Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Drawn to the Rhythm (The Easiest Thing ) ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer

I don't own Bleach and I am not making any money off of it. Some other lucky bastard is!

1

1

Author's Note(s)

`Text like this' = thoughts and internal dialogue

Chapters will probably be short. It's easier for me that way.

Sorry for any bad writing.

Thank you for the reviews. Constructive feedback does motivate me to spend more time writing. Especially since this is the first story I've ever written.

Beta'ed after the chapter was originally posted by Aurorawhisperwind

1

1

Chapter Edit History

01-24-2008 Page layout changes, no content changes

03-12-2208 grammar and spelling adjustments

1

1

Chapter Summary

Orihime has been rescued, but the very same dissociative measures that protected her in Las Noches are making it hard for her to accept reality. Orihime discovers a very unexpected and oddly manifested source of comfort.

1

1

 CHAPTER 2

 

 

Orihime felt so comfortable and warm. She recognized this feeling, it was the warm fuzzy feeling she usually had when she was floating between the spellbinding world of dreams and the reality of alertness. It was a rare and special place she loved to travel to but she could only get there when she was able to wake up slowly, naturally. It was a magical place where she was just barely conscious enough to be able to create and control her own vivid dreams and conjure up her delightful fantasies of coconut and wasabi pancakes. Dreams so rich she could remember them with absolute clarity when she woke. `I don't want to wake up; if I wake up they'll hurt me more.' Orihime decided she'd stay in her drowsy purgatory for as long as her cruel and relentless captors would allow.

 

 

The sleepy girl heard a sneeze and the frenzied ruffling of books and papers off to her side. `huh… Espada don't sneeze. I don't even know if they can read and write. I've never even seen them with books or paper.' Her curiosity bested her as she gambled away her moment of serenity. If they caught her peaking they would know she had woken up and they'd surely have something `special' in mind for her to do. Still, the sounds she heard were too odd to completely ignore. She had to at least take a quick peek. Immediately all tension ebbed from the sleepy girl as she opened single eye open, then two. She found her head pressed against a soft cotton pillow, her body wrapped comfortably in a blanket where she rested atop a tatami mat in the middle of a near empty and windowless room in the Urahara Shop. The silent girl watched a mildly frustrated dreamy Ishida-kun as he sat on the floor in the corner against the wall shuffling though the pile of books, papers, and writing utensils that surrounded him. She watched a small vein in his forehead as it slowly began to make itself known as his irritation with himself and the mess around him grew. His glasses rested just below the bridge of his nose, his jaw was clamped hard on around a yellow highlighter, and his eyes comically blazed with the same intensity she had seen in him when he fought hollows. He was very serious and grouchy looking. She tried to imitate the adorably overly perplexed looks on his face. The princess giggled softly to herself while watching the flustered boy. `Dreamy Ishida-kun's really cute. I wonder why I never noticed before. He's funny too when he thinks no ones watching.'

 

 

 

A mild grunt of frustration escaped the annoyed Quincy's clenched jaws, “Where is that damn highlighter?!” He was reading a book and really needed to highlight something. He was covered in books and was slowly going insane from cabin fever. He briefly convinced himself that gremlins were real, that they had stolen his much needed highlighter, and that they should be proclaimed public nuisance number one; next to the clingy and ever whining Keigo and shamelessly groping Chizuru. The boy was convinced that his ever worsening cabin fever was slowly causing him to go demented as he steadfastly and so absurdly continued to devote an exhaustive amount of energy to the mysterious missing highlighter. He was so enraptured in his farce of a personal mission that he was completely unaware that the girl who had been sleeping in the center of the room for the past couple of weeks was watching him intently with adoring amusement.

 

 

`Huh, I wonder if dreamy Ishida-kun is so worked up because he's looking for the highlighter that's in his mouth. He's funny! ' She couldn't hold back any longer. She giggled just loud enough for the distressed Quincy boy to instantly cease his frantic mini-quest.

 

 

The giggling girl spoke softly though her amusement was quite evident, “Are you looking for the highlighter in your mouth dreamy Ishida-kun?”

