Welcome back to chapter two everyone!
Once again I'd like to thank my awesome beta-reader Shi-Daisy for not only editing this chapter and helping me with the Spanish words, but also for making the lovely cover art you'll see we now have.
I'd also like to thank LeeHimeChan and ulquihime7980 for favouriting this story.
And LeeHimeChan, QueenChristine17, Random45Person, and ulquihime7980 for following.
And special thanks to Nii-sama97, Savi, and Kira4Schiffer for their reviews on last chapter.
A week of rehearsals and dress fittings later and it was like Orihime had never left. It felt comforting to slip back into a regular routine, early mornings and late nights, meals were small but there were many of them throughout the day to keep stamina up. The opening night of Hannibal was tomorrow so they were now at costumes and prop stage of rehearsals. The dancers dress for the first act was bright and gauzy, made up of ribbons and sashes of multicolored, gold and bronze fabric. Finishing the tying of her ballet slippers, Orihime pushed her way in front of the full body mirror in the ballerinas shared dressing room, pinching the waistband of her skirt she hiked it further up her figure so that the hemline fluttered around her ankles instead of her feet. All the ballerina's changed from their casual attire into their dance costumes, unaware of the small drilled hole in their wall that was often a favorite spot of Nnoitra Gilga.
Noticing the flurry of motion in the background of the mirror Orihime grabbed her pair of fake manacles that they would be using in the first act and followed her friends out the door and into the hallway. Joining the flow of the opera's lifeblood.
For as big as the building was it always seemed to feel crowded when everyone was at work. Bouncing down the spiral staircase that led them backstage, the ballerina's subconsciously fell into a single file line, each making a pit stop to dust the tips of their dancing shoes with grip chalk before making their way on stage. Harribel was already waiting for them of course, in her usual high collar dress and one hand on the shark tooth-shaped cane head of her walking stick (which no one believed she needed).
"Positions girls!" The dance mistress called out to them. They all fell into the position they'd be in for the start of the opening number. The rest of the cast was waiting in the wings, including Las Noches' very own Prima Donna Ciruuci Sanderwicci.
The entire theatre seemed to hold its breath in anticipation, Orihime imagined the seats in the audience were filled with people, leaning forward in their chairs trying to guess if the music would swell up in the orchestra pit or burst out and shatter the tension in the air.
There was a thundering of drums, a crash of cymbals and the music came to life. The voices of the chorus filled the stage, a victorious score with a steady beat as if the music was marching on stage with the actors. The ballet troupe weaved around each other, they were playing the slave girls, the handmaids, when she got to the part of the dance she felt most familiar with Orihime allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment, humming along to the chorus line of the song. The red-haired dancer was snapped out of her musings by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Señor Dordoni, our principal tenor, he does play very well opposite Señorita Ciruuci." Mr. Yamamoto was explaining.
Doing her best not to fall out of rhythm with the others, Orihime snuck an over the shoulder glance at the opera house manager, and the two gentlemen he was leading across the stage. One she recognized as Mr. Urahara, but the identity of the second was a mystery to her. He was about the same height as Urahara, he had slicked back brown hair except for one strand that fell down the left of his face, he wore an incredibly well-made suit with white trimmings. He strode across the stage as if he wasn't being led along like there was no need to explain everything to him because he already knew everything. His head turned this way and that, taking in the sights while Yamamoto talked, but then his eyes cut over to Orihime in a razor-quick motion, surely he was just watching the dance routine, but in that moment Orihime felt like he was pinning her down with gaze, it was startling enough sensation that Orihime under-rotated her pirouette and her foot slipped out from under her.
Orihime steadied herself at the last second and jumped back into time with the others, but not before Harribel noticed her literal slip up.
"Focus Orihime!" The dance mistress intoned with a bang of her stick against the ground.
"We take particular pride in the excellence of our ballets." Came Yamamoto's voice, the three of them were now standing beside Harribel, watching the ballet.
Harribel, never taking her eyes of the dancers, lifted up her cane in a baring motion, "Gentlemen, please. If you would move to one side?"
"Of course! My apologies, Madame Harribel." Urahara laughed off with a good-natured wave of his fan, "Our dance mistress." He whispered to his brunette friend.
The unknown gentleman didn't respond in any way, watching the ballet with calculating eyes, "May I ask after the young lady with the lovely red hair?" He asked Urahara in a deep attention drawing voice.
"Orihime Inoue, quite the little ball of potential, spends most of her time in the ballet but we have managed to pull her into the women's chorus before, background work only of course," Urahara answered.
"Inoue. Didn't you have a violinist by that name?"
