A/N: A group to thank for reviews: Dark Inu Fan, Ceelia-18, kurukurupa, "Mary Lou," bleach-otaku, Assault Godzilla, curio cherry, Lizard Lover, Thunder Claw03, and Rukia'sReflection. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. Has it really been over a month since I updated this story? I'm so sorry.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al.
Every Teen's Worst Nightmare
Nursery School Wars
As predicted, the twins' old daycare had been notified about the project and was glad to give Ichigo and his friends all the information they needed. The teachers cooed at the dolls, heaping praise on the genius inventor who had created such life-like instruments of instruction. Or rather, instruments of torture but none of the teens felt the need to correct the middle aged women.
Presently they stood watching several toddlers and young children run around in the playground while the headmistress talked their ear off. Some mothers came to get their children at the time, looking at them in question but so far no one had said anything to them or wondered aloud why adolescents from the nearby high school had come to a center for little children.
"Ichigo, we should get going. Nii-sama will wonder where we are." Rukia shifted the doll to her other hip, glad that her partner had taken to carrying her bag as well as his.
"Yeah, guess you're right." The others seemed to take that as their cue to leave, waving goodbye while chatting amongst themselves. Turning to his sisters' old sensei, Ichigo thanked her.
"Oh, it was no problem, Ichigo-kun. We're happy to help. Raising a child is a great responsibility and it's good to know what you're getting yourselves into." Smiling with a bit of mischief, the older woman looked at the pair in front of her. "Should I put your name down for some future child? Your sisters were such a pleasure to have; I'm sure any child of yours would be too." She watched as identical blushes bloomed on the teens' cheeks, laughing softly at how their thoughts had taken identical paths.
"Ah…"
"We'll think about it," Rukia squeaked, her embarrassment only deepening when she realized that she had spoken as if they were a couple. Grabbing her partner's hand, she made a hasty retreat, the teacher's laughter following them down the street.
"Rukia!" Ichigo protested as she dragged him away.
"I'm sorry!" she shouted back, the duo coming to a stop outside of the clinic. Faces red from exertion, they only became more flustered when their eyes met. "I answered without thinking."
Sighing, Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "Forget about it. Let's just get the homework for this thing done. By Thursday everything should be back to normal."
"Normal? What's 'normal' about our life?" Rukia opened the door to the clinic, stepping in quietly. They didn't usually come in this way but Ichigo knew his father kept a list of the area daycare and nursery schools in the office. It would be easier to use than looking each and every one up in the phone book.
"You know what I mean," he answered, nodding to one of his father's regular patients. The older woman smiled complacently at him while continuing to knit.
"Yes, but isn't the peace nice?" Rukia questioned while he went behind the counter to look for the book. She'd been in the clinic once or twice, but had never studied it before. Isshin had really set himself up professionally.
"Sure, I'd like nothing better than to go the rest of my life and afterlife without anything more strenuous than the occasional Hollow extermination, but with my dad and Urahara cooking up schemes right and left, how likely is that? And that's not counting anything anyone in the Soul Society might come up with either."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were addicted to the fights." Violet eyes narrowed in concern.
"Well, I can't answer for Hichigo and Zangetsu, but I for one, do not miss the fight or die situations of the last year. I like a spar as much as the next guy but having to save the world gets a little much," Ichigo confided before running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Oi, Oyaji, where's that list you were telling us about?" he called.
"I see," she answered.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd do it all over again. I'm just glad there's no megalomaniac wanting to destroy the universe." Ichigo turned his head towards the sound of his father coming in from the house, missing the surprise in her dark orbs.
"Ah, there you are my son and third daughter! Daddy has it right here." Isshin shoved the book into Ichigo's stomach, chuckling at the sound of the daiko's breath whooshing out of his lungs. Rukia watched the whole thing with her usual amusement, keeping her thoughts to herself.
The elderly woman laughed quietly, used to the antics of the Kurosaki men. She was about to tease the family when the doll the young woman was holding woke up. His loud cry reminded her of her children and grandchildren. "My, he certainly has a set of lungs."
"Don't we know it," the two Shinigami muttered, only making the other two people in the room laugh harder.
"Let me have him. You take our stuff." Ichigo traded the doll for the bags, bouncing the mechanical child on his hip lightly.
"Oh, Ichigo, Yoruichi stopped by to give you this," his father said, tossing a sippy cup at his head. The orange haired war hero caught it, looking at the container briefly in confusion.
