Thanksgiving

"Renji," Shinji started. "Are you sure you wanna cook all of Thanksgiving dinner?"

"Yes." Renji answered. "This is something I've always wanted to do. I am going to take care of everything." Since they all found out they were going to be home for the holiday's this year, Renji decided he was going to cook Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas breakfast and dinner as well. Renji loved to cook and one day he was going to have his own restaurant and he would be head chef even if its only for one night so today was practice.

"Alright. Don't be late."

"Just go put your fat pants on."

"Is your dad coming?" Shinji asked excitedly, he liked Renij's dad he's the only person who likes food as much as Shinji does, Renji loves cooking it and they love eating it.

"Yes, his flight lands in a few hours."

"Yay, now I won't feel bad when I eat two plates tonight."

"You need to you've gained some weight."

"Shut up, Renji." Shinji snapped.

"Shiro has too. You not the only fat one."

"I'm not fat."

"You getting there."

"Now why are we moving all the music stuff into the living room?" Sen asked Byakuya while he watched him take two guitars to the living room. This is the first Thanksgiving Sen was having with Byakuya since they were children, Byakuya has been on the road consistently for five years and Sen usually opted to stay at school for Thanksgiving, he didn't really like family gatherings but Byakuya is his favorite cousin so he would spend holidays with him.

"We? You're just following me around." Byakuya said rolling his eyes. "This is a music household we sing here. I'm sure Shiro'll be singing all night, him and his mom."

"Are you gonna sing?"

"I don't know depends on how drunk I get."

"Why did you ever stop performing anyway?"

"I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. I like being behind the scenes."

Sen knew his cousin loved to sing and he always wondered why his cousin stopped putting out music but he'd save that conversation for later. "So who's coming?"

"Not my dad." Byakuya answered knowing that's all Sen wanted to know.

"Oh really, that's awful." Sen lied.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Grandfather is coming though. And Rukia and her fiancé, Yorichi and Kisuke, Aizen and Momo."

"Sounds like a full house." Sen said sarcastically.

"How do you expect to run a business with your social anxiety running things?"

"I do the paperwork, you do the social stuff. I stay inside, you go outside. You greet people at parties, I stay in the corner and nod to people as they walk past. We have our roles lets stick to them."

"We have to work on your social skills I can't run our business by myself."

"We'll see."

"You're going to be meeting my dad for the first time." Grimmjow said to Ichigo. "And he's very opinionated and he doesn't really like the career I've chosen. He would rather me be in something more stable."

"My dad feels that way too. He would rather Shiro and I be doctors or lawyers like him and his friends. My mom disagrees."

"Well this'll be a..."

"Crazy day."

"Renji!" Shinji yelled into the kitchen. "When yo mom coming with the pies."

"Soon, Shinji. Damn." Renji yelled back.

It was finally time for family to start arriving and everyone was excited to have a good time. Renji was still cooking dinner and it wouldn't be ready for a while but everyone wanted to spend time with their families so they invited them early. Masaki, Tina, and Renji's twin brother and sister arrived first bring their famous apple and sweet potato pies.

"These are for Shinji and Tosh" they both said. They always gave Shinji and Tosh more attention during the holidays because they didn't really have families like Renji, Shiro, and Ichigo.

"But I'm your son." Renji, Shiro, and Ichigo whined in unison.

"But they're our babies." Masaki and Tina said back.

Shinji and Tosh stuck their tongues out while they went to go get forks for their pies.

"Mommy," Shiro said. "I'm challenging you to a singing contest I feel it is time for one."

"Okay, I haven't beat your ass in a while but I'll do it in song." Masaki said flipping her hair.

"You're not going to win this time. I've been practicing."

"Okay," Masaki said. "You've said that all the other times you've lost but we'll see. We can wait for more of our audience to arrive before I sing you to death."

"It is on and popping ma." Shiro said.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Anyway, mom," Ichigo said in a hushed tone. "Shinji's dad is supposed to be coming and I need you to like not tell him how you feel about him." Ichigo saw the look in his mother's eyes and it wasn't a sweet one. "Please, it'll make Shinji happy if things go well."

