Jeez. I took waaaaay too long for this to come out.
"I surrender, I surrender!" Kazui laughed as Minako tickled his sides. After the strenuous round of tag, the three had collapsed on the grass. Laughing, Minako eased up, letting Kazui lay on her arm. "Victory is mine, kiddo."
Shiro rolled his eyes. "Torture by tickling."
"Shush you." Minako smiled at him softly, her tone light, before her eyes turned to the sky.
"Auntie Minako, will you and uncle Shiro leave for a new place?" asked Kazui, looking to her curiously.
"We might," she answered, keeping her eyes to the sky, watching the skies drifting on by. "I don't really know yet."
When she turned to look at Kazui, the boy's expression was solemn. "I don't want you to go. Mama is happy that you're here, auntie. Papa is happy too, and me," he told her before a gentle grin was on his face. "Then we can see you all the time!"
Shiro planted his hand on top of Kazui's head, ruffling the boy's hair. "We did say we were gonna stay awhile. Make us assholes if we back out on that now."
"Language," Minako chided, pursing her lips as her face took on that stern expression she had whenever he dropped some profanity during their high school days. Shiro would never say it out loud, but he rather liked that expression on her face—it was too similar to that adorable pout she'd have on her face when she was either embarrassed. Kazui looked between them. "Papa says bad words sometimes," he said.
"I'm sure, but your papa doesn't swear as much as your uncle Shiro does." Minako rolled her eyes. "I don't want your papa to get mad at your uncle-"
"—Ain't he always mad at me?" Shiro interjected.
"—And one day, I'm going to wash your uncle's mouth out with soap!" Minako told Kazui in a matter-of-fact voice, her index finger in the air as if she were a schoolteacher.
The child giggled. "You two are funny."
"You said that already." Yet an amused smirk curled Shiro's lips as his eyes flickered over to Minako. His woman's eyes met his and she smiled slightly before she pushed herself upright. "How about some ice cream?"
Kazui sat up with a smile. "Ice cream!" he cheered.
Shrugging his shoulders, Shiro sat up. "Majority rules. If he gets cavities, I'm throwing you under the bus, babe."
"Charming as always." She stuck out her tongue and he resisted the urge to pinch it. Last thing he needed was his brother on his ass if his nephew learned some Shiro-esque things, as his woman kindly loved to remind him. With a wry smirk, Shiro pushed himself to his feet, watching as Minako was already pulling Kazui to his feet.
"Ready yet?" he asked, amusement underlying his voice.
"Waiting on you," laughed Minako as Kazui's small hand slid into hers. She beamed down at the boy, whose own bright expression mirrored that of his mother. "Ready to go, Kazui-kun?"
Kazui nodded enthusiastically. "I'm ready!"
"Ghosts?"
"Mhm. Can you see them too?"
As the three sat on a bench near where they bought their ice cream—well, that Shiro bought since he was averse to sweets—Kazui had asked the question that most in their group wondered about Minako. Minako looked heavenward in thought, taking a small bite of her ice cream instead of licking it. "I guess it depends on what you mean by ghosts, Kazui-kun," she said finally. "Your papa and uncle could see earthbound ghosts. Auntie Rukia and uncle Renji, too, I suppose."
"And you?" Kazui asked, looking up at her. Minako smiled slightly and even Shiro was piqued by curiosity. Minako had never talked about her "ability" in a sense of seeing ghosts and Shiro never pressed her about it. She pushed her hair from her face with a soft sigh. "Not to say that I don't see ghosts in the sense your papa, your uncle, or maybe you can. I, more often than not, can only sense."
"Sense?"
"Yes. Everyone, living or ghost, leaves a specific imprint in the earth and I can sense the essence of what made that person who they are. I can see their memories."
Kazui's eyes widened in fascination and Shiro could only look at his woman in curiosity. He hadn't known that much about Minako, only knew she could be spiritually aware by the way she behaved with nearby spirits he could see. He couldn't help asking, "For how long?"
Minako blinked, almost surprised that Shiro hadn't pieced it together until now before answering, "For as long as I could remember. At first it was a little hard to hide as a child, especially if a child knew something about you that was deep into your core. Growing up, all those memories meshed together and gave me quite a headache."
"So you can control it better now?" asked Kazui, licking at his ice cream.
