Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Safe in my Arms	By : ShadowedEcho Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3066 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, no money is being made by me, this was written purely for entertainment purposes

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
"Finger paints? Who in their right mind gave you those?" Grimmjow was reprimanding the two childlike Arrancar, who were both grinning up at him, Nel because she enjoyed the attention, and Lilynette because she was filled with unrepentant glee at being the cause of so much chaos.
After Ichigo had realized the two girls weren't in their usual areas there had been a frantic search and a lot of panic. That was until Grimmjow and Harribel had stumbled across the trail of destruction. The pristine white walls of Aizen's fortress were no longer so plain; instead, colorful drawings with two very different skill levels covered most of the wall from the floor to about five foot high.
They weren't sure what to make of the random rubble and the occasional cracked floor tile, sometimes it was better not to ask when it came to the twin masters of destruction.
Lilynette was the first to respond to Grimmjow's rant, "Those Visoreds, they remembered Nel from Ichigo's stories. They gave them to us before they left, told us to use them to brighten up the place. What, you don't like our drawings?" She pulled out the big guns, the patented puppy dog eyes of doom.
Grimmjow held out under their power, continuing his rant, up until those pink hued eyes started glistening with tears, he just couldn't keep going after that, "Ah Hell, it's not like we weren't all sick of the white. Just why did you two disappear without saying anything?" They had been truly scared, due to their size those two were the most vulnerable, though Lily could hold her own in a fight she was still only one person, and Nel could transform into Nelliel under the right circumstances, but it was best not to rely on a chance.
"We tried, Starrk was already asleep, and we didn't feel like bugging you. We didn't leave the fortress and I know how to keep watch over Nel. I think you forget Grimmjow that I look like a child, but I'm older than you!" Lilynette protested hotly.
Harribel was just standing back watching the scene unfold with amusement, seeing Grimmjow being lectured at by the tiny Beta was a picture she was sure would be stuck in her memory for a long time to come. Though the sudden tackle by a two foot tall blur of green, sending Grimmjow crashing to the ground, had her shaking with the force of the laughter she was desperately trying to hold in.
"Bwad Grimm! No yelling at Lily, she protect us!" Nel protested, even as Grimmjow tried to extract himself from the chokehold she had on him. For a little girl, there was still traces of the former Tres Espada lurking in her small frame.
Grimmjow wrestled Nel far enough away he could speak, a glare thrown at each girl, "Don't be like that. What if you had gotten hurt? If you couldn't wake Starrk you should have come to one of us. I am well aware of your age Lilynette, but what if there were multiple large Hollow? Or worse, a raid by the Shinigami? You're good, but not that good. It's not that you can't go anywhere, we just need to know where you are at so if there is a problem one of us can get to you fast enough!" The Alpha was practically growling at the end, he couldn't help it, because both Nel and Lily had the scent of immature Betas that made the Alpha go into instant protection mode. Though Lily's scent was only immature because she was away from Starrk and Nel's was because she was in her child form, it still affected Grimmjow as if they really were children, which only fueled his irritation.
Unlike the living world where an Alpha male would kill a rival Alpha's young to have a chance at siring a litter on the mother, the only Hollows new mothers truly had to fear were ones who were not yet Alphas or Betas, unless there was a sanity issue with the Alpha. The Beta has to chose the Alpha, if they murdered their previous litter, than there was no chance of a future mating with that Beta. Betas were still nervous about strange Alpha's, because there was still the chance of there being something wrong with the Alpha, or the Alpha being too young to know better. An experienced Alpha knew they had a better chance of mating a Beta if they proved they could protect their current litter.
Lilynette realized all of this as Grimmjow's words hit home, "We didn't mean to scare you, we really were fine, and I wouldn't take her outside without someone with us! Give me that much credit at least." She backed down at challenging him further for the time being. Grimmjow was Starrk's Alpha, so by default hers as well, she would defer to him even if she didn't like being treated like a child. At least it proved that when the twins were born, should they be his, they would be well cared for.
