Happiness Is In Your Hands
Isshin's eyes are twinkling like stars as he held the newborn twins in his arms. Misaki was on the bed, a tired smile playing on her beautiful face. They stared happily at each other, and even from far, it was apparent they love each other.
5 year old Ichigo stared at his soul mate's name on his right ring finger. Inscribed on the base of it, where finger meets palm, is the name of his Soul Mate in deep azure. He can just make out the beginnings of a hiragana, before his attention was torn away by the cries of his younger sibling. Isshin jolted slightly before soothing the fussing baby in his arms. Misaki had her arms wide open in a welcoming gesture, receiving the baby with gentle coos.
The small family huddled together on the bed, Yuzu in Misaki's arms and Karin in Isshin's. Ichigo was snuggled tightly in Misaki's lap, his legs carefully folded to keep from disturbing his mother. His father's fingers were tangled into his mum's, their rings that hid their Soul Mate Inscribtion (or SMI for short) off and resting on the table next to them. The newborns had their fingers linked together in between their parents, and without thinking, Ichigo rested his hands over them.
This particular memory is his fondest memory. It's the one that reminds him that he had a proper whole family. His father found his Soul Mate, had him and the twins, and has never been anymore happier than this.
He clutch at this when he follows his distraught sisters to Misaki's tombstone every week. He clutch at this while he tries to keep the guilt of killing her from consuming him. He clutch at this while Yuzu, his sweet Yuzu, try to fill in Misaki's shoes. He clutch at this while his father crumbles and tries his hardest to raise his children, a black ring worn only by widows who's lost their soul mate adorning his SMI finger.
It's just some scrawling on his skin. He forgets about it completely, cares nothing about it. He thinks it's a waste of time.
He thinks so when he graduated and went to middle school. By then, Ichigo hides his SMI with a silver ring, because it is impolite to show off his SMI to the world, something about respecting his future Soul Mate. He cares not when girls of his age finds their Soul Mate. It is rare for youths like him to find their other half so quickly, but he wishes the best of luck to the young nervous couple anyways. Hey, the unlucky dude was his friend back from the dojo.
The event disappears quickly, because he's busy avoiding stupid yankees from school (and others, he keeps wondering if he's some sort of magnet that keeps attracting bad people.) and kicking their butts.
One sleepless night when he was 15, he laid in his bed with his palm in front of his face. Taking off his ring and flashing a handy penlight to his SMI, the words "Rukia" was embedded into his skin in Japanese. He breathes the name into the empty room and feels a little glad. At least it wasn't some dude. Changing his sexuality will be difficult, and Tomoyuki Rei (his classmate who found his Soul Mate, who was a dude from a neighboring school, and Mr Tomoyuki is STRAIGHT) has proven the difficulty of the situation.
He keeps the name a secret, from his friends and family. He keeps it to himself, deep inside his heart. Ichigo hates himself for hoping, because everyone knows that hoping breeds disappointments. Tucked away under geometric equations and salt solutions and their improbable precipitates, he keeps the name away because he hopes that it will give him happiness.
Isshin, Misaki, Yuzu, Karin. His hands holding theirs together, so many years ago. It's what keeps him going. It's what keeps him strong.
It's what made him plunge that sleek blade into his chest. It was crazy, really. Who can blame him? A black haired midget just popped out of nowhere, not to mention the ridiculous monster that literally tore his house apart. Said monster even had his precious sisters in it's filthy grasp. It was the only way. And at the moment, it was the most rational decision.
He vaguely hears her say her name as he swished the giant machete down the mask of that butt ugly hollow.
The next day, he thinks it was a dream. No such luck.
She's actually pretty. Rukia, he means. It tugs at his heart strings when he finally registers her name. He keeps his hopes down, he is unsure if it's the right Rukia. For all he knows, there could be other Rukias in Japan. Besides, if she is his Soul Mate, they'd have to show each other their SMI's and confirm. Their SMI would be each other's name, in the same color. Rukia has shown him neither interest nor her SMI. Heck, he's not even sure if Shinigami's has SMIs.
A week after she crashed into his life, she approached him with a scarlet face, her cronies of friends giggling in excitement. "Ichigo," she breathed cautiously before continuing. "Show me your SMI."
The whole class heard that and the volume dropped considerably. Every eyes were on them, and then the two were running towards roof. Ichigo had barked at the dudes who were lurking there to scram, and then it was just them, her hand still in his.
He tried to ignore the number of eyes that were spying on them from the door.
He let go of her tiny hand and took a breather. "You sure?" he asked, finally finding his voice. Rukia was still a giant blushing mess and looked shaken beyond belief. Ichigo recognized it as the real Rukia, not the overly sweet innocent Rukia, because, no. That crazy girl is NOT innocent.
"It was after that Spider Hollow, my hand just became painful. I thought it was a scratch or something and then your name was there and I just—"She realized she's ranting and stopped abruptly.
Breathe, Ichigo.
