Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, would I be writing fanfiction? I'm not Tite Kubo, nor a man. I'm Otaku Samurai!...eh, tragically, I don't own Bleach. Just laundry detergent and some fabric softener.
Orihime Inoue stared at his stoic face in the pale sunlight of the classroom window. The warm shine of the afternoon gave his skin a marvelous, attractive glow. The glossy black hair on his head gave off a lovely sheen. His deep, navy blue eyes were shielded by the reflected glare of his glasses from the sun, giving him an even more mysterious look than he normally showed.
She couldn't believe herself. She was finding him, Uryu Ishida attractive? When did I start liking Uryu? He had saved her countless times in the Soul Society (actually about every time) and were good friends him. He couldn't feel that way about her...he wouldn't. And besides, didn't she like Ichigo?
Before, maybe...but not now. Ichigo didn't love Orihime as he did Rukia. No, Orihime wasn't ignorant to see the way he looked and acted towards her. His determination to save her from her execution at the Soul Society. Orihime realized there was no chance for her to have been seen that way from him. Ichigo loved Rukia Kuchiki, the shinigami who gave all of her Death god powers to him to save his family...and almost got beheaded because of it.
But she wasn't thinking of that anymore. It came to her, as foolish as her drifting thoughts would always be, that she never really did love Ichigo Kurosaki. What was it again? She liked his scowl? Orihime loved him as a dear friend, companion and ally, but nothing else. That slot in her big, compassionate heart was now quickly replaced; by the one who saved her many times before, more than she could count. That adorable Quincy archer: Ishida Uryu.
There was no way Uryu could ever feel that way about her though. He probably thought of her like more of a nuisance than someone you could fall in "head-over-heels" love for.
Uryu could sense her gaze towards him. Inoue Orihime. The highly voluptuous beauty in the twelfth grade of Karakura Highschool. He looked across at her from the corner of his eye. Her warm gray ones were glued dreamily at him. Dreamily? No, couldn't be. Just...just something on my face maybe... He cooly ran his hand over his forehead to his chin, keeping his trademark stoic composure. Or, just daydreaming again.
Ishida Uryu had loved Inoue Orihime ever since he entered the Soul Society with her. No, maybe even before that. He didn't know. They were, in fact, in the same crafts club together. Maybe then. Halfway through their freshmen year? He mentally shrugged. But one thing he knew for sure, without a single shred of doubt, was that he truly loved her.
It was real love. Not the lecherous love other boys and perverts had for her. They just loved her...er, assets. Uryu gulped. Y-yes, her assets. He admitted that they were eye catchers, but they were not how she captivated his heart. He loved Orihime's mind, soul, and then body.
It rather intrigued him how she can daydream about the most random things, yet place number 3 in the class. He also, as funny as it may sound, loved her weird taste in food. Uryu mentally betted with himself, that if his father were to scientifically examine her thoughts and moves, he would be mentally and physically driven out of his mind...and would he have loved to see that.
He had no chance to ever be with her though. Even though they were friends and allies, she was in a whole different class than him. Uryu really did have the worst luck, for Inoue Orihime's heart wasn't with him, and never would be. It was with a distinct orange-haired shinigami.
So, he made up his mind. He would just keep denying his feelings for her... Like that will work ...and be happy nevertheless with whatever decisions she would make in the future to come.
But those damn holes she was piercing through him with those mesmerizing gray eyes of hers were tearing him apart! Uryu couldn't take it; he turned his head to face hers. They made eye contact.
Orihime locked her gaze with his. Her heart started to beat faster and faster as she soaked in Uryu's handsome features. The serious stare with the severe slant of his black eyebrows; his beautiful dark blue eyes behind the rectangular glass lenses he always would push up. Orihime's mesmerized look trailed down to his nose, then to his lips. Oh, his lips. How would they feel pressed against her own? Rough? Delicate? She imagined them delicate, just like the soft touch of his hands catching hers after many a clumsy fall.
