Ichigo was sitting on his bed, feeding Keitaro the formula that Urahara had created specifically for the child. It's been almost three weeks since Keitaro entered his life and Ichigo knew he was willing to give up everything for his son.
Most of the time, Ichigo didn't even bother going to school. Of course Isshin would call Uryuu and Chad to literally carry Ichigo to school, but the new father would run back home whenever he was able to escape their grasp, which was usually around lunch time. The whole school went into shock after finding out that Ichigo and Rukia had a son together. They've been wondering where the petite woman was the past few months. But what was starting to bother them was the fact that Rukia was no longer present in Ichigo's house.
There were rumors circulating that after giving birth, Rukia either died or ran away, not wanting to take the responsibility of a child in her life. Other rumors had it that she was forced to go back home and Ichigo wasn't allowed to see her again. But only the few people who could see spirits knew the real reason behind Rukia's disappearance. Ichigo wouldn't have said anything if the rumors were involved only around him, but whenever he hears people talking negatively about Rukia and Keitaro it made the orange head furious, beating up anyone who got caught. Uryuu and Chad had to restrain their friend many times while Orihime, Tatsuki, Mizuiro and even Keigo went around defending Rukia's honor.
The school had been told that while giving birth Rukia went into critical condition so is unable to move from her bed. She had to be transported to the main hospital and isn't allowed visitors. So part of the truth had been revealed and it was enough to shut everyone up within a few days.
Ichigo looked down to see Keitaro no longer drinking his milk. The father sighed as he pulled the bottle away from his son and examined how much he drank. Keitaro still wasn't drinking enough food. Isshin worries that the child will malnourish himself but upon taking tests Keitaro was still healthy. The new grandfather concluded that it was only because he wasn't drinking his mother's milk. But since there was nothing that they could do about it, Ichigo and Isshin had been struggling to increase Keitaro's intake of his meal or else it might affect his health in the future.
"Oniichan, dinner is ready," Yuzu softly announced from his door.
Ichigo nodded as he slightly shifted Keitaro in his arms and got up to follow his sister down to the kitchen table.
"ICHIGO!"
"I said stop doing that!" Ichigo yelled as he stopped his father's attack by grabbing his face and stopping him in midair, "Can't you see I'm holding Keitaro?"
Isshin jumped back and crossed his arms over his chest. "That just shows how you can't protect your child. I will have to put you through more training or else something will happen to my grandson."
Ichigo only grunted as he sat on his chair and held his son in his arms, lightly tapping his back to burp the child.
Karin eyed her brother and smirked. "You really look like a father like that."
"That's because I am one," Ichigo smirked back.
Isshin stood up again and ran around the table, clapping his hands above his head continuously. "And I'm a grandfather! How much happier can I be?" He ran to his wife's poster and looked at her picture with teary eyes. "Oh, love of my life! Can you see how handsome our grandson is? He is just like how you and I had hoped for!"
"Otousan! Please sit down and eat your dinner before it gets cold!" Yuzu pouted which was enough to bring back her father to the table.
Ichigo set Keitaro on his bouncer so he could eat his dinner. Kon silently crawled to the baby and eyed him.
"Geez, neesan just had to give birth to an exact replica of Ichigo. Now there are two ugly people in this world… well, at least he doesn't have Ichigo's outrageous hair color," he observed.
Ichigo picked up the Mod Soul by its plushy head and brought his face close to his. "What did you just say?"
Kon started to sweat heavily. "That your son is as handsome as you?" he hoped Ichigo would buy it.
But of course Ichigo knew Kon was lying. So he handed Kon to Keitaro who automatically took the lion plushy and shoved him into his mouth.
"AW! Ichigo! Tell Kei to stop sucking me—NO! My cottons are getting soaked!"
Suddenly Ichigo cell phone rings and he reaches into his pocket to get it. He looks at the screen and sees Chad's name. "Oi, Chad. What's up?"
"You didn't come to school again, Ichigo," Chad spoke on the other line.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm just really worried about Keitaro since he's still not eating enough."
"… I see. Well, the others and I will be there shortly to drop off your work."
"Thanks man." Ichigo replied before hanging up his phone.
