~How Ichigo Taught Me to Realize~

AN:

Okay, okay. I lied again. T-T

The next chapter after this one will be 'How to Draw'. This chapter is a special addition short IchiRuki lesson told from Orihime's POV. If you read my story 'I Realized' in BLEACH ONE SHOTS, you'll see that this is the exact same story, but with minor adjustments.

I was skipping through my files on my PC and I found this, locked away. I loved it so much I decided to post it yet again.

Enjoy the bittersweet IchiRuki lovin'!

-Fanatic99

Orihime's POV

I realized.

I saw the way he looked at her. She always lifted his spirits, she always made him try harder, and she made him smile. She unlocked his powers of light.

I made him miserable, I made him frustrated, and I made him feel dark. I unlocked his pure inner hollow in Hueco Mundo.

So I realized.

Ichigo… just didn't feel the same way.

As the days passed, my heart was still full of hopefulness.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe… he did love me.

As the days turned to weeks, and the weeks into months, I realized.

I was lying to my own heart. I was too afraid to shatter it, when I knew that if I told myself the truth it would be all okay.

As time progressed I saw her look at him differently.

Ichigo had always been a boy to her.

Now, he was a man in her eyes.

He was a man in her heart.

Love is a blessing. It soothes us all, making us feel warm, making us laugh, and cry. Love is all we need in this world, and I know it.

However, love is also a curse. If it is denied…

Your heart will feel empty.

Rukia… she's beautiful. She has beautiful violet eyes and raven hair. She's beautiful… both inside and out.

I have long orange-brown hair and grey-amber eyes. I guess I am beautiful on the outside, but am I really beautiful on the inside?

When I tried to… kiss him that night before I left for Hueco Mundo…

…I felt something within me and I knew…

…that it was never meant to be like this. Affection can be given, but it must be received or denied.

I closed my eyes and stopped the tears as I stood there.

I opened my eyes and peeked over the corner wall. I was not supposed to be here, yet I was.

Could I really be beautiful on the inside indeed?

The night was young and cherry blossoms flew in the air, floating gently around the two. I almost believed that someone was using kidou to control it, because the sakura blossoms all simply lingered near them.

Late spring in the Seireitei was beautiful. It was unlike any other spring in the world of the living. I loved spring.

Tonight I had mixed emotions.

"Ichigo," Rukia said quietly. "Maybe you should consider it…"

She fingered with the strap of her arm cast. Rukia was covered in bandages, and she broke her arm and some of her left collarbone. One of her eyes was covered in a patch, which I remember not so long ago was covered in blood. My eyes softened.

She got the injuries fighting 7 Gillian alone. She had almost won, but three left her half-dead in the park down the street from my house.

My healing couldn't do anything. Her breathing had almost stopped, and her eyes, which usually were bright, looked so light and shallow I cried. We had to rush her to the medicinal corps in Seireitei, and even there we weren't sure if she would make it.

We had all been so devastated. Byakuya-san was silent, but we all could see the pain in his eyes. Renji-san… he was… enraged. He swore he would kill whoever dared to injure her like this.

The person most overwhelmed was Ichigo.

He went so far as to hunt down the remaining three, and in his rage, cut himself up in the process of his revenge. He was fatally injured by a Death-Blast, which almost blew his right arm right off.

Once Ichigo was rushed to medicinal corps Rukia was crushed. She went as far as to offer her own healing team to go and help him, even if it meant her own life would be in danger. Rukia felt responsible for his injuries… and now, she was trying to get him to stop. He had to stop everything.

"You have to consider it." She decided blankly. "Commander Yamamoto has a special team of kidou-corps… who can remove your power. They can take away all the pain…"

Ichigo stood there. His arm was bandaged as well, and it hung by his side limply.

"There is no way…"

Rukia brought her good arm up to his lips and shushed him. "Listen," she begged him.

Ichigo furrowed his brow, but then gave in.

"You have done so much… you've risked everything…" she choked. "I don't want you to die. You have so much in store for in life, and being here, with the shinigami, is cutting your life short. You don't deserve to be with all these… souls. You belong with the living."

"I don't care!" said Ichigo. "I like doing everything I'm doing! I feel like it's my duty..."

I felt my heart skip a beat. Poor Kurosaki-kun…

Rukia shushed him again. Tears welled in her eyes.

"It is not your duty. You have family, friends, and school to worry about. That is your duty." She whispered. "We shinigami can't be part of your life." She paused.

"I can't be in the mix."

"Kuchiki-chan…" I whispered to myself quietly. Was she really serious about this?

"If you get your powers removed, the hollows will be gone too," Rukia continued. "All the enemies coming after you will stop once your reiatsu disappears. You'll be safe enough for your life. You could finish school, go to a 'University', and eventually fall in love and start your own family," she choked. "Just leave us, Ichigo. I…" She paused. "I care about you too much. You can't die."

Ichigo stood still.

"Will you please…?" Rukia whispered. "Do it for me?"

He didn't reply. He simply leaned in.

It was then I realized.

He didn't tell her 'I love you'. He didn't kiss or hug her, or confess undying feelings.

Ichigo smiled and pushed the bang on Rukia's forehead behind her ear gently. She blinked in surprise.

"Rukia," he whispered.

Rukia seemed to elevate in height. She tiptoed and leaned forward as he grasped the back of her head gently and brought it towards his face. I saw her cheeks flush pink, and her eye that was uncovered sparkle. She then closed her eye.

I could've died on the spot if he had done what both Rukia and I expected he would do. I bit my lips and balled my fists in anticipation.

"No. Way." He finished, flicking her forehead lightly.

And with that, Ichigo walked away laughing confidently. He left Rukia standing there, confused. She wiped the tears out of her eyes, and after a few seconds, she smiled and laughed as well.

"I'm so stupid," She laughed quietly. "He would never listen to me."

It was that contact. That light flick on her forehead made me realize.

Even though my heart felt empty and my eyes welled with tears, I managed to smile.

I hope I'll find the guy who will flick me.

AN:

Poor Orihime. She must be really depressed about this all… I could relate to her (Not that I was rejected…)

I mean… she knows he loves another person… who she's best friends with… so sad, is it not?

Please REVIEW!

[How to Draw is already posted. Check it out!]