So, I was reading a short fanfiction about when Karin brought her boyfriend (Toshiro) home to meet the family and this came to my head. Just another one shot about when Isshin finally is reunited with his former officers. Because I know that we are all waiting for that moment.

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure that Tite just goes with the flow. There are way too many plot holes and changed rules to have a coherent and stable world. He reveals things that don't fit with past revealed things and completely disregards rules he set up at the beginning. Like (Spoiler) the whole thing with Yachiru. I'm pretty sure that he made that up on the spot. Anyways. I don't own it.

Apologies and Proposals

Histugaya Toshiro was standing in a small garden, near the 10th division's barracks. The Thousand Year Blood War had been grueling to say the least. And once again, they were saved at the last moment by one Kurosaki Ichigo. It was kind of scary how powerful that kid was. And the fact that he was a kid irked several people. Not Hitsugaya. Having been one of the youngest Shinigami to be recruited, and the youngest captain in Soul Society history, his view on young and powerful people was tempered by his own bitter experiences.

His vice-captain, Matsumoto Rangiku walked up to him while he stared contemplatively at the peaceful scenery. Her own bandages had been removed earlier that day. Faint white scars the only visible reminder of the fierce war that had threatened their very existence.

"Are you okay, captain?" Hitsugaya looked at her with his usual bland expression. She learned long ago that it wasn't that he didn't feel anything but rather that he was adept at not expressing anything. He nodded once in response to her question. She nodded happily in response, coming to stand silently next to him. They both had quite a bit to ponder on in the wake of the war.

In particular, a certain ex-shinigami captain who it turns out was not dead as they had supposed but rather in hiding and had married a human quincy and fathered three children, one of which had just saved multiple realms in the tender age of 17.

"Isshin flying kick!" Without taking a single step, both captain and vice-captain leaned away from each other, allowing a black and white blue to shoot past them, landing noisily in the small pond. The koi scattered at the sudden disturbance. Undeterred, their ex-captain jumped up smiling, water dripping off of his Shinigami uniform. The tattered remains of his captains haori soaked, the end still in the water.

"Ha ha! I see that your reflexes are as quick as ever!" He said, grandstanding, oblivious to the blank expressions he was receiving. "It must be because of all the intense training that I've put you both through. I'm glad to hear that you've continued with my – "

He was cut off from his boasting two things. The first was a feminine foot to the face. The second was a smaller foot to the stomach. With the combined efforts of the highest officers in the 10th division, the same division's previous captain was sent flying.

He landed too far away for either of them to see where he landed but that didn't stop him from quickly coming back, his nose running blood, one hand trying to stop the flow, the other clutching his stomach. He was laughing sheepishly.

"Heh, I see you've mastered the 'Isshin flying kick'." He grinned. He was met with blank stares again. He coughed self-consciously. "I'm glad that you both are doing so well. I heard that my former 3rd seat had managed to nab my position when I left."

He smiled warmly at the shorter male in front of him. "I've heard only good things about your captaincy. You're running the division better than I ever could. Always said you could." He chuckled. "You were practically running it before I left anyway." He beamed at them. The silence continued to stretch on. His smile waned until it slid off his face completely. His expression turned serious, to match the still heavy mood.

He straightened and stood before them with his arms folded. "Are you still angry?" They both blinked at what they considered to be a stupid question. He sighed and his posture deflated with him. "I suppose I owe you both an explanation." He rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't plan on everything that happened." He began, looking off to the side as memories of his sudden departure flashed before his vision. "There was someone who needed me. She would have died." He grinned again. "And I've never been one to turn down a damsel-in-distress. The consequence was that I lost all of my Shinigami ability. Even more than Kuchiki Rukia. I couldn't even see spirits." His smile took on a rueful tone. "It was decided amongst all of us to fake my death. It was safer. If I told Seireitei they probably would have executed us both. It didn't help that she was a quincy."

His explanation was met with continued silence. He deflated even more. "Listen, I know I should have tried to send some kind of word or something but you've got to understand. It was too dangerous. For everyone. If they thought that you were in contact with me than you would have gotten in trouble too." This didn't elicit a response either. He sighed again.

"I understand. What I did was really unforgivable. I probably put both of you through a lot. I didn't want to, but excuses surprisingly don't excuse anything." He turned and started to walk away dejectedly. After a few steps, he paused and looked back, a small half-smile on his face.

