Told You It was Yours

Characters: Kurosaki Ichigo Inoue Orihime, Kurosaki Isshin and cameos of Yuzu, Karin and Ishida Ryuuken. It's IchiHime though, all the way!

This was an idea I've got into my head for a long while but just got time to actually write it now D: College is a bitch!

It was ironic.

It almost made him laugh, really. It was sadly ironic.

He was a Shinigami; a death god, who protected souls and living people from monsters such as Hollows and that performed konso on the first ones in order to send them to Soul Society so they could live there in safety.

He protected lives, much like his name suggested…

… But the one life he wanted to protect the most… Couldn't be protected; not by his means of protection.

It made him feel so helpless.

Fluttering his eyes shut, Ichigo stroked the small hand within his larger ones. It was warm and it reassured him she was there, still; alive, breathing, just sleeping off her exhaustion. Still… She wouldn't be there for much longer and it hurt.

Opening his eyes so he could look at the woman laid on the hospital bed before him, the orangette sighed deeply, yet quietly. He didn't want to disturb her, after all. Moving a hand to tuck a strand of burnt orange hair behind her ear, he eyed Orihime's peaceful face.

They had gone through so much.

Rukia's near-execution, Hueco Mundo and the winter war… Then the Fullbringers came and Aizen rose from Hell to consequently nearly destroy Soul Society and the human world. They had gone through it all and had come out victorious, standing tall and proud, despite the injuries and losses.

Life had been normal again; graduating from school and getting in college with the occasional Hollow attack here and there… By the end of the school year, he'd be a journalist. She was working hard to be a toy designer.

They had also found out she had a heart decease.

Ichigo couldn't even name it and didn't know half of what it actually implied but he knew enough.

He knew it left her breathless and light-headed for no reason.

It made her tired and ready to collapse at the smallest strain.

It made her actually lose consciousness out of the blue.

And he knew that the only way to fix it before the time in which she never woke up from her bouts of unconsciousness came was to get her a new heart.

A new heart they had been waiting for two years now and that didn't show signs of popping up anytime soon.

His father was preparing him; he knew that after his mother died, he had closed his heart towards others. It had been so hard to actually let Orihime inside but they had both managed it: he opened the doors and she squeezed into his heart to cling to it and never let go. Isshin knew that if Orihime died, he wouldn't be the same. He'd close up and probably never let anyone inside ever again but… He had to warn him. Had to be sure Ichigo knew Orihime may one day never open her eyes again and that she'd have to leave for Soul Society. They'd keep seeing each other but…

Would she remember him? Remember all they went through?

Besides, she'd be far away; too far, actually. A different world… And Ichigo needed her right there, beside him.

Just imagining the gentle healer dead… Ichigo let out a weak sigh. He wouldn't allow it, damn it!

… But then he returned to his initial trail of thought; he couldn't do a thing. He couldn't protect her from something like this.

He sliced and diced Grimmjow, Ulquiorra and Aizen…! That was how he protected; he got rid of whatever threatened Orihime and their other friends, but… He couldn't slice her heart; slice her decease.

It made him want to crawl up walls, Ichigo thought as he lifted his hand from the healer's hair to ruffle his own in violent frustration, the orange strands of hair now messier after the rough treatment.

"… Kurosaki-kun?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Ichigo looked down at the girl. She was awake now, staring up at him with warm brown eyes despite the darks marks beneath them. She looked so tired… "Hey." He whispered. "How are you feeling?"

Orihime gave him a bright smile and lifted her free hand, curling it into a fist. "You know me, Kurosaki-kun! I'm sturdy; I feel really good now that I've taken a small nap." She nodded.

Ichigo's eyes softened at those words. Inoue always said the same thing whenever he asked if she was alright, over and over. It was almost like a ritual… And it made him sad, because he knew - he could see it - how tired Orihime really was and that she only lied to spare him the pain. "Please, don't lie to me. Not to make me feel better, Inoue." He murmured, squeezing her hand.

"But-but… I'm not-"

"Inoue."

