So I kept thinking what I could write in terms of IchiHime and Christmas. These ideas that came to my mind were based off the Prompt: Mistletoe, given to me by Renji4eva and something my guy friend asked me for help with last night. It was too cute to resist writing this.
I hope everyone enjoys and Merry Christmas to everyone!
"Orihime!"
Said girl turned around to see her best friend, and soul reaper, Rukia Kuchiki running towards her. A happy smile was on her face as she expertly snuck past the group of girls that blocked the sidewalk.
A big smile covered her face as she met up with her and gave her a hug.
"Rukia-chan! My goodness, it's been too long! How have you been? How's Renji-kun?"
"He's still his usual, idiotic self. But that's not what I'm here for! I wanted to let you know that Ichigo is coming back!"
A look of shock hit her face as she let the information sink in.
"Ichigo… is… coming… back…?"
Rukia nodded. "It seems his mission in the Soul Society is done. I overheard him and Ukitake talking about it. It seems Ichigo has a decision to make. He either has the option to stay in the Soul Society, or he can come back here for good. And I overheard Ichigo say that he won't stay here unless there's a reason. Orihime! You can be his reason for staying in the human world!"
"But, let's think about this first Rukia-chan. If Ichigo was offered a really good position in the Soul Society, I'm sure it'd be a lot better than him getting a full time job here. I'm not going to force him into staying here, but I also don't want him leaving either. And, yes, I still do love him. And maybe this is the only shot I have at telling him, but I also don't know if it'll be enough for him to stay."
Placing a hand on her shoulder, Rukia smiled. "Orihime, you mean the world to Ichigo. He never outright said it, but I could tell he was thinking about you in the Soul Society. Everyone noticed the way he treats you is completely different from how he treats me or Renji. It's no secret, Orihime. Now, why don't I help you with making him a card? I'm not saying you have to tell him in person, but if you want to confess, you can do it in the card."
Orihime hugged Rukia before nodding her head happily.
"Sure!"
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A sigh escaped the mouth of an orange-haired shinigami as he returned to the World of the Living. He couldn't stop thinking about a certain girl with auburn hair, who had seemed to make her way into his heart when he wasn't looking. He already knew Rukia had gone ahead of him to give her the good news, but he wasn't sure if his dad knew, much less his sisters.
He headed straight for the clinic, only to be bombarded with hugs from his sisters.
"Onii-chan!"
"Ichi-nii!"
He chuckled before looking at them and seeing how much they had grown. They were only teens, but they had the look of grown women. Yuzu's hair had grown longer and was now able to be put into a ponytail, and like her sister, Karin did the same thing, though it was in a different position.
"Hey guys, I'm glad to see the old man's been taking care of you."
"Well, he's been moping around since you left. But when he found out from Urahara that you were coming back, he was his giddy self again. I know he won't admit it out loud, but I knew he missed you a lot. Maybe even more than we did."
Ichigo rubbed his sister's head as he smiled. "I hope you've been well, Yuzu."
There were tears in her eyes but she smiled at her brother and a flash of Orihime's face came to his mind. They both had that sunshine smile that could make people feel a lot better.
"Are you hungry, Onii-chan? I can make you lunch!"
"Sure, that sounds good Yuzu. Thank you."
With that, Yuzu ran to the kitchen to prepare her brother lunch. Ichigo and Karin stood in the door way, both of them looking at each other.
"You know, Orihime-chan lives here now."
This made him blink out of his stupor. "Really? Orihime lives here? Is she okay? Did something happen while I was gone?"
"It seems her job had been closed for a while due to the owner being sick, which meant Orihime wasn't making money. She was about to be kicked out of her apartment when goat-chin ran into her and offered her a place here. Orihime made a big deal about it at first, as she didn't want to burden anyone. But she had nowhere to go as Tatsuki and her family went out of the country for the holidays. So, after he finally convinced her we had the space to keep her, she complied and moved in."
Ichigo sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. The girl he's been constantly thinking of now lives with him. He wasn't sure if he should rejoice or be scared that he was going to take advantage of her.
"To be honest, I like having her around. She's like a mother to Yuzu, and she gets along with all of us. Almost as if she's always been a part of us. She was helping me and Yuzu when we hit puberty and the other things that goat-chin felt uncomfortable explaining to us. If you plan on telling her how you feel, you might want to do it soon. That idiot told us that you weren't going to be staying here for long. If you only have a limited amount of time here, you might want to make sure you do everything you can before you go back."
He looked at his sister, noting how mature she's gotten over the nine months he's been gone. It amazed him that such a short time can change a person, especially if you weren't paying attention to them before. As he let their conversation sink in, he failed to hear the door open and the two girls that entered talking.
A gasp made him turn around, and he was met with wide, gray eyes.
"Ichigo-kun?"
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Rukia, who noticed that Orihime had frozen at the sight of Ichigo, pulled on her arms and dragged her away into the house. She didn't realize he was going to be back so soon, and they needed time to prepare the Christmas card! When she felt herself being dragged, Orihime shook out of her daydream and had steered Rukia towards her room.
When they closed the door, Orihime panted out of exhaustion and tried to calm her racing heart.