"Just about. I don't have headaches anymore, if that's what you mean," she smiled softly. She began to eat her ice cream again, shutting that trapdoor of her life shut, something that Shiro may just have to pull open when they were alone. For now, he would have to save face in front of Kazui, who found even this tidbit of his aunt completely awing—and even Shiro himself couldn't refute that he felt awed himself.
When Minako reached to her cone, biting into it, her expression was almost dazed. Her eyes were focused on some vague middle distance, an expression Shiro knew well when she was thinking about something. Seeing it now reminded him of their days in high school, of when he wondered how a face like that can say so many things without her even opening her mouth…
"Uncle Shiro?" A light tug on his sleeve brought Shiro back to Earth as the white-haired male brought his gaze down to his nephew. Kazui was blinking up at him with the curiosity of trying to grab his attention too many times.
"Now you have his attention, Kazui-kun," Minako smiled as a giggle escaped her.
"For what?" Shiro raised an eyebrow.
"For how you and aunt Minako met. Mama and papa said in high school."
"And you couldn't find it in your heart to tell this story?" He narrowed his eyes.
"I want to hear the way you tell it!" chimed Kazui, beaming up at his uncle.
Minako gestured to the boy, biting hard on her lip to keep another fit of giggles in her mouth. "Ah, but Kazui Kurosaki-san has spoken, Shiro-san," she said in an attempted dignified voice.
A sigh passed through Shiro's lips. "Fine, but don't ever take that tone of voice with me again. It was just too creepy."
"I'll have you know that I perfected it for this very occasion."
"Shut it and let me tell the story."
"Please proceed."
Kazui giggled at the twosome, obviously amused at their interaction, something Shiro was glad the child knew already. Orihime had lost her mind the first time Shiro had told Minako to shut her mouth, but the latter female smiled in a way that was amused, but also promising the threat of excruciating humiliation afterwards. If Shiro hadn't known better, he had taught her well.
Shiro turned his eyes to the sky, watching the clouds drift on before he started. "Well, your mama and papa were right. Your aunt and I met when we were in high school. We were in the same class, so it was easy for her to fall for me."
"As if!" Minako cut in, crossing her arms with a laugh.
"Who's telling the story, sweetheart, you or me?" Shiro met her eyes, a smirk touching his lips.
"If you're going to tell the story, tell it right; don't lie to the poor innocent looking up to you right now." Minako ruffled Kazui's hair, causing the boy to giggle. "Your uncle had a hard time wooing me, that's a fact, Kazui-kun."
"You and uncle didn't fall for each other at first sight? That's what mama said happened." Kazui looked at Minako, who smiled at him with a warmth that was more maternal, like a mother amused by her own child's curious questions of how their parents met.
Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, your ma isn't exactly wrong. The one who fell hard at first was me."
Minako gave a mock gasp. "Shiro. You said you'd never say those words even on the threat of excruciating torture by humiliation!"
"I had a reputation to uphold." He rolled his eyes. "You gonna let me finish the story or what?"
"I wish I had my camera."
"Shut up." Shiro blinked as Kazui gently nudged him. He looked at the boy, who said promptly said, "Keep going!"
"All right, all right. Hold your horses." Amused, Shiro rested a hand on Kazui's head. "Your aunt was real quiet-hard to figure, since she's such a chatterbox now, right? Anyway…" He trailed off as the memory rolled into his mind. He remembered that day and it was like a haze. "Keep in mind, kid, your ma and your aunt were practically bosom buddies before I even came into the picture. I'll admit I was not a good guy to hang around. That was more your dad's speed than mine."
"Auntie was a good girl?" asked Kazui.
"Just about, until I got involved with this scoundrel," Minako teased.
Rolling his eyes, Shiro reached for Minako, pulling her to him. With practiced ease, Minako moved to him, lifting Kazui to her lap so that he wasn't squished between the two. "I'd have to say the minute I saw your aunt, I had to take that chance and ask her out," he said.
"And did you?" Kazui's eyes were widening impossibly.
"Sure did."
"What did auntie say?"
"I shot him down," answered Minako and she swore she never saw a child's head turn so quickly than Kazui's at this revelation. "To be honest, your uncle scared everyone, but not me. If he really liked me, he'd have to try hard to get me to go on a date. Your aunt has a very romantic standard."
