The Little Prince
"Mama, why do all the stories have to have princesses?" Ichigo asked one night.
Masaki was halfway through the story of Sleeping Beauty when he asked. She knew Ichigo had an aversion towards girls. They were either whiny ('Her shoelace came undone and she cried like a baby!') or clingy ('She hung around me all lunch-time. I just wanted to play soccer!'). There was, of course, Tatsuki, but she barely registered as A Girl to Ichigo.
After all, he had yet to beat her in a sparring match.
"Well, it's because the prince wants to save the princess from the bad people and become a hero."
"Why?"
The question all parents dreaded. She decided to try a different approach.
"Ichigo, honey, when people love each other, they'll do anything. Climb towers, fight dragons, anything." She rested a hand on his soft orange hair. "I'd do anything to save you, Ichigo. You and Daddy and Yuzu and Karin. And that love might be different to the prince and the princess, but it's still love."
He blinked at her, brown eyes heavy-lidded. "I'd do anything to save you, too, Mama."
She smiled softly, still fingering the bright locks. "I know, honey. And one day, you'll find your own princess that you'll want to save. And you'll save her because you love her."
"Will she have hair like Mama?" he whispered, eyes now straining to stay open.
"Mmhmm."
"And she'll smile like Mama?"
"Of course. And while it'll be while until you'll save your princess,this prince saved his own, by cutting through the bramble and waking the princess up with a kiss."
"Ew." He murmured, before his eyes closed and his chest rose rhythmically with his even breathing. Masaki kissed him softly on the forehead before getting up to leave.
She stood in the doorway and watched him sleep peacefully. She knew that Ichigo was going to grow up and find a girl (hopefully with a nice smile, and maybe with hair like hers), but she did dread it a little.
It hurt that she wouldn't always have Ichigo all to herself but, for now at least, he was all hers.
Her little prince.
A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read, and hopefully you enjoyed it. It was written for the 31days community at LJ and the theme was "That time may cease and midnight never come". Bleach isn't mine, so please don't sue. Comments/feedback appreciated, as always )