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
- 71
- 72
- 73
Warnings: You may need to jump back one chapter. Did a bit of a double post.

Restoration

　

Karin sobbed with relief as the overwhelming emotional onslaught from Szayel finally ceased shortly before she saw and felt Jushiro give three pulses of his reiatsu.

The white-haired Taichou had apparently been the one to find Ajuga. Karin raced towards him to find them in one of the many parks. Starrk and Lilinette had both already arrived as well, beating her there by a few minutes.

�Mama, I do good?� Ajuga demanded, squirming from Jushiro�s arms to run into hers.

Karin held her tightly, until the girl squeaked in protest, and murmured she had.

�It is unlike Ajuga-chan to wander off, more so at night,� Starrk commented sleepily, scratching his side and then the hair at the back of his neck.

Lilinette, for a change, looked ready to agree with him, her green hair mussed and any awe she might have inspired as the other half of the First Espada was countered by the pyjamas she was wearing covered with flowers and bunnies.

�I was playing hide n� seek with Papa and Mama,� Ajuga smiled happily.

�What is going on, Karin-chan?� Jushiro asked worriedly.

Karin looked between the two of them, wondering if she should tell them the truth. Finally, she decided to tell as much of it as she could. She owed it to them both for waking them up so late at night right after a battle.

�Lilinette-chan, can you get Ajuga-chan home please?� Karin requested.

She did not want to explain any of what had happened in front of her daughter, nor let her see whatever shape Szayel was in.

�But�� Lilinette started to object when a hand landed on her shoulder.

�Lilinette,� Starrk interrupted.

�Fine, alright! Come on Ajuga-chan!� Lilinette grouched, and offered the little girl her hand.

�Go home with Lily-chan. Mama and Papa will be home a bit later. We have to let everyone know we found you and that the game is over,� Karin said, encouraging her daughter to go.

� �kay,� Ajuga chirped happily and took Lilinette�s hand.

The two disappeared in a burst of Sonido and Karin felt her shoulders droop a little.

�Karin?� Jushiro questioned, arms folded across his chest. For a change, both he and Starrk shared a confused look, before Starrk blew it by yawning.

�I�ll talk while we move. We need to get to the Research Building,� she replied.

�Why there?� Jushiro asked as they launched into their respective Shunpo/Sonido.

�Starrk-san, you must be aware that Szayel has been Claimed, right?� Karin, asked.

The First Espada�s eyebrow went up, but he nodded.

�Indeed,� he confirmed in a dry voice, sounding as if someone had given him a piece of old, stale news.

�Claimed?� Jushiro exclaimed, surprised.

�During one of the early battles with the Swarm, his mask was heavily damaged. If a Hollow�s mask is cracked, it causes his or her reiatsu to leak away and they regress, which is why he looks younger now than this time last year. Claiming a Hollow after an injury like that puts a stopper on the surge of escaping reiatsu and halts the regression, keeping them from becoming a child. Well, for whatever reason, Aizen was pissed at him tonight, so Grimmjow sent Ajuga off so he would have an excuse to barge in and stop whatever was going on,� Karin explained.

�I take it you only did such a thing because there was no one else around to save him,� Starrk drawled.

Karin nearly froze and almost missed her next step, as did Jushiro.

�Karin?�

She sighed and shot a glare at Starrk, who ignored it completely.

�You are too damn smart for your own good,� she snarled.

Starrk�s initial reply was a look that said he found the topic a little tedious and the words that followed were delivered in that same, sleepy monotone.

�I assume you are capable of such a feat by touch alone, since I doubt you had the time or inclination to use conventional methods. Your ability to fuse your reiatsu into objects seems to have some interesting side effects.�

�Way too bloody smart,� she grumbled. �Alright yes, I am the one who has Szayel Claimed, hence the reason I trust him with the kids.�

�The laws�� Jushiro pointed out, looking concerned.