 

 

“Uh…” Ishida took the yellow highlighter out of his mouth and blushed slightly when he realized how silly he must have looked. “Uh… yeah Inoue-san. Arigato, that was exactly what I was looking for.” He slide his glasses back in place, `she's awake! Finally she's awake… uhh, what do I do now? Wait, did she just call me dreamy Ishida-kun?'

 

 

“Inoue-san, you're awake! I'm so happy!” It was the first time she'd even seen him smile from joy. He lifted his hand to scratch the back of his head, “but, uh… why did you just call me dreamy Ishida-kun?” He watched as a myriad of thoughts seem to run through her. She was always absolutely adorable; the way her eyes lit at the exact moment she'd reached a conclusion of sorts, this time was no different.

 

 

Orihime sat up and wrapped herself snuggly in the blanket that she had apparently slept under. The expression of amusement that masked her face a moment ago was now a mixture of sympathy and tenderness as she seemed to search for the right words to answer his question; why did she call him dreamy Ishida-kun? She looked as if she was getting ready to console a child after telling them that their beloved pet had just died. As he often did, Ishida was clueless as to what brought such a look about, rather than tirelessly guess he'd just sit and wait for her explanation. He was well aware that when Orihime would come to a grand conclusion, sometimes as a result of her less than keen woman's intuition, it was usually way off the mark, like that time in the Soul Society when she decided that he was in love with Rukia. Way-way off the mark!

 

 

Her voice was cautious and timid, “I don't know how to tell you this dreamy Ishida-kun…” He watched as she took a few deep breathes, “you aren't re… well, I mean you aren't really re… you're not real dreamy Ishida-kun!” With an inflated sense of self pride she finally managed to get her words out but in true Hime-form she somehow felt that the words she had just spoken and put so much effort into relaying were a more that adequate enough explanation for anyone to completely understand her train of thought. She was once again way off the mark.

 

 

The violet eyed Quincy starred at her with intense endearment. Every part of him wanted to cover the distance between them and hug her fiercely. He barely maintained his composure when he'd discovered that she'd finally woken up, but for some reason watching her and hearing a perfectly executed `Inoue Orihime moment of enlightenment' nearly broke his resolve. Bolts of excited electricity shot through his body. `She's home, she's really back! She's still in there! After everything they did to her, Orihime is still there!'

 

 

The sweet feminine voice that haunted his every dream called out to him, “Dreamy Ishida-kun are you ok? I'm sorry I didn't want to upset you. Even though you're not real I'm still so very happy you're here with me. I've missed you dreamy Ishida-kun.”

 

 

Her voice pulled him back into the moment, “I'm sorry Inoue-san, I don't understand.” Unable to resist such a witty and ironic opportunity, “I' honored to be the man you've chosen to dream about,” he mentally slapped himself for that childish moment of weakness but the setup was just too perfect, “but how am I not real?”

 

 

“I'm dreaming, so you're the Ishida-kun of my dreams, which makes you dreamy Ishida-kun!” The explanation was spoken with perfectly sincere resolution and yet it was so completely in accurate.

 

 

His mind left the moment once more as his thoughts kept churning the sound of her voice around in his head, `you're the Ishida-kun of my dreams - you're the Ishida-kun of my dreams - you're the Ishida-kun of my dreams - you're the Ishida-kun of my dreams.' Orihime didn't know it, but Ishida was very much in love with her. He'd loved her since the first day he met her. He'd been in love with her for years.

 

 

The first day he saw her was the first day of middle school, so many years ago. They accidentally and rather painfully bumped heads with one another when neither was paying much attention in the chaotic school hallway and they both leaned in to drink from the same water fountain. He had every intention of piously scolding the moron who didn't notice that he was there first until he had a chance to look at the clumsy culprit. She smiled brightly up at him, gave him a respectful bow and a sincere apology. He, on the other hand, was a pompous ass! He chastised himself for many years about the first words he'd ever spoken to her. His reply to her genuine sincerity and kindness to the head bumping incident was a curt, “just be more careful next time.” Without a doubt, she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes on, even her voice was so dainty and feminine, and she was so just genuinely nice and sweet. She was all heart, not a mean or self fish bone in her body.

