Bleach One-Shots *Closed to Requests*

Take My Hand & We'll Make It, I Swear [Ichigo Kurosaki] for YhurbabeGrl95

Sighing heavily, I sat atop one of the many rooftops in Karakura Town. The steaming cup of hot chocolate between my fingers warmed my cold skin. The street noise came from below, windows lit up in dotted patterns, allowing some insight to apartments, others looking empty and dark. Though I had come to grow up in this town and love it, everything began to slowly change for the good and bad.

Though the events in the past year was almost too much to bare. Soul Reapers, though I blamed one in particular: Aizen. There were others as well who dragged my friends and I into the fight. However, I had enough when an Arrancar stalked me one night in the streets and attacked without warning. With a broken hip I was lucky, the man being killed by the three who had come to save me. That incident scared me, and I would not soon forget it. Luckily Orihime was a healer, but the feeling and dreams of the dead Arrancar breaking my bones never went away. The Soul Society even had the balls to approach and ask me to return as a Substitute Soul Reaper, which I refused instantly, throwing the badge in their faces. No way was I going to be hurt or hunted like that again.

I shuttered at the memory, taking a sip of the warm liquid. The opening of the apartment door inside did not surprise or startle me, and it wasn't worth my time to look and see who it was. I already knew based on the spiritual pressure. However, unlike that person I was more skilled at reducing mine to nothing so I was not waving around a red flag saying, 'I-have-spiritual-pressure-come-and-get-me'.

Back resting against the outside wall of a higher roof, my visitor hoisted themself up, walking beside me. "You're leaving." It was a statement, not a question.

"I'm seriously considering it," I muttered, taking another drink.

"Why? Like me you've grown up here."

Another heavy sigh left my lips. "I'm tired, Ichigo... The fear, worry, and nightmares that have been plaguing me... I just need to get away."

"Where would you go?"

"I have some family in Osaka, the last I heard."

I knew he was glaring from the frustrated noise that left his lips. "Damn it, Kyle... You can't just go off on your own like that without being sure."

"That's why in the next couple of days I am going to do just that. My next shot is to move to America, where I know for sure that my mom's sister lives there."

My parents had died three years ago in a car crash, which was when I first started seeing spirits. "You're just running away," he pointed out.

"See if I care. Sometimes it's just better to do that rather than risk yourself getting killed. I'm not like you Ichigo. I can't get back up and try to face them after being so brutally attacked." My skin was already chilling at the memory. "I will never forget how he laid his hand on my hip and then crushed it in his grip. It hurts just thinking about it."

"We already miss seeing you on patrol. And we'd miss you even more if you left the school."

"You'd have a better chance at trying to make me stay if you do not bring up the Soul Society. They are still trying to make me come back, which is out of the question and will never happen. I could go the rest of my life without seeing another Arrancar."

My cup was empty, hands slowly going cold in the crisp night air. "You can't leave..." he spoke lowly.

"And why not?" I stood up. "We're old enough to make our own decisions now, and this is what I've decided to do."

Ichigo wouldn't even let me pass by, gripping my arm to hold me in place. "Because I don't want you to leave." Our eyes locked. "I should've never let you walk home alone, knowing that the Arrancars could've possibly attacked. I should've gotten there sooner, and I broke the promise I made to you three years ago at your parents funeral."

My cold tone towards him popped in an instant at remembering. "You promised to protect me..." I whispered.

"And I did a poor job at that."

"We're not kids anymore, Ichigo. Besides, you're a busy Soul Reaper."

"That's not an excuse." He was frustrated, I could tell by the way Ichigo ran a hand through the spiky orange hair. "I want you to stay because I want to show you that I can protect you. I want you to stay because you're my best friend, Kyle. And I want you to stay... because I would miss you if you were gone..."

His hand dropped to the side; cheeks slightly red from the statement he had made. I was sure mine looked the same. "I'm scared..." I whispered, looking away.

"I know, which is natural, because I am too with the Showdown approaching."

"What are we going to do?"

I could see a light smile come to Ichigo's lips from the corner of my eyes. "Just take my hand," he answered softly, "and we'll make it, I swear..."

Taking in a deep breath, my hand reached over, intertwining with his lightly. "Don't let me go," my voice broke. "And please don't let them touch me ever again."

Ichigo grew closer, his hot breath on my cheek. "I promise, Kyle," he answered so quietly I almost didn't hear it. Lips lightly touching my skin a smile formed on my own. God it had been so long since I had done that.

"There it is," Ichigo continued to whisper.

"What?" I asked, looking over at him.

"You're smile." My face heated at the comment, looking away in embarrassment. Ichigo chuckled, pulling me close in a hug. "I've missed seeing it."

"Just take my hand, and we'll make it, I swear..."

This time I knew he would keep his word.