An Authors Note: Quite a gap between chapter releases, but that's life. I had to do some digging and remember where exactly I was going with this story, as well. Honestly, I still don't know. 4 Chapters in and I'm just now transitioning out of the first evening?


Misfire

Chapter 4 - Vibes


To Chad's relief, Orihime was the first of the two changing girls to reappear in the living room. Thankfully, her uniform revealed no evidence of its prior soiling as she self-consciously patted at the fabric of her skirt, twisting about as she tried to ensure her backside was as presentable as her front. Anxious of Riruka's return, Chad cleared his throat to get the girls attention. Orihime looked over to him with worry, clearly still concerned with her appearance.

"You look normal." Chad reassured blandly.

"It's still a bit damp." She whispered, rubbing her hands down the length of her tummy.

"I don't think it's noticeable." He responded, keeping a steady eye on the hallway behind her. "Before she comes, I should tell you I..."

Chad hesitated, realizing he should have mentioned his little lie to Inoue while she was in his room. Looking at the situation now, it didn't make sense for him to claim the two of them were on a date. Or maybe it did make sense, but he couldn't imagine Orihime being able to agree, even given the circumstances. Couldn't he have just claimed she was a friend spending the night? It wasn't like Riruka was going to go to his school and spread rumors. Was it too late to act as if he hadn't told her that at all?

The issue was obvious. Once again, he had given in to Inoue's request. If he had just insisted she stay in his room until Riruka left, the situation wouldn't have required Orihime to play along.

"I told her we were on a date." Chad finished, almost grumpily.

Orihime's eyes blinked rapidly as she processed the revelation.

"Oh..." She replied with a tinge of uncertainty on her features. She flushed slightly and crossed her arms in front of her ample chest, the aura of the room taking on a distinct awkwardness.

Chad noted the defensive body language and embarrassment and spoke in his own defense. He didn't want it to appear like he was scheming something.

"It was the easiest thing to say to explain why you were here. It was only to make her..."

Make her think she was intruding and encourage her to leave. Chad finished the unsavory truth in his head.

"I understand." Orihime interjected, giving him a wise smile. "You were trying to make it seem like she was interrupting something. But you know, Sado-kun. It's rude to dismiss guests that way."

As their eyes met again, Chad suddenly felt the pressure of being in the presence of the Boobs Goddess. He was forced to avert her kind, soft, magnetic gaze and look elsewhere. He inwardly scolded himself for this timid reaction, having had seen this happen to other guys all too often.

Sometimes she was so beautiful you couldn't stand to look at her.

"It's just not the best time-" He grumbled.

"No, You're right." Orihime insisted apologetically. She maneuvered herself around the bedding on the floor and sunk onto the couch beside him, though their was a notable gap between them. "I was being really careless by pressuring you to let me meet this person. I didn't consider how this would look to someone on the outside."

Before Chad could think of a reply, the sound of the bathroom door opening in the hallway, silenced their conversation.

Riruka appeared in her new wardrobe, now sporting a white tank top over a black long-sleeve shirt as well as black and white Bengal-striped jean capri's over the same thigh-length boots she had on earlier. The outfit, with all of it's carefully coordinated blacks and whites was a bit showy, but so was Riruka.

"These aren't the shoes that go with this outfit." Riruka mumbled to herself as she came into view, still scrutinizing her recent purchases. "Don't you have a better mirror some..."

Her voice trailed as her head raised and she caught sight of Orihime. There were noticeable twitches in Riruka's expression as Chad spoke to introduce the two.

"This is Riruka." Chad said with little fanfare, which seemed to thoroughly irritate Riruka. "Riruka, this i-"

"-This is Riruka." She mocked in a deep voice, placing her hands on her hips. "What kind of an introduction is that, Sado?"

"Nice to meet you, Riruka-chan!" Orihime greeted enthusiastically as she stood, bowing slightly to the girl.

Riruka's expression sharpened as she and Orihime made direct eye contact.

The silent appraisal had begun. Orihime seemed in awe of Riruka's hair whilst Chad recognized Riruka's continual gaze of silent scrutiny was as close to approval as Inoue was going to get.

"This is..."

