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Orihime:

"Lift your hips," Ichigo instructed and I complied with shaking limbs.

I'd lost track of how many orgasms he had rung from me, but I suspected my voice would be gone come tomorrow. I was a mess of sweat and shallow breaths, face pressed into my mattress as Ichigo helped guide my hips up with broad hands.

And while I'd been made a mess of, Ichigo hadn't let me touch even an inch of him. His arousal, that he'd only gripped now and then, still stood proud. And I felt as if I could burst into tears after he finally let it glide along my slit.

Gaining my strength back after the most recent release brought by two of his fingers, I pushed back against him but he clicked his tongue and shifted back.

"Be patient," he scolded.

Fists white-knuckle gripping the sheet I mumbled out, "What are you waiting for?"

His tip was back against me, slowly tracing, "You're gonna remember this, Hime. You're going to know, with every single part of your body, that I want you. Every moment, every second," He spread me as he began pushing in, then withdrew again. I was aching, burning. "Say it, Orihime. Tell me what you know,"

My chest was collapsing into itself with sexual frustration but my mouth knew what to do, "You want me. You want me." I said it like a confession, like a prayer as I pushed back into him again, "And I want you, so take me or I will never forgive you."

He laughed, low and wicked before taking me by the hips and thrusting forward.

I half moaned, half sobbed into the mattress.

"I like you like this," he said, "Demanding and needy."

I couldn't answer him, not as I focused on keeping my hips raised, back arched as he slammed home again and again.

I felt the heat from his chest as he leaned over me, hands coming to brace on either side of my head. I couldn't tell anymore if the sounds coming out of me were coherent. I just knew I needed to feel him completely surrounding me.

Tracing my fingers down his forearm beside me, I gasped out, "Closer,"

Ichigo didn't even pause his hips as he pushed me down into the mattress with the weight of his body. His entire front pressing into my back, he slid one arm under the groove of my neck so he could grip my chin and turn me into his kiss.

Wrapping his hand around my throat as he overpowered each part of my being. My entire body clenched around him, and he grunted, "You like that?" The pressure of his fingers around my neck grew tighter and in response, so did my body as it took every inch of him.

His growl of approval rumbled in his chest and into my back, as he moved harder, faster.

I stopped breathing as I felt something inside me start to unleash, Ichigo groaned like he felt it. His mouth at my ear, hot breath rushing out-

The doorbell rang.

He cursed but didn't relent, lifting once more to pound into me without mercy. I smothered my voice into the bed. His touch turned hard enough to bruise as he palmed my backside, that feeling rose once again, death gripping him-

It rang again, then a pounding knock.

"Don't you dare," He seethed as I turned my head toward the bedroom door.

Before I could respond, a voice drifted to us all the way from outside, "Ichigo Kurosaki, answer the damn door before I open it for you!"

I felt Ichigo's spiritual pressure turn from honey to acid with his irritation, "Son of a-"

After one more knock sounded, Ichigo pulled himself out of me and I gasped with loss. He leaned down and kissed the small of my back before untangling himself from the bed. He paused at the door as he pulled his school pants up over his hips, "Do not move."

He closed the door securely behind him and for half a moment I sunk into the silken sheets, my body exhausted, if not a little disappointed.

I heard voices drifting through the apartment, but I couldn't make out what they were saying, or who they belonged to.

After a minute, then two I rose and reached down, snagging the first piece of clothing I could find. I slid Ichigo's black t-shirt over my head. It had been on the floor of my room since the first day of school, when he'd forgotten to put it back on under his uniform.

It hung loose down my body, resting a few inches above my knee. I almost laughed thinking about how it was almost longer than my school skirt.

I pressed my ear against the door but still the voices were too low to hear. I could make out Ichigo's angry voice, but not his words. Being careful, I opened the door a crack but they were all the way in the living room and so I slipped silently down the hallway.

As I drifted closer I began to hear half sentences, "- if your spiritual pressure had attracted it then you need to get with Kisuke to learn better ways of keeping it controlled."

"I can control it just fine. I'll deal with whatever comes up, so I don't see how it's any of your business."

I paused at the end of the hall, and the voice, who I now recognized as Renji, said, "You think I'm here for my health? Head Captain would have your head if these reports reached him." it sounded as if he took a deep breath, "I'm not trying to get in your way, but it's getting worse the more-"

The wall creaked as I leaned more against it and I stopped breathing.

