1There is no such thing as a secret.
Post Fullbringer Arc
Continuation of Chapter 13~
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Isshin Kurosaki knew about his son's new habit. And if his son was any bit normal he would have given the kid a thrashing, but with everything his son lost... he could only feel bad, and for once not go after him like he used to. It was different when his son had the strength of a Soul Reaper, he knew his son could handle his one sided spars. When his son started to go missing during the night and he started to receive calls from the school he decided to check in with Urahara to see if there was an update on the return of his sons powers.
When the return of his powers didn't change his attitude there wasn't much he could do about that except be the nosy father he is and assault him during breakfast and dinner in hopes to cheer him up. All Ichigo needs is a reminder that he is powerful, that's all.
He knew something had happened when he notices Karin holding her stomach curled on the couch watching tv. Karin never one to be inside on a nice day like today must mean she is ill.
"What's wrong, Karin, stomach bug?" He asks going into doctor mode.
"Nothing dad, I'm fine," Karin is clearly lying, her face in a frown and she turns into the couch. He decides not to push it.
"If you say so..."
Isshin goes about his day as normal and takes some patients throughout it, and now it's after five in the evening and Ichigo is still not back. He can't sense his son anywhere yet, hasn't since the day before yesterday, which means he probably took a trip to Soul Society.
He closes up the doors and goes to shut his office window when he hears murmuring sounding like Karin. Isshin sneaks to the side of the window, his hand still on the sill and leans against it without showing himself to hear better.
"-again, Orihime, I don't know what would have happened if..." Karin trails off.
"No need to thank me," There's silence then, "if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here." Orihime says softly that Isshin only barely makes it out.
"W-when that guy stabbed me.. it was so quick, I never felt so hopeless."
Isshin stops breathing, his fingernails digging into the wood.
It's quiet for a long moment and for a second he wonders if they left, he's about to turn when he hears Ichigo's friend start talking again. He swallows hard and focuses intently while still masking his spiritual pressure.
"I don't want my brother to feel bad, but he's so-so..."Karin's voice start to raise with anger.
"Stubborn," The other girl states and Karin starts to openly cry but then her cries become muffled. "It's going to be okay now, Karin. We got the guy, and he won't hurt you ever again."
Isshin leaves having heard enough.
...
Ichigo is relieved to finally be home, after this last visit to Soul Society he feels fortunate he was able to walk out of that rehab for a second time, he doesn't think a third time he will be so lucky. It's only around noon when he walks in where he finds Yuzu and Karin in the kitchen. Yuzu is making them lunch while Karin is rolling a soccer ball under her foot at the kitchen table.
"Hey Ichigo, want some soup?" Yuzu turns to him.
Ichigo shakes his head, "No thank you, Yuzu. How are you guys doing?" He asks and looks over at Karin.
"We're good, nothing much happening here." Karin says looking bored.
Isshin comes into the kitchen with a big grin on his face, "Ah, my two favorite daughters!" He pulls them into a hug then shoves a long list into Karin's hands.
"Your dear old dad needs you to do a grocery run! Now don't forget anything!" He tries pushing them out of the kitchen but they jump out of his way.
"What do you mean, I just went shopping!" Yuzu yells at him snapping the stove burner off.
"And aren't you forgetting something!?" Karin glares at him then crosses her arms while she waits for his response.
Isshin stares then blinks, "Ah yes! Mustard! Sweet Karin, always looking out for her father, how wonderful." He reaches out for the list but is stopped by a kick to the face.
"You idiot! Money!"
Isshin laughs against her foot and waves out several large bills, "Here ya go!"
Karin snags the money from his hand then sits back down at the table joining Yuzu to eat their soup. Ichigo sighs and goes up to his bedroom, closing his door then flops down on his bed face first and almost immediately begins to fall asleep.
/CRASH
Ichigo bolts up from his bed and feels himself being thrown into his closet door breaking it. He has no time to recover before his father is on him holding him up by the scruff of his collar. Something about this time is different, it's not just a light rough housing this time, this is reminiscent of the times his father would be intoxicated or pissed with no one other than him to vent it out on.
"What the heck dad?" He grabs his dads wrists struggling in his tight grip.
