Double Trouble

3. Love Him

The memories of his past life seemed to have vanished all together from his mind after that day in the clinic. However, that wasn't the only thing that seemed to change. Masaki was the one to take notice of how Isshin seemed to distance himself from Shiro. At first she didn't think much of it, but as the days and weeks blended into one another, she did begin to notice the small things. First, if Shiro and Ichigo were playing together and Shiro began to get rough in his play, Isshin would separate the boys, quite literally. Shiro would be placed in the play pen as Ichigo was allowed to continue playing on the floor. Next, Shiro's bed was moved into the second bedroom, leaving Ichigo alone in his own room, something he made quite clear that he did not like with all his crying. Lastly, Isshin would no longer play with Shiro, but opted to play with Ichigo.

Having had enough of his behavior, Masaki was going to put a stop to it before the boys began to take notice, thankfully they were still too young to notice; for now. Walking into the clinic, she found Isshin doing some paperwork. "Isshin," she began, "we need to talk."

Isshin turned around in his seat and looked up at his wonderful wife. "Yes?" he asked. "What is it love?" All the while he was wondering how he had gotten so lucky to have this woman as his wife.

"I've begun to notice something." She said as she began pacing back and forth, nervousness coming over her. "You've been avoiding our son for awhile now." She then saw him open his mouth to object. Holding her hand up, she continued. "I know you love Ichigo, you idolize him; but you avoid Shiro. You don't hold him or cuddle with him or play with him. You have placed him in the bedroom next to Ichigo's leaving both of our sons alone and without each other to comfort one another." Placing her hands on her hips she spoke with a command in her voice. "You will put Shiro's bed back where it belongs." She said with her finger pointing at him. "You will stop ignoring him and you will not separate him from his brother ever again. Do I make myself clear!?" By the end her voice had gotten loud, as if she was angry.

"Masaki-" Isshin began only to have that finger pointed in his face.

"I said, do I make myself clear?" she repeated.

Feeling like a misbehaved child, Isshin nodded numbly. "Yes." He answered, a bit of fear was in his features as she pulled her hand away.

"If you ever return to treating him this way again, I will not go easy on you." She warned him.

"But that boy is a Hollow!" he yelled at her, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. "He's the Hollow that was sealed within you." He tried to explain. "I'm only trying to protect Ichigo."

"He may be." She finally answered. "But that boy is our son. He came from my body." She looked at him with sorrowful eyes. "If you find yourself unable to love him like Ichigo, I will take both boys and you will never see us again." She promised and by the look in her eyes, Isshin knew she was serious. "He is my little snowy Shiro. He may have been a Hollow before, but now he is human. Love him. That's all I ask." Turning away, Masaki walked away from Isshin to leave him to think about what she'd just said to him.

~~

That night Shiro found himself in Ichigo's bed. His older brother's arms were wrapped around him as he laid on his back. He didn't understand why they had been separated. His mind was blank about anything other than the normal baby things. He no longer could sit up without help, something that seemed to confuse his mother. Instead, he found he liked to do to things. Play and sleep. However, it seemed his father was always stopping him and separating him from his brother whenever they played. It was frustrating.

A sudden noise caused the infant to look towards the bedroom door through the wooden rails of the crib. There stood his father. Excitement filled his being. Cooing, he held his chubby arms up as the older man stood over the crib. Picking him up, Shiro grinned happily at his father, his smile splitting his face in half as his dark eyes shimmered with a joyful emotion.

"You can fool Masaki with your innocent antics," Isshin told the child. "But I'll be watching you." He warned the infant quietly. "I know the monster you are and will one day be." He watched Shiro grasp his palm with his tiny hands. "I won't let you hurt them. If I must, I will destroy you." With those words, Isshin placed the infant back into the crib, Ichigo's arms instantly seeking his brother's body out. Isshin watched as the two boys cuddled in their sleep. Hoping against hope that he wouldn't be forced to do what he'd just swore he'd do in order to protect his family.

~~

At two years old, Ichigo was talking. Babble mostly. A bunch of jumbled up words that sometimes made no sense at all. Shiro, on the other hand, refused to speak; or so thought his parents. The truth was Shiro only spoke to Ichigo. Babble. That was all they spoke, but they seemed to understand what the other was saying, even if nobody else could.

Masaki came across their babble talk one afternoon after cleaning and shopping. The boys were sitting on the floor of the kitchen in their training pants, shirts missing; as per usual. Ichigo babbled something to Shiro and a moment later Shiro handed him the blue truck next to him. A second later Shiro babbled something and Ichigo handed him the wooden kitty toy. Both boys seemed happy with their respective toys. When she made a noise, both turned their heads towards her; going silent instantly.

Shiro grinned up at her, as Ichigo stood up on tiny legs and walked/ran towards her. Ichigo's arms wrapping around her leg as he peered up at her and cried out. "Mama!"

"Were you and Shiro talking?" she asked him, gaining a shy grin as her answer before he nodded. "What were you saying?"

"Shi wanted...uh...kitty." He answered honestly.

"And you wanted the car?" she asked as she took the toy from him and waved it in front of him. Ichigo nodded.

"Uh-huh." He answered as he began to sway his hips back and forth. "Potty." He suddenly told her, gaining an excited look from her as she led him to upstairs bathroom, Shiro quickly following. Cheers were heard as Ichigo used the training potty for the first time.

"Uh-oh" Ichigo said causing Masaki to look towards Shiro who hadn't quite made it. The silver haired boy's training pants were soaked, tears threatening to fall as he thought he'd done something bad.

"Come here baby." Masaki said causing the child to run into her arms. Quickly taking his pants off, Masaki began to clean his mess before throwing away the training pants.

"Ma...ma..." Shiro spoke very quietly before burying his face against her shoulder.

"It's okay." She told him. "You'll learn." She kissed his white hair before taking his hand, standing and taking him into his room to find some new clothes to wear. Ichigo helping the entire time. It was unknown to her at that moment, but these days with her two boys would be numbered, as soon they'd be expanding their family and with it new troubles would arise.