Author's Note:
Well, here we are for the final chapter of True North! It's been so much fun writing this story, and I hope you all have enjoyed reading it. I'd like to thank all of my wonderful readers, as well as everyone who has favorited and/or followed this story. It means a lot to know that you enjoy my work, and I hope to keep bringing you more high-quality, well written stories in the future.
A very special thank you to Phany9634 and SailorStar9 for reviewing every single chapter, and being such devoted readers. It's been a joy to read your reviews every week, and I want you to know that I very much appreciate them. It's always wonderful when I see engagement from my readers with a story, and I love hearing from you all.
Alright, everyone; I hope you enjoy chapter 15! Enjoy, and au revoir! I'll see you all again soon!
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo. I only claim credit for my own OCs in this chapter.
Four and a half months later…
Toshiro had never been more thankful for the over-protective nature of the Kurosaki family than at this moment. Just as Ichigo had predicted, Yuzu and Orihime had insisted on arriving in Orora two months before the baby's due date to make sure that everything was ready for the birth in advance; fussing over every single detail, and making sure that Karin took proper care of herself the further along she progressed in the pregnancy.
They didn't have as much time to plan as they anticipated they would, however, because apparently nothing could ever go according to plan for the two Ororan rulers. Karin had ended up going into labor four weeks early, which put the men, especially, into a worried frenzy while the women took charge; getting Karin into the bedroom, having Momo and Orihime prep the essentials while Yuzu took the task of delivering the baby, and keeping everyone updated on Karin's progress throughout the entire process.
Toshiro was a nervous wreck when Karin's water had broken, but even though the baby was coming sooner than expected, the Kurosaki women assured the worried father-to-be that everything would be fine; they would just need to take a little extra care of the infant for the next few weeks, while it built up its strength. They were surprised the baby was coming a full month early, but they didn't think it had anything to do with the child's or mother's state of health; they both seemed perfectly healthy, which eased Toshiro's anxieties slightly as he began the grueling task of helplessly waiting for the whole ordeal to be over; not finding it easy that he could do nothing to help his wife.
The first fifteen hours hadn't been excessively hard to wait out, as the contractions hadn't been too intense for Karin to handle. She was fortunate to have a very high pain tolerance already, and she followed her sister-in-law's guidance of breathing through the labor pains for as long as she could. Now, though, her agonized cries and moans had been echoing intermittently throughout the upstairs gallery for the last three hours at an ever increasing intensity.
During the last two of those three hours, Toshiro had worn a path into the dark green carpet on the floor of the gallery from pacing back and forth, while he twisted the bottom of his tunic in his hands to try and calm himself down; an act that wasn't really working, despite Izuru's insistence that it would help. With every cry of pain that he heard from their bedroom, his stomach tightened into a tighter knot. He wished he could bare all of this for Karin, or at least do something to mitigate it, and he hated feeling so completely helpless.
Beside him, Ichigo had started pacing as well, while Isshin leaned up against the white granite wall of the castle by one of the large stained-glass windows; watching the two of them with a mixture of amusement, and pity. 'Poor Toshiro' he thought, as he looked down at the young king's hands to see that they were gripping his tunic so tightly, they were almost as white as his hair. 'I don't think I've ever seen him this wound tight; it's an odd mix of entertaining, and sympathy-enducing'
None of the three men had spoken a word to each other for the last hour; choosing instead to stew in their own nervousness, and keep their thoughts to themselves. Neither Toshiro, nor Ichigo were in any mood to talk as it was, so they both decided that silence was the best option at present...that is, until Ichigo suddenly ceased his movement, and whirled around to face his brother-in-law; worry, fear, and irritation flashing in his eyes. "DAMMIT, TOSHIRO; WILL YOU STOP PACING?! YOU'RE MAKING ME ANXIOUS!" he yelled at the white-haired man, as he raised a clenched fist in anger; his eyebrow twitching, and his facial features tense.
Feeling his now-tenuous hold on his emotions snap, the young king rounded on the crown prince immediately, and mimicked Ichigo's threatening stance with his own; glaring at the older man with an intensity that would make any normal person shrivel in fear. "SHUT THE HELL UP, ICHIGO! I'M THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE ANXIOUS, HERE! IT'S MY WIFE IN LABOR, MY CHILD, AND MY DAMN HOUSE, SO I'LL PACE IF I WANT TO!" he yelled back, as both of the boys growled at each other.
Off to the side, Isshin sighed exasperatedly. He'd been waiting for the last two hours for one of them to snap from the stress, and he wasn't surprised that Ichigo had been the first one to break. He was surprised, however, to see Toshiro get so riled up so easily; as the young king usually just brushed Ichigo off with the cool indifference that he was known for whenever the strawberry snapped at him. Not many people had the kind of self-control that the northern ruler did, so outbursts like this were few and far between for him. 'Well, in reality, I really shouldn't be surprised; it is his first child, after all. I remember that experience far too well to criticize' he thought to himself; reminiscing about when Ichigo was born, and how much of a nervous wreck he'd been during Masaki's labor period. He'd never felt more fearful, yet excited about anything before in his entire life than during that time, and he knew that Toshiro must be feeling the same way right now. A small smile made its way onto his face as he watched his usually stoic son-in-law stand his ground against his hot-tempered son, and he couldn't help feeling an odd sense of excitement for the young man well up within him. 'I know it's hard right now, but just hang on a little longer, Toshiro; your entire life's about to change for the better, I promise' he thought, before another intense cry of pain rang out through the hallway.
"GAAAAAAAAAH! OH MY GOD! TOSHIR-AAAAAAHAAAAAAH! TOSHIROOOO!"
As soon as he heard Karin cry out for him, the young king completely forgot his face-off with his irate brother-in-law, and took off down the gallery towards their room at full speed; Ichigo attempting to follow after him, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Whipping his head around frantically, the crown prince saw his father looking at him with a mixture of sympathy, but authority, in his eyes. "Not you, Ichigo." he said, as the strawberry shook off his father's tight grip. "But-!" he tried to rebut; only to be silenced by Isshin raising a hand to quiet him. "No buts. she called out for her husband, not you. It's Toshiro that she wants, which is as it should be. You're staying here; I don't think it will be long now." the Karakura ruler said; the finality in his tone booking no argument.
