~FIREFLY KNIGHTS~
Bleach Copyright Tite Kubo
Firefly Knights Copyright Illand Girl
'For those that need a Guardian.'
Chapter 26: Knock Once For The Mother
I didn't believe it. Why was she here? What reason could she possibly have for-
"Naomi," her voice was filled with so much emotion. "You look well, better than before. I-I missed yo-"
I slammed the door, my heart stuttering as I stared at the frame. My vision wavered, I felt like I was about to pass out as I crouched down on the floor. My breathing came out erratic as I bit my hand to hide the sound. It took a moment for me to calm down, but I didn't move out of shock. Should I open the door again? Should I move away? So many emotions rushed to the surface- I didn't know how to process any of them.
"Naomi, I- you have every right, I'm sorry. I just- I'm sorry."
She left. Like she always did. Tears welled in my eyes, because this time I couldn't blame her. Taking a breath, I reached for the handle and yanked open the door. She was gone, but an envelope was on the ground.
For my little Naomi.
Inside was money, along with a phone number. I bit my lip, wanting to leave it on the ground, but I couldn't make myself do it. I picked it up and dragged myself back inside before locking the door. I tossed the envelope on the counter, staring at it for a moment, then bowed my head.
Ichigo was right, I needed a cold shower.
"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Kurosaki!" I called when I rushed into the clinic. I stopped by a cafe to get a coffee this morning and was feeling the rush of caffeine in my veins. I hadn't been able to sleep but didn't know what to do about it. I'd sat in silence, staring at a half-written text to Ichigo before I decided not to bother him. What was he going to be able to do anyway? No, I didn't want to put this on him, he had enough to think about. Isshin looked up from his paperwork and grinned.
"Ah no worries my third daughter! Please take your time!" He urged. I smiled, changing into my indoor shoes and tying my hair back. "Say, you are looking a lot fitter since your little trip. Did something happen to make you so motivated?"
I shrugged, turning to face him.
"Well Ichigo's always hounding me about living alone, so I figured I could prove myself with some self-defence and working out more." I paused, sniffing the air, then looked at Isshin. He smelled... so much like Ichigo. Isshin didn't notice the change and sighed.
"I have to agree, you should just move in with us. All you gotta do is sign some papers and we can officially be father and daughter!" He laughed to himself. I was still stuck on the scent, like summer and coffee, that radiated from the man in front of me.
"Hey, uh, Mr. Kurosaki, this might be a weird thing but... did you change your cologne recently?" His eyes widened as he looked at me, his smile dropping in surprise. I stuttered a bit, realizing how inappropriate that was to say and back tracked. "Ah sorry, that's a rude thing to say! I just- I don't know how I never noticed how much you smell like Ichigo."
But that didn't make any sense. Ichigo's smell was related to his spiritual pressure. Did Isshin have more spiritual pressure than he let on? But he was always acting like he was in the dark-
"I wouldn't take it out on Ichigo too much. He's still figuring some things out. You'll learn everything in due time."
Back then, at Masaki's grave. How did Isshin know what was happening? I looked at him, noticing the air change as he stared straight at me. His face was still bright, but not the overbearing gleeful it usually was. Isshin knew something, or at least part of what had been happening back then. Did he know where we went? How did he know? And why? Why lie about seeing spirits? I opened my mouth to ask, but then closed it and looked away.
"I better get started on the laundry, never finished it last time!" I blurted out, rushing to the back. The day was slow, with very little happening, which was sort of a problem since it let my mind wander to the night before. If Mom was in town, that meant...
"Naomi, why don't you head home early and help Yuzu prepare dinner?" Isshin urged around closing. With my mind in a haze, I didn't have the energy to fight him and just agreed, making a broad grin spread across his face. "That's my girl, alright, I'll close up and meet you."
"Ichigo wanted to walk me home, so he'll be here soon as well. We can all go back together." I said, putting away some of the paperwork into their respective folders. Isshin hummed, sidling up to the space I was in behind the receptionist desk.
"You two are as thick as thieves again, huh?" He said, but his tone dripped with curiosity. "Is there anything you wanna tell me?"
I thought of the phone call yesterday and paled. Did he know? No way, I was quiet, right? There weren't any obvious signs, right? I wanted to tell him, "your son is a god damn menace." What I would say would have to be a lot more subtle though. It was, after all, my idea to keep things a secret for now.
"Yeah, if I'm completely honest, I really missed him. I missed all of you but- I dunno. Ichigo and I just always got along." I said as I closed some drawers. It was quiet for a moment.
"I doubt I have to tell you this, but my son really loves you." Isshin said warmly, making me pause. I swallowed, feeling a warmth bubble deep in my chest. I remembered the feeling of our eyes locking the first time I saw him after moving back. I remembered the feeling of him holding me, of the electricity of his kisses.
"I know," I said softly, smiling at nothing. "I love him very much too."
I turned around, Isshin handing me a binder to put away, looking me dead in the eye with a cheerful look. My fingers wrapped around the binder, but my eyes stayed on his.
"I'm aware, especially since you're both not as sneaky as you think you are." Isshin said. I lost that gooey feeling immediately, my eyes widened, and my heart puttered to a halt. No no no! Abort mission. Abort mission! He laughed at my reaction. "It's alright, I won't say anything."
...
That... was surprising.
"N-No offence but- well we expected you to be shouting from a megaphone." I said, turning to put the binder away. Isshin chuckled, crossing his arms to lean against a cabinet. It was only after that I realized I officially confirmed his suspicions. Clearly, I would be horrible at secret keeping if I was ever interrogated.