I felt both their predator attention fall to where I was spying and so I peeked around the corner a bit, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck roughly, not meeting my eye, "Don't apologize, this is your house."

I shifted nervously on my feet, and stepped only half a step from my perch, "Could I get you anything to drink, Renji?"

His own cheeks flamed, and I realized too late what I was wearing but was rooted in place as he said, "No, Inoue, that's alright. I'll get out of your hair."

Ichigo and him shared a heavy look and then Renji made his way to the door.

"Is everything okay?" I asked once we were alone.

Ichigo took a deep breath and then he crossed the space between us, sweeping me into his arms. He buried his head against my neck, his arms tightening until I was stretched up on my toes.

His presence felt depleted, and I ran my hand through his hair, inhaling his scent before saying, "Can you stay over?"

I felt him nod, but he made no move to let go of me and so I held onto him just as securely.

I'd lost track of the minutes as they passed before Ichigo led me back to my bedroom. After tenderly pulling me onto the bed, he tucked my back against his chest, spooning me into a cocoon of his warmth.

And while I had wanted to interrogate him about what Renji had come all the way from Soul Society to say, I was fast asleep before I could form a single question.

.

The bakery was slow, the only sound was the clicking of the back oven and the slow music that played overhead.

My boss, Mano Toshino, was running the numbers in the back and had allowed me to spread my textbook over the counter to study, but even as I read through it, I retained nothing. My mind floated away, swimming from thought to thought aimlessly.

School had been uneventful the last few days, not even a hollow dragging Ichigo from class. I had been dutiful with my notes, and had gotten an Exceeds on my latest test- all in all a perfectly normal week but my mind kept snagging on Ichigo.

It had been slow at first, I hadn't really noticed it until yesterday when I had pulled him towards the stairs leading to my apartment after school but he'd only kissed me slowly before telling me to lock my door once I got in. He had watched me from the street as I climbed the stairs then had smiled when I waved at him from my door before turning toward his own home.

We hadn't been together since that night with Renji. The day immediately after we had walked to school together, hand in hand as always. He'd kissed me at my desk at first bell and even pinched my butt as I walked up the stairs to the roof at lunch but he hadn't attempted to move things any further.

Even with my mouth on his throat and my hand working its way down his pants, he had subtly redirected us until the moment had passed.

With no one around to hear, I sighed loudly.

I'd make it a point to bring it up tomorrow, I knew I would feel better once I understood his reluctance- even if the thought of him hesitating at all sent pangs of hurt through my chest.

The door jingled with the arrival of a customer and I jumped up from my stool, "Welcome in!"

I deflated only a bit when I saw Pufferfish making his way to the counter, his hands stuffed into his pockets, lollipop sticking out of his mouth.

He smiled around it as he said, "Small world." he took in my appearance, "Cute uniform,"

His comment made me suddenly remember where I was. Forcing a smile I said through tight lips, "What can I get for you?"

He only hummed, surveying the selection, then spread his palm on the counter. Leaning nearly all his weight onto it and thus toward me as he said, "What would you recommend?"

A prickle of irritation warmed my chest but I pushed past it, "Well, do you like sweet things?"

"Only if I can corrupt them,"

Ignoring his leading remark I pointed to a pastry at the front of the display case. "Then this one here would be good to try,"

He didn't even glance toward it, "What time are you off?"

The forwardness of it made me pause, my brain trying to process a response, "Why would you need to know something like that?"

"I can't leave a sweet girl like you to walk home by herself,"

"You don't know me enough to know what type of girl I am."

"I'm trying to change that." Something he saw on my face made him continue, "Or are you worried your boyfriend would have a problem with you making a new friend?"

My fake smile was growing harder to maintain, "I make my own decisions, Ichigo has nothing to do with it."

"Ichigo," Pufferfish sounded out his name, like it sounded wrong on his tongue, "I've been curious, how did you end up with a guy like that?"

"I- what?" His steel nerve was off putting.

He shrugged, as if it was a perfectly acceptable question, "I just mean he seems a bit rough around the edges, while you…" his eyes roamed down my uniform as he trailed off.

I bristled, not liking his insinuating tone, smile long gone. "Ichigo and I have been friends a long time,"

"Friends doesn't translate to compatible."

