Written quickly so probably not as good as my usual ones. Yes, I do know what 'eating out' means. It is not meant to mean that in this story. Remember that if any of my stories reach 50 reviews, I'll draw you all a pretty picture (bribery I know) so please get reviewing because it helps me figure out what I'm doing right and wrong.
(Ichigo thinking)
Five Different Shades of Ramen
Kuchiki Rukia was having mixed feelings. She was wondering whether to be relieved and grateful to Ichigo for saving her from her undeserved execution or whether to beat him violently for ignoring her demands not to rescue her. And then, he'd actually demanded that she be allowed a holiday to the real world. All she'd wanted to do was regain her power so that she could restart her duties as a shinigami and put the whole thing behind her. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend time with Ichigo. She honestly did. But when she enviably did have to say goodbye to Ichigo, it might be even worse than if she just watched him leave Soul Society.
She peered at him from under the wide-brimmed hat she'd donned strictly for this purpose only to notice him staring back at her. Colour instantly rose to both their cheeks. Fortunately for Rukia, her enormous hat covered her tomato-red face. Ichigo was not so lucky. He scratched his head and looked round for anything he could use as a distraction. There was nothing.
'Uh…you're hat's stupid.' He offered, a lame attempt to cover up the real reason he was staring at her. Rukia's blush deepened, this time in anger. He thought her dress sense was bad, did he? Well he could just take his really nice butt and screw off. Wait, really nice butt? Rukia wondered when exactly she'd become capable of thinking such things. To her horror, she realised that she was expressing her thoughts out loud. Under her breath, but out loud nevertheless. Ichigo continued to survey her, this time trying to decipher what she was saying. This time it was Rukia's turn to dig herself out of her hole. Luckily, this time there was a distraction.
'Hello, Orihime-san.'
'Rukia-san. How are you?' Noticing Ichigo still gazing at her, Rukia decided it was time to take drastic action.
'Orihime-san, may we come to dinner with you tonight?' she asked quickly. He stomach gave an unhappy gurgle at this thought.
'Of course. I'll make ramen with jelly beans specially for you.' Behind her, she heard Ichigo choke. Inwardly, she agreed with him. 'I'll go and get the ingredients right now.' Orihime exclaimed, before she sprinted off.
'Ramen with jelly beans?' Ichigo muttered. 'Rukia, are you INSANE?' Rukia allowed herself a smug feeling for a few seconds. Serves him right for mocking her hat. 'It's official. The hat has turned your brain to mush.' Rukia's fury levels rose as Ichigo reached down to pat her head, ruffling the hat as well as her hair. For God's sake, I only wore the damn hat so I could stare at you.
It wasn't like Ichigo was that good-looking anyway. Too tall, too serious looking, too muscular (he doesn't look 15 for goodness sake), too…too…orange. She prefer Renji. Yeah, Renji was way more manly and funnier and the guy could take a joke and he wasn't orange. Red, yes, orange, no. He wasn't that shade that only Ichigo Kurosaki could pull off perfectly. No, Ichigo is NOT perfect. He's easy on the eyes but not perfect. He's just muscular, tall, spikey-haired and has a really big sword. OH GOD DAMNIT, HE'S PERFECT.
'Oh, whatever, is it my fault I want to eat out on my first day back in the real world.' Rukia snapped.
'Orihime's house doesn't count as eating out. If you want to go out, go to a restaurant.'
'Oh, yeah, and just sit there all on my own?'
'I'll come with you.' Ichigo replied instantly. The word 'date'flashed across both their minds.
'Or not…' Rukia informed him. 'We could just go to Orihime's.' Suddenly facing Orihime's cooking seemed like the safer option.
'Yeah…Orihime.'
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'That hat has definitely messed with your brain.' groaned Ichigo as they approached Orihime's home. Rukia, who was now exceedingly touchy about the hat just glared at him. He reached to knock on the door, only to have to yank open by an enthusiastic Orihime.
'Kurosaki-kun, Rukia-san. Come in. I've made food.' They stepped in and walked slowly to their doom. On the table were five steaming bowls of ramen. But they were all extremely odd colours. 'I didn't know which flavour you'd want so I made them all.' Orihime babbled happily, unaware of Ichigo turning green.
'Looks…interesting.' He whispered.
'That's pork and bubblegum (The ominous looking bright pink one), that's pork and raspberry (The dark pink one), that's fish and blackcurrant (something that looked like tar), chicken and strawberry (that looks extraordinarily like lava) and that's leek and olive with three different flavoured jelly beans - banana, lime and orange. (I think I just saw it move - can you even get leek and olive ramen?) So, go ahead.' Both Ichigo and Rukia gulped. It was Ichigo who saved them.
'ARGH! HOLLOW ATTACK!' He suddenly screamed. Then he seized Rukia and sprinted out the door, leaving a puzzled Orihime. Once a safe distance away from THE RAMEN, he put her down and started to yell at her about torture by eating and why for the love of gods did she suggest eating with Inoue. Rukia punched him in the head to get him to shut up. She was going to explain in a calm, Byakuya-esque way but what came out was something completely different.
'I LIKE YOU, YOU IDIOT.' Ichigo blinked. He looked around for a distraction. Still no luck. He sighed,.
'I like you too.'
'I like you more.' She blurted out. Oh gods, what did I just say?
'Is this the hat talking?' he asked. She hit him.
'No.'
'Ah.'
'Wait. WADDAYA MEAN '"AH"?'
'I don't like the hat.' Rukia could've killed him. She'd told him she liked him and he'd insulted her hat. AGAIN.
'Shut up .' she told him shortly. 'Or do something about it.'
'I will.'
'What? Shut up?' She asked, relieved.
'No, do something about it.' And before she could reply, he'd knocked it off her head into a nearby pond and kissed her. And only stopped when her stomach rumbled. He smiled. 'So, you wanna eat out. At the restaurant, not Orihime's.' He smirked.
'You're paying.' They walked away, his arm slung loosely around her waist. The hat bobbed on the pond approvingly.
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Orihime Inoue glanced down at her five bowls of ramen.
'That's odd. Where'd they go? Maybe they got eaten by the Hollow. Well, I'd better ask someone else than.' She called Keigo and asked him whether he wanted to eat with her. Keigo, instantly said yes, thinking only of breasts. Poor Keigo didn't know what he was in for.