A/N: Welcome back, everyone! I hope you're ready for the final chapters, because, unfortunately, that's about where we are. But I do have to thank you for sticking with me this long, especially since this chapter marks another milestone for me! Yep, that's right, with this chapter I have (or will have) officially surpassed After Life! So thanks for reading and reviewing – and go read some more!
Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine.
Soul Mates
Chapter 20: Picking up the Pieces II
Ichigo changed into his school uniform quickly while Orihime was downstairs in the clinic. She had assured him that she would be fine talking to his father while he ran upstairs to dress for the day, and though he knew she was right, he still wanted to get back to her as quickly as possible.
But he paused as he finished buttoning his shirt, casting his eyes around the room. He didn't consider himself particularly sentimental about possessions, but this was the only bedroom he'd ever lived in. He'd grown up in this room. The idea of leaving it – and the house it was attached to – behind was sobering.
Everyone grows up sometime, he told himself. And it was true. He'd been planning to move out at the end of the school year since before he and Orihime had started dating, and the school year was almost over. It really was time to move on.
He shook his head, his arms falling to his sides, and turned toward the door. The fact that he'd spent his last night in his childhood room didn't matter. He could dwell on it later, after he'd talked to his family – which he wasn't planning to do until the afternoon. They had bigger issues to deal with first.
He descended the stairs with his school bag and jacket hanging from one hand, and despite the fact that he was in a hurry to return to his girlfriend, he paused at the entrance to the kitchen, where his sisters were finishing up breakfast.
"Ichigo," Yuzu began, lifting a concerned frown to her brother, "is something wrong?"
"Ah," Ichigo began, unsure of what to tell them. After a moment he finally said, "It's nothing to worry about."
Karin paused, her chopsticks poised in front of her mouth, and gave her brother a suspicious look. But she said nothing, returning her attention to her meal a moment later.
Ichigo glanced down the hall, toward the door that led to the clinic, before looking back to Yuzu and saying, "You should go with that blue dress for tomorrow. It was good."
Yuzu's eyes lit up happily and she smiled at him.
"Later," Ichigo called a beat later, turning and continuing down the hall.
He let himself into Orihime's viewing room less than a minute later, dropping his bag and coat onto the guest chair, and therefore on top of hers. Isshin was wrapping Orihime's arm, and Orihime was seated slightly sideways on the bed, her other hand in her lap. Ichigo walked around the bed, sitting close enough that he could reach out and cover her hand with one of his.
"What did you tell your sisters?" Isshin asked as he worked, never taking his eyes from his task.
Ichigo cut a glance to his father as he replied, "Nothing."
"That's probably best for now," Isshin stated.
Ichigo's eyes had already returned to Orihime, and he didn't bother commenting on his father's words. Orihime was staring, silently, at their clasped hands. Her composure was holding; there were no signs of tears in her eyes, and only a faint glimmer remained on her cheeks. She had probably cried, if only slightly, when she'd told his father the story.
"Alright," Isshin declared as he pushed away from the bedside. "I've done all I can do for those cuts."
"Thank you," Orihime said softly as she pulled her hand from Ichigo's and pushed her sleeve down as far as it would go. It didn't quite cover the bandage, but that was alright; her jacket would more than cover everything.
Ichigo looked back toward his father and asked pointedly, "And the switchblade?"
Isshin's partial smile faded as he shifted his gaze to his son. "I'll hand it over to the police alongside the report of my examination."
Inclining his head, Ichigo replied, "Alright. Thanks." He turned his attention to Orihime, then, and asked gently, "Are you ready to get going?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Isshin declared before she could respond. "You can't leave without breakfast!"
Between the police station and the principal's office Ichigo and Orihime didn't return to his family's home until early afternoon. Yuzu and Karin were still at school, and Isshin was busy with a patient, so they quietly let themselves in and trudged up the steps to Ichigo's room.
Ichigo dropped their school bags on the floor in front of his desk, draped his jacket haphazardly over the back of the desk chair, and sat down heavily on the edge of his mattress. Orihime wasted no time settling onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and using his shoulder as her headrest. His arms came around her immediately, locking securely over her back.
