A/N: Update 1/6/18: I recently realized a mistake in season with the dance now being in February (joys of flying by the seat of your pants) so that has been addressed for those of you that may have noticed… Sorry! I also made a few other very minor edits in preparation for the next chapter!
Update 2/21/18: Fixed some minor typos that I can't believe I missed. Sorry! Getting prepped to hopefully start working on the next addition to this story! :)
A/N: Normally my text is not done this way, but to avoid confusion, Ichigo/Hollow Ichigo conversations will be in bold.
Orihime scarcely remembered getting home after Tatsuki dropped the bomb on her. 'Tonight,' she'd said. I have to ask Kurosaki-kun tonight?! How am I supposed to do that?! How am I going to ask him?! Her mind was racing, thoughts and possibilities running through her mind carried by the little blue men and her own imagination. It plagued her as she cleaned her new scrapes; and even as she stood with her back to the kitchen counter, the kettle on the stove to heat up some water for tea, her mind was elsewhere.
I can't just call him up and ask him, that's WAY too embarrassing! Her head shot up as she stared blankly at some spot on the wall, trying to figure out how she should ask him. She had asked Tatsuki for suggestions, but Tatsuki had come up empty handed, shrugging with a wry smile on her face. Damn it, Tatsuki! Gasping, she slapped her hands over her mouth at her thoughts. She'd never cursed her best friend before! I must be seriously stressed!
Behind her, the teakettle started whistling and she distractedly poured the boiling water into her favorite strawberry shaped mug. It had been a Christmas present from Ichigo and was shaped like a strawberry with a vine for the handle. Large but closed anime-style eyes adorned the sides as it was grinning widely. Come to think of it, it was the first gift she'd ever gotten from him…
Stop it! I've got to focus, she admonished herself, setting the teakettle back on a cold burner and stirring the tea bags. We were just studying last night and our test is in only two days, she thought, putting her finger to her chin. But should I invite everyone again? Would it be too weird if I only invited him?! The thought of being alone with him again both thrilled and terrified her, especially with the thought of asking him to the dance also hanging over her head. But she also didn't want an audience – that would be mortifying! What do I do?!
Finally giving up on figuring it out herself, she picked up her phone to text Tatsuki, who was probably just getting home. She was more than a little surprised to see a message from Ichigo already waiting for her. It made her smile as warmth spread through her heart and pooled wonderfully in her belly. Without checking to see what it said she let out a happy squeal, pressing the phone to her heart and jumping away from the counter to spin on her toes like a playful ballerina. He texted me!
Before she could get too carried away, she forced herself to sit down at the table, her heart pounding in nervous anticipation as she unlocked her screen to check the message. She had no reason to be so excited over a message, but she was. Her smile grew when she saw what he'd sent.
'Hey, Inoue. You get home OK?'
"So typical of you, Kurosaki-kun," she whispered before typing back. 'Hi, Kurosaki-kun! I got home just fine. Thanks for asking!' She hit send and then cringed. "Stupid."
From his room, Ichigo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He'd texted Orihime on his way home, not able to stop thinking about her since he wasn't able to walk her home like he usually did. When Tatsuki had told him she was walking Orihime home, there had been a moment that he'd debated arguing with her; but then he'd seen the look in her eyes and realized how that might come across, and he'd shoved the thought aside. That didn't mean he didn't think about her his whole way home… When he saw the message was from Orihime, he smiled, but then realized he had no idea what to say. 'Good.' Send. "Fucking idiot!" he grumbled.
Orihime looked at her phone and smiled, despite the short message. Should I ask him now?! What do I say?! Feeling brave, she glanced at her mug before typing out, 'How are you feeling about our upcoming math test?'
Ichigo frowned when he saw the message. "What the hell is that about?" he wondered aloud, his fingers hesitating over the screen before he texted back, 'Meh.'
Giggling, Orihime couldn't stop smiling. It was not a common occurrence for Ichigo and her to text. If they did, it was short and succinct – to the point and that was that. He was typically all about business. While that had changed somewhat since Hueco Mundo, it really hadn't, so she was happy their conversation was still going, despite his short responses. 'Well…' She slipped and hit send, leaving Ichigo to stare at his phone in confusion before she frantically added, 'Do you need some more help studying?'
