"I'll send you his number right away."
"Ichigo,
It's Uo, your dad gave
me your number.
Listen, I need a couple
of favours from you if
you'll oblige."
I sent him a message as I stood by the vending machine sipping some juice. I was hoping for a reply soon, I really didn't know who else I'd ask other wise. While I was waiting I looked through the papers Urahara had given me and a plastic card dropped out. I picked it up and found a drivers licence. I had one from my world, I had to, I was a courier. But how had Urahara known I'd need one here?
"I'll bite, what do you
need?" -Came Ichigo's response. Texting in class, naughty boy.
"First favour, could you
get me a copy of your
course structure with
everything you'll be
studying this term? If
you tell your teacher
your tutor wants it
they'll probably give it
to you."
If I was going to help him I would need to get ahead of what he was being taught so I could have ample time to prepare. It should be pretty easy for him to get that kind of stuff, I was always able to get it from my sibling's teachers. I sighed, I missed them.
"Seems reasonable enough,
although that's not a favour,
that's something I'm gonna
need if you're tutoring me."
He made good point. But I probably could have done it without them, I just wanted to make sure I was doing the best I could. I mean, I was of no real use to plot relevance, I wasn't very good with a sword, I didn't even have one, so I need a reason to be here.
"Second favour is much
more selfish :P " -I replied cheekily.
"Let's hear that one then."
"I need some help moving
some furniture, do you think
you could get your
over-powered friends to help?"
I wondered who he'd get. It was probable safe to assume Chad would help, although I hoped Keigo wouldn't volunteer. Five minutes without him or Isshin Kurosaki and I would have a very good day.
"Might take some convincing
but Renji and Ikkaku should
be down. Anything else your
majesty?"
"I need Uryuu's help with some
sewing stuff, if he doesn't want
to help, I'm happy to provide
blackmail material if you like.
If you really need something
from Uryuu though, just make
sure Orehime asks, he's got a
thing for her."
Maybe I shouldn't have been giving away such personal information like that, and I couldn't exactly remember if he gets a crush on anyone else, but I was sure he did still have feelings for her. Which always made me wonder why Kubo ended bleach the way he did. But I suppose you couldn't just ignore Renji's entire motivation for everything since his first appearance.
"I'm not sure blackmailing
someone you want a favour from
is such a good idea. I'll ask him,
and I'll keep that Orehime thing
in mind. How'd you know?"
He seemed surprised. How had he never noticed it? Then I suppose, I was talking to Ichigo Kurosaki and he hadn't noticed Orehime's giant and not subtle crush she'd had basically since Bleach started.
"He's had a thing for her since the
first time you went to the seireitei,
must be something to do with them
spending all that solo time with
each other." -I explained.
"Must be, if you're right..." -He didn't seem convinced.
"I usually am." -I responded cheekily.
"I'll see you after school." -He replied.
"I'll meet you at the gates
kiddo :P " -I teased.
After that I went back to furniture hunting. I figured I could rent a van now I had the cash and a drivers licence. It would be easy. Suspiciously easy. But this was an anime after all. I had to skate through this unimportant bit so I could get to the first major plot point. 'Man, anime is hard.'
"Fun day at school?" I smirked. I was leaned up against the fence outside Ichigo's school. I pushed off the brick pillar and walked a step or two over to him.
"Will you stop implying I'm some little kid?" Ichigo growled as I stood outside the gates, I was still wearing his nice vibe t-shirt but my own pair of jeans. Mostly for fear if I wore Karin's jeans while moving furniture I'd rip them because of how much smaller they were than my normal size.
"Ichigo, you ready to go?" Renji asked standing beside Ikkaku, Yumichika, Chad and Keigo.
"Hey, thanks for helping by the way," I smiled.
"Don't worry about it," he walked ahead, waving a hand flippantly. "With our strength it's mere child's play."
"Hey, Ichigo! Uo!" Orehime waved coming up to the school gates with Uryu and Matsumoto.
"We wanna help too," Rangiku said and I doubted it very much. There was a reason she wanted to be there, but it wasn't to help with work.
"The more the merrier," I replied and started walking towards my new house.
"Hey," Keigo said as we got close and closer to my new apartment. "By the looks of things, you live pretty close to me."
"I was thinking the same thing Asano," Ikakku said suspiciously, looking around. So that's why it looked familiar, I lived close by Keigo.
