Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
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Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
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Re-Claimed

It was late and Jushiro was tired, but with the Defence Net down fatigue seemed to be the new �normal,� as were these meetings. This one included both the Espada and acting Taichou. Normally Aizen kept these military meetings separate, but where the Swarm was concerned Aizen liked to have all of his �weapons� in one room. At least Aizen had given them permission to speak during these sessions; meaning Jushiro didn�t need to worry about coming home with new stripes on his back for bring up a much needed point.

The few, small probing attacks hadn�t lasted long before a full contingent of the Swarm came down upon them again every three days. It was, perhaps, worse than what had been going on before the Net went up five years ago.

�If the Swarm can afford to continue sending such large scale attacks against us, why didn�t they just send their entire military might the first time?� Nanao wondered aloud.

It was a very valid question, and one that had been bothering pretty much all of them. If the sheer numbers thrown against them on a tri to quad daily basses were to come all at once they would easily be overrun. So why did they only come every three or more days?

�Perhaps those Scarabs Ulquiorra discovered only permit a certain number to get through before their power fades.� Harribel suggested. �They may only be able to maintain the portal for so long before they grow tired,� she added.

�That makes a great deal of sense,� Szayel agreed.

�Then why not just send more Scarabs to increase the number of portals?� Toshiro questioned.

Toshiro�s questioned raised a few eyebrows, since it appeared he was questioning his mistress, but she didn�t appear to take any offence to his analysis of her theory and gave him a pleased nod at the question.

�Perhaps there are a limited number of portal-makers,� Ulquiorra offered.

�That is one possibility. Something that large would take time to grow, not to mention be difficult to hide in large numbers,� Szayel mused.

�Why are we talking about this shit? What does it matter how many there are? They are just pathetic bugs I need to scrap off my shoe every few days,� Yammy grunted.

Jushiro often wondered how someone as idiotic as Yammy had managed to survive his Gillian stage to become as powerful as he was, especially because it took time for the moron�s overwhelming power to come to bear. Karin had one time muttered something about �hulk� but he failed to understand the Living World reference and she hadn�t elaborated. He got the feeling that it wasn�t a compliment.

�It prevents us from doing our duties, and the stability of the Realms depends on the balance of souls,� he explained as patiently as he could.

�Not my fucking problem,� Yammy grunted. �Although, the fucking that comes after it is always good,� Yammy laughed.

That caused the Shinigami present to feel a moment of disgust and discomfort, and even a few of the Espada gave Yammy a less than pleased look, although Jushiro was not sure all of the displeasure had to do with the blatant disgust on how Yammy treated his pet so much as it was in his language.

�It is a problem because if the Realms collapse, there will be nothing left in existence,� Ulquiorra explained dryly, with the air of someone who had dealt with this sort of thick-headedness many times before. �It means that you would cease to exist.�

Yammy regarded them with an expression that failed to distinguish him from a potted plant. Jushiro refrained from any further explanations, instinctively knowing it would do little good, though Harribel gave it one last, valiant effort.

�This is why Aizen-Kami didn�t simply didn�t extinguish the Shinigami Divisions. They are necessary to maintain the balance between realms.�

�Have the recently-acquired specimens delivered up any new data, Szayel?� Unohana asked, her words, thankfully, bringing the conversation back on-topic.

�They�re intriguing by themselves, but have neither revealed anything about the Swarm�s origins nor do we have any clues as to what they�re after. The one Ajuga, Hana and Diaemus brought in is vastly different from the rest we have seen so far. This one has a considerably different brain design. A pity it was brought in dead, but at least I have confirmed some things from the corpse,� Szayel answered.

�And what might that be?� Aizen prompted.

�They definitely have a hive mind and, based on what I have seen once I dissected the General�s cerebellum, I suspect are somewhat telepathic. If one member of the Swarm learns of something, the others are quickly informed. Whether they communicate entirely by telepathy, of whether there are also visual cues or pheromones at play as well is unclear right now. I also believe there is a range to their ability to communicate, but I have not been able to determine the distance.�

�Is there a way to block that link?� Unohana asked.

�I would need to see it in action before I could develop such a method, Unohana-sama. I am not certain what tactical advantage it would give us anyway. We already know that the Generals rarely come onto the field and they seem content to keep throwing the drones at us.�

�Do you believe they will try to tunnel past our defences again?� Starrk asked sleepily.

