An Authors Note: I've always wanted to take a stab at this pairing, because turning Orihime from Ichigo and having it come off organic is a daunting task. Maybe I decide it's impossible. Either way, I hope you enjoy. Story takes place during that lovely lull in time between the Time skip and the 1000 year blood war.
Misfire
Chapter 1 - Kuyashi
What is the point of this, Sado? Chad thought to himself wearily as Orihime's voice carried on in the background.
"I think somethings wrong with the garbage disposal, Sado-kun!" She called to him from his kitchen, yelling over the sound of the horrid mechanical scraping.
"It's never worked." he muttered, pushing himself up from the couch in his living room. He dragged into the kitchen and found the bright haired beauty with her back to him, flicking at the disposal switch in front of the sink.
"Inoue."
"I COULD FIX IT WITH SOTEN-"
He tapped her shoulder and she jumped appropriately. "Oh!"
Her eyes softened and she gave him an apologetic smile, motioning to the sink. He shook his head to cut her off. "Don't bother, I just avoid letting things fall in."
"I'm sorry, I already let cabbage fall inside."
Chad shrugged. "Leave it for me."
I really don't want you to cook, anyway. I've heard enough stories.
A brief flash lit through the blinds of the kitchen window and the apartment shook with the boom of thunder. The padding of the rain intensified. Orihime was already chopping at other ingredients when he gently asked, "What are you trying to make?"
"Garden bread." She answered, masterfully cutting through the length of an onion with light flicks of her wrist. Chad scrutinized the ingredients she had laid out on the counter: Green onions, cabbage, cilantro, mozzarella cheese, garlic, broccoli, and two medium loaves of hollowed sweet bread, prepared to have the ingredients placed inside of them for baking.
Not his favorite dish, but it at least seemed edible. It would be rude to stop her now.
"Should I help?" He asked. She shook her head without truly giving it a thought, peeling the skin from the garlic cloves. "I'll let you know when we can eat."
"Right." he muttered distractedly, still unsure of what was truly happening.
She's here because... Chad began to organize his scattered thoughts as he vacated the kitchen and dropped back down on the couch.
Another sharp flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder. This time the lights flickered off for all of an instant.
Because you invited her over before she could call Tatsuki. He answered himself grimly.
She should be staying the night at her best friends house, not yours.
He countered his accusing conscience with a logical rebuttal.
I insisted that she come my place because it was closer and she wouldn't have to deal with the rain. What kind of landlord locks a tenant out of their apartment without properly waiting out the full length of the eviction notice?
His conscience answered.
Why hasn't she told you why she let her rent slip past due for so long? Because you haven't asked her yet. You ushered her into your apartment without question.
It's what a good friend would do. I am only being a good friend. She seems reluctant to tell Tatsuki. I can sense that much. There is nothing more to this.
He recalled running into her at the Hirohyaku Supermarket where he worked. He was on his way out when he saw her sitting in the managers office, having a discussion with his boss. He would have assumed she was being interviewed if it weren't for the fact that she was still wearing her school uniform.
Of course she was still in her uniform, she couldn't get into her apartment to change. He remembered. Was she really there for an interview? She has a job at the bakery.
Chad, not wanting to pry, pretended not to notice her coming out of the staff room when she caught him lingering around the produce isle. She greeted him and didn't mention anything about an interview. He waited while she purchased a few items and they left the store together. Orihime casually brought up her eviction, pulling out the bright pink notice and showing it to him. She almost seemed amused by it.
She said they changed the locks to her apartment and wouldn't allow her back until she payed at least 2 months rent. She had two weeks before her lease was officially breached and she was out of an apartment. She was going to make arrangements with Tatsuki.
The phone was in her hand. Chad lamented. If I hadn't said anything she would be crashing at Arisawa's place, laughing about her misfortune with her friend. But even now, she seems relieved that I offered her my place instead, she didn't really protest.
Why was I so opportunistic?
He fought against the immediate answer.
No, I know better than that.
Chad decided he would have to do a bit of prying and find out exactly what was going on with Orihime. As warm and friendly as her presence was, he felt a sick discomfort about the circumstances. She needed financial help, and it didn't seem like she was making any real effort to reach out to anyone.
Settled on the matter, he rose back up from the couch and stalked back into the kitchen.
