Changes & Acceptances
Title: Changes & Acceptances
Author: Ragna (afteriwake)
Pairing: Ishida-centric, Ishida/Orihime
Rating: PG
Spoilers (if applicable): Goes AU before chapter 448, so there's no spoilers for recent chapters.
Warnings (if applicable): None
Summary: When you've got each other, that's all that matters.
Authors Notes: I've just been on a roll tonight... Sequel to the fic “ Alarms & Surprises.” I decided to make this into a trilogy (at the very least) titled “Promise You.”
---
It didn't take them long to get into a routine. Some nights he would sleep in his own room, but most nights he was in hers, either because she'd had a nightmare or because she had asked. A few nights they fell asleep on the couch because they had talked late into the night and he didn't have the heart to wake her but he didn't want to leave her alone. He was her protector now.
He and Kurosaki had talked about things when he returned to school. True to form, Kurosaki had been completely stupid in not noticing Orihime had had problems after the attack. But once he did realize that, and Ishida emphasized that he had taken on the role of protecting Orihime, he had accepted it and promised that he would take care of Tsukishima so that there would be one less person going after Orihime. It marked a change in their antagonistic relationship. Not to say they were best friends, but they didn't make as many snide comments to each other, and he stopped going berserk when he was compared to Kurosaki.
To be honest, he was quite happy with the situation he was in. He had the girl he had wanted for such a long time, he had a better relationship with his friends, he smiled more. Things were pretty good. So of course it had to end. Before Ichigo fully got his powers back, Tsukishima had some other ideas on how things should happen. He decided that going after Ichigo's friends wasn't enough. He wanted to make them suffer. So when Orihime's apartment complex caught on fire, and it was determined to be arson, everyone had a good idea who had done it, because things like that on a smaller scale had been happening to Ichigo's other friends.
He thanked whoever it was who looked out for him that Orihime had had to work late and he had been there at her job to pick her up when the fire tore through the complex. He didn't know what he would have done if he'd lost her. He probably would have made a deal with someone, try to power-up as best he could, and he would take Tsukishima out. For now, though, he and Orihime were homeless, and she was back to being scared again, not that he could blame her.
Him, he was just angry. She didn't deserve it, to be frightened anymore by this creep. But Ichigo said he would handle it as long as he kept Orihime safe. Kurosaki's father had said they could stay with him for a while until they found a place, and Urahara-san had made the same offer. Sado knew it wasn't safe, not if Ichigo's friends were being targeted, and all the others except Arisawa-san said the same thing. In fact, she had insisted they move in with her. Considering she had been Orihime's old protector, and still wanted to help, they decided that would be a good move.
She had been ecstatic that he and Orihime had started dating. All she truly wanted was for her best friend to happy, whether that was with him or Kurosaki. And she promised to keep an eye on her again, if he needed her to. The only problem was that her parents didn't think it was appropriate for him and Orihime to share the same room, let alone the same bed, and no amount of arguing on Tatsuki's part would convince them. After three tearful nights where Ishida curled up outside Orihime's door they decided it wouldn't work, so they left and stayed with Sado for a week.
Tatsuki had a student who had a friend who was going to Tokyo for university and was looking to rent out his apartment. It was a one bedroom, but it was fully furnished, and Tatsuki tossed in free lessons for a month for her student if he'd set up a good deal for her friends. The guy agreed, and soon they moved into the apartment. Everyone had decided it would be best if they laid low, so they didn't leave the apartment unless it was absolutely necessary.
It was fine, though. They'd had four months of living in the same space to adapt to each others personalities, and to be honest it felt good to be close to her again. It may have started that she needed him around to sleep, but once he got used to her sleeping next to him it was hard for him to sleep otherwise. He was falling harder than before and falling fast.
The apartment had also been stocked with food that they were welcome to eat, and they made the best of the good taste the former occupant had. Ishida had had wine before, when he'd had to endure business visits with his father, but Orihime hadn't and had really wanted to try some. So their second night there he gave her a small glass with their dinner. She took a sip and made a face, and he laughed, taking it and finishing it himself.
She asked him about how he'd had wine before, and he told her more about his father. He'd talk to her about anything, but never about his father. He had another glass of wine and talked, though, because he needed to get it out. When he was almost done with the bottle he realized he'd probably drunk too much and corked it, swaying slightly as he did. This was not good. But Orihime was up to the challenge. She put the wine away and gently led him to the bed. He'd never been drunk before, but he prayed he didn't take advantage of Orihime. That would ruin everything.