Ichigo glared at his father as he bit back a sharp retort, but reluctantly nodded in consent; resuming his pacing, and feeling his anxiety drastically increase with every passing minute. Orihime's labor with Kazui had been much quicker than Karin's was moving now, and the longer it was taking, the more worried he was getting. 'There's nothing you can do, Ichigo. Just stay calm, and wait it out; it shouldn't take much longer' he thought to himself, as he tried to rein in his nervousness, and sat down on one of the upholstered benches in the gallery with his father. 'Just stay strong, Karin; it's almost over'
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Another hour ticked by, and the Kurosaki men sat in silence for the entirety of it; having only their thoughts for company. After Toshiro had gone to her, Karin's cries had ebbed slightly, but neither southern ruler would relax until the entire ordeal was over. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the young queen's pained screams were drowned out by the sound of a crying baby, and the two men ran as fast as they could towards the bedroom doors of the royal suite…only to be stopped by Momo, who came out of the room with a big smile on her face; closing the door behind her as she looked at the anxious new uncle, and grandfather.
From behind the ebony wood, they could still hear Karin's agonized moans, and Yuzu telling her to push; saying that she could see the head, and that Karin was almost there. Upon hearing this, Ichigo's concern spiked once again as his confusion increased. "Momo, what's…?" he started asking, only to stop a moment later as realization dawned. His eyes went wide, and he stared at the Ororan princess for a moment before he managed to find his words. "Another one?" he asked, almost disbelievingly; watching in shock as Momo nodded her head, and her smile grew.
Isshin's face broke out into a huge grin as he bounced up and down excitedly behind his son, and Ichigo boasted one of the largest smiles he was sure he'd ever had on his face. "Ha! Holy hell, I can't believe it!" he yelled, just as a noticeably pregnant Rangiku, her now-husband Shuhei, Ryu, Izuru, and Jinta all came running down the hallway from the nursery, where they'd been distracting Ryu from his aunt's travail with games and training. "Is it over?!" Rangiku asked excitedly; looking to Momo, who shook her head in reply. "No, not yet. Almost, but not yet."
The bubbly general deflated, and looked confusedly at Ichigo and Isshin; giving them a questioning look upon seeing their widely smiling faces. "How is it not over? The baby's out; I can hear it crying…and what's wrong with you two?" she asked, only for Ichigo to raise his hands in the air excitedly. "Twins!" he shouted; watching as a large smile broke out on her face. "Oh my god, that's wonderful!" the bubbly blonde replied; bouncing up and down from excitement, and hugging her fiancé, who also sported a large smile of his own.
While Momo was enjoying the cheerful scene before her, she knew she needed to return to her post; so, she quickly calmed everyone down, and reassured them that everything was almost over. After promising that she would let them all in to see the new arrivals as soon as possible, the Ororan princess retreated back into the room; leaving everybody in the gallery for only a few more minutes before they heard one more pained scream from Karin, and a second baby's cry was heard.
Outside the bedroom, the relatives and friends were overjoyed, and hollered in excitement; while inside the bedroom, Yuzu, Orihime, and Momo cleaned off the babies, and tended to a completely exhausted Karin. The young queen had her head rested on her husband's shoulder, and she was breathing heavily; trying to get her bearings back. She was drenched in sweat, confident that she'd never done anything so painful before in her life, and fairly convinced that she'd crushed Toshiro's hand from squeezing it so hard. "Sorry, Toshiro…did I…break anything?" she asked breathlessly, as her husband kissed her forehead, and shook his head; a concerned but loving smile on his face. "Don't apologize, it'll be fine. Are you okay?" he asked anxiously; watching intently as she nodded her head slightly, and gave him a small, worn-out smile. "I will be…just…give me...a minute." she replied, as she attempted to regulate her breathing, and Toshiro nodded; letting her rest for a moment as he watched his sister, and sisters-in-law grab soft washcloths and towels from the top of his dresser. He heard the gentle movement of water in wash basins, and listened to the crying voices of his children as they were cleaned, and dried. 'My children…I can't believe I'm saying that' he thought in partial disbelief; a sense of overwhelming wonder he'd never experienced before filling his entire body.
A few minutes passed before Momo walked up to them, quickly examined Karin to ensure that she was fine, and smiled warmly down at the two of them. "Are you both ready to meet your babies?" the Ororan princess asked; love and excitement shining in her eyes as the new parents nodded in reply. Yuzu and Orihime came walking over to them just a moment later with two little bundles of cloth; handing one to Karin, and one to Toshiro. "Congratulations; you have a son, and a daughter." they said; gazing lovingly at the couple with their children, before looking at each other, nodding, and all three of the women exiting the room to give the new family some privacy.
Everyone in the hallway was dying to see the babies, but the three women asked that they all give the new parents a moment alone with their children. Everyone reluctantly agreed, but the anticipation outside the bedroom was palpable; especially little Ryu's, who was practically clawing his way to the door so he could meet his new cousins.
Inside the room, Karin was holding her daughter close as she looked from the silver-haired baby in her arms, to the little boy with snow-white hair who was resting in his father's embrace, and back again; a warm, loving smile on her face. Beside her, Toshiro was staring down at his son – no, his carbon-copy – with awe-struck wonder as the baby blinked, and looked up at him; the young king watching in amazement as his own turquoise eyes stared back at him. Looking over to the little girl in his wife's arms, he was greeted by stormy grey eyes that were the same shade as her mother's; looking around with curiosity. He felt his smile widen as unshed tears threatened to spill over, and he did his best to keep them in check.
Focusing back on his son, the new father finally did feel a tear slide down his cheek when the baby grabbed his thumb with its tiny hand, and he marveled at the strength of the infant's grip, even though he looked so frail, and fragile.
