Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Chapter 14

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It was late in the afternoon and it had been over 5 hours that Renji had sat on the cliff, looking over Inuzuri as the sun decided to take its leave. This was the spot where he had laid to rest the only family he had in his childhood. It was also the spot where he and Rukia realised that they were meant for something greater, where they decided to become Shinigami.

This place had always brought a sense of peace to him and he would always visit it when his thoughts were in turmoil.

He just couldn't believe it… Had she truly chosen him? That dense boy who was so ignorant of her affections? Maybe he hadn't considered just how deep her feelings for him were… Maybe she was his Orihime and that substitute bastard was her Hikaboshi or some shit like that.

He remembered Rangiku-san telling him about that legend of the Living World when she had come to him to talk to him about his relationship with Orihime. When she had accepted it, she thought that maybe it was best that he and Orihime were together.

That maybe they were always meant to be together because of all the shit they went through and maybe that's why their love interests didn't reciprocate their love because they just weren't meant to be with them.

They were meant to be with each other, Renji and Orihime. They had finally found their way to each other to soothe the trials and tribulations that they had faced on their own before they were destined for each other. She had said that they reminded her of the true form of the Tanabata legend.

He had thought it was just a bunch of romantic crap that Rangiku was sprouting on him but the more he thought about it the more he felt it was true…

Well not anymore… That theory got shot out the water! No matter how much he told himself that he would fight for her if this moment came to pass, he knew he wouldn't be able to… She had chosen Ichigo and he would have to let it go, once again, if he didn't want to hurt her…

It annoyed him to no end but what choices did he have? Ichigo was human. He had no idea how they were going to make it work. He knew the Soutaicho would never allow Ichigo to set up house here, maybe he might allow him to visit often, or let Orihime go to the Living World occasionally as 'payment' for their past services to Soul Society, or maybe she would become a Shinigami and-

Renji's thoughts stilled in shock. What if the bastard took her to the living world and got Urahara-san to help him keep her there? He couldn't, could he?

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the rustling of grass behind him until he heard his name being called out softly.

He stilled, his heart was beating a mile a minute and he felt like he was paralyzed. He turned slowly, finally gazing upon the woman who was sending his thoughts into overdrive.

"Orihime…" He swallowed hard.

She looked breathtakingly beautiful as the fading sun blessed her presence with its glow. Her hair shone bright, rivaling the light from the sun, as it billowed in the wind around her slim frame. It gave her an ethereal quality, angelic in her form.

She smiled shyly at him. The scene reminded him a lot of the day he had first met her in Inuzuri, when before he could leave her home, she had stood there on the porch, looking out to him, with the beautiful sunset playing on her smooth skin. She had looked like an Angel then and she was looking like one now. The difference was that now, she could see him clearly and she knew who he was…

He watched her as she wrung her hands in her yukata and kept the strained smile on. He knew it was a sign of nervousness, she always did that when she felt uneasy. He knew that she was probably here to tell him about Ichigo, and knowing Orihime, she would apologize for 'dumping' him now and he knew he wouldn't be able to hear it from her. That's why he stopped her when she began to speak.

"How did you find me?" he asked her.

"I knew you'd be here when I asked for you at your squad and they didn't know where you'd be. You told me this was a place of sanctuary for you, I just knew to come here…" She twisted her fingers a little more and began to speak when he cut her off.

"It's okay Orihime… I know you still love him… And I know that you want to be with him even though you can't, seeing as he's still human. It's okay… I understand… You won't be able to be with me because even if you care about me, it's just not the same as what you feel for Ichigo and I know you won't be able to be with someone you can't give your entire heart to. It's just the person you are…" He said sadly, refraining from looking at her.

"Renji-kun…" Orihime said breathily. "I-"

She was cut short again.

"Please… Hime… I'm not okay with it but I'll live… I understand, and maybe it was my fault… I shouldn't have started anything with you knowing who you were and your past and I'm sorry for that… But don't you ever doubt for a second that I don't love you, because I do… More than you'll ever know… I just want you to be happy and if he can do that then I'll make myself live with it." He said, gritting his teeth, his voice almost breaking. "But I swear if he ever hurts you again I will wring his neck" He finished, angrily this time, although still not looking at her.

