Rukia walked back to her room, wiping away the last of her tears. She looked up and smiled as her eyes caught the sleeping figure of her child's father. After a few more seconds of staring, Rukia made way to the bed and slid in.
"Mm, Rukia?" Ichigo slowly blinked open an eye as he felt Rukia getting in the bed.
"Sorry," Rukia whispered, "Did I wake you?"
Ichigo shook his head as he lightly grabbed her waist, "No. But why are you up? Feeling sick again?"
Rukia looked down at Ichigo and brushed away some of his orange locks. "No, I'm feeling much better. I was just asking your father about this sickness."
Ichigo moved a bit closer and set his head on her lap. "And what did he say?''
Rukia looked up and fought back the tears as she remembered what Isshin had just told her. "Well—its—I'm—It's just a flu."
"See, I told you," Ichigo smirked.
"Yeah," Rukia whispered as she continued to stroke his orange hair to help him go back to sleep, "You were right." She looked out the window as birds flew through the thick morning fog that slightly distorted the sun's rays.
Rukia was sitting by herself as she kept looking out the window. It was now a sunny afternoon on this beautiful Sunday, although her insides were acting completely opposite. Isshin, after telling Rukia a good excuse to use, left the house with the twins so she could talk to Ichigo.
"Oi, Rukia."
The said woman turned around and saw Ichigo walking in the room with nothing but a pair of sweat pants and a towel over his wet head.
Ichigo rustled his hair with the towel as he sat down on the bed next to Rukia, "You've been staring off all day. What's up?"
"Nothing," Rukia smiled, "Just recovering from the flu."
Ichigo snorted, not satisfied with the answer but decided to stop pestering his sick girlfriend.
Rukia looked at him and studied him. She was going to miss the way he snorted. The way his scowl would sometimes worsen when he was worried about her. The way he caresses her tenderly. The way he always fought back whenever she yelled at him…
"Ichigo."
"Hmm?"
Rukia sighed as she sat up straight. "I have to tell you something. It's pretty important."
Ichigo pulled the towel off his head and looked at Rukia.
"I…I have to leave…for awhile."
"What?" he questioned.
"Well," Rukia started to fumble with her fingers, "I have to return to Soul Society for awhile."
"How long?"
"About… well, you see…about six months."
"WHAT?" Ichigo backed up and looked at her with disbelief. "SIX MONTHS? Rukia! That's half a year!"
"I know!" Rukia replied, "It's just that—"
"No, you're not going!"
"Ichigo!" Rukia glared at his sudden response, "You are in no position to say whether or not I can go!"
"Yes I do!" Ichigo interrupted, "I'm your boyfriend and I'm not letting you go!"
Rukia could feel the blood pumping faster into the vein in her head. "You have no say in the matter!"
"Oh, I do believe I have a say in this! What can possibly be more important than you staying here with me?" Ichigo yelled as he stood up to leave.
Rukia knew that if she let him go, things would get difficult. She had to convince him now. So she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his torso before he could take another step and spoke in a soft voice. "Ichigo… they need me for a very important mission." When she got no response she kept talking. "Ukitake-taicho had gotten worse and needs someone to take care of Thirteenth Division and their mission for awhile. I've been chosen to do this."
Ichigo sighed as he grabbed Rukia's hands and fumbled with her fingers. "Why you? Why not Kiyone or Sentarou?" he asked in a soft voice.
Rukia walked around and smiled up at Ichigo. "Because they fight too much. And Ukitake-taicho thought I proved myself as a leader during the war."
Ichigo let out another sigh as he embraced the woman in front of him. "I can never win against you in an argument."
Rukia nodded against his chest, feeling a bit more relaxed.
"When are you leaving?"
"In about two weeks," she replied, "I'll be later informed of the specific date."
Ichigo scratched his head as Rukia stepped out of their embrace. "Fine. Just promise me that nothing bad is going to happen and that I don't have to fight against the entire Gotei 13 to get you back."