Masaki rolled her eyes. "Fine, I won't say anything. I'll just give him dirty looks."

"Thanks." Ichigo said kissing his mother's cheek. "Let's go sit while the other people arrive."

"Yes, my audience." Masaki said making Ichigo roll his eyes.

Ichigo took his mother to the living room to be with everyone else. Grimmjow's mother, Ceclilia, and Nnoitra's mother, Rayna, came in shortly after that along with Nel. And then Byakuya's cousins came in: Yorichi and her husband, Kisuke; Aizen, his husband, Gin, and Momo; and Rukia and her fiancé, Kaien Shiba. Momo went over to Toshiro as soon as she saw him and they hugged and cuddled on the couch knowing they'd be glued like that all night. Yorichi went straight over to Byakuya so he could rub her pregnant stomach to talk to the baby, while Kisuke went to get a beer.

"Ichi," Shinji said looking at Rukia's fiancé. "don't he look familiar?"

"Oh my fucking god." Ichigo said. "That's my ex."

"They coming over here." Shinji said. "You've fucked like half this room."

"Shut up, no I haven't."

"Me, Grimm, Kaien, Rukia. You a hoe."

"Hey, Ichi," Rukia said. "Hi, Shinji. I'm sure you noticed my fiance."

"Yes, we have." Shinji said nudging Ichigo after Ichigo nudged him with his elbow.

"Are you two finally a couple?" Kaien asked.

"Hell no." They said at the same time.

"I don't want his emotionally damaged ass." Shinji said

"Who are you to be talking about emotional damage, bitch. You crazy as fuck."

"Birds of a feather, hoe, they flock together." Shinji and Ichigo stared at each other for a while before looking back at the couple in front of them. "So how did you two meet?"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Well as you know he sets up stages and what not so we were walking past a poster of the band -I thought he was cute so I wanted to start up a conversation- so I said 'I used to date that guy's brother' I meant Shiro. And he said me too. And then we talked about how fucked up you are and that is how our relationship started."

"So what you're saying is," Ichigo started. "I don't have to get you a wedding gift or a gift for the baby cause I brought y'all together."

"No, I still expect a gift." Rukia said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shiro sat at the piano with Nel and Nova playing notes hear and there. "So you really like me like that?" Shiro asked Nel.

"Yes, I could always tell the difference between you and Ichigo. I swear I love you."

"What about Renji?"

"Yeah, he's sexy as hell but you are the best singer and you perform your ass off. I just love you."

Shiro grinned. "Ima sing you a song tonight." And then Nel grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The fathers were the last to arrive to the house: Isshin, Ichigo and Shiro's dad; Reggie, Renji's dad; Gorden, Grimmjow's dad; and Genrei, Byakuya's dad all had to fly in and William, Shinji's dad, was just nervous to come it had been a long time since he and Shinji spent a holiday together.

"Reggie," Isshin said when he saw Renji's dad. "long time no see. How you been?"

"Good." Reggie said with his thick country accent. "I'm just ready to eat. That 5 hour flight ain't no joke."

"Don't I know. I was in my Miami office yesterday. The promises we make to our children."

"Has Masaki started singing yet?" Reggie asked.

"Probably." Isshin said opening the front door letting in all the other dads.

(V.S.O.P. - K. Michelle)

We gon' light some candles tonight
very special
We gon' do whatever you like
Very special
Got some henney chillin' on ice
Very special
Hope you make the rest of my life
Very special
Very special
All night

When they walked in they could hear Shiro and Masaki singing V.S.O.P by K. Michelle clearly trying to out sing each other.

"They're never not singing." Isshin said with a sigh.

"Just like Grimmjow." Gorden said.

"You must be Grimmjow's dad." Isshin said. "I believe our sons are dating."

"Ichigo, is your son? I believe my daughter is in love with your other son."

The dad's laughed. "So I've heard."

"Dad." Byakuya said when he saw his father. "And other fathers come on in." he sipped his beer.

"How many of those have you had?" Genrei asked.

