A little less embarrassment in this chappy, I think Ichigo deserves a break lol. I do try to stay as true to his character as I can though. Hope you enjoy!

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As Ichigo slowly came back to consciousness... he felt warm, safe and comfortable. He felt like he never wanted to leave wherever he was ever again.

But there was a sound that was bringing him out of his comfortable sleep... it sounded like someone yelling, no someone talking really loud over someone else.

Damn, if it's Kon I'm going to rip his stuffing out!

Ichigo slowly opened a bleary eye... and saw something he didn't expect. There, just a few inches away from his own face was a giant Matsumoto!

Ahh! The Little fox recoiled in surprise.

"Look Rangiku now you woke him up, the little guy needs his rest, I promise I'll let you play with him later, I really do, but I want to take extra special care of him right now. He might be malnourished! Urahara didn't say where he got him, he might have been living on the streets the poor little thing." Said Orihime and stroked Ichigo to get him to calm down. Foxy little Ichigo instantly relaxed at her touch.

"Fine, fine you always did have such a big heart Orihime, you wouldn't expect anything less with bossoms like ours!" Matsumoto declared happily, "I'm going on patrol for a bit then, that slacker boyfriend of yours has gone missing apparently."

Ichigo's ears perked up and Orihime blushed and looked down.

"He's not my boyfriend..." she said quietly.

"Well, with a little luck dear it won't be long until the knucklehead is!" Matsumoto yelled happily and went on her way.

Boyfriend...? Ichigo thought. By this time he had realized he was snuggled warmly in Orihime's lap. He looked up at her to see her blushing and looking towards the window, while mindlessly stroking his back.

Could it be that... he always knew that Inoue was a dear friend to him. He remembered the feeling he felt when he found out she had been kidnapped by the arrancars -- that hollow empty feeling of dread, that overwhelming anger, that unbearable emptiness filled only by her smiling face. He snuggled deeper into her lap wanting to feel a closeness that reassured him that she was here with him and not in danger, I'm never going to let anyone take her away again... For something so terrible to happen to someone so sweet and kind... That's why I protected her, that's why I brought her home, that's why I will always protect her... but I have been pretty swept up in the rebuilding and in dealing with my Damn lying shinigami father! I haven't spent as much time with Orihime a I've wanted to... sure I check her window every night to make sure she's safe...but maybe I should make more time... she's my friend just like Ishida and Chad, but they don't make me forget myself the way she does... He frowned with an almost irritated face as though thinking of something he was reluctant to admit... could it be that...

"I'm sorry about Rangiku," Orihime said, finally snapping Ichigo out of his thoughts. "She doesn't mean to be so loud but she sure does have a lot of energy. I'm glad your feeling better little friend and I'm sorry Sado-kun scared you, from now on it's prime pampering for you!" She gave Ichigo one of her most radiant smiles and for a moment he forgot about everything that had happened and genuinely smiled back. (though as a fox you really couldn't tell)

Orihime then started to ramble telling the little fox all about her apartment, and her favorite foods (pickle and peanut butter sandwiches washed down with orange juice) and how her greatest dream was one day to become an awesome space robot that protected super modern space societies on mars with her laser eyes and rocket launching breasts!...

What an imagination... Ichigo thought as a bead of sweat fell down his head.

But then she said something that really caught his attention.

"I'll let you in on a secret little guy, your fur is my favorite color." Orihime said with a satisfied smile.

Ichigo was stunned. He looked up at her with his eyes wide and pointy ear standing strait up in the air. Hadn't she said earlier, correctly in fact, that his fur was the same color as, he, Kurosaki-kun's hair? That's definitely not something she would normally admit to me.

It made him feel a little nervous to have her so close, saying such things so candidly that maybe he shouldn't be hearing.

It also made him nervous that it was forcing him to see his friend in a way that he hadn't allowed himself to do in the past.

"It reminds me of a very special person, who is the bravest man I know."

Now she had his full attention.

"He's had to deal with a lot lately and I think that sometimes he's afraid his power will... how should I put this... His power is vast and sometimes dark but his heart is golden and good and kind and there is nothing that can break that. I wish I could help him more, I wish I could be stronger, but no matter what, even if the world is crashing down around us, I'll be there by his side. Even if he doesn't know what I feel, it doesn't matter because my heart is already with this person and always will be."

At this point it didn't matter that Ichigo could not talk, because he was completely speechless.

Inoue...