"What's that?" Rukia asked, forgetting the woman rising from her chair.
"That's for toddlers to drink out of, dear. I imagine Urahara-san figured out that and sent it over." The grandmother patted Ichigo on the shoulder and smiled at Rukia. "Don't worry, dear, the project is almost over. Your father told me all about it."
"Does everyone in the neighborhood know?" Ichigo asked in aggravation. Raiden reached for the cup and he gladly handed it over.
"I've told everyone who's come in here about how my son is practicing to become the world's greatest dad!"
"Great… Well, while you're demonstrating to your patients why you should be locked away, Rukia and I are going to call the daycare centers for our project. Tell the girls we said hi." Ichigo pulled Rukia along, pretending he didn't notice how her shoulders were shaking with laughter.
"That obaa-san was nice," the petite Death god mused, slipping off her shoes when she got into the house.
"Yeah, the ones that come to the clinic usually are." Ichigo followed her to the nursery, putting Raiden down and letting him wander around the room at will. He'd been quiet since getting the cup and for once the daiko wasn't going to question his good luck.
Eriko brought them tea, smiling softly at the two young Shinigami pouring over a book of nursery schools. Colored tabs marked different pages and she guessed that the former Kurosaki-taicho had done some suggesting. She poured the beverage, placing the cups in front of each teen while keeping an eye on Raiden. The electronic child hobbled around, walking while holding on to different objects. As tempted as she was to leave the two younger people to find out the dangers of taking their eyes off of the toddler, the maid sighed and rescued them all from Byakuya's wrath. "Rukia-sama, Kurosaki-san, he's going to pull something down on his head any moment now."
Two heads shot up, amber and violet eyes widening with fear. Breaking the doll would constitute a failing grade and neither wanted the lecture Rukia's brother was sure to deal out if that happened. "Raiden…" Ichigo warned, having learned that a certain tone triggered something in the doll to make him mind.
"Tou?" Raiden responded, his small hand gripping a lamp cord.
"Let go and come here," Rukia finished. She patted her lap, hoping he would want to be near her more than he wanted to explore.
"Mama!" Raiden gladly gave up his new hobby, preferring his mother's arms. He plopped himself down and reached for his new cup.
"Thanks, Eriko-san," Ichigo sighed, taking a sip of his tea.
"My pleasure," she responded before leaving them to their task. Silently she wondered whether or not they knew Rukia had finished Ichigo's sentence.
"Does something amuse you?" Byakuya asked from behind her. The maid straightened her lips before facing the lord.
"I was just thinking about what a good team those two make," Eriko answered and returned to the kitchen before the noble could form a coherent response.
Byakuya recovered enough to peer into the nursery to watch. Orange and black locks were bent close together as they poured over the list of possible nursery schools and daycare centers. While he was pleased that they were taking the assignment so seriously, he'd rather they weren't as close as they were. He had seen how the daiko had steered clear of the touchy subject of children that day in class after finding out how rare it was for anyone besides nobles to have any. The orange haired boy was just as mindful as ever of his sister's feelings, if not more so since the beginning of the project.
When Ichigo unconsciously pushed the bang that always hung down in Rukia's face out of the way, Byakuya decided to let his presence be known. His sister, in the middle of clipping the hair back, jumped and positioned herself in a bow while the war hero simply glanced up in acknowledgement. "Nii-sama!" Rukia exclaimed, scooting away from her friend.
"Imouto," he returned. Normally he didn't call her "little sister," but by stressing the relationship, he hoped Ichigo would get a clue and realize that he knew how close the two had been and didn't approve.
Instead, the daiko grinned and leaned back on his hands. "Say, Byakuya, you didn't by any chance know how difficult this was going to be when you gave out this assignment, did you?" he asked, indicating the book.
"Ochi-san had already made them up before she left. I am only following her instructions."
"I see. Man, I hadn't realized there was a lot to consider before sending your kid to pre-school. It's like waging a war. They're all presenting themselves in the best possible light, each trying to outdo the other in some manner. I thought it'd be simple to choose five different places but it isn't that easy."
"Indeed." If it had been him, the Kuchiki heir would have been given a tutor at the earliest possible age and that would be that. Humans clearly had a harder time deciding things.
"I mean, there are private schools to choose from which high society would say is the way to go but I don't think that would be best. Friendships are cultivated, not allowed to happen naturally there. I'd want my kid to have friends who'd go to hell and back for them, you know?"