"Inoue?" He called, taking a seat at his small, wood-topped kitchen table.
"Hang on."
She had finished neatly piling the chopped ingredients into the pockets within the sweet bread. She then found one of his heavily unused baking trays in the oven and set about washing it. Chad watched the girl silently, somewhat interested with how easily she was getting along in his kitchen. He was sure his floors were too dirty for her to be moving about on the tile barefooted, but he was ashamed to tell her and she didn't seem to notice. She was always unaware of herself in that way, at least for as long as he'd known her.
"The Boobs Goddess" he thought crudely, recalling the nickname that most of the males at his school affectionately gave her.
What kind of death threats would I get if they knew she was in my apartment now, cooking for me and planning to sleep under the same roof? If any whisper of this got out, it would spark an inferno of rumors and gossip.
Chad waited as she dried the tray, placed the stuffed bread on it and slid the uncooked meal into the oven.
"Uh..." He started with uncertainty. "Does anyone else know you're about to be evicted?"
He fought the urge to frown as he watched her consider this with a thoughtful expression, as if she didn't already know the answer.
"I guess not." She answered nonchalantly, frustrating Chad.
"Shouldn't you let someone know?"
"I should." She replied stiffly, her smile a bit forced.
"I want to help if I can." Chad muttered, feeling the growing discomfort in the atmosphere. Orihime simply stood blinking at him for a while before sighing and letting off a shrug.
"I don't want Tatsuki to know." She said quietly, crossing her arms over her chest, avoiding his eyes. "She'll scold me."
That's a really stupid reason. Chad thought disbelievingly.
"She'll be concerned with helping you." He offered in his kindest manner, "We'll all be more than willing to help-"
"Because I always need rescuing." She interjected with a strong sadness, the contempt flickering on and off of her delicate features as quickly as a lightning flash.
"Because you're our friend." Chad said sternly, his voice raising to a slight degree. "All of us have made it through far worse together, Inoue."
"My relatives can't afford to help me anymore." She whispered, shaking her head back and forth as if to will away the memories. She brought her thoughts to life all at once, unguarded:
"I thought I would be fine working at the bakery, you know? I was sure I could stand on my own two feet for once and things were okay for a while. I was swimming on my own. It went well until my boss..."
Chad took in her faltering with uneasiness. Maybe there was something too personal she was debating on sharing. He was a good friend, but he knew his boundaries didn't extend into intimate territory.
"It's fine if you don't want to-"
"It's just that he really liked me." She went on, still pointing her sad eyes away from his. "I always find it flattering when someone is fond of me, but I try not to hurt others by being unclear. He confessed his feelings and I could only reject them as kindly as I could."
Chad shifted uncomfortably, knowing her boss was old enough to be her father.
"I would never take for granted someones feelings." She finally looked over at him, frowning. She must have noticed his restlessness and added, "It wasn't about his age. I don't judge him because of that. I just already..."
Surely, you can admit it. Chad thought, knowingly. I think everyone but Ichigo is aware of how you feel.
Chad had known years ago, when the two of them had first trained their infant powers under Urahara's watch. It was probably impossible to talk so incessantly about someone and not have strong feelings about them. The glow in Inoue's expression when she spoke of how admirable the substitute shinigami was, betrayed all inhibition. She was always Ichigo's woman, whether he knew it or not. If Chad had to guess what magical witchcraft would be able to blind Ichigo to this, his answer would likely be the tiny woman who inadvertently opened up a new world to him. He was only distracted. Ichigo was careful about displaying it most of the time, but Rukia Kuchiki had shown to be the ultimate derailment for the Boobs Goddess.
"Ichigo." Chad finished for her with simplicity, not willing to dance around the obvious. She gave an embarrassed nod and went on rapidly.
"Well, I explained that there was...Someone else. He didn't bring up the subject after that but the next week I checked for my schedule and saw that my hours had been cut in half. He was only allowing me 10 hours a week and I tried to explain that I was willing to work more but he said..."
Orihime cleared her throat and deepened her voice in a gruff reenactment, "Argh! I can't spare ya' any doubloons, woman! Go beg ye' lover for gold! Must not be a good mate if ye' be so desperate! Now swab the poop deck, ye' scurvy dog!"
