Rukia opened the door to her son's room as Ichigo carried him in. He gently laid his son on the bed and covered him up with a blanket. He sat there for a moment, looking into his son's face that was still red. Rukia returned with a damp cloth and started to wipe off some of the tears and dirt stains that covered Takeshi's face.
With a heavy sigh, Ichigo stood up to leave when something caught his eyes. He turned around and on Takeshi's bed-stand he saw a picture. He picked up the frame to take a better look at it.
"He asked me for it as soon as he stopped crying when you disappeared," Rukia answered the question that was on Ichigo's mind.
Ichigo didn't respond. Instead he kept staring at the picture. It was a picture of him, Kurosaki Ichigo, with his son, Kurosaki Takeshi, sitting on his shoulders. Ichigo remembered taking this picture a few days before he left Karakua.
Noticing that Ichigo wasn't moving she walked over to him. Rukia grabbed the picture out of Ichigo's grasp and placed it back on the table. She then took his hand and led him outside, turning off the light and closing the door before leaving.
Rukia, still holding Ichigo's hand, lightly pushed him into his old bedroom. Ichigo was shocked at the sudden change in scenery, but welcomed the sight of seeing his old bedroom looking… well, like his bedroom. He laid down on his bed as Rukia walked downstairs.
Mai was sitting on the couch, watching cartoon with her aunts when she saw her mother walking down the steps.
"Mama?"
Rukia smiled at her daughter as she walked over and kissed her on the cheek. She then looked at Yuzu and Karin who were both wearing a worried expression. "I'm sorry, but can you guys take Mai to bed? I still need to talk to Ichigo."
The Kurosaki twins nodded without questioning. So did Mai, who turned off the T.V and walked upstairs with both of her aunts.
Once she heard the bedroom door close, Rukia walked into the kitchen and grabbed two drinks from the fridge. She walked back to Ichigo's room and entered without knocking. She looked over and saw him lying on his bed, staring at his ceiling.
"Ichigo."
Ichigo turned his head towards the door and saw Rukia closing it. She walked over and handed him a cool drink, which he gladly accepted. He stood up and started to drink as Rukia pulled out his chair and sat on it.
"Takeshi is going to be fine so don't worry too much," Rukia tried to reassure him but he still had a distant look in his eyes.
"You wouldn't be saying that if you've seen how he reacted when I touched him," Ichigo pulled up one of his knees and laid his head on top of it, "I must seem so disgusting to him."
Rukia stared down at her drink. "Ichigo, he needs time. You suddenly disappeared and now suddenly came back. Takeshi's mind can't handle all of this."
"Mai seems to be doing a better job though."
"She's different. Unlike Takeshi, she can barely find a reason to be mad at anything. She's completely opposite from you and your stubborn son."
Ichigo let out a small laugh as he leaned against his bedpost. He looked at the petite woman who was sitting in the chair next to his bed.
"What about you?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you also need time to accept me back into your life?"
Rukia, shocked by his sudden question, stared at Ichigo. She soon recovered from her shock and looked away.
Just as Ichigo was about to speak, he felt something hit his head, hard.
"What is wrong with you woman?" He yelled at Rukia as he held his head and noticed one of his Shakespeare books had been thrown at him.
But his anger soon disappeared as he saw Rukia giving him a smile.
"Ichigo," she started, "You do not have to worry about me. It's not like we're married or anything."
Rukia stood up and walked towards Ichigo, sitting next to him on his bed and leaned against the bedpost.
"We're just two friends who 'accidentally' had a child together in high school, and somehow had another one a few years later. This situation is nothing compared to when we first found out that I was pregnant with Takeshi or when I found out that that night before you left would get me pregnant with Mai."
Ichigo snorted but didn't say anything.
Rukia continued. "I'm not angry at you for leaving me to raise the kids alone. But I am mad at what you are doing to the kids."
Rukia looked up and her violet eyes were staring straight into his amber eyes.
"So don't worry about trying to befriend me again. We're already friends who happen to have two kids together. And nothing is going to change this fact. Just… just think about your kids next time."
Ichigo smiled at the woman sitting next to him. Back in high school, whenever he got in trouble because of his hair, he would always feel better whenever Rukia comforted him. And now, after all these years, her magic was still effective on him.
