Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach

Author's Note: This is based off my fan art entry from last year. If you can remember it then you know the story already, if not then good, it'll be all new. I had a lot of background information in my head that couldn't come across in a two page comic.

Orihime's Tanabata Wish

July 7^th One year Ago....

In a small apartment in Karakura a young girl looked determined at her piece of thin pink paper. Inoue Orihime a 14 year old girl in her final year of Junior High School was trying to make a serious decision. It was of course what to wish for Tanabata. This was super important, it would affect her very future. As anyone with a general knowledge of astronomy would know; your wish would not reach the Gods Hikoboshi and Orihime until 30 years later. Due to the distance between the Earth and the stars that Hikoboshi and Orihime had become they would not hear the wish until at least 30 years in the future. Orihime didn't know the exact time but she knew. She had to think carefully, what wish would she want to come true in about 30 years in the future?

“I have to think carefully, brother.” Orihime said to the picture of her brother. “It can't be too incredible either, they must be very busy with everyone's wishes so it has to be something small.”

Her thoughts began to run wild as they usually did. Would she like to become a killer robot of Doom? Perhaps, sounded fun. Would she like laser eye beams? Maybe not, too easy to accidentally kill someone by just looking. Would she like to own the biggest doughnut shop in the world, most definitely a good thing but she doubted if it was possible. An image entered her head, that of a small boy she had seen a few years ago. He had been the one to open the door to the clinic and lead her and her brother in. He had stayed with her most of the night as his father worked hard to try and save Sora.

“I'm sure he'll be all right.” The boy said.

“I shouldn't have yelled at him.” Orihime sniffed. “He can't leave me, he can't leave me alone.” This brought on another crying fit that last a while. The boy just stayed silent.

“I don't have anyone else,” Orihime said sadly between sobs. “I can't go back to my parents, they were bad. Big brother would never forgive me if I went to them.”

“I don't know what the problem with your folks is,” the boy said carefully. “But if it's being alone that's got you worried then I'll look after you! You can live with me and my family. I'll even marry you if you like.”

She looked into his eyes and saw how determined he was, this wasn't just a light remark to make her feel better. He meant every word, if this went on then maybe he'd adopt her into his family. Even marriage! The young Orihime felt relief in those words and pulled herself together. She couldn't let herself become a pity case.

“I'm sure it'll be fine.” She said with a sad smile. “I may not be better now but I don't want to worry your family. I do have some relatives I could go to so it'll be all right. I just don't know them that well. I don't even know where they live but I'm sure I'll find the information.”

“You sure?” He asked.

Orihime nodded. “Yeah, although not now...let me stay here for now....”

She had fallen asleep there and when Orihime awoke she was in one of the clinic beds all alone. Sora was gone, she knew it the way the Doctor came through to her in the morning. Orihime never had a chance to thank the boy but she left the clinic with the hope that she had to do this herself. He had given her strength with his kind words. She wasn't alone, there were kind people like him in this world.

Orihime later found out that the boy from Kurosaki Clinic was called Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo. It was a good name she had thought, her friend Tatsuki knew him and she'd seen him once or twice. He never mentioned her brother and Tatsuki told her he was bad with names and faces. He had probably forgotten her. Orihime wasn't sad but she had made herself a promise. She was going to grow up and look after him. That was her future, with him. She was sure, it would happen. The look in his eyes as he made such a big promise, she couldn't hold it to him now of course. They were older and she didn't want to be just be a pity wife. She was going to make it happen herself.

“Therefore I can't ask for the Gods to let me be married to Kurosaki-kun.” She giggled as she said his name and mentioned marriage. She couldn't even bring herself to call him Ichigo even in private. There was one thing she would like for certain and it was only for her, not affecting anyone else. “I know! Don't worry Hikoboshi-sama, Orihime-sama, I'm not asking too much. I'm sure it will happen naturally.”

She wrote it down in her neat handwriting. She paused at the start as she tried to think what Kanji “Ichigo” was but she shrugged and just wrote it in Katakana, the basic alphabet. Her phone began ringing and Orihime put down her pen, she was almost done.

“Hello?”

“Orihime, what are you doing still at your apartment?”

“Ah, Tatsuki-chan! I'm sorry I'm still writing my wish! It's very important you know!”

“Okay, five more minutes, if you're not here by then, I'm coming to drag you out.” Tatsuki said. “It's getting really busy now, so hurry up before it gets too crowded to move!”

“I won't be long, I'll use super speed! See you soon!” She hung up the phone and quickly finished the line. She didn't mean to be so dramatic with her wish but she guessed it was okay. She made a bow to her brother and ran out the door, the wish clasped tightly in her hand.

She made it with a few minutes to spare. It was quite a hot day though and it took her that minute to catch her breath. “Super-speed (gasp) ....wins....again....(pant.)”

“So you wrote your wish then?” Tatsuki asked.

“Oh yes!” Orihime said cheerfully, a quick recovery. “Tanabata is really important! I really love this festival”

“Yeah you said at school many times.” Tatsuki smiled. She enjoyed watching Orihime laugh, she was such a fun girl to be around. “So does your wish have anything to do with a certain Kurosaki Ichigo?”

Orihime turned bright red and jumped back in shock. “You looked!” She tried to hid the paper behind her back.

“Um...no not really... just a guess.” Tatsuki said truthfully.

“This is bad!” Orihime cried. “To let your wish be know is absolute disaster!”

“Um...” Tatsuki tried to calm her down but it was no use, she'd gone into the fantasy world.

