Rice Ball

A Bleach Fanfic

By Michiyo Ichimaru

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Bleach. It belongs to someone much higher on the food chain than me. I'm just the worker down here that likes to stir the fires for fans with no profit to myself. So just sit back and enjoy, okay?

Author's Notes: Well, this story idea came to me while watching Fruits Basket, because, although I am not a Kyo/Tohru kind of gal, I think their relationship is very similar to that of Orihime and Ishida. Light and fluffy romantic one-shot for your reading pleasure… please review. Don't worry if you forget about reviewing by the time you reach the end – I'll remind you. you'll have to thank me later. Well… I'm done. On to the story!

Orihime didn't like to think about things like this... it just happened. And she tried to stop it, really she did. It just wouldn't go away... these same thoughts kept nagging her constantly. When a girl can't fight, what else can she do? It makes you wonder… She tried to find a name for herself. The only thing she could think of was: Worthless. That's what she told herself, anyway. Why did she believe it?

Because there was nothing stopping her. No one told her she was wrong. So what was she supposed to think?

Ishida hated feeling weak. Being unable to do something… anything, really… made him angry beyond all else. It was a let down, really. But it wasn't like he was letting himself down. He was trying to stand in the footsteps of the Quincy before him and it was just so much to handle. And it was never good enough. His standards were just too high, even for himself. But he made them… he should know that… so why couldn't he get over it?

Because he really believed it was true. Nothing proved it any different in his eyes…

What made the two of them so different then? It seemed like they were the same, on the inside. At least… they had the same feelings about themselves personally.

But she moved on. She saw past it and learned how to smile about other things. Even if she couldn't fight, she tried to find good elsewhere. If she couldn't do one thing, she tried more, different things. Eventually she knew she would find something. Or that was what she chose to believe.

Ishida couldn't escape it. He was tormented by it constantly.

Sitting by himself never really felt like sitting alone. It was like there was a whole crowd around him, judging him even when he wasn't doing anything. And it made him so paranoid. These days it was hard for him to relax at all. So it wasn't unusual that he didn't notice Orihime sit down when he was so wrapped up in his own world and all the people he felt looking down on him…

"Are you okay?"

It startled him, when he heard her voice. But he hid it well. Setting his glasses higher up on his nose, he sighed heavily. "I-" For some reason, he couldn't say it. Before, it seemed so easy to lie and say that he was fine, but now it wasn't. Maybe it was her smile. Or, more likely, it was because just this once, he looked closely enough to glimpse something like that which he felt, hidden behind that smile. Whatever it was, he was unable to speak.

"You look so sad." Orihime added, swinging her legs back and forth nervously. It wasn't everyday that she just went up and talked to him about open subjects like this. Normally it was just a small 'Hi!' or 'Ishida-kun! How are you?' But she was feeling closer to him now that they had been through so much together. So she decided that she would say what was on her mind. "...you look troubled..." she said. "…like you feel weak… or something like that." she said, in an even softer voice.

How could she possibly know that...? Ishida wondered incredulously. She seemed so ditzy, and yet – Orihime noticed the strangest things so clearly.

"Maybe... just a little." Ishida said. "But you have seen it, Inoue-san. You know... I really am." Orihime frowned. She knew that wasn't true, but... how do you explain that to someone who can't see it like you can...? Then, she had an idea, and a bright smile lit up her face.

"That's not true! You're just... like a rice ball." Orihime said, noticing the cute face of utter confusion he made. "You look at yourself and all you can see is the plain white rice all over. You think... 'I'm so plain... I'm not special.' And that's all you can see. That makes you sad, right?" She said, frowning.

"Yet, you see all sorts of other rice balls around you… like a variety pack! They all have delicious toppings that make them special... and you feel jealous. You wonder why you can't be like that. Like... why you aren't as tasty or exotic..." Her choice of words was strange, and he was sure he never asked himself why he couldn't be more… tasty… but…

"But that's only because it's stuck on your back, and you can't see it like I can." Orihime said, patting him on the back. "There's a great delicious topping on your back, too! Something that makes you special… it may not be what you saw in those other rice balls that you were so jealous of… yet, you're just as good as they are, anyway! Even if it's different, it's good!" she smiled.

"I don't see why people don't understand that. There's no point in putting yourself down. Not everyone can be good at everything… or the same thing… We're all different, and we all have different things that make us special in our own way."

Ishida smiled in a way that he hadn't in a very long time.

Now I know why she's different...

Clearing his throat, Ishida blushed. "I... I can see it. You have a plum stuck to your back." He wouldn't tell her, but plums were his favorite rice ball toppings. Orihime smiled even wider.

"Plums are my favorite!" She said excitedly, jumping up from the bench. "Come on… all this talk of rice balls has made me REALLY hungry! Let's go get something to eat. It's getting late, after all." Orihime sighed. "My tummy's frowning… I've been neglecting it."

Ishida cringed at the strange girl. At the same time, he had the urge to laugh. "Alright. If that's your way of asking me to join you, then let's go." Orihime nodded and grabbed his hand. Before he could say anything, she was practically dragging him, and they were both running towards the little food hut ahead.

Now they could both move on...

Okay… so… what do ya think? It's completely random fluff, but I just got into this pairing, and I thought these two were so much like Kyo and Tohru… except I made Ishida a bit nicer than Kyo. You should all now choose to review. This was my first one-shot, so… a lot of firsts. Still getting used to it. Please review. Plzktnx. Later days, I hope. IshiHime FOREVER! Or at least I know I'll choose to support it.

Michiyo Ichimaru