She Will Be Loved ch. 1

He had seen her crying again.

That was the only thing that has been on his mind for the past few days now, eating away at him. He couldn't stand it at all. He never liked to see neither girl nor woman cry; he wanted to comfort her.

But, she was totally beyond his reach. He had seen that Orihime was crying, and he couldn't do anything at all to provide help to her. She was crying for Ichigo.

So, maybe that's why Uryu Ishida decided to take a very un-discretional walk for a few blocks around his apartment to cool off his thoughts. What a moron he was. It was 32 degrees out and the sky was as gray as his attitude.

Well, I guess I get to try out that new jacket I bought...

Turning the corner, he silently reflected on his new leather jacket. Uryu was never a fan of leather --he actually didn't even like the material that much-- but he had to admit that it did keep in heat. Plus he got it for a great price.

His train of thought stopped abruptly as something small and sharp hit the top of his head and Uryu looked up. An ice-cold drop of water hit the left lense of his glasses and trickled down his face.

It was starting to rain.

Well, duh you freaking idiot! Of course it was going to rain!

Hastening his pace, Uryu strode back to his apartment as more rain started to fall. By the time he rounded the last corner to his destined destination, every part of his body besides the parts covered in leather were soaked. And, to make things worse, he was starting to get even more pissed off as his mind drifted back to Orihime. Damn that bastard Kurosaki! I should really kick his ass for being so oblivious to Inoue-san! How can he not see the obvious love she has for him?...or see the hurt in her eyes?

Uryu's anger dissipated and metamorphosed into sadness and even possibly, self-loathe. Why can't I tell her how I feel? Why do I have to be such a---

He slowed his pace and came to a complete stop onto the right side of the street. He didn't care if he was drenched, and he didn't care if he'd catch pneumonia or hypothermia or even died of a head cold.

There she was, just sitting on a bench on the corner. Orihime's head was bent down and her face was in her hands. Strands of wet gingery auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, dripping with cold.

She had been crying.

An ache formed in his chest as he gazed at her with caring eyes.

When Orihime was involved with anything --fighting or otherwise-- Uryu always quit giving a damn about himself to look out for her. He had quit giving a damn ever since his fight with that sadistic brute of a Twelfth Captain. She would of been dead if he had cared about even one inch of himself. And, right now, was no way in hell different. Uryu'd rather die right now in that very spot on the curb, then see her slowly get killed by a broken heart. The fight with Mayuri was in no way different then the dire situation right now. He was going to save her from her pain, and from her inner death. Even if she didn't love him as he loved her.

Uryu would not cower this time and wait for "Kurosaki to the Rescue", for he knew that he'd never come anyways. He was going to solace her, even if he had to rip out all of his nerves to do it.

---------------

"Inoue-san?"

Orihime looked up to see the male voice, expecting someone else. The voice was comforting, and made her feel a little at ease. Caring, but shy. Yet, who she saw was none other than one of the last of the Quincies: Uryu Ishida.

Her heart sunk.

"Oh...hiya, Ishida-kun." She smiled and gave him a mock salute with her right hand.

Uryu could tell that she was faking the smile. Always faking the smile. Her eyes were red, and the salty tears she shed for that bastard shinigami were mixed in with the rainwater on her face. He couldn't stand to see her, of all people, like this. It was unbearable to see someone that you loved cry. "Inoue-san, you should get out of the rain. Here, I'll walk you home." Uryu stretched out his hand.

Orihime looked blankly at him, without a word. That sham of a smile he hated to see was gone. Her face was somber, and was filled with no other emotion except sadness.

Uryu removed his leather jacket and slightly shivered at the gusting wind that blew at his once dry back. She was just as drenched as he was, but she was wearing a sweater made from what he thought looked like a wool-like material. Even if she was wet, she'd still stay warm. He wrapped the jacket around her cold shoulders. "This should keep you drier until I can get you back..."

She still didn't say anything, but her eyes told it all. She didn't want to leave. Orihime'd rather sit out in the wind and rain and waste her precious life away thinking of Ichigo. Damn that son of a...

Shivering, Uryu looked down at her and then softly grabbed her arm, but she pulled it away as soon as his strong hand touched her wet limb. He frowned. "Inoue-san, stop being stubborn! You need to get out of the rain before you catch a---"

"No! I don't want to go! I...I..." Orihime interjected as the words choked in her throat. "I just want to...s-stay..."

