Title: Til Death Do Us Part: Chapter Ten - Shower of Light
Rating: R
Warnings: het (IchiHime), ANGST, dysfunctional relationships, adult themes
Spoilers: through end of the series
Disclaimer: These characters belong to a lot of Japanese people, namely people like Tite Kubo and Shonen Jump. You'll notice how none of those are me. This will probably (never) be updated , until I eventually drop it like every other project ever. Not responsible for epileptic seizures or allergic reactions. May contain eye-and-brain-bleeding levels of radioactive ANGST and/or peanut products. Please sit a reasonable distance from your computer screen.

Once again, Ichigo was stumped.

He was no pick-up artist, no strategist. The workings of the heart were usually a mystery to him. Sure, he could see obvious feelings, but beyond that, he was still fairly naive.

The "first date", as he'd begun to think of it to himself, had gone swimmingly. Hell, if he hadn't been so nervous and lost control of his reiatsu for a second, he'd even have given Orihime a goodnight kiss. But his nerves had gotten the better of him and that possibility had gone out the window. Still, it was hard not to see their date as a success.

In fact, Orihime had been a bit more flustered around him in the couple of days since then. She seemed to turn pink and stammer whenever she first saw Ichigo, especially if he suddenly looked at her. It was charming, in its way; Ichigo was gratified to know that he had a similar effect on her to the one she had on him. And there was no mistaking her feelings, even for someone as emotionally stunted as Ichigo. At least that's what he told himself, and by the gods, he believed it.

So as he was in the midst of feeling out his next move, a stroke of luck walked into his office in a Captain's haori. Ichigo suddenly became aware of his colleague's presence on the periphery of his hearing, as the other Captain had stopped in the Lieutenant's office and had attempted to go no further. No, he was there to see Momo.

Ichigo peeked around the frame of his door to see Hitsugaya Toushiro standing in front of Momo's desk, seeming more frustrated and grumpy than usual. Ichigo watched with mild curiosity as the white-haired Captain spoke to the Fifth Division second-in-command.

"It's this Sunday night, you know," Toushiro groused, eyes barely open. "And my seated officers are all going, anyway." Momo looked politely curious, but seemed to be just as clued in to what he was talking about as Ichigo was.

"Ah?" she asked, echoing Ichigo's cluelessness. Even not knowing exactly what divisional event was going on, Ichigo figured the scene before him was painfully obvious; Toushiro was trying to ask Momo out on a date.

Well. He didn't know the little guy had it in him. Except that he'd actually grown a couple of centimeters in the past few years so he wasn't as little anymore, and that Rangiku had teased Momo about just such a thing several times in front of Ichigo. Other than that, Ichigo was impressed.

"So, I mean," the younger-looking Captain continued, "If you wanted, you could come with us." Now Ichigo was curious. If there was a divisional event happening, he definitely wanted to know.

"Eh? Sure, Shiro-chan," she said with a smile. Ichigo watched with fascination as Toushiro's icy countenance melted into a slight blush. "This is the first I've heard about it, so I doubt our division is doing anything like that." Ichigo was unable to contain his curiosity.

"Hey, Toushiro," he acknowledged the other Captain as he stepped out of his office. "Anything like what?"

"Kurosaki," Toushiro responded in kind. He had long ago accepted that Ichigo would never stop referring to him so casually, especially since they were both Captains now. Ichigo could tell it probably still made his teeth itch, though.

"Ah, Captain!" Momo said happily. She was probably relieved he'd interrupted, if the blush spreading across her nose was any indication. "Shiro-chan ("Hitsugaya-taichou, Momo.") has invited us stargazing with his division!" Ichigo watched in morbid fascination as the normally unflappable Captain became flustered.

"I was inviting you, dammit!"

"Language," Momo corrected him before turning back to Ichigo. "Anyway, they're going to eat dango and watch the meteor shower that's supposed to happen Sunday night. There's even going to be fireworks at the end. Doesn't that sound fun?" Ichigo suddenly understood; Toushiro was asking Momo to share his picnic blanket for the star viewing. In fact, it was just as likely that Rangiku had organized the entire thing specifically to matchmake the two childhood friends. Momo seemed blissfully unaware of the possibility, though.

