Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Funky Fireworks ❯ Funky Fireworks ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

“AHA! That one looked like a flower!” Isshin yelled as he as he pointed up to the red dazzling firework that was already fading from the black sky. A red tinge deepened on his face as the vein in his head throbbed when he pointed out another one. The fireworks had just began, but Issen was acting as if they had gone on for hours. This night, the summer Fireworks Festival, was the last night they would all be together like this before Kurosaki , Sado, and Inoue would step into the depths of the Soul Society. The last they would be able to have fun before going to rescue Rukia.

Ichigo smiled softly at the sky, he wished Rukia could she this. She would’ve liked it, but she’ll be here to see it next summer. “You know if you think about it,” Ichigo muttered to himself, both Orihime and Tatsuki turned to look at him. “They all kind of look like flowers.” Ichigo scoffed as another flower-like firework shot up.
“No, that one looks like a bird flapping it’s wings!” Orihime yelled particularly loud as she thrust here finger up at the sky.
“Yeah, I can definitely see a pair of hooters there!” Keigo yelled over dramatically with stars in his eyes. “Their just so large an- Oof!” Tatsuki interrupted his surely crude words with a stiff punch to his face with her good hand.

As Tatsuki and Keigo began to squabble Ichigo looked around. Isshin was still cheering with a slightly drunken Yuzu and Karin by his side as another firework went up. Chad was laying several feet away laying on his back staring up at the sky. As always he wore the same blank expression, and his hair was sloped down over his face completely covering one eye. Orihime, however, had gone strangely silent. She was sitting at his side smiling up at the sky with a dazed happy expression. Orange long hair shimmer in the light set off by the fireworks, even Ichigo had to admit she was beautiful. Not that he would ever say she wasn’t, but that’s just not something you say to friends.
“What?” While Ichigo was thinking, Orihime had noticed him studying her. “What’s with that look?”
“Hm? Nothing, I was just thinking.” Ichigo said smiling slightly. Orihime beamed at him like she did with everyone. Orihime curled her knees up to her chest and looked back towards the sky.

Ichigo stared down at the ground. He started to think again, about Rukia, about the other Shinigami, and about if everyone would come back alive. Surely there were Shinigami more powerful than Renji and even more powerful than Byakuya.
“Ichi~go!” Yuzu had thrown herself onto his onto his back. The sheer force of it made him somersault over. Ichigo commenced rolling down the hill towards the river as Yuzu just fell flat on her face.
“What’s Ichigo doing?” Tatsuki unsurely laughed as she scratched the side of her face.
“I’ll go ask!” Orihime chirped
“Orihime, I don’t think—ORIHIME!” Tatsuki yelled after her as she rolled forward down the hill.

Ichigo yelled all the way as he rolled down the steep hill. He had clumps of green grass tightly crunched in his hands as he had unsuccessfully tried to stop himself. Ichigo cringed as he hit the water. The murky black water was refreshing on a hot summer night like this, but now his clothes were wet. Ichigo scowled as he sat in the water, dazed by the sudden event of being pushed down a hill. The crackle of fireworks continued above him. Ichigo heard a distance ‘weeeee!’ sound. For a moment he thought it was just the hiss of the fireworks, but it started to get closer. Ichigo turned around and looked up the hill. Orihime was rolling down the hill with her arms crossed against her chest. The ‘wee!’ grew steadily closer. Orihime was rolling right towards him! Ichigo pushed himself off the bank, further into the river as she hit the water with a splash and the slight burbling sound as her clothes got wet.
“Hi Ichi-Kun!” Orihime said as she quickly rose up from the water. “Tatsuki-Chan wanted to know what your doing!”

Ichigo’s face fell into a blank stare. “You rolled down here to ask me that!” He yelled, slightly surprised that anyone, anywhere would do that.
“Yup!” her beaming smile slowly faded from her face as she lifted herself back up on the bank. Ichigo swam over and lifted himself up beside her with a small grunt.
“Hey! Lookie!” Orihime pointed up at the sky. “A shooting star!” Ichigo had saw it too. He had never seen a shooting star before. He never really looked up at the sky much during the night. Orihime swished her feet in the water. He looked down at her. She was once again smiling gently as she drew patterns in the water with the tip of her soggy shoes.