"I've been training very hard the last few weeks with another friend who has similar powers to mine. It's a secret for now but hopefully it will make me more useful in battle, maybe then I won't be so weak, maybe then I won't be so useless..." Orihime was looking down with a little sadness in her eyes.

Meanwhile in Ichigo's head he was screaming for her not to put herself down. You aren't weak, you aren't useless Orihime, you have to realize that! You've saved us countless times, the only reason we're here is because of you!

Little fox Ichigo stood up on his hind legs, put his front paws on Orihime's arm and made a whining noise.

"I'm sorry buddy, I didn't mean to get sad. You are so cute. Let's go have fun and forget all about that. I bet you're a very hungry puppy!"

She quickly stood up, placing Ichigo on the ground and ran over to the kitchen.

He was more upset than he was ready to admit to be away from the warmth of her embrace, she had felt so... So nice...

And everything she had just admitted, the bit of her heart that she had revealed so freely to him, he had no idea, or maybe he had chosen not to see just how much Orihime cared for him. He was shocked because she had also fought along side Ishida and Chad but they were not the ones she was talking about or worried most about.

Her heart... is already with me?

An overwhelmingly powerful urge to protect Orihime until his dying breath over took him... it felt just like when he was nearly killed by Ulquiorra's attack and he heard Orihime yelling for him in his mind. He remembered wanting to protect her, but that wasn't all. I didn't want to lose her, I didn't want her taken away from me, I didn't want her to feel pain or fear, I wanted to comfort her, I wanted... to be with her!

Ichigo was shocked at this revelation! He had blocked most of the incident out of his mind in the chaos that followed. He had felt so guilty about attacking Ishida it had overshadowed everything else.

And now... he was remembering with surprising clarity, that split second feeling he had had, that unbearable fear that me may never get a chance to be close to her, to be with her, if he didn't fight back...

"Come on you cute little thing, what are you doing over there!" Orihime called, "Let's see if we can find something that you'll like."

Ichigo shyly trotted into the kitchen and looked at Orihime pouring through her refrigerator, and for once it didn't bother him the strange and scary things that she was pulling out. She just looked so cute.

He liked it better when she was being silly and bubbly, that was just her way. And even though he was always frowning or scowling, her presence always did make him feel better even if it didn't show on his face.

It pained him to see Orihime get down on herself. She rarely let people see that she was upset or sad, she was always smiling, always lifting up those around her. And the way he wanted to protect her it reminded him of... mom...

His mother had been much the same way. Only he had been too young to protect her. Well he was never going to let that happen again. And that's when Ichigo started to realize that Orihime may have already been more at the center of his universe than he was ready to admit.

He didn't know why he wouldn't accept the things he felt or thought sometimes. Part of him was too scared to be lumped in with all the other perverts that Oogled poor Orihime. But maybe part of it too was... maybe he didn't deserve her. I am dangerous. He thought darkly.

And also she was his friend and he respected her to the utmost, plus he didn't spend his days obsessing over girls, and he wasn't going to go out of his way to persuade any girl to fall for him... they should make their own decision. But has Orihime made that kind of decision?

"Here you go little friend!"

Ichigo was startled out of his thoughts. He was almost afraid to look at the little bowl in front of him was pleasantly surprised to see some microwaved hotdogs. He did feel hungry after all.

"I was going to fix you my some tuna cream cheese cabbage but I'm fresh out." She said pouting her lip.

Ichigo thanked his lucky stars.

As he munched on his hotdog Orihime smiled and began scratching behind his ear. It was a heavenly feeling! Why does that feel so good?! He asked himself and he leaned his head into her hand. She smiled happily.

I really shouldn't be taking advantage of this, she is still my trusted and dear friend, but I guess since I haven't had time to spend with her maybe this is ok for now... Yes, he concluded... I'll be sure to get away before Yuruichi gets back and no one will ever know it was me!

The little sleek fox had a triumphant look on his furry features. Orihime giggled.

"Then after this we can take a bath together!"

Gah!

"Oh no little friend, your nose is bleeding!" Orihime cried.

I'm not going to take advantage of this, even though even fiber in my teenage boy mind wants to, gahhh!

The little fox took off again deciding now was as good a time as ever to make his escape. It wasn't a second later, however, that living room window shatter and several figures came leaping in through the window...

Ichigo stopped in his tracks and looked over to see the culprits.

His emotions went from protection mode, to curiosity, to fear in a few seconds flat.

Only one thought entered his mind... Oh shit!...

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Next Chap: Yuruichi is back!