"I just want you to know, I am proud of who you've become. I'm just sorry I wasn't there to see you grow." Neither of them were even looking at him. With another smile, he gave a half-hearted wave. "I'm sorry. For everything." He turned back around and would have continued back to his own family and then the gate but was stopped by strong and feminine arms being thrown around him, squeezing the life out of him. If the obviously female limps weren't clue enough, two distinct bulges were pressed up against his back. He felt Matsumoto bury her face in his back.

He blinked, shocked. "Oh captain!" Her voice was muffled, both by its position in his back as well as the tears that were currently soaking his uniform. "All we were waiting for was an apology! We knew it had to be something like that." She gave a half chuckle, half sob. "Only you would throw everything away for some stranger that you've just met."

Getting over his earlier surprise, Isshin managed to wiggle his way in a half circle, throwing his own arms around his old vice-captain. Both of their eyes were wet with tears. At first it was touching. Then it was exaggerated, in a way that only that particular duo could pull off. A large puddle of tears formed around their feet.

The third member of this party, the youngest but by far the most mature, simply stood off to the side, watching the exchange with folded arms and his trademark blank expression. Suddenly they both turned to him. With reflexes born from back-breaking training and hard battle, he dodged both arms that shot out towards him in an attempt to pull him into the circle.

"No." Was all he said. Isshin cried louder.

"Rangiku-saaaan!" He sobbed. "I'm hated by my former third-seat! He hates me! And he used to love me so much, hugging me, letting me pick him up! He was so cute! But now he hates me!"

"I never hugged you or let you pick me up!" Hitsugaya's blank expression became one of anger. "You did that without my consent!"

They both ignored his outburst. "Where did I go wrong in raising him, Rangiku-san? Didn't I love him like my own?"

Having had enough of this comedy sketch, Hitsugaya turned on his heel and marched away. He did not miss his former captain.

Later that night, during the end-of-the-war celebration, he was sitting on the roof of the 10th division, staring up at the stars. There was a soft swish of material next to him, and his former captain sat down beside him.

They sat in silence for a moment, just admiring the star-studded sky. It was Isshin who spoke first.

"I remember the first time I found you up here." He began, not looking over at the white-haired captain. "You'd been out of the academy, what, a week? I was surprised because you were in the 13th division at the time. Jyuushiro really liked you right off the bat." He smiled fondly, thinking of his sickly friend with a heart too big for his ailing body. "I guess we were the closest division that was safe for you to sit on the roof." He chuckled. The thought of the 12th and 11th divisions flashed through both of their minds.

"You were so small back then." This earned a murderous aura from the still silent captain. "At first, I thought you were just a kid that had got himself lost." He was rewarded with an icy glare and a rapidly cooling temperature.

Isshin laughed. "Yeah, that's how you reacted the last time I said as much." They both turned back to the stars for another minute of silent contemplation.

"You know, when I came up here just now, for just a second, I saw the same little boy, in a uniform that practically drowned you despite being specially tailored, and a Zanpakutou that was taller than you were next to you." They both glanced down at said sword that was still lying next to the shorter male, the metal gleaming in the starlight.

"But then that image was gone." Isshin continued. Not looking at him, Isshin missed the raised eyebrow. "It was replaced with a captain. A captain that has the respect of all who know him. A boy that is rapidly becoming a man. Maybe a little too fast for this old geezer." Isshin gave a small chuckle and shook his head. "You're growing up too fast, Toshiro. Before long, I'll have to start looking up to you." He smiled. "Like your squad does."

They were both silent for a few more minutes. Isshin sighed and got to his feet, dusting himself off. He headed for the ground when he was stopped by a deep voice behind him.

"I had a good example."

He turned, his eyes wide in surprise. Toshiro wasn't looking at him, still staring at the stars, but there was enough light that he could see the faint pink blush gracing his cheeks. Isshin smiled warmly, tears forming in his eyes.

The moment was ruined when he broke out in hysterics and said in a loud voice, "Oh, Shiro-chan! You're getting so big!" He knelt on one knee and held out his arms, tears streaming down his face. "Come give Papa a hug!"

Instead of a hug, he was given a swift kick in the face which forced him backwards, toppling off the edge of the roof.

"You kick just like my own children!" Isshin continued to cry from the ground now. "Hey." He perked up suddenly. "If you marry one of my beautiful daughters, you really will be my son! They might be a little young right now but give them a few more years. How about Karin? She's got a similar personality. You know, kind of prickly. Prone to violence."

As he ran away from the large dragon made of ice, Isshin laughed. Yeah, just like Karin. And Ichigo for that matter. Look, Misaki. Our fourth child has grown up.

A bright star flashed in response.