Chapter 8: Oddity

"So, Orihime, how have you been feeling?"

Tatsuki and Orihime both sat at her table, eating the dinner that Tatsuki had helped Orihime prepare. It was a simple pot of oden, with no crazy ingredients like Orihime had suggested. The bustful young woman had stirred yogurt and crumbles of gram crackers into her own bowl, to make it more to her liking. They were now eating with bits of small talk, both just happy to be in the other's company.

"Fine." Orihime answered. "I mean, I get headaches a lot, but it's fine, really. I'm just happy to be awake again."

Tatsuki nodded, putting another bite of food into her mouth.

"Sometimes…"

Tatsuki looked up, pausing in chewing her food.

"… never mind."

"No, it's okay Orihime. You can tell me."

Orihime sighed. "Well… I know it's probably just because I've been asleep for so long, but… I just… I feel like I'm forgetting something really important. It's starting to bug me a lot, because I just can't shake the feeling. But the more I try to remember what I forgot, the worse and worse my head hurts."

"That's weird. But… do you think that maybe it's not that your sick? I mean, what if you really are forgetting something?"

She frowned, her brow crinkling in worry. "That's the things, Tatsuki. I am almost certain that's it. I just… I know I'm forgetting something. Something terribly important."

The martial artist frowned, too. "Orihime… I'm not going to lie to you. I think that something strange is going on here. Ichigo and the others know what's wrong, too."

"But… why wouldn't they tell me? We're all nakama." She looked down at her lap, suddenly not hungry. "It's just… so weird. I feel so sad. Like I'm missing someone important to me. But I don't know who."

Orihime looked up when she felt a warm hand on her arm. She looked up and saw Tatsuki was sitting on the table in front of her smiling sadly, a hand on her arm. "It's okay, Orihime. You'll figure it out. You're a smart and strong woman, but if you need help I'll be here to rough someone up for you." She smashed a fist into her open palm, grinning like the captain of squad 11.

Orihime smiled, suddenly lighthearted again. "Thanks, Tatsuki-chan."

It was a bit later that they cleaned up after dinner, and started the movie that Tatsuki had rented. It was an action comedy, which they both enjoyed, and by the time it was over both girls were ready for bed. Tatsuki borrowed some of Orihime's pajamas, both girls getting dressed and then coming back into the living room to decided on sleeping arrangements.

"I'll sleep on the couch." Tatsuki decided. That's how it always was. Orihime slept in her usual place, and Tatsuki took the couch.

"No."

"Huh?"

"I… I want to sleep on the couch."

Tatsuki looked at her friend in confusion. "Why?"

"I don't know." Her friend admitted, shrugging. "I've been sleeping on the couch ever since coming back home from the clinic. It just… it feels right. I don't know why."

Tatsuki looked at her friend in concern. "Has anything else weird been going on?"

She sighed. "Yeah… the color. All the color hurts my eyes. It's like I'm not used to it. I bet it's because I've been asleep, not seeing anything but it's still odd. Oh! And I keep expecting someone to just walk in here." She held a finger in the air, explaining with a thoughtful face. "And keep grabbing at my heal when I sit down. Like I'm trying to hold on to a long skirt or a dress or something. You know?"

Tatsuki put her head in her hand, her elbow resting against her knee. "This is weird, Orihime. I really think we should ask Ichigo."

Orihime frowned. "That's something else."

"What is?"

"Ichigo. I… Tatsuki, I don't think I'm in love with Kurosaki-kun anymore." She dropped her head, staring at her lap in distress. "And that scares me. I wanted to be in love with him for five life times. But now… now… I don't see him like that anymore."

"I'd noticed."

"Tatsuki…" She choked on tears, fisting her hands in her pajama pants. "I'm so confused. I don't know what's going on anymore. Why am I so different?"

"I don't know Orihime." Tatsuki scowled at the ground. "But I do know that they aren't telling us the truth."

"But why?"

"… The truth much be pretty scary, Orihime."

"I don't care. I just want to know."

"I know. So do I."

~)o0o(~

Uryuu, Ichigo, Sado, and Rukia all sat around the kitchen table at the Kurosaki residence, moods grim. All were facing Ishida, listening closely. He was telling them about the incident in the hall, where he had seen the number she had drawn in her notebook. He had seen the tattoo on Ulquiorra's chest when the Espada was alive, but he was sure that the one Orihime had drawn in her notebook had been the exact one the Espada had showcased.

"You're sure? It wasn't just her getting fancy with her math?" Ichigo asked, glaring at the surface of the table.

Ishida shook his head, pushing his glasses up further on his nose. "I know what I saw, Ichigo. Don't doubt me."

"I was just making sure, damn it!"

Rukia put a hand on his shoulder, serving him a small glare. "Calm down, Ichigo. It's not going to help if you get angry."

"I already am angry!"

"Well," She growled, tightening her grip on his shoulder. "Get un-angry then!"

"I can't just get un-angry, you-"

"Knock it off, you two." Ishida snapped, right before things escalated into one of Ichigo and Rukia's well-known fights. When the two of them returned their hands and tempers to a respectable place, he continued. "What are we going to do?"

"There's nothing we can do." Chad intoned, staring out the window.

They all shared a distressed look.

Finally, Rukia sighed. "You should all go home. Ichigo and I will check on her in the morning if nothing now we're just going to have to keep this up."

Ichigo nodded, standing. "We'll see you all later." He said to the two other males. He turned to Rukia, hands in his pockets, and nodded in the direction of his room. "Come on, midget. Let's get some sleep."

"I am not a midget, fool!" She roared, stomping after him.

"Whatever, shorty."

Ishida and Chad left then, closing the door just as a full-blown fight broke out.

"Those two sure have a weird way of showing their affection." Uryuu muttered, walking towards his home.

"Yeah." Chad, the man of little words, agreed. "See ya."

Ishida offered up a wave, walking away.

I hope Orihime is okay. He thought to himself. She's too good a person to be mixed up in this stuff.