bakerstreet | I'll Look Out for Them

✖ I'll Look Out for Them ✖
a "secondhand" shipping meme

They were your best friend, your comrade, or even someone you simply owed a debt to. Or maybe, unfortunately, you were the one that put them in danger that lead to their demise. No matter what they were to you in life, in their death, you feel as if you have one duty to them. They left behind someone, someone they loved more than anything. This was their significant other, yet you promised your dying companion (or you discerned yourself) that you would look after them. Take care of them, maybe, but at least look after them; it's the least you can do.

It will not be easy, especially not at first. The one left behind will be grieving, of course, and, so, perhaps, will you. There may be some contention, depending on the situation, and, if you did not know each other well before, some awkwardness. Still, in this time where there is nothing and no one to cling to, when the world has been thrown off its axis for them, both of you may find a sort of comfort and solace in this new routine.

That will not last, either.

Soon, feelings begin to change towards each other. Edges soften, people are seen in a new light. A small warmth blossoms between the two of you in this cold world. It takes root and grows, and grows, and grows...

Until you're left with questions and possibly even guilt at this arrangement. How much of this is real and how much is the grieving process? Are you just a replacement for the one they lost?

Is this what their lost love would have wanted?

✖ Comment with your character, canon, and preferences, including preferred role.
✖ Reply to others and use the RNG.
✖ Feel free to be as liberal with the interpretations of pretty much anything in this meme. Make it AU. Make up somebody they both know. Have them be total strangers. There's options for everything.

Promise ✖ You told them you would take care of their lover, no matter what. You intend to follow through with that.
Close ✖ What are friends for if not taking care of unfinished business?
Debt Owed ✖ Kindness or favor has to be repaid, even if it's an investment in someone else.
Atonement ✖ Whether or not you particularly cared for the person who's gone is irrelevant. You just need to make up for past sins.
No Good ✖ You're taking care of the one left behind, but not out of good intentions. There may be ulterior motives here - no, there are definitely ulterior motives here. Or maybe this is the one good thing you've done in your life.
Guilt ✖ It's your fault that you're here and their significant other isn't. It's a paltry repayment.
Bearer of Bad News ✖ You can't blame them for wanting to shoot the messenger. You are telling them their lover is dead.
Related ✖ In days past, the living partner would be cared for by their dead partner's family. As a sibling or cousin of the deceased, you want to continue that tradition and take care of "family."
Wo/man Up ✖ Actually, their lover isn't dead, they're just dead to you, unable or unwilling to take care of business. You're stepping up.
Friends ✖ You were all friends before, so it's only natural for you to want to look out for them now.
Derisive ✖ ...this is the person they loved so much? This is who you're supposed to protect? Pathetic.
Resentful ✖ You can never forgive them. They're the reason your lover is dead, no matter how they treat you.
What They Saw in You ✖ You're beginning to see why someone would love them, how they'd want to give up their old ways and change. It's almost...nice.
Warming Up ✖ If you didn't get along at first, the claws are being put away now. It's better to at least be civil, isn't it?
Still in Danger ✖ Whatever killed one half of the pair is still out there, and the other half is in danger themselves.
Other Complications ✖ Not only did your mutual acquaintance leave behind a lover, but also children. You find yourself getting closer and closer to them, too, even if they aren't yours.
Compromised ✖ You can't look after them with a level head. You love them.
Can't Love Again ✖ You've lost before. You can't risk losing again, can you?
Out of the Dark ✖ One or both of you find yourselves in a hole. You can barely eat, hardly sleep, and depression has taken hold of you. Together, though, you may find the light and a way out of despair.
First Time ✖ Simply what it says. You two have taken your relationship to the next level.
Changed ✖ Before, you were bitter. Hard. Jaded. Now, helping someone - specifically, helping this person - has brought a new kind of joy into your life. You could get used to it. Easily and dangerously used to it, to be brutally honest. You shouldn't allow it.
Living Together ✖ You can take care of them more throughly if you're in the same place as they are, obviously.
Hidden Jealousy ✖ When their lover was alive, you were jealous of everything they had - including the fact that they had the person you're looking after now. Admitting this may make you feel like the most awful person in the world.
Secrets Revealed ✖ Eventually, your involvement with the death of their beloved will come out, and they will never be able to look at you the same way.
Dependent ✖ Replacing one unhealthy habit with another, you've become utterly dependent on your relationship with your caretaker, your guardian, your lover.
Won't Be a Replacement ✖ You can't help but feel as if you're merely serving as a stand in for what they've lost. It's understandable, yet you still can't allow yourself to be that and only that.
Not Really Gone ✖ What is dead should stay dead, but what if who you thought was gone isn't really out of the picture? Will they be happy with finding someone else so cozy and in love with their special someone?
The Same Mistakes ✖ You're falling into the same patterns that lead to their death. Will you meet the same fate?
Who's Helping Who ✖ You think you're taking care of them and helping them through their loss. Is that the case? But who's never been this happy before in their life?
Move On ✖ It's time to put ghosts to rest and let old demons go. You can't let your life become a graveyard.
Tragedy ✖ The ending is unhappy or even deadly for both of you.
Happy Ending ✖ In contrast to the above, you're both able to live as together as happily as you possibly can, whatever can be allowed.
WILDCARD

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Orihime might have been good at hiding her emotions when she knew people were watching, but when she forgot they were there, she also forgot to look happy.