Black clouds circled around Orihime and she held her hands up to the heavens. An eerie looking god and goddess loomed down on her. “If they know you've let slip about your wish before you tie it on the bamboo they will be most displeased. They will bring down their wrath and strike you down!” Orihime felt what in her mind was a shot of electricity as her mind ran wild. She stepped backward her arms failing as she pretended to be burned. “We'd be like crispy duck, or fried shrimp! I'd need to make sure I had some lemon or even some butter!”

“Careful!” Tatsuki warned but it was too late. Orihime stepped back and hit a boy that was standing there.

“Oh I'm so sorry...”

“Hey, aren't you Tatsuki's friend?” The boy asked. “Was it Inoue...?”

'It's Kurosaki-kun!' Orihime's mind gasped, she watched as if in slow motion her paper wish fluttered between them. 'No if he sees, it's over!'

“Um...Um...” She struggled to say something her eyes focused on the paper as it made it's way to the ground. Her face got redder and redder, she couldn't bring herself to bend down and pick it up, not even super-speed could save her. It landed and she looked up and waved, unable to bring herself to say a simple “hello”. Tatsuki stood beside her, arms crossed.

“Hey Ichigo.” Tatsuki said.

“You dropped this.” Ichigo said to Orihime as he picked up the paper.

Orihime watched him as he bent down like a prince. He had grown up a lot since she'd last seen him. 'So cool' she inwardly sighed she could feel her heart beat getting faster.

“You'll need this to tie to the bamboo.”

“Um...yeah, thanks.” She mumbled. 'WAIT! That's my wish!' She thought in a panic. 'How can I explain that wish! I haven't even started talking to him properly yet, how can I tell him this is for the future, not now?'

Her face clearly showed panic and Tatsuki instantly assumed what was happening.

“DON'T SCARE HER DUMBASS!” She leapt in the air and landed a powerful flying kick. Ichigo, taken by surprise landed on the ground in a confused heap.

“Wait Tatsuki-chan!” Orihime shouted. “Kurosaki-kun!” She noticed the wish had now fallen out of Ichigo's hands and she made the opportunity to snatch it up.

'At least it's safe, Tatsuki saved me.'

“What are you doing at this festival?” Tatsuki asked Ichigo. “Are you gay?” She pressed her foot against his head, it was so much fun defeating Ichigo it had been a while since she had last done it.

“I AM NOT GAY!” Ichigo yelled and threw her off his back and stood back up. “I'm here with my family!” He pointed to the man and two girls behind him.

“Still sounds gay,” Tatsuki huffed, not happy he had thrown her off so easily.

“I do have two little sisters,” Ichigo said to Tatsuki stubbornly trying to uphold his manhood. “I have to keep them from fighting too much.”

“Ah! They look like they're having fun!” Orihime commented as she watched the happy family.

Isshin had started chasing his daughter Yuzu, for a hug. She was running as fast as she could. While Karin was running the other way, towards Isshin.

Ichigo noticed and made a low “tch” sound. It looked like he would have to stop a war from happening again.

“Yeah, looks like too much fun,” He grumbled. “I better go...”

“OH! Okay!” Orihime said startled, she had said a full sentence to him and he'd commented back. She wanted to say more, this was it. She was going to talk to him! “Bye Kurosaki-kun and I hopeyouhavefunwithyourfamily,theylooknicetogetherandit'ssonicetohavesuchanenergeticfamilyIhopeIgetafamilylikethatoneday...” She trailed off as she realised she was talking to fast and talking a lot of what she considered rubbish.

In the background Karin had leapt and stuck down Isshin with a double kick. “PERVERT!”

“I really have to go now.” Ichigo sighed.

“That was a good strike!” Tatsuki said watching the fight.

“Bye, hope your wish comes true Inoue, you must really like strawberries!” He gave a casual wave and ran off unaware that what he had said had shocked Orihime to her very core.

“He read it.....” Orihime gasped in shock. “He read it...” She felt her spirit slip away.

“Orihime!” Tatsuki shouted at her in shock.

The piece of paper flutter to the floor. It plainly read in clear and simple writing, “I wish to love “Ichigo” forever.”

Tatsuki picked it up and shook her head. The idiot Ichigo had thankfully misinterpreted the wish. Thinking that the word “ichigo” meant the Japanese for strawberry. “These two are complete idiots.” She sighed.

She lifted Orihime up and gently carried her to a seat.

“I'm going to be struck down!” Orihime sobbed. “Tatsuki make sure I have some butter I want to be at least nicely roasted!”

“Look!” Tatsuki said gritting her teeth as she felt a lie come on. “It doesn't count. No-one read and understood your wish right? Ichigo the moron thought you meant strawberries, he doesn't count. It has to be bad luck if it's read and understood.” Although Tatsuki had truthfully never heard of such a superstition. It must have been one unique to Orihime.

“Really?” She brightened up instantly.

The tomboy nodded. “Sure, if you believe it, then it's true.”

“Thanks Tatsuki-chan!' Orihime said giving her a hug. “Lets hurry and put my wish on the bamboo, then you can read it too.”

“So it's okay after?”

“Of course!” Orihime laughed. “Everyone can read the wishes after, that's most of the fun at Tanabata!”

Her lively spirit returned the two girls made their way down the walkway filled with decorations and streamers. It was the last time they ever made such a journey. The next years summer on Tanabata was something much different. Even in a different world. But for now the girls unaware of the future made their way to make a wish that one of them knew would definitely come true for her.

00000000000000000000

Author's Note: As explained by Tatsuki “ichigo” means strawberry in Japan. It's also Bleach's main hero but he uses kanji (Chinese characters) which mean “one protect”. Since Orihime wasn't that familiar with Ichigo at this time I thought it would be funny and part of the joke if she didn't understand how to write his name and just use the simpler katakana alphabet.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

Mz D