Father To Daughter
By Novalee Phoenix
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Author Note: This story will be divided up into either two or three parts. It depends on how much I write. :p So please enjoy this little bit of Isshin and Rukia fluff.
Pairings: Ichigo/Rukia, Isshin and Rukia fluff
"It's going to be a beautiful day." Isshin Kurosaki talked to himself while sitting near the window that had a wonderful view of the neighborhood. He lifted the light brown tea cup to his lips, and slowly drank the warm liquid. "damn, that's some good tea." Sitting back and closing his eyes, he allowed himself to smirk. Ichigo was becoming quite the man.
He had watched as Ichigo took his first breath's of life in the hospital not too far away; watched him make his first baby steps; watched as he would confidently proclaim he would protect his mother; watched as his little boy's world crumbled down into sadness; watched as his son would come home with scrapes, cuts, and bruises but not say a word or complain; and watched as his son fell in love with a cute little shinigami. It was all so strange but at the same time comforting. It was hard for a father to watch his son slowly sink into despair and not be able to pull him back. It was hard breaking through to Ichigo's thick skull.
But after Rukia came into Ichigo's life, he easily transitioned from himself beating Ichigo's thick skull to allowing Rukia the pleasure of beating his son around for him. Rukia proved to be far better at it, and Ichigo, Isshin couldn't help but notice, started to become less troubled and depressed. No doubt, little Rukia-Chan had given his son something that he could have never given to him. She had given him hope; She had given him resolve; and most importantly, she had given him something to protect and the means to protect it with.
So it didn't surprise him one bit when Ichigo had finally decided to introduce her to the family. He was elated. It was true. He had always known she resided in his closet upstairs, and he really didn't mind, but wished that Ichigo would introduce her properly. And now that Isshin has seen what she has done to Ichigo, how she had changed him for the better, he couldn't help but be elated and proud to welcome her into the family. After all, he decided, she had became a true Kurosaki the day she decided to give Ichigo her powers and stay with him.
So, it was on this very beautiful day that he had decided to take Rukia with him and have an official father-daughter day. He loved his other two daughters-and there was no man alive or dead that would refute that-but he wanted to also get to know his new daughter. After all, she was destined to be with his son and would one day carry on the family name. It was only right and normal for him to want to spend time with her.
He put down his tea cup, stood up and stretched. It was time to get the day started, and what better way than:
"GOOD MORNING ICHI….ack!" Ichigo's sock clad feet met promptly with Isshin's face.
"What the hell is your problem you old bastard?!" Ichigo yelled, his eyes blazing and fist up and shaking at his father, who sat on the floor crying.
"Oh my son! Why do you treat papa this way? Why do you not love me?" Isshin then begin his bout of strange cries and faces. "Is it that Rukia-Chan has completely taken over your heart that there is no place left for daddy? Oh the misery! Oh the pain!" Ichigo couldn't take much more. He grabbed his insane father and opening the bedroom door, threw him out and slammed it shut with a bang.
Isshin sat in the hallway smirking, but when he saw his sweet little Yuzu glancing sleepily out the door of her bedroom, he couldn't help but pout and whine. "Daddy, what's wrong? What has Ichi-nii done to you this time?"
And as if a radar was placed somewhere between Ichigo and his sisters' room, Ichigo's head popped out the door and answered back. "I didn't do anything to him. The old goat tried to kill me in my sleep!" Then he gave his dad a good scowl and shut the door.
"Ichi-nii is right Yuzu. Dad is just as deceitful as ever. Just look how pitiful he is in the hallway." And as if it were a play and he on stage, Isshin right on cue broke down into a fit of waterfall cries and crawled over hastily to his daughters Yuzu and Karin. About to give them both a pitiful wale and morning hug, his face once again met with sock-clad feet. "Don't you know how to be quiet in the morning! It's Sunday damn it! Can't you allow us girls to sleep! I mean, I don't mind if you beat Ichi-nii around the bush, but don't come after us you old goat!" And once again, just as Karin finished her rant, Ichigo's annoyed face poked out the door, gave them a really good shut-up glare, and slammed it once again.
Isshin, Yuzu, and Karin stopped to stare for a while at the door. A few minutes passed and Ichigo emerged. He still looked pissed but cautious as he slowly made his way down the stairs for breakfast, every now and then casting backward glances to see if the crazed Isshin would come flying down to meet him.
Karin shrugged and drug her sister away from their deranged father. "Go down stairs goat man. We have to change."
"Karin, stop being so disrespectful. Dad, I'll be down in a minute to cook breakfast." And with a nod, she closed the door on his nose. Isshin sat there on his knees for a while contemplating his next move.
Rukia stirred under the sheets. Did she just hear Ichigo shout? She opened one groggy eye and looked at the clock. Great, 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning and Isshin Kurosaki was just starting the day. Don't get her wrong, she really did like Isshin a lot, but the man sometimes tended to get on her nerves. And he never failed to show up at the most inappropriate times either. She remembered the time her and Ichigo were coming back from Urahara's shoten and Ichigo had decided that he wanted to take her on a different route home. At first, she wondered why, but quit her wondering-and almost all thinking for that matter-when Ichigo decided to hold her hand. It was something that she was getting used to, their little intimate moments, as she liked to call them. She was enjoying their little walk home, which according to Ichigo was the long way around, and was admiring some of the flowers planted in the front yards of homes hoping one day to have a garden and home like this herself, when a blur came screaming down from a tree.