"Her brother, passed away last year. Very sad, very sad." Urahara replied with a shake of his head, hiding the lower half of his face with his fan.
"And she has no other relatives?" When Urahara shook his head again the dark-haired man turned his eyes back on Orihime like a scientist inspecting something under a microscope. "Poor girl, all alone in the world."
"I would not say she is alone," Harribel spoke up, drawing the brunette's attention but she still never looked at him. "Orihime is considered a member of the family Las Noches has made for itself. Also miss Kuchiki, in particular, thinks of her as a sister." Harribel raised her cane to point Rukia out in the formation
"Kuchiki?" The brunette repeated something like recognition in his voice.
"You may have heard of her elder brother, the chief of police?"
"Yes." He agreed simply, the two shared a tense smile and Orihime suppressed the urge to giggle.
While those two were having their conversation, Yamamoto moved to the middle of the front of the stage, "Ladies and Gentleman, your attention please!" He announced in a loud voice that instantly drew everyone's attention.
Everyone on stage stopped what they were doing and formed a lazy semi-circle around Yamamoto, Urahara and their guest.
"As I'm sure many of you have heard the rumors by now, I am indeed retiring from my position as manager of the Las Noches opera house." The elderly man announced.
His words were met with a general reaction of gasps, widened eyes, and mutterings. Except for Yoruichi who just elbowed Soi Fon in the ribs, giving her dance partner an 'I told you so' look.
"It is my pleasure to introduce you to the two men who now own Las Noches, the first of whom you are already familiar with, our casting consultant Mr. Kisuke Urahara," There was a round of applause (and a wolf whistle from Yoruichi), "and a newer addition to these halls, Mr. Souske Aizen."
So that was the stranger's name. There was another round of applause, but this one more polite and formal, Aizen showed no sign of this bothering him though, he even did a small bow to the company.
There was a small scuffling to Orihime's left, she turned her head just in time to see Ciruuci pushing her way to the front of the crowd. She was dressed in full costume and makeup, her purple hair was piled up on top of her head, styled as much as it could be with its curly texture. Her dress was a sharp contrast to the ballet costumes, and even to Dordoni in his Roman armor, she was all purples and metallic black, with a sheen of glitter painted across her upper face.
"Of course," Yamamoto did his best to disguise his sigh, "gentlemen, our Prima Donna for five seasons now, Ciruuci Sanderwicci."
Ciruuci waltzed across the stage to Aizen and Urahara, holding her hand out in an invitation for the gentlemen to kiss it. Aizen held her hand gently and bowed his head in greeting.
"An honor Señorita." He told her with a suave smile.
"And Dordoni Alessandro." Yamamoto gestured to the male tenor who was following in Ciruuci's footsteps.
"He shook hands with both Urahara and Aizen, Aizen offering a courteous "Señor."
Harribel stood at the very end of the crowd, watching but detached from the fanfare, so she was the only one who noticed the small fluttering motion of something white falling from the rafters. Shifting her eyes around to see if anyone else would notice her moving away from the crowd, she slipped away from them on silent feet. Bending down to pick up what turned out to be a white envelope with a familiar wax seal.
Sousuke Aizen & Urahara Kisuke, was written on the front in swift pen strokes.
Back at the center of attention, Aizen was making the easy discovery that the best way to a divas heart was through her ego. "If I remember correctly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in act three. I wonder señorita if as a personal favor, you might oblige us with a private rendition?"
Ciruuci offered a haughty, pleased laugh, "Well, if my manager commands. Mr. Starkk, two bars introduction please." She called out into the orchestra pit.
Her answer as a resounding silence. Ciruuci tried to cover it up with a brief laugh, "Mr. Starkk!" She called out again, her voice going up a pitch.
This time her answer was a snore. Ciruuci, Urahara and Aizen leaned over to look into the orchestra, to see the conductor Coyote Starkk asleep in his chair.
"Starkk!" A small voice hissed, as the green head of Starkk's daughter Lilinette poked out from under the drums. Scrambled over and tugged on his sleeve, when that didn't work she pinched his nose and covered his mouth until the need for air woke him up
"Wha?" He slurred as he woke with a start. Turning his eyes upward to see the three sets of eyes burning into him, "Uh..."
Lilinette whispered into his ear, Starkk promptly stood up to his music stand, flipping the sheet music to Elissa's aria. "Will two bars introduction be enough?" He asked Ciruuci as if the Prima Donna wasn't glaring daggers at him.
"Yes maestro." She said tightly, all but stomping back to center stage.
