"He's so tall," Rukia whispered to Izuru. "He's so cute!" She knew what his face looked like, having seen it when he was introduced to her by Kaname and Kaien. "You probably don't remember from the manga but OMG!" She gasped, looking up at Izuru. "You can't resist the pets and nose boops!"
Izuru nodded slowly. "I remember vaguely what he looks like." He examined the bucket-like helmet over the man's head. "Was it a fox head or wolf head?"
"Um." Rukia paused, looking up at Izuru.
"What are you two talking about?" Komamura's sudden presence behind the two shinigami made them almost jump into their next reincarnation.
"Rukia described to me what your face looked like, Captain Komamura, at my curiosity and we were curious on if your head is that of a fox or wolf, sir," Izuru said politely, not even looking at Rukia who was impersonating a dying salmon.
"Wh- Hold on!" She finally got a hold of herself, "You just… Excuse me!" She grabbed her hair and shook her head. "Okay, yes! Are you a fox or a wolf, Komamura-san?"
Komamura bristled… or, at least it felt like it. Izuru saw his shoulders tensed and Rukia saw some of his fingers twitch. It's amazing what you can see when the height difference is so diverse!
"I come from a long line of wolves…" Komamura growled with forced patience.
Izuru blinks and smiles that reach his eyes. "May I see your face, Captain Komamura?"
He paused and looked around the area, making sure no one was around. "All right, since Kuchiki has already told you what I look like." Slowly, Komamura removed his helmet, revealing his face.
There was a pause.
"Sir? You are a fox." Izuru put a hand on his hip as if that was the end of his argument.
Rukia nodded in agreement. "Definitely a fox." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Giant fox."
"I am a wolf, not a fox!" Komamura barked out, fur bristling up in a fashion that left Izuru whole-heartedly amused.
Rukia giggled in response. "Awww, the fox is getting grumpy." She cooed, moving to gently boop his nose.
"Rukia… what are you doing?" He made a point to look down at her while pointing up at Komamura's face. "You're literally half his size. Besides I don't think foxes like their noses touched."
"It's called air walking!" She hopped up to stand on a reishi shelf so she stood at equal height and booped the giant man's nose. "I can't resist." She placed her hand on his head and gently scratched behind his ears. "So cute."
Izuru pinched the bridge of his nose. "At least ask for permission before you start petting someone. People can find that creepy."
"Oops." She pulled back. "Sorry…" she hopped down and sheepishly shuffled in place.
Komamura made a gesture that resembled moving his eyebrows. "It is… all right." His ears twitched, and his shiny eyes shifted from one direction to another. Slowly, he leaned forward until he was at a reasonable height to Rukia and Izuru. "You may touch my fur if that was your mission today."
Izuru hesitates, "Excuse me," He reaches up and his hand sinks into Komamura's fur. Once he figured out how deep it went, Izuru started with pets that he knew most canines enjoy. Based on how Komamura closed his eyes slowly, Izuru had to guess that he enjoyed the feeling. 'Oh yeah, I still got it.'
Rukia watched with interest, eyes glittering. She was happy that Komamura was happy at this moment.
"Captain Komamura? You have fox fur." Izuru retracted his hand as the Captain straightened up, fur puffed in agitation. "I'm not saying it in a bad way, sir, forgive me if that's what my tone sounds like. But you… don't meet any of the biological requirements that make a wolf."
"How would you know?" Komamura asked with a glare.
"Uh… because the Honshu wolf looks nothing similar to you, wolves from Europe or the Americas do not have your coloration, ears, or fur… you look and feel like a fox." Izuru rested the side of his face in his hand. "It is amazing. Your ears make it so you hear truths beneath the lies. Your fur protects you from the winter winds and the summer blaze. I can only imagine how the world looks to you when a starless and moonless sky offers no light for us to see."
With each passing compliment, Komamura's ears slowly lay down in a relaxed position. Rukia could almost imagine the next set of poems Izuru writes will all be fox-related.
Rukia rocked back on her heels. "Don't be too upset Komamura-san, foxes are awesome!" She chirped. "They're good at stealth and such." She didn't know too much about foxes, but she knew they were sneaky. "Not all foxes are bad."
Izuru gave Rukia a deadpanned look. "Yeah… what Rukia said. There are stories of foxes that were known for their loyalty…" Izuru quickly tilted his head as if he felt something. "I think we should go, Rukia, I sense another captain in the area… can't tell if it's Captain Ichimaru or Captain Kuchiki."