�I am not certain. This was the first time since the invasion started that we have seen insects along the lines of the two other types. After dissection, I�ve concluded that their sole purpose was to bring the Net down from the inside. Either it took the Swarm this long to think of such a tactic, or it took this long for them to breed them. They may even be low in numbers and might be worth something to Swarm, something not worth risking unless absolutely necessary, like the Portal Scarabs.

�We know nothing of the Swarm�s home dimension. For all we can determine these new specimens could even be the equivalent of mercenaries. The only true way to learn more would be to capture one of these �Generals� alive and interrogate it. We know they speak our language because Karin-sama heard them do so the first time they showed up.�

�Oh?� Aizen questioned, suddenly interested.

�It was in the report ten years ago,� Szayel answered in a fear tinged voice.

�How are the depth sensors coming along?� Aizen�s change of subject seemed to make Szayel relax a little, but only a little.

�We have already deployed several hundred in all directions and we�re now closing the gaps. At present it will be pure luck if they dig past any of the sensors, but it�s better than no warning at all.�

�Are we done listening to this shit now?� Yammy demanded. �We have heard all this crap before.�

�He�s got a point.� Nnoitra rolled his eyes, as if agreeing with the Tenth Espada annoyed him to some degree. �Nothing is more annoying than listening to prissy-boy here rambling on about his work.�

�I am not prissy,� Szayel huffed.

Jushiro held back another frustrated sigh as the meeting dissolved into yet another bitch fest between several of the Espada. It was getting late and all he wanted to do was head home to sleep. He glanced to his side and noted that it would appear that Starrk was already sleeping. He almost wished he dared, but he didn�t want to know what Aizen would do if he was caught not paying attention. It was one thing for their Masters to be disruptive; it was another thing for the slaves to do so.

He forced his thoughts away from that subject before he could begin to dwell on it. It was much better not to recall that they were all possessions now, both to their Masters and to Aizen�s fickle whims.

�Enough,� Aizen eventually called the meeting back to order. �Each species has its own unique reiatsu, does it not?�

�Yes, Kami-sama, but that field is so infinitesimal that you have to practically be on top of them to detect it,� Szayel replied. �You would have better luck finding a butterfly than any member of the Swarm.

The room was silent for a moment before Starrk suddenly broke it.

�Karin,� he stated simply.

All eyes turned his way, most of them in confusion. Even Jushiro couldn�t understand what Karin had to do with this, but the sudden look of astonishment on Szayel�s face, followed by a look of glee, indicated that at least one person at the table knew where the First was going with the comment.

�Of course!� Szayel exclaimed, obviously catching on to Starrk�s idea right away.

�What about the bitch?� Nnoitra growled and Grimmjow hissed at the Fifth for insulting his mate.

�She can physically see reiatsu,� Starrk explained.

�What good does that do us when you said the amount they had is infant� Infitest�. Small?� Yammy demanded.

�The first time the portals opened she saw them,� Szayel explained. �In fact, she was able to spot them while resting. If she were to meditate, she might be able to spot them opening from here, and then someone fast like Starrk or Ulquiorra could get to them in time, perhaps take one alive. If I could study a live specimen I might be able to isolate the energy used to make the portals and counter it, or at least set up a warning system to alert us the moment the portals open and where they open,� Szayel exclaimed excitedly.

�Summon your mate, Grimmjow,� Aizen ordered.

�She�s probably sleeping,� the Sixth responded, eyes narrowing a little.

Grimmjow was clearly not happy with Karin suddenly at the center of Aizen�s attention, and Jushiro didn�t blame him, but he also couldn�t blame Starrk for bringing the idea up. As much as it sometimes hurt, the good of the body was more important than the good of a single person.

Aizen turned his gaze Grimmjow�s way and everyone in the room abruptly felt the weight of Kami-sama�s reiatsu, even if they weren�t the ones targeted. Grimmjow�s only concession to the discomfort of the growing energy pounding into him was a small, pained hiss before finally relenting and informing Aizen he was summoning her.

�Karin�s vision is limited,� Jushiro spoke up into the suddenly oppressive silence. �She has duties to perform as well. She will not be able to �watch� for invaders at all times,� he pointed out, hoping that he could at least keep this potential responsibility from burning out the young woman.

The Tercera, in her quiet manner, proposed a compromise.

