#tapart

“But…I wanna go with Mommy and Daddy.”

Renji chuckled and adjusted his hold over the course of his next few strides. “Sorry, kiddo. We talked ‘bout this, remember? Only Shinigami’re allowed to go to the Livin’ World.”

Like a nostalgic vision from the past, Rukia’s childish pout glared back at him. Well…almost. The chin wasn’t quite right and the hair was completely wrong both in color and style. But other than that, the tiny girl he held in his arms could’ve easily passed for his wife’s doppelgänger back when she was a child, right down to the way in which she hunched her shoulders and gave a grumpy huff.

“No fair,” she grumbled, now deliberately refusing to look at him as if her defiance would somehow change things. By maintaining a fixed stare on Soukyoku Hill off in the distance she was trying her very hardest to keep a steeled face, he knew, but even before her lower lip started trembling a small trickle of moisture was already making its way down her flushed cheek.  

“Oh…now…Ichika…” Renji halted and sighed helplessly as the tears flowed faster and bouts of sporadic hiccupping began, all the while praying no one would notice.

No such luck. On a sparsely populated street like this, a tall man with bright red hair standing awkwardly in the middle, sobbing child in one arm and a large satchel in the other, easily stood out. Several curious onlookers turned their way as they passed, a few even offering him sympathetic looks before hurrying on. Those Renji felt obligated to acknowledge and his unfortunate response came out as somewhat of a painful grimace.

Of course he hated seeing his precious little girl upset like this, but what could he do? It was completely out of his hands. Deciding who could and couldn’t leave Soul Society was and had always been up to the Central 46, and he highly doubted they would change the policy now for a two year-old. Even if said two year-old did happen to be the child of two of the Gotei 13’s strongest lieutenants.

Unfortunately, explaining this to her, even in the simplest of terms, wasn’t enough. Being so young, the scope of her worldview just hadn’t yet expanded beyond their immediate family, the Kuchiki clan, and Mommy and Daddy’s friends who played with her sometimes. As far as she understood, whenever there was something she wanted or needed, no matter what was wrong, her parents would always be there to make it right. To her, they could do anything!

Yet now her father was telling her this was a problem he wasn’t going to fix? In her eyes, it meant he could but didn’t want to. Which of course, was not true, but imagined or not, the guilt of being at all responsible for what she saw as a devastating betrayal by her beloved Daddy still tugged painfully at his heart. So much so that Renji was half tempted to start crying right along with her until a gentle voice at his side spoke up in his defense.

“Shhh…Daddy knows it’s not fair, sweetie. And it makes him very sad that we can’t bring you this weekend.”

Wearing that affecionate, beautiful face Renji loved so much, Rukia reached up and tenderly rubbed Ichika’s back. Despite 17 inches of distance separating their statures, he wholly felt every drop of soothing warmth she emitted towards their distraught daughter.

“But you know what? If you keep working hard at your lessons, you’ll be enlisted as a Gotei Apprentice soon enough. As seated officers, Daddy and I can request special permission for Apprentices to accompany us to the Living World.”

Giving a small sniffle, Ichika clumsily rubbed her leaking eyes with one chubby fist. “Then…I can go, too?”

Rukia put on an encouraging smile and squeezed the foot dangling down closest to her. “I promise…when you’re an Apprentice, you can come with us any time you like,” she vowed.

Ichika finally looked back to Renji in a silent plea for reassurance; It was up to him to bring it all home and thanks to Rukia’s efforts he knew exactly what to do.

So in one smooth motion, he set Ichika on the dusty road and knelt before her as close to her level as he could get, though there was still over a foot of growth required on her part before seeing eye-to-eye in this position would be remotely possible. Gently, with the comforting touch he’d acquired from fatherhood, the few stray tears that had been missed were expertly brushed away without a trace. He discretely wiped his damp thumb on one pant leg and grinned.

“Hey…Mommy’s right, ya know. You’re doin’ real well with your lessons,“ Renji declared. Just thinking about it triggered a small rush of pride to well up in his chest. “‘Fact…I’d figure you’re a lot stronger ’n we were at this age.”

Her downcast eyes lifted immediately. “Really…?”

Renji grinned wider and poked her shoulder. “I’d be shocked if they didn’t come knockin’ down our door beggin’ ya to join up by the time you’re six.”

He was saying all this now to make her feel better, of course, but it actually wasn’t a lie. Even before she was born everyone had been certain Ichika would inherit at least some of her parents’ talent, so as soon as she could stand and hold a (wooden) sword on her own Rukia insisted they begin training her. During the first lesson it was confirmed that yes, she did indeed possess remarkable reiatsu and spiritual capabilities when she shocked both of them by producing a perfectly formed miniature orb of energy after seeing the technique demonstrated only once.

True, Mommy and Daddy probably should’ve said something before now. But thankfully, the pep talk had done its job. Like a rainbow breaking through storm clouds, a hopeful smile finally emerged.

Rukia adjusted the two bags slung over her shoulders (her own plus Ichika’s) and joined them on the ground. “But for now, Ichika, your job is to be a good girl for Oji-sama while Mommy and Daddy are away at Ichi-nii and Hime-chan’s wedding.” She swept aside the wisps of red hair framing Ichika’s round face. “Can we count on you to do that?”