"This is a big deal, you hear me?" He said, and she nodded in understanding. "If we're Soul Mates, then we're spending a lot of time together, and we all know how you feel towards me, midget."
Her fist landed to his ear, and it had hurt for a little bit. It was worth it, because Rukia wasn't looking so terrified anymore.
"If you'd stop being childish then maybe I can handle being 1 meter beside you." She retorted.
"Me? Childish?" He mocked laugh at her furious face. "Says the 140cm chibi who still draws like a kindergarten— oww! OWW! OKAY, STOP HITTING ME." He rubbed his tender temples that was roughly assaulted by the petite girl.
They settled, and Ichigo thumbs his ring. "Ready?"
She nodded.
"One. Two. Three."
His name. Oh my god, it's his name, in the same azure colour, embedded neatly into her skin. He feels like a girl, when his heart lurched inside him, happy to learn the truth.
Rukia looked pretty awed too. Unconsciously, he took her hands into his, relishing in the warm contact. A small smile played at his lips, the frown on his brow smoothing quickly.
Suddenly, she looked stricken.
"I'm scared."
Ichigo does not know what was so scary. In fact, he didn't want to think about anything scary. Pulling her closer, he clunked their foreheads together. She went a little cross eyed, trying to look at him, wondering why is he suddenly holding her like this.
His hands came up to pat her back. "Whatever it is, we'll get through this."
"But Soul Society—"
"We've only just met, but I think you know that I'm the kind of person who will save anyone. You were the one who said my hero complex will be my downfall."
"But they will kill you!"
"Then so be it. I don't love you, and you shouldn't be important, but you are. You are an important friend, and I'd be sad if you aren't here."
"Ichigo."
"That's what it says on your hand. That's me." He said, feeling smug. Her hand, ever the active one, swatted his forehead and effectively pushed him away. He hung on anyway, and reached up to plant a soft kiss over her forehead.
He pulled away to see Rukia blushing all over again. "What was that?"
"My promise. We'll get through this." He said, smirking. He stuck his hands into his pockets, slid his ring back on. Even when the Search is over, SMI still has to be hidden. He started walking towards the door when his collar was tugged back.
The flutter of plush lips and silky hair was all he felt. Rukia came down from her tippy toes and smiled cheekily. Ichigo didn't even realize he had his mouth open.
"W-wh-what was that?" He stammered like an idiot.
Her laugh tumbles off her mouth like wind chimes, no matter how girly that thought made him. "My other half of the promise."
They entered the class late, but Ms Ochi does not reprimand them. Instead, she cried. "29 and still single! WHERE ARE YOU, FREDRICKSON?" She moaned to the skies.
The knock came from the door, and out came Isshin. His hair is graying and he was rocking the salt-and-pepper stubble, but he looks very stylish. In his hand, twined around his black ring is a balloon with the words "IT'S A GIRL!" decorated in cheesy cursive. Unohana is behind him, along with a long haired Karin and Yuzu.
"How is my granddaughter?" He asked good naturedly. His eyes trailed to the young couple huddled in the bed. Byakuya stood by the bed, his eyes fixed onto the fussing bundle in his sister's arms. On his face was a hint of a smile curling the edges of his lips because deep inside, he's elated that both his precious sister and nephew were just fine.
Rukia's forefingers were in her daughter's grasp, and Ichigo was stroking her supple cheeks. Kurosaki Mikasa smiles sleepily at her parents from her mother's arms.
Snaking his hands to envelop his wife and child's, 27 year old 5th Squad Captain, Kurosaki Ichigo smiles contently and answers.
"Fine, Dad."
As he breathed a kiss into Rukia's hair, Byakuya was glaring daggers at him, Unohana was talking to them about proper baby care, and Isshin was making grabby hands at the baby, Ichigo's never been happier in his life.
(AN: Here's the story on Rei. Met his Soul Mate, Yugito on a competition. Saw each other's SMI. Confirmed Soul mate. Rei goes on panic mode, Yugito is also straight who takes it better. Rei gives him a chance. Yugito takes the bashing as hard as Rei. They move away once they graduated, became proper friends, then flatmates, and after 5 years old slow burn, they finally tied the knot. Happily married, stable enough to adopt kids. Rei died in his sleep at age 40 besides Yugito and his spouse followed 20 years later, after seeing their last child's newborn first.)
AN: Miss Ochi found Fredrikson working in a bar on the night of her 31st birthday. She was just about to buy herself a black ring, deem her love dead and drink the night away when dude practically showed up at the bar, bought her tea instead and exchanged names. Best night of her life.
Hopefully you enjoyed that. I've been lurking in AO3 for too long, reading proper English Lit and they really taught me a thing or two. I found another OTP in the process and fell into the deep dark abyss called "yaoi" and took too long to crawl back out. I haven't really sunk back into the easy sway of IchiRuki, but it's familiar (because they've been my OTP for what, 10 years?) and really relaxing from all those heavy stuff I've been reading.