A/N: Please rate and review! This is my very first story on so constuctive criticism is much appreciated! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of its characters or anything like that.
Theme Song: "Going Home" Bleach OST
You forcibly had to hold yourself back from laughing when you peeked an eye open. The strawberry haired male's mouth was poked out in an almost complete 'O' shape and his eyes were tightly shut as if they were trying to block out the sun. His posture was as rigid as a nun resolve and even if you were farther away in your seated position, your ears would still be able to detect his almost inescapably loud breathing.
While he was taking up all the room's oxygen, you, on the other hand, were probably beginning to change colors. You tried to sneak a quick breath and calm your laughing cords, but it was too late. Your lungs expanded and betrayed your brain's instructions to not guffaw hysterically. Your eyes began to tear up and only made matters worse when you looked upon the annoyed and slightly confused face of your companion Ichigo Kurosaki.
"What? (Name), stop laughing like that! What's so funny?!" Ichigo hollered. Luckily no one was home at the moment or his entire crazy family would have all come rushing upstairs.
"You can't kiss her like that," you stated once you had gained a more serious disposition. "If she saw what you did just now, you'd never lose your virginity." Though you were trying to help out a friend, your policy was to be as honest as possible for maximum effect.
Ichigo's face flushed about three shades darker than his hair and he mumbled something along the lines of "None of your damn business".
"Nyah! Strawberry the Cherry! Strawberry the Cherry[1" You began to chant as you made a face and stuck out your tongue.
"Shut up!" He roared, tackling you to the ground to cover your mouth.
You struggled and fell back on your back with the substitute soul reaper trying to get you to stop talking by tickling your Achilles heal, or… ears. It was a weird place to be ticklish, but you just happened to be ticklish there. It's not like you asked for that. You tried to swat away his hands but they were too fast and large. You were no match. For the second time today you laughed until you changed colors. Ichigo seemed to have thought you had learned your lesson so the tingling sensations in your ears subsided gradually. He pinned your wrists down to his bedroom floor with his own and glared down at your figure.
"Apologize. Take back what you said (Name)," He gruffly said. You grinned when you heard his voice acquire a rougher tone to it.
You smirked defiantly and mouthed: "Make me". The fury flared in his eyes once more but you only had a few seconds to glimpse it before the very lips you had been moments ago mocking, came crashing down upon your own.
The sensations in your gut raged like a bull charging to a matador with an entirely red ensemble. In that moment, the engine of the fastest locomotive was nothing compared to the beating of your heart. You hadn't expected this at all. After all, you and Ichigo were just friends but oh, how long you had craved for this feeling! The possibility of being more than what you both told your peers was within your grasp at last.
You had always been in love with Ichigo Kurosaki. You had tried to repress the feelings of yearning for so long due to your initial shyness to the idea of potential romance, but it was too late now. All of your caged feelings spread their wings and took flight when you kissed him back, adding your own secret passion to the heat of the kiss. You sensed his shock and surprise when you slipped your tongue past his lips slightly to see his reaction. Surprisingly he responded with his own tongue, caressing your own sensually, increasing the inferno in your heart.
As soon as it had started, it was over. Both of you were breathless and could barely register what had just happened.
"What was that about?" You asked shakily. Ichigo's face was flushed and filled with bewilderment.
"I don't know… it just... sorta happened I think. It meant nothing though, right?"
Something inside your soul cracked and brought you hurtling back to Earth. Nothing. It had meant nothing to him. You slowly pushed Ichigo off you and started to sit up, hiding your crushed face. He didn't react to your touch, but you could feel his heightened body temperature. He said it meant nothing. You bit your very swollen lip gently as the room began to distill with silence. Like hell it didn't mean anything.
"So…um, onto the next stage… approaching her," You began with your head down. Your throat was trying to seal itself as the tear ducts behind your eyes began to work their terrible magic. Your cognitive mind seemed to collapse while you tried to forget the brief fire and intensity that you had just shared.
'I can do this… I can do this!' You told yourself with little conviction.
Ichigo reached to comfort you. Your mind reeled as his warm hand touched your left shoulder with tenderness so dear that it broke your heart. It was all a fantasy. A fantasy that had been lived and now was dead.
'I can't do this!' Your mind screamed.
"Please, (Name). Don't- I'm sorry if that was-" Ichigo was cut off abruptly as you stood, grabbing your bag, and made your way to his bedroom door.
Before exiting, you turned to him. With tears visibly staining your cheeks and a broken smile on your lips, you squeaked.
"I'm sure you and Orihime-chan will be very happy together."