Pressing her lips together, Orihime let her mask fall as she looked up at Ichigo's own tired eyes. It hurt her to know she was the cause of his distress. She knew he worried; she knew he beat himself up for it… But it was not his fault and she didn't blame him for not being able to do a thing about it. It was life; all they could do was go along with it. "… I am tired." She confessed softly. "But other than that, I really am fine." Inoue reassured, squeezing the tanned hand beneath hers. "I just want to go home…" Their little apartment; her sanctuary.

"Dad said you'd be able to leave as soon as you woke up." Ichigo nodded. The usual.

"Then… can we go?"

"Yeah."

Helping her sit carefully, Ichigo picked up her shoes and slid them into her feet, ignoring her squeaks of embarrassment. Years together and she was still so shy for the smallest reasons. It always brought a smile to his face, how she'd probably never change. Not that he wanted her to; she was Inoue because she was clumsy, adorably shy towards him and a bit weird. He really wouldn't want her any other way. "We just have to tell my Dad we're leaving on the way out." He said, getting up.

Orihime nodded and stood as well, leaning into the young man's side for support. "Let's go, then." She smiled up at him.

Walking out of the room, the couple made their way out of the clinic and into the Kurosaki residence, thankfully coming into contact with their intended target right away. "You're awake already?" Isshin asked gently, a fatherly smile gracing his aging features.

"Yep and good as new!" Inoue chirped by Ichigo's shoulder, the young man nodding absently as he looked up at his father. He was still the same lunatic he grew up with but he knew better now than attack him as he entered the house, than to piss him off when both him and Orihime had so much to deal with-

"That's very good, Hime-chan! Now, what about we talk about you leaving that no-good son of mine and instead, spend eternity with lovely me-"

Scratch that.

"That's our clue to leave." Ichigo growled, turning around with the confused healer. "Talk to you later, you stupid goat!"

"Ohh, Mother! Our son is still as cold as ever-!"

Closing the door after them and thankfully blocking his father's embarrassing wails, Ichigo scowled even more fiercely than usual. Stupid idiot! "Kurosaki-kun…?" Orihime asked tentatively. A grunt was her reply. "… Are you jealous of your father?"

Face glowing with embarrassment at his distracted girlfriend's accurate question, Ichigo stuttered a bit as he waved his hands in front of his chest. "W-what…? Me, jealous of that, that idiot? Of course-"

"Kurosaki-kuuuun." Orihime drawled softly, placing her hands on her hips and successfully halting Ichigo's rare case of hysteria. "Yes or no?"

"… Fine, yes." The orangette grunted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "But I know it's stupid." He added when the healer opened her mouth to talk. "I mean, I know he never means it when he does things like that and that even today he only has eyes for Mom… But hell, you're my girlfriend." He grunted, looking away in embarrassment, once more. "No matter who the guy is, I am entitled to my bouts of jealousness!"

Orihime smiled gently at that, looking up at the scowling young man. "Yes, you are." She nodded patiently as she reached to fix the collar of his jacket and smoothed out the wrinkles. "But you should know by now that my heart's yours, Kurosaki-kun. Not Kurosaki-san's or anyone else's, for that matter."

Eyes softening, Ichigo nodded slowly and rest his hands on her hips before leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. "Yeah, I know." He murmured. "As mine is yours." He said, placing her hand over his heart.

Smiling, Orihime stood on her tiptoes and gave him a small peck on the lips before beginning to tug him out onto the street and down the road. "C'mon; let's go home." She beamed. "We can't miss Laugh-Hour!"

"No, we can't." Ichigo smiled back absently, watching as the woman tugged on his hand. Facial expression falling, he looked over his shoulder at his family's home.

He suddenly had an idea.

Adjusting her skirt, Orihime sighed nervously. She had received a call after class from Ichigo; apparently his father needed to talk with her urgently and… Oh, she was so nervous. What could it be…?

Letting out a slow breath, she lifted a hand and knocked lightly on the door to the Kurosaki's place. Soon enough the doctor opened it. "Hime-chan!" He beamed, stepping out of the way and ushering her inside. "C'mon in, c'mon in!"

"Good afternoon, Kurosaki-san." Orihime smiled, getting inside and removing her shoes, neatly placing them by the door. "Kurosaki-kun said you needed to talk with me?"

"Straight to the point." Isshin smiled at the young woman's embarrassment. "It's alright; I realize that I must have scared you somewhat with how I sounded." He saw Orihime nod. "Well, fret not. It's good news!"