"Fine, just in the future make sure we know where you are at, and don't think it's just you. If you haven't noticed we all tell someone where we are going if we are planning to be somewhere out of the ordinary." Grimmjow figured the ceasefire was the closest thing he was going to get to an apology from Lilynette, "For now though, you two are coming with me. Ichigo wanted us to bring you to him when you were found, he stayed to watch the children even though he wanted to be out looking for you."
Nel clung to him as they walked through the hall, the same way she had done to Ichigo when he came to Heuco Mundo to rescue Orihime. She was babbling to him about Ichigo, but with the speed she spoke at and her accent he only heard about every fourth word. Made him start musing about what it would be like when his children were old enough to start doing things like that. He was guessing it would take about a year, if Szayel's estimate had been right about the speed of their growth, and so far, it seemed to be holding true.
Lilynette walked between Grimmjow and Harribel, she had seen the older Beta's amusement but decided not to comment on it. Lily liked Tia, she had been one of the only females around that spent any time with her, so they had gotten close. "Have you been introduced to Ichigo yet?" The blonde asked her as they walked.
Lily shook her head, "No, Starrk talks about him, but I haven't gone with him to see Ichigo yet."
"You'll like him," Tia informed her, "He fits in well with us."
"He caught Starrk's attention, though that might have been because Ichigo gave him a spot to nap away from us for awhile. I'm not afraid of him or anything, I'm just usually watching Nel, and she is a bit hyper to be around the babies while they are so young." Lilynette explained.
"Hey!" Nel protested from her perch on Grimmjow, "I wouldn't hurt Itsygo's babies!"
Grimmjow took over, "Not on purpose, but accidents happen Nel. You'll get to see them now, that's where we're going." Lilynette did have a point, but the children were strong enough now that Nel could be around without quite as high likelihood of an accident happening. Nel meant well, but she didn't control herself very well, a bit like a younger version of Szayel once he thought about it.
As if thinking of him had summoned him, Szayel and Ulquiorra came around the corner at the end of the hall, Ulquiorra had gone to find him and tell him what was going on. "You found them, good!" Szayel's voice was still tired from his mating earlier in the day, but he wasn't about to ignore Nel and Lilynette if they had gotten themselves into worse trouble then a few finger paints.
"Wasn't hard, just had to follow the trail of rubble and the pictures on the wall," Grimmjow replied, his tone halfway between amusement and exasperation with the two girls.
"At least you two are safe," Ulquiorra said, his own anxiety lessening. He may not show his emotions much, that didn't mean he didn't have them, especially now that Aizen wasn't forcing the emptiness to greater depths.
"See Grimmjow, that's how a rescuer is supposed to react to the rescuee," Lilynette teased the larger Alpha, easily dodging the hit aimed at the back of her head.
"Ohh, what did we miss?" Szayel asked looking between the smirking Lily, now using Ulquiorra as a shield, and the irritated Grimmjow.
Lily pouted, "All we got was a lecture! It went on forever!" She didn't seem to notice the odd look Ulquiorra threw her way as she had chosen him of all people to hide behind.
Grimmjow repressed the urge to growl at her, Nel was still attached to him, and as she was protective of Lilynette bad things could come from insulting her, "You deserved it and you know it. I wasn't yelling forever, ten minutes tops, that ain't bad."
Tia spoke calmly, but she couldn't resist adding in a jab at Grimmjow, "Your daughter is going to have you wrapped around her finger before she is old enough to walk."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Grimmjow demanded harshly.
Tia raised an eyebrow at him, "Can't you see yourself? You are letting a little girl climb all over you, while arguing with someone who appears only slightly older, and you've been manipulated by her more times in the last ten minutes than most people could do in a year. If you are this bad with these two, what's it going to be like with your own daughter?"
Ulquiorra cast a glance over his shoulder to the small form still using him to block Grimmjow's path, before turning back to his fellow Alpha. "She has a point Grimmjow."
"Like you're any better! She's using you right now isn't she?" He pointed out in an attempt to get the attention off him.
