1Dislaimer: I really don't own Bleach.
Summary: Ever wonder about the more normal times in Bleach? What if we're given a chance to spend time with our favorite shinigami characters? Enjoy the little snippets.
Author's notes: Not AU, Bleach-verse. Our hero and heroine relax and enjoy some slack, and family bonding.
Warning: None. Please correct any errors you see by informing me, thank you.
Ichigo sighed. He should have known that this would happen. A deep scowl was painted on his handsome face, a truly characteristic trademark of his. He turned to look at his companion who sat excitedly next to him. He'd thought she'd be frowning by now, but she wasn't.
Rukia was sitting beside him, wearing a warm smile that she seldom wore in public. She noticed him looking at her, and she cast him a glance.
"You sure you're fine with this?" Ichigo asked quietly as he leaned closer to her, not wanting his crazy father to listen. Said crazy man was already sauntering his way clumsily towards the kitchen counter, readying to busy himself with pestering Yuzu as she prepared their menu for lunch.
"Yuzu-chaaan, let Papa help you with that!" the crazy man announced lovingly, and Ichigo swore a chill just ran down his spine.
"Don't touch those, Dad!" Yuzu cried loudly. Karin, who was nearby, stormed over and slapped the back of her father's head with a sports magazine, effectively rescuing their meals from being corrupted.
"What, this meeting with your father? I don't mind," answered Rukia truthfully, as her violet orbs met Ichigo's amber ones. Ichigo nodded his head. Before anything else, her voice has already given it all away. She really was comfortable with his family, even if that meant entertaining his crazy father's stupid, prodding and borderline suggestive questions.
"Have you two gotten serious yeeet?"
Although sometimes, he felt like his father deserved a well-rounding kick on the face for throwing such wild assumptions and suggestions their way.
"When are you two getting married? Let Papa fix a lucky date!"
"Third daughter!" exclaimed Isshin Kurosaki, the infamous crazy father - now with an additional feature of a red bruise on top of his head. He'd been eyeing them through their close exchange, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.
Rukia immediately turned to look at him. He'd caught her off guard.
"Dad! Don't surprise Rukia onee-chan like that!" Yuzu scolded from over the sink, complaining. She was washing some carrots for the soup. Isshin simply winked at her daughter before making his way towards the dinner table, eyes now fixed on his newly established 'third daughter'.
"Yes, Isshin-san?" Rukia's response was returned with a shake of the goatee's head. He pulled a chair at the head of the table, stationing himself with both Ichigo and Rukia on his right. Ichigo stared at him suspiciously.
"Rukia-chan, how many times have I told you?" started Isshin, his voice grave all of a sudden. Rukia stared at him, listening intently to his every word.
There was a momentary pause.
"Do not call me 'Isshin-san', you should call me Papa!"
Rukia's eyes widened.
"But Isshin-san . . ."
Almost instinctively, Ichigo rose from his seat and gave him a punch full-force on his old man's chin, which sent him flying across the kitchen. "Stop being ridiculous, Dad," Ichigo began, ". . . you're making Rukia uncomfortable," and he returned to his seat.
"How cruel, Ichigo! Daddy is just being warm and considerate towards daddy's third daughter!" He feigned a fake-tears-and-wet-tissue act on the floor, and coincidentally, it just had to happen in front of the ridiculous poster of Masaki that he created.
Which added to more drama, naturally.
Karin shook her head and sighed in resignation. "The old man never learns."
Isshin continued to cry fake man-tears to Masaki's poster, mumbling something about 'our boy is all grown up' and that 'their third daughter is beautiful' and 'it's time to provide Ichigo with specialitems'.
Ichigo groaned. Rukia chuckled lightly.
"Sorry you had to see all this. He's always like that," Ichigo let out a sigh.
"I think it's actually . . . wonderful," she commented, as she let her purple irises hover over Isshin's shrunken back, Karin scanning through a baseball magazine quietly, and Yuzu's small and diligent form at the sink.
"Heh, only you would think of it that way," he replied. Rukia smiled at his comment.
"Maybe. It's just so lively here, in this house."
Ichigo turned to look at her.
"You know, you're always welcomed here."
He knew his sisters enjoyed her company, even Karin does. And his pops? Let's just say he wants her to be his third daughter, however silly that may sound. He briefly wondered what Byakuya would say to that.
"Alright, lunch is ready!" announced Yuzu, her face a soft shade of pink from the excitement, and also from the kitchen's heat. Karin stood up to help her serve the food.
"I'll help too," Rukia offered, but Isshin (he'd quit moping finally) shook his head. He insisted that she remain seated as a guest. Even Ichigo agreed.
"How does it taste?" Yuzu asked, once they were all finally seated around the table. Rukia continued to munch. She stopped and held her face up in amazement.
