Bleach (c) Tite Kubo
Story (c) me
Sequel to "Don't Take Me Away"
"Good morning, Orihime."
Orihime smiled as Ichigo walked up next to her in the hallway, "Ah, good morning Ichigo. And good morning to you too, Tatsuki."
"Likewise," Tatsuki replied.
Ichigo's brow furrowed, "What's wrong with your neck?"
She touched her neck, confused, "What do you mean?"
"What do I mean? It's bruised. Are you ok? You weren't attacked by a hollow last night, were you?"
Oh dear, Orihime thought. She must have gotten those bruises last night after Shiro had gotten...rough with her.
She laughed, "Oh this thing? yesterday when I was hanging my laundry to dry I accidentally clotheslined myself. I wasn't attacked by a hollow."
Unless you count having sex with one as being attacked. She kept that to herself.
"Well, if you say you're alright, then I believe you."
She smiled again before walking into the classroom. Ichigo watched her his brow still furrowed, "Why do I get this feeling that she was lying?" he asked Tatsuki.
"Because she was. Orihime got off of work at ten last night. She wouldn't of had enough light to hang out her laundry."
"Well why would she lie to me? I don't understand..."
"It's simple, Ichigo, she did't want you to worry."
"Well of course I'm going to worry! She's my friend and she was attacked. How else am I supposed to feel?"
"Listen Ichigo, if Orihime were in any real trouble we would have felt her spiritual pressure spike. All of us would have: You, me, Chad, Uryu...if she were really in trouble, we would have known, and we would have been there to help her in a heartbeat, but she wasn't in trouble. You have to realize, Ichigo, Orihime is a lot stronger now than she was in the past."
Ichigo frowned, "I know that..."
"Do you?"
Tatuki walked inside the classroom leaving Ichigo in the doorway with a stupid expression on his face. He was knocked back to his senses when Ms. Ochi hit him on the head with her notebook, "Are you going to keep standing there like an idiot, or are you going to take your seat, Mr. Kurosaki?"
Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry."
As he took his seat his eyes caught Orihime's who blushed lightly and turned away.
There's something you're not telling me, Orihime. And I'm going to find out what it is.
Orihime twiddled her fingers as Ms. Ochi taught the lesson. She didn't even know what the lesson was about. She was too busy thinking about other things.
What am I going to do? If Ichigo finds out his inner hollow gave me this bruise he'll be furious. If he finds out Shiro's been living with me he'll be more than upset. If he find out we've been sleeping together…
I need to tell Shiro to be gentler.
Orihime wanted to laugh. If Shiro was ever going to become gentle then a cobra would have to be born without venom. It was impossible.
Still, I can at least ask him to tone it down a little. I don't want Ichigo to have to worry about me, not when there's nothing to worry about.
Ichigo walked to Orihime's house early that evening. He had to talk to her. He didn't understand why she would lie to him. After everything they'd been through together within the past year he thought they'd be more open with each other. Did she not trust him?
Or do I not trust her?
Ichigo pondered about this. Did he trust her? Did he think that Orihime was strong enough to take care of herself now? Or would he always have this gut feeling that she would always need protecting?
As he neared her house he felt an odd reiatsu around it. It was thick, dark and heavy. His eyes widened.
I know this reiatsu…Damn it!
He used his shinigami badge and broke out into a run.
Why? Why is he here? How long has he been here?
He recalled the bruise on Orihime's neck
I'll fucking kill him
Shiro sat in Orihime's apartment, flipping through channels on the TV with a bored expression on his face. He couldn't wait until Orihime got home, there was only so much a hollow could do to keep himself entertained.
He perked up when he felt the reiatsu of his old counterpart coming rather quickly towards her home.
Ah, so he found me.
A grin stretched across his face when he felt how angry Ichigo was.
This'll be fun.
Ichigo skidded to a halt and saw him standing there, in front of her door with a smug grin on his face as if he owned the place.