Looking over at his wife, bright turquoise met stormy dark grey, and he smiled lovingly down at her. "How did we make something so perfect?" he asked, as Karin gently brought her right hand up to brush away the wet streak on his cheek. "I don't usually go in for sentimental, but I think the right answer is love…while having a lot of fun along the way." she replied; a humorous smirk on her face that he reciprocated.
They held each other's gaze for a moment, before Toshiro's smirk morphed into a soft, affectionate smile. "I really am the luckiest man in the world to be able to call you my wife. I love you more than you'll ever know, Karin, and I'm so proud of you." he said, as Karin reciprocated his smile with one of her own; a softness in her gaze that he'd never seen before. "And I'm the luckiest woman in the world to have you as my husband. You're my better half, Toshiro; you always have been, and you always will be. I love you, and I don't ever want to be without you…even if you were the cause of the single-most painful experience I've ever had to live through." she replied; smirking as Toshiro shook his head in amusement before kissing her forehead, and looking back down at his children. Reaching over with his free hand, he gently slid his finger into his daughter's tiny curled up fist, and ran his thumb over her hand; resting his head against Karin's. "I promise, I'll make the world a better place for them. I'll be a better man for them." he said, with a new gentleness and sincerity in his voice, as he felt his daughter's small hand squeeze his finger.
Karin glanced up at her husband, and gave him a small, teasing smile in return. "And for me?" she asked playfully, to which he smiled gently back at her. "I'm already a better man because of you." he replied; this time leaning down, and kissing her properly with more loving warmth and tenderness than she'd ever felt from him before.
Outside in the gallery, everyone was clustered together, and watching the heartwarming exchange between husband and wife through the slightly-ajar door. All of the women were crying, and warm smiles were adorning the men's faces. No one had been able to resist trying to get a peek at the new arrivals, so they had cracked the door just a hair to see if they could get a glimpse of the babies; unwittingly becoming a silent audience to the touching moment between the new family. While this soft, gentle, and loving side of Toshiro was no stranger to his own family, the entire Kurosaki household had never seen him like this before. Yuzu and Orihime fawned over the sweet scene, while Ichigo, Isshin, and Jinta found it incredibly strange, yet strangely endearing to see the ice king so open and vulnerable.
Caught up in the scene as they were, however, no one remembered to keep an eye on Ryu; so, the little boy was able to sneak through the mass of adults, push open the door, and run over to his aunt and uncle. "Auntie Karin, Uncle Toshiro, can I see my cousins?!" the young boy asked excitedly, as the new parents smiled down at him, and nodded their heads; the group of adults entering the room a few moments later as the child crawled up onto the bed, and said hello to his new family. "Hi babies, it's nice to meet you! My name's Ryu, and I'm your cousin. I can't wait to play with you when you get bigger, and teach you all kinds of cool things." the blonde prince said, as he waved at the two little bundles of cloth in his aunt and uncle's arms.
The two rulers smiled warmly at their nephew, before transferring their gaze to the group of adults standing around the bed. There was an apologetic look on Ichigo's face, and he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry guys, he slipped by us."
Toshiro shook his head, and gave a slight smile to the strawberry. "It's fine; I know everyone was anxious to get in here." he replied; his slight smile morphing into a small smirk.
Ichigo smiled back, and nodded his head in reply. "Yeah, you're right about that. We couldn't wait to see the little tykes. So…would you mind if I hold my nephew?" he asked nervously, as Toshiro nodded, got up, and handed the baby to the crown prince. Ichigo took him, and started gently rocking the infant as Rangiku, Izuru, and Isshin gathered around to see the little boy; Rangiku's face lighting up, and her eyes shining as she looked from the baby, to her king. "He looks just like you, sir." she said; letting more tears fall from her eyes as Ichigo passed the baby to her a few minutes later, and walked over to see his sister and niece.
Smiling softly at his general, Toshiro nodded in agreement; feeling pride swell within him as he watched his mother-figure gently coo to his son. "Yeah, he does. He even got my eyes." the young king said, and Rangiku transferred her focus from the baby in her arms, to him. "I'm so proud of you, you know; and your parents would be proud, too. I wish they could be here to see this." she said, as more tears welled up in her eyes.
Toshiro nodded once more, before transferring his gaze from her, to the portrait of his parents that hung on the wall of the bedroom; his eyes softening as a wam smile overtook his face. "I know. I wish they could be here, too, but I know they're watching." he said, before bringing his attention over to his wife, who was staring at him affectionately; a loving look on her face that he reciprocated.
Both of the babies were passed from one set of arms to another, before they both ended up back with their parents; Isshin looking at the new family with a radiant smile on his face, and pride in his eyes. "So, what are you going to name them?" he asked, as Karin and Toshiro looked at each other for a moment, before focusing back on the Kurosaki patriarch. Karin, who was now holding her son, spoke first. "Akira" she said, before looking to Toshiro, who spoke next. "Mirai" he said, as he looked back down at the baby girl in his arms.
Everyone in the room smiled, and Ichigo nodded in approval. "Bright future…I like it; it's fitting." he said; a new type of happiness that he'd never experienced before filling him as he looked at his new niece and nephew.
From the corner of the room, Momo walked over to the group of people; smiling softly down at her brother and clearly exhausted sister-in-law, before refocusing her attention on the crowd gathered around the bed. "Alright, now that everyone's had a chance to see Karin and the babies, I think it's time we let the new mother rest." she said, as Yuzu, who was standing next to her sister-in-law, nodded her head in agreement. "Momo's right, everyone should leave for now; the babies need to be fed, and then Karin needs some rest." the new lady Hanakari said as she smiled at her twin, and gave her a wink.
Karin smiled tiredly back at her two sisters, and nodded in thanks; with everyone except for Momo, Orihime, and Toshiro leaving the room, and the doors closing behind them.