So it was like someone flipped a switch when she heard Ishida's voice - she turned to face him, bright smile firmly in place. If he wasn't so familiar with her, he'd probably have been fooled]

Oh-! Ishida-kun! Can I help you?

[ Yes. He knows that that look. It's her way of hiding, much like his mask of indifference is his. It was something he had been pulling out a lot lately, pretending to be uninterested in the going ons around him, more so than he ever had before Kurosaki had forcefully pushed himself into his life (or was it his own fault, having turned the tables on the boy who had been following him home and challenging him to that misguided contest. It seemed so long ago that he had snapped the hollow bait.). ]

Well... I....

[ Perhaps he should have thought this out better? It took him a second to think of some plausible excuse so that she would at least talk to him. ]

I was wondering if I could get your help with something.

[Well, a distraction is certainly nice! It would keep her brain from running in circles and being even more exhausting]

Oh! Sure you can! What do you need help with?

[Ishida doesn't look particularly happy, either, but Orihime would much rather focus on helping him than anything to do with her own feelings]

Well, I was working on something and I was curious to know if you would give me a second opinion. I'm not sure if these two colors work or not.

[ Not entirely the truth, of course, but he would rather focus on helping Orihime then anything else. ]

[well, that's an interesting question - she'll give it a shot]

Which two colors?

It must be really difficult if you're asking me for help!

[ Then perfect, his idea for a distraction was working.

He reached into his bag, pulling out some swatches of different colors, holding him in his hands as he glanced over at Orihime. ]

Well, I was originally going to use these two but then I found this other one and thought it would work even better.

[ This is so totally not get her opinion on which colors she liked better so that he could use them to make her something. Absolutely not. ]

[She gives this her UTMOST CONCENTRATION - it really is a very important question, and she can't let Ishida-kun down! Not even if she feels bad!]

I like these two best together!

[So she picked cream and purple]

[Oh, she would never let him down. She's Inoue, after all.

He glances down at the fabric, his mind already planning on what he could do with those colors. They might not have been the ones he would have picked, but that wasn't the point, now was it?]

Ah... thank you, Inoue-san. I'm not entirely sure what that was giving me so much difficulty.

[She doesn't really want to point out that it's probably because he misses Ichigo, too, but she does think that's what it is]

You were probably just distracted, right? You usually don't need my help...

[Of course not, not all all.

And it's also not because he's worried about her as well.]

That must be it. Between this and school things...

[He let his voice trail off with a shrug of his shoulders. Of course that wasn't all it was, but he knew that Inoue would understand. Even without words.]

Mm. School's getting really hectic since... since we'll be graduating soon.

[Hey, convenient change of topic]

Have you thought about where you're applying?

To be honest, I was debating either fashion or costume design. I know everyone has been thinking that I would become a doctor, like Ryuuken, but I'm not sure if that would be the profession for me.

How about you, Inoue-san?

Yeah, I don't think being a doctor would suit you very well. And you love clothing a lot more.

[Well, this is a much better topic of conversation!]

I'm going to take on more responsibility at the bakery while I go through college. My manager was talking about making me an assistant manager soon.

I do, yes.

[ Much better than talking about horrible memories and the one at the center of them all. ]

It sounds as if congratulations are in order then, Inoue-san.

Oh, thank you, Ishida-kun. I think it'll be really good for me, to have more responsibility and everything.

And we'll get to cook more of my recipes, too.

I think it will be too.

[ He pauses for a moment. Her cooking is legendary among their group of friends. He's heard the things Tatsuki has said, but then again, Rukia was able to eat it without anything happening to her, so... ]

If you wish for anyone to test them for you, Inoue-san, I wouldn't mind.

[That almost gets a smile out of her just like old times]

I'd be happy to make some things for you to try, Ishida-kun! Just let me know what sort of things you want!

Of course, Inoue-san. Although I'm afraid that I'm not entirely sure what sort of things you want to try to make. Perhaps we should start from there?

We can start with things I know? Like bread and muffins and cookies?

Of course.

[ There's a slight twitch of the lips. Anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed it, but Inoue knows him better than most. ]

I would offer to help, as well, but I'm afraid my specialty only lies with homemade mackerel miso.

That's not a bad specialty to have, though! Especially not if you like it.

[Well, she knows he does, at least]

It's my favorite, actually.

[ Which is something Inoue probably already knew but...

Who know? Perhaps he could learn a thing or two about cooking from her. ]

I'll Look Out for Them

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