"Two." Byakuya lied.

"Three." Senbon yelled.

"Shut up." Byakuya yelled back. "I'm not drunk or anything. Come on. Join the party."

Renji walked out of the kitchen and almost ran into Byakuya. "Right on time." He said taking Byakuya's beer and finishing it. "Dinner will be ready in one hour. Dad!." He said when he saw his father. "How was your flight?" he said switching from his California accent to his Atlanta one.

"Bring me another beer." Byakuya said.

"You need to slow down on those it's like your fourth." Renji said going into the kitchen with his dad to show him all that he made.

Byakuya glared at Renji's retreating back then lead the rest of the fathers to the living room where everyone else was.

"Dad." Grimmjow said grabbing Ichigo's hand so they could finally meet. "You came."

"I said I would." Gorden said, he looked at Ichigo. "This must be Ichigo, the singer." he didn't sound too approving.

"I see you're like my dad. You want 'better' for your children." Ichigo said using air quotes.

"Not better, just more stable." Gorden said. "I would prefer you to work in an industry that isn't so...finicky."

"But this is my dream and it makes me happy," Grimmjow said. "shouldn't that be all you want."

"I'm a parent Grimmjow I can't rely on dreams."

"What are you talking about?" Masaki said, she was walking to greet her re-fiancé when she over heard the conversation. She also caught a glance at Shinji's father, he looked familiar to her but she couldn't pin point where she remembered him.

"Here we go." Isshin said with a sigh.

"Okay, okay," Byakuya said having also heard the conversation. "how about we discuss this once and for all. Artists on one side of the room corporate on the other. The artists will be on the side of the room with the band equipment."

The room split apart. Both bands, Byakuya, Rukia, Aizen, Nel, Rayna, Tina, and Masaki sat on the band side of the room. Isshin, Gorden, Cecilia, Genrei, Kaien, and Momo sat on the other side. Senbon sat in the middle and Kisuke, Yorichi, and Gin didn't care enough to join the conversation. Renji and his father stayed in the kitchen not wanting to join the conversation. And Shinji's dad, William, didn't feel he belonged in this conversation.

"I guess I'll be the mediator to this dumbass conversation." Senbon said. "My book was really getting good."

"Before we start." Genrei said. "Why are you talking like that Sen?"

Senbon looked at his grandfather and in his very thick English accent he said. "It's my American accent I'm practicing."

"What the fuck!" said half the room.

"Anyway, who wants to go first?" Senbon said.

"Me." Tosh said. "Momo, what the fuck? Why you other there? You pushed me to join this damn band."

"I just wanted you to have friends." Momo answer. "I saw how hard Aizen worked and I know how hard to music industry is. One wrong move and you're done."

"But you brought Byakuya to our concert." Toshiro said.

"He was 16 I didn't think he'd actually make you guys famous. I thought maybe you guys would make a song together and that'd be it. And I only brought him because you thought I was lying about him being my cousin."

"No, we thought you were lying about Aizen being your brother." Shiro corrected. "We thought you were making the Byakuya thing up to help prove Aizen was your brother."

"Whatever. I just feel like the music industry is not stable." Momo said.

Rukia stepped forward. "Excuse Kaien, don't you work in the arts."

"Technically, love," Kaien said, "but if I break my arm they still need me if you break your ankle you're out maybe forever. I can get a job anywhere there are stages to set up all over the world and I'm hard to replace. You? Not so much."

Rukia's jaw dropped and then she looked at her fellow dancer, Ichigo and then back at her fiancé. "Well the dancer shop is closed to you from now on."

Senbon rolled his eyes. "Anyone else?"

"TLC," Isshin started earning him sighs and groans from the other side of the room. "had hits on the radio and they were still broke."

"And Toni Braxton," Gorden started also earning him lots of sighs and groans. "had Grammy's and went bankrupt twice." he said holding up to fingers.