"Sure," he said nonchalantly, "I give my permission for you to go. Just have her back by 1 am, alright?" Ichigo secretly enjoyed the fact that Momo's color now lived up to her name, and that Hitsugaya looked so absolutely flustered.

"Y-You're not my father!"

"It's not a date!"

They had both squawked simultaneously, and Ichigo couldn't have been more pleased. Just as he was about to go for another round, there was an audible gasp at the office door.

"Ahhhh-!"

Orihime was standing in the doorway of the office, her mouth rounded into a perfect "o". Before Ichigo could say anything, Orihime rushed into the room, yukata sleeves flapping, and came to stand before Toushiro, looking up at the just slightly taller white haired boy.

"Are you... Are you Toushiro-kun's older brother, by any chance?" Once again, Toushiro looked abashed. Before he could answer, though, Momo interrupted.

"It's him!" she helpfully supplied, causing Orihime to look around him towards Momo in fascination. "He's grown a little since that time he stayed with you!"

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" he fussed. "And it's Hitsugaya-taicho!" It was as if he hadn't said anything at all.

"Oi, Inoue."

Orihime simultaneously perked up and flushed pink. Ichigo couldn't deny he got a small rush from that. Regardless of the slight uptick in his heart rate, he folded his arms and leaned on the doorframe of his office. What he was going to do next required his undivided concentration.

"Y-Yes?"

"Toushiro here was just inviting Momo to his division's stargazing party," he explained, causing Momo and Toushiro both to look mildly embarrassed. "Do you wanna go too?"

"Did you just invite yourself?" Toushiro mumbled, ruffling his spiky hair. No one paid him much mind.

"Ah-! O-Okay!" Orihime said, her cheeks glowing pink. "Do I need to bring anything?" At this question, Ichigo turned to Toushiro. The other Captain puffed like a wet bird.

"Oh, now you want my opinion," he groused. "Not really. We'll have refreshments, if you want. Matsumoto's going all out this time. You should still bring your own blanket, though." Before Orihime could do much more than look starstruck, Ichigo cut in.

"Don't worry about it, Inoue," he said, pushing away from the doorframe. "I'll take care of that. Just wear one of your nice yukata, okay?" Orihime stood straight as a rod as she addressed Ichigo.

"R-Right!"

Before anything else could be said, Orihime turned to rush right back out the door, her lips pursed and her face flushed. The other three watched her go just as quickly as she'd arrived.

"It's not til Sunday, Inoue," Ichigo called after her, causing her to nearly trip. "You've still got a few days!"

"U-Uhn!"

She still vanished around the corner, leaving the others to watch in fascination. Secretly, though, it filled Ichigo with something related to pride that he'd gotten her flustered like that. Asking her out hadn't been nearly as intimidating as he'd thought it would be.

"Tch," Toushiro tsk'd. "Now all we have to do is keep Matsumoto occupied until then."

As it turned out, they needn't have worried much about Rangiku. Of course she teased all four parties - Momo most of all, because her reaction was the most entertaining. Toushiro was a close second, since he was perpetually prickly around the bubbly blonde. Then was Ichigo, who was like a cat that had had his orange fur stroked backwards. Teasing Orihime was hardly worth it, since the two women were so alike in temperament that it hardly registered to the younger lady as "teasing".

Orihime, though, was a bundle of nerves. She hadn't been on a date in years, and certainly never on one for which she was this excited. Was it even really a date? And if so, what should she expect? She had no shortage of pretty clothes to wear, at least, but she'd feel bad if she didn't at least bring something for them to eat.

Rukia was hit with all of these questions and more, as Orihime decided to turn to her for help. The black-haired woman looked slightly amused as Orihime related her concerns to her in the Thirteenth Division offices.

"Ichigo will be happy you decided to show up at all," Rukia reassured her, which really did not assuage her nerves one bit. "And yes, you should probably consider it a date." While the older woman seemed pleased with herself, the effect on Orihime was probably the opposite of what was planned. In fact, Orihime turned almost as red as her hair.

"Y-You really think so...?" she stammered. "Kurosaki-kun... is really asking me out on a date? B-But all this time, he's never..." Rukia's mouth hung open in disbelief for a moment before she spoke again.