Orihime looked at him, her eyes brimming with tears as she pressed her clasped hands over her chest.

"Oh Renji-kun…" he heard her cry and as he turned to face her, she was jumping into his arms, her arms clasping tightly around his neck and her legs clamped around his waist. Out of reflex, he gripped her tightly around the waist, still shocked at the sudden movement from her. He felt her bury her head in the crook of his neck as her body trembled with her heavy sobbing.

Gah, this was just like Orihime… Crying over someone else's pain, probably thinking it was her fault. He smiled. That's why he loved her, she was so selfless and pure… her heart could carry the burdens of the world. He held her tighter around her waist with one hand and used the other to stroke her hair, trying to calm her down. He figured this was probably the last time he'd be able to hold her like this. He sighed heavily.

"It's okay Orihime… I'll live…" he said soothingly, kissing the top of her head.

He felt her crying subside as she rubbed her eyes, brushing away a few stray tears. She turned her head to look up at him. He looked at her puffy eyes and kissed both eyes as she closed them. "You gonna be okay now?" he asked her.

She smiled and nodded and he couldn't help but smile back. He was about to lay her back on her feet when she tightened her grip on his waist and lifted her hands to capture his face in them. He looked at her searchingly and raised an eyebrow when she closed her eyes and started drifting her hands along his face, just like how she had when she didn't have her sight. He looked at her face as she smiled and continued her journey, he didn't stop her but he wanted to know why.

"O-Orihime, wha-"

"Ssh…" she whispered

He gaped at her as her fingers found his lips and traced them softly. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Smile for me Renji-kun" she said, smiling herself.

Renji was still stuck in a stupor. What was she doing…? "Orihime, why are-"

"I love you"

"Whaa- Whaa?"

"'Whaa?', Renji-kun, a girl tells you she loves you and that's what you have to say?" Orihime said, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

Renji was still looking at her shell-shocked. Random thoughts were running though his head. Maybe she said it so he wouldn't feel bad, or maybe she does love him but not in that way and she just wanted him to know because that was the person she was. Or-

All thought in Renji's head were lost when he felt her soft lips pull on his. She was kissing him! He looked down at her closed eyes and his eyelids drooped as he pulled her closer and shared the kiss with all the passion and love he was capable of, finally realising that she loved him.

They both needed air and ended the kiss, with Orihime reluctant to let go of his lower lip. When she did, she giggled and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well I had to close your mouth somehow… You know flies could get in there and then they would lay eggs, maggoty eggs, that will grow, and-"

This time she was cut short as Renji shut her up with his mouth. He couldn't believe this… Was it really happening? He pulled back and leaned his forehead on hers. She smiled that ten million watt smile at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

She sighed, "Now that's what I wanted to see… That smile." She said softly, giggling.

He nipped her nose and kept on smiling. "So does this mean…?" He had to hear her say it.

"Hai, Renji-kun"

"Me, you love me?"

"Hai… And I don't wanna be with anybody else but you… If you'll have me that is…" Orihime said, lowering her head.

"N-Nani? If I'll have you? Are you kidding me?" Renji screamed like a mad man. "Orihime, why in the world would that even be a thought in your head! I love you, geez, I'd tie you to my waist if I could!"

"Ano… Well I thought that you were probably angry at me because I hadn't spoken to you in so long and I asked you to leave me alone when I got my memories back…" She replied, ducking her head.

"Hime… You are truly out of this world… I thought that you would be angry at me because I had known all this time and I didn't tell you about it. I thought you hated me because I kept it a secret from you, especially seeing as I knew about your powers…and your love for Ichigo… I-"

She gasped, "I don't hate you… I love you Renji-kun… I could never hate you… I think it was right off you not to tell me about my past, it would have just confused me and it would have just hurt me more to think that I couldn't remember it all, everyone…and you…" Orihime said softly.