"You know, I can keep a secret. When Masaki and I started dating, I kept quiet about it until I was sure. Though I was quite a bit older than her and was waiting for her to be ready for that kind of commitment." He looked at me, eyes reminiscing. "You remind me of her, when she was young. You even got that same cheeky grin, and you're both ready to jump in and protect your loved ones."
I looked down, remembering the day Ichigo showed up at my house, staring at me with glazed over eyes. He was so vacant, just standing there lost. Mom and I phoned Isshin, hearing the news. He spent the night with us, not reacting, not speaking. Ichigo's tiny arms gripped onto me the entire night, and anytime I left him he urgently held onto me when I returned. I could remember Ichigo vividly, but other than the photos of Masaki, I couldn't remember her, other than the way her kids beamed whenever she was in the room.
"I can't remember her," I admitted, looking off. "Mom used to talk about her, since they were close, but that was before- before we left Karakura. I remember her being bright and cheerful, and I know all her kids loved her, as did you."
Isshin nodded, looking out the window beside us.
"She was like the sun, and I was just happy to be in her orbit." He said, a sorrow and warmth spreading through him. My heart lurched at the faraway look in his eyes; he was a man who still loved his wife very deeply. I watched him, realizing the strength he must have to get up and move forward like he had. As much as Ichigo called him overbearing, the man was doing double duty as a parent for the past seven years. Isshin always had my respect as a father, a man who had grieved while still caring for all his children.
"I think she passed that on to Ichigo," I said, thinking of his zanpakutÅ. Zangetsu roughly translated to 'to slay the moon' which was used in Shakespeare to refer to the coming dawn and an end to dark times. I wondered if his obsession with the playwright influenced the name. "He's literally sunshine, when he's not grumpy."
Isshin laughed, breaking from his reminiscing.
"Well, you might be the only one calling him that, but it's nice to know you think so highly of him." He ruffled my hair, grinning. "Now go wait for Ichigo outside. Otherwise, I might forget our little secret."
"An eye for an eye." I taunted. Isshin smirked, looking so much like his son in that moment. He absolutely knew what I was referring to.
"Well played."
I stepped outside, looking around. Ichigo's scent was coming closer, he'd be here soon. Nibbling on my bottom lip, I debated telling everyone that we were dating. It was kinda fun, sneaking around, but the idea of being able to walk up to him in a crowded room and kiss him felt just as addicting. My mind conjured the image of Isshin and his faraway look. Considering everything that's been happening, it would be egotistical to say nothing bad would ever happen to us. Maybe we should just let things happen? Maybe it was time to say we were official? It'd only been a few weeks, and yet-
"There you fucking are."
I froze, turning in time to see a man stomping towards me. He was huge, easily over six feet, with a scar on his left cheek and a glare that rivalled Kenpachi's. My body tensed, not comprehending what I was seeing.
It was him .
He grabbed my collar and slammed me into the side of the building. I was too stunned to react and felt like a rag doll being tossed around. My neck tensed in time to stop my head from hitting the wall, but he shoved me harder into it the second time.
"Where the fuck have you been?! You think you can just run off like that? Answer me!" He shoved me into the wall again. I snarled, making fists at my sides as he got right up into my face, but I refused to answer him and glared instead.
"I'll kill him." Espejo growled.
No, we can't.
I snapped back to reality when he shook me, my hands turned to fists at my sides as he loomed over me. A deep rage exploded from my gut as I raised my own glare to meet his.
"Akito." I snapped, forcing my hands to stay at my sides. "Still picking on little girls for fun?"
Akito laughed, his voice grating at my ears.
"Oh? Ran away for a couple months and you grew a backbone huh?" He shoved me back, his palm open on my collarbone and pressing down on my shoulder. I struggled not to wince from the pressure. "What's your mother going to think? Did ya run off with a guy? Get knocked up? That why you're outside a clinic?"
His eyes narrowed as he looked over me. I fought back trying to squirm under his gaze. Akito's eyes snapped back to mine; disgust evident from the way he was looking at me. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from talking, knowing if I said anything he would use it against me.
"Your mother calls you a little saint, but I could tell from day one you were a snot nosed brat." He grabbed my chin, forcefully yanking it to the side and sneering as his eyes landed on my bare shoulder. "I knew it, you little whore."
I slapped his hand away, not sure what he was looking at, his dark eyes looked red. My eyes widened as I realized the mistake I made. He reared a fist back to punch me. I bit the inside of my cheek, tensing to prepare-
Akito went flying .
I stared at him, lying on the ground several feet away, then looked over to where Ichigo had done a high kick to his ribs. He marched forward, moving to stand between us. I only got a small chance to see his face; Ichigo looked pissed . Akito groaned, sitting up on the ground and glaring at Ichigo.
"Who the fuck are you?" He growled, staggering to his feet while holding his ribs. Ichigo's entire body looked like it was a tightly wound spring; ready to snap at the littlest inconvenience.
"That's my fucking line." Ichigo's voice said, sounding deeper. I'd never heard him talk like that; he sounded like he was ready to murder Akito. A nervous anxiety settled in my gut at the realization that Ichigo had roundhouse Akito. He'd be taking his revenge now, making me swallow. Akito squared up with Ichigo, and while Ichigo was tall Akito was huge . He was almost as tall as Kenpachi, and just as broad. Ichigo didn't look at all bothered though, cracking his knuckles. Akito paused, looking from Ichigo, to me, then he sneered.
"Oh I get it," he looked right at me. "He's the one that got you knocked up."
"You shut your mouth!" Ichigo made to lunge, but I panicked and grabbed his arm.
"No don't!" I shouted, getting swung forward from the force, but Ichigo stopped.