 

 

He was secretly shocked and delighted to find that such a perfect specimen of a girl was so very smart too, she was in everyone one of his honors classes. He marveled that she seemed to spend entire class periods day dreaming yet she was consistently ranked among the top in their class. He remains convinced, to this day, that if Orihime cut her in-class day dreaming time in half and focused just a little bit more, he would be the second highest ranked student instead of the first. Yes, he loved Inoue Orihime even long before her divine growth spurt. Back then, like every other brand new middle school girl, she was quite flat chested; and quite perfect.

 

 

Ever since that head butting encounter, she'd been the one and only girl of his dreams and the one and only girl of each and every one of his fantasies. He was content to love and admire her from a far. Orihime always seemed so off limits to him. By the end of middle school he was convinced that he would live and die by himself with only his hand for physical companionship. He knew what people thought of him, he surmised that his anti-social personality traits were born of three main circumstances, not having a mother, having his dick head of a father, and having his heart both soar-high and shatter each time he saw the beautiful Inoue Orihime. Ishida Uryuu was a very cranky boy who longed to love and was drastically deprived of attention, compassion, and positive affection.

 

`I think maybe I broke my dreamy Ishida-kun.' Orihime watched with great concern as her `imaginary' Ishida-kun seemed to keep spacing out.

 

 

The love struck Quincy was knocked from his reverie by a flying pillow that smelled heavily of his Orihime. “Huh… what was that for?” He looked over at the girl sitting wrapped up in a blanket in the center of the empty room.

 

 

She just smiled sweetly at him and her voice caught his ear once more, “I'm sorry dreamy Ishida-kun. I didn't mean to break you. You keep spacing out. Please stay and play with me, please? I don't know how much longer they will let me stay asleep. I want to stay here with you as long as I can before they hurt me again.” She looked almost as if she were about to cry.

 

 

It was tearing at his heart that she was still afraid, that she was still living in deep fear that the Espada would steal her away and have their way with her again. `How do I explain that they won't hurt her again, how do I tell her she isn't dreaming?' It was Ishida's turn to look like he had something important to say. He spoke in a soft concerned tone of voice that young Orihime had never heard come from him before, “Inoue-san, please believe me. I am not a dream Inoue-san. I am really right here, with you, in the Urahara Shop.” He paused briefly to give her a moment, hoping that she understood and accepted what he had just said. “We followed you to Hueco Mundo Inoue-san. We followed you and brought you home. You're home. You have been sleeping, drifting in and out of consciousness for two weeks.” For two weeks he's wanted to say those words to her.

 

 

Orihime's face twisted into an expression of hurt and confusion before it finally settled on an upset pout. “Dreamy Ishida-kun that's not nice, that's not nice at all! You shouldn't say such a mean thing! I think I'd know if I'd been rescued!” If she were standing, you could be certain she would have stomped her foot for added emphasis.

 

 

The boy's head dropped slightly and his voice sounded as if it could break at any moment as he remembered the horror, “Inoue-san, you were rescued. I carried you, in my own arms I carried your broken, bruised, and listless body from Las Noches to that tatami mat you've been sleeping on.” As hard as he tried he could not fight the tears that welled up. `You were there Hime-chan, you were in that big stadium room when we busted through the wall. You were unconscious lying naked on a large table. Your legs hung splayed dangling lifelessly over its edge, and your body was marred, so very battered. Kurosaki lay unconscious with his haori wide open and his hakama pooled at his ankles. He lay on the floor between your legs. `

 

 

Ishida thought he knew heart break from his years of unrequited love, he was not prepared for what he saw that day when Chad, Renji, Rukia, those annoying lesser Arrancar friends of Nell, and he found their way to the center of Las Noches only to find both Orihime and Ichigo unconscious. `I tore off my jacket and wrapped you up Hime-chan. I lifted you in my arms and as fast as I could hirenkyaku, I brought you through the gate. I carried you home. I left our friends behind, but they followed my lead. Chad carried Ichigo, the other's fought, and I held onto you for dear life!'

