Title: yakusoku – part three
Author: Araine
Characters: Ishida Uryuu, Inoue Orihime
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 488
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo-sensei.
Notes: The third 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. Thank you to all of my reviewers, you make me feel special!


Right away, Hikoboshi buried the zoori around the bamboo tree, and the bamboo began to grow at once. He began to climb to the top, climbing higher and higher, until he was very nearly to heaven. But he couldn't quite reach it. In his haste to see Orihime, he had only made 999 zoori.

But Orihime heard his despairing cries and reached out and pulled him over the clouds. The lovers rejoiced to be united once again.

Kurosaki Ichigo grabs Ishida Uryuu by the front of his finely tailored shirt and presses him against the wall of the school building, before pausing to wonder if defeating him in an all out battle or punching him in the face will make him feel best.

He decides on punching him-

(because he wants him conscious, and besides, Soul Society might get a little miffed if he started using his powers recklessly)

-and Ishida takes it silently, even if Ichigo's fist comes away a little bit bloody from Ishida's nose. Not that he cares – the Quincy probably deserved it.

"What the hell is your problem?" Ichigo snarls, giving him a glare that is enough to make several choice members of the Gotei 13 cower in fear. "What did Inoue ever do to you?"

Ishida gives him a cool, questioning look, and inquires, "Inoue-san?"

Ichigo can't help but hate him for being so infuriatingly self-centered not to have even noticed. "Whatever you said to her, she's completely upset, and I had to hear from Tatsuki that she nearly left the classroom crying. What did you say to her?"

Ishida laughs (and it is bitter and ironic) and Ichigo releases his shirt a little bit out of surprise. What does he think he's doing, laughing like that (so callous) when Inoue is so clearly hurt. It just doesn't make sense – Ichigo resists the urge to punch him again, because Ishida is speaking.

"Don't be stupid, Kurosaki. Inoue-san's not upset over me," he replies.

"The hell she isn't!" Ichigo roars without thinking, but when it finally registered with him that Ishida is assigning the blame to something else, he wants to know what. If anything, he can beat some sense into the Quincy. "What the hell else would she be upset about?"

"You," Ishida replies, and Ichigo is stunned into momentary silence. The air rings in the absence of his anger.

When he replies, it is with a shake in his voice. Of all of his friends, his comrades, Inoue was the first one to fear him, the first one to see his Hollow mask, the first one to doubt his heart. "The hell she is, you were the one-"

"She loves you," the Quincy's tone is unforgiving.

"Of course she does! It's the same for me!" Ichigo replies outraged. "She's my nakama, my sister. You're the one who's being an ass-"

"Idiot!"

The reproach drips like poison from his lips-

(can he even go an hour without insulting one of his friends?)

-and he continues. "If you're this slow on the uptake, it's a wonder you're still alive. Inoue-san won't ever tell you – she's too good for that – but she wants so much to be a part of your life, Kurosaki. She's crying over you, because she needs you more than you need her."

Ichigo's eyes widen.

His hand drops.

"What?"

For a moment, Ishida meets his gaze – blue eyes sharp and intense and challenging – before he drops it and looks away.

"Nevermind," he snaps. "I shouldn't have said anything. Inoue won't want to know that you know, so you should just keep your big mouth shut. I don't want her to be upset. Not that I care or anything stupid like that, I just don't want to be caught up in your problems."

Ichigo stands, shocked into silence, as Ishida walks away. Slowly, slowly, he begins to process everything that just happened.

And then a realization comes over him.

Before Ishida can completely disappear through the school gate, Ichigo calls, "Oi! Ishida! What happened to 'always there for her'?"

The Quincy visibly pauses, before he continues walking markedly faster. Ichigo snickers a little bit.

Who knew Ishida liked girls?