Why don't you ever do what you want?

Or say what you want?

Why is it all about maintaining a facade?

Avoiding emotions. Believing they don't exist.

Uryu was sat on the tatami floor of his apartment staring at the mirror propped up on the chest of drawers by the window. He'd brushed his hair and gotten changed out of his school uniform even though he'd told himself he had no intention of going to meet Ichigo at six o'clock.

No intention...

Because it was for the best, wasn't it? Because it was weird and Uryu had enough weirdness in his life.

"Oi, Ishida, why don't you ever look happy?"

How many times had Ichigo asked him that? Uryu had never known how to answer so he'd always told Ichigo to stop being ridiculous.

It was all Ryuken's fault. How was anyone supposed to be happy when they were related to that man?

And how long was Uryu going to let that bother him?

"Ishida Uryu, do you want to go or not?" he muttered.

Don't think about the future or what was right and wrong in society's eyes: do what you want. It's OK to do what you want once in a while providing it didn't get out of hand (and yes, his vampire self had definitely been out of hand).

"Why would I want to go? Kurosaki is an idiot and he dresses funny... But then maybe he's not really an idiot..."

Uryu had been an idiot as a vampire, but Ichigo had been the rational one.

And without Ichigo Uryu knew he wouldn't have anything. "I was determined to be enemies. You were determined to be friends. I hate losing but you won. And I don't regret that."

Not that Uryu would ever tell him that of course.

He looked at his watch. Five thirty. It was now or never. Ishida Uryu wouldn't go. Uryu knew that. But he wasn't really the same Ishida Uryu that he had been before.

He looked again in the mirror and then frowned. "Why am I even checking my appearance anyway?" he muttered. "Just hanging out. Nothing else... I'll shoot him if he tries anything else."

"You came," said Ichigo.

Ichigo was seated on a bench by the walls of the park on the east edge of town, where there was a leaf-fall festival taking place for the next few weeks. He'd changed out of his school uniform into jeans and a white baseball jacket. It was a new jacket; Uryu remembered Ichigo showing it to him a few weeks ago after he'd bought it.

"Ah, wearing white? I approve, Kurosaki!"

Uryu sat as far away from Ichigo as he could manage without not sitting down on the bench at all. He wondered somehow if he could take Ichigo's comment as an insult because it sounded as if Ichigo hadn't expected him to come and that was insulting (even though Uryu hadn't intended to come). If Ichigo insulted him then it would give him an excuse to leave.

But really it wasn't too bad sitting beside him and seeing him in that jacket again. On the edge of the autumn air, Uryu thought he could smell the fresh aftershave. He stared at the ground.

"Your hair looks stupid," he muttered.

It looked as if he'd put fresh wax in it. The spiky mess was deliberate. Uryu had never managed to get over that after Ichigo had told him in an in-depth discussion about hair. Ichigo thought it was 'cool'.

"Thanks," said Ichigo. "I told you the other day what I thought of your hair but you'll kill me if I say it again."

"Heh..." A faint noise from Uryu's lips that he couldn't stop and he was mortified when he realised it was a slight laugh when he should be telling Ichigo to piss off. He turned his back slightly to hide himself a little from Ichigo. His face felt a little warm. He hadn't really expected that.

Say it... say something that the old Uryu would never have said...

"Both," he said.

"Eh? Both what?" said Ichigo.

"What have I told you about being dumb? You asked, didn't you?"

"I dunno. My memories are still a bit screwed." He pointed at Uryu. "Your fault. But I guess you can have fun making stuff up. That's what I'd do."

"As a vampire you came onto your Japanese teacher Arama Sensei."

"I guess it's possible. He's not ugly."

Uryu turned back and stared. "Just how gay are you, Kurosaki!"

"Apparently quite a bit." Ichigo's cheeks went red at Uryu's reaction. He scraped his hands through his hair. "Look, I don't really know... it's still a bit weird and new... but maybe it'll be interesting. I'm glad I realised." He paused. "I didn't really come onto Sensei did I?"

"No. But you did make a brief pass at Abarai-kun."

"You're joking!" Ichigo's eyes looked as if they might fall out of his head.

And Uryu suddenly realised that he was smiling - and had been for the last few minutes. He covered his mouth as he felt another laugh slipping past his lips.

Ichigo froze. "You're teasing me..."

