I have no idea where this story came from. I was listening to Slipknot and then this randomly came up. ... Please don't ask how they connect. I really have no idea XD.
Besides my ramblings, please enjoy this one-shot :)
She loved the rain. It always brought her a sense of peace, something she tried to find in this dreadful journey she called a life. Inoue Orihime never looked at the negative things in life. She always tried to see the good in people, in life itself. After learning where she was going to go once she died, she felt more calmer about death.
Perhaps it came from knowing that she could start anew in a place that held no pain. Once you reached the Soul Society, it was a new life for lots of people. People who used to be bad while they were alive could learn how to be good again. They can have what they fought so hard to achieve while they were alive.
Happiness.
She wasn't sure what had made her mind wander to the bad things that have happened in her life. It had nothing to do with loneliness, she didn't feel lonely.
Not anymore.
Not after coming back from Hueco Mundo.
Yes, it was a living nightmare. She had no idea what was going to happen to her. Would she be alive the next day? What time was it? Would she be able to see her friends again? Lots of bad questions plagued her thoughts as she sat alone, in her cell, looking out at the moon that shone above. She was able to relate to it. Because at that time, she had felt lonely. She never felt that emotion since her brother died. But she had realized that she shouldn't mourn her brother's death. Instead, she should learn from it, build herself from the experience so she was strong.
She felt that she owed it to herself.
If she didn't look at the positives of living, she wouldn't be able to wake up to see the next day.
She would've taken the coward's way out and committed suicide. Or perhaps gotten herself killed by a random stranger. There were lots of things she could've done to end her life. Take herself away from being part of the living and join the dead in the afterlife.
It was her friends that brought her back.
Tatsuki-chan, Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Kuchiki-san, Abarai-san, Rangiku-san, Toushirou-kun..
But most importantly, Kurosaki-kun.
Her Kurosaki-kun.
He had brought her back from the living nightmare. He had been her light that guided her down the deep and dark path that she had gotten herself on. He had always been there for her, saving her when she wasn't sure if she would make it. He vowed to protect her from all dangers, even slipping on a wet floor. He had done everything for her. And she never asked once for anything in return.
She didn't want to take advantage of their relationship.
His kindness, she never wanted to lose it.
His warmth, soothed her soul and made her feel protected.
His kisses, always made her feel appreciated and loved.
But most importantly, his smile, the one he reserved for her and her alone, always reminded her of how lucky she was to get his love.
He, Kurosaki Ichigo, loved her, Inoue Orihime.
Soon, she was going to be Kurosaki Orihime. That thought alone made her so happy and filled with happiness, she had no idea what to do with it.
But at the same time, not even he could protect her from her nightmares. The ones that pop up every now and then. Some are of him dying in Hueco Mundo. Some are of her dying alone, no one there to save her. Others are of him leaving her for Rukia. Her insecurities getting to her every now and then to remind her that it's okay to be a normal human.
She never tells him about those nightmares. They had already gotten over that fear, that hump in their relationship. It not only made her happy, it made her relieved. She didn't have to worry as Rukia loved Renji. She had only seen Ichigo as a brother. She didn't feel the jealousy as often anymore. But there were times that it would creep on her and remind her of how she used to be.
This night was no different.
Her whimpers weren't going unnoticed by her fiance, who had just gotten back from slaying a hollow. Kon had inhabited his body because there had been a frequent amount of hollows that came throughout the past few nights. What didn't help was the rain that had decided to hit Karakura that week. It would rain on and off again throughout each night, which only made him more mad that he was getting his sleep interrupted.
Shaking the rain from his hair, he had laid Zangetsu against the wall, beside the futon that they both shared. At this point, Orihime was rolling all over and the whimpers were getting louder. He knew from past experiences not to shake her awake because it would only terrify her more. Plus it didn't get him anywhere. What he did do was lay under the covers beside her. He didn't mind that she was hitting him with her legs or her fists.
But if there was one thing he hated, it was seeing her this way.
No matter what he did, he could never protect her from her dreams. They were memories of things that had happened in the past, and it was impossible to destroy something that wasn't physical. The only thing his father told him to do was be there for her when she woke up.
"When she wakes up from a nightmare and sees you there, it has a way of calming her down. It reassures her that you never left her at all and that you're physically there. Don't push her into talking about her nightmares or dreams. If it's something she doesn't want to talk about, then just hold her and reassure her that you're there for her. Forcing her to talk won't get you anywhere. It will only make her scared because she has no idea how you'll react."
He took his father's advice to heart. He knew that if she wanted to talk, she would. But she also has a habit of keeping things inside in fear that it might make him mad.
So he had laid there, watching her face contort in pain, trying his hardest not to shake her awake. Judging by the expression on her face, the nightmare was almost over and she was going to wake up soon. His face was now showing concern for his fiancee.
Their wedding was only weeks away and he knew she was really nervous about it. Hell, he was too. But if anything, he was more anxious. He just wanted her to be his wife already. Yes, he was impatient, but he couldn't help it. He loved her that much. And that's why it hurt him a lot to see her in so much pain.
Her sudden movement caused him to jump back slightly. Her laboured breathing and the shaking of her hands alarmed him right away. But it was her eyes.. They had showed so much fear, it was almost as if she had another nightmare about him dying. Tears had suddenly began to fall as she looked around the room before she spotted him.
Her breath hitched before she cried his name. "I-I-Ichi-go!"
Just the way she said his name caused a stabbing feeling in his chest. He hated seeing her upset, especially over something that will never happen. And in that moment, she looked like a fragile child. It didn't take much for him to pull her against his chest in a tight hug. Her face buried in the crook of his neck and her body shook with each sob she emitted from her body. His arms wrapped around her back so tightly he practically crushed her to him. Her arms did the same thing, wrapping around his neck, keeping him as close as possible to her body.
"Shhh... It's okay Hime. I'm here." He whispered. He continued to whisper sweet words into her ear, his reiatsu wrapping around her body, not only warming her up but reminding her that he really is here. That he's not just a figment of her imagination. It suffocated her, but she didn't complain. She felt secure in his arms. His reiatsu was only a reminder to her that he was alive and breathing.
One of his hands cupped her face and he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle, but firm kiss. Her body was no longer shaking as much, her mind had only focused on Ichigo.
They pulled away, her gray eyes fluttering open to look into his brown ones. Their eyes doing all the talking, no words were spoken between them. A small smile reached her lips and his did the same.
"Go back to bed Hime. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
She nodded and pressed her lips to his lips before settling herself against him.
Yes, Inoue Orihime looked at the negative side of things in life. But it didn't bother her as much because she had everything she could ever want to keep her going.
A/N: Yup. That's the end of this one-shot.
R&R?