Author's Note: Okay, so I obviously lied about updating immediately following the last chapter. Unfortunately, from the time I last updated until now, there was an untimely passing of one of my family members. Since then, it was a little difficult to find motivation to write. I hope you all understand. Nevertheless, here I am, presenting you with the newest installment to the story, hopefully to your liking. As always my dear readers, enjoy!
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Tite Kubo, the creator of the wonderful manga Bleach.
Chapter 14 - We Were Just Kids
Were her eyes playing tricks on her?
Was it truly Ichigo Kurosaki who stood at the foot of her bedroom door?
Orihime had fallen into a light slumber after her dinner had been hand-fed to her by Rukia. She hated being a burden to other people, even if her caretaker tried to ease the worry from her mind. However, she'd prefer it if her staff didn't coddle her as much as they did. She understood their concern for her. Their kindness came from a good place, but it started to become overbearing.
She needed to interact with other people besides Rangiku and her close friends. She wanted to see the faces of those she didn't normally get to see.
Most of all, she desired the normalcy she possessed in her life before her accident.
Due to the fragile state she had been forced under at the hands of an unknown culprit, she found her usually high spirits to be lacking and the unfamiliar sensation did not bring her any solace.
However, when she awoke to discover Ichigo in her room, a mixture of emotions unknowingly welled up inside.
"Kurosaki-kun?" she called from her bed in disbelief.
The teenager with vibrant-colored hair slowly turned his body around, letting go of the door handles he held ever so tightly in his fingers' grasp. From a distance, Ichigo appeared hesitant. He seemed unsure of how he should approach the injured aristocrat. He didn't want to intrude unless she gave him permission. He would understand if she had become weary of him. After all, he was one of the suspects listed responsible for her accident. He had no indication of what the staff may have told her about him. He was fully lucid of his innocence, yet that did not mean the same could be said about Princess Inoue.
"If you don't want me here, I can leave," Ichigo put forth in case she was uncomfortable with his presence. He started to retract backwards, ready for her rejection.
At the sound of his uncertainty, Orihime leaned forward in the bed with strained movement, "No! Please don't go!"
"Hey!" Ichigo beckoned, having abandoned the doorway while moving towards her, "Don't get up. You're obviously not fully recovered."
He could see the pain in her face, how much it affected her just to complete a simple task. The sight of her anguish made the hairs on Ichigo's neck stand. What had Orihime ever done to deserve such brutality?
"Can you sit next to me?" she suddenly requested as her tired hazel eyes struggled to focus on Ichigo.
The young man didn't even bother to give her an answer. Instead, he immediately came to her side. He grabbed a chair positioned by the fireplace and brought it next to the bed. Kurosaki sat in it without a word being spoken. He rested his elbows on the top of his thighs, while his looked up to Orihime. The elevated mattress was not at his eye level.
With a heavy heart, the first question that was at the forefront of Ichigo's head was to ask who had pushed her down the stairs. However, he decided against it. If he pressed forward relentlessly, she'd become overwhelmed with images from that night. He did not wish to put her through it all over again.
For the time being, he started the conversation at a slow pace, "How are you feeling?"
Orihime attempted to give a convincing smile, "Never better!"
Of course, it did not go unnoticed.
"Don't put on an act for me, Inoue," Ichigo implored in a chiding tone, "I can see it's not easy for you to move."
As much as the Princess wanted to attest to his words, Orihime could not muster the strength to argue against him. He was honest in what he said. The truth to his testimony made the young girl's eyes sting with tears. At first, the damage inflicted to her upper body was the most excruciating. The slightest movements made her wince with pain. However, as days progressed, she started to observe settle changes in her pain tolerance. Her fractures were beginning to heal, but she still could not risk any setbacks to her recovery.
As she thought back to the first days after the incident, the tears continued to fall down her ashen face.
"I didn't mean to make you cry," Ichigo lightly chuckled. He was not used to seeing the vulnerable side of the Princess. Immediately, he rose out of the comfort of the chair and bent his body over the bed.