The simple action had brought into prominence the sole hair-related genetic trait Ichika received from her mother: One small lock in the middle of her forehead that stubbornly sprang back into place almost immediately. With determined confidence, the fully formed miniature Rukia puffed up with one final sniff and gave her parents a grand nod. “Mm!”

“‘Atta girl!” Renji wrapped one arm around her and pulled her in close. “Now how ‘bout we get a move on…don’t wanna keep Oji-sama waitin’, do we?”

“N-nooo-oo!” Ichika shrieked and giggled at the flurry of kisses and playful noises assaulting the top of her head. Only when Renji was satisfied that all traces of the previously unhappy mood had been destroyed did he release the squirming toddler-now sporting a cheeky grin topped off with a lopsided ponytail-and stand back up. While brushing the dirt off his clothes, out of the corner of his eye he saw Rukia give an exasperated huff and reach out to quickly fix the destruction left in the wake of his affections before following suit.

The final leg of their family trek to the Kuchiki estate was completed hand-in-hand with Ichika happily trotting between Rukia and himself (uncomfortably hunched, of course, but he was used to it by now). Once they were mere steps from their destination, however, Ichika wrenched out of their grasps and ran ahead through the entrance gate, calling out, “Seike-san! Seike-saaan!”

Just inside, Byakuya’s personal attendant stood waiting for them on the paved walkway. At the sound of his name, he looked up and caught sight of the little girl happily bounding towards him. The old man’s normally serene expression instantly blossomed into a warm smile.

“Why, hello there, Ichika-sama!” Seike bent over to greet her with a respectful bow of his head once she had skittered to a halt. “And what brings you here today?” he asked curiously, though Renji knew he was actually fully aware of the next six days’ arrangement.

“Well. I’m here staying…with Oji-sama!” Ichika announced proudly while rocking back and forth with her hands wringing together in front of her.

“Are you now?” Seike adjusted his glasses with a very convincing look of surprise on his face.

“Yes! Because…Mommy and Daddy are going to the Living World.” She pouted and gave a dejected sigh. “But I can’t go, too.” To cap off this display of misery, she sagged her shoulders low and ground the toe of one sneaker into the stone path.

Renji nearly snorted out loud. That kid could really lay it on thick when she wanted to…and it wasn’t hard to guess who she got this from.

But ever the good sport, Seike played along with Ichika’s antics and let his face fall into a sympathetic frown. “Oh, no…I’m very sorry to hear that.”

Satisfied that she’d suckered him in with her little performance, Ichika instantly recovered with a screech of laughter and clapped her palms together. “It’s okay, Seike-san! Because guess what?” She cupped her hands around her mouth and leaned forward to tell him in a loud whisper, “I’m gonna be a Shinigami soon!”

Somewhere behind him Rukia let out a stifled cough, which Renji immediately recognized as not an actual cough, but her polite attempt to keep a laugh suppressed.

Oh boy…

When he had said “by the time you’re six” what he meant was “probably in four years,” so definitely not anywhere near “soon.” And when that did happen, as Rukia had stated, she would be enlisted in the Gotei as an Apprentice, not a full-fledged Shinigami.

But rather than put a damper on the bubbly mood they had just managed to bring out minutes earlier, Renji simply kept his mouth clamped shut and shrugged to himself. She’d learn the differences eventually.

“Ahh! Is that so?” Seike chuckled with a knowing twinkle in his eye as Ichika grinned at him and gleefully twisted herself from side to side, “Well, I have no doubt you will make a fine Shinigami, Ichika-sama!”

If there was one worldly concept Ichika had actually grasped in her short existence, it was the polite thing one should say in response to a compliment. She giggled and hid her mouth behind her fingers with a squeak of “Thaaank you!”

“Rukia-sama. Renji-sama.” Seike straightened and acknowledged the two of them. “Byakuya-sama is taking his daily walk through the gardens. Please follow me.”

Impatient as always, Ichika did not comply and instead darted around Seike to make a beeline for the grove of trees in the distance. When she spotted the familiar figure among them, strolling over the koi pond’s painted bridge, her face lit up with a gasp of excitement and she sprinted towards it as fast as her little legs could carry her.

“OJI-SAMAAAA!!!”

Byakuya, looking oddly relaxed in casual garb of light blue and grey with freely flowing hair, waited patiently until she was thundering over the wooden planks before crouching down to meet his niece. Ichika took a flying leap into his outstretched arms and flung her own around his neck in the biggest, squeeziest hug she could muster. He returned it in kind and held tight as the rest of the adults joined them on the bridge.

If someone told Renji years ago that this sight would become a commonplace occurrence, he would’ve most likely laughed in that person’s face. And then told them to go home and sleep it off. Even now, after witnessing the captain fully (and dare he say it…happily) accept his daughter’s enthusiastic greetings many times over, Renji was certain he would never, ever get used it.

“Hello, Ichika. You look well.” Still on one knee, Byakuya held her out at arms length and looked her up and down. “That’s a very pretty…” he frowned slightly, “garment…you have on.”

Her face brightened at the intended compliment, nonetheless, and she cheerfully informed him, “Thank you, Oji-sama! It’s from Ishi-san!”

Rukia, having just given Ichika’s overnight bag and a few last minute instructions to Seike before he took it into the house, walked over and knelt beside Ichika with a hand on her shoulder. “Ichika, why don’t you tell Oji-sama what those are?” she suggested after noticing the puzzled look on her brother’s face.

