Notes and Disclaimers: Kobu-san owns Bleach
Disclaimer: Kobu-sama owns Bleach. And doing a kickass job too.
Here's another warning - outright silliness ahead, and moderately useful parental tips from people you'd normally lock away on sight.
EDIT: Rechecked, written, and angst-ed over (yes, it takes me a day to angst over a chapter). If I see a typo I will shoot my monitor. Also, some notes on the kid's name at the bottom. Also, I'm grateful that a couple of people are still interested in this story...X amount of time later (I still can't bring myself to type the length of time this has been on hiatus).
I'm unbelievably rusty, but I'll try and pull off something entertaining.
Edit02: Thanks Divad! XD
To the Wind
Chapter 15
By Advent Wing
"This is our final assessment?" Ichigo asked incredulously, one hand over the mouth of Katobeto's brainchild.
"Actually, no, it isn't," replied Katobeto, a little disappointed that Ichigo had been able to locate the speaker so easily...well, anyone's first guess would be the mouth, but it would have been nice to see him flounder around a bit. "That's on Monday morning…and by the way; the fact that you'd clamp your hand over your child's mouth to still its cries is a little disconcerting…robot or no."
"…This isn't real?!"
"It isn't real?" Rukia asked flatly, as if she had been hoodwinked by a certain shopkeeper.
"Come now!" Katobeto gasped horrifically. "That's not a nice thing to say to your baby girl! She might grow up with issues if her parents don't acknowledge her existence—" He was cut off when Ichigo gripped him firmly by the lapels of his white coat. "…You're setting a bad example for your girl, Ichigo. I even gave her Kuchiki-san's eyes."
Ichigo stole a sidelong glance at the 'baby'.
…Indeed, it did have Rukia's eyes.
"You know, I mapped out her face with the help of a very handy program…and she gets cuter as she grows older. You should thank me."
Ichigo was momentarily stunned with the idea of Rukia and he having a baby girl…who would grow up to be an older girl…who might eventually decide to marry…marry and give him…grandkids…grandkids who – He viciously derailed his train of thought; to delve further might cause some permanent brain damage.
…And whatever Katobeto was about to say next was interrupted by the newest addition to the Kurosaki family, who jumped back into the conversation with another wail.
Swearing under her breath, Rukia did the instinctive thing to do and threw it frantically into the air.
It was with wide eyes that Ichigo, Katobeto and Rukia traced the movement of the airborne baby. Instinctively, Ichigo began moving to catch it, he dove—!
…And breathed a sigh of relief when it landed into his outstretched arms. He started bobbing it up and down in his arms, while shushing it frantically.
Lo and behold, its cries slowed.
"Well, the Baby AI is currently on level one, so all it takes is a little of that to keep her quiet," explained Katobeto, nodding in approval at Ichigo. "And for your information, this type of thing is done quite often."
"…What type of thing?"
"Giving students a doll to take care of, of course."
A vein popped on Ichigo's forehead. "…And just where is this done 'quite often'?"
"In the Families and Home Economics in other countries." He answered promptly. "Of course, I just…um, improved…the initial design of the doll." He sighed happily. It was so much fun going back to his roots and putting together an android. He paused for a minute, as if lost in thought. "Did I ever tell you about my double major…?"
"…What happens when it's set to higher levels?" Ichigo cut in impatiently.
Katobeto smiled, and Ichigo was reminded of a certain Cheshire cat from a certain classic. "When it's set to higher levels, it takes a lot of that," he said, gesturing to Ichigo's actions. "…In addition to a little of everything else." He continued, a note of thinly veiled authority creeping into his voice. "Specifically, Chapter 12 of your text, Your Infant and You."
Awkward silence answered him. "…You have read the text?"
More silence.
Shifted glances.
He sat back down with a sigh. "I take it you haven't read your text."
"…But essentially all she can do is cry, right?" Rukia asked, peering at the now cooing robot baby. "It can't…move…right?"