Rukia practically sniffed the air. "It's Nii-sama." She grinned, "Let's go!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him away. "See you next time, Komamura-san!"
Once the two were far, far away from hearing range, Komamura's ear twitched in thought. "I thought the young Kuchiki was with that Abarai fellow?"
Rukia cackled quietly, laughter dying down to quiet snickers and she grinned up at Izuru. "That was fun. I still feel bad for giving into my instincts to pet…" She pouted slightly before shaking her head with a sigh.
"I doubt he blames you for that, you are childish in nature." Izuru crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm surprised he tolerated us for that long. However, he really is a fox. Kubo calling him a wolf lied to himself the minute he designed Captain Komamura with fox coloring."
"He's got fox-like features too, like his ears and snout." She nodded. "His eye shape too."
"If only we had gotten to see his tail, that would have answered the question immediately… We should be careful when we compare him to other foxes though. They're known tricksters in mythos. The only loyal one I know of is a lesbian fox loving a noble girl."
"I think I remember reading about the whole tricksters thing in a book a few years back." She nodded. "If he is a fox, Komamura is the best one around." She nodded eagerly to herself like she just said the best thing out there.
Izuru dropped his head in defeat. After a moment he lifted his head. "Should we go to the World of the Living soon? Isn't it…" He scanned the area and then grinned, "Strawberry season soon?"
Rukia's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah!" She grinned widely. "Let's go tomorrow!" It was almost time for their annual visit anyhow.
"Perfect. I'll go ask Captain Ichimaru what his choice of bribe- I mean, what cakes he would like back and prepare the gifts, you prepare the actual thing containing the gift."
She nodded and bounced in place. "I'll let Nii-sama know we're going shopping and I'll also let my captain know, though I suppose it doesn't matter since I have off tomorrow."
"I don't technically have tomorrow off…" Izuru admitted with a sheepish grin. "I don't get days off ever as a Lieutenant. But ever since I bought all of that stationary, Squad 3 has been finishing paperwork faster."
"I only get Fridays off and that's just because I requested it." Rukia gave a delicate shrug, "Captain Ukitake is generous enough to give it to me."
"Uh, huh." Izuru nudged Rukia's shoulder with only minor aggression. "Says the one with no real duties beyond standing around and looking pretty."
"You think I'm pretty?" Rukia asked with large, sparkling eyes.
Izuru used his larger stature to nudge Rukia into a nearby pond, then shunpoed away.
The walk to the Kurosaki family house had been quiet. Izuru collected a very elaborate chocolate cake for Gin, and the pair picked out some mangos and peaches to bring as "sorry for the intrusion" gifts. It was a perfectly hot July day, with sun and no breeze. If the pair weren't… well, spirits wearing fake bodies, they'd be like every other Japanese person who was two degrees away from becoming puddles.
"You sure this is the right address?" Izuru glanced over at the perfectly crafted calligraphy in Rukia's hands. Very textbook-looking and something he could not read in the slightest.
"Oh for sure, it looks like the right place!" Rukia chirped. The little Kuchiki grinning widely. She couldn't wait to meet the little orange-haired baby.
"Let's just hope they're not the kinds of parents that are overly paranoid about cleanliness… I specifically had these Gigais designed to be bacteria and viral resistant…" Izuru muttered, pinching at the fake skin and shivering. Yet, another hypothetical with Captain Kurotsuchi. Since souls in the Soul Society can become ill, what would happen if a disease like smallpox resurfaced?
He pointedly ignored Rukia's "Why do you have to be such a downer?" face and knocked on the door. They were immediately greeted by Kurosaki Isshin… Who uh…
"Wow, you look like trash," Izuru commented casually. At that very same moment, came the high-pitched wail of a baby and Isshin's immediate deflation. Izuru looked down at Rukia. "Babies hate me. Go do your magic while I make the parents some coffee."
Rukia hopped into the house with Izuru following. The pair removed their shoes and the shorter one patted the tired dad's head. "Don't worry, Isshin-san, I can handle him." She smiled warmly at him before following the sounds of Ichigo's cries.
She found Masaki sitting in a nursery trying to rock the newborn to sleep. "Hey, Masaki-chan," She said soothingly. "Why don't I take him for a little while?"
Masaki frowned deeply, "I don't know Rukia, he's really fussy right now." She was cradling him on his back in her arms and Rukia had a feeling the poor baby was probably gassy, judging by his cries.