Thanks to the generosity of their friends in the Living World, Ichika’s wardrobe from the time she was born boasted a mix of modern Western and traditional Soul Society clothing so she, unlike a good majority of people in the Seireitei, was equally comfortable sporting either style. Now that she was old enough to voice her own opinion on the matter, she would frequently switch between the two depending on what she felt like wearing that particular day. More often than not, on the days she wore human clothes one of them (usually Rukia) ended up having to explain the various pieces of her outfit to friends and colleagues.

“It’s…they’re, um…” Ichika’s face scrunched up tighter than the time Rangiku gave her some sour candies to try in her effort to remember what Ishida had said when he presented them to her. It was understandable if she’d forgotten; Her birthday was over a month ago and the excitement from opening a whopping 127 presents in total had left her dazed and reeling by the time she was finished. So as Renji expected, it took some quietly murmured prompting from Rukia before she came up with the answer.

“Ohhh…veeerrr…Oh! Over-alls!” she proclaimed happily and lifted up the bib to show off the flowers neatly embroidered on the dusty pink denim.

After a brief examination of the bold designs, Byakuya closed his eyes and nodded his head in understanding. “Ah, yes…overalls. They suit you nicely.” He stoically straightened himself and then his haori. “Now then, Ichika, shall we see how the fish are doing today?”

Ichika’s eyes widened. “Are they in the water now?” she asked in a hushed voice.

A hint of a smile crossed Byakuya’s face. “Yes, they are in the water, as always.”

“So we can see-we can please see them?” Ichika corrected herself mid-sentence even though she wasn’t posing this as a question of permission, so there was really no need to.

“If that is what you desire.” The smile was no longer merely a hint now.

Ichika drew herself up and nodded. “Why yes, I do desire…that…” With Byakuya in tow, she marched over to the railing and tried to peer around and over the banisters, but unfortunately her tiny size meant she lacked the height necessary to obtain an unobstructed view of the pond. She looked up at Byakuya with a disappointed frown. “Ummm, it’s not working, Oji-sama. I’m sorry…we can’t see the fishies today.”

Laughter was another thing Renji never thought he’d witness coming from Kuchiki Byakuya, but there it was.

“Do not worry, this is a simple fix,” Byakuya assured as he lifted her high up into the air. Once he had one arm wrapped securely around her torso and the other pinning her lower half in place against him, he allowed her to put her hands on the railing and lean forward so she could peer into the pond. Ichika flailed and squealed with delight when she spotted several brightly colored fish circling in the water directly below her.

“Nii-sama.” Rukia took the opportunity to step forward and bow deeply to her brother. “Thank you so much for allowing us to leave Ichika in your care.”

“As I have told you before…there is no need for thanks.” He calmly watched Ichika puff out her cheeks and smack her lips in imitation of one of the fish as if she was trying to commune with it, then added, “I am not bothered in the slightest.”

Whether this was true or false, it was still rather impressive how unfazed Byakuya seemed by Ichika’s determination to destroy his carefully put-together appearance. Maintaining such poise while keeping hold of a wiggling toddler whose wild thrashing threatened the likelihood of a whacked nose or eye and every sporadic kick sent crumbs of dirt tumbling down his pristine clothing had to require extreme effort on his part, but he never let it show. No…Oji-sama’s adoration for Ichika outweighed whatever inconveniences she wrought upon him, and he would endure it all without complaint for even the tiniest sliver of her happiness.

“Well…needed ‘r not, we’re still grateful knowin’ she’s in good hands while we’re gone. Puts our minds at ease, ya know?” Renji told him with a nod of his head-a much more casual gesture than he would’ve normally dared to attempt. However, in this rare instance, formalities had no place in an acknowledgement of understanding between equals: Two men, driven by their devotion to a pair of sisters, each entrusting the other to protect what was most precious to him and the woman he loved. It was the one bond they shared as brothers-in-law that was built on true mutual feelings, and one that Renji didn’t take for granted.

Despite never openly admitting this to him, Byakuya knew. And ever a man of restraint, the look he returned was brief but just as steadfast in its recognition. “Yes, of course. Be sure to give my sincerest regards to Kurosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime on their marriage.”

Renji nodded again, this time with all due respects as subordinate and family member in place. “Will do, Captain.”

Byakuya lowered his head to address Ichika, still deep in “conversation” with her fish friends. “Ichika, it’s time to say goodbye to Mommy and Daddy.”

Ichika looked up and waved vigorously. “Goodbye to Mommy and Daddy!” she chirped with enough cheerfulness to fill the space between those rosy cheeks with the widest, brightest smile possible.

“Bye, kiddo. We’ll be back to getcha in a few days, okay?” Renji couldn’t help chuckling as he stepped forward and lovingly ruffled her hair. This was done quickly, though he felt a strong reluctance to remove his hand once it made contact. She was a troublemaker for sure, but it was indisputable he and Rukia had made a kid that was too damn cute for her own good sometimes.

“Okay, Daddy!”

Looking slightly teary-eyed, Rukia reached out and gave Ichika’s ponytail one last motherly fix. “Goodbye, sweetie. Have fun, and mind Oji-sama. We love you so much.” The kiss she placed on Ichika’s forehead lingered slightly longer than usual.

