Theme: "I'll protect you" ; Prompt: "Rewrite a scene from the manga with your personal twist including a moment in which Ichigo makes a promise of protection." By Codegal~
When Orihime had gone to Hueco Mundo, she never thought Ichigo and the others would come to rescue her. Needless to say, the idea of the said shinigami holding her by the waist and hoisting her over his shoulder was the farthest idea, daydream even, from her mind. She could only flail wildly and sputter out incoherent babbling on how she was heavy and he shouldn't be lifting her. She even managed to tell him, albeit all over the place, that if he didn't put her down, his spine would surely telescope.
After sending Nel off to scout the ground from the other side of the demolished building, Ichigo was bent on keeping her in one spot; that perch on his shoulder, that is. Being Orihime, the epitome of enthusiasm and wild gestures, especially around one berry boy, she continued to try to gain his attention and persist that she was too heavy for him. She would've liked to mention how that large hand of hers on her thigh was incredibly odd, yet definitely okay in her book, but seeing as it could've ended in similar embarrassment, she let the thought slide.
"Inoue," Ichigo's gruff voice called her name, making her halt her moving and instead, stay still like a good girl. She had open ears as to whatever he would say, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to hear too well due to the loud pounding and rushing of blood to her ears. (It wasn't because she was slightly upside-down at times, but because any girl would be mortified, in a good way, beyond belief by being closely held by the boy she loved.)
"H-Hai, Kurosaki-kun?" Her voice squeaked and she knew it. Trying to crane her neck to look at him, she was forced to lay her palms and digits flat on his back to stay still. The body heat radiating from underneath his shihakusho didn't go unnoticed.
"Don't turn around," his voice was firm, definitely different from the soft, gentle voice he had when he expressed his relief over her being okay. "... Just listen." However, the last part melted into that same tone from before, and it made her feel a little bit better.
However, as she tried to listen, he wasn't really speaking. In fact, there was no 'really speaking', he wasn't speaking at all. Had she imagined that last part and only spoke of the former, so she wouldn't harm herself for some reason by turning around? A suddenly tightened grip on her waist made her think otherwise, and she still continued to wait and listen.
"... You're not... You're sure you're not hurt?" Ichigo asked, his voice low. At the current moment, what ran through his head were Grimmjow's words of "how she was possibly messed up on the inside". He knew he had just asked her that same question, but that arrancar's notion of her possibly changed obviously didn't sit well with him.
Her expression fell when he inquired yet again, yet Orihime licked at her suddenly dry lips and nodded, even though he couldn't exactly see. "I'm just fine!" She tried to sound cheerful for him, because the previous fight made him sound just a bit stressed.
A soft sigh escaped his lips and he startled her by taking a few steps closer to the edge on his own, almost as if she wasn't propped onto his shoulder at all. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to get here quicker." His voice was so quiet, Orihime just about missed it. It was as if it was a fleeting comment more than anything.
"Ah, but Kurosaki-kun-"
"But this'll be over quick," his voice suddenly sounded more confident, cutting her off, but not intentionally. "And then you'll be safe... For good, that is." Inwardly, Ichigo continued to beat himself up on the inside for not being able to rescue her in a timelier manner. He'd promised to protect her before she got kidnapped, but much good that did.
Calling back Nel over, Ichigo paid no mind to Orihime's squirming on his shoulder. So far he had a lot more on his mind he really couldn't say, only because it wasn't the right time. As much as he knew she wriggled around in embarrassment, he was thinking of the upcoming fights, and how once they were done, everything would fall back into place again. That included her safety.
"I'll protect you..." Ichigo mumbled again as they both watched Nel trot back over to them with a grin. With widened eyes, Orihime's heart beat rapidly in her chest and she bit her bottom lip to avoid any nervous squeaks from escaping. "I mean it."
She knew he did, she always trusted him, but it was those little words of reassurance that made her smile.
.
.
.