He looked down at her with tormented dark blue eyes. She never lashed out like that, to anyone. Even if she was mad to the fullest extent, she never was one to yell. Orihime was truly, truly heartbroken.

He wanted to hold her, but he didn't have the strength to make the consoled assertion. She was beyond his boundaries, and he couldn't really help that. "Inoue-san. I know you're crying because of Kurosaki."

She looked straight at him with eyes wide. Surprise and shock with a mixture of embarrassment was seen in her face. She still didn't say anything to him, but Uryu knew she was asking: "How do you know?"

So he answered her.

"There are only two reasons as to why you would cry, Inoue-san. One, because you couldn't save or heal someone," his thoughts quickly flashed back to that one night at the Soul Society. Orihime couldn't heal that one man whom Mayuri tricked into trapping the both of them, "and two, because of love for Kurosaki." His dark, navy blue eyes looked into her stormy gray ones.

Orihime gasped inwardly. Deep hidden in Uryu's eyes behind the blurry rectangular glasses he wore, she saw sadness. He normally never showed emotion like that.

Uryu cautiously gulped as he continued. "I...I saw you crying the other day too, Inoue-san. That day after school..."

He remembered that day so clearly, and it will always be branded into the back of his mind.

It was the last period of the day, and I was just sitting there at the desk, watching her socialize with her friends. Inoue-san was talking about this one song. She said that she absolutely loved that song. It was English and was called... 'She Will Be Loved', I think. The band was... Maroon 5? Yeah. That's right. Maroon 5...

---------------

"Tatsuki! Don't you just love that song?" Orihime practically shouted to her friend.

"Hmm...?" Tatsuki shrugged. "I dunno, it's okay I guess."

Orihime was taken aback. "What do you mean 'it's okay'? 'She Will Be Loved' is one of the best songs ever! It's so sweet! You can tell that the guy singing really cares and loves the girl in it, and that he'd do basically anything to make her feel happy, even in the rain and that whenever she was sad that she could always run to him! It also shows that the guy has a tender side to him...and that he loves her very much!"

In the background Uryu raised a black eyebrow. She said that all in one breath...

Tatsuki sighed to her hyper friend. She didn't really care for western style music, but she had to agree with the facts she was given. "True---"

"Yeah, but I think that the singer is really a girl, and is trying to tell the other girl in the song that she really really wants her!" Chizuru cut Tatsuki's agreement off. "That's my philosophy on Maroon 5! The singer is a girl and that answers the question of why his---I mean, her voice is so high when she sings! It was such a tortured romance that the singer has to pretend that she's a guy," she gave a thumbs-up and winked to no one in particular, "to tell the girl he loves her! Ah! Celebriality these days..."

Veins popped up on Tatsuki's forehead and fists. "You damned heathen!...Do you have no decency?" She practically grinded her teeth. "Why must you always put your sick lesbian thoughts into everything?"

"Hey! I can have my own opinions!" The red-haired girl who had an overly fixated homosexual obsession retorted.

"Not those perverted ones, which, by the way, is most of the time! I swear! This school would be the most peaceful and safest school in the district if you weren't here!...I wouldn't have anyone to kick in the face all the time!"

Uryu watched this whole state of affairs hardly even interested. But, he didn't pay any heed to the other bickering two. He was pretending to read his textbook, but his eyes weren't on the kanji inside. They were secretly on her. Orihime wasn't paying attention to her friends anymore; she was sitting next to the window looking out into the blue sky and singing to herself.

He could remember every lyric she sang with her beautiful voice.

---------------

After the bell rang, she went to her locker to get some school books for the weekend homework they were assigned.

"Oh, wait..." She acknowledged to herself. "...I forgot my hair spray!"

Orihime promptly slammed the locker door shut and ran back to the classroom.

---------------

As she got there, her arm was fully reached out and her hand almost touched the cold silver knob when she looked through the transparent window of the class. Her eyes were wide and Orihime couldn't believe what she was seeing. Cracks were starting to form inside her compassionate heart.

Kurosaki-kun w-with... Kuchiki-san?

She backed away from the white door and ran. Turning the corner, with her ginger hair flying loosely around her, she crashed into Uryu, knocking the wind out of him.