"And that wasn't my speed either," Shiro added. "Though I can still remember when I finally got her to say yes."
"What did you do?" Kazui returned his gaze to Shiro.
"Apparently something your aunt reads in those novels of hers. I got to know her."
"If I remembered correctly, you backed me into a wall and kissed me to the point where I'm sure I couldn't breathe." Despite trying to be stern, Minako's tone was soft, a smile on her lips.
"Yeah, I did that too. But you didn't stop me."
"I plead the fifth in this case."
"What does that mean?" asked Kazui, looking to Minako.
"It means your aunt doesn't want to admit I'm right," Shiro smirked.
"Shut your mouth."
A chuckle escaped him as Shiro tangled his fingers through Minako's hair. "You love me."
"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes playfully.
"Can you stay with us?" asked Kazui's his large eyes bouncing between the two, his expression completely hopeful.
"No matter what your mama or papa says, I'm sure there's no room in your house for us," Minako said, ruffling Kazui's hair. "I suppose it doesn't hurt to stay for a while."
The smile that graced Kazui's face was possibly the happiest Minako had ever seen in a child. She couldn't help but smile back. "We can see each other every day!" he cheered with a laugh, wrapping his arms around his aunt.
The sun was beginning to set and Kazui had worn himself out with the chasing in the park, the swings, and the playground. Minako carried the boy in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder as she and Shiro made their way back towards the clinic. A soft smile curved Minako's lips as she rubbed Kazui's back soothingly.
"So?" Shiro prompted, his golden eyes flickering to Minako.
"So?" Minako tossed back easily, the smile still on her lips. Shiro couldn't help the smirk gracing his lips; Minako was closer to her usual self now and that pleased him.
"Do you really want to stay here for a while?" he asked.
Minako sighed softly, her eyes focused ahead of her now. But Shiro could see her eyes glance onto Kazui, softening in that maternal way he had seen on her expression for most of the day. "Yes. I do," she answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think…I think it'd be good right now, for the both of us."
"You grew attached to the kid."
"You can't tell me you didn't either."
"Shut up."
A soft laugh escaped Minako as she shook her head. "Shiro, honestly. You always say that when I'm right."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," replied Shiro, running a hand through his hair with a chuckle.
"We should get Kazui home." Minako shifted Kazui in her arms carefully so as to not wake him up. "We did promise to bring him home at a decent hour."
"Him being asleep should be more than enough to compensate for bringing him home late."
"Shiro, I swear…"
"Welcome back!" Orihime greeted as Shiro and Minako arrived with the sleeping Kazui back to the clinic and she stepped aside to let them in. "Did you three enjoy yourselves?"
Minako smiled. "We did. Kazui tired himself out."
"I'm not surprised. He's been raring to hang out with you two since he woke up this morning." Ichigo emerged from the kitchen, a cup of water in hand.
"Hanging out with his cool uncle can do that," Shiro smirked before he twirled a lock of Minako's raven hair around a pale finger. "Right, you were there too, princess."
"So pleased you remembered," teased Minako, shaking her head. "Don't know what I'll do with you, Shiro."
"I have some ideas that isn't family friendly."
"Desist."
Ichigo rolled his eyes, taking a swig of his beverage. "Jeez, you haven't changed a bit."
Orihime heaved Kazui from Minako's arms. "You three must have had some day. He's out like a light!" she laughed before turning to her husband. "I'm going to put him to bed," she chimed before turning and heading up the stairs to rooms.
"I'm going to help myself with whatever drinks you have. I'm parched," Minako tossed to Ichigo, striding to the fridge to indeed get herself something drink. Even being away for so long, Ichigo was surprised she still remembered where everything was.
"Gotta remember to thank your kid one day," muttered Shiro with a wry grin, crossing his arms over his chest.
Ichigo glanced to his brother. "What for?"
"Looks like you haven't changed a bit either, Ichigo. You haven't noticed she's a bit happier now?"
"I noticed that. What does Kazui have to do with it is my question."
"She felt like a mom for the first time, that's what."
Ichigo blinked rapidly as though he was just smacked in the face at his brother's words. It was one thing for Shiro to be rather soft around Minako, even a little bit. Even knowing what he knows about the two, Ichigo couldn't believe the words came out of his brother's mouth. "You both were really trying, weren't you?" he asked after a few heartbeats.
