Summary:
Tatsuki wants there to be someone else who Orihime can confide in besides herself. So she chooses to get Orihime and her other best friend Ichigo together. While planning though, tragedy strikes leaving Tatsuki unable to help Orihime anymore and Ichigo to think about his own growing feeling for Orihime alone. But little did she know that her own death could be the cause for the two to finally get together. Now, Ichigo must find a way to comfort the depressed Orihime over the death of her lost friend.
Learning to Cope
Chapter Two
Planning
…
"Ano… why does school have to be so far away from home~" Orihime complained as she entered the large building of Karakura High. She quickly switched out shoes at her shoe locker. She jumped one foot -since she was still trying to put on her left slipper- down the sun light filled hallways to get to her class.
She leaned against the wall as she used her fingers to cover the heal of her small foot. As she was doing so though, her skirt started to ride up in a dangerous fashion, which she took no notice to. A cough made her jump from her actions.
Her foot slammed back onto the tiled floor. Orihime glanced from underneath her thick lashes to see who had made the noise. A few feet away stood a tall, broad chested boy wearing the male student uniform. His hair was a bright shade of orange and a scowl covered his features along with his usually crispy tan looking flushed on his face for some reason. Chocolate orbs clashed into shining grey.
The princess blinked, confused as to why his face was red.
"Are you ok, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked him innocently. She looked at him with stormy eyes that could make any male want to melt, but the one standing a few feet away just grunted in response.
He stood still, still staring at her with an intense gaze that made her own cheeks flame. He blinked a few times, wondering why he had stared at the girl for so long.
"I'm fine, Inoue," Ichigo said. He turned his head in another direction to look out on of the many windows that let fresh sun light into the hallway. He began to scratch the back of his head nervously. He was a little peeved that he had enjoyed the view of her blue striped panties so damn much. Another problem would be that he could not get the image out of his head.
"Is something worrying you then?"
He stopped. Ichigo looked back at her, giving her a confused look. "What makes you think that?"
"Oh… well…" Orihime's face began to get more flushed then before. She averted her eyes from her crush to the spot he had been looking at. "I-I… I've noticed that…. Well, whenever Kurosaki-kun gets nervous… h-he scratches the back o-of his neck…" She silently cursed at herself for stuttering.
He would probably think her very weird for taking notice to such a little action like that. Ichigo probably was thinking she was a freak for taking so much time as to even watch him and know why he would do that. It was worse though, that she knew why he even did it. She knew the exact reason because she would steal a glance during school to look at him. He would sometimes have a spacy look on his face, which was strange, but very cute to her.
Orihime was thinking over of whether or not she should take the chance to run away and hide in a supply closet for the rest of the day as he thought of what to say back. She really wish the floor would just open up and swallow her whole right now.
Why did I even tell him that! Orihime mentally slapped herself silly. He probably wants to do away with me like those darn little blue men who trip me and make me fall down the stair and hit random poles that come out of nowhere… How do they even move the poles though? Are they like ants? Can they pick up object five times their size? Oh! That would be so cool! If I were an ant, I wonder if I could pick up a building the size of-
"Oi, Inoue!"
"Eh?"
Ichigo sighed. "You were daydreaming again, Inoue."
"Oh… I-I was?" The auburn haired girl bit her bottom lip, feeling embarrassed had she had just spaced out on her orange headed crush. "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun…"
He held in the urge to scratch the back of his neck again. Ichigo tried to dismiss the apology. "No… You're free to do whatever you want, Inoue. Even if it is to daydream and keeping your mouth gapped open like a coy fish..."
Orihime's face flushed. "It wasn't open like that!" She gave him a cute glare and puffed her cheeks out, trying to make herself look angry.
It didn't seem to work, since Ichigo immediately started to laugh at her. She pouted at him to try and show she was serious, but even that didn't seem to work.
She tried to ignore that fact that she though his laugh was very nice to the ears, her ears. Orihime had never been given the pleasure to hear his laugh. It was… a very pleasant experience to witness and listen to. She silently whispered a wish to one day be able to hear it again, and to also be the person who caused it.
Playing along, Orihime turned her face and huffed out some air. "Well, I think Kurosaki-kun is being a meanie~!" She pulled out her pink lips faked another pout. Her arms went under her chest to cross, making her already large mounds look even bigger. He laughed more.
Orihime tried hard to hide the small smile that formed on her lips. She found herself giggling along with Ichigo's now softer chuckles. Her cheeks took a small dust of pink.
A hand came in contact with the top of her head, making Orihime stop giggling. She gazed up to Ichigo, who was ruffling her rust colored hair with his larger hand. Her eyes got as big as saucers. She liked the feeling of his finger tangled into her auburn locks. As if he realized what he was doing, he snatched his hand away, but he still looked down at her with soft chocolate eyes.
They stared into each other's eyes. It felt like hours before it stopped and both moved their sight into another direction, finding windows and tiled floors of higher interest. Orihime messed with the hem of her skirt and Ichigo stuffed his hands into his pockets.
