Tsuki-chan: This should be the last chapter, so enjoy! Thank you, Berrie, for your well-rounded review! I'll try to act on your suggestions :) Review please, everyone! Compliments and criticism are both appreciated!
"Ryo… " he said, smiling. Yuki looked lovingly down at their son.
"Hitsugaya Ryo… I like it." She whispered, cuddling their child.
Chapter 8
Tiny white-haired Ryo opened his eyes, ice blue eyes opening wide. Tōshirō smiled.
"Your eyes and my hair… " he whispered, holding little Ryo's hand. "He's perfect." Yuki smiled tiredly.
"He is… And that wasn't so bad, I'd do it again." Yuki agreed, then stating that as a random fact. Tōshirō stared.
"So… you didn't mean it when you said no… " he started, before Yuki cut him off.
"Shh! Not in front of Ryo, Shiro-chan!" she protested. "But, no, I didn't mean it." She smiled gently at him. Tōshirō sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness!" he said fervently. Yuki frowned at him.
"One would think that you're more worried about what I threatened than my well-being." Yuki said disapprovingly. Tōshirō shook his head violently.
"Of course not! How could you possibly think that, koi?" Tōshirō protested innocently. Yuki gave in, smiling sweetly at the cooing baby in her arms.
"Ahh… so perfect, Ryo-chan… " she whispered in adoration to the innocently blinking bundle in her arms. He gurgled sleepily, before his ice blue eyes closed in sleep. Yuki lay back, smiling exhaustedly but contentedly.
"Hey, Yuki-chan… Go to sleep, you're tired from that." Tōshirō said, smiling gently at his fatigued wife. Yuki nodded sleepily, leaning against Tōshirō's side and closing her own eyes, Ryo cuddled safely between their bodies.
(3 years later…)
"Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" little 3-year-old Ryo squealed as he ran on his short, stubby legs up to his mother. Yuki smiled, picking her beloved son up and twirling him around.
"Ryo-chan! What is it, honey?" she asked, a loving smile on her face. Little Ryo held up a white stuffed cat.
"What's this, okaa-san?" he said inquisitively, clear blue eyes gazing up into eyes very much the same. Yuki gave a delighted little giggle.
"Oh! Neko-san! I completely forgot where I put him!" Yuki exclaimed delightedly. "This, Ryo-chan, was my stuffed animal when I was younger! About twelve, I think… " she mused thoughtfully. Ryo squealed happily, squeezing the white cat to his chest.
"Okaa-san! Can I have Neko-san? Please?" Ryo begged, making puppy eyes at his mother. Yuki laughed.
"You certainly may, Ryo-chan!" she said, ruffling his snow white hair, so like his father's. Speaking of Tōshirō, the door flew open. Standing there was a red faced Tōshirō, and a puffing Ichigo.
"So… much… snow!" Tōshirō exclaimed. Yuki laughed again, at the pun he had just made.
"My namesake, Shiro-chan!" she winked at him. "Sit, sit! I'll have some hot chocolate ready in a moment." She ushered them to the warmth of the cozy living room, where the two tired young men plopped down onto the couch. Little Ryo came running up to his daddy.
"Otou-san, otou-san‼ Look! Okaa-san gave me neko-san!" Ryo squealed excitedly at his father, holding up the little white plush cat. Tōshirō smiled, petting his son's head gently.
"Very cute, Ryo. I remember when your mother had that… " he said reminiscently, gazing up at Yuki, who smiled.
"It's yours now, Ryo-chan! Take good care of neko-san… " Yuki whispered to the intently listening 3-year-old.
"Hai, okaa-san!" Ryo said solemnly. Yuki's eyes twinkled as she stroked her son's head.
"You're such a good boy, Ryo-chan!" she smiled, with all the love of a mother. Ryo beamed and ran off to his room to play. "Ichigo-kun, why don't you go play with Ryo-chan? I'm sure he'd love to play with his uncle!" she suggested, eyes twinkling. Ichigo nodded, getting up to go. As soon as Ichigo was also out of the room, Yuki beckoned for Tōshirō to come closer to her. He got up and walked the few short steps, while Yuki whispered something into his ear. After a few moments, he staggered backwards, back towards the couch.
"You're kidding?" he said weakly. Yuki beamed at him.
"I'm not… " She said softly. "Do you want me to be?" she asked playfully. Tōshirō shook his head wildly.
"Not at all! I just… didn't expect it." he replied, still looking very much in shock. Yuki smiled. "Do you know…?"
"What gender it will be?" Yuki finished. Tōshirō nodded his affirmation. Yuki shook her head. "I don't know, but I'm hoping for a girl."
"Why?" Tōshirō asked.
"So Ryo-chan can have a sister, of course!" Yuki laughed freely. Tōshirō smirked for the first time in a long while.
"How far along are you?" he questioned curiously. Yuki's eyes widened.
"Uh… I don't know, but I think… " She said, her brow furrowing in an attempt to remember how long it had been. "Maybe… around 2 months along?" she said hesitantly.
"Not long until he or she is born, then… " Tōshirō said happily, thinking of his new to-be-born child. Yuki suddenly groaned.
"Great… that torture AGAIN?" she sighed in mock horror, giggling slightly after. "Well, it's worth it… look at Ryo-chan… I can't wait to see what his brother or sister will be like… " She whispered lovingly. "I'd go through whatever torture was required for my children, for you, for my family." Yuki said with conviction. Tōshirō smiled gently.
"Aishiteru, Yuki… " he whispered. Yuki nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck.
"Aishiteru, Shiro-chan… " she replied contentedly. What more could I want… Ryo-chan… Shiro-chan… nee-chan… Ichigo-kun… Orihime-chan… Ishida-san… I have everything I want here; I was saved from that awful life with Abarai-san… I don't think that anyone could be as content as I am right now, right here… In this small house, living with my friends and family, this is where I am happiest… where I am at home. Thank you, nii-chan… for watching over me all these years as I grew up… As I had my own children… the children that you never got to see, but nii-chan… thank you so much for saving my life that day.