"Nao! What are you doing?" Ichigo snapped, pulling me beside him. I looked at Akito, who was holding his undoubtedly bruised ribs. He glared at me, pupils narrowing as he took a single step forward. I gripped Ichigo's bicep harder, trying to pull him back. Just as Ichigo made to punch Akito anyway, the door to the clinic opened. Isshin stepped out, noticing the commotion. He took one look at us and stepped on the other side of me.
"Is there something you need?" Isshin's voice asked, dropping an octave as he spoke to Akito. The scarred man glared at both men, then looked down at me. He scoffed, staring at me like he always did. Like I was his property.
"I'm just here to collect my kid." Akito said, looking at Ichigo as a low growl emitted from his throat.
"Bullshit." Ichigo snapped, pulling me to stand behind him. "If you think I'd ever let her go with you-"
"The fuck you gunna do kid? She's mine ." Akito growled. I couldn't see his face as Ichigo shoved me straight behind him. "You can have her after though."
I grabbed Ichigo around his middle, not letting him rush forward like he wanted to. Isshin grabbed his arm too, his warm tone far gone now as he spoke to Akito.
"I think you should leave, because our Naomi won't be able to hold my son back forever." Isshin said, his tone polite but with an edge. I swallowed, closing my eyes as I squeezed Ichigo tighter, pressing my face into his back. All I could hear was Akito's scoff as he kicked soem rocks.
"That's fine, she can't hide forever." He stomped away, my grip on Ichigo's waist must've been bruising as I pressed my face into his back. Ichigo himself was still tense, even after Akito left. He moved away to turn and look between Isshin and I. I let him go as I looked at my feet. My mind couldn't process everything that was happening. Mostly, I felt shame. Shame that they saw this, and that it was coming to light. I had hoped these things would stay buried, but...
"Naomi, are you alright?" Isshin's voice cut through my thoughts. It was much softer than I'd ever heard before. I twitched, still looking at my feet, but managed to nod. He sighed, moving to step closer to me. "I think you should spend the night at our place. I don't feel comfortable leaving you in that apartment like this."
"It's fine," I said, feeling small even in my voice. It took me a moment to realize my vision was blurry, and another to wipe the tears away. "Sorry, I don't- I actually want to go home tonight. Say sorry to Yuzu for me-"
Ichigo turned to look at me, none of his rage had settled since Akito left.
"You are not staying alone tonight." He insisted. I shook my head. "Nao-"
"I'll be fine." I insisted. Ichigo scowled.
"Fine? That was not fine! What if he finds out where you live?" He said, leaning over me. I felt a spark of rage at both him using his height to his advantage and his words. The memory of Akito looming over me burned up my spine.
"And this is better? What about Yuzu and Karin?" I insisted. Ichigo put both his hands on my shoulders then. His hands were so large, so strong. Why couldn't my hands be like that? I wouldn't be in this mess if I was.
"They're with me and Dad. They're safe. What about you? Who's looking out for you?" He wasn't giving this one up, but the more he pushed the more frustrated I got as I leaned towards him. Why wouldn't he just drop it?
"I can take care of myself, been doing it a while." I snapped, feeling angry that he just wasn't getting it. I didn't need him standing behind me, I didn't need a bodyguard. I had been my own protector for a long time. "I can handle Akito, I did for years, so I can handle him again."
"How? By standing there and taking it?" Ichigo snapped, some of his rage coming back despite him struggling to stay calm. "You're half his size and you were just going to let him hit you?"
"If I hit him-" I sucked in a breath, biting my lip. Ichigo wouldn't back down, looking the exact same as he did a few minutes ago. I looked at his feet, placing my hands on his wrists in a feeble attempt to hold onto him. It was only now that I could feel the trembling in my arms. His arms were steady, holding on to me, grounding me.
"Please, I don't want to fight you..." I really didn't. "I... I can't bring more people into this."
A few moments later, Ichigo pulled his hands off me. I let go of his wrists a moment later and my arms fell uselessly to my sides. The silence stretched on longer than I was comfortable with.
"Fine."
He grabbed my waist and chucked me over his shoulder. I squeaked, flailing as I tried to pull myself off him.
"I-Ichigo!" I wiggled, but he held my thighs to his chest to stop the movement.
"Shut up," he said, marching to his house. "You're not asking, so it's fine."
I gave a feeble cry of indignation, watching Isshin's troubled face give a slight sigh before he followed us. This wasn't what I wanted; my eyes scanned behind us to make sure Akito wasn't still there.
"Put me down." I demanded. It was met with silence. "Ichigo!"
"Not happening."
"I'll hit you!"
"Don't care."
I grumbled, noticing Isshin trailing behind us with mixed emotions. My gaze caught his, he just gave a weak smile, fat chance he'd lift a finger to help me.
"Don't look at me, I'm thrilled you're finally staying over." Isshin teased. I huffed, allowing myself to dangle over Ichigo's shoulder for a minute.
"You can let me down... I won't run." I said, feeling defeated. Ichigo ignored me. A long sigh escaped my mouth as I just took the treatment for the short walk home. When we got to the door, Ichigo put me down, but gave me no room to run away even if I wanted to. I scoffed. "I said I wouldn't run."
Ichigo looked calmer, but his eyes were still troubled as he frowned at me. His arms encasing me between the doorway, giving only one exit.
"Sure you won't." He said, opening the door for me. I frowned, genuinely insulted, then turned to march into his home.
"Oh good! You brought Naomi!" Yuzu cheered, rushing up to hug me. The immediate change in energy gave me whiplash, but I forced a smile, hugging Yuzu as she wrapped her arms around me.
