Chad and Toshinori must have exchanged stories and stuff for a while. Because after what seemed like mere moments to Toshinori, was actually a few hours. During which, the younger man had not only bonded with him a bit but had also helped him to pick someplace nice to take Ichigo and her family in a little while as well.

And all too soon, Chad's watch was chiming. Alerting both of them that it was time for Ichigo to awaken.

"Should I go and wake her up?" Toshinori asked curiously as the younger man finished off his third beer. Setting the empty can down on the coffee table, Chad shook his head no and sat back as he said.

"Nah, I can hear her moving around already. So she'll be out in a minute or so."

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask him how he could hear her moving around when all he could hear was car horns and stuff coming from somewhere outside. True, the sounds weren't blaringly loud. But they should have covered up any muffled sounds that Ichigo might have been making in the other room.

Not only that, but the walls of Chad's home were thick and meant to ensure that any loud noises wouldn't disturb anyone else both within the apartment or outside of it.

Sure enough a minute or so passed before Ichigo came shuffling out of wherever she'd been and entered the living room and took a moment to glance at the two men.

Chad had this weirdly patient smile on his face. And Toshinori had this bizarre look like he'd just been caught stealing cookies from a cookie jar or something by his mother. Like he couldn't make up his mind between singing like a canary and proclaiming his innocence or throwing the other man to the wolves.

She looked away from them for a moment to glance down at the coffee table and narrowed her eyes a little bit when she saw at least five beer bottles sitting there, and then looked back at the men with an expectant look on her face.

Chad's smile got wider and Toshinori seemed to sense something and suddenly blurted out in a very serious- but not the least bit mature sounding- tone, "He made me do it."

Chad cracked up as Ichigo simply blinked at him. Her expression somewhat incredulous as Chad practically howled with laughter. Because having her husband tattle on him like a little kid on a playground really was very funny. Especially since the blond man was built a little bit bigger and sturdier then he was.

"Yeah, I can tell that he really twisted your arm." She said as she reached out and ruffled his hair to show him that she wasn't pissed. Drinking was normal for guys when they were bonding.

Toshinori blinked at her as her small hand ruffled his messy blond hair before she stepped over his feet and lightly pinched her friend on the cheek and muttered a soft and vaguely warning sounding, "Be. Nice." And then shuffled off to the kitchen to get herself something to drink.

As soon as she was in the kitchen Chad turned to him and asked, "Did you really think throwing me to her mercy would save you?"

Toshinori shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I thought that it was worth a try."

"See if I ever drink with you again." Chad said as he shook his head. Ichigo rejoined them and sat down in the recliner across from the couch and sipped her drink as Toshinori said,

"Please tell me that you're drinking juice and not some form of liquor."

"It's apple juice," Chad informed the suddenly fretting blond sitting beside him. "She knows better than to drink alcohol right now."

Toshinori got a visibly relieved look on his face that Ichigo tried hard to ignore. Because it hurt her that he thought that she might do something so irresponsible as drinking while she was pregnant. The only thing that seemed to lessen the ache blooming in her chest was the reminder that he didn't know her well at the moment and they were both struggling equally.

Toshinori took his eyes off of her so that he could dig out his cell phone and then started to ramble at her about his plans for the evening, unaware of the fact that she wasn't listening.

Chad must have noticed the slightest look of pain that she hadn't been able to mask, because he thinned his lips and cast Toshinori a warning look that the man didn't notice before saying softly, "Ichigo…"

"I'm fine." She said quickly. Her voice suddenly drawing Toshinori's attention back to her, a frown marring his handsome face as he asked worriedly.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick again? Do you need to rest some more?"

"Nah. I'm good." Ichigo said as she set her empty glass down as she asked. "What did you decide on?"

Toshinori studied her for a moment, not entirely believing her when she said that she was fine but began speaking again about his plans. He'd picked out a nice restaurant. It was a little bit pricy but that wasn't a huge issue. He was more concerned about whether or not she would be able to eat anything if they went there.

However Chad had pointed out earlier that the place had some really good stuff that was easy on a person's stomach.

So...maybe she'd be fine?

Holding his phone out to her, he allowed her to take it from him, noting the strangely surprised look on her face as she did so. "This is where you want to go?" Ichigo asked as she looked over the place that he'd chosen. It was a nice restaurant. Maybe one of the ritziest and most expensive paces in Kurakara.

"Yes, I thought it might make a good first impression on...my new family." He said awkwardly, looking just a tad bit panicked. Ichigo frowned at him but said nothing. If he wanted to act as if her sisters were going to eat him alive then...why bother to try and assure him otherwise.

Besides, it wasn't as if he were totally wrong anyways.

Yuzu may have already met him. But Karin hadn't and she was the more feral of her siblings. Not to mention that she shuddered to think what Rukia would plan for him once she found out that he was in town.

She supposed that if she were in his place, she'd be freaking out too. The poor guy was going to be walking the gauntlet the whole time he was in town.

"D-Do you think that you will be able to hold any of the food down if we go there?" Toshinori asked hesitantly. Ichigo's eyes flickered to him again for a moment and she made a thoughtful humming sound as she took a moment to think as Chad chimed in,

"They have stuff that's easy on your stomach Ichigo. A lot of it's also very nutritious."

Ichigo took a moment to look up the restaurant's menu on Toshi's cell and after doing a quick scan of the items, smirked. "You're a good minion Chad."

He sighed. "One must do what one must for the sake of their master." He said in an overly dramatic aggrieved tone as she handed Toshinori back his phone. The blond looked back and forth between them for a moment with a funny expression on his face before asking suspiciously,

"D-Did the two of you ever-"

Quickly catching onto Toshinori's question, they both cut him off with automatically. "Ew. She's like my sister." Chad said with a disgusted look.

"No."

"Alright...just checking." Toshinori said with a nod as he watched the two of them for a moment. Chad did something with his hands that Toshi couldn't quite catch. And earned a eye roll from Ichigo before she suddenly stood up and said,

"I'm going to go get ready. Chad do me a favor and call the house and tell Yuzu to help Karin get ready too."

"Okay. But only if you wear the sapphire dress." He said absently.

"Dude, blackmail. Really?"

"Just wear it." Chad said as she left the room. The moment that she was gone, Toshinori couldn't help but ask,

"She has clothes here?"

"She sometimes crashes here when she's stressed and can't get any rest at home."

"Oh."

"Worried?" Chad asked as he cast the blond man a weird look. Toshinori mulled the question over for a moment before deciding that no, he wasn't worried. A little bit put out by the fact that his wife and the younger man had such a close bond. But not worried.

He'd have to have a relationship of some sort with her beyond just sharing a name before he could actually be worried about someone stealing her from him. Right?

"No."

"Good," Chad said almost a little bit too happily before tacking on. "The last time a guy tried to get close to her because of jealousy- he wound up with his jaw broken when he got a little bit too handsy with her."

Toshinori looked both shocked, and pissed at the same time as he asked, "You broke his jaw?"

Chad merely smirked at him, and dialed Ichigo's sister's number and decided to let the blond find out for himself.