�The Swarm makes a raid approximately every three days,� Harribel stated. �If Karin�s ability to see reiatsu extends far enough, I would suggest getting her to start looking in two days� time. Sooner or later she will catch the portals.�

�Indeed,� Aizen agreed. �If she can�t detect her target from here, she will simply have to go further a field. As most of the attacks seem to come from the North, we�ll start by deploying her in that direction. While we wait for her arrival, what else have you learned about the new specimens?�

�Not much worth reporting. Their musculature and their exoskeletons are quite sturdy, capable of moving a great deal of earth in a very short amount of time. Had Ajuga, Hana and Diaemus not been at the tower to reactivate the alarms, these new specimens would have destroyed all of the towers they infected before bringing the Net down. We would have never known we were under attack until they were in the city,� Szayel reported.

The thought terrified Jushiro. His family was out in those Districts, sent there to keep his mother and his younger siblings from the attentions of Aizen and the invading Arrancar forces, and from Starrk. Many of his younger siblings would not have been able to withstand the Espada�s reiatsu even though the man himself showed no interest in harming anyone, unless Aizen�s orders said otherwise. It was best if his family stayed out of the picture.

Karin arrived shortly, a look of sleepy irritation on her face as she walked over to stand beside Grimmjow.

�Ah, Karin�� Aizen greeted her warmly, ��how good of you to come.�

�I trust there is a good reason as to why I was summoned, leaving Hana, Ajuga and Lilinette unattended?� she questioned.

Several people in the room shivered, chief among them Starrk. Those three could get into serious trouble when left unsupervised for more than an hour.

�We would not want that,� Aizen smirked in amusement. �Fortunately, this will not take overly long. How far have you managed to train your �sight� since last we spoke of it?�

Karin scrubbed the sleep from her eyes, frowned at the question, and didn�t answer right away, although Jushiro felt that was because she was thinking it over rather than being deliberately disrespectful. Aizen must have thought the same thing for he patiently waited for her answer, taking a sip of his tea as he did so.

�I am not certain Aizen-kami,� she answered honestly. �It depends on who I am tracking. Someone like Starrk-sama I could see much further away than someone like, say Tesra-san.�

�Remember the day by the lake, when you saw the portal opening?� Szayel prompted. �Think back.�

Karin turned her attention his way and gave a nod of her head, indicated she remembered the event.

�How far away do you think you could spot something like that again?�

�Again, I am not sure. I haven�t had much chance to measure the distance. I do know I can �see� Grimmjow,� she replied and nodded at her mate, �some distance out of the city without needing to enter Jinzen, but I am also intimately familiar with his reiatsu and know what to look for. The portal was a lot less bright but I might be able to spot one if I was looking at the right place at the right time,� she bit her lip nervously before turning back towards Aizen, as if uncertain that she wanted to say more.

�If you recall, Kami-sama, I did spot the ones that opened up not far from Ulquiorra-sama when we last tested my vision. He was far from the city�s borders, but again I had been tracking a familiar reiatsu and more or less stumbled across it.�

�Indeed,� he agreed. �Starrk, please take Nanao and one of Szayel�s communicators with you. Head due west, dropping her off every twenty kilometers and moving away from her. Karin, you will track Nanao and tell us when you are unable to see her anymore,� Aizen ordered, lacing his fingers together. His stance told everyone in the room that there would be no arguments about this.

Starrk looked less than pleased, an emotion mimicked on Nanao�s face, but neither one of them objected to the order. Both of them accepted a communicator from Szayel before exiting the meeting hall.

Karin took a seat next to Grimmjow and started to relax, entering into the familiar state of Jinzen, a state he had taught her so many years ago. She had never discovered a Zanpakuto, which was the original intent in teaching her the technique, but it still served her well.

�Do you need us for this boring shit?� Yammy questioned after a minute of silence.

�Got somewhere to go?� Nnoitra demanded in a huff.

�More like a body to fuck,� Yammy smirked, and then scowled. �I never got to finish playing with my pet before the meeting was called.�

�Four hours and you were not done yet! Your pet clearly doesn�t know how to please you,� Nnoitra sneered.

�Maybe the real issue is you just don�t got the stamina to keep fucking your broad for that long,� Yammy countered.

�This is not a topic acceptable for a war meeting,� Ulquiorra interjected.

