A drunken night with his best friend has consequences Urahara Kisuke is not quite sure they are even ready for. Shihōin Kimiko on the other hand, is born during autumn into a noble clan of assassins in a fictional world, and a century away from two major wars. SI, Worldbuilding

Urahara Kisuke barely heard anything over the ringing in his ears, the words repeating themselves in his mind over and over again, like a broken mantra.

His best friend was sitting across from him, the barest traces of hesitance emanating from the Empress of the Onmitsukidō and it shook him out of his thoughts. He had known Shihōin Yoruichi for nearly one and a half centuries now and during that time – he had never seen her as anything but confident.

But considering what they were talking about…

''Pregnant?'' Kisuke repeated again, voice unusually high and this time there was a small smirk on Yoruichi's face, the same expression of smug cat-like amusement she usually wore.

''Finally sinking in yet, Kisuke?'' A slightly feral smirk graced her face, as she enjoyed the sight of a flabbergasted Urahara Kisuke. It was always amusing to bring that exact expression to his face, even if the current topic hardly left any room for her usual incessant teasing.

A child. She could hardly believe it herself. Yet, her she knew her body and reiatsu too well to mistake the growing presence inside for anything but what it truly was. The result of a drunken night, where Kisuke had found her with bottles of sake, and they had drunken away their sorrows at the anniversary of her parents passing.

Urahara Kisuke opened and closed his mouth, before he calmed his rampant emotions.

''What are you planning on doing?''

A touch wryly Yoruichi considered the man before her. He was her best friend and confidant, inseparable since their childhood, but Yoruichi didn't think of him as a potential husband. Didn't think about him in that way at all.

''I'm not the marrying type anyway.'' She shrugged with a sharp smile, ''and the Elders know it. They will probably be pleased that I am with child, even if you are the father.''

Kisuke huffed a soft laugh, ''I am very sure, Yoruichi-sama.'' He very pointedly added her title, ''that they shall be less than pleased about my involvement in the creation of the clan heir.''

Waving his argument away with a dismissive hand gesture, Yoruichi considered their options. As one of the four great noble families, the Shihōin clan was highly traditional – but their specialization made them far less rigid in such affairs than the Kuchiki clan. The Shihōin respected power far more than a spot free linage or gender. Otherwise she would have never been made clan head over her younger brother, Yūshirō.

It would not be without difficulties, she knew, but her child would be accepted as the heir to the clan. Especially since - no matter how much the Elders might not like her third seat - Urahara Kisuke was highly intelligent and powerful. It would work in their favor.

''I am powerful, you are powerful - and so our child will be.'' She stated simply, and saw her friend nod in comprehension. He had never liked participating in clan politics much, but it would be necessary in the future.

''We're going to be parents.'' Urahara Kisuke finally huffed an incredulous laugh, and Yoruichi smirked in agreement.

It would be different, that was for sure.

Kisuke eyed the flimsy shōji door in front of him consternation. It was deeply unsettling to know that his best friend was giving birth to their child only a quick shunpo away and he was unable to be nearer. It was only Tessai's grounding presence that allowed him to calm his nerves.

The last few months had not been easy, neither for Yoruichi, nor for him. As head of the Shihōin clan, the Captain of the 2nd Division, Onmitsukidō Commander-in-Chief, Corrections Corps Corps Commander and Executive Militia Corps Commander, Yoruichi filled quite a few vital posts and Kisuke, as the next strongest and most suited had been tasked with much Yoruichi had been unable to do as the pregnancy progressed.

The Tenshiheisōban would not allow their head and heir to be placed in peril at such a time, and while the relatively easy acceptance of the Shihōin clan had eased Kisuke's apprehension, it also pushed him into the spotlight far more than he was comfortable with.

He liked to blend into the background, and it was clear that it would be getting far harder to achieve the same in the future.

A spike of reiatsu alerted him, and he renewed his pacing. For Yuroichi's control to fail...

''Do not fret so much, Kisuke. You know this is normal.'' Tessai's soothing voice interrupted his frantic thoughts, and Kisuke reminded himself to breathe. It was ridiculous how easy it was to lose his composure when his child - and didn't that still seem so unreal even after months of seeing the proof growing inside Yoruichi's body - was currently entering the world as an individual.

Sliding his hands into the folds of his kimono, Kisuke tried to calm, Benihime murmuring in the back of his mind soothingly.