She took off his shirt when he started having trouble with the buttons and then grabbed a T-shirt of his and pulled it over his head, giggling slightly when he couldn't get his arm through one of the sleeves. She finally succeeded in pulling it down, then pulled back to covers and let him lie down. Then she took her clothes and went into the bathroom to change. And that was the last thing he remembered until he woke up the next morning to warm flesh against warm flesh.
He groaned, not just from the headache but from the fact he had no shirt on, but relaxed when he felt that Orihime had on a tank top, and the flesh he felt had been her bare arm draped across his chest. He turned to look at her, smoothing back her hair. He'd always loved to watch her sleep. When she had a nightmare he'd sit up slightly and she'd rest her head on his chest or on his shoulder as he had his arm around her and he'd watch her drift back to sleep, safe and secure.
He inched up and shifted her so her head was on the pillow and her arm was draped around his waist. He couldn't let his guard down again. If someone had found them and he had been too passed out to save her he didn't know what he'd do. He slid back down enough to gather her in his arms and hold her close. He would not fail her. He couldn't fail her.
“Ishida-kun?” she mumbled slightly. “You're sweaty.”
He laughed as she sat up, rubbing her eyes slightly. “This is why I wear shirts. It's hot at night. Then you don't feel me sweat.”
“Oh, okay,” she said with a smile.
She had gotten to the point where she could have an alarm again, but that was before the fire, so now they simply used it as a clock. He saw that it was three AM. He'd had a few hours of sleep. “Why don't I have a shirt on, anyway?”
She giggled slightly. “You threw up.”
He looked at the bedding and saw that indeed, they were sleeping under a different blanket. He groaned. What a way to embarrass himself. He groaned and found himself turning red. “I didn't...?”
“No, just on the blanket and your shirt,” she said. “I cleaned you up as best I could, because I tried to wake you up and you wouldn't wake up.”
“I should probably go take a shower then,” he replied.
“Could I sit on the toilet and talk to you?” she asked. “I mean, while you're in the shower. Before and after I'll go out.”
“You don't want to be alone?” he asked quietly.
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
“Okay,” he said. “Give me a few minutes.” He got up, got a fresh shirt and a new pair of shorts, and went into the bathroom, stripping down and getting under the water. There was only a flimsy curtain separating them, and he could clearly see her outline when she came in.
“Have you ever thought about...you know,” she asked quietly. He froze. This was not the time or place to have that conversation.
“About what?”
“About leaving Karakura Town?”
He relaxed, and went back to soaping himself off. “I have, once school is finished.”
“Where?”
“Tokyo, mostly.”
“I want to go far away from here,” she said. “Like to the United States.”
He stopped what he was doing. “Really?”
“Yeah. I want to get away from here, and I don't want to wait.”
“We're almost done with school,” he said quietly.
She sighed. “I know.” She paused. “If I go, would you come with me?”
“Of course,” he said, without even thinking. He would never even consider leaving her. Didn't she know that? “I just want to wait until school is over.”
“But that's three more months,” she said.
He stuck his head out and looked at her, heedless of the fact that he was naked on the other side. “Why do you want to leave now?”
She looked at him. “If I'm gone then Tsukishima can't attack me and Hollows can't get me and I'd never have to worry about Aizen ever again.”
He looked at her, then rinsed off quickly, turned off the water and grabbed the towel off the hook next to the shower, wrapping his lower torso in it. He pushed the curtain out of the way and knelt in front of her. “If you want to go now I'll go with you,” he said quietly, framing her face in his hands. “I won't leave you alone.”
Tears started to fall down her cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumbs. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he said with a nod.
“Then let's go,” she said. “As soon as we can.”
He nodded. “As soon as we can.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, heedless of the fact he was dripping wet. He kept her close, only letting go long enough to readjust his towel. “There's just one thing I want to do first.”
“What?” she asked, pulling away.
“We're both old enough, and I can make my father give permission. I want to marry you before we go.”
She stared at him, then removed her arms and clapped her hands over her mouth. “Really?” she asked, her voice muffled.
“Yes,” he said with a nod.
She began to nod vigorously. “Yes!” she yelled, removing her hands and throwing her arms back around his neck. She was a little too exuberant, though, and she pushed him onto his back and landed on top of him. Thankfully, his towel stayed on his waist as she began to kiss him.
When she lifted her head up and beamed at him, he grinned back. Wherever his life lead, he would have her by his side. This is what he wanted, and she wanted this too. This made this moment perfect, even if he was simply clad in a towel.