His voice was soft as he whispered, "I'm sorry I can't make today better."
Orihime nuzzled more into him and quietly replied, "It'll get better now that I don't have to relive it anymore."
Ichigo threaded his fingers through her hair, gently massaging her scalp, and asked, "Do you want me to call in sick to work?"
"No," Orihime replied as her own fingers began tracing patterns along the back of his neck. "I'll be okay for a few hours." She paused, a hopeful thought striking her, and asked, "Do you think…I could wait for you here? With your family?"
A faint, sad smile tilting his lips, Ichigo said, "Of course you could."
"Then I'll do that," Orihime decided softly.
For a moment only silence filled the room, and then Ichigo suggested, "What if we just stayed here for the night? We'll head back today, grab the things you'll need, and I can use the time to pack. I'll start moving in tomorrow, since we don't have to go to school and neither of us is scheduled to work."
Orihime loosened her grip on him as she leaned back to look into his eyes. "You think that would be okay?"
His smile was a little lighter this time and he inclined his head as he said, "It's not like it would be the first time you've stayed over, Hime."
She offered him a small smile and leaned in, pressing her lips to his. Her fingers slid up, threading into his hair as their lips parted and his tongue swept into her mouth.
They kept the kiss slow and deep, Ichigo's arms locked around her even as she shifted, leaning more into him. Their tongues slid together and he fisted one hand in her hair while her nails scraped, lightly, against his scalp.
Orihime released a sound that was somewhere between moan and sigh when their lips parted, her hands sliding down to his shoulders as her eyes slowly opened. Her soft smile returned and she said, "See? I'm feeling better already."
His lips twitched at the corners and Ichigo murmured, "Glad I could help."
A soft, short-lived giggle escaped her lips before Orihime said, "Come on, let's go get me some overnight things."
They untangled themselves as they stood, and it wasn't until Ichigo was lifting their school bags from the floor that another thought struck her and Orihime asked, "Wait…aren't you supposed to meet up with Tatsuki and Keigo tomorrow?"
Ichigo straightened, tossing the bags over his jacket-covered shoulder, and said casually, "I'll email Tatsuki my new notes, and she can email me a copy of whatever notes she takes. Missing one meeting won't hurt anything." He paused at the obvious hesitation on her face and added, "Of course, if it would make you feel better, you can ask her if she minds first."
Orihime deflated, recognizing his point, and shook her head. "No, you're right, Tatsuki wouldn't mind."
They lapsed back into an easy silence, then, and Orihime followed Ichigo out of the room.
Isshin was stepping into the house as they crossed through the living room, and the couple paused. "Heading out already?" Isshin asked curiously.
"Ichigo?" Orihime asked softly as she cast her gaze up to her boyfriend. She knew he hadn't yet told his father about his decision, but she knew he probably wanted to tell him sooner rather than later.
"Everything okay?" Isshin asked, his casual tone fading and his eyes narrowing in concern.
"Yeah," Ichigo began. He released a breath before saying, "I told Orihime she could stay over tonight, since I have to work and she doesn't want to be alone. We're going out to get her a change of clothes. But…there is something I have to tell you."
Isshin nodded, silently accepting his son's words, before asking, "And what's that?"
Ichigo held his father's gaze firmly, letting the older man see for himself the lack of indecision in his yes, and said, "We talked about it, and I'm going to move in with Orihime."
Silence settled over them as Isshin closed his eyes and released a heavy breath.
The elder Kurosaki opened his eyes again, letting his lips curve in a faint smile, and inclined his head. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I was surprised to hear it. So, as long as you're both sure you're ready for that, you have my support." He paused, his smile turned into a grin, and he added, "But, you get to tell your sisters!"
"Ichigo," Tatsuki practically growled into the phone that afternoon, "just because you haven't been on a date with Orihime since last weekend doesn't mean you can guilt her into ditching class!"
Ichigo, who was sitting beside Orihime as they folded and packed his clothes into his large suitcase, did his best to keep his voice level as his hand tightened around his phone and he replied, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Tatsuki. It's not like that."
Orihime paused, a pair of his jeans half-folded in her lap, and turned concerned, guilty eyes toward him.
