I have something of a fever right now. Thus, if the below ramblings go whoosh over your head, it's ok, my brain is being possessed by the flu-virus.
Ishida walked down the stairs, trying to slow his pace, resisting against his legs which wanted to break into a run.
Head VS Heart, it was always a tough choice. Was he supposed to follow the tender fluttering of his heart, or the brazen logic of his brain?
He looked out at the school ground once he reached the exit. It was late, and there were only a few students spotting the place. His eyes quickly found the orange-head he was looking for.
He pitied the people who took drugs. For him, she was a drug, of the finest kind. Being in her presence injected him with a rush of euphoria and adrenaline, sending thrilling little shivers down his spine. The last time he felt this happy was when he had mastered his first Quincy arrow, shooting the blue reiatsu in a perfect line towards the horizon. If there was a cupid, it had shot his arrow right through Ishida's heart.
She was talking to Tatsuki animatedly, laughing now and then, the sweet ripples of her voice warming Ishida's heart like a balm.
Opposites attract. It was a basic rule of Physics, and no matter who argued against it, here was his own evidence. As a reserved & solemn person, he automatically gravitated towards her carefree and lively soul. She would laugh for him, releasing the mirth within himself, and she would speak from the depths of his heart, unfolding visions he kept hidden. He needed the bond they had, it kept him going. He drunk it all in, the sparkle in her eyes, the words that rolled off her tongue so easily, the ideas she conjured up, till he felt drunk.
It might have been instinct, but Inoue turned around and saw Ishida at the door. Her eyes locked on him for a couple of seconds, as she gave him a brief smile, and turned back to Tasuki.
He couldn't grasp the control over his mind, walking the hazy line between dreams and reality. He wasn't sure when one ended and the other began. Being with her was a dream, definitely. There was no other explanation for the way he felt. It felt like she had stepped outside the boundaries of being a human, as if he was in an audience to something heavenly. Things like this happened in dreams really. Strange murmurings made perfect sense - he could empathize with Inoue's story about her poor bean paste sandwich which got squashed when she flung it at the board, with a straight face. You could fall forever in sky or sea - he drowned in her mesmerizing eyes. Time flowed in its own rhythm, speeding up and slowing down to the beatings of his heart.
She was very real though. Flesh and blood, the silver thread of life bound her to earth, an innocuous gem belonging to him.
He walked over to her, attempting to look casual. (Why did his blood have to rush to his face like that?) Inoue seemed to be saying goodbye to Tatsuki, their conversation was dwindling.
He could hear her voice in his dreams, without hearing what she said. The deep orange of the setting sun awoke a vivid picture of her in his memory. He would reach out for more vibrant colours when he stitched. Once, he even poured ketchup over his ice-cream before he realized what he was doing. (Not that he dared to eat it.) She wasn't just occupying his consciousness, his sub consciousness had fallen prey to her charms as well.
"Inoue-san, may I walk you home?" he asked, when he reached her.
She smiled, chuckling softly as she waved goodbye to Tatsuki. They walked out of the school gates, Inoue already narrating an incident, as she fell into step with him. His heart soared, and he struggled to quench the sudden urge in him to grab her hand, which left whispers of a touch as she swung it around. He knew he shouldn't be feeling the tiny sparks when her hand brushed against his, but his hear worked on its own rules.
The dream began all over again…