Mina's Orange Rose

I feel a twinge in my stomach as I go to lay in bed next to Byakuya. He looks tired as usual. Soutaichou had him filling out more stupid paperwork today. It's Christmas Eve! Come on! Doesn't he ever let anyone get a break? I slide in bed to lay on my side and pillow my head on Byakuya's shoulder. I can feel his hand in my hair, running his long fingers through it. I feel another twinge but ignore it. I've been getting these a lot lately. I'm as of now on my due date but still haven't went into labor. This kid must take after me and want to be late.

"What is it Renji?" I hear Byakuya say. I must have a made a sound or something for him to ask.

"Nothin'," I reply, looking up to look at him.

He looks unconvinced. "You may a sound as if you were in some pain." He comments."Are you still having those pains in your abdomen? Should we go to the fourth?"

I shake my head. "Nah, I'm fine." Is it hot in here?

I can see Byakuya raise a brow. "You were supposed to deliver today, it's Christmas Eve."

"I know…I suppose this kid takes after me. He wants to be late and not cause me much pain yet."

"Are you saying that our carrying our child has put you in a great deal of pain?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm saying that I've been in some pain since my due date was close and annoyed all the way through since it's not normal for a guy to be pregnant in the first place."

He sighs and closes his eyes. I close my eyes too and I'm almost asleep until Byakuya speaks again. "I'm sorry,"

My brows furrow. "Why?" I ask.

I can feel his hand still running through my hair until it stops. I look up again. "Why?" I repeat.

He looks at me and our eyes connect. "Because I did this to you."

I shake my head firmly. "Stop it, okay? You didn't know this was going to happen and I'm happy to be having your kid."

"But you just said—"

"I said I hate the pains and restlessness that comes with being pregnant. I never said I didn't like having a kid."I state firmly.

"So…you find this pleasing?" He asks.

I nod and shift to get more comfortable."I may not like the throwing up and shit but I'm damn proud to be having your baby."

His fingers run through my hair again and I sigh. I lay my head back down and close my eyes.

"I am glad you do not find this to be a burden…" He says quietly.

I open my eyes again and shift them to Byakuya. He has that rare smile on. I love that smile and I'm the only one who gets to see it…well me and Mai anyway.

I move my head up and kiss him on the lips. "I love you, Byakuya."

"I love you too, Renji." He says and kisses me again.

I suddenly feel a pain in my stomach and I wince. "Are you alright?"

I shake my head. I flinch and roll off of him, sitting up. "B-bya…" I pant. I'm already doing the breathing exercises that Unohana-taichou taught me.

"What is wrong? Do you want me to send for Unohana-taichou?"

I nod, sweating a bit. "C-contractions…"

He summons a hell butterfly and whispers a message to it then sends it flying away. He turns back to me and frowns. "Perhaps you should lay back." I can feel him pushing me back and then propping the pillows up so I can sit up but be reclining.

I sigh once this wave of contractions are over. This shit fucking hurts. Come on kid, settle down.

It's about ten minutes later I have another wave of pain in my stomach.

"S-shit," I groan.

I can see that Renji is having a difficult time now with the contractions. This seems to be the time when our child will arrive. I scan his reiatsu, his and our baby's is stable. I hear a knock on the door."Come," I thank Kami it's Unohana-taichou. I watch as she moves to sit on the edge of the bed and places her palms over Renji's abdomen.

"How long has he been like this?"She asks.

"I'd say 20 minutes or so since he went into having contractions such as these."

She nods. "It seems he has been in labor for longer, however."

"W-what?" Renji squawks. I turn to look at him. He seems to be okay now, just panting and sweating a bit. "I-I thought those twinges were normal!"

"They are."She affirms. "But did you have them in close and equal timing?"

"I-I guess…"

"You should have come in to the healing center earlier today in any case. Your due da-"

"I know!" Renji interrupts. "I should have but I felt fine until a little while ago."

I look at him with narrowed eyes. I knew I should have taken him in. "Abarai, you should have told me." I snap gently.

"S-sorry." He pants and clenches his teeth again. It seems to be another wave.

"Contractions are painful," Unohana explained. "but can be helped but I would like to transfer you to the healing center first." She says.

Renji rolled his eyes, giving her a look as if she really needn't have told him that. I smirk at him and then turn my attention to the healer.

"Is that wise with the condition he is in?"

"Yes, I have brought a group with me to help with the transfer." She says and shortly after I see other healers ready to move Renji to the fourth.

I settle on the bed at the fourth division. I'm glad that's done. Getting on the stretcher was a pain, not to mention them flash stepping here with me on it was scary as hell too! They didn't have to do that! I know I'm in labor but fuck, they don't have to scare the kid outta me!

I sigh and shift my eyes over to see Byakuya sitting next to me. He has a damp cloth and is patting my face with it to get rid of some of the sweat.

