A little on the fast side, and once again it's not a very long chapter but things are getting hectic around here and I'm not sure when I'll be able to upload another chapter. So here's a wee bit for all my beautiful reviewers and subscribers *luvhugz*!!!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Tite Kubo ^_^

Achoo!

Orihime jumped as her fiance's allergies snatched her out of her wool gathering. She opened her mouth in an attempt to start a conversation with him and shake off the guilt of thinking on another man while mere inches from her fiance; however, she closed it when he whipped out a handkerchief to blow his nose (or trumpet, rather). She quickly averted her eyes. Few things grossed Inoue Orihime out, but even she had to admit that handkerchiefs were not the most appealing of his habits. She let out a small sigh and somehow thoughts of dangerous alien germ infested handkerchiefs led to the rest of her day with her new, and also dangerous but maybe not so alien germ infested, employer...

Kurosaki Isshin was surprisingly organized so it wasn't difficult to figure out what needed to be done. She had managed to gather up a pile of papers that needed to be signed by Ichigo and tucked them against her chest before heading back into the office. However, as soon as she opened the door she collided with a warm, solid wall and watched in horror as papers shot upward and then fell slowly, scattering all over the office floor. The wall quickly grew arms and hugged her form to steady her. Oh this is really, really not good. She felt her legs turn to jelly as waves of heat coursed through her body and she felt herself sink towards the floor. The arms held her tighter, halting her descent.

"I-inoue! Are you all right? Sorry about that."

She used all her strength, and willpower, to push herself off of his chest and started to exclaim apologies with violent hand waves but he wasn't letting go of her hands. Why wasn't he letting go? She couldn't think straight with his hands engulfing hers like that. She finally managed to glance up at his face and was surprised to see him scowling murderously at her hand. What on earth…?

"What's this?"

The deep, dangerous tone in his voice made her tremble, but not in fear.

"What's what?" she breathed.

"This!"

Did he just growl? Her eyes shifted to her hand that he had pushed into her face. What was wrong with her hand? Just a normal left hand with a r…oh. Rin, she foggily remembered. Why did her fiancé suddenly feel like a distant memory that she was now struggling to recollect?

"Y-you mean my engagement ring?" He dropped her hand as if the ring had suddenly snaked out and bit him.

"You're engaged?"

"Um…" she shifted nervously. What was wrong with her? Why be embarrassed about this? She'd already been engaged for over four months.

"Well?" The questioning word came out as a demanding growl.

"Y-yeah, I'm engaged." The words she'd said so many times over the past few months left a foul taste in her mouth for the first time.

"Who?"

"W-who? Er, he's, that is, I met him at university. His name's Yoshida Rin." She really didn't want to talk about her fiancé anymore.

The silence stretched out into a gulf between them. Finally he spoke, "I see. Congratulations are in order then."

"Th-thank you." He seems angry. Maybe because I didn't tell him? But we haven't spoken in years although we used to be close. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Pick up the phone and say, "Hey! Long time no speak! By the way I'm engaged!"

Her thoughts where interrupted with the sound of rustling. She looked down to see him on his knees picking up the papers she had dropped. "Oh! Wait! I can get those! You really don't need to-"

He merely grunted at her and continued picking up the papers. She silently knelt down and helped him pick up the rest before returning to her desk with the feeling that she'd just been through a hurricane.

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly and Ichigo seemed to end it in at least a slightly better mood since that morning. He even offered to walk her home, which she had almost said yes to without thinking! Gah! Stupid Orihime. It's been years since you last saw your first love. Years since that night. You're practically a married woman and don't need to be thinking about other men! She told herself it was just a momentary relapse into old ways of thinking and feeling. Nothing to pay any attention to…

"Here we are." She jumped at the sound of Rin's voice. She looked up and saw that they were indeed back at her old apartment. "I don't understand why you don't sell this old thing and let me buy a nice one."