Meanwhile, the upset maiden had brought one arm to her face, wishing to conceal her swollen eyes from Ichigo's view. She couldn't believe how unguarded she had become. A princess never should cry in the presence of a man. She always needed to show she was strong and ever ready to lead her people in the right direction. Clearly, she lacked the confidence to handle the brutal honesty. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so affected from Ichigo's words. In a matter of seconds, she had become unraveled and she needed to quickly gather her composure.
As the Princess silently chastised herself for falling apart at the seams in front of Ichigo, the peasant on the other hand, had become focused on wiping away the tears he had unintentionally caused.
He gently grabbed Orihime by the wrist and placed her arm down at her side.
The foreign touch made the aristocrat freeze in her place. What was happening? When had he left the chair he had sat in moments ago?
Orihime glanced up to meet the distressed eyes of the owner while the weight of Ichigo's body pushed the mattress lower to the floor. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Ichigo brought both of his hands to the Princess' face and warmly enveloped it. With his course thumbs, the teenager diverted the tears off to the side, consequently drying her damp skin.
When Ichigo removed his hands after being satisfied with the outcome, Orihime could feel her face immediately begin to burn from the intense moment. Despite the calloused texture, the aristocrat never imagined she would feel comforted by such a harsh sensation. However, the unexpected touch was gentle and reassuring.
"I'm sorry," Kurosaki apologized as he took a place next to her bed again, "I didn't think you were going to cry so early into our conversation."
Orihime sniffled and tried to recollect her senses, "It's not your fault. I'm normally an emotional person."
The peasant did not seem convinced of her personal admission and presented her with a disbelieving look, "Our Princess of Karakura? Are you sure we are talking about the same person? You always seem so happy around others."
The dazed aristocrat giggled at Ichigo's skepticism and replied, "I won't cry in front of strangers."
"You just cried in front of me," Ichigo pointed out, smirking.
The impact of what he had said did not reach Orihime immediately. The realization had not even occurred to her. Without much thought or consideration of who was with her, the tears had overflowed from her eyes practically by natural instinct. As she reflected on the moment, a fleeting numbness began to sink into her body.
"I g-guess I did, didn't I?" the Princess contended, slumping further into the covers to hide her heated face.
"Then I'm not a stranger to you?" the young man teased.
Obviously, you're different from others, Orihime admittedly thought to herself. She couldn't explain her emotions to him. At the moment, her emotions were displaced and she didn't know how to properly excuse the improper behavior she had shown to him from before. The oddity which struck her the most of all was that she hadn't even held back when Ichigo was present. His simple concern made her feel overjoyed. If it had been one of her staff or her companions, their worry probably would not have affected her in the same way.
Quickly realizing Ichigo was waiting for an answer, the Princess turned her face away from the peasant and muffled underneath the sheets, "You're not just an acquaintance, Kurosaki-kun. You're a friend; someone who I feel I can trust."
"Is that why you called for me?"
On the spot, Inoue's forehead deepened with confusion at Ichigo's question. She recalled from the day earlier when she had asked to see the peasant seeking the permission from Rukia and Uryu together. However, they refused the idea. Dr. Haichi insisted no one outside of the staff should be allowed to visit her. Nevertheless, Orihime had secretly hoped Rukia, being the most lenient of the three, would manage to sneak Ichigo upstairs without getting discovered. Was Ichigo's appearance the result of Rukia defying the wishes of the butler and doctor?
In a rush of excitement, Orihime faced Ichigo once again with a bright light ignited in her gray eyes, "Did Kuchiki-san tell you that I wanted to see you?"
The unexpected visitor shook his head before responding, "No. I found out on my own terms."
Quickly, Ichigo thought back to his selfless actions all on the account of trying to acquire more information about the Princess.
The happiness in the aristocrat's face faded slowly, "Then, how were you able to get in here without the guards notifying someone?"
"Your aunt's friend, Aizen Sousuke."
The name did not seem familiar to her. Rangiku may be a socialite, but the only person she had been introduced to on her relative's behalf was Gin Ichimaru. They met for the first time at the Masquerade Ball.