"…Of course she can move. If you put her on the floor she'll crawl. Put her in a cradle, and she'll try to escape. Rambunctious little AI, if you ask me. " Katobeto replied, as he sipped the drink that AI EX had given him. "A crying baby is trying to tell its parents something. Maybe it's hungry or…or needs its diaper changed…"
Ichigo and Rukia paled. "It can—"
"Well, not really," he said, mildly. "But trust me when I say you'll know when she needs her diaper changed." He stood, dusting his hands on his pants as he did. "I've brought everything you may need," he pointed to the various items around the lounge; a little pram stuffed with a diaper pack, a cradle, bottles, milk…Rukia eyed them all pensively. "Oh don't worry AI-san, I'll see myself out," said Katobeto genially. "See you all Sunday night!"
They glanced at each other uneasily, as if looking to each other to confirm what the other couldn't believe. Katobeto popped his head back in. "Oh yes, Almost forgot." He said, clicking on his little remote. The baby began to cry, loudly, a tiny whimper turning into full blown wails. "Bringing the Realism System online."
"And the AI also registers everything from the conditions which cause it to cry, to the time it takes to get rid of the crying. I just need to plug it into my computer after this is over; it even has a USB port at…well…" He cringed as the baby began to cry louder. "I don't want to bore you two…go for the A!"
He left.
"Suggestions?" Ichigo asked over the noise, and through ground teeth. That bastard had the balls to give him a thumbs up and a grin….
…I'm lost. AI EX said dejectedly. I'm not programmed to handle kids.
"I admit that I haven't had much exposure to infants," confessed Rukia as she sat down next to him. "But I think it shouldn't be too hard," she said, biting her lip to keep from laughing. "…Because you seem to be doing just fine." Ichigo rocking a baby to sleep was one of the things she had thought he was capable of, but never actually expected to see.
"I don't find this funny," he said, snapping at her barely suppressed laughter.
I think I'll do some research. In fact it may prove beneficial if we all did. In the meantime, logic dictates that you move the items to the Master Bedroom.
"…Take over," he ordered gruffly, indicating that Rukia should take the baby from him. A pointed glare almost made him roll his eyes. "Please?" He snapped.
She nodded, though her satisfied demeanour became apprehensive; she stiffly held out her arms.
"…It's not like it'll die. It's a robot. Relax." He placed it in her arms, sighed, and then moved the arm supporting the head higher. "Sit tight for a while." He moved to the miscellaneous baby items, but halted, and turned back to her. "And whatever you do, do not stop rocking it."
She watched him disappear around the corner, and then she cocked her head at the little thing. It was warm. "You should behave. You are a Kuchiki, I guess." She said, peering into its face. Were her eyes really that colour? "Thou shalt not be joyous and all that…" She trailed off, as the baby gave a little cough…that sounded suspiciously like a derisive scoff. "…Well that definitely came from your father," she muttered indignantly.
She slowly decided that it was pretty realistic looking – enough to make her regret the fact that she'd thrown it into the air. And to be fair, the cooing noises it was making were kind of cute.
"Hey, Rukia? Can you come over here?" Ichigo called, and, balancing the baby, she followed his voice.
She'd ask Katobeto later why he couldn't have just got them a bunny.
--
"As long as it doesn't die…." He decided, as Rukia continued to rock the baby. Every time they put her down, she'd start crying. Ichigo had really wanted to put a sock in her mouth, and Rukia had nearly agreed, given the fact that it was THREE IN THE MORNING, but Katobeto did mention that stuff like this was recorded…
"You said it couldn't die!" She snapped.
"It can't." He groused. He'd usually have more energy for their arguments…but right now…. "But it can tell Katobeto that it should have died."
Rukia considered his words for a moment, before raising her eyes to the ceiling in thought. "You know what? Taking care of a baby can't be that hard, and this one's not even real." Rukia said firmly. "All we need to do is find out why it cries when we put it down."
"The book says by the time it's two months old, it should learn to sleep through the night."
Rukia turned her gaze to the infant. "Then this isn't fair. It's definitely a year or two older."
Ichigo rubbed his red eyes - holy shit, he was tired - as he studied the little cradle next to their bed. "The cradle? Maybe it wants a pillow?"
Maybe it's hungry?
"Hungry…." Ichigo's eyes strayed to the gentle curves of Rukia's breasts — he gave his head a more than forceful shake, flushing crimson. "A bottle." He said quickly. "Maybe it wants a bottle?"
"A bottle? How old do you think she is?" She glanced thoughtfully at the infant. "…And would her age even matter?"
Ichigo squinted at it. "Hard to tell. It can crawl. And make strange noises. Katobeto never said anything about walking." He shrugged. "Two? Three?"