"Masaki, I've learned a thing or two in my life." She smiled warmly at her. "I helped my best friend out with his new baby and he's 5 now." She smiled softly. "Trust me on this one okay?"
Masaki frowned again, deeper this time as she thought about whether or not to hand over her new baby to her friend. "Alright," She nodded, standing up with her son in her arms. "But you have to sit with him," she pointed to the chair.
Rukia nodded eagerly and took a seat. Masaki handed over baby Ichigo and Rukia practically fell in love with his little scrunched-up face. "Oh my goodness, he's so cute!" She changed the way she was holding him, resting him instead against her chest, and began to pat his butt. Soon he calmed down and eventually fell asleep much to the surprise of his mother.
"How? Why? What?" Masaki sagged against the wall in shock.
Rukia just smiled.
"I brought coffee!" Izuru whispered enthusiastically as he entered the nursery. The smell of the roasted beans wafted pleasantly into the room and reached Masaki. He passed the cup to the tired mother and then went over to Rukia. While Masaki couldn't see it, Rukia watched as Izuru's resting bitch face become more bitch faced than before.
An idea formed slowly in her mind. She smiled widely up at the taller man in front of her.
Izuru raised a thin brow. "No."
"Come oooon~" she whispered sweetly.
"You want me to hold something so fresh out of the uterus, it can't even breathe properly if you tilt its head. No."
"You'll do just fine, Izuru, don't worry." She had already stood up, not even giving him a choice as she handed the sleeping infant over.
Masaki watched curiously, wondering why the tall blond didn't want to hold her son.
Izuru went stiff as a board. Not moving his arms with the instinctual knowledge that Rukia put Ichigo into his grasp at the perfect angle for the soft head. He craned his neck down with such structured poise, that both women could almost hear rusty gears of an old building crane moving after 50 years of disuse. "Rukia, this is a horrible idea. He's going to try to commit the unaliving because of this."
Izuru paused, then looked at Masaki.
"Every baby I have ever held in my life has tried to roll away from me."
Rukia watched with increasing curiosity. "I'm right here Izuru, I can catch him if he tries." she smiled. "You know you wanted to hold him. He's so cute!"
Izuru's expression promised other opinions about the crunched-up alien in his grasp.
With a slow, deep breath, the man slowly relaxed. He tilted his head. "Ugly little thing, aren't you? Ugliest baby of any species on the planet." Despite the string of insults, Izuru spoke to the little infant the same way one would praise a dog. "Much scrunch." He uttered the final word with a smooth American accent.
Masaki almost bristled at the insults but noticed his tone at the last second.
Rukia grinned widely as Ichigo seemed to snuggle closer to the blond with a deep, just finished crying, shuddering sigh.
"... Rukia, the baby doesn't hate me," Izuru commented matter-of-factly. "Does he have self-esteem issues out of birth or something? All I did was call him ugly."
"No, I don't even think he can understand you yet. It's the tone of voice you used," She smiled. "It's like someone talking to you politely in German but they're actually insulting you the entire time. He won't understand the language until he practices it for a while."
Izuru's other brow shot up. "Of all the languages, you used the angriest one." The blond shrugged and started walking out of the nursery with the sleeping child, a slight way-too-feminine sway to his walk. "Let's get you away from all this feminine energy you little wrinkled orange. How about we put you on Daddy's chest while he sleeps? He's snoring like a monster truck~ Good vibrations for the squishy bones."
Rukia snorted, trying her best to not full on laugh out loud.
"Is he always like this?" Masaki asked softly.
"Not normally, I think the baby has changed him, for the moment. He usually dislikes babies. But I think he likes this one." She shrugged. She hadn't seen him around an actual infant before but knew from experience and past conversations that he was definitely not a fan.
Izuru's voice loudly echoed from downstairs, "Babies are the worst things in the world but small children are fine! I'm willing to make exceptions!"
For the briefest moment, Masaki's heart stopped. Her fears crashed into her in waves as the anticipation braced her.
But, there were no baby cries.
"Your husband's snores act as a wonderful white noise!" Izuru did not lower his voice.
The two women carefully made their way downstairs. Isshin was passed out on the floor, a half-finished cup of coffee on a nearby counter. Ichigo was asleep on his chest, with Izuru hovering over the pair, seemingly monitoring Ichigo's breathing. Isshin was, in fact, snoring obnoxiously loudly.
