Disclaimer: If I owned Ichigo, I would have developed the actual concept of soul society further, like really Kubo, you had a gold mine there!
"No matter how much suffering you went through, you never wanted to let go of those memories."
― Haruki Murakami
#18#
The day Shiba Haruka got married was a grand day for many, and was considered the event of the century thanks to all the commotion the Shiba Head made. Haruka loudly complained many times that Ichigo seemed more excited than her and was insist that everything be perfect –nothing less for his little sister, he would say.
Pretty much everyone agreed that it was an amazing –yet crazy- event. The Shiba compound was decorated to the T, and the normal Shiba dinner spread was mediocre in comparison to what the chefs whooped up that day. The bride looked beautiful in the finest silk kimono, and everyone agreed the groom looked dashing too.
At the end of the day, a couple trees were burnt down by drunk Shibas trying to light fireworks –this particular incident was the reason why decree number 62 of Shiba Life was created- and even retainers joined the fun. Shunsui ended up swimming with the fish when he flirted shamelessly with a Shihōin that did not appreciate it, and Jῡshirō actually ended dead to the world on one of the tables after Shunsui spiked his drink continuously.
Kuchiki Ginrei had to be carried home by an irritate lieutenant after Ichigo spiked his tea –best prank ever- while Sojun trotted behind his father and right hand with a wide smile on his face after playing with all the Shiba kids –needless to say, future playdates were scheduled.
Ichigo enjoyed the show from his seat and made sure to stay relatively sober –not for Shunsui's lack of trying- because someone had to be conscious to clean up the mayhem that was bound to be left at the end of the day. Haruka kept on throwing him knowing glances the entire afternoon, and at the end of the day, made sure to give him an extra big hug and a kiss on the cheek in thanks before departing for their honeymoon.
A couple decades later Haruka came to visit the main compound –she had moved out into the third district, deciding to open an orphanage for the rukongai kids- and looked him in the eye with a serious expression on her face.
"I'm pregnant." She told him. And that was how he officially became the godfather of some Shiba baby that hadn't even been born.
He had freaked out internally for like two seconds before giving a smile and congratulating her. Ten seconds after she had left his eyesight, he had shunpoed towards the thirteenth division where Jῡshirō was filling out his paperwork and had a mini panic attack –or so he says, after Jῡshirō called Shunsui for backup, it took three bottles of sake to calm the orange head enough to tell them what had happened, and another crate for him to stop worrying needlessly.
So that was how he found himself right now in third district north Rukongai, pacing helplessly outside the master bedroom and grimacing every time he heard his little sister yell.
"She'll be fine." Shunsui assured him with a soft smile and a steady hand to his shoulder that did nothing to alleviate his worry.
"She sounds like she's being killed and tortured at the same time!" he freaked out before curling up his nose in disgust when a particularly loud and painful scream resounded through the walls again. This time, even the brunet winced while Jῡshirō gave an ever patient smile. "If this keeps on going, I think I'm gonna go crazy."
"Uh, should we play a game?" Shunsui recommended.
Ichigo threw him a murderous glare that had him shrinking out of fear. Usually they joke about the intensity of Ichigo's scowls and dub any others as cheap, but today takes the cake. They had never seen such a scary scowl.
"Ma ma," he placated "Just sit down and calm down Ichigo."
"Calm down?!" he shrieked as he grabbed the front of Shunsui's white haori "You want me to calm down under this situation?!"
Jushiro was about to intervene and make sure Ichigo didn't accidently murder the brunet before a long and choked yell echoed, followed by a wail of what could only be a baby. Ichigo froze, before his wide eyes turned towards the door.
Almost instantly it flew open and out came a midwife trotting out with a blue bundle in her arms. She looked around for a minute until making a sudden decision and handing the baby to Ichigo.
"Take care of him, there's another one coming!" she yelled back before turning on her heel and hauling herself into the enclosed room again.
Ichigo found himself dumbfounded in shock as he stared down at the little pink baby he had been handed. He was so engrossed in his stare that he pretty much ignored the continuous yells from the other room.