"I wouldn't do that, Kurosaki."

"It works both ways, Ishida. I still remember you in those straps-"

"Did not happen. But you did kiss Asano Keigo."

"Did I think he was a good kisser?"

Uryu laughed. He remembered laughing as a vampire but he didn't remember it happening often before then. Maybe it could be fun to be like this...

He didn't notice the way Ichigo was smiling at him. "But teasing aside, Ishida, please god tell me you're not being serious...? Aruma Sensei maybe! Renji and Keigo - no. Just no!"

"I guess you'll find out at some point."

"Huh."

They were quiet. Uryu could still feel himself smiling. He'd have to think of something elaborate to tell Ichigo. Nothing horrible, of course. Just something that would shape his face into one of those funny expressions. Uryu had always hated gullible people so he wasn't sure why it seemed so different this time. But it was definitely entertaining. It might make these Thursdays a bit easier since Uryu hadn't been sure what they'd do or talk about.

"So, what did you mean by both?" said Ichigo.

Uryu froze. His eyes darted to Ichigo and back as he suddenly remembered how this had started. He took a deep breath through gritted teeth. Say it. For once say what you really think even though every part of you is telling you not to.

He turned his back a little on Ichigo again so that he could hide his face. "You asked if I liked girls, Kurosaki. I do like girls, but I might also like…b..." Couldn't actually say it but hopefully Ichigo would get it anyway. "... so… I guess... both..."

He could feel Ichigo staring.

And then finally...

"That's just greedy."

Uryu felt his cheeks redden. Coughing, he stood. "If you're going to make fun of me-"

Ichigo grabbed his arm. "No, I'm not. It just means I have my work cut out for me. Since I don't just have to worry about you and girls, but you and other boys."

Uryu stared at the hand on his arm. All of this was starting to feel weird again and he was suddenly far from the smile he'd felt before. "Kurosaki, I don't know if I really like you. I don't love you. I don't know what I feel. I think maybe I might like both... but I don't really know."

It wasn't something Uryu had ever contemplated. He'd felt happy last week, but at the same time he didn't want to relive it since it was crazy. But it had been more enjoyable than he would have thought to spend time with Ichigo.

So maybe it wouldn't be so bad if something happened.

"You've always worried far too much," said Ichigo. "It doesn't matter. We're just hanging out. And we'll see what happens from there. It's not exactly clear for me either. But I do know what I think of your hair..."

"I told you the other day not to repeat that." Uryu pushed his glasses up his nose. He didn't actually need to readjust them but it gave him a good opportunity to look somewhere else other than at Ichigo. "But I suppose I can tolerate your company on Thursday evenings."

"Full day next week, Ishida."

"Eh?!"

"Eh? Why do you look scared? That's kinda offensive! We get a week off school, remember? So... Thursday is a full day rather than one evening."

"I'm not spending the whole day with you! We'd kill each other!"

"Did you know there is a craft fair in Tokyo. You know they'll have all kinds of fabric there… and crafty sewingy stuff..."

Uryu stared. He'd seen the advertisements for that fair. He'd wanted to go...

How did you know I wanted to go? Why are you not as stupid as you make out sometimes?

Because Uryu was used to not being understood. He didn't know how to react when something like this happened.

He leaned his head into his hand. "Why you? This isn't normal. I don't want to like you."

Ichigo leaned close. "'Don't want to'? Does that mean you already do? Want to find out if all of this is gross or not?"

He was too close. Uryu could feel his breathe on his mouth and he almost yelped as he staggered back. "NO! I didn't say that! I told you before that I probably didn't and that this was all a waste of time!"

Too soon. Far too soon!

"We've been here five minutes and you're already complaining," said Ichigo as he rolled his eyes. "Huh. That's what you're like though and I don't mind. And I don't care because we're doing this every Thursday until we figure it all out."

"But-"

"Discounted. No moaning. No worrying. Let's go look around and get something to eat. Dad says there are loads of good food vendors here this year."

Ichigo shoved his hands into his pockets as he started towards the nearest stall several metres away. Uryu stared at his back, knowing that Ichigo was expecting him to follow him.

Uryu didn't like being expected to do something. Or being ordered around. He should just walk away, but he realised that he didn't want to and that irritated him. He readjusted his glasses again. "Fine, Kurosaki. You can buy me some of those chocolate-covered strawberries on a stick then."

