6
Silence.
…
"Kurosaki-kun?"
…
…
7
in full circle
…
She was standing there.
Blinking at him.
"Kurosaki-kun?"
Caramel-colored eyes blinked repeatedly, her gaze full of worry and alarm. "What's wrong? Kurosaki-kun? Ichi—" she gasped, as Ichigo's large hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in his arms in bone-crushing hug, making her gasp. She cannot breathe properly, but she didn't mind. Blood rushed to her face, coloring her cheeks in bright crimson.
He's… so close.
She can smell him so much.
His strong arms around her were tight, clutching her so close, so tight. Long lashes brushed against his shirt as Orihime blinked and stared above his broad shoulder. Her arms were trapped beside her and she cannot move them to embrace him back.
"K… Kurosaki-kun…?" whispered Orihime softly. He didn't reply. "Hey, Kurosaki-kun? What's wrong? Does something hurt? Oh no, did the little blue men hurt you? Even though I loved them very, very much, I won't forgive them if they hurt you!"
Kurosaki-kun remained quiet.
"Okaaaay. Kurosaki-kun doesn't want to talk. It's okay. I don't mind this warm embrace… but, ano… I cannot breathe so much…"
He did loosen his hold a bit, and after few minutes, Orihime felt his arms shift, his hands on her long, thick hair and then to the back of her head, bunching and clutching her hair as his large hands cupped her head. He moved back his head, his mouth near her ear.
"Hime."
She lifted her hands and held onto his arms, massaging the muscles there.
"I'm here."
"Damn it."
She smiled at his language.
"…I thought… well— fuck."
Orihime frowned worriedly. He sounded terribly upset. She tried to move her head to catch a glimpse of his face, but he was gripping her face tightly with his large hands, disabling her to move. His cheek was pressed tightly against the side of her head, his breath touching her ear. His warm breathing on her sensitive ear made her blush hard.
"What's wrong, Ichigo-kun?" she asked gently.
Ichigo exhaled deeply.
Her hands found his wrists. "Ichigo-kun… Please, tell me what's wrong."
"Keep talking."
Orihime blinked.
"Just keep… talking, Hime." He whispered in her ear.
She reddened even more. "O-okay…"
She told him about her dreams, her opinions about Bad Shield 2, how much she loved watching Laugh Hour and Don Kanonji. She told him about his funny, adorable scowls, how scary Chizuru sometimes, how she hated to leave Tatsuki-chan, Kurosaki-kun, Ishida-kun, Rangiku-san, Toshiro-kun, Kuchiki-san and Renji-kun. She told him how scared she was as she traveled to Hueco Mundo, how quiet the place was, how cold Aizen's stare was, how large the couch was inside her room. She told him about Tsubaki-kun who she cannot use properly because she lacked motivation to hurt others. She told him how frustrated Tsubaki-kun was at being unused, at being disregarded, at being unable to protect her because his power was to destroy, not to protect, not to heal. She told him how much she liked Tsubaki-kun even though he disliked her and her weakness. She told him that even though Tsubaki-kun was quick-tempered, he was cool and she liked him very much. And she told him how much she loved red bean paste and wasabi, but loved him so much more than Red Bean Paste Mascot.
Because he was something more, and everything and more, and wasabi and red bean paste will taste good when mixed with ketchup and onions.
Orihime felt him relaxed as she talked. His thumbs rubbed her cheeks, his mouth was on her temple.
"…I thought you disappeared." His voice was low, and crisp.
She lifted her chin to look up to his eyes. They were shadowed with his lashes.
"…But I'm not going anywhere."
She watched his jaw moved as he pressed his molars together.
"Damn right. Because I'm going after you."
"We're going to play tag?" Orihime grinned.
"No."
She pouted.
Ichigo pulled back and stared at her from his height advantage. Orihime blinked and smiled brightly. She lifted a hand between them, index finger stuck out. "I really like that scowl, Kurosaki-kun."
He narrowed his eyes. "And it's about time you call me by my first name."
She pouted, "I'm trying." A grin brightened her face. "But it's difficult to break a habit."
He smirked simply and bent down to press a kiss on her lips. Honey eyes widened first before dropping close. He pressed closer, her upper lip between his teeth. Ichigo can feel the heat of her cheeks as he kissed her more, moving his lips above hers slowly but firmly. Shyly, Orihime opened her mouth to let Ichigo taste her. Her grip on his wrist tightened as he deepened the kiss, stealing her breath, slanting his mouth over hers, tasting her, making her so warm, so protected, making her fall in love over and over again…
Wow…
His kisses always amazed her.