"I-Inoue-san?" he gasped like a fish out of water.

There were tears in her eyes.

Orihime didn't say anything or even notice him. She didn't even turn around. She just kept running...away...from him?

He was confused, which didn't happen too often. What was that about?

Curiosity mixed with worry bubbled in his chest. He walked to the direction Orihime came from. He figured by a magical happen chance that it was their last period room.

When he got to that door, he instantly clenched his teeth and the anger Uryu felt at that very moment cut out his heart and caught it on fire. He abruptly turned around before he went Quincy Archer on that sorry orange-haired bastard's ass.

Ichigo was kissing Rukia.

---------------

The rain was now pouring into threatening sheets of water as he stood and she sat.

"I'm sorry you had to see them..." Uryu could only maffle. He wished she didn't have to go through that. That, that undeniable hurt to have that one person you love the most, that one person you'd give you life for, love someone else. Yet, in a way, Uryu was the same as Orihime. He would die for her, and, during countless times, almost has. He loved her. But, he loved her enough to respect that she loved Ichigo, and could never really love him back the same way in return.

"You s-saw them too?" She hardly whispered. He was the one I ran into?

Uryu couldn't explain the look in Orihime's eyes. They were so passionate for love, yet so sad and broken. He couldn't believe eyes so beautiful, eyes that had so much spark and shine to them, could show any sign of anguish like that.

But he was wrong.

Uryu shook his wet, glossy black head in a 'yes' manner to answer the question she interrogated. "Yes, Inoue-san."

Orihime couldn't hold in the tears anymore. The black leather jacket fell off of her shoulders as she stood up and wrapped her arms around Uryu and buried her head in his chest. "Oh Ishida-kun! Kurosaki-kun loves Kuchiki-san!" She cried out to him, "He-he doesn't love me!"

Closing his eyes, he just held her tightly and stroked her hair. He inhaled the scent of the gingery auburn locks on her head. "It's okay Inoue-san...It will be okay..."

How can you say that?" She cried out in a gasp. "No it won't! I love him so much, Ishida-kun, but he doesn't love me back!... I've, I've loved him for so long...I don't know what to do. He, he was kissing her!"

Uryu continued to stroke her hair.

"Kurosaki-kun...he---"

Uryu opened his eyes and locked eye contact with her. He put a finger to her lips. "Listen to me, Inoue-san. Kurosaki is a fool. If he can't even see the love you have for him up close and to his face, then he doesn't deserve someone as caring and as good as you. You would make any man happy, and I can't see why he cannot see that."

Uryu wiped the hot tears from her wet face and lightly kissed her wet forehead.

Orihime stayed quiet and pondered on his tender words. She placed her head on his chest again as he held her close to him, ceasing her tears. They both just stood there for a while, but it seemed like hours went by. He was so warm, even for being soaked to the bone...and his grip around her gave her a secure feeling, one she has never felt before. She felt...she felt safe, and secure in his arms as he stroked her back with his other hand. Orihime had never felt this safe with anyone else...

...except with her brother.

And that was years ago.

"Come on, Inoue-san." Her ears pricked to his soothing whispered voice under the now calm drizzle of sprinkled water around them, "lets get you home."

She didn't object as he walked her back with his strong arm around her. Thank you Ishida-kun...

---------------


When they both got to her apartment, Uryu ordered Orihime to go to her room and get dried. He didn't know exactly how long they were out in the wet and cold, but if she didn't change, she'd most likely get extremely sick. And of course, he didn't want that.

"What about you, Ishida-kun? You're all wet too!"

Uryu frowned. "My health doesn't matter as much as yours does." He looked at her sternly, "You are the only one that matters to me." Truth and love were in his eyes, but he didn't know if she caught the gaze. Chivalry and care was in his tone of voice.

But, Orihime blushed at his words rather than his look. "Do y-you mean that?" She spoke softly. Her heart started beating in her chest. Does he---

He instantly realized what he had said and blushed back at her interrogative. Uryu was quiet, and his glasses glinted in the room as he slightly looked down. Of course it was. I mean everything I say to you, Inoue-san. He couldn't bring himself to look at her or even tell her that. A few moments ago, he was holding her with her body fully compressed to his, and now he couldn't talk or even look at her. Uryu despised himself at times for that.