"Of course he is, Orihime," she finally replied. "I would wager he's been looking for the opportunity for a while, actually." Rukia spoke with such conviction that Orihime briefly wondered if she was a mind reader. Either way, it was causing her brain to short circuit.

"But then... if it's a date... what am I supposed to do? Should I make a special dinner? Or buy wine? Or wear lacy panties?" Rukia blinked slowly, as though she didn't quite believe what she was hearing.

"No wine," Rukia stated emphatically, knowing that Ichigo already had a bad relationship with alcohol. Then, skeptically she asked, "Have you never been on a date before, Orihime?" Orihime blushed and looked down at her feet, gently running her tabi along the floor.

"Well, yes," she said hesitantly. "I mean, Uryuu took me to lunch sometimes, if that's what you're asking. B-But it was never anything like this!" Rukia's plucked eyebrows rose as a mischievous smile spread across her lips.

"Hoooh? So that inexperienced Ichigo actually managed to stump the gay divorcee? That devil - I must admit that I've underestimated him." Orihime felt flustered all over again. She was completely unused to being fussed over in such a manner. And if she'd ever been asked, she would have easily said that Ichigo would never have to worry so much about her approval. Nothing he could do would make her truly unhappy with him again. Although she thought it was a bit strange for Rukia to refer to her as a divorcee.

"Kuchiki-san..." she began, glancing off to the side, "Are you saying..."

"Hmm?" Rukia murmured from behind her coffee cup. "That he's partial to you? Don't be ridiculous, Orihime." Orihime's heart flipped over and sank, a wave of ice running down her back.

"Of course he is, you silly girl."

And just like that, it subsided, followed by a warm rush as her heart began to beat again. Orihime knew she was blushing, and she didn't care.

"Th-Thank you, Kuchiki-san!" Rukia simply looked stunned.

"You mean you didn't know...?"

But Orihime hardly heard her. There was so much she had to do between then and Sunday evening!

As sunset approached that Sunday, Ichigo's palms were beginning to sweat. Of course, part of it was obviously the warm weather; it was still summer, after all. But he was also still nervous. So, biting a dango ferociously, he stalked the edges of the Tenth Division's picnic, looking for an unclaimed spot to lay down his blanket and lantern.

There were already blankets dotting the gently rolling hills, most of the division having taken their place by then. Some were chatting with friends and some were obviously on dates. Most were munching on snacks or drinking hot tea out of mugs. It was very nearly the middle of summer, but the nights still got a bit cooler after sunset.

Finally, in the middle of the din, Ichigo spotted a perfect spot underneath a leafy elm tree. It was just shady enough to be cool and he was frankly a little surprised that no one had taken it yet. His white haori clearing a wide berth, he quickly moved right to the spot and unrolled the blanket. As he plopped down, arms folded and scowl firmly in place, the shinigami around him didn't dare do more than whisper.

"Ichigooooooo!"

All heads turned at the sound of the familiar voice. The blonde and her caramel-haired captive came bounding over the hill, hand-in-hand. Ichigo seemed decidedly less enthused about seeing Rangiku with Orihime than the male shinigami surrounding them did. Still, the sight of the woman of his dreams, running up the hill and waving at him, was enough to convince him to swallow that irritation.

To begin with, both women looked stunning. For once, Rangiku had chosen something appropriate instead of flashy - a dark blue yukata with cream and blush flowers, tied together with a yellow and orange obi. It was surprisingly mature for Rangiku, although the deep neckline didn't escape Ichigo's scowl. It certainly hadn't escaped her entourage either, he thought caustically.

It was also clear that Rangiku had helped Orihime dress. She was again dressed in light colors appropriate for a young ingénue, with sleeves that brushed her waist. Her hair had been done up with a cute kanzashi made of trailing green and yellow silk flowers for the season. But the dead giveaway that Rangiku had her fingers in this was that her shell pink yukata had been arranged to accentuate her generous cleavage, the collar open down to the obi at her waist. Ichigo scowled as his eyes lighted on it. He was sure Rangiku had done it to tempt him, but it frustrated him for two reasons.

First was the obvious reason: the men surrounding them were obviously enchanted by it. Orihime normally had her share of fans in his division, but introducing her to a new group - one that his father used to lead, no less - was like introducing honey to bees. Rangiku, who was quite popular herself, certainly didn't help matters any. The end result was that they were surrounded by a flock of young men, each starstruck by the divisional idols. It wouldn't even bother Ichigo as much if Orihime herself chose to dress like that, but he knew better.