What the hell, Ichigo thought to himself, his heart jumping into his throat at Orihime's thinly veiled invitation. 'I'm sure I could use it,' he admitted, then shut his screen off and threw his phone on his bed as nervous energy overtook him. Fuck!
'All right, King! That's what I'm talking about!'
'Oh, shut the hell up!' Ichigo roared in his head, barely suppressing the urge to punch the wall at his hollow's rude interruption.
Her smile widening, Orihime was suddenly very glad Ichigo had texted her. He solved her dilemma without even knowing she had one. 'Would you like to study again, tonight? Since our test is coming up.' She quickly added the last part, afraid of sounding too enthusiastic about studying, but still cringed before sending it. Tatsuki would be so proud of me!
When his phone buzzed from his bed, Ichigo looked at it with mixed feelings. While he wanted to see Orihime, he was also nervous about being alone with her – his actions this morning proved that he might not be the most stable around her. He did need to study, true, but more than anything, he wanted to see her. In the end, desire got the better of him and he snatched his phone up, his heart pounding when he read her words. Hell yes! He wanted to scream like an idiot, his hollow chuckling in the back of his mind, but he sent, 'Sure.'
"Ah!" she screamed when she saw his message. Then her phone chimed again and she looked down, surprised to get two messages so quickly.
'I don't want to put you out again, but can we do this at your house? My dad is CRAZY.'
Her lower lip made its way between her teeth as Orihime felt butterflies take flight in her stomach. It was just what she wanted! 'Of course!' Grinning like the cat that just ate the family bird, she crushed her phone to her chest once more. He's coming!
A crooked smile crossed Ichigo's features as he immediately typed out his reply before peeling off his school uniform to jump in the shower. He never looked forward to studying so much before.
Orihime looked at her phone with her undying grin still in place. 'All right, I'll be there soon. Thanks, Inoue.'
Her fingers were slightly shaky when she texted back, 'I'll see you soon!'
Realizing he would be there within thirty minutes, Orihime took a healthy gulp of her tea before grunting from the pain – it was still too hot – and running to her room to quickly shower and change, keeping her hair covered so it wouldn't get wet. She had cleaned before the others came over to study the night before, so there was little to do other than prepare some snacks and wait for the man of her dreams to come over.
Ichigo arrived just over twenty minutes later, his knock solid on the door. When Orihime pulled it open, she was still smiling – the smile having not left her face since he agreed to study with her. She had changed into more comfortable clothes – now wearing pale pink jeans and a white boat-necked sweater, her hair still held back with her pins but brushed out once more. She was only slightly surprised to see Ichigo had also changed, and she had to remind herself to keep her eyes from wandering. He was wearing blue jeans and a black shirt and jacket that showed just how broad his shoulders were. His hair was just as unruly as ever, although it looked damp, and his school bag was slung casually over his shoulder like it always was. "Hi, Kurosaki-kun!"
"Hi, Inoue," he replied with the gentle smile he reserved just for her (although she didn't know that).
The simple sound of his voice made her smile even wider, her eyes scarcely open as she stepped back to allow him inside. He entered with a slight duck of his head, taking his jacket off, and stuffing his hand into the pocket of his jeans in attempt to hide his nervousness. "Are you hungry?" she asked as she quickly moved to step around him.
Ichigo paled at the thought of eating Orihime's food. The girl had the weirdest tastes he had ever heard of, and just the idea of eating anything she made, made him nauseous. Regardless, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "Eh," he started, rubbing the back of his neck.
She led him into the kitchen where there was a large plate filled with crackers, cheese, wasabi, red bean paste, tiny slices of lunch meat, tuna salad, peanut butter, jelly, and syrup. Ichigo's eyebrow shot up when he saw it, and he suddenly found himself smiling again. At least some of the options were normal. "I have some snacks and tea if you'd like some," she offered.
The smile she was presenting was nervous, he could tell by how tight it was, and he didn't like it. "Sure," he immediately replied, his stomach still rolling at the thought of some of the combinations she displayed. The smile she flashed made it all worth it, however, and he found himself relaxing as she turned to make them some tea.