Another spike of reiatsu followed, but this time it didn't abate. It flickered around his senses, almost like a living entity - and then it sharply pulled back, before a loud wail shattered the silence, and Kisuke froze.

The shōji door slid open, an attendant bowing in his direction.

''Kisuke-dono. You can now enter.''

He didn't need to be told twice, a lazy shunpo belying his current incomprehensible flickering feelings carried him past the attendant into the room, and he barely paused to nod at the assembled healers attending the birth, before rushing towards his best friend and the bundle she held in her hands.

''Kisuke.'' The Tenshiheisōban princess greeted him lazily, exhaustion marring her features - and Kisuke brushed his reiatsu against her, and noticing nothing but exhaustion relaxed. Yoruichi smiled at him knowingly, and a touch fondly, before her eyes flickered down towards the bundle where their child let out soft wails.

''Kisuke, meet our daughter. Daughter, this is your father.''

At this somewhat ridiculous introduction, Kisuke relaxed completely, the last vestiges of stress falling off his shoulders. Peering down at the infant in Yoruichi's arms, Kisuke was struck motionless. Small tufts of dark hair - her mother's shade, something inside of him seemed to whisper - stuck out in stark opposition to the silver flashing in her eyes. So much like his. His eyes. His daughter. His.

''So tiny.'' Frail, easily breakable. Kisuke would know, he had killed enough people to fill whole rooms, and this thought caused something unknown to curl around his heart. He was suddenly aware of the people standing behind him, near his frail daughter and his reiatsu spiked.

Urahara Kisuke was a possessive man, with too much blood on his hands - and yet...

There was this little life in his best friends hand, that belonged to him in the same way Benihime and Yoruichi did. A part of him, precious, unmovable.

''Yoruichi-sama, Kisuke-dono.'' A voice shook him out of his contemplations, and Kisuke's eyes flickered to the same attendant that had summoned him in, suddenly aware of the sweat marring his face. A part of him was viciously pleased.

Yet, he still didn't move from his position in front of the weakened Yoruichi and his daughter, whose wails had abated to soft hiccups.

''Hiraku-sama has requested entry.''

Yoruichi's reiatsu pushed against his, amused and fond, but with a steely undercurrent that he recognized. His best friend was more than prepared. His own reiatsu seemed to dissipate in response, and Kisuke noticed the way the tension in the room instantly seemed to vanish.

''He has permission to enter.'' Yoruichi stretched slightly so that her torso seemed more upright, eyes soft when her eyes flickered to their daughter before they became molten gold.

The shōji door slid open, an elderly man with grey temples and sharp eyes, clad in a formal wide sleeved kimono entered the room. Shihōin Hiraku was the younger brother of Yoruichi's own father, the twenty first head of the Tenshiheisōban. A sharp tongued and highly intelligent man, Hiraku was one of the most influential in the clan.

Kisuke respected him far more than the rest of the Elders combined. He was too stern, and rigid - but he had always had a soft spot for Yoruichi. Which had translated into Kisuke finding him the slightest hint more tolerable than the rest of the lot.

''You have given birth to a daughter, I heard?''

Not surprised that this small information had already started to spread, Yoruichi simply nodded. She truly wasn't in the mood for small talk, especially since this particular elder would excuse it.

''Her name?'' Hiraku continued approaching his niece, noticing but for the moment ignoring the way the father of the child made way, body language utterly languid. What a dangerous boy, Hiraku approved - somewhat. He had never been particularly happy about the way his niece and that boy were so close, even though he was the orphaned son of his elder brother's right hand, but he could not deny his sheer capabilities. Hiraku was sure that child had achieved bankai even before his niece, though that was more an inkling of a feeling than from any concrete proof.

''We were waiting until we saw the child.'' Kisuke shrugged somewhat sheepishly, for the first time injecting himself into the conversation.

''But you already have ideas?'' Hiraku peered down at his newly born grand-niece, watching with no small amount of wonder how a small yawn scrunched up her face briefly, the silver of her eyes momentarily visible, before she seemed to settle down again.

Yoruichi smirked briefly. ''Since she's going to be the heir, we thought something along the lines of Katsumi, or Kimiko.''

Kisuke's lips twitched upward. Finding acceptable names had taken them the better part of weeks, each with their own preferences. Until Kisuke had somewhat conceded for his own sanity, if nothing else.

''Victorious beauty or empress child?'' Hiraku nodded thoughtfully, ''It would probably be better to name her Kimiko. It would remind the others who exactly she is. The child of our Empress and the future Empress of this clan.''

