Chapter 2 : " Under the same roof"
3 days passed since Ichigo arrived in Orihime's apartment and his body was almost healed. He couldn't get used to her and probably he will never can. She was so careless, so dreamy, so talkative that she scares him. He was thinking how she could survive till now in a world so dangerous, but it's not like he did find any answer.
When the morning came the man opened his eyes and he was surprised to find her next to him, her eyes were soaked in tears and her tiny palms were pressing his strong chest. Her hair was messy like her clothes, probably she did have a nightmare, but he wasn't the type of person to ask her about it or to say her sweet words to comfort all of her worries. So he decided to wait for her to wake up while he was planning his returning in his vs Aizen game. If Aizen's men left him on that dark streets it seems that his most dangerous enemy thinks that he's dead so Ichigo should use this in his advantage as soon as he can. Maybe he should first of all to inform Urahara that he's still alive and after that he should find Rukia. Oh, that would be troublesome.
"Stupit midget." He said without knowing when the image of the petite woman imprinted in his mind.
"Um… Um…" Orihime murmured opening her eyes hearing the sound of his voice. When her sight wasn't blurred anymore she saw how close they actually were, she jumped from the sofa hurting her butt.
Hearing the strange noise, the man turned his head in the direction of the sound and he found her awake, massaging her new injured area. He smirked, couldn't help himself to not nag her a little.
"So my morning face is this scary ?" he uttered looking right in her eyes. The girl blushed instantly after what she tried to apologize to him. His smirk is growing bigger with her each word, 'hell, she's starting again' he thinks when she starts to blabber. "What's for breakfast ?" he interrupted her, not caring for what she was talking about.
"Ehehe… This can be a problem." She admits a little ashamed.
"Why ?" the man asks feeling even hungrier.
"Ummm… I ran out of food. Ehehe… but don't worry the shop is pretty close and I will be right back in a minute so…"
"I will come with you." He offers himself without letting her to finish her idea. The girl looked at him amazed forgetting how to blink. It's the first time when he's asking her to go outside and somehow that's making her sad. Is it because she's afraid that his health maybe isn't as good as it seems or is it another reason? His gaze was so determined that she could only to grant his wish.
After ten minutes they were on the way to the grocery. Ichigo was dressed in her brother's clothes and somehow this makes her heart to beat faster. She isn't used to spent time with guys, but she's feeling relieved around him. Since they exited her apartment they didn't exchange any word, but that was ok for her as long as he seems happy. It was pretty hard to understand what he was thinking about, but he looked like he enjoyed their walk and surroundings.
After a couple of minutes they arrived in front of the shop, but Ichigo couldn't escape the feeling that he visited this place some time ago. All the way was pretty odd for him, but he decided to keep it in his mind till he will find more informations.
"Ichigo ?" her warm pleading voice called him making him to be aware of her.
"Huh ?" he murmured being 40% pissed that she interrupted his thoughts.
"I wanted to ask you what would you like to eat since we're here you could help me chose whatever you like if you want to…" she muttered in a lower voice feeling the tension in his voice.
The man lowered his gaze on the shopping cart only to see that it was filled with red been pasta and wasabi. 'I'm wondering how can she be alive after eating all this crap… I guess I have no other choice for the moment' he thought reasoning his decision.
After that he chose some large packages of meat, several boxes of instant ramen, some groceries and 3 bottles of beer. That seemed pretty enough for him.
"Wow that was fast… Even the little blue man couldn't do the shopping in less than 2 minutes, you're amaizing." She praised him.
Her words made him to feel good. It was probably for the first time when somebody appreciated him for something besides his criminal qualities or for his good looking. Probably he should thank her at least, but still that wasn't his style.
"Tsh… It was nothing. Let's keep going." He commands freeing her from the shopping cart's weight. She blushed and she followed him quietly.
When they were ready to pay for their products Ichigo was surprised by the cashier voice.
"Ohayō, Orihime-chan. It is always a pleasure to meet you. Oh… I see that you come with a friend, poor Shinji. I told him that he doesn't have a chance with you but…" the cashier's speech was suddenly stopped by the orange haired man's voice.