"Good news?" The healer repeated, following the man closely as he walked towards the living room. "What…" She trailed off, blinking at the couch's occupant. "… Kurosaki-kun?"

Isshin put a finger to his lips and smiled. "Sorry. I called him after class so he could help me out in the clinic; a bus tipped over nearby and I needed all help possible." He said, looking at the sleeping orangette.

"Oh, that's awful." Orihime whispered, frowning worriedly. "Is there any serious injury I can heal…?"

"No dear, but thank you. All the critical patients are at Ishida's hospital already and will be fine with time."

"Thank goodness…"

Isshin's smile widened. "Well, take a seat." He said before pulling a chair from the dining room's table and helping Orihime sit, doing the same after. "I take it you want to know what brought you here…?" He asked, removing an envelope from inside his doctor's coat.

"I'd… like that." The woman said softly, eyeing the envelope before blinking when it was offered to her.

Smiling as she opened it and read what was in the letter inside, Isshin nodded when Orihime looked back up at him, eyes wide. "They found you a heart." He said softly.

"A heart…" Orihime breathed, staring at the letter. "Oh my lovely blue little men, a heart…"

"A heart." Isshin repeated, amused and endeared with the girl's shock. It had been so long that she had began to lose hope but now it seemed to have returned full force and it made him so happy. "All you need is to perform a few exams to make sure you're ready for the surgery. Then, you'll have your new heart… Of course, it won't be all smooth sailing. You'll go through a long period of recovery in which your body may or not reject the organ, no matter how compatible it is with you." He advised, seeing the young woman nod. Good; she needed to understand that and he had made sure his son understood it too. "But if everything goes well, you'll be here for your grandkids." Isshin grinned widely.

Beaming back, Orihime clutched the letter in her hands and looked back down. This was it; what she had been waiting for. "When do I make these exams?"

"Tomorrow morning at Ishida's." Isshin nodded. "The details are all in there." Sighing, he stood. "Now if you'll excuse me, I still have a couple patients in the clinic and I said I'd check on them every few hours." He smiled. "Make yourself at home."

"Thank you, Kurosaki-san." Orihime smiled gratefully at the man and watched him leave before sighing shakily. Oh boy. Looking over at the tuffs of orange hair peeking out from the couch, she smiled and walked towards it, kneeling down on the floor so she could look down at her sleeping lover.

Soon… Soon most of their worries would disappear, she thought as she reached to run a hand through Ichigo's fringe.

And she couldn't wait for it.

"… I'm… I'm a little scared, Kurosaki-kun…"

"I know… I am too." Ichigo confessed, smiling lightly when Orihime let out a small giggle. It was rare for him to admit such weaknesses but… He shouldn't be hiding things at such a delicate moment. "But I am also confident in the doctors' experience. Dad will be helping out as well, so… Everything will be alright, Inoue." He reassured, squeezing the hand he was holding and reaching with his free one to pet the woman's fringe.

"I trust you." Orihime smiled, reaching to lightly tap the tip of Ichigo's straight nose. "So I'll believe in that as well."

"Good." The orange haired man smiled a little wider, glad that she was feeling confident. It was a huge step towards a successful surgery already.

"I just…" Orihime started, nibbling her bottom lip. "… Who was it? Why?" She murmured. Seeing Ichigo's confused look, she sighed. "This heart… It was someone's." The healer began gently. "Who was its owner? Did… Did he or she have kids, a family; was he or she nice or mean? Why isn't his or hers anymore…? Was it an accident, a crime…?" She winced, rubbing a temple. There was so much to wonder…!

"You shouldn't be worrying about that now." Ichigo shook his head. "Whatever happened for this heart to be yours now doesn't matter nor who had it before does. What matters here is that this heart will make sure you will keep living here, beside me, okay? And that's enough for me." He soothed, smiling when Orihime smiled up at him, reassured.

"Kids."

Looking over his shoulder, Ichigo saw his father and Ishida Ryuuken standing by the doorway. Nurses were waiting behind them. "… Is it time?"

Isshin nodded. "Yeah." He said simply.

Nodding, both Ichigo and Orihime took a deep breath before chuckling, amused that they had done the same. "I guess I have to let you go." He said softly, taking a minute to memorize every little detail of his girlfriend's face.

