Left Behind But Not Forgotten

Rings rasped against a shower curtain as it was pushed aside. Stepping out of the tub Orihime wrapped a towel around her hair then scrambled to find another. Against the nearest shelf, she bumped her shoulder and heard bottles crashing to the floor.

“Oops,” Orihime murmured bending down to pick them up. She had a rather nasty purplish bruise blossoming on her shoulder. Frantic footsteps thumped right to the door that suddenly burst open.

Ishida poked his head in gasping, “Orihime are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Uryuu kun,” she giggled, admiring the cute way his face scrunched in worry.

“But that noise… I thought you’d slipped and fallen,” he said, then glanced away.

“Just a little accident. Nothing to worry about. But I think I may have waked Tatsuki chan…” she explained. That blush coating Ishida’s face scarlet puzzled her until she saw him holding out a robe to her.

He mumbled, “Here… you need this… it’s… ah cold.”

“Thanks Uryuu,” she said taking it quickly from him. Spinning around she hugged him tightly in thanks. Face tightly pressed into his shoulder she smelled the irresistible scent of fabric softener just compelling her to snuggle closer. Water soaked into Uryuu’s school uniform. He swallowed hard feeling her wriggling form pressed so tightly into his without anything on her body except the towel turban. Hot breath fanned his face after the kiss she pressed to his nose then mouth.

Unable to resist returning the embrace the Quincy wrapped his arms tightly around her, grabbed the robe, and pulled it over her shoulders. Any response disappeared unspoken in his throat thanks to her tongue slipping past his lips in a firm kiss.

“Orihime… I… hate to discourage you but… if Tatsuki san should come down here and see us in this position it could be very…” Ishida panted when they parted. In one fluid motion, Orihime both pulled Ishida into the bathroom while pushing him to the door so it clicked shut.

“There,” Orihime announced as if that solved the problem. Her hands gripped his school shirt tightly. Ishida swore that fabric softener would forever be an aphrodisiac when it came to an amorous girlfriend. Since his nose plunged into her neck, he sniffed a combination of roses and sandalwood along with fresh water. The very it sent hung thickly in the residual steam fogging the mirrors, metal, and his glasses.

“That wasn’t what I meant,” he murmured, yet noticing how the water dribbled down from her collarbone into the gap between her breasts he soon forgot just what time it was. Good thing he always woke two hours earlier than necessary. He figured it would take that long for his clothes to dry anyway.

As he drew his tongue along the seam of her parting lips, he thanked Tatsuki’s parents for having a comfortable guest bedroom. Tatsuki insisted that he and Orihime make themselves at home. Just how much longer they would be out, he wondered on that cruise. Each room in the modest sized house was left neat and clean as if in anticipation of their homecoming.

“Mmm,” she hummed through the gentle slide of lips over hers and tongues merging in the shared space of their mouths fused together. Both panted breaking reluctantly for air, arms twined around each other. She leaned heavily on Ishida, pressing him between her and the bathroom door. Barely able to see her through the fogged glasses Ishida pulled them off. Orihime wiped them on a corner of her robe and handed them back to him.

“Orihime,” he murmured.

“Uryuu kun… I want…” she trailed off.

“Me too,” he whispered, spinning her around. He then opened the bathroom door and nudged her out with his body only to push it closed with his foot. Bending down he slipped his hand under her knee and scooped her up into his arms. Orihime clung to his thin shoulder as he carried her into the guest bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. Then he sat down next to her and kissed her softly on the lips.

She soon unknotted his school tie and unbuttoned his shirt to dance her hands over the distinctive scar set out against ivory flesh. Pinning him down she straddled his hips and caught his yelp in an enthusiastic kiss. Under her, she felt him growing steadily hard. His low moans and her enthusiastic gasps at the feel of his hands reaching in to pinch her nipples soon filled the quiet room.

Dark blue eyes behind his glasses gazed up at her, cupping her breasts once she opened the robe. Orihime bend down, almost bumping the necklace against his nose for another kiss. His hands settled on her hips holding her in place once she ground down.