He heard something but didn't pay any heed.

Uryu wanted to tell her those pent up feelings he's had for her for so long now. They were overflowing up inside of him and threatening to explode out at any moment. The love feeling he'd always get from Orihime affected him so much that he'd feel sick at times. He loved her more than anything. An eruption of confidence developed inside the Quincy.

"Inoue-san I---"

He looked up and saw that Orihime was not there. Uryu uttered a hopeless sigh. It figured that when he was going to say something like that she would not be standing there to hear him. Maybe it was better that way. She was burdened with enough things right now---and if he was to tell her his feelings of love, he'd probably just hurt her even more. When she got over her loss, maybe he might tell her.

Besides, Uryu'd just get hurt himself if he was to express his love now. He probably couldn't take the rejection and the denial. I can only wait for you to get over Kurosaki, Inoue-san...

He heard a noise again and Orihime came out holding a small bundle. She was fully changed, wearing a dull pink long-sleeved shirt with three blue flowers on the torso, and a darker pink pair of matching pajama pants. Her hair was still wet to some extent, but at least her body was dry.

He took a deep breath. Uryu could relax a little.

Orihime walked to Uryu and handed him the small bundle. "Here, Ishida-kun. You should change too. I-I don't want you to get sick..." She whispered modestly.

With one soft hand he shyly took the clothes from her own soft hands.

"...they should fit you. There's a red shirt and some pants, if that's okay. You can change in the bathroom. It's just around the hall. Uhm, you can just hang your wet clothes on the shower curtain pole."

Uryu looked at the clothes. They smelled like they have been laying in the closet for a few years, but they felt and indeed looked brand-new. Why would she have these?

"Who's are these?" He then looked at her.

Orihime's eyes locked with Uryu's. She appeared like she was going to break down again. "They were my brother's. I bought them for his birthday present one year. He said he needed new clothes. But, that was a few days before h-he---"

"Thank you Inoue-san." Uryu smiled softly to her. His dark blue eyes shined. "These will do finely."

As he walked past her, one of his hands brushed against her own. She didn't know if it was by accident, or if it was intentional but, she blushed anyway. He was acting so out of character today! Uryu was just smiling before her. There was this tender side to him that she or, maybe no one has ever seen. Was she the only one?

When she had cried out to him, telling him about her feelings for Ichigo, and how he didn't love her, Uryu had held her close to him. He had calmed her, and walked her all the way home with his arms around her. And he cared for her, not once thinking of himself. She looked over at the front door and saw the leather jacket on the coat hook dripping with lucid rain. There was an undescribable feeling she always got whenever Uryu touched her that was different than when Ichigo did.

Ichigo was kind of rough, where Uryu was soft and gentle. Ichigo was always there for her, just like Uryu, but he seemed distant from her...and Uryu seemed always by her side or helping her when she was in need. Slowly, Ichigo was starting to loose sight in her brain.

Orihime found herself starting to feel warm as she kept recollecting her thoughts on the Quincy. She knew her face was flustered; she could feel the warmth rise in her skin. Did he...did he like me more than he showed? She silently and anxiously laughed to herself.

N-no, of course not! She thought bashfully as her cheeks blushed a darker shade of red. Orihime felt dizzy and her knees were weak. He doesn't like me that way!

Orihime couldn't help but wonder, though.

He didn't respond when she asked him if he meant that she only mattered to him. Uryu just looked down. Maybe he did like her.

It felt so...so right when he held her close, though. When he stroked her hair. When he whispered that everything was going to be okay.

Her eyes went slightly wide. Did he actually k-kiss my forehead? Her mind was fuzzy and she couldn't recall if he did or not. Orihime felt something soft on her forehead after he wiped the tears off of her face...Oh, this was so confusing!

Trying to push the thought from her head, she decided to boil some water to make tea. She knew Uryu would still be cold, so she might as well warm him up.

She blushed once again and her heart nervously beat at an unusual fast pace.

Heh heh, uhmm, warm him up by making tea, I mean...

She was sure that she looked absolutely stupid just standing there. So, with her deep blush of crimson still on her face, Orihime walked to her kitchen to find a pan to fill with water, along with Uryu Ishida still running around in circles trapped in her harebrained mind.

And Ichigo Kurosaki was slowly being locked out.