Author: Ragna (afteriwake)
Pairing: Ishida-centric, Ishida/Orihime
Rating: PG
Spoilers (if applicable): Goes AU before chapter 448, so there's no spoilers for recent chapters.
Warnings (if applicable): None
Summary: When you've got each other, that's all that matters.
Authors Notes: I've just been on a roll tonight... Sequel to the fic “ Alarms & Surprises.” I decided to make this into a trilogy (at the very least) titled “Promise You.”
---
It didn't take them long to get into a routine. Some nights he would sleep in his own room, but most nights he was in hers, either because she'd had a nightmare or because she had asked. A few nights they fell asleep on the couch because they had talked late into the night and he didn't have the heart to wake her but he didn't want to leave her alone. He was her protector now.
He and Kurosaki had talked about things when he returned to school. True to form, Kurosaki had been completely stupid in not noticing Orihime had had problems after the attack. But once he did realize that, and Ishida emphasized that he had taken on the role of protecting Orihime, he had accepted it and promised that he would take care of Tsukishima so that there would be one less person going after Orihime. It marked a change in their antagonistic relationship. Not to say they were best friends, but they didn't make as many snide comments to each other, and he stopped going berserk when he was compared to Kurosaki.
To be honest, he was quite happy with the situation he was in. He had the girl he had wanted for such a long time, he had a better relationship with his friends, he smiled more. Things were pretty good. So of course it had to end. Before Ichigo fully got his powers back, Tsukishima had some other ideas on how things should happen. He decided that going after Ichigo's friends wasn't enough. He wanted to make them suffer. So when Orihime's apartment complex caught on fire, and it was determined to be arson, everyone had a good idea who had done it, because things like that on a smaller scale had been happening to Ichigo's other friends.
He thanked whoever it was who looked out for him that Orihime had had to work late and he had been there at her job to pick her up when the fire tore through the complex. He didn't know what he would have done if he'd lost her. He probably would have made a deal with someone, try to power-up as best he could, and he would take Tsukishima out. For now, though, he and Orihime were homeless, and she was back to being scared again, not that he could blame her.
Him, he was just angry. She didn't deserve it, to be frightened anymore by this creep. But Ichigo said he would handle it as long as he kept Orihime safe. Kurosaki's father had said they could stay with him for a while until they found a place, and Urahara-san had made the same offer. Sado knew it wasn't safe, not if Ichigo's friends were being targeted, and all the others except Arisawa-san said the same thing. In fact, she had insisted they move in with her. Considering she had been Orihime's old protector, and still wanted to help, they decided that would be a good move.
She had been ecstatic that he and Orihime had started dating. All she truly wanted was for her best friend to happy, whether that was with him or Kurosaki. And she promised to keep an eye on her again, if he needed her to. The only problem was that her parents didn't think it was appropriate for him and Orihime to share the same room, let alone the same bed, and no amount of arguing on Tatsuki's part would convince them. After three tearful nights where Ishida curled up outside Orihime's door they decided it wouldn't work, so they left and stayed with Sado for a week.
Tatsuki had a student who had a friend who was going to Tokyo for university and was looking to rent out his apartment. It was a one bedroom, but it was fully furnished, and Tatsuki tossed in free lessons for a month for her student if he'd set up a good deal for her friends. The guy agreed, and soon they moved into the apartment. Everyone had decided it would be best if they laid low, so they didn't leave the apartment unless it was absolutely necessary.
It was fine, though. They'd had four months of living in the same space to adapt to each others personalities, and to be honest it felt good to be close to her again. It may have started that she needed him around to sleep, but once he got used to her sleeping next to him it was hard for him to sleep otherwise. He was falling harder than before and falling fast.
The apartment had also been stocked with food that they were welcome to eat, and they made the best of the good taste the former occupant had. Ishida had had wine before, when he'd had to endure business visits with his father, but Orihime hadn't and had really wanted to try some. So their second night there he gave her a small glass with their dinner. She took a sip and made a face, and he laughed, taking it and finishing it himself.
She asked him about how he'd had wine before, and he told her more about his father. He'd talk to her about anything, but never about his father. He had another glass of wine and talked, though, because he needed to get it out. When he was almost done with the bottle he realized he'd probably drunk too much and corked it, swaying slightly as he did. This was not good. But Orihime was up to the challenge. She put the wine away and gently led him to the bed. He'd never been drunk before, but he prayed he didn't take advantage of Orihime. That would ruin everything.