Starkk signaled to the musicians, and the song came to life, on stage Cirucci slipped effortlessly into the character of Elissa. Orihime watched her carefully, the way she commanded the area, capturing the attention of everyone around her, she dreamed of being able to sing like that. She'd been told she had a good singing voice before, Sora had called her voice beautiful when she used to sing along with his violin, and the angel had called her talented, "talented, but untrained" he always emphasized. But Orihime doubted she'd ever find herself standing in the lime light like that.
Ciruuci raised her arms and sucked in a breath as she started her solo.
"Think of me,
think of me fondly,
When we've said goodbye.
Remember me, once in a while-
Promise me you'll try."
Ciruuci's voice was well trained, and rippled with signs of all her experience. It reached out into the seats and raised high up towards the domed ceiling. Say what you want about the woman, (and a lot of things were said) but you couldn't deny her talent.
"When you find
that, once
again you long
to take your heart- aaaagghh!"
Her singing was cut off in a scream as the back drop that had been hanging halfway up in the rafters came crashing downwards and landed on the stage with a deafening bang as the painted scenery landed on top of Ciruuci.
There were brief shrieks of surprise as everyone nearby dashed into the wings, Orihime felt herself being grabbed around the arms by Yoruichi as she felt herself being dragged backwards.
"He's here."
""It's the ghost."
"The phantom of the opera."
The panicked whispers flew around the air like wasps, Orihime felt like she was hearing all of it from under water though as she watched Dordoni scramble to pull Ciruuci out from under the piece of scenery.
"Ciruuci? Are you all right?" Dordoni asked as he frantically checked his partner for injuries, but she waved him off signaling she was fine.
"Where's Gilga?! Get him down here!" Yamamoto bellowed.
"Gilga?" Aizen leaned over to ask Urahara, not seemingly concerned with the close shave his Prima Donna just had.
"Nnoitra Gilgga. Chief of flies." Urahara replied, his eyes scanning the rafters.
A few moments later, the man in question slunk out from the wings. His long black hair was tucked behind his ears and he had his teeth bared in his usual smug grin
"What is the meaning of this? What was going on up there?" Yamamoto asked incensed.
Nnoitra held up a stray piece of rope that looked like it had been gone fuzzy at the end, "Don't look at me sir, god as my witness I was not by the flies for that backdrop when it fell, and there was no one else up there that I could see, and if there was... well," the chief of flies chuckled with morbid humour, "it must have been a ghost."
There was another ripple of hushed mummers ran through the company again.
"It really is him," Rukia whispered to Orihime, "the phantom of the opera."
"Does anyone care that I almost just died?!" Ciruuci screeched, drawing the attention of the managers back to her
"Forgive us señorita," Urahara tried to clasp her hand in appeasement, "but these things happen, yes?"
Ciruuci swatted his hands away and thrust her face within an inch of his, "Sí! These things do happen, and until you stop them from happening, this thing," she pointed frantically at herself, "Will not be happening. Because I. Will not. Be. Singing!"
With that Ciruuci spun on her heel and began marching away, Dordoni dutifully following her. But not before spitting an "Amateurs." At the new theater managers.
"And on that note gentlemen, I think I will leave you." Yamamoto gave one last nod to his company before making his way for the stairs. "Good luck. If you should need me, I shall be in Australia." He called over to Aizen and Urahara as his parting words.
A dozen pairs of anxious eyes fixed on the two men.
Not even swayed, Aizen gave them the casual assurance, "Ms. Sanderwicci will be back."
"You think so Señor?" Harribel asked, approaching Aizen with an opened letter in her hands, she held it before him ceremonially, "I have a message here for you. From the opera ghost."
"Good lord you're all obsessed," Aizen muttered, taking the letter and scanning over it.
"He merely welcomes you to his opera house," Harribel informed them, Aizen scoffed at the word 'his', as well as commands that box 5 be left available for his use, and also reminds you that his salary is due."
"His salary?" Urahara asked aghast.
Harribel hummed in confirmation, "Mr. Yamamoto paid him 20,000 peso's a month. But perhaps you can afford to pay more? What with the Kurosaki family as patrons."
Orihime zeroed in on those words like an arrow aiming for bulls-eye, she grabbed onto Rukia's arm, but when she looked down at her friend Rukia's eyes were shining with knowing, apparently the fact that Ichigo was in town wasn't news to the dark-haired girl.
Urahara pouted, "Aww, I'd been hoping to make that announcement."
"Will Mr. Kurosaki be attending the performance tomorrow?" Harribel asked Aizen, ignoring Urahara.
