AN: Although I like Ichigo x Rukia and Ichigo x Orihime respectively, I was more than surprised about the lack of Ichigo x Orihime online so I put it upon myself to write this short fanfic for Ichigo x Orihime fans that are obviously tired of the drought of this couple fandom. Takes place 6 years after current timeline (This is the reason Ichigo no longer refers to Orihime as "Inoue" nor does Orihime refer to Ichigo as "Kurosaki-kun") and a bit silly. Those may remember this fic from the Inoue x Ichigo FC in NF forums and Orihime x Ichigo fan club in Bleach Forums respectively. Enjoy!
Ichigo Kurosaki peered down at the page long list, with eyebrows knitted together and face in deep unknown thoughts. His fiancée Orihime Inoue stayed motionless (A golden band still sparkling on her finger) and patient, her eyes barely shifting from the Shinigami for a minute.
"Ichi-kun," she whispered smiling "what do you think?"
What could he think? The 3-paged list was left to lie on the table. Ichigo raised his head to suitable eye contact with Orihime her dancing eyes causing him to blush slightly. He thought he'd gotten used to all Orihime's quirks (obsessive eating, space-outs etc) however the wedding list was just another way of showing how amazingly weird she could be. The wedding list itself was okay, even with the odd requests of gelatine sandwiches and strawberry plushies at every reception table but what bothered him wasn't that...
...It was the invitations.
"Orihime..." Ichigo began half embarrassed "Why are we...inviting Don Kanonji?"
The girl tilted her head slightly and made her lips go slightly parted. It was as if he had just asked an improbable question.
"Kanonji-san is Kurosaki-san friend," said the girl "It was a request, I couldn't disagree."
A request? Ichigo's scowl seemed to deepen. That old man knew how much he valued sane-people in this ceremony, inviting the circus was much more saner and quieter than inviting Kanonji.
"But then...why is he sitting on the 4th row next to Kenpachi... more to the point, why have you invited Kenpachi?"
"Yachiru-chan is coming, She's a flower girl, "
A pause echoed throughout the room.
"Flower Girl?" Ichigo nearly did a double-take "...how did you..."
Orihime giggled, "Oh I didn't need to do that. Yachiru-chan was the one who came up to me, -well the one head-butt me for being a stupid Big Booby for not inviting her...it hurt...so I thought I'd pool her into my category of flower girls, look..."
Orihime's thin finger pointed at the side of the paper. Yachiru's name had been scribbled down next to Yuzu and Ururu for potential flower girls/ bride's maids in pink Kanji Characters. Knowing it wasn't definite and was clearly planned eased Ichigo significantly.
"Okay...I guess... that's fine." Ichigo peered back to the list, deciding it needed to be reviewed once again. Orihime was right in inviting Kenpachi he guessed. It would seem fairly rude to invite a vice-captain, 5th seat (Yumichika had insisted on doing her hair seeing "beauty" was rare in the human world for a wedding) then completely ignore/avoid the captain...
Right then a thought swept over him. What if right in the middle of the ceremony that crazy Shinigami decided it was time for a duel? More importantly what if that idiot Kanonji decided to do a "Bwhahahaha" right in front of the 11th Division captain? Ichigo winced at the thought. It would be a disaster. He could see confetti flying everywhere while Kanonji laid dead in the 4th row. Karin would sigh, Yuzu would scream while his father would cry beside the lifeless body. Most of all Orihime would be upset. He didn't have to be a wedding planner to know blood-spilt on a wedding day wasn't really something a bride would want to see, even if Orihime was a bit odd. He picked up a pen and moved Kenpachi to the front row with...
"Shunsui?"
"He wanted a date with Ise-san!" Chirped the brown-haired girl "He always gets a rejection, so he thought the wedding would be a good occasion to be together, isn't it sweet?"
Ichigo couldn't think of anything "sweet" about this except to Shunsui. Apart from the fact it was translucently clear Shunsui was taking advantage of Orihime's good nature, but the fact he was trying to do this at their wedding. He grabbed the red marker pen on the table steadfast as Orihime blinked in surprise.
"Ichigo-kun?"
"So he thought he could use our wedding as some sort of dating service?" Ichigo began to scribble out the name in fury "Hell no! I don't even know the guy well..."
A soft squeeze of the arm froze him completely. Orihime looked deeply into his eyes, deep compassion flowing from her own to his so tenderly the pen in his hand nearly fell back on the table.
"Kyoraku-san has helped us so much when it came to help Kuchiki-san," mused Orihime "It'll be a way of saying thanks, no?"
Ichigo felt a blush creeping in as Orihime's smile widened. He rewrote the name neatly at the corner of the list, a pang of guilt echoed over his earlier action. It was true. They did have loyalties in soul society. Even the odder ones he had clearly forgotten.
"Ichigo-kun is so kind..."
"No, I'm not."
Although he wished he was.
His eyes shifted back to the list, once again making a clear check. He didn't make any comments about the invites of Kukaku and Ganju Shiba (Especially Ganju who had called him a "lucky dog" when he finally learnt of the engagement) nor did he resolve to question why Orihime was giggling quietly to herself (another daydream he supposed) or the odd sitting plan in the 2nd row (Hanataro Yamada was sitting next to Keigo) but apart from that he was satisfied. Well at least she hadn't added Chizuru. The Lesbian had gone mad in rage when she'd found out about their engagement. Tatsuki had to drag the girl away unconscious (after hitting her) when she tried to attack Ichigo with a bread knife and strawberry pockys.
For the final time that day, Ichigo put down the list on the table.
"Generally, I think everything is okay."
The Brown haired girl beamed in silent happiness. Ichigo inwardly smiled to himself. Her joys was a rare and beautiful fixation for him.
"Really?"
"Yeah." He replied, "But I think it'll be a good idea to make some cuts in the wedding reception."
Orihime raised an eyebrow "Why?"
"I don't think we can afford to poison everyone with a bean-jelly gelatine themed menu."
Orihime mocked a frown in response but leant over and kissed his forehead. It was very light and slightly wet, but perfect.
Ichigo hoped the wedding would be that way to. It may be slightly weird, but beautiful enough for the both of them.
THE END