�What, your bitch not giving you any?� Nnoitra asked the Fourth with a sneer.

Ulquiorra blinked those unnerving green eyes at the Fifth.

�My relationship with Orihime is none of your concern. She does, however, come willingly to my bed.�

�Oooo, nice one,� Grimmjow chuckled softly. �He got it from me though, so of course it w�oof!� he was cut off as Karin elbowed him smartly in the stomach, despite still being in a small trance.

�What the hell is that supposed to mean?� Nnoitra demanded with a curl of his lip. �You think I can�t get my broad into bed without using the Claim?�

�Well, you do got that chain on �er...� Yammy grunted and the Fifth turned his one-eyed glare on the Tenth.

�From what I have heard, I ain�t the only one that�s got my pets in chains,� Nnoitra smirked. �The only difference is, I don�t make her parade about the public in them. Although,� Nnoitra suddenly laughed, �got to admit your bitch looks good in �em.�

�You should try some of the shit out in those books of hers. Some of the best fucking I�ve ever had,� Yammy laughed.

Jushiro wanted to cover his ears with his hands. He didn�t want to listen to this conversation. Judging by the pained look on Toshiro�s face, the young man didn�t want to hear it either, the topic centered on his ex-Fukutaichou and long time friend, one whose master hadn�t always treated her nicely. Karin was twitching as well.

�Ulquiorra is correct, this is not an appropriate topic, least of all in a meeting before Kami-sama,� Harribel interjected, this time with more force.

Anyone with half a brain could feel the chill in her voice. Perhaps it was something she�d picked up from the young man sitting next to her. Thankfully, it had the intended effect.

�Che,� Nnoitra and Yammy said at the same time, ending this round of bickering and snickering at least.

Jushiro silently thanked the blonde and even Toshiro shot his mistress a grateful look. She had probably been able to feel his distress and if it was one thing Jushiro had learned over the last five years, it was that the two were becoming closer; much like how himself and Starrk stood on even ground despite the Claim.

Barragan had remained rather quiet the entire meeting, a look of supreme boredom on his elderly features. Jushiro was just tired and punchy enough to picture the Second opening his mouth and telling everyone to get the hell off of his lawn.

�We have come to the first stop,� Starrk�s voice came over the radio Szayel had been playing with.

�Excellent. Karin?� Aizen turned his gaze her way.

�I can see Nanao-Taichou clearly,� she answered. �I would suggest another fifty kilometers instead of twenty. I am not even deeply in trance and I see no point in wasting time going every twenty when she registers this well.�

�Agreed, Szayel, if you would?�

Szayel relayed the information over the radio. Now that the two were out of the city getting from point to point took less time since there were far fewer obstacles in their path. At each point Karin relayed her information.

�It�s getting harder to see her without going really deep into trance,� Karin finally announced almost an hour later after the experiment had started. �I can still see Starrk-sama easily, but Nanao-Taichou is getting really fuzzy.�

�How far out are they?� Aizen demanded.

�About 400 kilometers from the edge of the city, well beyond our warning systems,� Szayel answered. �No one other than Starrk would be able to travel that far so quickly.�

Starrk was the fastest of them all and the distance he had easily traveled in an hour would have taken all of the other Espada a day, maybe more.

�Indeed,� Aizen agreed. �You may order them to return.�

Szayel did so. Aizen turned his full attention to Karin, who blinked a little as she came out of the meditative state.

�We need to obtain one of these Portal Scarabs. Starting in two days you will enter Jinzen and attempt to spot these portals, at which time you will alert Starrk and Ulquiorra to their co-ordinates so that they may attempt to procure one. Ulquiorra,� Aizen turned his attention towards the Fourth ��you will leave in stealth and wait until the Swarm has carried on, upon which time you will incapacitate and secure one of the Scarabs.�

�As you wish, Aizen-kami,� the green-eyed Arrancar said.

�I shall inform Starrk when he returns. The rest of you are dismissed for tonight.�

Everyone stood and bowed with a chorus of �yes, Kami-sama� before departing. Jushiro did not move, however. He waited for Starrk�s return, sending Karin a reassuring smile when she looked at him in concern.

�Is there something you wished to speak to me about, Jushiro?� Aizen asked.

�No, Kami-sama, I am merely waiting for my master�s return,� he answered. �Starrk-sama indicated that he wished to see me about something this evening,� he added before Aizen could further question him.

