IchiIshiHime: Best Man

"I thought I might find you here."

Ichigo jumped at the sound of the voice not sure whether it was from relief or regret. "I-Ishida?"

They were on top of their High School building where they would usually stay during lunch back in the days. The night sky usually made it hard to see, but tonight all the stars were out and there was a full moon. Ichigo always loved stargazing. And after the long time they've been friends--no, that's too weak of a word to describe their relationship--how long they've known each other, the least thing Ishida knew about Ichigo was that he liked it up here. It was just like old times--other than they were wearing tuxes.

"So I, um--I guess I should say congratulations, huh?" Ichigo stuttered as his attempt to be casual failed. Luckily Ishida didn't take it against him.

"Only if you mean it."

"Oh, well, in that case..." He said nonchalantly and smiled sadly at Ishida.

Ishida sighed and went to where Ichigo was and sat beside him, against the wall where they would eat lunch together before. He was glad to know that Ichigo had cooled down a little bit.

"What do you want, Ishida?" Ichigo asked dully. "I'm sure there are a lot of people back there who are just dying to talk to you."

"They can wait."

"Can your own wife wait?" Ichigo countered with extra venom in wife.

"Inou--Orihime was the one who wanted me to see you, actually." He pushed up his glasses quickly. Ishida was never good with lies. "The least you could do is pretend to be happy for me on my own wedding day, Kurosaki." Ishida looked up at Ichigo and nudged Ichigo to make sure he was still alive. "Or should I say Best Man?"

Ichigo looked away from him and faced down. "Best Man, huh? Apparently not good enough."

Ishida sighed.

+

Ichigo stood up and positioned himself in front of Ishida like a parent scolding his child. "I always knew there was something between you and Orihime. So why am I taking this so hard?" His control was weakening.

"Don't deny that there wasn't anything between you and her, too." Ishida said flatly, looking up at the taller man with a serious expression.

Ichigo was close to bursting into tears by now, but he could never ever let Ishida see him anywhere close to vulnerable again. Especially not now. "And don't you dare deny that there wasn't anything between us either, Ishida."

That hit Ishida hard. He stood up fast, causing Ichigo to falter back a little. "Can't you move on?! And I who said was denying anything!"

"Yourself, maybe!"

"What?!"

"After you dumped me for Inoue it's like you forgot about everything! Everything I was to you, and--and everything you were to me! Do you know how much that hurt me, Ishida? Of course you don't. You never cared what I felt from the very beginning, did you? Move on? Sure, I guess that's easy for you to say. You're married now, and you're the happiest man on earth!"

"Kurosaki--"

"What, Ishida? I saw it in your face. The way you look at her... I can see it. You completely bright up at the sight of her. It makes me--"

"Ichigo!" He finally cut him off, but his name was all Ishida could say to stop him from rambling.

Ichigo looked down and in a small voice said, "...It makes me wish I could make you do that, too."

+

"I just don't get it, Ishida."

"It just.. happened."

"That's what I don't get. What happened?"

"I just--" Ishida stopped abruptly not knowing whether to continue or not. Ichigo wouldn't have minded either way and just gave him a reassuring expression after a moment of silence when they were finally looking at each other. "I just woke up one day and I knew."

Knew what? Ichigo looked down for a while trying to figure out what it was so he could avoid asking, "Knew what?" but sadly he got bested.

Ishida eyed him and breathed. "What I was never sure of with you."

No one said anything for a long while after that. They both hated it.

Then before Ichigo could say anything, Ishida stood up and said, "I should get going. I'm sure there are a lot of people back there who are just dying to talk to me." and walked away from him.

Ichigo stood up and started to head for Ishida, but froze half step. So what if he gets to Ishida? That wouldn't change anything. he'd just make a fool out of himself again. Dammit. "Ishida--!"

Ishida stopped his tracks only to turn his head a little. That was enough for Ichigo to know he was listening.

Ichigo took a deep breath wishing it would be one of his last, choosing his words carefully. "I... I really do hope that you're happy."

This made Ishida smile, and, as much as he tried to, failed to hide it in his voice. "Hmph." Ishida turned his head back and started walking again. "I hope so, too, Kurosaki."

"Hmph." And as much as Ichigo didn't want to, he smiled, himself. "Best man, huh."

+

Ishida was back at the after party in record time. Of course he has his, what Ichigo would call, his Quincy Shunpo to help him just a bit. Surprisingly, Orihime was alone this time, which was rare. "You shouldn't be alone tonight, go enjoy yourself."

"I'm not alone, I'm with you, aren't I?" She smiled, softly. "And what's not to enjoy about my husband's return?"

Ishida could only smile back at that.

"So how'd it go?"

"I think it went rather well with Kurosaki, Inoue-san." Ishida said as he pushed up his glasses.