She took off his shirt when he started having trouble with the buttons and then grabbed a T-shirt of his and pulled it over his head, giggling slightly when he couldn't get his arm through one of the sleeves. She finally succeeded in pulling it down, then pulled back to covers and let him lie down. Then she took her clothes and went into the bathroom to change. And that was the last thing he remembered until he woke up the next morning to warm flesh against warm flesh.
He groaned, not just from the headache but from the fact he had no shirt on, but relaxed when he felt that Orihime had on a tank top, and the flesh he felt had been her bare arm draped across his chest. He turned to look at her, smoothing back her hair. He'd always loved to watch her sleep. When she had a nightmare he'd sit up slightly and she'd rest her head on his chest or on his shoulder as he had his arm around her and he'd watch her drift back to sleep, safe and secure.
He inched up and shifted her so her head was on the pillow and her arm was draped around his waist. He couldn't let his guard down again. If someone had found them and he had been too passed out to save her he didn't know what he'd do. He slid back down enough to gather her in his arms and hold her close. He would not fail her. He couldn't fail her.
“Ishida-kun?” she mumbled slightly. “You're sweaty.”
He laughed as she sat up, rubbing her eyes slightly. “This is why I wear shirts. It's hot at night. Then you don't feel me sweat.”
“Oh, okay,” she said with a smile.
She had gotten to the point where she could have an alarm again, but that was before the fire, so now they simply used it as a clock. He saw that it was three AM. He'd had a few hours of sleep. “Why don't I have a shirt on, anyway?”
She giggled slightly. “You threw up.”
He looked at the bedding and saw that indeed, they were sleeping under a different blanket. He groaned. What a way to embarrass himself. He groaned and found himself turning red. “I didn't...?”
“No, just on the blanket and your shirt,” she said. “I cleaned you up as best I could, because I tried to wake you up and you wouldn't wake up.”
“I should probably go take a shower then,” he replied.
“Could I sit on the toilet and talk to you?” she asked. “I mean, while you're in the shower. Before and after I'll go out.”
“You don't want to be alone?” he asked quietly.
“No,” she said, shaking her head.
“Okay,” he said. “Give me a few minutes.” He got up, got a fresh shirt and a new pair of shorts, and went into the bathroom, stripping down and getting under the water. There was only a flimsy curtain separating them, and he could clearly see her outline when she came in.
“Have you ever thought about...you know,” she asked quietly. He froze. This was not the time or place to have that conversation.
“About what?”
“About leaving Karakura Town?”
He relaxed, and went back to soaping himself off. “I have, once school is finished.”
“Where?”
“Tokyo, mostly.”
“I want to go far away from here,” she said. “Like to the United States.”
He stopped what he was doing. “Really?”
“Yeah. I want to get away from here, and I don't want to wait.”
“We're almost done with school,” he said quietly.
She sighed. “I know.” She paused. “If I go, would you come with me?”
“Of course,” he said, without even thinking. He would never even consider leaving her. Didn't she know that? “I just want to wait until school is over.”
“But that's three more months,” she said.
He stuck his head out and looked at her, heedless of the fact that he was naked on the other side. “Why do you want to leave now?”
She looked at him. “If I'm gone then Tsukishima can't attack me and Hollows can't get me and I'd never have to worry about Aizen ever again.”
He looked at her, then rinsed off quickly, turned off the water and grabbed the towel off the hook next to the shower, wrapping his lower torso in it. He pushed the curtain out of the way and knelt in front of her. “If you want to go now I'll go with you,” he said quietly, framing her face in his hands. “I won't leave you alone.”
Tears started to fall down her cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumbs. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” he said with a nod.
“Then let's go,” she said. “As soon as we can.”
He nodded. “As soon as we can.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, heedless of the fact he was dripping wet. He kept her close, only letting go long enough to readjust his towel. “There's just one thing I want to do first.”
“What?” she asked, pulling away.
“We're both old enough, and I can make my father give permission. I want to marry you before we go.”
She stared at him, then removed her arms and clapped her hands over her mouth. “Really?” she asked, her voice muffled.
“Yes,” he said with a nod.
She began to nod vigorously. “Yes!” she yelled, removing her hands and throwing her arms back around his neck. She was a little too exuberant, though, and she pushed him onto his back and landed on top of him. Thankfully, his towel stayed on his waist as she began to kiss him.
When she lifted her head up and beamed at him, he grinned back. Wherever his life lead, he would have her by his side. This is what he wanted, and she wanted this too. This made this moment perfect, even if he was simply clad in a towel.