A/N: If you do not like the plot or character plot, then don't read the fic.

SUMMARY: Orihime and Ichigo lead a strained relationship and they face an inevitable option: seperate. Rukia who loves seeing those two together, decides to knock some sense into her dense friends.

DISCLAIMER: All is owned by Kubo-sensei

RATING: T

One-Shot:

Strain.

"How should I act when I can't even see you anymore, you busy yourself with hunting Hollows! You just don't want to be with me is that it?!" Orihime screamed, her voice raw and croaky from having the same screaming match for 3 days.

"I'm a Soul Reaper, Orihime! What the hell do you expect me to do? Drop all my duties and be with you when an innocent Soul might get devoured?!" Ichigo growled, glaring at his girlfriend.

The couple were situated on the rooftop where the Karakura Gang normally had their lunch. But today, it was being used for Ichigo and Orihime's battleground. The two individuals were opposite each other, beside the railing as their friends cowered in the corner, not wanting to interfere. Tatsuki was being held back by Chad, Uryu just watched with a sad expression on his face, Keigo and Mizuiro both had pensive expressions on their faces and Rukia was biting her lip, trying to contain her anger.

"I don't even sense Hollow's close by, only if they're miles and miles away, but you still go out and hunt. Even into the early hours of the morning! You're not doing it to save the town, you're doing it for your own personal pleasure! Do you know how many sleepless nights and how many panic attacks I have had over the past 5 months because you don't bother to call me and let me know you're okay? And then I come to school late because I've spent half an hour scouring for your Spiritual Pressure, only to find it at school? So I come to school late, make up some excuse, and when I see you, you don't even look at me!" Orihime screamed.

"Oh please, just because you've had a perfect life, you can't handle it when I stay up or I don't call you?!" Ichigo snarled back, his hands clenched into fists, but instantly, he felt horrible, knowing he didn't mean anything by it. He didn't even think when he said it.

Everything went silent and all of his friends looked at them with wide eyes and shocked expressions.

Orihime was livid. "HOW DARE YOU!?" She roared and with all of her strength and weight behind her, she slapped Ichigo with everything she had. Ichigo's face snapped to the right, a red handprint clearly visible on his cheek. He turned his head and looked at her with wide eyes. "How dare you presume that my life has been perfect? In what way has it ever been perfect?! I lost my brother when I was so young, I don't have parents, due to their hazardous lifestyle and personalities. I grew up alone in a small apartment with small paychecks from a distant Aunt who will refuse to give said paycheck if I slack on my schoolwork and all I will have is the meager money I receive from the bakery. I went to the home of the Hollows to keep all of you safe and ended up with emotional as well as mental scars. I have to work, morning, noon and night. And on top of that, I worry about you and your Hollow hunting because I don't know if you'll come back or if you're injured severely somewhere in Karakura Town! So don't you ever say that I have had it perfect!" Orihime's eyes filled with tears, her hand burning from the strike she had delivered to Ichigo.

"Okay, that's enough." Rukia spoke up sternly, her eyes burning with anger.

"Rukia?" Orihime asked, her eyes widening.

"Stay out of this, midget. This is between me and Orihime." Ichigo growled, pinning Rukia with his most dangerous glare, but she was having none of it.

"And the way you're going, you'll end up going your own separate ways and never resolve this. Ichigo, you are the reason that this is happening." Rukia stated easily.

"Excuse me?!" Ichigo started to defend their relationship.

"Shut up! If you had been more considerate to Orihime, you would never be in this mess. But it is also Orihime's fault for letting it get this far." Rukia rounded on Orihime. "Your inability to confront a problem is also a factor you need to consider when dealing with a situation, well, any situation that puts anything and anyone you love in danger." Orihime looked down, knowing that Rukia had a point. "Ichigo, you have been hunting Hollows, don't deny it! I know you want to make Karakura Town a better place but staying out for days, roaming the town as you track Hollows and hunt them down will only result in empty success, because you'll have unravelled all the ties you have made with all your friends and family. You'll be alone and nobody will be there to pick you up when you fall. Nobody will be there by your side. Nobody will be there to heal you, because you shut them out of your life. We won't wait around forever. Orihime certainly won't wait for you if you keep ignoring her and mistreating her. And on the subject of ignorance; you think protecting us from your activities will make us happy? You barely speak to us, including Orihime. Take a second to reflect on your less than romantic behavior toward her. You never call her, never take the time to stop and be with her, you keep her in the dark, you basically baby her, you don't treat her as a girlfriend, you treat her as a piece of glass. As if she's too fragile to take any kind of damage. Well let me tell you something, boy: Orihime has chips and cracks in every place and she still glues herself together and still shines brightly! Orihime is not fragile. Far from it. Everything she has gone through should have opened your eyes to that. Heed my words, Ichigo. Take a few days to reflect and then come to Orihime. Until then, stay away from her." Rukia took Orihime's hand and walked with her, Tatsuki did the same and soon everyone walked toward the stairway, leaving Ichigo alone on the rooftop, letting him to his own devices.

