Couple: Orihime && Uryu

Rating: K+

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach… depressing isn't it…

Summary: Orihime is sad when she's come to realized that her long time crush Ichigo looks at the soul reaper with love in his eyes. Uryu is there trying to help her cope with this.

Reluctant Love

'Ichigo…' Orihime thought sadly, watching silently as the carrot-top laughed aloud at his friends goofy antics with the small soul-reaper at his side. 'He's changed so much since we came back from saving Rukia. When she's around they seem to always be watching and smiling at each other. It's like nothing else matters in the world except for them… I wish I could understand what that feels like… I wish I was loved.' She continued watching. Her sad brown eyes looking up to the sky as she remembered the day she decided to confront Ichigo about her feelings.

-Flashback-

"Ichigo can I talk to you?" Orihime asked giving a nervous laugh.

Ichigo looked slightly concerned at her. "Sure Orihime, just give me a second alone with Rukia will you?"

She smiled widely at him, which pained her cheeks slightly. "Sure, it's not that important." She turned around and went back to sit down with Chad and Uryu. Orihime decided to make small talk when she noticed that Uryu was sewing something near Chad, who was starring at him intently. "Uryu what are you working on?"

Uryu lifted his pinched fingers and showed her the needle between them as if that would explain everything to her. However by her blank look she seemed lost so he was complied to explain. "I'm sewing Chad's sleeve that he tore before getting here. " He sent a slightly message to Chad, clearly saying that he was lucky he knew how to sew.

Chad shrugged it off. "It's not my fault, it got caught on the fence."

Uryu snorted and turned his attention to the door that enclosed Ichigo and Rukia, "I can't believe it. They've been 'talking' for at least thirty minutes they could give it a rest."

Orihime not seeming to grasp the concept of what he was meaning just smiled at him sweetly. "Well they are close you know Uryu."

Chad glanced at her through half lidded eyes. "I don't think that's what he meant when he said talking."

She looked at him confused, then scolded him. "Chad what are you talking about there is only one way of talking."

Uryu began putting his compact sewing kit away. "Forget it Orihime." He sighed uneasily at her as she nervously watched for the door to open. "Are you hungry Orihime?"

She smiled at him. "No thank you I'm--" Her sentence was interrupted by a loud growling sound. All eyes were on her in that instant as she flushed scarlet. "Yes I'm a little hungry."

Suddenly the door opened and a flushed Ichigo walked out looking too smug for Uryu's liking. Ichigo walked straight to the little area that the rest of the group held. "So you wanted to talk?" Ichigo's question was directed at Orihime.

"Yes, but I was hoping that we could talk in private." She said softly.

Uryu and Chad watched silently as they watched the two; Orihime nervous and Ichigo with his mind still on Rukia. They already knew what was going to happen and they didn't want to see Orihime hurting. So the boys caught each others eyes and nodded. Before either could protest, Uryu grabbed Orihime and Chad took Ichigo to separate sides of the small shop.

"Orihime I think you should just keep what you want to say to yourself because it would be useless to tell Ichigo." Uryu told her gently.

She looked confused at him. "What are you talking about I'm just--"

He sighed, "Orihime I know you like Ichigo and it would be pointless to tell him because--" He stopped himself before he hurt her feelings.

"Because what?" She asked softly. "Doesn't he care about me?"

Uryu reached out to her and grabbed her arms. "He cares about you. How could someone not care; you're the sweetest person, you put others before yourself. It's just that--" His hands slid down her arms until they held her wrists.

Orihime's heart gave a small flutter. "Tell me Uryu."

"It's just that it was so obvious to the rest of us but you must not have taken notice to it." He ranted.

"What was so obvious?" She asked softly and ignored the feeling in her stomach.

Uryu stifled a groan. "He's in love with Rukia and she returns his feelings Orihime. I thought you would have gotten it when I said they had been 'talking' for a while just a bit ago."

-End Flashback-

'Uryu must have felt as if it was all his fault.' She thought sadly. She leaned back into the tree, closing her eyes she felt another wave of sadness overcome her. 'I can't make him love me… I'm such a pathetic person…' She thought realizing that all the evidence was right there, right in front of her eyes and she just refused to see it. Until Uryu decided to help her open her eyes to it, before she made a complete fool out of herself. 'Uryu… I wonder what happened to him? He hasn't been to school for two days already.' Orihime thought as she watched the birds over head.

"I got it! I'll make him some food and take it to him… That should cheer both of us up." She said out loud. A handful of students turned from their spots on the lawn around her and looked at her with a concerned expression. Orihime gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry just thinking out loud. I've got to go."

Taski's concerned face suddenly turned alarmed. "Orihime it's lunch we still have more classes to go to."

Orihime smiled at her and grabbed her. "I want to make a get well soup for Uryu. What soup is the best kind for curing sicknesses?"

Taski shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know different people call for different treatments. Personally I like chicken."

"My mother made me pasta when I was sick." Another girl retorted. "Pasta is way better than soup."

Orihime suddenly got an idea. "What about a chicken and pasta with cheese soup?" All the girls in the group looked at her with wide eyes and slightly disgusted. "I think Uryu will like that." With that she left to see if she could stop at the store to buy the ingredients. 'I just know that Uryu will like the soup.'

---------

"Orihime?" Uryu questioned once he realized who stood on his doorstep.

"Hello Uryu. You haven't been to school in since that day." That's how she would always refer to it until she got over the dull ache in her chest.

He nodded. "Yes I've been sick… Forgive me, come in please." He stepped back slightly for her to enter inside his house. "What is that you're carrying?" Uryu asked shutting the door.

Orihime smiled at him, causing his stomach to do a small flip. "It's just some soup I made. I thought you were sick because I don't think you've ever missed any school so it must be a bad cold." She handed him the bag with the container of soup and watched as he just starred at it. "It's chicken and pasta with cheese."

Uryu looked a little uneasy. "That sounds like a dish not a soup." He mumbled. Looking up at her he smiled gratefully. "Thank you Orihime."

She blushed. "No need to thank me just being a good friend." She smiled.

"Well maybe I should go and put this in the refrigerator, sit down I'll bring you back something to drink." He began walking into the kitchen but stopping short when he felt something on his arm. Glancing down he saw soft pale cream hands. "Yes?"

"Let me help you… It's the least I can do." She took the soup from him and when into the kitchen as if she had lived there her entire life. "What do you have?"

"What is the real reason you're here Orihime?" He asked.

She turned to look him in the eyes. "I wanted to thank you."

Uryu furrowed his eyebrows. "Thank me for what?"

"For not letting me make a fool of myself in front of Ichigo, Rukia, and Chad." She explained. Her eyes suddenly watering before she launched herself into his chest and cried softly on him.

Slightly uncomfortable with the crying Orihime, Uryu wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. "Whenever you need me Orihime, I'll be there for you. Just ask."

"Thank you." She whispered before softly kissing him on the lips and turning her face back down to bury in his chest.