A/N: Yay for longer chaps! .......*yay!*

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters.


April 11, 2009

portend \por-TEND\, verb

To indicate (events, misfortunes, etc.) as in future; to foreshadow

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"Sir Renji, you may now kiss the bride!"

As these words had been spoken, Renji grabbed both sides of his newly wedded wife's cheeks and planted a kiss on her pale, soft lips.

"Renji," said the woman as she and her lover pulled apart, "We're husband and wife now!"

Renji smiled at the petite woman. "Oh, Rukia, you are such a fool."

Rukia glared at her monkey man in the eyes as all of the guests gasped in shock. Looking down at Rukia, and then towards all of the wedding guests, Renji moaned and grumbled.

"C'mon, Rukia, it was just a joke!"

But all Rukia did was continue her gaze, and then, to Renji's surprise, pulled him by the collar and shared a deeper kiss with the crimson-haired man. Slightly setting their faces apart, Rukia whispered in Renji's face with short, hot breaths. "Renji, you are the biggest fool I have ever met."

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Sitting around the circular table that was set at the top of an evergreen hill indulging in all different kind of food items, the six nakama who shared an everlasting, epic journey in three different dimensions chatted amongst themselves and caught up with each other as they shared their own experiences with their new adult lives.

"Wow, Rukia! You chose a really beautiful place to have your wedding!" said Orihime as she looked around at the clear blue sky, the green-green grass, and the fanciful party guests who celebrated the day of Rukia and Renji's wedding.

Rukia smiled at her friend. "Oh, why thank you, Orihime. Perhaps you and Ichigo would like to get married in someplace like this?"

Chad stopped his fork in mid-air; Ishida pushed up the bridge of his glasses; Renji looked over at Ichigo and sneered; Ichigo choked while taking a drink from his cup; and Orihime laughed light-heartedly.

"Er.... Rukia," said Ichigo, speaking up before anybody else could. "I've already told you before: Orihime and I have decided that we're going to hold off our wedding until after I am done with medical school. Is that so hard to understand?"

By this time, Rukia had begun to pout. "Well, excuse me, Doctor Kurosaki. You know, if you weren't such a big idiot, you would have already married Orihime a long time ago!"

"Ah.... Rukia! It's okay, really. I don't mind marrying -"

"No, Orihime, it's not okay! Geez, can't you all just stay out of our business?" retorted Ichigo, turning his body towards Orihime and resting his hand on the back of his seat, an awkward silence now claiming the table's conversation.

"Renji, how about we go dance?" said Rukia.

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"Bye, Ishida, thank you so much for coming!" chimed Rukia as the guests of her wedding had started leaving. As the sun hid behind the hills in the distance, the catering company at the Abarai's wedding had begun to fold tables and chairs and dispose of all waste. Balloons were snipped from their posts and were let go in the air, dancing in the twilight sky.

As Ichigo and Orihime made their way towards Renji and Rukia, Orihime held onto the flowers Rukia had thrown behind her back whilst Ichigo held her garter. Out of anything in the world, even inanimate objects seemed to agree that it was time for Ichigo and Orihime to wed.

Seeing now that the last of her best friends were about to leave her wedding, Rukia bid Ichigo and Orihime farewell. "Ichigo! Orihime! I really hope you guys had a good time, and, well.... Please consider to have your wedding soon!"

At this, Ichigo sighed and grabbed Orihime's hand and walked briskly towards their vehicle.

"Bye, Rukia! It was great to be at your wedding!" shouted Orihime to Rukia. She looked up at Ichigo and saw his scowl, knowing that he must have been upset by Rukia's actions. As they continued to walk, Orihime wrapped her arms around Ichigo's and rested her head on his arms.


Waking up the next morning, Ichigo crawled out bed and stalked his way to the bathroom. Finishing up his business, Ichigo recalled yesterday's events and felt an on-coming headache. He wanted to marry Orihime, he was positive of that, but the time was just not now, he thought. With medical school in the way, it was nearly impossible to even think about the expenses of marriage. Making his way down stairs to the kitchen, Ichigo picked up the mail that had been dropped in through the slot on the front door. After he had poured himself a cup of coffee, he sifted through each and every letter sent, picking up one that he deemed as trash or ones that sparked his interest. Continuing his search, he spotted a letter from Tatsuki. Curious, as sending letters to your loved-ones to tell them about everything that has happened in the past few months had been outdated by more than a century ago, he opened the top of the envelope. Dropping the contents onto the kitchen counter while taking a sip of coffee, he nearly choked and gagged.

It was a wedding invitation.

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"Oh, Tatsuki, congratulations! I am so happy for you and Keigo!" said Orihime, hugging her best friend as they sat next to each other, sipping on wine and enjoying the festivities one would enjoy at a wedding.

"Thank you, Orihime! But I should be the one thanking you, being my bride's maid and all," said Tatsuki with a grin on her face.

Sitting miserably beside Orihime was Ichigo, his arms folded against his chest, scowling as he looked on around at the people who were having more fun than him. Already this has been the third wedding in less than a year Orihime and Ichigo had attended, the first being his Gin and Rangiku's, and then Rukia and Renji's, and now Tatsuki and Keigo's. But what he hated most about each one of them is that always he had been confronted about the fact that he and Orihime should wed soon, and by soon, they had meant very soon. Though he and Orihime have already talked about their future together, he couldn't help but shake of the feeling of guiltiness and regret. He could of, he thought to himself, married her once they had turned eighteen, but funds had run short and whatever was left went to his college funds.

Now admitting he had been defeated, Ichigo had decided that he couldn't keep his misery from affecting Orihime's good time. So as a gesture of his undying love, Ichigo turned to Orihime, and in the most seductive way possible, asked Orihime her hand for a dance. "Orihime.... Would you like to dance?"

Blushing, Orihime did nothing but accept his offer.

As the pair sashayed across the dancefloor, many people had their eyes glued on the orange-haired duo, noting the elegence and fluidity of Ichigo's movements and criticizing the awkwardness of Orihime's movements. As Ichigo walked her through a basic dance step-by-step, he couldn't help but think of prom again, deja vu washing through him and his senses.

Ichigo and Orihime continued to dance throughout the night, and despite the onlookers and Orihime's terrible dancing, they both had to admit to themselves that they had enjoyed the evening.


Sighing, Ichigo rested his palm under his chin as the priest of a church spoke the ever-so-famailiar speech given during every wedding. Sitting next to him on one of the church benches, Orihime gently rubbed his back and then returned her attention towards the two newleyweds.

This time, it was Ichigo's sister Yuzu and Urahara's little shop boy, Jinta.

I think it's been long enough..... thought Ichigo.


"Do you, Orihime Inoue, take Ichigo Kurosaki to be your lawfully wedded husband till death you part?"

"Yes, I do," said Orihime as she looked Ichigo in his brown eyes, filled with a care and gentleness she couldn't describe.

"And do you, Ichigo Kurosaki, take Orihime Inoue to be your lawfully wedded wife till death you part?"

"I do," said Ichigo as he looked into Orihime's pools of brown.

"You may kiss the bride!" shouted the priest that wed Ichigo and Orihime Kurosaki.

As Ichigo and Orihime shared their passions for each other, the crowd that watched their ceremony cheered and hollered, waiting for this moment to come when the pair matched in heaven finally wed.


A/N: Tired....... V_V

Please.... Tell me what you think?