It was as her back was to him that Ichigo fully came into the kitchen, dropping his book bag next to a chair. As he straightened, he allowed his eyes to trail up the back of Orihime, taking in her legs that went on forever. The jeans she wore were fitted – hugging her curves and accentuating them. While her top came down to cover her hips, it too was slightly fitted, and he couldn't help his reaction to her. He was more than a little irritated to know that it was the same reaction nearly every guy in school had to her, but her tiny waist called to him – especially after he had held it that morning. Her hips, which swayed when she moved, drew his eyes and made his mouth dry. It was when he became aware of his hollow's rising reaction that he ran a hand through his hair and tore his eyes away from the beauty in front of him.
'Come on, King. You know she's fucking hot.'
'I told you not to talk about her like that!'Ichigo snarled at his hollow.
'I'm only saying it because you know it's true.'
'We are NOT going to talk about this!'
Orihime turned, extending a full mug to him with a tender smile. Ichigo took it, fighting down the heat in his cheeks, and only sat down once she did. "Thank you, Inoue."
She waved his thanks off. "You don't need to thank me, Kurosaki-kun!" He frowned at her, but then startled when she jumped to her feet. "Oh! Right! Let me get my books!" She was gone before he could even say anything.
Weirdo, he sighed, shaking his head as he bent down to retrieve his own books from his bag. He knew he needed to study. Without Orihime's help he would be even worse off than he already was. He couldn't help that now that he was with her, his mind was running over everything but studying. Damn it, he cursed inwardly.
Orihime returned a moment later, her bubbly smile still in place. She sat down next to him this time instead of across from him, so they could share notes and she could fill him in on some of what he had missed. It turned into more of a tutoring session than either of them had expected, but they were both pleased with it as conversation flowed easily between them, their nerves dissipating as time went on. Ichigo even snacked on Orihime's food – something that made her heart soar – although he stuck to the crackers, cheese, tuna, and lunchmeat. Orihime ate combinations of everything, leaving him to stare in wide-eyed amazement as she ate such random concoctions as tuna with syrup or red bean paste and jelly with gusto.
They moved closer to each other as the study session progressed, neither really aware of their increased proximity until Orihime happened to look up while Ichigo was working on a problem, his brow furrowed and his characteristic scowl firmly in place. His eyes were on the paper in front of him, his thoughts solely on math, so when she flushed and her eyes widened, he didn't notice. Oh gosh! How did we get so close to each other?! Has he even noticed?! Is this okay?! What should I do?! Her mind ran a mile a minute as she stared at the orange-haired substitute soul reaper, her heart suddenly in her throat. They had been studying for a solid two hours and she was past the point of even feeling nervous anymore. She was feeling comfortable with him, relaxed even. I wish we could do this more often, she breathed inwardly, reluctantly pulling her eyes from him before he'd notice her gaze. She dropped her chin in her hand as a new thought trickled into her mind, brought there by the little blue men. When should I ask him to the dance?
"Got it!" he exclaimed, sitting back and throwing his pencil down with triumph. He was smiling when he looked at Orihime, and she immediately burst into a smile, her cheeks turning a delicate pink color.
"I knew you could do it, Kurosaki-kun!" she encouraged, then took his paper. Just like they had been doing, she checked over his answers. It took a few moments, her brow scrunched as she focused, and suddenly the tables were turned as Ichigo was able to watch her for a moment, his smile faltering when he realized how close they were.
When did that happen, he wondered, but also didn't care. Even though they were working on math, which wasn't exactly his favorite subject, he was enjoying himself because he was with Orihime. They finally fell into a groove and felt comfortable. He didn't want it to end. So if she hadn't noticed their close proximity, he wasn't going to bring attention to it either.
"Very good!" she exclaimed as she set her pen down. Her smile was even wider than Ichigo's, her heart swelling with pride.
Ichigo smiled softly back at her, before taking a sip of his tea. He didn't think he'd smiled so much in the past year as he'd done the past two days with Orihime. Has she noticed?! He inwardly panicked for a moment as she took a sip of her tea as well. It was with a groan that he set the tea down and rubbed the back of his neck before rising to his feet. "I don't know about you, but I need a break."
