So I decided to dip my toes into a fandom I'm only casually invested in. XD Here's hoping I got the characters at least somewhat right!
And then, the beautiful princess saved the prince from his darkest self and together they slew the evil mastermind and fled that horrible place! The end!
"Orihime," Ichigo said gently, "that's not really how it happened, remember?"
"I know, I know," Orihime sighed, "I just don't wanna scare the kids more than I have to."
"We're not scared, Mom." Kurosaki Sora, a bright-eyed girl of nine years old, shook her head. "Really, we're not! At least I'm not, I can't speak for Kaito the scaredy-cat anyway!" Kaito, two years younger than his sister, let go of her hand and gave her a nasty look.
"You're the one who gasped when Mom told you about Dad turning into a Hollow!" he retorted.
"You grabbed onto me first!" Sora shot back, and Orihime rolled her eyes.
"You two cut that out! It's almost your bedtime anyway," she scolded.
"Sorry, Mom," Sora and Kaito said in unison. After saying goodnight to their parents, they headed upstairs to their rooms, still arguing along the way. Ichigo sighed.
"Kids these days. My sisters and I never fought like that!" he snorted. "But really, Orihime...I know what happened to us back then was terrible, it still scares me to remember. But we lived, didn't we? We're standing here now."
"I know that," Orihime said, lying head-first at the foot of the bed and planting her feet up on the headboard. "It's not that, really. After all, iI'm/i not the one still having nightmares about it." Ichigo turned red.
"Just that one time!"
"The point is, I tell my version because I wish I had saved you from yourself," shecontinued.
"Orihime." He sat down beside her, playfully squeezing her foot. "You got scared, and even if you hadn't there wasn't much you could've done anyway. Remember? Even Ishida trying to kick the crap out of me didn't work."
"Yeah, I know..." Orihime sighed. "But sometimes I like to think I could've been more heroic. I only went with Aizen and Ulquiorra to keep you and the others safe and you had to come rescue me anyway, at least I could've helped."
"We came because we wanted to, not because we had to," Ichigo reminded her.
"And I'm glad you did, don't get me wrong. I mean, I wouldn't be here if you hadn't!" Orihime sat up and leaned over to kiss him. He scooped her into his arms and fell back on the bed, her hair draping over his chest and shoulders.
"Next time the kids ask us about our past, let's tell them we met in the park or at the sweet shop, okay?"
"Good idea!" She switched off the light and snuggled against him.