�They don�t affect this. I am not an Espada, he is not a fraccion, and no one was trying to Claim him when I did so. Of course with the gap in our power levels I have to refresh it every four months.�

The glass dome finally came into sight and Karin wasted no time rushing to Szayel�s bedroom. Grimmjow was sprawled leisurely on the couch in his blood-stained uniform while Nemu sat on the edge of her chair. Her hands were clasped so tightly her nails were drawing blood and it looked as if a loud noise would have put her on the ceiling.

The fact the normally stoic Nemu radiated such worry was a clear sign that Szayel�s condition was worse than she thought. Karin could hear the shower running and wasted no time pushing into the bathroom. She found him much like she had the first time, curled up on the shower floor whimpering, numerous fresh injuries layered over the healed ones she�d tried so hard to treat. Everywhere she looked on him she could see a new tear, a new gash. But that wasn�t what made this worse than the last time she�d been in this bathroom.

This time she was shocked to see his Zanpakuto in his grasp and several fresh and deep cuts running from the wrists to the elbows on his arms. Those cuts had severed veins and were busy pumping blood, which caused the water rushing down the drain to become a torrent of flowing red. She watched in shock as he raised the edge of the blade again, intent in adding another deep cut to the ones already there.

�Shit!!!� she cursed, rushed forward and pried the blade from his hand before it could land. �Someone get Orihime-chan NOW!!!!�

The others burst in at her hysterical cry. Starrk stuck his head into the room, took one look at what was going on and vanished. Karin could only hope it was to fetch the one person that might be able to keep the scientist alive.

�Fucking hell,� Grimmjow cursed, his blue eyes gone wide as he elbowed past Nemu to see what had happened. �I should have known better than to assume he was alright after something like that,� he spat.

�Like what?� Jushiro demanded, rushing to Karin�s side with several towels.

Trust the former Captain of the Thirteenth to have the presence of mind to use one of the towels to cover Szayel�s nudity. He and Karin quickly started to apply pressure to the deep and long slashes in his arms with the others. Szayel whimpered softly and tried to shift away from them. Both of them tightened their grip on him, ignoring the hot water still cascading down upon them and soaking their clothes.

�No more please,� Szayel whimpered weakly. �I don�t know why,� he added with a sob, repeating it over and over as Jushiro and Karin tried to help him. �I don�t know why� I don�t know why��

�What did Aizen do to him?� Karin demanded of her mate with a harsh snarl.

Grimmjow seemed at a loss for words at that, but was spared from revealing the details when yet another presence made herself known at the bathroom door.

�Oh, Kami!� came a shocked voice from the doorway.

Karin�s looked up to see to see the horror plastered on Orihime�s face.

Both hands covered her mouth as if to stifle a scream. Then a pair of hands gently pushed her forward and she moved to kneel just outside of the spray of the water, revealing a rather displeased looking Ulquiorra bringing up the rear.

It was a good thing Szayel was rather vain, and as such had a rather large bathroom because it was getting crowded with this many people crammed in here.

�What happened to him?� Orihime demanded in a shaken voice.

�Do not heal him,� Ulquiorra suddenly ordered coldly.

�What? Why?� Orihime shot an astounded look at him.

�Heal the gashes in his arms only,� Karin quickly countered, putting more pressure on the towel in her hands.

�He needs to be fully healed!!!� Orihime argued, looking back and forth at the two of them as if they�d lost their minds.

�Use your senses Onna. These wounds were inflicted by Kami-sama. They are not to be treated,� Ulquiorra ordered sternly.

�Fuck Kami,� Grimmjow snarled viciously, blue eyes fixing themselves on Ulquiorra, his temper finally showing itself.

�Start with his arms, those were self-inflicted and the most threatening,� Karin ordered again. �I�m afraid of what will happen if he loses any more blood.�

Orihime looked to Ulquiorra, who gave a reluctant nod of his head.

�Soten Kisshun,� Orihime declared with a shuddering breath.

Jushiro and Karin backed off as the shield enveloped the delirious Espada. Orihime�s eyes widened in horror as the damage report came in and she had to fight back a wave of sobs.