“Yes, Mommy,” Ichika mumbled when Rukia finally pulled away. A shadow of a pout crossed her face and it made Renji’s heart drop several centimeters in anticipation for that day’s second round of devastated tears. However, within seconds the threat had faded and her attention was already back to the fish, drawn by the sounds of playful splashing.

Rukia stayed rooted in place, watching with pursed lips and furrowed brow, until Renji gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” he murmured as encouragingly as he could. Whether this was meant to reassure his wife or himself was unclear even to him, but it worked well enough for her to nod and accompany him off the bridge and down the garden path without hesitation.

“Ah, Rukia…Renji…” Byakuya’s voice called after them just as the two of them were about to step out of earshot.

They turned back immediately to find Byakuya hadn’t moved at all from his spot on the bridge. In fact, he didn’t bother to look up as he stated, with utmost nonchalance, “You will have a fair amount of time to yourselves this week. It would be wise to make the most of it.”

The effort it took Renji to force out a smile made his face feel like it was cracking in half. “Ah…y-yeah. That…good. Good thinkin’, Captain!” He kept it up so long one eye started twitching.

Yes, there was the other thing he would never, ever get used to: His captain doling out advice on his love life in the form of some sophisticatedly subtle innuendo.

“Of course! Thank you, Nii-sama!”

And it had completely flown over Rukia’s head, as usual.

“We should really take Nii-sama’s advice, though, Renji,” Rukia said once they’d passed through the gate and left Byakuya far behind, “We are arriving earlier than necessary and staying through the weekend.” She put a finger to her lip and furrowed her brow in thought. “Perhaps a day of sightseeing in the city would be…”

Renji’s loud burst of laughter cut her off. “Rukia…yanno that ain’t at all what he meant.”

“But what else would he mean by ‘make the most of-‘?“

“Look…what’s the one thing we never get to do…’an I mean really get to do anymore? Think about it…he knows damn well that the next few nights’ll be just you ‘an me in a fancy ass hotel room…alone…no distractions…no chance our kid’ll come burstin’ in at the worst-ahhhh, you’re gettin’ it now.” Renji smirked at the color slowly filling Rukia’s cheeks. “Honestly, should just skip the subtext next time ‘an say flat-out, ‘Rukia…Renji…enjoy those uninterrupted, uninhibited maritals while you can!’”

She stared at him, aghast. “Renji! He wouldn’t…you can’t be serious...”

“Oh, but he does and I am, “ Renji snorted, secretly relieved that she was finally being let in on the indignity he’d been subjected to by her brother since the day they were married, “‘An seein’ how he is with Ichika, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s hopin’ to get a few more outta us.”

“A few more what? Children?” Frowning, Rukia shook her head from side to side. “I don’t think that’s…well, it’s not something I was…” she looked up at him suddenly, her eyes wide. “Renji…are you saying you…?”

“Oh, hell no,“ Renji answered with zero hesitation, “That one’s a handful ‘an a half as it is. Fuck me if there’s two ‘r three of ‘em runnin’ around.”

Rukia laughed with relief. “Yes. One is enough, I think.”

“Yeah.” Renji lightly rubbed her shoulder. “’Specially with your impendin’ captain’s promotion ‘an all.”

She sighed and softly grasped his hand. “That’s…still quite a ways off, Renji.”

“I know, I know,” he chuckled, “You wanna wait ‘til she’s gotten a little bigger, amirite?”

“Yes.” Rukia closed her eyes and sighed once again. “At least until she can take care of herself and help around the house, when both of us are busy. Once she’s an Apprentice that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Right…but just so ya know, I’m more ‘n willin’ to pick up any slack at home if ya take it now,” he said seriously, “Even if it means I gotta step down as Lieutenant temporarily. Or…not so temporarily.”

He knew he’d said the wrong thing when something inside Rukia snapped. She wrenched his hand from her shoulder and whirled around to face him. “Abarai Renji, how dare you even suggest such a thing! I will not let you give up being a Shinigami…and throw away everything you’ve worked for…just for my sake!” Her eyes blazed with anger.

Gently, Renji gathered up her shaking fists into his grasp. “Rukia…much as I love bein’ a Shinigami, it’s not what I’ve worked for. Not even close.”

“But…then what…?”

Renji gave her hands a pointed squeeze. “This. Us. You…’an Ichika…you’re everythin’ I’ve worked for. I trained ‘an got strong so I could give ya the life you deserve, ‘an be worthy ‘o standin’ by your side.“

Rukia’s hands wiggled apart and gripped him just as tightly. “You were always worthy, Renji,” she declared hotly, tears brimming, “You didn’t need to prove anything…I wanted you by my side.”

“Well…yeah…I know that now,” he scoffed (while trying very hard to contain the sheepish blush that suddenly popped up on both cheeks), “But geez, Rukia… bein’ a Shinigami is nothin’ in the long run. It’s just a position…a title. Give that up for you? Easy. Hell, I’d give up bein’ alive for your sake.”

Judging by Rukia’s sharp intake of breath, she was gearing up for one heck of a protest, so he pressed a finger to her lips before that could happen. ”Ah, ah…sorry…there’s nothin’ you can do to change that,” he told her with a firm nod of his head.

Despite the “sorry,” his words and the accompanying smirk he wore while expressing them weren’t the least bit apologetic. Why would they be? He wasn’t sorry for loving Rukia, nor the child she bore him, with every fiber of his being. And he certainly wasn’t sorry for swearing to his soul every waking moment that he would protect his precious family at all costs, would do anything for their well-being. She had to know by now he would never go back on the promise he made to her all those years ago as he held her close and shielded her from the slashes of Aizen Sosuke’s sword with his own body.