"He's gotten taller. And he's so handsome now. I'm not saying that he wasn't handsome before, but I feel that he's matured a lot more. His hair is slightly longer too. And those eyes! I just want to stare into them all day! And, I'm not sure what to do about this now! I didn't expect him to be back so soon!"
Rukia placed her hands on Orihime's shoulders.
"Breathe, Orihime. Relax. It's going to be fine. We're going to work on his card right now. You said you wanted it to be special, and you wanted it to be a representation of your feelings towards him. So we have to think about what shape the card should be in."
Orihime blinked before she pondered the girl's words.
"Hmm… I want it to be in the shape of his zanpakutou."
"Zangetsu? Why's that Orihime?"
"Well… I've always wanted to have the power to protect those I love. I do have my Shun-Shun Rikka, but I've always wanted to try wielding Zangetsu. He represents power and protection. At least, that's what I think. Ichigo has only ever used him to protect the people he loves. It would only make sense right?"
Rukia nodded.
"Alright then, let's get started."
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Isshin had entered the clinic after Orihime was dragged by Rukia. When he heard about it from Karin, he laughed at how stupid Ichigo was for not even addressing her.
"Shut up old man! I couldn't do anything when that midget dragged her away from me. I don't even understand why she's here in the first place."
"So tell me son. How was your mission in the Soul Society?"
"It was hard. There was so much research involved. There was a huge enemy we had to take down, and he wasn't just a regular hollow. I think they said he was a vasto lorde. Anyways, it felt weird not having Uryu, Chad, or Orihime to back me up. Instead, I only had other soul reapers. And I didn't even know half of their names or their abilities. I couldn't make a proper strategy when I don't know what they can and can't handle. I'm just glad it's over."
"Ichigo… You do know they were testing you to see if you can handle a captain's position right?"
He blew out a sigh. "Yeah, Ukitake-san told me after we came back. They wanted me to take on Aizen's old position. It seems Momo actually doesn't mind being my lieutenant. But… I'm not so sure if I want to become a captain. There's so much here I'd be leaving behind, I don't think I'm ready for that position just yet. He understood and told me that if I decided to go, I would get that spot. I just don't think I can handle commanding an entire squad."
Isshin sensed Orihime at the stairs, but chose not to say anything. He wanted her to hear the conversation, and it seems Ichigo hadn't sensed her yet either.
"Well you definitely picked a nice day to come back. At least we can spend Christmas together as a family. It seems Yuzu is planning on making a feast for us. You have a few hours son, why don't you go and spend it with Orihime-chan?"
He looked at his father. "You guys don't need me here to help out?"
"Nah. We can handle it. Besides, you two need to catch up. And since you have a few hours, why not go and do something fun?"
He gave his dad a small smile before he headed to his room.
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Orihime had ran towards her bedroom, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. Rukia didn't tell her the mission was to see if he could become a captain. This was all news to her, and while she was glad he came back, another part of her was wondering if he truly wanted that position.
He headed to his room, and she gave him a few minutes before she knocked and walked in.
"Hey… It's been a while, hasn't it… Orihime?"
She giggled before smiling at him. "It has been… Ichigo."
"Say.. Did you want to go for a walk?"
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They had opted to go for a walk around town. It seems not much has changed since he left, and for that he was grateful. He already felt foreign being in his own home, he didn't want to feel he came back to an unknown town.
"So, Tatsuki's been gone for a week already?"
"Yeah, it seems she had a tournament to go to a couple months ago, and she had come back only to leave again. But we've been talking every day, so it's not that bad."
"Uryu and Chad are both gone too?"
"Chad went back to Mexico to see his family. Uryu also had to leave with his father. It seems everyone's always busy around this time of year."
"So, when did you move into my house?"
This made her stop walking. She looked at him with a hint of fear in her eyes.
"Does it bother you that I'm there?"
He blinked. "What? No! Of course not. Karin mentioned it to me and I was just curious. I wouldn't be mad that you're living there!"
A sigh of relief came from her lips before she explained her side of the story.
"Well, it seems that there was an issue with the bakery I was working in. Not only did the owner get sick, but the ovens broke down, so we couldn't make anything. They said it was going to take at least a month to fix, since it was so close to the holidays, and because of that, everyone is currently on vacation pay. However, my vacation pay didn't cover the whole rent, so the owner of the building told me I had to find a place within a week. Little did I know that Kurosaki-san was walking by and happened to hear that I was going to be homeless. And well, before I knew it, I had moved in here. I kept fighting him about it, as I wasn't sure if Yuzu and Karin were going to be okay with it. But apparently, they were very excited to have me there. So, it was nice."
He nodded in understanding. He was glad that Karin and Yuzu had enjoyed her company.
"Karin had also mentioned that you guys were close… Is there something I'm missing from that?"
She looked at him and nodded.
"After you left, they started to ask me to hang out with them. Of course it was Karin who did the asking as Yuzu was somewhat shy back then. Tatsuki didn't seem to mind that she had to share me with your sisters. So we'd always hang out together, on the weekends. If they needed help with homework, we'd help them. During that time, Kurosaki-san was dealing with the hollow situation and working at the clinic. So we told him that we'd help him take care of the girls. But I didn't mind. It felt nice, being needed and being able to help."