He sensed her attention and pulled the phone from his ear for a second as he placed a light kiss on her temple. Then he pushed to his feet, phone at his ear in time to hear Tatsuki demand to know what she was wrong about, and walked around Orihime in order to finish the call outside. She had retold the story enough times; he could at least spare her one more.
Orihime watched as he stepped out of the room and pulled the door shut. She knew what he was doing, and though she felt guilty for it, she couldn't bring herself to stop him. If she never repeated that story – put herself back in that moment – it would be too soon.
What does it say about my life that I would rather have been attacked by a hollow? she mused as she returned her attention to helping Ichigo pack.
Tatsuki's phone call meant that school was out, and school being out meant that Ichigo would have to leave for work in less than thirty minutes. He had already changed (again), and so he didn't have to worry about getting ready, but he would still be leaving shortly. And then he wouldn't be back until well after dark.
But his family will be here, she reminded herself. I won't be alone, and I'll be perfectly safe.
She folded two more pairs of jeans before picking them all up, scooting until she was in front of the suitcase, and carefully packing them inside.
They had already gone through his wardrobe and separated the items that he never actually wore – or were too worn to keep – and those three pairs of jeans were the last pants left to pack. So she turned toward the pile of shirts.
The busywork kept her brain mostly occupied, and entirely distracted from the low rumble of Ichigo's familiar, deep voice on the other side of the door.
But her hands stilled, one newly-folded t-shirt held just inches from the floor, and she lifted her gaze to his when he stepped back into the room.
Ichigo saw the questions in her eyes so he didn't wait for her to voice them. "Tatsuki offered to tell the guys for us, and she said she'd talk them into helping me move over the weekend." He paused as he reclaimed his seat beside her before adding, "She also threatened to castrate me if I show up for the meeting tomorrow."
Orihime's lips twitched, knowing he wouldn't have made that up, and she set his shirt down so that she could reach up and frame his face as she said softly, "Well we can't have that, so you'd better stay with me."
He let her pull him into a lingering kiss, and not until they had separated did he add, "And she said to call if you need civilized company."
Laughing softly, Orihime teased, "I should have told her not to worry; I'm sure your dad will keep me company while you're working."
Ichigo choked on a half-laugh and snaked his arms around her as he said, "Come here you little ingrate." He tugged her onto his lap even as he let himself fall backwards, his back colliding with the side of his mattress.
Orihime squealed with laughter as she landed against him unexpectedly.
Ichigo tilted her chin up with one hand as he grumbled, "I'll show you uncivilized," and quickly covered her lips with his. He wasted no time plunging his tongue past her lips, swallowing her soft moan as her fingers curled into his shirt.
They pulled apart before they could forget their surroundings, but instead of climbing off of him Orihime shifted and snuggled closer. She was completely surrounded by him as his hands settled over her spine and he curled one long leg behind hers.
"My offer still stands," Ichigo reminded quietly.
"No, it's okay," Orihime assured him. "Your job is important, too. I won't ask you to stay home unless it's an emergency."
"Orihime," Ichigo began.
She cut him off, shaking her head slightly, and said, "Last night was an emergency. I would still have called if you'd been at work. But today really isn't. And we both know I'll be safe."
His arms tightened around her, but he couldn't argue her point. As much as he was loath to leave her side, he knew that that was unrealistic. So, with a sigh, Ichigo said, "In that case…I have to get going."
Orihime took a deep breath, her eyes closing for a moment as his scent washed over her, and she pulled back. She met his eyes with a soft, reassuring smile. "I'll be here when you get back."
"You had better be," Ichigo returned, cupping her face with one hand and pressing a long kiss to her forehead. When he pulled back he murmured, "Love you."
Her smile broadened, as it always did when he uttered those words, and she breathed, "I love you, too."
They stood together, leaving the clothes packing for later, and walked in easy silence down to the entryway. Ichigo pulled her in for another chaste kiss, his hands lingering over her hips, before he reluctantly made his exit.
Orihime let her back meet the wall of the entry after she had pulled the door closed and took a deep breath.