"Hai… I think we both guessed wrong huh…" Renji was on cloud nine and couldn't stop grinning like an idiot and then he remembered something.

"I thought you still loved Ichigo… Kira and Hinamori said that you asked for him to see you…"

"Hai, I did… I still love Ichigo…" She saw Renji flinch but carried on anyway. "But just not the way I used to…" She felt his body loosening once again. "Renji-kun, he was a big part of my life and most of what I am was because of him. I loved him a long time and I would have done anything for him. He also did a lot for me, he promised to protect me and he did. I watched him go through a lot of hard times and I had to watch him die before my eyes… I watched him transform into something he hated just to protect me. I'll always love him, but not to the point where I want to be with him, not anymore…"

Renji dropped to the ground and placed Orihime in between his legs, half on his lap, wrapping his long hands around her small body and resting his chin on her head as he heard her out.

"I had some time to go through all my memories and thoughts… It hurt to remember everything at one go again, it was as if I re-lived those moments…" she shuddered and Renji tightened his hold unconsciously.

"I remembered meeting him for the first time in Inuzuri and I realised that the person he was talking about must have been me… His behavior the next day seemed to fit my realization but I had to know for sure and set things right before I could move on… So I called him over and we had a long conversation…"

"W-What happened…?" Renji asked cautiously.

Orihime proceeded to relay her time with Ichigo to Renji.

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Orihime waited patiently for Ichigo to arrive. She had baked some muffins to keep her busy and keep her nerves at bay. After all her memories had crashed through her system two nights ago, she took time to sort through them and the undeniable feelings that came with it.

She had a lot to deal with. Not only were her past memories hard to deal with, it was also the newer ones she was having a hard time with. So much had changed since being in Soul Society… She couldn't believe that Renji and her were together! That he had been… her first time! She blushed at that thought.

She had always thought that Ichigo would be her first and that's why she had held out that long. She had waited for the right time, but she guessed waiting wasn't always a good thing.

She sighed, folding her legs on the sofa. What she also wanted to know was about the conversation they had had on the bank that first day she saw him in Inuzuri. The way he looked at her and those words he had poured out over the one he loved. Was he talking about Rukia? Weren't they together anymore?

She remembered the pain she had felt that day she had seen them together in Urahara-san's shop. She would never blame them for her death though, that had been her fault. She had been blinded by her emotions.

Although she still couldn't make head or tail about the way he had held her chin and looked at her as if he were looking right into her soul. And she couldn't make sense of how he had been staring at her the entire time the next day, always turning away with a blush.

Could he have realised that he had feelings for her now? Maybe it wasn't Rukia he was talking about, but her. Her eyes widened at this. Before she could give anymore thought into it, there was an uncertain knock at the door. She knew it was him, she could search out his reiatsu anywhere.

She got up and straightened her yukata, walking to the door. She opened it to find him standing upright, looking at her expectantly. She smiled at him, "Ohayo Kurosaki-kun"

He smiled back, "Ohayo, Inoue…"

"Please come in" she said, stepping away from the door.

He replied with a soft 'thanks', striding in to stand in the middle of the room. He looked around and then looked back at her. "You have a nice place Inoue, It's so…you…" he let out.

"Arigatou Kurosaki-kun" she said smiling shyly. "Come, I've made muffins. We can enjoy them by the fire place with some warm tea. It's really chilly today, ne Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo blanched at the thought of her baking but recovered to give her a reply. "Yeah, it is quiet cold… It's fine Inoue, I'll just have tea." He said, trying not to look her in the eye when she turned to him from her place at the kitchen counter.

She giggled and he looked up at her, wondering why she was laughing.

"Don't worry Kurosaki-kun. The muffins don't have my special ingredients, well my ones do but I made 'normal' ones too." She said smiling softly.

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"You can take a seat. I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"You need help with anything Inoue?" He asked.

"No, no! You're the guest! Go sit, I'll be done in a jiffy!" she replied with enthusiasm that he remembered and missed all too well. He smiled and moved to the sitting room, taking a seat in her comfortable sofa. He was nervous as hell. Did she call him here to tell him she still loved him? Or did she call him here to tell him she didn't want anything to do with him…?

