It was an early Monday morning, and when Shiro meant early he meant early. It was currently five-thirty in the morning, he was in his kitchen in his small one bedroom apartment. He was pouring a cup of coffee and groaned, His head ached from his late night. He was a new father, of a little girl. A one night stand had turned into a life changing event, with a woman who was uninterested in their child and left her at the hospital with a number to call him. Shiro didn't blame her, they were only twenty-one. He was doing the best he could, with his job at a local grocery story and small apartment.

He had considered adoption, but then he remembered his experience with the system and abandoned that option. So he decided to buck up, and here they were. Hana Shirosaki was currently six months and looked like him in almost every way. Her eyes were blue, but they were the shade of blue that normally changed with age. She wasn't as pale as him but she was still undeniably his daughter.

Said daughter was up for two hours this early morning, causing him to wake and aid to her seeings they shared a room. He didn't think he was doing much for her, but knew that he was doing more for her than the system. He ran a hand through his hair, walking into his room with his coffee to look at her in her crib that was pushed against the wall. He smirked, his baby girl sleeping sound unlike a half an hour ago. He walked back out and turned his laptop on, a gift that Grimmjow and Nel had gotten him together. He tilted his head in thought, knowing those two were smitten.

He knew they didn't have the courage to say anything about it to the other, but he knew it would in time. Shiro had been in a few relationships in the past years with men and women alike, this last time he was just looking for some fun and so was the woman that was the now mother of his child. He wore a condom too, which is what made him pissed when she accused him of not doing so. He always did but it wasn't the normal brand he used..he knew what he wouldn't be using again. He loved his daughter, would kill for her but she deserved to be in his life when he was more prepared.

Currently, he was texting his friend Nel to make sure she could watch her today while he went in to work. He knew it was early but that woman could sleep through anything, so he knew one text wouldn't wake her. He sighed, yet again. He didn't want to go into work, it wasn't an awful place but he did get pretty awful people that came in there and cussed him out, and he got fired from his last job for going off on someone. He just had to grin and bare it. Hours later, Nel agreed she was still available to do that and he sighed in relief.

His manager was pretty understanding, but work wasn't a place for a sixth month old. He went to work an hour later, with little sleep. He had to get the shop ready to open at seven, why they opened then he didn't know but he hated when he had to open, and having Hana made it harder. Life went on though. He knew that his social life was pretty shot at the moment but he was too exhausted to care, too stressed.

This went on, especially when Nel encouraged him to start trying to date again. He tried, and every time he tried something with Hana went wrong and scared that person off. Nobody at his age wanted a baby to care for, especially at an age were most were in college. So he stopped, stopped trying. Nearly a year passed, after six months of badgering from Nel to start dating again. Shiro hated the dating process, and everyone he met on her blind dates he hated.

They either were put off by his looks, or they were put off by the fact when they went back to his apartment there was a crib and baby toys everywhere. None of his dates ever saw Hana, Shiro wanting to protect her from anyone. He made it very clear to one man that he stuck with his rule and that ended up being why they hadn't gone any further with a relationship. It's what landed him in a bar a few days after. His friend, Grimmjow ran a bar that he would visit when it was Renji's night to watch Hana.

"So still no luck?"

"I don' wanna talk about it."

"Ya gotta step up your game, Shirosaki." Shiro moved his head where it had been on the counter, and glared at the snarky man he called his friend.

"Shut the fuck up." Grimmjow laughed. "Look, I don' even care anymore I jus' do it to please Nel." Grimmjow snorted as he cleaned a glass. "I seem like a shitty Dad.." Shiro said after a beat of silence.

"Woah, where'd that depressed shit come from?" Grimmjow placed a beer in front of the man's face, that had flopped back down onto his counter. "That counter top is filthy as shit too, I need to clean it." Shiro groaned and took the beverage as he sat back up.

"You can kiss my ass, Grimm." Grimmjow rolled his eyes.

"Look, Shirosaki." Shiro quirked a brow at the other as he took a sip of his beer.

"You and I both know that you're wearing yourself out. Maybe you should just take a break, Its not a big fuckin' deal if ya don't have someone."