"Not exactly how I was expecting to have the kid." I comment. I feel a rising pain in my stomach again but the pain block seems to be kicking in. I'm glad they didn't use the needle and used kido instead. I think I would have passed out if I saw one of those fuckers.

"Perhaps not, but this is what is best, ne?"

"Yeah,"I smile and look at the clock above the door behind Byakuya. It's near one in the morning now. It's Christmas.

The door opens a moment later and Unohana-taichou walks in. She looks like she's about to tell me something I really don't want to hear or something that is going to freak me out."We have to do a c-section."She says.

Oh shit…that means needles. Hell no! I look helplessly at Byakuya. All he seems to do is smirk, he knows I'm not liking this, traitor. I narrow my eyes at him as I glare.

"When will you begin?" He asks.

"Now," She admits.

My eyes widen. "What?!"

"We must start soon or you will be in greater pain than you should be."She explains."Let us not forget you are a male and your body is not adept to having a child."

I roll my eyes."It's not like we meant for this to happen, it just did!"I exclaim."Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with having a kid but seriously we didn't actually mean for anything like this to happen!" By the time I'm done I'm sweating and panting, feeling a twinge in my stomach."Ow!"

Byakuya's hand reaches to rub soothing circles on my belly. "You must excuse him, Unohana-taichou. He has been having mood swings."

"Hey!" I complain.

She smiles warmly. "It comes from his hormones."Her face suddenly looks serious."Though, I think we should start the procedure soon."

"B-but-!"

"No, she is right." Byakuya tells me calmly. "Besides, I am sure she can use healing kido instead of needles." He looks to her and she nods.

"F-fine," I mutter.

I sit at Renji's side and watch while Unohana-taichou makes her preparations for Renji and her to begin to deliver our child. Renji looks somewhat flushed but then looks as if he will vomit. Perhaps it's because he knows what is to come.

"Are you all right?"I ask.

He nods wordlessly and laces our fingers together.

"Do you need the trash can?"

He glares at me and shakes his head, I smirk at him.

His eyes grow in a sort of senseless state as he is put into twilight as they call it so he will not feel much of anything. Unohana bares his abdomen and pulls a curtain between so Renji and I don't have to see what is exactly what she is doing.

"I am going to begin," she tells us. He blinks sleepily and nods to her then his warm eyes look to mine.

I'm in a daze, can't feel anything of what the healer is doing. I mean I feel some pinches and small grazes but she said I'd feel that. I never understood how healing kido really works. All I know is how to heal minor injuries and stablize major ones if I need to. I look deep into Byakuya's eyes. Or at least as much as I can since I was put in this daze.

"Are you ready to meet your child?"She asks a short while later. I gaze at Byakuya and he nods.

"We are,"He confirms, he smiles softly at me and I smile back. After a few minutes I hear a baby cry. Tears burn in the corners of my eyes. That must be the most beautiful sound I've ever heard."Congratulations, you have a son." She hands him to another healer who I didn't notice had came in a few minutes ago to help. He must be taking him and cleaning him off and checking him out.

"Have you decided on a name?" She asks.

"Hiroki," I say and can hear Renji say the same. Unohana finishes and readjusts the bed so Renji can sit up so he can hold Hiroki. The younger healer finishes writing on the baby's chart and hands our child to Renji. The look in his eyes are beautiful as he kisses Hiroki's forehead.

He chuckles and glances at me."He has your eyes."He commented. I turn to look at the curious infant and smirk. He does have my eyes but has Renji's bright crimson hair. He had pale white skin like mine.

I gasped in surprise when I say the small black tribal marking on the baby's neck."Renji,"I graze a finger tip gently over the marking and a small fist full of my hair is pulled.

Renji chuckles again."He has a strong grip, huh?"

I roll my eyes and point to the marking whilst gently prying my son's tiny fingers off my hair."What is that?"

"A marking of some sort I guess."Renji answers."A birthmark..it'll probably grow and change as he gets older and grows into his powers."

I sigh, well this was something I wasn't expecting but either way this child is beautiful and is part of Renji and I. I look at the clock behind me, it's still early morning around three.

I forgot Unohana-taichou was still here until she spoke."Merry Christmas and again congratulations on having your child, Hiroki."She says, kindly smiling and closes the file she was writing in."Stay here for the morning, you may leave in the afternoon after I do a final check."

We nod.

"Arigatou, Unohana-taichou."I say as she and the other healer take their leave. I turn back to Renji and Hiroki. I can still see he's in a daze a bit but is slowly wearing off.

He glances at me."Merry Christmas, Byakuya. Aishiteru yo."

"Merry Christmas. Aishiteru yo, Renji."I reply and kiss him then kiss our Hiroki's forehead.