Orihime Inoue only wanted to have a simple party with her close friends celebrating her day of birth. That's it. A dinner at a nice café and film, that's all she wanted, and that's what she got. That is, until Ichigo offered to walk her home.

As far as she was concerned, her feelings for Ichigo were still unrequited, but that still didn't make her heart beat ridiculously fast like a hummingbird's wings.

Still, she wasn't entirely sure what to say. She didn't want to seem too eager and make him feel weird should he not have feelings for her, but she also didn't want to seem unenthusiastic either and insult him.

A hand waved in front of her face, "Hello? Earth to Inoue?"

"Ah, Yes?" she asked, blinking rapidly.

"Are you alright? You zoned out there for a second."

"Oh yes, I'm fine."

Ichigo looked at her with concern but didn't push it any further and started walking away, leaving Orihime with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Huh. I guess he wasn't serious about walking me home in the first place…"

"Hey, are you coming?" He called to her.

She looked at him stupidly before practically running to his side. She probably looked ridiculous too.

"Way to keep your cool, Orihime," She scolded herself.

The walk back to her apartment was quiet, save for the crunch of gravel under their feet. Orihime was unsure of what to do. Should she say something? Her fingers twiddled with each other and when her fingers weren't intertwining with each other, she was rubbing her arms.

"Are you cold?" he asked her suddenly.

"What? Oh, no I'm fine."

He eyed her suspiciously and placed his jacket on her shoulders.

"K-Kurosaki-kun! I told you I was fine."

"Liar. You're shivering so hard that I thought you were about to fall over."

Orihime gave a sheepish laugh, "Oh really? I guess I didn't notice."

Ichigo suppressed an eye roll. She was such a strange girl, but a girl who was constantly on his mind. He didn't know what, but there was just something about her that drew him to her.

"I could think of a few things…"

"Shut up."

"Tch."

Still, a girl like Orihime wouldn't possibly give someone like him the time day.

"Well, if you actually grew a pair and tried she just might."

"I thought I told you to shut up?"

"Just think about all the things we could do with her? I'm getting excited just thinkin' about it."

"I said shut up, damn it!"

Orihime jumped and Ichigo's outburst, "I-I didn't say anything."

"Eh, sorry, Inoue. That wasn't directed towards you."

"Oh. I see."

Ichigo's inner hollow laughed.

"Damn pest."

"Um, thanks for walking me home," Orihime said suddenly.

Ichigo looked up to notice they had indeed arrived at her apartment. He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that he didn't talk to her more.

"It was no problem."

She smiled at him, "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Orihime."

Orihime looked at him in surprise.

"Did he just call me by my first name?"

Ichigo began to panic, "Shit, why did I say that? Did I offend her? She looks offended."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to slip out, I just-"

"It's ok…Ichigo."

Ichigo could have sworn his heart did a summersault. They way she said his name…

"Aw, look, she's blushing."

"Go away."

"You should make a move…"

"I'm not going to make a move."

"If you don't, I'll do it for you."

Ichigo could feel his hollow pushing at the corners of his mind, "What are you doing. Don't you dare touch her! Stop. Stop!"

"Are you alright, Kuro- I mean, Ichigo?"

"King's fine, don't worry."

Oh dear. Orihime knew that voice.

"Why don't we continue celebrating that birthday of yours, eh, Princess?"

"Huh?"

He kissed her. He kissed her.

"Oh my gosh, what do I do?"

Her mind might have been jumbled, but her body certainly wasn't. after all, how could she resist someone like Ichigo? She began to kiss back. Just as she was getting into it, he pulled away.

He stared her down with those hollow eyes of his. Oh God, those eyes. They pierced her very core. He looked at her as if she were something to devour. She shivered. He was affecting her in ways he shouldn't. He was a hollow, after all.

He took notice and gave her an animalist grin, "Let's have some fun."

He was a predator, and she was the prey, and he was most definitely going to devour her.

Author's note:

Geez, this took longer than I expected...

Nonetheless, Happy Birthday Orihime!

So, should I have a part 2 for this? Showing the hollow actually "devouring" her?"

Leave a review and let me know!

Take care and God bless,

SingingButterflyRose