Although, when she thought back to that memorable night, Gin wasn't the only person Rangiku had made known to her.
"Nii-sama's birthday party," she said to herself in barely above a whisper.
Other than Matsumoto's husband, there had been one other man. The image of his bare face invaded her memory in an assortment of distorted pieces. She remembered having wanted to avoid his gaze because of the unpleasant ambiance that was held behind them. The atmosphere which surrounded him was not trust worthy. Therefore, Orihime found it unlikely Aizen would be the reason behind Ichigo's intrusion.
"Inoue?" Ichigo asked with a hint of worry.
She returned to the conversation at hand, "Sousuke-sama and Ichimaru-sama are here?"
"Yeah, they arrived yesterday. Shortie probably withheld from telling you anything because knowing you, you'd want to go and greet them, even in your condition."
The Princess' lips formed into a pout at the comment, "I would not. But I do find it rude to not greet guests."
Ichigo ran a sweaty hand through his unruly head of hair, "That's exactly the point I was trying to make. You put others before yourself."
What was he even saying? Since when did he care about her selflessness? However, the admirable trait of Orihime's was not difficult to perceive. He had first been a witness to it when the two unlikely people had met on the streets of Karakura. During their first interaction, the royal teenager had offered to help Ichigo pick out a flower for a person he had never even met before. At that point in time, Kurosaki had no indication of the true identity of the helpful stranger. No later did he discover at the Masquerade Ball that he had been forced to attend to that he would ironically meet the same person - a girl who was of a prestigious background. When he thought back to the particular day, he couldn't help but wonder what was the incentive behind her actions? Had she not realized the danger she had put herself in by simply talking to him? If he had been one to truly despise the aristocrats, he could have revealed her identity in front of countless villagers if she had told him her name. Fortunately, he was not one of those people who would resort to petty tactics such as the scenario he imagined. Nevertheless, he respected the fact that Orihime was ruthless in her endeavors to ensure the happiness of others.
She only desired to please those around her.
She never took the time to physically care for herself because she was too occupied with keeping the people she cared about content.
Look at you, King. Are you starting to become soft around this chick?
The sudden appearance of his other half's taunting voice startled Ichigo in his seat.
The unexpected jolt caught Orihime's focus briefly, "What's wrong, Kurosaki-kun?"
He dismissed his jumpiness with a simple wave of the hand, "It's nothing."
Why, in the midst of a peaceful moment had he decided to reappear during it? He had been quiet for the past few days, having last spoken during the first event of the tournament.
Ichigo momentarily tucked the demon to the furthest corner of his brain. He didn't want to frighten Orihime. She had been through plenty enough traumas over the course of the past few days. If he didn't keep a lid on Shirosaki while he was in the broken girl's presence, there was no telling what may occur. Lately, it was getting more difficult to control him. The Princess must never know that side of him for as long as he was a participant in the competition.
The sudden silence that had been brought on by Ichigo's odd behavior made Orihime squirm in the bed.
"If there's ever something you need to talk about, Kurosaki-kun," she offered, "I'm always available to listen and I promise I'll try to help you in the best way that I can."
Her soothing words only made Ichigo's chest tighten in slight agony. The kind girl never ceased to amaze him. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she raised more questions. Even though she was the one bed-ridden as a result of someone's cruel joke, she voluntarily put her issues aside and suggested he tell her his problems.
The visitor hung his head low, not able to look Orihime in the eyes, "No matter, I'm not sure you'd be much help, Inoue."
As he said this, Orihime detected the tone in his voice had become withdrawn. She decided it was best that she did not continue to press the matter. She would patiently wait for the day when Ichigo would feel comfortable enough to share his troubles with her. Until then, it would be for him to decide when the best time was right for him. Some people were not as willing to open themselves up to other people as she was. She would respect his feelings.
The maiden chewed her bottom lip nervously, "Um, what else should we talk about?"
"How about your accident?" Ichigo suggested as he lifted up his head.
