Title. Periwinkle smiles

Disclaimer. Bleach and all its characters belong to Kubo Tite. If I owned them I wouldn't be slogging away unhappily at a desk job.

A/N. I have little drabbles lying around, so I decided to post them up as a collection of drabbles, and update whenever inspiration strikes.

I'm actually musing on a couple of ideas at the moment for long fics, but they scare me a little because I don't know if I will get stuck halfway or don't know how to end. I have little snippets written up here and there for them, but I just don't have the courage to post them up.

After that fateful day in the rain, so many years ago, Ichigo hardly ever smiled or laughed anymore. This mask of indifference had built over his face, creating the cool and apathetic image that he became known for in school. His perpetual scowl and bright orange locks tended to scare people who did not know him, causing people to judge him as scary, or a delinquent, when they first meet him; but the teachers and even the little old ladies at the market shops came to recognize that this boy was respectful - even if he wasn't the most polite in manner of speech, smart and hard working - always keeping up his good grades, helpful and honest - helping many grandmothers with their heavy loads, and always returning extra change received.

Despite the indifferent façade he showed to the world, his friends know of the fire that burned strongly inside him – his hot temper, his passion and conviction in protecting others, fierce loyalty to his friends and family, and blazing fervor to see wrongs being made right. It was that spark, that light, that drew them to him, and made them as protective and faithful to him as he was to them. Ask any of them, and they would follow him to hell and back at the drop of a hat – in fact, some of them already had. Through all the situations they had endured together, there had never been acknowledgements that were expressly verbalized. A look, a pat on the back or shoulder, a nod. An inclination of the head here, a tip of the chin there. They didn't have to say anything, they just knew.

Ishida would throw him a crooked smirk and a snide remark, Chad, a low murmur and a hand on the shoulder. Renji would sneer, and comment on how his efforts were "passable", while Rukia would probably be smacking or kicking him for something reckless he did during battle. Even if they didn't know what was going on, Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro always seemed to know when something big had happened, and Tatsuki would welcome him back with a grin and cuff to shoulder, Mizuiro a smile, and Keigo with overdramatic tears.

And Inoue… Inoue would be there, smiling serenely at him, but the unshed tears that shone in her bright brown eyes would not escape his eyes. She would run over to him briskly and call forth her shield to heal him, her powers healing his wounds, while her smile and wellbeing soothed his heart. He hated that his going to battle made her worry, but knew it was a necessary evil in order to keep her safe. He hated when the tears would come into her eyes when he got hurt in battle, even though she bravely held them in, but to protect her he would fight over and over again if he had to.