Rukia slapped his arm which earned her a small yelp from Ichigo. "Please, I can take care of myself."
"Whatever," Ichigo snorted.
Isshin returned home after a good few hours. Yuzu rushed into the kitchen to start dinner and Rukia decided to help with whatever she could. While she was talking with Ichigo, Isshin had taken upon himself to go over the happy yet sad news of her pregnancy with the twins. They promised to act normally around Ichigo, but whenever the orange-haired brother wasn't around, the girls (yes, even Karin) would hug Rukia and comfort her.
Ichigo walked down from his bedroom and noticed Karin running around the living room. "What are you looking for?" he asked.
"My soccer ball," she replied, "I wanted to warm up a bit now that the weather got warmer."
Having nothing else to do Ichigo decided to help out. He looked under the table, behind the shelves, heck, even in the cupboards (much to Yuzu's dismay). But they couldn't find the ball anywhere in the house. "You sure the ball is even here in the house?"
Karin scratched her head with a frown. "Ah, mo! I don't know anymore!"
"Looking for something?"
Ichigo and Karin turned around to see none other than Renji, still in his shinigami form, standing by their front door, tossing Karin's soccer ball up and down in his hand.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.
"Who cares," Karin walked up and grabbed her ball from his hand, "At least he found my ball." With that she quickly got her shoes on and walked outside.
Ichigo snorted as he motioned Renji to join him on the couch.
"Renji?"
The red head turned around and smiled widely at Rukia who just walked out from the kitchen. "Oi, Rukia! How've you been?"
Rukia smiled sweetly and sat next to Ichigo who was grunting with annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm just checking up on some stuff. Kuchiki-taicho is going to come by later too," Renji announced as he stretched on the couch. Ichigo grunted again, not really wanting to see the brother of his girlfriend who was still unaware of their relationship (which is a good thing because Ichigo knew that if Byakuya did know then he would have been castrated by now).
"Hello!" Yuzu called out as she walked over with a tray of food. She set it down on the coffee table and sat on the other side of Rukia. "Will you and Kuchiki-taicho be joining us for dinner?"
Renji smiled widely, liking the idea of free food. "Now that I got an invitation looks like I'm staying for the night."
"Why?" Ichigo glared but cried in pain when Rukia elbowed his ribs.
Yuzu picked up the plate and handed it to Renji. "Try some of these appetizers. I've been experimenting with new food recipes."
Renji excitedly grabbed a handful of the food and stuffed it into his mouth.
Ichigo looked at the red head and felt like gagging. "Can't you eat with your mouth close? Seriously, you're making the rest of us lose our appetite."
Renji only snorted as he kept eating. He looked over to see Rukia also looking at him with disgust. He swallowed his food and brought the plate closer to Rukia. "You should try some too."
"No thanks, I'm—" Rukia's words got cut off when the food was under her nose. Her face suddenly turned pale white and she quickly brought her hands up to cover her mouth. As soon as she smelled the food her insides started to turn and she felt like vomiting.
"Rukia-neesan! Are you okay?" Yuzu asked with concerned as she noticed the sudden change in Rukia's demeanor.
"Rukia, what's wrong? Your reiatsu seems out of whack," Renji sat up and looked at his sick friend.
Ichigo also sat up and started to rub her back. "She's fine. She's just a bit sick from the flu."
"Sick from…what?" Renji questioned.
"A stomach flu. She's been sick for a few weeks now, throwing up all morning," Ichigo replied as he continued to comfort her.
At that point Isshin decided to make a grand entrance. "ICHIGO!"
"Not now," Ichigo sternly glared at his father before he could make jump.
Isshin calmed down and walked over. After taking one look at Rukia he smiled and patted Ichigo's shoulder. "Son, why don't you go to the market and buy some fluids, like juice. Looks like Rukia-chan still isn't healthy enough to eat anything."
