A/N:

Okay hi,
originally this should have been a One-Shot... Now I couldn't get over with this idea to make a chapter 2 so I just found myself writing... this. Thank you for your reviews, I was really happy. Please share your thoughts with me again. I hope this wasn't a failure. Please know, English is not my first language and I don't have a Beta reader. So please tell me if you see any errors.
Thank you again!
Leah

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For a second his heart stopped before it started beating again and she didn't know how much power she was actually holding over him in her small hands.

And when she smiled at him again, his heart exploded.

He laughed out loud. He laughed because he was so happy. And how many times did it happen that he was so happy? When he heard that she also was laughing, he went to her and hugged her, lifted her up and whirled her around him.

"Kurosaki-kuuuun!" and she just kept laughing as she laid her hands on his shoulders to hold on tight.

After a few turns he put her back on the ground. His heart was pounding against his chest and he was breathing fast, seriously, how happy could he actually get?

She breathed faster and her eyes looked up at him curiously.

"Inoue, you make me very happy." it burst out of him.

Her eyes became even bigger and she breathed deeply before giving him her wonderful smile again.

"You make me very happy too...Kurosaki-kun."

When he was able to breathe normally again, he noticed that her hands were still resting on his shoulders and his hands were on her back. He was so close to her and wanted to be much closer. And he didn't just want closeness, he wanted a lot more, so much more from her than just a kiss.

"I'll take you home now."

Her warm breath hit his face, his stomach tumbled. Never before had he been so close to her and he knew - the closer he got to her, the more he wanted. And there was no return, no no's and no buts. It was either all or nothing.

So he took her hand in his and walked her to her apartment, they talked about their studies and about their work. They talked about Chad's next boxing match and Tatsuki's Karate.

"Ne, Kurosaki-kun." she said at some point timidly as they stood outside her door and released her hand from his. "Are you thinking about coming back to Karakura?"

This question confused him as he realized that he had never really thought about it before. For him, it had never been an option to stay in Tokyo.

"I'm not staying in Tokyo, I'll come back." he said clearly to her surprise. After a few seconds she turned and unlocked the door to her apartment. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him as he heard her soft voice.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun, for walking me home... Good night."

"Wait, Inoue!" He put his hand on the door before she could close it. She turned back to him in surprise and looked at him questioningly.

"Inoue." his voice was quiet and uncertain as he took a step closer to her, standing right in front of her now. Her mouth opened and her eyes widened again.

"Could you make up some time for me tomorrow?"

"Always." she said, touched by his request and not thinking for even a second for her answer.

He smiled and took his hand off the door when he finally put it in his pocket. She beamed at him and put her hands over her chest. It was a sight he wanted to see every day.

"I'll pick you up in the afternoon, should I text you before I come?"

"That would be great, Kurosaki-kun."

"Good night... Orihime."

And she said nothing, her mouth wide open as he turned his back and slowly made his way home. Then he heard her shouting out to him.

"Good night, Ichigo!"

And his heart...

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"Be there in 30 minutes." Ichigo typed into his phone and sent the message to Orihime. He still could just hardly believe what had happened yesterday. It had only taken him one evening to get closer to her than ever before. And what would happen if he would spend even more time with her? Why had he waited so long anyway? Renji was right, he couldn't and shouldn't wait any longer.

"I'm going out." Ichigo pulled his jacket at the front door and walked out.

"See ya, Ichi-nii." he heard his sister's voice before closing the door.

On the way to Orihime his mind was freaking out. He thought in his head over and over again through what he wanted to tell her. He wanted to explain everything to her, his feelings, his goals and his plans. She should be part of everything and know what he was up to in the future.

He rang the doorbell when he came to her apartment and heard her footsteps as she opened the door. She stood smiling in front of him, in her knee-length blue dress and a light jacket.

"Kurosaki-kun, it's good to see you! Would you like to come in?"

"Hey, Inoue, no thanks, I already have something else in mind for us."

Ichigo grinned and held out his hand to her, which she happily accepted. She bent down and took her bag before closing the door behind her.

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere special... I was thinking of walking and... eating ice cream?"

"Kurosaki-kuuuun! I am so happy, I haven't eaten ice cream for so long." she chuckled happily and started to go a little faster.

Ichigo laughed briefly when he saw her like this. How easy it was to impress her was always surprising for him.

After getting sundaes and walking around, they talked about Soul Society and Rukia's and Renji's wedding. And he comforted her when she started crying again because she was so touched. She was really happy for her friends, Ichigo could feel that. Suddenly she stopped, looked around and sat down on a bench on the side of the road. She tapped her hand on the empty seat next to her and called him to her.

"Kurosaki-kun, I wanted to give you something." she pulled out an envelope of her bag. "Look." she reached into the envelope and took out a handful of photos. "These are photos of the wedding, they're so good. Thank you for taking over the camera for me Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo saw that her eyes were shining again and she was sniffling. "Inoue, it's all good."

"I know, but I'm so happy for her... Kuchiki-san really deserves it, you know. Finally, after so long, they're finally together." she sobbed quietly and took the third handkerchief out of her pocket to wipe away her tears.

Ichigo realized that this was a good point to express his own thoughts.

"Inoue, I have to ask you something." he said then seriously, looking at her.

Her gaze landed on him as she tilted her head to one side.

"What is it, Kurosaki-kun?"

He swallowed briefly and took her hand back in his. Everything he wanted to tell her disappeared from his mind and he didn't know where to start. He had so much planned to explain to her and yet he had to search for the right words.

"Inoue... There is a possibility that I can continue my studies here in Karakura and no longer have to go to Tokyo."

"Really? That sounds wonderful, Kurosaki-kun!"

He swallowed again and looked at their united hands.

"Yeah... Do you think ... Do you think you could wait for me, Orihime?"

He saw her hand twitching, looked then into her eyes.

"...Wait?"

"I know you've waited long enough for me and I can't ask you to wait any longer but... But please just wait a little bit longer... until I'm ready to give you what you really deserve."

She didn't blink and didn't sob. She said nothing and just looked at him as a tear rolled down her cheek again. And instinctively he raised his hand and brushed away the tear with his thumb.

"I try so fast a-"

Ichigo's voice failed as he felt her hands around his neck, her warm body against his. Her sobs and the words on her lips broke his heart for a moment.

"Ichi... Ichigo.. of course I'll wait... Kuro... Kurosaki-kun, I'm so happy..." were the only words he really understood when he put his hands around her back and slowly stroked up and down.

"It's all good... I'm sorry it took me so long."

Slowly her sobs vanished and she calmed down again as she pushed herself away to look at him.

"You know, Kurosaki-kun..." her eyes were closed as she breathed deeply "if I had five lives," she was smiling so brilliant "I'd still be waiting for you... I promise."

And his heart was throbbing again when he put his forehead against hers and took her face in his hands.

"Thank you... Orihime."

FIN