This is my first bleach story, although I am not a new writer to this website. :) In Cold Blood is AU in a technically canon setting, but as explained below, Orihime grew up very differently, and the effects of that end up changing everything. You'll see, although the changes are mostly implied because it's from Orihime's point of view. If you have any questions, PM me.
Also, it should be noted that because this is my first Bleach story, it's completely experimental. If people like it, I'll continue, but even as they say that, this isn't supposed to be a very long story. Six chapters at most, unless I get an unholy amount of inspiration...that said, I hope you enjoy!
-eh
In Cold Blood
Inoue Orihime had grown up friendless and bullied; when her brother died, she was left alone in the world. However, instead of her becoming cheerful for the sake of others and plastering a smile on her face no matter what was going on in the world, she became shy and introverted. In passing, she had become friends with Arisawa Tatsuki, and that acquaintanceship got her through elementary school and some of lower secondary school. However, just before starting upper secondary school, Tatsuki had moved away from Karakura Town because her father had gotten a promotion to his company's headquarters in Tokyo, and then Orihime was left alone.
But Tatsuki had friends besides Orihime, and when she had announced her departure, a party had been planned. Tatsuki invited her, as they had naturally grown closer over the years. Orihime's attachment to her only friend was admittedly stronger on her part than Tatsuki's, as Tatsuki had a friend named Ichigo and Ichigo, while not necessarily popular, had his own friend group that Tatsuki was always welcome to be a part of.
It was at this party that Orihime finally interacted with Kurosaki Ichigo—and also the exact night that Orihime met the love of her life.
No one, not even the most rabid gossips in the rumor mill, could tell why they starting dating. Ichigo had never really shown an interest in girls before, always almost painfully oblivious, and most people only knew Orihime's name because she was bound to be called on in class at some point. Some girls were a bit jealous, seeking the attention of such a boy with such an exotic color of hair, while others finally took notice of her. In particular, Honsho Chizuru took notice of her and her rapidly developing body.
They dated for six months before breaking up. He had ended it, and Orihime was heartbroken. He had been good to her, even if it was obvious to everyone but Orihime that they weren't a good match. Ichigo was loud and boisterous, while Orihime was quiet and calm. She learned over the next year why they hadn't worked out, as she developed a much stronger sense of self-awareness after being wounded so deeply by her first—and she told herself, "only"—love.
But she moved on, and an interesting girl named Kuchiki Rukia abruptly and unceremoniously joined her class. Kuchiki was more or less joined at the hip of her one-time boyfriend, and Orihime knew she had lost the battle, if not her entire world. Although she didn't grow bitter about it—no, that wasn't in her nature—she understandably drew closer into herself, and even her only remaining sort-of friend Chizuru grew disinterested with Orihime's "boring ways".
Then, one day, Ichigo, Rukia, Yasutora Sado, and the newly-included Ishida Uryuu stopped coming to school altogether because of a myriad of excuses. The class felt empty without Ichigo and Rukia's loud and near-destructive presence, but at least the hurt left a little as she was finally allowed to lick the wounds of a lost childhood and lonely life.
When Ichigo, Yasutora, and Ishida all returned, brokenness in their eyes, movements, and hearts, Inoue Orihime knew that something bad had happened. When Rukia's name was mentioned, they stiffened and changed the subject—with the exception of Ichigo, who would lash out at the offending person with near violence. Orihime saw her love's anger, resentment, and despair, and all she knew was that she wanted to help him. She wanted to heal him in any way she could, but when she approached him to help, he would lash out at her most strongly of all. It hurt, but it never changed her want.
Then her life changed.
One day, she stumbled upon an injured cat on the side of the road. It was dying, its breathing heavy and side bleeding heavily from where it had been hit. Orihime's need to heal was brought to the forefront, and she took the injured cat to the vet. She didn't realize it, but moving the cat had killed it almost instantly. By the time she reached the vet's, the cat was entering rigor mortis, and while she was saved from a likely hefty vet bill, it brought all of her pain, loneliness, and feelings of uselessness to levels of near tangibility. Clutching the cat to her chest, with her heart feeling as though it would burst with these powerful emotions, she hurried home with tears on her face. The tears had streamed down her face into the cat's fur, and then the strangest thing happened:
The cat yowled an unholy yowl and scratched her repeatedly until she dropped it, at once terrified and hopeful.
It had no remains of its wounds, and was most certainly alive, because as soon as she dropped it, it scampered off into the bushes and never returned.
She touched her wet face, her hair, and wondered what had happened. It was so strange it was frightening, and after drying her eyes she hurried home. She stopped in front of a store and happened to get a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the glass. She was startled to learn that while her eyes were still gray, they gleamed the blue of her hairpins in the light—something that had never happened before-and the aforementioned hairpins were gone.
From then on, everything within her vicinity began to heal itself. Dead grass would turn green. Wilting flowers would revitalize, blooming with life. She convinced herself she was dreaming, that it was a figment of her imagination whenever it happened, but was too embarrassed to seek out psychological help.
She was walking home one winter day, slipped on the ice, and was run over by a bus. Her death was instantaneous. All the negative emotions she had been feeling for months, even years, surfaced in the moment of her death.
She woke up in a dark world with a perpetual crescent moon and vast expanses of white sand. Everything about her was normal except for the hole in her left shoulder and the bony object around her neck, ringed with jagged teeth. She wore the same clothes she had worn when she was killed, and although she didn't realize the significance yet, her memories were as in tact as they had always been.
She also didn't recognize the significance of the little sprouts of grass growing from the sand surrounding her, bringing life into a lifeless world.
But she could rest assured that someone did.
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