Gray eyes rose to meet his from over her strawberry mug. Ichigo had noticed the mug the moment she turned around with it, and had smiled inwardly, feeling rather smug that she was using it. He had felt so nervous and awkward buying her a present, let alone something like that, given his nickname, but the fact that he had seen her using it on multiple occasions now made him feel better. True, he had partially bought it for her on a dare from Rukia, although how that had happened he still wasn't sure. "Sure," she agreed, setting the mug down and rising to her feet beside him.
They moved to Orihime's front porch, the crisp evening air kissing their skin and waking up their dulled senses. Orihime closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her hands gently gripping the railing as she leaned back and swayed side to side. Ichigo stood with his hands jammed into his pockets beside her, smirking at the look of pure bliss on her face as her hair swung along her back. He averted his eyes to the descending sun before she opened her eyes again. His hand ran over his soul reaper badge in his pocket and he pulled it out without thinking about it.
"Does the quiet worry you?" Orihime asked, not wanting to jinx the lapse in hollows, but feeling like she had to fill the silence.
Ichigo's eyes snapped up to hers and his fingers closed around the badge. Mocha brown searched smoky gray before he jammed the badge back into his pocket. "Sometimes," he admitted. "I keep expecting the damn thing to go off at any minute."
He never gets much of a break, does he? "Well, I hope it stays quiet," she asserted before her hand flew up to her mouth. Oh no! Did I seriously just say that?!
The crooked smile was back, tugging at the corner of Ichigo's lips, and this time he chuckled, the sound deep and rich, and endearing to Orihime's ears. He closed his eyes as his shoulders shook merrily, and when he reopened them, they sparkled with amusement she had not seen before. "Me too." When Orihime continued to look horrified at her words, he smiled again and turned back to the sunset, giving her some privacy to regain her senses.
'Wow! She's speechless! Way to go, King!'
'I didn't do anything. She did that herself.'
'My point exactly.'
Despite himself, when Orihime didn't move beside him, he peeked at her over his shoulder, his cheeks warming when she continued to stand with her hand to her lips, her eyes wide in shock. What if… No! He shook his head to clear his mind of such rampant thoughts. He couldn't afford to think that way, nor should he. In an attempt to ease her discomfort, he gripped the railing and indicated the sunset with a nod of his head. "It's a beautiful night." His lip curled when he looked forward again. Did I just say beautiful? Eck.
Snapped out of her wandering thoughts, Orihime looked at the sunset, stepping back up to the railing at Ichigo's side. She stepped closer to him without thinking about it, his warmth radiating to her slightly through the chill in the air. "It is," she breathed, not even really taking in the brilliant reds, purples, and oranges the sun cast as it set. Her mind was too busy racing. Should I ask him now?! Oh gosh! Her hands gripped the railing tightly in her nervousness, her knuckles turning white as she swallowed and tried to psyche herself up for her question. They were having such a good night, she didn't want to ruin it and make things awkward. If she asked him and he said no, things would definitely be awkward, despite what Tatsuki said. I've got to do this! I can do this, she chanted internally, her teeth suddenly digging into her bottom lip as her heart hammered away at her ribs. "K-Kurosaki-kun?" she whispered, dragging her eyes from the sunset to look up at him.
"Hmm?" he asked, his eyes sliding to hers.
She opened her mouth to speak. She fully intended to speak; but the words wouldn't come out. When she tried to say, 'Will you go to the dance with me?' all that came out was a strangled squeak. "I… I'm hungry!" she exclaimed instead, spinning on her toes so fast that her hair whipped him in the arm as she ran back inside.
"Okay…" he breathed, looking after her retreating form with his brows furrowed in confusion. That was weird…
Orihime retreated to the kitchen, her hands covering her chest as her heart pounded beneath. Her hands were shaking, much as the rest of her was. Although she told him she was hungry, she was in fact too nervous to even want to think about food. I blew it! I totally blew it! She wanted to bury her face in her hands and scream out her frustration, but she was too afraid of Ichigo seeing such a thing.