Chad trailed with uncertainty, not familiar with how he should introduce the girl he truly liked but was pretend-dating.

"You're dating him?" Riruka blurted so unexpectedly Chad and Orihime couldn't feign appropriate reactions.

Inoue simply nodded quickly, her reddened face betraying her.

Chad grimaced inwardly, not enjoying the delightful lie.

"And you are?" Riruka went on, her brow furrowing in growing suspicion.

"Orihime Inoue." She answered with a straining smile. "S-Sado-kun and I only just started seeing each other."

Riruka raised an eyebrow as her gaze trailed down to the futon. "Already spending the night, then?"

"Well I live just down the-"

"Must have been in a rush to get started, still wearing your school uniform."

The wheels of suspicion were already spinning.

Riruka calmly stepped around the Futon towards where Orihime stood. Chad and Orihime only grew more frigid.

"Just get out of the shower?" Riruka asked sweetly, her body tilted forward slightly, nostrils flaring noticeably as she sniffed the air.

"Ah, yes but-"

"I see. To be so comfortable with each other at such an early stage in the relationship~"

Her head swiveled towards Chad with a dark, conniving expression. "I guess I really picked a bad time to pop up, eh Sado-kun?"

"It's not like that." Chad exhaled stressfully.

Riruka stepped back from Inoue, shrugging.

"It's not like I care what kind of girls you get involved with."

Inoue's eyes widened as she reddened, finally picking up on what Riruka was suggesting "I'm n-not that kind... We're really only just-"

"-Okay." Riruka answered idly as she knelt to dig through her shopping bags on the floor. She withdrew a cellphone from her bag, and began dialing.

Chad winced as Orihime spun around understandably mortified and red with humiliation. He knew there was nothing he could say to defend Inoue's honor, so to speak, so he simply shrugged, which caused her to sigh heavily. She slumped back down onto the couch, looking defeated. The two sat silently as Riruka made her preparations.

"Yes, that's the address I'll need a cab at... Right out front of the complex is fine... Forty-five minutes to an hour?! Of course I understand about the weather, that's why I need a cab in the first place! It'll be after midnight before I get home if you!... I... Well just tell them to hurry up, alright? Fine-fine. Yes, I have no choice but to wait. And good-bye to you too."

"Ass." She growled at her phone as she jammed it into her jeans pocket. "The worst."

"I don't understand why you were shopping so late." Chad admitted aloud, frowning at Riruka.

"There was obviously a good reason for it, Sado." She shot back, taking a seat at the kitchen table. She crossed her legs, glowering down as she inspected her finger nails. "The clerk promised me he'd give me a fifty percent discount on all of my items if I came at the end of his shift, so obviously I can't pass up on an opportunity like that. The storm was already getting bad by the time I finished shopping and I didn't even have time to try the clothes on! The guys manager started to rush me out, so I bought my stuff and left. It's pouring by this time, mind you, and so I get soaking wet because the wind is practically pushing the rain horizontally and my umbrella isn't doing a damn thing and..."

Riruka seems to fluster herself and bangs a fist on the table in frustration. "UGH. I get here, try on all of my things and realize how badly two of the blouses fit! and-Dammit! THE SHOES AREN'T EVEN THE SAME SIZE! SOMEONE PUT A DIFFERENT SIZE HEEL IN THE WRONG SHOEBOX SO I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF THIS BACK BUT THE GUY DOESN'T WORK ON WEEKENDS SO I WON'T GET..."

Riruka's expression lit up as it dawned on her. "Wait, if I take this junk back to another clerk they won't know about the discount so I'll get the full price back when I return them! Yeah, that's what I'll do... All because the dumb manager rushed me."

Riruka continued her bickering, but was mumbling more to herself than anyone else.

"I'm going to take a shower." Chad muttered finally glancing at Inoue, who was frowning down at her uniform skirt, padding the top of her thighs with her palms.

"Still wet." She said absentmindedly, also seeming to be having a conversation with herself. "Today isn't my best day..."

"Sorry about everything, Inoue." He answered, unsure if she would hear him. As he watched the top of her head, he was reminded of how truly unfortunate the last few hours of the day had been for both of them. In the morning, Inoue would still be homeless. Maybe she would have a change of heart and decide that sticking around his apartment until she could pay off her rent wasn't a good idea.

