Title: His Orihime
Rating: K+
Pairing: Ichigo/Orihime
Warnings/spoilers: Set during the arrancar arc during the anime so if you haven't reached that point yet, best not to read it.
Summary: Orihime was everything.

Disclaimer:I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. They are respectably sole property of the creative mind of Tite Kubo.

"Love can't always be perfect. Love is just...love."- Massimo from the Wedding Planner

Orihime was deathly quiet today. He frowned. He didn't like when she was silent. A woman like her needed to be vibrant and chattering at any available moment. Whenever she was silent, he felt like something terrible had happened. Like someone had died from this plane of being and moved on to the next. What made it worse was the front she would put up when he asked her if anything was wrong.

Immediately she would give him a shaky smile and shake her head quickly, "N-no! I'm f-fine, Ichigo! Thanks for asking."

Only with him she pretended. Why? Why was he so special to be knocked from her mental torments? How he hated days like these. They were few and far between, but they were there nonetheless. And every time one surfaced, it was worse than the last. He was the one who was supposed to be moody, quiet, and scowling. Not her.

Worried eyes of brown watched as she nibbled at her bread and red bean paste, her eyes glued to the windows. It was official; his mission was to always hear her laugh. Watch the brightness in her eyes as she giggled. Orihime wasn't made to suffer. He was going to fix it.

She was sweet. She was friendly and always caring over her friends' needs above her own. And she was beautiful. His stomach fluttered at the mere thought. Was it wrong for him to harvest such emotions towards the girl? A girl he could never have? Popular and loving all rolled into one magnificent package? What nerve he had to even consider her in that light. Such a close friend with only the best of intentions. How sick that he even think of hearing her whisper his name in something more than camaraderie. To touch him in more than a friendly manner. More intimate and for his ears only. He was selfish! How shameful for him to want her all to himself and yet...he coudln't help himself. Everything inside of him yearned for the red-headed bombshell that shared his classes with him.

Pursing his lips together, he closed his eyes and folded his arms. Such foolish thoughts to entertain. Wishing to hear her whisper his name...he loved it when she would whisper to him. It was childish and alluring all in the same go. And 100% Orihime. To him, Orihime was everything.

"Ichigo?"

Clearing his throat, his eyes snapped open to find the subject of his thoughts standing in front of his desk as she usually did, "Yeah? What is it, Orihime?"

He watched as a blush mounted her rarely solemn face, "I um...I wanted to know if you would like some bread and red bean paste? Regardless of what Tatsuki says it's really good."

Ichigo eyed her meal with feigned interest. And then he shook his head slowly, "Ah I'm not too hungry today. Thanks anyways, Orihime."

He watched her swallow and give him a curt nod before returning to her seat and putting the meal away. She hadn't even taken a real bite. She had only nibbled at the meal. Instead she went back to staring listlessly out the window.

The substitute's hands fisted as he realized his error. The only thing she had said that day and he had shut her down. A chance to really revel in her voice and he had completely ignored it. Mentally rebuking himself he decided that he would do anything in his power to hear her say his name again. To make a change for the better.

But things changed before he ever had a chance.
--

He had been jerked from his battle worn sleep to find strong traces of her spiritual pressure all through out his room, especially strong near the side of his bed and his right arm. And near his mouth! Maybe that last part had been hopeful longing. But immediately he realized something was wrong.

And then they had told him: Orihime Inoue had turned traitor and sided with Aizen and his army of Arrancar warriors.

Lies. Lies, all of it! Orihime, a woman so loving and friend-oriented, would never turn against her friends. Not when she had gone above and beyond the call of friendship to help them. To care for them. This wasn't true. He wouldn't accept it. It was then that he decided that he would save her, bring her back to the world of the living where she belonged. In the world where he resided. Back to where she was supposed to be; with him.