Nervous twitches of her fingers made it hard to rip it open but Ishida’s hands steadied hers. He kissed her knuckles, assisting her in getting his belt unbuckled and the zipper pulled down on his school uniform pants. His breath hissed out through pleasure-clenched teeth at the sensation of her hand sliding lightly along the underside of him. Breaking the latest kiss he whispered, “Wallet, front pocket… I need…”

“Right,” she whispered, reaching in with one hand to pull it out. In the process, Ishida sighed at the contact of her hands on his erection. A black leather wallet dropped on the bed half open. Inside Orihime pushed her fingers, and then pulled out the foil wrapped packages from among the folded notes. She spied the picture of her pushed inside with a few others. Slender fingers brushed hers in the process of removing the condom from its wrapper and putting it in place.

Strong hands then seized her hips and lifted her at the same time Orihime steadied his shaft in her right hand and braced her other hand against his bare chest. The halves of his shirt fluttered up and down a bit with his heaving breaths. Painstakingly slowly Ishida pulled her down onto him relishing the tight spread deep within. Her eyes closed for a moment when he was completely inside, arms quivering spasmodically.

Soft hair tickled and brushed against Ishida’s nose. He pushed up and down, nearly bouncing and rocking. Still wearing his glasses Ishida stared up at her. Eyes locked firmly into one another’s. His soft gasps mingling with her grunts steamily increasing in pace. Hearts pounded ever faster pulsing blood through bodies wriggling and rocking. Then rolling over he pushed her down into the bed, still fully clothed except for his unbuttoned shirt. That fluid roll to one side hit just the right place nearly by accident.

“Uryuu, do that again,” Orihime urged, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist. A smile came over her pleasure-dazed face. Her hair spread about in a random scattered half circle across the bedspread and pillow. Ishida bent down and kissed her hard pushing and rocking more frantically. All too quickly, the tingling burn hit and they both collapsed into a sweaty mess still exchanging soft kisses.

***

"Tatsuki chan! Wake up!" someone insisted accompanied by a pounding on a hard surface.

"Go away," Tatsuki, mumbled turning over. She blinked in the morning light but did not want to get up. Instead, she lazed until the last possible moment and Orihime had to bang on her door cheerfully.

Her friend came in carrying a tray and chirped, "C’mon Tatsuki we'll be late!”

"Great, thanks," she mumbled sitting up. She looked at the clock dreading what she would see, but yelped instead at Orihime shoving a spoonful of something into her mouth. She tasted spices and fruit all at once.

"You really need to eat," Orihime said. "I'll get your clothes ready, you just finish breakfast. Not to worry..."

She felt annoyed, angry, and outraged but could not expunge the ache in her chest. Sullenly she shoved spoonfuls of Orihime’s concoction into her mouth and chewed more violently then necessary. Although he taste ordinarily would send her rushing for water she was too hungry to care just what it was she was eating.

How dare that idiot ask her or even TRY to propose to her especially without even bringing up the subject in conversation. Just out of nowhere he seemed to seaway into it as if, it was a natural progression. Granted she had figured they were a couple but considering the age gap between them it just seemed out of the realm of reason?

“Can’t believe he just tried to ASK me out of the blue. Without even letting me get USED to the idea? I mean what kind of idiot just announces something without dropping hints?”

“Tatsuki, are you still angry at Dr. Ishida?” Orihime asked setting out her clothes. Tatsuki leapt out of bed and grabbed her skirt with a piece of toast still hanging from her mouth by the corner.

“That’s the understatement of the year!”

“If someone tried to propose to me I wouldn’t be angry, I’d be excited,” Orihime said with a shrug.

Tatsuki slipped her skirt up and zipped it. She plunged both arms into the sleeves her he blouse. Only when she buttoned it up and tucked it in did she remove the toast with one hand after taking a bite. “If would have been nice if he’d SAID something. Been up front, straightforward!”

Puzzled Orihime asked, “And you’re always telling me… to drop hints when you were encouraging me after Kurosaki kun?”

“It’s just so… so sudden! He hasn’t even met my family yet for crying out loud and he wants to get down on one knee in an OFFICE? Like it was some disease he had to diagnose?”

“Are you angry he picked a place like this to try and propose, or are you angry because it’s a surprise?” Orihime continued to quiz her, not sure of why Tatsuki was so furious. Only the fact that Tatsuki spoke her mind so directly and was a no nonsense sort of person seemed a logical source of her ire.