"Those two times were unplanned, but you know the answer to your question." Shiro's words were cool, a tone Ichigo was far used to growing up with his twin. His brown eyes glanced to Minako, who tossed back a glass to juice before moving to the sink to clean it.
"You don't have to do that. You're a guest, you know," Ichigo called to her and Minako glanced over her shoulder at him.
Her eyes were twinkling with the amusement he had thought long gone from the girl he remembered. "I'm going to do it anyway and save your wife some time to work. Hell, I may as well do all of them so the two of you have time to yourselves."
Shiro chuckled at Ichigo's expression of surprise. "Leave her be. She's so damn stubborn for her own good."
"And who do you think is responsible for rubbing off on me?" Raising a soapy hand from the sink, Minako waved her finger in a chastising manner to the twins; however the smile on her face definitely told them she was kidding.
"I'm back!" Orihime still had the pep in her step that Minako remembered in the bubbly woman. "What did I miss? Minako-chan, you don't have to do that!" she gasped, noticing where Minako was and what she was doing it.
"Bite your tongue, Orihime." Minako smiled at the grey-eyed woman. "I was already at the sink and I already started. May as well finish."
"But you're our guest!" Orihime flailed, eyes wide.
"That hasn't stopped me before, to be perfectly honest," Minako replied with a shrug.
Ichigo slapped a palm to his forehead. "Holy crap, I just remembered that. It was right after school and you insisted on doing the dishes. Yuzu lost her mind at a guest doing what a host should."
"Yuzu's a sweetie compared to her rambunctious elder brothers."
"Now that's cold, princess," Shiro narrowed his eyes playfully at Minako. "I'm going to let you have it later."
"Keep it family appropriate here, will you?" Minako laughed, drying the last dish before she even thought of drying her hands. "We're in the presence of our hosts, Shiro. My goodness, you can't control yourself, can you?"
"I swear you both are the strangest couple to ever grace the planet," Ichigo muttered, shaking his head at the banter between the two.
"Didn't Keigo say that once?" Minako looked at Orihime, placing a hand against her cheek in the familiar way that Ichigo, Orihime, and Shiro associated with her thinking. Orihime nodded, a smile breaking across her face. "I remember. It was when you and Shiro first started dating. He was so shocked that a good girl like you ended up being his girlfriend."
"I guess cornering and kissing the hell out of you worked like a charm." Shiro couldn't rein in the teasing. It had been quite a long time since this banter had genuinely occurred instead of the forced smiles his longtime girlfriend had given him since they left Karakura town.
"I plead the fifth and you can't make me say otherwise. You, zip it!" Minako pointed dramatically at Orihime, who opened her mouth to no doubt confirm Shiro's words.
Orihime raised her hands in mock surrender, laughing. "Oh, Minako-chan, harmless flirting during the high school days is healthy!"
"That wasn't what you were about to say and you know it, Mrs. Kurosaki!" Even Ichigo knew that Minako calling Orihime by her married name was bound to make his wife blush a furious red—and sure enough, Orihime's face went to a sweetly pink blush to deep crimson that he was afraid she would pass out.
"M-M-Minako-chan, no fair!" whined Orihime, flailing at the raven-haired woman with extremely flushed cheeks as Minako's laugh rang through the air as she dashed to latch herself to Shiro's arm. That was a feeling the white-haired male missed, as he had initiated their physical contact after graduation. It was a pleasant feeling that sent electricity into his blood when Minako attached herself to his side like she did.
Minako stuck out her tongue playfully. "All's fair in love and war!"
"Damn, you two are acting like high schoolers again," Ichigo shook his head with an amused smile on his lips.
"Are you calling us old, strawberry?" Minako narrowed her eyes at the orange-haired male, who immediately flushed a bright red.
"N-No! I never said that!" Ichigo yelped, waving his hands furiously to stop any blows Minako may toss his way as Orihime was doubled over, her hands clapped over her mouth to contain her laughter.
Shiro rolled his eyes at his brother. "Ichigo, for fuck's sake, she's teasing," he said, wrapping an arm around his woman, feeling her body shake as Minako pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.
Ichigo glared at Minako. "You're gonna get it now."