"Cut the crap, Urahara ! Why the hell are you here ?"
"Oh my… You've chosen temperamentally man, my dear. But how do you know my name mister, I don't think I got the pleasure to…." Ichigo removed a part of his comforter what was hiding a part of his features making the seller to lose his poker face. "Ichigo, is really you ? "The older man whispered not believing his own eyes.
"In flesh and bones." The younger smirked and the older one responded in the same manner. "I wanted to talk to you, but I didn't think I would found you in a place like this. It isn't your type to stay in such bright places or this is Yoruichi's hand ?"The criminal asked already guessing the answer. The blonde haired man lowered his hat trying to hide the already known truth.
"I must to admit that you really got me this time, but let's move in a more private place. Miss Orihime, you shouldn't bother about the money, everything is on the house." He concluded closing the shop and moving to a secret room. Ichigo forgot about her existence till his old friend called her. He didn't want to discuss his plans in front of her, but it's not like he could banish her.
The 3 of them sat down around a round table while a young girl was pouring hot tea in 3 big cups. After the little one mission was accomplished the 2 men started their chat.
It was pretty strange for Orihime to take part of their discussion, it was even stranger when Ichigo told to Urahara that she saved him and that he lived with her even since with her. The old man couldn't help himself to not joke a little about the orange haired criminal situation. It's not often to have Ichigo to recognize that he was weak and that he accepted the help of a strange girl. The seller only's regret was that Rukia wasn't beside him. She was the best person who could annoy the young man till his limits.
"So what's your plan ?" Urahara asked when he saw that his attempts to annoy him faded.
"I want you help me to kill Aizen." He answered waiting for his reaction. The old man hit him in his head with his fan.
"Baka, of course that I will help you, but stop being such a hot blooded. Uh… You're not fighting with a high schooler but with the most powerful man of this country. You should take your time to recover your body, leaving your revenge aside. It's not like you can kill him in this state. I recommend you to use Orihime-chan apartment for at least the next couples of days, if something bad happens please use these." The seller gave to Ichigo a briefcase and a key. The orange haired man smiled, despite his inner feelings.
"So you didn't believe that I'm dead, did you?"
"Let's just say that I know that you're not easy to be killed." The two men laughed at the older one statement.
"Probably that's why we're in the same shit together. Tell Yoruichi that I said hi." Ichigo raised himself prepared to leave.
"Oh, it's such a sin that you must go so quickly. Please come by as soon as you can." The seller concluded and the criminal just waved his hand as response. Orihime was bent and thanked for the tea and for his kind gesture. The man shook his head and asked her to take care of herself.
The girl smiled and she nodded at his wish after what she went after her orange haired friend. Ichigo didn't wait for her but it wasn't so hard to catch him by. The look on his face was somehow sad. Probably the seller's answer didn't comply with his demanding but… she should make him smile. She turned herself to him in order to put her plan into action but she was surprised that he sudden embraced her. She blushed harder that she ever did in her life.
"Ichigo, what…" she wanted to ask but she was interrupted by his voice.
"Sh… It seems like we're followed. Just stay close by my side and follow my lead." He asked and she murmured a yes as response.
Soon the orange haired man's worries come true. The strange man who was following them increased his pace in order to not lose them in the crown. Ichigo uttered some curses seeing that their follower doesn't want to give up and that his body was starting the feel the tiredness so without to think much about the effects he took Orihime in his arms and he was running with her caring her bridal style.
The girl hid her face with both of her hands not knowing how to respond at his gesture. Of course he did this because they were followed but still, her heart couldn't to keep pace with the course of the events. They were almost in the front of Orihime's building where the stranger cut their way.
Seeing that he has now no other option the orange haired criminal let the girl down and he was about to open the suitcase when the stranger finally spoke.
"It's not need for guns. I had just come to bring you your shopping." The stranger declared making Ichigo to be aware of his identity.
"Holy shit, Tessai. I keep telling you to not follow people dressed like that. Shit you really do sc…" But the young man couldn't finished his statement because his body collapsed couldn't bear his internal pain.
Orihime called him desperately but his sight was quickly darkened without letting him to say another word.
Chapter 3: The first enemy