"Inoue?" Ichigo's soft and concerned voice came from just inside the kitchen. "Everything all right?"
Plastering a smile on her face, Orihime forced her breathing down to a more natural rate before she turned around. "Yep!"
Something was off, Ichigo could sense it; just what that was, was beyond him, so he dropped it, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he looked at the woman before him with a raised eyebrow. "Should I go?" he asked. He didn't want to go, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable either.
"No!" she answered too quickly, making her cheeks grow warm again. "I mean, not unless you want to," she amended, averting her eyes.
"If you're good, I'm good."
It was odd to hear such words coming from Ichigo. Ichigo – the class punk who gave the impression of not caring about anything, but in fact cared deeply about many things. The more time she spent with him, the more she fell in love with him. It brought another genuine smile to her face, this one gentler than the last. "Good."
Without any more discussion, she slipped back into her chair and they resumed their study session. The awkward moment from before was forgotten as Orihime walked Ichigo through the steps of solving the last bit of problems that would be on the exam. Or at least she started to, when the soul badge went off.
"Damn it!" Ichigo cursed, pulling the badge from his pocket and glaring at it. The eyes were flashing as it beeped. "I'm sorry, Inoue." He looked around to find a good place to leave his body.
"The couch," she indicated, knowing exactly what he was looking for. He's so considerate to not just leave himself in the middle of the floor. She had to suppress a giggle at that thought. That's so silly! As Ichigo rose, she stood up alongside him, her eyes bright and hopeful. He made his way to the couch and sat down before slamming the badge against his chest. His body immediately went completely limp, sagging into the couch, and he stood up out of it, in Shinigami form. Orihime swallowed, her eyes trailing over him despite herself, and offered him an encouraging smile. She didn't want him to go out alone. "Would you like help?"
He looked at her, his brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line. He hated her doing anything that put her in danger, or at risk of being hurt. He knew she didn't exactly appreciate feeling so sheltered, that she was more than capable of taking care of herself, and that she was actually a benefit in battle, but he couldn't help it. "I don't want you to get hurt," he finally admitted. Her smile fell and was replaced with a determined look that surprised him. He'd seen it before, but it always shocked him when her eyes hardened. "Inoue, I can shunpo there and be back before you know it." She continued to glare at him, rousing a chuckle from his hollow that made him grind his teeth. "Fine," he snapped, grabbing her hand. "Come on."
Orihime squealed as he all but threw her onto his back and flash-stepped onto the porch before jumping onto the roof. They couldn't be seen like this – someone would question seeing her floating in the air. She immediately pointed in the direction of the hollow and he took off, using shunpo so they would not be seen.
As they traveled, Ichigo was acutely aware of Orihime pressed tightly against his back. He held her under her legs and she clung to his shoulders, her chest pressing into him closer than he had ever experienced. It was more than a little distracting, even with Zangetsu between them, and made a shiver run down his back. Focus, focus, focus, damn it!
'Well, well, well, this is an interesting turn of events.'
'Shut the fuck up. I don't have time for this.'
Loud cackling was his only answer until his hollow returned with, 'Tell me, King. How does it feel?'
Ichigo jerked, nearly losing his footing and causing Orihime to squeal in surprise. "Sorry! You okay?" he shouted over his shoulder.
"Yeah!" she answered, her face nearly buried into his back. Like Ichigo, she was distracted by their current predicament. He'd never done this before – she'd never felt him hold her quite like this – and even though it wasn't meant to be intimate, there was something very intimate about it. He was solid, like a rock, beneath her, and each step jolted through her with the strength of his legs; but she had undying trust in him. Before she could focus on it too much, she sensed the hollow directly in front of them. "Kurosaki-kun!" she cried, pointing in front of them.
Ichigo slowed and then stopped, releasing her legs so she could slide from his back. He didn't pull his hands away quite far enough, so her thighs and hips slid between his hands as she slipped off, and he quickly pulled them away, a blush darkening his cheeks even as his heart raced even more than it already was. "S-sorry!" he stammered, turning from her before she could see his blush and pulling Zangetsu from his back. Damn it, he's rubbing off on me!