Orihime looked back up to his navy blue eyes. She felt her face start to get warm as their gaze was locked once again. Uryu's face was starting to turn red as well. Orihime opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come out. Then...
...the bell rang.
Uryu quickly turned back towards the window, heart beating fast, pushing up his glasses so no one could see his eyes. Layers of deep blush were painted on his now-not-so-stoic face. He found himself in a light sweat. What just happened? Was she going to say something?
Orihime immediately looked down at the pale tiles of the classroom floor. The rustle of papers and pencils could be heard all around. She could hear various voices calling out her name, but she didn't pay any heed. Gingery auburn bangs covered Orihime eyes, hiding her look of red embarrassment. She couldn't believe herself. What would she have said? It was during class for goodness sake and she would of probably spilled her guts to Uryu if words even came! Realization hit her like a kicked soccer ball flying towards your face.
I love him. I love Uryu.
After the bell rang everybody packed up their books and bags. Finally, it's the weekend! There was about one more week left of their senior year, and everybody was starting to get anxious...not to mention Uryu, who always was the calm, cool, and collected one.
He was still trying to figure out what had happened during last period. Why was she staring at me?! She wouldn't of blushed if she was daydreaming!...Unless, unless she was thinking of Ichigo.. No! I mustn't think of that!
Uryu mentally laughed at himself. He found that ever since he met Orihime, the beautiful princess she was, he had became nervous a lot more. And he meant a lot time he helped her with something, or rather, saved her from something, and she would say thank you, he would stutter in return and say something like: "I-it was n-nothing..." and then push his glasses up to hide his love-struck eyes. Oh, how he would like, no, love to confess his feelings for her. Uryu thought about himself in disgust.
I need to grow a backbone.
Of course, he needed one as strong as a 32 inch solid iron pole to handle rejection.
All of the students flocked out of the school doors and headed for home. Orihime currently had no plans, until Rukia came up to talk to her.
"Hey, Orihime!" Rukia called out.
"Oh, Rukia, how are you today?" Orihime greeted with a happy smile.
"Great, and you?"
"Wonderful! The sun is out, birds are singing, and the aliens haven't attacked the migration of the killer whale and seal population!"
Rukia smiled. Typical of Orihime to say something random like that. "Yes Orihime, the seals and killer whales are alive and well!" she laughed. "Eh, anyways, everyone's going to Ichigo's house today. Urahara gave him this thing called an X Box and he wants to test it out with all of us."
Orihime wore a blank expression with her head cocked to the side. "What's an X Box?"
"Hmm..." she thought a moment, "it's like the Playstation 2, except it's from the U.S. Uhm...the controller sort of looks like the one from the DreamCast."
"Oh..." she looked back at her still slightly confused. "So everybody's going to be there? Even Chad?"
Rukia shook her head "yes".
Orihime's heart started to beat. "A-and Uryu?"
"We didn't get a chance to ask him...well, Ichigo didn't...idiot..." she mumbled lowly, "so we were wondering if you could ask him for us. You do live close to him right?"
"Yes, about two blocks..."
"It's perfect then! We'll all meet up at his place at around 4 o'clock, alright?"
I have to go to Uryu's house? Orihime started daydreaming and spacing out...again. A
light blush was starting to form on her face as she started imaging the reflection of the glasses covering his beautiful eyes...then picturing his glossy hair in the warm sun...his lips pressed against hers...
"Orihime, Orihime!" Rukia snapped her fingers.
"Hmm, huh?" said daydreamer blinked.
"Right? 4 o'clock?"
"Oh...oh yes!" She slightly bowed and smiled at the black-haired bantam shinigami, still with a little red on her face. "For sure!"
They parted ways. One left, one right. Orihime walked about ten steps until Rukia called out her name and waved at her.
"Oh, and Orihime, I saw you staring at Uryu during class today! You like him don't you?"
"What?!" Orihime's blush turned deeper on her embarrassed face as Rukia turned back around. With a slightly smug grin, she kept walking to Ichigo's house.
Uryu's gonna have one hell of a time!
Okay, how was that? Good?