“Hey! Orihime! Ichigo!” Keigo yelled from up onto of the hill. Orihime squeaked and jumped at the sudden outburst. Her feet kicked water up into Ichigo’s face. Ichigo coughed and sputtered as Orihime waved up at Keigo.
“It’s ok, Keigo-Kun! We’re fine!”
“I don’t think that’s what he wanted...” Ichigo muttered wiping the water droplets off his face with his wet shirt. Orihime sat back down next to him. The fireworks seemed to be winding down now, that meant the finale would be soon. The sky over Kurakaka Town was light up a dull orange. Not because the sun was rising, but the light were so bright they reflected in the sky.
“Orihime....” Ichigo sighed as he leaned down and stuck his hands into the water.
“Hn?”
Ichigo swung his arms around quickly in the water causing a sheet of water to rush towards Orihime. She gasped as the water hit her. “that’s...for getting me wetter!” Ichigo yelled stiffly. Orihime was giggling as she wrung more water from her hair. She put one of her hands in the water, Ichigo immediately scooted away. She looked up at him and smiled. Suddenly a jet of water hit him directly in the face. He forgot about that little trick, he had been the one to teacher her that.

At the clinic, when she brought her brother in. Ichigo had sat in the living room with her. It was so awkward just sitting there with her and her two sister, who were playing a tub of warm water. Ichigo wasn’t sure what to say or do, she was kind of quiet and she had tears in her eyes. He was just so uncomfortable when I came to girls crying in front of him. He remembered, Yuzu and Karin were pushing the tub of water around the room. The had pushed the tub into his legs and splashed water onto his school pants. Ichigo cringed as both of his little sister laughed and continued to splash him. He saw Orihime watching them and him through the corner of her eye. Ichigo leaned down and placed his hands in the water. He gathered water in his palms and squeezed both his hands together. Both of his sister fell flat on their butts sputtering as a jet of water hit them both in the face. Orihime laughed, and Ichigo put on an awkward smile for her.
“Come here, I’ll teach you.”
Ichigo smiled as the water slide from his face. Orihime laughed and beamed at him. A rather large firework cracked in the sky as they both began laughing. Green sparks began to fall down around them from the falling firework. Orihime let out a quietly ‘eep’ as they both jumped up and ran for cover. They ran for cover under the nearest bridge. Ichigo huffed as they reached the safety of the bridge. He patted his shirt which still had a green spark sparkling on it.
“Ichigo-Kun...” Orihime sighed as she looked out over the black water under the bridge. Ichigo was still patting a particularly brown singe mark on his shirt to notice her soft tone.
“Yeah I know...that’s such a fire hazard!”
Orihime turned around and smiled at him. Her eyes sparkled in the little light that the fireworks brought under the bridge. Ichigo looked up, she had her hands behind her back and her hips were swaying as she walked up to him.

“Uh...” Ichigo stuttered as she stopped right in front of him. The wind blew through her damp orange hair as she just stood in front of him, smiling.
“Ichigo-kun?” She grinned, tilting her head to the side. “You think we will really be able to save Rukia-Chan?” Ichigo looked down, his heart sunk down deep into his chest thinking about it.
“Yeah, we have to no matter what. We will succeed.” He said firmly with his eyes still fixed on the ground. He heard Orihime sigh again. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him. Even though both of them were wet she still felt warm as th local hot springs. Ichigo felt her shiver as she laid her head against her chest. His body went stiff, he wasn’t sure what was happening. It felt so nice to have her arms wrapped around him.
“I hope your right Ichi-Kun...I hope we do save Rukia-Chan.” Inoue mumbled against his wet shirt. He felt her head shift and her forehead on leaned against his chest. Ichigo slowly put his arms around her.

Ichigo’s mind was racing, an odd sensation rose to his cheeks. He was blushing, but why was he blushing. He hadn’t blushed since he was four.
“Ichi-Kun...” Orihime started again. Ichigo could feel her hot breath through his shirt. It sent a warm feeling through his whole body. “I know you have feelings for Rukia-Chan, but-“ Ichigo practically jumped, but since his back was against the concrete wall there was no way to jump away.
“I don’t have feelings for Rukia!” He yelped, Orihime looked up at his utterly shocked and surprised face.
“Well even if you do...” She whispered staring up into his eyes. “I will always love you.” Ichigo gulped as the stared down at each other for a long almost endless moment. Orihime finally looked away down at the ground.
“Orihime...” Ichigo placed his hand under her chin and lifted her eyes back to his. Ichigo lowered his head and placed their foreheads together. She smelled strangely of flowers and what he imagined was river water.
“I...” Ichigo started as his face got closer to hers. “Love you too...” Their lips met. They only touched for just a moment before Ichigo pulled away.
“Hey! Ichi-WHOA!” Keigo jumped back as he walked under the bridge. Immediately Ichigo jumped sideways out of Orihime’s grasp.
“Hey! What do you think your doing down here!” He yelled charging at Keigo with his fist drawn.
“I should as you the same!” Keigo yelled as they each barred their teeth at each other.
“Oh my...” Orihime squeaked.