Ishida could hardly concentrate on the work he was assigned to do (designs for a celebrity birthday party. Joy.) Lucky him, they had called 5 months before, so his day of distracted slacking didn't affect the project too much.
Once 2:30 rolled around, he walked the block to the bus stop and hopped a bus to the cafe. Nervously loosening his tie and slinging his backpack over his shoulder, he walked into Tasuku's Coffee Shop, the tinkle of a bell announing his arrival.
"Oi, Ishida!" Rukia called over the loudness of the full cafe (it was its busiest hour). "Over here!"
Ishida dodged waitresses and waiters carrying hot mugs of coffee and cold frappacinos and sat down on the opposite side of Rukia. He tried to not let his eyes stray to the stunning woman beside the grinning, raven-haired Shinigami but his lack of will won out. She wore a modest length brown skirt with a V-neck white shirt. She had a warm-looking brown sweater that was a few shades lighter than the skirt, and a pink scarf hanging loosely on her shoulders. Her hair was as glossy and long as ever. Her eyes sparkled in the light of the open-windowed cafe.
Orihime caught him looking as she blushed and turned away. Ishida turned red too and hastily pushed up his glasses to cover up the awkward moment. "H-Hey Kuchiki-san, Inoue-san. What's up?"
Rukia waved over a waitress for Ishida. The happy brunette quickly scribbed down his order for his half-and-half coffee and wove her way to the kitchen to place the order.
Rukia turned more serious as she turned to face her friend and the Quincy. "I need to talk to you to about something."
Her tone worried Ishida. Did she know about their kiss? Did Renji tell her? Did she tell anyone? Did she tell Ichigo??
Orihime must have caught Ishida's momentarily worried look, because her eyebrows furrowed and her happy smile faded. "About what, Kuchiki-san?" She asked, her voice barely concealing the guilt behind it all.
"About you two kissin'." a gruff voice beside Ishida replied.
Ishida jumped and spilled some hot coffee on his hand, making him cry out. "Abarai-san!"
The red-head looked grim and thoughtful. He wore dark-wash jeans that were ripped on one knee, a deep purple shirt and a black jacket.
Orihime looked like a kid caught stealing. "Did you tell...?" She trailed off, her voice sounding small and unsure.
Ishida tried to make his voice sound level and indifferent. "So you saw us kiss. What's the big deal, aside from the obvious fact she's..." He swallowed, it finally hitting him. Well, that's the big deal you idiot!
"You didn't tell Kurosaki-kun, did you?" Orihime repeated, her gray eyes clouded with worry.
Abarai looked her in the eyes and shook his head. "Nah, I didn't."
Ishida breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God!
Rukia glanced back and forth between Orihime and Ishida. Her curiousity prompted her to ask, "Why'd you kiss in the first place? Ichigo was, like, pretty close for you to try that stuff around him."
Ishida looked out the window. "Kuchiki-san, you had to have noticed I liked Inoue-san since that trip to Soul Society to rescue you."
Kuchiki gave a stiff nod. "Yeah, but that doesn't give you a right to--"
He interupped her, "When you see the person you love with your friend, no matter what, I wasn't going be okay with it. Sure, I lived with it at first but after the Karakura War, which nearly killed us all, by the way, I left this town 'cause I couldn't stand to see those two together. I didn't leave 'cause I wanted to, I left 'cause what's the point in wanting someone you can't have?"
Renji had a small noise in his throat and threw a quick glance at Rukia. Ishida's eyes softened slightly. At least Renji understood.
The skeptical look on Rukia's face didn't vanish. "Inoue-san chose to be with Ichigo. She wasn't forced into it. You can't just kiss her like that!"
The beginnings of a headache throbbed in the Quincy's head. "I didn't plan it. I just kissed her." Ishida looked at Orihime for support. His blue eyes went wide. "Inoue--"
Tears left wet trails on her cheeks. She rubbed her cheeks to make the signs of crying less visible. "Don't talk like I'm not here." She whispered.
Rukia's mouth opened in protest. "Inoue--"
"I want to talk to Ishida alone. Please."
Rukia and Renji exchanged worried looks, but got up slowly and left to the tables outside.
The moment she was sure they left, Orihime's face crumpled and she buried her face in her hands.
Ishida got up from his seat and sat down next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him.
"I...*hic* I don't... *hic* want to lose you I-Ishida. When you left it was just so hard. I couldn't tell anyone h-how I felt and it just..." She dissolved into tears again.
Ishida kissed the top of her head. "You can't lose me, Inoue-san." Her lifted up her face so she could see the smile on his face. "Even if you tried."
She gave him a watery smile and hugged him closely. "I'm sorry..."
He shook his head vehemently. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."
Beep beep! Beep beep!
Frowning, Ishida fished his phone out of his pocket. Reluctantly releasing Orihime, he answered, "Hello?"
An angry voice yelled at him. Ishida's face went like stone. "Alright. I understand."
He snapped his phone shut. "I have to leave. Sorry."
He left money on the table for his coffee and began to walk away.
"See ya, Inoue-san." The Quincy walked through the crowds to the door, and went to the table where Renji and Rukia sat. His face looked like stone. He walked past Renji and when he got to Rukia, he placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered something that made her turn to look at him in disbelief.
Ishida soon vanished into the busy streets, and Renji searched Rukia's face for a clue to what the Quincy had said. The only thing he found out was whatever he said, make her very unsure of herself.