The Princess could feel her blood run cold. The mere mention of it still caused her to shake on cue.
"W-what about it?" Orihime sniffled, her gaze completely focused on Ichigo's serious demeanor.
An agitated sensation crept into Ichigo's body as he observed Orihime stiffen in the sheets. He needed to get to the bottom of what happened to her. His first concern wasn't to clear his name. To be more precise, Ichigo had come in search for the felon who was responsible for inflicting pain on an innocent human being. For the unknown individual, it was probably a sick form of a joke, but to Ichigo, they had taken it to a disgustingly low-level.
He rose out of his seat once more and took a step towards the bed. The impulsive movements made Orihime's heart rate begin to race rapidly as she thought back to the moment that had just taken place when Ichigo had arrived. She watched him nervously as he rested his hands on the mattress and leaned in closer.
"Inoue, you don't have to be afraid of this man," he assured her.
The aristocrat was unsure of how to respond to the comforting words of the peasant. She had never seen the protective counter-part of Ichigo before. Despite the uncharacteristic display from Kurosaki, Orihime sensed the sincerity in his voice. As much as she wanted to give a name to Ichigo, it was an impossible wish. When she fell, she did not think to look over her shoulder. The most important factor during that moment was to protect her body from getting injured. Unfortunately, she probably had made the situation worse by attempting to prevent damage.
Orihime pursed her lips while in thought.
"Do you remember anything at all?" Ichigo questioned in persistence. His forehead had wrinkled into a frown of worry.
"Hey look! The old Scowl Face-kun has returned!" the Princess giggled, trying to move away from the dark subject that was polluting the previous pleasant atmosphere.
The reference of the old nickname she gave to him upon their first meeting brought the teenager back to the early memories of the bustling marketplace. Her departing words involved the teasing name and Ichigo did not think much of it at the time. He wasn't going to chase after her for saying it. Besides, she had given him insight on a gift he was uneasy about purchasing. To say the least, he never questioned the rare possibility of ever encountering her again in his life.
"Alright, I can take a hint," he pulled back, "You don't want to talk about it."
Orihime heard the dejection in his voice and immediately she felt responsible for causing him to retreat in his attempt of an interrogation.
"It's not that I won't talk about what happened," the royal maiden insisted, "However, the information you're looking for me to share with you isn't something that I have. The person who pushed me did it while I was looking forward. I never got the chance to see their face."
Upon the revelation, the fog began to lift around Ichigo.
For the past few days, the castle had been in such an upheaval not only due to Princess' recent fall, but as well for the reason Orihime had just revealed. The culprit whom should be held accountable was at large, wandering the halls morning and night. It partly explained the action behind Orihime's uptight butler. The head of staff had refrained Renji and himself from partaking in lunch and had the audacity to accuse Ichigo with the crime. He didn't care what he had to say. He simply needed to point the blame on someone and in the middle of the chaos, his selected target had been the peasant. From the beginning, Ichigo did not hold a special place in Ishida's heart.
Nevertheless, he could no longer stand to hate the kid for the way he reacted. He would have responded in a similar way if he was in his position. Despite Ichigo having sided with Uryu over his actions, the respect he suddenly harbored for the butler did not expand dramatically. Admittedly, it was a start - even for someone as complacent like him. It was a personal rarity for him because of how little he allowed strangers to garner respect from him.
It only took Kurosaki a matter of seconds to realize how his former isolated world had slowly begun to prosper right underneath his nose. In the past, he would have tried to revert things back to the way they were once were. Although, this time around, the circumstances that had led him to change his views were slightly different. He never in a million years would have thought he'd be enjoying the company of an aristocrat. The whole concept was strange to him and he wasn't entirely positive as to why he was suddenly thinking of the subtle changes that had occurred unknowingly within him.
Little by little, he was beginning to turn over a new leaf.