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Everybody waited in the corridor for another half an hour before the bedroom doors opened once more; revealing two now-sleeping babies being held by their parents, and Karin looking like she was ready to sleep for a month. Smiling at the young couple, everyone came in one by one to say goodnight to the new mother, before retreating back into the corridor; with Ichigo and Isshin coming in last.
The Karakura ruler smiled lovingly down at his daughter, and gently kissed her forehead; admiring the baby boy nestled in her arms. "I wish your mother could be here to see this…to see you, and your family. She would be so proud of you, just like I am." he said; his eyes shining with happiness, as Ichigo nodded in agreement beside him. "Dad's right, Karin; Mom would be very proud of you. We all are, and we love you; don't ever forget that." the crown prince added, with a warm smile on his face that his sister reciprocated.
The young queen felt tears prickle at the edges of her eyes, and, even though she wasn't sure if it was because of their words, or her chaotic hormones, she didn't care; all that mattered to her right now was that she had a loving family, a wonderful husband, and two beautiful, healthy children. 'How did I get so lucky?' she thought, as her smile widened. "Thank you, both of you. That means a lot." she said; her voice full of warmth and affection.
The two men smiled warmly back at the new mother, and took turns hugging her; wishing her goodnight, and walking out the door. Ichigo stopped just outside the door, and looked back one more time at his sister from his spot in the corridor; feeling a genuine peace settle inside him for the first time since she'd left almost two years ago. The crown prince watched as Toshiro kissed his wife, and rested his forehead against hers; both of their eyes closed, and contented smiles on their faces as they held their children close. Ever since their marriage, Ichigo had been having a hard time accepting that his sister now belonged to another man, body and soul; but something about seeing her with her husband and children gave him a settled feeling that he'd been lacking before. 'They remind me of Mom and Dad when she and Yuzu were born' he thought, as a genuinely happy smile made its way onto his face; watching as his brother-in-law took the baby boy from Karin's arms, said goodnight to her, and carried one baby in each arm over to the door.
As soon as Toshiro walked out of the room, Rangiku came racing over to him; her eyes shining, and a pleading look on her face. "Oh, sir, can I hold him for a while? Please, please, please, pleeeeeaaaaase?!" she begged, as the young king smirked at her, and handed her the baby; the busty blonde squealing in delight as she took the little one, and walked over to Shuhei while gently rocking Akira in her arms. "Well, hello there, mini-sir~ You look so much like your daddy; I can't believe it~! I wonder if you'll act like him, too, or if you'll get lucky, and your personality will take after your mama~" she cooed to the baby, while her husband smiled lovingly at the two of them.
Toshiro rolled his eyes at the playful insult, and walked over to the large window in the hall; looking outside at the stars, and full moon, before returning his gaze to his daughter. He smiled lovingly down at the little girl as she slept in his arms, and glanced between her, and her brother; not wanting to let either of them out of his sight. When Ryu had been born, he'd thought he understood the protective instincts of a parent; but, now that he was actually a parent himself, he realized that this was on a whole different level than what he had ever felt back then. Looking at his children's tiny faces, he knew instinctively that he'd take a sword to the chest without a second thought in order to keep them safe…and, knowing him, he'd still manage to kill whoever threatened them before he died from the injury.
The thought made him smirk, and think back to where he'd been just a few short months ago: unconscious and dying, as Karin desperately tried to save his life. 'Technically, I guess that scenario's already happened' he thought to himself amusedly, before he sobered a few moments later. Looking back on the whole ordeal, he couldn't believe that he'd almost not been here for his children's birth, and the reality made him feel somewhat guilty. Yes, he'd done what he had to do in order to protect his family, but he'd almost left Karin to face all of this alone. 'I almost left my children fatherless, my wife a widow, and my kingdom without a ruler. How could I have been so reckless?' he chastised himself, as he reminisced about the entire fight with Sojiro. Ultimately, he knew that there was nothing else he could have done in order to ensure Karin's and Ryu's safety, and his only real error in that fight had been to charge in before checking where the Espada was; but, knowing all of that still didn't alleviate the guilt. He'd let his rage drive him, and he'd paid the price for it. It was only thanks to Karin that it didn't cost him his life.
Sighing in resignation, he thought back to something that his wife had said a couple of months ago when he'd talked to her about his feelings of guilt: "Toshiro, you did what you thought was right at the time. In the end, you lived, and you're still here. Just be grateful for what you have, and stop lamenting over things you can't change." she'd told him, and, of course, she was right. He knew that dwelling on it made no difference, but knowing that wasn't the same as accepting it. He was working on it, though, so that was at least a start.
Taking a deep breath, the young king focused back on his daughter, and gently smoothed Mirai's silvery hair with his hand; noticing the color progression from black at the roots, to white at the tips, which gave it a unique gradient look. He already knew that she would grow up to be a beautiful young woman, just like her mother, and he also already had at least fifty different ways concocted to scare off potential suitors in the future. Smirking to himself, he thought about all of the fun he could have with those young men when she was old enough to start considering a partner, and the northern ruler chuckled slightly before looking back at Mirai's face a few moments later. The little girl slowly opened her eyes, and stared up at him; a slight smile on her chubby face that he instantly recognized as Karin's. 'They couldn't have turned out more perfect' he thought again, as his smirk softened to a loving smile, and he kissed her forehead; gently rocking her back and forth until her eyes fell closed once more.
Off to the side, Ichigo watched the new father with his daughter; a small smile unconsciously making its way onto his face as he observed them quietly. Isshin joined him just a few moments later, and looked at his son intently; raising an eyebrow in silent questioning. The strawberry looked back at the elder Kurosaki with a knowing smile, and nodded his head once in acknowledgement. "You were right, Dad; this was good for him. I can tell it's healing some old wounds already." the crown prince said, and Isshin smiled back at him; looking over at his son-in-law a few moments later, and letting his smile soften. "You're right; it is." was his only reply as the two men observed the white-haired king watch his daughter sleep. There was a happy, contented smile on his face that no one had ever seen from him before; not even his sister, or general, and it warmed everyone's hearts to see the young man who'd been so plagued with heartache and loss over the past many years finally find some peace and joy.