"Hey, long time no see…King."
A black Getsuga Tenshou was hurled towards Shiro. He blocked it, but not before it slashed his chest, causing him to bleed. As the smoke cleared he was still giving that same smug grin to Ichigo.
"Well now, you certainly aren't going to pull any punches, are you? You've gotten stronger, Ichigo."
"Why the hell are you here?!"
"Why? You didn't think I was gone, did you?"
Another Getsuga was hurled in Shiro's direction, and this time he blocked it with a cero.
"Don't you think we should move somewhere else? We're going to draw attention."
Ichigo glared, "I'm not going anywhere until you tell what it is you're doing here."
"Orihime brought me back."
Ichigo blinked, "What?"
"I didn't stutter."
Ichigo continued to look at his former hollow with a stupid expression on his face, Shiro sighed, "I've said this before and I'll say it again: It never ceases to amaze me how brainless you can be."
"She came to school today with a bruise on her neck. How long have you been hurting her?"
"Hurting her? I'll admit I can get a little rough with her in the bedroom but I mean no harm, honestly."
There was silence before Ichigo's reiatsu spiked.
"I. Am. Going. To. Kill. You."
"Thank you, come again!" Orihime said as she gave the customer their bread.
Just a few more hours and I'll be able to go ho-
The clashing of two very powerful reiatsus was coming in the direction of her apartment.
Oh no!
"Ms. Inoue, where are you going?!" her employer called after her as she broke out into a run away from the shop.
Please, don't do anything stupid you two.
She arrived and saw them fighting in the air above her, black and red clashing in the sky.
"Santen Kesshun!"
An orange shield stood between Ichigo and Shiro, stopping their fight. Ichigo looked at her in shock, "Orihime…"
"Please stop, Ichigo!"
Ichigo came and stood before her while Shiro stood behind her, "Orihime, why is he here? Why was he at your house? He said you brought him back"
Orihime bit her lip. She didn't want to tell Ichigo. Not like this anyways.
She jumped as Shiro placed his hands on her shoulders, "Tell him princess. Tell him the truth."
"Don't. Touch. Her."
"Calm down, Ichigo. Shiro's right. I did bring him back."
She explained everything that had happened: taking a shard from his mask after the fight with Ulquiorra; finding it again months later, and talking in her sleep, thus bringing his hollow back.
"So, bringing him back was an accident?"
"Yes." Shiro's grip on her shoulder tightened, "But I wouldn't get rid of him."
"Why not, he's dangerous!"
"I know he is."
"No, you don't know. Listen Orihime, he-"
"No, you listen!"
Ichigo was taken aback. Orihime had never talked back to anyone before.
"Ichigo, I know better than anyone what it's like to be a prisoner; to be trapped and helpless, knowing I can't do anything about it. I know the fear of being locked again. If that ever happens to me again, I might go mad. Shiro…he was trapped inside your mind for such a long time. He was a prisoner. Please don't send him back there. Don't take away his freedom. He can't be accepted if you keep him trapped. Besides…he needs me."
"He needs you?"
Orihime nodded.
"But he- he hurt you…"
She shrugged, "He's a hollow. He doesn't mean it though, I promise."
There was silence between the three of them before Ichigo finally spoke, "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
"Well, if you're sure, then I'll stand behind you." He pointed his sword at Shiro, "You're another story. If I ever find out that you hurt her on purpose then I will kill you."
He walked away and Shiro wrapped his arms around Orihime, "The person you've been in love with for a year is walking away."
"I know."
"And?"
She smiled, "I think I've found a better replacement."
Author's Note
Here it is! The sequel to "Don't Take Me Away"
Again this two part story was a collab with Child of the Ashes. she gave me a picture for my birthday and I wrote a story for her! Though the story didn't really mirror the picture at all...*shrug* Oh well.
i'm not sure if I like the ending :/
Reviews make me smile!
Take care and God bless,
Rose