Having good reflexes, both Ichigo and Rukia quickly defended themselves and proceeded to beat the daylights out of the intruder. Or at least Ichigo was as he yelled at her to stay put where she was and that he would handle it. But while Ichigo was distracted, a hand shot up and gave him a great upper-cut to the face, which sent Ichigo sprawling on the ground.
Isshin stood up and glared down at his son. "How dare you Ichigo! To attack your own Papa!" Ichigo, still laying on the ground, got up and glared back. "You damn old goat! You attacked us!"
And as if Ichigo didn't need any more attention from people passing by, Isshin immediately got up and put an arm protectively around Rukia. "How dare you try and take advantage of my third daughter you slime! I can't believe I raised such a perverted son!" And then Isshin proceeded to break into fits of tears while clinging to Rukia.
Thinking back now, it was really quite funny, although if she were to ask Ichigo about it, she was sure he would say otherwise. Old ladies were given him odd looks for weeks. She sighed and decided to get up and dressed. Yuzu would have breakfast soon, and she hated to miss such a good meal.
As she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, she found Yuzu just sitting down with Karin, Ichigo and Isshin screaming and teasing each other. She enjoyed this family and to say that they didn't hold a large part of her heart was a lie. In fact, they were taking up quite a bit of space, except for those spaces reserved for her Nii-sama, Renji, and her squad. But looking at them from were she was standing, she wondered on how beautiful they looked. Ichigo probably would have laughed at her if she would have told him this, but it was true. She had always wanted a lively family and home, and even though Isshin might seem to be psycho, there was plenty of love to go around all four of them. She wondered if there was enough for her as well.
"Oi Rukia, you just gonna stand there or you going to come and eat." Ichigo broke through her silent thoughts. She beamed and took her seat next to him and began filling her plate with fruit, bacon, and eggs.
"This is delicious Yuzu. Such a great chef you are." She complimented. Yuzu beamed.
"I'm glad you enjoy it Rukia-nee."
"So what are you brats up to today?" Ichigo asked taking a bite of eggs from his plate.
"I got a soccer game with some friends." Karin stated putting down her chopsticks.
"Well, I was planning on doing some shopping today with some of my friends as well. How about you Ichi-nii, what are you doing today? You and Rukia-nee are going somewhere?"
If any outsider would have heard Yuzu say this and say it so familiar, they would have immediately jumped to the conclusion that this Rukia was either someone very deeply attached to Ichigo or his fiancé/girlfriend, but the question never bothered Ichigo in the slightest. In fact, he was trying to answer her question without said girl next to him becoming upset. "Well, actually, Keigo and Mizuiro invited me to see a movie. Something about it being an all-guys day and spending guy time or something like that. I mean, it's not like I wouldn't mind Rukia coming along or anything…"
Rukia rolled her eyes. Sometimes she wished Ichigo would understand that it was okay to go on and have fun with his friends without him having to carry her along like a suitcase. "It's alright Ichigo. You should go and have fun with them. You very seldom see them after all and they're your friends."
"You don't mind."
"Of course not baka." Rukia stated offending. What did he think she was? One of those over-possessive, clingy girlfriends? Hardly not. She herself didn't have anything better to do, but that didn't mean she was going to sit around and wait for him like a lost puppy.
"I actually have nothing to do…"and once these words left her mouth, Isshin immediately jumped on the chance. It came as a surprise to all present at the table when Isshin jumped up and grabbed Rukia's hands in his own.
"My dear little Rukia-Chan, if that is the case, then let daddy be your friend today." Everyone's mouths dropped, except for Rukia who hid her surprise well.
"What the hell?" Ichigo started to get up as well. "Hold on now, if you think I'm going to leave Rukia in your company, you've got another thing coming." Ichigo imagined his dad stealing Rukia and bringing her down to met all of his patients, most of which were ogling old farts who would try to flip up her skirt with their canes and say it was an accident.
"Now Ichigo, what harm do you think would befall my precious third daughter if she were with me. Am I not her papa too now?" Ichigo's mouth opened a little, the girls stared back at their father and then to Rukia to gauge her reaction.
"I would love to spend the day with you Kurosaki-san." Rukia stated. Ichigo looked at Rukia. She was smiling, but it wasn't her made-up smile, it was her genuine one. Maybe for one day, he could allow Rukia to be alone with his dad. Besides, Isshin wasn't all bad, just very loud and show-offish. He figured she'd be well protected with him.
Isshin smiled. "Good then, we can start immediately. I have our whole day planned!" And then came out the map with Isshin pointing to every stop that had a big dot on it. As Yuzu, Karin, and Ichigo got up to leave, Ichigo couldn't help but give a good luck pat to Rukia who eyes dropped from her sockets. Good Buddha, have mercy on her!
End Part I