 

 

Ishida felt something snap inside of him as the worst moment in his life played repeatedly and for some reason remained alarmingly vivid in his head like a disturbing news reel. Like a rope that had finally given into the load it had been foolishly trying to carry, Ishida gave way and finally buckled under his own weight.

 

 

The disbelieving girl sat and starred. At first it seemed like her dreamy Ishida-kun was broken again. She felt bad for `yelling' at him. Then she watched his eyes as terror and sadness danced with frightening intensity. Her face softened while his glasses slowly began to fog up, his hands curled tightly into clenched fists, and his body began to softly shake. She felt his reiatsu begin to flare up and steadily become unstable and uncharacteristically fierce. Whatever he was thinking was causing him to loose control. She sat watching, she was in awe of how powerful he was when he wasn't masking his spirit energy. She was in greater awe of his passion; she'd never seen the real Ishida-kun or the dreamy Ishida-kun ever display passion for anything other than his Quincy pride. He continued stare at the floor, as she watched him remove his glasses and, despite his lack of control, he set them aside carefully. The intense energy around him continued to grow. Then she heard him speak so softly her ears strained to make out the words that fell from his trembling lips.

 

 

“You disappeared without saying goodbye! I didn't know if you were alive. I didn't know where you went! I trained hard to re-gain my powers so I could find you! When I found out where you were I came for you! I didn't know they hurt you! I didn't expect to find you on that table Inoue-san!” He paused briefly, “Now I know, I know how they hurt you. A girl like you… a girl like you Inoue-san should never know hurt like that.”

 

 

Suddenly she bit back a gasp as he lifted his head and starred deeply into her eyes. Even if she wanted to she couldn't look away from him, his eyes, that piercing gaze. His beautiful vibrant deep violet eyes clouded over with tears but she could still see a raging storm beating just beneath the surface. Sincerity and resolve etched every angle of his handsome face. The pain, the sadness, the terror, the longing and the… love his reiatsu exuded completely consumed her, she felt everything he did. Each emotion so incredibly concentrated that she knew the Quincy boy understood these feelings in their truest and most uninhibited and boundless way possible. It was positively overwhelming and completely unparalleled, even her desire for Kurosaki or her need to leave everyone behind couldn't hold a candle to the fires that burned under Ishida's skin and behind his eyes.

 

 

Ishida was past the point of coming undone. Stress, stress somehow related to his feelings for Orihime had finally buckled under the enormous pressure. He'd dominated himself, been in control of his emotions for so long. The combined memory of seeing her on the Espada table and the answered prayer of her recovery were enough to shatter the floodgates.

 

 

Suddenly she no longer had to strain to hear his words. His eyes still held hers captive and his reiatsu continued to grow in intensity, soon his body began to lightly glow a soft Quincy blue. The longer he spoke the louder and more luminous he became. His spiritual powers seemed to pull on and combine with her own making his already impressive display of reiatsu even more stunning.

 

 

“Nothing… nothing could ever prepare me for what I saw that day Inoue-san. I'd rather have every last inch of my own flesh clipped slowly off of me right down to the bone. Piece by tiny piece of skin, muscle, and organ tissue clipped off slowly with a toe nail clipper and doused in warm salt water than ever have harm come to you! Do you understand? I saw you. I saw you. I saw you lying on that table Inoue-san. I thought you were dead! I know… I know what they did to you. I found you. I tore off my jacket and wrapped you up Inoue-san. I lifted you in my arms and as fast as I could hirenkyaku, I brought you through the gate. I carried you here. I brought you home! They will NEVER touch you again!” The inflamed boy spoke in a clear leveled tone that dared not be challenged, “You - are - not - dreaming! “

 

 

As quickly as Ishida's reiatsu flared, it settled and his voice was once again quiet, “you are not dreaming Inoue-san, you are home now. This is all very real.” The stunned girl watched his eyes drop from hers to the place where he set his glasses. The proud Quincy felt shamed and vulnerable. He was unaccustomed to feeling either. He slid his glasses back on but couldn't bear to look at the girl he loved, he'd revealed too much of himself. He hadn't meant to loose control like that. He'd never lost control. He'd never even known he had that much power within him, and he was completely bewildered that not only could he combine his spiritual energy with hers but that she allowed him to do so. All of these thoughts would have to wait. At the moment they were unimportant. He also felt as if he had unintentionally demanded of Orihime that she feel bad for acting so selfishly and running away. He felt as if he might have frightened her or backed her into a corner when all he ever really wanted to do was protect her and dedicate his life to making her happy.