Ichigo nodded, though he was reluctant to leave her. Rukia looked over and gave him a weak smile which was enough to send him out the door.
"How are you doing?" Isshin asked.
Rukia took in a deep breath and leaned back against the couch. "I'd be better if the food was gone."
"I'm on it," Renji called out as he grabbed the rest of the appetizers and shoved it into his mouth.
Rukia looked over at Yuzu and smiled. "Gomen, Yuzu," she apologized.
Yuzu shook her head and tried to help Rukia by massaging her arm. "It's not a problem. I should have remembered that tuna makes you sick."
Suddenly Isshin and Renji sensed a huge reiatsu appear before them. Hell butterflies fluttered in as the senkaimon appeared and opened. A leg stepped out, followed by the body of the Sixth Division Taicho, Kuchiki Byakuya.
The kenseikan-wearing man looked around the room as the senkaimon disappeared behind him. Renji jumped onto his feet and bowed to his captain. Byakuya barely acknowledged Renji's presence because he was too busy staring at his sister who was bowing as well.
"Rukia."
"Hai, niisama."
Byakuya took a step closer and eyed his sister. "What is going on? You seem sick and your reiatsu is off," he spoke with his emotionless tone.
Rukia bit her lower lip, unsure how to respond. "Niisama…"
Renji looked at his friend with a questionable brow. He looked back at his captain, thinking he should answer in stead of his friend. "Apparently she's sick, Kuchiki-taichio. According to Ichigo she has been throwing up a lot lately and it's been going on for quite some time."
Byakuya was still looking at Rukia and from the expression on her face he knew that that wasn't all. He turned his attention to Isshin who trying to avoid eye contact. "What is going on here, Kurosaki?"
Isshin gave him an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you see—"
"I'm pregnant," Rukia quickly interjected.
There was a long pregnant pause in the room. Tension was getting thicker as Byakuya and Renji stood still. Then suddenly—
"WHAT THE FUCK?" Renji screamed.
"Renji! Don't use such language when Yuzu is around!" Rukia glared at him as she covered Yuzu's poor ears.
Renji looked at his friend with utter disbelief. "Don't get all maternal on me, Rukia! What do you mean you're pregnant? Why are you pregnant? How can you be pregnant? Why did you even do it? Who's the father—It's HIM isn't it? Why, when I get my hands on him—"
Before Renji could run out of the house to go after Ichigo, Isshin stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders. The older man looked into Renji's eyes with a menacing expression which quickly shut him up. "You will stay here and listen to everything Rukia-chan has to say."
Renji tried to argue back but he didn't want to fight against Kurosaki Isshin. This crazy old man wasn't joking; he was giving an order! So Renji reluctantly stepped back and looked at his foot, unable to face anyone in the room.
Byakuya was quiet during Renji's outburst. He was still looking at Rukia with his usual expression but inside he was going crazy. "Well, aren't you going to explain yourself to me?"
Rukia looked away and her hands curled into a fist. Byakuya was getting impatient and slowly he started to show it.
"Rukia, are you even aware of what you did? Not only have you decided to create an intimate relationship with that boy but you also invited a man into your bed who isn't your husband. This would bring disgrace among the Kuchiki Clan and our name shall forever be considered shameful by your foolish and humiliating actions—"
"Last time I checked my family doesn't have a shameful name," Isshin sneered.
Byakuya glared at the man who rudely interrupted.
"Niisama," Rukia spoke with a firm tone, "I am NOT ashamed of my actions."
"Since when did you learn to talk back to ME, Kuchiki Rukia?" Byakuya yelled, his voice steadily rising with each word.
Isshin stepped into Byakuya's line of vision, which was directly in front of Rukia. "That's enough Kuchiki," he spoke in a threatening tone.
But the angry older brother would never let anyone order him around. In a blink of an eye Byakuya pulled out his Zanpakotou and pointed it towards Isshin, merely inches away from his throat.
