This was inspired by the following post on tumblr, by the OTP Prompts. Credits to them for the idea.

Imagine person A lightly tracing "I love you" over and over again on person B's back, assuming that person B is asleep. When person A is lying on their back, getting ready to sleep, person B moves closer and wraps their arms around person A, whispering softly, "I love you too." Bonus if that's the first time person A has ever declared their love for person B.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters.

XXXX

It all happened one night, a night like all the others; they had had their dinner - which Grimmjow had cooked of course, because Ichigo usually set the kitchen on fire in his attempt to even boil an egg - they then watched some football re-runs on the TV, before they were stumbling towards their bedroom, kissing and tearing each other's clothes off, until they united their bodies and satisfied their carnal cravings.

And just like almost every time, Grimmjow quickly dozed off after he came, leaving Ichigo wide awake and staring at his sleeping form in amusement. No, of course he didn't mind the blunet's strange habit. After one and a half year of dating, Ichigo had learnt to tolerate most of the man's quirks, just like Grimmjow had done with him as well. Of course they still fought and bickered and argued like children or an old-married couple, but they never had a, let's say, serious argument. No, their relationship was as perfect as it could be.

There was this one thing though. This one little thingie that left Ichigo a little...dejected. Just a little though. See, they had been together for so long and Grimmjow... Well, the blue-haired man had never said that he loved him. Not once. While Ichigo said it often. It's not that Ichigo didn't know, because the man showed it to him almost every day, but...you know... He wanted to hear it.

Ichigo sighed deeply. He never told Grimmjow about it. Of course he didn't. He didn't want to pressure his lover with his stupid emotions and needs. Grimmjow wasn't the emotional type of person; he was strong and determined. If he wanted to prove something, he worked hard until he proved it with actions, not words. But for Ichigo, who was a tad more emotional as a person, words were as important as actions. It would be simpler if, instead of a bouquet of red roses every other day or his favorite meal after the long days at work, Grimmjow said "I love you".

No. I shouldn't be thinking that, he scolded himself, his chest clenching with guilt. He felt like shit for being so greedy, because Grimmjow already gave him what he had always wanted, yet he still wanted that something more.

He sighed again. Either way, he wasn't gonna pressure Grimmjow into something the man apparently wasn't ready to tell him yet. He would wait. And if Grimmjow decided that would never tell him these three words he so wanted to hear, Ichigo would say them enough for both of them.

Brown eyes glanced at the digital clock on Grimmjow's bedside table. 12:01am, the numbers blinked in the dim light of their bedroom. I should probably sleep soon, Ichigo told himself, remembering that he had the early shift at the hospital. But somehow, he didn't want to sleep yet. He knew he sounded like a creeper but he wanted to watch his lover sleep for a while before he turned in himself... Or rather, his lover's back. Oh right, he didn't tell you; unless they were cuddling after sex, Grimmjow usually slept flat on his stomach, cuddling his pillow instead. Ichigo chuckled in amusement. His boyfriend was such a dork. But an adorable dork. Ichigo couldn't get mad at him for longer than half an hour to save his life.

The orange-haired man reached out with his hand and placed it between Grimmjow's shoulder blades, relishing the movement of the man's deep, heavy breathing. He felt so special for having such a great man by his side. Ichigo carefully dropped his head on his lover's shoulder, planting a soft kiss on the tanned skin before he sighed like the love-sick idiot that he was. Lucky me.

He then began tracing meaningless patterns on the whole expanse of that broad back with the tip of his index, loving the closeness and the intimacy of the situation. He wouldn't do sappy stuff like that if Grimmjow was awake because, for one thing, it was embarrassing as hell for him. He only gathered the courage to be as mushy as he wanted when Grimmjow was deep in the dreamland.

These meaningless movements his fingers made, soon turned into something meaningful. Without realizing, Ichigo started tracing "I love you" over and over on his lover's skin, slowly and gently, as if he was saying it out loud. When he realized it however, he blushed and snorted at how lame he started to act, gathering his hand to himself and rolling on his back. Enough display of love for me, he chuckled to himself and turned on his side to switch off the lamp from his bedside table, the same lamp that had been on so far. Too tired and lazy to turn over to his lover again, Ichigo simply snuggled under the comforted and thrusted his hand under his pillow, closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to come to him, Grimmjow's slow breathing doing all the right things to lull him.

