This was actually the first ichiruki fic I ever wrote (originally posted on tumblr), after I stayed away from Bleach for about 4 years after that ending! Gift fic to hashtagartistlife on Tumblr, because this writing was inspired by her beautiful artwork. Canon-compliant.
Disclaimer: All work belongs to Kubo.
...
It was times like this that Ichigo really didn't know what to do.
Ichika had been sick, really sick - and had refused to let anyone other than Rukia near her. Ichigo tried to take her place a few times, to give Rukia a well-deserved break, only for Ichika to shake her head, grasp her mother's hem, and shriek, "Momma, only!"
Ichigo wondered if it was her parents' recent divorce that got her so attached to her mom, and upset at Ichigo, but even when Renji visited and tried to hold her, she had started to cry and snuggled even closer to Rukia.
"Don't take it so hard, Renji - sometimes girls just need their mom," Ichigo soothed his friend. "I saw that with Yuzu and Karin, too sometimes, back when my kachan was alive".
Renji half smiled. "I know - this isn't the first time she's been this way when she has a fever. Here - I got her some cherry cola cough drops, her favourite. Give it to her when she wants. Call me if you need anything, ok?"
Ichigo nodded. "Thanks Renji. Take care, man."
...
"Ichika. Your dad got you some cherry cola cough drops. Want some? It'll soothe your throat."
Turning away from her mom, and towards Ichigo, she nodded.
"Here you go, squirt."
Sucking on the cough drop, Ichigo saw Ichika give her first smile of the day.
"Thank you, Ichigo oji-chan. Can you remind me to thank papa when he comes next time?"
"Sure thing, squirt. Mind if I stay next to you?"
Eyes half closed again, Ichika nodded and extended her hand towards him.
Ichigo chuckled inwardly, making a mental note to always keep cherry cola cough drops handy. Maybe he'd even take some back to the land of the living when he visited Kazui and Orihime next.
...
"Rukia, she's in a deep sleep. I don't think she'll notice if you're gone for a bit. I can hold her for you while you shower and grab a bite to eat."
Rukia looked at him, eyes searching his face. While Ichigo had been divorced for a while, this was still new and unfamiliar territory for her. "Is this okay?" her eyes seemed to ask her lifelong nakama. "Do you really want to stay - with me with her?" Rukia's heart wanted to know.
Ichigo's eyes had the same answer he's always had since he met her so many years ago. "I'll always be here for you."
"Ok, I'll go shower in a minute. You can hold her," Rukia whispered.
When Rukia awoke the next time, the sun was shining in her face, Ichika's fever had gone down, and somehow her hand had found their way to the hand she had always been fated to hold.