tatsuki is very ooc in this au as orihime's enemy so yeah... and it's popular thinking that orihime can cook well it's just that she mixes weird shit together and has an odd taste pallet. in this, she is just a good cook and the people she works for has the strange pallet
Orihime started to put up the leftover food from the stand she had been at when Tatsuki pushed her against the wall.
"What's the big idea, Orihime? What makes you think that you can just flaunt your stupid sweet buns all around and try to woo the heir of the Shiba Clan?"
"I wasn't. I was just doing my job, Tatsuki."
"You were trying to get on Shiba-sama's good side. I bet you said horrible things about me and that's why he acted the way he did about my dango."
"Tatsuki, I've told you a million times that mixing dango isn't good. I mean, I don't mind it but most other people do."
Tatsuki pushed Orihime again, glaring at her.
"Don't tell me how to make food! I don't need your help! We said you could sell your stupid buns only if someone wanted them."
"He *did* want one. I didn't force him to eat it."
"Of course you didn't."
She turned away and left Orihime to putting back the food by herself. Orihime was used to this treatment, especially by Tatsuki who seemed jealous of her ever since the owner of the bakery said that she could sell her homemade sweet buns at the cart. But today had been a special day for Orihime, even if Tatsuki did get angry with her. She got to finally see Ichigo up close. She never knew how shy he was until she started setting up the stand close to the gates of the Shiba Clan. Every time Ichigo would come out, he would hide behind the corner of the wall and just watch her for the longest time. She had always been aware of him but would never say anything to sting his pride…
The other two guys talked to her about him all the time though. Ikkaku and Yumichika seemed to be really good friends and wanted to see their one friend happy. She never thought with her but they always seemed to be at ease with her and told her a lot of things she would never tell anyone else about. If Orihime had to guess, she was the only other person besides those of the Shiba Clan who knew about Ichigo's 'condition'. The two body guards hadn't told her but she had seen it when she was closing up after a late shift one night.
It had been too hard not to stare at him through the open window, the sounds of strange noises coming from him as he seemed to lose control of himself. It had been since then that Orihime had decided to try and set up her stand close to the Shiba Clan more. Ichigo fascinated her to a degree she didn't understand. Plus, when he spoke to her today, he had seemed so shy despite his demeanor. She had kind of expected a small degree but not as much as he was.
A loud noise took Orihime from her thoughts and she looked up as Chad wiped his hands off. He had just thrown down a bag of flour.
"You scared me." She said with a smile.
He nodded. "Did you sell any sweet buns?"
"I did but I have a couple left over. Did you want to take them home?" she said, grabbing them.
He nodded and she handed them to him. He smiled and began to eat one of them as he left. She smiled a little and began thinking about Ichigo again. She hoped she'd get to see him again.
Ichigo sighed and sat in the courtyard of the mansion, watching some of the ducks play in the water. Seeing Orihime up close was something he'd always wanted to do but now things were going to be too late. He had to marry Rukia Kuchiki, the younger sister of the most stuck up and proper clan that the Soul Society had in the upper crust of the elite. At least the Shihoin Clan was fun…
"Ichigo?"
He looked up at Misaki as she sat next to him.
"I know you think your father is being hard on you but unfortunately that's how the clan works. The first of the heirs gets to pick their mates but then the ones after it have theirs chosen for them. We've tried giving you ample time… Honey? Are you alright?"
Ichigo hadn't been paying attention for a while and Misaki suddenly panicked.
"Ichigo? ICHIGO!" she yelled, shaking him.
White gooey stuff suddenly erupted from his mouth and dripped out of his eyes and she quickly grabbed him, pulling him into the house and screaming for her husband. Yuzu and Karin came out of their rooms and Yuzu gasped.
"What's going on?" Yuzu asked.
"One of you go get your brother's pills and one go find your father! Hurry!"
They did as told as Ichigo stopped and threw his head back, the goo pouring from his mouth now and a deafening scream filled the house. The white goo seemed to wrap around Ichigo's face and Misaki slammed him into the wall. He went limp just as Isshin ran up and she turned to him.
"It's getting worse, Isshin." She said as he knelt next to his son.
Yuzu and Karin came up as well, Yuzu with the small bottle of pills that were needed. Isshin picked up Ichigo as Misaki took the pills from her daughter.
"Tell the maid I need hot tea immediately."
She nodded and followed her husband into Ichigo's room as Isshin laid him on the bed.
"Does Byakuya Kuchiki know that Ichigo was infected?" Masaki asked.
"I didn't tell him exactly what was going on but I let him know that Ichigo wasn't the average heir. I said he had a condition and that's all he really needed to know."
"How could you leave him in the dark like that?!"
The maid brought in hot tea and Isshin took out four pills, dropping them in the cup and then pouring tea over it. The tea hissed and turned into a red color and then mellowed to a reddish looking tea blend. He poured a little on top of the white mask that had started to develop over Ichigo's face and the goo hardened and shattered away from Ichigo's face. After a few moments, the goo retreated back into Ichigo and he coughed, hard, sitting up. Masaki was at his side and grabbed the tea from Isshin, making Ichigo drink the tea.
"Here, hurry…" she said.
Ichigo lazily did as she asked, still woozy from the onslaught of symptoms. After a few moments he regained his own control and opened his eyes although they were black and his pupils were yellow.
"Are you alright?" Masaki asked.
"Yeah… Did I have another attack?" he asked, looking at his parents.
"Big one this time." Isshin said.
Ichigo sighed and leaned back on the bed.
"How am I supposed to get anyone to care about me when I'm infected? Why did you set me up with the strictest noble house in the Soul Society? If they find out about the infection… they'll bring down the Shiba Clan and we will be outcasted forever."
Isshin looked down a little. "Son, we don't have a choice in the matter. We have to have another heir to the clan."
"What about Karin or Yuzu? They're available to betroth!"
"Ichigo, you'll have another attack again if you don't calm down." Ichigo breathed in and his father breathed out. "The betrothal is not all that we need. The Kuchiki Clan has very prestigious doctors that work on their household and with the marriage alliance, we can get someone better than Hanataro. We can actually get the Squad 4 captain or even the great Urahara-sama. He's been doing studies on the Infection for years."
Ichigo sighed again but saw the benefits of merging the clans since having access to those doctors could cure him before it was too late and he was taken over. He didn't want to marry a Kuchiki, but it was better than losing his sanity and humanity.
many people had already guessed it and you're right. in this though, it's like a virus/infection that some people got. it will be explained how it happened and the like. but don't worry, ichigo isn't that easily swayed :D
