Second person, Orihime


You dreamt of a prince. Instead you fell for a hero.

The problem with heroes is that they want to protect everyone, not just their princess. They fight not for her honor but for justice. You understand this about your husband, and often times will find yourself wondering if he is truly happy in the normal life you have settled in to. Sometimes you catch him moving just a little too fast at a sudden noise, getting a little too frustrated when he can't manage to fix the kitchen sink and has to call a plumber.

You understood when you were very young that you would never love anyone as fiercely as you love this man, and yet you wonder if that's enough for someone who used to battle gods and demons while still getting home in time to study calculus.

And sometimes, though you will never ever ever ever admit it again, you wonder if even you are enough, that your support and compassion and loveliness is enough and the ugly insecurities dig their claws right back in-

(You may have healed him but she changed his world.)

You keep noticing him staring off into the sky like he's looking for something (someone) and when you ask him what he's looking at he'll smile a kind smile and tell you he was just daydreaming, it's nothing.

All your friends tell you you guys make such a cute couple and you'll have such cute kids and he'll smile that same smile while you thank them profusely and you're not entirely sure why it's wrong because it's not quite wrong it just doesn't look right on his face, that soft grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes. Later an old classmate you're out to lunch with remarks how different Ichigo is now, how much calmer and mellow he seems and wow marriage has been great for him hasn't it? It triggers something inside you, though you keep your features relaxed and happy.

And you keep wondering if he has tucked that part of him, that brash, impulsive, warrior part who he truly is, away so he can be someone who loves you.

Because you of all people know that at the end of the day,

Princes want princesses.

Heroes need equals.


The unofficial title is also "why ichihime does not make sense now nor will it ever." I tried to make this not so much seem like he's not happy with her just because he wants Rukia, but also because they are just not a good couple period. If Rukia had never existed I still would not be an ichihime shipper because they don't work together.