Walking over to the young ruler, Ichigo gave him a teasing smile; Orihime coming to stand next to him with a big smile on her own face. "So, are you already coming up with ways to keep the boys away?" the strawberry asked humorously, with Toshiro smirking back in reply. "Don't forget, I've gone through that with Momo already; I have plenty of pre-established methods in storage."
Ichigo chuckled, and transferred his gaze from his brother-in-law, over to his niece; a warm smile replacing the teasing one. "She looks a lot like Karin, doesn't she?" he said, as Toshiro nodded in agreement. "Thankfully." the young king replied, and the crown prince's smile widened.
Looking up at the new father, Orihime gave him a shy smile. "Would you mind if I hold her for a few minutes, Toshiro?" she asked; the northern ruler shaking his head, and handing his daughter over to the young mother. Orihime cooed and fawned over the infant, and Toshiro felt his smile widen as he watched his in-laws gaze lovingly down at his little girl. Two years ago, he never could have foreseen that in such a short amount of time, he would be related to the two men that both irritated him the most, and that he had the most respect for; as well as have a loving wife, and two beautiful children. He'd been prepared to live his life alone, and die young protecting the things that mattered to him. Now, he had so much to live for, and he couldn't imagine going anywhere anytime soon. The future had only seemed dismal and bleak to him when he was nineteen, but now it held more brightness than he could have ever imagined. 'Mom and Dad were right, after all; in the end, things always come right' he thought, as he watched his sister-in-law gently bounce Mirai in her arms; his heart filling with more gratitude for his life than he ever thought possible.
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Everyone stayed in the hallway with Toshiro and the babies for about another hour until the clock struck two in the morning, and they all decided it was time to get some sleep. Toshiro and Momo took the infants, and brought them into the royal couple's room; both of them setting the little ones down in their new cribs, and Momo saying goodnight to her brother.
The young ruler said goodnight in return, before stripping out of his daytime clothes, putting on his sleeping pants, and crawling into bed beside his wife. Toshiro gently wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close; kissing her on the back of her neck, and burying his face in her silky raven hair. He never felt more at ease than when he held her in his arms, and he still couldn't believe that it was possible to love someone the way he loved her. Karin had given him so much that he never thought he'd have, and he would do everything in his power to make sure that he was everything she needed him to be for the rest of her life.
"Is everyone in bed?"
Surprised that she was awake, the young king loosened his grip on his wife as she gently rolled over to face him; an exhausted, but happy smile on her face.
Toshiro smiled affectionately back at her, and kissed her forehead as he propped himself up on one elbow. "Yeah, everyone's retired for the night. I'm surprised you're awake; I thought you were out cold." he replied, and her smile turned slightly playful. "How else was I supposed to talk to my husband without everyone ease dropping?"
The northern ruler smirked playfully back at her, and gently rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Fair enough." he said, before his smirk morphed into a soft smile. "You really should get some rest, though. You went through a lot today, and you need sleep." he said again; his voice laced with concern, and his eyes watching her intently.
Karin smiled lovingly back at him, and reached up to cup his cheek. "I'm stronger than I look, Toshiro. I'll be okay, I promise. Truth be told, I couldn't sleep without having you and the babies in here with me. That protective instinct is stronger than I thought it would be." she replied, as her loving smile turned slightly humorous, and Toshiro smiled back at her; pulling her closer to him. "I know the feeling. I was keeping one eye on each of them while they were passed around in the hallway."
The new mother chuckled, and turned around slightly to glance at her children before turning back to her husband; running her fingers gently through is hair, as he gazed at her affectionately. Raising herself up slightly, Karin slid her arms around Toshiro's neck, and pulled him down to close the remaining distance; kissing him with as much love, devotion, and gratitude as she could muster.
Toshiro kissed her back with just as much love and devotion, before pulling away, and resting his forehead on hers; keeping his gaze on her. "You have no idea how thankful I am to have you." he said softly; bringing his hand up to her face, and gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. "When we met, I was a broken and jaded man with no expectations for my own future besides a lonely life, and an early grave. You've given me so much more than I ever could have imagined, and I'll never be able to repay what you've done for me. You saved me, Karin." he finished; holding her close as she brought herself flush to him, and buried her face in his neck.
Karin kissed him just under his ear, and absentmindedly ran her fingertips along his chest; breathing in his familiar scent of balsam fir and snow, and once again marveling at how comforting she found it. Bringing her head up to look at him, her hand came to rest on his cheek; her gaze finding his, as a loving smile made its way onto her face. "You have nothing to repay me for, Toshiro. In truth, you saved me, too. I was just as jaded as you were, even though I seemed happier than you. I never thought I'd leave the Karakura military, let alone get married, and have a family. You've given me so much more than I ever could have imagined, too, and I'll cherish all of it. Thank you…for everything; your love and trust, your loyalty, and our beautiful children." the raven-haired queen replied, as she saw tears form at the edges of her husband's eyes.
The young king nuzzled his face into her hair, and held her close as he let a few stray tears fall; chuckling lightly as he thought about how far they'd come in just two short years. "Each of us; useless without the other. It's hard to believe that we're those same stubborn, sarcastic, bickering brats from two years ago. Look at how much has changed." he said; slight amazement in his voice as he thought back to their first meeting since her mother's funeral, and how much progress they'd made since then.
"And how much we have to look forward to. The future looks brighter than we ever thought it would, so let's enjoy it, and live it to the full." Karin replied as she looked up at her husband, and smiled warmly at him.
Toshiro smiled back at her in return, and looked from his wife, to their two infants sound asleep in their cribs. She was right, they had so much to look forward to now without the risk that had dominated his life for the last twelve years, and he couldn't wait to experience it all with her by his side: rebuilding the kingdoms, growing Karakura's bond with the other ancient thirteen kingdoms, raising their children, chasing off potential male suitors (okay, maybe only he was looking forward to that), and maybe even expanding their family. There were so many possibilities before them now, and Toshiro could only nod his head in agreement as his smile widened. "You're right, the future does look brighter than it ever has before, so let's make the most of it. All of it." he replied; excitement for what was still to come in their lives shining in his eyes as the two of them shared one more kiss before falling asleep with peaceful smiles on their faces; ready for whatever exciting adventures life had in store for them.