"I will step in for that argument." Byakuya said. "My job was and still is to make sure none of that happens and it didn't. That's why they're independent so the money they make will go directly into their pocket. I knew what I was doing. I do my job and I do my job well. Also those things happen when the contract isn't done right Sen wrote and writes up all my contracts. I did not want to steal from them my dream was to make their dreams come true and it did."

"And if you didn't want any of us to be artists why did you give us music lessons." Grimmjow said.

"Because I want my children to have hobbies." Genrei said. "And it looks good on college applications they like when you have multiple talents."

"It's also a good way to get you to leave us the hell alone." Gorden said earning some 'yeahs' from his side of the room.

"And it doesn't hurt to have live music playing in the house," Isshin added. "you know once they finally figure out how to play it."

"Ha, you guys are so funny." Ichigo mocked. "Don't all of you have a favorite song? All of you have at least one song that makes you happy or takes you to a very important time in you life. Music is everything. It makes the world go round. Dad, if no one ever needed surgery ever again you'd be out of a job. Music will never go out of style even if they made it illegal I'd still have work."

"And what about those of us who aren't good at anything else?" Shiro said. "All I know how to do and all I've ever known how to do is sing. I can't do math. I can't read good. I can't even speak English that good but I can sing. I can put on a fucking show. That's all I can do."

"That's not all you can do, Shiro." Isshin said.

"That's all I've ever been good at." Shiro said.

"My turn." Masaki said coming to the middle of the room. "As someone who had a parent like you guys and now has children who are artists I think you should hear what I have to say. When I was 16 I had the opportunity to get signed by a label and my father said no and he also told me about all the people who sign a contract and never sing and he told me about all the one hit wonders. And all the people who are super famous but still broke. And so on and so forth. And through all those points he made all I ever heard was you're not good enough to make it and be successful. Singing was and still is my only dream ever. I wish I had someone in my corner to tell me I was good enough to be a singer. Yes, I worry about my babies all the time anything could happen but anything could happen at a regular job too. Isshin one wrong cut and you're out of a job. Genrei you've owned business after business, one wrong deal and your credibility is destroyed. Your jobs are not stable they're practical."

"And may I add," Sen said. "my dream is to be a nurse and a lawyer. Their dream is to sing. Her dream is to dance. We have achieved our dreams and we are happy. Do you know how hard that is?"

"To achieve your dreams?" Isshin asked.

"To be happy." Sen answered. "Wouldn't you die if you couldn't be a doctor?"

Renji stuck his head in the living room. "DINNER'S READY."

"Thank god." everyone said going into the kitchen.

Since the dining room was too small to fit every one Byakuya, reluctantly, let everyone eat in the living room. Everyone found a spot in the living room, whether it was on the couch or on the floor, and ate like it was the first time they had eaten all day, although for most of them it was. Shinji sat next to his father but both of them were nervous to say anything to the other.

"Sons!" Isshin said speaking to all the members of Xcution. "Masaki and I have something to tell you. We are getting married again."

"I wanted to tell." Masaki said.

"I know but you were taking too long." Isshin said.

"Are y'all sure this time will be better?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah," Isshin said. "we won't have any kids to ruin our marriage like the last time."

"Our parents claim we ruined their marriage." Shiro said rolling his eyes.

"You did." Masaki said. "As soon as we found out I was pregnant our marriage started to fall apart."

"It's true." Isshin added. "We lived in a studio apartment and ate Ramen noodles for dinner every night we weren't ready for one kid let alone two. I was going to med school and I worked at Walgreens I didn't have time or money for kids."

"Yup," Masaki said. "y'all ruined our lives."

"Okay, that's enough." Shiro said. "It wasn't that damn bad."

"You're right, I got to hear your mother sing sweet love over and over again."

"Oh my god," Shinji said. "What about the wedding?"

"Yes, the wedding." Masaki said. "So we're having an actual wedding this time because your dad has the money this time. And it's in June. Tina," she said turning to Renji's mother. "I want you to be my maid of honor."

"I wanna be in the wedding." Renji whined.

"Shut up, boy." Tina said. She looked at Masaki. "I'd love to."

"And all of you guys are invited." Masaki said with a grin.