Ulquiorra shrugged, "Your point? She can stay there if she wants. She didn't manipulate me, but she has done so to you." He was not prepared for Lilynette to attack his side with a tight hug, and a bright grin aimed up at him. His bright emerald eyes slowly blinked in shock at her rash actions, just causing her grin to widen.
"Don't give me that look. We both know you don't mind. Now didn't we have somewhere to be?" She smirked up at him, not removing herself from his person even as they resumed the journey to Ichigo's room. Until the twins were born and they knew for sure, both Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were her Alphas, and she wasn't above using them against each other when it suited her.
Harribel just shook her head at the little Beta's actions. Both those Alphas were big softies around children or Betas, and since Lilynette currently seemed like both, they didn't have a chance at standing up to her. Oh, she was fully aware neither Alpha would admit to such a thing on pain of death, but that didn't make it any less true.
Szayel was not as composed at Harribel, and had burst out laughing as soon as Lilynette had hide behind Ulquiorra, he was still trying to get himself back under control. Now that the worry was over with, his former exuberance was coming back to the surface. He was simply too happy about the earlier events for anything to keep him down for too long, especially since both missing Arrancar had been found safe and sound.
Tia turned to the grinning Espada, his smile infectious, "So Szayel, according to Ichigo, congratulations are probably in order right?"
"I think so, too early to be completely sure, but it feels like it worked!" He was bouncing as they walked, he didn't have a calm personality at the best of times, and this situation only increased his natural flamboyancy.
Grimmjow shook his head, but matched Szayel's grin, "You know it is a bit odd for me to think about how my Beta is technically your Alpha, good luck to you Pinky."
"Aww is the kitty jealous?" Szayel teased right back, Grimmjow's usual taunts barely affecting him in his euphoria. Though he knew beneath the banter, Grimmjow had meant it when he wished him luck.
The Sexta snorted at the accusation, "Jealous? Me, jealous of you? Of course not!" He protested.
"Methinks the Alpha doth protest too much!" Szayel hit back, even as Ulquiorra and Harribel had to work on controlling themselves.
Ulquiorra was the first to pull himself together enough to speak, "Don't listen to him Szayel, he nearly had a panic attack when Ichigo came back and told us you had turned him into an Alpha." He felt Lilynette burst into laughter, burying her face in his long white coat. It was odd feeling her warmth pressed against him, but he couldn't say he didn't like it.
Szayel thought the sight of the two of them was adorable, Grimmjow usually took the lead when a parental Alpha was needed, but Ulquiorra was an Alpha too with children of his own, and it was nice to see him get to be the one sought after for comfort. Not wanting to let Ulquiorra know the exact thoughts on his mind, he continued the conversation where he let off, "Let me guess, he panicked before Ichigo told him it was temporary right?" At Ulquiorra's nod, "I wish I could have seen that, it was probably priceless."
Ulquiorra got a slight sheen to his eyes that Szayel could have sworn was amusement, "I'll show you later."
The scientist knew that recording eye would come in handy some day.
They finally made it back to Ichigo's room, and they all piled inside to find both Starrk and Ichigo inside, each one pacing the room, as the three babies slept curled together on the bed. Starrk was immediately at their side, pulling Lilynette away from Ulquiorra and into a tight embrace, "Don't you ever scare me like that again." He spoke so softly only Lily and Ulquiorra heard him since they were the closest.
"Geez Starrk, you especially should have known we were okay," She protested, but let him hold onto her.
He shook his head, "You don't understand," He continued in the same quiet tone, "If something happened to you I can't protect you as well right now. You have no idea how worried I was when I got down here and found out no one could find you."
"You didn't have anything to worry about, I'm fine, and I wouldn't go far away from you right now anyway. You're not the only one worried about not being able to protect someone, you need me to fight at your strongest. No one could touch us when we fight together, even if you are a little off balance now." She assured and teased to try to break up the serious atmosphere. She couldn't wait until her other half was a little further along; it was going to be hilarious watching him try to deal with carrying a litter for the first time. She would be right next to him the whole way through it, laughing like a maniac, but ready to help at a moments notice.