On the other hand, he knew by now that Rukia was just as fiercely devoted to their family, and he knew it was why she’d made a firm decision to hold off accepting the captain’s position she deserved and was more than ready to take on. Unfortunately no matter how hard Renji tried, or how much Rukia resented him for it, he would never be able to fully suppress the innate desire to do anything he could to make it happen. At any rate, her frosty scowl made it clear that she was also very much aware this was one of those arguments neither of them could fully win. Not when both were coming from opposite sides of the same exact place.

So, in lowering his hands, Renji silently telegraphed his concession and patiently watched her face sift through a wide assortment of emotions until it finally settled on defeat. She sighed heavily. “Fine. But I’m still waiting, Renji.”  With a haughty toss of her head, she spun and marched away, calling back over one cocked shoulder, “And there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

Renji caught up in less than three measured trots and casually fell into stride next to her. “Eh, I figured. Still worth a shot, though, right?”

Rukia deliberately rolled her eyes in the opposite direction with a huff. “You are so infuriating…”

After a quick visual scan up and down the street to make sure no one nearby was watching (all clear), Renji bent over and delivered a swift kiss her forehead with a soft, “Love you, too.” She almost got away with appearing indifferent to his affections but unfortunately for Rukia, pink cheeks weren’t as easily suppressed as glances and smiles.

By this time, they had arrived at the 6th Division’s Senkaimon and going through all the necessary checkpoint procedures meant their conversation was put on hold for several minutes. With clearance confirmed and Hell butterflies assigned, each slipped inside their Gigai and entered through the open portal into the Dangai.

“Anyways…I’m lookin’ forward to some quality alone time with ya once the weddin’s over,” Renji told her as they walked through the dark tunnel. He ran through a series of quick arm stretches to make sure his Gigai was properly calibrated, then patted his satchel thoughtfully, right over the pocket where he’d stuffed an extra item when she wasn’t looking. “Forgot to mention this before, but I brought a little somethin’ special I think you’re gonna like…”

He saw her perk up out of the corner of his eye, but refused to elaborate. After all, a little teasing now meant more fun in the bedroom later, where any seeds of anticipation he carefully planted would no doubt produce some very satisfying outcomes for both of them. So Renji turned his immediate attentions elsewhere, though he still kept a close watch on Rukia as her impatience steadily mounted in proportion to the length of his silence.

“And? Are you going to tell me what this ‘something special’ of yours is?” she finally demanded when the end of the passage lay directly before them.

Renji pretended to observe the Hell butterfly circling his head with great interest. “Now why would I do that when the whole point of showin’ it to ya is to getcha nice ‘an turned on?” he wondered aloud as innocently as possible.

Rukia’s eyes widened even further than they already had in the dim light. “I-is that so?” Flushed, she bit her lip and gripped her own bag tightly. “Well…a-as it just so happens, Renji…I may have…also…brought something…special…” she announced, staring very intently at the ground.

The doors began to slide apart then, slow and steady, just like the eager grin Renji felt spreading over his face. Things were definitely getting interesting. “Ohhh? Well, guess I’m really lookin’ forward to this week now,” he smirked, and in a bright burst of sunlight, the two of them happily stepped into the Living World together.

*looks at title and summary sheepishly* Did I do that...? B]c

No, even for the Abarais (and extended Kuchiki) not everything is happy happy joy joy all the time but families aren’t perfect, are they? What counts is making it work through love and patience, and knowing how to support one another. That, imho, is a TRULY happy family.

Two year-olds are the cutest little things on the planet. Many thanks to all the people who’ve ever uploaded videos of their toddlers to the internet and to Justin McElroy for creating “The Daddy and Charlie Show” and Charlie of course. I wouldn’t have been able to write little Ichika half as well if I didn’t have all this wonderful content to study.

Ichika got at least one birthday gift from every person they knew. Of course, family members gave her much more than that (eight from Mommy and Daddy, 15 from Oji-sama), however the big winner was, in a surprising twist, Captain-Commander Kyoraku with 19 presents and over a dozen party poppers. Her favorite present was a pair of (real) white rabbits, both of which she insisted on naming “Zabimaru.” This may have been because Renji recently showed her his bankai for the first time and she thought it was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.

“Let’s hear it for our former 6th Seat Abarai, the new father!”

At those words, a chorus of cheers erupted from the gathered group of 11th Division soldiers and echoed off the high ceiling of the dojo.

Flushed from the attention, Renji grinned and rubbed the back of his neck while his past comrades threw up their arms (or in the case of a few, small personal possessions) and punched the air with each hearty shout in celebration of his newly attained life status. Their lieutenant, on the other hand, casually smirked and folded his arms in stark contrast to the boisterous merriment of his troops behind him. Being a close family friend meant Ikkaku had already gotten his chance to celebrate and voice his congratulations shortly after it happened; any excitement he felt over the matter likely wore off ages ago.

“Yep. Nice goin’, Renji,” he remarked with a lazy tilt of his head as Renji sheepishly mumbled his thanks to anyone who could actually hear him.

Renji briefly glanced around. “Heh…well, ya know, I did have some help,” he chuckled, catching Rukia’s eye and giving her a sly wink.