"Wait.. So Chad and Uryu didn't do the hollow duties?"
"Well… they did. But they can't exactly purify the hollows, Ichigo. They would take turns teaming up on the hollows. Chad and Uryu mostly did weekends, since Isshin didn't want them to be out late on a school night. On occasion, I'd help too, but mostly with the healing."
He nodded. It seemed there was so much he'd missed when he was away. It made him feel bad that he had agreed to leave in the first place. When he looked at Orihime, he noticed that her hair was longer, now reaching her waist. Her hairpins were now hanging on her neck, instead of holding her bangs. She now reached his shoulders, and she had lost some of the baby fat on her cheeks.
She had grown into a beautiful woman.
Orihime looked at the time before her eyes widened.
"We gotta head back Ichigo! The dinner will be done right away!"
'Had time really flew by?'
He wasn't able to ponder those thoughts as she grabbed his hand and she started to run down the street. The only thought he was able to process was that her hand felt so right in his.
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They had made it just in time for dinner. It was the usual; Isshin would pick on Ichigo about anything and everything. Yuzu would try to stop their fighting while Karin would shrug it off and continue eating. Orihime watched the entire ordeal and laughed at the sight of their father/son bonding. She didn't know being part of a family would be so rewarding, but she was glad she took Isshin's offer of moving in.
This year, she won't be spending Christmas alone. And for that, she was grateful.
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It was almost midnight, when Ichigo finally headed up the stairs. He was going to head to his room when he overheard Orihime talking on the phone. Her door was left open and her back was facing him, but he could hear the worry in her voice.
"I don't know Tatsuki-chan. What if he doesn't like it? I mean, he only came back today. You sure it won't be too soon?"
"Baka! If Rukia told you that Ichigo might be leaving again to the Soul Society, this would be your only chance. Didn't she tell you the same thing?"
"Well, yes. Rukia-chan told me that Ichigo might be going back, but she also said he might stay here. However, I don't want my wish of being with him to influence his decision. If he decides to go back, I want to make sure it's because he wants to, not because of my feelings."
This was the first time he'd heard Orihime talking about this. It made his chest hurt when he heard how sad she sounded. He didn't know his going away had this much of an effect on her. Then again, she hadn't given him a hint that she was ever sad about his leaving.
"Look, Orihime. Just come out and tell him. If Rukia helped you, then I'm sure it's because she's noticed that he missed you just as much. You won't know until you try, and I'm not letting you miss out on this opportunity. His whole family is behind your decision. And even if it doesn't work, they're still going to let you live with them. That won't change. But trust me, Ichigo is dense, and you have to tell him directly otherwise it won't work. Anyways, I have to go. Mom is nagging me about going to bed. Merry Christmas Orihime. I'll see you in a few days."
"Merry Christmas to you too Tatsuki-chan. See you soon."
With that she hung up her phone. She sighed before turning around to see Ichigo standing at her doorway, with wide eyes.
"How much of the conversation did you hear?"
He swallowed before replying. "All of it."
A small smile appeared at her lips. "I see."
Before Ichigo could say a thing, a card appeared in his vision. He looked at Orihime, before looking at the card.
"Take it. It's for you after all."
He took the card from her hands and noticed it was in the shape of Zangetsu. He began to read the card;
"SO YOU THINK YOU ARE PERFECT?" was written on the front before he flipped it open.
"Because you are. In the time I've known you, you've been nothing but kind to me. You are always willing to put yourself before others, even if you don't know them. To the people you do know, you treat them with respect and kindness. In the time I've known you, we've laughed, fought evil shinigami, hollows, and even humans. We've talked about everything under the sun and it makes me genuinely happy. I am really glad we met and I've been able to get to know you better. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I've come to trust you to always be there for me and I cherish our relationship greatly. Thank you Ichigo, for being yourself."
-Love Inoue Orihime.
A lump was in his throat, and he had to clear it before he could talk. So instead, he walked up to her and grabbed her into a hug. Both their faces were beet red, but neither one cared as they basked in each other's embrace.
They pulled away after hugging for five minutes, though they didn't want to. Orihime smiled before pointing to the mistletoe that hung from her ceiling. Ichigo looked up and smiled before he cupped her cheeks and softly kissed her lips. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo through his nose as a smile appeared on her lips.
They pulled away, only slightly to catch their breaths. Their eyes were filled with happiness and joy as they stared at each other.
"I've decided that I'm not going back. I'm staying here. That is, if you can handle putting up with me." Ichigo joked.
Orihime's eyes went wide, before she jumped into his arms, the card fell lightly to the floor as Ichigo held her. He began to spin her around and they both laughed together in pure bliss.
"I love you, Ichigo."
A smile lifted at his lips before he murmured, "I love you too, Orihime."
Both of them looked at the clock just in time as it turned to twelve in the morning.
"Merry Christmas Orihime."
"Merry Christmas Ichigo."
And with that, they kissed again under the mistletoe.