Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!

Summary: Some people call her weak - something I hate more than anything - but in reality, she's stronger than every one of them. Even me. IchiHime, Ichigo POV, oneshot

And, here's a new fanfic! It's a oneshot, because that seems to be what I've been writing most of these days. I haven't written a new anime oneshot in a while - been too distracted with other projects, and really had no inspiration, but I've been wanting to write an IchiHime for the longest time. So here it is! I hope I do them justice!

In Bloom

I watch her sometimes.

More than I want to admit, I guess.

Way more.

I guess you can call that pathetic, but whatever. It's not like I give two shits about what you think.

Now, she's sitting in class, a strange look on her face. It's not an unusual thing, for most of the time she's thinking of something odd. Like robotic ponies or something equally strange, like putting bean paste on the strangest foods.

I love that about her.

I know it sounds weird, that I'd love even her strangest traits, but it's true. It's painfully, unequivocally true.

I don't know when it happened. One day she was just simple Inoue Orihime, the ditzy girl in my class, and the next minute she was Inoue Orihime, someone who would fight alongside me, a comrade, a teammate, with spiritual powers of healing that rivaled even the most experienced shinigami.

Well, I suppose I do know how it happened.

Know how what happened, you ask?

How I fell for her, of course.

It sounds so silly, so foolish and just like a teenager thing to say this, but I love her.

I love her so much that I can't even think straight.

When she was in Hueco Mundo, along with Ulquiorra and Aizen, I couldn't stop thinking about her due to the worry that pierced my chest. It was stupid of me, to let my emotions get in the way of saving her, but then again, isn't that what I do all of the time?

We saved her, of course, and brought her back home, to where she now resides. Still alone, still smiling and acting as if there's nothing wrong. It tears at my heart to see her like this day after day, putting a smile on her face when I know something is bothering her. Something deep is troubling her, and I wish she would just open up to me and tell me what was wrong…

"Inoue, are you alright?"

Her bright, gray eyes looked at me, "Of course, Kurosaki-kun! Why wouldn't I be?"

But I knew. I knew it in the pit of my bones, to my very core that something was wrong, that she was aching over that…that Espada, Ulquiorra. It was just like her, after all, to care for someone despite the pain they had inflicted on them. If I hadn't known better, I'd say that she loved him to an extent.

But I do know better, so that's why that particular thought never reaches far into my psyche.

I shake my head as I try to listen to the teacher talk on and on - it's like a broken record, something that I can't hide my annoyance at even if I tried my hardest.

I look over to her again, and there her large, gray eyes are, staring back. She blushes, gives me a quick smile, and then moves back to her work.

I'd have to be blind to not see what she feels, though I think she's sometimes more blind to me than I am to her.

I find my mind wandering to her actions. She's so much stronger than everyone gives her credit for. Most people say she's weak - that she couldn't fight - but they're wrong. I find her to be the strongest of us all.

Only a truly strong person could smile, laugh freely, after all she's lost - her parents, her brother, her normality…

Only a truly strong person could deal with hollows and the mysteries of the shinigami realm with a grin on their face, permanent and unmoving.

Only a truly strong person could do all of the things she does and act like she's unscathed.

It is a truly remarkable feat.

Some people call her weak - something I hate more than anything - but in reality, she's stronger than every one of them. Even me.

The way she smiles, you'd never think that she'd been through so much in her life. The way she smiles, you'd think that there had never been any tragedy to touch her life. You'd think that nothing had been taken from her, that she would have a happy, loving, together family, all supporting and loving her.

But, no.

No.

That's not the case.

In a way, she's more broken than the rest of us.

I sigh and try to get myself out of these thoughts. Try to focus on something else other than her, and the way the sunlight hits her orange hair through the window, giving it a sheen and life that so defines her.

The bell rings and I get out of my seat. I look over to her, to see that she's dazed off again, her large eyes distant and unblinking. This causes a smile to cross my lips as I walk over to her slowly, as to not startle her.

She still gazes out at nothing, her eyes far away and her expression sad. It is such a heartbreaking sight that I wonder why no one else has even stopped to talk to her. Tatsuki isn't in this class, and neither is Ishida or Chad, so I guess that's why…

"Inoue."

She blinks several times, being pulled out of her reverie, and then she looks up at me, "Oh, hello, Kurosaki-kun."

"You just gonna sit here until the tardy bell or what?" I ask her. The class has now cleared out, and everyone has left.

"O-Oh, no…" She shakes her head, the orange-red strands falling in front of her face slightly. Her hairpins can only do so much, I guess. I reach out and move the stray strands from her face and she stills, looking up at me with her full lips parted, and it takes everything I have to not just crash my mouth on hers.

But I won't.

I can't.

Not while there are hollows and Aizen and other things such as that threatening Karakura.

There will be a time for us, but I just know that isn't now.

How I wish it could be simple, but it just…isn't.

She rises from her seat, still flustered from my unexpected contact, and looks at me brightly, "Well, you're going to be late for your class, too."

"Eh." I reply, not worried.

She giggles at that, and I feel a warmth build in my chest.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your class."

"O-Oh, but um…isn't that out of your way, Kurosaki-kun? I wouldn't want to cause a problem for you…"

"Don't worry about it, Inoue." I reassure.

She doesn't, not after I say that.

And, somehow, along the way to class, my hand slips quietly into hers, a gesture of what will come, what is an inevitability.

Her.

End.

There you have it! My first attempt at an IchiHime, so please be kind. I hope that everyone enjoyed this little fic of mine. I enjoyed writing it. Ichigo's POV is very fun to write, especially love-struck Ichigo. Haha. Anyway, I would love to hear your opinions on this story. It would make me feel a lot better about this. Haha.

A little side note: LEE WON AMERICAN IDOL! I am so happy…gosh. Love that guy to death. So proud of him! Hee hee.

And, thanks for reading!