"Isshin Kurosaki is unable to come tomorrow, it will be his son Ichigo in attendance."
"Speaking of tomorrow night..." Urahara popped back into the conversation, "Who is Ms. Ciruuci's understudy?"
"There isn't an understudy," Starkk called out from the orchestra pit, already working unto try to find a comfortable sleeping position in his chair. "Five seasons and she's never needed one. Didn't see the point in training one."
"So you are telling me the first production that will have our names attached to it, is going on tomorrow night and we don't have a leading lady?" Annoyed aggression seeped out of Aizen's tone as he looked down at Starkk.
"Well surely someone else can sing the part, one of the chorus girls maybe?" Urahara suggested.
"Orihime can sing it!" Rukia called out from her place amongst the dancers.
Suddenly the entire opera house was looking at Orihime, and before she could properly process the reason for this, she found herself pushed from her safe place amongst the crowd and into the empty space directly in front of the new managers
Aizen looked her up and down with decidedly less interest than he had earlier, "The ballet girl?"
"She's been taking lessons from a great teacher sir." Rukia responded, her short stature hiding her safely from view behind the other dancers. Traitor.
"Oh? And who is this that's been teaching you Orihime?" Urahara asked, moving closer to Orihime, but the established familiarity between the two made it more comfortable.
Orihime bit down on the inside of her cheek, she couldn't tell him the truth of course, the angel had always been very clear that he remain anonymous. But she couldn't just say nothing after Rukia had vouched for her like this. "I-" Orihime swallowed, "I don't know his name sir."
Aizen made a disparaging sound, rubbing his face with his palm.
"Let her sing for you sir." Harribel insisted in her calm confident voice, "she has been well taught."
Aizen and Harribel locked eyes for a tense minute, before reaching a mutual respect for each others standing.
"From the beginning of the aria then, Ms. Inoue." Aizen waved for her to move to center stage.
There was noise that sounded distinctly like Lilinette smacking Starkk on the back of the head before the aria began playing again. Orihime swallowed, she'd never stood in this place on stage, and it was like she was just noticing for the first time how large the auditorium was. Her voice may have bounced off the walls during her singing lessons but that was in a tiny stone room, this was a massive theater, and the image of her voice being lost in the vastness of this space, making a fool of herself was all Orihime could think about
On instinct, her feet tried carrying her back into the wings, but Harribel brought her cane down hard on the floor, and the resounding bang nailed Orihime's feet to the boards and sent a shock up her spine that had her standing straight.
"Think of me,
think of me fondly
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me, once in a while-
promise me you'll try."
"This is doing nothing for my nerves." She heard Aizen say.
"Don't fret Aizen." Urahara whispered.
Orihime squeezed her eyes shut, raising her hands to her diaphragm, she summoned a different image into her mind, she was in a small music room, almost abandoned except for the instruments, and there was only one pair of eyes watching her as she sang, the ones that had been watching her for all these years as they guided her to this point
When I am in heaven little sister, I'll send an angel of music to watch over you for me. So don't cry okay?
The bridge ended, and this time when Orihime opened her mouth this time she felt the difference, and they all saw it.
"When you find,
that once again you long,
to take your heart back and be free-
if you ever find a moment
spare a thought
for me."
The music came to its climax and faded out as bows left strings and fingers left keys and tone holes. Taking a deep breath, Orihime opened her eyes again to find that all eyes were still on her. Nearly everyone was wearing an expression of shock or near amazement.
Orihime didn't say anything, afraid to shatter the spell. But the silence didn't last long.
"Someone get to the costume maker tell him he needs to reconfigure Elissa's wardrobe to this girls measurements." Urahara strode forward towards Orihime, steering her towards the end of the stage.
"I'll tell him!" Nemu volunteered instantly, zipping back upstairs towards Uryuu's studio, a room she was very familiar with.
"We need to start the entire show again from the beginning, any adjustments that need making for Orihime's register we need to know about now," Urahara spoke down to Starkk as he crouched down on the edge of the stage almost like a cat.
"I think I should be fine!" Orihime insisted, coming out of the daze she didn't realize she was in.
The stage was suddenly abuzz with business again, working on reworking the show to its new leading lady.
All the time Aizen just watched. He wasn't the only one.
xxXXxx
Everything after that had felt like it was happening almost in a blur. She spent the entirety of the rest of the day going over the music for the show, again and again, they reworked the choreography for her character was reworked to the bare minimum, Harribel assured her that if she ever forgot where she needed to move to next there would be someone nearby to steer her in the right direction.