�Why are you so displeased Grimmjow?� Ulquiorra demanded after a moment of silence. �I find it hard to believe you would worry about Szayel�s fate, regardless of who administered it.�

�Because when I found his pathetic ass, Aizen fucking Kami was in the middle of raping him,� he snarled in outrage.

Karin froze and everyone shot a startled look at Grimmjow, whose hands were clenched so tightly blood was dripping from his palms.

�I don�t understand,� Orihime whispered softly. �No one was upset about us being raped. Or the many still suffering at the hands of those who Claimed them. In fact, you said it was your right,� she added bitterly, looking at Ulquiorra.

�It is my right as Victor�� Ulquiorra began, but didn�t get far..

�That is Claiming and Dominating,� Grimmjow broke in, his face contorted in an expression of anger and disgust. �It is always from behind and Aizen doesn�t have a Victor�s right to use Szayel anyway. Not even someone as sick-minded as Nnoitra can be would stoop so low as to force himself on that Rangiku chick from a mate�s position without her permission,� Grimmjow snapped. �Nor force her to look into his eyes while he fucked her,� he added. �I caught your precious Aizen with his pants down, literally!!�

�Rape is still rape,� Orihime countered, although no one seemed to hear her.

�Impossible,� Ulquiorra breathed, green eyes growing larger and more vivid as Grimmjow related what he�d seen. �He would never��

�I know what I saw and walked into, Ulquiorra,� Grimmjow snarled, cutting him off. �Do you honestly find it so hard to believe your beloved Aizen-kami could be so fucking twisted? Fucking look at him Ulquiorra!!� he raged, pointing a finger at Szayel�s shivering, unseeing form. �Aizen�s reiatsu is all over him and in him. Go ahead and see with that �all knowing gaze� of yours!� Grimmjow taunted. �Tell me what you see and then try to deny it!!�

�Grimmjow, your language,� Karin admonished weakly.

Despite all the arguing and yelling, Szayel still had yet to stir much, other than to make odd whimpering noises, trying to scoot away from them through the wall at his back, and whisper �I don�t know� over and over like a broken record. Finally, Karin decided that the more was not the merrier and turned around.

�Everyone except Orihime-chan OUT!,� Karin ordered sternly before the argument between Grimmjow and Ulquiorra could really deteriorate into a fight that neither the bathroom�s structure, nor the majority of the people huddled within it could withstand.

If she couldn�t reign in her mate or the other Espada, she could at least get them away from the person she was the most concerned with at the moment.

The others, except a stricken-looking Nemu, filed out without an argument, but as soon as the door was closed, Karin could catch traces of the building dispute taking place on the other side. Thankfully, Starrk had decided to occupy Grimmjow�s previously held spot on the couch. If things got ugly she hoped that he would see fit to stop the two of them in their tracks. Karin ignored Nemu�s presence; the woman was standing silently out of the way anyhow and if it came down to it, had first-aid knowledge if she needed help.

The slashes on Szayel�s arms healed quickly enough. Orihime stopped after that, eyes screwed shut and hands clenched in her lap. The water still cascaded down on the lot of them, drenching them and running pink from the numerous wounds inflicted upon his body. However, it was no longer running red and Karin was thankful for that. The water had also probably washed out the majority of his wounds, so with any luck, they wouldn�t have to worry about an infection. Reaching up, she turned off the faucets.

�Szayel?� Karin called softly.

Other than a whimper she got no further response. She grasped his chin and forced his eyes to meet hers. They were completely devoid of reason or recognition of anything around him, as if no one was home. His brain had completely shut down in self-defence.

She hauled him into a sitting position and leaned his shredded back against the wall. He let out a cry of pain and tried to pull away, but she held him still with one hand while raising the other.

�Karin what?� Orihime questioned and then gasped as Karin let her hand fly, slapping the Espada hard across the face.

A faint glimmer of light appeared in his eyes. She slapped him again. The third time his hand absently raised to block her, but there was still no one home and he didn�t move beyond blocking her blow.

