Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach in anyway but am inspired by the work created by Tite Kubo
Waking Up – Chapter 11 – "Seek and Ye Shall Find"
When Ichigo got home that night following the hollow fight he couldn't sleep because he kept thinking about Orihime and how far she had come in her fighting skills. He knew that hadn't come out of nowhere, she had to be training at least to some degree. And from the skill with which she yielded her Shun Shun Rikka he had to think she'd been training A LOT. But where would she be able to do that without attracting attention? He knew he was not good with sensing reiatsu but even he should have been able to tell something was up if she were practicing anywhere near home.
"I know I've been busy with work (when it's available) and hollows and stuff with the girls but it really seems odd I didn't even sense this from Orihime," though Ichigo as he continued dwelling on her.
"Oi, King! If the princess is occupying so much of your mind maybe you should go and see her again," his Hollow encouraged, almost seeming as if were bouncing up and down, a very funny image to Ichigo actually, but he shook his head.
"It's too late, she's probably already asleep, plus I don't want to look creepy going back again," he answered the voice in his soul.
"Who cares about creepy?! Let's go see the princess!" his hollow insisted.
"Will you shut up?! I'm not going back over there, I'll just talk to her tomorrow," he retorted violently and then rolled over determined to shut out the problematic Hollow and get some much needed sleep. Although he thankfully did not have to wake up early the next day he was still tired and wanted some rest.
The next day Ichigo decided to drop by Orihime's to catch up with her. During his musings of the night he realized that he hadn't really talked that much with her one on one in the past couple months. Sure, they all four saw each other from time to time, either going out to dinner, movies or just hanging out to catch up but he was having a hard time recalling the last time he and Orihime had been together just the two of them. "I think it was that night when I asked her about Hueco Mundo," he said aloud as he walked towards her apartment. He climbed the stairs, knocked and waited. He waited another beat and then knocked again. "Huh, she must not be home," he thought, although where she could be on a Saturday he wasn't sure. From what he remembered she was working a Monday-Friday job now so she should have the weekend off. "Of course, she might be running errands," he thought as he turned and headed back down the stairs.
Standing on the sidewalk he was suddenly at a loss of what to do. He had come here really hoping to speak to her and was surprised at how disappointed he felt. Normally he would have just shrugged it off and tried another time but for some reason he was irked that he couldn't locate her. "Maybe I'll try my hand at searching for her reiatsu, heck maybe even her reiraku. I hate to admit it but I don't really practice that enough," he thought as he quieted his mind and reached out with his reiryoki to see if he could do it. It would be an interesting exercise if nothing else. He knew what she felt like, they'd been around each other and in battle enough together for him to have a clear picture of what he was looking for. As he focused he began to notice spirit ribbons appear around him slowly and put his finger out gently to feel them. He wasn't sure if hers would even be within his proximity so he walked down the street further, heading towards the markets in case that was where she went. He kept walking, keeping his arm and fingers out just enough so he could brush by the ribbons.
Suddenly he felt her; it was like a shock of cool water to his senses but warmed him at the same time. He focused his attention greater and noticed a ribbon that had a slight yellow tint to it. Carefully he touched it again and knew beyond doubt he'd found Orihime's spirit ribbon. His eyes went up and followed it as it whirled in the sky, almost dancing. He smirked, "hers would look like sunshine and dancing," he thought and then quickly wondered where that thought came from. Shaking his head again he flash stepped up to the roof of a building that her ribbon was floating near and follow it along the horizon until he saw it dip down again far on the outer reaches of Karakura Town. Frowning slightly he wondered what on earth she would be doing all the way out there. Just as he was debating if he should really follow her he noticed the ribbon begin to glow fiercely. It made him gasp and he stared at it for a moment more before using his shunpo skills to hurry him toward where she was. If her spirit ribbon was glowing it meant she was under some kind of pressure, although what he couldn't tell. He just felt he needed to get to her.
Moving faster and faster he finally found the end of the trail as it led him to an abandon building. He didn't hear anything at first but then suddenly Orihime's voice shouted, "Koten Zanshun, Santen Kesshun!" He lost all control of thought and tore into the building with every belief that he would find her in distress since she loosed her offense and defense simultaneously. When he rounded the corner he was amazed to find her apparently alone, the danger either already dissipated or non-existent. He just couldn't tell in his heated frame of mind.
