'...' Indicates spirits speaking in the mind.

'itallics is Ossan'

'Underlined is Shiro'

Ichigo was pouting from his spot on the floor, his arms and legs crossed as he glared resolutely at the dusty corner. He just finished getting reprimanded and was now in time out. He huffed, ignoring his anisan's cackling laughter and the distinct feeling of 'I told you so' from the older voice. Behind him, his fathers were both talking to the captain that had picked him up and brought him back. Gin and Rangiku had both left, though Rangiku had given him another stern look before she did. He sagged, picking at the lint on the floor and tried to ignore the feeling of guilt that was swelling in him. His fathers had apparently been terribly worried, sending Nanao and Momo to search for him in the process. He had wondered why those two were trailing him.

"Ichigo"

He turned at the sound of his name, his gaze in the direction of his fathers but pinned to the floor.

"Come here." He swallowed, unused to Shu otousan sounding so serious. Ichigo reluctantly stood and shuffled over, dragging his feet and not daring to lift his gaze from the floor. He stared at the pink kimono instead, waiting to be spoken to.

"Thank Aizen taichou for brining you back." Ichigo winced when he heard the flat tone used and nodded, not willing to anger Shu any more than necessary. Ichigo lifted his gaze from the pink kimono and turned, looking up at the glasses wearing man before bowing shallowly.

"Thank you Aizen taichou," his voice was a whisper, not being able to make it go any higher with the lump in his throat. A hand rested gently on his head and he squirmed, not liking how familiar the captain he just met was with him.

"All is well, if you are ever in need of assistance, do not hesitate to ask for it." The weight was lifted off his head and Ichigo glanced up to see the man turn away and head for the door, raising his right hand in a wave and sliding the door shut behind him.

Now that he was gone, Ichigo was distinctly aware of the silence in the room and he shifted in his spot, not wanting to turn around to face his disappointed fathers.

A heavy sigh made him wince and he tentatively peeked behind him, flicking his eyes up to see Juu's sad frown and Shu pinching the bridge of his nose, his hat nowhere to be found. He looked away again, forcing his limbs not to tremble.

"Why, Ichigo?"

Ichigo slumped. He didn't have a reason, he just wanted to have fun and run free. The voice of his anisan in his head wasn't exactly a deterrent either.

"I dunno" Ichigo mumbled out, tuning to face his fathers head on but not looking them in the eye. He couldn't quite muster enough courage to do that yet.

"This isn't the place to run around wildly Ichigo! We have told you this time and time again, not everyone knows who you are. It's a miracle you haven't been captured as a stray from the districts yet!" Shunsui's voice grew louder towards the end and Ichigo clenched his fists, biting his tongue.

"Is it so hard to listen to us?" Shunsui was still loud, but Ichigo also heard the disappointed edge. "What could possibly be going through your mind when you do this?"

Anger swelled in Ichigo, and he looked up abruptly, startling his father's with the fire that swelled in his eyes.

"You wouldn't know!" Ichigo raised his voice, glaring at Shunsui, hiding his confusion behind anger. "It's not that easy! They keep talking to me and anisan keeps saying it's fine! Why shouldn't I?"

Shunsui and Jushiro recoiled, never having been yelled back at from their son. The sent each other a quick glance before Shunsui turned back to him with furrowed brows.

"Ichigo," his voice was hesitant. "Who is anisan?"

Ichigo stilled, realizing he had given away the fact that he heard voices in his head. He deflated and looked away, eyeing the stray sunbeam that filtered in though the office window.

"Ichigo," Juu's voice was soft and he looked up to see his dad's worried look. "Please tell us." It was always hard to say no to him. Ichigo sighed and clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to see their faces when he told them.

"Anisan…he" Ichigo swallowed. "He talks to me in my head. He always says it's fine to play but ojisan keeps telling me to listen to you guys, and I do! But… it's hard to ignore anisan sometimes."

Ichigo wasn't looking at them, so he missed the way their eyes widened in surprise. When they said nothing, he finally looked up and saw them staring at each other, coming to a decision and herding Ichigo towards the couch.

He sat in between them, a confused expression on his face.

"Ichigo, do you know their names?" He looked to his left when Shu spoke and tilted his head in confusion.