"I see." Pleased that the duo seemed to know what they were about even though he didn't like how close they appeared to be getting, Byakuya decided to leave things alone with only one other comment. "Rukia," he began, turning to exit the room.
"Yes, Nii-sama?"
"That barrette suits you."
"Thank you, Nii-sama! Ichigo got it for me." The Shinigami daiko could be heard choking on his tea, probably embarrassed to be found out. Byakuya thought it fitting compensation for the fact that his sister was getting gifts from someone who was not courting her.
Rukia, unaware of her brother's musings, beamed because of his compliment. She fingered the rabbit themed hair accessory, ignoring her partner's red face. The younger Kuchiki adjusted her hold on Raiden before turning back to Ichigo. His face was bright red, but from laughter or embarrassment, she couldn't tell. "What's your problem?" she asked, bringing the sheet they'd listed possible places on closer.
"Nothing, I just should have known Byakuya's sense of style would match your own." The teen didn't mention the fact that he'd been embarrassed. His reputation would be ruined if people found out that he'd given her a gift like that.
"Nii-sama's refined tastes are far superior."
"Sure they are," Ichigo murmured, tempted to bring up the odd cartoon character Byakuya had invented. "So, are you satisfied with our choices?" he asked instead.
"Yes; I'm glad we don't have to really choose. Schools here are much more complicated than I ever imagined." Rukia put Raiden down for a nap, yawning herself once her arms were free.
"Why don't you go lay down for a while? I'm sure dinner will be soon so I'll just finish this. Then we can do our regular homework after." Lifting Raiden from her lap, he placed the doll in the crib and took the sippy cup from limp hands.
"Thank you, Ichigo." Rukia stood and went to her room. Ichigo watched her go but didn't say anything. He sat back down and pulled out his phone, intent on calling the chosen centers and check on their tuition costs and waiting lists.
By the time he was done, the Shinigami daiko was wondering about the sanity of the adults in charge of caring for the younger generation. He'd had two administrators vie for his future child's attendance while another had talked his ear off for ten minutes extoling the virtues of taking toddlers out on field trips. Honestly, who in their right mind would take twenty two year olds to the aquarium?
Putting away the sheet so that it didn't get ruined, Ichigo tapped on Rukia's bedroom door and when he didn't hear anything, entered without permission. She was sleeping on her side facing away from the door. Consumed by sleep, she looked more vulnerable than she did when awake. The white yukata she was dressed in reminded him of what she'd worn when he'd rescued her from her execution and he hated how helpless it made her look.
"Oi, Rukia, it's time for dinner," he tried from the doorway, passed experience having taught him the dangers of trying to get too close when waking her.
He got no response; not that he really expected one. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming; the daiko entered the room cautiously. Kneeling next to her futon, Ichigo tried to gently shake her awake. And dodge the petite fist that came his way.
Used to her methods, Ichigo caught the slim appendage and held it with one hand while continuing to poke her with the other. A deep purple eye opened to glare at him and he smirked. "Time to wake up; dinner's ready."
"You could have had a maid wake me," she said quietly, not wanting her brother to hear their inevitable argument and come investigate. He would lose his temper for sure if he saw Ichigo in her room while she wasn't properly dressed.
"And subject them to your flying fists? Not a chance." Still grinning, Ichigo held up the hand that he had caught, showing her that he had escaped her punishment. A flash of pink caught his eye and he studied the tightly closed fingers. "You slept with the barrette I gave you?"
"I like it," she said defensively, pulling her hand away while a blush started to dust her cheeks. She pushed back the covers and stood, her back facing him once again. When he made no move to leave, she tightened the sash on her yukata before turning around and fisting her hands on her hips. "Fool! Get out so I can change!"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you at the table." Ichigo hurried out so that she didn't see the blush coloring his own cheeks.
"And don't forget to wake your son! I'm not staying up half the night because you let him have too long of a nap!" she called through the shoji.
Ichigo ignored her in favor of washing his hands and getting to the table. When Byakuya joined him five minutes later, he was pleased to see that the doll was not with the younger Shinigami. The two males were looking forward to eating in peace for once.
Rukia came to the table. Seeing that he had not done what she asked, she pressed her lips tightly together to forestall the lecture she had on the tip of her tongue for Ichigo, not wanting her brother to think that she couldn't control her temper. Devious plans formed instead and she decided that when her partner turned into a zombie the next morning because he had to stay up late taking care of a cranky toddler, she'd laugh in his face and tell him, "I told you so."
It would serve him right for not listening to her.