She turned at his entrance and uttered a gasp of surprise, clutching her hands to her chest.
"Kurosaki-kun you startled me!" she said with exhaled breath and bent forward to catch it again.
"Sorry Inoue, I thought you were in trouble," he replied as he made his way to her.
She righted herself and smiled sweetly. "No, I'm fine, just a little spooked because I heard you run around the corner and thought it might be the aliens or ghosties looking for me," she said laughing.
He chuckled at her over active imagination and stopped walking a few feet away from her. It was silent between them before she asked, "Kurosaki-kun, not that I am not glad to see you, but what are you doing all the way out here?"
He blushed suddenly, realizing that he really had no excuse for being where he was. He couldn't say he had just been in the neighborhood (although earlier he had been) and was loath to admit to her that he'd followed her spirit ribbon. Judging by her surroundings she had come here for what he could only suppose would be the purpose of being alone and here he was barging in on her (creepy) sanctuary. He rubbed the back of his neck and all but mumbled, "Um, well….you see.. I" but couldn't think of a viable excuse to get him out of his embarrassment.
Orihime just stood watching him, her head cocked to one side and wondering what was wrong with him.
Finally, when it became clear he was not going to be let off the hook, Ichigo answered, "I, uh, I went to your apartment because I wanted to talk to you but when you weren't there I…well…I got sort of worried so…."he couldn't keep eye contact with her as the next phrase left his mouth, "I…um…followed your spirit ribbon here."
Orihime was shocked to say the least. Ichigo had never been particularly adept with anything to do with spirit pressure or ribbons, he mostly just HAD a lot of pressure, power etc to use. So for him to have done this was surprising, so much so that Orihime simply could not be mad at him, although following a spirit ribbon could be seen as a breach of privacy. She still hadn't responded and heard him say, "Look, I'm sorry Inoue, obviously you came here to be by yourself, although why you would pick a creepy place like this is beyond me. I didn't mean to intrude."
She shook herself out of her shock and replied, "Uh..no no..it's fine, I was just surprised is all." She didn't go further and the silence returned for a moment.
Breaking it Ichigo asked "So, what ARE you doing out here?"
She sighed and thought, "Well, he had to find out eventually and my little performance last night I am sure stirred his curiosity." She squared her shoulders, not entirely sure why she felt she had to brace herself before replying, "I was training."
He raised one eyebrow slightly (and she hated how cute he looked when he did that) but didn't say anything. It was obvious he'd figured out there was a lot more to that sentence and so he waited for her to continue.
"And," she did continue, "I've been training at in the underground with Yoruichi-sensai for the past couple of months. She's training me in the offensive arts."
Now she knew why she'd braced herself as he exclaimed, "WHAT?! Why? Did something happen, were you in trouble? Why didn't you come to me?!"
He wasn't exactly angry but the vehemence of his reaction did startle her and Orihime surprised herself by not backing down from him as she would have done in the past. "I guess it's not just my physical training coming in handy right now," she thought as she looked at the man in front of her.
She knew she shouldn't be angry at him, not really, after all she knew it was his nature to always be the protector, to save anyone from being inconvenienced or hurt that he could. He bore so much on his shoulders she was amazed he didn't crumple. But she realized she was angry and couldn't hold back her response.
"Did something happen? Are you really asking me that question?" shot out of her mouth before she had time to realize her voice or her tone, both of which looked as if they had physically struck him he jerked back to hard. "Kurosaki-kun, where do I begin?!"
He just stood looking at her dumbfounded as she continued, "What happened was months ago I was kidnapped! I was taken away from my friends, my family, and tortured body and soul. I was labeled a traitor, I watched you die and then come back as a Hollow and almost kill everyone! All because I was too weak to protect myself! I put those I hold most dear in peril because I was so damn weak!" Her voice echoed off the concrete walls and sounded bigger than it ever had in her whole life. She was shaking and trying to reign in her emotions but they were raging. It was like the flood gates had opened again and she couldn't stem the tide.