�Well at least his survival instincts have kicked back in,� she thought. �But it�s not enough to stimulate thought. There must be something I can do it snap him out of it,� she thought frantically. �What is the solution to two times two?� she suddenly demanded as a thought entered her mind.

He didn�t respond.

�Damn it Szayel, answer me!� she ordered, giving his shoulders a shake. �Two times two, now.�

�Four,� he answered automatically.

�Twelve times twelve,� she barked, shooting for something harder.

�144,� he answered without hesitation or inflection.

His responses were automatic, like a calculator. She was losing that hint of light in his eyes and knew she needed something more challenging, something to stimulate his brain into action. She tried another question. Again he answered quickly and automatically. She tried a dozen different questions and each he answered with ease.

�I need something harder. Something he will actually have to think about,� she muttered in frustration.

�What is the reverse of the software code for the program you installed last spring on the decoding machine intended to decipher Karin-san�s DNA,� Nemu suggested from her spot against the opposite wall.

For the first time Szayel�s eyes blinked out of sequence and his head cocked to the side before he started spouting what sounded like random drivel for all of ten seconds before he stopped and turned his gaze to Karin of his own free will.

�Clever,� he admitted softly, his voice still hoarse from hours of screaming.

�Yeah, well, sorry it took so long but not all of us are as smart as you are,� Karin commented with a soft smile of relief.

�True enough,� he rasped.

�Nemu, can you go make something for his throat?� Karin questioned.

Nemu nodded and stepped out of the room.

�Can you stand?� Karin asked.

He tried to rise, but cried out almost at once and nearly fell. Karin and Orihime both caught him and helped him back to the floor, where he moaned and shifted painfully.

�Go get all the blankets and towels you can find and lay them out onto the floor, quickly,� Karin ordered.

�Got it,� Orihime complied quickly.

Once a makeshift cushion had been made Karin helped him stand up. He cried out in pain as they moved him and he used his hands to clutch the towel to his waist to give him a semblance of decency.

�Here, put all your weight on me. Orihime-chan, get his other side,� Karin ordered.

�Right,�

Their trip across the floor, all of seven feet, was accompanied by small sounds of pain with the odd cry of agony if they moved him too quickly. He still whimpered softly as they got him down on his chest, it being the least damaged part of his body.

His entire back was shredded and Karin was horrified to see that his ankles and the soles of his feet had even been hurt. No wonder he�d been unable to stand for long. Like last time Aizen had spared his face, but his once well-groomed hair looked as if someone hacked at it with a pair of hedge clippers, then had ripped out a couple of handfuls for good measure.

Most of the blood above the neckline came from cuts on his scalp. They were shallow, but Karin knew all head wounds tended to bleed terribly. His wrists were abraded, bloodied and bruised with what looked like chain marks. The real damage was slowly revealed as she sponged the blood away.

At first she had thought the marks on his back were from nails or something along those lines, after she�d cleaned the residual blood away, she realized that someone had carved kanji into the flesh of his back. She felt renewed anger as her ministrations revealed the message.

�Orihime-chan, can you heal this?� Karin asked coldly.

�Ile,� she sobbed softly. �Ulquiorra�s order not to heal him was Claim-enforced.�

�What?� Karin snapped in anger.

She had to squelch the urge to go out and wrap her hands around the Fourth Espada�s neck and wring it until his head rung like a bell. Orihime must have correctly deciphered the look on her face because she held her shaking hands up.

�Don�t be mad, Karin-chan. He hasn�t used the Claim against me in several years. I think he did it unconsciously because he is worried about me and the baby and what Aizen-kami might do if I were to disobey his edict.�

She was right, of course. Karin counted to ten and then patted the miserable-looking Orihime on the shoulder to try to reassure her.

�You know me. Bleeding heart. Orders or not, I always help those in need. It�s in my nature,� Orihime sniffed a little and smiled sadly. �He�s just looking out for me because he knows me too well and there is no telling what Aizen would do to us if we were to go against his laws about aiding those he has punished.�

�I can�t argue much when you put it that way,� Karin sighed in defeat. Then she turned her attention to the researcher stretched out on the floor.

