitantly and pulled out the beautifully crafted gold bracelet and what looked like a watch. Clearly they were a matching set. She detected nothing strange about either object and looked up to Nemu questionably, for on the bottom of the box was a rather thick manual.
“What are they?” Karin asked.
“A tracer. It has come to Szayel-sama’s attention during his research that young children have a tendency to wander off. The bracelet will omit a signal the receiver will be able to track.” Nemu explained. “The bracelet will adjust in size as she grows.”
Karin frowned at the device. She didn’t believe for a minute that Szayel didn’t also have a receiver that would be able to trace Ajuga’s whereabouts. He also knew that with her ability to physically see reiatsu the receiver was kind of pointless when she could visually look for her daughters reiatsu.
“The receiver is for Grimmjow-sama.” Nemu seemed to notice her confusion.
“I see. Thank you, Nemu-san. Please convey my thanks to Szayel as well.”
Nemu bowed her way out.
“Well,” Karin set the box aside, “I would like to thank you all for your heartfelt gifts to my daughter and I. Will you convey my appreciation to Aizen-kami for his wonderful gift as well, Unohana-san?” Karin asked politely.
“Of course.” Unohana agreed.
The small party wrapped up and everyone reluctantly went their separate ways until only Ukitake, Ajuga and herself remained in the garden. Nanao and Hana retreated to start on dinner while Lilinette went to find Starrk to let him know it was safe to return.
“There has been so little to celebrate since the war.” Ukitake sighed wistfully.
Karin nodded in agreement as she settled back down on the cushion and picked up the box with Szayel’s gift. She pulled out the instruction manual and started to glance through it.
It all seemed innocent enough and would probably fetch a fortune in the Living World, if it worked like Szayel said it did. That was the thing though. She didn’t doubt for a second there was more to the two devices than met the eye.
But despite that it was still so tempting to use. Ajuga would not be a baby forever and sooner or later she would start to wander. There would no doubt be a time where Ajuga would even be able to out run her, and knowing where she was would ease a lot of anxiety.
“Karin-chan?” Ukitake asked.
“Well, she won’t be going anywhere for a while.” Karin sighed and put the lid back on the box, sealing the contents inside.
“True.” Ukitake agreed.
Karin turned her attention to the other gift from someone she had never expected. Oh she knew Aizen was interest in Ajuga, but she had never figured he would have deliberately sent her a gift.
Much like the one from Szayel, Karin wasn’t sure she trusted it. The only reason she even considered keeping it was because unlike Szayel, it would definitely not be a good idea to insult Kami by refusing his gift.
“What is this thing going to do anyway?” Karin asked nervously as she looked at the strange symbol drawn on the paper.
“It’s a seal.” Ukitake answered. “It will seal a portion of her power to keep it contained until she releases it. All seated officers wear one when we go to the living world so we don’t affect it too adversely with our reiatsu.
“I think in this case though it is intended to make her less noticeable to others. I noticed Unohana-san handed a similar envelope to Nanao-san, no doubt for Hana-chan.”
“So it wont hurt her?” Karin asked.
“No, and she should be able to release it at any time. Once used it will become a tattoo on the skin.”
Karin put the seal back in it’s envelope for now. Once again Ajuga was too young to need such a gift. Besides, she was going to clear both gifts with Grimmjow first. She feared the seal would be able to be activated by a certain outside source and she would not leave her daughter in such a vulnerable position.
So for now both gifts would be put away until Ajuga was older and after it was confirmed there was nothing malicious about either one. She started to gather the gifts up to put away.
“Once again, thank you for letting us stay here.” Karin thanked.
“It is nothing.” Ukitake smiled at her. “Truthfully, it felt so empty here with just the five of us. It will be nice for Hana-chan to have a playmate when Ajuga-chan is older.” He turned his smile to the baby in his arms.
Karin wasn’t so sure Grimmjow would keep them here for that long, but at the same time he hadn’t really been house hunting as far as she knew. Honestly, she loved it here. The Estate was huge and the three small families that shared it hardly took up 20% of it.
Each wing was far larger than the house they had lived in and there were at least twelve wings. Apparently Ukitake’s family had always been a large one and as such the Estate had sprawled out to accommodate it’s ever growing size.
“Will we ever meet your siblings?” She asked. “I know Nanao-san said they were all well and just living elsewhere.”
He sighed and adjusted Ajuga’s blanket, gaze never leaving the baby.
“I do see them from time to time, but I moved them far out to the country where they would be safer from everything going on here. While none of them have my level of reiatsu, or even yours for that matter, I do have two sisters and I would never be able to live it down if they got hurt.”
Karin could hear the sadness, and a fair bit of loneliness, in his voice.
“I fear for Hana-chan when she get’s older. From what I can tell she inherited a fair amount of Shunsui’s strength.”
“What was he like? Hana-chan’s father?” Karin asked, sitting beside him as she asked.
Ukitake let out a bit of a laugh.
“Lazy. Loyal. A great friend, although he did indulge in far too many naps and bottles of sake.”
Karin remained silent as she listened to him reminisce about the man who had clearly been a dear friend. Tears touched the corner of his eyes, but they never fell, not until after Karin reached a hand out and rested it gently on his shoulder.
Ajuga remained silently sleeping in his arms as the tears started to flow. Karin just left her hand on his shoulder as they heaved and he cried silently for several minutes before regaining his composure.
“Look at me, snivelling like a youngling.” He laughed weakly.
“You’re welcome.” Karin smiled at him. “It was the least I could do for letting me soak your clothes.”
He laughed weakly.
“Indeed. Thank you, Karin-chan. I didn’t realized how long I have been holding that in.”
“Everyone needs a chance to let it out once in a while.”
“Foods ready, foods ready, foods ready.” Hana burst happily onto the scene, waking Ajuga up and sending the baby crying in anger at her interrupted nap.
Both adults laughed, and Ukitake handed Ajuga back to her mother while he assured a suddenly abashed Hana that it was alright and they should get washed up to eat. Karin joined them a moment later, Ajuga once more calmed down.
Grimmjow returned as well and took his place beside her at the table. Karin sometimes wondered where Ukitake got all the food from, for the appetite this strange family shared would have cost them thousands of Yen a week back in the Living World.
Maybe she would ask another day. Right now, that pile of ribs was looking rather tempting next to the bowl of sweat and sour pork and ginger beef. She would save the sea food fried rice for later.

/love those of you that took the time to review, as usual they mean a lot to me and I treasure each one. Have an extra hug you gals and possible guys.
Honestly, the only Bleach character I simply can not stand (pre this full bringer stuff I am not so sure I like) is Hinamori. Everyone else I either love, like, or am indifferent.
I am a shipper for any pairing if the author can make it work and one of my favourite challenges is trying out weird and unique pairings (Starrk/Unohana, Matsumoto/Ggio in Crossbreeding as two examples) either not seen before or exceptionally rare and make them believable, such is the power of Fan fiction.
That’s the joy of Fanfiction, to take a scene or Character and see how it would play out if THIS event happened. As a writer myself there are times when you hit a cross road, where the characters could go left, right, over, under etc. but you can only chose one path for them. In my mind, this is where the world of Fan Fiction comes into play.
The original artist takes a left, leaving us to ponder, wonder, and explore the other paths. I honestly wonder how many Writers out there read Fanfiction of their works and what they think of them.
Next Chapter: Byakuya has an unexpected visitor and he finally gets to speak to Karin one on one. Surprisingly, it’s not even a dark chapter and has no warnings. Scary.
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Prize of Victory