Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo
"Ichigooooooooo~"
There's nothing like a big old kick to the face to welcome a son into his family home by his loving father. As Ichigo recovered on the ground, looking like a crushed strawberry rather than a 22 year old grown man, an over excited Isshin turns his attention to the gasp that came from his newest daughters lips.
"Ahhhh Orihime-chan! My beautiful daughter ~" Isshin began to nuzzle his daughter-in-law in a fatherly bear hug, until a punch to the side of the head by his beloved son stopped him in his over-bearing parenting techniques.
"Hands off old man! Don't crowd her, she needs space, got that?!" Ichigo growled, whilst Orihime stands there blushing and smiling apologetically at her loving father-in-law.
Ever since her and Ichigo married two years ago her new family had touched her heart by embracing her into their lives and family full force, making her remember how amazing it was to have a family of her own again.
"A-ah, Ichigo it's alright! I love hugs from your father!" She chimes happily, making the look of a kicked puppy-dog look completely vanished on Isshin's face and his attitude was completely rejuvenated.
"Oh, Ichigo and Orihime! This is a surprise, why didn't you tell me you were coming over? I didn't prepare any snacks or anything" The next voice comes from Yuzu, who looks miffed and guilty at the same time at her older brother.
"Well, it's kind of a last-minute visit. We've actually got some news" Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head whilst Orihime almost hides behind him shyly.
"Well what are you waiting for? Get in here!" Karin shouted from the Tv where she was engaged in a very intense game of some soccer game she was newly obsessed with since Orihime and Ichigo bought her a games console for her birthday last year.
The family got settled in the kitchen, sitting at the table as Yuzu gathers together some drinks for everyone whilst Ichigo and Orihime were sitting in awkward silence, looking at each other as they attempted to start the conversation with the awaiting family.
"Well? You gonna tell us or what?" Karin said in a clipped tone, obviously annoyed that she had been dragged away by her twin sister from her game only to sit in front of her brother who was acting like a lame teenager about to ask a girl out for the first time.
"A-ah… Yeah, well like we said we got some news, and it's gonna change everything…" Ichigo started, looking his father in the eyes, before Isshin could have a rational thought, his brain overloaded with scenarios.
"Oh my GOD, are you in trouble with the Yakuza?! Did you gamble away all your money?! Did you sell Orihime or something WHAT DID YOU DO_" As it goes, a punch is the off switch to Isshin Kurosaki's ramblings.
"God dammit dad, shut up! No, I didn't SELL Orihime what are you crazy?!" Ichigo shouted
"Yeah Isshin-chan, how would we find a buyer in time to cover the debt anyway?" Orihime wondered, making Ichigo and his darker haired sister wanna slap themselves.
"Wha? That's not the point Orihime!" Ichigo exclaimed to his red-haired wife
"Yeah don't encourage the old goat" Karin deadpanned, looking towards her teary father.
"So… If it's not debt or trouble with organised crime groups, then what is it? It sounds bad by the way you said it" Yuzu asked calmly, looking to her brother and new sister with concern. The couple seemed extremely thankful for Yuzu's intervention at that time, she had always been the calm in the family, especially when her siblings and father get too rowdy and ridiculous.
"Well… You see… Orihime and I have been married for two years now, and we were thinking a while back about… Something" Ichigo started, but the poor guy was stumbling through his sentences like Kon when he gets caught peeking in on Orihime when she's changing or jumping up and down on the spot. Ichigo still had no idea how she fell for that.
That slimy lion bastard…
"Is everything alright in your marriage?" Isshin asked, taking on his serious doctor voice as he addressed his son, concern washing over his thoughts for a second. Did they want advice on marriage troubles or anything? He always thought it was a matter of time before they come to some obstacles in their marriage, but the two never had any problems in the past with arguments or anything of that nature, so he was confused as to why now. The first year had been a breeze for them, what happened?
Completely stuck, Ichigo looked to Orihime for help, to which she blushed, gulped and opened her mouth to try and guide this conversation forward.
"U-Um, no everything is fine with us, a little more than fine actually! The news is good, it's really exciting. O-or at least, we hope you'll find it exciting" Orihime said, feeling a lot more confident in the direction of the conversation as she saw everybody's faces relax, but remain clueless. She looked to Ichigo for the final thought, to which he grabbed her hand and held It, before addressing his family once more. Orihime smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before looking towards her family.
"Orihime and I found out a few months back… We're having a baby"
Silence.
Still silence.
More silence.
Realization.
Chaos.
In a nutshell, Isshin reacted exactly how Isshin would react, by yelling about how he was going to be a grandpa and smothering Orihime in hugs and his son in wet sloppy kisses as if he were a little boy again, whilst Karin sat there in shock before becoming just as excited, patting Ichigo on the back and congratulating him in typical Karin fashion:
"Congrats bro, I mean it's about time! I was wondering if you were still a virgin or something"
Yuzu began to cry, which in turn made Orihime begin to cry, and of course Isshin was already crying, and the three sat in a group embrace and cried about how wonderful the news was and how Yuzu was relieved that her brother didn't become a delinquent after all.
"Hey! I was never a delinquent!" Ichigo protested, making Yuzu cry more at her brother's obvious denial.
After the celebrations were over, Ichigo and his father found time to talk one on one as they watched the girls use the computer to research all things pregnancy and baby-related, even Karin got into it, looking at the baby soccer shoes and kits.
"I'm proud of you son, and your mom would be too. You've finally got something to protect with all your might, so you better not slack off in your old age" Isshin said, smirking at his son who beamed at the site of his wife giggling over cute baby clothes with his sisters.
"Yeah… I'll protect them no matter what. I never thought I would have this, since becoming a Shinigami I almost lost my life a thousand times, maybe I should have… But somehow, I cheated death countless times and now I'm here… This must be the reason" Ichigo said, dwelling on the painful memories of the wars and hardships he'd had to endure in the past, it's been years since the thousand year blood war, but the memories were still fresh, although they had become buried under new ones as his life went on.
"Yeah, must be" Isshin replied, putting an arm around his only son's shoulders, and giving him a little side hug as they watched their little family grow before them.
"Oooooo what do you think of the name Kon for the baby Ichigo?" Yuzu said, blissfully unaware with an innocent smile.
"LIKE HELL!"