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Salvation	By : Mirrors1984 Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 13169 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Tite Kubo's Bleach or make any profit from this fic.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter 16
Ichigo thinks I was born yesterday... What a dumb kid., From the begining Isshin had been aware of his son's 'problem'. Why he bothered to hide it was laughable since any parent, even one as apparently dimwitted as him, paid close attention to all of the going ons in his household. Most of all, if he was the only parent that child had to look up to.
As if Ichigo would ever look up to him, but that was besides the point!
Until then he had remained quiet because he knew that as soon as he said something, Ichigo would either run away or... like always; lie about it.
Nope. Isshin wasn't dumb. Not by a long shot. Sometimes pretending to be the resident idiot helped in revealing things others liked to keep to themselves.
Like the fact that Ichigo had sex with Tatsuki in his bedroom the night she had stayed over. The twins may not have heard a thing that had been going on, but he sure did.
The loud hushed whispers and the sound of barefeet walking out in the hallway. The gentle squeaking of a bed that later turned into a hard tempo that rose and then steadied. Then of course the tense silence and the quiet clicking of a door being closed as Tatsuki went to the bathroom to turn the faucet on to clean herself of Ichigo.
I'm way too old for this.
Being a former taichou, he had learned how to deal with unruly 'youngsters'. His squad had been full of immature trouble starters and he hadn't been that different from the rest of them, though he did push his own childishness to the side when serious matters arose. He'd never thought that he would have to use those kind of tactics with his own son.
Now it was time for him to set things straight. He didn't know what Ichigo felt towards Tatsuki, but he didn't want the girl to suffer for the stupid things his son was doing. Of course Ichigo had calmed down considerably... staying in the house during the day and being a shinigami at night, yet Isshin hated the thought that he was foolishly risking something that could become special. Something like what Isshin had with his long gone Masaki.
Standing in front of the closed door of his son's bedroom, Isshin tried to think up ways to have himself taken seriously for once. It was one of those rare times he mentally kicked himself for doing stupid things over and over again that made his kids think he was too idiotic to understand life itself.
Taking in a deep breath, he scowled in a effort to look intimidating and finally put his hand on the doorknob and turned it.
Once the door was open, he saw that Ichigo was laying on his bed reading a magazine. He had yet to acknowledge his presence in the doorway.
Walking further inside, Ichigo finally heard his footsteps and glanced up, putting the magazine away to sit up, instinct telling him that this wasn't a casual visit or kick to the face. All Isshin did was mentain his solemn expression while pulling out the chair from the desk beside his bed.
"What do you want?" it wasn't asked rudely. It was just a logical question anyone would ask. Isshin supposed his 'poker face' was working because Ichigo was displaying some actual nervousness at seeing him there.
"We need to talk about some of the things that you've been doing during your time away from home, Ichigo," sitting down heavily in the chair, he fought the urge to drag a hand over his face at how tired he felt at having to have 'the talk'.
Frowning, Ichigo was obviously slow in understanding what he meant.
"What things?" now he saw that his son was in denial. Ichigo knew what he was talking about but was playing dumb. Even seeing him putting on a tough face didn't help him come clean.
Here we go...
Sighing at that, Isshin decided to finally tell him what he knew.
"Ichigo... I know who Ogichi is."
Alarm flashed in his eyes and as he opened his mouth to interrupt him, Isshin held a hand up to stop him.
"I'm not going to get on your case about it! You did what you felt was right for Orihime-chan! I'm not going to hold that against you!" his words came out rushed and defensive.
Closing his lips, Ichigo prepared to listen even though Isshin could tell that there were plenty of excuses he had lined up to speak out about the rather reckless action of allowing his hollow to have a body.
"I've always known this, son!" he made a face, feeling some annoyance at having to even say it. "I know everything that goes on with all of you."
Showing some guilt, Ichigo adverted his eyes.
"...but none of the choices you have made mean you have to take advantage of Tatsuki-chan."
The whipped puppy expression vanished as Ichigo's eyes snapped up to his in disbelief, "What?! How do you...?!"
"I said I know everything, Ichigo. Now let me finish--Masaki taught you better!"
Ichigo clenched his jaw, some annoyance written on his face. Isshin hid a wince at bringing up Masaki in the conversation, but it proved to be an effective way to keep him in line at least until all he needed to say was out.
"You're an adult now... Well almost an adult. Tatsuki-chan... Is like an important member of our family," it was a relief that Ichigo didn't argue that point, "and I speak for all of us when I say that we'd all be upset if you do something to hurt her, do you understand me now?"
Nodding slowly in agreement, Ichigo asked softly, "What makes you think I'd hurt her?"
"Your stupidity."
