The day he saw them together


A shiver ran through the man's body. Unconsciously, he moved towards the other side of the bed, where a warm body would be laying beside him. However, the only thing awaiting him were cold and empty sheets.

"'Hime..." he grumbled, sleepy, and opening one eye saw that the bed and the rest of the room were, indeed, empty.

He tried to close his eyes again, but some kind of trepidation wouldn't let him. A feeling he identified as fear. An irrational fear, he knew it, since he could sense her reiatsu, however, being up at the middle of the night always made him worry, especially now.

Rising from the bed, his naked feet stepped through the house, guiding him without a conscious deliberation. He just walked, following her previous steps, like they were marked in phosphorescent ink on the floor.

And then, reaching an open door that separated a baby blue room, with clouds on the ceiling, from the hallway, he finally heard her voice.

"And then, the Black Prince walked towards the city, guided by his companions to rescue his love. She was expecting him. She knew he would always come to save her, no matter what! And when all the enemies were defeated, he extended his hand and she grabbed it, happy for being with him once again." her voice softened and fell under a spell of silence.

He could see them. The woman was rocking a baby inside her arms, while the youngster's rosy cheeks puffed with each breath. He was mesmerized by the view, like he always felt whenever he was lucky enough to see such a loving scene. Finally, the woman turned toward a white crib and placing the baby inside, turned around.

"Is he asleep?" the man whispered, his body against the door frame, with his arms casually crossed in front of his body.

"Yes." the woman whispered back, tiptoeing through the room.

He extended his hand, just like all those years ago and she grabbed it once again.

"I didn't hear him. You should wake me up next time! This way you won't be able of sleeping properly!" he berated her, while they walked through the hall, towards their bedroom.

"But Ichigo, you have your work and shinigami duty too, how could I wake you after such a busy day?" Orihime replied with a knowing smile and Ichigo sighed.

"I'm the father of that little boy and I'm your husband! I want you to rely on me! Don't take all this work all by yourself!" Ichigo said, squeezing her hand.

Orihime was going to answer when a wail pierced the air and she turned around instinctively.

"No! Let me..." he said and quickly close the distance between him and the baby's room.

When Orihime reached the room, the father was already with the baby inside his arms, humming under his breath.

She entered the room and sat in a rocking chair, observing the two most important men in her life bonding in their own way.

Orihime felt her eyelids getting heavier, but before she dozed off, she was rewarded with two pair of warm lips against her face, one small and one so much bigger, but both of them equally priceless.