�I see. May I trust you to inform you master of his mission? My wife is waiting for me after all.�

�Yes, Kami-sama,� he bowed, ignoring the comment about his long time friend Unohana. Letting it get to him would be a waste of time and would do nothing for her.

�So be it. Good night, Jushiro,� Aizen bade as he rose and left the room.

�Good night, Kami-sama,� he responded.

This left him alone in the room. Jushiro, subjected to the bickering between ill-tempered Espada this evening, relished the peace and quiet. It allowed him to ground himself a bit as well. Sitting there, he imagined he was back in a world that had long since ceased to exist. With the hall and the late Soutaichou�s chair empty, it was easy to pretend that the Winter War had yet to occur. He half-expected to see a tall, familiar dark-haired figure in that ridiculous pink and white flowered haori of his waltz into the room, sake bottle in hand, humming a tune whose lyrics he knew better than to sing out loud lest they earn him a swat from Nanao-chan. If he concentrated, he could almost hear Shunsui�s footsteps. In the end, to his regret, the humming vanished and his breathing remained the only sound in the room.

When he judged that enough time had passed for Starrk to return with Nanao, he got to his feet and met them by the front doors. Jushiro passed Aizen�s orders on before falling into step beside Starrk as they walked back to the Estate. Nanao took his other side.

�I fear this may exhaust Karin.� Nanao frowned. �It�s a lot of territory to cover on top of her other duties.�

�She would probably argue that it�s worth it. If we can detect the portals, we could close them before too many get through,� Jushiro pointed out.

�Perhaps,� Nanao reluctantly agreed.

They made it back to the Estate, which was thankfully still in one piece. So far, it seemed like the girls hadn�t even noticed Karin had slipped out; Hana busied herself with some complex mathematics that Szayel had given her. Ajuga had her calligraphy set out and appeared to be planning some new poetry piece and Lilinette lay on her stomach with a pad of paper and coloured pencils, rendering what looked like the aftermath of a particularly gruesome battle. It was a frightfully quiet evening after such a nerve wrenching meeting.

Jushiro followed Starrk to his own suite while Nanao joined her daughter and the other girls in the main living room. The game of shogi that he and Starrk had engaged in, off and on, for the last few days was still set up and when Starrk took one side of the board, Jushiro took the other. He was good at the game, thanks to hours playing against Shunsui and Yamamoto, but he had never been as good as those two when it came to overall strategy.

�Oh Shunsui, you stupid, self-sacrificing fool� You should be the one here, not me,� he couldn�t help but to think sadly. �I would truly have loved to see you and Starrk play a game, not to mention see you with Hana-chan.�

�Jushiro,� Starrk called.

�Hmm, sorry, distracted,� he muttered as he looked at the board. �There has been a lot going on.� It wasn�t exactly a lie.

�Do you wish to simply proceed without relaxing first?� Starrk asked, looking up at him with heavy-lidded eyes.

�Proceed?� he questioned in confusion before what Starrk was getting at dawned on him. �Of course, I hadn�t even realized it was due,� he said softly. �I am sorry, but I don�t really feel like playing shogi tonight. Perhaps some tea though?� he suggested.

�Tea will be fine,� Starrk agreed.

�I will bring it to the room.�

Starrk nodded and rose before retreating into the bedroom while Jushiro made his way into the small kitchen all the suites had. He set the water going and looked through his stash, searching for the herbs he knew promoted relaxation and worked as anti-stressors.

�Over a thousand years old and the only partner I�ve ever had is him,� he couldn�t help but to think with a mixture of bitter amusement.

He�d had several girlfriends during his Academy years and even one or two after graduating. Then, he�d been promoted to the rank of Taichou. What little time he would have had to engage in romance evaporated after that. He�s dated and cuddled, but had never gone beyond that. He respected women too much to engage in one-night stands and he always, inevitably, had an attack long before he reached the point in the relationship that led to sex. Nothing was a bigger turnoff than seeing one�s boyfriend coughing up blood.

The hissing of the kettle interrupted his dim thoughts. There was something comforting in the simple task of preparing tea. He warmed the mugs with a little of the excess hot water before putting everything on a tray and bringing the lot of it into his bedroom.

