Title: Courting Darkness

Authorial Notice:

Ah! I'm officially back! And you guys thought I'd forgot about this story.

Well, be sure to go visit akito kyo and thank her for this chapter, seeing as she gave me the encouragement necessary to put it out. So thanks for that, Akito-chan!

Chapter Eleven

The day after Lady Shihōin arrived, Orihime stood rubbing her arms, watching Ichigo and Yoruichi stroll through the garden from the window of her library.

She had no idea what to feel about the castle's newest guest.

Lady Shihōin was as overwhelming as a force of nature. She was… Orihime didn't have the words. Unpredictable, sprung to mind. Shocking. That didn't seem sufficient. The woman alternated between ogling their host and making comments Orihime was certain were only intended to cause her audience the most possible discomfort.

And there were times, she would swear the woman was laughing at them with her eyes. If that weren't enough, she even flirted shamelessly with Ichigo's father, causing Ichigo to develop a strange tick over his eye every time his father entered a room.

Never the less, even though Orihime had been determined to avoid them, Lady Yoruichi had taken a liking to her for no explainable reason. She insisted Orihime accompany them everywhere, although Orihime would have liked nothing better than to hide in her room for the duration of the Lady's visit.

That was how she found herself pacing the library, the long sleeves of her silver-violet kimono stirring up dust, as she fought not to spy on the unsuspecting couple below. It made her stomach queasy to see them together and she hated herself for feeling that way. She had known this was coming. So why had it still caught her so unprepared?

There was no use being upset now.

She paused by the window, seeing Lady Shihōin link her arm through Ichigo's, leaning on him heavily.

Orihime felt her lip tremble as a terrible weight clenched her chest. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to be ill as she turned away with a hand pressed to her middle. It took several deep breaths before she was certain she wouldn't swoon.

A shuddering sigh escaped and she bit her lip.

"Don't, Orihime. Don't cry again. He… He wants a great lady, not some half grown, cast-off with too many secrets. You were fooling yourself…"

Turning her back to the window, Orihime forced herself to take several steps away. She sighed, picking up a book and dusting it off.

How had she gotten into such a terrible mess? Why hadn't she just left when she found out where Ururu and Jinta were being kept?

Orihime sniffed, feeling her tears ease. That was exactly what she should do. Leave while Ichigo was preoccupied with his fiancée. He would have a hard time catching her with Lady Yoruichi still appended to one arm.

"Oh!"

Orihime shook the ugly thoughts away.

Moping wouldn't do any good. She needed to think about something else. Maybe she could go find Tatsuki or Ichigo's sisters. But that would mean leaving the library and the place had practically become her sanctuary.

She looked around, her eyes falling on a table in disarray with dusty books. She began to stack them, blowing away dust to expose titles and covers that hadn't seen the light in years, when footsteps began to sound in the hall.

Her heart faltered for a moment, before she realized it was only one set of feet, and therefore could hardly be Yoruichi come to find her out. Still… They sounded familiar—

She squeaked as it occurred to her exactly whom those steps belonged to. Whirling, she looked for a place to hide, but it was already too late as the door opened at her back and she stiffened. Her knuckles turned white on the thick leather volume in her hands.

The footsteps paused and she could feel that molten hot gaze on her back though five layers of silk.

He took a step and the book slipped through her fingers, the thump and flutter of pages echoing through the otherwise silent room. Orihime swallowed, staring at the fallen article, willing her body to bend to retrieve it when the steps came closer and a long, tanned arm stretched into her field of vision and picked it up.

Ichigo flipped the book over in his hands before holding it out so she could take it.

"T-Thank you."

She didn't look up, frightened of what she was certain to see in his eyes. Instead, she stepped away, putting distance where it was definitely needed.

"Yoruichi is looking for you."

Mouth falling open, she barely stopped herself from spinning to face him. Pain, hot and sharp lanced through her and she fisted her empty hand into her Kimono.

Carefully and with measure deliberateness, she sat the book onto its stack, pulling her hand back quickly when she noticed its shaking.

"A—" Her throat closed and she had to try again. "A gentleman does not address a lady without a title."

Ichigo stepped around the table and into her line of sight, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he studied a shelf of books.

"So? Wasn't it you that said guest's wishes were always followed?"

"She… She asked you to call her that?"

She allowed her gaze to settle on Ichigo's pleased expression and the floor felt as if it had dropped from beneath her. Lips trembling, she clenched her hands at her side. She thought of how he had bowed and scraped before the woman. How he'd listened to such an improper suggestion and thrown everything Orihime had taught him out the window before the end of the second day.

Hot tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "H-How could you fawn over that a-awful woman?"

Ichigo blinked before his agreeable demeanor vanished.

"Fawn?" He narrowed his eyes and turned, stalking her around the table. "You were the one who said for me to be agreeable. You were the one who said never contradict a lady. Did you or did you not tell me not to contradict Lady Shihōin?"