�What did you do to anger Aizen this time?� Karin asked Szayel.

�Nothing,� Szayel whispered softly. �I did nothing.�

�Why did he hurt you if you did nothing?� Orihime questioned confused.

��Let me guess�� Karin interjected. �He wanted to know something, a question you couldn�t answer,� she deduced.

Szayel nodded his head to spare his throat.

�The bugs. We don�t know where they are coming from,� he whispered weakly. �I�I tried to explain that we didn�t have enough data yet to make a hypothesis about them. All we know is how they�re opening the portals to this realm��

Szayel left of, his scream-roughened voice trailing off with a cough.

�He did this to you over that?� Karin exclaimed, stunned. �Is he not Kami, Mr. All-Seeing and All-Knowing? If anyone should be able to see where these bloody things are coming from, it is him,� she snapped in anger.

�Karin-chan,� Orihime paused in wrapping Szayel�s left arm up in bandages to rest a hand on her knee to calm her.

Karin took a deep breath before she returned to cleaning the blood on his back, revealing more of the text Aizen had carved in.

�Orihime-chan, can you check on Nemu-san for me, see what�s taking her so long?� Karin requested.

�Alright, I will be right back,� she answered before getting up, washing the blood from her hands, and walking out.

The sound of the others debating came through the open door, but it didn�t seem like they were arguing anymore. When she was sure they were alone, she spoke to him in a low voice, pitched so that her next question remained between the two of them.

�Aizen didn�t really do this because you haven�t found the bugs yet, did he?� Karin questioned softly. �He did this because he fears you might actually find a way to hurt him and this is just a reminder of who is in charge, isn�t it?� she finished, resting a hand softly on his shoulder.

The other remained still beneath her hand, before slowly nodding his head.

Karin sighed and went back to cleaning and binding his wounds, working in silence. Nemu and Orihime both returned at the same time, and together they slowly treated, salved, and finished stitching and binding the numerous injuries.

Szayel�s rear looked like it had been lashed with a crop, covered in cuts, welts and bruises. Karin doubted he would be able to sit for a week, if not longer. She glared at the metal rods that someone had inserted into his nipples, the flesh around them reddened and probably painfully swollen. His entire back had Aizen�s little message carved into it.

She left the tending of his more private anatomy to Nemu, but she could still see the bruised flesh of his manhood and blood and cum was still seeping from his abused rear. She very much doubted he would be thinking about sex for quite some time, at least not without some trauma. Any hopes he would have gotten past the PTSD from the last round in Aizen�s hands died. All of those wounds had just been reopened and unfortunately, there was no medicine she could give him, and no stitches she could put into him that would treat that.

Even when they were finally done tending his injuries, they were faced with the problem of his wounded feet. The soles of his feet and ankles had been damaged to the point where putting any weight on them was an impossibility. Nemu carried him instead, ignoring the others gathered in his chamber as they walked through it and brought him right to his room, settling him in bed as comfortably as they could.

�My Zanpakuto?� he questioned once he was tucked in.

�No offence, but seeing as how I walked in on you using it to slice your arms wide open, I think I am going to hang onto it for now,� Karin answered that matter-of-factly.

�From what I have heard, wouldn�t that be just as dangerous to you as me?� he questioned with a hint of a smile.

Karin scowled at him while Orihime giggled.

�Oh shut up,� Karin threw her arms up in the air, but didn�t hand the blade over. �Until I am positive you aren�t going to try and kill yourself, I am holding onto it. Nemu-san, can I trust you to make sure he doesn�t try to drown, poison or toss himself off of a building or some other nonsense?� Karin asked the young woman.

�Hai, Karin-san,� Nemu bowed softly. �But couldn�t you just order him otherwise?�

�I could, but that would only make any potential psychosis worse,� Karin answered. �And you definitely don�t need any more of those episodes,� she pointed a finger at him.

�I am perfectly, mentally stable, thank you,� he retorted in his own defence.