Minako clung to Shiro like a koala, sticking out her tongue at Ichigo. "No you won't! You like me too much, Ichigo~"
Smirking, Shiro knuckled his free hand against Minako's head, who whined as she swatted at the hand burrowing against her skull. "Mean!"
"You know damn well that's not true, princess."
"Shut up."
After spending a few more hours at the clinic, Shiro and Minako returned to their room at the inn, Minako jumping into the bath first as Shiro thought about the day's events from where he sat on the bed. Orihime had made dinner (in spite of his woman's teasing about just cleaning up after them), talking about everything from how the playdate with Kazui went to how Minako and Shiro would stay just a bit longer in Karakura; it wasn't awkward as the other night had been. While it had been rocky for a while, the return to their hometown was enough to jolt them back into awareness. It was enough for them to break down the wall that kept them from talking about the miscarriages they suffered.
After the first night, Shiro had wondered if he had refused his brother's invitation that the tension wouldn't hang thicker over his and Minako's heads than it already had. However, now he knew he made the right decision for the both of them. He hadn't seen Minako truly be happy like she was today for years—and he knew it wasn't because she didn't love him. It had just been easier to run away and not talk about it.
Minako returned in her robe, drying strands of her wet hair with her towel. She smiled at Shiro, who smirked in turn and flicked his finger in a "come here" motion. Minako approached him, barely batting an eye as he wrapped an arm around her with ease and tugged her into his lap. "What?" she asked, her dark eyes gazing into his own with enough love to send a shiver down his spine.
"Just wondering if you'd consider changing your last name," he answered.
"To what?"
"Mine."
She blinked. "Shiro. Is this your way of proposing to me?"
"Could be." Shiro placed a finger under her chin, keeping her gaze on him as he smirked. "What do you say?"
She didn't say anything; she lunged at him, her arms around his neck, lips on his as he fell onto his back. For Shiro, words weren't needed. In the act of removing clothes and jumping her bones, he knew her answer was yes a thousand lifetimes over.
Fast forward
Fingers splayed over the expanse of her belly, Minako smiled at the feeling of a tiny thump from within.
"What are you thinking about?" She turned to her husband with a smile.
"A name, for starters." Shiro wrapped an arm around his wife with a slight smirk.
"Isn't that why Orihime bought you that book with all the baby names? You know we're having a girl already," he said and Minako shifted to lay her head against his shoulder.
"Mm, that's true." A comfortable silence hung between the couple after Minako's words. After a few heartbeats of the silence, she spoke again. "What would you do if I had left, Shiro? If we never got over what happened?"
Shiro looked at her. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I was just wondering. I'm sure you did too."
He wasn't going to say no without tasting the lie on his tongue. "What would I do, huh?"
"Yes, Shiro. What would you have done if we never got over our hurdle and parted ways?" Minako was looking at him now with that look of curiosity.
"You wanna know?"
"I do."
"I wouldn't have let you go."
She was silent, a prompt for him to continue that train of thought. Letting out a sigh, he did just that. "I would go after you and do whatever I could to have you back. Sorry princess, but you've been mine for a long time and you always will be. No one else is gonna do it for me." He rested a palm against Minako's stomach, feeling their unborn child move inside as though sensing her father. "This is our family and you're part of it. Don't think you're wandering away. Not now, not ever."
Minako smiled and pressed her lips against Shiro's cheek in a soft kiss. "I suppose I did say yes to being your wife," she teased.
"Say yes? I'm pretty damn sure we haven't fucked like that in a long time."
"Hey, language. Babies can learn in the womb, you know!"
"Where did you hear that?"
"I read it in one of the million books your brother keeps bringing me while you help him at the clinic. I'm pretty sure he and Orihime are more nervous about the baby being born than we are."
"Speaking of, they were asking about you. Kazui's feeling left out at not seeing his favorite aunt and uncle."
"Stop me if I'm wrong, but you're his only uncle. He's got two other aunts."
"That's not the point, princess."
"If you say so." Minako rubbed her stomach and closed her eyes. "Do you think you and your family would mind very much if we name our kid after your mom?"
Shiro's eyes snapped to her. "Is that what you want?"
Minako opened one eye, a soft smile curving her lip. "In my mind, Masaki is a beautiful name."
Chuckling softly, Shiro pressed a kiss to Minako's head. "I like it."