"Good to see you, Yuzu." I greeted, separating from her. Yuzu smiled up to me, barely letting me take my shoes off before pulling me to the kitchen.
"I need your opinion! Karin doesn't care about spices and those two are just as terrible. What do you think is missing from this stew?" Yuzu rambled, pulling me up to the large pot. I chuckled, not entirely focused as I thought of Mom showing up to my house. Carefully, I used her offered spoon to taste the stew and hummed.
"You could try coconut milk to thicken it up, and some more chili peppers." It seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Yuzu teared up. She held her hands to her face in horror.
"We don't have coconut milk!" She cried, I giggled. She could be so cute. My hand patted her head as I calmed her down.
"Relax Yuzu, we can make a roux instead to help it out." I soothed. She grinned, spinning around to grab some ingredients. I heard sniffles and turned to see Isshin staring at us with tears in his eyes.
"It's like you belong here Naomi. What ever will I do when you leave us?" He asked woefully. My eyes widened a bit, but before I could answer Karin beat me to the punch.
"Maybe love your other daughters?" She muttered, waltzing into the kitchen. Ignoring the kicked puppy expression on her father's face, Karin glanced at me, frowning. "Honestly Naomi, I don't know how you deal with this shmuck."
I smirked, crossing my arms with a shrug.
"I mean, if your dad likes me I get free food." I joked, watching the betrayal sink into Isshin's eyes. The waterworks started, distantly reminding me of my mom.
"That's all I am to you Naomi?! A sugar daddy?" It was his son who kicked him for that one despite all of us cringing at the words.
"Don't ever use those words in the same sentence you creep!" Ichigo shouted. I looked at him, noticing his temper hadn't settled at all. His brown eyes shifted to me, his body tensing up at my frown. He looked uncomfortable under my stare and turned away from me. Karin muttered something.
"Well that's different." She said under her breath. I looked down at my feet, took a breath, then turned to help Yuzu in the kitchen.
"Let's get to work on the roux." I encouraged, only half present but trying to pay attention to Yuzu. Once the stew was ready, we served everyone, settling around the table. I was the last to sit in the open chair next to Ichigo, he pulled it out for me without looking up from his food. I sat numbly, sideways glancing at Ichigo to see him staring off into the distance. The table was silent for a moment as I sighed deeply. Was he angry with me? I couldn't tell at all. It was the first time I couldn't get a feel for his emotions. I just knew he was angry.
Yuzu, who sat at the top of the table, began to ask me something when she gasped. I looked at her, eyes wide as she stared at me like I was just telling her terrible news.
"Oh no! Not again!" She said, touching my shoulder. I blinked rapidly, feeling like someone hit the reset button in my brain.
"Wh- Yuzu?" I asked, staring at her as she looked at me. She looked very concerned. The last time she had been that concerned was when-
When I got strangled by the hollow.
He bit my shoulder, and while I thought it was supposed to be a light nip, I squeezed his cock at the same time. Ichigo bit down on me hard enough to bruise.
Oh no.
"I'm aware, especially since you're both not as sneaky as you think you are."
That's right, Ichigo left a mark. How could I have forgotten? Even Akito pointed it out and I fucking forgot about it. It was a large dark bruise at the junction of my neck and shoulder, barely visible if my t-shirt moved out of the way. It must've been the final clue for Isshin. My hand immediately clasped over the hickey, my mind hearing alarm bells ringing.
"Oh- no no no! That's- it's not-" Oh shit, what do I say? I couldn't say it was a wound, or a bite mark... Yuzu's mind seemed to be putting two and two together though, and my whole body erupted as understanding dawned on her face. She slapped her cheeks, pink tinting them.
"Is that a hickey?!" She asked. I nearly fainted, Ichigo coughed as he choked on his food. I turned to look at my plate, catching Karin's suspicious glances at me and Ichigo. God please don't- I'm not ready for this...
"What?! Naomi, since when do you have a boyfriend? Surely you will bring him by and introduce him to your daddy?!" Isshin shouted. I take back any nice things I've said about you. My eyes narrowed at him, seeing the taunt behind the grin. Ichigo continued to eat, unbothered and making no attempt to rescue me. Asshole.
"It's um- yeah, yup. It's true." I said in a watery voice, seeing no point in denying this part since Isshin would absolutely not let it go. Then it dawned on me that I was indirectly admitting that his son gave me that hickey and felt faint.
Oh no.
"Wait is it Ichigo?!" Yuzu shouted. My little heart couldn't take it. Maybe we should just come out and admit it all? I mean, obviously the Kurosaki family would love it. Isshin might stand on top of the hous ewith a megaphone shouting to the literal rooftops, but it was a good thing right? Just as I was about to spill the beans, Ichigo spoke.
"As if! Knock it off and leave her alone." He scoffed, sounding tense. I frowned, glancing over at him. That... kinda hurt for some reason. I know it was my idea but... was it necessary to be so angry? Yuzu deflated, looking saddened.
"Wait, so it's not Ichigo? I was sure you two had started dating." She said, looking a little sadder. I turned to her, eyes wide.
"What made you think that?" I asked, trying very hard not to look at either man that sat at the table. Yuzu let out a puff of air.
"He's just less grumpy, except for today, and- I dunno, my female intuition said so!" She said, looking so damn cute that I almost admitted it to her. I giggled, patting her head. Karin piped in.
"Don't hold your breath Yuzu. Didn't I tell you Naomi's out of Ichigo's league?" Karin reminded us of her words while visiting Masaki's gave. I heard a grumble coming from Ichigo, whose eyes were narrowed on me of all people. My gaze locked with his as I frowned.