His hollow simply cackled, clearly enjoying how much Ichigo was squirming.
The hollow sensed them a moment later, and Ichigo immediately stepped in front of Orihime, who was nearly as red as a tomato and still recovering from her shock of Ichigo's hands on her. Did-did that just happen? She knew it was an accident, but she couldn't help but be excited by it. Regardless, she kept one eye on the hollow, and one eye on Ichigo as he freed Zangetsu and stepped toward the hollow.
As tall as a two-story house, the hollow stood on two feet, but then dropped down to four when it caught sight of them. Its mask was cracked down the right side; the hole for its right eye glowing a strange vibrant green while the other was empty and black. Large teeth shone in the growing darkness, jagged like those of a predator along its elongated muzzle. Numerous horns projected from the back of the mask, twisted and gnarled together in an unrecognizable mass. Its body resembled that of a bear with large and sturdy hind legs and large feet, complete with long claws. The front legs were more flexible than the rear with more dexterous fingers, but the claws were even longer and more deadly. The hollow lifted one foot to flex its fingers as though to emphasize this point while a dark red tongue protruded from its mouth to lick its lips hungrily. The hole in its chest was hidden when it was on all fours, its head hanging low between its legs as it took in the two before it.
"What is that?" Orihime asked, peeking out behind Ichigo.
"It looks like a bear," he answered, his frown in place as he tried to see how the hollow moved.
Loosing a roar, the hollow swung its head back and forth before lunging. It accelerated with remarkable speed, closing the distance between them so suddenly, they would have been crushed had Ichigo not grabbed Orihime and flash-stepped away. Even as he did it, she had her hands to her pins and called forth her fairies. "Santen Kesshun, I reject!"
At her words, her three fairies appeared, forming a triangular shield in front of her and Ichigo. "Stay here!" Ichigo shouted, immediately releasing her and running around the shield. The hollow had just turned around from its last charge and was pawing the ground.
I need to end this quickly, Ichigo growled, glancing to where Orihime continued her shield. She didn't look scared, but her eyes were wide, keeping an eye on him and the hollow. When he looked back to the hollow again, dirt flew up from its feet as it propelled itself forward; letting loose an angry roar that put Menos Grande to shame. Suppressing the urge to flinch from the sound, Ichigo ran forward as well, pulling Zangetsu back in preparation to attack. As the hollow barreled down on him, he had to look up in order to keep track of it, and when it swung a large paw at him, he jumped up, swinging Zangetsu in an effort to slash its mask. Sensing his attack, the hollow turned at the last minute, making Ichigo nearly miss, and only take off a chunk of the mask rather than cut through it. "Damn it!" he cursed as he landed off to the side of the hollow.
He scarcely had time to think, for the next thing he knew, the hollow changed targets and barreled down on Orihime. "Inoue!" he cried, immediately flash-stepping toward her.
Orihime had her eye on the hollow and braced herself behind her shield by gritting her teeth. Ichigo saw her spread her legs and bend her knees in preparation for the impact, but then saw her mouth move as she called forward Tsubaki. "Koten Zanshun, I reject!" Her voice rang out clearly in the middle of the field, and Ichigo arrived at her side just as Tsubaki flew out from her shield like a bright stream of golden light, aiming for the middle of the hollow's mask.
Again, the hollow turned its head, but this time Ichigo was ready and he was not going to waste any more time. "Getsuga Tensho!" he shouted, sweeping Zangetsu across his body and loosing a flash of brilliant blue light that made Orihime squint. Tsubaki darted to the side just in time to be missed by the powerful attack while the hollow swung a foot as large as a car in one final act of defiance as its mask shattered.
Ichigo, who was standing outside of the shield in order to launch his own attack, saw the final act coming and threw himself in front of Orihime, protecting her body with his own, but stood behind the shield. The hollow's foot connected with the shield with enough force to push her back several feet, but the shield held. The only reason she fell was because her foot caught on some loose stones, throwing her off balance. In her frantic grab for something, anything to keep her from falling, she grabbed onto Ichigo, and ended up pulling him down with her as she shrieked in surprise.