Chad knew that was just another one of her unwarranted, quirky and silly revisions. Despite the seriousness of the issue, the unexpectedness of that outburst forced him to mask his amusement by covering his mouth and forcing an unconvincing coughing fit.
woefully unaware of herself. Chad thought, bemused.
The insanity in it was that she continued right along as if she hadn't done anything absurd at all. Tatsuki wasn't around to deflect her weirdness this time.
"I realized that me working there was hurting him, so I decided to quit. I have tried to find work since then, but I think I shouldn't reference the bakery anymore. I don't ever remember yelling at customers or smoking cigarettes during my shift. I am sure I don't smoke at all."
Her expression focused on him now with clear anxiousness, "You've never seen me sleep walking with cigarettes have you, Sado-kun? I watched a documentary on sleep insomnia and sleep walking last weekend and..."
Chad tuned her out.
The thoughtful innocence in her expression as she described her prior bosses blatant resume sabotage was unnerving. All at once, the humor died and Chad felt a heavy sadness. It was heartbreaking how someone so kind and caring could easily be misled and taken advantage of. A pang of guilt lurched at his stomach
And what was my reason for wanting her to stay here, when it's more proper for her to stay with Tatsuki? She probably doesn't think that way. It would not surprise me if she didn't differentiate the accommodations of males and females. That is just how Inoue is.
Her blindness to me as a man probably parallels Ichigo's blindness to her as a woman.
What is the point of this, Sado?
Inoue's voice faded back in.
"...that some people don't dream in color? I can't imagine it. But it's strange that you can sometimes taste things in a dream. Maple syrup is really good in my dreams. Do you have any? Maple syrup, I mean. It'll go with the Garden Bread."
No it won't.
Chad blinked at her. "The bread is already sweetened, isn't it?"
Orihime blinked at him. "Uh-huh."
Chad sniffed the air, the scent of her meal beginning to fill the room. At the very least, it should smell better than it tasted.
"If you want, I can speak to my boss about hiring you at Hirohyaku." Chad offered, steering the conversation to a more productive topic.
"Oh. I was hired today, Sado-kun." She responded sweetly, sliding herself into the chair on the other side of the table. "I'll start Monday. I'll have to go shopping in town tomorrow for a few things."
"How much money do you have?" Chad asked, warily. He was beginning to feel like a parent.
"Enough." She replied quickly with an air of defiance. Chad frowned at her directly, causing Orihime to drop her gaze sheepishly. "You're beginning to sound like Ta-chan, Sado-kun..."
"I can't hide you from Tatsuki. I would rather you tell her yourself if you're going to stay here for a while. I am sure after you've discussed the problem she'll be more than happy to take you in."
"I don't want to stay with her." Orihime said in a pained whisper. She lowered her head down to the table between her arms. Her breasts kept her head propped up awkwardly. The dimensions of her bust proved cumbersome.
"Why?"
"She has her own problems to deal with. She doesn't need my burdens." she murmured. "I guess you don't either."
"You'll stay here." Chad insisted. "But tomorrow we should visit your apartment. The landlord will let you get things you need out of your room, you know."
"Okay."
I did it again. Chad realized miserably. Why can't I just suggest she go stay at Ichigo's home? Why can't they just be a couple already?
I've been at peace with these weaker kinds of thoughts for a long time, I can't afford to have my mind distracted by this girl resting her head on my table, using her breasts for pillows. I am a man, after all.
Having her stay here is a teasing situation, even for me.
Chad sighed loudly.
He hated it, being confronted with the source of his stagnancy. He was viciously aware that he was perpetually brooding on this lost cause. It didn't matter how long he diverted himself from sinking into a relationship. It would always be for nothing. Orihime was definitely Ichigo's woman. Always his. It tore at him seeing Orihime so willing to exclusively pour her affections on his first true friend, willing to shelve herself for who knows how long until he was ready to choose her. He had seen the rise and fall of so many others in his class. The ones foolish enough to let loose their feelings on her. None of them could distract her from Ichigo, not even momentarily. To think his cause would be any different was clear insanity. It was terrible for him to think that he would still have a fleeting opportunity just because Ichigo remained preoccupied.
He understood Ichigo enough to know that he would eventually come around to Inoue. It was inevitable that he look at her one day and declare himself ready for her.
Mercy to the poor souls who found their hearts lodged between that collision.