Orihime smiled prettily, panting softly as Ichigo pulled back, their noses touching.
"…that was…" Her eyes were still closed; her dark lashes a perfect contrast to her pale skin. She heard him chuckle.
"Stop picturing me naked."
Her eyes flew open, mortified. She went incredibly, unbelievably red. "I…! I'm n-n-not! Kurosaki-kuuun! I don't… I… I…"
Orihime watched the corner of his mouth lifted in an amused smirk. "I can suggest some intelligent words if you want." He said quietly, a hint of amusement in his tone. Orihime's eyes were wide in increased mortification, her mouth in a wince as she stammered.
Ichigo could not help it but to give a short laugh at her embarrassment.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
He grinned. "You're so fun to tease, princess."
Orihime bit her lip, puffed out her cheeks and pouted. "You always make fun of me!"
Ichigo shrugged carelessly. "Hmm. You looked funny. You looked about to cry."
"I do?"
The orange-haired boy dropped his hands from her face, and smirked as he stepped back from her, a hand in his pocket.
"Yeah." The smirk widened into an amused grin. "It was hilarious."
…
…
8
Nimbus.
…
"I missed Kuchiki-san."
Ichigo didn't look up from his Science assignment. "I don't."
"But, I do."
"Finish your homework."
Orihime obeyed, going back to number 17 math problem. "I missed Rangiku-san."
"I don't."
"And also… Toshirou-kun."
He gave a sharp snort. "…that brat should stay short for the rest of his life."
Orihime grinned dreamily. "That way, he'll look cute forever."
Ichigo did look up at that one. "You think short is cute?"
"Yup." She finished the problem and moved to the next. "Toshirou-kun is so cute. And Kuchiki-san."
Ichigo resumed working on his science homework. "You need your eyes examined." There was a sound of paper being turned.
"How mean."
"She's mean." He shot back.
She kept quiet for a while, her pencil moving fast. She moved to the next problem while breaking the silence that occupied the Kurosaki household's dining area. "…I missed Renji-kun, too."
"What! You missed that monkey?" Ichigo exclaimed, slamming his pencil down. Orihime was unfazed, not looking up at his outburst, solving the complicated math problem without a calculator.
"Yes… his hair is so amazingly bright." She replied, working fast and efficiently. Five more math questions and she was done. She was always good with numbers. She will tackle English next. "When you're in the dark with Renji-kun, you don't need a flashlight! Isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah… Who needs a zoo to look for a baboon when he's around to ogle at, eh?"
Orihime widened her gray eyes at him. "That's so mean…! Renji-kun will be very hurt!" Ichigo snorted, going back to his notebook.
"You've got to have feelings to get hurt. That bastard got nothing."
"Ehhhh? So mean!"
"He's mean."
"But—"
"Are you done with Math?" he interrupted. Orihime blinked at him and shook her head. "Then, hurry up, Hime. You have English and History."
"Oh. I thought you want to copy my answers."
Ichigo flushed faintly. "N-no way! I can handle numbers!" Murmuring furiously to himself, he finished his Science homework, closed the notebook with a snap, tossed it aside and grabbed his Math worksheet. "Are you hungry?"
"Oh, me? No! I'm fine!"
"Recently, I noticed your appetite is off." Ichigo lifted his chin, scrutinized her sharply.
"Oh… The little blue men are having a field trip and then there's this amazing yellow bunny I saw walking on his ears." She said excitedly.
"Orihime." He knew how much she frequently watch ridiculous children TV programs.
"…hmm?"
"You're too thin to go on a diet. You don't need to lose weight. As a matter of fact," he reached out to wrap his long fingers around her thin wrist, stopping her from writing. The girl slowly looked up, glancing at him shyly. "You ought to pack up some pounds."
"…you think I'm too thin?" She asked timidly.
Ichigo blinked at her densely. "Yeah."
"…I… I don't have curves?"
"What!" His ears became red.
"You said I'm too thin. Do I look flat?"
Color attacked Ichigo's cheeks. "What the… what are you talking about?" he stammered, rising his voice shrilly. Orihime only stared up to him, biting her lip. "I'm not… referring to your body! I mean…" Crap! This is so embarrassing! She didn't look flat. She looked… He fought the urge to scan her body, but he knew his eyes didn't have to go that far. The table was below chest level, after all. Realizing where his thoughts were heading, he mentally slapped his head. "You're… uh, forget what I said!"
"Your face is red… Oh no! Are you sick? Do you have fever?"
"I-I'm fine!" he turned his face away, still red. "Finish your math then we have some ice cream!"
