AN: Last chapter folks! Yes, I know – but after some discussion with my beta reader I decided that the story threads I have left to tie up will need their own story. So you guys get a sequel! Besides, I think you guys will like this chapter…

EDIT: June, 2016 - I'm sorry to say that the sequel hasn't happened, and I don't see it happening in the future. Real life and other projects have been crazy, and I just don't have the time or energy to embark on something of this magnitude again for Bleach. I hope you find this finale fulfilling, and if you ever want to hear a few details of what was planned for the sequel, or more about Tatsuki and Orihime's planned arc, you're welcome to drop me a line here. (I'm also squireofgeekdom on AO3, if you want to see some of my other, much shorter, projects for other fandoms) Again, thank you all so much, you guys have been great and I'm sorry to not be able to bring you a sequel.

Thanks for all of you who have stuck with this long ride. I appreciate all of your support. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Uryu is back at school the next day.
They don't talk.

"Ishida."
He looks around. It is Arisawa Tatsuki.
The universe, he is sure, is delighting in endlessly tormenting him.
"Arisawa-san,"
She settles herself on top of the desk beside him, where he is taking lunch by himself. It has become his habit in the past few weeks.
"How can I help you?" He asks stiffly.
"I wanted," She stops, swallows, different expressions flickering across her face. "I wanted to thank you."
This is perhaps the last thing he ever expected to hear out of Arisawa's mouth. He fiddles with his utensils. "I - I have done nothing that requires your thanks."
"You stayed."
When he looks up at her, her face is schooled into an impassive expression, a warrior's mask, but the muscles around her eyes are tight. "Orihime... she's told me a bit about what happened. You could have taken Ichigo and ran, at any time, and left her behind. But you didn't."
"Of course not," He tells her, an unimportant placeholder. She continues.
"She's told me about Soul Society too. You protected her there. You protected her when I didn't." In her face, Ishida sees a reflection of all the self loathing he has ever felt. "And I will never, never stop owing you for that."
There is a moment of silence, where she stares down at the desk. "I misjudged you." And she looks up and meets his eyes. "You're a good person."
He turns away. "What I did - I - I didn't do it for selfless reasons."
"Wanting him to be happy isn't selfish, Ishida." She insists, and when he tilts his head slightly to look at her she meets his eyes, arms folded across her chest. "I'd know. I've felt the same way."
He stares back down and shakes his head. "It's not the same. Besides," He reminds himself. "I'm the last person who'd make him happy."
"Oh please," She snorts with such derision that it forces him to look up. "Don't be so arrogant. Don't you think he can decide that for himself?" She glares at him. "Besides, he's grumpy enough now, and when Ichigo's unhappy Orihime's unhappy, and quite frankly I don't like it when Orihime's unhappy. So for god's sakes quit feeling sorry for yourself and fix this, you hear me?" She glares at him, before turning around.
Tatsuki pauses in the doorframe, and when she speaks her voice is slightly more level. "Not everything is about what you think you deserve, Uryu."
And she leaves him at the desk, to bury his head in his arms.

In the end, that's not what breaks him.
What breaks him is this:
Ichigo surrounded by his friends, sitting on the desks before class. Their laughter fills up the room, chatting, happy, and Uryu is secure in the knowledge that they don't need -
And then Ichigo turns his head, just slightly, mouth open, like he was going to say something, something to someone who wasn't there. He shuts it again quickly, and for just a second he looks -
miserable - lost - angry - despairing -
Oh, hell.

However, he is, of course, Ishida Uryu, and if he is going to do this, he is going to do it properly.
He puts his other projects on hold and starts drawing.
The design comes easily, the fabric, less so, but he takes the hit to his pocketbook with equanimity.
It was bigger than his usual designs, and more intricate, but that was how it should be. (Who needs sleep, anyway?)
Finally, it is finished.
And he waits.
He waits for nearly a week until he finds the right opportunity.

Ichigo grimaces as his notes scatter all over the floor.
"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime looks over the desk at the mess.
"You guys go ahead," He tells her. "I'll catch up in a sec."
He hunches over to gather up the papers. By the time they are all back in his bag, the room is empty.
He stands up.
"Oh, good."
He almost jumps at the voice.
Ishida's head is poking around the edge of the door. "You'll do. Come on."
"What?" He asks, but Ishida has disappeared. He jogs after him. "Ishida, what the hell is going on?"
"It'll only take a second. Hurry up."
"But what -?" They finally arrive at the door of the arts classroom, Ishida pushes it open.
He stares around for a second while Ishida strides over to a mannequin draped in a long black coat. "Here," He tells him, pulling the coat off and holding it out to Ichigo. "I need someone to try this on so I can see if I've hemmed it properly. You'll do."
"I'm not a fashion model, Ishida," Ichigo snaps.
Ishida opens his mouth, closes it, and then simply says. "Ichigo."
He takes the coat. As he looks closer, he sees the long red cross emblazoned across the front. Typical Quincy.
The dark red lining throws him for a moment, though, and it takes him a second to realize what it reminds him of. It looks just like my Bankai coat.
Uryu is staring at him as he fastens up the front of the coat, and Ichigo is sure he is missing something, because last he checked Uryu didn't make coats modeled after his Bankai or ask him to try clothing on or even talk to him.
He fidgets after he fixes the last fastener, finally resolving his anxiety by shoving his hands in the deep pockets.
His right hand runs into something hard.
Ishida is pacing around him, looking intently at seams. Ichigo pulls out the lump from his pocket.
It is a chocolate.
His favorite.
He looks up at Uryu. His face is turned down, but he is blushing.
Everything clicks.
"You like me?"
Uryu looks up at him, then back down. He adjusts his glasses.
That's a good enough answer.
"You like me!" Ichigo crows with laughter, jabbing a finger at Uryu. "After all your bullshit -"
"Yes, well,"
"You actually like me! Hah!"
"Could you please -"
"Ishida Uryu."
"For god's sakes, Kurosaki,"
"likes,"
"You're acting like a moron, Kurosaki."
"Me!"
"Oh, shut up."
"Nah-uh. You like me too much."
"Will you give it a rest?"
"You like me!"
"Shut up!"
And then Uryu has grabbed him by the front of his coat and his glasses are knocking against the bridge of his nose, and his brain short circuits for a second because Ishida Uryu is kissing him.
And he puts his hands on his back and tilts his head so their noses aren't running into each other and opens his eyes -
"Rukia! Give me that camera!"

fin