Ichigo spoke up from behind the pair, deflecting the attention off them so they could reunite in peace, "So who found them and where were they at?"
"Tia and I found them," Grimmjow answered, Nel finally allowing him to set her down, only for her to run and tackle Ichigo. His knees buckled at the hit, but he had gotten used to her enthusiasm during his first excursion in Heuco Mundo and she soon settled into a hug in a position she could squeeze as hard as she liked and he could still breathe. Grimmjow had to shake off the shock at seeing his Beta easily handle the exact same move that had sent him into a sudden meeting with the ground, but he soon finished. "Your Visored friends decided it would be a good idea to give these two finger paints and tell them to brighten up the place a bit."
Ichigo couldn't help but smile and chuckle at that, it sounded like something Shinji would pull, before looking down at the tiny girl in his arms, "Did you have fun Nel?"
"Yes!" She replied enthusiastically, "Nel drew lots, you should come see Itsygo!"
He shook his head, "Sorry Nel not right now, maybe later alright?" He breathed a sigh of relief as she agreed without a fight. "Do you want to see your cousins?" They might not be blood family, though Grimmjow did have his suspicions, but they were as good as one. Ichigo had decided the Arrancar would be addressed as family by the children, it was as much of a thank you as he could give without saying it every minute of the day.
At Nel's enthusiastic nod, Ichigo carried her over to the bed and the napping children, the adults other than Starrk following him to witness their first meeting. Ichigo set Nel down and watched as she walked over to look at them closer, a bright grin on her face. She got a slight look of confusion on her face before looking quickly back and forth between Ichigo and Hikari, "A little Itsygo?" She asked cutely still looking back and forth between the two.
Ichigo chuckled again, "Not quite, this is Hikari." He leant down and picked up his daughter before settling on the floor so he could hold her and Nel could get a better look. "She's my only little girl."
The baby in question opened her eyes sleepily, looking up at Nel. The green of Nel's hair and outfit attracting the little girl's gaze. If Ichigo didn't think she was still a little young, he would have sworn his daughter smiled at Nel.
Nel carefully reached out to pet the mop of bright orange hair, she looked at Ichigo hopefully, "Nel hold?"
Ichigo wasn't so sure about that, Nel wouldn't hurt her on purpose, but she might on accident. He was about to tell her no when Tia stepped closer to them, "Ichigo give me a minute and you won't have to worry. Nel come over here," She ordered gently, Nel looking reluctant but eventually complying. "There now, this won't hurt." Tia assured, before gathering her spirit pressure and putting her hand over the crack in Nel's mask, feeding the tendril of power into it at a tightly controlled pace.
The others looked at the exchange with interest, figuring out what Harribel was trying to do, but curious if it would work or not.
There wasn't much warning, once second Tia was feeding power into the broken mask, the next a full grown woman emerged from a plume of smoke, a gothic three showing on her back where the two parts of her green outfit didn't meet. Nelliel shook her head once or twice to clear the fog, before getting the same excited expression on her face she had as Nel, she immediately jumped to hug Tia. The two woman matched in size now. They heard Grimmjow give a disappointed sigh when Tia managed to keep her footing too, was he the only one knocked over by the green menace?
Ichigo was relieved as he realized Tia had done it for him. Nel might be just as excitable in her larger form, but he wasn't quite as nervous handing his daughter over to the full-grown woman rather than the child form that wasn't a whole lot bigger than Hikari herself. "Nel you can hold her now if you want." He offered, bringing her attention back to him.
"Yay!" She squealed enthusiastically, her body might be that of a woman's but her voice was still high and childlike, it was an odd combination.
Ichigo had Nel settle on the couch before showing her how to hold Hikari, he had no way of knowing whether she had had any children before being recruited by Aizen, but with her memory so patchy it was better to be safe than sorry. He stood back from the pair, to ask Tia in a low voice, "How long before she switches back?" He wanted to know how long he could let Nel hold her before it would be a good idea to take his daughter back. He felt a bit of relief when Szayel plopped himself down next to Nel, both of them cooing over the baby.