It was so nice and peaceful in their bedroom and Ichigo would have drifted off had not the mattress next to him shifted. Grimmjow was changing positions as it seemed and he quaked the entire bed. A few grunts and a sigh left the blue-haired man's throat before Ichigo felt the familiar hard heat settling against his bare back, a small smile stretching the corner of his lips when Grimmjow's arms wrapped around him in an almost possessive manner. Ichigo shifted his body as well, so that they clicked together like two pieces of puzzle. To be honest, it always amazed him how perfectly their bodies fitted together. As if they were made for each other. But he never said that out loud because sappy words like these made both him and Grimmjow uncomfortable.

Ichigo smiled in the dark at the almost stuffing warmth that surrounded him as soon as his lover finally nestled against his backside. But he wouldn't complain about this, ever. Well, except maybe in the summer, because then, the warmth became suffocating. But either way, Grimmjow showing his affection towards him in his sleep was the cutest thing ever and Ichigo wouldn't change it for anything.

When the strong arms tightened around his waist, Ichigo started dozing off faster than ever and he would have managed to fall asleep, had not a gravelly deep, all roughened up from sleep voice whispered in his ear.

"I love you too, baby."

Brown eyes snapped open in shock. Wait what? He's awake?! And he's saying...! Ichigo's breath caught on his throat, his heart doing gymnastics in his chest. "Grimm, wha-?"

"I said, I love you too, baby," his lover repeated and kissed his shoulder gently. So he had been awake the whole time... Ichigo's cheeks caught on fire, a plethora of emotions coursing through him all at once; shock, happiness, confusion, embarrassment, relief... He wasn't sure which one to entertain first, so he stayed silent, fighting with himself, furiously thinking of a proper response. Grimmjow had just told him what he had been craving to hear! And-and he had no idea what to say whatsoever! Wow, turns out it's much more difficult to respond to it, rather than say it.

To his panicky silence, Grimmjow continued. "I'm sorry it took me so long..."

At that, Ichigo's thoughts were brought into a grinding halt and he frowned. He wanted to turn around, to switch on the light and look at his lover's expression, however, Grimmjow wasn't letting him move at all. The orange-haired man sighed a shuddering breath. "It doesn't matter," he said quietly, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Don't lie to me," Grimmjow scoffed, "I could see it in your eyes how much you wanted me to say it."

Ichigo chuckled sarcastically. Well, Grimmjow had always been able to read him like an open book, but this time as well? "And here I thought I was doing a good job in hiding it," he sighed in defeat, "How lame."

The strong arms around him tightened. "Don't hide shit like that from me," Grimmjow grunted, the tinge of pain in his voice freaking Ichigo out, "Ever. Be as greedy as you want. It's my turn to spoil you, baby; you've spoilt me enough already."

"B-But I haven't done anything..."

"You make me a better person," the blue-haired man cut him off, "If that's nothing to you, I don't care; it's everything to me. I love you."

Ichigo's chest had started to hurt. But it wasn't the bad kind of pain; it was the pain from all these emotions he had pent up for so long, afraid that he would be a burden to the blue-haired man. And all of a sudden, all these emotions started overflowing. His eyes started stinging with tears and his throat tightened. "I love you too," he choked.

Grimmjow let out a shuddering breath and buried his face in Ichigo's neck. "Please don't cry," he mumbled, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not crying," Ichigo rushed to a explain, clearing his throat at the same time, "Hell, I'm not even upset! I'm just...choking on my emotions."

A husky chuckle tickled the fine hairs at the back of his neck. "Nerd."

Ichigo laughed. "Probably." He sighed and the smile left his face. Now, all he wanted was to see Grimmjow's face. To look in those beautiful blue eyes and let himself drown in their depths, like he always did. Even in the dark, he didn't care. So, he tried to twist in Grimmjow's arms, however Grimmjow didn't let him.

"Let's just... Let's just sleep like this," he hesitated, "We'll talk in the morning, okay? I'm not ready to face you, yet."

Ichigo's skirted in his chest and he facepalmed, grinning goofily in his hand. "Okay baby. Don't pressure yourself. I'm incredibly happy by hearing you saying it once."

"Once is not enough..."

"For now it is," Ichigo sighed, reaching down to his waist where both Grimmjow's hands were, linking fingers with one of them. The blue-haired man squeezed him tight, so tight Ichigo could feel his racing heart on his back, resonating through his chest, until his own heart started beating in sync.

"I am so lucky to have you," Grimmjow sighed, "So lucky."

Ichigo smiled but didn't speak. He didn't have to. He was happy and all he wanted was to fall asleep, knowing that he was the happiest man in this world. And it wasn't hard to do it anymore; he let his body relax in his lover's safe embrace and counted their strong heartbeats.

Holy hell. Grimmjow loves me. I am indeed the happiest and luckiest person in the world.

Period.

XXXX

Only my poor soul knows how much I needed this... I'm gonna go lay down now. Thanks for reading. Comments are very much welcome.