Touch
2nd Title: Unspeakable words
Word count: 300 words
Rating: K+
Spoilers for Chapter 190 +
Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him? Chuang Tzu
There are just some words he just cannot say.
"Unbelievable!" you may shriek for Kurosaki Ichigo's mouth is much more legendary that his bite.
But so it is.
One of the words he just cannot say is love. Not the name. The word. For some reason it began to haunt him in silent awkwardness when he was 13. Ever since his sisters started reading shoujo manga (such as the awkwardly cute Furuba), Ichigo has stayed well clear of that word in case of infection.
But what he finds very unusual about words is the way they seemed to disappear when it came to Inoue Orihime.
For one thing, "Thanks Inoue" is all he can offer when she cheers him on. Even when she muses eloquently about her wish to protect him (something he finds very sweet but cannot find words to reflect this notion) he has nothing to say but "Thanks Inoue."
The words remain lame in his mouth.
When she's brutally injured, his eyes speak for him and even then to say something other than an apology is something even he cannot do. Only after Rukia appears setting him straight can he face her again the vows spewing over from his mouth like an entangled vow or prophesy.
Even after that, he cannot even look at her (let alone speak) after his disastrous run in with Grimmjaw, another failure added to an even more expanding list. She remains useful, saving Rukia and the others, where he sees himself fade into the background like a forgotten leaf in autumn.
Afterwards, when Orihime kneels over, healing him once again, secretly adoring him once again, he still cannot find those words.
But to see her eyes gazing down at him, with compassion, respect, joy is something much more valid and meaningful than his quest to find them.
Perhaps, Rukia offers The word "love" had something to do with it.