"Ain't none of us in the wedding?" Ichigo said.

"You are in the wedding. You're the band."

"Why do we gotta be the band?" Shiro said. "Can Ichi and I at least be in the wedding we're your real sons."

"No. And why can't you be the band? I'm the reason you guys are a band in the first place with the exception of Tosh. I taught you all the guitar and the piano and in Shinji's case the bass."

"Wait a minute." Byakuya said. "Renji...I thought I taught you how to play the piano." he looked at Renji with his head tilted.

Renji opened his mouth but closed it. Almost six years ago Renji tricked Byakuya into teaching him the piano just so he could get close to the man, he had had a crush on him since the first time he saw him. "I wanted to get close to you. You just so fine I had to be close to you." Byakuya looked at Renji with his arms crossed over his chest. "You want some more mac and cheese."

"Yes." Byakuya said still glaring at Renji while he put more mac and cheese on the man's plate. "What else you lie about?"

"Nothing...Okay so you know in the early days when I'd ask for help with guitar riffs for songs? Didn't really need the help." Renji bit his lip a little as he looked at Byakuya. "You are so fine, baby, so fine. Like I couldn't help myself. I had a crush on you since the first day I saw you and that is the truth. Tell him, guys."

"He wrote the only exception about you." Shinji said.

"No, not that secret." Renji said to Shinji.

"Oh, sorry."

"You wrote that about me?" Byakuya asked surprised. "That was long before we did anything."

"Yeah, which is why it was a secret. It kinda makes me sound like a creep."

"Aww." Byakuya cooed leaning in the kiss Renji multiple times. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Renji said smiling.

"You know what Renji lying just reminded me of?" Shinji said.

"How Renji used to get his ass beat all the time." Shiro said.

"Yes." Ichigo said laughing. "He got his ass beat well until he was 17."

"I remember that one time my mom punched me so hard I thought I was gonna die." Renji said rubbing his chest.

"Well," Tina said. "you did tell me to shut up."

"One time my mom got the belt and fucked me up." Nnoitra said.

"That happened to me, too." Renji said.

"Regularly." Tosh said.

"There was very rarely a time I wasn't getting my ass beat." Renji said

"One time I came in late," Nnoitra said. "and my mom was like come have a seat on the couch like she was gone talk to me civil and she tried to choke me."

"You told me I couldn't tell you what to do. Actually you said I couldn't tell you what the fuck to do and then left and slammed the door behind you like you pay bills." Rayna, Nnoitra's mother, said. "So I choked your ass."

"See, Nova," Nel said to her daughter. "your father was a bad boy don't be like him."

"Says the girl who had a kid at 16, don't be like yo momma." Nnoi snapped back.

"Guy, guys, guys." Shiro said. "You guys have to be nice to each other. I don't like it when my friends fight."

"We're friends." Nel said excitedly.

"That's a damn lie." Ichigo said. "Just yesterday you told Renji Shinji said he was dumb."

"He did say that." Shiro said.

"You are such an instigator." Shinji said

"And you're fat."

"You're just as big as I am you dumb cunt. You just don't look as good."

Byakuya cleared his throat. "Speaking of fat, you two" he pointed to Shinji and Shiro. "are going on a diet starting tomorrow as well as working out three times a week."

Shiro and Shinji's jaws dropped. "Why just us!?"

"Ichigo runs every morning, Tosh and Ulqui don't gain weight, and everyone else works out on a regular basis. Meanwhile, you two have gained 30 pounds each."

"Lies." They said.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Shiro you're almost as big as Rukia and she's 3 months pregnant. And Shinji the only reason you don't look the same is because half of the fat has gone to your ass but you look about 2 months. Also since I'm on the topic of looks, the album is due to come out in June. So I would like for all the songs to be recorded by April and edited by May. The photo shoot for the album is in March. Since there are two lead singers there will be one album with Shiro in the middle and another with Grimmjow."

"When does the tour start?" Nel asked. "And do I get backstage passes?"

"The tour starts in August. And we will see. Any questions?"