"It's a he." Ichigo whispered almost venerably.
Shunsui and Jῡshirō just sighed in relief at the importune distraction before huddling around Ichigo to take a good look of the newest member of the Shiba main family.
"He's so small." Shunsui remarked as he tried to compare Ichigo's big hand with the baby's smaller ones. "Does he have a name yet?"
"I don't think so." He absently answered as he gave the baby his forefinger to grasp "Haruka said she would come up with something sooner or later."
Jῡshirō peered curiously at the little bundle before moving the blanket slightly down to see the baby's head. He wasn't surprised to see a tuff of brown hair growing on his scalp instead of the usual black of the Shiba clan, before narrowing his eyes in curiosity.
"Do you think he'll have green or brown eyes?" The white-haired captain asked.
Ichigo furrowed his brows "Not sure, babies' eyes settle only after they're a certain age."
Shunsui hummed curiously as he looked from the baby to Ichigo "And you know this because?"
"Haruka needs to talk to someone beside Kazu about these things." He pointed out as a matter of fact.
The door flew open once again, and Kazuki came out with a wobbly smile and a tired expression on his face.
"Ni-sama, could you join us for a minute?" he asked the orange head.
Ichigo inwardly winced at the way of address but filed it off as a lost cause. He had tried to get Kazuki to call him Ichigo, just Ichigo. Needless to say, it's a failure. So instead he treks towards the door and follows the man into the bedroom.
Haruka looks just as tired, but she's holding a green bundle with a pride smile that has him returning it as soon as he enters. He gives the brunet baby to Kazuki who receives the babe with a grateful smile of his own before turning towards the younger baby.
"This little guy's a spit fire." She tells him "He didn't want to let his older brother come first, but still lost the battle."
Ichigo gives a smirk as he peers down at the sleeping baby. It seems all the hassle tired him out too.
"He's defiantly a Shiba then." He jokes, which instantly makes her laugh while Kazuki merely huffs on the side.
"You Shibas are so proud of your genes." He interjects in mock annoyance.
Ichigo's smile only widens "I'll have you know we Shibas are the best!"
This time Kazuki can't repress a smile of his own which makes Haruka beam before sharing a winning gesture with Ichigo.
"We are." He says lovingly in a way that makes Ichigo feel that he is doing something right with this clan.
"So," he interjects before they go all mushy "What are the names of the new additions to the Great and Awesome Shiba Clan?"
Haruka laughs again before waving him over and easily handing over the little baby Shiba in green.
"Well," she begins hesitantly "we didn't know we would have twins, so it's a good thing we didn't come prepared."
"But we think we know exactly what to do now." Kazuki grins as he shares a plotting smile with his wife "We're going to name the firstborn Shiba Yasahiro. It means tranquil and describes intelligence and wisdom."
"I like it." He tells them sincerely which makes them share twin smiles.
"And the little firework in your arms," she begins smugly "will be named Shiba Isshin. It means-"
"One heart." Ichigo interjects unconsciously as he looks down at the green covered baby with wonder in his eyes "It can be interpreted as whole heartedness."
Haruka's smile widens "I take it you approve?"
Ichigo's eyes must show something he's not aware of, because her smile softens and her eyes look kind. Kazuki smiles as well, and something losses up in his chest at the notion.
"Yeah," he whispers "It's perfect."
Of course, they come to the conclusion that Shiba Isshin is his favorite godson at that very moment in life, and tease him mercilessly all the time –but we're getting ahead of ourselves.
"How 'bout you go show the boys outside?" Haruka recommends softly "I bet their itching to barge in too. And I'm kinda tired."
Ichigo nods in agreement before giving a small smile in gratitude and following her advice. Jῡshirō and Shunsui surround him pretty much instantly and both look down at the bald little baby.
"Wow," Shunsui remarks amazed "this one's a blank slate. We won't know who he resembles until later."
"Calm down Shunsui, it'll be an exciting experience."
Ichigo smiles knowingly at the two which instantly has them on edge. He merely grins cheekily before gesturing with his head towards the bedroom.