Dinner that night was a few mouth fulls of polvorones that she was able to stuff into her mouth while she stood on the platform in Ishida's studio while he adjusted all of the new dresses to her figure.
"I had to make a few new dresses, Ciruuci is shorter than you." Ishida told her around the safety pins he was holding in his mouth. Orihime couldn't help but smirk, knowing Ishida he would have made an entire new line of dresses just because Ciruuci's signature white and purple didn't quite match Orihime's burnt-auburn hair. Or even just because he felt like it.
"Nemu modeled the new ones for me while I was putting them together, you and she are a pretty similar figure so I should only need to make some minor adjustments there. Raise your arms."
Elissa didn't have that many costume changes so Ishida had taken the opportunity to make each costume especially stunning. Orihime's favorite by far was the dress she'd be wearing for the final scenes when she'd sing 'Think Of Me' again. It was a white bodice with silver stitching and miles of angelic blue made up the skirt, Ishida explained how he'd be doing her hair and makeup to go along with it, when he mentioned the blue flowers he'd be getting to clip onto the hair at her temples, Orihime almost ruined the not finished stitching on the dress when she'd lunged at him in a hug.
Yoruichi and Rukia forced Orihime into bed around midnight so that she could get at least the minimum of needed sleep for tomorrow, despite how exhausted the days events had made her Orihime found her mind refused to stay still long enough for her to fall asleep properly. As she lay in a fitful ball while everyone else around her was dead to the world the faintest sound floated in on the air, mixed with all the noise coming from outside the window, sounding like it came from on the inside the opera house, was the very faint music of a piano playing in the distance, the tune could barely be made out beyond what instrument was playing. rubbing at her bleary eyes Orihime rationalized that she must be hearing things. But as she tried to focus on just the music, trying to block out everything else, Orihime found herself drifting into dreams, dreams of the music room she'd imagined earlier, sitting on the piano bench side to side with the unseen genius.
xxXXxx
The lights were beating down on Orihime, almost blinding her and heating up her skin. They almost blacked out the audience completely, but Orihime could make out the Las Noches insignia stamped onto the circle, so she focused her eyes on that fixed spot as her voice mingled with the orchestra, filling the space up with music. the air was swelling with it, like being caught up in a river, but it was the most exhilarated Orihime had ever felt.
"We never said
our love
was evergreen
or as unchanging
as the sea-
but if you can still
remember
stop and think of me..."
Up in the box closest to the stage, Ichigo Kurosaki almost leaned out of his seat as he tried to wrap his mind around what was right in front of him. Was that really Orihime?
He thought back to the last time he'd seen her, that summer two years ago, he hadn't noticed it about her at the time but in introspect she had been growing out of her adolescent awkwardness, but the woman on stage before him now was almost a completely different vision, maybe it was the lights or the dress, or her voice, had she always been able to sing like that?
He knew from Rukia and from the few letters the two of them had exchanged in the months he was at home, that she'd left for Japan last year after her brother's death, but he hadn't known she was back already. When had she gotten back? Early enough to get the lead in an opera clearly.
On stage the music reached its crescendo, demanding Ichigo focus his attention back on the exploits of Hannibal. Settling himself back in his chair, Ichigo set his mind on saying hello to Orihime again once the show was over.
Under the lights, Orihime knew the song was coming to an end, but some purely emotional part of her deep down wanted it to keep going, just this one song, this one moment, this high of stage fright shattering joy.
"We never said
our love was ever green,
or as unchanging as the sea-
but please
promise me,
that sometimes
you will think-"
There was a small break here, and a grin broke out on Orihime's lips as she prepared to trill and vocalize the next word.
"Of me!"
The song came to a finish with a crash of cymbals and the audience jumped to their feet in thunderous applause, the river became a waterfall, completely knocking Orihime out of her footing and sweeping her up in the current. It almost felt like she was only hanging onto her body by an invisible thread as she joined hands with the rest of the cast for the curtain call.
The heavy red curtains fell, cutting the stage off from the rest of the world. Everyone around Orihime buzzed with thrill, the adrenaline of the show still alive and thrumming in their veins. Arms wrapped around Orihime's shoulders in hugs, and hands grasped hers as people came up and congratulated her on a job well done, she returned all the sentiments happily and the corners of her lips almost ached with how much she was smiling. But the minute there was a break in the crowd Orihime made a beeline for the capilla.
Making her way down the stone steps proved to be something of a trial in her white and blue dress, but she managed to make it down to the familiar room without damaging either the dress or herself. Crouching down on the floor in front of the small memorial, the blue material of her skirt surrounding her like a pond, Orihime reached out and brushed the portrait of her brother.
