She Heard it Whisper

Warning: Contains complete IchiRuki fluff. If you're an IchiHime fan, sorry.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN BLEACH. TITE KUBO DOES.

This fanfiction is completely dedicated to my younger sister, Jordan, for her birthday. I know it's next week, but I have an AP Exam and I'm busy all week, so I figured I'd write it right now. Happy early birthday, Jordan. :)

Orihime saw it. She knew the signs. The way he looked at her, smiled at her, did anything for her. She knew that Ichigo was utterly, completely in love with her, even if he didn't know it quite yet. Even if SHE didn't know that she reciprocated his feelings with gentle eyes that never got past Orihime's envious ones. Because, it's hard to admit your feelings, but it's harder knowing that the one you love is in love with someone else.

She remembered the specific day that she found out how they felt about each other. It had been a simple exchange that ripped open her eyes like a medieval torture device. It was an average, abnormal-to-the-average day, sitting with their companions ranging from the living, to the not so much. It happened in a matter of moments, but she still felt that sensation like the feeling of waves crashing against your body after getting out of the ocean.

"Hey! Ichigo!" Rukia's voice was loud and tore through the gentle breeze, ruffling the tranquil atmosphere.

"Oi! Don't shout, Rukia; It's quiet," Ichigo reprimanded, yet there was that smile on his face. It reached his eyes and the way he looked at her when he saw her coming towards their group made her feel like she was wrong for watching. They shared a look as Rukia gently sat next to Ichigo; not too far, but not close enough to touch.

She had felt the suspicion grip in her heart at the contented smile on both of their faces. Naturally, she wanted to play it off as something else: two friends taking pleasure in the peaceful life that was well known amongst the group to most likely not last long. She even found herself hoping against hope that it was purely an optical illusion and that she hadn't seen what she saw.

That was when it had happened, though. For some reason, Orihime could only blame herself because of the result of the incident.

"Inoue," Ichigo's voice bit through her thoughts. She remembered looking up and seeing a different set of eyes from the ones that appeared when Rukia's was reflected in their deep brown irises. She watched him motion for his textbook laying haphazardly on the ground and, excited in understanding his non-verbal communication, slid the book across the grass to him. It came up short and landed directly in between the substitute soul reaper and the woman who literally built the man into who he had now become. They both reached for the book, Rukia with her left and Ichigo with his right.

Their shoulders touched, their hands touched, their eyes met.

Orihime could do nothing but watch, stunned at the poignant moment. There was a pregnant pause of deafening silence as though no bird or even the wind itself were willing to be the distraction for these two people. It felt private, secret, like she was standing there while they laughed at an inside joke. She felt like she was intruding by watching them. Eventually, Orihime couldn't stand it. She wanted the wind to gust out loud words of warning, telling the two entranced shinigami to stop, to cease, to prevent her heart from dropping any further into her stomach. What had seemed like several minutes was merely a few heartbeats in time.

Ichigo eventually broke the gaze and, gently placing his hand completely over Rukia's, slid the book over to him, letting gravity remove Rukia's unflinching fingers.

None of the others saw the exchange; nobody else was playing detective to the couple. Yet Orihime can only think about the fact that, though their hands aren't touching and their eyes are averted, their shoulders are still touching, ever so gently kissing the other for support.

As they all lie in the grass, the wind chose to end its silent boycott and sent whispers through the air. Instead of words of malice towards the pair and their actions, the wind gently tossed her hair in her face, forcing her to turn her neck to avoid the discomfort of her flailing hair. Facing away from the couple, she could hear them lightly laugh in one ear as the wind gently whispered in the other:

"Look away."

A/N:

I made this in literally under ten minutes. I know it doesn't make you IchiHime fans tingle in your unmentionables, but I told you earlier: this is for my lovely sister who just so happens to be an avid IchiRuki fan.

And TO my lovely Jordan,

I thought about making Orihime blow up in the end, but it disturbed the rest of my plot. I hope that you're satisfied with this one-shot.