"Everyone else has made a big fucking deal about it."

"When have ya ever given a shit about what other people think?" Grimmjow started mixing a drink that was for another person at the bar.

"..Never." Grimmjow walked away after giving him a look, and handed the other his drink.

"You're makin' my point for me, Shiro." Now it was Shiro's turn to roll his eyes. Grimmjow just grinned wolfishly at the other. Shiro finished his drink and was quiet.

"I think I'm gonna head home."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah..I'm jus' gonna focus on Hana and I for awhile, ya know?" Grimmjow nodded.

"Alright." Shiro went to grab his wallet and Grimmjow's eyes narrowed.

"Put the one's away."

"Why? I got a-"

"Am I the owner of this place?" Shiro just rolled his eyes again.

"Whatever, Grimm."

"I will throw whatever ya put on this counter at your head, now get outta here. I'm not normally this nice, ya know." Shiro snorted and waved him off, before heading out into the cool night air. It was refreshing to his lungs, and made him think. He walked, with his hands in his pockets. He lived a few blocks from here and he needed to get some more formula for Hana..diapers too now that he thought about it.

He walked into the store he currently worked at, knowing Urahara gave him a discount once he found out about Hana. Shiro didn't mind but he was starting to get annoyed by it. He could do it, It sounded really immature and naive but he knew he was getting pity from some of his friends. He didn't want it. Having his daughter was nothing to pity. He grabbed what he needed and saw that Rangiku was at the counter.

"Hey, Shiro. How're you?" She asked, starting to ring him up.

"I'm alright. You?" She quirked a brow but continued anyway, knowing the other didn't like to get too deep about things.

"About the same, I get off in fifteen minutes and I get to go home." Shiro nodded as she handed him her bag. "Give that cutie a kiss for me, okay?" She said with a smile, he chuckled.

"Yeah, I'll do tha'." When he made it home, Hana was asleep on Renji's chest. He smirked when he saw the two, shutting the door. Renji looked over at him, sitting up slowly while holding the baby. Shiro set the bags down and walked over, Renji handing her off.

Shiro put a finger to his lips, walking to his room to put her to sleep. She was still sleeping at this moment in time but Shiro knew that if they spoke it wouldn't last. He laid her down before coming back, Renji having stood to stretch.

"How was she?"

"She was good." Shiro nodded.

"Ya stickin' around?"

"Nah..I was gonna head home."

"Alright, thanks for watchin' her.." Renji nodded, he grabbed his bag and left soon after. Shiro watched the door for a moment before he huffed and rolled his eyes. He put the stuff he bought away, before heading to bed.

A year and a half landed him with Hana walking around and starting to babble words. Her eyes had turned to her mother's brown eyes. They were lighter, but definitely from her mother. He was currently looking for a sleeping arrangement solution, he was waking her up at night now. So he either had to find a new place or give her his room. He was leaning towards the latter, He couldn't afford a new place at the moment.

Shiro sighed, as he stocked some more shelves, glancing at the counter to see someone waiting. He didn't really take in their appearance, seeings he was running on zero hours of sleep. Every time he has attempted to go in and go to sleep, Hana would wake up and demand food or just cry. He tried to sleep on his couch but it just didn't work out, seeings at the couch's cushions had started to rip on the sides to expose its wooden frame work. It was older than he was. As he walked over, he started to ring the other up when the customer spoke.

"I thought the store was closed or something." He chuckled. Shiro snorted.

"I'm the only one here today. Sorry for the wait." Shiro mumbled, the other heard the exhaustion in the other's voice

"I didn't mean to sound impatient, I was just saying." Shiro just nodded.

"Paper or Plastic?"

"Ah..Doesn't matter." Shiro sat them in a plastic bag, being more readily available. Shiro droned the cost, before asking what method of payment he'd be using. "Plasti-I mean debt." The other rushed, having caught his near slip. It made Shiro actually chuckle, the other paid as Shiro handed him his stuff he saw the other man's face for the first time and stopped for a moment. The man had bright orange hair, kind warm brown eyes with freckles doting his nose. He reached out and took his back with a nod of his head. "...Thank you.." The man then made haste out of the shop with redden ears. Shiro just stood there for a moment, watching him walk off with a raised brow.