"I wish you could have been there Sora." She whispered into the empty air, how could she only be one staircase away from the hussle and bussle of the opera and still feel so far away. "Thank you, thank you so much..."
Thank you angel of music, for everything you've done for me, all of your lessons and guidence, and thank you Sora for sending him
"I couldn't have done it without you." She murmured, just a breath more loudly.
Echoes of the noise form upstairs was leaking down through the doorway, but Orihime still found enough peace that she could close her eyes and center herself for a moment.
"Bravi," whispered a familiar voice. Orihime perked up immediately, "bravi, bravissima."
"So this is where you've been hiding." Came another familiar voice.
Orihime twisted around to see Rukia skipping down the stone steps, she'd wiped the make up from her face and pulled the accessories from her hair, but she was still in her white dress with the lacey ballet skirt.
Rukia took in the sight of Orihime kneeling before the memorial, and her eyes softened for a heartbeat before her face broke into a huge smile as she came to sit by Orihime.
"You were amazing out there! Actually, you were perfect!" Rukia told her with enough certainty you'd think she was stating a fact rather than just being complimentary.
"Thanks Rukia," Orihime couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her, "though I think perfect might be a bit much."
"Well, the audience certainly seemed to think so." Rukia placed her hands on her hips, a position Orihime recognised on the shorter girl, "I don't know, but if I were you, I might want to get used to the feeling of being in the spotlight." She said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
Orihime raised her hands, ready to protest when Rukia continued, "Really, this just makes me wish I knew who this teacher of yours was."
Lowering her hands slightly, Orihime clasped them together loosely, "Sorry Rukia, but just this once, I think this is something I have to keep secret."
The look Rukia was deeply perplexed, and a little worried. But the silence that came into being between the two of them didn't have time to bloom into anything more, as Yoruichi appeared in the doorway, having apparently teleported out of the air like she was prone to do, wearing what seemed to be just a silk dressing robe.
"I don't know what the two of you think your doing down here, but I'm afraid a Prima Donna has a duty to face her adoring public." The dark skinned woman instructed as she jumped from the doorway to where Orihime was, grabbing the red head under her arms and hauling her to her feet.
"And you Miss. Kuchiki have someone waiting for you upstairs." Yoruichi winked over at Rukia.
The dark haired girls eyes widened in suggestion that she knew who Yoruichi was talking about, she squeezed Orihime's hand one last time and gave her a meaning loaded look before heading back up to the surface.
Part of Orihime wanted Yoruichi to leave as well, she wanted to ask the angel if he had enjoyed the opera, if he thought she'd done well. But Yoruichi must have noticed the hesitation because she began tickling Orihime along the ribs.
Orihime let out shrieks of giggles, "Okay, okay, I'm coming I promise!"
xxXXxx
Squeezing her way through the crowded hallways, Rukia was able to spot Ichigo thanks to the wide birth people were giving him. the way he looked in such finery was still something Rukia was getting used to, despite having seen him dressed that way at the high society events Rukia attended with her brother, and even having visited the Kurosaki's new household in the city, the sight of someone she knew to be so casual and even fool-hardy was a bit surprising to her even after all this time.
When Ichigo spotted her, he made his way to where she had managed to make it out of the crowd and into the little bubble of space that had formed around him, Ichigo wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground slightly so that he could press a chaste kiss to her lips.
"Long time no see, eh Ichigo?" Rukia said against his lips.
"I know it's necessary and all, but these last weeks without you have been terrible." he whispered with a smile, setting her back on the ground.
"Oh, poor you." Rukia replied sarcastically, wrapping her own arms around Ichigo's middle.
A smile shared between the two of them.
"Now am I losing my mind," Ichigo asked, returning them to reality, "or was that Orihime out on stage tonight."
"I wanted to surprise you."
"Well, you did one hell of a job, since when is she back? I thought she was going to be in Japan till the end of the month?"
Rukia snickered at the look on Ichigo's face, "Well she got back earlier than expected clearly. Admittedly her getting the starring role was a bit of a surprise to all of us as well, but hey, if it let's me see that look on your face I call it a win."
Ichigo schooled his expression into a scowl, glaring down at the smug grin Rukia was sporting. "And just what do you mean it was a surprise to you all?"
Rukia rolled her eyes and grabbed onto his hand, "You can ask her yourself, come on, I know she'll be dying to see you."
Ichigo stood still as a tree though, yanking Rukia backwards as she tried to walk away, "Actually, why don't I invite her to dinner with us tonight? She can tell me the story then, I'll even see if I can pull Ishida away from his work, we'll make it a reunion."