"About inconsequential things…"

Orihime stumbled back a step, keeping the table between them, aware of his temper, but too hurt not to snap back.

"I didn't say you should abandon all propriety! And you certainly don't have to support the indecent nature of a person with so little modesty or sensitivity."

The tears were close now, moments from falling and she turned away so that he wouldn't have the pleasure of seeing it. Without warning, Ichigo took a step that put him very close to her.

He spoke softly.

"Aww… Hime, you're jealous."

Orihime spun, hearing that quiet, menacing note in his voice. Hichigo was back.

"W-What?"

The endearment was clearly meant to pacify her, but instead it muddled her mind, making it difficult to think clearly. Her tongue refused to form any other words.

Lowering his chin, he lifted his gaze to her burning face.

Orihime felt herself grow warm, then cold. Ice tickled her spine. The smoke from the lowest circle of hell couldn't have been as hot or as dark as those eyes. In his expression was written a contract with pagans and demons. Orihime found it hard not to back down from that stare.

She twisted away and he laughed softly, reaching up to run a knuckle down the tender hair on the nape of her neck.

"It's all right."

Shivers wracked her, but she couldn't move away. "I…I…I'm not jealous."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, because she couldn't catch her breath, but Hichigo grinned. She could feel it. He was getting closer, warmth permeating through her clothing to scorch the skin of her back. His breath tickled her ear—

No.

She whirled, staggered out of his reach and what she saw made her belly cinch. His gaze held all the fierce desire of ravenous tiger, and it was fixed in its entirety, on her.

Why? Why was he doing this?

Orihime bolted for the door, sight blurred by tears.

She couldn't do it. She was so weak right now, not herself. There was no way she could face Hichigo down in such a state.

Orihime wrenched open the door and flew down the hall, taking stairs as fast as her feet would rise and fall. She had to get away. She couldn't do this any longer. It was torture. Promise or not, love or not, she couldn't stay another second.

She listened for the sounds of pursuit, but heard nothing and relaxed slightly as the hall leading to her rooms came into sight. Slowing, she looked around to make sure she hadn't been seen running at such an undignified pace before deciding she didn't care. In half an hour, it wouldn't matter anyway. She would be gone from here, gone from Ichigo. Forever.

Hands latched onto her from behind and she drew in a breath to scream right before a palm closed over her mouth. His scent filled her nose and she didn't have to wonder who it was as she was unceremoniously hauled into the room beside hers.

The door slammed shut behind them.

As soon as she was released, Orihime turned to face Hichigo at his worst.

The room seemed to grow dark, as if great thunderclouds had formed his escort and darkened the light from the windows. When his chin lowered and he directed that Hichigo stare at her, Orihime's tears dried in her eyes. It held jungle heat and arctic chill at the same time. And if the effort took ten years off her life, she wasn't going to allow him to intimidate her.

"Leaving again?" He eased nearer with that unconscious grace that marked all his movements. His head tilted to the side and he considered her. "I got some information about the night you disappeared."

She hadn't expected that. Her eyes widened and she searched for something to do so that she wouldn't be forced to look at him. There was a table to her left and she moved to sit at it while she scrambled for her bearings. Hichigo stalked behind her, following without sound. He leaned over her, one palm placed on the table as she avoided his gaze.

"A girl was killed, a girl named Hinamori. Did you know her?"

Orihime shook her head, long tresses jostling over her shoulders. She stared at her lap, refusing to look up and Hichigo leaned closer, voice deceptively soft.

"She was stabbed then left to bleed out in the street. She was a prostitute. A thirteen year old girl. There was blood everywhere—"

"Please. Please, Don't..." She squeezed her eyes shut to block her memories of Hinamori Momo, fingers gripping her skirt hard enough to bend her nails back. "That poor child..."

"Thought you didn't know her."

Her eyes flew open and she cried out when his hand hit the table beside her.

"Who did you see?"

"No… I won't tell you."

She gasped as Ichigo grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the chair to face him.

"Whoever he is, he'll hunt you down. Do you understand? A man that kills a thirteen year old girl is a monster. Do you want that to be you? America won't be far enough."

"He won't know I've gone there."

She winced as he tightened his grip.

"You're not leaving until you tell me."

"I-Ichigo, you're hurting me."

He cursed and released her so quickly she fell into the chair.

"I won't let you go."

"You'll have to…"

He leaned down and tilted up her chin until she was forced to meet his eyes, and she didn't understand why his voice went soft. "I never lose, Hime."

Once again, the endearment sent butterflies soaring through her stomach. "You will this time."

The light in his eyes was entrancing.

"What makes you think so?"

"Because, Lady Shihōin is going to accept your marriage proposal."

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.

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A/N

Short, but I had to stop there because it was getting too long with the next part. Good news, I have most of the next part all planned out. Yay!

Now, please be sure to do that thing you all do so well and let me know what you think about where the story is headed. Thanks!