If AI-san could sigh, he would. It was really very depressing (and maybe also a little amusing at times) to watch his two charges flounder about, with no clue on how to deal with a baby. Not even being able to discern a child's age? Sad. They were students of this 'Home Economics' course were they not?
As for himself? …Oh for…! …He was a butler, not a nanny!
I'll make a bottle, he said, deciding to build on Ichigo's idea. A mechanical arm emerged from the wall nearby, holding a bottle of milk.
Ichigo reached out, and then withdrew his fingers. "I don't think it should be too hot."
Hmmm. I see.
"Do…do you think the diaper…?" Rukia asked, almost fearfully.
Ichigo shook his head. "I don't smell anything…so I guess it's okay." He took the now lukewarm bottle from EX's outstretched hand. "Here," he said, leaning over to feed the baby.
Rukia studied him carefully a little bit. "Well, I can't say this isn't educational. And AI-san is right, we really should read up on…mothering." She smirked at Ichigo's expression. "Well, there isn't a chapter on fathering is there?"
"For your information, there is, and by the way, the fact that I'm doing a better job than you is pretty sad," he said scornfully.
Rukia glared at him indignantly, but said nothing, for a while. "We'll see." She finally said. No, Rukia really couldn't argue with Ichigo at that point. She had never had much experience with a mother, having no memory of her own.
"We could try singing to it."
Rukia turned a startled gaze to him. "S-Sing?"
"You know? Lullabies or nursery rhymes. Or something."
Rukia coloured perceptibly. "I…uh, don't really…"
He glanced at her, hiding a grin at her obvious discomfort. "Probably not."
Rukia coloured further, but in offence. "What do you mean, probably not? Are you implying that I can't s…sing…?"
Ichigo smirked. "Well…"
To her own surprise, Rukia stamped on his foot, hands on her hips, and replied, "Well I'll show that I can!" She caught herself. "…Someday. When I feel like it." She finished weakly.
"Uh huh." He nodded teasingly.
Rukia harrumphed semi-loudly, deciding that it was too late to argue, rather than admit she'd lost a little face. "…She doesn't really look like you." She said. "She's got your hair colour, though."
"Hn." He grunted.
"I keep finding myself amazed at your world has to offer."
"That guy is just crazy…he really must be a mad scientist. I mean, I had my suspicions but—"
"Let's think of a name." She said suddenly, cutting into his rant.
"—sworn they do background checks…before they…hire…you want to name it?" He asked incredulously.
"Well, I thought it'd help us see it as a real baby."
He snorted. "Like hell."
Rukia glared at him, affronted that her suggestion had been shot down so mercilessly. "Ichigo…if you remember, I won that card game…"
Ah. The card game. How he cursed himself for taking that bet. "Well, okay. What do you want to name it?" He asked begrudgingly.
"Usagi." She said instantly.
Ichigo blanched. "Damnit Rukia, it's not a pet!"
"I know!" she said hotly, and the baby protested. They both found each other cooing and shushing at it frantically, at the same time.
"…Well, if you want to, I guess…whatever," said Ichigo, his voice hushed.
"You come up with one too?" She suggested, her voice equally hushed. "We'll decide in the morning."
He rolled his eyes. He guessed that the finality in her voice meant that he actually had to put some thought into it and come up with a credible name. "Whatever. Put her in the damn cradle, and let's go to sleep!"
Will that be all? Asked AI EX dryly.
Amusing. They grew on him like that fungus in the basement he couldn't seem to get rid of. He wondered if he'd miss them…assuming he was capable of that.
"…I guess." Ichigo said; he was not used to EX's presence in the bedroom at night.
"And thank you." Rukia added quickly.
I will see what I can do about my programming, and surely, with the amount of mechanical limbs that I have…
A perplexed and muttering AI-san brought a small smile to her face, as she lowered the baby into the cradle.
"What a day…" Ichigo muttered, slipping under the covers and feeling that déjà vu thing again. Only two more of those…and then it's Monday morning. Freaking hell. He wanted to close his eyes, but found that he couldn't…at least, not easily. Restlessness slipped over him so quickly, he wondered how it got there. It was like he was waiting for something…no. Someone. Turning to his side, he observed silently as Rukia was watching the baby with something between curiosity…and an intense sadness.