And just like Chad said, he arrived at the Kurosaki Clinic with Uryuu, Mizurio and Keigo just as Ichigo and his family finished dinner.
"So, anything new today?" Ichigo asked.
Uryuu dropped some paperwork into the Substitute Shinigami's hands and shook his head. "It's pretty much the same thing like last week. I'm sure you'll find it easy."
Keigo jumped onto the ground and crawled towards Keitaro. "I still can't believe the beautiful Kuchiki-san left me to have your baby!" he whined.
Ichigo kicked him away from his son. "Stay away! I don't want Kei to get influenced by your stupidity."
"How mean!' Keigo jumped up and started his overly-dramatic tears. "Kuchiki-san is such an angel to take a devil like you into her arms. And now I'm left with no one else but my Goddess of Valley—OOF!" Keigo tried to describe Orihime's bosoms when Uryuu landed a hard punch through his stomach, knocking the air right out of him
Ichigo whistled lowly. "Nice job."
"And I thought you didn't want Keitaro-kun to get influenced by anything bad," Mizuiro smiled.
Ichigo shook his head. "Learning to fight to defend one's friend and knock out perverts isn't a bad thing. I'm planning on teaching Kei how to fight once he's old enough."
"Looks like you're going to make another 'Kurosaki Ichigo'," Chad chuckled, "Will he be able to surpass you someday?"
Ichigo grinned with excitement. "Who knows? But I'm going to try and make that happen."
"Oh, what a loving father my son is!" Isshin suddenly jumps out from behind and wraps his arms around Ichigo.
"What the? Get off of me old man!" He yelled, trying to escape his father's grasp but Isshin only tightened his grip.
"The Kurosaki's must learn how to protect their family. So I shall contribute in raising my grandson!"
"You will do NO SUCH THING!" Ichigo shouted as he threw his father across the room.
"Hehe!"
Everyone looked at each other before looking down at Keitaro who was giggling on his bouncer, the saliva-covered Kon still in his grasp.
Ichigo raises an eyebrow and he kneels in front of his son. "What? You like it when I fight? Or do you just like seeing your ojiisan getting beaten up?"
Keitaro only looks at his father with a smile.
Ichigo smiles back and picks him up from the bouncer. "I'm going to take that as 'both.' When you grow up I'm going to teach you how to fight so you'll know how to defend yourself when you get older."
Chad walks up and eyes the child in the arms of his best friend. "Will Keitaro also be a shinigami?"
There was a sudden silence in the room.
Ichigo looked over at his father who was now standing next to him. "Dad?"
Isshin stroked his chin as he eyed his grandson. "No doubt about it Kei-kun will be a shinigami but I do not know when and how it'll happen. Ichigo's reiatsu got sealed and it couldn't be released until Rukia-chan triggered it. And Keitaro's reiatsu might respond differently."
Ichigo sighs. He knows very well what it is like to see spirits at a young age. And he really didn't want his son to be targeted by Hollows, which is most likely to happen even with his reiatsu concealed.
"Dad, has there been anymore news from Urahara and Yoruichi about the new arrancars we faced last time?" Ichigo asked.
Isshin shook his head and sighed. "Ever since that night they haven't had any weird encounters."
"Orihime, Chad and I went over there to meet Nell and she said that things seemed to be back to normal. Nothing suspicious was going on but they'll continue keeping an eye out," Uryuu added.
"And the number of Hollows appearing in Karakura returned to normal," Chad pointed out.
But Ichigo still didn't feel like everything was going to be alright. He looked down at his son who was yawning widely and closing his amber eyes for a much needed nap.
The past few weeks Ichigo had been feeling more cautious with his surroundings. He could never shake off the feeling that a Hollow or an arrancar might come and hurt Keitaro. This was one of the reasons why he never really liked leaving his son. Sure Isshin and Urahara were strong enough but they were also stupid so Ichigo couldn't relay on them (which led to Isshin crying against Masaki's poster and complaining about how their son won't even give him the chance to be a good grandfather).
And if a new threat was really coming, Ichigo needed to get ready to fight to protect his son.
He knew Rukia would do the same.
A/N: A bit sad w/o Rukia... but here's the thing: you'll see her in the next chapter! YEEPEEEEEE! just read and see what i mean
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