�You just keep telling yourself that,� she replied dourly. �Get some sleep and I�ll talk to you tomorrow, or later today depending on how you want to look at it,� she ordered.

He gave a nod of his head, closed his eyes and fell asleep almost instantly, physically drained from his ordeal and injuries.

�I�ll actually be shocked if he doesn�t have nightmares about this,� Karin groaned and sighed heavily. �Nemu-san, can you give him a sedative to prevent such a thing. I am not up for dealing with any more Claim-induced terror tonight, even if it�s only caused by his subconscious.�

�Of course, Karin-san. I shall do so at once,� Nemu agreed.

Karin pinched the bridge of her and she squared her shoulders.

�Good. If he does try to kill himself again or the drugs don�t stop the nightmares, come get me,� she ordered.

�I will,� Nemu promised.

�Good. Then let�s clear out the crowd. If I just went through something like that, a congregation hovering around my bed would be the last thing I�d want.�

�Why are you so worried about him, Karin-chan?� Orihime asked curiously. �Not that that�s a bad thing, mind you��

Karin sighed, wondering if she should answer or not. It wasn�t that she didn�t trust Orihime with her secret ability to Claim, it was that she didn�t trust Ulquiorra not to report it to Aizen as a potential threat should he get it out of her either by accident or deliberate orders.

�He has done a lot for my family, for me and Ajuga. No one deserves to suffer something like what Aizen did to him,� she finally said.

Orihime nodded in agreement. While she was still upset over the double standard about what constituted as rape and what didn�t in the Hollow mindset, she had to concede that if she had been forced to look into Ulquiorra�s eyes over all those years he had raped her, she would have broken a long time ago.

Both women left the room to join the others in the living area. Absently, Karin noticed that Jushiro had changed out of his soaked clothes into one of Szayel�s spare uniforms. It was far too big on him, but at least he was dry. Orihime�s clothing had only been damp and was now mostly dried, if a little wrinkled. Her own was damp, but she�d played soccer as a girl in sweat-soaked clothing, so she shrugged it off.

�Well?� Grimmjow was the first to break the silence that had descended upon the room as the two woman entered.

Karin clenched her hands so tightly that, like he had done earlier, blood welled from her nails as they cut into her palms.

�I don�t know,� she said softly. �I have never seen such damage. We should leave for now and let him rest. He won�t be able to walk for a week, if the wounds on his feet are any indication.�

She felt tears threaten the corner of her eyes. She had never believed anyone could have been so cruel, to be so evil as to do this to someone else. How anyone could do such a thing to their own, loyal subordinate?

�Onna?� Ulquiorra questioned, looking at Orihime.

Orihime had tears in her eyes as she looked back at him. Now that the scientist was safely asleep and she no longer needed to keep up such a strong façade, she flung herself into his startled arms and started to sob brokenly.

�It�s pretty bad,� Karin answered, fighting back her own tears of rage, frustration and helplessness.

Grimmjow closed the distance between them and held her. She shuddered in his grasp, but managed to maintain her cool exterior.

�We should leave. Nemu-san promised to let us know if his state changes,� Karin said firmly.

�You still have his Zanpakuto,� Jushiro pointed out.

�I know. I don�t want him trying to kill himself again� Karin answered tiredly.

�Was Aizen�s discipline that awful?� Starrk asked and then his sleepy-looking brown eyes seemed to make a study of the fingernails on his left hand. He then frowned, as if considering something deeper than his cuticles. �It is rare to find anything terrible enough to drive an Espada to suicide. I�m willing to bet that this has been going on for some time. Seems a little odd that someone who succeeds at his work as often as Szayel does would be hurt this badly,� he finished, ending with a large yawn.

It was the most that Karin had ever heard out of the First Espada at any one time. Even Jushiro was looking at him with one elegant eyebrow raised.

