Shiro scowled, an hour earlier Gin had decided her cast needed to be painted rainbow. He'd spent most of his time making sure the stripes were perfect, Shiro had yelled at him to give it up but the man insisted.
"Gin you're nuts, please just stop," she begged, the man just smiled continuing to paint in the yellow strip he was meticulously working on.
"Nah love, 'm trying to take yer mind offa whatever's 'appening with ya an Ichi-berry. Yer to stressed, it ain't good fer ya," he explained starting on the green stripes. She sighed, running her hand over his silver locks. Gin hummed as she did, loving the feeling.
"Things aren't going so well, I'm worried about her. Ichigo seems to think she doesn't need friends or even deserve happiness. She's jumpy all the time and won't share the burden. I think Ichigo's scared of him and is doing everything she can to fix this and at the cost of her own mental health," Shiro said, still frowning. Her husband focused in his task, seemingly ignoring her.
"Well Ichi 'as it tougher than ya love, 'er team and fiancé died protecting 'er. To 'er that's the same as pullin' the trigger 'erself. The guilt's eatin' away at 'er, she also blames 'erself for this." He paused tapping her cast, "I know Ichi was the one that wanted ta join in the first place. If she hadn't of insisted 'e wouldn't be trying to kill ya ducks." Shiro stared at him in shock, she didn't think Gin would understand the situation so well but also when had Ichigo engaged to someone.
"I didn't know Ichigo had a fiancé," she grumbled, upset her twin hadn't shared this news with her.
"Wasn't common knowledge love, they 'adn't been engaged long. 'E died bout a week after proposing. Ulquiorra was 'er other half." It made sense now, why Ichigo refused to talk about her team members, the nightmares and reluctance to make friends. She was scared to make meaningful connections in case she was hurt by them or they died. The lengths Ichigo went sometimes made her question the fact that she was the older twin instead of Ichigo.
"Everything will be fine Shiro. She's got Grimmy boy to smash down all those walls. 'M tellin' ya that boy's in love with 'er," he muttered. Gin was right, everything was going to be fine. She laid back against the pillows enjoying the quiet, finally beginning to relax. That was until the door was thrown open banging into the wall, almost leaving yet another dint. Her parents walked in like they lived there, at least her aunt was kind enough to say hello first.
"Did you know there is some guy watching this place?" Yoruichi said, opening the curtains to wave at the man. She was glad she hadn't lost her touch.
"Yes I did, he did this to me mother. I'm surprised you even noticed the man, he's doing his best to appear homeless," Shiro remarked. Her mother hadn't dealt with something like this since she started boxing.
"The expensive leather shoes gave him away," she stated, Soi fon scowled.
"Should I get rid of him for you Snow?" She asked, joining her mother at the window. A sigh escaped her lips, Gin's shoulders shaking with silent laughter. He must have known they were coming, otherwise he wouldn't be laughing. Either way she was going to kill him later for not telling her anything about it.
"Leave him be, I'll deal with him when Ichi-bitch comes back from her trip," Shiro said making sure the pair listened to her they had a bad habit of ignoring orders and doing as they pleased.
"What are you two getting yourselves involved in?" She asked, narrowing her yellow eyes at the girl. Kisuke rolled his eyes at his wife and decided to cut in before anyone else was injured.
"So Gin how have you been?" He asked, the two finally noticing the man. Gin's trademark smile was in place when he looked up but Shiro could see the discomfort in his features, something was worrying him.
"Pretty good, been outta town on business. Why I 'aven't been round much. I see ya an the missus are doing well," he said, hoping to distract the pair of scheming women. The short one with pigtails was staring at him, as if she were trying to look right into his soul. The scowl from earlier still in place.
"Who is he?" She asked sounding suspicious. Even Yoruichi looked confused.
"Gin Ichimaru, Shiro's husband. Been married for three years." Yoruichi stared at him wide-eyed, whatever answer she had expected that wasn't it at all. She blindly groped for the coffee table collapsing onto it. What shocked her worse was that Kisuke actually knew about this and didn't tell her.
"Somebody actually willing married you?" She muttered, not believing her own words. Soi fon started laughing. It seemed they thought it was a joke. Shiro glared at them, growling.
"Sorry snow but it's really hard to believe that, you were so fussy about guys in high school," Soi fon explained between giggles trying to stop before her niece killed her in cold blood.
"It was love at first sight fer me, took a long time for 'er to even realise I existed and she was part of mah team where we worked," he whined, the pair instantly fussing over him as if he were a lost puppy, gaining their sympathy with lies.
"I knew he existed, it was impossible to ignore him. It was terrible, at one point we were in the middle of assassinating some politician and he started reciting romantic poetry," Shiro whispered to her father, making sure her aunt didn't hear a word that was said. Soi fon had no idea what had happened during the years she was gone and the twins intended to keep it that way.
"All that aside, why is that man watching you? Shiro if you don't say anything your mother and I can't help you," she said trying to be stern. In reality Soi fon was confused, yoruichi never dropped anything and when kisuke had changed the topic of conversation she just accepted it. They knew something she didn't.
"Shiro just what happened during those five years you were gone?" A grim aura developed at that question, none in the room liked hearing the answer to it, nor did they like telling it. Soi fon could feel the tension radiating from the others but ignored it, continuing her quest for answers.
"You've changed since returning home and not just you but Ichigo as well. It's like your both terrified of something but I've never seen the two of you scared of anything and it worries me." Shiro couldn't say anything, her aunts words were just making the situation worse. It made her feel guilty for not saying a word to her aunt but she had to stay silent in order to keep her safe. Her eyes downcast she grabbed Gin's hand, shaking her head. Right now he was her life line.
"Go," he muttered, helping her up. The poor thing looked like she was going to cry. He watched silently as she left the room before glaring daggers at Soi fon.
"That question cannot be answered, not now not ever. Now leave. I cannot let you continue to hurt my wife. Go," he hissed. Kisuke placed a hand on his shoulder , nodding in understand. Gin slumped onto the couch once they had left, letting go of a sigh. He stood again not allowing himself to relax. Shiro needed him.