Ichigo's response to her impending confession had a lot riding on it.

Chad shook his head to himself as he collected his change of clothes, a white tank-top, boxers, and a pair of silver/blue pajamas. His goal was to spend at least forty-five minutes to an hour in that shower whether he needed to or not. His hospitality was long since worn even before Riruka had shown up.

He stepped into the bathroom and glowered at the floor and sink, seeing the mud from where his feisty guest had walked in and cleaned her boots. His next thought as he turned the water tap was an intrusive reminder that Orihime had used his shower as well as his bar soap, not long ago.

He scolded himself for the thoughts that followed that thought as he stripped, and when the water was steamed to his liking, he stepped into the shower.

None of this matters. Chad reminded himself as the spray covered him in a warming relief.

The first thing Inoue should do tommorow is go to Ichigo. He can figure out how to take care of her after they become a couple, and I can be left alone. Everything will return to how it should have been.

Chad ran soap through his hair with his fingers, considering another prospect that would free his mind of Inoue. The names that came to his mind depressed him further. He didn't have a Plan B. There was never really a plan to begin with. Romance wasn't a top priority for the 6'5 foreign giant, nor was it easy. He was imposing, and wasn't the charismatic type. His stature and overall appearance made him at best, an exotic fling for some fast woman seeking the unknown, and at worse, an unthinkable half-breed who would be a hard sell to anyone's parents.

Orihime's pretty much a loner, family-wise. I wouldn't have to seek parental approval. She would be the only one I'd need to please-

-...She's also in love with Kurosaki.

Now, Anyone else?

"I'm hopeless." he muttered to himself, chuckling despite it all.

Chad spent the better part of an hour going over potential mates to replace Inoue, and by the time he turned off the shower tap that had long since gone cold, he had come to the conclusion that he truly was hopeless on any romantic front. As he dried off, he listened for signs that Riruka had departed, and was severely disappointed when her voice was heard alongside Inoue's.

"It's a bit more complicated than a club."

"Are you sure I couldn't join? If you say Sado-kun's apart of it, perhaps-"

"-You can't join, it's exclusive. I shouldn't even be mentioning this to a random like you, even if you are his call-girl."

"Please, Riruka-chan, I'm not his call-girl, either!"

"Then what are you? Do you really expect me to believe you two are just friends now?"

"That's how its always been. I know it looks differently, but as I told you, Chad is a good friend and I'm homeless at the moment, ha-ha."

"If you say so. You two would make an awful looking couple, anyway. Sado seems like the type who would want a more experienced, outgoing woman, who doesn't need to depend on anyone-"

Chad shut the door to the bathroom, emerging to find Inoue and Riruka sitting at his kitchen table. Orihime had an apologetic expression on her face as he tiredly dragged passed them to dump his work clothes off in the laundry room.

"She spilled the beans, you know." Riruka commented, a triumphant smirk gracing her girlish features. "I guess she couldn't stand pretending you two were a couple."

"That's good." Chad answered blandly, tossing his clothes in a hamper.

"I just thought it was pointless to mislead her." Inoue responded, in a hushed tone. "She's a nice person, so I knew she would understand..."

Riruka glanced over at Inoue scowling, despite the compliment. "You don't know me well enough to say that."

"But you're friends with Sado-kun, so..."

Inoue's polite smile seemed to weaken Riruka.

"...Whatever."

Riruka's eyes lingered on Chad's torso as he passed them again on his way to his room.

"A tank-top? Don't you think you're indecent considering you have guests? Or were you trying to show off your body to us?"

"I'm...Going to bed." Chad muttered, ignoring Riruka's ogling. "Good night, Inoue. Stay dry, Riruka."

Chad caught a worrisome look on Orihime's face as he passed. To him, it was an expression too close to pity.

"Goodnight, Sado-kun." Orihime said with a cheeriness that didn't match her eyes.

"Horrible host." Riruka chided as he made it to his room, closing the door behind him.

"A true gentleman would pay for my cab fare!"


Unfortunately for Riruka, a certain supervisor would conveniently forget all about a pushy, rude girl and her request for transportation.