"Shiba Yasahiro was the little brunet."
Jushiro blinks curiously "And this little guy?"
The orange head's smile merely widens "Shiba Isshin, black hair, brown eyes."
Shunsui looks confused for half a second before understanding dawns on his face and he groans in annoyance. Jushiro is resigned with the situation almost instantly and only laughs at the odd tidbit of information only the three of them or privy of.
"Is it weird knowing how cute he is as a baby?" Jushiro asks instead while he lets Shunsui sulk in a corner.
Ichigo cleared his throat "I think it's weirder that I'm my father's Godfather."
Of course they didn't know goat-face and oyaji was named Isshin once upon a time, so this new data is a huge shock, second only to one.
Their resigned to know that number one also has everything to do with Shiba Ichigo and leave it at that. Though it doesn't change the fact that they don't even know what to say to someone who is carrying their father in their arms.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry I'm late!" Wataru chooses that moment to barge into the room, his enthusiasm high and completely overlooking the shocked air in the room. Ichigo merely looks on smugly.
#18#
"Ichi-jichan," a little, green eyed brunet tugs on the hem of his Shihakusho almost timidly.
Ichigo looks down at the boy with a patient smile from where he's sitting on the engawa of the tenth division barracks. The new recruits are trying to imitate the katas the senior shinigami are practicing and look almost comical in their endeavor. They aren't exactly standard, so he knows no one will find these practices anywhere but here. He also knows these help much more than the set ones used in the academy.
They'll get used to it.
"Yes Hiro-chan?" he asks calmly.
Yasahiro pouts almost reflexively but doesn't correct him in his endearment. "I and Shi-chan were talking-"
"It's Shi-chan and I, Hiro-chan." Ichigo corrects.
The boy's cheeks puff out before he takes a deep breath and starts again "Shi-chan and I were talking 'bout growing up."
"Hm," Ichigo hummed in interest as he made a hand signal towards Wataru that was leading the exercises today. He instantly switched gears and changed the dynamic as according to what Ichigo had told him "And?" he promoted.
Suddenly a little body draped himself over Ichigo's shoulders, seemingly out of nowhere "Hiro-chan and I wanna be big like Ichi-jichan and Wataru-ji." He tells him excitedly.
Ichigo doesn't look in the least disturbed by the sudden invasion of personal space. Instead he looks over his shoulder to raise an eyebrow at the raven head.
"Why do you want to grow up?" he questions "Being old is boring." He tells them in a matter of fact tone.
Yasahiro pouts again up at the orange head "Are you sure?"
Ichigo nods "Positively, you have to fill up paperwork from hell."
The two boys share a look from over his head before seeming to remember the stacks of paper he works with before shuddering in disgust.
"I think I'll keep on playing with my toys." Isshin admits calmly before brightening "Oh, but Ji-chan might answer us!"
Yasahiro brightens in delight before turning back to Ichigo "Ka-san got mad when we asked her why she looked older than Ichi-jichan. Do you know ji-chan?"
Ichigo chokes on air in a fashion that makes a couple shinigami turn in worry towards his direction. The orange-haired captain merely waves it off before turning back to look at the brunet in the eye.
"You told Haru she was old?!"
The nod he receives in answer only makes him even more horrified.
"Now listen here kids," he starts his lesson "it is very important, no matter what happens, to never, ever, and I mean never, call a lady old no matter how old they really are."
"Eh," Isshin whines "But what if she's a wrinkly old lady?"
Ichigo shakes his head "No matter what."
They share another silent conversation over his head before Yasahiro turns back to him "If Ji-chan says so. Does that mean Ichi-jichan can't answer our question?"
Ichigo laughs at their childish curiosity before giving them a grin. He gestures Yasahiro to huddle closer which he quickly agrees to before leaning down in a conspiring way as he looks both left and right which makes the twins laugh.
"The secret about aging is reiatsu, lineage, and the soul." He tells them "If you don't actively stimulate your reiatsu, your aging is faster. If your lineage is new, you most likely age faster too. While the soul depends entirely on the person."