She simply smiled softly to herself and shrugged, "The walls are full of memories that no new apartment could ever replace." She turned to face him, "Would you like to come in?"

He shook his head, "No, I have some things I need to finish tonight."

She smiled sweetly and pecked him on the lips, "Okay, good night then."

"Good night."

Hmm, the kiss was okay, but nothing compared to…No, no, no! Stop that! She swiftly turned on her heel, deciding that all she needed was a nice long shower and some yummy food and all would be well.

"Argh!"

Seriously, he needed to sleep! The day had left him exhausted to his soul but he couldn't freaking sleep! Between Orihime's beautiful face swimming in his head and a grotesque man-eating diamond ring mocking him he wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. He sighed and rolled out of bed finally giving in to the little pills beckoning him from the medicine cabinet. He popped one in, settled once more into his bed, and after a while finally felt sleep overtaking him.

Sleep, however, was not to be as much of a relief as he had hoped for. He dreamed of memories. Memories of the one night he wanted to forget; yet, somehow, at the same time, wanted to hide in his heart forever...

It had been a send off party for Sado, Uryu, Orihime, and Ichigo before they all went to their separate universities. Sado would be going to Spain where his family had moved to from Mexico. Uryu had been accepted to Oxford University, of course. Orihime would be heading to Tokyo University to study to become a writer. Finally, Ichigo was to be going to a smaller university to study medicine. It was hard to imagine them all being separated after all they had been through together, but Soul Society was much stronger now and no longer needed the assistance of the four gifted teenagers. Peace had long been restored and the "afro shinigami" was more than enough to take care of the occasional hollow that came to visit Karakura Town. Now it was time for them to build lives for themselves while in this world and unfortunately their dreams drove them apart.

The party had grown to an enormous size as a seemingly endless stream of shinigami poured in from God knows where. It was large, and not exactly suited to everyone's tastes, but it was joyous and it was good for the four students to see all the friends and colleagues they had made over the years. However, someone had made one, very big mistake: inviting Rangiku to a supposedly non-alcoholic party with a very large, very open punch bowl. According to her thinking, who wouldn't give in to the temptation to dump a bottle, or two or three, of sake into the waiting red juices? Before long the party had become a little too joyous.

Ichigo growled at nothing in particular as he tried to find his balance, almost toppling into into a tangle of a very disturbing game of Twister. He attempted to growl again but it came out as more of gravelly hiccup. Those around him snickered as he tried to find his way out of there while fighting down the urge to go "Bull Ichigo" on their asses.

He finally stumbled upon a quiet dark hallway and breathed in the silence. He'd never been drunk before, but he didn't like it at all. It was as if his senses more aware yet he was less in control. Sigh. He really should just go home and get some slee-soft? What the-?

He looked down to see a giggling auburn haired beauty leaning against him.

"Oops! Sorry Kurosaki-kun! The sea witch seems to have taken over and she's making all the floors turn into ocean waves!"

He couldn't help the grin that overtook his face. Her crazy imagination had been a little more subdued since being kidnapped, but apparently alcohol brought it to the surface again, very alive and kicking. His grin faded as she tried to walk again only to weave and stumble and he quickly reached out to catch her in his arms.

He started to ask if she was okay, but he was distracted by her body that he was suddenly very aware was pressed up against his.

It all came at him in a torrent, her scent saturating the air he breathed, her soft breasts pressed awkwardly against his stomach, her small hands clutching at his biceps. He slowly drew her arms up so that her body was fully against his. She looked up into his face and he gasped.

In the dim light he could see her cheeks were flushed and her parted lips seemed more swollen and red than usual. Her big grey eyes stared back up into his, expectantly? He wasn't sure, but he couldn't control what his instincts told him to do next. He lowered his face until their lips finally touched and vaguely wondered how such a small gesture could ignite a wildfire within him.