Starrk was sitting on the futon, already naked. Jushiro set the tray down in the center of the futon before removing and hanging up his own clothing. By the time he joined Starrk on his futon both cups were full of tea. He picked up his cup and took a small sip, sighing in contentment. The tea helped to sooth his nerves, taking the edge off of the tension that, for him, always seemed to accompany this act. He took a deep whiff before letting out another sigh, letting some of his stress leave with the exhale. They finished their cups in companionable silence.

Jushiro stared at his now empty mug for several seconds before finally setting it back down on the tray next to the one Starrk had finished. Starrk moved the tray off of the futon, setting it on the small table nearby so it was out of their way.

�Are you sure you want to do this?� Starrk asked.

The male half of the First Espada had asked him that question fourteen times before. Tonight was the fifteenth. Sometimes Jushiro wondered what Starrk would do if he said no.

�Probably nothing,� he guessed. �It is what Aizen would do to me if I let the Claim fall off I would need to worry about. Of course, there is always a chance that another Espada would attempt to Claim me by force.�

He was strong, but a prolonged battle would wear him down. The only one he could think of who might make a go of it was Yammy and he definitely didn�t want to end up enslaved to that monstrosity. He would probably die before a month was out, given Yammy�s perchance for brutality, and while his tuberculosis was well into remission thanks to Karin�s help and Living World developments, he�d had the illness for so long that it had sunk stubborn roots in his lungs. Large amounts of stress still brought up the odd attack. It was nothing like before, but they were bad enough that Unohana still insisted he spend a night at the 4th Division when they did occur, just to make sure he wasn�t regressing.

�Jushiro?�

�Sorry, thinking again. Yes, I am sure I want to do this,� he answered the earlier question.

He shifted until he was on his hands and knees and brushed his hair to one side so Starrk could have access to the side of his neck. After repeated bites, the fang marks on his neck from the blood draining part of the ritual had faded into scars. It was one way that a non-Hollow could tell that another was Claimed. The bites usually ended up leaving at least a mark or two on the one taken.

Starrk�s fingers unscrew the lid to the jar of lubricant and after a second, the first oil slicked finger began to probe his entrance. Starrk was in no rush and took the time to prepare Jushiro�s entrance properly. It was always uncomfortable but at least it wasn�t painful. Jushiro silently bore with it.

It stung when the First finally penetrated him, his walls stretching to accommodate the Espada�s girth. He knew the pain would not last long, that blinding pleasure would soon take over. He felt Starrk�s overwhelming reiatsu begin to swirl around them and he forced his own to submit to that power. If he didn�t, the Claim would not last as long, which meant it would have to be refreshed sooner. Starrk pulled back, and then thrust in, sending a wave of his reiatsu into Jushiro�s body with it. A sensation that Jushiro could only describe as absolutely carnal followed its wake and he had to bite his lip to stop the groan that wanted to escape his mouth.

Starrk set a firm and steady pace, both of their bodies rocking with the movement. Jushiro started to pant and his body broke out in a sweat as each forward thrust emptied another wave of reiatsu into his body. His hands curled into fists and he tasted blood as he bit his lip a little too hard in an effort to hold back his moans. His body began to tremble and he began to get a �stuffed� feeling as Starrk poured more and more of his power into the body below his. It licked along his nerve endings, crawled over his skin and he could feel it with each calculated strike against his prostate. Fourteen years of practice had apparently taught Starrk exactly where to aim.

This was why a high-powered Hollow could not Claim a weak one. The recipient had to be able to handle their Claimer�s reiatsu as it rushed into them or they would perish. It was one reason why Starrk had never properly Claimed Nanao this way. She was a strong woman, but there was little guarantee that she would be able to take the kind of power that Starrk used to Claim Jushiro. Nanao was nowhere near as powerful as Jushiro and even the older Shinigami had issues with Starrk�s reiatsu levels.

There was a small pause in the pace and Jushiro braced himself for the end. Sharp fangs tore into his neck at the same time that his vision went white, his muscles clamping down on Starrk�s cock. He barely registered that they were both cumming as Starrk finished the Claiming ritual. It wasn�t until the last shudder of Starrk�s body against his that he realized he�d arched his back and his mouth was open in a silent scream.