"Depends on how much she strains herself, relaxed like this, about twenty minutes," Tia and Nel hadn't had much to do after the death of Aizen and their Fraccion, so working together they had figured out how to help Nelliel surface for a short time. The more they did it, the longer Nel could hold her shape, but it had never lasted more than half an hour. Nel's mask was simply too broken to sustain her full body for very long. The most difficult obstacle had been the realization that Nel often forgot Tia could help her transform, the broken mask took her memories as well as her power, and they had no way of knowing which memories she would be left with when she reverted back to a child.
By that point Starrk had calmed down enough to let Lilynette go, and the two of them came over so she could properly meet Ichigo. "Are you going to yell at me too?" Those were the first words she had ever spoken to him.
"Nah, I think you've probably been lectured enough. So finger paints huh? Let me guess, the one with short blond hair and the weird smile gave them to you?" He let her off the hook without a fuss, he knew with how worried everyone had been she had already heard anything he could have said to her. It helped Lilynette's cause that she looked to be about Yuzu and Karin's age, Ichigo knew she was older, but he couldn't help but compare the girl to his little sisters.
Lilynette let out the breath she had been holding, "Finally someone whose not going to yell at us, we were just having some fun!"
Ichigo had to interrupt her there, "Don't think I didn't have a lecture planned, I just think you've already heard it. That's the only reason you're not getting one."
She scowled, but soon calmed, "Ah well, I'll take what I can get. And no it was the other one, short silver hair, had a Zanpakuto like a knife rather than a sword." His blade had been unusual enough to catch her attention.
"Kensei? It was Kensei not Shinji?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "Got to admit, wasn't expecting that one. He always seemed like the more serious type."
"Well, you used to think Grimmjow was a homicidal maniac ready to murder you at any given opportunity," Ulquiorra reminded Ichigo.
"Uh, Ulquiorra, while I understand the example, you do realize the first few times I met him he really was a homicidal maniac right?" Ichigo defended himself.
Grimmjow didn't bother to add in his opinion, he was too busy picking up Tsume who had woken up and was starting to fuss at having so many people close by with no one holding him.
Ulquiorra continued, "That was war, he was under orders, that wasn't really him."
Ichigo looked him straight in the eye, "Stop that, look I know Aizen controlled a lot of your actions, and all of you are still sorting through the mess. That doesn't mean you weren't truly like that at some point. So what if Grimmjow enjoyed fighting me? The point is he doesn't now. You have your dark side, just as I have mine, and we have our history. I willingly came here only knowing your dark sides, and now that I know more about the gentle side do you really think I am just going to run away screaming if the past gets brought up?" To prove his point he tenderly picked up Amon, the last of the children left on the bed, and laid the little boy in the Alpha's arms. "I trust you, good and bad acknowledged, and that goes for all of you."
Ulquiorra looked down at the child cuddling closer to his chest, his arms instinctively tightening their hold, and simply nodded his head in agreement with Ichigo's words.
The serious mood was shattered as Lilynette suddenly laughed, "You know what Tia? You were right, I like him."
Ichigo shook his head in bemusement, "Thank you, I'm glad you approve." The words might have been serious, but the tone was light and playful.
Lily stalked up to him, pressing one long finger to his chest, "You better be glad, I'm trusting you with Starrk. Hurt him, I hurt you." She threatened, but Ichigo couldn't help it. The sight of the young girl threatening him over the safety of the Primera Espada was too much for him to take. For the first time in Heuco Mundo, Ichigo Kurosaki laughed. No chuckling or short burst, but full on laughter to the point of his sides aching.
Once he started it took him awhile to calm down, shoulders still shaking a bit, he managed a reply, "I'm sorry, but that was priceless. You have nothing to worry about, I'm not going to hurt him, or let him get hurt."
