Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Seireitei Monogatari ❯ Ice Cream ( Chapter 4 )

Title: Ice Cream

Pairings: TatsukixOrihime

Characters: Tatsuki, Orihime

Rating: K

Words: 644

Description: Just because it was a randomly special day.

 

 

It was the only food that Orihime would eat unaltered. Without any added flavorings or spices or slathered on bread for no reason at all. She had claimed that it was “yummy goodness” enough, which had made Tatsuki smile.

 

Ice cream was also Tatsuki's second favorite food, right after apple pie, though she only ever admitted it to Orihime.

 

And because of it, they had a bond, something in common, since they shared very little else. Brawns and brain, beauty divided. Orihime was kind and gentle, a bit ditsy if one wanted to be honest. Tatsuki could be rough and tumble, and her kindness was a bit hidden, reserved only for those she cared about.

 

But the sweet, frozen dessert was something that they shared. Tatsuki always kept a pint of their favorite flavor in her freezer, and she could count on Orihime to randomly show up some days and just want to take a walk to the ice cream shop.

 

Just because it was a randomly special day.

 

The first time that Orihime had to go away, she had promised to return so that they could eat ice cream again. Tatsuki had known something was off but didn't make a fuss because Orihime was like that sometimes. Besides, Tatsuki wanted to understand. Even if she couldn't, she wanted to.

 

So she made sure that there was a tub, just waiting for Orihime's return.

After all, ice cream was a defining part of their relationship.

 

It was the first place they had gone after becoming friends, sharing ice cream as Tatsuki tried to cheer up her fellow classmate who seemed to be surrounded by tragedy.

Tatsuki had ordered chocolate, and Orihime had surprised her by ordering vanilla.

 

When she had asked the ginger-haired girl why, she had just tilted her head to the side and smiled sweetly. “Why mess up what's already perfect?” she had returned and had happily set to licking away the first melting drops.

 

That had made Tatsuki grin before starting in on her own, and from then on, it was a tradition.

 

They had been eating ice cream on the day that Tatsuki had kissed Orihime, too. A spur of the moment action that she hadn't wanted to regret but would only if it seemed to bother her best friend. Orihime had tasted like sugar and cream, a bit of ice cream still stuck cutely to her lips.

 

Afterwards, when Tatsuki had been wallowing in worry that she would lose her, Orihime had only giggled and kissed her back.

 

She had chirped, “Does that mean that Chizuru can beat you up now?”

 

The second time Orihime had to leave for reasons unknown, the same promise was made. She had returned quicker this time before the ice cream even had a chance to get nice and comfortable in Tatsuki's freezer.

 

She had promised that no one would ever be able to make Orihime cry, but even Tatsuki couldn't protect her when she wasn't there.

 

So when Orihime disappeared a third time, even if she hadn't explained why beforehand, Tatsuki kept up the tradition. A brand new carton of vanilla ice cream sat patiently in her freezer. And when it got frostbitten, she threw the unopened container away, only to replace it a few hours later.

 

Her mother never asked why. Her father had learned to stay well away from it.

 

Tatsuki waited because they had made a promise. She waited because Orihime was her best friend, and if Tatsuki couldn't fight and couldn't know where Orihime was going, she could at least be there when Orihime came back. She knew that Orihime would come back, no matter what anyone else thought.

 

So no matter how many times she had to replace the carton, Tatsuki kept buying it, leaving previous containers untouched.

 

Just waiting for another randomly special day.

 

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