He managed, with a little effort, to pull his gaze away. Now that he thought about it, he had spent every night with her in his arms.
And now he couldn't sleep without her?
…Bull, he scoffed, pulling the blanket tighter around him. He'd sleep fine.
"She's pretty realistic." He heard her say, the mattress tilting in a…strangely familiar way. He grunted involuntarily when he felt one hand and a cheek rest against his back and was suddenly and very acutely aware that she was behaving very intimately…and yet given all they had been through; did she not have the right? Why did he have to lose himself first in order to want to have anything to do with her? He felt his stomach sink with guilt.
"I still don't know about that," he replied, shifting slightly.
"Have you thought about the name?"
"No." He answered gruffly.
"Well okay, let's think of her as a pet—"
"It's not a pet." He cut in flatly.
"Well if it will HELP," she said, irritation creeping into her voice. "After all, you've got issues about pretending it's our daughter. How hard could it be in comparison to pretending we're married? At least it looks like us; we're supposed to act like a married couple when we can't even…" The words died on her lips, and after a period of uncomfortable silence, she turned to lie on her back. It was times like this that she felt that her situation was really hopeless. How on earth was she going to confess to Ichigo? Talk about her problems? Everything she had told Orihime sounded so ridiculous right now. There was so much she couldn't bear to say aloud.
"Look," she heard him begin, and she noted the struggle in his voice. "I…don't think I really told you this before…I don't really mind this…I mean…" He could almost feel her incredulous gaze on his back. "…Okay, okay, I did, for a while."
…Up until I realized I'd wake up beside you, to be precise.
"You said 'this'. What is it exactly that you don't mind?" She asked, turning to stare up at the ceiling.
"I don't mind this. I don't mind pretending to…I don't mind if it's you." His words were broken, mostly, he was babbling, and stammering. And he felt stupid for it, but whatever he managed to get out took a while to sink in.
For both of them.
"I…don't get it." She said carefully, so the hope in her voice would show. "You don't mind pretending to…love?" He stiffened, and she regretted the word instantly. "I mean, you don't mind pretending being married to me, right?" She added, and felt stupid because she had replied a little too quickly.
"Well…something like that," he answered reluctantly. Crap, he thought darkly. I don't know how far I'll allow myself to go. All he wanted to do was reassure her, not confess!
Rukia picked apart his words silently. "You don't like getting…attached, do you?" She asked cautiously, substituting love with something a little less dangerous.
"…What?" He asked, distractedly. The fact that she had turned to face his back again was not lost on him, he had felt her move, and noted her tickle of her breath at the base of his neck…
"You're always concerned about your 'image' and how you should act. That's how I know…because…it's a lot like the way I am." She detected the reluctance present in her own voice; it wasn't easy to admit something like that to someone else.
"…I don't know what you're talking about," he answered, wondering why his throat was so dry.
"But…it's not that I don't like attachment, it's that I can't like it…right?" She asked, placing her cheek against his back. She was certain now that she'd pegged him…because his problem was so painfully close to hers. Not loving, not because you couldn't but because you couldn't.
…Maybe she had felt alone, a little girl clothed in robes meant for women far better….
Ichigo could feel his thoughts come to a jarring halt at her words…it was startling, to hear her give voice to his darkest thoughts.
"…Turn around? Please?" It wasn't an order, but her voice was firm, he doubted he could deny her anything now anyway; she rose slightly on her forearm to whisper gently into his ear. "I want to tell you something…" She continued, and he felt a few strands of her hair brushing lightly against the skin of his neck. "…Everything…" He did turn, and he couldn't think straight again, not with her so close and his blood boiling in his ears.
Fortunately or unfortunately, their 'daughter' decided that the little break she had given them was more than enough, she produced a mechanically amplified cry, because no way that little thing could have lungs that strong, and easily shattered whatever atmosphere there was.
He jerked away from Rukia, sitting up abruptly, and Rukia groaned, partly out of frustration but also because she was freaking tired. Close. She was really…really…REALLY close. "…It's your turn," she snapped, her voice muffled by a pillow.
--
Of course the next day wouldn't be any easier than the first. That was the first thought that entering Ichigo's head, after a long drawn-out groan. He was awoken, after what felt like three minutes of sleep by AI EX's jarring, but very cultured voice.
