Title: Distorted similarity

Character/Pairing: Kurosaki Isshin, Ishida Ryuuken
Style: Ficlet
Genre: General/Speculative
Rating: PG
Theme: 02. we share the same disease
Note: Contains direct spoilers for chapter 241, as well as a direct reference to page 11 of the same chapter.
Disclaimer: This is a speculation/continuation fic, where Isshin and Ryuuken continued their conversation as opposed to letting it trail off as they stared at the moon. Almost all of this is pure speculation, somewhat mirroring my own suspicions and beliefs, as well as hopes.
As such, I hold no right to claim these events if they do or don't eventuate. Bleach is the brainchild of Kubo Tite, all rights, copyrights and trademarks belong to him and the companies associated with Bleach.
So I don't own it anyway.

"So, you let him go on purpose." Kurosaki Isshin pondered in an offhand way, offering his part-time rival the opinion he held.

"No, I'm letting him be responsible for his own consequences." Ishida Ryuuken let the smoke huff out of his nose, ignoring the hot sting. "If he gets injured this time, it's his own fault and I will not be there to rectify his mistake. I will not cosset him any further."
He crossed his arms firmly across his chest, white cotton crinkling as he tapped the ash off the tip of his cigarette.

"You mean you've given up on trying to teach him, that his judgement should be better." Isshin crossed his arms as well, black cotton giving off the barest sound of ruffling as it shifted around and arms slid inside sleeves.

The white haired man laughed at his dark colleague's remarks.
"You just join the ranks of those who make foolish decisions, Kurosaki. You make no move to correct your son. In fact, you seem to encourage his foolhardiness." He laughed again, the sound harsh and rough, throaty as the cigarette was dragged on again.

"I don't encourage it! I let him choose his own path! If I don't think it's a reasonable path, I'll try and guide him back onto one." Isshin made little motions with his hands off to one side as he exclaimed his process, rather enjoying his little speech on parenting.
"I let him be what he wants to be, whether it's a doctor or an author, a gay cop or even being in love or a moody teenager. I've never told him what he can or can't do."

Ryuuken snorted at his companion's tirade. Completely senseless.
"I know that your girls are dear in your heart, but how will they be raised? Will you give them free rein like you do Ichigo, or will you tether them in like I do with Uryuu?" His grey eyes evaluated Isshin as he gave a response, waiting to prove that his way was right.

"Heh," he looked off to one side, breaking his gaze with the Quincy, "you would be the one who knows those two are my weak point." Isshin's eyes glazed over for a moment, probably thinking of an equally sterile room and an equally cold person who had saved living lives that day just over a decade ago. "They're girls, they need some protection from their daddy, but they also have each other and as long as they have that, they'll never need anyone else.
"But if you're talking about smarts, they've got that too. Growing up in a clinic where their father expects them to help out and be able to understand what to do will do that. Any of our children could get a scholarship entrance at university. You just got to trust them about that." Isshin sighed and looked again at Ryuuken, warm eyes showcasing his trust in his offspring. "Do you trust Uryuu, that's the question."

As that warm gaze was directed at him, laden with such a deep question, Ryuuken looked away, his gaze diverted somewhere else, thinking. He replied slowly and evenly, his response carefully weighted.

"I trust Uryuu to do the best, not for himself or for any other person, not yet anyway; but the best for the collective pride of the Quincy and to bring honour to the last of our family. But not his life." The last sentence held a double meaning, tying his words to his method.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to change your opinion and practices?" He earned a shake of Ryuuken's head, coupled with a freezing glare. "No, didn't think so, because I never would."

"We're opposites, we each prefer our own methods," Ryuuken consoled, strangely sympathetic.

"Well, except for one thing." He started grinning at the uptight Quincy, his smile broadly plastered across his face. "We both love our children."

His stoic companion reflected on this, eyes cast downwards in thought, his partner's gaze directed outside to the night sky.

"Yes," he joined his gaze with Isshin's, looking upon the moon that reflected upon his son, "I suppose we are similar in that respect."