"Is there a problem?" I asked, surprised he was still cranky. When would he just let what happened earlier go? Don't get involved. Ichigo stared at me for a moment, then went back to eating with a mumbled "nothing" under his breath.
"So who's the lucky man?! Anybody we know?" Isshin insisted. I hesitated, gritting my teeth as he stared straight at me.
"N-Nobody you'd know. I met him- uh- over summer break." I lied, horribly at that, but Yuzu was eating it up. I wanted to die. She leaned closer, eyes wide and losing their sadness.
"Oh boy! A real life romance! Have you kissed him yet?" I turned bright red, thinking I'd done so much more than kissing.
"She has a hickey." Karin said, not losing momentum in her meal. Yuzu giggled despite my face turning redder.
"Oh you have! When was your first kiss then? Oh I bet it was romantic. Was it after he took you on a date and under a sakura tree?" Yuzu looked whimsical as she spoke in a sing song voice.
"Um, well, no. He just sort of kissed me and told me to shut up." I said, hearing dead silence from the table. Yuzu looked shocked, but I refused to look at anyone else out of pure fear at this point. Why did I say that? Why didn't I just say "yeah, something like that!" Why? Because I'm an idiot who's also a sucker for punishment.
"What?" It was the single word that got out of Yuzu's mouth, and the words started to tumble out of my mouth. Honestly, nobodys hould ever give me secrets, they'd be spilled in a heartbeat.
"Well yeah, it was kind of a thing, he had to go beat up this one guy-"
"Oh he's a punk too?" Karin asked. I nodded. "Did he ever fight Ichigo? Did he win?"
"Hey! Leave me out of this." Ichigo grumbled, turning away from our little huddle. I desperately wanted him to turn around and shut me up somehow, especially because Isshin was right there, but the two girls were so curious.
"Um, kinda... He can be a punk and a brat sometimes." I said, imagining Ichigo fighting Renji right after kissing me. A blush slipped onto my cheeks, Yuzu squealed.
"Aw! What's his name? What's he look like? Do you have a picture together?" My heart completely flat-lined when she asked. I didn't have a name to use, and when I glanced at Ichigo he got up to put his dishes in the sink. I blue-screened for a moment, wondering what the hell I should do.
Think of a name. Think of a name-
"Ah hi-his name is... it's Renji..." Ichigo dropped his glass, but it didn't shatter. I didn't dare to look over at him for fear of whatever kind of glare he might give me.
Literally any other name would've been fine Nao, any other name. Even Jesus would've been a better choice, not the guy who is apparently besties with Ichigo now!
"Renji? Oh he sounds cute! What's he look like?" I blanked again, completely forgetting Renji's face off the top of my head.
"Um, he's tall, long red hair... he's got a lot of tattoos..." That was a terrible description, and considering Isshin was now huddled in with us I knew he wasn't even remotely buying it. Isshin sighed, looking wistful.
"Such a shame Ichigo missed his shot. Naomi, you're going to become my daughter one way or another," then he looked me dead in the eye. "It's almost like this is an elaborate cover up, designed to keep us from knowing-"
"Oh Mr Kurosaki, did you change your cologne? You smell... different." I cut him off, eyes wide and menacing. He huffed, looking rejected, then grinned.
"I'm so glad you noticed! It's a special scent I bought from the store! See? At least you notice these things about me Naomi!" He said with a beaming smile. Karin and Yuzu sniffed the air, looking confused.
"You wear cologne old man?" Karin asked. Yuzu frowned, leaning into her twin.
"I can't smell anything." She said in a whisper. I bit the inside of my mouth to stop anything from coming out. I used this as an escape, taking my dishes to the sink as Isshin insisted his daughters hug him to see the new smell. Karin wasn't buying it. When I neared Ichigo, I noticed he was still wound up like a coil. Tentatively, I stepped beside him, trying to wash my dishes. When he didn't speak, I swallowed, feeling nervous.
"You alright?" I asked. He scoffed, staying quiet a moment longer.
"Renji? Seriously?" He said in a low tone. I tensed.
"It was the first name that came to mind." I said quietly despite my insistence. Ichigo sighed.
"Yeah, I'm sure." He muttered. I froze, feeling something akin to shame settle in my stomach.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, raising my voice slightly. Ichigo looked down at me, frowning.
"Nothing. It didn't mean anything. I just-" He sighed. "Let's just drop it."
"No, say what you're thinking." I demanded, feeling my own shoulders tense up. Ichigo sighed.
"Nao-"
"Say what you were thinking Ichigo." I said sharply. He looked down at me, meeting my gaze. It was quiet for a moment, then he spoke.
"Why did you just stand there?" He asked, going back to earlier today. This again? "He couldn't seriously hurt you-"
"I can take care of myself." I insisted, standing taller despite being so much shorter than him. Ichigo frowned.
"By what? Letting a grown man hit you? That's taking care of yourself?" His voice rose slightly. I frowned deeper.
"Oh so tossing me over your shoulder when I say no is taking care of me? I'm not afraid of him-"
"You should be! He's twice your size and obviously not bothered by hitting a woman-"
"So it's just because I'm a woman huh? If I was a guy would there be a problem?" I felt my hands ball into fists, frustration kicking at me. It hurt, knowing he saw exactly what I did. A weak little girl who had to stand there and take it instead of fighting back. It stung, badly. Ichigo didn't hold back as he raised his voice to match mine.
"Of course there would be! Don't you get it? You're small! This isn't like- like other times! You can't-"
"Don't tell me what to do! I have been doing this on my own for years !" I shouted, hurt that he thought so little. I'd struggled with this for years, and now he's here magically wanting to fix it all? No, I didn't need his help. I could solve this on my own.