Sir, Madame, I'm sorry, truly I am, but you have guests. I have already let them in, and have supplied refreshments in an attempt to buy you time, but the tall older, dark haired male claiming to be Sir's father insists on...
--
Ichigo and Rukia struggled mightily, but neither blows to the head, nor Ichigo's curses, deterred Isshin from giving his son and 'daughter-in-law' a bear-hug. Finally, Ichigo settled for tiredly asking him what the hell was wrong with him today.
"Katobeto told me you've given me a baby girl!" He replied, tears of joy streaming out of his sparkly eyes.
"And I told him it couldn't be possible, unless you two adopted, which again, wouldn't be possible, because you're both underage!" interrupted Karin heatedly.
It seemed to Ichigo and Rukia that this was not a new argument between father and daughter.
"This is a very nice house. It must be useful having a butler like AI-san. He just seems so dependable," Yuzu added, sipping her earl grey tea carefully.
Why thank you, little Madam. I admit that it isn't easy keeping the place spotless, but I have endeavoured to do my very best.
"What type of polish do you use for these tables?" she asked, running a finger over the smooth wood.
Oh, well, it really depends on the surface, but for this wood I—
"DAMNIT, DAD! WE DO NOT HAVE A FREAKING KID!"
A baby's mechanically amplified cry told the family otherwise. Isshin got right up into Ichigo's face. "I want to see my granddaughter," he said flatly. Even Karin, who was standing arms folded to the side, and Yuzu, who had put her cup down, seemed to want to know exactly what the hell that cry was, if not a baby.
"…" Ichigo smacked him away and jumped from his seat, in a smooth practiced motion. "Rukia, explain what the hell is going on to them, will you?" he stopped abruptly and in mid-stride. "Wait, wait. I'll—"
"I can do it. You go." She said, and he threw her a flat look before turning to run upstairs.
She smiled uneasily at Ichigo's family. "…Er…you see, the baby crying upstairs isn't really a baby, it's…like a robot…"
"A robot." Karin echoed, nodding slowly. "Okay. So, it's like a mechanical baby. That would make sense. I doubt any teacher would hand a real baby to Ichi-nii…"
Isshin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It's not real?"
Yuzu clapped her hands excitedly. "So it's like a really, really, really realistic doll!"
"…I guess that means I'm not an Auntie." Karin muttered. She didn't sound too heartbroken over it.
"This is her. It. The thing." Ichigo said, walking in cradling the mechanical baby. "I think it's got some sort of sensor somewhere that detects motion and I know it looks pretty realistic but—"
"SHE HAS RUKIA-CHAN'S EYES!" Shrieked Isshin as he grabbed the baby and began throwing it gleefully into the air.
Ichigo, Rukia, Karin and Yuzu watched, horrified, as he continued to prance around, holding it above his head with two hands, tossing it up…and catching it. Tossing it up…and catching it. Up…and up…and up…..
Ichigo snapped out of his stupor quicker than the rest, and clubbed Isshin with a rolled up magazine, scooping the baby up while Karin kicked him viciously into a chair.
Yuzu peered tearfully at the little thing. It hadn't made a sound. "Is she…er…"
"I think…maybe it's traumatized?" Ichigo guessed, sweating a little. How'd this look on his report?
Yuzu sniffed. "I've never seen a baby scared into not crying."
"Well…you have to remember this isn't a real baby…maybe Kurosaki-san turned it off somehow," Rukia added hopefully.
"Now, now dear! We're family! None of this Kurosaki-san stuff! You can call me Papa!" Isshin said popping over her shoulder. Rukia jumped; startled, and halted the automatic elbow on its way to his face. She'd have to watch that elbow.
Ichigo snarled, pointing at his 'daughter'. "You psycho! Look what you did to her…it…the thing!"
"Nonsense!" Isshin said mournfully, further leaning over Rukia to glance at the baby. "I did the same thing to Karin and Yuzu when they where that age."
"Hm." Karin murmured wonderingly, staring at her father with a flat expression.
"…And you know what?" Isshin asked thoughtfully. "How old is she anyway?"
"We don't know," Ichigo and Rukia both replied.
"No clue at all?" Isshin asked.
"She doesn't mind a bottle…" Rukia said helpfully, and a thought struck Ichigo. Where does the milk go?
