Hi ya'll! New oneshot for ya. It's shorter than the others, but I liked the way this ended, so I ended it there. In any case, enjoy!

By the way, you guys are awesome! This fic has broken the 2.3 thousand view mark! I never thought it would be that popular. Thank you so much!

War and Love
Requested By: CherryBloom123
Anime: Bleach

Reader:
Dana
Female
16
Boy short white hair, blue eyes, fair skin, flat chest, white long sleeved button shirt, black mini skirt, gray thigh high boots
No family
Human
No abilities

Character:
Ichigo Kurosaki
Male
17
Long black hair, spiky on top, tattered lower part of shihakushō, bandages wrapped around torso, all of right arm, up left arm, neck, ends just under eyes, red eyes (Final Getsuga Tenshō Form)
Soul Reaper
Human/Quincy
Shikai, Bankai, Hand-to-hand combat

Plot: After battle with Aizen
Relationship: Best friends
Word Count: 1,875

Dana slowly picked her way through the debris of what once was the southern shopping district of downtown Karakura Town. Her white shirt was torn and covered in dirt. Her boots were caked with mud and dried blood from puddles that littered the streets from fallen Hollows and injured Soul Reapers. A thin line of drying blood ran along her left cheekbone, courtesy of the shockwave created from Aizen's Resurrección. Currently, she was searching for the one that had engaged him in battle.

She found him overlooking the field upon which he fought the ex-Soul Reaper Captain. She paused two yards behind him, taking in his appearance.

His shaggy orange hair was now black and reached to below his waist. Only the pants of his Bankai shihakushō remained, and even those were torn. His entire torso was covered in gray bandages. Evidently, he had heard her, because he turned around to face her. The bandages continued up his neck to cover the lower half of his face. His normally enchanting brown eyes were now a blood red.

"Ichigo?" she called hesitantly. He sighed, his head dropping to his right slightly.

"Sorry. I probably scare you like this." Dana shook her head, walking up to him. When she took his hand, his red irises flicked briefly to her.

"You could never scare me, Ichigo." His head turned so he was fully facing her. His free hand came up to brush along her left cheek.

"You're injured."

"It's nothing. Just a scratch." Dana tilted her head into his touch. "Are you alright?" Ichigo nodded.

"Yeah." Dana smiled, resting her head on his chest. After a moment, his arms engulfed her, keeping her right next to him.

"I'm glad." Ichigo breathed a sigh, letting his chin rest on her head. They stayed like that for a little while, letting reality wash over them. Dana's eyes opened slightly. "Ichigo?"

"Hm?"

"What are you going to do? Now that the war's over." Ichigo sighed, rubbing Dana's back. He took his time answering. What was he going to do? For the past six months, all he had thought about was defeating Aizen. Everything he had done, all the risks he had taken, all the training he had put himself through, was for the sole purpose of killing the traitor.

'Or was it?' Ichigo let his eyes travel to the girl he was currently holding. He couldn't deny that he really liked Dana. Okay. It wasn't a stretch to say that he may… possibly… love her.

"I don't know Dana. I mean… now that there's no enemy to fight… I don't really need to be a Soul Reaper anymore. The whole reason I became a Soul Reaper was to protect people."

"Well, I'll always need your protection." Dana and Ichigo laughed softly together. "Remember when we met?"

"How could I forget?"

#~#~#~#

Ichigo looked up at a familiar feeling in his chest. 'A Hollow!' Leaping from his bed, he pressed his Substitute Soul Reaper badge to his chest. Immediately, his soul popped out of his body.

Leaping across the rooftops, he found the Hollow. It had cornered a young girl, no older than him. Her blue eyes were wide with fear as she stared up at the disgusting beast. Ichigo growled, unsheathing Zangetsu.

"Hey!" The Hollow whirled at his voice.

"Well, well, well. It must be my lucky night!" The mask twisted in a smile. "First a delectable female soul, and now a Soul Reap-" His voice was cut off as Ichigo sliced through his mask. The demon disintegrated, leaving a very annoyed Ichigo and a terrified girl.

"You talk too much." Letting Zangetsu's bandages rewrap themselves, he turned to the girl. His eyes widened when he saw there was no chain on her chest. "You… you're alive."

"Uh… duh?" She stood, brushing off her black mini skirt. "What did you think I was?" Ichigo blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry. I'm just used to saving souls from Hollows, not still living humans." She stared at him like he was nuts. Before he could get worried, she started laughing, hiding her mouth behind her hand.

"You're cute, you know that?" Ichigo's blush deepened. Smirking softly, he walked up to her.

"You're not half-bad yourself. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki." She stuck out a hand. Ichigo gripped it, immediately noticing how smooth her skin felt against his calloused hands.

"Dana." They shook.

"So… you live nearby?" to his surprise, she shook her head.

"Nah. I've been trying to find a new place since my mom died last month." She bent down, picking up a bag that Ichigo hadn't noticed before.

"Well… we got a spare room at my place. I'm sure my sisters would love having you around." Dana snickered, staring up at him through her silver-white eyelashes. Ichigo gulped at the shine her blue eyes cast on them.

"You sure you're not just saying that to get me in your house?"

"What… NO! I'm not like that I swear!" Ichigo shook his hands back and forth fervently. "I was just offering, you know? If you already have plans that's cool! I was just-" Her laughter cut him off.

