Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own Bleach. Sorry guys.
"So, are you ready to go, Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked after the final bell rang, "I have a spare sleeping bag and pajamas, so you shouldn't have to go to Ichigo's if we wash your uniform!" she considered her statement for a moment, then asked, "Or do you even sleep? Do you need a futon, or should I just make a lot of coffee for myself? Because I-" Rukia's giggle cut her off.
"I have no trouble sleeping, but that's thoughtful of you to consider." she said, smiling warmly.
"O-oh, of course." Orihime muttered. She couldn't help but notice the warm roseiness of Rukia's voice. Not exactly feminine in that sense, but it reminded her of dark red roses at night, with little drops of rain on the petals, even when she sang.(1+2) Actually, now that Orihime thought about it, everything about Rukia seemed to provoke that particular image....
"They're beautiful...." Orihime commented on the roses in her mind.
"Beautiful? Would you be talking about me, perchance?" Chizuru asked, suddenly in Rukia's place in front of her.
"Ah! Chizuru-chan! Where did you come from, where's Kuchiki-san?" Orihime gasped, "You scared me...."
"Oh! I didn't mean to startle you, Orihime, I just walked over while you were spacing. Kuchiki's right over there, talking to Kurosaki about something. She tried to tell you, but you were on another planet." Chizuru explained.
"Oh no! Thanks Chizuru! KUCHIKI-SAN!" Orihime shouted, turning and running toward Rukia and Ichigo. Chizuru grinned a devilish grin.
"I thought so." she said to herself, entirely too pleased. Orihime glanced back and saw Chizuru's grin, which only served to confuse her. She shook the thought away. She'd already spaced out on a friend... twice today, she wasn't about to let it happen again.
"Kuchiki-san!" Orihime shouted, getting Rukia's attention. Both Ichigo and Rukia turned to face her, looking curious. "I'm sorry I spaced out on you, it's not like me to ignore someone like that, please forgive me!" she bowed, and Rukia giggled. Orihime raised her head, making eye contact with Rukia,who was right in front of her face. She gasped and jumped back, blushing. Rukia smiled and said,
"You're forgiven."
"Oh, good." Orihime said, returning the smile.
"You're right, Rukia, there's defiantly something wrong with her tod-MMPH!" Ichigo began, but Rukia suddenly sprung up and got on Ichigo's back, holding her hands over his mouth. "MmmmmmMMmm, yMMmmMM!!" Ichigo yelled under Rukia's hands, which she translated as "WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU CRAZY BITCH?!"
"I told you not to say anything, Kurosaki!" Rukia answered. Orihime was totally lost.
"Uhh.... Anyway, are you ready to go?" Orihime asked. Rukia looked up from Ichigo to Orihime.
"Oh! Yes!" she jumped off of Ichigo, waved at him and said, "See ya later, Ichigo."
"What? What the hell is going on here?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm spending the night at Orihime's tonight." Rukia answered. Ichigo shook his head.
"Of course you are." he said, turning around and walking away, "Whatever. See you guys tomorrow."
"What did he mean by that?" Orihime asked.
"Aah, don't worry about it." Rukia answered, looking a little annoyed.
"But...."
"Can't help but worry." Rukia said, looking Orihime in the eyes. Orihime was taken aback at the eye contact. She's really very....
"What?" Orihime asked, before she spaced for too long. Rukia smiled.
"It sounds like something you'd say. 'But I can't help but worry.'" Rukia stated. Orihime's face fell into shock when she realized,
"That's exactly what I was going to say! Wow, Kuchiki-san, you are good at reading people, aren't you?" Orihime asked, suddenly very impressed, and interested. Rukia smirked her dangerously sweet smirk.
"You have no idea." she said.
"Ooh.... So, so, so... have you figured out Chizuru? I mean, it's none of my business, but Tatsuki keeps telling me about how she does, and doesn't want to know what's going through her head at the same time...." Orihime wondered. Rukia squinted and put a little bit of accentuation into the danger in her expression.
"Of course I have." she said, her face turning slightly serious, "See her now?" she pointed. Orihime followed Rukia's finger and spotted Chizuru talking with some people Orihime had seen around... a few were in the same class as our three girls.
"Yeah... who are those people she's talking to?"
"Hang on... she won't be talking to them for much longer."
"Why's that?"
"You see the way her body's facing away from the circle?"
"Yeah."
"It's been that way for the past few moments. She's trying to get going."
"Wow, Kuchiki-san, that-"
"But that's not all."
"What?"
"Wait a moment, look like you're talking to me." Rukia said as Chizuru started going in the direction her body was faced after waving to her friends. She walked a short distance, looked around, saw Orihime and Rukia, and kept walking. Actually, she walked a little faster after seeing Orihime and Rukia.
"What?" Orihime whispered, "She didn't...."
"She doesn't flirt with you when your friend's not around... what was her name?" Rukia asked.
"Tatsuki?"
"Yeah. Her. You want to know why?" Rukia questioned Orihime while beginning to walk toward the closest exit to the school campus.
"I want to know how you know that...." Orhime said, following Rukia's lead.
"I've seen her do that," Rukia gestured to where Chizuru was when she ignored Orihime's presence, "a lot. She tends to ignore you more often than not if Tatsuki isn't around. She'll especially ignore you if I'm around. Or at least, now she will."
"Why?" Orihime asked. Rukia grinned a little.
"To the Tatsuki part, or the me part?" she asked.
"The Tatsuki part first," Orihime said, "then the you part."
"I haven't come to a completely for sure conclusion, but I'm pretty convinced that Chizuru just likes messing with her... I just don't know why. So it really has nothing to do with you. Okay, maybe a little. If she could actually win you over, that'd probably be a bonus. Even thought she'd actually make a nice host, I think. You should try accepting next time she invites you over. I get the feeling she'd actually be very respectful, and that the whole 'pervert' thing isn't really what she's like." Rukia said, shrugging at the end.
"Whoa... I-I'll think about that one... umm, but what about the part about you?" Orihime asked.
"Oh, that? Well, I figured it'd save you some grief if I got her to quit wanting to bug Tatsuki so often, so I got her to stop while I'm around, at least."
"H-how'd you do that?" Orihime wondered. Rukia smirked. It was a regular smirk this time, but a smirk, none the less.
"I told her I was actually interested in you, and that if she didn't hit on you while I was around, that she might catch it when I finally got you."
(1)Statement based on the Japanese voice actress.
(2)To hear Rukia sing, go to my profile for the links.