Title: Like Drowning

Characters: Isshin x Ryuuken

Word Count: 712

Rating: PG

Summary: Ryuuken reflects on his current relationship with Isshin.

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He wasn't sure when he changed tactics in dealing with Isshin Kurosaki, but he was sure it was done to save what little sanity he still held. Which is why now instead of trying to do everything possible to get away from the man, he just went with whatever the exuberant idiot wanted to do with a feeling of great resignation. And while it did well to keep his mind intact he couldn't help but grieve over the shattered reputation that was sacrificed in its place. As there was no coming back from being caught in his office wearing bunny ears and a nurses outfit while Isshin in a bear suit and doctor's coat thoroughly groped him.

So when he came home one rainy day and was greeted with a big muddy hug, as apparently the other doctor had taken to jumping into puddles on the way over, he just sighed, thankful that most of the mess will be on the rain coat and not the suit underneath. Feeling more like a mother, than the lover Isshin always professed he was, he took the larger man into the bathroom to clean him up, so they could go over to Kurosaki's house for dinner, as Yuzu had taken up making an extra helping for Ryuuken ever since her father shoved a pink plastic ring he had gotten from a vending machine on the smaller doctor's wedding finger and proclaimed him the Kurosaki children's new mother.

As he watched the sweet girl's father play with the rubber duckies in the bath tub, Ryuuken could only wish that she would only take after her mother as she grew up. He didn't bother to worry about the other two children as they had displayed rather strong coping methods against Isshin's idiocy. A part of his still functioning brain sometimes wondered why he didn't just learn from them how to deal with the man, and live his life being able to ignore him as easily as they did.

Lost in his thoughts he made the mistake of not paying attention to what Isshin was doing, and ended up with the tip of a plastic duck bill on his lips. He jolted up from his slouched position on the side of the tub, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, as he scolded, "What do you think you're doing, Isshin? Who knows where you've put that thing."

Ryuuken felt an uncomfortable thump in his chest as the other man just smiled back at him and said, "Ah, there's the Ryuuki-poo I've been missing. He really should join us for a bath, doncha think?"

"No, I think he's quite happy right where he is," Ryuuken answered, as he tried to persuade his mind that his heart was just delusional and had no idea what it was feeling for the psycho in his tub.

"Nah, I think he wants to be in here too, but is just too shy to admit it," was all the warning Isshin gave before he grabbed Ryuuken by the waist and pulled the thin man onto him. "See, he's much happier in here, isn't he?" the bigger man teased, looking into the red and sputtering face before him.

And as much as Ryuuken wanted to just sock him, there was something in that stupid goofy grin that the man gave him that took away his resolve. So instead he just huffily told him, "You i are /i going to be paying for the dry cleaning this time. And if the floors suffer any water damage that's also coming out of your pocket book, not mine." And even though he wasn't certain if Isshin was even listening to him anymore, Ryuuken let the quick nod of the dark haired head be all the confirmation he needed before the bigger man went ahead and taught him a few new 'water games'.

When the 'games' were done and the tub was draining, Ryuuken had to smirk to himself as he watched the water disappear down the drain. As he couldn't help but think that just like the unlucky swimmer that got stuck in a whirlpool, once you got stuck in Isshin's pull, there was nothing to you could do about it. Loving the man was just like drowning.