Author's Note: I do not own Bleach or its characters. This is AU.


I'm Alone

Orihime was beginning to think she needed some advice. While she had a crush on Ichigo for years, and there had always been a number of people who had been interested in her, Orihime really was a novice when it came to romantic relationships. And she was beginning to think she wanted one with Uryuu. She had realized that the night he had slept over. Orihime had made them both tea, and they had ended up falling asleep together on the couch. She had awakened the next morning cuddled in his arms and feeling incredibly happy.

The problem was she didn't know what to do next. Orihime was pretty sure she was supposed to do something to indicate to a guy that she was interested, but she wasn't sure what. She supposed she could ask him out on a date, but that seemed a little extreme. Besides, she could be reading things wrong. Maybe Uryuu just thought of her as a close friend. He didn't necessarily have to be attracted to her just because she was attracted to him. Orihime wasn't sure who she could go to for help though. The only one of her girlfriends who actually had a boyfriend right now was Rukia, and Orihime felt uncomfortable asking her.

With a sigh, Orihime grabbed her bag and headed out the door. She had class and then she had a meeting with her mentor. When she had started university, there had been an opportunity to sign up to be mentored by an older student. Orihime had gotten Rangiku Matsumoto, a math graduate student. Rangiku had taken it upon herself to make sure that Orihime was settled into university life and knew where to go to have fun as well as to study. When her class finally got out (Orihime found the history of Western art mind numbing at times), she headed for the café that was their designated meeting spot.

Rangiku was already there, lounging on one of the couches with an oversized cup that was probably full of hot chocolate. She smiled at Orihime and waved. Orihime waved back and headed to the counter to get her own drink. Once she had that, she joined Rangiku on the couch.

"So how's your project going?" Rangiku toyed with the ends of her pink scarf. "You were kind of worried about keeping up with it and the rest of your school work the last time we talked."

They chatted about the theater project for quite awhile, and somehow the subject of the conversation turned to her partner for the project rather than the project itself. Orihime hesitated a moment but then decided that she would ask anyway. Rangiku was beautiful and had many friends. As far as Orihime knew, the older woman didn't have a boyfriend, but that didn't mean she didn't know something about dating.

"Rangiku, um, do you know how you're supposed to let someone know you like them?" Orihime worried her bottom lip. "I mean, like that you're interested in dating them.

Rangiku's face was gentle. "Sometimes with guys you just have to take control. They can be surprisingly dense at times."

Orihime nodded, and Rangiku's continued.

"However, there are some times that even when it is the right guy, it isn't the right time." There was something sad in her eyes when she said that. "And of course there are times when they need a two by four to the head to even see the obvious."

Orihime laughed at that, and the conversation went on.