No, this was Inoue, she would never do such a thing, she may say something along those lines but she would definitely word it differently that you wouldn't know if she was angry with you or not. Anyway, she was offering him tea and muffins!

He was brought out of his musings when he heard her shuffling to the small table beside the sofa, right next to him. She placed it on the table and took the single seat next to the corner of the table to the side of him. She gave him his tea and placed two muffins on a plate for him. He did note that the muffins smelt amazing that his mouth was actually watering…

He took a sip of the tea to calm his nerves and then decided to take a bite of the muffin, albeit a bit apprehensively. He noticed she looked at him expectantly. Once the bite hit his taste buds, his eyes widened. He couldn't believe Inoue had made these wonderful, amazingly, delicious muffins. He couldn't get enough! He practically stuffed the entire thing in his mouth and then reached for the second without thinking, talking with his mouth full, spraying crumbs all over the place.

"Inoue! Where did you learn to make these?" he mumbled through the mouthful, only to stop and bow his head in embarrassment at her amused expression. "Gomen Inoue… They just taste so amazing…"

She giggled, "It's okay Kurosaki-kun, I have more and you are welcome to eat as much as you want." She giggled again, "Your reaction reminded me a lot like Renji's when he first tasted them" smiling softly.

His usual scowl descended upon his face at the mention of the red-haired Taicho. Orihime noticed this and couldn't help but wonder why… She thought they were friends, why would the mention of his name change Ichigo's demeanor? She left it for now and tried to right the tension in the air.

"Well I had a lot of practice Kurosaki-kun. I mostly baked for some money and I had to change recipes seeing as the ones I liked didn't sell so well" she smiled when she noticed his scowl lessening somewhat.

He chuckled, "Yeah, I remember some of the other stuff you used to like. Tatsuki told me about the different ingredients you brought for lunch"

At the mention of her best friend's name, Orihime's expression saddened. "H-How is Tatsuki-chan…?"

"She's… She's okay… She's studying sports management at a good college and I've heard that she wants to open her own dojo when she's done."

Orihime noticed the sad tone in his voice and the way he looked to the floor, his shoulders sagging as if there was something placed upon them. His words made her realise something.

"What do you mean you heard that she wants to open a dojo Kurosaki-kun?" she asked tentatively.

He refused to look at her, and she could see he was fighting his emotions. His grasp on the cup was so tight that his knuckles began to turn white.

"Kurosaki-kun…?" she asked again.

This time he looked up at her and smiled, that smile she knew all too well. The one he would have the day before his mum's death day. The one she knew he put on just to pretend he was okay.

"Aa. Nothing Inoue, Just I haven't seen her in a while, so Keigo told me." He replied. He wasn't telling a lie but he wasn't telling the truth either. He just couldn't tell her the whole story. It would break her heart.

She could see right through him. She looked at him with determination and decided she wasn't backing down until she got her answer. "Kurosaki-kun, I know you're lying to me. I need you to tell me the truth…"

Ichigo looked up at Orihime, he didn't remember her being so determined in asking him a question before. The look in her eyes was telling him that he could not avoid her this time. He looked away once more, the crestfallen look returning to his face.

"She… She doesn't talk to me anymore… Not since you… since you died…"

She gasped. "N-Nani…? Why Kurosaki-kun…?" she asked, shock all over her face.

"She blamed me for your death… She beat me to within an inch of my life after she found out what really happened and she never forgave me after…" he said solemnly.

Orihime couldn't keep the shock out of her voice. "No Kurosaki-kun! Why did she blame you? That's just wrong! I'm so sorry!" she cried, tears pouring down her face.

"No Inoue… She was right… I deserved it. It was all my fault. I was an ignorant idiot and on top of all that I broke my promise to protect you! I let you die! It was me! All me!" He shouted desperately.