"And I guess I'll have to leave you." Orihime smiled sadly before huffing. "But it'll be just for a little while!" She shook a finger under Ichigo's nose. "So don't go after a pretty nurse, okay? Or I'll set Tsubaki on you! And Tatsuki-chan!"

Grinning at the empty yet very amusing threat, the orangette nodded. "Yes, sir." He saluted. Expression softening, he leaned down and pressed their lips together gently in a rare display of affection in front of so many strangers. Rubbing their noses together when he pulled back, he gave her a soft look. "I'll be here when you wake up, alright?" Ichigo murmured.

Smiling gratefully, Orihime nodded and reached to brush her fingers against his cheek. "Thank you." She murmured back, expression matching her lover's. "I love you, Ichigo." The healer whispered, smiling when he nuzzled her hand.

"I love you too, Hime." Ichigo whispered back, giving her hand a last squeeze before getting up, letting the nurses do their job and wheel Orihime away. Giving her a last wave and smile before she left his line of sight, he took a deep breath, secretly taking comfort on the large hand that his father had all but dropped onto his shoulder.

"She'll pull through." Isshin smiled and ruffled his hair before leaving as well to do his part in Orihime's surgery.

And Ichigo believed in him.

Waking up was not what she had been waiting for.

She thought it'd be painless, that'd she would feel like she was floating and that then, everything would fine. Like in the movies!

Instead, she was in deep pain - her chest hurt a lot- and her mind was a murky mess! Groaning quietly, Orihime cracked her eyes open and saw the white ceiling of the hospital over her. She sighed. At least it meant she was alive!

"Hime-chan?"

Looking over, she smiled weakly at the sight of Isshin. "Kurosaki-san." She croaked out.

"Shh, sweetheart." The man chided gently, checking her vitals and making sure she was alright. "How do you feel?"

"… Like the little blue men hit me with a particularly powerful destructing beam…"

"… You're alright, I guess." Isshin deadpanned, amused. She was still the same. "In pain, then?" He saw her nod. "I'll see about that." He soothed, patting her hand. "I'll be right back, dear."

Watching him leave, Orihime looked around and her eyes softened, seeing Ichigo collapsed on the couch by the wall, Karin resting in a corner of it with her legs over her brother's and Yuzu curled up to his side, all deeply asleep. Ohh, she felt awful now. She probably worried them…! "I'm sorry." She whispered weakly.

She began to panic though, seeing Ichigo's face contort into his usual frown as he inhaled deeply. He was waking up. "Oh no!" She mouthed almost quietly, flailing mentally as she was sure that if she actually did it, she'd be in a world of pain. She woke him up! Groaning, Orihime watched as Ichigo's eyes cracked open and took in the sight of the unfamiliar room before shifting towards her. "… Hi?" She tried, seeing his eyes widen.

Moving as fast as he dared, Ichigo gently pried his sisters off him and got up, stretching with a grimace as his back snapped into place. "Hey." He whispered, settling onto the chair beside the bed. He cupped Orihime's hand gently with his, almost afraid she'd break. "How do you feel?" He murmured, looking at her chest and seeing the bandage there.

"A little pained… But Kurosaki-san already went to fix that." Orihime soothed. "… How did it go?" She whispered.

Ichigo smiled then. "It was a success. As long as you take it easy now, you shall be fine."

The woman let out a relieved breath before beaming. "Thank goodness…" She nodded, cringing slightly when her wound ached.

"Why don't you rest a little more?" Ichigo murmured, hating to see her in pain. "Tomorrow we'll talk. You'll feel better then."

"But I already woke Kurosaki-kun up…"

"No problem." Ichigo smirked, shifting closer to the bed so he could rest his head beside hers on the pillow. "There. We can both go to sleep now." It was in the middle of the night, anyway.

Smiling, Orihime fought a giggle. It'd hurt and it could wake up the twins. "You win, as usual." She mused, fluttering her eyes shut. "Goodnight, Ichigo…"

"'Night, Hime."

By the time Isshin returned, they were both asleep.

"I really want to know."