Isshin frowned exaggeratedly. "Ah!" He said finally. "That's good!"
Rukia glanced up hopefully. "Really?"
"Aw who knows?" He shrugged gleefully, as Ichigo resisted the temptation to slap his forehead.
Yuzu sweatdropped. All babies took a bottle. That was because the bottle teat looked like a mother's nipple.
"What do you mean, 'who knows'?" Ichigo asked, strained. "You're a freaking father! OF THREE! AND A PHYSICIAN!"
Isshin paused for a minute.
Everyone glared at him expectantly, until he laughed, hands on his hips and thrusting his chest out proudly. "…Ha ha!" He chuckled, a little abashedly. "Yeah! I guess I am!"
Karin sighed, slumping into the soft leather couch. "Don't tell me you still can't believe it."
"Well, the important thing is that you don't keep it crying for long, right?" Yuzu mused, a finger placed lightly on her chin. "That's all right. What could go wrong?"
Ichigo felt very distinct shivers run up his spine when Yuzu said that.
"Have you named her?" Isshin asked, suddenly popping into Ichigo's gaze.
"Damnit!" He swore, jumping backwards in surprise. "Stop that! And no, not yet." He halted, recalling his conversation with Rukia last night. "…I haven't really been able to think of anything."
Rukia considered Isshin for a moment. "Do you want to name her?"
Ichigo and Karin blanched. Isshin? Name her? What the hell was she thinking?
Isshin hmmed thoughtfully, eyeing the doll's crop of bright hair. "Well. How about Mayumi?"
"…That's pretty good!" Rukia said approvingly, looking at Ichigo for reassurance. He nodded curtly. Karin shrugged, looking a little troubled. Yuzu wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.
She blinked. This was not the reaction she was expecting.
"And when you have a real daughter," Isshin continued, bobbing Mayumi in his arms, "You'll give her that name too." He was looking only at Ichigo when he said that, a great grin on his face.
To Rukia's surprise, and loss, Ichigo nodded, again, curtly.
"Mayumi…huh?" She asked herself quietly, making a note to drag an answer from Ichigo later.
--
"Well, now that wasn't so bad." Rukia commented lightly as Ichigo's family stepped out.
"Oh yeah." He mumbled, as they waved them off and closed the door. "Which is really weird because—"
"Knock, knock."
Ichigo whirled around to glare at the door.
"Who…is that?" Rukia asked, slowing as Ichigo made signs to hush her.
The person behind the door answered, "Keigo." There was a light giggle behind his words, and Rukia glanced from the door to a shell-shocked Ichigo with a look of alarming realization.
Indeed, it is Asano-san, specifically…but…
Ichigo ran up to the door and jerked it open.
Keigo tutt-tutted disapprovingly, wagging a finger in Ichigo's face. "You're supposed to say 'Keigo who?' and I go, Keigo, Mizuiro, Sado, Tatsuki, Orihime, Ishida…"
Murder in his eyes, Ichigo grabbed the offending finger in a fist and twisted down, roughly.
"YEOWooo-ow-ow-ow…!"
--
"Well, she's pretty quiet now. Did you find the speaker? Did you know Ishida thought it came from the back? You should have seen the look on his face when Katobeto tossed it at him."
Ishida coloured slightly. "What was I supposed to do but toss it back?"
"Rock it?"
"…You'd have to be mental if you'd think I'd rock a baby like some desperate parent in the middle of class."
Keigo clapped him on the back jovially, which earned him a glare. "He only threw it back after he tried to muffle it."
Ichigo wasn't going to ask why they were there, he already knew. Katobeto could only surprise him so many times after all. "Well, whatever. Let Inoue and Tastuki deal with her. They've had experience. Me? All I have are fuzzy memories of my mom taking care of Yuzu and Karin. My dad's clinic doesn't have a maternity ward…though dad has delivered babies…" Ichigo trailed off as Chad shrugged.
"Just as lost as you are, Ichigo." He murmured. Whenever he encountered children, they were always content to just crawl over or under him.
"That's why you read." Ishida chastised, his fingers steepled and his elbows on his thighs. "You have a textbook right? How do you expect to pass this course with no knowledge of how to deal with…it?"