"This is really good, Yuzu-chan!" she remarked, her violet eyes sparkling. Ichigo popped another piece of carrot into his mouth, before adding one more piece of cucumber into Rukia's bowl of rice. "Yeah, if you keep eating her food you'll get fat soon," he taunted. Rukia glared at him.
"Oni-chan, I don't make fattening food," Yuzu said in response, and she popped another piece of tomato into her mouth.
"Sure, you don't. What about those snacks before dinner time?" Karin questioned, only it came out more of a statement than a question. Yuzu pouted.
"But I always get hungry before dinner time . . ."
"Alright! Eat up, little children!" Isshin said loudly, fetching a piece of chicken for everyone. Karin rolled her eyes.
"Don't scream in front of food, old man," she said, poking him in the ribs in the process; and with her other hand she held her bowl to Yuzu. "More, please."
After fighting for the last piece of chicken with his dad, Ichigo and Rukia helped to clear the table. Karin made an excuse to excuse herself early; claiming that one of her friends has asked for her on the telephone - even before anyone could hear the sound of telephone ringing. Kids nowadays.
Isshin disappeared to the washroom, saying that he's got a very big 'business' to take care of. Ichigo waved at him dismissively - and urged his dad to get himself to the washroom as fast as possible. He also reminded him to lock the door and not to come out for three hours, saying that it would really be a treat for the household.
"You don't need to help us with the plates, Rukia onee-chan," Yuzu said sweetly, as she stacked dirty dishes together cheerfully.
"It's alright, I want to help," Rukia replied with a smile. Ichigo was already at the sink, running the tap. When all the dishes were carefully loaded onto the sink's counter, thanks to strong Ichigo really, Yuzu slipped into an apron and waved them away. "Okay you two, I can clear these myself."
"Are you sure you don't need any help, Yuzu-chan?" Rukia asked again. She didn't want little Yuzu to be doing all the work alone.
Yuzu smiled at her, and nodded her head. "Yes. You two just go on and enjoy yourselves. Thanks for all your help!" the little girl answered brightly.
Ichigo and Rukia left the kitchen and went to the living room. They saw Karin talking in a hushed tone on the telephone in the hallway. Ichigo raised his eyebrows. Since when has she started talking so hush-hush?
Rukia noticed him staring at Karin, and she nudged him at the ribs gently.
"C'mon, let's go and watch tv."
"Uh-huh."
Karin let out a relieved sigh as she heard the creak of the floorboards under their feet gradually disappear. She secretly thanked Rukia for being so perceptive and kind.
"Karin-chan?" the gruff voice from the other end spoke. Karin, as if electrocuted, clutched the receiver tightly with her fingers.
"Yes, Sado-san?" She couldn't afford to let anybody know of their still-secret exchange.
.
"What was that all about?" Ichigo began when they finally hit the couch. Rukia plopped herself next to him.
"What about?" she asked as she reached for the remote control. Chappy was coming on soon.
"Karin," Ichigo crossed his legs. " . . . and her suspicious hushed tone? On the phone?" The doubt and the questions were soaking in. Rukia turned on the television.
"She's probably just talking about something private with her friend," she answered casually. She started to surf channels. Ichigo leaned backwards.
"If it's private she should have meet up with her friend, instead of talking hush-hush on the phone," he commented. He was beginning to wonder whether the caller was a boy or a girl. He had inkling that it was the former.
"Why are you so worried anyway? It's Karin-chan we're talking about." Rukia cast a wondering glance at him. Ichigo crossed his arms in response.
"It's exactly because it's Karin that I'm worried," he answered. Rukia raised her eyebrows. "She's . . . getting kinda secretive nowadays."
Rukia's eyes widened, but only a fraction. She grinned. She didn't think Ichigo was this perceptive of his sisters. It was both natural and unnatural of him.
"It's exactly because it's Karin-chan that you shouldn't have too much to worry about. She can take care of herself," Rukia was confident with Karin. She understood what Ichigo meant, but Karin also deserves some credit.
"She won't do anything dumb. Just trust her in this," she added. It was ten minutes until Chappy the Bunny show starts. Rukia shifted in her seat, trying to find the most comfortable spot on the couch.
Ichigo looked at her, and finally smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Rukia turned to him and smiled cheekily. "I always am, dope, now stop being a worrytart." Ichigo snorted.
"It's worrywart, you midget." He was too content to really annoy her at the moment, so he simply let his words of empty annoying-power die.
"Worrytart sounds better for you, strawberry," she whispered. Ichigo only grinned. Rukia edged closer to him and leaned against his shoulder. She liked doing this with Ichigo. His warmth was comforting.
"Oi, midget."
"Hmm?"
"Don't fall asleep. Chappy the Bunny is about to start."
"I know."
And exactly thirty minutes later we see a Rukia-gone-Chappy-wild and Ichigo wearing one of his deeper scowls.
Author's thanks: Thank you for reading! Leave a review, if you'd please. :D