Ichigo found it a good feeling, yet a bad one also, that he had liked the way her hair had gone through his finger so easily. It felt like he was touching a fabric smoother then silk. He had never thought hair could be so soft. He actually wanted to attempt to run though it again. Would she think he was weird if he did it again? Well… it did seem pretty awkward to just walk up and touch someone and run their fingers through their hair.
If he did it again, she would probably think of him as a pervert. Some guy who went around trying to get a feel (though he didn't come anywhere near in contact with her breasts). But, this was Inoue. She would never think of anyone in such a way. Her soul was just that pure. If she were to look a cold blooded killer in the eye then she would somehow be able to warm his heart and make him into a regular in volunteer work as homeless shelters.
Yes, she was just that good.
And that is how Kurosaki Ichigo, somehow in this incredible universe, found the courage to once again pat the school's goddess on the head where her silky smooth hair was.
Damn… did he have the guts or what?
This also, lead him to saying some very strange stuff that Kurosaki Ichigo would never say to anyone. And damn, that meant anyone!
Well… with Inoue he was a totally different person, so it really didn't matter one bit.
So, while letting auburn strand get laced through his fingers as he began to walk past the busty girl, he let some words that felt very weird on his tongue, leave his lips.
"Inoue, don't ever change."
Why would he say something like this? Was it because she had made him almost laugh his way to tears? Did it really ultimately lead him to say something so… weird?
The statement was loud and clear for Orihime's ears to hear. Her knees actually shook when he passed her and she almost, almost, sunk down to the floor with flamed cheeks that rivaled her lesbian friend's hair color. A tingling shiver type of sensation past her body, thinking about how the way Ichigo had said her name was very sexy (did he cause her to swoon?).
Yes indeed! Damn well sexy it was!
When she could no longer hear his footsteps, signaling he was far away enough for him to not hear what she was about to do next, she did what any girl would do at that moment. She took in a breath of air and released it in…
…a fangirl squeal that echoed through the hallways.
…
…
…
A yell also echoes through the hallways as Orihime squealed.
"ORIHIME!"
Rukia shivered as she watched the spiky hair girl stomp off to where the squeal had come from. She also saw Ichigo coming in to the room, looking a little bit pleased with himself. An awkward grin covered his features, but only awkward because he was still scowling and the smile looked to be hurting his cheeks.
He was also looking at his hand in a way that just seemed odd.
"Mmm…" she though it over.
Yep, everything clicked together in her head.
…
…
…
Bam
"Owie!" The auburn haired girl clutched the area on her head that her friend had impaled her wrath on. She pouted with playful tears on the edge of falling. "Ta… T-Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cried.
"Where in the bloody hell were you this morning?" Tatsuki's face was twisted with frustration and anger. Her fist that she had hit Orihime in the head with was still curled up tightly, ready to be used again if needed. A pained look crossed her face for a second as the impact from hitting her friend's head shot through her fist. It would probably bruise later.
"Y-You could have broken my head open!"
Well I could have broken my hand! Tatsuki bit back that comment though.
"Hell yea I would have!" The karate champion then realized what the princess was trying to do. "And don't you try to change the subject, Hime!"
The noble woman placed a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder. "Hey, calm down Tatsuki. She's here, so that's all that matters right now."
When her eyes shifted, Orihime took the chance to run over to Rukia and lock her in a tight hug.
"Oh Kuchiki-san!" She chirped. "You understand me~!"
Just about ready to jump on the petite girl, Orihime spread her arms out to embrace her. But before the moment could begin, a hand shot out and grabbed her collar, puller her back.
"Oh, no you don't," Tatsuki grumbled. She pulled Orihime back while the princess tried her hardest to reach for her other friend. "You have some explaining to do, Hime!"
Orihime's arms swung to her sides looking lifeless. She stopped in place on the concrete roof top of the school. Her eyes were hooded and her lips pierced in a straight line. Her very own look of utter defeat. Even she knew when to give up. There was no winning against Tatsuki.
"So… you have discovered my plot to take over the world… have you?" Another try at changing the subject.
"…"
"Mmm? Well, have you Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime fluttered here eyelashes to look cute and innocent.
"…"
"Well, then if you're not with me, I'll just ask Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san to join me! We'll go visit the aliens that harvest green carrots and steal all the red bean paste from them so we can-"
Bam
Rukia blinked. On the floor laid an out cold Orihime with a comical bump forming on the top of her auburn scalp. The petite girl just sighed.
"I don't think you had to knock her out, Tatsuki," Rukia deadpanned.
"…"
"…does your fist hurt?" she teased.
"…"
"…"
"Help me carry Orihime to the nurse's office."
"Sure."
…
…
…
Awkward silence filled the nurse's office. The older woman had claimed she was to take her lunch hour, so the two raven haired girls were welcome to stay in and watch over their friend till she woke up. Which they did, thanking the nurse for letting them skip class to stay.