"Lilynette, I'm not an invalid," Starrk protested at being drug into the conversation between the two.
Szayel shook his head at the exasperated brunette, "Oh let them be, they are bonding, you are the one thing they have in common at the moment. Besides, it won't be much longer before you might need help here and there, may as well get used to it now."
"In the future yes, but I'm not there yet," Starrk grumbled, settling down on the couch next to Szayel on the other side from Nelliel and Hikari. His worry had kept him up pacing with Ichigo, but he was tired again now that the fear had gone down.
"Well hopefully you wont be alone in that, it won't be so bad if there is more than one of us for them to smother," Szayel attempted to give Starrk some hope.
Starrk nodded in agreement, "I'm hoping that's the case."
Nelliel interrupted them as she looked down at the baby in her arms, "Take her? I might not last much longer." Shards of memories returned to her as she sustained her adult form, including a less childish mode of speech.
"Oh can I? I've never held a baby, I need the practice." Lilynette volunteered, coming over to the trio on the couch to take the baby from Nelliel.
Szayel and Starrk watched the exchange carefully, ready to step in if it looked like there would be a problem, but the two girls managed the swap without complications. "What do you think Lily?" Starrk asked his other half, he had already gotten some practice from helping Ichigo in the afternoons, and it was amusing to see her be such a natural at holding Hikari.
She grinned up at him, "I think we'll be okay. This is really neat." She started to tickle the child, who seemed much more interested in grabbing at the pale green hair brushing her cheek than the tickle game Lilynette had started.
Glad that everyone knew now and he didn't have to be so careful with his gestures; Starrk let his hand rest on his stomach as he watched Lilynette play with Hikari. He was still anxious about his first litter, but he was a lot calmer now that he could see how much she was enjoying being around children. Szayel bumped into his shoulder softly, catching both the gesture and the meaning behind it, "You know you two will be fine. This is your first, but you're the oldest. You know what to do, just learn to trust yourself." It was odd that, for once, the younger Beta was giving advice, but in this case Szayel did have more experience. "Look at Ichigo, he didn't even know it was possible until he was already carrying his first litter, and he is managing to impress all of us."
Starrk didn't see any point in denial, "I know that, but I'm still a bit…" He trailed off, trying to find the right words.
"Worried? Apprehensive?" Szayel tried to help him out.
He shook his head, "No, more concerned. I usually know what's going to happen, and what I need to do to deal with it. This is new to me, and I'm not sure I like the feeling. Don't worry, I'm happy about this too, it's just odd for me." Starrk did his best to explain, but the words didn't want to flow right.
Szayel smiled, also leaning back and mimicking Starrk's pose, he wasn't even sure he was carrying but he was hoping so much he hadn't been able to keep his hand away for more than a few minutes. "Starrk this is one thing it's okay if you don't have all the answers. I've had four, and I still don't have any idea what is going to happen with this one. I can guess, but I don't know. Like I said, you'll be fine."
Starrk watched Lilynette and Hikari for a little longer before responding, "I hope you're right."
"I know I'm right," Szayel stated with such flippant confidence Starrk couldn't help but smile at him.
While Szayel and Starrk were talking, Nelliel slid off the couch and went over to where Ichigo was speaking with the others, the Alphas still in possession of the boys. "The Shinigami will be arriving soon. I think we should have Starrk and Szayel stay here with the kids, probably with Nel and Lilynette too. If something goes wrong, the rest of us can fight freer if we don't have to worry about them." Ichigo was talking calmly, but there was an edge to his usual outpouring of power that spoke volumes about his unease.
Grimmjow nodded in agreement, "I agree, it would be better to only have one vulnerable place to protect. If the rest of us didn't manage to win Szayel and Starrk can still fight if they have to, so can Lilynette and Nel when it comes down to it. We should try to keep them out of it as much as possible, but it might not be avoided."
"I don't like it," Tia disagreed, "If we did lose, than the Shinigami only have to get through the defenses in one place, if they get in we lose them all."