His arms tightened around her as he felt her hands travel up his arms to caress the back of his head. It was almost his undoing. He groaned as he jabbed his tongue into her already open and waiting mouth. She responded with a passion he hadn't known she had, moaning and melting her mouth and body into his. He felt licks of fire igniting his body as his insides melted into molten lava, pooling deep in his body. His hands traveled down her back and grasped her hips forcing her against his throbbing-

"Hime-chaaaan! Where aaarrre yooouuu!" Chizuru's voice sliced through the charged air between them. They jumped back from each other as gasps escaped each other's lips. They stood, each with their back against the opposite wall, staring at each other as they breathed heavily.

"Oh! There you are Hime-chan! Come come come! I have something to show you!" She snickered diabolically, not noticing Ichigo in the shadows. Tatsuki suddenly appeared, hands on her hips and staring death beams at Chizuru.

"The only thing anybody's gonna be showin' anybody is me showing you my fist you sex-crazed woman!" Tatsuki closed her eyes with a withering sigh as she willed herself to calm down, "C'mon Orihime, what are you doing alone in this hallway? Let's get back to the party."

"O-okay…" He heard her leave with the girls and let his body slide down the wall to the ground. She was gone but the air was still thick with her presence, her scent. Before his thoughts could dwell any longer on what had just happened, the alcohol forced him into a sudden, deep sleep...

He awoke with a start, half expecting to be lying in the freezing hallway, but realized he was in his own bed. And he had to face Orihime at the hospital another day. He groaned and rolled to a sitting position at the edge of his bed. Ichigo let his face fall into his hands as his sleepy brain involuntarily finished the memory where his dream had left off...

The day after, they had seen each other before she had to leave for Tokyo University at the airport. He had contemplated not going to see her off, but he couldn't do that. The crazy idea that he could beg her to not get on that plane and stay with him crossed his mind. He couldn't do that either. It wasn't as if he were in love with her or anything. Besides, they each had their own paths to follow and one kiss, no matter how hot, was not enough to stop them from continuing down the roads they had chosen. He braced himself for the awkward encounter that was sure to ensue.

"Kurosaki-kun!" He whirled around to see her running towards him. He felt his breath catch at the sight of her. It was as if beauty and light in their very essence were running towards him and calling his name.

"I-inoue…"

"Thank you so much for seeing me off! Unfortunately I'm running late so I can't say goodbye for long, but keep in touch okay?"

He stood entranced by her smile and melodic voice. When had she been so breathtaking? "O-okay."

"Good-bye, Kurosaki-kun!" She happily waved at him and ran off to her gate as quickly as she had come. Before he knew it, he was staring at her plane taking off for Tokyo and he suddenly felt like his heart was being wrenched from his chest. When the plane was out of sight he wondered if this is how Ulquiorra felt with a hole in his chest.

She must have been too drunk to remember. The thought should have been a relief to him, but it tore at his insides. He stood there in the middle of the terminal trying to figure out what the hell this was all about.

Beep Beep!

His shinigami badge broke him out of his thoughts and he sighed with relief to be able fight something tangible.

Sigh.

He stared at the long dormant badge on his bookshelf and tried to will it with his gaze to go off. He could really use something to release his built up tension on to, but it was no use. He dragged his body to the shower and let the water cascade over his skin, struggling to force his mind away from images of a certain princess, nakedly conserving water with him.

*sigh* I love being green ^_^ Especially with-

*poke poke*

Me: Yes?

Grimmjow: *death glare*

Me: Problems?

Grimmjow: What the hell, woman! What are you thinking not putting me in any of your stories?!

Me: Well gracious, I've only written one and a half stories. Besides, Ichigo and Orihime are my OTP. I can't have you butting in between them now can I, Sexta-san?

Grimmjow: F*** that OTP shit! I-

Me: Now, now Grimmy-chan. Watch the language. This is still a T rated story. And don't worry pretty kitty, you'll have your chance with an auburn haired girl. *fluffs up own auburn hair with an evil eye glint*

Grimmjow: *gulp*

Me: fufufu. Review please and thank you! I love you guys more than Grimmy-chan's abs!