He was prepared for the collapse afterwards and managed to let one arm go limp first, bringing them both down sideways so Starrk�s weight didn�t crush him, as had happened a time or two. The only sound in the room was that of two sets of lungs desperately panting for breath. Claiming left both participants exhausted and Starrk didn�t even have enough energy left over to untangle their bodies. It was uncomfortable, but Jushiro was too far-gone himself to remedy the situation. It took a good fifteen minutes before Starrk shifted enough to fall out of him and Jushiro grimaced at the feeling of cum running out of his body.

His futon was dirty now and considering the mess they had made of it, not to mention what the mess consisted of, he couldn�t ask any of the women to clean it. He was too tired to do anything about it either. It had been a long day and his grip on consciousness slipped away without him noticing.

Jushiro woke with a slight start as something coarse, warm and wet ran across his thighs and rear. It took him a second to realize it was a warm washcloth. Starrk must have woken up as he was now cleaning them both. He probably should have stopped the First and taken over the chore himself, but he felt so drained that he drifted off to the not-unpleasant feel of rough cloth on his skin. The second time he woke up, he saw the pale winter sun streaming through the window. He found that odd since his room was on the west side of the Estate.

He looked around the room in confusion, not recognizing it at all. He used to know every corner of the Estate, since he�d spent a lot of time playing in each room as a child and the fact that this room seemed unfamiliar bothered him. Then Jushiro shifted and discovered the presence of another body next to him, a warm arm draped over his midsection, snuggled up behind him. He jolted upwards and twisted around to see who the hell was in bed with him.

�Uhhg. Either go back to sleep or get out so I can go back to sleep,� a dishevelled Starrk ordered.

�Why am I in your room?� Jushiro asked softly.

�Your room was a mess.� Starrk answered, staring up at him with glassy, sleep-heavy, grey eyes as if the pale-haired man ought to have figured that one out on his own.

�Oh,� Jushiro replied and he couldn�t help blushing.

He didn�t argue the fact that waking up in a bed with clean sheets was preferable to waking up in a sex-soiled one. He dimly recalled waking up to Starrk cleaning them both up and he was grateful for that too. He�d woken up a couple of times over the years to the residue of their releases caked to his thighs and he could think of fewer things that disgusted him more than that.

�I should get going,� he announced and climbed out of bed. That only left one problem.

�Closet,� Starrk yawned before he could ask if he could borrow something to wear. Jushiro opened it and pulled out what looked like a bathrobe. It would have to do.

�Thanks.�

�And kill the light on your way out,� Starrk requested sleepily, scratching his bare chest with one hand.

�Sorry, not even Shunsui was ever able to find a way to destroy the sun, not for lack of trying mind you.�

The memories were pleasant ones and a smile touched his lips as he recalled the many, many mornings Shunsui had woken up with a horrible hangover thanks to over indulging the night before, and not all of them were from their academy days. The number of plots Shunsui had thought up to destroy the sun numbered in the hundreds, and some of them were rather amusing.

Starrk�s response was to mutter something about �curtains� and pull the blanket over his head.

Jushiro closed the curtains before he left and made it back to his own room to find Karin in the middle of remaking his bed.

�Karin-chan, what are you doing here?� he asked embarrassed.

Karin rolled her eyes at him before answering.

�I�m tidying up. You both looked fairly burnt and the last thing we need is Ajuga-chan asking about the strong scent coming from your room when she brings you your afternoon tea.�

He hadn�t thought that far ahead and suddenly he was very glad that Karin had taken care of the �evidence�.

�Oh, how did� ah� were we loud?� he asked, a little nervously.

�Bright,� she answered.

�Bright? Oh, you mean, you saw�?�

He rubbed his reddening forehead with one hand, partly to cover up his thorough embarrassment. If she noticed it, she didn�t say anything.

�Yes. I know how exhausting Claiming can be. Aizen ordered me to rest for the next two days, presumably so that I�ll be in top form to start �looking� for the portals. While I�m at home, I figured I would be nice and clean your room up for you.�

�It�s appreciated,� he assured her.

Grabbing his uniform, he disappeared behind one of the screens to change into it.

�Nanao has already left for work and she sent one of those black butterflies to Byakuya to let him know you would be in a little late today. Your breakfast is on the kitchen table and there�s some tea warming in the pot on the hearth,� she continued, as he got dressed.

�Compliments of Ajuga-chan?�

He could hear Karin pause and guessed she was smiling.

�Of course. Making your tea is a task she takes seriously, you know.�

�She is a marvellous child,� he replied.