(..)

"Orihime, you seriously need to start speaking up. I know it's your gentle nature and your aversion to conflict that makes it complicated but all of this negative energy that has been festering inside you will only ignite the flames and soon you will act out irrationally. Believe me, I've kept many things inside myself, I've bottled it up, but when I train, I find that time is my favourite time. I let the bottle open and everything pours out. One day you should come with me. I could ask Sensei if he can let you in once a month, just so you can vent. And if I can't pull through, Rukia will help out." Tatsuki said, embracing Orihime as she sniffled and sobbed.

"Of course. I'll do anything just to see you smile without having to force it, and you'll able to converse with Ichigo with a clear head. Today was a disaster. Not only did you raise your voice, which is abnormal, you struck Ichigo and we all thought you would never do that." Rukia responded, wanting to get a clear explanation of what aroused this destructive nature.

"Everything. All of my worries, financially, supernaturally and just normally, are piling up. I barely have enough money to buy groceries and instead I have to buy packaged microwave meals which are horrible, my grades are dropping and in turn so is my weekly check from Aunt. My job is lessening my salary for no apparent reason, my bills are piling up, my rent is overdue and when Ichigo doesn't call, I fear for the worst. I run to his home just to check on him, only to see that he's brushing his teeth, getting ready for bed and calling me a 'drama queen' because I worry too much. I let everything bottle up because that's the person I am. I don't want to burden anyone with my problems. I'd rather suffer in silence than have everyone else suffer with me." Orihime whispered brokenly, wiping at her tears.

"Orihime, you're an idiot. A big, dumb, stupid idiot." Tatsuki snarled, swatting Orihime on the back of her head.

"Owiee! Tatsuki!" Orihime complained.

"Shush! You think we like seeing you with that sad look in your eyes? You think we don't notice that your smile is forced and completely faked? Oh, we noticed it. Even Ichigo did. But seeing as he's a dense asshole and didn't know why because you didn't tell him probably got in the way!" Tatsuki fairly yelled, making Orihime cringe slightly. "You not telling him your problems, or any of us for that matter, was a huge mistake. You're lucky that you lashed out when you did, because there's no telling what would happen if you kept it bottled even more, you might have used your powers against him."

Orihime gasped. "I would never!"

"But do you know that for sure? If you were so angry that you couldn't control your thoughts and actions. Can you tell me what would happen then?" Tatsuki demanded, but Orihime stayed quiet, giving Tatsuki the answer she wanted. "No, you don't know. So don't sit there and tell me you would never use your powers on Ichigo, a long time ago, maybe not, but this has gotten to the point of violence, on your part. Because Ichigo would never attack you, no matter how angry."

"Orihime, we're going to the park and you're going to release every bit of that anger that you have. Right now. With everything we have told you, keep that in your mind. Keep in mind what would happen, what could happen and what should happen. Now, let's go. Tatsuki, grab the equipment."

"Right!"

(..)

4 DAYS LATER:

It was Friday.

Finally.

Ichigo had thought everything through and he knew it. He was a jer-not even a jerk. He was something else entirely, he acted like his lesser half. He was acting like his hollow, just seeking to kill, not caring about the relationships he had and the special bond he has with Orihime. He was willing to throw it all away just to kill hollows and sate his bloodlust.

Disgusting.

He was disgusting. He had no right to be with such a pure angel such as Orihime. He deserved a cell in Hell for his sins. He never bothered to listen to her, to pay attention to the hollow look in her eyes, the fake smiles, the way she was becoming thinner and thinner. He had no idea and he would never ever forgive himself. The past 2 days, he had brought himself to tears by how poorly he acted. How just plain selfish he was. The 3rd day and early hours of the fourth morning he was down in Urahara's shop, trashing everything, venting out his anger, his shame and his guilt and his sorrow. His teeth gritted as he looked at his bloody knuckles. He had resorted to hand to hand combat with Yoruichi with clear instructions to not hold back, no matter how much she wanted to. Knowing Yoruichi, she didn't hold back, and gave it her all, leaving him bloody and broken, but built back up. His jaw was bruised, his left eye had a blue and purple ring around it, his bottom lip was split and his eyebrow was split, his cheeks her bruised, yellowing at the edges, his body was bruised and patched up. Tessai's Kido healed the major injuries but left the minor ones, heeding to Ichigo's plea. Everytime Ichigo moved, he wanted to be reminded of the pain he put Orihime through, but he knew it should be ten times worse.

