Disclaimer: While I've looked up some things, the setting is conveniently construed for this pointless, plotless romp. I'm no professional geologist nor astronomer. Pardon me if the events or geological features here are technically improbable or incongruent with what is known to occur in nature. This is fiction, by the way. And I don't own Bleach.

Part 1

The meteor shower was ordained by the law of gravitation. The night-time beach excursion to observe it was proposed by Asano Keigo.

Everyone in class went along with the idea, in part out of curiosity, for nobody had ever seen the Delta Leonids. ("For the umpteenth time, they are not a boy band!" Tatsuki was exasperating herself with educating Orihime and Rangiku.)

For the most part though, it was because many of them had never stayed out at night on the beach. Of course, in the back of everyone's mind, there sprouted latent buds of possibilities - perhaps more would come to pass, than just shooting stars and the rise and fall of the tides.

The boom box thumped out a techno beat. Someone had started a little fire in the make-shift barbeque pit. The fact that the strong light destroyed night vision, and made observing the faint stars difficult, was conveniently forgotten.

Along with the pathetic excuse of a telescope (procured with class funds from Toys R Us), Keigo had lugged along all the requisite props for an Ibiza-style beach party, and this concept was proving too seductive for many to resist. Fuelled by beer, pizza, dance music, most were already in the mood to boogie.

So much for star-gazing. Ichigo sighed and turned away from the buzz. The rest of the beach stretched on blanketed in slate greyness under a gibbous moon.

He wandered upshore where the sand ended and the rocks began. He found Ishida on a large boulder.

The Quincy noted his approach and turned in acknowledgment, glasses reflecting the flicker of the distant bonfire.

"Found you." Ichigo climbed nimbly up to the perch beside him.

"Hmmph," Uryuu sounded cynical, as usual.

"Should have known Keigo isn't that much into astronomy," Ichigo offered. "He just wants to have fun."

"You can say that about most of the class too," Uryuu observed wryly.

A collective whoop rang out from the little group at the water's edge. They had finally succeeded in throwing someone into the sea. From the high-pitched stream of expletives spluttered by the victim, it sounded like Mr Mastermind himself had been dunked.

"Whoa," Ichigo craned his neck to get a better look and sniggered. "Looks like he's getting his end of the deal."

"And we used school funds for this trip. Such a joke."

Ichigo snorted. "If anything, we could say this trip has promoted class camaraderie."

Uryuu's lips quirked, with the hint of a smile.

"Hey," Ichigo peered over at him. "Did you just find it funny? Did you?"

"Shut up, Kurosaki." Uryuu adjusted his glasses.

"Don't you 'shut up' me," Ichigo replied more out of habit than intent.

They fell silent. Cicadas whined in the forested hills behind, a timely crescendo to fill in the lull in their conversation.

Ichigo laid back, tucked his hands under his neck and stretched out his legs. The rock, flat in most places against his back, was still warm from the daytime sun. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cool night air. Please, let there be no paranormal disturbances tonight. He just wanted to be here.

He opened his eyes. Ishida still sat, his back straight as ever. The Quincy would have made a great ballet dancer; he had immaculate posture. Ichigo lazily ran a finger down, tracing a graceful curve of muscle through the shirt.

At the touch, Uryuu glanced down.

"What'cha thinking?" Ichigo asked.

Uryuu blinked, as if to assemble his thoughts. "Not much," he answered. "Just thought how nice it would be. To be suspended indefinitely in a chosen space and time."

This time, and some more secluded space, Ichigo wished idly into the dark velvet overhead and the pin-points of light from far off suns. He almost jumped when Uryuu laid a hand on his stomach.

The Quincy leaned down and spoke softly into his ear. "I found this place."

Ichigo caught his hand before he could pull away. "What?"

Uryuu motioned with a tilt of his head.

"Damn, and you've kept it all to yourself," Ichigo scolded, much to Uryuu's amusement.

-- end of Part 1 --