ICHIHIME_Just like this

...Just like this...


„There are several moments worth living for. Seemingly it's nothing still everyone can feel it. Lots of moments, we have a couple of them profusely. The two of us...hand in hand...barefoot in the grass. When everything ends...(and) nothing matters...just like this...right now, I wanna be with you."


Orihime glanced at the man laying next to her and smiled shyly. They were at the riverside waiting for the fireworks to start. It was Tanabata, the most beautiful festivity in the world. Leastwise for the Inoue girl. For example Ichigo liked simple days without shinigami duties but they were rare. All the same he attends this festival every year just because his youngest sister orders him to wear something nice and drags him with her. But this time it was a bit different. This was his very first date with Orihime. A date.
After the winter war he was hospitalized for almost two months so he couldn't really think about the fact that maybe he has feelings for the girl. His state of health was distressing. He had several injuries all over his body and after he was allowed to get out of bed he had to engage in therapy because his muscles suffered for the battle. It's understandable that he was in no condition to muse on something like this right here. Date. So weird. Once his health was the same as before he had to go to Soul Society and help the shinigami association with every occurrent proposition. Then he just forgot about things like romance, hormones and dating. Everything was back to normal. He and his friends went to school every day and tried to act as nothing happened. Of course the war had left a big impression in everyone's heart but they had to go on with their life. So Ichigo studied and attended a few formal shinigami meetings and many get-togethers with his soul reaper fellows. Nothing mushy. But then as the months passed he noticed something about Orihime's behavior. It was plain to see that something was certanly off with her. She blushed hard then stormed off every time they bumped into each other. Then as time flew by she started to act odd...odder than before. Muteness typified her. She completely shut up in his presence. Their eyes never met and they stopped working together as a team. Orihime stayed home when there was some action with wandering evil spirits. And then he started to wonder about it really hard. When he thought about it more he remembered a vague memory from the hospital when he was high from the drugs he got to shoot the pain in his body. His sight was hazy but he could say that he saw Inoue sitting by his side next to the hospital bed on a metal chair. It was nice...to see her uninjured, intact. But she was crying. She cried for all gone and still alive but hospitalized. But Orihime was crying out his eyes for him as well that time. She kept repeating the same thing. 'Stay with me, Kurosaki-kun.' He heard her say another three words but his brain could not process them. His mind was too woozy he couldn't think and sense as he would in normal circumstances. And this is how he made out those three words. He thought about it for weeks but then he was sure that she loved him. In some way at least. So he heartened up and trapped her in school to ask about the matter at hand. She was really shy about it but told him everything he wanted to know. Her confession in his room before she left for Hueco Mundo, her despair when she thought he was dead and left her alone in a horrible world with the heartless Ulquiorra and the horde of Aizen. And she told him about her mourning when he wasn't able to open his eyes and she was certain that he's going to die. But then he recovered and returned to his old self just more mature as before. And he ignored her. Not literally but still. She thought that maybe his heart started to burn with overwhelming love towards her after all that monstrocity happened and it's possible that he's gonna confess this feeling for her in any moment. But it never happened. So she stayed out of his way and separated herself. After Orihime told him all of that he needed some time to grasp it completely. One week was enough. He went up to her a week after and asked her to meet up with him more and spend some time together every other day after school so he can discover his own feelings. After two or three weeks every other day wasn't enough anymore. They were of need to spend every day together so they can live on.
And today was their first official date when they strolled down the decorated streets with clasped hands and shared intimate actions. Ichigo fell in love with Orihime quickly compared to his pace. The auburn haired girl giggeled to the thought of his weak attempt to confess his love to her exactly a week ago. He's totally hopeless when things comes down to romance. But he did confess and it was worth the awkward shots at the beginning. Ichigo turned his face to her and frowned.
-What's so funny?-asked the carrot top quizzically. Orihime shook her head and smiled at him.
-It's nothing.-said the girl as she was about to lie down. The Kurosaki boy raised his left eyebrow then shrugged. There was a little space between them so he drew closer to his girl and slid his arm under her neck. Orihime looked at him wonderingly. Ichigo blushed a deep shade of red and with that ruined his reputation. But it didn't matter at the time. He motioned to her that it's okay to cuddle ...no,not just okay but he wants to cuddle with her. So she moved closer and nuzzled up in the crook of his neck. His scent was amazing. It was a natural, manly gust mixed up with chocolate. Was it really chocolate? She glanced up at him and narrowed her eyes. He noticed her curious staring and looked at her.
-Yeah?-he asked with a bit uncertainly.
-You smell like chocolate.-Ichigo snorted but kept his eyes on her.-I wonder...-Orihime pulled even closer to her love's face and widened her gray eyes. A blush crept up on the boy's cheeks again to the close proximity. Inoue licked her lips then blushed as well as Ichigo but she did this in shame. Her mind wandered off to dangerous fields and now she was ashamed of herself. Ichigo smirked to her expression as she lowered her head.
-Wanna have a taste?-whispered the young man in a husky voice smirking all the while. A gasp fell from the healer's lips as he asked that.-You imagined just a second ago what my lips would taste like...Or am I wrong?-Ichigo curled a mop of auburn hair around his index finger and sucked in a deep breath caused by the images which went through his head from the thought of kissing her in public. Orihime's heart skipped a beat from the sight and pushed on his chest as he was about to lean above her.
-Ku-Kurosaki-kun...-he interrupted her with his soft voice.
-Do you want to taste...my lips?-Ichigo turned them over so now he was on top of her. He bent so close to her that she could smell his breath.
-I...I can't. We can't."-stuttered the girl blushing like mad.
-Why not? We are dating after all.
-B-but still! We are in public. It's not appropriate to do so.-Ichigo caressed his girlfriend's arm up and down gently and to that Orihime almost let a moan slip.-Kurosaki-kun!
-I don't give a damn about public. Let's kiss!-And with that he closed the gap between the two of them. The kiss was hard and forceful but it felt good. At first Inoue thought that Ichigo's hollow within took over his "king" but when the boy pulled away and winked at her she saw his hazel eyes. Those beautiful, warm eyes which she fell in love with...oh, and his scowl.
-So how does it taste like?-Ichigo asked with a crooked smile on his lips.
-Chocolate.-Said the girl as she smiled at him sheepishly then embraced his neck pulling him back into another lip locking. This time it was affectionate and low-key. When the kissing was about to switch to passionate the firework started. The couple pulled away blushing and sat up. They sat shoulder to shoulder enjoying the festival's last act.
Once the firework was over Ichigo stood up, glanced down at his girlfriend and offered his right hand to her.
-Come on, I take you home.-Orihime smiled and got hold of his hand. Driven by a sudden urge she bent down to her feet and slipped off her flip flops. Ichigo grinned and took off his shoes as well. After that they started to move to the direction Orihime lived in.
The two of them.
Hand in hand.
Barefoot.
In the grass.

"When everything ends...(and) nothing matters...just like this...right now, I wanna be with you."