Yoruichi's eyes met Kisuke's, both agreeing without seeming so. It needed not be said that it would also at least contain a part of Kisuke's name, even if written differently.

''Well then,'' Yoruichi declared with a small cat-like smirk, ''welcome to the world, Shihōin Kimiko.''

A cry echoed through the previous silence, and Yoruichi immediately shot up from her comfortable and unfairly warm futon, before sliding open the door to her daughter's room only a second later. Her eyes immediately fell to the middle of the room where a small, but elaborate futon was placed, her daughter wiggling and crying against the blanket.

''What's wrong, Ki-chan? Can't sleep? Hungry?'' Yoruichi fasted her sleeping yukata, before laying down next to her small child after a moment of contemplation. It was strange how quickly life could change. Even when she was still pregnant, it didn't seem quite so real. She was a mother. She was responsible for this tiny life, which could not support itself and was so utterly dependent on her that it was almost frightening.

Yoruichi had never seen herself as a mother. She was good at being an elder sibling, at commanding troops, but raising a baby was so new it was heart-wrenching. Every time her child cried, she would not truly calm down until Kimiko was content again, it was ridiculous. It was satisfying. She could see the same happening to Kisuke, being parents was changing them.

If only her old self could see her now, being all serious and responsible.

Raising her hand, she stroked the soft tufts of hair on her daughter's head, her reiatsu cocooning her child softly. A gentle smile lit up her face, when her daughter immediately calmed down, hands seemingly stretching in her direction, and she huffed a small laugh.

''So adorable, isn't she? Right, Kisuke?''

A quiet chuckle sounded from behind her, Kisuke entering the room, still clad in his normal everyday forest-green evening yukata. Her mad best friend Yoruichi knew, didn't know the meaning of sleep. ''Of course, what did you expect?''

''I don't know.'' Yoruichi conceded, voice low and thoughtful. ''Maybe, I thought it was like being a sister. But it's not, isn't it?''

''No.'' Kisuke agreed, his feet carrying him onto the unoccupied side of the futon, before he slumped down next to her daughter's futon, content to watch, his reiatsu joining Yoruichi in cocooning their child.

''I've never thought I would ever be a father, either. Especially not with what we do.'' Kisuke's face twisted itself into a bitter smile, before it smoothed out once more. ''I have many regrets, but this is not one of them.''

Eyes warm, as his daughter now tried to reach towards him, Kisuke relented and placed a single finger into his daughters small hand.

''When is Yūshirō returning anyway?'' Kisuke changed the topic, trying to ignore the way Yoruichi was smirking at him. It was hardly his fault that he immediately seemed to cave in whenever his daughter turned towards him.

Yoruichi graciously let him change the topic. ''He should be back within the next year. The mission is taking a bit longer than anticipated, but there seem to be no problems. He has already sent us his gratulations though.''

''Good.'' Kisuke acknowledged. ''Maybe we should let her sleep with one of us at night. I know we decided on placing her between us, as is tradition - but she seems to sleep better at night with one of us there. One of is usually in this room half the night, anyway. ''

''We may be required to get up at night.'' She reminded him, ''and-'' here she faltered for a second, because this was something that should never be said out loud.''-our instincts might recognize her as a foreign presence at night.''

She didn't need to continue. They both knew what happened with people sneaking up on them in their sleep.

''Do you really think we would hurt her?'' Kisuke questioned her, eyes still on this small being seemingly so content with being near him.

''We could try.'' Yoruichi relented, lips pursed in thought before she sent a smirk in Kisuke's direction. ''I don't think the small princess is going to let go of you anyway.''

''You think your kaa-chan is mean to your tou-chan as well, don't you, little princess?''

Kimiko blinked at them curiously, before shrieking happily.

''What does that mean, are you agreeing or disagreeing with me?'' Kisuke pouted outrageously, his hand moving slowly towards his daughter's stomach where his fingers softly poked against the smooth fabric. Kimiko shrieked happily, and Kisuke took that as a sign to continue his actions.

Yoruichi laughter joined the happy sounds their daughter made, and Kisuke let the warmth fill him.

He had many regrets, but his daughter indeed was not one of them.

The Shihōin clan, as one of the five noble clans of Seireitei, had a large compound in Seireitei itself. One of the many benefits a clan so very entrenched in the founding of Seireitei could enjoy.

