Epilogue: First Date

Toshiro watched, mildly amused, as his mother flew around the room in a wild panic, two different shoes in her right hand and a make-up bag clutched tightly in her left.

"Where's my red lipstick?" the strawberry blonde muttered quickly as she dropped onto her knees to check under the couch.

"It's behind your ear," Toshiro supplied, smirking to himself.

Rangiku frowned and felt behind her ear, looking surprised to be pulling back her cylinder of bright red lipstick. The prodigy rolled his eyes; Rangiku always tucked things behind her ear if she knew she might need them later, usually it was pens or chopsticks but lipstick wasn't much of a step up.

"Oh," the Squad Thirteen Lieutenant murmured as she got to her feet, "Okay, now where's my purse?"

The young prodigy shrugged and returned back to his book. Tonight was his mother and Isshin's first date; they were going to dinner and a movie in the World of the Living and Toshiro would be staying with Ichigo and his sisters while they were out. The Squad Ten Captain had made a point of letting his mother know that he was in no need of a babysitter as he was a capable captain who had lived alone in his quarters for many years prior to her knocking out the wall and making their quarters one big living area. She had chuckled and thankfully agreed that he was too responsible to need a babysitter, but that he should still come with her to the Kurosaki's place because Ichigo missed him and wanted to introduce him to a movie called 'How To Train Your Dragon'… well, if Ichigo missed him, he hardly wanted to let the substitute soul reaper down.

"Are you ready, Toshiro?" Rangiku's voice called from her bedroom, "Don't forget to pack your toothbrush and pyjamas."

"I thought you said we weren't staying the night?" Toshiro frowned.

"Well it depends on how late Isshin and I return home," she answered, "And Ichigo's got strict instructions to put you to bed at the same time as the girls at nine."

"I don't need a babysitter," the prodigy frowned, "Or a bed time."

"You do need a bed time because you're working full time in a physically and mentally straining job," was the well-rehearsed answer Toshiro received every single night, "Consider yourself lucky, apparently Ichigo and his sisters had to go to bed at eight when they were your age."

Toshiro groaned; for the millionth time, he was older than all three of them! By a lot! In fact, he was older than all three of their ages combined and doubled, but it was all about physical ages to them. At this rate, Ichigo and the twins would grandparents before he hit his teens.

It made the prodigy wonder about the future of Rangiku and Isshin's relationship. Isshin had been born in the Soul Society like Toshiro had and his aging had been a very slow process until he lost his powers. During the past twenty years he had aged as a human would to match that of his wife and children, but now that his powers had returned, Toshiro had to wonder if he was now a full on soul reaper again with a delayed aging time. He had a gigai, as did Ichigo, so did that technically make him a soul again? Toshiro decided he would take some time to investigate this further over the weekend. Ideally, if Isshin was back to a regular soul reaper then his aging would not affect Rangiku and they could have a normal, long term relationship – they could even get married – but if Isshin was still aging like a human, then their relationship would be over once Isshin grew too old or died. It was a bit of a 'lose-lose' situation, because where his slow aging would be good for Rangiku and Toshiro, it was not good on his children who would out-grow him in a matter of years.

"Okay, I am ready," Rangiku huffed as she exited the bedroom.

"You've still got curlers in your hair," Toshiro murmured without even glancing up from his book.

He smirked at the token shriek and sound of Rangiku scampering away to check the nearest mirror.

Rangiku had been nervous for days since Isshin had called to ask her out, and Toshiro had found the whole thing hilarious. His mother was normally such a confident woman but apparently going on a date with her old boss was a big deal.

"Hey Mum?" Toshiro called out, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"What is it, Toshiro?" Rangiku asked, re-entering the living room, her hair now curler-less and in loose waves that cascaded over her shoulders.

"Will Captain Shiba become my new step dad?" the little captain asked, innocently blinking up at her.

"Well I… it's, uhh… it's a bit more complicated than that," Rangiku flushed.

"But will you kiss on the date?" Toshiro continued, projecting his most child-like expression, "Isn't that what happens on dates?"

The reaction was priceless.

Rangiku's cheeks went bright red, her eyes bulged and her words lost all coherency. Toshiro stifled a chuckle and a grin and tilted his head as if confused by the reaction he was getting to a perfectly innocent question.

"W-what? I-I don't think that… that-that's an appropriate question," Rangiku stammered, "It's f-far too early t-to tell something like that! We've just started… I mean, this is only our f-first. No more questions, okay. Now, have you packed your toothbrush like I asked?"

"Yes, yes," Toshiro muttered, standing up and picking up his little pack.

He didn't dare tell Rangiku but he'd been hoping for a sleepover the whole time so he had packed his toothbrush and his pyjama's earlier that day. He liked spending time with Ichigo and the girls; it was almost like having friends his own age (not that they were anywhere near his own age) and almost like having siblings.

"Come on then," Rangiku held a hand out to him, "I'm already late."

Toshiro picked up his zanpakuto on his way over to her; they'd been granted permission to go back and forth to visit the Kurosaki's whenever they please, largely because the Head Captain thought it was important that the child prodigy had a wide circle of support and friendship. Toshiro certainly wasn't complaining; he liked how his friendship and family circle had grown. Slowly he was beginning to realise it was okay for him to open up to the people he trusts and it was also okay for him to be kid and have fun every once in a while. Both Squad Ten and Squad Thirteen had been supportive of the lieutenant swap, and in fact, many of Toshiro's division members had expressed how glad they were that Rangiku was his mother – apparently they often worried their captain was put under too much stress for his age. Toshiro was glad too; finally, he could crawl into her lap after a hard day and let her sing him to sleep without being ashamed of it.

"Mum?" Toshiro reached for her hand as he pulled out his blade to open the Senkaimon.

"Hmm?"

"You look very pretty," he shrugged.

He could practically feel his mother's smile as she leant down to kiss his forehead.

…

UGH LOVE, GROSS.

I'm kidding of course (I'm not). WELLLPP that's that, sorry it took me so long to update this tiny little epilogue. I forgot? I've been busy okay :'(

Thank you to everyone who read and especially those who review, it really means a lot to me xD