He wasn't surprised to see his eyes flare in anger. It was so good seeing Ichigo about to burst in one of his snappish fits and though no parent should feel good at having a child going off on them, Isshin welcomed it because it was far better than the quiet shuttered boy that kept them all at arm's distance.
"What the hell?!"
"That's all for today!" cheerfully ending their father/son moment, or what he would call, a 'Hallmark' moment, Isshin rose off his seat, feeling like his old self again.
"B-but you can't just come in here saying you know everything and then leave-!"
"Oh, yes I can! My favorite TV show is coming on...," he checks his wrist that didn't even have a watch strapped to it, "five minutes!"
"You're not wearing a freaking watch!"
Thank you, Captain Obvious!, mentally slapping a hand on his forehead, Isshin tried to exit the room with some dignity and to get away from his son that was steadily growing furious at him.
Heading towards the door as Ichigo himself was getting off his bed to go after him or to heartily slam the door behind him, Isshin abruptly turned at the open doorway.
"And please remember to use protection! I would love to have some grandbabies from Tatsuki but considering how big of a moron you are, you'd just damage her whole genetic code!"
"GET THE FUCK OUT!" just in the knick of time, Isshin bolted out of the room as the magazine Ichigo had been reading earlier was thrown directly at him. If he had still been standing there, the thing would have hit him squarely on the face. By missing it, thankfully it just hit the other wall of the hallway and fell on the floor.
Hearing some angry stomping feet and the much anticipated slamming of the door, Isshin shook his head and chuckled to himself while quite calmly walking away, with a puffed out chest to the staircase that lead to the first floor.
Kids these days...
"That went... okay," he said quite proud of himself, wearing an idiotic grin. At least he had some peace of mind at letting Ichigo know that he was being watched. And that meant everything he did from then on was going to be taken into account and held against him. If his stupid kid even did the smallest of things to get Tatsuki upset, Isshin would have to give him a serious 'not so playful' beating.
***
If Tatsuki ever thought that once out of high school, the dreaded word 'homework' would reappear in her vocaburary, she had been wrong. Ever since entering an university, that was what she had the most. Essays, projects, 'hands on' research with actual people that had mental problems... Just sitting down to stare at the piles upon piles of assignments that didn't seem to end no matter which work she finished was stressful. Things would have been easier on her if she didn't have her mind continuously returning to Ichigo and the lack of him in the past couple of days.
It was evening already and her parents had decided to go out. It was normal for them to go out on 'dates' at least once a week and for her, she was relieved to see that her parents, unlike the many parents of her classmates, still mentained a happy marriage through so many years. Some people would have thought that having their middle-aged parents dating like kids was weird, but to her it was just a familiar weekly occurance. What was always annoying was how much they kissed each other during the day and the way her father playfully smacked her mother's rump while she was cooking, making her giggle like a schoolgirl.
Sometimes makes me wonder if I was adopted.
Some short hesitant raps sounded at her door and at the sound, Tatsuki dropped the pen she had been holding on the scattered papers on the floor that she used as a 'desk' to do her work.
That's definitely not supposed to happen., she hadn't heard a car parking on the driveway or her parents' usual loud shattering while entering the house. No one was supposed to be inside the house with her.
Quietly, as to not disturb the papers thrown across the floor beside her bed, she grabbed a thick textbook.
"Tatsuki...?"
The heavy book fell on the floor loudly as she deflated in relief.
"Ichigo, you fucking idiot!" if he hadn't said anything, she would have barged up to her door, thrown it open and knocked him out unconscious or done worse by maiming him permanently.
Goddamn it! He scared the crap out of me!, dragging a hand over her forehead tiredly, she stood up from the floor and stepped away from the accumulated mess there. Still shaken by the sound of his voice appearing behind her closed door, she didn't stop to think about how long he had been gone, though she was annoyed at his method of visiting her.
How the heck did he get in here without making a sound?!
Reaching the door, she quickly opened it with a sharp jerk only to be taken aback at Ichigo's appearance.
He was dressed in shinigami robes. Of course, she had seen him dressed in such a manner before, yet this time around it was different because he wasn't fighting a monster or dashing off somewhere thinking no one could see him.
"Sorry I was gone for awhile... Just had to get back on track," somewhat bashful at how she was staring at him in dumb silence, he eyed her nervously while scratching the back of his head out of habit like when he didn't know anything else better to say.
Swallowing, she finally found some words, though having him there openly in soul form still surprised her, "But since when...?"
"Ah...," making an awkward gesture with his hand, still a bit uncomfortable by how she stared at him, "Rukia came over and asked for help in keeping the Soul Society away from Karakura."
