A/N: don't kill me for this, I'm not much of a stickler on time lines, let's just assume that this happens after everything settles down quietly okay? Thank you. Same excuse, I'm on a rush so pls. Forgive any shortcomings of this fic.
ink: hey, on with the story!
splatter: you have no taste for introductions!
ink: you mean excuses?
splatter: introductions!
ink: whatever...
disclaimer: oh yes, ichigo's not mine, rukia's not mine, but i do believe that ichigo's unnamed daughter is a product of my over-active imagination neh? Anyhows bleach is not mine! (sniffs...again)
Women
Kurosaki Ichigo stares outside his window. Heaving a meaningful sigh, he contemplates his life for the last 20 years or so. Why had he become a shinigami in the first place? He asked himself, his trademark smirk gracing his still boyish face. Only one word came to his mind. Women. Yes, he affirmed. Women, nonetheless. Another sigh escaped his lips as he continues to stare at the brightly falling leaves of autumn. Memories of the past came flashing into his mind. Memories of his first meeting with his beloved wife, the shinigami Kuchiki Rukia, a shinigami-woman. Then images of his sisters' life in peril followed right after his memory of Rukia. How could he- their big brother, let them die at the hands of a lowly hollow? Well, he could not. So he willingly embraced the role of substitute shinigami from the wounded Rukia, all to save his sisters' lives, young women, yet again. Why do women just love to complicate his life? Why do women love to ruin the reputation he had painstakingly built over his teen-age years? Ichigo grimaced at the memory of the cat-woman, Yoruichi. How that particular woman loves to tease the life out of him! He gritted his teeth as he vividly recalls his most embarrassing moments with her, especially at times when his hormones were particularly unstable.
He coughed to help keep those particular memories away from his minds eye, his smirk turning into a scowl. He fidgeted in his seat and is about to rise when gentle hands embraced him from behind. A warm feeling spread all throughout Ichigo's body as he inhaled the light and sweetly intoxicating womanly scent of Rukia. " Thinking of me? " his wife asked with that over confident tone of hers. "Hmmn?" he replied, purposely avoiding to answer her question. She hadn't changed through the years. She still feels that she could make Ichigo do everything she asks of him to, damn hell she could, but at that moment Ichigo refused to give his wife her satisfaction. " Oi Ichigo! Don't tell me you're thinking of someone else! " she snapped, materializing in front of him and giving him death glares. His eyebrows arched in amusement. Rukia looks extremely adorable when she pouts like that out of jealousy. Ichigo wouldn't let rare moments like that pass, so he risks his neck for the chance. Rukia keeps muttering incomprehensible curses at his husband trying to figure out who could have made him space out like that, when she was silenced effectively, by none other than-Ichigo's lips (cliché i know but i couldn't help it...). Stunned for a second, she just stood there wide eyes boring into Ichigo's mischievous ones. Then she kissed him back, with all the love she has for him, almost making Ichigo weak on his knees. He reluctantly pulled back. " Rukia, I was just thinking of why. Why do women seem to rule my life? " at that moment, the bundle in his arms started to cry, Ichigo bring it close to his face and crooned to his daughter with gentleness shown only to Rukia before. The baby immediately stopped crying and reached up to her father's face, patting him affectionately while her mother contentedly watch the scene. " Baka Ichigo! It's because women loves you! " Ichigo's eyes widened with surprise as realization hit him. Of course, starting from his mother, women do seem to love him. He does not care anymore for whatever reason he was thinking of earlier, for he has his own woman now, and another to tend to. Ichigo knew right from the start, he would dare to become a shinigami, even conquer his own hollow self again just for the women in his life. He knew he would, they love him right? And he, behind all the scowling and complaints, loves them too, with all his heart-the human part-shinigami part-hollow part and just plain Ichigo's heart. " Arigatou Rukia. I love you too. " He smiled, then kissed his wife again.