That was actually a total lie, he realized ruefully as he stood. He'd still be chafed by it.

The second reason, of course, was that he'd have to spend a good portion of his time avoiding looking at Orihime that night, when all he'd hoped for was to spend some time with her. As much as he'd love to look at her chest, it just wasn't appropriate, and by the gods, he wasn't going down that road.

Shaking his head of the frustration, he turned to meet the two girls and their growing gaggle of admirers. Orihime ran happily over to him with a wide smile. She dangled a drawstring purse and a satchel with a few boxes in it from her free hand.

"Hey, Inoue," he addressed her, ignoring her escort and the several men who looked aggrieved at Ichigo's presence. He knew he wasn't very well-liked outside of his own division by the rank and file, and now with Orihime being openly friendly with him, the hostility from the other men was barely disguised. With a sharp look, he flared his reiatsu ever-so-slightly, causing them to back away as quickly as possible to save face. Even they would know they were no match for him. Orihime blinked, probably not having seen the problem.

"What was that?" she asked innocently as the remaining men melted into the surrounding crowd.

"Geez, you didn't have to scare them away, Ichigo," Rangiku groused. Ichigo figured she was well on her way to conning drinks from a few of them. Well, she could do that away from him and Orihime, and he gave her an icy look to let her know it.

"You didn't have to bring them over, either," Ichigo responded dryly. Rangiku put her hands on her hips while Ichigo offered Orihime his elbow. She looked dazzled for a moment before lacing her arm through the loop in his.

"Don't be jealous, Ichigo," Rangiku said with a smile. She barreled ahead before he could respond. "Anyway, don't you think Orihime-chan just looks good enough to eat? I helped her get ready myself!" Ichigo felt his blood pressure rise as the girl beside him began to slowly blush.

"Don't say it like that!" he protested. He couldn't tell if it was a normal double-entendre, or if she was poking fun at his hollow, and didn't care either way. He wasn't going to discuss something like that where everyone could hear! Either "something" like that! Rangiku gave him an absolutely devilish look at his protest.

"Anyway," she trilled, "I have to help keep this event running smoothly. I'll see you two lovebirds later!" Ichigo seriously thought he might develop a twitch then and there. Orihime just laughed lightly as she waved goodbye to her friend. Ichigo flopped back onto the blanket with a huff.

"I swear, she'll be the death of me," he muttered, ruffling his hair. Orihime sat across from him on the blanket, folding her legs beneath her demurely. He thought ruefully that Orihime wasn't even aware of half the dirt Rangiku had on him, and he wanted it to stay that way.

"It's alright, Kurosaki-kun," she said sweetly, glancing off to the side, "She means well." Ichigo leaned back on his hands, very nearly pouting.

"I wish she'd mean well somewhere away from me," he fussed. Before Orihime could read too much into it, he changed the subject. "What's in the bag?"

"Oh! I made bento for us!" Ichigo perked up at the news. He watched expectantly as Orihime unpacked the two colorful boxes from her kerchief. He figured it might not be exactly normal to eat them on a star-gazing picnic, but who cared? He'd never had a girl who wasn't his sister make him a boxed lunch before, and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity now. As Orihime offered the cute box to him, she bowed her head over it. "I-I hope you like it!"

Ichigo didn't know what he was expecting, but when he opened the lid, he was still blown away. It wasn't anything strange, really, but it was neat and tidy, adorable even. There were apples peeled into the shape of bunnies in one compartment, octopus-shaped sausages in another, and a large compartment of rice. A heart-shape had been dyed into the middle of the rice, probably with the juice from the pickled plum that was stuck right in the middle of the heart.

Ichigo felt an odd feeling come over him as a smile spread across his lips. It wasn't quite happiness - it was closer to "nostalgia", although it was a nostalgia for something he'd never experienced firsthand. This was how he'd seen teenage girls express their love on tv and in manga, and here it was, right in front of him. It was something that, had he stayed in the world of the living instead of Soul Society, he'd have probably gotten to experience firsthand.

"Thanks, Inoue."

