A bit of an odd pair I know, but I think they have something in common, and anyway...its cute! XD

The room was surprisingly bare, beds and the bare essentials of living, changes of clothes, a chair and small table with the remnants of a shared lunch. Hardly what she had expected and she hesitated in the doorway, unsure of whether to knock.

"Come in, if you like." She jumped; he hadn't even looked up.

Briefly, she thought of fleeing, she could pretend she had got the wrong room, she might look a little odd, but then there would be nothing new there. Instead she gathered up her courage. "I don't mean to intrude..."

He smiled softly, still polishing his sword. "There's nothing to intrude onto, Inoue-san"

Slowly, she edged into the room, wondering where to sit, eventually settling for perching on the edge of one of the beds. There was still something about him that made her a little uncomfortable. Perhaps it was that, just like her, he didn't quite seem to fit into his surroundings. "Where's Ikkaku-kun?"

"Training." He finally looked up, soft yet steely violet eyes fixing onto her face. "Why are you here?"

"I just wanted talk...if you want me to leave..." She watched him wide eyed, half hoping he would send her away, half hoping he wouldn't.

He did neither, instead he looked amused. "And you come to Eleventh Squad?" His tone was mocking.

Unsure how to react she laughed, it sounded fake. It always did to her.

"Why do you do that?" When she looked confused he frowned, obviously one who didn't suffer fools gladly. "Laugh like that. Deflect serious attention away from yourself by acting like a child." Clearly not someone familiar with tact either.

She knew that she should have been insulted, just a little, but she wasn't. "I wanted to see you." It was blurted, the words slurring into each other and it was his turn to look confused. "I wanted to talk to you. I know...about you, I mean. I feel like I understand."

His eyes narrowed, his face guarded. "Know what?"

"Other people don't notice...you're like me, you make sure people don't take notice, but I can see."

His voice was soft and dangerous, telling her she was crossing thin ice. "See what?"

"That you love him." She said simply.

She saw many things in his eyes, surprise, relief, but it was the anger which came after that shocked her. They flashed like steel, reminding her that beneath the pomp and aimless fluttering there was someone perfectly capable of killing her without hesitation. "How dare you!" He hissed, his knuckles white on the hilt of his sword.

She recoiled slightly. "But its true, isn't it? I can see by the way you look at him."

To her surprise he deflated, the steely anger disappearing and leaving someone who seemed rather vulnerable. He looked up at her sadly. "Like the way you do with Kurosaki?"

Lowering her head she nodded, not wanting to look into those violet eyes any longer. They were too sad, and she wondered if her eyes were like that too.

She heard him chuckle softly. "We must be quite a pair." He sounded bitter, and she wondered just how long he had been following Ikkaku around like a faithful dog, hoping for some sort of recognition, some indication that he might be more than just a friend. Just like she did.

"Why don't you tell him?"

"Why don't you?" He shot back angrily. "It would be easy, its just three words, you speak all the time." His face twisted as he mocked her, a mix of anger, frustration and misery, and she pulled back at his sharp words, her eyes wide and brimming with unwanted tears.

He didn't apologise, even when he saw her wet eyes. She could see his sword shaking slightly in his grip, his knuckles still white and despite his harsh words her heart went out to him. Shinigami lived countless years more than a human. She might, eventually, move on, find someone else. Yumichika, trapped in his squad, couldn't escape, and wouldn't escape for years to come.

She was about to open her mouth to speak when a shadow fell across the doorway. "Hey, Yumichika. What're you doin'?"

They looked round together, their eyes falling on the form of Ikkaku, still sweating from training, the hairless dome of his head shining. Yumichika smiled brightly. "Just talking."

"Oh?"

Orihime stood quickly. "We've finished now, I was just about to leave." She turned to Yumichika. "Thank you for listening to me."

An odd look of regret and fear flitted across his eyes as she bowed to him, but he smiled and nodded, replying: "It was a pleasure talking to you, Inoue-san"

She returned the smile and left, trying not to appear hurried and feeling lighter somehow, despite the cruel words exchanged. She knew that one day she might have the courage to confess to Ichigo, and hoped with all her heart he would return her feelings, and she hoped also that Yumichika would one day have the courage to share his secrets with Ikkaku. But until that day, they would at least, always have each other. In a world where everyone seemed so certain about their purpose in life, it was nice to have found someone, however unlikely, who was like her.

I'd love to know what you think of this, after all its something new for me, but I quite liked it. Go on...its Christmas... ^_^