LC333: I've been trying to post this for the last two days. It took a while, but here is the next (slightly short) chapter! Updates here on out might take some more time (I'm trying to find a way to speed up the story without ruining it or the plot).
Chapter Ten
"We're here."
His voice jolted me out of my memories.
I looked out the window to see a small two story house.
"This is where you live?" I asked quietly.
"Sorry it doesn't meet your Kuchiki standards."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" he asked, pausing to lock the car with the remote.
"Why would you stay at the Kuchiki house when you can stay here?" I motioned to his home.
"You'll find out soon enough." He responded, leading the way inside.
A blonde head peered out from the kitchen, wondering who had entered. Yuzu's face lit up.
"Onii-chan, Ruki-nee, you're here!" She ran up and hugged Ichigo tightly then approached me.
I took half a step back before Yuzu threw her arms around me. I blinked at her with wide eyes, unsure what to do before I hugged her back. Affection was not a common thing in the Kuchiki house. She smelled like peaches.
"Where's Karin?" Ichigo asked.
Yuzu turned heading back to the kitchen.
"She's on her way home from the park." Yuzu stirred something brown colored in a pot.
"And where's-"
A loud drop from the living room jolted me and a blur of white and black rushed past me.
"ICHIGOOOO!"
The white blur shoved Ichigo and he fell to the floor, his back hitting the wall.
"The hell was that for?!" Ichigo yelled, getting back up.
"You haven't improved one bit!" the white coat yelled. He was taller than Ichigo, his hair was spiked and dark. He had a frown in his face with a serious look in his eyes.
"Tou-san, you're going to break the house again." Yuzu commented from the kitchen.
"I have to make him learn!" he exclaimed. "Or he'll be a fail-!"
Ichigo kicked his father, sending him to the living room. "Have you completely lost it? There's a guest in this house, do you want her to think we're crazy?!"
His father turned to me, his eyes narrowed as he looked at me.
"Hello there!" he chirped, jumping up beside me.
"Er, hello." I bowed nervously. "I'm Kuchiki, Rukia."
He smiled brightly. "Kurosaki, Isshin: father of Yuzu and Karin."
"Hey!" Ichigo rang in from the living room.
"The orange one, too." Isshin mumbled. He resumed to look at me with narrow eyes. "Byakuya's sister? You look nothing like him."
"I'm his sister by marriage, Kurosaki-sama." I responded.
He waved a hand at me. "Nonsense. No honorific. Call me Isshin."
"Hai." I agreed, "Isshin-san."
"Now, to the dinner table." Isshin gestured me forward to the rest of the house. Ichigo had moved to the table already, muttering about his father under his breath. Yuzu walked out with a pot in her hands, setting it on a make shift counter the wall end of the table.
"Sit here, Rukia-chan," Isshin pulled out the chair next to the left of Ichigo then sat at the head of the table.
"I'm home." The door closed with a sight thud followed by the lock.
"Welcome back, Karin!" Yuzu greeted, walking back to the kitchen.
"Karin." Isshin cheered, "How was soccer practice?"
"It's alright," she responded. She raised an eyebrow as she saw me sitting next to Ichigo. "And you are?"
"Kuchiki Rukia." I responded, noticing how she glared at me.
"Ah." Recognition was clear at the mention of my name, the glare leaving her eyes. She sat in front of me.
Isshin gasped. "Idiot son! You've been keeping Rukia a secret from me?"
Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Not this secret crap again."
Isshin frowned, jumping onto his seat. He pointed a finger at Ichigo. "IDIOT SON!-"
"Dinner's ready!" Yuzu brought in the last bowl out and took out a wooden spoon.
"I'll yell at you later!" Isshin sat back down.
Yuzu placed the bowl at the center of the table, sitting next to Karin.
"Let's eat!" Ichigo reached for one of the bowls.
"So Rukia, has Ichigo taken you anywhere during your stay here in Karakura?" Karin asked.
I nodded. "Ichigo's been an excellent tour guide."
"He brought her to the pastry shop," Yuzu added.