He doubted she'd realize exactly how much that small gesture had meant to him. A simple 'thank you' seemed insufficient. Even as he thought about it, she extended a pair of disposable chopsticks to him with a smile. Ichigo blinked, then took the wooden sticks in hand, snapping them apart easily. As he tucked into the rice, he glanced up and saw Orihime mixing her own box together with what looked like pepper sauce.

"Eh heh, d-do you like it? I've never gotten a chance to make them for someone else before, so I wanted to try!"

"It's great," he said, coming up for air with a slight blush. "Did the kitchen ladies help you?" Orihime smiled as she started to eat. It wasn't a backhanded compliment; the division's kitchen staff were under his jurisdiction, too. If they did a good job, he wanted to commend them.

"They gave me steamed rice, but I did the rest," she replied, shoveling a large pile of rice into her mouth and then shivering in delight. "It's so good!" Ichigo didn't think he'd ask what she put in her bento, but he was secretly a little jealous - he wanted to have that effect on her! Ah, to be a mouthful of rice - it almost sounded like bad love poetry.

As they both ate in comfortable silence, the last of the daylight disappeared. A blanket of shadow fell softly over the hillside as the skies began to twinkle with stars. A few torches were lit on the opposite side of the hill for the party to find its way back later, but they weren't bright enough to cause a distraction.

In fact, Ichigo realized, he'd gotten so used to the nights in Soul Society, with their lack of electrical light, that he'd almost forgotten how deep the darkness got. From the look of awe on his companion's face, he could tell she wasn't used to being able to see all the stars, either; very rarely did she venture out after dark here, and she had lived in the suburbs before she died.

"Not used to all the stars, huh?" he asked quietly, so as not to disturb the other picnickers. Orihime finished her bento and sat it aside, scooting closer to Ichigo as they both kept their eyes on the skies.

"Nuh uh," she murmured, shaking her head, "I only ever got to go out of town on school trips. Well, and that one time I accidentally caught a ferry down the river." Her fingers grazed the back of his hand, sending a shiver down his spine. Surprisingly, she didn't move her hand away; Orihime was looking anywhere but at Ichigo, as though she was just bold enough to touch his hand, but still too shy to look him in the face. Ichigo felt a little tingle of heat spread across his nose. He took it as a sign that he needed to make the next move.

When he moved his hand away briefly, Orihime made a small noise of disappointment. Just as she turned her head to look at him and see what he was doing, Ichigo covered her hand with his and wrapped slender fingers around it. He smiled and nearly burst out laughing when Orihime's eyes met his. He had called her out while she was trying to be sneaky, and now she was even more embarrassed than she had been with the simple brush of fingers. Leaning down, his voice was low enough for only her to hear when he spoke.

"You don't need to sneak, Inoue," he teased, even blowing a little breath in her ear. "You don't even need to ask."

It had the desired effect. Orihime was flustered, but she was pinned to the picnic blanket by her hand. With nowhere to escape to, and not wanting to draw undue attention, she mostly just fidgeted in place. Eventually, her head came to rest on the shoulder of the hand holding hers. Ichigo smiled in triumph as he watched her hide her face against the side of his arm.

"Let's just watch the stars for right now, okay?" he soothed, still speaking only loud enough for her to hear. He felt Orihime nod against his arm, and then turn her head to look up at the sky. Right at that moment, there was a hush over the gathered crowd as the first shooting stars began to fall, shortly followed by gasps of rapture and delight. Even Orihime forgot her earlier discomfort and began pointing with glee.

Ichigo felt something swell within him as he watched her face light up with child-like enthusiasm. It was love, certainly, but it was more. Pride that he'd been able to give this to her; joy because of her infectious spirit; and a sense of nostalgia, that he was finally seeing what he'd been denied all those years. No - they had both been denied it, due to Central 46's meddling.

Well, no longer. There was no longer anything keeping them apart. No more reason for him to hesitate. No more reason to hold back. For one shining moment, while starlight illuminated both their faces, all his misgivings and responsibilities fell away in the face of this new truth; Orihime had accepted him. As the star shower blanketed the sky, Ichigo leaned down and kissed Orihime.

