Title: yakusoku – part two
Author: Araine
Characters: Ishida Uryuu, Inoue Orihime
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 488
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo-sensei.
Notes: The second in a seven-part series of short-shots, centering around Ishida, Orihime, and the promises that they make to each other. The pieces at the beginning are parts of one version of the Tanabata myth. The title is "yakusoku", which means promise.


But this happiness was not to last, for Orihime was a princess of heaven, and soon the time would come when she would have to return home.

When that time came, they were both very sad. But Orihime instructed him to weave one-thousand zoori, and plant them by the bamboo tree, and they would see each other again. Then Orihime put on her heavenly robe of feathers, and made the journey back to heaven.

The very next day, Hikoboshi began weaving the straw footwear. He worked tirelessly, day and night, and a year passed. At last he finished, and rejoiced that he would see his beloved Orihime once again.

It must be so hard for Ishida, Orihime thinks, as she watches him from a distance during the after school cleaning. He looks lonely, and he looks sad, and he must be pining over Rukia, knowing that he could not tell her how he felt.

It is like something out of a shoujo manga – he is entirely lovesick, through he is too noble to tell anyone about it. At least she has Tatsuki to tell about her own private obsession, but Ishida doesn't even know that she knows.

Maybe, she thinks, she will play matchmaker and Ishida and Rukia will be happy, and then Kurosaki will finally realize her devotion to him, and once they are much older their children will meet and fall in love and they will all live happily ever after like in real fairytales or in manga. But it's a little bit more complicated than that-

(can Shinigami even have children?)

-because firstly Ishida is a Quincy and Rukia is a Shinigami, and they are ancient enemies. And even if those boundaries are slowly blurring because of the dark-haired young man, she knows that he was forbidden to associate with Shinigami by his father.

Even that wouldn't be a deterrent (because it would be like Romeo and Juliet, Guinevere and Lancelot, forbidden and somewhat tragic) if it weren't for the fact that he is the least likely candidate for his heart. She and Renji have a history, and she and Kurosaki…

(it hurts too much to think it, and she hates the fact that she is so selfishly jealous because Rukia was the one who changed Kurosaki's life)

They are comrades, they are closer than friends, and they are moving even closer every day.

Orihime stands up and walks casually over to Ishida's desk-

(misery loves company, after all)

-to talk to him.

He gives her an acknowledging look, and she knows that he is happy that she is there, even if his lips curl only the tiniest bit upwards into a smile. She busily helps him dust chalk erasers out of the window, and wonders how to broach the subject.

"I know how you feel, Ishida-kun," she says, and he gives her a questioning look. "I mean, I know how it is, being in love with somebody so much, and knowing that you can't tell them, because it's too complicated, and it hurts-"

He looks stricken, and she immediately changes course.

"It's a lot like eating food, love is," she muses – Ishida, of course, remains silent, "You know, you really want something wonderful, tomato ketchup on raisin bread or umeboshi cake or seaweed muffins, but you know other people don't like it when you eat something like that so you bring something a little less tasty. But in the end you're just not as happy. Except with food you can eat somewhere else and people won't care, but with love it's everywhere and if you make someone else unhappy with it then maybe it's best to stay silent about it-"

"Inoue-san," he interrupts her, and his voice is like steel-

(like the blade edge of his famous sword)

-and his glasses reflect her face, hiding the look in his eyes even though she knows what it is (harsh and cold and razor-sharp) without even having to see. "I don't recall asking you to regale me with your philosophy about love."

She stands there stricken.

(she thought he was always there for her, what happened to that?)

"I don't care."

It is that comment which hurts the most, which cuts the deepest, and she almost flinches under his intense gaze.

"Oh," she says, and it is quiet and nearly inaudible.

He sets down the chalk erasers, and his movements are stiff and formal, and then he is across the classroom and out the door.

She turns around and finishes the job (so unlike Ishida, to leave something like this unfinished) and tries to understand what just happened while controlling the tightening of her throat and the tears behind her eyes. And when they finally do spill over, she smiles and tells everyone who asks that she has chalk in her eyes.

She doesn't think they believe her for a second.