Tatsuki sat on the stool closes to the bed while Rukia sat in the nurses rolling chair by the desk. She clicked a pen in and out, leaving annoyance to be gained on the other girl who was trying to keep it in. Right now wasn't the time to be fighting.
Taking in a breath, Tatsuki looked at the princess with a sad expression. She watched as her friend's chest moved up and down slowly and the twitch of her eyes when something in her dream seemed to mess with her. But in all, she seemed to be an ok condition.
Rukia, who had exchanged the pen for a folder, was waving the thick paper in front of her face to get some cool air. She glanced at Tatsuki every now and then to make sure she wasn't going to choke or smack the sleeping princess to get some answers out of her. It was safe to say though, that the karate champion had not done anything of the sort yet.
The picture in front of her made her want to laugh. Inoue with her face getting scrunched up in a strange way, to Tatsuki giving glares to the air with small huffs.
Sometimes I wonder how these two became friend's… A grin filled the petite girl's lips at such a though. But then again, we met in a weird way too. So I guess its ok.
Tired of the silence, Rukia plopped the paper back on the desk and rolled her chair over next to Tatsuki.
"So…" the short girl started. She gave her spiky hair companion a small smile. "Does your fist hurt still?"
"…"
Tatsuki kept quiet. She didn't seem to be paying attention to Rukia. This just made the noble frown.
"Hey, you don't have to be worried over Inoue, Tatsuki," she tried to reassure with a small nod of her head.
"I'm not worried!" Tatsuki blushed and covered her face while turning her head away from the smiling girl. "I've just been thinking about something is all…"
Rukia raised a brow. "And what is this that you have been thinking of?"
"N-Nothing! Forget I said anything!" She still refused to look at Rukia.
"Oh hell no, Tatsuki!" Rukia yelled, but then remembered her sleeping friend. She brought it down the volume. "You don't just bring it up and expect it to be dropped right on the spot!"
"Yeah? Well it's not like I'm the only one keeping secrets here!"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Tatsuki glared at the girl. "Like I don't fucking know that you're dating some tattooed dude was is way older then all of us!" She crossed her arms and stomped her foot. "Maybe I'll tell you what I'm keeping if you weren't keeping things from me and Orihime too!"
"Renji has nothing to do with this," Rukia stated has calmly as she could.
"So then leave me the hell alone!"
"Fine!" Rukia turned the other way on her chair and scowled at the plain white wall. Her purple orbs scanned over it, finding it way more interesting then She knew her love life was taking a turn for the worst, considering her family would kill her before letting her be with Renji. It wasn't like she was really even hiding it either. Neither her sister nor her brother-in-law cared to ask, so she did not care to inform them. It was none of their business any way.
But to think, that Tatsuki had known the whole time sent Rukia a wave of guilt. She had wanted to tell her two friends', but she worried over what they would tell her. Rather if they would approve of her dating a man in collage or tell her break it off.
She was scared.
Rukia was for sure certain that she was in love with Renji. In fact, if he were to pop the question of marriage, then she would jump from joy and exclaim how much better it would be to be with him instead of having all the money in the world. But then her family came to mind. She was a part of a clan full of nobles. Would they ever let her even think of saying 'I do'?
Probably not…
She wanted to scream. Her soul called out for freedom. To let her get away from all this dammed sorrow and be with the man she loved forever. Joined together as more then just a pair, but as husband and wife.
To be complete.
She dreamed. Her heart craved to find some type of love. Let it be with him, only him.
"I'm sorry, Rukia…" Tatsuki muttered. She was still looking at the slumbering girl.
She found herself smiling for some reason.
"It's ok," Rukia said back, trying to sound like she wasn't upset. "Besides, I don't think Inoue would want us to be fighting anyway."
"I bet you're right on that one," Tatsuki chuckled. When she stopped, she got a distant look in her eyes. "If you want… I'll tell you what I was thinking about from earlier."
"No, you don't have to if you don't want to," the short girl insisted. "It was none of my business to begin with."
"Well if you say so…" Rukia gave her friend a glare. She didn't like how she had said it so quickly.
I'll have to keep this little plan to myself… Tatsuki yawned and leaned back in her chair.
"Damn, now I actually want to know just what the hell you are planning to do," Rukia muttered with a small pout.
"Oh, don't worry Rukia. I think you'll be happy with these results just as much as might be."
Rukia furrowed her brows together. "And how is that?"
"I am going to make the legendary princess who has never had a boyfriend, get hooked up with a certain scowling punk."
And so the plan is set into motion.
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Disclaimer- Do not own Bleach. Kubo does because I certainly can't draw like that.
Warning- ending of the first scene is crack-tastic! Beware of marshmallow men who steal pencils and plot bunnies! They like cherry pie and a sense of humor. Also, fluff? Ichigo appears?
Notes- HTBB will probably be updated before this Sunday. No promises though. =)