Epilogue

As Ichigo watched the Kuchikis arrive, he mentally kept count of the guests that would not be able to make it to the park. Mizuiro Kojima had a deadline to meet as editor of Bounce-Bounce Nation Nihon and Jinta Hanakari was in the middle of his baseball season abroad. Jun Urahara was doing graduate work in Argentina and Ururu, now Senior Sergeant Tsugumiya, was still on tour.

The Kuchiki family splintered off not too far away, those that could walk ran off in the direction of Ishiin and Karin who were at the baseball field with the younger generation of Kurosakis. Byakuya and Rukia continued, but not before she shouted that they "be careful". Ichigo had to gawk at the rate in which the Kuchiki family was growing, as it appeared to have a new member every time they came to the picnic.

"Sooo," drawled Ichigo as he lowered his cup from his mouth, "that's the last one, right? Or do you two want to build your own soccer team?"

Every three years, the growing Kurosaki family would host a summer picnic at the local park. It served to bring together those that had taken part in the Winter War or were connected with the events. Now its' sixth reunion, Ichigo had high hopes for this gathering: almost everyone who lived abroad would be coming. Chad and Tatsuki were taking a break from training for his next heavyweight bout and her featherweight kickboxing competition. Orihime had no runways to walk on for the next two weeks and Ishida had just returned from a medical convention.

"Where's everyone?" asked Rukia as she held her newborn, or as the strawberry had come to call it, 'Kuchiki spawn No. 8'.

"Dad and Karin are showing the kids how to play baseball," Ichigo offered Byakuya a beer, noting that by appearance only, the strawberry was technically older. "I don't think they'll be having a problem forming another team now, 'ya know, since--"

"Since we arrived, yeah, yeah."

Ichigo grinned as he took a swig from his beer.

"The kids will be playing ball first before lunch so they build an appetite," the strawberry ran his fingers through his hair, "Kaien and Hana like to argue, so I put them on different teams."

He briefly paused to check his watch. "By the way Byakuya, I drew the teams yesterday and you're on mine. You'll be pitcher and batting clean up. I'll be leading off, m'kay?"

Ichigo received indifferent nod, to which he frowned. "Kisuke, Renji, and Haneki are on the other. She used to play varsity softball in college, 'ya know."

The strawberry smirked when he noticed Byakuya emit a competitive aura at the thought of facing three power hitters in a row. With his free hand, the strawberry reached into his pocket and checked his phone.

"Makoto and Haneki are still at Urahara Shouten to Byouin packing the food and Yuzu's still at her house with her husband and kids." He looked up as he put it away. "Hey, why aren't you guys talkative today?"

Byakuya and Rukia glanced at one another. Taking another sip of his beer, Ichigo observed the communication between the couple in silence. He shared the same ability with Kaneko and he had used it last week when they made the decision to leave the clinic in the hands of the other doctors while they were at the picnic.

Byakuya nudged Rukia to begin speaking, but not too hard as she was holding their newborn. "We were wondering if it was alright to name our son after you."

Ichigo gagged on his beer. "Are you serious?" The strawberry wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his t-shirt. "Did you run out of dead people to name your kids after?"

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "If the idea does not sit well with you, Kurosaki, we can always ask Renji."

The strawberry blinked. "Does Soul Society have anything like Child Protection Services? 'coz if they do, I'm giving them a call."

"What's that?" asked Rukia with a quizzical expression.

"Nevermind," Ichigo waved her question away. He placed his beer on the table and began counting off his fingers, "Kaien, Genryuu, Sajin, Hisana, Yoruichi, Zaraki, and Ginrei: yep, no pressure on those kids to grow into those names. Nope. None at all."

Byakuya looked at his wife before turning his attention back to Ichigo. "This will be our last child."

"Hmmm." Ichigo hummed amused as he retook his cup, "I guess that rules out the Kuchiki soccer and baseball teams, no?"

The conversation turned silent as they heard a band of red-heads approaching from the distance.

"The Abarais have arrived," Byakuya said as he moved towards the cooler to fish out a water bottle under a tree not too far away and stayed there to drink it.

"Here," Rukia handed Ichigo her son, "I'm going to say 'hi' to Mikoto."

Before he even had the chance to say 'no', the strawberry was holding the boy in his arms and struggling to keep the beer from spilling unto his clothes. Eventually, he managed to carefully place the cup on the bench leaving him to concentrate on the bundle. It had been years since he had held a baby, the last being Ringo Urahara and before that, his own daughter.

"You have your dad's eyes," he spoke to the boy, knowing the child couldn't see anything but blurs with his yet-to-fully-develop vision, "but I hope you turn out like your mom. She's funnier and more talkative."

Ichigo sighed. "I'm a thirty-seven year old man talking to a baby. But who cares? I'll be glad to talk to another Ichigo any day of the week."

Finis