8. Meet The Family
Prompt: Meet The Family
Setting: Modern Day AU (High School)
Genre: General, Humour
1,000 Words
"I'm home," Ichigo called at the door. He helped his friend over the threshold and across the entryway. As his friend sank gratefully to sit on the wooden floor, Ichigo bent to remove his shoes.
"I'll be right back," he promised, and then, without waiting for a reply, disappeared through the door into the house.
He found both his sisters in the kitchen, Yuzu was cooking while Karin sat at the dining table, reading manga.
"Welcome back, Ichi-nii!" Yuzu chirped, flashing him a smile before turning back to stir the curry sauce in the frying pan.
"Mh, yeah," Ichigo mumbled as an acknowledgement of the greeting. "Where's the old man?"
"He's finishing up at the clinic," Karin reported, peering at him over her manga volume. "Why?"
"Can you go get him?"
Karin raised her brow. Ichigo could tell she was curious and he didn't really blame her. His father was very annoying and juvenile more often than not, so it was more like Ichigo to avoid him rather than seek him out. Thankfully, though, Karin got up and left the kitchen without a word.
His other sister wasn't as adept with containing her curiosity.
"What is it, Ichi-nii?"
"I brought him a patient," Ichigo explained curtly. "Walking home, I ran into a schoolmate who had been injured."
"Oh, I hope he's okay!" Yuzu commiserated.
A door opened further along the corridor and then a bearded middle-aged man wearing a white lab coat was lunging through the air.
"Welcome home, Ichigoooooo – OUCH!"
"Yeah yeah, we can skip all that," Ichigo grouched, his annoyance spiking.
"Ichi-nii's brought a friend over who's hurt," Yuzu cut in, sensing the brewing squabble.
"Oh? Well, why didn't you tell me that in the first place?" Isshin scoffed, his silliness instantly replaced by seriousness. "Let's go."
Ichigo and Isshin walked along the corridor back to the front door, as Karin sat back down at the dinner table.
"This is Kuchiki-senpai from the kendo club," Ichigo introduced his friend, "Kuchiki-senpai, this is my father."
"It's nice to meet you Kuchiki-san," Isshin smiled before he slipped fully into a work mode. "Now, let's have a look."
Gingerly, he eased the blood-stained white sneaker off her foot. Her sock was soaked through and she peeled it off with a grimace, revealing a deep gash at the sole of her foot.
"It might need a stitch or two," Isshin murmured to himself, before turning to speak to the two teenagers. "Let's get you inside, shall we? Ichigo, help her. I'll go get the supplies."
Ichigo nodded and helped Kuchiki-senpai up, helping her hobble along the corridor. They entered the kitchen and ignored his sisters' surprised stares. He walked her over to the living room couch and she sank down onto the cushions. Few seconds later Isshin was back and set to work.
While their father was seeing to the wound under Ichigo's supervision, Yuzu fidgeted in the kitchen. Then, she set down her chopsticks, grabbed Karin's arm and dragged her twin-sister out of the room.
"Hey, what gives?" Karin demanded to know the minute the door closed behind them.
"It's a girl," Yuzu breathed out in wonder. "Ichi-nii brought home a girl!"
"Well, he brought her over because she was injured," Karin pointed out. "Besides, he's brought a girl over before in middle school."
"Yeah but this girl looks so different from Tatsuki-chan," Yuzu said breathlessly, "She seems more like, how do you say… a girly girl!"
"You're reading too much into it," Karin sighed. The light-haired girl pursed her lips.
"I don't know, I get the feeling there's something there."
Karin shook her head but didn't say anything. She already knew that nothing she said would really deter Yuzu.
The twins slinked back into the room. Ichigo's friend was still sitting on the couch, her foot all wrapped up. Their father was sitting on the couch beside her, grinning widely and chatting away, while Ichigo was glowering beside them.
Karin plopped back down at the dinner table and picked up her manga. Yuzu went back to cooking, while throwing covert glances towards the couch and keeping her ears trained that way.
Then, finally, when there was a lull in the conversation at the other end of the room, Yuzu had to jump at the chance.
"Ichi-nii, is your friend staying for dinner?"
Ichigo's stomach plummeted. He knew it had been a terrible idea to bring Kuchiki-senpai over, even though it had been unavoidable. His family was just so insane, and Kuchiki-senpai was great. Any image he had tried to build at the kendo club, in front of her, would totally be in ruins the longer senpai stayed at his house.
She was staring him now, her violet eyes wide. Obviously the question had startled her.
"That's a wonderful idea, Yuzu!" Isshin grinned in delight. "Please, Rukia-chan, do stay."
"I don't know," Kuchiki-senpai started hesitantly. "I don't want to be a bother."
"It wouldn't be a bother at all!" Yuzu insisted. "We've got plenty of food."
"We'd love for you to stay," Isshin implored. "Unless of course you're in a hurry to go home."
"Well, my brother's on a business trip so there's really no one waiting for me…"
"That's great then! You'll stay, won't you?"
"It's decided, Rukia-chan will have dinner with the Kurosakis tonight!" Isshin declared.
Ichigo felt torn. On one hand, the idea of having dinner together with Kuchiki-senpai filled him with awe a little. On the other hand, the rest of his family would unfortunately be present as well, and she would get to experience first-hand how annoying they could get.
He glanced at Kuchiki-senpai, only to find her staring at him. There was a questioning look in her eyes and he shrugged. She flashed him a small smile, before turning to his father.
"Very well then, I guess I'll be staying."
"Great!" Isshin enthused, giving Yuzu the thumb-up. "Oh, and later, Ichigo will walk you home."
Ichigo swallowed a groan. This would be one long evening.