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Seventeen years later…
"Mirai?! Mirai! Come on, we need to leave, or we won't have time to stop and see Shunsui on our way south!" Toshiro hollered as he walked the castle grounds; searching on the western side of the property for his vexing teenage daughter, while her siblings covered the other three directions.
The Hitsugaya children had grown to a total of six over the course of the past seventeen years, and quite a few of them had inherited their mother's rambunctious, stubborn, and adventurous personality; much to the irritation of their father. Just a short year after the twins were born, Toshiro and Karin had welcomed a little boy with black hair and bright turquoise eyes into the family, and named him Kenji; with a little girl following two years later, whom they named Fuyu to correspond with the season of her birth. Their second son was clearly a Kurosaki through and through, complete with a fiery temper, loud mouth, and stubbornness that both helped him reach his many goals, as well as got him into plenty of trouble; while their second daughter was almost a carbon copy of her mother, with the only differences being her ever-present scowl, and intimidating glare with the standoffish personality to match that she'd inherited from her father.
The last two Hitsugayas had arrived three years after Fuyu; another set of twins – this time identical twin boys – with snow-white hair, stormy grey eyes, and the signature Kurosaki temper. Sora and Sho were easily the main hellions of the household, and it was all Karin and Toshiro could do to keep them from practically burning the castle to the ground. Fortunately, the twins very much enjoyed spending time with the dragons; and were perfecting their handling of the beasts under their father's and eldest brother's watchful eyes, while also helping to train the many new babies. That took up a large amount of their time, and it helped them steer their energy into a more useful and helpful task that would be greatly rewarding to them in the future.
Overall, the household was incredibly busy, and all of the children had multiple interests that divided their attention and time, as well as also remaining active in their kingdom's daily life.
Much to Toshiro's chagrin, one of Mirai's latest interests happened to be a certain tall, handsome, dark-haired man just a few months younger than her; and the northern ruler had been struggling to keep his daughter from rushing into anything with the boy for several months now. She and Ren had grown up together, and had been best friends from the time they were three years old. As they'd aged, and progressed from children to adults, however, those feelings of friendship had changed into something more by their sixteenth birthdays. Mirai had always been a pretty girl, and she'd grown into a beautiful and attractive young woman; curvy, slender, and flirtatious, like her mother, but always able to keep any unwanted attention in check with her father's inherited intimidating glare, and her proficiency in hand-to-hand combat. Just a little over a year ago, she'd started spending considerably more time with her best friend, and the king and queen had very quickly deduced her motives when Toshiro had found a sketch of Ren under her pillow about seven months ago. Given that she took after him in the artistic area, and remembering when he'd done the very same thing while Karin had been gone to visit her family for Kazui's birth, he immediately knew that he'd be needing to have a conversation with both his daughter, and the young man, sooner rather than later. He and Karin had spoken to Mirai about it just a few days later, and she's reluctantly confirmed their suspicions. Ever since then, he'd been keeping a close eye on the two of them; making Ren work for his trust and respect, and keeping the young lieutenant just scared enough of him to keep the brunette in check. At first, Toshiro had tried to scare him off, like he'd done with all of the other young men who had expressed an interest in his daughter's hand, but he'd realized over the course of time that Ren was made of harder metal; a fact which had pleasantly surprised him. Reluctantly, he'd backed off slightly when all of his usual tactics had failed to produce any results, but the children's mutual affection for each other was getting to the point where Toshiro would have to take the young man aside, and have a long, serious talk with him before too long.
Akira was in favor of the match, as Ren was also his best friend, and confidant; and Karin had always loved the boy, as well. In truth, everyone considered him part of the family, including Toshiro; the norther ruler was just struggling with the idea of having to give his little girl to another man in the near future. 'Damn…now I know how Isshin felt when I married Karin' he thought, as he weaved in and around the many snow-covered evergreens along the outskirts of the castle gardens; coming to an abrupt halt as soon as he rounded the corner of a broad balsam fir. There, standing about fifty feet in front of him, were his daughter and her suitor; Ren throwing a rather large snowball at Mirai, and the princess chasing him down in retaliation after getting snow down the collar of her coat. The two of them were laughing as she caught up to him, and tackled him into the snowbank beside them; the young lieutenant getting covered in snow as the silver-haired girl smirked triumphantly over at him. "I told you there would be consequences for that." she said smugly; a smirk on her face that matched her mother's perfectly.
Ren smirked back, and sat up; sliding closer to her, and giving her a cocky look as he attempted to brush himself off. "You were the one who dared me to try and hit you with it in the first place, so you can't cry foul about it now." he replied with a confidence in his voice that had the young princess glaring at him, despite her obvious amusement. "I only dared you because I thought you'd be a gentleman, like your father taught you to be, and not even try. I guess you're not as well-mannered as I thought." she retorted; her signature glare now replaced by a teasing glint in her eyes, and a small smirk adorning her face.
The brunette shook his head amusedly, before finding her gaze with his own; his eyes softening slightly. "Oh please, Mirai, you know me better than that. Next time, dare me something that's actually worth you getting mad at me for." he said; an affectionate smile on his face that she mirrored. "Something worth daring, huh? Well, I can think of one thing." the silver-haired beauty replied, as she leaned in slightly; her large, stormy grey eyes reflecting her love for him, as her eyelids fell to half-mast.
Letting his eyelids fall to half-mast as well, the young lieutenant met the Ororan princess halfway, and kissed her tenderly; both of their eyes closing as Mirai reached up, and gently cradled his cheek with her hand.
