This occurs immediately after Ichigo loses his Shinigami powers after defeating Aizen due to transforming into Zangetsu and uses Mugetsu, basically at the end at the Ouken/Rise of Aizen ARC. A million pardons for any disappointments, and please do get back to me with any suggestions.
Fireflies 3
Isshin x Ichigo
Kurosaki Ichigo was perfectly aware of the eyes that roamed around his lean yet muscular frame with desire trapped in them to burning point. What he did not know was that why his father acted that way.
It was only yesterday that Kurosaki Karin came down with a ridiculous fever, and Yuzu began feeling the symptoms too. Ichigo's father, Kurosaki Isshin-san, stated at once that this was not ordinary, and handed them both over to Urahara Kisuke-san. The genius told them that Karin and Yuzu both are experiencing a raise in their spiritual power, and that the fever would continue for four days straight. Tessai-san and Ururu-chan both suggested leaving them at Urahara Shouten because they needed constant attention. Kisuke briefly suggested that the four should shift to the Kurosaki Clinic instead, but Isshin-san denied, stating that the clinic had to be open no matter what. And there was no further argument, as all knew the clinic could not be open if the Soul-Check equipment was there, and closing it was obviously out of the question. The Kurosaki clinic was the only medical shelter in Karakura.
Ichigo really had no say in the matter. He was overwhelmed with grief at the sum of recent losses: his powers, his friends at Soul Society, and now Karin and Yuzu to this fever of sorts.
He really was at breaking point. He knew that shouldering the blame was clearly unethical and would only make him worse, but his heart did not lose grasp of negativity.
Isshin noticed that as well, ever since he regained consciousness the day before yesterday, Ichigo returned home drunk the first night. He had not gone to school since. This worried the rest of the gang, namely Inoue, Sado, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuro, Chizuru and surprisingly even Uryuu. Ichigo refused meeting anyone, and Isshin grew tired of answering call for Ichigo.
Isshin decided to do whatever it takes to get Ichigo back to who he was before. Of course, he knew it was not easy. He understood Ichigo despite what the latter might think. It was because, when Isshin was a Captain of the 10th Division back in Soul Society, he felt the same way. He wanted power to protect his friends at any cost.
But that was long ago, when he was a Shinigami and when the Noble House of the Shiba Clan still stood high. Back when he was Shiba Isshin, a proud one of the Gotei Thirteen.
Even still, he knew above all the sadness of losing the key to protecting all who one wishes to protect; he could sympathize with Ichigo perfectly.
So Isshin did his best at fixing Ichigo's favorite dinner that night. Ichigo had not left his room even once. Isshin carefully carried a tray to Ichigo's room and laid it on his table before waking up Ichigo. Surprisingly, the fifteen year old was deeply asleep. He wore no clothes, and Isshin-san's heart took a little leap. But he managed to resist temptation; he slapped his outstretched left hand with his right. He noticed a slight quiver in Ichigo's frame, but attributed it to the cold breeze blowing in through the open two-paned window.
Isshin-san decided to let him sleep, and left the tray where it was. He quietly descended the stairs and switched on the television. He put on the local news and decided to crash for the night. He undid his shirt, hurled it over the headrest of the long couch, and lounged in the same with two beers at his feet. He soon found the news boring, so he switched over to a cheesy romantic comedy.
A loud crash sounded from Ichigo's room moments later.
The few brief seconds that passed until Isshin-san reached the room were drenched in nothing but worry. And when he saw the broken ceramic bowls and clattered steel forks and spoons against the door of Ichigo's wardrobe, his worry only intensified.
"I do not need your pity." Ichigo snarled. He lunged out of bed (Isshin only barely noticed that he wore only briefs, but Ichigo was so drenched in anger, that he was oblivious to that fact) and towards the wardrobe. He had treaded on one sushi roll on his way. "I AM MOVING OUT."
"What?" Isshin-san gasped, as he watched his barely clothed son pack all his clothes in a suitcase, which took barely two swings of Ichigo's arms, since there wasn't much to his wardrobe anyway. He turned for the door, not answering his father's question.