…
9
trance
…
"Inoue!"
Ichigo, Chad, Ishida and Tatsuki glanced at the girl.
She didn't budge.
The scowl on Ichigo's face deepened, as the teacher marched towards the girl. He twitched, a vein pounded as the professor tapped Orihime at the top of her head with her book.
"Inoue!"
No response.
The teacher began to repeatedly smack the sleeping princess' head with the book while calling her name, "Inoue, Inoue, Inoue!" Ichigo gritted his teeth, repressing the urge to shout at their professor for hitting Orihime's head. Chad merely tapped his shoulder and gave him a thumb's up sign.
What the hell, Chad?
Chad, as though, reading his thoughts, pointed his head.
Eh?
Chad started to knock his forehead.
Ichigo blinked.
Chad shook his head.
"INOUE!"
The class watched as Orihime's head shot up quickly, startling the teacher. "No! It wasn't me! I didn't eat the dolphin!"
The class gawked, while Tatsuki slapped a palm on her forehead, Ichigo's mouth twitched, Chad sweat-dropped and Ishida shook his head, looking back to the blackboard.
"Of course, you didn't. MY CLASS IS NOT A LULLABY, INOUE!"
Orihime flushed, "sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Pay attention and do not fall asleep again!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
The professor sighed. "Well, normally I'd give detentions but you're a nice kid and you've got excellent grades. So I'll let this slide, you hear, Inoue? But the second time I catch you sleeping, you'd have to have detention, got it, kid?"
Orihime smiled apologetically. "I'm so sorry, sensei."
"Sure… Now all of you… stop gawking! Do you want detention now? LOOK AT THE BLACKBOARD YOU PUNKS! Detention, Asano! No sleeping in class!"
Keigo burst into tears. "No fair! You're playing favorites! You're playing favorites! What do Inoue have that I don't!"
Ochi-sensei sneered. "Boobs. Got it?"
…
…
10
Don't kill… don't kill my…-
…
At lunch, Orihime had bread and wasabi. She also had bananas and a slice of red bean cupcake. She was in the middle of peeling her second banana when she dropped it.
Ichigo glanced at her.
"Oi."
Orihime kept blinking, not answering.
Frowning, Ichigo lowered his bento and scooted closer to her. "Orihime." He saw her wide eyes that kept blinking as though straining to see. "What's wrong? Oi!"
Slowly, like in slow-mo movies, the girl turned her head to look at him, wide-eyed, eyes glassy and pale. This troubled Ichigo who grasped her shoulders. "What's wrong? Damn it!"
And he felt it.
What the hell… is wrong—
Her reiatsu was flickering, waving. It went up— so strongly that Ishida and Chad stopped whatever they're doing and spared them a panicked glance. Then, next moment, her reiatsu went down. Below zero. Then, up again, down, up and… stabilized.
"Hime? The hell—"
Orihime had stopped blinking rapidly. "I…I'm fine—"
Tatsuki and her other females friends stopped and stared, as Ichigo held Orihime protectively.
"Bullshit!"
Tatsuki cringed and noted to herself to admonish the orange-haired boy about language in front of Orihime later.
"Where's my banana?" Orihime asked softly, smiling at her obviously upset, scowling boyfriend.
Ichigo drew a long, irritated breath. "Hime."
"I… just… felt— well, I dropped my banana and… it got blurry for a while. Aside from that, I don't feel any pain, Kurosaki-kun!"
"But—"
"What's wrong, Orihime?" asked Tatsuki, frowning.
Orihime turned to her best friend. "Oh, nothing's wrong, Tatsuki-chan! I dropped my banana… and there were these dots and flashes and darkness but I feel fine and very strong! So, please… Kuro… Ichigo-kun… Don't worry. I'm being my usual clumsy self so no worries, okay?"
He looked unconvinced but at her pleading look, he conceded. "Fine."
She reached out and touched his large hand. "If there's something wrong with me, I'll tell you right away!"
Ichigo's eyes hardened, "you better be."
Orihime smiled widely. "Hai!" She turned back to her friends. Ichigo exhaled and met Ishida and Chad's gazes. He scoffed and glared off to the distance. There was something wrong… However, he could not place his finger on it. But his instincts told him to keep his guard up.
Fuck.
And here he was, thinking everything was back to normal.
Was it too much to ask for a happy, simple, quiet life?
…
…
11
Ever after?
…
It was.
…
.
.
.
title. she breathes a breathless whisper
summary. -
prompt. wasabi, banana and cupcake
note. thank you for reading!
disclaimer. disclaimed.