Two days later, the same man walked in but this time in scrubs. Shiro was dealing with another customer at the counter while the other seemed to wander the store. Finally, once the other customer left, the orange haired man approached. He sat a toothbrush on the counter, while Shiro rang him up.

"So your name is Shiro?" Shiro looked at him and smirked.

"It is." Shiro responded, a smirk still firmly in place. "Do ya even need a toothbrush?" The man seemed to flush crimson, as he paid.

"Yeah.." He trailed off, Shiro searching for an ID that was possibly on the uniform. He caught an "I" before the other took the toothbrush, un-bagged after the transaction went through and nodded at him again before heading to walk out. Shiro again raised a brow as those same tinted ears walked away from him. Shiro the slapped his hand over his face and groaned.

He hadn't even asked for his name, he just tried to find it. What an idiot. Then he stopped and sighed again, Shiro was confident in the fact that the other man wouldn't want anything to do with a single father anyway. When he got home after picking up Hana, he looked at his daughter and smirked.

"Whatcha want ta eat, Kiddo?" Brown eyes looked up and over at her father and she smiled a slightly gummy smile, having started the teething process.

"Peas?" Except it didn't sound like how adults would say it, it was the same pronunciation of how babies say "please" and Shiro sometimes had to frown and figure out what she wanted. He knew this time but if she just started chanting it, it took his tired brain a moment. She could say basic words, and she could crawl but she had refused to walk yet. Her doctor said just to give it time, she was being stubborn.

Shiro had since picked up Hana and sat her in her height chair. Grimmjow's mother had given it to him, saying she was keeping it for grandbabies and his daughter was close enough. Grimmjow had rolled his eyes at the being part of that sentence. Hana clapped her hands and laughed, knowing she was going to get frozen peas. Shiro had learned it helped with the sore gums that came with teething and it had helped her to start eating again. He also gave her some frozen carrots and corn, as he started on his own meal. His bones were sore, his eyes hurt but he laughed when he saw a piece of corn on her nose. Who knows how it got there, he walked over and took it off for her and she giggled.

"Silly." He chuckled, his watery tone sounding exhausted. His ramen finished, promoting him to put the seasoning packet in and sit down next to her at their small, scratched table. She finished her dinner and started to slap her hands down on the tray, kicking as she did. Shiro quickly finished her food, soothing her impatience so he could finish his meal. He played with her until she started to rub at her eyes, smiling softly he picked her up.

"Bedtime, kiddo." She looked up at him with watery eyes, he braced himself but the screaming and tears never came, as he laid her down with her favorite toy and blanket. He collapsed onto his bed, not wanting to open and close doors and simply fell asleep in what he had been wearing.

He frantically had to get into work that next morning, and his least favorite manager was there. He punched in late, turning to start unpacking boxes when he was confronted by him.

"You're late again, Shirosaki." He sighed and looked at the other man.

"I know, I had a rough mornin' wit' Hana 'cause of her tooth. It wont happen again." Shiro went to start again before the man put a hand on his shoulder, those fake brown eyes behind glasses looking at him with false kindness.

"You know what I could tell Urahara, right?"

"Ya don' got shit on me, Aizen so don' pretend ya do." Aizen's eyes narrowed.

"Like the fact you consistently come in late?" Shiro stood slowly.

"If ya think imma sit here and grovel for my fuckin' job ya got another thing comin'." Shiro started putting merchandise onto the shelf when he heard someone clear his throat. The two men looked over to see Shiro's regular. He held toothpaste and floss.

"..I was wondering where the car freshener is?" Shiro walked over to him.

"Isle three. I'll help ya get it and I'll ring ya up." Shiro helped him grab his item and was followed in tense silence. Shiro smirked once they got to the counter as he saw the items.

"..Do ya even have a car?" He sputtered.

"Yeah! I wouldn't be buying it.." he defended.

"So my turn, what's your name?"

"Ahh..Ichigo. Sorry I kinda..ran out last time." He rubbed the back of his neck as Shiro put the items in a small bag. Shiro actually looked at him and he felt calmer, not as angry. "I'm also sorry I walked in on the last part of that."