"Eh?" Isshin asked, his mouth full of rice. "You already met her before?"
Yuzu nodded. "It was so much fun." She looked at me with wide eyes. "We should do it again!"
"Yes." I nodded, not wanting to disappoint her.
"We can go after hours and make a cake." Her eyes lit up. "We can make a Chappy cake!"
"Chappy?" My voice became out with a child tone.
"Another one?" I heard Ichigo grumble.
I narrowed my eyes and Yuzu pressed her lips together. "There's nothing wrong with Chappy!"
Ichigo shook his head. "Maybe we should have gone to the Chappy store."
"There's a Chappy Country here?" I asked.
Ichigo's eyelid twitched. "I guess I know what we're doing tomorrow."
"Can I come too?" Yuzu asked.
"I guess." He leaned back in his chair.
Karin smirked. "Have fun."
Ichigo frowned. "You're going too."
Karin groaned.
"How many days have you been in Karakura?" Isshin asked, taking in everything we have said.
"A couple of days… Five?" I wasn't really sure anymore. "Almost a week."
"Ichigo, why didn't you bring her here before?" Isshin looked at him with 'sadness.' "ARE YOU ASHAMED OF ME?"
Ichigo looked at him with surprise, his body ready to jump out of the seat. "Well-"
"MASAKIIIIII!" He ran to a giant poster on the wall. The woman on it had hair similar to Ichigo's only in a less ostentatious hue. "OUR IDIOT SON IS ASHAMED! AND OF ME!"
Masaki? Ichigo's mother.
Ichigo sighed, resting back into the seat. "If mom saw how you were acting now, she would understand."
"MASAKI!" Isshin cried.
The doorbell rang.
"Old Goat, someone's at the door." Karin continued to eat her rice.
"KARIN!" Isshin cried louder.
The doorbell rang again. Repeatedly.
"Their finger's stuck on the buzzer." Ichigo commented.
"You're not going to answer?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Everyone who needs to be here is here."
Isshin continued to cry.
"Besides, whoever it is probably wants to check on him" He pointed his thumb to Isshin.
The buzzing sped up until it was a never ending buzz. Ichigo glared at the door, furry making his face red. Yuzu's eyes widened.
"I'll get it." Yuzu stood out of her chair.
The buzzing persisted.
"I'm coming." Yuzu ran to the door. "Hell…oh."
"Hello, Yuzu-chan!"
I winced. I recognized that voice.
"Kieta-san, what are you doing here?" Yuzu asked.
"Yuzu-chan, please call me Senna." She walked into the kitchen observing what was going on.
Isshin was crying into the poster of Masaki. Yuzu was stone standing next to Senna, eyes pleading Senna would leave. Karin narrowed her eyes, cutting a piece of meat with more vigor than before. Ichigo stared at Senna, placing his arm in the back of my chair. Her eyes locked on me. I could almost feel the flames from her eyes materialize.
"Senna, what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.
Isshin sniffled, looking at Senna.
She smiled, bitterness behind it. "Ichi-chan, I came to see you."
Isshin stood up, walking back to his seat.
"Excuse me," Isshin spoke with seriousness once more. "What did you say your name was again?"
"Kieta Senna," she bowed.
"Kurosaki Isshin," he greeted stiffly.
Awkward silence remained in the room. I looked at everyone then Ichigo. He didn't seem pleased to have Senna here.
"Ichigo!" she ran to him and hugged him, yanking his hand off of my chair.
His eyes bugged out, unsure on how to handle Senna. Karin rolled her eyes, continuing to eat. Yuzu watched nervously.
"Kieta-san," Isshin spoke sourly. "How do you know Ichigo?"
Senna squeezed herself between him and I. My chair leg hit the table leg, my elbow poking Senna under her ribs.
"I'm his girlfriend."
Isshin raised an eyebrow. "You're his girlfriend?"
Senna nodded, oblivious to his confusion. There was silence again until Isshin turned to Ichigo.
"I thought your girlfriend was Rukia."