"No Kurosaki-kun! Please don't say that! It was my fault! I ran onto the road aimlessly, I should have looked where I was going. No one is to blame but me. I'm sorry, so sorry that Tatsuki-chan blames you. I wish I could talk to her…" Orihime covered her face with her hands and cried.

Ichigo looked at her stunned. This was just like Inoue to try and take all the blame… As well as all the pain… He sighed and took a hold of her hands, bringing her to the seat next to him. He pulled her head under his chin and hugged her while she cried.

"Inoue… Don't you ever blame yourself. Tatsuki and I will sort our problems out but it was not your fault. I should have known… I should have seen the signs but I was just too blind… I could have prevented all of this…" he said quietly.

Orihime sniffled and pulled back away from his arms. He moved back to give her more space. She looked up at him with a tear stained face. He itched to wipe the remaining tears off her cheeks but she beat him to it. She had a confused expression on her face.

"What are you talking about Kurosaki-kun? What 'signs'?" she asked softly.

He sighed and turned away from her. "Tatsuki told me that you… you l-loved me…"

She gasped. After all the times she had wanted to tell him, he now knew… Somehow it felt strange to her… She didn't blush or start hyperventilating and rambling about something incoherently. She noticed the blush on his cheeks and smiled sadly.

"Kurosaki-kun… if you had known before I had died, what would you have done…?"

He looked at her with wide eyes. "I-I… I would have given it a try… You know… Tried the whole dating thing…" he said shyly.

"Really?" she asked

"Yeah… When I agreed to get into a relationship with Rukia, it was mostly because she had approached me first…and I just went with the flow. I didn't really have any specific feelings for anyone in particular and I was comfortable with Rukia even though we argued a lot… but I was immature and I hadn't thought it out…" he replied, sighing.

"So… what are you saying Kurosaki-kun… Aren't you and Rukia together…?" Orihime enquired.

"No Inoue… We 'broke up' a long while back…"

Orihime's eyes widened. "Why… What happened…?"

"We both realised we were in the relationship for all the wrong reasons and it wasn't because we truly liked each other in that way. She was hung up over that Kaien guy and I reminded her of him and I… Well I was just too dense and fucking thick-headed…"

Realisation dawned on Orihime. Is it what she had been thinking about…?

"Kurosaki-kun… The day you came to see me for the first time in Soul Society… You told me you loved someone… Who were you talking about?"

Ichigo looked up at her, into her waiting eyes and let it spill, "It was you… Inoue…"

Orihime gasped. All those things he had said about her, the look he had in his eyes when he described his love, it was all about her. She couldn't believe that the boy that she had crushed on for so many years and ended up loving, which she knew in some odd way, even if she didn't want to admit it, would never return her love, was now telling her he loved her.

She was surprised but realised that when she remembered his earlier confession, when she had no memory of him, he had mentioned that he had not realised what he had in front of him until it was taken away from him. It made her sad to think that now the roles were somewhat reversed… she knew he wasn't lying and she believed everything he said.

"Inoue…?"

She popped out of her thinking when she heard her name. "Eh?" she blinked at him.

"Well… I kinda told you I…love you… and you're really quiet over there…" Ichigo said, while looking away, clearly embarrassed.

"Ano… Kurosaki-kun… I just don't know what to say…" she replied, looking down at her hands which were clasped in her lap.

"Inoue…" Ichigo said surprised.

She had remembered everything, especially her confession to Ichigo the night she left for Hueco Mundo… She had felt the love in her heart for the orange-haired boy. He was the main reason she left, the one person she wanted to protect the most but wasn't strong enough to do so.

She had watched him through his many battles from the sidelines, where she could do nothing but watch as he would get slaughtered but he always came back, his resolve was that strong. She had been there to see his many changes, physically and mentally and through them all, she had loved him.

But now, sitting here, listening to him tell her he loved her, after the many times she had dreamt and fantasized this moment, it didn't feel right… she didn't want to jump into his arms and hug him until he wouldn't let go, she didn't want to brush away his orange bangs and kiss away his frown and she didn't want to confess her undying love for him…

When she looked at him now, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him… She didn't want to hurt him but he had to know… and she wasn't going to lie to him… She never could…

"I'm sorry Kurosaki-kun… But I cannot return your affections…" she replied, looking away.

