Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach
Warning: Slash/Incest(not for awhile and not graphic)/OT5
"Dad?"
Isshin turned from the patient's file he'd been reviewing to his eight year old son.
"You should be in bed."
His voice was soft and his outspread arms belied his gentle rebuke. Ichigo hesitated in the doorway for a mere second before running across the office into his father's warm embrace.
"Ichigo?"
This was unusual behavior for the normally, at least now, stoic boy.
"I saw mommy gettin' killed by the masked monster again. An' the little girl was part of the monster."
Damp brown eyes stared up into an identical pair, although the elder's reflected surprise.
"What did the – monster – feel like?"
A frown crossed the child's face.
"Like the ghosts, but meaner. And," here the frown was replaced with confusion, "it felt a little like you. Same with the ghosts. They feel like you, I mean."
Isshin drew in a sharp breath. 'I thought he could only see ghosts, but to be able to sense reiatsu at such a young age, with no training and a binding seal on his abilities!'
He glanced down to see Ichigo watching him worriedly. He pushed his little boy's hair back from his eyes and mustered up a wan smile.
"Go get your jacket and shoes. We're going to go visit a friend of mine."
-
"Hello?"
"Call Ryuu. I'm bringing Ichigo over."
"…Alright. See you in a few."
-
"Yes?"
"Isshin called. Be here in five minutes."
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure. He said he was bringing Ichigo. The kid's abilities may be stronger than we thought."
"I'll be there."
-
Ichigo shyly slipped his hand into his father's. He was a little nervous, having never been out this late before. He relaxed though when his dad squeezed his hand.
"Dad? Are we going to see Hat'n'clogs?"
Isshin stopped and stared down at his innocent looking son.
"Hat'n'clogs?"
"The blond guy wearing a hat and the funny sandals that make weird noises. He feels like you. Are we going to see him?"
"…Yes. His name is Urahara Kisuke. I've known him since before I met mommy."
"Okay. I liked him. He felt nice and a little weird, but still nice. …Are we going 'cause of what I told you?"
"Yes. Come on, we're almost there."
They walked one more block and then they were standing in front of a small, traditional-style building.
"Urahara Shoten?"
"Yeah, well, he's always been a little weird."
-
Ryuken watched Kisuke pace from one end of the room to the other as they waited for Isshin to arrive with his son. He raised one brow when he heard his blond companion begin to mutter.
"The seal is fine 'Suke. And they've arrived."
He waited a moment before sighing.
"Oy! Kisuke! They're here!"
The pacing and muttering stopped.
"Isshin! We're in the back!"
Ryuken relaxed back into the wall he was leaning against. Kisuke and Isshin could both be a little hot-headed, which meant he would have to be the one keeping everything under control. They didn't want to scare Ichigo too badly, after all.
-
Ichigo sat curled up in his dad's lap listening to the stories of Shinigami, Quincy, Hollows and Soul Society. Finally, they stopped talking and looked at him.
The boy bit his lip, glanced briefly up to his dad's face and then spoke.
"So I'm a Shinigami 'cause Dad's one, right?"
When Ryuken and Hat-'n'-clogs – Kisuke, he reminded himself, just stared at him, he squirmed uncomfortably.
"You're right, son. Since I'm a Shinigami, you are one as well, although your abilities have been sealed."
Isshin's voice cut through the silence, startling the other two adults out of their thoughts. Kisuke stared at the child in his friend's lap.
"Ichigo-kun, we never actually said that your father's a Shinigami."
The boy frowned. "You're a Shinigami too and Ryuken-san's a Quincy. That's why you told me about them."
"Ichigo."
He looked up at his father.
"Stay here while I go talk to Ryuken and Kisuke in the other room, 'kay?"
-
"I think seeing Masaki get killed broke part of the seal. Before he could only see ghosts."
"Isshin, I think he may be Gifted."
"And with something resembling True Sight. He needs Pillars and soon."
"I'm not doing that do my son!"
"He's got the Sight, we can just ask him."
"Why didn't I think of that?"
"Kisuke, shut up."
-
Ichigo stared silently at the three men as they reentered the room.
"Ichigo?"
"I don't know exactly what Pillars are, but I have four. The three of you and someone else. I think I have to meet them first."
Isshin took a step back in surprise. Kisuke placed a hand on his shoulder. "Juushiro's Pillar was his twin sister. It'll be fine."
Ichigo frowned as he watched his dad start arguing with Kisuke-san. Ryuken knelt down next to the boy.
"Purebloods, or shinketsu, like you, are children of a Shinigami. Amongst the Purebloods are the Gifted, those with special abilities. Because these 'Gifts' use so much of the Purebloods' reiatsu, or spiritual energy, they are bonded to one or more spiritually strong people. These people are the Gifteds' Pillars."
Ichigo nodded.
"Okay. You shouldn't tell your son 'cause he'd get upset an' angry. Maybe when we're older."
By that time, Isshin and Kisuke had ceased arguing and could only join Ryuken in staring at Ichigo's innocent looking face. Isshin recovered first and sat down next to his son.
"Bonded Pillars and Gifted rarely have any relationship with others outside the bond except as friends or family. That means you won't ever be able to date or get married."
Ichigo's eyes went blank before lighting up.
"That's okay. My other options would've made me unhappy."
Kisuke grinned.
"Alright then. The Bond takes the form of a mark somewhere on the Gifted's body. Do ya' know where you want yours?"
"My back. Dad first, then Ryuken, and last Kisuke."
"Okay. The marks are formed by use of our reiatsu. They will look like tattoos, except we don't pick what they look like. Are you ready?"
The boy nodded and stood up, pulling off his shirt. He knew that things were going to be very different from that point on.