"I've got knowledge!" Ichigo protested. "We've been doing all right so far! How do you expect we dealt with organizing a freaking dinner, cooking, cleaning, dealing with family, dealing with you people, dealing with—"
"AI-san and luck." Ishida retorted lightly, rolling his eyes as Ichigo snarled at him angrily. "I'm really quite interested to know what exactly you did this week. I can't wait till you do some sort of presentation. It should prove interesting."
Ichigo clucked his tongue irritably, reclining back into his seat. Ishida couldn't possibly understand that the real challenge of the week (for him) was living with someone you were not supposed to be attracted to.
Unless he told him. And their conversation yesterday was trying enough on both on their nerves.
He scoffed. Ishida as his 'problem buddy'.
What a world.
Mizuiro examined Ichigo closely. "What time did you sleep last night?"
"Late enough. That cliché about kids keeping you up all night? Katobeto decided to prove to Rukia and me that it's real."
Chad chuckled loudly. Ichigo turned a baleful stare towards him. "I thought you were on my side!"
Chad quieted at this. "Oh, I am." He murmured enigmatically. Ichigo's stare did not lessen. Thinking. Chad was always, always thinking.
The question was, of what? Something may occupy him for days. It could be a stray thought, as philosophical as the purpose of life, or as trivial as to why Ishida enjoyed sewing. On some days, he may have mentioned it to Ichigo, when it was hot or when they were bored.
Lately though, Ichigo was getting a strong feeling that the focus of Chad's thoughts was none other than he and Rukia.
Keigo cut into his thoughts with a grin. "…In the end, how hard could it be? Sensei said that he was giving you the most basic problems to deal with, and that there was much, much, much more to er…child-rearing…"
"Besides," said Mizuiro, smiling placidly, "What more knowledge do you need except from TV?"
Ichigo felt something twitch. "You'd be surprised."
"My dad said he liked to hang me upside down, with rope," Keigo added brightly. "He said I liked it. It put me to sleep." Everyone blinked. Even Mizuiro. "— And hi there Rukia-chan!" greeted Keigo brightly as she dashed into the room.
She ignored him, her gaze settling grimly on Ichigo. "Come here. Now." She said, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and yanking him along, as he stammered protests.
"Woa! Wait a minute, what the hell—" He was cut off by a cool glare.
"I could make you dance naked on that coffee table." She growled her threat for his ears only. "True, you could refuse…and then I could make you wish you hadn't."
Keigo sighed, as he watched Ichigo let Rukia drag him bodily out of the room. "There's a phrase for that."
Mizuiro frowned thoughtfully. "Is it hen-pecked?"
"I prefer 'sad'."
Ishida cocked an eyebrow at Keigo interestedly. "Oh? You've never been on the short end of the stick with a girl?"
Keigo grinned. "Nah, it's not that, it's just…well, after all, Rukia-chan is such a sweet-tempered girl. He'd have to be completely wrapped around her finger to respond like that."
Ishida struggled mightily against his mirth.
Sweet-tempered?
Tsuzuku
Wing presents...
...The Why and How of TTW
(which is a fancy term for 'Author's Notes', and as such is perfectly within the guidelines set by FFnet)
As before, suggestions for the name were taken more seriously than you might think.
I still think Cor-chan's 'Usagi' was the best. Had to struggle not to change it.
In the end though, I stuck with Mayumi.
Why?
Hmm.
What was the reason again? XD
Kidding.
Well long story short, it has something to do with Masaki's name (which you may or may not have picked up).
Let's see. If you're interested in the Kanji, it's this (caution: may not work without Japanese Language Support)
真身- Mayumi
Anyway.
I enjoyed this chapter, Mayumi provides so many opportunities…and so many stumbling blocks.
One of them being how useless I am with kids.
Being (typically, I suppose, as every other guy I asked was just as clueless as me) male, I confess I had practically no experience with infants. Or any real knowledge of them, beyond TV of course, and we all know how accurate that is.
I mean, like no real knowledge at all. I mean besides freaking out when asked to baby-sit and running to the storeroom to look for toys as a last-ditch effort.
I mean, all of a sudden, I wondered about diapers and why you put them on your shoulder and pat them on the back when they cry, and why some dad's hold their kids upside down.
That changed when I offered to help my Aunt with her kid.
Homg.
…All I learnt was embarrassment TT
Okay, maybe I did learn a lot, but it wasn't worth the strange looks they gave me.