"No, I don't think they wanna tell me. They keep telling me that they say it, but I think they're messing with me." Ichigo paused at the flabbergasted look his father was sending him.

"And you said there are two, yes?" Ju's voice came from his right and Ichigo nodded to him, looking between them wearily.

"Yeah, why? Is that bad?" He was beginning to worry that something was wrong when Shunsui leaned back against the couch and let out a hearty laugh. His right hand was covering his eyes as he shook his head. Ichigo looked back towards Juu and furrowed his brows in question.

"Ichigo, I do believe they are your zanpakuto." Jushiro's voice came out hesitant, but he was smiling nonetheless. Ichigo's eyes widened and he glanced down at the sword his father had on his hip. His eyes lit up in excitement and he hoped off the couch, facing both with a wide grin.

"Really!?" His voice came out high, but he didn't care, his zanpakuto were talking to him!

"Finally you get it!"

Ichigo immediately scowled at the voice of his anisan and huffed.

"It's not like you were helpful!"

His fathers sent him a questioning look and Ichigo blushed, realizing he had spoken out loud. He coughed, "uhm, they're happy."

Jushiro's eyes lit up in amusement and Shunsui stood suddenly, a large smile on his face as he turned to the other captain.

"Ju! We need an asauchi!"

His white haired father paled, his eyes widening in shock. "You can't be serious, Ichigo doesn't even listen to us and now you want to give him a sword?"

Ichigo deflated, looking like a kicked puppy. He figured he deserved it though. Shunsui hesitated, grabbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger and sliding his gaze back over to his son.

"Hmm, you have a point, Ju." Ichigo looked up at his father with pleading eyes, trying not to squirm.

"Of course maybe we can give it to him as a test?" Shunsui continued and leaned down to be eye level with him. Warm brown eyes bore into him, and Ichigo swallowed at the intensity behind the look. Sometimes he forgot how old his father was.

"I am willing to trust you with an asauchi if, and only if, you promise never to unsheathe it unless I say so." His voice held none of the playfulness Ichigo had grown accustomed to and was unyielding.

Ichigo glanced at Jushiro, noticing the man's sharp gaze trained on Shunsui. He looked back and gave his pink clad father a timid nod.

"Remember what I said about promises, Ichigo. Keep them and only give them when you mean it. It's more than your honor on the line." A dark shadow flickered across his father's gaze, as if remembering a distant memory.

"I promise," Ichigo's voice shook, but he was determined. He didn't want to disappoint his fathers again. Shunsui nodded sharply and let an easy smile form on his face as he straightened.

"Good, and make your zanpakuto promise to stop being such an enabler." Ichigo blushed and cringed back at the indignant shout from his anisan. He let loose a giggle as the spirit went on a rant, the stress leaving him. With his head tilted back and eyes closed, he missed how both his fathers looked down at him with fond exasperation.

Ichigo was trembling with excitement, unable to hold off the large grin on his face as he sat and held the long katana in his hands. He was in his room, the moon providing enough light for him to see the plain hilt and the smooth, dark wood of the sheath. The black fabric that was wrapped tightly in a diamond pattern on the handle was rough under his soft hand. It was heavy and a little more than half his height, but Shu had said it didn't matter since Ichigo wasn't supposed to be using it anyways, only carrying it around and sleeping with it.

"I can't wait to meet you, ojisan and anisan" his whisper was soft in the darkness of the room. There was a flutter of warmth in his chest as he thought about the partners he would have for the rest of his life.

'We are always with you, Ichigo.'

Ichigo smiled at the words of his ojisan, glad that the man wasn't upset with him after ignoring him earlier that day.

'Che, we will always protect you, king.'

Ichigo blinked, unsure of what he needed protection from, but nodded his head either way at the promise. Emotion swelled in his chest and settled itself in his throat. His orange hair shadowed his eyes as he brought the katana to his chest in a hug, speaking the words that seemed to come from his very soul.

"And I'll never leave you two alone." His voice broke, and a soft caress he couldn't identify surrounded him from all sides. That night, Ichigo fell asleep clutching the katana, and dreamed of blue and gold eyes.

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Alright updates will slow down once more, I have procrastinated on my work too long!

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