They landed in a heap, Ichigo catching himself on his hands to keep from crushing Orihime while the hollow disappeared behind them. He looked down at Orihime with wild eyes, his hands planted on either side of her shoulders, while his right knee rested between her legs and the his left knee remained outside of them. Zangetsu was at her side. She looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes, her hands still grasping his kosode tightly, but now also pressed against his chest as he hovered above her. She still held the proper hand position to maintain her shield. Ichigo's chest was resting against her hands from the force of the hollow shoving them back, and the pull of her when she tripped, but it still took them both a moment to realize they were touching, Ichigo's chest rising and falling rapidly with his quick breaths, pressing into her soft hands each time and able to feel her slight trembling.
Ichigo couldn't stop staring into Orihime's eyes, as startled as they were. The flecks of violet held within drew his attention, until his eyes fell lower and he had to grit his teeth. Her hair was splayed around her head like an auburn halo, and her lips were parted slightly in surprise, looking pink and soft and tempting to the substitute soul reaper. Damn it!
Ichigo, Orihime breathed, clenching her hand into a fist to keep herself from doing or saying something she would regret. She saw his eyes leave hers just as hers left his; her eyes falling to his own slightly parted lips, and her heart jumped into her throat when she felt him lean down. Oh, Kami! He's so close!
Ichigo felt the change in his own position through the strain in his arms before he actually knew what he was doing. The rising blush in Orihime's cheeks, and the sudden realization that he could feel more of her beneath him than just her hands against his chest threw him back into reality as though he had just been doused with a bucket of cold water. What the hell am I doing?! Before his thoughts could run any further, he jumped, throwing himself off of Orihime while she jerked back from him in surprise before sitting up as they both laughed nervously. Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, his cheeks flaming, while Orihime thanked her fairies for their help as they returned to her pins.
"That was an awesome attack, Tsubaki!"
The red fairy turned narrowed eyes on Ichigo, flying angrily close to his face as he shook his fist at him. "I'm lucky someone didn't kill me!"
Ichigo's eyes snapped to the tiny fairy. "I knew you'd get away in time!" he argued.
Tsubaki folded his arms across his chest and turned his head away with a, "Tsk," before disappearing back into Orihime's pin with the others.
Ichigo was just replacing Zangetsu at his back when his eyes met Orihime's and he had to bite his tongue to keep from blushing once more. The fight was done and over, but his heart was still pounding, his chest still warm from where she had been touching it. It was just like his hand when she had left for Las Noches – he could feel her reiatsu clinging to him like a gentle caress, and it made him warm inside. Why do I keep feeling this way, damn it?! And did I seriously just… He had trouble admitting it, even to himself. Did I seriously just almost kiss her?!
"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she murmured with a soft bow, clasping her hands in front of her.
Ichigo wanted to jerk her upright but resisted and shrugged instead. "I should be thanking you," he corrected. He turned so they could start the walk back to her apartment, needing to get his eyes off of her. "If you hadn't been here, that thing would have clobbered me!"
She smiled and looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I doubt that."
"Your shield holding up while we got thrown back several feet isn't convincing enough for you? You protected me, Inoue. You protected both of us." Even as the words left him, he felt his cheeks getting warm, the heat spreading uncomfortably down his neck and to his ears. He wasn't used to handing out compliments so easily, even if it was to Orihime.
But you dove in front of me, she wanted to argue, but also wasn't sure that was right to say. While she was trying to figure out what to say, she shivered, her arms coming up to hug herself on instinct. Ichigo caught this and looked at her with a raised brow. Damn. I didn't even let her grab a coat before we left... "You want to hurry back? It is cold out."
Orihime's cheeks darkened at the thought of riding on his back again, but she didn't want to turn down the offer either. "Okay," she answered simply with a nod, and smiled when Ichigo stopped and helped her on his back. He was much more gentle now that they weren't in a crazy rush to get to the hollow, but once she was secure, he took off, wary of being seen.
On his back once more, and traveling faster than she thought possible, Orihime tried to look at their surroundings without much luck – she could scarcely keep up. In the end, she gave up and rested her cheek against Ichigo's back, feeling safe and secure in his grasp even as he jumped along the rooftops. I protected him, she thought to herself, allowing a soft smile to grace her lips. He dove in front of me to protect me, but I protected him! Her grip on his shoulders tightened slightly at the thought, her smile widening. It was all she wanted to do, and she had been able to do it.