�I would have tried,� Karin answered softly, barely keeping it together. �I wish we could have had Orihime heal at least some of the damage. He is going to be bedridden for some time.�

Then, in a fit of pique, she decided to make it clear to Ulquiorra how Aizen�s punishment and Szayel�s subsequent condition would affect him personally. Narrowing her eyes a little, she added the next bit just for him.

�I doubt that he�ll be well enough to see to his half of Orihime�s prenatal care for a little while,� she said waspishly. �Maybe Nemu can figure out the programming, but I know for a fact that Szayel personally modified many of the machines he used to monitor Ajuga for a human-Hollow baby and they require his expertise to maintain and run. Those devices were originally intended for human use only. Even Unohana�s knowledge of them is limited to the models available in the living world. Hopefully she can pick up the slack while he heals enough to stand for more than a minute at a time.�

Karin wanted to add ��.just in case anything should go wrong with the baby� to the end, but Grimmjow�s arms tightened around her, a warning that she was straying very close to implying that there might be an immediate threat to the other�s unborn child. So she swallowed that and let her words hang there in the resulting silence enfolding everyone in the room.

She let her barb do its work and as intended, it squarely hit its mark. Ulquiorra�s green eyes blinked and for a second, he opened his mouth as if to say something. Then he looked down at Orihime, her face burrowed into his chest, quietly soaking the front of his uniform with her muffled tears. After a moment, he closed his mouth without a word

Her satisfaction at making her point did little to ease her anger and frustration. Grimmjow�s vice-like grip on her was the only reason she wasn�t storming after Aizen right now. Judging by the rage she picked up from him, she had a feeling her grasp was also the only thing holding him here. That and a healthy fear that it could just as easily be one of them in Szayel�s position should they tempt Aizen�s displeasure any further tonight. For a few minutes no one moved or spoke, each lost in thought or busy glowering at one another like Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were from opposite ends of the room.

�We are returning home,� Ulquiorra announced abruptly, breaking eye contact and looking away.

For a split second, Karin felt a small, mean jot of triumph across their link from Grimmjow before he closed his eyes and she felt him rest his chin on the top of her head, breathing deeply.

�Right, good night, and thank you for your help in locating Ajuga-chan and assisting with Szayel,� Karin nodded at the rest of them.

Ulquiorra and Orihime left first, and Karin swore that the normally dispassionate Fourth Espada seemed� disquieted by the night�s events. Or at least, put out. That would suit Karin just fine.

Everyone headed out, returning to their homes. Karin didn�t even attempt to go to bed once they got home, but rather sat on one of larger limbs of one of the garden�s leafless trees in silence, staring up at the moon, huddled in her mate�s arms.

They exchanged no words, simply taking silent comfort from each other�s presence and each tried to wrestle individually with their rage. Ajuga joined them at one point and Karin didn�t have the heart to send their daughter away. The night sky began to lighten to indigo, then deep blue and finally, to a golden pink before her daughter startled her with a question.

�Mama?� Ajuga asked as the sun began to rise.

�Yes?�

�Is Szay alright?�

�Why do you ask?� Karin replied, surprised.

�Because you both smell like his blood,� Ajuga answered softly. �Did he get hurt?�

Both parents stiffened and looked at one another in surprise before looking back at their child.

�Is Szay going to be okay?� Ajuga asked, a little more urgently, looking up at them with innocent eyes.

It was an innocence Karin never wanted to see destroyed, but at the same time she had promised herself to never lie to her daughter. Inwardly cringing, she finally settled on an answer that met both requirements.

�I don�t know.�

Ajuga looked down at her small hands, and then back up at her mother.

�Can I see him today?�

�We will see,� Karin promised. �But he may not be well enough to see anyone but Nemu-san for a while.�

��kay,� Ajuga curled into her lap comfortably before finally dozing off.

Karin sighed wistfully, and wished sleep would be able to come so easily to her as she settled more firmly against Grimmjow�s chest. She swore the only thing holding her together right now was the comfortable feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her and their daughter.

　

Well, we got over a foot of snow last ngiht and can�t even get out of the court we live in at the moment, lol. Least the wind stopped.
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Prize of Victory