"I would love to stay at your place, Ichigo Kurosaki." He sighed in relief.

"Good. I mean… uh… how bout we just go, huh?" Dana smiled, hoisting her bag higher onto her shoulder.

"Sounds good."

#~#~#~#

"Ichigo? Ichigo!" He blinked, clearing his head.

"Sorry. I was…"

"Reminiscing?" He nodded. Dana smiled that smile he adored so much. She returned her head to his chest. Ichigo started weaving her short white hair through his fingers. "Ichigo…"

"Yeah?"

"I… I…" His eyes widened when he realized he had been squeezing her. He immediately let go, allowing her to catch her breath.

"Sorry! Are you okay!?" She nodded, resting a hand on her abdomen. "Ah jeez, Dana. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Just, what were you thinking of?" Ichigo's eyes widened. He looked away, hiding his blush.

"What might have happened if I didn't win against Aizen." Dana tilted her head. Ichigo sighed. "What would have happened to you if I had failed." Her eyes widened.

"Me? Why me?" Ichigo sighed again.

'Now or never, I guess.' "Dana, everyone knows how special you are to me. If I hadn't killed Aizen, I know he wouldn't have killed me."

"Why?"

"He would have wanted me to suffer. And… what better way to do that…" Ichigo returned his gaze to Dana. She saw brown start to seep into his irises. Along with it… an emotion she had never seen before. "Then to torture the woman I love?" She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

"The woman you… love?" Ichigo nodded. He knew there was no going back, but he couldn't stop talking.

"I love you Dana. The night we met, you stole my heart. Ever since then, everything I've done is to protect you. I got stronger to defeat Aizen, yes. But more than that: I did it to keep you safe. I couldn't… can't… bear the thought of you getting hurt. If you did… I don't know what I'd do."

Dana searched his eyes as they returned to the brown coloring she loved so much. She could tell from his voice that he was being completely honest with her. She heard his words, she remembered them, she comprehended them, but she couldn't believe them. Until he finished.

"I know that this is all so sudden. And I know this probably isn't the best time, but… when I was fighting Aizen, I knew that if I died without telling you, I would always regret it." The bandages around his nose began to crack. "I don't expect you to return my feelings. I understand. I just… I just wanted you to know how I really felt about you." He watched her, awaiting her reaction.

When her hand began to lift, he closed his eyes. When a finger hooked under the bandages, he allowed them to crack open a little bit. Dana was staring at him with an unreadable expression as she worked to remove the bandages from his face. Once they were gone, her fingers traced his cheekbones. Ichigo's eyes closed involuntarily, reveling in the touch of her smooth skin against his. It was only when something pressed against his lips did he open them again.

Dana had her eyes closed as she kissed him. Ichigo inhaled sharply through his nose. Dana pressed a little harder, her hands resting on his chest. Regaining his senses, he closed his eyes as he tilted his head and kissed her back. Dana smiled into the kiss, a single tear falling down her cheek. One of Ichigo's fingers brushed it away, his hand continuing back to cup the back of her head, bringing her closer to him. He abruptly pulled back, a slight smile on his face.

"Ichigo?" Dana gasped as Ichigo picked her up bridal style. Before she could blink, he had used flash-step, sending them flying across the rooftops. When she was able to see clearly, they were in Ichigo's room. "Ichigo?" she asked again. Ichigo didn't respond, instead cupping her cheeks and reconnecting their lips. Dana closed her eyes, returning the kiss.

Ichigo stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, relishing in their softness. He smirked slightly as they heated up slightly. Slowly, he let his hands drop, feeling her body as he made his way down to her hips. Once he had, he gripped them, pulling her closer.

Dana wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to his height. She moaned softly as he began to open and close his lips against hers. It didn't take long for her to reciprocate. The kiss quickly turned wet as Ichigo took every advantage to slip his tongue inside her mouth. Dana barely registered her legs being forced backwards. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she felt her body gently being laid down on the bed.

Needing to breathe, Ichigo broke the kiss. He stared down at Dana, his cheeks flushed. Dana's cheeks were equally pink, her lips swollen from the kiss. Ichigo licked his lips involuntarily, his brown eyes searching her blue ones. Dana blushed when she realized Ichigo's bandages had disappeared, leaving his entire upper body exposed. Ichigo noticed, an impish grin pulling up at his lips.

"Like what you see?" Dana rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, prat." Ichigo chuckled, leaning down to kiss her again.

"Gladly…" He licked her lower lip, nibbling at it as he pulled back. Dana moaned softly. "If this is what I get for doing so." Dana sighed softly, lifting her head to fully reconnect their lips. This time, she pulled back when she needed air.

"I love you too, Ichigo." Ichigo smiled, letting his head drop so it rested in the crook of neck. He slowly lowered his body onto hers, careful to not crush her under his weight. Dana hummed softly when his lips began dancing across her neck.

"You like that?"

"Sh… shut up."

"That's not nice." Ichigo lifted his head. His eyes flashed with a light Dana didn't recognize… but liked anyways. "You need to be punished."

"How so?"

"Well…" his lips grinned impishly again. "I can think of a few things."

Again, I'll leave it to your dirty minds. Hope you enjoyed!