“Ohhh, is that how it was?” Rukia rolled her eyes in return and adjusted her hold on the bundle she carried without looking. Of course, she knew the baby within remained perfectly undisturbed. After a month of practice it was only natural she had this skill mastered. But even so she looked down, anyways…how could she resist such an adorable face when it was just begging to be smiled at?

“I think someone needs his memory checked,” Rukia cooed at the baby, “Hm? What do you think, Ichika? Is Daddy going senile in his old age?”

In typical fashion, Ichika merely blinked once and proceeded to jam several fingers into her mouth.

“Hey now, I ain’t that old,” Renji commented to her with a wry smirk while still focusing his main attentions on everyone else, “’Sides, we’re practically the same age, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but unlike you, I aged rather well,” Rukia remarked while attempting to stopper an impending waterfall before it could dribble down Ichika’s chin; Luckily, she learned early on to keep a spare cloth tucked into the blankets for that very purpose.

A thoughtful look crossed Renji’s face. “Mmm…that ya did,” he agreed, pausing his repetitions of gracious nodding to look her up and down a few times in a pointed manner. A very pointed manner.

As in, the kind that tended to make her warm, pink, and fidgety all over.

Rukia hastily looked away and concentrated as hard as she could on wiping off every last drop of drool once Ichika had stopped chewing on her own hand. While stuffing the cloth back into the nest of blankets, out of the corner of her eye, Rukia noticed a slender figure slip out of the still rambunctious crowd and sidle closer. She noticed, because he was making a fairly big show of rubbing the end of his braid between his fingers until he finally flicked it away with a cheerful, “Ahh, Rukia-chan…may I see her?”

As another close friend, Yumichika had also already given his regards to Rukia and Renji, however during every hospital and subsequent home visit he flat-out refused to come within ten feet of Ichika. It caused a bit of awkward confusion between all of them until Renji finally confronted him about it and, as always, Yumichika was only too eager to make his feelings known.

“Newborns,” he had explained with a dramatic wrinkle of his nose, “are such repulsive little things, all gangly and red-faced…and that dreadful incessant squalling. It’s nothing personal, really, I just simply can’t stand the sight of them.”

So after all that fuss, his request came as a complete surprise…and not without a teensy hint of suspicion. Nevertheless, like any new mother, Rukia eagerly welcomed every opportunity to show off her precious, perfect offspring, and this was no exception. With a nod and a smile brimming with pride, she held out the baby to Yumichika.

Tucking one finger firmly under his pursed lip, he squinted and leaned forward to meet her with measured delay, likely bracing himself for the worst as well as preparing to deliver one of his usual scathing assessments. Almost instantly, though, Yumichika’s scrutinizing gaze softened when it met the pair of bright violet eyes curiously peering up from within the blankets, and he even smiled upon catching sight of the brilliant red hair clearly inherited from Renji. Since the day she was born it had been long enough to be lovingly gathered into a tiny ponytail by her father every single morning and today it was clipped with a sky blue bow to match her outfit

“Well, I’ll be…” Yumichika mused, sounding somewhat relieved, “The two of you actually made quite a beautiful baby. I’m impressed.”

Renji’s head snapped around. “Oi…what’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded while sharply eyeing the division members who had taken Yumichika’s cue and excitedly began flocking to view little Ichika for themselves.

Yumichika straightened and backed away from Rukia to make room for them, hand on hip, and gave a toss of his glossy violet locks once sufficiently clear of the crowd. “She isn’t hideous. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? And here I was worried you might be burdened with an unappealing child for the rest of your lives,” he called to Renji over the rising din of cooing and awing.

“Haaah?! There’s no way in hell that was ever gonna happen! She’s Rukia’s kid, for cryin’ out loud!” Renji shot back, his upper lip curling slightly.

And yours, Rukia thought to herself, trying not to make it too obvious to the many people clustered around her that she was eyeing the way his defined jawline clenched with great interest. Yes, Renji’s fiercely passionate displays of emotion (especially those concerning her) were just something she was naturally attracted to and after much resistance she eventually decided it was best not to fight it.

“What of it?” Yumichika’s voice cut through her thoughts, “Ugly parents make beautiful children all the time, surely the reverse can…“

He abruptly trailed off and perked up, alert. Renji did the same a second later, as well as Ikkaku and a few of the other high-ranking officers in the vicinity. Rukia was about the ask what was happening when she, too, felt the heavy weight of an immense power swiftly drawing near and outside an angry voice bellowed from the direction of the 11th Division’s barracks:

“THE HELL’S ALL THIS COMMOTION ABOUT?”

“Oh dear…that can’t be good,” Yumichika sighed and somberly shook his head just as the dense spiritual pressure crashed down over the area. With a shove so violent one of the doors was nearly knocked off its track, the one and only Captain Zaraki Kenpachi burst into the dojo, his hair, clothes, and eyepatch wildly askew.

“C-Captain Zaraki!”

“Good morning, sir!”

“Nice to see you, Captain!”

“Bah!” Kenpachi responded to his subordinates’ flustered greetings with an irritated grunt as he scanned the area for the source of the disturbance. Of course, being surrounded by almost 95% of the room’s occupants at this point, it was identified almost immediately and his raging scowl locked onto Rukia. He had yet to even start moving before the crowd around her completely parted and shrank back, only able to cower wide-eyed as they watched from the sidelines.