“I don’t know,” Tatsuki, sighed. “I just… I don’t want to talk about it okay?”

“Okay,” Orihime quickly nodded, grabbing the breakfast tray.

“I can get that…” Tatsuki sighed trying to grab it from her.

“No, no it’s okay!” she said. “We were the ones who stayed here! It’s the least we can do as thanks!”

“Idiot,” Tatsuki muttered, grabbing her blazer and tie. She pulled on her long knee socks and helped Orihime carry the tray downstairs. Once they had cleaned the dishes and put things away, they headed off to school together.

***

Towards the Kurosaki clinic, he strode, mindful of the cigarette he clutched in his hand. He finally ground it out on a small item resembling a woman’s makeup compact before knocking on the door. The latch clicked for a brief second preceding the serious expression of a teenage girl behind it.

“Karin san, good afternoon. Is your father in?” he asked politely.

“Ryuuken oji san,” Karin said, nodding. “He’s goofing around as usual…”

She poked her thumb behind her. Grunting and struggling were heard from a pair rolling for dominance on the living room floor.

“Typical,” the Quincy murmured rolling his eyes as he stared past her into the house. Karin waited for him to remove his shoes and put on a pair of slippers wincing at the smell of cigarettes hidden under cologne. At least he had the decency not to smoke around her or Yuzu, and he was the least crazy of her father’s friends.

“Dad, Ichi nii stop being each other up. Can’t you two stop for a minute?” Karin called at them in disgust.

“But he took the last egg roll!” Isshin whined.

“I did not! You pasted me in the face like you always do you jerk!” Ichigo growled back at him, hurling his father over his shoulder. He glanced up at the analytical pair of blue eyes frostily regarding him and stood up.

“Kurosaki and son,” Ryuuken said, looking at both of them.

“Still calling me by my last name you are SO mean!” Isshin mock sniffled.

“Oi, you don’t come here a lot,” Ichigo said nodding towards him.

“And you still have atrocious manners,” Ryuuken shot back. “Unlike your sisters.”

“That’s what I always said. They’re still sweet as sugar,” Isshin said proudly. Karin promptly decked him in the face.

“He’s impossible,” Karin, sighed. “I’m so out of here. Later Ryuuken Oji san, Ichi nii..."

Resisting the urge to snicker the director of Karakura hospital watched Karin saunter out of the room to grab her bag and shoes for soccer practice.  Then he turned to the father and son.

“Ichigo my boy don’t you have some place to go with your friends? Young man your age should be out and…” Isshin began. Ichigo promptly ignored him.

“Homework tonight,” he said pushing past his father.

“So,” Isshin murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “Nice of you to visit? Finally getting out of that office of yours?”

“Against my better judgment perhaps,” Ryuuken sniffed.

“Aww don’t be like that,” Isshin pouted, grabbing him by the arm. “IF you wanted to sit and have a drink I’ll provide the sake. You can buy next time…”

Ryuuken rolled his eyes but let Isshin urge him inside where they both sat down. Soon Isshin fetched some cups and a bottle from a locked cupboard. Still wearing one of those loud shirts his friend cast him a goofy grin. “Well… so… here we are…”

“Always stating the obvious,” Ryuuken sighed labored, sipping at his sake.

“And you’re always a sourpuss. Both of us know it takes 17 muscles to smile and way more to frown,” Isshin urged.

“Mmm,” Dr. Ishida murmured. “Your son seems to be taking decently to a normal life.”

“That’s my boy. Always able to bounce back. I raised him well,” Isshin bragged.

“Spare me the comparison,” Dr. Ishida grumbled. “I’m not here to talk about my son directly…”

“Lucky kid. Bagging a beauty like Orihime,” said Isshin proudly, slugging Ryuuken on the back. “You must be SO proud.”

“I have few objections to that relationship,” Ryuuken agreed sipping his sake.

“About time you proud of something he did,” Isshin said.

“My standards have always been clearly defined, but yours leave something to be desired,” Ryuuken jibed.

“Ouch. Well my son at least is free to be himself,” said Isshin. “You still are going to train your boy?”