Rukia's expression flickered for a moment, it had been a while since they'd seen each other and he knew she wanted to spend some alone time just as much as he did, but thinking back to the order he'd placed in the jewelers a few days ago, Ichigo was okay with inviting a few more people tonight, there was only one night coming up he would need it to just be him and Rukia.
"Sure, that sounds great." Rukia agreed after a moment, still not overly thrilled but she wouldn't say no to taking a friend out for dinner.
Ichigo grinned, "I'll go see the two of them, you go get changed."
xxXXxx
After mingling with everyone backstage for a bit, and politely shaking hands with every 'important' person Aizen and Urahara wanted her to meet, Orihime was eventually saved by Harribel who shepherded her back to Ciruuci's old dressing room. Orihime had expected it to still be full of the Prima Donna's things. And it very well may have been, but the entire room was so carpeted in flowers arrangements that you could hardly see anything else.
Orihime was certain she'd seen flower shops with less carnations, all the bright colours and mingling scents only added to her elated mood as she maneuvered her way through them and to the dressing table. She'd lost count somewhere along the way, but several glasses of champagne had been pressed into her hand in the space of an hour, and she was starting to feel the effects of it in her head.
Also, now that she was finally sitting down again, all the tiredness she'd been putting off feeling started to seep into her muscles, laying her head down onto the surface of the dressing table, Orihime let out a deep sigh, raising her eyes again to look at herself in the mirror, she found her vision was dancing slightly.
There were towers of bouquets on either side of the vanity mirror, but only one floor on the table itself, sitting inside an empty perfume bottle was a single red rose, a black ribbon tied into a bow around its thorny stem. Reaching up she rubbed one of its red petals between her thumb and index finger. She noticed that there was something tied to the ribbon, it was a small label, like she'd seen attached to parcels or gift wrapped presents, it had three words written on it in pitch black ink.
Wait for me.
"You did very well tonight." Came Harribel's voice. Orihime looked into the mirror to see Harribel standing behind her chair. "He will be pleased."
Their eyes met in the mirror, like everything else about the angel, his name went unsaid, but there was an unspoken understanding between the two of them in that moment
There was a knock at the door, drawing both of their attention to the front of the room. Harribel gave them permission to enter, and the door opened to reveal a familiar head of ginger hair.
"Ichigo!" Orhime chirped, straightening in her seat but not raising from her chair since she didn't trust her sense of balance.
"So it is you." Ichigo joked, as he came forward to wrap her in a friendly hug. When they broke apart Harribel nodded her head politely before leaving the room.
"I have a lot of questions for you, but right now I really just want to ask where you learned to sing like that?" Ichigo asked her with a familiar tilt to his head.
Maybe it was the endorphins still humming through her system, or the champagne bubbling in her stomach or the nostalgia that clouded her mind at the sight of Ichigo's face, but she found herself saying, "I've been visited by an angel of music."
He must have noticed the flush to her face, or the smell of champagne on her breath because Ichigo didn't question her on that answer, he simply patted her hand and nodded, a bit of a quirk to his lip.
"No doubt about that. And now let's get some dinner." He stood to quickly for Orihime's eyes to follow him, "Rukia and I are going to dinner tonight, so why don't you come with us, I'll even drag Ishida along too."
"No, I can't... I-"
"Managers keeping you on a tight leash huh?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly, "Don't worry, we won't keep you out to long. Just change into something comfortable and I'll come get you in a ten minutes."
Orihime tried to protest again, but her tongue was fumbling in her mouth and he was out the door before she could even say his name.
On the other side of the door and back in the hallway, Ichigo looked around the hallway trying to remember which way Ishida's studio was when suddenly he was struck by the sensation of being squeezed by a boa constrictor while simultaneously being knocked off his feet.
"IC~HI~GO!" A happy female voice sang into his ear as arms squeezed him even tighter, Ichigo stuck an arm out at the last second, steadying himself against the wall as the familiar feeling of Nel hugging him. No matter how many times she tackle-hugged him like this he was never not surprised that she had yet to break one of his bones.
"Hi Nel." He choked out.
"You're here! You're the patron now! Does that mean you're going to be around more?" Nel asked in rapid fire. Still as much of a spitfire as ever.
"Yes, yes, and I'll definitely try to stop by more often." Ichigo answered as quickly as he could, as he did his best to loosen Nel's concrete grip around his neck.
"Yay!" Nel cheered, pressing a sloppy kiss against his cheek. She mercifully released him from her hug, instead choosing to grab him by the arms and dragging him towards the stairs. "Come out with us tonight! We're going for drinks to celebrate opening night!"