"I'm trying to protect you-"
"I don't need you!" I screamed. "I haven't needed anyone my entire life, and I refuse to start now !"
I immediately saw the hurt in his eyes, feeling tears well up in my own as it dawned on me what I had just said. Ichigo's rage vanished, replaced by hurt and a hollow look. He dropped the dish rag and left for his room without saying a word. I stared at the spot he'd just stood in, feeling horrible as I swallowed a lump in my throat. It wouldn't go away. My gaze drifted to the Kurosaki family staring at me from the table. Guilt rose in my gut as I blinked rapidly to hide the tears.
"I-I'm sorry- I-" I turned for the door, briskly walking to it. As I went to bend down to grab my shoes, a hand caught my shoulder. I looked to see Isshin with a calm, solemn expression.
"I think we all need to calm down a little bit." Isshin soothed. I swallowed the lump again, feeling tears well up in my eyes. He patted my head as I turned to face him and the girls. Yuzu came up to me and gave me a hug. Such a kind girl, always the first to reach out. I hugged her back just as tightly, fighting back tears that I refused to let fall.
I helped clean the kitchen, trying to keep my mind off of Ichigo, Mom, and Akito. Obviously, I failed miserably, struggling to remain neutral in my expression the entire time. Karin stole a shirt from Ichigo and gave me some sleeping shorts so that I didn't have to sleep in jeans and a tank top. My bed would be the couch for tonight, some peace and quiet hopefully. Yuzu insisted on giving me a fluffy blanket to use, saying it would help me relax. I hoped she was right, hugging her before she went off to bed. Karin waved goodnight before following her sister.
"If you need anything, you don't have to ask." Isshin insisted as I sat in the pile of pillows and blankets. A single nod shook my head. "And by the way, I'm not angry for you yelling at my son, in case you were worried."
I was, somewhat. The lump in my throat wouldn't disappear as I nodded again.
"I would encourage you to understand it from his perspective though. How would you feel if Ichigo refused your help at every turn? Just something to think about." Isshin said calmly. I sighed.
"You're a really great dad, Mr Kurosaki. Better than mine ever was." I said the last part quietly, staring at the floor. Isshin chuckled.
"I'll take it as a compliment." He soothed. I raised my eyes to smile at him, though it was weak. "Get some rest, we can all talk it out in the morning."
He turned off the lights as he went to his room down the hall. I listened for the click of his door shutting before laying down, only to sit up again. Ichigo hadn't left his room since earlier. I stared at his door, just barely visible down the hall, then tried to lay down once more. It might've been easier to stay relaxed if it wasn't for the fact that Ichigo's spiritual pressure kept rising and falling, as if going through a moment of anger. I tried to sleep for a solid forty minutes, staring at the clock on the wall as I shifted and twisted.
I hated fighting with Ichigo, even more so when it was my fault. Why did he have to be so- so good to me? So caring? It made my skin crawl and my chest gooey all at once. My eyes drifted to his door again, my thoughts returning to my words. I didn't mean them, not really. I loved Ichigo so much, but the idea of people having to carry my burdens stung. I'd been doing this for so long, and yet...
Fighting in the spirit world was a completely different feeling to this. I didn't mind fighting there. It had different rules. I was strong there and could stand on equal ground. Here, in the world of the living, I was small, weak, and often overlooked as an ally. It took me so long just to get Ichigo to acknowledge me in soul form, something that would never happen in the world of the living, as much as I hated to admit.
Part of me wished I could've knocked Akito out on my own. I wish I could've been strong enough to punch him when he hit my mother the first time, and yet another part of me didn't want to hit him at all. It felt like I lost to him whenever I hit back. Like there was some sort of game I was missing.
I also didn't want Ichigo getting into fights because of me. The idea of him clocking Akito was... thrilling... but Akito played dirty. He'd hit back when we least expected it. Who we least expected. And as much as I appreciated the Kurosaki men stepping in between us, I knew it was inevitable that he would get me alone. I had no idea where mom was, or what their relationship was anymore either. The entire thing was so... frustrating.
Finally, at an hour in to 'resting', I gave up. My feet gently padded on the hardwood floor as I walked up to Ichigo's bedroom. Should I knock? Would that wake anybody up? I ended up not needing to do anything, as Ichigo opened his door right as I began to lift my hand. He stared at me, looking surprised. I felt embarrassed, almost wanting to run back to my little pillow and blanket mound, but Ichigo's presence stopped me. Pinning me without doing anything but standing there.
"Can I come in?" I asked.
Ichigo stared down at me for a moment, then stepped aside to let me in.
I took a breath, finding his office chair in the dark and sitting down. Ichigo left his room for a moment, coming back with two glasses of water. He placed on down on the desk beside me, drinking from the other before setting it down as well.
"I'm sorry." I said quickly, barely above a whisper. I meant it, though it burned to say. Ichigo heard me, pausing in his drinking. "I didn't mean to-"
I swallowed, feeling my nerves lighting up and wanting to flee. I closed my eyes, reminding myself that Ichigo was trusting me, opening up to me. I needed to do the same for him. I wanted to, I really did, but this was-
"The truth is, I'm scared." I admitted before I could doubt myself. But now the words were flowing, and they weren't stopping. "I'm scared because you're right. I am small, and weak, and fuck does it hurt- but I can't- I'm scared to get other people involved. Because what if it goes wrong? And more people get hurt because I'm too small? And it's not- I know you're strong Ichigo, but what about Yuzu and Karin? I think of them a lot, I think about Mom, and our friends at school and..."
I curled my knees to my chest, staring at the ground between us as he sat on his bed. He reached a hand out, grabbing the arm of the office chair and wheeling me closer to him. I couldn't really see him that well in the darkness and chose to just focus on his hand resting by his side.