Nelliel chose that moment to interject, "Keep us together, better in a group than on our own. You need to show one of them how to transform me, I want to help if I can." Her voice was young, frank, and earnest, the voice of a child making an important decision.
"Are you sure Nel?" Ichigo asked with a worried frown.
She nodded emphatically, "Yes, because if we lose all of you, we wouldn't want to be hunted down one by one. Keep us together, either we all live, or we don't. That would be better than being alone."
Even Tia couldn't argue with Nelliel when she spoke like that, "All right, I'm still not sure about it, but we'll do it your way." She had just finished speaking, when Nelliel went weak in the knees, a few heartbeats latter, a passed out Nel was lying on the ground. Tia picked her up and tucked her into the bed, thinking Ichigo wouldn't mind if Nel rested here to regain her strength.
"We won't have anything to worry about if the Soul Society is telling the truth. I remember how angry Yamamoto was at me, but even his closest Captains were kind enough to think up a way to keep my children and I alive. Plus even if I don't trust Soul Society much anymore, I do trust the Visoreds, and they wouldn't bring anyone near me they weren't completely sure was legitimately trying to talk to me. The fact we have something to offer shouldn't make us forget it was them who requested the meeting first." Ichigo had some time to think since Shinji's admission that there were Shinigami who had taken his side, not Yamamoto's. Thinking back it was easier to see the small kindnesses offered, only enough they wouldn't be caught by their superior, but it was more than he would have gotten otherwise.
Ulquiorra decided to use a bit of the same bluntness Ichigo had shown him earlier, "Ichigo, do you really believe that or was that you only wishing they were so trustworthy?"
Ichigo made a frustrated sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh, "Honestly? My trust in the Visoreds is absolute after everything they have done that was purely for my benefit. Do I think that some Soul Reapers may be able to trick them? It's happened before. I think there does need to be some kind of back up plan should things go south, I just really hope we won't need to use it." The Visoreds had learned a lot from Aizen's betrayal, but that didn't mean the same thing couldn't happen again.
Grimmjow carried Tsume over, and gave him to his Beta knowing the child could calm Ichigo down, and he would need calming once he was done talking, "Ichigo, why do you want to believe in them so badly?" It seemed odd for Ichigo to be so willing to delude himself into trusting them he forgot they were part of the very same group that exiled him while pregnant.
Ichigo knew exactly why Grimmjow had passed him their son, but since he found himself needing the comfort, didn't protest. "Grimmjow, I spent months training and practicing until I could barely move from the pain of overworked muscles and whatever training injuries I happened to have. I did it all to protect those people. I need to believe that all that time and effort wasn't a complete waste. Not when I could have used that same skill in the living world to protect my home and friends. I do believe there are Shinigami in the Seireitei who were not brainwashed into believing everything Yamamoto says." Ichigo had to pause here and take a steadying breath.
He cuddled his son closer and kept talking, "The first time I went to Soul Society it was to prevent Rukia being executed because she gave up her power to let me save my family. During that time, I met several people who were working to get the death sentence overturned. Captain Ukitake was one of two Captains that defied Yamamoto to his face on the day she was supposed to die. If he was willing to go that far for a squad member that had been convicted of a crime she really did commit, what do you think his reaction would be to the order that three completely innocent children should die before they even draw breath?"
Grimmjow settled a heavy hand on Ichigo's shoulder, before pulling the Beta back into him for a tight hug, nuzzling into his neck. "I didn't say we wouldn't give them a chance, when you say it like that than yes I think it's worth the risk, but I don't want you to get your hopes too high and not be able to fight at full strength if it comes to that."
"Grimmjow I promise you, if the Shinigami show any signs of turning against us I will fight with everything I have. I managed to keep my children alive while we were alone out on the desert. I will not lose them now that we finally have a safe place." Ichigo assured.
"That's all we can ask," Grimmjow responded, the other two nodding their heads in agreement.
Things would either be really good from here on out, or everything was about to go up in flames.
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Safe in my Arms