Getting the hint that he was going to be fine, Rukia got up and dropped her empty can into his trash can. "Well, then, good—"
"Wait."
Rukia turned around.
Ichigo scratched his head. "It felt like something was weird in the house since I got back here."
"What is it?"
Ichigo hesitated before he finally asked his question. "Where's pop?"
Rukia stared at Ichigo with disbelief. She then started laughing loudly.
"What's so funny?"
Rukia tried to stop her laughter. "I just never thought that you would worry so much about your father."
Ichigo pouted as he turned away. "It's not that I care about him. I'm just worried he might pounce out of somewhere like he used to."
Rukia finally stopped laughing. "He was called to the Karakura Hospital last night, and he is planning on spending the night there again tonight. Don't ask me why, but I guess the hospital is short of hands."
Rukia turned around and walked out the door, leaving Ichigo to his thoughts. He tossed his empty can into his trash can and laid out on his bed.
Everything seemed the same… as if he never left at all. He smiled widely as he felt sleep overcoming him. Man, it's good to be finally home.
"GOOD MORNING—"
Ichigo's eyes popped open.
"—ICHIGO!"
"AWW!"
Ichigo suddenly found himself on his stomach as his father, Kurosaki Isshin, held his arm behind his back.
"You ingrate of a son!" his father yelled, "How dare you suddenly come back here after leaving your family seven years ago!"
"Let go of me, old man!"
"Not until I put some manners into you!"
Ichigo yelped as he felt his father pinning harder into his back. "This is bullshit!" He screamed as he pushed himself up and threw his father across the room. "I come back and the first thing you do is try and kill me!"
Isshin jumped up and ran towards his son, but was blocked as his face met his son's foot. "You deserve to be punished! Especially after leaving Rukia-chan all by herself to raise both your children!"
Ichigo felt a vein pop in his head. With a final shove, his father flew across the room again. Before his old man could gain back his conscious, Ichigo walked out of his room and went downstairs.
"Ohayo oniichan!"
Ichigo looked up and saw Yuzu placing breakfast on the table while Karin already started. I missed this, he thought as he gave his sisters a big smile.
"Ohayo."
"Ohayo papa!"
Ichigo turned around but yelped in surprise as he saw an orange blur jump on him, making him land on his back. He focused his vision and saw Mai smiling down at him. Ichigo forgot about the pain as he smiled at his daughter.
"Ohayo—OW!"
Ichigo screamed. He looked past Mai's shoulder and saw a raven-haired woman standing next to him with one of her feet on top of his stomach.
"I'm so sorry Ichigo!" Rukia apologized with a fake tone and a cocky grin, "I didn't see you there."
Ichigo pushed her leg off of him as he stood up. "Ohayo to you too."
The three walked over to the table. Ichigo sat on his original seat as Rukia helped Mai into her small chair in between Ichigo and Rukia.
They started eating breakfast and Isshin soon joined them. Rukia and Yuzu laughed as the orange-haired son argued against his father like in the old days. Karin just sat back and snorted…just like the old days.
"O-ohayo."
Everyone turned around and saw Takeshi standing in front of everyone. He still looked tired and his hair was still a mess from bed.
Ichigo didn't know what to say when Rukia and his sisters quickly greeted him. Takeshi slowly walked to the empty seat that was in front of Ichigo, but the son would not meet his father's eyes. Ichigo was starting to feel uneasy again.
"Ichigo," Rukia said as she pulled him out of his gaze, "Do you have any plans tonight?"
"No. Why?"
Yuzu sat back in her seat after grabbing some more miso soup for Karin. "Rukia-neesan and I spend all night calling up oniichan's friends. They all agreed to come over tonight to welcome you home!"
Ichigo looked at his sister then at Rukia. "Is this necessary?"
Rukia smiled. "According to your daughter, yes, it is."
Ichigo looked at Mai who was smiling proudly at herself. "I did a good thing, didn't I?"
Upon seeing his daughter's bright smile Ichigo felt better. He patted her head. "Yes, you did a good thing."
Mai and Ichigo were enjoying each other's company, but Takeshi just kept his eyes on his food, listening to his sister squealing with glee.
It was starting to get annoying.
A/N: LONG chapter... and it's going to get longer!
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