"Can I stay fat?" Shinji asked. "Shiro is the lead singer he should be the best looking."

"That sounds like a good idea, however, you sing and perform too."

"I don't have to do that anymore."

"But what about when you do 'slut like you' or 'walk of shame'?" Nel asked.

Shinji made a face "Y'all really like that song?" he knew the song was quite popular but at this moment he wished it wasn't.

"They're some of my favs."

"Why is that?" Grimmjow asked Nel.

"They're catchy." Nel said glaring at her brother.

"To prove you're not fat," Byakuya said. "you should perform 'slut like you'."

"That's not a song you perform in front of your parents." Shinji said. "And I sing that song with Ichi and he's tired."

"No, I'm fine."

Shinji glared at Ichigo for a while. "Fuck it."

"And when you guys are done Shiro can go next. You can start that competition you have with your mother." Byakuya said.

"I planned on going last." Shiro said.

"Then you can sing the song you promised Nel."

"Why you don't ever just mind your business?"

"It's my job to know your business."

Shinji and Ichigo made their way to the living room stage. "We don't get like a band or nothing." Shinji said.

"You can use an instrumental. They're on Youtube."

Shinji sighed. "I don't really wanna sing this in front of our parents can we sing something else?"

"Fine." Byakuya said. "Nel, what would you like to hear?"

Nel's jaw dropped. "Me?"

"You are a fan aren't you?"

"Yeah, okay. Oh I got it. Do 'Want U Back'."

"We wrote that one together." Ichigo cooed. Ichigo found the instrumental to the song and started it off since he sang the first verse.

(Want U Back - Cher Lloyd)

Hey, boy you never had much game

Thought I needed to upgrade

So I went and walked away, way, way

Uh!

Shinji watched Ichigo do his part while dancing along and honestly he was already out of breath but he had to keep going he had a point to prove. He and Ichigo sang the pre chorus and chorus together, which Shinji half sang, but now it was time for Shinji to sing by himself.

Please this ain't even jealousy

She ain't got a thing on me

Tryin' rock them ugly, jeans, jeans, jeans

You clearly didn't think this through

If what I've been told is true

You'd be crawling back like, boo, whoo, whoo

'Fuck! I really am fat' Shinji thought to himself as he powered through the rest of this performance. 'How long is this song?'. Shinji heavy breathed his way through the rest of the song and instead of striking a pose at the end he bent over on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath.

"Okay, fine." Shinji breathed. "I'm fat. Now give me my mac and cheese. If this is my last supper I'm gonna eat until I can't no more."

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "Shiro. Your turn. Nel, which song do you wanna hear?"

"Please not daydreaming." Grimmjow said.

"Or brick by boring brick." Nnoitra said

"Or get back." Grimmjow said.

"Or fix a heart." Grimmjow, his parents, and Nnoitra said.

"Hey," Shinji said. "Those last two were mine."

"Its not you guys," Nnoitra explained. "Nel played the songs to death."

"Ooo I know." Nel said. "Let the Flames Begin."

"One of my faves." Shiro said with a grin. "Its better with the live band but I'll be fine." Shiro rolled his eyes and found an instrumental of the his song. As soon as the music came on Shiro was a whole different person and it was something Shiro never noticed but everyone else did. Any other time Shiro was a little shy, quiet, and insecure but was soon as he started singing, performing in anyway he came alive.

(Let The Flames Begin - Paramore)

What a shame we all became such fragile, broken things

A memory remains just a tiny spark

I give it all my oxygen to let the flames begin

So let the flames begin

Oh glory, oh glory

This is how we dance when

When they try to take us down

This is what will be, oh glory

Shiro pulled Nel up with him so they could sing together and then Nel started crying freaking Shiro out but he kept singing until the song was finished.

"I'm sorry this is just like my dream come true." Nel said wiping her eyes.

Shiro noticed how her eyeliner remained flawless. "Did you do your eyeliner?"

"Yeah, I'm a makeup artist."

"That's why your eye shadow is always poppin. I wish I could do eyeliner."

