White Day
The carrot haired boy reached the classroom with a weird trepidation in his stomach.
He was not nervous… Kurosaki Ichigo could not, simply, be nervous over a simple matter like this… Or was he?
He felt the wood of the door under his fingers, the smooth surface in nothing easing his… weird feelings… yes, because it could not, absolutely, be nerves!
He sighed and backed away from the door…
Who was he trying to deceive? He was scared out of his mind! What would other people think if they saw him do something like that?
But he loved her, there was no doubt in his heart about that… damn, they were a couple already and everyone knew… then why such a simple gesture was so hard?
He remembered his sister Yuzu's advice, this morning, when she saw his pale face.
"Why do you like her, Ichi-nii?"
He scowled when she asked, but his sister replied he should think about that if he was getting cold feet. And that's how he caught himself doing exactly that…
He knew what his friends would say…
"She is so hot… look at that body, those legs and those…" Keigo's voice appeared in his mind, being squashed seconds later for his improper words. A part of his mind, the one ruled by teenager hormones, knew he was right, she had a dream body, like he knew every girl wanted to have. However, she never used that as a way to get what she wanted. Her blouses never showed her cleavage, her skirts were normally long and her shorts were used with high socks. He loved that part of her, how she was so shy of her beautiful image, how she never thought she was good enough, when she was precisely too good for her own good… and his own heart health.
"She looks older than her age… just look into her wise eyes…" Mizuiro's voice echoed, accompanied by the sound of his fingers typing in his phone, showing his predilection of older woman and, this time, Ichigo didn't shut the voice up. He was kind of right… He already noticed it, whenever she looked at him when they were alone, he could see behind the brown of her eyes, a wise beyond her years. He didn't know if it was because of her past, having to take care of herself from a young age or the sacrifices she had to do throughout the years, for her friends' safety. People always thought she was childish, but he knew better; he was a witness to her mature nature and her concern about her friends; he was a witness to her tears, shed for their pain and never for hers.
"She looks beautiful against a sunset, deserving a painting of mine… Yes, and I could include some Chappy!" Rukia's voice was yelling in his ears, when he tried to push her out of his mind. Stupid midget with her stupid drawings and her stupid rabbit! But, he had to agree with her… Orihime was a sight to be held… her long hair was soft and shiny, making him want to fall asleep while touching it... ok, that was a bit perverted (stupid Keigo was returning even after being squashed!), her smile was sweet and made his heart turn into a hammer inside his chest, and the worst, she had no idea her influence over him… Sometimes he caught himself, during classes, mesmerized by her profile, observing the long curve of her back, her small nose and perk lips, how her eyes were always so shiny and wide with enthusiasm…
"She likes cute things, and is always helping everyone, be it a stray puppy or a homeless person…" Sado's deep voice sounded in Ichigo's head and he nodded with a small smile. Yes, Orihime's love for cute things only rivaled Sado's and Rukia's… which was kind of a weird sight, imagining the three of them inside a teddy bear shop, cooing over the fluffy stuffs. Not for the last time, he reproached her for helping stranger on the street, she was too kind and some of those individuals were not… He was always afraid when she left her work at night, so he started accompanying her, sometimes frustrating the independent woman… Without speaking about the last time she tried to adopt a puppy and her landlord put her foot down and she had to return it, crying all the way with the small animal in her arms, until Ichigo sighed and called his father asking if they could have a dog… Yes, her sacrifice and want to help sometimes pushed him towards the verge of insanity, but remembering people's grateful expressions towards her or how his new dog destroyed his father's slippers made all that worth it.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, she is all that stuff. But she can fight! She is at a black belt level. So, don't mess with her or she will kick your ass!" Tatsuki's voice scoffed and he rolled his eyes. Of course he knew she was a greater fighter, she was always the first to support him during a fight, they started training together a few months back and she could already surprise him with some of her attacks, leaving both of them proud with her evolution. She was a healer, obviously, but she was so much more, she could fight to defend her friends, she could surprise everyone with her desire to protect them, sometimes putting her own life in peril, but never thinking twice if she saw someone in peril, jumping into the fight, with her fairies and her fists, ready to kick, punch and reject whatever danger arose. He hated and loved that about her: he hated how she would neglect her safety for others, noticing she was hurt only after taking care of her friends, and he loved how she smiled after a victory, how she would hug him and kiss him and then back away shyly, biting her lower lip with blush spreading over her cheeks. Yes, his girl was a badass and he loved it!
"You can't forget about the most important thing, Kurosaki! She is smart! Intelligent, much more than you, obviously, you stupid shinigami… Seriously, I don't know why she is with you… Tatsuki always says…" Shut up, annoying Quincy! Ichigo scoffed to the air, imagining Ishida's face in a first degree meeting with his fist. I know she is smart, she likes to read, not only fantasy books, but really deeps ones, like the classics everyone ran from… even with her wild imagination, she was able of focusing and learning, even after a night awake fighting hollows… She liked to explain things he couldn't grasp, she made that so easy he was starting to get addicted… She liked to read poetry, and in those moments he would let his head fall into her lap and close his eyes, her voice lulling him into a soft slumber… feeling her fingers massage his head and humming in appreciation... And he couldn't stop his own mind from echoing Ishida's words: how could she love someone like him? A brawly guy, always scowling and losing control over small things, that cursed and yelled and punched his father in a daily basis…
Ichigo sighed, closing his eyes and letting his head fall against the wall. He could feel the small wrapped present inside his closed fingers, almost burning.
C'mon, he was being stupid… The only person behind that door that mattered would never scoff at him, she would never laugh at his simple present… She was a ray of hope, the smile that chased the clouds away and made the sun shine in his inner and outer world.
He opened his eyes and adopting a resolute stance, opened the classroom door, meeting immediately the eyes he was searching for. She looked worried, probably feeling his nervous reiatsu and his waiting time outside. However, when he winked at her, she blushed and smiled so big, it looked like she would her face in half. And that smile, more than anything, made his blood rush and his thoughts cloud, all the voices inside his head silencing in face of that glorious sight.
He walked toward her, not speaking with anyone, and presented her with the small wrapped gift. He could feel everyone's eyes over them, and for some moments wondered why he didn't give it to her when they were alone… Because she gave you chocolates in front of the classroom, even blushing and stuttering… Don't you want her to feel that warm feeling you felt?
Orihime's fingers trembled when touching the gift and opening it slowly, she squealed in delight, observing the small music box in form of a truffle. She hugged him and he hugged back, lifting her from the floor, forgetting all about their colleagues in their haze.
"Happy White Day, Orihime…" he whispered, smiling and inhaling her strawberry scent.
"Happy White Day, Kurosaki-kun… Ichigo…" she replied, reverently, feeling his strong arms support her, like she knew they would always do.
Happy Valentine's Day, my dears! This is a small gift to all of you! Lots of hugs and kisses for you and your loved ones!
I now White Day is in March, but there are tons of Orihime's fics in Valentine's Day and since it is in the White Day that the guys give their gifts I used it...