Summary: Ishida observes, pines, and angsts.
Notes: I was just drabbling to try to get voices down, and then I thought, "post this at ffn? WHY NOT." The end.
Disclaimer:D


Ishida watches people. He always has, ever since he was young and strange and friendless. In this way, he watched Kurosaki Ichigo grow into a tall, lanky, powerful idiot with stupid hair. He watched his teachers and learned that keeping quiet and being respectful could gain favor and reduce the hassle of getting out of class to kill Hollows. He watched, but never learned how to interact with these people in their fascinating world.

He watches Inoue Orihime. He always thought she was pretty, but never entertained any serious thoughts about her. He had more important things to do, like fight Hollows and study and learn how to cook well enough to keep himself alive. Lately - ever since Soul Society - ever since he lost what he'd always considered to be the most important part of him - he watches her more than usual. It might be because his world has been upended, but he's coming to realize just how little of the world he noticed while he was watching it.

After all, he never noticed the exact shade of Inoue's eyes before, or that to make up the color of her hair, he would need a small handful of different colored threads. She loses her concentration a lot, and when she does, her mouth hangs open a little. She skips absentmindedly in a room full of people and never worries about what they're thinking. She laughs without restraint. She's incredibly insightful in the most unexpected situations. She loves people with everything inside her. She's incapable of real hatred, she makes him feel hopeful when he knows hope is illogical. She is a universe all in herself. People revolve around her; she's a sun and moon and billions of stars, and that he failed to take note of this before shames him.

He watches her now, delicately, impatiently, as though he can do nothing else. He watches her people orbit about her, watches her never even realize how important she is to them. He watches her watch Kurosaki, watches her heart offered up unnoticed, and he watches her unwavering devotion. His heart breaks and breaks, and he watches her.


the trouble is that you're in love with someone else
it should be me