Ichigo walked into the classroom and the Karakura Gang stopped, their eyes wide as they looked at him with widened eyes. "What?" Ichigo asked, his voice thick with pain.

"I-Ichigo?" A soft voice exclaimed from behind his friends and Orihime pushed her way through. He noticed she looked lighter, happier, not as stressed. She had filled out again but her eyes were still hollow. So Ichigo did the only thing he could think of. Without any reservation of sense or logic, knowing he might get slapped again. His eyes filled with tears as he pushed past his friends, limping his way toward his princess, taking her sweet face into his hands, he kissed her gently with all the love his Spirit being, his human form, Zangetsu, Tensa Zangestu and his Hollow could muster, all of it, him.

His bottom lip burned with pain but he paid it no attention, feeling Orihime's hot tears on his hands as she kissed him back. She threw her arms around his neck and met his love with her own, easily matching it.

Ichigo broke the kiss and stared into her watery gray eyes. "It's wrong to beg for forgiveness, because what I've done is past the point of forgiveness or apology, but I want to make it up to you anyway I can. I can't believe just how stupid and selfish I was. I left you on your own, and I didn't care. I should have known, I should have paid more attention to you, I-I should have-"

"Ichigo, it's also my fault, I hid everything from everyone. I didn't want to be a burden, but now I know, I need to be a little selfish in that department. I should have consulted you and talked to you about all of this. I shouldn't have kept it locked inside me and just let it fester. I needed to vent and this fight took all my self control. All I want is for us to be normal. No extensive Hollow hunting. No hiding things from each other. And especially, no idle chats. We talk about our feelings openly and we say what's bothering us." Orihime said, running her fingertips down his bruised face with the lightest pressure, not causing discomfort. "What I'm saying is . .I shouldn't forgive you. But I do. I forgive you Ichigo Kurosaki. Do you forgive me?"

The Karakura Gang smiled, seeing the orange haired couple reconcile.

"I forgive you, Orihime Inoue." Ichigo whispered against her lips, kissing them once more before the teacher burst in and they flew apart, despite the cheers and claps.

"Mr Kurosaki and Miss Inoue, what are you doing here? Go home, take the day off. Spend the day together. We all wish you a happy relationship." The teacher grinned and pointed toward the door, amused at the teenagers stunned faces. Orihime quickly looked at Rukia and Tatsuki who had smug grins on their faces.

"Uhh. . .'kay." Ichigo grumbled and seized Orihime's hand in his own, and together they left the school.

(..)

Ichigo was fully healed, thanks to Orihime's powers and with the help of Tatsuki and their friends, they all helped out with the rent and groceries until she got her grades back up. Orihime confronted the bakery owner and gave him an ultimatum: Either she gets a large pay rise or she quits. Thankfully, she was one of the best at the bakery so he easily granted her request and now, she was on track with everything.

Orihime told Ichigo everything while he was in Urahara's shop for 4 days.

"I'm so glad to hear that. But from now on, you tell me when something happens. Please. I never want to fight like this again. Never." Ichigo begged, holding onto her hands.

"I promise. I learnt my lesson. . . so Yoruichi beat you up pretty bad?"

"It was worse, Tessai healed the worst of my wounds with his Kido, but I asked him to keep the bruising there. I wanted to suffer for what I had done. Sitting at home for two days crying felt like I was getting let off easy. I wanted to suffer for what I had done to you. Yoruichi was more than happy to help. I told her not to hold back, so she didn't. I'm glad she didn't. I thought if I beat myself up enough, I might feel what you were going through. Stupid, I know, but I just felt that need to vent, to get everything out of my system."

Orihime squeezed Ichigo close, hugging him tightly. "Never let yourself get beaten voluntarily, again. Please. I couldn't bear to see you in so much pain. I love you with all my heart. I love you."

"Orihime, you're my one and only. I love you." Ichigo leaned toward her and kissed her lovingly, laying on the bed with her.

Hey guys! RIKOREN here!

This fic is born from lack of sleep and 3 cups of coffee. I hope you guys like it. I was listening to really depressing music when I wrote this, so it's so outrageous and it would probably never happen in real life -hopefully- and I just wanted to portray a side of Ichihime that isn't you know, all happy and fluff because let's face it, no relationship has a perfect time. There are ups and downs.

But I may have ramped up the fantasy and emotional scale to like 156.4%. So forgive me

Review. Follow. Favourite.

Arigatou!

RIKOREN xD