 

 

His reiatsu flare had drained him to exhaustion. He didn't know what to say to her, or even if there was anything that could be said at all. He simply sat there without saying a word.

 

 

Orihime just starred at him; truly she did not know what to make of what just happened, though she clearly understood that she was not the only one hurting. She'd never seen or felt anything remotely like that before. She briefly wondered if it was something akin to the Quincy race before deciding that was entirely irrelevant.

 

 

Trace amounts of the pain, sorrow, terror, and longing she felt from him, feelings she now understood were raging inside of him everyday and no one knew because he hid it all so well, still lingered inside of her. It was almost as if he'd transferred some of his own reiatsu to her, knowingly or otherwise. Even the strongest feeling, the love he felt, she could still feel that inside of her too. He reminded her of a dormant volcano, strong and powerful, calm on the outside but raging underneath.

 

 

She didn't want to think about any of it any more. She didn't want discuss what had just happened, she didn't want the Espada to ever touch her again, and she truly didn't care rather or not she was dreaming but she was willing to entertain the possibility that he was telling the truth about her rescue. The only things she was certain about were that no one knew very much at all about Ishida Uryuu and most of what they thought they knew about him was probably entirely wrong. She also felt that Ishida-kun was very sad and though she felt it was all her fault though she still couldn't pin-point why she felt it was her fault.

 

 

Orihime gathered up her blanket and went to sit next to the quiet subdued boy who huddled in the corner. He looked sad and a bit scared, but he was cute when he looked like a puppy lost in the rain. She snuggled up tightly beside him and lifted his arm to drape it around her shoulders before she covered them both with her blanket. He was so sweet and he smelled good too. “Arigato Ishida-kun.” With those words she left a chaste kiss on his cheek and settled against her thoroughly bewildered Quincy pillow for the night. “You were amazing!” Indeed, after a display like that, amazing was the only word she could find.

 

 

`She's still here? She doesn't hate me…she kissed me? What for? A… amazing? Oh, Orihime, I'm so sorry. You were never supposed to know any of that.' He made sure the blanket covered them both before resting his chin on her head and deeply inhaling her scent. He wrapped both arms around her in a gentle hug. “Inoue-san, I don't know why your still here after what I just did, I don't know why you're thanking me, and I really don't know why your so close to me right now, but would… I mean if it's ok with you, stay like that for just till I fall asleep. I'll understand if you…”

 

 

When she felt his arms wrap around her small frame to hold her in his timid embrace, an unexpected sense of asylum flooded through her. `Ishida-kun's so comfortable.' The sound of his voice vibrated through his chest and tickled the ear she had pressed against him. `Hrm… Ishida-kun talks a lot too. Just like me.' Orihime smiled and silently giggled to herself. `I like Ishida-kun's voice, maybe he should be a phone operator?' She was fully fixated on his voice but she wasn't paying attention to a single insecure word the young Quincy boy was rambling on about. For too long she'd been starved for someone to genuinely care for her, she needed life, people, and love to stimulate her. It surprised her how wonderful it felt and how easy it was to settle against him and relax in his arms. Orihime didn't like to be alone. She always wanted a warm body near her, but always had to settle for stuffed animals, pillows, or the little time she was able to spend with her friends who often seemed to either ignore her or be in the middle of some crisis

 

“Inoue-san... Inoue-san, did you hear me?”