Toshiro watched the whole interaction closely from his spot beside the fir tree; a small smile unconsciously making its way onto his face in spite of his over-protective parental instincts kicking in. 'They remind me of me and Karin' he thought, as he cleared his throat a little too loudly to be considered natural; causing the two youngsters to very quickly break apart, and snap their heads in his direction. The two blushed, while Toshiro nodded his head in greeting; looking first to the brunette, and then to his daughter. "Ren; good to see you again. I apologize for the interruption, but we need to get going if we want to get to Karakura in time for Kazui's and Ichika's wedding. Mirai, say goodbye to lieutenant Hisagi, and head over to the carriage; everyone's already there, and waiting." he said; watching as the young man bowed his head in greeting, while his daughter grumbled irritatedly beside her suitor.
After giving her father an unamused glare, Mirai turned to Ren, and gave him a kiss on the cheek; telling him that she would write while she was gone, before getting up, walking back towards the castle, and leaving him alone with her father.
The brunette gulped nervously as he got up, and walked over to his king; attempting to politely excuse himself, and walk away, before he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Stopping in his tracks, he looked to his left, and came face-to-face with piercing turquoise eyes that were staring back at him intently. "I think you and I need to have a talk, lieutenant." the king said, as Ren sighed in resignation; nodding his head in agreement. "Yes, your highness." he replied; his even tone just barely betraying the nervousness hidden beneath it. Turning to face the white-haired king fully, Ren waited patiently for his sovereign to speak; making sure to keep steady eye contact with the older man, despite his increasing anxiety. He greatly respected, and feared Toshiro; having long since considered him a second father in many respects. Given that his mother had been the king's general for many years, and still retained the position to this day, he'd practically grown up in the Hitsugaya household; befriending all of the children, and spending a considerable amount of time with both Toshiro, and Karin. They were like his adoptive parents, but he'd always had a healthy fear of the king's heavy glare, and stern features. Aside from his family, and Mirai, there was no one in the world that he respected more than his sovereign; so, when he'd realized last year that he'd fallen in love with the king's eldest daughter, he'd made it his mission to prove himself worthy of the privilege of marrying into the royal family. He knew that Toshiro wouldn't give permission for Mirai to marry him if he didn't first earn his place as her suitor, and he'd worked hard over the course of the last year to show the king that he was completely committed to his relationship with the Ororan princess. Everything that Toshiro had thrown at him to test him, he'd fought through – unlike all her other suitors – and he'd hoped that he'd made his stance clear to the white-haired man. Ren was planning on speaking with the king after the royal family's return from Karakura to ask for permission to propose to Mirai, so he knew that this encounter was inevitable; he just didn't expect it to happen like this.
Toshiro eyed the young man before him for a moment, before crossing his arms over his chest; levelling an intimidating glare at the brunette. "You have one chance to convince me not to skin you alive. Five minutes, and counting, lieutenant." the king said; his voice even, with a protective edge to it.
Ren took a deep breath to calm himself down and gather his thoughts, before he found his sovereign's gaze with his own; maintaining eye contact, and making sure not to show his growing anxiety to the older man. "This isn't how I intended this conversation to happen, sir, but I want you to understand that I love Mirai very much, and I don't want to live without her. She's the better part of me, and I promise to devote every minute of the rest of my life to making her happy. I had intended to speak with you and the queen when you returned home, so I could spend some time preparing the best way to request your permission to ask for Mirai's hand; but, since we're here, I hope I can convey to you now what I'd intended to in a practiced speech. Rest assured that my intentions are entirely honorable, and I would never dream of doing anything that would mar her reputation; she means far too much to me. I don't pretend to be good enough for her, and I know that we're very young; but we both know that this is right, and that we're supposed to be together." the young lieutenant said; pausing, and taking another deep breath, before speaking once more. "Your highness, I very humbly ask for your consent to marry your daughter. I understand that you'll need to discuss with the queen first, as well as Mirai, and I don't expect an answer right away. Please take as much time as you like before responding, and if you have any questions or concerns, I'm happy to address them as thoroughly as I can." he finished; holding his sovereign's gaze, and watching with baited breath as Toshiro regarded him carefully.
A moment of silence ticked by between the two men before the king's facial features relaxed slightly, and he nodded to the younger man; the ghost of a smile on his usually stoic face. "Well, you've managed to escape an early grave; that was actually a better speech than I was expecting. You tend to take after your father, and get flustered in situations like this, so I'm surprised at the lack of stuttering. All things considered, well done, Ren." the sovereign said, as the younger man gave him a small, appreciative smile in reply.
Toshiro smiled back slightly, before his facial features sobered again. "You're correct in thinking that I'll be talking to both the queen, and my daughter about this before I give you an answer, but I promise to think about it while we're gone." the white-haired man said, as his facial features softened slightly once more, and he put a hand on his lieutenant's shoulder. "You two actually remind me of myself and Karin when we were first married. You look at Mirai the same way I look at my wife, and you've held on through everything I've thrown at you. In truth, I know that you're a good, and honest man, Ren. Ultimately, that's all I've ever wanted for Mirai. I want her to be happy, and she seems to be happiest when she's with you. In truth, I've been waiting for this conversation for a while now…however," he said; squeezing the boy's shoulder slightly, as he fixed his protective glare back on the younger man. "don't take that as a guarantee of my agreement. This is my little girl, and I won't give her to anyone who isn't worthy of her. She's worth far more than any precious metal or stone, and I expect her future husband to value and cherish her the way he should. Do you understand me?" the king asked; observing the brunette in front of him closely for any signs of indecision, or disagreement with his words.
Ren held his sovereign's gaze, and nodded in understanding. "That's exactly as I would wish it, sir. Mirai is an amazing woman, and to me, she's worth more than all of the thirteen kingdoms combined. I can promise you that I will cherish her, and love her for the rest of my life; regardless of whether or not you and the queen give your consent. If I can't marry her, then I won't marry at all. She's the only one who can make me a better man, and I don't want to lose that for anything." he replied; hoping that the sincerity of his words were clear to the king, and smiling slightly when he saw Toshiro's eyes soften.