Somehow hearing Rukia's name had some jealousy spear Tatsuki. She didn't know why she should feel that way, yet being told that Ichigo's ex-girlfriend had been alone with him and requested his assistance brought some unneeded insecurity to those already present within her. It wasn't like Ichigo had voiced wanting to start over with Kuchiki...
We're not... an item., It was harsh, yet true. They'd had sex, a friendship of many years, and sadly, there was nothing else between them. Nothing that should give her such a possessive feeling at the thought that he was alone with a former lover that he had shared similar things with and even more things that had to do with his 'other life' as a shinigami.
"Are you okay?" he asked slowly, getting her attention focused on him once more.
"Ye-yeah..."
"Then... may I come in?" there was a teasing lightness in his tone.
Embarrassed at being caught spacing out, she widened her eyes and stepped aside to give him room to go inside, murmuring, "Yeah, sure..."
Walking right past her, all she felt was a breeze that reminded her that it was his soul that it was visiting her while his body was probably at his house. Seeing him heading to sit on the edge of her bed after carefuly stepping around the scattered papers, the oversized sword strapped to his back wrapped in white cloth caught her attention. She always wondered about it, yet never bothered to ask since Ichigo had a tendency to avoid talking about that aspect of his life.
"So.. you've been killing monsters these past few days?" she started, wanting to take some of the strangeness away while rubbing her hands over her thighs. Soon she was going to pick up Orihime's habit of twiddling with her fingers when anxious. Ichigo had lately been bringing up a shy side of her that she disliked intensely. It made her feel like a schoolgirl with a crush.
Giving a laugh, he answered, "Yeah, you could say that."
"Oh," nodding, liking that he didn't seem to be lying about just 'killing monsters' while she had been beating herself thinking otherwise, she approached the bed and sat beside him. She was surprised that though he was technically a soul, he managed to dip her matress with his weight.
And he can knock on doors...
"Are you uncomfortable seeing me in spirit form?" in spite of speaking, he wasn't looking her way, a slight smile on his lips. For a moment she sensed that he was a bit disappointed in her reaction.
"No!" she was a bit too fast in saying that because his clearly disbelieving, damnable amber eyes met hers.
His broad shoulders that had apparently tensed when he had asked her that particular question, sagged. Softening his expression, he remarked almost shyly, "I... I thought it was about time to be more open about this stuff..."
Her heart skipped a beat, knowing what he meant by those words. When he had become a shinigami, a rift had formed between not only her and him, but everyone else that wasn't part of the elite circle that also included Kuchiki, Ishida, Inoue and Sado. Before he had entered that life, everything had been just... comfortable between them. They would go to school, and sometimes hang out; all of that had come to an abrupt end when he had turned his back on her and the rest of their friends.
"Thanks."
Startled, Ichigo's brows shot up. "What are you thank me for? I'm just...," closing his lips, a blush stained his cheeks as he trailed off.
Smirking at how naturally awkward he was, she said, "For showing me this."
A bit embarrassed, he let a faint smile lift his lips.
"Ah...," his eyes strayed to the mess of papers strewn across the floor, "What were you doing before I got here?" he was already changing the subject because perhaps opening himself revealed far more than he would have wanted.
"Studying," and thinking about you and being pissed off at not even getting a phone call, she added inwardly.
"I bet you're pretty pissed about me not calling or anything, right?" a light chuckle left him as he gave her an apologetic glance.
She couldn't hide the surprise from her face at how notably perceptive he had become.
He's getting smarter., Maybe Ichigo was finally growing up after all, though he had made far too many mistakes until gaining some maturity. It was a natural part of life, she guessed. To make mistakes to grow stronger and better than your past self.
Admitting defeat, yet hiding her anger at his sudden disappearance after that day he had spent with her in her house, she slumped her shoulders.
"Yeah... I kept fantasizing about stomping your balls to the ground," he flinched beside her as she added matter of factly, "I had a lot of fun thinking it too."
He had paled to a sickly grey at her words and at this her lips struggled not to smile as the sudden urge to laugh nearly overwhelmed her.
"Man, you could be so retarded! I was just joking!" choking that out, she burst out laughing at his expression of male mortification, in spite of her anger still festering inside. From how ill he looked, he believed she was actually capable of doing it.
Some laughs left him, though they were more like nervous huffs that were pitifully trying to pass off as laughter while he eyed her warily.
Calming down to a couple of chuckles, she shook her head and said amusedly, "Only you would be stupid enough to believe that!"
It surprised her when he became solemn, all nervousness at her childish threat gone.
"You don't fool me, Tatsuki."