 

 

“Huh, ohhhhhh oppps, gomen Ishida-kun. What did you say? I was listening to your voice, but I didn't hear what you said. I was thinking. Maybe you should be a phone operator. I mean I don't know how much money they make or how fun a job it is, but you sound so nice. I would like to call the operator and hear your voice… I'll be your first customer!” She belted out that last phrase with a hopeful and overly exuberant voice before settling back down, “I really like your voice Ishida-kun. Please… please keep talking.”

 

 

The raven haired boy was taken back, again. “Inoue-san,” he gently brushed her bangs from her forehead and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear marveling at how silky and soft her hair felt against his fingers before settling both arms back around her, “are you comfortable?” Instinctively she nestled closer to him. He was mildly alarmed when she didn't answer right away. “Inoue-san…?”

 

 

“Oh, gomen Ishida-kun. Arigato… don't leave me, please.”

 

 

“Why would I leave you Inoue-san?” In an effort to reassure the shaken girl in his arms he briefly tightened the light hug he held her in.

 

 

“I'm afraid Ishida-kun.”

 

 

Something told him she wasn't referring entirely to the Aizen and his goons. “Will you tell me what you're afraid of?”

 

 

“If I do, will you promise not to leave? Ishida-kun? Will you promise?”

 

 

She was beginning to scare him. `Did something else happen to her that I don't know about yet?' “Inoue-san I will stay at your side forever if you wish it. Please, what's wrong?”

 

 

“I'm afraid if I say `yes' then you'll leave.”

 

 

“Yes, yes to what? I don't understand.”

 

 

“You asked if I was comfortable.” She sat quietly for a minute, hesitant to explain further. “I was never comfortable in Hueco Mundo and even before then I wasn't uncomfortable but I was never comfortable. I can remember times when I think I was comfortable but it didn't feel like this.” Orihime's eyes began to well up and her voice began to faintly crack, “I'm scared Ishida-kun. If I tell you that I'm comfortable then you'll let go.”

 

 

“Why would I let go Inoue-san, I want you to be comfortable.”

 

 

“Why would you not let go once you've done what you set out to do?”

 

`Why is she thinking such things?' “Inoue-san, are you comfortable being so close to me, do you like it when I hug you, and talk to you?”

 

 

“Hai…”

 

“And you're afraid that if you tell me than I'll stop doing those things?”

 

 

“Hai…”

 

 

Ishida un-stretched his legs and laid them out in front of him in a `V' shape. He carefully hoisted the sweet girl that was pressed against his side up and settled her gently on the floor in front of him between his legs before re-adjusting the blanket and wrapping his arms around her to pull her back into his embrace. This time he had more confidence. This time he held her tighter. It only took a moment before she cuddled in close, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and rested her comfortably on his chest.

 

 

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes before he folded his legs back up enough for them to cross at his calves and he leaned down slightly to rest his chin on her head, `she smells so wonderful'. “I won't leave you Inoue-san. I promise. If I ask, will you tell me? Are your more comfortable now?”

 

 

“Hai, but is Ishida-kun comfortable?”

 

 

“I've never been more comfortable in my whole life Inoue-san, never. So please don't -you- leave.” He squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her head letting his lips linger for a moment to brush against her hair.

 

 

She returned his embrace with equal fervor. “Me neither, never in my entire life. Ishida-kun?”

 

 

“Hai Inoue-san?”

 

 

“I can hear your voice better from here. When you talk all I think about is your voice. I don't want to think about anything else. Everything else is sad, but Ishida-kun is warm and comfortable.”

 

 

“You want me to keep talking?”

 

 

“Yes please, I like Ishida-kun's voice.”

 

 

“Hrm, what do you want me to talk about?”

 

 

She breathed in deeply. `Has Ishida-kun always smelled so good?' “It doesn't matter.”

 

 

“Ok, let's see. How about… I have a book on Greek and Roman mythology from school. We actually have a test on some of this stuff next week. Do you want me to read that to you out loud?”

 

“Yes, that's perfect! Does it have any stories with happy endings? I like happy endings.”

 

 

“There's the story of Venus's son Cupid?”

 

 

“Is it a happy story?”