"Hey," Keigo said. "This is your apartment?"
"Yeah, why?" I asked. "Just got the keys today."
"I live right here," he patted the door next to mine. "If you ever need anything, you know just who to call."
"Yeah," I grumbled. "Anyone but you," I replied unlocking the door and going back down the stairs to unlock the van with all my stuff in it.
"So, other than moving furniture, why am I here?" Uryuu asked as he followed me down the stairs.
"You're not here for the lifting at all," I replied. "I asked you here because I need someone to help me sew something and you're the best around."
"I did wonder," he replied. "Kurosaki said you needed all the help you could. So it either had to be really heavy furniture or a lot of it."
"Or neither, the unsuspected third option," I shrugged. "You don't have to help, but I asked for you because I didn't know who else to turn to."
"I'm flattered but Ichigo already told me about your blackmail," Uryuu replied. "And that you think I have a crush on Orehime."
"I don't think," I replied, knowingly. "And the blackmail was a last resort. Well actually it was a joke, but I do have the means for it."
"Because that makes me feel so much better," he replied opening the van. "Eugh, I can see why you need my help, these are hideous."
"But they were cheep and comfortable," I replied as I felt the bodies gathering behind me. "So all you have to do is re-cover them."
"Did you bring any supplies for that?" He asked.
"Fabric and a staple gun, everything else is your prerogative," I shrugged and grabbed an end table. I could hear him grumbling as I walked away and I smiled, holding back a laugh as I headed up the stairs with it. Once everyone had moved everything up the stairs it was about placement and Uryuu began making the pillow cases for my couch.
"Hey," I turned to Orehime and Chad. "He's some cash, do you guys wanna go and get dinner for everyone? We can all have a little party here after the work is done so I can say thank you to everyone."
"Sure," Chad said and Orehime made an agreeable gesture.
"You'll probably want some soda too," she said tapping her finger on the side of her face. "Don't worry Uo-chan, we're on it."
"Cool," I smiled and went to go supervise Ichigo and Renji argue over the best way to get my dresser into my bedroom.
"No you idiot, if we do that we're gonna knock holes in her walls," Renji yelled and Ichigo growled at him.
"Why you! Don't call me an idiot.."
"Guys," I said. "Why don't you take the drawers out, if you do that the dresser will be easier for you to balance and you can get it round this corner."
"See there's a good idea," Ichigo said. "Instead of all the dumb shit you were coming up with."
They started arguing again and I side stepped them heading into the room first to screw the bed frame together. Maybe I couldn't sew or lift heavy things but I was good at flat pack furniture. There was nothing I couldn't put together. In fact, I had it done before Ichigo and Renji finished their argument. They were putting the drawers back in the dresser in my bedroom as they did and I left them to it. Big dummies.
"We're back!" Orehime called and I looked at the armfuls of bags they were carrying. "Dinner is served."
"Thank god I'm starved," Renji commented heading straight for the table. I went to one of the boxes and grabbed the crockery I'd had to buy and started dishing out chopsticks and spoons. Everyone sat down somewhere and started eating while various groups of people started to argue amongst themselves. Orehime and I found ourselves just laughing at all their silly antics.
"So they came to help because you're pretty, they stayed to help because of the food, I knew I had to keep my eye on you Uo, you're quite devious," Rangiku said from beside me, teasing.
"What?" I replied. "Everyone came to help because Ichigo asked. And I asked him."
"So they all helped because Ichigo thinks you're pretty, I see," she replied and I sighed.
"That's not what I said Rangiku," I rolled my eyes. "Just because we have womanly wiles doesn't mean I have to use them to get what I want. Ichigo helped me because I asked him to. Not because he wanted to bang me."
"Hmmm I don't know, Uo," she said and I rolled my eyes.
"Alright, I'll make you a deal Rangiku," I turned to her, pointing my chopsticks her way. "If I find out Ichigo likes me you'll be the first I tell. But up until that point you've got to stop teasing me about it. It's getting annoying."
"Matsumoto getting annoying, there's a surprise," Hitsugaya said from behind me and I almost jumped at the sudden intrusion.
"Hitsugaya, are you hungry? Grab a plate," I said recovering. He muttered a thank you and went to go and join the others.
"Thanks for all your help," I said to Ichigo as he leaned on the railing outside my apartment.
"Don't worry about it," he shrugged.