"You disappoint me." Isshin frowns down at him, "You want to tell me why Karin was stabbed?"
Ichigo's eyes widen. He never thought of the repercussions of what his father would do if he found out the truth. He didn't think it would get that far and he had the situation handled, so how? Karin wouldn't have said anything.
"Your pathetic expression says it all and you lied to me."
And that he did, back when Karin was stabbed he had told his father and Yuzu it was a sport injury she got from an older kid. Karin had said it was fine, the less they knew the better.
"I took care of it, I mean, I'm going to- I know who did it..." He back tracks, technically he still hasn't been back to Urahara's since and it hasn't been a month yet. That was the deal, he'd quit smoking and he would have free rein. "Dad, I-"
A fist strikes him in the face and he falls back but his father's grip holds him steady.
He's punched again, and again before his father drops him to the floor. His face painfully throbs and he makes no attempt at shielding himself for this, he knows he deserves this, it's his fault Karin got stabbed.
"You're disgusting." Isshin says then kicks him in the stomach. The rage in his father is at its boiling point as he continues to kick him. "You get your powers back and- and!"
Isshin grabs Ichigo and forces him into his Soul Reaper form before getting into his as well. The sight of his father in the black shihakusho still jarring Ichigo in ways he cannot begin to understand and has not attempted to figure out since the first time he saw his father wear it. The first time, much like now, he feels too threatened be able to really think on it.
"It didn't take me long to find out why, why your sister was stabbed because of you, just like your mother...you..." Isshin clenches his teeth so tight Ichigo can see his father's jaw muscle popping. With his father's words all the energy Ichigo has vanishes which ignites Ishhin's fury even further.
The Ex-Tenth Captain lifts his son up then stabs him in the stomach. Ichigo stares down in shock at the blade protruding from him. He knows he shouldn't be, because it's what he deserves, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. Inside Shiro is screaming in rage but Ichigo uses all he has to tamper that down and quiet the hollow.
"You feel that?" Isshin digs the blade in slowly, "This pain, it may have been a thug who stabbed her, but it was really you. I haven't been there for you Ichigo, and that's my fault, and maybe this wouldn't have happened." He takes the blade out and lets go of Ichigo who drops to the floor.
"I want you gone, before your sisters get back."
Isshin leaves his bedroom and Ichigo stares unmoving in the direction he's laying in, which is towards Kon who's shaking in fear in the corner. The Mod Soul gets up and walks over to Ichigo once the coast is clear.
"Ichigo.." Kon is crying silently. "We gotta get you out of here!" The lion plushie puts his paw on top of Ichigo's head.
"Yeah..." Ichigo's voice cracks. The thought of Yuzu and Karin seeing him like this has him sitting up holding his hand to his wound. He goes into his desk drawer and gets some gauze out and begins to pack the wound to temporarily stop the bleeding.
"Hey, you mind... staying and keeping an eye out on Yuzu and Karin for me?" Right now, the state his father is in, he doesn't exactly trust the guy.
The plush nods, "Sure."
Ichigo places Kon into his body and then takes off.
...
Orihime can feel Ichigo getting closer, so she opens her front door to meet him. Her jaw drops, "Kurosaki-kun!"
Ichigo stumbles into her apartment. "Hey, sorry for dropping in like this..."
"You're hurt! What's going on are we being attacked? Soten Kisshun!" She sits down next to him on the floor looking at his wound, "Was it a hollow?"
Orihime is confused, something is wrong she can feel it. She stares at his face and notices the lack of emotion, he looks depressed, the gauze that was stuffed into the wound is gently taken out.
"Yeah, one got the jump on me, but I took care of it. Thanks Orihime." Ichigo says but his voice is dead.
Orihime looks down, he's been calling her that ever since they came back from Hueco Mundo. She thinks of all the times he has been there for her and with a spark of courage she grabs his hand.
"Ichigo?" She asks, his dull eyes momentarily sparking up in surprise before he shuts down again, "Are you okay?"
Ichigo nods but doesn't answer her.
"Okay," She lets go and gets up, she has finished healing him, "I'm about to make dinner, stay?"
"Thank you, Orihime."
"You're welcome, Ichigo."
This time she will be there for him.
Still takin those gold nugs ;D Ayyyyyyyyyy
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