"That's great!" She said with her ever stunning smile of hers, but then it quickly turned to a shocked face, then into a pout when she realized, "Stop calling me that, Uryuu. It's too formal."

Before he could open his mouth to apologize (what he would always do in this routine), Orihime lightly put a finger on his lips.

"We're married now, right?" And the smile came back on as she put her finger down.

He grinned and bent down to kiss her. "Yes, of course, Orihime."

"A-Ahem.."

"Hm?" Ishida pulled back and turned to see who it was. "Kurosaki--?" He didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or glad. Both, maybe. Ishida wasn't surprised at how quickly he got here, but at why he came at all.

"Ah.. sorry for um, interrupting."

Orihime giggled trying to lighten up the mood. "It's okay, Ichigo!"

He could only blush at that. "Y-Yeah." No matter how long it's been or how much she's changed, she's still the same Orihime as she was in High School. "Ah, you look beautiful in that dress by the way, Inoue--Ah, I mean, 'Hime."

She laughed innocently. "Thank you, Ichigo." She also saw how uncomfortable both men were.  "A-Actually, Uryuu wanted to make me my dress, but tradition says that the husband shouldn't see the dress until the wedding--much less make it! Oh, how long was our argument about it, I don't know. Ha ha!"

Ichigo tried his best to laugh and sound happy. "Typical Ishida, if you ask me. Always making things so complicated."

Cue awkward silence.

+

Orihime ran out of ideas, Ishida didn't say anything, and Ichigo was still thinking.

"Orihime, may I have some time with Kurosaki for a while?" The groom asked sincerely.

She nodded. "Of course. Oh, and you're father's looking for you, too. See him after, alright?" And with that said, she left the two boys.

"Great, now I have Ryuuken to deal with, too." He sighed.

"Ishida, I.. I just wanna say--"

Ishida held his hand up to stop him from continuing. "Don't say it. Apology accepted." He said, briefly.

Ichigo was surprised, but not for long. "How'd you know I was gonna say sorry so fast?" He knew the answer of course, but asked anyway. Ishida was smart. Sure, he can be a smart-ass at times, but he means well.

"I know you well enough to know when you're finally sorry, Kurosaki." He said, as he pushed up his glasses once more.

"Wait--you're just gonna forgive me? Just like that?" Ichigo asked in disbelief.

"You don't want me to?" Ishida countered skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

"N-no, it's just.. you were never this quick to forgive me--or anyone for something bad like this.. or worse."

"Hmm.." Ishida smirked. "True, I don't."

"No, wait--Ishida--!"

With one move, Ishida had his finger to Ichigo's lips. It was a quick and smooth move. Two things Ishida was. "You really do have to stop that habit of yours. How I lived with it for so long, I wonder."

Ichigo couldn't move. He could only imagine if it were a different scenario, he could've just slip his tongue out to lick--or suck--Ishida's finger by now. Ishida sensed it in him, too. He sighed, and let his hand fall.

Ishida sighed exasperatedly, "Why are you so difficult, Kurosaki.." Now that was when Ichigo knew he really forgiven.

"Heh, sorry." Ichigo grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

Ishida brought his right arm up to check his watch. "I should see Ryuuken. I've kept him waiting long enough." He slid passed by Ichigo and headed for the crowd of people.

"Hey! Wait--!" Ishida didn't turn back this time. He just kept going. "Don't.. don't run away from me again, Quincy!" He shouted playfully.

Ishida just kept his pace and called out with a smirk on his face, "I'm not running away, Shinigami. I'm letting you go."

"So that's what you cali it? Letting me go? Ha!"

"Idiot!" Ishida waved his hands and shook his head slowly.

"Hey, Glasses boy!"

"What, Strawberry?" said Glasses boy as he turned around to face Strawberry one last time. It didn't matter how far they were from each other, or how they looked like lunatics shouting at each other. Who cared if they were being watched? These were one of those rare times when they didn't care about anything anymore. These were the moments they both missed.

Ichigo took a deep breath and yelled, "Congratulations!"  with his arms raised.

To anyone--especially Ishida, they would normally make fun of what Ichigo just did and mock him, but this just got Ishida everything he ever asked for. He was speechless and just stared at the lunatic with a grin that showed how happy he was. Ichigo laughed at him.

Ichigo stared back at glasses boy and said now in a softer voice, "Some best man I turned out to be, huh, Uryuu?"

"The best I could have ever asked for, Ichigo. Really."

+

"Isn't that your husband and his best man yelling at each other over there?"

Orihime giggled, "Yes."

"Hmph. They must be really good friends to be able to embarrass themselves like that together."

"They just don't know it, or maybe they just don't want to admit it, but they really are the best of friends. The best!"

"More like the best of fools to me." he said as he pushed up his glasses.

She laughed this time. "Yes, but they're my fools, Ryuuken-san."

And he just sighed, pushing up his glasses once more.

+