Chapter 14: Wanting and wasting time

As time went by both Shunsui and Orihime began increasingly busy. He with more paperwork (really one of these days he was just going to take a match to it all) and her with responsibilities at the fourth.

Even with the time apart his feelings for her kept deepening and he missed her. Not just because of th sex, despite what Rangiku and Nanao may have believed, but because of her peaceful and serene presence, her kindness and her laugh. Sighing he laid his head on his desk muttering into the wood, "I really am a fool in love."

Listening at the door way was Nanao and smirking her laughed out, "So tell her already."

Looking up at her he sighed out, "Easier said than done. You are a brilliant lieutenant my niece, but not very good at understanding the heart or timing.

Nanao simply snorted and shook her head. "Neither are you or you would have told her by now. Apparently she is seeing someone."

Shunsui felt his heart momentarily stop before it was beating a crescendo of fury. His reiatsu spiked violently as he slammed his fists on the table sending papers flying this way and that. Watching him Nanao kept a straight face but internally she was laughing her ass off.

"What do you mean she is seeing someone else?" Shunsui's voice held dangerous promises of pain to whoever's name she spoke.

Nanao just shrugged, proceeding to kneel down and pick up the paperwork as she responded calmly, keeping her breathing even despite the overwhelming pressure he was exerting around them, "Apparently someone from the eleventh division asked her out today. I saw them heading out to eat."

Shunsui moved past her and he growled out, "I am gonna gut the bastard for touching my Orihime."

After he left Nanao allowed herself a laugh as she set the paperwork back on his desk. Silently following her irate and jealous captain she thought, "I am glad Rangiku has back up help in case my idiot captain really loses it."

The day Rangiku had tricked Orihime into confirming her true feelings about Shunsui she had joined the fourth division and found herself busy ever since. She worked hard to prove herself working from sun up to sun down only stopping to sleep which left no time for her to see Shunsui. It had been almost a month since their last encounter and she'd hadn't even seen him, much less had opportunity to speak with him privately.

Now, as she was enjoying a few minutes break in between patients, Ikkaku Madarame walked up to her, a nervous smile on his face.

Returning the smile Orihime asked, "Hello Lieutenant Madarame, was there something else you needed?" She had just finished healing him not too long before he appeared. Scratching his bald head he said, "Um, no…well…yes there is something…I um, I wanted to see you'd like to go out to eat with me?"

Orihime's knee jerk response was to say no as she had to so many other requests made by the male members of her's and other squads when they asked her out. But she didn't have the heart to do this to Ikkaku. She knew him fairly well, plus he'd rescued and protected her, well he and Yumichika did during their rescue mission to save Rukia. Stifling a yawn she replied, "Sure, when?"

Momentarily surprised she agreed Ikkaku paused but then remembered to answer, "Now if you like. I am free from Yumi since he got stuck watching Yachiru. And since my Captain is busy with the rest of the squad members now would be perfect."

Orihime smiled, "Great. Let's go."

Soon Orihime and Ikkaku were laughing till there were tears in their eyes, him telling her stories about the new recruits getting their first tastes of being under captain Zaraki and her telling him stories of things everyone did back in the world of the living when she was alive.

It was in the midst of this happiness Orihime realized she'd forgotten about Shunsui momentarily and instantly felt guilt. Was she betraying him by being with Ikkaku? Internally shaking her head Orihime admonished herself, "Ikkaku is just a friend. Plus Shunsui-kun has been really busy too, just like me." But the longer she let her thoughts dwell on the head captain the darker they became. Despite her having told him they shouldn't see each other she found herself wishing he had at least tried a little hard to break her of that opinion. "Who knows? Despite what Rangiku said maybe he really has moved on. Who knows what, or who he's doing now?"

This last thought caused her to grip the cloth napkin in her lap so tight her knuckles started turning white. Ikkaku noticed the change in her demeanor almost immediately. Moving slowly he gently took her hand in his asking, "I didn't upset you did I?"

Orihime shook her head violenty, "Nope not at all. Just thinking is all."

Ikkaku snickered, "Well stop thinking and just enjoy. Too much thinking will give you a headache. And wrinkles."

Orihime raised an eyebrow. "And wrinkles? That doesn't sound like you Ikkaku-kun."

Ikkaku laughed, "Nope not me, Yumi."

"Yep that explains it."

Looking at her with a slightly more serious expression he offered, "You can talk about it if you want, I swear not to tell anyone, ok?"

Orihime's shoulder heaved up as she took a deep breath, deciding it was probably a good idea to let some of this out, "I love someone, but I'm scared to tell him. Plus I don't know if he even wants anything else to do with me. I mean, I know we've both been really busy, but he hasn't even attempted to come talk to me. I think he's moved on."

Ikkaku smiled, patting the hand still held in his, "I doubt he'd move on from you Orihime-chan. You're an amazing woman. Also you said he's busy and you've been busy. Neither of you have had time. Now stop worrying. Come on, let's go back to the eleventh, Yumi and Yachiru would love to see you."

As they walked to his division Ikkaku groaned to himself, "What was I thinking helping them with this?! I am going to kill those two harpies I swear. I don't care if one of them IS the head captain's niece, though she is pretty. They roped me into this and for what? To set the head captain off to finally confront her? If he can't see how amazing she is, he doesn't deserve her! Any man with eyes can see she is a perfect woman, a perfect soul. I am so gonna die for this when he finds out. If I somehow survive this those two are gonna pay."