Warm. If Ichigo Kurosaki was asked to describe what it was like to be healed by Orihime Inoue in one word that is how he would describe it. Warm, like being surrounded by an orange glow of comfort that lulls one into a sense of serenity and peace. Warm, like being wrapped up in heavy blankets before a fireplace on a cold day. Warm, like the first rays of sunshine touching your face in the morning. Warm, like the comforting embrace of a hot bath on sore muscles. Warm, like the flooding sense of heat and jitteriness that hits one's stomach when around certain people…
A blush darkened his cheeks at the last thought and he was grateful the glow from the fairies would hide such an inconvenience. He'd been healed by the girl, now one of his closest friends, so many times he had lost count, and each time he had felt a warm wave of calm wash over him as her shield enveloped him in its healing light. Even those times (and there were many of them) that he fought being healed, wanting to continue on in battle or let someone he deemed more in need be healed first, that desire had dwindled as soon as she captured him with that shield, shrouding him in that warm sense of peace that made him want to surrender. Pain would gradually disappear and even fatigue would be lessened under her healing spell, but he knew even that could be deceiving. He had tried once, to break through the barrier of her healing, and continue on; and although Orihime had appeared mortified at the outcome, her shield had shocked him. Shot pain through his hand that had touched the barrier like nothing he had ever experienced before; pain that quickly shot up his arm and through the rest of him, rippling through him like an electric current and throwing him back like a limp noodle, unable to do anything for several moments. Naturally, Orihime had practically cried and begged for his forgiveness – she'd had no idea such an outcome would occur, after all – while Rukia told him he deserved it. From the amount of time he ended up spending under Orihime's healing touch after that, he assumed Rukia was right.
After that incident, Ichigo looked at the glowing field of orange light with a newfound respect and admiration. Not only could Orihime heal, but she could also shield and protect. She had only one fairy meant for offense, and from what she told him, Tsubaki had quite the attitude, but that made perfect sense. She was Orihime after all. She wouldn't want to hurt a fly so why would she want to harm anyone in battle? Even when forced to use Tsubaki, he knew the act tore at her heart. She was the one quick to smile even when she wanted to cry, quick to deny her own pain in favor of taking care of someone else's. In fact she spent more time worrying about and taking care of others than she did herself.
That was another of his concerns. Orihime Inoue was, well, accident-prone. She was clumsy and uncoordinated and distractible, and unaware of her surroundings and too trusting. And yet she could be strong and graceful, persistent, courageous, and aware. Sometimes it was like the woman was a walking oxymoron. She was the one who could just as easily trip over her own feet as breathe; turn around to wave at someone, anyone, or maybe just to stare at the clouds dreaming of aliens or little blue men and slip off the curb or walk into a pole. She was always forgetting something, usually something she needed for her own benefit, but she never wanted to be an inconvenience – never wanted to ask for help for fear of being a burden. He distasted that the most. She should never feel like she's a burden!
Despite what he had come to learn of as a rough childhood; Orihime Inoue had the purest heart he had ever known. Which is part of the problem, he grumbled to himself. She was too trusting, always looking for the good in people, practically refusing to see the bad. A less cynical person would say she was optimistic – that she gave people the benefit of the doubt – and he supposed they would be right. But he also saw it as a way for Orihime to be taken advantage of, something she never seemed to consider or at least would never voice it had she suspected it.
The more these thoughts wound through Ichigo's mind, the more his brow furrowed and his lips drew down in his characteristic frown. Orihime Inoue was something of an enigma, even after all the time they'd known each other, but that really wasn't the problem. The problem was that he was lying there, thinking of her healing him as warm, and peaceful, and serene. He thought of being in her presence as soothing and when forced into situations without her, he found his frown would grow even deeper. He would think about her, worry about her, wonder what she was doing. Sometimes, when she was with him, she actually pulled something out of him, something close to a genuine smile. This is perhaps what scared him the most.
What's happening to me? He'd question himself, and not just when under her healing powers either. He'd ask himself that when he'd find himself staring back at her in class, mesmerized by the way her eyes shone with curiosity when she'd gaze out the window rather than pay attention to the teacher; or when he'd find himself glaring at any of the guys in school that he felt were looking at her for too long, or inappropriately, or in general. Orihime Inoue was beautiful, the most beautiful girl in school in his opinion, and he knew he wasn't alone in that thought. But for some reason, she had no clue. She was oblivious to the leers and comments from the perverted boys of their class and others, her innocence only adding to what made her so… Orihime.
I'm doing it again. He cursed himself, shaking his head softly to try to clear his thoughts. It was getting harder and harder for him to not think about the healer, whether she was with him or not. He'd always had a strong desire to protect; it was what made him take up the powers of a substitute soul reaper in the first place. But when it came to Orihime, his desire and urge to protect felt different – not so much a desire as a need. He couldn't let anything happen to her, couldn't handle seeing her in pain or fear or sadness. Exactly when this change happened, he couldn't say. Some would argue it was no different than when he insisted on traveling to the soul society to free Rukia, but he knew it was. Yes, he cared about Rukia and didn't want to see her hurt, but she didn't instill in him the same stirrings as Orihime. Rukia was like Karin or Yuzu – someone he loved and must fiercely protect, yes, but nothing more. Orihime was well, different. He couldn't quite explain it, nor was he sure he wanted to.
So rather than fight these strange feelings in the pit of his stomach, suppress the fluttering of his heart, and try to figure out just what it was he felt, he'd simply be there. He would be there to protect her just like he always would. He would make sure she stayed happy and continued to smile. He would make sure she was not afraid. And in doing so, he would let her heal him, languishing in the warm glow of her healing light, feeling closer to her then than he ever could otherwise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. They all belong to Tite Kubo.
A/N: My first attempt at a Bleach FanFiction. Hopefully it isn't crap. Please review/comment! There's more ideas floating around in my brain so hopefully someday I can get them out onto here...