"You will stay out of this Kurosaki," Byakuya snarled.
But Isshin didn't even flinch. He gave Byakuya his cocky grin and said, "Sorry but I have no intention of 'staying out' when you are threatening to harm my grandchild and my daughter-in-law."
During this entire time Rukia turned even more pale, scared and angry at how things were turning out. And even though she wanted to defend her own child, there was no way Byakuya would even listen to her opinion. She only hoped that Isshin wouldn't do anything stupid. But it seems like her prayers were ignored because by now deadly reiatsu was seeping out from both men as they glared at each other.
"Do not think for a second, Kurosaki, that I'd hesitate to kill you," Byakuya glared, "But it is not you that I want dead."
"Even if you want to kill Ichigo I don't think it'll be easy. Afterall, he is capable of dodging your Senbonzakura. But if you are referring to my grandchild…well, why don't you check for yourself just how special it is," Isshin winked.
Byakuya froze at Isshin's comment, though his blade was still in its deadly position by Isshin's throat. He slowly shifted his gaze to Rukia who was staring right back with the same level of intensity. But as Byakuya slowly and carefully focused on his sister's reiatsu, he raised (dare I say it) his eyebrow.
He quickly returned Senbonzakura back into its sheath and concentrated more on Rukia's reiastu. "Interesting," he spoke in his usual, emotionless tone.
Renji looked between each person in the room. It seemed like everyone, even Yuzu who had been hidden behind Rukia all this time, seemed to know what was so 'interesting.'
"Taicho, I don't understand. What are you talking about?" he asked his captain.
But instead of answering, Isshin looked at the door and cringed as he turned back to Byakuya. "We'll discuss about this a little later. Right now both you and your fukutaicho must act like you don't know of this pregnancy."
"What are you talking about?" Renji repeated.
Isshin nudged his head towards the door. "Ichigo is almost here. And he doesn't know about this 'surprise' and it is to stay this way until after the child is born."
"What? That's utter nonsense—"
"Understood," Byakuya interrupted. Renji looked at his captain with shock but Byakuya ignored him.
At that point Ichigo entered the house and gave Yuzu the bag full of drinks. He looked up after taking off his shoes and walked into the living room. "When did you get here, Byakuya?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly.
Byakuya didn't answer (which didn't surprise Ichigo) but Renji stomped forward and grabbed Ichigo by the collar.
"You bastard!" Renji yelled, rage flaring in his eyes.
"What the fuck?"
"Abarai," Byakuya stepped up and grabbed Renji's wrist, "You will stop this foolishness at once."
"But taichio—" Renji quickly shut his mouth when Byakuya suddenly sent him a deadly glare. Renji swallowed hard before releasing Ichigo.
The confused orange head was about to ask what was going on but Rukia lightly pulled on his arm.
"Ichigo, I want to go lay down a bit," she spoke softly, still looking pale.
Ichigo looked at Rukia for a moment before sending glares at Byakuya and Renji. Without another word he grabbed Rukia's hand and guided her to their room.
Once the two were out of earshot, Isshin turned around and motioned the two shinigami to join him in the front of his clinic.
Byakuya and Renji followed Isshin without saying a single word. Suddenly Isshin opened the clinic's door and two other people walked in.
"Hello minna-san!" Urahara waved his fan
"It's good to see you again, Byakuya-kun," Yoruichi teased.
Byakuya only fingered his scarf as he ignored the two new people joining their circle. He turned his attention back to Isshin. "Kurosaki, you better give me all the detail," he threatened.
Urahara stopped laughing and looked around the room with an observing eye. So it's time.
Isshin nodded as he cleared his throat. "Well, it's like this…"
A/N: ...
I really did try my best with creating a pissed off Byakuya who was trying to hide it. Sorry if you didn't really agree with it. I'm still trying to improve on my stories and technically i'm still a bit of a noob at this, hehe
anyways, to the next chapter!
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