"I mean it, not just today," I told him. "I'll try and stay out your hair from now on."
"Don't worry about that," he sighed and turned around, facing the front door of my apartment. "Just try and stick out of this shinigami stuff yeah? As hat-n-clogs said you don't have any experience with fighting and you're already going to be a target with your spiritual pressure."
"See something dangerous, run away, got it," I rolled my eyes.
"Hey don't roll your eyes at me I'm serious," Ichigo scolded. "If you really are from another world then there's nothing back there that could prepare you for all of this."
"I know," I sighed. "When I was a kid I used to dream about coming here, it all looked so amazing and everyone was so cool but as an adult I'll be the first to admit I don't stand a chance against a single one of you."
"Don't worry about it," Ichigo said ruffling my hair. "As long as I'm around, you won't ever have to fight anyone."
"Ichigo," I started. "There's something, that's been bothering me."
"What is it?" He asked seriously.
"You said I'm a target for things because of my spiritual pressure, right?"
"Yeah?" He asked.
"What if I can't see hollows?" I asked. I've been worrying about that in the back of my mind. Of course this happened before I knew I had any spiritual pressure but even if I did, would that just mean I'd attract them and be unable to fight them off or run away because I didn't know they were there?
"Hopefully, I can get there in time that you'll never have to," he replied.
"You're still at Karakura and I'm going to have to get a job eventually, there's no way you can be by my side every second, that's plenty of times something can strike," I told him.
"Stop worrying about it," Ichigo told me. "We'll figure something out, until then, don't go out looking for trouble."
"Alright dad," I snorted and starred out onto the streets below. "I'm heading in, stay out here and brood as long as you want, just let me know if you're leaving."
With that I opened my apartment door again to see that somehow, Rangiku had broken out the sake and everyone was getting hammered. Save for Uryuu, Orehime, Chad and Hitsugaya.
"Jees, how long was I gone," I said to Orehime and Chad.
"Not long," Orehime replied.
"You'd be surprised at how quickly these guys can get drunk," Hitsugaya. "Where there's a will, there's a way. And with Rangiku, there's always a will."
"I guess I can't complain, everyone did such a good job at helping me, they deserve a party," I commented. "And thank you, Uryuu for helping me with all the re-covering. I wouldn't have been able to do it myself."
"Don't mention it," he shoved his glasses further up his face as he worked on sewing more pillow cases. I'd been the one to staple the fabric to the non removable parts and he worked on everything that require more skill and structure.
"Renji," I overheard Ichigo yell. "I need to talk to you a moment."
"I wonder what's up with them," I commented as we watched the two of them stalk outside.
"Renji, I need to talk to you," I called, getting the drunk shinigami's attention. He got up and immediately followed me outside.
"What's up?" He asked as I leaned on the railing of the apartment building's balcony.
"It's Uo," I replied. "Listen, you're staying with Urahara aren't you?"
"Yeah, I always do, although they're getting pretty sick of it to be honest."
"Do you think you could ask Uo if you could stay here?" I asked.
"What? Why?" Renji asked me.
"Look, I can't be with her every second and I think her spiritual pressure might make her a target," I explained. "I need you to keep an eye on her when you can, like when she's alone at night. If you're staying with her you can protect her. With Ikkaku and Yumichika next door and you in there.."
"She'd be surrounded," Renji replied. "Nothing could get close."
"Exactly," I replied.
"Yeah, I can do that," Renji replied. "I'll get too hammered to walk home and ask if I can stay over. Then I'll just never leave."
"I'm sure that's what you did with sandal-hat."
"Ma~ I'm so tired," Rangiku said, red in the face and holding a clay bottle of sake.
"Maybe you should be getting home then, that way you can sleep," I suggested next to the clearly drunk woman.
"But I'm still awake now and I don't want to stop drinking just yet!" She whined.
"I never said you had to stop drinking," I told her. "But wouldn't it be nice to pass out in your own bed, instead of some stranger's apartment, or worse, on your walk home?"
"Nee! You're right!" She drunkenly agreed. "I have to continue drinking at Orehime's!"
"Good idea!" I told her. "Here, let me help you gather your things."
"You're such a good friend, Uo," she said as she hurried off to find Orehime.
"Devious friend more like," Ichigo commented from beside me. "You little manipulator."
"Oh don't give me that, for the last time I was kidding about blackmailing Uryuu," I threw my hands up in the air.