"Tell me what happened." He insisted. I took a breath, not sure where to start. "Take your time, tell when what you want, don't say it if it's too hard. But I want to know what's going on in that head of yours."
His words calmed me, I stared at his unmoving hand and used it to ground me. With a deep breath, I tried to start at the beginning.
"I know Mom met Akito before we moved. They had a long-distance relationship from what I can remember. He came to visit us sometimes when we were here, but then he offered us to move in with him. It was within walking distance of the academy I was planning to go to, so it seemed like the right choice. So our move was pretty simple." I rested my chin on my knees. "Akito started out pretty normal, well, maybe not. He'd always say odd things. He'd comment on what Mom was wearing a lot, showering her with tons of affection after. He'd ask her to take him with her everywhere. Sometimes he commented on what I was wearing, or who I would be hanging out with. If it was a boy, he'd convince my Mom I shouldn't go, even if it was just meeting at the library to study."
I wrapped my arms around my legs, breathing deeply.
"The longer we stayed, the more he showed his true colours. He had no qualms telling me off, about anything really. He'd comment about my weight, my hair, even my clothing. He even commented that my skirt was too short for middle school despite being past my knee. He was... gross... and I always fought back anytime he said something. One time he slapped me for it." Ichigo's hand balled into a fist as I paused. "I... I was stunned. But I didn't back down. And the next time he hit me, I hit him back. It didn't do much, his hits hurt a lot and honestly, I think I just hurt my hand hitting him, but Mom walked in on it and freaked out. Akito, of course, used his pretty words to trick Mom into thinking it was my fault. I was scolded for my behaviour and put into therapy."
I let out a puff of air, thinking of my mother's reactions. She looked so sad, so upset with me. Not once did she even let me say what was happening or let me defend myself. My gaze drifted to Ichigo's glass of water, sitting half empty on his desk.
"Y'know, maybe she knew deep down I was this weird monster, she always seemed... scared." I muttered, burying my head in my knees.
"Stop that." Ichigo said, tugging my chair closer. I looked up at him, but he'd ducked his head to hide his expression. "Don't ever talk about yourself like that."
I hummed, grateful for his words, but unable to voice it. Part of me didn't believe him; was this what Ichigo felt like when I insisted I wasn't afraid of him? I looked away, continuing.
"He called me a lot of things. Whore, freak, his favourite thing was to intimidate me when he was angry. He would- he'd stand behind me, and I could smell the alcohol, and he would breathe down my neck and tell me how worthless I was. And- I fought back, all the time... Until I came into the living room and saw him backhand my mom." It was dead quiet in Ichigo's bedroom. The tension was burning as I squeezed my arms around my legs. I took several deep, shaky breaths to calm down. My gaze turned to Ichigo's resting hand, seeing it shaking. His forearm of the hand gripping the office chair was so tense veins were popping out.
"He'd been hitting her for a little while, and I just- I wanted Mom to be happy. She was a struggling parent taking care of a bratty daughter. I told him he can't hit her... so hit me. And he was okay with that. I- I never fought back. Well, I did a few times, and he'd hit her in front of me. So I just- I just took it. He never hit her again, as long as I did nothing he wouldn't touch her. He didn't always smack me or anything, just sometimes if my mouth got too sharp. It didn't get to that point very often, but sometimes it was like he was itching for a fight and just wanted to hit me. Never my face, or anywhere obvious. He was smart that way."
I took a deep breath, remembering the time he pinned me to the wall with my back to him, his whole body squeezing me. I felt ashamed of the memory, remembering how I snapped and bit his hand beside my head. The sounds coming from his and mom's bedroom that night was cruel, but I couldn't do anything. I had done that to her.
"It's all your fault."
"When you kicked him, I was scared, because I could only think about what he'd do to Mom. But... I don't think she's with him. She... came by the night before... after you left. I was so stunned I- I slammed the door in her face." I felt the tears spring forward as I relived that moment. I was panicking, my breaths quick and unfocused.
"What if that was her trying to get away? What if- I-"
"Nao, come here." Ichigo's voice was stiff, his hand moved from the chair to my ankle, tugging my legs down. His hands found my thighs as he yanked me to his lap. I held onto him like a lifeline as I started to cry. It wouldn't stop. Even if I ran now the tears were already falling onto his shirt. I felt fuzzy and dizzy as his arms wrapped around me, warm and sturdy. My breathing settled a bit, enough for me to remember where I was. I was with Ichigo. I was safe. Very safe.
"It kept happening until I couldn't take it anymore. When I turned sixteen, I begged Mom to leave him. I begged her , and she kept hesitating. So I told her it's him or me and-" I choked on a sob, clinging tighter to Ichigo, probably scratching him. "She told me to leave. S-So I packed everything I could carry and ran that night. I used all my savings on the apartment. I saw an ad for your dad looking for an assistant and he hired me on the spot. Thank God, I had nothing. I had nobody, I..."
I couldn't stop crying, no matter how hard I tried to bottle it up. A single stroke of Ichigo's hand on my back had me crying all over again.
"I was so alone..." Something broke in me when I said it out loud. It shattered into a million pieces as I finally voiced the root of my pain. "She chose him over me ."
I felt like I was being choked of all my air as I said the very thing I was afraid to say. It felt heavy and yet lighter all at once as I clung onto my carrot top for dear life. What would Ichigo say? I was so scared. What would he do? He was my Ichigo when I was there for him. What would he think of me now though? Now that I was compromised and not the strong Naomi Sakurai he knew? Ichigo said he wanted to protect me, but who would want to deal with this mess?