"You're good.." Shiro felt fear, at someone knowing his daughters name. "What didja hear?"

"Just the groveling part." Ichigo shrugged. Shiro was quiet for a moment and regarded him.

"..Do ya wanna go out for lunch for some shit so ya stop wasting your money?" Ichigo's eyes widened.

"I'm not wasting it! I actually needed these things." Shiro laughed.

"Sure, and my hair is black. So what do ya say?" Ichigo looked at him with a scowl.

"..Fine." Ichigo then asked for a pen and paper, writing his number down. "..Does Thursday at noon work? That's my only off day."

"Yeah, see ya then Ichigo." The other man's mouth upturned before he did his nod and walked out with his items. Shiro felt his nerves relaxed after that whole ordeal. He didn't normally ask people out anymore and he felt some pride in his chest that maybe his "game" was returning. He did message Urahara about Aizen however, he typically wasn't one to snitch but he needed this job.

He had a misdemeanor on his record and it made employers shy away. He sighed again, feeling some doubt that Ichigo and him would go anywhere, but he wasn't one to be scared of things when it came to just him as a person. Fear was saved for his daughter's well-being. The rest of his shift sucked be he actually had a date to look forward too.

When Thursday came around, Nel had been absolutely bursting with excitement.

"Shiro's dating again!" She cried, as she wiped down the counter at Grimmjow's bar. Shiro had stopped by to let her know he was off per her request. Grimmjow laughed from where he leaned behind the counter.

"He's still outta practice." Nel hit the bigger man's arm. Shiro rolled his eyes.

"You're a piece of shit, Jeagerjaques. Don' start with me, at least I ain't blind." Grimmjow's eyes narrowed as Shiro cackled. "I'm out, I'll talk to ya later.

"I want details after, Shirosaki!" Shiro waved the woman off as he walked out. He hopped into his old ass car, and drove to the small diner they had chosen. He walked in, spotting his date in a booth, as he walked to join him. Ichigo's face had lit up when he saw the other.

"Hey!" Ichigo greeted as Shiro slid in on the opposite side of him.

"Hey, how're ya?"

"I'm good, you?"

"Alright, tired from work." Ichigo chuckled.

"I get that..Thanks for meeting me." Shiro raised an amused brow.

"I asked ya, ya don' gotta thank me." Ichigo face lit crimson. "You're easy to tease." Shiro chuckled with a grin. Ichigo just scowled at him. Things went easily from there, and they found themselves actually dating five months later. Renji had Hana for the night one night, Shiro and Ichigo back at Ichigo's place. Shiro was watching Ichigo cook who look back at him and raised his brows.

"What?"

"Nothin', you're jus' sexy." Ichigo blushed. Ichigo tsked with that small smile he got. They eventually ate and sat down to play mariokart, which had been Ichigo's wish.

"You play dirty, Shiro." Shiro cackled.

"All's fair in playin' mariokart, Ichi." Shiro brushed his leg against Ichigo's making the other jolt. He cackled and Ichigo scowled.

"Why did I suggest this?"

"I think it's cause ya want me to fuck wit' ya."

"Shiro!" Shiro laughed, setting his controller down after the screen came up to deem him the winner. "I call hacks." Shiro laughed again and turned to Ichigo.

"Do I get a prize?" Shiro said with a grin, Ichigo blushed rolling his eyes. Shiro leaned in and brushed his lips against Ichigo's who's face was starting to redden.

"I dunno, maybe." Ichigo whispered. Shiro's grin widened as he closed the distance. He and Ichigo hadn't gone much farther than grinding against one another, before Shiro would then have to leave. Ichigo still didn't know anything about Hana and for the first time he felt fear for something that pertained to him. Shiro knew for a fact Ichigo wouldn't hurt her, knowing he had two younger sisters that he positively adored.

He just didn't know if Ichigo would want to incur a child that wasn't even his. So when Ichigo asked him to stay the night after some making out, he was a little stressed. He said sure, before texting Nel who was watching Hana. She didn't have an issue, and she had replied to Shiro telling him to "get some".

