Ryouma POV
The decision wasn't hard.
Ryouma finished his meal, stood up, and walked straight to the mission office. It took about ten minutes of paperwork—well, "paperwork" was generous; it was more like checking a box and letting an Arrancar stamp it with a "get lost for a week" seal.
He didn't have to do any work this week. Grimmjow's ass was hum-salty about having lost to Nell, and he went to the Forest of Menos to cool off. So, as of now, it wasn't safe to go in there with a pissed-off Sin.
Once he was done with his job, he could finally leave for the day. Today was his day off.
You earned days off just like you did in the real world, but unlike real jobs, certain kinds of missions earned more PTO than others. Killing a basic group of 30 Hollows? A few minutes, maybe hours if you found a lot.
A group of Gillian? A couple of hours.
An Adjucha? A day.
And with Ryouma being as strong as a Sin... yes, he had gotten that strong. With his power, which basically made it so he could never take damage, and his near-perfect mastery over his Fullbring, he was in fact stronger than some Sins.
He still got beat by the current top four, though.
Which were: Nell at first, then Belial, then Grimmjow, and finally Lilith.
If he hadn't heard the stories about her, he would have thought she was the most innocent girl ever. Yet, anytime he saw her, she seemed soft and gentle—maybe feisty at times or flirty—but nothing that would indicate she used to know the average dick size of the male Arrancar population.
Then, he was off.
Stepping through the Garganta, the moment he landed in the Human World, a familiar warmth settled over him. The air felt different here. Lighter. More... like home.
Hueco Mundo was fun and all, but the air of the Human World felt freer.
He inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent of the city wash over him.
It smelled like car exhaust, street food, and the faint scent of rain from the night before.
It smelled like home.
And most importantly?
It smelled like her.
He walked through the streets, ignoring the occasional odd look from humans who probably sensed something off about him. He wasn't the same as before, but he had learned to control his Reiatsu enough that he didn't feel like some walking death flag.
And enough not to attract Hollow attention. Plus, with his Fullbring, he could practically become the air and get to his wife like that.
Finally, he reached a quiet residential neighborhood—a place far removed from the chaos of battle.
And there she was.
Standing outside their small house, holding a tiny bundle in her arms, was his wife.
The moment their eyes met, she froze. Then, slowly, a wide smile spread across her face, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Ryouma..." she whispered.
And just like that, he was home.
The next second, she was in his arms, her body warm and soft against his as she clung to him.
"You're back," she breathed, burying her face into his chest. "You're really back."
He chuckled, rubbing slow circles into her back. "Told you I'd come back, didn't I?"
She smacked his arm, but it was weak—more affectionate than anything. "Idiot. You barely write."
"Hey, I sent a letter last month."
She pulled back and arched a brow. "You wrote one sentence."
"'I'm alive, see you soon' is a perfectly good letter."
"You're impossible."
"And you married me."
She huffed but smiled anyway. "Yeah, I did."
And then she looked down at the bundle in her arms.
Ryouma followed her gaze.
Tiny. Small. Fragile.
A little human being wrapped up in soft blankets, eyes closed, hands curled into tiny fists.
His breath hitched.
His throat felt tight.
He had seen a lot of shit. A lot of blood. A lot of guts. A lot of gruesome shit.
But nothing—nothing—prepared him for this.
"Come here," his wife whispered, nudging him forward. "Meet your daughter."
His heart stopped.
And then it started beating again—fast, erratic, like he had just dodged a fatal blow in battle.
He reached out, hesitant, hands shaking just a bit. "Can I...?"
He was a dad.
His wife smiled. "Of course, idiot. She's yours too."
With his attuned senses, he could tell. This child was his. Her soul resonated with his. She was his bundle of joy.
Slowly, carefully, he took the tiny bundle into his arms.
She was so small.
So warm.
So... real.
He stared down at her, eyes wide, as she shifted slightly in her sleep, her tiny lips parting in a soft yawn.
And just like that—he was done.
Absolutely, completely wrecked.
He had fought Hollows. He had faced death.
But this?
This little girl, barely the size of his forearm?
She owned him.
Forever.
His wife laughed softly, leaning into his side. "Her name is Aiko."
Aiko.
Love and affection.
He swallowed hard. "Aiko, huh?" That was a good name.
"Aiko... Papa's going to protect you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you," he said softly.
...
....
She stirred again, making a tiny noise, her tiny hand twitching.
Without thinking, Ryouma extended a single finger.
And—
She grabbed it.
Tiny fingers wrapped around his, holding on like he was the most important thing in the world.
That was it.
That was the moment.
Something inside him cracked wide open, and he just... melted.
"Yeah," he whispered, voice rough, "Aiko's perfect."
The rest of the week passed in a blur of warmth.
Late nights with his wife, lying on the couch, Aiko sleeping on his chest while they whispered about nothing and everything.
Early mornings where he made breakfast (badly) while his wife laughed at him.
Walks through the park, pushing a stroller, watching Aiko take in the world with those big, curious eyes.
And, gods help him—
War was easier than diaper duty.
"I fought an Adjuchas last month." He gagged, handing the baby wipes to his wife. "That was less horrifying than this."
She snorted. "Welcome to fatherhood."
Why was that shit everywhere? And how could she aim the piss so damn well?
Still, he wouldn't trade it for anything.
The last night of his leave, he sat on the balcony, his wife beside him, Aiko sleeping soundly in her crib.
The stars shone brightly, the city humming with quiet life.
He exhaled.
The man liked this... no... he loved this.
He loved feeling close to them like that. He was hoping for a boy and a girl. He got the girl. Probably would try for a boy soon enough.
However, that time was not now.