Back in the chair again, Ichigo folded his hands together over his waist and sat back into the comfort of the cushion. Having exhausted all of his efforts, the young man did not see the point in persisting any further at the moment. He did not wish to push Orihime into an uncomfortable position. While he would have felt more at ease with himself at knowing the attacker's name, he was not going to make a large spectacle out of the ordeal as he originally planned to do. He most certainly did not want to draw unnecessary attention to the Princess' corridors. If he was caught, there was no telling what sort of punishment would be imparted upon him. He already was not on good terms with a fraction of the staff.
When the thought of being discovered presented itself before him, he realized his time with Orihime wasn't going to last forever. Aizen had never promised him the night. Moreover, he should be grateful for the small amount of time the aristocrat was able to buy for him.
"I should probably get going," Ichigo admitted as he began to rise out of the chair.
The Princess' face couldn't help but to turn solemn, "Oh, I suppose you should too. You don't want to get in trouble. But…"
Ichigo glanced over his shoulder, "But?"
The maiden fiddled nervously in bed and avoided the peasant's fervent gaze.
He retreated to her bedside, "Is there something that you want me to get for you before I leave?"
Orihime couldn't find the courage within herself to meet the handsome individual's chocolate-colored eyes. After all, what she wanted to ask him was not easy for her to say regardless if she looked him in the face or not. Overall, she purely lacked the confidence to say what she felt at the point in time. Ichigo tended to make her feel more nervous than usual when it came to simple tasks such as speaking.
The sensation of heat rising to her face caused her to bring the covers over her head. As odd as it may have seemed, the sheets provided a comfortable wall for her to ask her request.
"Could…could you stay until I fall asleep?" Ichigo intently listened to the muffled question.
Without taking a moment to think about an answer, Ichigo immediately responded, "Sure, if that's what you want."
The Princess silently let out a sigh of relief under the covers. Eventually, when the warmth in her face had subsided, Orihime pulled the sheets down and found Ichigo slouched in the chair beside her. It was as if he had never left.
It comforted Orihime to know that she wouldn't fall asleep alone. After the traumatic experience she had encountered, she struggled with closing her eyes each night for fear of someone coming into her bedroom unannounced.
However, with Ichigo's presence in the room, she felt protected and at ease for once.
"Good night, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime whispered as she rested her eyes.
From his place, Ichigo observed the Princess silently as he watched her fall into a much-needed slumber.
"Night, Inoue," he said quietly as he left her bedside and headed towards the door.
Gin and Aizen's visit to the Inoue Palace was short and uneventful, which was exactly how Rukia preferred to keep it. After having taken care of Orihime and her medical needs, Rukia was assigned to help Aizen finish packing. The quicker the tasks were finished, the sooner the unannounced company would be eradicated from the castle.
After assisting Rangiku's guest for a half hour, Rukia was somewhat ecstatic when she put the last piece of clothing into the suitcase. She never knew how nerve-wracking it could be to help a visitor with their luggage. She had only worked under Orihime for two years and since her time-serving as caretaker, no one had ever visited the palace for an overnight stay before. It certainly was an unusual experience all around.
"Sousuke-sama, I've put all of your things safely into your bags," she called from the foot of the bed, examining the two suitcases that rested on top of the mattress, "Is there anything else that you need from me?"
At the sound of his name, the aristocrat approached Rukia from behind and placed his large hands on her tiny shoulders. The unexpected grab caused the disgraced Princess to jump out of her skin. She quickly looked back at the man who had not announced his whereabouts in the same room as her.
"You scared me, sir!" Rukia exasperated as she loosened the hand she had clenched over her heart from the scare.
"I'm sorry," Aizen earnestly responded, his mysterious eyes having become apologetic.
The swift apology made Rukia's hair stand on end. She couldn't understand why his voice frayed her nerves as much as it did. It was as though he held some powerful force over her that she had no control of containing. She wondered if Uryu felt the same around him. The sensation definitely caused chills to run down her spine when she connected gazes with man.
Having the sudden urge to leave the confined space, Rukia grabbed Aizen's suitcases off the bed and pivoted her body around. However, before she could go ahead, Aizen stepped in front of Kuchiki and diverted her from her planned escape route.