This was a rare time for her to regret Ichigo's growing astuteness. It wasn't because she wanted him to remain in immature ignorance... It was because she didn't want him to see how much his unexplained absence had upset her. From the begining of their, should she say 'sexual', unofficial relationship, she had wanted to avoid getting her hopes up when it came to him. It seemed rather selfish of her to want him to see only her when he was evidently not ready to be in a steady relationship with his unresolved problems. He probably didn't even see her that way in the first place.
Thinking about it isn't going to help me., It was downright depressing to try to see things from a realistic perspective.
"I figured you'd say that, but don't say you don't deserve it," shrugging, shaking away her earlier self-defeating thoughts, she mustered a slight smile.
Smiling back, his eyes were still doing that avoidance routine. The maneuver he only did when he didn't want people to see something he wasn't ready to explain.
"I've been thinking a lot these last couple of days...," she felt some dread at that admission because it could mean that he had regrets.
I said I wasn't going to get my hopes up and like an idiot I still do!, She couldn't even control how she felt about him anymore! Whenever she tried to think logically by detaching herself from all possible heartbreak, all of the thoughts regarding her and Ichigo kept coming back, overwhelming her with what she was so carefully keeping at bay.
"About us... and what is happening with us...," having a difficult time in letting it out, his stare was listless on the floor. "And I just wondered...," she stiffened when he looked at her, almost searchingly, "Where does all of this put us now?"
"I...," her throat was dry, "honestly don't know."
Scoffing softly, his intense stare left her as he admitted reluctantly, "I'm really fucking bad at this stuff."
"What stuff?" frowning, her curiousity got stirred. He wasn't acting like he had something bad to say, though his mysteriousness had her on edge.
"Asking...," making a face, his face turned a shade of red that only confused her further, "a girl out on a date."
HUH?!, she gaped at him helplessly. That was what he had been going on about? There she was about to have a nervous breakdown and he just had to stun her with that?
Someone else would have laughed at his boyish request, but when she thought about what a ladies man he had been in Tokyo, used to only offering and receiving sex, asking her or any girl for something more meaningful was practically new for him. The way in which he shifted, waiting for her to say something was almost endearing.
"A-Are you asking me out, Ichigo?!" she breathed disbelievingly and he winced, perhaps seeing that as a negative answer.
"Listen... I know I'm not the best catch in Karakura. If you want we could...," he was visibly struggling for words, his face becoming redder with every passing moment,"just hang out until you get used to the idea-"
"I didn't say no! You just surprised the hell out of me with that!" her words came out sharper than intended. It annoyed her that she couldn't think of anything good to say in the present situation he had put her in. Boys had never asked her out and if they had, it was usually as an invitation as 'buddies' to some spot that a bunch of other people their age hung out. Never anything as a date or nearly romantic outing.
He blinked and then asked carefully with a barely detectable hint of hope, "So is that... a maybe?"
Damn it... What am I supposed to say to this?, Tatsuki would have thought it was what she wanted, because there had to be something more profound to their friendship after they had become intimate. Just being friends that had sex left a sour taste in her mouth. It sounded cheap and not really worthy of time and emotion. Not the emotions she had been feeling lately at the thought that they weren't really anything except childhood friends separated through the years that had found each other again in a different manner than expected.
Ichigo was barely starting getting a strong hold of what should have been his life.
"I think... just to be safe, we should hang out and start over again," deep inside she would have liked to say yes, yet her uncertainty kept getting in the way. Could they even have more than what they already did? There was a wordless darkness that didn't give her the slightest hint of an answer. She couldn't just step into a relationship that she was already anxious about before it started, without knowing all of the good and bad things it could entail.
Seeing the disappointment flash in his eyes, Tatsuki felt like taking her words back until he spoke up, wearing a wry smile.
"I guess that's better than nothing, right?" there was forced lightness in his words that belied how her rejection affected him.
Feeling a heaviness in her chest, she nodded letting a smile that nearly stung her face in its falseness appear on her lips.
"Yeah... consider yourself lucky."
***
A/N: Still having constipation in writing 'Salvation', so it was painful to come up with this chapter. *winces* Love the pairing, its just that the 'in-between' time before the BOMBSHELL is dropped is HARD to come up with. I know the story by heart, but in just bits and pieces (the good stuff) and I don't want to make it seem too rushed by making 'it' pop out of nowhere, so it'll be a pain in the ass for me to get things up and running again. I wrote this chapter mainly because of that whole Ichigo witholding his shinigami side from his 'human' friends in the past. I thought he needed to open up to Tatsuki more. Please review (and be honest now! I kinda didn't like this chapter, but I kinda needed it to get out of the way).
Responses to wonderful reviews are here!:
http://lehotmims.easyjournal.com/entry.aspx?eid=9334026
Reasons for hiatus: http://lehotmims.easyjournal.com/entry.aspx?eid=9355133
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Salvation