Don't Let Go, a bleach fanfic

Don't Let Go

He was afraid to wake up, not believing that she stood behind him, molding her small frame against his. In the space of one breath, Renji's world was turned upside down by one small action. He remembered that once upon a time, he had willingly let her go. His hand clenched Zabimaru's scabbard tightly at the memory. He remembered his false joy when she told him the news of her adoption and to hide his pain of losing her, he made those loud boisterous comments. Then he let her walk away, away from him and towards a place where he couldn't follow. He remembered telling himself that he had his reasons for not going after her. As he felt her tiny hands encase his body in her warmth and the added height of the step narrowed the height difference between them allowing her to rest her head between his shoulder blades, he forgot all those reasons and wondered how he could have let her go so easily.

He shifted his weight slightly and Rukia's arms tighten instinctively, afraid that he would just walk away. At the slight addition of pressure, Renji felt his heart skip a beat and the pressure in his chest intensified; Rukia's action confirmed more than her words that something was changing between them. He wanted to say something, to make sure that it wasn't all a dream and that he wouldn't wake up, cold and alone.

"Rukia…" He whispered her name, the syllables floating from his lips lighter than breath. The pressure in his chest made it difficult to breathe much less talk.

"Hmm?" her voice drifted back, muffled by her face pressed into his sculpted back.

"I…Don't let go." he murmured.

Behind him, Rukia smiled. Knowing Renji, those three words would be the closest she would ever hear him say, "I love you". She nodded in understanding at their hidden meaning, closing her eyes and breathed in his musky scent.

"I won't." she replied.

--The End--

Author's Note: This short drabble accompanies a small doodle that I did one night when I should have been studying. http/