"Oh~" the boys chorus in tandem.
Ichigo grins "Right now I look like the youngest of the Shiba trio because of a combination of these three; while Haruka looks like the oldest. Another example is Kuchiki Ginrei, who is younger than me, but even though his lineage and reiatsu is a given, his soul isn't exactly young and so he looks like he's in his mid-forties."
"Wow," Isshin drawls "So Ichi-jichan is really strong!"
Ichigo sweat drops "That's what you got from my lesson?"
The giggles he gets in response makes him sigh in resignation even though the smile curling the edge of his mouth betrays him. Instead he grabs Yasahiro and makes sure Isshin is holding onto his shoulder tightly before hauling himself up in one swift movement which makes them giggle even harder. As he sends a fleeting wave towards Wataru, he quickly switches to Shunpo mid-step. Needless to say, the boys cry out in delight.
#18#
"Like this?" Isshin asks as he adjusts his knees to try and imitate the posture the older blonde is trying to show him,
Kisuke merely hums in thought before trying again "Maybe bend your elbow a little bit inward so it's better guarding your kidney."
The raven head pauses and looks up to look at the boy in shock "I need to guard my kidney better? I can easily get stabbed in the kidney?!" he looks panicked now "I'm gonna die!"
A karate chop on the head makes him stop mid-rant "Concentrate Shi, Kisuke-kun is merely being literal. Your elbow needs to be bent at an angle where your arm is right above your kidney."
Isshin groans before looking up at his second favorite-est uncle –but don't tell him, it's a secret! "But Ji-chan, how was I supposed to know?"
Wataru merely rolls his eyes before giving the young blonde a placid smile "Sorry about that, and thanks for helping in his training."
Kisuke waves off the apologies with a nervous chuckle "It's no problem, it also helps us remember the basics before the Academy tests."
"I bet you two will pass it with flying colors." He tells him offhandedly as if it were a given.
Come to think of it, when it comes to the Shibas, it might as well be a normal thing. He's heard that almost every wanna-be shinigami bearing the surname Shiba is way ahead of their piers ability wise even though the theoretical parts sometimes stump them.
"We hope so." He says instead, not bothering to point out that Yoruichi is an heiress in training, and that there is just no way she won't pass.
Almost as if summoned, purple hair suddenly invades his vision followed by the telltale sound of shunpo a second after. She's smiling smugly, which makes him think that poor Yasahiro was left really behind.
"You were supposed to train Yoru-chan, not race." Kisuke points out futilely.
As expected she waves off the comment "Same thing."
All of a sudden, another boy, similar to his own stature appears out of nowhere slightly out of breath.
"S-so mean Yoruichi-chan, you left Yasahiro-chan and I behind." The raven head points out as his gray eyes shimmer with unshed tears.
"He-he," she snickers "that's what happens when you challenge the goddess of flash, So-kun!"
"No one challenged you." They all chorus in a deadpanned tone of voice that made it obvious they had had this conversation before.
"Besides," Yasashiro begins as he seemingly materializes out of thin air "your self-proclaimed title means nothing against Ichi-jichan."
Yoruichi harrumphed loudly as she turned the other way to hide the light blush on her cheeks "Ichigo-sama was the one that said I was well on my way to becoming the goddess of flash."
Wataru sighed in resignation before waving the three younger kids over "We're leaving, Sojun-kun, I'll leave you at the gates on our way home."
Sojun smiles timidly before giving a slight bow in gratitude "That'd be highly appreciated, Wataru-san."
The three trek out the Shihōin grounds after giving their farewells. Almost a second after they leave, Isshin grins which causes Wataru to raise a brow.
"What's so funny?" he asks.
"I was just thinking, Ichi-jichan doesn't have any kids, so who's the heir of the Shiba Clan? Yoruichi-chan is the heiress to Shihōin, and Sojun is heir to Kuchiki."
Sojun almost instantly looks embarrassed as he shoots quick glances in the Shibas direction.
"I-I'm not so sure I'll be the heir. My health isn't that great, and I've heard people in the clan saying that I'm not suitable for the position too."