“Doubtless but he disagrees to come for sessions,” said Ryuuken quietly.

“Don’t tell me you two had another argument,” Isshin sighed.

“It is not so much that as another development,” Ryuuken admitted, reaching for the cellophane wrapped package.

“Uh sorry, no smoking in here. You know the rules…”

“Idiot,” Ryuuken sighed. He instead took another sip of his drink.

“Problems with the love life?” Isshin guessed.

Ryuuken glared at him. “How much do you know?”

“Enough to know that you’re getting some and keeping it from your old friend. Seeing a cute young woman at the hospital. Lucky bastard,” Isshin grinned.

“No comment,” Ryuuken mumbled, blushing deeply.

“Her parents have issues with you?” Isshin asked.

Slowly Ryuuken swirled the sake in its cup. “I am acquainted with her parents. They did ask if my intentions were honorable and I reassured them they were. The issue is that I have not revealed this to their daughter…”

“What, you met them without her being there? Are you nuts?” Isshin asked frowning.

“Knowing the stubborn nature and independence of the young lady they understood my reasons,” Ryuuken said.

Isshin shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He grabbed his old friend by the shoulder and shook him. “You and your anal attitude. What kind of idea is that? Don’t you think she’d be annoyed with this secret sneaking around?”

“How can I propose to the girl if her parents don’t approve?” Ryuuken asked.

“I didn’t ask Mazaki’s parents. We met them when I was dating and then I proposed…” sighed Isshin.

“When I was dating I approached the parents before I even contemplated marriage I did the same,” said Ryuuken.

“Does the girl even WANT to be married?” mumbled Isshin.

“Certain things are done in a certain manner. This world may insist on rendezvous and liaisons before marriage but the intent is still the same,” Ryuuken sniffed.

“Uh who exactly IS the young lady? One of Ichigo’s school friends?” Isshin suddenly asked, to which Ryuuken said nothing, just merely nodded.

Isshin coughed and spluttered, gasping, “You… you’re serious?”

“Do you take me to play games?” Ryuuken mumbled.

“Not unless you play by your own rules no. So who’s the lucky lady?” asked Isshin cautiously wiping his face with a napkin.

“One of your son’s acquaintances,” Dr. Ishida answered.

“Well if it’s not the voluptuous Orihime chan, or the girl Ichigo’s got his eye on…” Isshin murmured.

“Someone who is a considerably good fighter,” Ryuuken said. “Who is worth my attention in multiple capacities?”

“Someone like that would be something else,” mumbled Isshin. He then asked, “Is she pregnant?”

“No,” Ryuuken coughed, choking on his sake. “What sort of man calls himself a doctor and fails to take the necessary precautions?”

“Good, good, though it wouldn’t hurt you to have a few more kids though,” said Isshin patting him on the back. Almost crimson Ishida mopped sake off his chin, which had narrowly avoided dripping onto his tie.

“Why do you think I am pursuing marriage in the first place?” snorted Ryuuken. “Considering the amount of time it will be till my son should consider marriage himself…”

“Going to get settled down again and have a whole brood? This girl the marrying type?” asked Isshin.

“I did tell her I had no intention of letting her go,” Ryuuken said.

“Did you pop the question yet?” Isshin asked. “Or did you even get a ring?”

“Of course,” Ryuuken said petulantly, appearing outraged that Isshin would even think he wasn’t. Dipping into his pocket, he pulled out a small box and set it down on the kitchen table. He removed the outer box embossed with a well-known jeweler. Immediately Isshin’s eyes gleamed with excitement when his friend pressed the button on the side and popped the smaller velvet box open.

“Ohhh nice,” Isshin grinned, whacking Dr. Ishida on the back. “Classic, not too huge, but nice…”

“I don’t subscribe to gaudy pieces of trash,” said Ryuuken.

Isshin glanced at the fact the ring’s design did not leave the solitaire flanked by sapphires raised but set into the curve of the ring.

“Well it doesn’t look like it’d be easy to catch on anything,” Isshin murmured.

"Exactly," murmured Ryuuken quietly. Isshin poured him more sake, and the two friends commiserated together for a few hours.

