All the Small Things

~Bleach one-shot~

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any Bleach characters. I do, however, own my OC (Ren Takada). Credit for the title goes to the band Blink-182.

My knuckles softly rapped against Ichigo's door as I waited for him to answer.

"Ichigo… Are you in there? Please, let me in. I just want to talk…" I asked gently.

There was no answer.

"Ichigo, I know you're in there! You are going to have to talk to someone sometime!" I snapped.

Still, there was only silence.

"I'm coming in." I whispered as I turned the doorknob.

"Do what you want." Ichigo's voice rang in my ears.

My breath caught in my throat as I opened the door. As soon as I stepped over the threshold, my eyes widened. My eyes wandered over Ichigo's exposed body, all covered in bandages and a pair of gray boxer shorts.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't know! I'll leave!" I choked as I tried to force myself back out the door, tripping over my own feet multiple times.

"It's okay, please stay." Ichigo said.

"Oh… Um…" I nodded awkwardly as I walked over to Ichigo's bed. He was still and motionless, just laying on the bed in complete silence. He was depressed, this much I could tell. My eyes look over his tranquil form, every muscle was chiseled to perfection.

It was all the small things that made me fall in love with him… His voice, his rare laugh, and even his smile made my heart pound. Every little small detail imaginable…

I sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window. The atmosphere was depressing and dismal. The sky was a cloudy grey, like Mother Nature was trying to match his mood. I glanced back down at his face, something about him made me want to just stand on the roof and shout to the world. It's all the small things. Maybe it was his mysterious orange hair, his beautiful brown eyes, or his tall figure.

He scooted over closer to the wall and I lay next to him, placing my head on his chest and my arms hugging him.

"Ichigo, why do you risk your life so much? I know you're a soul reaper, but…"

We changed positions, both of us lying on our sides so we could look each other in the eye.

"I want everyone to be safe, Ren. As long as Aizen lives, everyone in the world of the living is still in danger... including you."

He is my knight in shining armor; not a loser in aluminum foil. He rescues me when I need help... Maybe it's his personality, his longing to protect everyone he holds dear to him.

"I understand Ichigo, and I'll be by your side in every battle!"

Ichigo scoffed, "You can't expect me to allow you to do that. You'll get hurt."

I sat up, "So will you, Ichigo! You'll get hurt too! You might even die! But I'll still fight along side you!"

A tear slipped down my cheek. And then another… and then another… and another.

How is it that he makes me feel this way without him even knowing it? It's like I'm under his spell and I can't break free.

He wiped the tears away with his thumb, "Please don't cry, Ren."

I stared him in the eyes.

"It's all the small things…"

Ichigo cocked his head. "What did you say?"

I slapped a hand to my mouth. "Um…"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and I knew I couldn't change the subject.

"I said it's all the small things."

"What do you mean all the small things?"

I laughed heartedly. "It's all the small things that make me want to do this…" I whispered as I leaned in and kissed Ichigo.

He was caught off guard and didn't know what to do, but he was kissing back somehow. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he put a hand on the small of my back, pushing me closer to him. Our bodies were acting on their own, moving on instinct. I found myself so close to him that I could smell the sweet aroma of his skin, the scent of him wafting into my nostrils. We broke apart for a much unwanted breath.

"Ichigo, as long as you walk this earth, I'll always love you. And even when you die, I'll love you then too. When you're in the soul society, I'll love you even still. But you better be waiting for me all the while." I said to him as he gently wrapped his arms around me and lay back down.

I snuggled my head into the crook of his neck and as we drifted off into the world of dreamy wonder, he whispered in my ear, "I'll always love you too, Ren Takada."