 

 

“Not entirely, but it does have a happy ending.” `Maybe this is the kind of story she needs. Not all bad experiences result in a bad life.' “How about this, I'll tell you the ending first and then start reading the story from the beginning?”

 

 

Orihime pondered her options. What she wanted most was for him to keep talking and the sooner he got to reading the better, but she was already sad and didn't want to become even sadder. Still, he warned her story would probably be sad but all end up ok. `Well I guess so long as I know it ends well and he keeps talking then it should be ok.' “Ok Ishida-kun, tell me how it ends.”

 

 

“As you wish Inoue-san. Cupid is immortal and desperately helplessly in love with a beautiful mortal woman named Psyche. The story is all about the drama they face in an effort to be with one another. In the end they over come all the angst in their lives and live happily. Psyche becomes immortal and the couple is joined in marriage, so to speak, for all eternity. They even give birth to a daughter and name her Pleasure.” He leaned down to peek over the side of her head to look at her beautiful face to see if his choice of story was acceptable, “So, what do you think?”

 

 

She tilted her head up and gave him a sweet and contented smile. 'His eyes are so beautiful so warm.' “Ok Ishida-kun. That sounds like a nice story. Please, promise again you won't leave; even if I fall asleep.” Again, she couldn't tear herself from his eyes.

 

 

Orihime wondered if his glasses were magical or maybe even cursed by an evil spirit because every time he took his glasses and their eyes locked she was mesmerized. His eyes weren't just soft and warm; they weren't just a beautiful hue. But, just beyond the surface they were a raging squall of blue intensity. She wasn't even sure he knew about it.

 

 

`Maybe it's some kind of power I have. I'm good with reiatsu, maybe his eyes are linked to his reiatsu? Maybe I'm the only one who can see it?' Some part of her felt that she should be scared but instead the powerful force behind his eyes soothed her even more than the sound of his voice did. `Why Ishida-kun? Why now? What is it about you Ishida-kun that lulls me so easily? What did you do Ishida-kun?' She remembered the emotions that consumed him when his reiatsu flared. She remembers because somehow she felt everything he did just as acutely as if she'd wore his skin. She didn't want to think about it, but she couldn't stop. Orihime had always wanted to be consumed with by love with someone who loved her just as fervorently. She was beginning to think she didn't know the first thing about what that really meant, `but Ishida-kun, Ishida-kun knows. I've never felt anything so wonderful and so terrible before. Why can I see it? Why does he feel so deeply? What does he feel so deeply for?' She thought these questions would never be answered.

 

 

He took his glasses off for just a moment. He was close enough to her to see everything clearly. The gentleman Quincy gently placed his palm on her cheek and while holding her gave he ran the pad of his over one of her eyebrows, “I promise Inoue-san, there's no where else I would rather be.”

 

 

She gasped as she suddenly realized that the reason she felt responsible for his sadness earlier was because it really was all her fault. `Ishida-kun loves me! His spiritual energy… that was about me, all that love, all that fear and sorrow; all because of me!'

 

 

He slid his glasses back on and kissed the top of her head before freeing an arm to shuffle through the pile at his side and find his Mythology book. The disappointed sigh he heard from the girl sitting between his legs when he had to remove his arm from her embrace caused him to feel like his chest would burst.

 

 

The gentle voice of Inoue Orihime blessed Ishida Uryuu's ears as he felt her grip on him tighten, “Ishida-kun, I hope I'm not dreaming but I'm still scared.” She was scared; she didn't want to hurt him. `Can I ever love him as much as he loves me? How can he love me? I'm broken? I'm the cherished whore of Aizen's elite. I'm used, I'm disgusting!'

 

 

In no time at all he had both arms wrapped around her again as he held book in front of them and began to read the mythological tale of Cupid and Psyche. As soon as his arms held her and his voice vibrated from his chest to tickle her ear, true to her prior claim, everything vanished from her except the dulcet and soothing sounds of his voice as it softly lulled her to a happier place, a place with happy endings. “Let's get started Inoue-san, the sooner we get passed sad stuff, the sooner we can get to the happy ending.”

 

 

ENDOF CHAPTER, not the end of the story