Ichigo glanced back. "Eh? Why do I have to buy them?"

"Because this was your idea. And since you're the one taking me out you are paying for everything, Kurosaki. Every Thursday."

"What?! That's so stingy!"

"Discounted, Kurosaki."

A little away from the bench was a thickly growing bush. Rukia carefully peered around the leaves, watching as the two boys headed towards the leaf-fall festival stalls. "Ah, it's a happy ending for the Quincy and the Substitute Shinigami!" she sighed.

"Do you think so?" said Orihime from beside her. "I was hoping they'd hold or hands. Or at least kiss a little. It's not a proper ending if they don't kiss."

"At least?" Chad muttered. "I think hands come before kisses, Inoue. They need time."

"But at school they were kissing lots when they were vampires!"

"Real relationships aren't like that and now they have to figure it our for themselves."

"Look, they've gone to the right," said Rukia. "Let's follow them quickly before they get lost in the crowd."

"No." Chad grabbed the back of her kimono to stop her and then did the same with Orihime as she tried to follow Rukia's instructions. "This is delicate and if they see you it will break. We came to make sure that Ishida showed up and that neither of them left. They're fine. So it's time for us to go."

"They won't sense us! We took the medicine that Ishida Ryuken designed so-"

"No. We're leaving."

"We even got dressed up!"

"There's a festival in the other park. We'll go there. And I'll try to win you something fluffy. So leave Ichigo and Ishida be."

"But I hope they kiss soon," said Orihime. "Boys don't kiss nearly enough."

"Inoue..." Chad stared for a moment. Actually, he wasn't sure what to say to her. He sighed and shook his head instead. "They'll be fine and I think they should take as long as they need to. So don't interfere."

As he shepherded the girls away, he glanced back briefly. Ichigo and Uryu were by one of the food vendors, arguing from the looks of things. Some things never change. They were too far away for Chad to see clearly but he had a feeling they were glaring at one another.

At the same time though, he felt that maybe Uryu was smiling slightly.

You'll be fine, Ishida.

The end.

OMG! IT'S FINISHED! I hope you like it.

There are lots of people I need to say thank you to. This was my first Bleach fanfiction so thank you to everyone who has supported me -

Furiael, .chan.x, Albukirky, Bbody, an unE1 st8, Sindy, CJ, Orion'slover, animegirl4321, elliotnikoramarch, baerbelhadrell, Nocturnal-Niccy616, SLfangirl17, Bedofroses1989, aries31, rinelennix, sirensoundwave, Yashirin, Youko-love, Neristhaed, ForeverYaoi, YASNyoko1, Hartanna, Isame Kuroda, Yukidaru, BadassAlec, margo-pol, softdreamer, ElvinaPotter, chibi-shueiri, Kurokage Kitsune, Victoria, Kurai, Kakeh, Cherry Jade, Cheeva, Hidden Moonlight, Lunawerewolfy, My Elegant Disaster, Serisa Black, Shar3, InvisibleInk14, Akira Nishikawa, Axelkin, Hikari, Vorsith, Okami Princess, Black Lightening Bolt (Lightening Bee), JadeAnime, Kitty, Akira, DarkSpikes, DivineBarak, PJ, La terrible La, the wind, imacheesecake2, fan girl 666, pic 16 and GermanyXItaly1000 (I owe you a PM! Things got crazy so I haven't had a chance to reply!). Also thanks to all the guests that reviewed too! If I missed anyone - I AM SO SORRY!

Especially thank you to those who left multiple reviews and detailed reviews - it gave me the confidence to continue and to finish it! Up until now I've been a very busy person but I hope from now on I can talk to people more!

What's next? Well, I have some time on my hands at the moment and I love writing (and Uryu)... so here's a sneak preview.

There are at least 2 short Ichigo/Uryu stories in the works so keep your eyes peeled!

I've also got a story called Another Life already written by hand. It's several chapters long. It's a bit fluffy really... but maybe you'll like it... Chapter one was typed up ages ago so maybe I'll post it this week ;)

I have other ideas too. Far too many ideas is always my downfall... too many story ideas and not enough time...

I'm also thinking of having some one-shots connected to this for those who want a little more of the Autumn Moon world.

So bubbye for now and see you all again on the next story I hope!