STOP ME WHEN YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH

Uh, No Thanks

Karakura Sakura is the closest park to the hospital Ryuuken works at. The bad winds kick up the last of the leaves from bare branches. There are occasional whirlwinds spinning and dancing in cold delight. The moon hangs high in the sky, the crescent being the only light to the darkness.

Ichigo pulls his two jackets closer to him. God, why would Ryuuken pick a cold night to meet up? Because you're impatient, whispers a voice in his conscious. He chooses to ignore it, and continues to fidget with the cross in his pocket.

His attention directs to an incoming signature. Identifying it as Ryuuken, Ichigo relaxes. He walked here after the talk with Yoruichi, and he's a little worried a Vizard is going to sneak up on him. Despite hiding his Reiatsu, he truly believes they'll still find him. Ryuuken, the fucking vampire, only shows up in a light coat like it's not nine degrees celsius.

"How long have you been out here?" Ryuuken asks in his monotone voice.

"Twenty minutes. Why?"

"Your nose and ears are red. How about we head somewhere warm?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he laughs bitterly.

Somewhere warm turns out to be Ryuuken's car. He starts it up, and the heaters shoot out warmth. He must've turned the car off recently. It's a nice car - a Lincoln, the body being a newer model. Being a surgeon would get one nice things, Ichigo supposes.

"What do you want to know?" Ryuuken asks.

"How close were you to my mother?" He blurts then and there.

"We grew up together. My family fostered her when my mother found out she was the last Quincy of the Kurosaki family," Ryuuken replies with little hesitation.

"Kurosaki is my mom's maiden name?" Ichigo blinks.

"Kurosaki is a Quincy name."

"Then what was my dad's?"

Now there is hesitation. "I don't know if I should tell you."

"Okay. Okay, that's fine. Uh, how about how my parents met? I'm pretty sure my dad is a Shinigami, so you don't have to pretend he's not."

"Very well. Isshin came into town without permission to get rid of one of Aizen's experiments. It was your mother that saved him from being infected by the Hollow's power, which was to take over the body of a host like a parasite. However, your mother was infected from it. There was an antibiotic to help get rid of it, but there also had to be a physical constant to help keep it away."

"My dad was the constant, wasn't he? It's why he stayed," Ichigo guesses.

"Yes. The constant was the opposite of what your mother was. She was a mixture of Hollow and Quincy, so naturally, that meant a human and Shinigami."

"Is that why my dad can't see spirits? Is that why my mom couldn't stop the Hollow that killed her? They were the constant that blocked out each other's powers?" He hugs himself to keep the rage from bursting.

Ryuuken studies him like he can see the anger radiating. "Yes."

He takes a cleansing breath. He seems to be doing that a lot more recently. Not wanting to take his feelings out on Ryuuken, he cradles himself.

"Do you have any other questions?"

"Two, actually."

"Shoot."

"Can you help teach me German and how to use my mother's cross?"

"I can," he nods. "But only after you catch up in school, and maintain your average grade."