With all the followers showing up in my mail box, I figured I'd go write and post this. I want to thank everybody who subscribed to the story, I really appreciate it :D. When I opened my mailbox the day after the I posted the story I was surprised, nearly shocked at the amount of new followers, I loved it.
I hope you appreciate the moment between Ichigo and Isane. The reason she is referred to as Kurosaki-fukutaicho instead of Kotetsu is because they are married. I'm not sure what the tradition in Japanese culture is. If one of my reviewers knows, please let me know so I can keep doing my best to keep a level of authenticity in the story.
I'd also like to thank vinneyyoung for his review ^.^ .
I hope this chapter finds you well.
~Twan
It was late in the evening when Ichigo was sitting on the porch of his office. He was admiring the sunset when he heard the sliding of his office door. By the footsteps he heard his fukutaicho step in. "Taicho?" she gently asked as she stepped towards the porch. "Here." Ichigo raised his hand, "What is it, Amira?" He asked without turning towards her.
The young woman kneeled behind her captain, "A Fourth Divison messenger was here to speak with you, sir…" She started gently. Ichigo nodded for her to continue. "She reported that you should make your way to the Fourth as quickly as possible, there appear to be complications with Kurosaki Isane-fukutaicho. She made it sound urg…" Amira continued but when she looked up, Ichigo was gone.
Thanks to the incredible speed of his shunpo, Ichigo appeared at the Fourth Barracks in under a minute. The guards at the gate did not even notice him passing until he stopped and the reiatsu had time to settle around him. "Where is she!?" he demanded at the front desk, scaring the seated girl. "Uh… uh…" she stuttered when Hanatarō called, "Kurosaki-taicho!" This drew Ichigo's attention after which Hanatarō gestured to come. "In here." Ichigo used shunpo to cross the distance and stepped into the room after Fifth Seat Yamada Hanatarō. "Ichigo!" Isane called out, "What are you doing here!?" she asked, her frustrations rising with the appearance of her husband.
"Fourth Squad sent a messenger stating my wife has complications. Of course I come!" He answered in his defense. Hanatarō stepped between the argueing couple. "His complications aren't that serious. I think Simma, our Seventh Seat was a bit overzealous when she called for you, it was simply the baby kicking a bit harder than it had before." He explained, smiling reassuringly towards Ichigo.
"Isane…" Ichigo softly spoke with urgency in his voice, "Are you really alright?" he asked, locking his amber eyes on her grey ones. She was left speechless for a moment, recognizing the worry and love in his eyes and voice. Isane nodded. "I'm well, Ichigo.". He sighed of relief and wanted to walk out of the room, knowing she still didn't want to talk to him. "Ichigo…" Isane softly spoke, calling his attention. He turned around and looked at Isane. "Yes?" he asked, looking at her beautiful face, the face he had fallen for when she healed him after that fateful fight. "I love you." She whispered to him.
Ichigo closed the door and walked to the bed, sitting down next to her on the chair. He took her hand in his, squeezing it as he bent forward and kissed her ever so softly. "I love you too." He whispered, his eyes shimmering with emotion. He didn't show this side of himself often, not even to Isane, but he was happy he was allowed at her side again.
"Can you stay the night?" she asked him after spending several minutes in content silence. "Of course" He answered with a soft smile before kissing her again. Isane smiled in reply and dozed off, her hand in her husband's. As the night crept by slowly, Ichigo couldn't fall asleep, he kept looking at the soft silver hair of his wife, running his free hand through it regularly and enjoying the scent of it. His memories went back to the reason they had been fighting about for months. His anger had gotten the best of him, the urge to protect those closest to him got too strong then, he acted without thinking.
"Ichigo…" Hanatarō asked softly during the moment, seeing his old friend was sitting with his sleeping wife and gestured for him. Ichigo gently let Isane's hand go and placed it on the bed before stepping out of the room. "Hanatarō, I never thanked you for taking care of Isane." Ichigo started but was interrupted by Hanatarō. "Ichigo, you don't need to thank me, Kurosaki-fukutaicho is my fukutaicho and your wife. It was my duty as your friend to take care of her when she came in with her complaints." Ichigo nodded in acceptance of the explanation. "But still, thank you."
Hanatarō smiled at the show of appreciation. "That's not why I asked you out here for. It's about the baby…" Ichigo's alarms went off. "There isn't something wrong with the baby, right?" he asked. Hanatarō raised his hands and smiled while shaking his head. "No no, the babies are alright.". "Then what?" Ichigo asked before he hit him. Did Hanatarō just say babies, like more than one? "Wait, Hanatarō, are you saying we're having twins?" Ichigo asked loudly out of surprise. Hanatarō nodded happily. "That's why the kick was stronger than before. Before, they kicked separately, so while they kicked more frequent, we didn't know. But the last few times they kicked simultaneously, increasing the power of the kick."
"So we're having twins?" Ichigo asked again, still not really comprehending it. He had struggled for the idea that he was actually going to become a father for about five minutes before it actually clicked, so this would take a couple minutes. "Nurse." Hanatarō gestured for the woman in pink. "Please get Kurosaki-taicho some sake, he has something to celebrate." The nurse nodded and quickly returned with a large white flask and two cups. "Twins?" he asked again, slowly regaining composure about the news. "Yes, Ichigo, twins. And you can go tell Kurosaki-fukutaicho as soon as she wakes up. But for now, we have to celebrate with a drink." Hanatarō said, guiding Ichigo to his small office where he poured the drink. "Congratulations, Kurosaki-taicho!" Hanatarō said, offering the sakazuki to the future father who drank it in one sip, settling the nerves and bringing clarity.
"Hanatarō! We're having twins!" Ichigo shouted with enthusiasm. "Twins!" He shouted again as he jumped out of Hanatarō's window and onto the roof with one powerful jump. "WE'RE HAVING TWINS!" Ichigo literally shouted from the rooftop.
A sakazuki is a saucer-like cup meant to drink sake. It can be seen in the anime and manga when Kyōraku Shunsui drinks his sake.