It's not like they meant for it to come this far.
The last thing they wanted to do was hurt one of their closest friends, but as they curled up in his bed after one of the many times they had been together, they just knew that one relationship had to die that night.
Ichigo let out a long sigh.
"Call your girlfriend..." Rukia finally spoke after endless moments of silence. She couldn't even bring herself to say her name. The air had become heavy at her words, but she began to speak the words that needed to be said. "It's time you had that talk."
The orange-haired shinigami opened his mouth to protest, but Rukia cut him off.
"I know that she is the first one that you have been in an official relationship with, but I know how you are. She's been in love with you since day one, but everyone knows that you aren't in love with her." She sat up, bringing the sheet they had wrapped themselves in up to her chest, and gave him a serious look.
Ichigo avoided Rukia's eyes, knowing very well how right she was. He had only agreed on his relationship with Orihime because of everyone practically pushing them together. That, and Tatsuki's suggestion that it didn't hurt to try it out.
But she was wrong...
He had only ever saw Orihime as a good friend, and he thought that he may begin to have the same feelings if he just tried this relationship business.
Then, his last year in high school when Rukia came back... He realized that he couldn't spark anything with Orihime because he only found himself come alive when he saw the raven-haired shinigami after such a long time.
He realized that was the reason he chased after her when she had been taken away to be executed in Soul Society and the other countless times he raced to aid her or made a fuss when something happened to her.
It wasn't just out of loyalty or some other crap like that.
He had fallen for the midget without knowing it.
"What do I tell her?" He finally spoke, his voice filled with regret for even giving in to Orihime's feelings in the first place. "Hey, sorry. I've never liked you in the same way that you liked me. Turns out that me and one of your best friends have been screwing each other like mad every time I make the excuse that I'm studying and do better when I'm alone."
He had only done this relationship thing to try to extenguish the pain left in his chest after Rukia disappeared from his life when he lost his powers.
He had not even kissed Orihime and he barely touched her for the two years that they had been officially together. Everyone insisted that he had to be gay or something for not wanting to tap that so-called "perfect" body of hers. Orihime just kept insisting that it was because he was just too much of a gentleman to try anything without conscent.
Even though she dropped many hints that he was welcomed under her covers any time.
But little did she know that he and Rukia had been meeting in secret for almost the whole duration of their relationship. That was why he didn't touch her. It was out of guilt for touching Rukia in the ways he continued to do, and the pain he felt when he knew Rukia was watching while they were in public.
"No. Don't say it like that." Rukia brushed her hand on his cheek and looked at him with a tender look. "Orihime is too fragile. Just tell her that you have met somebody new. Tell her not to be upset and second guessing everything you have said and done. Tell her that you never meant to hurt anyone. Make sure that she knows that the only way that her heart will mend is by learning to love again with someone who is sure to return her feelings in the way she deserves. It's probably not going to make sense for her to say this last part... but make sure that she knows you're still her friend, Ichigo. Let her down easy."
"But what if I end up slipping and tell her that you give me something that I never even knew I was missing?"
Rukia shook her head and looked away with a sad expression. "Just try not to explain anything about how I make it different when we kiss. Remember, you are letting her down easy."
She leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"...Call your girlfriend... It's time you had that talk..."