"A young woman such as you shouldn't be carrying such heavy bags," Aizen smirked.
The petite caretaker shook her head reassuringly, "It's fine, Sousuke-sama. It's not a problem."
She immediately attempted to side-step Aizen, but the man proved much more persistent than she originally imagined.
"Where's the rush, Kuchiki-sama?" the forceful guest curiously asked as he peered down at the woman.
The familiar name caused Rukia's heart to stop from the sudden formality.
"What did you just say?" the twenty-year-old helplessly quivered, unable to lift her head and stare into the eyes of the noble.
Aizen brushed his curl out of his eyes as he withheld the name Rukia had distinctly heard him speak. With fluid momentum, the man leaned down to Rukia's eye level and raised his hand into the air. Without permission, he placed a finger at the base of the petrified woman's neck and dragged it to the front of Rukia's chin.
"I do believe I called you Kuchiki-sama," Rangiku's friend seductively asserted to her.
Feeling disgusted, Rukia hastily pulled away, "You have no right to address me as that!"
"Why?" Aizen asked as he stood up straight, "You are her, are you not?"
Unknowingly, Rukia's entire face flushed red at the accusation, "What are you talking about? I've never even met you!"
"When is the last time you spoke with your big brother?" Sousuke pressed the caretaker even more relentlessly. Momentarily, he went to shut the bedroom door from interested listeners.
The raven-haired woman remained frozen in place as he rejoined her in the middle of the room.
"Do you need me to repeat myself, madam?"
"Two years!" she shouted, "I haven't talked to him in two years!"
"How come?" Aizen asked with a tone of glee in his voice as he began to circle her like a shark.
The situation that had arisen rather quickly was beyond the point of return. She didn't know what this man wanted from her. She didn't have any money or valuable jewelry to give to him. Ever since she was banished from the Imperial Family, she had no contact with anyone. Regardless of how much she missed her brother, she knew she had no right to get in touch with Byakuya. After all, he had all the liberty in the world to be repulsed by her and her actions. She was anything but a "proper lady".
"How's Shiba-sama these days?" Aizen cut into her thoughts with the sensitive subject.
The name of Rukia's former lover made her violently shake on the spot. As Aizen moved around her in a circular rotation, he was fully aware of the seed he had planted. He was grossly excited by the fact that the short woman was so affected by what he had brought up in the heat of the moment. However, if his memory served correct, Kaien Shiba and Rukia Kuchiki were once a couple for several months before being discovered by Kaien's wife. By bringing up the not-so-distant past, he had hit a nerve that hadn't been touched upon for some time.
As much as the memories of her lover rattled her entire core, Rukia soon come to grasp the fact that Aizen was looking to obtain something of interest from her. She had become too easily undone by his words. This man was not good news. He obviously had secret ulterior motives and she certainty was not going to play along with him. Her job was to protect Orihime Inoue and should anyone threaten the Princess' life, there was going to be hell to pay.
Attempting to brush off the man's intrusive inquiring, Rukia picked up Aizen's luggage once more to avoid answering his questions. She was no longer going to be fooled by his charismatic performance. She had to stay firm and fain disinterest, even though he had already caused her anxiety by revealing her past. As soon as Rukia and Uryu politely saw Aizen and Gin off on their journey back home, she was going to have a few words with the butler. He had every right to know that Aizen was not someone they should take lightly. Instead, he had been the man that they should have watched from the start. It couldn't be a mere coincidence that he had arrived at the castle the day after the Princess had taken a fall.
Was it possible for him to have had some dealing in the matter?
Either way, it was definitely something that required more time to figure out.
"Let's get going, sir," Rukia retorted, "We don't want to leave Rangiku waiting too long. She might get mad."
Thankfully, Aizen did not push her any further. He was satisfied with his badgering and assumed he had caused Rukia some fright to a certain degree. He moved out-of-the-way for her as she darted to the door, clearly startled. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but take note of her attempt to act as though she was not bothered by his mere presence. Little did she know that she would be seeing plenty more of Gin-and himself-in the near future?