Spring evenings were great things. Especially the ones where the winter bite had finally faded into warmer currents and birds sang in competition for mates. Father and son sat behind their home as the sun bid the day farewell in a sky painted in brilliant pinks and oranges.
"Son," Isshin's voice slurred slightly, drawing the contemplative boy's attention. The doctor held his half empty can up in the style of a toast.
Ichigo sighed and suddenly wondered again why he'd stayed there after Yuzu and Karin had wandered off with Rukia for take out to bring home. The lazy day, it seemed, was trailing gloriously into the evening. "Yeah, dad?"
The elder Kurosaki froze and slowly turned his head in his son's direction. "Huh?"
The younger Kurosaki cast his best 'what the hell is wrong with you look' in his father's direction. "What?"
His dad blinked blankly at him, then spoke slowly. "What, what?"
The teen sighed with frustration, and threw his hands up. "You're the one who started talking!"
Dark eyes stared blankly at the incensed boy before lighting up, "Oh, right!" He pulled himself a little straighter against the wall the both of them were leaning against and stared at his son in thought. "…what was I going to say again?"
"How the hell should I know?!" How did he do it? The youth had yet to figure out how the man who raised him could go from nice, quiet company to absolutely infuriating in zero seconds flat.
"Oh, yeah. Son," he took a final pull from the can before crushing it in his hand, "there are certain holy things a father must impart upon his boy at the cusp of manhood." He trailed off; a fond grin alighting upon his face as he watched Ichigo proudly.
At first, the look took him aback, even as it warmed a deep part of his heart, but after several moments of this, the teen twitched slightly. Lowly, he prompted through grit teeth, "…and those would be?"
Isshin grinned even more broadly as a hand vanished into the bag of purloined sweets sitting between the two. "Cookies," with a rustle he held up his prize in all of its chocolaty glory, "taste best when stolen just before dinner."
Honeyed eyes rolled and the younger sipped his bottle of juice. "Well yeah, I already knew that." He'd known that one since he was five, for pity's sake. Who didn't figure that out as soon as they knew how to walk, after all?
Uryuu, probably.
The dark haired man looked disappointed for a moment before a light went off over his head.
Literally.
The two watched the moths fluttering towards the luminescence triggered by the darkening sky.
Finally, the father spoke up again, "Cookies."
Another pause as the two stared at each other through the silence.
"Cookies…?" Ichigo again pressed.
Isshin smiled brightly, "…go great with beer."
Ichigo face palmed with a groan and snatched the fresh can from his father's relaxed grip before he could pop the tab. "You're cut off."
Isshin pouted and reached for another cookie, only to find the bag missing. "Hey!"
Ichigo smirked as he stood - cookies in one hand, beer in the other. "Yuzu would kill us both if you ruined your appe—HEY!!"
Pastries and can went flying when a slightly tipsy Isshin barreled into his son.
Yes, spring evenings were indeed great things.
Done for my 3500 kiriban on deviant art.
Inspired by one of my personal favorite indulgences. I don't know why, but I love cookies with some of my beers, especially chocolate cookes with honey weiss. Nommers.
Oddly enough, this goes nicely with the peice I did for Uryuu - Winter Warmth. I think I'll need to do one for Orihime and Chad for Summer and Fall. *contemplation*