"Did you know, Ichigo, sometimes the people around us, they build up walls."
Ichigo blinked.
Sure he got that. But why, what was the point?
"Why?"
Rukia sighed, a bang blew over her had comically.
"Because, you imbecilic, moronic, ignorant, pig-headed idiot, they want to see, who cares enough, to knock them down."
...
Rain was good.
Rain could wash away past actions. Could allow your mind to unravel. To relax.
Orihime often thought of it as taking your brain out and popping it in the freezer for two hours. Just calm.
Cool down.
The rain trickled down her face.
Random flashes.
Images.
Ulquiorra.
She had been entrusted with his heart.
Rukia had told her this. As he died. He reached out. His fingers brushed hers.
She held his heart.
She locked it away, in the back of her mind.
Keep it safe.
Keep it secret.
The rain poured.
The moments they were washed away, just like tears in the rain.
It felt better.
Lighter.
Better.
"You know, Orihime, I think that maybe there is potential with you two. It's like an elegantly bound book, but in a language he hasn't yet learned to read. He will. Trust me."
Tatsuki-chan was always so kind.
Footsteps.
"Inoue!!!"
Orihime winced. The voice was familiar.
She fixed a smile in place.
"Kurosaki-kun! My, my you'll catch a cold in this weather with no coat, are you trying to impress Kuchiki-san with your masculinity-" here Orihime flexed her arms. "- or maybe it's a game! You know when I was youn-"
'Was masculinity a word?'
Apparently.
"Inoue."
Orihime stopped.
"I... I'm sorry."
Orihime's eyes widened.
Had she done something? Had he?
"I always... Always... Scare you. No matter what I do... I scare you by risking my life. I scare you by protecting you. I.. I don't know how else to put it. And you..." here Ichigo looked up. His eyes were deadened. Like her brother's had been. it took her breath away. Made her head spin. It hurt like hell. "... You build up walls."
Orihime was shocked.
"Me? Neh, Kurosaki-kun, what's Kuchiki-san been telling you, I'm really open about anything! You-"
"No. No you're not. You... You block me out. When I need to be in. You refuse to talk about what happened. You put up walls."
Orihime could feel her head swimming.
Ulquiorra.
Dust.
Eyes.
Blinded.
So much hate.
So much destruction.
Ishida-kun.
Ulquiorra.
Hearts.
Hearts.
Her own heart flittered.
Fluttered.
Trapped.
"I... I'm sorry."
"Don't always say sorry!"
"I... I'm sorry!"
"Stop."
Ichigo walked.
His footsteps neared.
Orihime looked away, ashamed.
A hand.
It was cold.
Wet with rain water.
A thumb ran along her bottom lip.
Since when was rain water salty?
"I'm knocking your walls down. Because Orihime..."
Ichigo bent down.
Kissing Orihime was weird.
It sent shocks down his spine, along his arms, through his legs, than back up again, to irritate the back of his neck.
Kissing Ichigo.
Ichigo.
Was like dark chocolate.
It was tangy. Sweet. Yet you really had to savour it. To understand it. And Orihime understood.
They broke apart.
Ichigo tilted her chin upwards.
"Because I care."
And only then did Orihime realize, that there was a dim rainbow.
Very dim. Hardly there at all.
It shone over the trees.
But...
The evening star. It shone.
And Orihime smiled.
Ichigo now understood that, while some stars might shine, Orihime positively burst.
With life.