"I could do it for you." Nel said pulling her black eyeliner out of her pocket. She quickly gave Shiro two identical wings on his eye lids. "I have mascara too."

"Put it on. Put it on. Put it on." Nel put some mascara on Shiro's lashes and handed him the mirror she kept in her pocket. Shiro's jaw dropped. "I'm so pretty. Where's my phone, I'm going on snap chat." Ichigo tossed Shiro his phone and he started taking selfie after selfie. "Where you going?" He asked Nel when she moved out of the way of his selfies. "We're taking them together." Shiro pulled starstruck Nel to his side so they could take a million selfies. "I never leave the house without makeup on." Shiro sang Jazmine Sullivan's 'Mascara'. "I keep mascara in my pocket if I'm running to the market cause you never know who's watching you. So I gotta stay on."

"I don't wanna see you two take selfies." Ichigo said.

"Stop being a hater."

"Boy bye."

"Please, don't start fighting on thanksgiving." Shinji said.

"They won't." Masaki said. "Not while I'm here."

"You know," Rukia said. "You two sounds like Bya and Sen. Despite the language barrier they fought a lot."

"That's because Bya knew English but only spoke Spanish because he knew we couldn't understand him." Senbon snapped.

"It's not my fault you're dumb as fuck." Byakuya said in Spanish.

"See there he goes again. This is America speak English."

"You're not even American." Byakuya did a terrible English accent. "You're British."

"What we're not going to do is imitate accents because not everyone had elocution lessons." Sen spoke in his horrible Spanish accent. "Mr. I don't speak English very well."

"For the record," Rukia said. "We got elocution lessons because our accents weren't sophisticated enough."

"Its not my fault no one wants to hire the girl who talks like Carrie from King of Queens. And you only got elocution lessons because Byakuya got elocution lessons."

"We're not about to talk about how I was raised." Byakuya said.

"You were spoiled." Sen said.

"You still are." Rukia added.

"I am not."

"He bought you a private plane for your birthday last year." Sen said. "He didn't get me anything and our birthdays are on the same day."

"It's not like I asked for it."

"But you expect it." Rukia said.

"Y'all are some haters. And that's all I have to say."

"We're right and you know it."

Byakuya flipped his hair, "Whatever."

"I think it's singing contest time." Shiro said. "Mom, you go first."

"I don't mind showing you what to do." Masaki said standing up, making her way to the front of the room. "Can I have some live music, Tosh?"

"Why me?" Tosh asked not wanting to separate from Momo.

"Because you can play anything."

"I guess." Tosh said getting up scratching his stomach. "What are you singing?" he said when he got up there.

"Nobody love by Tori Kelly."

"Bringing out the big guns." Tosh said standing in front of the drum machine. "Here we go." Tosh started the beat.

Everybody's looking for that something

No one ever wants to pay the price

Everyone is scared of going nowhere

But we ain't going anywhere tonight

[Pre-Chorus]

I should be more cynical and tell myself that's not okay

(To feel this good when I'm with you)

I try my best to fight it, say "I hate you", but I always stay

Woah, oh, oh, cause

"Why are y'all singing back up?" Shiro said when he heard everyone ooo-ing and ahh-ing. "Y'all better sing back up for me."

Everyone sang and danced along with Masaki except Shiro who sat there pouting, he never was a good sport. It was quiet when Masaki got to the chorus, it was the moment of truth the part of the song that would determine who could sing better.

Can we stop all the yelling baby, hear me out

I want you here and now

I try my best to fight it, say I hate you but I always stay

Hey, hey, hey-ey!

Yeah, all right, everybody's looking for that new thang

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Ain't nobody, nobody, nobody love

Everybody oo-ed and ahh-ed continuing their back up singing making Shiro even more annoyed because it also seemed his mother's singing had improved. Masaki ended her performance perfectly earning applause from everyone.

"Now I know what you mean when you say you get your talent from your mom." Grimmjow said to Ichigo.

"Yep."

"Alright, it's my turn and y'all better sing back up." Shiro snapped. "It's fine, Tosh, I don't need music or anything." Shiro said sarcastically when Tosh sat back down. " Shiro found the instrumental of Touch it by Ariana Grande on Youtube while grumbling about how no one cared about him.

