Bleach: Kingdoms and Princesses

Date of Destiny

With the unexpected arrival of Princess Rurichiyo and her small entourage, Ichigo was so distracted that he forgot his date with Rukia for most of the day, as well as any plans that he may have had for his evening with her. Luckily he remember right before school ended and he sprinted home faster than anyone expected possible of him as his mind worked out what he would do.

Crap, I didn't even come up with a time or place to meet up Rukia. I hope that she shows up at the house then! Otherwise, things are going to be totally screwed up. Hell... They already are!

But as he forged his way home, Ichigo began to solidify a small plan. Thanks to Orihime's romantic personality, he had been forced once or twice to watch stupid videos online about how people proposed to their significant others. She didn't have to be so heavy with the hints, not that it mattered anymore. Still, he hated such mushy stuff, but there was an element in a few of the videos that left an impression on him; something that would illustrate and stress the connections between him and Rukia.

The next thing to consider was what to give Rukia when he proposed. Ichigo would have to bite the bullet and ask his dad for something from his mom. Ichigo and his old man had already decided it was best to not tell Yuzu or Karin of the orders and just pass off everything as Ichigo finally falling for Rukia. But as far as the date was concerned, he at least now had a starting point and an end point. If everything worked out, he would end the night engaged with the most amazing girl he knew.

Idiot! Why do you have to keep thinking stuff like that!?

It was hard to maintain the persona and mindset that he had worked for years to craft and maintain when suddenly faced with the prospect of marrying the girl who had become more than his best friend throughout numerous battles.

Our relationship is a peculiar one, he finally admitted to himself.

Once he arrived at the clinic, Ichigo pulled his father away from the office and they looked through Masaki's old jewelry. It reminded Ichigo of his mother's simple taste in fashion. It had made her all the more beautiful; her personality had been so alluring that she did not need to enhance who she already was.

"Son, I know that you have no eye for or knowledge of things like this, but Rukia's finger size will be very different from your mother's. She is after all kinda small. Which brings me to another point, be gentle when you two finally-"

"Shut up! I don't need that right now," Ichigo seethed.

"If not now, when?" Isshin asked with the exaggerated patience of a concerned parent. "Trust me, my extensive knowledge in such things could make the first few years of your marriage much more pleasant than otherwise."

"It's embarrassing to talk about such things with you."

"You're just too uptight. I guess I have only myself to blame for not trying to bring you up in all the ways of being a man outside of fighting."

"Like I said, shut up!" Ichigo then whipped out a ring from the old jewelry box that was made of two interwoven bands with three small garnet stones set at the top. "At least this matches her eyes."

"Well... Maybe I'll have to retract my assessment of your eye from earlier," Isshin replied with a chuckle. "If that is what you want, then take it. Your mother would certainly not begrudge it of you either."

Isshin then paused and looked off to the side, a bit of emotion creeping into his voice. "I think... I think Masaki would have loved to see the two of you together. Despite all the battles and the circumstances that brought the two of you together, she would have seen just how much you both needed one another. She might have just seen us in you and Rukia... And of course she would have loved to have another daughter."