"Oh… I just t-thought that maybe you still l-loved me…" Ichigo sighed.

"I do… but just not like how I used to… Gomenasai Kurosaki-kun… I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"Does this have anything to do with Renji?" Ichigo replied with irritation in his voice.

"Hai…" she said gently.

"Is he the one you want…?"

"Hai…" she repeated, not once looking at him.

"Inoue, do you even know if that's what you truly want? It's not even real…You 'fell in love' with him when you had no memory of him. I feel as if you were taken advantage of… Somehow it just feels wrong to me…"

"No Kurosaki-kun… I had a lot of time to think to myself after I got my memories. Don't ever think that Renji-kun took advantage of me, because he didn't. I had a rough time in Inuzuri, especially being blind, and when I met him, he changed my life here. We weren't looking for love, maybe I was, seeing as I didn't have my memories but Renji-kun never forced himself into my life. I know he found me by chance and we didn't immediately fall in love, it was a friendship first. He sorta watched over me at first and eventually our friendship grew and it turned into love…" she replied softly.

When he didn't say anything and kept staring at her, she continued, "He loved Rukia, Kurosaki-kun, just like I loved you. I couldn't understand how both of you were unaware of our feelings when everybody else could see it. I never told you how I felt because I thought that if everybody could see it, you could too but because you didn't return my love, you spared me the rejection and sought to just ignore it and avoid breaking my heart… I also didn't have the courage to confess…"

She took a deep breath, "With Renji, I feel as though we both went through the same path in our love lives and now we found each other… I'm not standing in the sidelines anymore, watching the one I love and hoping he notices me. I don't doubt myself anymore and I'm not as insecure as I used to be…"

"He changed that all for me. Now, when I look at the one I love, he looks back at me, he makes me feel secure and confident, and above all he makes me feel safe, happy and loved... We both went through a lot of pain in our lives which left many gaps in them, but by finding each other, I think we fill them together…" She finished, smiling with shining eyes.

He just gaped at her. It was hard to hear the woman you love, describe the man she loved when it wasn't you. He sighed and lowered his head.

"Inoue… when I found out about you and… Renji, I was angry. I thought that he was just using you. That maybe he was just having fun, especially seeing as you didn't know him. I thought he was taking advantage of you. But I realised that that wasn't it… I knew Renji would never do that to anyone, I was just being a jealous idiot… I just came here screaming bloody murder when I didn't know the entire story… He told me he loved you but I didn't want to believe you loved him…because I knew that you had no memory of any of us and if Renji was giving you so much attention that you'd end up falling for him. That's why I didn't think it was real…because somehow I thought that if you had your memories, you wouldn't fall in love with him because you'd still be in love with me…" He finished, with a crestfallen look on his face.

Orihime sighed, "I understand you Kurosaki-kun…but now that I have my memory back, I know he is the one I love… and I'm more than happy when I say I'm glad he returns my love… We might not have known each other well or even spoke to each other much when I was alive, but that was mostly due to our affections being focused elsewhere. We found each other here and this place is really what brought us together. Kurosaki-kun, I promised to love you for five lifetimes…but I think those five lifetimes have ended…"

He looked at her with a sad face realising that he really was too late and the only one to blame was himself… He sighed heavily, "Its okay Inoue, I'm just glad that you loved me in my one life time… I made a big fuss over this whole thing because I just thought that being with Renji might not have been what you wanted if you had your memories…that and me being a jealous fool…"

They both chuckled and smiled at each other. Ichigo continued, "I can see now, I was wrong… You love him and he loves you. I won't come between that. I know that you won't love me like you did before but I still consider you one of my precious nakama…and I will still try and protect you if the need arises. I just want you to be happy and I can see Renji does that for you… I just wish you all the best Inoue…" he sighed sadly.

