Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It's property of Tite Kubo.
Author's Note: Hey, guys! Sorry for not updating yesterday. I had a huge headache the whole day and I couldn't write anything. I hope it's because I'm stressed and not because I'm getting sick or something. If I somehow get covid, that'd be a fucking rotten luck as I haven't left my house, but that's life, I guess. Anyway, I want to thank you all for your reception of the last couple of chapters. I'm really glad you liked them as they are part of my thesis on the IR bond. I'm happy to see we're all on the same page and that I didn't write them OOC. I don't mind OCC-ness as long as it's not set in canon. Like, I don't know, they're aliens in space or they're kids, that sort of thing. But since this story is pretty much canon, except for the last chapter, I wanted to still feel like these are Ichigo and Rukia from the manga, as we know them. But with more introspection and character development, lol. So I'm glad I've been able to write them in the way I wanted to.
As for today's one-shot, I wrote something lighthearted. To be honest I cried a little last night. Sometimes I get these episodes of sadness and nostalgia, so I really couldn't write something angsty and, honestly, looking at the rest of the prompts, I'm not going to write angsty one-shots. Just more fluff lol, with a bit of hurt/comfort cause in this house we love hurt/comfort.
Thank you all for reading and reviewing! You guys always make my day!
See ya!
Reviews:
Tai: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked those three chapters and I hope you like the last ones too.
sunshine in my heart
Prompt: smiles/laughter
Summary: Rukia loves his smile. She wishes she could look at it forever.
Ichigo hardly smiles.
That is one of the first things Rukia notices about him.
He hardly ever smiles.
But he scowls often.
When they had first met, that's how his resting face had been like.
His eyebrows furrowing and his lips a thin line.
Scowls give him a please-stay-away-from-me look.
Pair that with his bright orange hair, and he is the embodiment of intimidation.
Not that his appearance has ever put her off.
Because despite how Ichigo may portray himself to the world, deep down he is a softie.
He loves his sisters.
He is a diligent son.
The type of student that does study and reads all the material.
A good friend.
The kind of person who would go out of his way to help others.
It also helps that Ichigo happens to be a true hero.
Not one of those who is pure show.
But an actual, once-in-a-lifetime savior.
And yet, he hardly smiles.
Rukia understands that the pain he has felt for almost his whole life prevents him from smiling daily.
Ichigo can't be carefree.
It's not in his nature anymore.
He's always guarded.
Keeping his heart protected.
But there are times when he's not.
Times when he shows his true colors.
And you can see his smile.
Not his cocky I'm-better-than-you-and-you-can't-defeat-me smile when he fights enemies.
Nor his we'll-see smile when he is being challenged.
But his authentic happy smile.
Unfiltered and undeniable.
Rukia is lucky to have seen it more than once.
The first time, she recalls, happens the first time they meet.
She's about to stab him with her sword.
This is the moment that had changed it all.
And Ichigo gives her this sorta half smile, as he introduces himself.
That's the moment in which Rukia decides she can trust him.
Turns out she was right.
Time passed by and there are times she could see his fake grins or half-hearted smiles, given to ease others.
Rukia had wondered back then what would it be like to see Ichigo actually smile.
And then she sees it again.
A less guarded smile.
Not quite big but honest just the same.
He rewards her with it when he comes to save her.
Even though she doesn't want him to.
She's not worth saving after all.
Besides, she doesn't want him to get hurt.
Not for her sake.
But he smiles at her and reassures her that he won't die yet.
It's painful.
Because Ichigo's smile reminds her of Kaien-dono and the way he would always be there for her.
And Rukia doesn't want him to die as well.
But then he saves her.
He's there.
In all of his glory.
Stopping the SÅkyoku from burning her, while wearing the biggest, purest smile she had ever seen on him.
"Yo! I came to save you, Rukia."
He declares and, as she cries, he smiles once more.
After that, she has seen Ichigo smiling several more times.
When they have heart to hearts.
When one of them says something dumb.
When they watch a funny movie.
When they joke with each other.
(When they have said goodbye.
When they have come back to each other.)
It doesn't happen often.
Perhaps more now than back when they had met.
But his truest, more Ichigo smiles are still a rare occurrence.
And each time he smiles, Rukia treasures it.
She loves his smile.
It is warm and dazzling.
It leaves her feeling fuzzy inside.
Like having a thousand suns fluttering in her heart.
She wishes she could look at it forever.
Because that is when Ichigo is at his most open.
When he can be that little child who loved his mother again.
And when he directs those smiles at her, Rukia feels special.
As if she had given him the ability to smile freely again.
It may be presumptuous on her part.
To believe she is the sole reason he smiles.
Because she knows that is not the case.
But still she wants to think that she has contributed to it.
That she has given Ichigo more reasons to smile.
Someway, somehow.
Like right now, for example.
They are currently laughing.
Holding their tummies as they chuckle.
She had said something stupid.
She can't remember what.
But it had made them holler in laughter.
And his laugh is so infectious and his smile so wide, that Rukia has to stop and stare.
She is awed by it all.
So she engraves the sound in her mind.
Mentally taking a picture of this moment to save it forever.
And then he also stops.
Ichigo notices she has been staring at him for some time.
"Is there something on my face?"
He asks her then.
"No. I just like your smile."
Rukia admits.
Her cheeks redden but she tries not to be embarrassed.
Because at this point in their relationship there is no use in lying.
Ichigo stares at her in wonder.
He ends up beaming at her.
"Then I guess I'll have to smile for you more often."
Ah.
There they are.
The suns in her heart.
"Then I'll give you more reasons to keep smiling."
Rukia makes this silent promise.
Of making him happy enough.
So Ichigo can smile with abandon like he did before.
She's going to protect his heart no matter what.
A/N: Fluff, fluff, fluff galore. Don't you love it when Rukia gets sappy too? Because I sure as hell love it.
So this is my headcanon that Rukia loves Ichigo's smiles as they are so rare and that sometimes she tries hard to get him to smile more often.
This headcanon comes from the fact that Ichigo's truest smiles have always been for her and that in the ending Song For... there are scenes of Ichigo smiling from Rukia's POV. And it's like, damn, she must truly like it when he smiles.
Or that's what I think at least.
Anyway, hope you guys liked it.
See ya!