"You should!" Orihime straightened from where she knelt at the other end of the table. "With grades like yours, you could easily get a scholarship at any university you wanted!"
And yet, his expression didn't exactly trumpet any joy or enthusiasm at the prospect. Why was that, she wondered? Did college seem dull after all of their adventures, or was there something else she wasn't realizing?
She lifted the lid of the cakebox and nudged his present closer to him. They could eat while they talked. He might find it easier to open up to her that way.
"But...you don't seem very happy about that. How come?"
At her comments he stiffens. He definitely doesn't want to become a doctor like his father, no matter what. He wants to stay far away from him, he wants to follow his own path, and most of all- he wants to still live his life as a quincy.
Ishida glanced over at her, offering her a sad smile before he went back to frowning at the thought. It wasn't her fault, she just wanted to encourage him, it wasn't as though she knew about what was happening in his life. He never told anyone anything, after all.
Ah right, the cake. He looked into the box, now taking it and moving it closer to him. He should grab plates for both of them, since he wants to share this after all.
"...It's complicated," and he had planned to just leave it at that, but Orihime had come here with a purpose. She had been worried about him after all.
"I'd just rather not become anything like my father."
His answer wasn't what she expected, but she couldn't be entirely surprised either. The relationship between Quincys was deep and complicated, and she knew so little about them to start with. But she did remember speaking with Uryuu's father personally at the hospital, and remembered the warning he had given her. He wasn't a wicked or selfish man, and he seemed to care about his son a great deal.
What should she say? Should she ask for more information? Was she being too intrusive? It was hard to know what was acceptable and what wasn't, and navigating the conversation was like trying to find the submerged stones in a deep and murky lake when crossing from one side to the other. One misstep and she might never reach a point where they could truly understand each other.
"What do you want to be?" she asked, resting her cheek in the cup of her hand. And why had his father wanted to become a doctor?
Man, he really needed to grab some plates for them. He figured that would be a good enough way of distracting himself, of maybe figuring out just what it was he wanted to say about his family life and his own decisions. Ishida got up suddenly, putting out his hand to tell her that he would be right back and he walked into the other room. The sounds of him fiddling around in the kitchen would become clear to her, and before long he had come back with two plates for them both.
After he had resumed his seat he began to cut the pastry for the two of them.
"...I just... want to be something of use, something that isn't a doctor," he frowned to himself, knowing full well that that wasn't a good enough answer.
"...My dad always told me that being a quincy was useless and that being something more profitable like a doctor was better. I just can't agree to that at all."
Orihime had made to rise, but settled back in once she was stayed by his hand. Maybe he just needed time to think it over before answering. It did trouble her to think that she might be asking about things that were far too personal, but so long as he appeared willing to talk, then...maybe this was what he needed after all. It made her feel a little better, anyway.
She watched his face in quiet curiosity as he explained his feelings. If anyone could understand the innate desire just to feel useful, Orihime could. Especially when it felt like healing just wasn't enough. In that sense, they were far more alike than they realized.
"You kind of proved that it isn't useless, though, ne? You saved my life in Hueco Mundo, when Yammy was about to attack me. That's about as useful as it gets!" she smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "But I guess being a hero doesn't really pay any bills, if I have to be practical about it. It's a shame."
It wasn't as if she could just run around using her powers to cure cancer. She might be able to heal a few isolated incidents if she was very careful, but she wasn't crazy about winding up as an experiment herself if she got caught.
"You're wonderful at sewing," she pointed out, folding her arms on the table and shifting her weight to the other hip. "Maybe you could design clothes." A funny thought struck her, and she suddenly laughed aloud. "Ha ha! Maybe you can make doctor clothes incredibly fashionable!"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Doesn't seem like he ever showed much interest in it...
And yet, his expression didn't exactly trumpet any joy or enthusiasm at the prospect. Why was that, she wondered? Did college seem dull after all of their adventures, or was there something else she wasn't realizing?
She lifted the lid of the cakebox and nudged his present closer to him. They could eat while they talked. He might find it easier to open up to her that way.
"But...you don't seem very happy about that. How come?"
no subject
Ishida glanced over at her, offering her a sad smile before he went back to frowning at the thought. It wasn't her fault, she just wanted to encourage him, it wasn't as though she knew about what was happening in his life. He never told anyone anything, after all.
Ah right, the cake. He looked into the box, now taking it and moving it closer to him. He should grab plates for both of them, since he wants to share this after all.
"...It's complicated," and he had planned to just leave it at that, but Orihime had come here with a purpose. She had been worried about him after all.
"I'd just rather not become anything like my father."
no subject
What should she say? Should she ask for more information? Was she being too intrusive? It was hard to know what was acceptable and what wasn't, and navigating the conversation was like trying to find the submerged stones in a deep and murky lake when crossing from one side to the other. One misstep and she might never reach a point where they could truly understand each other.
"What do you want to be?" she asked, resting her cheek in the cup of her hand. And why had his father wanted to become a doctor?
no subject
After he had resumed his seat he began to cut the pastry for the two of them.
"...I just... want to be something of use, something that isn't a doctor," he frowned to himself, knowing full well that that wasn't a good enough answer.
"...My dad always told me that being a quincy was useless and that being something more profitable like a doctor was better. I just can't agree to that at all."
no subject
She watched his face in quiet curiosity as he explained his feelings. If anyone could understand the innate desire just to feel useful, Orihime could. Especially when it felt like healing just wasn't enough. In that sense, they were far more alike than they realized.
"You kind of proved that it isn't useless, though, ne? You saved my life in Hueco Mundo, when Yammy was about to attack me. That's about as useful as it gets!" she smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. "But I guess being a hero doesn't really pay any bills, if I have to be practical about it. It's a shame."
It wasn't as if she could just run around using her powers to cure cancer. She might be able to heal a few isolated incidents if she was very careful, but she wasn't crazy about winding up as an experiment herself if she got caught.
"You're wonderful at sewing," she pointed out, folding her arms on the table and shifting her weight to the other hip. "Maybe you could design clothes." A funny thought struck her, and she suddenly laughed aloud. "Ha ha! Maybe you can make doctor clothes incredibly fashionable!"