"And I wish the same for you… Arigatou … I still love you Kurosaki-kun, don't forget that, it's just not like how I used to… I am happy that you understand…I just hope in time you will be okay… And I also want you to know that you must never blame yourself for my death, don't you ever think that I blame you either. It's all in the past and all we can do is move forward…" Orihime smiled at him.

He smiled back, "Hai, I will Inoue… Arigatou… I think it's what I needed to hear…"

They looked at each other for a long while, smiling at each other when Ichigo decided it was time he left. He made his way to the door, Orihime following behind him. He said a short farewell, Orihime making him promise he came back before he left, she had something for Tatsuki that she wanted him to give her. He hugged her and promised he'd be back to say good bye and then left.

Orihime went on to write a detailed letter to Tatsuki, which would hopefully change the state of mind of her best friend. It pained her to think that her best friend and her past love interest weren't on speaking terms when they had know each other longer than they had known her. It hurt her even more to think that it was because of her…

After reading the letter, she knew Tatsuki would forgive Ichigo, even if there wasn't anything to forgive…

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It was quiet late, as the moon hung low in the sky, the stars shining brightly, as Orihime finished relaying what had happened earlier that morning.

"But we're okay now, he knows where I stand… It was easier to talk to him now, and I realised why it was easier. It was because I didn't feel the same about him as before. I wasn't a bumbling idiot anymore and I didn't go catatonic when he looked at me, I knew it was all because of you Renji-kun…" She said, smiling at him sweetly.

Renji was still reeling from the fact that she had chosen him… he hugged her closer and kissed her forehead.

"Arigatou Hime…" he said softly into her hair.

"For what Renji-kun?"

"For choosing me…"

"Nani?" she giggled and he turned her face to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"It wasn't a choice silly… When I got my memories back and sorted through them I always knew it was you… When I had a tough time going through the after effects of living through my memories again, you were the only person I could think about, the one I wanted with me most just to hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay… I missed you and I felt bad for just leaving without saying anything to you, and especially for leaving Akio so long." She continued quietly, looking at him with shimmering eyes.

He kissed her soft lips tenderly, taking his time to drink in her scent and savour her taste. He looked down into her half closed lids, rubbing her nose with his. "I really don't know what I did to deserve you… But I'm not complaining… I-I just didn't expect you to end up with me…"

She smiled up at him, pecking his nose, "But we ended up together and I wouldn't change anything in my past to be where I am right now… I remembered the promises you made to me that night Renji-kun. It made sense to me why you had been so unsure and almost scared that you made me promise I wouldn't forget, and I didn't... I love you Abarai Renji, and I promise to always be by your side no matter what…" she finished, holding his head within her small hands, she kissed him deeply, with all the passion and emotion she had.

Renji gave as good as he got, shifting her so she straddled him, holding her waist tightly and deepening the kiss. When they eventually broke away from the kiss, he hugged her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck and inhaling deeply. "I love you Orihime…" He murmured into her neck.

"Hai…" she whispered. "Renji-kun… How is Akio…? He was so worried and scared the last time I saw him… I feel terrible for abandoning him like that…"

Renji stood up and picked her up in his arms, ignoring her squeal. "He's okay Hime. I explained everything to him, he'll be really happy to see you." He replied, smiling down at her.

"I can't wait to see him! I missed him…and you…" she smiled shyly.

He grinned at that and nipped her ear playfully. "I missed ya too" he held her close as he prepared to shunpo back to Seireitei.

He couldn't believe that a delinquent such as himself had snagged a beautiful, kind hearted, soft spoken and loving princess…To him, it felt like they had both finally found their place in this world, with each other…

The End.

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A/N: So there it is! Done and dusted! I feel really sad that it's over but glad that you guys stuck with me till the end and enjoyed it thus far. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone with the ending but it was how I had wanted it to play out all along :)

Once again I would like to thank all my amazing reviewers for the inspiration and motivation. You guys were the best. This last one was dedicated to every one of you guys, especially to nypsy and war90 for reviewing every chapter from the first one :)

Also, I'd like to know if you guys would want me to do an epilogue, just showing a couple of years in the future into everyone's lives.

So that's all folks, until next time! Take Care :)