"I had been wallowing in self hate and doubt for so long, most of my life in fact, and most of it was my fault, I know because I constantly put myself down as much as others did until I believed I wasn't worth the air I breath! It amplified because of what happened with Hueco Mundo, with Aizen, with all of that!"
He still hadn't responded, couldn't respond, so utterly transfixed on the woman in front of him. He was seeing an entirely different Orihime Inoue from the one he'd known for so long.
"So," she continued finally able to make her voice lower, if not exactly calmer, "I made a decision after you asked me about Hueco Mundo all those months ago that I would try to find help. More so, that I would help myself…"she trailed off, tears fighting their way to her eyes. She desperately didn't want to cry, not in front of him, not saying the things she was but she couldn't stop. "I…"she inhaled a ragged breath as her tears starting flowing, "I went to Yoruichi-sensai and asked if we could talk. I just didn't feel I could talk to you boys. You're all so wonderful and caring and kind to me but I just didn't feel you could handle what I needed to share. So I went to her and told her everything. She held me while I cried myself to sleep more times than I can count. She was there to be my comfort and I am so grateful. Then, once I was done crying, I asked her to train me so that I would never again be in a position where I could not defend myself and put my loved ones in danger if I could help it."
She stopped, unable to continue or hold herself up and she started falling down, her knees nearing the hard ground beneath her. Her decent was what got Ichigo to move and he quickly caught her in his arms and held her to himself tightly, his eyes starting to sting with tears of his own. He knew, didn't he? He knew that she was so much more broken by what had happened and yet he'd kept his distance. She probably hated him, probably thought he was the worst friend in the entire world, which of course, he thought too. He continued to hold her as sob after sob wracked her body and she shook against his strong form with her arms bent and resting against his chest. He knew there was nothing he could say so he just held her until she sobs diminished and her breathing came easier. When it seemed as though the worst of the tempest had past he slowly pulled her away so he could look in her eyes. They were red and swollen from the violence of her grief and tore at his heart. He brushed some hair from her face and softly said, "Inoue, I am so, so sorry." He knew he should elaborate, there must be more to say that than but for the life of him he had no more words. His apology brought more tears from her and she finally hugged him back, clinging to him tightly as she cried again, softer this time but still crying.
After this second flow of tears she pushed back from him slightly in order to inhale a long, deep breath and looked him in the eyes again. "I'm so sorry, you didn't.." she began but he put a finger on her lips stilling her voice and causing her eyes to widen.
"Inoue, you owe me no apology, you owe me nothing. I owe you everything because you're the one who brought me back from the dead and from the brink of destruction. And how did I repay you? By being an insensitive ass. Can you ever forgive me for being such a terrible friend?"
She inhaled sharply at his apology, the warmth in his eyes overwhelming her and she shuttered.
"Yes, of course, Kurosaki-kun," she answered in barely above a whisper.
They stood there a moment longer looking at each other before he took another step back so she could really get some air.
"Now, I think it would be a good idea to get you home for some food, tea and rest, what do you think?" he asked smiling slightly but sadly.
She nodded and without another word he gathered her up in his arms and flash stepped all the way back to her home.
Upon arrival she opened the door and he followed her in. "Sit, I will make you food and tea, you need to rest," he said walking towards the kitchen. For once, she was too tired to argue with him, although she hated putting people out of their way for her sake.
She collapsed on the couch and was almost asleep by the time Ichigo even started making her a small meal. When he came out to give it to her he saw she was lying on the couch completely asleep. He looked down at her with sadness in his eyes and debated waking her to eat. Deciding against it he bent down, picked her up and carried her to her room. She stirred only slightly but remained fully asleep.
He bent down and flung back the covers on her futon before gently laying her down and then covering her up. She would just have to sleep in her clothes but he figured she wouldn't care. He looked at her finally resting peacefully and was surprised at his hesitance to leave her side. Deciding it was just pent up emotions from her outburst he went into the living room and flung his back onto the couch. "Maybe I'll just stay a little while to make sure she's really ok," he thought but before long his own eyes had closed and he was fast asleep.