How do I make the phone ring?

Why do I even care?

How are you all around me when you're not really there?

When you're not really there

How do I feel you on me when you're not on my skin?

Why do you say you want me, then tell me you're not coming in?

Oh yeah, baby, just come on in

As usual when Shiro sang in front of an audience his show persona came out which only made his singing sound better. Shiro performed the song as if it was his own and everyone sang back up for him like he wanted making his do even better. Shiro sang the song flawlessly, he knew he would though, but that's not why he picked the song. Shiro was near the end of the song and it was his turn to prove he could finally out sing his mother. Shiro opened his mouth and out came the whistle tones he had been trying to get to for years, the one thing his mother couldn't do, the one note she couldn't reach.

"You can sing whistle tones!" Ichigo said excitedly. "How long?"

"Like a week. I can finally sing like Chante Moore." Shiro did a celebratory dance.

"This is like the most exciting thing that's ever happened." Ichigo said.

"That's what I said. So I won, right?"

"Duh."

"You've earned it." Masaki said. "You have finally out sang me, congrats. Too bad you can't do anything else better than me." She laughed. "I'm proud of you, my love. Speaking of singing, Nnoitra wasn't singing."

"Nnoi can't since mom." Shiro said.

"I can teach him."

"No." Shiro, Renji, and Isshin said loudly.

"I'll teach him." Shiro said.

"Are you saying I'm a bad teacher? Renji, I taught you to sing, didn't I?"

"Yes." Renji asked carefully. "However, my mom gave you permission to beat me so I learned in fear for my life."

"And," Isshin added. "you're a little strict. Not saying that doesn't work because obviously it does. It's just you're a little rough."

"Well just stab me in the back." Masaki said. "Fine, I'll just stop teaching since I'm so bad at it."

Shiro and Isshin looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "No, one said that." they said.

"Excuse me. Hello." Nnoitra said. "Who said I wanted to learn to sing."

"Exactly," Shiro said. "I don't like being around singers anyway they always try to out sing me even though it's impossible."

Shortly after dinner everyone went their separate ways throughout the house. Shinji decided to spend some quality time with his father since they hadn't talked all night.

"You have a nice family." William told Shinji.

"Sometimes you gotta make your own." Shinji said, instantly realizing what he said probably sounded mean. "Sorry, I didn't mean.."

"It's fine. I know what you mean. I wasn't there for you and you adapted, I just drank all the time and ruined other peoples lives."

"If you don't mind me asking, did you and your father ever talk again after you left."

"He died ten years ago, so no." William sighed. "My father was depressed for most of his life and I don't think he knew any other emotion other than anger. I know that's all I ever showed you and I don't want you to be me I don't want anger to be the only emotion you know."

"It may be a little too late for that."

"It's not. You're still young and you still have lessons to learn and people to meet that'll change you. You still have songs to write about love and hate and friends and everything else people write songs about. As I have learned you have tons of life to live and tons of opportunities to change and grow."

"As a kid I don't think I would have appreciated that. Thank you." Shinji smiled at his father for the first time in years, it felt good. It felt even better when William smiled back.

"You're welcome."

"Alright," Tina said. "It's time for us to go. I have along drive ahead of me."

"You can spend the night we have enough rooms. You can sleep in my room I don't use it." Renji said.

"Your room is next to my room." Byakuya said.

"You can sleep on the other side of the house." Renji corrected.

Tina chuckled while kissing Renji and Byakuya's cheeks. "Good night, children."

Everyone else decided it was time to go also, so all the mothers kissed their sons and the fathers hugged them and they made their way out the door except for a few stowaways. Nel decided she was going to sleep over with Shiro. And Tosh wanted Momo to spend the night because they hadn't seen each other in a while. After everyone was gone and the food was put away everyone went to their respective bedrooms where most went straight to sleep. Others stayed up to play like Nel and Shiro who played cards all night and Tosh and Momo who played in the music room.