Ichigo slid his arm out of her grasp, and leaned against the banister, trying to catch his breath. "Sorry Nel, but I've already got plans for to-"
"Kurosaki!" That howl was the only warning Ichigo had before Grimmjow barreled into him, knocking the two of them down the staircase. Ichigo let out an angry yelp when he hit the ground again, this was also a familiar scenario between him and Grimmjow, only unlike with Nel, Ichigo found himself losing his rationality around Grimmjow.
At the top of the stairs Nel looked down at the two of them brawling, she leaned her arms against railings and sighed. Grimmjow could at least share with her.
xxXXxx
Back in her dressing room, Orihime had changed out of her blue and white dress, there was a white nightgown and matching robe hanging up in the dressing room wardrobe. Orihime left her dress where she'd stepped out of it, the fogginess in her mind had only gotten thicker so she didn't think to try and hang it up, she went over to the sink behind another mountain of flowers, running it under some water she returned to her dressing table, she rubbed the cloth over her face to clear it of make up and then pulled the blue flowers from her hair. The sun had long ago set, and only bare minimum of light filtered through the windows, Orihime could barely see her reflection in the vanity. There were gas lamps on the walls, but Orihime couldn't be bothered trying to light them.
How long had it been since Ichigo left? When he came back for her should she try to explain that she couldn't leave again? Or would that be rude?
A breeze of cold air gushed through the room, had she opened a window? The thin fabric of her robe and nightgown offered her no protection to the temperature, and Orihime wrapped her arms around herself, suppressing a shiver. At the very least she should change into some proper clothes.
Raising from her seat, she moved towards the door, only to stop dead in her tracks. The hairs on the back of her neck and her arms stood on end, and the temperature dropped even further.
"What a brave young suitor." The angels voice materialised in the air, but it sounded different from every other time, he spat out the the words, he sounded angry, "Trying to share in my triumph."
"Angel?" Orihime couldn't help the shake in her voice. There was no response and the atmosphere in the room just dropped even further. "Speak to me angel, and I'll listen."
"You would not prefer an evening with that slave of fashion and his trash?"
Orihime wrapped her arms tighter around herself, trying to think why the angel would sound so mad. Then she remembered, in a moment of thoughtlessness she had told Ichigo about her divine visitations, had that been a breach of her contract with the angel? Would he leave her now?
"Angel, my soul was weak forgive me. Stay by my side, guide me." Her vision began to blur as tears welled up in her eyes, her heart has permanently broken from Sora's death, if the angel left her, Orihime was sure the remains of her heart would shatter into pieces.
The horrible silence filled the room again for a minute, and Orihime feared that this was it, the angel had dissapeared from her life as swiftly as he'd entered it
"Very well." The sound of the angel still speaking to her was almost enough to lure a sob from Orihime's throat. And whatever anger had been dripping from his tone seemed to be forgotten, his voice was just as calm and magnetizing "If you insist, then tonight you shall know me."
Orihime's heart stopped. Had she heard him right? After all these years her angel was going to show himself? She would finally see him?
Orihime took a nervous step forward, would he descend from the sky like in stories? or perhaps materialise out of thin air in front of her?
"Look at your face in the mirror." The angel instructed, for a second Orihime thought he meant the vanity, but then what she thought was a glint of light pass over the full length body mirror on the far wall. She stood directly in front of it, almost pressing her nose to it's surface, she saw her own reflection of course, but as her eyes twitch all over the glassy surface she noticed the shape of a silhouette, the figure of a man, he seemed to be hovering right over her shoulder. Orihime spun around (which did wonders for her head), but saw no one there, she heard a sound she thought was familiar to a sliding door, slowly this time she turned back to the mirror, but this time she didn't see her reflection.
There was a man standing in front of her, he was tall with a slim build, his ink black hair was bombed carefully out of his face and from what she could see of his face his skin was deathly pale. She said 'from what she could see' because half of his face was covered by an ivory white mask, his expression was guarded and unreadable, but those eyes, one impossibly green and the other so dark you'd think it was black with a yellowish iris, were scanning Orihime's face watching for her reaction.
He was dressed dressed oddly enough like one of the gentlemen her managers had introduced her to this evening, a black tie hugged his neck, dissapearing into his dark green dinner jacket.
The angel never said a word, he simply raised his hand for her to take. Orihime looked down at the offered hand, at the long almost white fingers and painted black nails. But the angel's eyes never left her face.
Dazedly, almost as if in a trance, Orihime reached out and curled her fingers around his.