"Sure you were, you little otaku," he leaned down and ruffled my hair and I growled at him, feeling my first tick mark appear.
"Why you!" I pointed at him.
"It's not nice being the one made fun of, is it?" He grinned at me.
"I'll get you back, Ichigo, you know I will kid," I took my cheap shot and he laughed.
"You'll have to try much harder than that," he told me.
Rangiku breezed past me at that moment with Orehime and Hitsugaya in tow. Uryuu also commented he and Chad should be getting home for the night and the two went their separate ways at the door. With that, it was just Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Ichigo left.
"Haven't seen Rukia all night," I said to Ichigo.
"She's not really the party person, she said she'd hang out with my sisters for a bit and then get an early night," he replied.
"That's fair," I nodded. "Can't be much of a party person when you live with the likes of Byakuya, most boring person in the seireitei."
"Don't let him hear you say that," Ichigo laughed. "I'm heading home, will you be alright here?"
"I'll be fine, I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked.
"That's right, tomorrow's Saturday, I promised you we'd hang out," he replied.
"You never promised," I smiled. "I just asked, if you're busy we don't have to."
"No, it'll be fun," he said. "Like you said, I don't have any fun. Maybe I should try it sometime?"
"I'll see you tomorrow then," I grinned.
"Yeah, see you," he said and headed out the door.
"Uo~" Ikkaku demanded. "Come and have a drink with us."
"I don't see the harm," I shrugged and walked over to the couch where he poured me a cup and forced it into my hands.
"You think he's out cold?" I asked Renji staring at Ikkaku's unconscious form, Yumichika having left ages ago.
"He's fucked," Renji slurred.
"Let's get him next door," I told him. "That way if he wakes up and throws up, it won't be in my apartment."
"Good plan," Renji nodded and he took Ikkaku's left arm while I had his right. He was balanced on each of our shoulders and we dragged him through the apartment and next door. I knocked on the wooden door and shortly after Mizuho answered the door. She saw Ikkaku and was worried for a moment before she locked eyes with me.
"Who are you?" She asked, eyes narrowing.
"I live next door," I answered and shoved her aside.
Renji and I dragged Ikkaku inside and dumped him down on the empty futon beside a sleeping Yumichika. Mizuho looked like she was going to protest but Renji and I hurriedly escaped her apartment and went back to mine.
"He was heavier than I was expecting," Renji commented.
"I have no doubt you could have lifted him, with your spiritual pressure," I told him. "But that would have looked super weird to ordinary humans."
"Want another drink?" Renji asked looking at the abandoned sake bottles on the coffee table.
"Eh, why not, the night is still young," I grinned. I sat on one side of the coffee table and he took the other, the two of us laughing and joking between drinking from the sake cups.
"Hey," Renji said as he tried to stand up and swayed a little. I rushed forward to steady him. He'd been drinking all night where as I had only started maybe an hour, two hours before. Seems it had finally caught up with him. "You mind if I stay the night? I don't think I'm making it home otherwise."
"I imagine Kisuke and the rest are getting pretty sick of it too," I commented, still holding him up.
"Yeah, those assholes," Renji growled. "No hospitality."
"Yeah, I'm sure they just don't know how to treat a guest," I said walking him over to the couch.
"Not at all," he agreed. "And that little snot nosed kid calls me a moocher all the time."
"Yeah," I nodded. "Jinta's an ass."
"You know," Renji looked at me, all red in the cheeks from the sake. "You and I could be great friends."
"I'm sure we will," I struggled under the weight of a fully grown, very built up man.
"You know," Renji said standing by the couch as I tried to lead him down. "You're a very pretty girl, Ichigo is lucky to have a friend like you."
Renji lurched forward and down to meet my face. He cupped it and kissed me roughly. 'I thought he liked Rukia! Why is he kissing me!?' I thought in a panic. I pulled away from him and he was even more red in the face than before.
"You're drunk," I told him, scowling as I held all the weight of his body now.
"Yeah," he agreed nodding. "I am."
He dropped his head to my shoulder and after a few lifeless moments and a snore, I sighed. He'd passed out. I dropped him down to the couch, trying to lay him on it and then hurried to the linen cupboard grabbing a blanket and losing it over him.
"You big dummy," I sighed shaking my head. I turned and went to my own bed. 'What a day.'