Little did she know that Ichigo was thinking the same thing as he flash-stepped, smiling when her grip on him tightened. He had tried to protect her, but she had protected him. A large part of him had known her shield would hold – he had faith in her, after all – but he couldn't risk not being there if that wasn't the case. A smile crossed his lips as pride for her swelled within his chest. She had protected him.
They arrived back at Orihime's apartment a few moments later, Orihime shivering by the time they stepped back inside. While she wrapped herself up in a blanket and made more tea, Ichigo returned to his body, leaning against the wall in the kitchen once he was done. He looked at his watch and flinched, but wasn't ready to leave yet. He didn't want to. The two were quiet while the teakettle worked, not saying anything until they sat at the table once more, their mugs in front of them, steaming silently. The only sound was the soft tinking of metal against ceramic as they occasionally stirred their brews. The mood had turned somber, and neither were really sure why.
I can't believe I almost did that! Ichigo couldn't stop beating himself up over nearly kissing her. He hadn't even been aware he was doing anything!
'I can,' his hollow taunted.
Ichigo flinched, which drew Orihime's attention. "Kurosaki-kun?" she asked softly, her eyes searching his.
He smiled gently and shook his head as though to dismiss the issue. "Sorry, Inoue."
"You ready to study some more?" she asked hopefully, dropping her eyes to her tea as she stirred it.
"You sure you don't have anything better to do?"
Her eyes shot up to his, the soft purple hues flashing. "Of course not!"
Kami, she's beautiful… He sighed. "To be honest, I don't know that I can focus on math anymore," he admitted, looking at his book and math problems before him with a disgusted scowl. His eyes softened when he looked back up to her. "And you look like you could use a warm bath to thaw out." The words were the wrong choice because then he suddenly was imagining her in the tub and had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. Again, his hollow cackled. "W-we always have tomorrow."
Wrapping the blanket tighter around her shoulders, Orihime blew on her tea before taking a cautious sip. "It wasn't that cold, Kurosaki-kun," she teased, rolling her eyes. "But I understand if you're done."
I don't want to be. "Thank you for helping me." His voice was soft and earnest as his eyes searched hers. That look she couldn't quite place was there again, and it made warmth flood Orihime's veins, making her fingers tingle.
"Of course!" she grinned, her eyes practically shutting as she cocked her head to the side. It was the smile Ichigo loved the most and his heart felt like it was being squeezed in his chest. When her eyes opened once more, something dark fluttered behind them, and she fidgeted with the blanket as she once more tried to work up the courage to ask him to the dance. "K-Kurosaki-kun?"
He was taking a sip of tea, mentally talking himself into leaving. It was getting late… "Hmm?" he asked.
Her heart was fluttering, beating as fast as a bird's wings within the cage of her ribs. Her stomach was clenched so tight, she felt like she was in real danger of vomiting. Don't throw up, don't throw up! "W-would," she started. Everything was shaking – her hands, her lips, her shoulders. When Ichigo continued to wait for her question in silence, his eyes searching hers, she groaned inwardly and blurted, "I was wondering if you w-would like to walk me to school again tomorrow?" and sighed, drooping her head. Tatsuki's going to be so mad…
Breaking into a smile, Ichigo nodded. "Sure." He waited until her bewildered eyes met his before adding, "I was planning on doing that anyway." Her resulting gasp made him smirk.
A/N: Hehehe! I can't believe I'm already updating this again! And sorry for trolling you (not)! I hope you enjoyed this update. I really wanted to do something with them fighting together. I know Orihime can sometimes be underrated and I wanted to do something to show that she can be strong in her own way, and that Ichigo appreciates her for what she does. I know our little healer got cold feet this time, but I promise it's coming! And thanks again for all the wonderful reviews, follows, and favorites! It's what has made updating this so much easier lately. I appreciate you all!
As always, I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. If I did, there would be more romance involved! They all belong to Tite Kubo.