She hadn't really been apart from Ichigo since he'd arrived at her apartment the night before. He hadn't been farther from her than the distance between the clinic and his bedroom, and she had been talking to his father at the time, so the distance hadn't gotten a chance to sink in. But she was feeling it now.
And a part of her felt stupid for dwelling on it. The threat was over, she wasn't even alone in the building, and she knew she'd be fine until he returned.
You're being silly, she admonished herself.
"Orihime?" Isshin called from a few feet away. He was standing in the hall, arms loose at his sides.
Orihime jumped, startled at the voice, and spun to face him with a laughing, self-conscious smile. "Oh! I'm sorry, I was just-!"
Isshin shook his head, waving her forward as he said, "It's alright, I understand. But maybe you could come with me? There's something I want to discuss with you before the girls get back."
She nodded and walked toward him, unsure of what it was that he wanted to talk about. A part of her worried that he was less happy with Ichigo's leaving than he'd claimed to be, but if that was the case, there wouldn't be much she could do, anyway.
Isshin turned and silently led the way down the hall, back up the stairs, and started toward his bedroom. He paused at the door and glanced back at her, saying, "Why don't you wait for me in Ichigo's room?"
Orihime opened her mouth, still confused, and said, "Ah, okay." She turned and walked back to Ichigo's room obediently, not remembering until the door was open that the floor was still cluttered.
Knowing she had only moments, Orihime quickly shoved all of the shirts that hadn't been folded back into one large pile up against the closet doors, and then she hauled the suitcase as close to the shirt pile as she could. The floor was still somewhat cluttered, but it was manageable now.
And then Isshin walked in, his arms awkwardly loaded with what looked suspiciously like photo albums. "Coming through!" he called with a light laugh.
Orihime squeaked and moved as close to the desk as she could to make room for him as he unceremoniously dumped the albums onto the foot of Ichigo's bed. He slid a few aside, then, and settled himself on the edge, resting his elbows on his knees. She took the hint and moved the desk chair around so that she could sit and face him.
Isshin lifted his eyes from the open suitcase and met her gaze before he declared, "I've changed my mind about what I said earlier. I actually think it would be better if I told the girls that their brother's moving out this weekend."
He paused, and Orihime breathed a silent sigh of relief. For a second her heart had clenched in her chest as she'd become terrified that he was going to insist Ichigo stay through high school. But before she could respond, he continued.
"However," Isshin added, retaining his hold on her eyes. "I think the news will be easier for them to accept if they have at least an idea as to why it's all happening so suddenly. I'll explain everything to them, of course, but as it's not my story to tell, I want to ask what I have permission to talk about."
Orihime looked away for a moment as she considered his request. She didn't really want Yuzu and Karin to know what had happened, but it was unrealistic to think they wouldn't find out eventually. And Isshin was right; the news would be easier for them to hear if they had a reason to put with it.
She nodded slowly, returning her eyes to his, and said, "You can tell them whatever they need to hear."
He smiled gratefully, took a deep breath, and exclaimed, "Moving right along, then!" He swept one arm out, gesturing to the photo albums, and said, "I even thought of the perfect thing you could do while I'm talking to them, to keep your mind off of everything else!"
Orihime gave him a confused look and he reined his enthusiasm in before reaching out and lifting one newer, good-sized album from the pile. He held it up as he explained, "I bought this almost a month ago; it was going to be my house-warming gift when he moved out. You see, I know he likes to pretend not to be overly sentimental, but I'm sure you know he's just a big softie inside. So I thought I'd go through all our old albums and give him a good set of pictures to hold onto when he was starting his new life."
A soft smile tipped her lips as she listened quietly.
Isshin flipped it open, and as he passed through the first few pages he said, "As you can imagine, I haven't gotten much of it done yet. But I still want it to be a surprise, so I was hoping you'd be willing to help me out." He gestured again toward the pile and added, "These are the albums I haven't gone through yet. And I know you don't know the stories behind all the pictures right now, but you know Ichigo well enough to know what kind of picture he'd want to keep."
She blinked as she realized what he was asking and said, "You mean…you want me to fill the album up?"