That earned him a deep sigh.

�She�s not much of a child anymore,� Karin said reluctantly, then wondered aloud. �Was I ever that eager to grow up?�

�I don�t think you had much of a choice,� Jushiro answered softly, coming out from behind the screen, now fully dressed in his uniform.

�No, I guess not�� Karin agreed. �It�s just� she�s so careless and now that the Defence Net is down she�s been so eager to help fight against the Swarm that she�s going out onto the battle field no matter how much I tell her not to. All it would take is one scratch. One scratch, the simple taste of a drop of her blood and the Swarm will know she�s my daughter and that Royal Blood flows through her veins. She would become a target, just like me.�

Karin ground the heel of one hand against her temple in frustration.

�I want to tell her the truth, to warn her of the danger, but I fear she might let the truth slip out to the wrong person. You know how it is. The more people that know the less secure a secret becomes. I don�t think I would be able to handle it if anything were to happen to her.�

Jushiro nodded in understanding. It had been difficult letting Hana become a Shinigami, to know she could end up deployed to the Living Realm to fight Hollows. Now that she was part of a Division, her superiors expected her to complete all the duties required of a Shinigami, and that included fighting the Swarm.

�It�s a hard balance, isn�t it? We are so proud of them for their achievements, and yet we want to hold them back and keep them safe. How does Grimmjow feel about Ajuga fighting the Swarm?� he inquired as he retrieved the tea Ajuga had prepared for him.

Karin sighed.

�Proud. Happy. He�s excited that she is old enough to join the hunt now. He would never admit it, and would be upset at me for mentioning it, but I think he is worried as well. You know how much he loves Ajuga and he would never forgive himself if something were to happen to her. I don�t think he�s worried about the Swarm though. Ajuga� and Hana too, are growing up.�

That was another problem. It had eaten at the adults in the little makeshift household for some time now. Hana and Ajuga were getting old enough to draw the attention of Arrancar. Ajuga had some protection at least being an Espada�s daughter, and Grimmjow had quite the violent reputation, but Hana did not. Hana could hide herself well though and so far, no one had started looking her way, at least not yet.

�I understand. I worry about them both every day. At least Toshiro can keep an eye on Hana without being overly protective,� he pointed out.

�Very true,� Karin agreed, and then paused while tugging a clean pillowcase over one of the two pillows Jushiro kept on his futon. Her expression suddenly turned thoughtful.

�I wonder� do you think it would be possible to get Harribel to watch out for them as well? I don�t know her, but Toshiro hasn�t indicated to me that she�s abusive in any way when she does come up in our conversations. I can tell that he isn�t unhappy with her, if that says something. Apparently she is not so trusting of men and she�s very protective of her fraccion�.� Karin trailed off, as if her thoughts had taken yet another turn into the land of �what-ifs�.

Jushiro considered it. He knew little of the lone female Espada either, but after fifteen years of observing her, he knew she rarely spoke unless she had something intelligent or reasonable to contribute, didn�t engage in the often-petty arguing that occurred so often among the shorter-tempered males and he had never seen a bruise or a mark on the young man she kept. If anything Toshiro seemed� almost content these days. At first he�d attributed that to Toshiro�s growth in height and a maturing of his looks, something he�d always been touchy about since his promotion to Taichou decades ago. Now Jushiro wondered if the change in the other�s demeanour involved his mistress.

�It�s not a bad idea, in theory. What�s your reasoning?� he asked.

�Well, fraccion are safe from Claiming, aren�t they?� Karin asked.

�As far as I understand yes, but you might want to confirm that with Starrk or Grimmjow.�

He felt a smile steal across his face as he caught on to her idea, and with the information he currently had, it seemed like a surprisingly sound one.

�I think I just might do that,� Karin exclaimed, and gave him a wide smile. �Now hurry up and eat. You are already late for work,� she admonished him.

�Yes Sir!� he responded, and saluted her smartly before tucking into breakfast.

Huge hugs for everyone that took the time to review. It means a lot to me to know that people are reading this and get�s the fingers a writing. Seriously, /love you guys and girls.

Next Chapter: Grimmjow breaks down and asks for help with Ajuga. The world is surly ending.

This Week�s Question: If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why? I am not sure where I would want to go more, Africa to see the Serengeti or Australia. Both have amazing wildlife and I would love to get to see it in person.
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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