--

Ulquiorra...he had kidnapped her. He knew that she would never turn traitor against them! It had all been an evil scheme to ruin her reputation. To hinder any ideas at rescuing her. That sick bastard Aizen! He had done this. He had taken his Orihime.

...

Yes, his Orihime. There was no other way to describe her. Everything in his body and soul cried out for the woman. And now, surrounded by a pool of thick, red liquid that had been freed from his own body, he realized that he might not ever get to see such a reality come to fruition.
She was slipping away from him. He had come all this way to rescue her, only to fall short when she needed him most.

'Orihime...'

"Heal him."

"I-Ichigo?!"

That voice! Her voice!

"Are you deaf? I said to heal him!"

He knew that voice as well. Grimmjow...he wanted to fight did he?

"N-no! If I heal him you're just going to hurt him again. I won't do it!" She shouted.

A soft hum resounded through his body at her protectiveness. He knew what Grimmjow was capable of and to think that someone as special and inexperienced as Orihime was standing up against such a foe was something to experience.

"What did you say? Why you little bit-"

She cried out, something cutting off her air. NO! He would not hurt her...

The mortally wounded shinigami stumbled to his feet and grabbed the arrancar's forearm with as much strength as he could muster, "Don't you touch her."

He waited as eyes of gray met his. Paradise.
--

She had been right there in his grasp and she had been stolen again! During his battle with Grimmjow, the pantera holding his own against his hollowfied form, she had been taken. No, he had been so close! He was so close to being able to touch her. Being able to take her back with him. And he had failed.

Punching the ground with a strangled cry, he strengthened his resolve. He not only wanted to just hear her say his name one more time, he needed to hear it every day. Nothing was going to keep him from his greedy decision. Orihime was his. No one else could have her.

--

"Are you afraid of me, woman?"

The released Ulquiorra reached for her, his shaking hands desperately needing to feel her warmth. Ichigo's wild eyes watched in horror as she reached back. She wanted to touch him as well?

"No, I'm not."

A brief silence.

"I see."

His hands fisted. Was he...jealous?

And before their hands could touch, he faded away. Orihime brought her hand back to her chest, gasping for air with all that had just transpired. And that's when the thought hit him...she had been so afraid of his hollow mask as he battled Grimmjow. She had even told him that he didn't have to save her. She had yet again been willing to sacrifice herself for him. For her friends.

But now...with all that he had done...was she afraid of him?

He turned his focus to her, his heart racing as he held her in his sights. Orihime slowly lifted her gaze to hold steady with his unsure eyes.

"Ichigo," She breathed, holding out her hand.

No...she wasn't afraid. She knew it was him. She knew what lied beneath the monster he had become to save her. She knew his sacrifice. And she still trusted him.
--

Taking in a deep breath, he brought his amber gaze to hold steady with her slate set. Her skin was so soft. His thumb ran over the back of her hand inadvertently. He just couldn't believe his luck. She was safe. She was here. And she was...

"Ichigo," She whispered, smiling at him with a warm grin. The quick intake of air that made his way through his lungs as she squeezed his hand nearly discouraged her action. But the sheepish grin that quickly took over his face reassured her.

Yes...he loved to hear her say his name like that. So raw, so intimate. For his ears and his ears alone.

"I'm going to take you home with me, Orihime."

He studied her as the smile spread to her eyes, her cheeks tinting red for the first time in a long time. What a picture she was. If only he had known the effects of his sentence had placed in her heart. A heart that had secretly yearns for him like he does for her. Home with him?

Orihime gave him a slight giggle, "Thank you, Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded, tightening his grasp on her hand. Yes, home with him. Once this was over and done with, things were going to change. Orihime would no longer be his girl in private, in the safe recesses of his mind. She would be his. Finally, no matter what the cost, he would make her his Orihime.

"Tch, don't mention it," He murmured, a bit embarrassed.

Then, she smiled.

Ok so my first attempt at an IchiHime fic(my bleach OTP). Did I do them ok? Let me know whatcha think!

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