"Or at least make a little headway," Isshin replied with a nod as he snapped the album shut. "Are you willing?"
She had to swallow back the near-burning behind her eyes. Here I was, worried that he was angry with me…. Words couldn't describe how honored she felt to be trusted with a project like this, and she nodded quickly. "Yes, of course."
The front door opened and closed downstairs and a pair of familiar female voices drifted up even as Isshin smiled and held out the photo album. "That's great! I'll go talk to the girls and you can get started!"
Orihime was sitting on the floor of Ichigo's room a short while later, flipping through one of the photo albums Isshin had left with her, when her concentration was interrupted by a soft, tentative knock at the door. She looked up, lowering the album to her lap, and called, "Yes?"
The door swung open slowly, revealing a slightly-puffy-eyed Yuzu and a frowning Karin, both still dressed in their school uniforms. Yuzu pulled her lip between her teeth for a beat before saying, "Dad told us…what happened, and we were wondering…can we help?"
For a moment Orihime was confused, but Yuzu's eyes drifted briefly down to the album in her lap, and her confusion faded. She offered the twins a smile and said, "Of course. There's plenty to go through still."
They both smiled marginally and filed quickly into the room. Yuzu and Karin claimed a seat on either side of Orihime, settling with their backs against the bed.
Yuzu sniffled loudly and, without warning, turned and threw her arms around Orihime's neck, exclaiming, "I'm so glad you're okay!"
Orihime froze, startled, before relaxing and wrapping her arms around the smaller girl as best she could. "Thank you, Yuzu. And I…I'm sorry, too. I know it's hard when your older brother leaves…but it's not goodbye. Ichigo would never leave either of you, you have to know that."
Karin looked away, glaring unseeingly at the floor.
Yuzu released Orihime, wiping at her eyes as she nodded and said, "I know. I'm sure we'll miss him, and it'll be weird not having him around, but the truth is…after what Dad said, I'd be mad at him if he didn't move in with you."
Orihime found herself blinking in startled silence at the younger girl.
Karin's voice was quiet but firm as she said, "Yuzu's right. Ichigo has somewhere else he needs to be now, and we know that. We'll be okay here."
Orihime had barely turned her head to acknowledge Karin's words when Yuzu spoke again, saying, "As a matter of fact, you'll probably see a lot more of us! You know, when we come to visit!"
A smile tipped Orihime's lips again as she replied, "Well I hope you both visit all the time."
"So," Karin began, reaching forward and lifting the new photo album from the floor. "Is this it?"
By the time Ichigo got home that night the photo albums had been cleared from his room, his suitcase was packed and leaning against his closet, and dinner was fresh off the stove.
"You're just in time, Ichigo!" Yuzu hollered from the kitchen.
Ichigo trudged down the hall, toward the kitchen, and couldn't quite stop the smile that curved his lips at the sight that greeted him. Having Orihime join them for dinner always brought him an unnatural sense of rightness.
The subject of his thoughts turned slightly in her chair, smiling over at him, and asked, "How was work?"
"Long," Ichigo replied truthfully as he stepped into the kitchen. He dropped a hand onto her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze, as he settled into his waiting chair beside her.
Yuzu set his plate in front of him a beat later, declaring, "We made your favorite, so you'd better be hungry!"
Ichigo opened his mouth to thank her, but he paused when her words registered in his head. Blinking up at his sister, he repeated, "We?"
With a nod, Yuzu replied, "Orihime wanted to learn how to make it so that she could make it for you, so I let her cook with me!"
As Ichigo turned surprised, widened eyes toward his girlfriend, Orihime said, "I promise I only put in the ingredients Yuzu told me to, so it should taste just fine!"
He could only nod at her before turning his gaze toward his sisters as Yuzu claimed her own seat, and he asked, "So, you…know?"
His sisters nodded simultaneously and Karin said, "Yeah, we do."
Yuzu offered him a smile and added, "And we agree."
Ichigo returned his sister's smile before the family finally dug into their meal.
To Be Continued…
A/N: So, did I put enough fluff/sweetness in there to dilute some of the heavy? I hope so! But I won't know 'til you tell me! You have the time to do that before you go read 21, right?