They weren't alone by a long shot. Several of the other couples on the hill had taken the darkness and the distraction of the stars as camouflage for their own stolen kisses. Being under the shade tree as they were, the two of them were especially well-hidden. Perhaps it was this relative guarantee of privacy that caused his impulsiveness. And maybe that was what made Orihime lift a hand to his cheek and reciprocate the kiss. Either way, this was what he had wanted. He was finally home.

"Eh heh," she finally breathed as she moved just far enough away to break the kiss, "You taste like apples." He could tell that Orihime was barely containing her giddy excitement. A smile spread across his lips as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"How long have you wanted to find that out, Inoue?"

It was different now, talking to her like this. His mouth caressed her name, and he loved the way it felt. Inoue, Inoue - he could say it all day. The falling stars faded into the background, largely forgotten. She looked up at him through thick lashes as she answered.

"Since we were fifteen," she replied quietly. Ichigo felt a pang right at his heart, a soft, sad look crossing over his face. All that time, they could have been together. But he had doubted himself, and her, and said nothing. How sad, that only after they both were dead, they might be honest about it.

"Heh," he chuckled ruefully, "Me too."

Orihime gave him a warm smile, then began laughing nervously as tears clouded her eyes. There was no other reaction Ichigo could have but to pull her close and hold her against his chest. She sniffled just a bit, but this wasn't like the other times she'd cried on him. She was happy and he could tell; when he wrapped arms around her, she returned the gesture in a full-fledged hug.

They stayed that way for quite a while. Eventually, Orihime turned to lean her back against his chest, and he cradled her between his legs. Ichigo had leaned back against the big elm tree, using it to steady himself while he supported her. With his arms wrapped around her stomach, and his chin on her crown, they both watched the falling stars - dreamy and enraptured with the sky and with each other. Eventually, they turned back to casual conversation, easily murmured between the two of them, as though their blanket was their own private island.

"Have you given any thought to what you're going to do yet?" Ichigo finally asked the question that had been nagging at the back of his mind for a while. Sure he could hold Orihime now, but if she went to the Shinigami Academy, they'd be separated again - at least for a little while.

"I don't really know," she answered quietly. "It would be great to go to the Academy, but... I wish things could stay like they are now, too. Besides... what I've always wanted to do is to open a bakery." Ichigo perked up at this. She could easily do that while staying with Fifth Division. Seireitei was comprised of shinigami, true, but there were others who stayed there, too. Many of the merchants were shinigami on indefinite leaves of absence, but there were more than a few who had come in from Rukongai, or who routinely traveled back and forth. There would be absolutely no reason for Orihime to go to the Academy if she simply meant to start her own business instead.

"It could be done," Ichigo finally replied. "I could even help you get the loan." He could tell Orihime was uncomfortable with how she shifted just then.

"Mou," she pouted. "I told you, I don't want any special favors." Ichigo snorted in amusement; typical Inoue.

"That's not special, Inoue," he chided. "It's normal for me to want to provide for you. You'd do the same for me." Orihime seemed soothed by this logic.

"I would," she said softly, settling back into his arms. "Do you... Do you really think it would take off? I haven't worked since right after high school..." He could tell there was some regret laced with her words, but he chose not to comment on it.

"With as much work as you put in around the barracks, you could do anything you set your mind to," he replied. It was clear to him that Orihime was searching for a way to be useful and repay them for allowing her to stay. If she had something of her own to put that energy towards, there was no doubt it would be a success.

"I guess I could make treats from the human world," she said thoughtfully. "The shops here don't sell authentic ones... Plus, I know some French and Italian recipes from when I worked at ABCookies..." Ichigo smiled as he watched more stars fall. Orihime firmly seemed like her old self. What was more, she was completely comfortable around him now, content to sit squarely between his legs as though there was nothing at all intimate about it. There was nothing stopping them from being together now. Nothing at all.

Any misgivings Ichigo had – about the bad coping habits he'd developed over the years, about the years of bitterness, or about Orihime's emotional state – were the last thing he was worried about. It was fine to let sleeping dogs lie, right?

"You'd be great at it, Inoue," he reassured her, placing his chin firmly on her head. For the rest of the evening, they stayed just like that on their own little island. They whispered these reassurances back and forth to each other, soothing one another's wounds and getting used to each other's presence. Later that night they would walk back to the barracks together, but for a few short hours their future stretched out endless amongst the stars.