[fic] Thorns Don't Lie

[kiyala.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Bleach
Title: Thorns Don’t Lie
Author/Artist: kiyala
Theme(s): #5 - Screw the red roses; send me the thorns
Pairing/Characters: Kurosaki Ichigo + Ishida Uryuu
Rating: PG (for the boylove)
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite

x-posted to ishi_ichi and 30_smiles



Many eyebrows had been raised when Orihime had walked into the classroom that morning carrying a large bouquet of long-stemmed roses. Initially, Tatsuki and Chizuru had freaked out and had interrogated her about it, asking who had given them to her and getting ready to pounce on whoever’s name she mentioned. Luckily, both had been relieved and a life had been saved when Orihime giggled and explained that the florist she walked past every day on the way to school had been selling roses for cheap and she had decided to buy one for all of her friends.

However, seeing that Orihime was as friendly as they came, this meant she had a rose for every student in her class. Chizuru had made a big deal as she was handed a rose, blushing and hugging “her ‘Hime” while Tatsuki simply smiled and put the flower away. The noise the pink-haired girl was making was enough to draw the entire class’ attention to the flowers and Orihime began cheerfully handing them out.

Ichigo watched, sitting on his desk with his usual scowl replaced by a look of disapproval. He accepted the flower with a small smile as Orihime handed one to him, but as she walked away, he stared at it.

He was about to comment when he heard a familiar voice from the desk diagonally in front of him.

“Why do people use such short-lived objects to express affection?”

It was Ishida, and Ichigo gave him an amused look before replying, “Maybe it’s a way of showing that even emotions don’t last forever.”

“Hmm,” the Quincy gazed at the flower in his hands pensively before putting it on his desk.

“Watch out for the thorns,” Ichigo said mockingly and the dark-haired boy cursed under his breath as the warning came too late.

“And why the fuck do they choose a flower with thorns?”

Ichigo grinned, twirling his own rose between his fingers at the stem, “Beautiful things need protection. Most of them choose to protect themselves. Besides, what’s affection without some pain?”

Ishida missed the meaningful look Ichigo gave him and scowled, “Screw the roses, just send me the thorns instead. At least then you see through the lies and can avoid the pain.”

Grinning, Ichigo held his rose out, brushing the petals gently against a pale cheek, “Well maybe you should stop looking for the pain then, eh?”

Ishida flinched and with a small chuckle, the redhead put his rose away and sat back in his seat and took out his books as the teacher walked in. The dark-haired boy looked over at him, but there were no signs that they had even spoken to each other, apart from the tingling feeling on his cheek where Ichigo’s rose had been. Ishida wondered if he had been imagining things and then shrugged, beginning his own work.

The next morning, the excitement over the roses had finally died down and Ishida walked into the room, noting the lack of the excited talk there had been when Orihime was handing roses to everyone. He walked to his desk to notice a box on it. Frowning, he gave into his curiosity and sat down, carefully untying the ribbon that held the box closed. Removing the lid, he carefully peered inside to find a note. Taking it out, he read.

If I just send you the thorns, does it mean I don’t want to lie anymore? Maybe these thorns will last for longer, and maybe these emotions will too. If you’re looking for pain, you’ll only get hurt… but when you stop looking for the pain, look up, and maybe you’ll see me.

He stared at the note and then peered into the box, raising an eyebrow and struggling not to smile as he carefully extended a finger and poked at the thorns inside.

“No need to check, they’re genuine.”

Ishida quickly looked over his shoulder to see Ichigo smirking at him. The dark-haired boy had no idea what to say, so after opening and closing his mouth several times, he simply turned his face away and hoped like hell that Ichigo had not noticed the bright pink blush that had settled across his cheeks.

“Don’t prick yourself this time,” Ichigo said, giving him what could have been seen as a friendly pat before walking off.

The dark-haired boy watched him walk off, his shoulder still tingling at what was the first time they had intentionally touched other than to fight. Covering his face in his hands, he sat there and was unable to do anything but grin like an idiot.

“Hey… Ichigo…”

The redhead stopped and turned.

Lifting the box Ishida smiled, “…Thanks.”

Glancing around to check that no one else was looking, Ichigo walked back to the desk and standing over the other boy’s desk, reached over and carefully ran a hand through the dark hair and gave him a small smile, “No worries. Don’t hurt yourself, yeah?”

The teacher walked into the room and Ichigo returned to his desk. Uryuu gave the box one last glance before he put it away as he felt a swelling feeling inside his chest that refused to leave for the rest of the day.