It's Not Crashing if Your Daughter-In-Law Invites You

Rating: PG-13/T
Genre: General
Summary: IshiHime, allusions to IchiRuki. It's your son's wedding, Ryuuken, and he married one hell of a girl. Suck it up, why don't ya?
Author's Note: It just sort of popped into my head, and I've been wanting to do some more Bleach stuff lately anyway…

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo (DUH).

-

He's not crashing the wedding.

Technically.

Uryu would dearly love to have him kicked out of the reception on the basis of not being invited, but he can't.

His son must be truly and utterly in love with that girl, or she would have gotten an earful of it for inviting her new father-in-law behind her new husband's back.

But that Orihime is a frighteningly cheery girl, making Ryuuken wonder exactly what it was that attracted her to Uryu who, for all intent and purpose, is as icy and as cold as him at times.

Ryuuken doesn't know why he's there anyway. Doesn't know why he accepted that flowery, special invitation from his new daughter-in-law. Maybe he thought it'd be funny, at least subconsciously, to spite Uryu, who he knew would be driven insane by his presence.

There are Soul Reapers there.

The Kurosakis are there.

This is, quite sincerely, one of Ryuuken's darker, idle scenarios. You know, the banal 'what would be my idea of a really bad day' thoughts you think up when your mind wanders.

He sits at a table in the corner of the room, ever the silent observer, while everyone else celebrates the marriage. Watches as Uryu's 'I Hate You, Why Did You Bother Coming' vibes die down and he dances with his wife.

It's the first time he's seen his son happy (At least, in front of him) in many years.

If any of the Soul Reapers there notice that's he's a Quincy, they give no sign. It's possible they don't care. It's also possible that, since there are only two Quincy's left, they've all deduced that he must be Uryu's father, and accept him by default.

Of course, there may be a couple more Quincys before the decade's up. Orihime seems like the type that would enjoy motherhood.

When the party's halfway over, Isshin Kurosaki (Who's currently gained another daughter as well) stumbles over. Ryuuken barely has to process the sight of the former Shinigami before deducing that the man's had more champagne than he can handle.

"Ryuuken! Long time no see." He slams down into a seat next to his rival.

"Isshin."

"Still have a pole up your ass, I see."

Not too far off, a red-headed Soul Reaper covered in tattoos chokes on his drink as he laughs, and a solemn, dark-haired Reaper next to him has to whack him on the back a couple of times.

When Ryuuken doesn't answer the- What he considers to be a- childish remark, Isshin snorts, and his next words are surprisingly clear. "You really are something, Ishida. You can't even smile on your son's wedding day. I don't even know why he invited you." Ryuuken sniffs.

"He didn't."

Isshin blinks. "You crashed? I didn't think you gave enough of a shit to bother." Ryuuken glares at him.

"His wife invited me."

Isshin nods slowly, rapping his knuckles on the table. "That explains it. Orihime's a really loving girl, even to icy bastards like you." Ryuuken, unintentionally reinforcing Isshin's point, just gives a slight, casual shrug.

Isshin shakes his head. "It means nothing that you have another kid now, doesn't it?" He leans forward and slaps a hand on Ryuuken's shoulder. "Look. It's your son's wedding, and he just got married to one hell of a girl. Suck it up, why don't ya?"

Isshin walks off, striking up a conversation with a dark-skinned, purple-haired woman and her tall date with flyaway blonde hair.

Ryuuken is left to think over his scruples for a moment.

…

Eh.

Damn Kurosaki to hell.

Wincing inwardly at what he's about to do, Ryuuken stands up and scans the room, looking for Uryu and Orihime. He spots them by the refreshment table, involved in conversation with Isshin's son and his wife. He approaches the four of them much like a rabbit might eye a sleeping wolf.

When he reaches them, after an eternity, Ichigo Kurosaki's dark-haired wife elbows him and jerks her head, motioning for them to vacate the area. He acquiesces, rubbing his now sore stomach and griping about her hitting too hard.

Orihime is delighted to see Ryuuken.

Uryu looks ready to spit something really cold.

Ryuuken is stiff as a board, and he takes a deep breath, shutting his eyes.

"Congratulations."

There is a pause.

A long pause.

Ryuuken opens his eyes again.

Uryu's eyes are comically wide. Orihime is glowing with happiness.

Ryuuken doesn't know it, but he's dangerously close to falling victim to one of Orihime's 'tackle-hugs'. She's been known to use the move when exceptionally happy; this, in fact, was what she did to Uryu after he proposed to her.

But Orihime does not tackle her father-in-law. She's coherent enough to know that that will hinder her case more so than help it.

She does, however, give him a normal hug.

Ryuuken flushes.

Okay, so Orihime wasn't such a bad daughter-in-law.

-End