[Ichigo tries to meet that smile with his own, but he just. Can't. It's too serious to him.]

How.... how do you do it? [He hesitates, Ichigo doesn't want to be an asshole and offend her, but the reality is that Orihime has far more experience with having self preservation, sitting back and watching from the sidelines. Ichigo can count on one hand, the times he's had to do it... and most of them were the result of being forced to. To willingly step back is...

Hard. He genuinely wants to know, what she does to make it an easier pill to swallow... what she tells herself, to make it okay. Because this goes against every instinct he has.]

How do you sit back and just... watch? Because my first instinct, right now, is to go run right back into it to try again but... I know how that's gonna end. I lost, miserably, and I'm not gonna win it. I know it, and I made a promise I intend to keep... but it feels wrong, y'know? To just... put it in someone else's hands and hope... [Ichigo sighs, raising his now healed arm up so he can sort of toy with the hair at the back of his head. Almost nervously.] I just dunno how to suck it up, I guess...