"Nonsense," Wataru waves off his concern "I have it on good authority that the Kuchiki heir is Sojun-kun."
The Kuchiki smiled gratefully which Wataru quickly returned before turning towards his two nephews. "Now, the Shiba Heir is a little bit more complicated."
"Because Ichi-jichan has no direct descendants?" Yasahiro questioned.
"Correct," he praised as he ruffled the boy's brown hair "so until he does have kids –which he swears up and down he won't have- that means one of the secondary descendants need to succeed him,"
"That means Yasahiro and Isshin, right?" the raven-haired Kuchiki pointed out.
"So it does." He grinned down at the two boys "Ni-sama says that Yasahiro is the current Shiba Heir, so I'd be inclined to believe him." Wataru tells them in mock conspiracy which makes the raven heads giggle, while Yasahiro pouts.
"I'd be an awful Clan Head!" he pretty much decrees.
"Hiro-chan will be a good Clan Head." Isshin proclaims proudly with a little cheer that Sojun mirrors with slightly less enthusiasm. The way Wataru smiles in agreement, does nothing to alleviate his concern.
#18#
"You have your tooth brush?" Ichigo asks his youngest godson.
"Yes Ji-chan."
The orange head furrows his brows in thought "Your hell butterfly?"
"Yes Ji-chan."
"Enough money?"
"Yes Ji-chan."
Ichigo scowls "How about-"
"Yes Ji-sama."
The orange haired tenth squad captain narrows his eyes at the cheeky smile Isshin is giving him. The brat knows how much he hates that way of address, but he can't help being a slight mother hen. At the end he rolls his eyes in resignation before ruffling the boy's unruly black hair.
"Fine, have it your way. But once you find out you forgot something, you'll regret it."
The way Isshin's smile wavers for half a second makes Ichigo smile before patting the boy one last time and pushing him in the right direction.
"Alright, so you decided to become a Shinigami, that means I expect nothing but the best." He grins.
Isshin mirrors his grin instantly and almost seems to recite "Because the Shiba genes are the best!"
Ichigo chuckles good naturedly "Don't let Sojun hear you say that."
The expression Isshin gives him is a giveaway of what he is planning on doing.
"Run along then." He waves him off.
Isshin waves back before sprinting the rest of the way towards the Academy gates. Ichigo had honestly never expected the twins to actually separate and decide on different paths. Yasahiro may be well versed in Shinigami arts, but they had diverged paths and would have to be separated for a while. At least Isshin would have Sojun a couple years up, Yasahiro would be staying in the main compound with Ichigo. He insisted on learning all he could, and was taking his future position seriously even though Ichigo wouldn't have forced the boy into the position no matter what.
He was about to turn around and go on his merry way towards the Shiba compound to continue his duties before a sudden chill went down his spine.
Ichigo's breath hitched in his throat and he went stiff as a board while his reiatsu unconsciously reeled in around him like a cocoon. He absently scanned the area and found no disruptions, but as the seconds ticked by the forbearing increased. If he were any other person he would have thrown the feeling away as an act of his imagination but he is not any other person.
He's a battle hardened war veteran that no matter how much he's enjoying his life, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. He's a man who followed his instincts in battle and has survived because of it. And if his senses weren't in overdrive, he seriously would have missed it. The meek reiatsu just barely brushing against his senses. A subdued presence that makes you think un-noteworthy and instinctively erase their existence from memory.
He doesn't move a single muscle as his eyes move downwards just in time to see a boy who looks like he's barely into his teens with shaggy brown hair and thick black glasses.
The boy keeps on walking towards the academy, and Ichigo stomps down the urge to sever him in half –or discarding that, running into the academy and getting the kids out of there.
Because the little boy that just walked past him with the most innocent air in the world it has to be fake, is none other than Aizen Sosuke.
Ichigo bites back to the bile that's threatening to come up and shunpos away at the speed of light towards the compound.
It won't happen again
To be continued…
Wow, I have chapters on standby… huh. It feels weird, like an accomplishment.
Please review!