Existing as the espionage and assassination component of Seireitei since its founding, the clan itself was rumored to have been founded by the head one of the earliest noble families of Japan, in the early Yayoi period. It was the earliest recorded clan to be founded by a soul not born in Soul Society, but appearing in the afterlife after death with almost all memories intact.

Shihōin Yoruichi was usually pretty ambivalent about her position, and the honor and respect it brought her. She had worked for this, had perfected her abilities, until even her fiercest naysayers could not help but respect her.

But right now, all she wanted to do was grab her daughter and run away.

Instead she slumped to the ground under the bemused eye of her two closest friends, Tessai a solid presence next to Kisuke.

''I don't want to.'' Yoruichi didn't care how petulant she sounded. This was a nightmare.

''It is an important celebration.'' Kisuke chirped with far too much good humor. If Yoruichi didn't know that Kisuke was even less likely to enjoy the festivities than she herself was, she would have been more bothered.

Far more seriously, her third seat continued. ''It is the first anniversary of our child's birth. You know how much value the noble families put on this particular celebration.''

''It's totally useless.'' Yoruichi huffed in aggravation. ''Children born in Seireitei age far slower, especially noble children with higher reiatsu. Kimiko is far too young for such a celebration. She has had hardly any contact with others except for a few carefully selected people. I don't want to stress her.''

Ruffling his own hair, Kisuke considered this. It was true that both he and Yoruichi were unsurprisingly very protective of Kimiko. Except for Tessai, a few very carefully screened and selected attendants, and occasionally Hiraku-sama; they didn't let anyone close to their defenseless child.

It went against every single one of their instincts. Even when they had work, usually one of them was always somewhere on the Shihōin premises, senses carefully stretched over the compound. Missions were accomplished as quickly as possible, and breakfast was the designated family time, often with Tessai, and occasionally with Hiraku-sama in attendance.

''Well, who is going to be in attendance in the first place?'' Tessai very pointedly did not roll his eyes. His aggravation was sufficiently conveyed through his utterly reasonably tone alone.

''The Kuchiki's, though I think Byakuya-bou is still a little young to be brought along. So Ginrei and Miyako, maybe Sojun. A few Shibas, some from our own subordinate clans – the Feng and Oumaedas'. The Kasumioji will surely sent a representative as well, the Kosho clan too. Then there will be the various lower noble families, I think Kyōraku und Ukitake are going to come as well.''

Kisuke processed the rather long list for a moment, before nodding thoughtfully. ''Let's just run away, after all.''

A knock sounded from the shoji door, and as that particular reiatsu approached, Kisuke sighed in defeat.

The old geezer's timing was too impressive, after all.

''Hiraku-sama is here.''

Yoruichi grimaced. ''Enter.''

Even though Shihōin Hiraku was smiling politely, there was a knowing glint in his eyes that made it abundantly clear that he was more than aware of their plans, and had contingency plans to stop every single one. How this could be conveyed through a polite smile, Kisuke was utterly clueless about.

''I was planning on stopping by to make sure that everything is proceeding as planned.''

''Of course, Hiraku-sama.'' Kisuke reassured him swiftly, a winning smile on his face. ''We are all very much looking forward to Kimiko's first large celebration.''

Hiraku raised an eyebrow, and Kisuke's smile almost faltered. In the last year he had more contact with this particular Shihōin than in the other decades of his life combined, and while he still wasn't certain he liked this particular man, his respect of him had still shot up exponentially. There was something particularly impressive about managing to intimidate two captain-class Shinigami and his own clan head with a single raised eyebrow, after all.

''Then, I shall see you in an hour. Please excuse me.''

With that last proclamation, the elderly man walked out of the door, as swiftly as he came in, and Kisuke heaved a sigh of relief.

''How scary.''

He was rather universally agreed with.

''Well then, let's get changed – and face our doom.'' Yoruichi stretched languidly, reminding Kisuke more of a cat with each passing day, her bad mood long forgotten.

Kisuke thought of the elaborate kimono and headgear waiting for him as the father of new Shihōin princess, and moaned in despair.

Sensing the small warmth only two shoji doors away, Kisuke reminded himself why he was subjecting himself to this torture.

The things he did for that child of his.

A/N This is something that has been floating around in my head since I've been rereading some bleach fanfics.

This is about an SI in the Bleach universe, as the unplanned daughter of Yoruichi and Kisuke. I will try to explore Soul Society and develop the characters while doing so. This fic will span from Kimiko's birth to the end of the manga, so look forward to the ride, and tell me what you think.

C'ya soon,

AriesOrion