***

The next day after school Tatsuki happened to walk home with Orihime, something they had not done in a while. Ichigo also walked with them for a ways reveling in how normal things felt for a change. Once he arrived home, he dove into helping his father and sisters with clinic work, determined to pull his weight and not simply sit in a corner in the fetal position.

A few hours later he had helped rearrange the files and then was sent to rearrange and order supplies. The work was taxing but he felt good making some headway. When the doorbell rang, he was not sorry to take a break though.

Outside the Kurosaki clinic, Ichigo scratched his head. He could not understand why the deliveryman was standing outside the door giving him a clueless look. His own brown eyes dulled in confusion as he said, “You have the wrong address…”

“Then you are sure Arisawa Tatsuki doesn’t live here?” he said. Wearing a white lab coat Ichigo sighed. It was a long day of him helping his dad put things in order and he was determined to get the medicine cabinet sorted out as quickly as he could so he could join Keigo and Mizuiro for a night out.

“Are you crazy?” asked Ichigo glaring at him. “This is Kurosaki freaking CLINIC! My name’s on the building!”

“There’s no need to be rude sir. I was merely doing my job,” he said. Ichigo scratched his head and sighed.

“Look, I’m sorry but…”

Just then, Ichigo found himself seized by the front of the lab coat and tossed into the street. He barely twisted to land before crashing into some trashcans with a clatter. Flustered, the deliveryman blinked. As Isshin brushed both hands together and said, “Ichigo my boy are you scaring the customers again?”

“Sir… what’s…?” stammered the carrier.

“Kurosaki Isshin, nice to see you. Got a delivery for us?” Isshin said with a grin.

“Is Arisawa Tatsuki living here?” he asked.

“No, but I can take the package for her and make sure she gets it?” Isshin said. “Who’s it from?”

“Well it just needs someone to sign for it,” the man mumbled. Isshin grabbed the electronic slate and scribbled his name just barely looking at the return address. Then he smirked taking the package from the deliverer.

“Thank you and have a GREAT day,” he said. Turning the deliverer headed off. Ichigo brushed orange peels and other trash off him as he wandered over.

“Oi, why would someone send something here for Tatsuki?” Ichigo asked, scratching the back of his head.

“There’s a good reason considering who it’s from,” Isshin grinned. “That sly dog…”

“Wait a minute…” Ichigo said, his eyes spotting the name of the sender.

“It’s because he wants it to be a surprise,” Isshin grinned, grabbing Ichigo by the collar and dragging him into the clinic.

“What the hell… Dad… let go of me!” Ichigo spluttered. Isshin and he started wrestling their way back into the clinic holding the box. His father was ripping said box open quickly when Ichigo managed to push his father into the far wall.

“Mmm hmm… just what I thought,” Isshin chuckled peering at the contents. A smaller box was concealed inside, with the name of a prominent jeweler on it along with a blue envelope embossed with Tatsuki’s name. The doctor bent down to pick up a folded white piece of paper that fluttered to the floor and unfolded it.

“Hey! Why are you opening it? Are you nuts?” Ichigo protested yanking his father’s lab coat. Isshin shoved him away while perusing the letter marked with his name.

As soon as he was done, Isshin turned to his son who poked the box as if it were something that would explode. “This is from Dr. Ishida?” he asked dubiously.

A wide smile spread across Isshin’s face, one of the thousands he would wear in a typical day. Ichigo did not care for the twinkle in his father’s eyes that moment, or the way Isshin chuckled, “Ichigo, how’d you like to deliver this to Tatsuki chan like a good boy?”

“Me, why? You were the jerk who opened it!” Ichigo protested.

Isshin shoved both the box and the card into Ichigo’s hands and pushed him towards the door. “Go son! Daddy wants you to run one little errand! Is that SO hard?”

Ichigo was sure he would leave skid marks trying to dig his heels into the floor to stop his father from opening the door and flinging him outside along with his jacket. “Will you use your BRAIN for a moment? She’ll want to kick my ass!”

“Be home in time for dinner son!” Isshin called out before he slammed the door.

Sullenly Ichigo stepped into the shoes Isshin had tossed out the door and sauntered off towards Tatsuki’s home. *Great. She’ll probably want to kick my teeth in when she sees this.*