TLK: Ichigo and Orihime
It was finally over. Everything had been set to rights. So now it had started to rain.
As the droplets pelted his face, Ichigo felt the sweat, grime and gore from the battle gradually release their hold on his skin. The rain was washing him clean. Well, maybe not completely clean in a literal sense, but in a poetical way the rain was a cleansing one.
Looking around, he saw Orihime standing with her face upturned, eyes closed and an expression of calm and relief that the worst was over. They had won.
When Orihime gave a slight shiver, Ichigo asked nonchalantly, “You all right?” while internally he called Urahara all sorts of nasty names.
Eyes immediately opening to meet his gaze, Orihime replied automatically, “Yes, I’m fine,” then she smiled softly and said, “We won.”
“Yeah,” Ichigo said with a half-grin, “we did it.”
After a few moment’s pause, Orihime said hesitantly, “I-Ichigo, I have...I want...”
Then, to Ichigo’s astonishment, Orihime closed her eyes, raised herself up on tiptoe and gently kissed his cheek. It wasn’t one of those quick pecks like he might receive from his sisters. It was a lingering, longing kiss. A kiss that could change the course of a relationship.
When it was over, both Ichigo and Orihime froze for a time, unsure of what to do next. It might have all ended with Orihime apologizing and running off had she not shivered again.
Without thinking, Ichigo walked around to Orihime’s back and wrapped his arms around her torso. Maybe because his clothes were already damp it may not work, but it was just possible that he might be able to offer her some protection and warmth for the time being.
At first, he felt Orihime stiffen in his arms, but she eventually relaxed in his grip. About fifteen seconds later, Ichigo felt something wet and hot hit the skin of his arm. Instinctively, he adjusted his grip to pull Orihime just a little closer to himself. This time, Orihime’s response was to reach up and gently place her little, cold hands over his.
It’s anyone’s guess how long the two of them might have stayed in that attitude, just adapting to being around the other in a different way than before. However, the spell was eventually broken by the arrival of their other friends. That is not to say that either one relinquished their hold on the other, which was a great source of teasing for days and weeks to come.