Ichigo blinked, looking over his reading glasses and at his girlfriend, who was lying down on their couch, looking uncharacteristically apprehensive. "… What do you want to know?" He asked, frowning as he closed his laptop. His article could wait.

Orihime looked over at him as he removed the glasses and set them on the table before lowering her eyes and resting a hand over her heart. "Who it belonged to."

"… I seriously don't understand your insistence over this matter, Hime." Ichigo started.

"I know…" The healer interjected, looking up fiercely at her lover. "I know you're hiding something from me. You and Kurosaki-san and even Ishida-san. I know it's about my new heart… I see how the three of you always try and change the subject when I ask about it." Sitting on the couch, she faced Ichigo directly. "What is it that you're hiding…?" She frowned sadly. "Was it someone I knew?"

Eyeing the woman for a bit, Ichigo finally stood up and walked towards her before sitting on the floor before the couch. "… Yeah. It's from someone you know." He finally said as he reached up and took her hands, squeezing them gently as she gasped.

Biting her bottom lip, Orihime squeezed back. "… Who was it?" She… she couldn't recall anyone dying but… "Oh! Was it someone from Soul Society?" She hadn't gone there for so long and she had seen so few Shinigami…! Maybe it was one of them! "Who-"

"It's mine."

Orihime stopped, blinking in confusion. Looking down at the young man peering up at her through orange bangs, she slowly shook her head. There was no chain of fate on his chest… He was not in spirit form, as their friends from college had seen him earlier… "… I don't get it. How can it be… yours?"

Freeing her hands, Ichigo showed her his. "Do I look different?"

"… I'd say no because I don't see anything different but if you're asking, it's because you are and I didn't notice…"

Ichigo smiled. His clever girl. "I am different… but not really." Chuckling at Inoue's even more confused state, he sighed and let his hands fall. "… This is not my body."

"… It's not?"

"No." Ichigo shook his head and looked up once more, face solemn. "This is a gigai. The same kind my Dad uses."

Orihime frowned. "But why-" She gasped, flailing a little. "Oh no! You died!" She whined, her brown eyes wide. "Ohh! Ohh no!" She whimpered. "How-! When-!"

"Inoue." Ichigo rolled his eyes fondly, stopping her rambling. Reaching, he wiped the stray tear that had rolled down one of her cheeks. She panicked so easily. "I didn't die. I gave up my body." He said softly before smiling at her pause. "You needed a heart, badly… And I did tell you my heart was yours." He added with a chuckle, feeling awfully cheesy. Couldn't be helped now, anyway.

Orihime stared at him, wide eyed. "… That means… that night…!"

"Yeah…" Ichigo nodded, rubbing his nape. "I hadn't said it consciously but when we began to leave… I realized it. It could work. I mean, my Dad had been living in a gigai for years. He had children with it, he ages with it… It was perfect." He said, looking up. "I'd still stay around and keep doing what I always did while you got what you needed to keep living… No-one even had to die." He soothed, knowing it was one of the reasons it concerned Inoue so much.

"But you lost your body." Orihime whispered, looking him over.

"And that's just fine; this gigai feels exactly the same." Ichigo insisted. "I wouldn't let you die when I had a solution." He said stubbornly. "I don't regret it. At all." What he did regret was not having done it sooner.

Eyeing the orange haired man, Orihime finally nodded and sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "Okay." She said softly. "Thank you." She whispered, smiling softly.

Ichigo just shrugged, smirking slightly. "Oh, you know. You're welcome, I guess." He mused.

Giggling softly, the healer sighed. "… At least I can safely say I carry a little bit of you with me every day." She said, tapping her chin with a finger. "Hmm, sounds about right!"

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo stood and leaned forward to kiss Orihime's cheek. "Goof." He chided fondly. Inoue was strong; he knew she had already accepted his gift and pushed back her apprehension over it, mostly because there was no turning back now. She simply grinned up at him, though, a little embarrassed.

Just for that, to be able to see that smile everyday…

He'd give up his heart any day, for five lifetimes even…

And he'd do it smiling back.

Ohh, I hope you liked it! I'm not so sure about the ending and how cheesy this all was but… Well, but there you go. I loved the concept as soon as it hit me and I hope I did it justice, no matter how much better this had sounded in my head!

Let me know what you thought of it! It's been a while since I've written something like this.