With the first step Kenpachi took in their direction, Rukia’s stomach gave an unpleasant lurch. She quickly glanced down at Ichika and was relieved to find the baby appeared completely unfazed by it all, too busy amusing herself with the moving lumps created in the blanket by kicking her own feet. That managed to bring Rukia some inner calm, at least. By contrast, Renji frantically materialized at her side at once and threw an arm protectively around her and Ichika to shield them from the encroaching fury, which managed to cross the entire room in less than ten heavy stomps.

“YOU! Whaddaya think yer doin’ gettin’ my squad all riled up at this hour?” the captain growled, towering over the huddled family in an intimidating display of his full 6’8” stature (though it appeared closer to an exact 7’ at that moment). His beady eye, puffy and bloodshot, squinted back and forth between Rukia and Renji several times before it widened in surprise.

“Ehhh? Abarai ‘an Kuchiki? Arentcha still on leave? The hell’re ya even doin’ here?” he crossed his arms and frowned suspiciously at them, though thankfully his menacing posture appeared to be deflating at the confirmation of their identities.

“Ah, good morning, Captain Zaraki! Sir!” Renji replied with an appropriate manner of decorum while maintaining his defensive position, “We are still on leave, yes, we just figured now the baby’s gotten bigger it’s ‘bout time everyone met ‘er so we’re goin’ ‘round to all the divisions today.”

“That’s right, sir!” Rukia added, almost struggling to keep Ichika from kicking herself right out of her arms at this point, “She’ll be one month old tomorrow!”

“Oh…?”

Kenpachi finally noticed the wriggling baby Rukia was holding and the tone of ire surrounding him outwardly morphed into one of great interest. After a moment of silent contemplation, he reached up and pushed aside the patch covering his right eye. Several blinks were allotted for adjustment to the bright fluorescents overhead before he looked back down with his freshly unobstructed view. The longer he studied Ichika, the deeper the crease in his brow grew.

“Cute kid,” he finally remarked with the type of nonchalance that indicated his statement was more hastily thrown-out default than sincerely held opinion. The eyepatch slid back into place. “She gotta name?”

Rukia nodded and formally presented the squirming bundle to him as best she could without raising the risk of dropping it. “Captain Zaraki…Renji and I would like to introduce to you our daughter, Abarai Ichika.”

Upon hearing her full name, Kenpachi’s frown twitched upward just a tic. The difference it made to his expression was infinitesimal but it was enough that some of the unease Rukia had managed to shake off earlier started creeping back.

Suddenly, he bent over until his gnarled façade hovered inches above Ichika’s thrashing feet.

The moment Ichika sensed his presence, all movement ceased and she stared, unblinking, straight into the renowned face of death looming over her. Not in fear, as so many before her had, but in absolute, unabashed awe, eyes wide with wonder and mouth open slightly in her own baby version of an astonished jaw drop. It was as if Zaraki Kenpachi’s unrelenting glare was the most amazing thing she had ever seen in her short little life.

The captain took his time eyeballing every last visible millimeter of Ichika, tilting his head from side to side and occasionally letting out what sounded like an approving grunt or two. Unsure what to make of this, Rukia glanced uncertainly at Renji; His grip on her shoulders tightened but he said nothing while Kenpachi inspected their daughter up close.

When he unexpectedly lifted his hand and began to manually poke at Ichika’s fists, however, Renji started and loudly cleared his throat.

“Uh…Captain?” he asked, “What’re-“

“So,” the captain ignored Renji and addressed the infant he was examining instead, “Yer Abarai Ichika, huh?”

Being only a month old, Ichika gave no verbal reply to his question, but his calloused finger lightly jiggling each individual knuckle on her left hand earned a visible response. One by one, her fingers slowly uncurled and started feeling at this fascinating new thing that was prodding her in an almost playful fashion. She even smiled when it “flew” across and repeated the same procedure with her other hand.

Rukia found herself feeling a slight twinge of admiration at how patiently and without complaint the finger’s owner was allowing the baby to “catch” it every so often and examine it in any way she desired (including some not-so-gentle whacks) for a few moments before making her chase after it again.

Perhaps…she and Renji fretted prematurely over nothing. After all, had not Captain Zaraki Kenpachi himself raised and cared for a little girl before? True, she was simply a corporal manifestation of his powers, but no one, not even Kenpachi, was aware of this at the time. For all intents and purposes, he appeared to share with her the same sort of bonds a father would share with his own daughter.

Well…a DECENT father, at any rate, Rukia mentally clarified as the sneering face of a certain 12th Division captain and self-proclaimed “father” flashed in her mind.

But just as Rukia was about to fully relax, the unthinkable happened: Ichika’s tiny hands wrapped all the way around the captain’s finger…and squeezed.

The sharp crack! of his knuckle made Rukia’s heart stop. Next to her ear, she heard Renji suck in a breath and the reiatsu he had managed to keep subdued until then spiked with a panicked surge. Those who could see what was happening, including Ikkaku and Yumichika, all exchanged apprehensive looks amongst themselves. No one made a sound or dared to breathe, or perhaps the suffocating tension in the atmosphere rendered them incapable of doing so. The birds outside had mysteriously gone quiet as if they, too, were waiting for something, for anything, to happen.