But Isshin-san blocked the way, repeating his question "WHAT?"
"I'll find the answers to my own questions." He muttered.
Isshin-san knew from the tone that Ichigo's decision was final. He looked out the closed window, where the streetlights illuminated the ghostlike town of Karakura. He could only think of one thing, which wasn't at all appropriate, nor suited to what a father should do. But he needed his son here, and he would do anything to make that happen. He knew that eventually Ichigo's powers would return, but he needed to give Ichigo a reason to stay, and it had to be more than just a raise in his monthly allowance.
How many times before had he seen his wife's face in him?
So he did it, he grabbed Ichigo by his waist and pulled him closer. Suddenly he was very aware that Ichigo's body was barely concealed and that he himself was bare chested.
"Wha-" Ichigo began to ask, his voice cracked a little. He dropped his suitcase.
But Isshin didn't give him a chance to finish. He crushed his lips on Ichigo's. The latter first froze in surprise, then stiffly sealed his mouth and tried to pull away. He grunted and shoved.
Isshin-san was more than strong; he was actually much stronger than Ichigo. If Engetsu was as he was back then, he could've taken Aizen and Ichimaru both all by himself. So he was more than strong to suppress Ichigo's fists, he held them behind his own back. He managed to quell the struggle and finally gave the kiss his all.
When he pulled away, Ichigo ad a weird expression on. It certainly held a part of anger, but also confusion, and a tiny bit of ... some emotion he couldn't pin a word on.
"What?" Ichigo whispered, a little breathless.
Isshin-san didn't really say anything, not a word. But he released Ichigo, left the room and shut the door behind him.
While we slowly walked down the stairs, he could only think about the bottle of problems he'd just opened. That one kiss had brought back a lot of memories; memories of his wife, memories of their time together, memories of how he marveled at Ichigo every day after he became Shinigami, memories of how he just wanted to –
'Whoa.' He mentally cautioned himself. 'Where did that thought come from? You're only doing this, no, DID this, to keep him home. That's all. Nothing more than giving him a reason to stay.'
He rested his palms against the kitchen counter, head bowed forward in defeat. He couldn't lie to himself anymore. He knew what that kiss meant for him, and he knew that saying he only did it to hold his son back was just a lame excuse.
"Dad?" Ichigo called.
Isshin-san wasn't surprised, he had heard his son's approach; but he stayed silent.
"Isshin?" Ichigo said, and Isshin-san turned around slowly on hearing the quiver in Ichigo's voice.
His son wore clothes now, thank god (frankly, Isshin found Ichigo's current attire of a tank-top and cargo shorts much more tempting); but the set meant that he wasn't going to leave. He thought that the plan worked. And although he still had everything else to deal with, he was still happy. "Yes, Ichigo?" he internally winced at how elated his voice sounded.
Ichigo hesitated (there was a hint of a smile), but took a shuffle forward, and another, until he had to crane his neck to see Isshin-san, whose eyes never left his son's. Then, he looked down for a moment at his fingers, which had found their way into Isshin-san's hand and shook them; before looking back up into Isshin-san's eyes again.
And then, ever so slowly, he pulled his father's hands around his waist, and wrapped his own around Isshin-san's neck, pulling his face closer to the latter.
"If this goes downhill," Ichigo whispered, "you will have hell to pay." And then he pressed his lips softly to the nearly ecstatic older man.
It began as merely a soft brush at first, but it soon intensified. And something just clicked into place, for both of them.
For Isshin, it was quite a little of a shock, since this was what he wanted all along. Ever since Ichigo crossed 15, he could always see Misaki in him, or so he thought. It was HE himself who Isshin-san wanted at heart.
For Ichigo, his entire world turned upside down. The man who he always hit back, the man who he treated so badly, the man who was his father! He didn't know how to deal with all the complications, but he decided that at that moment, it didn't matter.
As the two of them melted together, all they could think of was the number of days left for Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan to return home. The moon lay full overhead, and the fireflies danced in its afterglow, casting a green light in the bushes in which they lingered.