Ichigo's body was practically a lit flame as he held me tightly, his warm hands stroking up and down my back in a soothing motion. He shushed me gently, not quieting me, but it was soothing. So warm, so strong. It was a foreign feeling to have someone console me. I'd self-soothed for years now. It was so nice, comforting. After a while of nothing but ugly sobs and half-baked apologies slipping from my mouth, I finally grounded myself again and stopped sobbing. My hands aggressively wiped at my face as I pulled back. Ichigo's hands stayed around my back but allowed me space.
"Sorry, I was- I didn't- I'm sorry." I felt embarrassed, trying to pull away from his lap. Ichigo refused though, holding my hips tightly and pulling me back to him. He reached one hand up to gently wipe my tears away, then used his other arm to grab me a tissue from the nightstand. I blew my nose with it and wiped the rest of my face before tossing it in the waste bin. Ichigo leaned forward, kissing my forehead.
"Why are you apologizing? For him? For your mother?" He asked, eyes close enough for me to see in the dark. I swallowed, finally getting rid of the lump.
"For turning into a sobbing mess." I said, feeling a headache from the tears. Ichigo scoffed.
"Never apologize for that." He said firmly. I whimpered, feeling bad still. Ichigo pulled me in for another hug. I buried my head in the crook of his neck, humming. His scent engulfed me, making me sigh. "You didn't deserve any of that."
I didn't say anything, making him tug gently at my hair to pull me face to face. Our noses were almost touching as he looked at me.
"Naomi," he said firmly. I swallowed, unable to look away from him. "You didn't deserve any of that."
He kissed my cheek under the corner of my eye, then my temple, then pulled me in for another hug.
"I promise," he said softly. "I'll find a way to help you and your mom."
"You can't," I said, feeling defeated as I leaned against him. My chin rested on his shoulder. "Please Ichigo, please I don't. I don't want anyone else getting hurt because of this."
"I don't care," he said, voice hard as his body tensed. He held me as close as possible; no distance was between us anymore as his one hand rested on the back of my head while the other was on the flat plane of my back. "I will protect you. I promise."
I felt my body shudder at his words, wrapping my legs around him and gripping on like a koala. A soft hum slipped from my mouth as I buried my head into the crook of his neck, feeling fresh tears roll down my cheeks. As hard as it was, and as scary, facing it with Ichigo beside me felt so much easier than going it alone. Still the looming fear of doubt crept up my spine, though it was brushed away by Ichigo's soft hands.
"You should go to sleep," he said. I nodded, but didn't move, making him chuckle once without humour. "Not gunna walk yourself?"
"Can I stay here?" I asked, feeling him sigh. Surprisingly, he just laid down on his bed, letting me fall on top of him. "This... isn't exactly what I meant."
Ichigo huffed, rolling me off of him as he adjusted to yank the blankets out from under us both. He then laid down next to me. We looked at each other, sharing the one pillow. My face was bright red as he reached over and began to trace circles along my back. I watched him, fresh tears pricking my eyes. Ichigo's brown eyes widened in alarm.
"What is it? Are you-"
I leaned up, kissing him softly.
"You're so good to me." I whispered, feeling my heart explode. Ichigo's eyes softened, a lot of the tension leaving his body as he pulled me closer to him. My head hurt, stinging the back of my eyes.
"Go to sleep, I'm here." He said softly, tracing soft patterns into my back. I sighed, sinking into the mattress and his hold. So warm. So strong. Anytime the fear of Akito rose in my mind, it was as if Ichigo could hear my thoughts and held me tightly for a few seconds. Slowly but surely, I drifted off to sleep.
Emmmoooottttiioooonalllll Roooolllllleeeerrrr Cooooaaassssstttteeerrrrr
Gotta love dealing with past traumas. I know this feels kinda quick but tbh there is so much to cover before we see Ulquiorra in a few chapters that I need to keep moving. I am legit excited for that scene you have no idea y'all. Things will probably start to look a lil different from here on out. We've gotta wrap up this mini-arc in the next chapter, where Naomi and Ichigo will be spending the day apart, and having very different stories to tell, and then we meet the bestest Arrancar emo boy. He's legit a fav of mine, idk why I'm so excited but I am. Next chapter will be huge, it'll take an extra hot minute to write but hopefully will be out in under 2 weeks. If I magically have time I'll work on getting it out sooner. NGL, hardest part is just editing. I hate it, but I hate editing for 2 hours only to find more grammar/spelling errors after it's posted (fml right?)
Anyway, poor Nao, yay Ichigo being a loving boyfriend. Honestly, I feel for him. Like what do you do in this situation other than beat the living tar out of Akito? Well, we'll see what happens.
Cinna Bae: ZESTY. Why did that sound so funny in my head lmao. Yeah, next few chapters have quite a few zesty scenes ngl. I guess it doesn't show on here but on AO3 my tags include underage sex as included. Bless, thank you for the review. I will say, more people know than you'd think, mostly because as we learned in this chapter, these two idiots are NOT as sneaky as they think they are. Ichigo's hollow form is, from my understanding, Ichigo's primal instinct and base predatory instinct. So from my perspective, yeah, he likes her too. Though we'll expand more on that later on. Naomi and Zangetsu have an interesting dynamic later on.
Mesmerizing Mermaid: I think part of your review was cut off? If not, lol I still appreciate it. Ngl I'm new to writing lemony scenes so it's a process haha.
I'm hella curious if people have any other questions regarding Nao or the story in general? Any theories? If you're confused on some parts that's good, it's supposed to feel that way until much later. Some questions won't get answered until muuuuuch later on, and some in the TYBW arc of the sequel.
Cheers.
Iland Girl