"You can go take a nap, Masaki-san. Rukia and I can handle things from here for a while."
Masaki frowned and nodded slightly.
When Masaki went to take her nap, Izuru pointed at Ichigo. "Hey, Rukia, does this work or do I gotta keep staring at him to make sure he doesn't suffocate?" Ichigo was on his back with his head at the same angle he was when initially in Izuru's arms.
"Just check on him every once in a while," she smiled lightly with a shake of her head. "He should be fine."
"Perfect." Izuru straightened up and rolled his sleeves. "I'm gonna clean. This place smells like old milk and tired parents. Plus, Ichigo needs to learn to get used to loudness."
Rukia giggled and nodded. "With how loud Isshin is on a normal basis… being a Shiba and all." She shook her head with a giggle.
For the next two hours, Izuru and Rukia worked on their imposed tasks- with the occasional check on Isshin and Ichigo. Izuru got the kitchen back in order, and even had time for a quick grocery run at a nearby market to fill the cupboards with important adult-eating foods. He was midway through working on a late lunch early dinner for the humans in the house when a fully awake and aware Isshin kicked him out.
Izuru was on reluctant baby duty, watching the father wizz through the kitchen to finish the prepped meal.
"So, you two," Isshin started, lowering the stove's heat so he could multitask and not set the house on fire. "Hope me being in the human world hasn't messed up any of your… whatever plans you guys have."
Izuru shrugged, "Nah, we knew it would happen. At least Ichigo got to be born." He motioned with his head to the happy newborn.
Isshin made a dissatisfied face, "Right… Ichigo is the key player in this. You know, I still don't appreciate you two dropping this news on us when Masaki announced her pregnancy!"
The blond Soul Reaper ducked his head with a sheepish grin, "To be fair. You were ready to gut me when you remembered I worked under Gin- thus associated with Aizen." He looked over to the stairs when a sleepy Masaki stumbled into the kitchen. "Had a good nap?"
Masaki smiled slightly, "Yeah, I feel better." She murmured, brushing her hair out of her face.
"Good, good! We're just talking about the timeline and all that," Izuru said nonchalantly. He would talk with his hands more but… the main character was currently in his arms. "Rukia, would it kill you to take the carrot top?"
Rukia's fingers twitched. She really wanted to hold the baby but this image was just too cute.
Izuru deadpanned, "I can almost hear your thoughts. I'm holding something that looks like a pink sponge someone sat on repeatedly and my face is enough to make a room of Pre-schoolers after a field trip to Disney, sad. How is this cute?"
"Okay, okay," Rukia giggled. "I'll take him just to give your arms a rest." She said with a somewhat crooked smile, definitely not befitting a Kuchiki Princess.
"Oh hey, the Tanner smile," Izuru commented happily then passed the baby over. He stretched with a symphony of pops in his arms and shoulders. He cracked his neck several times.
"Now, I know holding an 8-pound baby was not that bad." She giggled lightly. "You're being dramatic."
"You forget that I sit hunched over a desk 17 hours a day doing stupid paperwork. My bones are messed up."
Masaki fought back a giggle as she watched the two of them interact. It really warmed her heart to see her friends bonding over her new baby.
Izuru frowned and he looked out the window. His shoulders slumped with even more cracks.
"You okay, Zuru?" Rukia used a pet name that was rarely used unless she was genuinely concerned.
The blond inhaled sharply and exhaled just as aggressively. He pulled out a soul candy pod and popped it in his mouth. He split from the Gigai, Soul Reaper uniform and all. He opened the window and a small black butterfly flew in and around Izuru. "Hell butterfly… Mother fu-... It's the smart ones. Forgot their names. Rangiku needs backup."
Izuru pointed at his gigai, who followed the finger impassively. "Protect them and rip anyone dead that comes near here a new hole."
The body blinked slowly, as if registering what it was seeing. Then the face… changed expression. "Of course, sir~ Ready and willing to make as many new holes as needed~"
Izuru bristled. "Damnit… Rangiku swapped my dispenser…" He rushed out of the house, drawing his Zanpakuto. The gigai waved slowly, then lounged on a nearby chair and… well, admiring Isshin quietly.
Isshin passed around food, completely oblivious that he was being undressed by a pair of blue eyes that should NOT be undressing him.
I'm so sorry for the long wait! We've been caught up in life and work and whatnot! But We've got so many new chapters to share with you all! 25 planned out and 18 written so far! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let us know in the comments how we did!