DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN BLEACH. (SIGH)

000000000000000000000000000000

Chapter 8

Ichigo was nervous as hell. It was very much the same as when he had first come out. Though his family was shocked, his sisters were supportive of their Ichi-nii. As for Isshin, he nearly tripped on the way to his wife's poster, and then cried for a good half hour and made such a racket, lamenting the fact that Ichigo would be the last man ever to carry the Kurosaki name and there would be none after. But in the end, Goat-face gave his blessings and gleefully asked his son if he had a boyfriend yet. This had the berry blushing furiously and then whacked his father for quite a few times, stopping when the amount of blood spilled became a tad too ghastly.

This time around though, he would be introducing Shuuhei for the first time. He really did not know how they would react to this; he was scared that they would not approve of his lover.

"You know babe, it would really be okay. I mean, they trust you don't they? And besides, I know they'll love me." Shuuhei teased him, and gave him a small kiss. They were in Ichigo's bedroom. They were getting ready; they would be having dinner at the Kurosaki home.

Ichigo just rolled his eyes, but his nervousness though did not diminish one bit. His scowl became more pronounced.

"Babe, seriously, it would be okay." This time, the tattooed man gave him a deeper kiss, one hand caressing the other's jaw line. The berry responded to the kiss, gently nipping his lover's lower lip in the process.

Ichigo sighed, his forehead resting against Shuuhei's, his arms around the other's neck. "I'm just nervous, okay? I mean, this is the first time I'm going to bring you over."

Shuuhei wound his arms around the berry's slender frame, drawing him closer. He looked as if this was no big deal at all, but in all honesty, he was also a wreck. What if they don't approve of me? Would they ask me to leave Ichigo? He was as reluctant to go there, but this was important to both of them. He just crossed all of his fingers and hoped for the best.

Walking to the Kurosaki's front door, both men were greeted by a blur resembling the berry's father.

"ICHIIIIIIGOOOOOOOOOO!"

Shuuhei did not really know what the hell was going on. He was not fast enough in dodging the elder Kurosaki's kicks and punches. He now lay sprawled on the pavement. He was sure he would bruise and hurt like hell in the morning. In the meantime, he watched father and son duke it out.

"Here, take this, Goat-face!" said man took an upper cut and ended up on his butt, him clutching his face in pain, not to mention, trying to stem the blood flow from his cuts.

"Oh Masaki, our boy has grown up to be a great man! I am so proud to have raised such a fine b…"

The berry whacked his father's head one more time for good measure. He helped his lover up and then helped him brush the dust from his clothes.

"Look at what you did, you crazy old man! You nearly ruined his clothes!" Ichigo shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Masaki, why are our children always so mean to me?!" the elder Kurosaki wailed at no one, still clutching his face.

Yuzu and Karin watched the whole spectacle from the safety of the doorway, and only approached after they were sure their father was neutralized.

"Ichi-nii!" both twins greeted in unison. They ran toward the berry and gave him a humongous bear hug.

"Hey guys. I missed you." He held the girls in turn, though his arms were not long enough to hold them both.

"But Ichi-nii, you haven't visited in such a long time!" Yuzu mock pouted at her brother.

"Yeah, Ichi-nii, it's been weeks since you last visited." Karin affirmed, with slight amusement in her eyes.

"Well, I've been busy, with school and everything else you know…" the berry flushed, feeling a bit guilty.

"Yeah, right." Karin said with a smirk.

Then both girls' attention shifted to Shuuhei. The man sweat dropped. Yuzu looked at him shyly; while Karin looked at him with a scowl Ichigo was sure to be proud of. Both appraised him, he knew.

"Uh, yeah, this is Shuuhei… my boyfriend…"

"Hi." The man said feebly. He smiled at the twins, but it was obvious he was uncomfortable.

"Oh Masaki, our boy has brought home his dashing male lover…" what Isshin intended to say, he never got to finish as he received another punch form his son. He lay sprawled on the pavement this time, limbs twitching comically.

"Why don't we go inside?" Yuzu led the way.

"Uh, what about your dad?" Shuuhei asked, risking a glance at the man.

"Don't worry. This happens all the time. Just leave him, he'll be okay." Karin said in a bored tone.

Dinner was not a disaster Ichigo expected it t be. Shuuhei managed to fit in seamlessly. The berry was so relieved about that. Plus his sisters approved of him; well, Goat-face too, but he did not have as much bearing as his sisters did.

The tattooed man enjoyed his lover's family's company. But what he enjoyed more was stories of Ichigo during his younger years, which proved to be embarrassing for the berry. But at least, he now knew more of his lover and understood him better.

"Shuuhei, do you have a minute?" Isshin asked the man in an uncharacteristically sober way.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes…"

"I am glad my son has met a man who loves him then. But you do realize Ichigo is my only son. If you hurt or do anything that would hurt him, then you have my word that I will go after you and tear you from limb to limb."

"I swear that I would not hurt your son, Isshin. I promise you that."

"Well then, call me Pops…" Goat-face winked at the tattooed man then ran to his wife's poster in the dining area and then wailed at the top of his lungs,"Masaki, our boy's lover is an honorable man! I'm so happy Ichigo has found such a man to take care of him! I now have a new found son!"

Shuuhei sweat dropped at the display. Karin just looked at the blabbering man then shrugged. Yuzu had this misty look in her eyes though. Ichigo, however, had a twitch in his jaw.

"Why, that Goat-face…"

The younger twin suddenly grabbed him and then sobbed into his shirt. "Ichi-nii, I'm so happy for you. But please, don't forget us, okay?"

The berry looked at his sister confusedly. "Why in the world would I do that? I ain't that stupid to forget you guys, you know that. Besides, my apartment's just about twenty minutes away, so I could visit you anytime."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise. Time for us to go then."

While they watched Yuzu sob into their older brother's shirt, Karin spoke to Shuuhei.

"I guess you're officially part of the family then."

"I guess I am."

"Don't forget though, I have my eye on you. If anything happens to my Ichi-nii…"

"I'm getting an awful lot of that lately; but I promise you this, I would not let anything happen to your Ichi-nii, nor would I hurt him. Does that sound good to you?"

"Well, you better…" the dark haired twin said, still with an Ichigo-like scowl on her face.

The older man smiled. "Don't worry."

Both men walked to the berry's apartment hand in hand. Both were relieved that the dinner was over and done with; it was more of an ordeal for them. And of course, they had the berry's family's approval of their relationship, which was an even better thing.

"Thank you." The berry whispered.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Well, you did a great job in putting up with my rambunctious family. I mean, really…"

The tattooed man wrapped his arms around the berry and drew him closer. "I am glad I was able to meet them. I really enjoyed it."

One hand held the berry's chin and gave Ichigo a lingering kiss.

"You know, I could get used to this." the tattooed man said, one hand rubbing the small of his lover's back.

"Yeah, me too." the berry said before continuing their kiss.

000000000000000000000000000000

a/n: finally, another chapter added! phew! it's just too sad because it took me too long to write this one... stress at work drains/dries up/sucks up one's creative juices. hope you enjoy! :)