Slowly, the white-haired man released his grip on the lieutenant, and nodded in reply. "Given everything you've just said to me, and knowing you as well as I do, I would be happy to give my consent for you to marry Mirai. Now, I just need to discuss it with my wife, and daughter. I'll let you know our final decision when we return. Now, I need to get back to the castle, or we won't get to Karakura on time. Goodbye for now, Ren, and we'll talk soon." Toshiro said, as he withdrew his hand from the young man's shoulder, and held it out for Ren to take.
The brunette smiled appreciatively and excitedly back at his king, and shook the older man's hand; a happiness he'd never felt before welling up inside of him, as his eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you very much, your highness. I promise, I won't disappoint either you, or Mirai."
Toshiro smirked back at him, and released the young man's hand. "No, I don't think you will." he said, before turning, and heading back towards the castle; leaving a smiling and hopeful Ren behind as he weaved through the evergreen trees.
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The king was about ten minutes into his journey back to the castle when he spotted a flash of raven-black in the distance, and he smirked. "You know, you're more like your father than you care to admit; eavesdropping has always been Isshin's thing." he said loud enough for the black blob to stop moving all together, and gradually make its way over to him.
Slowly but surely, the image of his beautiful wife gradually came into view, and his smirk grew upon seeing the look of disgust on her face. "First of all, never compare me to Goat-chin ever again. Second, I was coming to get you, because you were taking forever, and I overheard part of your conversation with Ren. I didn't want to interrupt, so I decided to go back to the carriage, and wait for you there with the kids." the queen replied, before her scowl morphed into a smirk. "So, how did it go with him? Did you crush him, or were you merciful?" she asked; amusement dancing in her eyes.
Toshiro smirked back, and walked up to her; gently pulling her into his arms, as hers found their way around his neck. Looking down at his wife, the king gave her a tender kiss before pulling away, and resting his forehead on hers; holding her gaze with his own. "He did better than I thought he would, to be honest. He's a good kid, and he loves her, which is all that really matters in the end. I've only ever wanted a good, honorable, and loving man for her, and Ren checks all those boxes. What are your thoughts?" he asked; watching her closely as a loving smile overtook Karin's face, and she brought a hand over to rest on his cheek; gently caressing it with her thumb. "I think that if he's anything like his father, and his 'awesome Uncle Toshiro', which we both know he is, then she's a very lucky girl. Between his parents, and you, that boy has had the best role models in the world to emulate, and it shows. He's a wonderful young man, and they love each other, so I approve if you do." the queen replied; her smile growing as she watched her husband nod in agreement.
A moment of quiet passed between the two of them, before Toshiro smirked once more. "I'll have to thank Isshin for helping me out with what to say to Ren. I stole some stuff that he wrote to me in his letter of consent all those years ago for the conversation."
Karin chuckled, and pulled away from her husband as she took his hand; both of them starting to make their way back to the castle. "Don't do that until we're ready to leave Karakura; he'll break down in hysterics once he finds out that another one of his grandchildren is getting married." she said; amusement in her voice, and a humorous smile on her face.
Toshiro chuckled in response, and gave her hand a light squeeze. "Good point. Alright, I'll wait until we're ready to leave to break the news to him…provided Mirai doesn't do that on her own." he replied; a smirk on his face, which his wife reciprocated.
All was quiet for the remainder of the walk, until they finally emerged back at the castle; stopping at the entrance to the courtyard to watch their children say goodbye to their dragons. It still amazed them that seventeen years had passed by so quickly, and their eldest children were now ready to start families of their own. Toshiro and Karin could remember Akira's and Mirai's birth as if it were yesterday, and yet there they were now: Akira an accomplished and highly skilled soldier, beloved prince, and king-to-be; as well as an intelligent, capable, and handsome young man who was the spitting image of his father, and had the personality to match. Unlike his twin sister, he had yet to find his partner in life, but Toshiro and Karin were confident that it wouldn't be long before he realized that his fellow lieutenant and good friend, a beautiful young red-head with deep green eyes, was more to him than he originally thought. Hikari had been Akira's sparring partner since his academy days, and they'd developed a strong bond over the course of their years-long friendship. While she'd always made her partiality for the prince clear, it was only recently that Toshiro had been noticing a change in his eldest son whenever the young woman was around; most notably a much gentler, softer side of Akira that rarely ever showed itself. The king new as soon as he noticed the change that it wouldn't be long before Ms. Namikaze acquired the last name of Hitsugaya, and he and Karin were looking forward to that day. They'd always enjoyed Hikari, and she brought out the best in their son; so, they were excited to welcome her into the family one day.
Mirai was a cherished princess of her kingdom, a highly capable and fearless young woman, and she took after her mother in that she always kept smiles on everyone's faces. She was a very supportive and engaged older sister to her siblings; and her sarcastic personality, mixed with her quick wit, kept the entire household laughing. While she was also a highly capable soldier, she chose not to make her career in the military; instead, throwing her energy into matters of the kingdom, and various charitable endeavors. She knew almost everyone in the kingdom by their first name, and she was hands-down the most loved by her people out of all the Hitsugaya children. Her close friendship with general Rangiku Hisagi's son was widely known, and the entire kingdom was eagerly anticipating an engagement announcement in the near future, which they wouldn't have to wait much longer for now. Everyone adored her, and wished her nothing but the absolute best for her future; whatever it may hold.
Toshiro and Karin couldn't be prouder of their family, and they considered their children to be the crown and jewel of their marriage. All of them were special, and irreplaceable in their own unique way; and, looking back now, the two rulers wouldn't change anything about their life together. Naming their first-born children to reflect a brighter future ahead had turned out to be one of the best, and most accurate decisions they'd ever made; and as they approached the carriage to round up their brood, and get on the road to attend their nephew's/cousin's wedding, they couldn't wait to see what the next many years held for their family.
The trials and tribulations of life only serve to make you stronger, and there are always brighter days ahead. No matter the struggles, or deep pain you might endure, you will emerge victorious, and be more blessed than you could ever imagine as long as you stay focused on your true north.