"Hey Shiro?" Shiro looked up from his phone.

"Yeah?" Ichigo smiled softly at him.

"Wanna take a shower?" Shiro's eyes widened before they narrowed as he grinned widely. He sauntered over to Ichigo.

"Ya sure you're ready for what tha' could lead ta, Ichi?" Ichigo smirked, raising a brow.

"Are you?" Shiro cackled.

"More than." With that they took a shower, which lead to exactly what both had wanted. Shiro leaned over Ichigo with a smirk, both laying on the bed they had fell onto after their shower. Shiro kissed his collarbone, then left open mouthed ones up to the other's mouth. Ichigo hummed into it, then broke away and moaned as Shiro pressed into him.

Shiro let out a hiss and rested his head on the other's forehead. Ichigo bit his lip, as Shiro forced himself to stay still. "O-okay." Shiro groaned at that and started a rhythm that would lead them to their end. Ichigo held Shiro tight and groaned as he came, Shiro freezing when he did so. He thrust into Ichigo one last time before still, with a strangled groan, Ichigo joining in on vocalizing his pleasure.

When they both came down from their high, Shiro slipped out of the other and laid next to him. Ichigo looked at him with lidded eyes and smiled softly. Shiro felt his heart clench. Shiro moved to lay on his side facing Ichigo, with his arm propping him up to look at the other fully.

"That was amazin-"

"Ichi, I gotta tell ya somethin'." Ichigo froze and looked at him with wide eyes.

"..Alright?" There was slight apprehension in the other's tone and it made butterflies erupt in his stomach. He had never felt this nervous in his life, not until Hana, Nel, Grimmjow and Renji had came into his life did he actually care if he hurt people or not.

"I..I.." Shiro leaned over and grabbed his phone. Ichigo by this point had sat up, collecting the blankets to hide his chest and stare at his boyfriend intently. Shiro pulled a picture of his daughter up, holding the screen to his chest he sat up fully as well and looked back at Ichigo.

"Two years ago I did somethin' pretty stupid but got somethin' amazin' in return..I..I didn't tell ya cause I wanted to protect her." Ichigo's face flashed with hurt before Shiro turned his phone to show him his baby girl, Long white hair pulled half back in a red dress on Shiro's shoulders. "..This is Hana. She's my daughter." Ichigo stayed silent, gently taking Shiro's phone and looking at her.

Shiro couldn't shut up for some reason.

"I didn' tell ya because in the past people have bailed on me cause of her and..I..I want ya ta be in her life but I don' know if ya wanna be respon-"

"Are you crazy?" Shiro stared at Ichigo as he looked back up with happy brown eyes. His tone was breathy. "She's so beautiful, Shiro..." Shiro stared at him with raised brows. "I can't say I'm happy that you hid her from me but I understand." Ichigo set the phone down, smiling softly.

"I don' expect ya ta drop everythin' and take on a kid tha' isn't yours-" Ichigo flicked the other's nose with a scowl.

"This is so unlike you, you're my boyfriend. In order for this to work at all we have to be willing to work together..I've always wanted a little girl..If you're comfortable with it." Ichigo said. Shiro just stared at him some more before he pulled him in for a hug. Ichigo hugged him back. "I have no clue what I'm doing but..but I know I care about you and I want to help you. I want to grow with you two." Ichigo pulled back to look at the other. Shiro smirked at him before kissing his face.

"Ya really are amazin'." Ichigo blushed.

"Yeah Yeah." Shiro chuckled.

"When do ya wanna meet her?"

"Tomorrow?!" Shiro laughed.

"Alright Alright, excited much?" Ichigo smiled at him again.

"I am."

AN: Usually intro chapters for my stories are longer but I really want this to be a short, cute story. We'll see more about Ichigo and Shiro for sure and definitely more of Hana. First chapters are normally my "tester" chapters to see how everyone likes it! I hope you enjoyed it! The smut wasn't the best by any means, I wanted it to more focus on them than the smut. Excuse any typo's, I've been really bad about catching them lately.

Don't forget to favorite, follow, review and critique!

Later days and nights, Hollows.