Sleepy Day

Summary: Hichigo really liked days like this.

Pairing/s: None.

Warnings: A bit of fluff, without the romance involved.

Disclaimers: I don't own Bleach.

-o-

The sky was calm and inviting today, with few clouds drifting about. Hichigo sighed in contentment as he watched them. The sound of Zangetsu's coat flutter in the warm wind reached his ears but he did not move. Instead he sat very still, unusually still for being him.

But today he was not going to move until he woke up. Hichigo looked down at his lap.

Ichigo's breaths were deep and long, the way he breathed when he was fast asleep. Hichigo liked it when Ichigo relaxed this much, allowed himself to rest for a moment, and the Hollow liked it especially much when the teen decided to use him as a pillow. It was rare for the orange-haired teen to relax that much. Hichigo took pride in knowing few beside him and Zangetsu got to see this side of the boy.

Steps told him said old man was approaching but still he didn't move. Zangetsu had as much right to be here as him, so there was nothing he could do. His eyes shifted and watched the zanpaktou sit down next to him. Without a word the man lifted his great coat and draped it over Ichigo.

"Heh," Hichigo said. "So even the great Zangetsu can be nice?"

The zanpaktou did not answer, just smoothed the coat over Ichigo's frame and refused to meet the Hollow's eyes.

"Yer such a softie," the Hollow said with a grin.

"So are you."

"Che, I know that already. Why're ya here?"

"Same reason as you."

"Yer taking in general, or with Ichigo?"

"Pick whatever you like," Zangetsu said, not stopping with his fussing.

"Will ya stop that? He's gonna wake up," Hichigo said. "I bet he's real comfortable already, 'kay?"

As if hearing that, Ichigo sighed deeply and his body relaxed even more, sinking into the warmth the coat and the Hollow's lap provided. The two looked at each other.

"We're both 'softies'," Zangetsu concluded.

"Yeah, big time."

So with that he returned to watching the clouds, leaning back on his hands, relaxed and enjoyed it all.

"It's been a real long time since we had this nice weather," he commented.

"So it has."

"Those Shinigamis should take better care of 'im, or else I'm gonna kick their asses."

"Seems like they succeeded, at least for now."

"Bull. The weather's nice an' all 'cuz he's here."

Zangetsu knew that was true, and didn't argue. With all the recent Hollow attacks, the constant threat of Aizen attacking, and the Shinigamis pushing at him, Ichigo has been very low for a long time. He glanced over at the Hollow, who was the cause to why the orange-haired teen was with them today.

He had been fed up with the dark sky in their mindscape, simply pulled Ichigo in and left Ichigo's body unconscious on the bed in his room. Hopefully, people would think he was asleep and leave him alone. Ichigo had put up very little fuss about it all.

A chuckle brought them both from their thoughts, and they looked down. They were met by Ichigo's smile, sleepy and amused brown eyes, he was still curled up but had tilted his head upwards, towards them.

"Hard thinking?" he asked.

"How long were ya awake?" Hichigo grumbled.

"Might continue with sleeping. I like that." Ichigo grasped a bit of the black coat in his hand, held it tightly. "I just woke up."

"Go back to sleep," Zangetsu said. "Your mind needs it."

"I'm in my mind, and he tells me to go to sleep," Ichigo muttered, turned his head back and closed his eyes with a sigh. He groaned in satisfaction as Hichigo's pale hand buried itself in the orange locks, stroking firmly and he felt even more inclined to sleep than before.

He opened his eyes to slits, saw both the Hollow and the zanpaktou look up at the sky that was clear blue and free of clouds, and Ichigo had never felt happier.

-o-

Isshin raised an eyebrow when he looked into his son's room. Ichigo had not come down for lunch so the man had offered go check on the teen instead of Karin or Yuzu.

The teen lay limply on the bed and Isshin walked inside. He brushed away the hair lying on Ichigo's forehead, saw his son had some colour in his face for the first time in a long time and instead of starting to shake him awake Isshin moved him underneath the sheets. His heart gave a surprising stab of nostalgia when Ichigo curled up, and his eyes softened when he spotted the small smile on his son's face.

"Took you long enough to show that one," Isshin whispered, stroke Ichigo's forehead one last time and then left the room.

He'd wake the teen up for dinner.

Maybe.

End

Just a small one. Hope you enjoyed.

Until another time,

Ja,

Tiro