With everyone watching as the tip of his finger blossomed into a deep purple, Kenpachi stayed silent and his face remained unreadable. Was he indifferent? Annoyed? Angry? It was impossible to tell, and in a situation involving a man so volatile he would cut down his own allies if they got in his way, not knowing made them far more nervous than knowing it was any one of those answers.

How Rukia wished with all her might she and Renji had not decided to leave the zanpakuto at home that morning, for all the good wishing would do when there was no way they could have foreseen the need for protection hours ago if they were just as in the dark here and now, in the last moments of teetering precariously on the edge before plunging into the unknown. And yet…maybe they would never know? Anticipation, in its agonizing cruelty, had a way of grinding the world to a halt until everything, even time itself, seemed as though it would remain unmoving for the rest of eternity. It certainly felt that way now.

Then, ever so slowly, those hardened grizzled cheeks wavered and Kenpachi’s scarred mouth stretched wider and wider, pulling itself into a rather unsettling smile that ran nearly from ear to ear. With a jerk of his shoulders, he threw back his head and the most euphoric and unrestrained roar of laughter ever emitted by a captain of the Gotei 13 rang out through room. It rumbled through the rafters, shaking every joist and beam, rattling every timber until even the floorboards trembled beneath their feet.

Rukia (and Renji as well) automatically recoiled, from both shock and the deafening sound, but moving away entirely like her conscience was desperately urging her to was not an option; Ichika still maintained a vice-like hold on the captain. All they could do was wait for the wild laughter to die down…and pray things did not get any worse than that.

“HA! That’s a nice grip ya got there, Ichika!” Kenpachi declared gleefully once he regained his composure. Bending over Ichika again, he lowered his voice to an almost soothing register. “Ahhh…yer gonna be real strong someday, arentcha? I can tell. You’ll be an elite Shinigami…just like yer parents. So be good for ‘em ‘an do exactly what they tell ya to, ya hear?”

“Captain…” Rukia breathed, hushed.

If Kenpachi heard her, he made no indications. Instead he straightened and stood there gazing silently at Ichika, that overjoyed smirk holding strong until she finally decided the novelty of his finger had worn off and let go. Chuckling to himself, Kenpachi turned and strolled away, casually massaging his finger back to its normal color as if getting manhandled and bruised by an infant was just a normal Monday morning occurrence.

As soon as Captain Zaraki was out of earshot, Renji spun Rukia around to face him and all but dove into the blankets Ichika was wrapped in. “She alright? He didn’t do anythin’ funny to ‘er, did he?” he muttered as he frantically pawed through them.

Rukia shook her head; Ichika appeared perfectly fine, smiling and clumsily smacking around Renji’s hands like she was attempting to “help” him check things out. Once he was certain, beyond a doubt, that his little girl was unharmed, Renji gave a sigh of relief and turned his attentions to Rukia. With utmost care, he brushed her slightly tousled hair back into place, making sure to give her cheek a gentle caress on each pass, and asked softly, “’An what about you? Are y-“

“ABARAI! KUCHIKI!” Kenpachi suddenly barked from across the room and thoughtlessly interrupted the tender gesture.

They both flinched and whipped around. The captain had stopped next to the roughed up door from earlier, still hanging lopsided on its hinges, with his back to them.

“When yer girl’s ready ta join up,” he slowly twisted his head and leered over his shoulder with an expression so sinister the room itself seemed to darken, “Send ‘er my way, got it?”

A chill ran through Rukia’s entire body, so cold it made her instinctively shiver and clutch Ichika ightly to her chest. “Y-yes, Captain,” she replied in unison with a rapidly paling Renji.

Kenpachi’s grin widened until every sharp, gleaming tooth was on full display. With one last unsettlingly pleased glance at Ichika, he turned and dramatically swept out of the building.

The second his ragged coat hem disappeared from sight around the corner of the barracks, Rukia suddenly found herself and Ichika being unceremoniously ushered towards the front entrance by Renji’s tense hand on her upper back. In the blink of an eye, he had donned his sandals (somehow managing to jam her into her own in the process) and whisked the three of them out the door, all while loudly proclaiming something about forgetting Ichika’s favorite toy at the house to the thoroughly confused crowd of Shinigami watching them.

When the 11th Division compound had shrunk to a speck on the horizon, Rukia-nearly tripping over herself to keep up with Renji’s long hastened strides-looked up at her husband’s taut face and quietly asked, “Renji…about what Captain Zaraki said…are we-”

“We are not,” he interrupted stiffly and hurried her along even faster.

They went straight home without stopping by any other divisions that day.

I started a comic and realized it would never get finished so enjoy this short story adaptation with pieces of the more finished panels scattered throughout instead. XD

It’s only been a month since Ichika was born here so Renji and Rukia are still experiencing new parent jitters and reactive tendencies…obviously this’ll wear off eventually since they let her join what’s basically the military at, what, 6 or 7 years old? lol And of course they probably started training her themselves while she was still very little. But right now Renji’s all “Oh heeeell no, I am NOT handing my baby girl over to the 11th!” He was a member once, he knows what it’s like. And he knows darn well Kenpachi wouldn’t hurt a baby but, again, he’s in Super Overprotective New Dad Mode right now and not thinking straight.

As for Kenpachi? No truly evil intentions there. He’s just SUPER jazzed he reserved the kid of two of the strongest lieutenants in the Gotei 13 for his team. Gotta keep up the 11th’s status as the toughest division, after all. XD