This lollipop wilding pufferfish had a way of igniting a swift and overpowering anger in me, it rose into my throat with a striking force. I let it fuel me on, mouth opening to fire back but the door to the back swinging open halted me.

Toshino, not sensing the tension, came up behind me and slapped a hand over my shoulder, "I can close up from here, Inoue. You can head on home."

Pufferfish grinned, "Perfect timing. I'll walk you."

Toshino's eyes widened, "Oh, is this one of your friends?"

Pufferfish grinned wider, "Yes. Yes I am."

Both stared at me, forcing me to say, "This is the owner of the bakery, Mano Toshino. Toshino, this is…"

"Nakao Kazuhiro," Pufferfish finished for me, "But my friends call me Kaz."

I fought an eye roll, bowing toward Toshino before snatching my books from the counter and disappearing into the back to change out of my uniform.

I threw my apron into my locker with an aggravated grunt. I had never met someone so rude in my life. I thought of all the ways I would scold him if he was still outside when I finished changing.

To pretend he knew anything about Ichigo, to insinuate that we weren't…

I slammed the locker closed, he would regret ever coming here after I was done with him.

Storming out of the back, door slamming against the wall, I was completely determined to reem him, but I halted mid step. All anger dissipated, immediately replaced with giddiness. I practically skipped around the corner, "I didn't know you were stopping by,"

Ichigo tore his eyes away from Kazuhiro, who was looking at all the different breads along the far wall, to smile down at me, "I wanted to walk you home." He kissed the top of my head, "Are you ready to go?"

I ran my hand down his arm until I our fingers wound together, "Mhm,"

He pulled me toward the door, and I called over my shoulder, "Bye, Toshino!

"Bye-bye!" My boss called back. "Take care of her, Kurosaki!"

Ichigo held the door open for me, but was looking past me as he said, "I will."

I glanced back as the door was closing. Kazuhiro was standing at the counter again as Tishino rang him out but I could see his side profile, where a taunting grin was spreading across his lips.

It left me with a spark of confusion.

But I banished the thought as Ichigo said, "I didn't know he was a customer of yours,"

I shook my head, trying to keep up with his naturally long strides. "This was my first time seeing him come in,"

Ichigo was quiet a moment, then: "Did he say anything weird?"

While his voice was dismissive, his mouth was set in a hard line. I squeezed his hand, wondering if I should keep it to myself. Nothing good could come from telling him, but I also knew how lost I had felt the last few days. Ichigo had been keeping something from me, of that I was certain and even if he felt it was best that he do so, it didn't change the loneliness it had grown inside of me.

I didn't want to be the cause of any misunderstanding between us.

"He said he wanted to be my friend, that he wanted to walk me home when I got off."

Fingers flexing around mine like they do around his sword hilt before firing a killing blow, he said, "Is that all?"

I hated this. I hated that he wasn't looking at me. Hated that he felt worried about someone like Kazuhiro. But most of all I hated that it gave me the smallest sense of glee at the fact he cared enough to be jealous at all.

Even still, I hesitated to tell him the rest. What if I said it out loud and it sounded true? "He wanted to know how we got together. He said that we didn't..."

Ichigo stopped walking, turning half toward me, "We didn't what?"

I sighed, "That we don't seem compatible."

Reiatsu flaring Ichigo cradled my face, slamming his lips against mine. It shook my entire being awake, sent my skin buzzing.

Ichigo pulled back slowly, a growl on his lips, "Not compatible, my ass."

I fisted my fingers into the sleeve of his sweatshirt, lip suddenly quivering as his thumb moved over my cheek, "You've been distant,"

His breath fanned over my face, smelling of peppermint, "I have to tell you something."

Instead of continuing he straightened, releasing my face in the process but I didn't loosen my hold on him. His answering smile calmed my nerves, "Let's go to your place. We can make dinner while I explain."

Tension I didn't realize I'd been holding released from my posture and his expression softened.

"Let's hurry," He said, dropping his arm around my shoulder as we started moving again. "I'm starved."

I wished then, that I could spend every single second in his presence. My doubt could only find a way to creep in when I wasn't with him, when I let myself forget the way he always found a way to touch me, the way his eyes held a tenderness only I got to see.

And I fear it was because it was never him that I doubted, but my own worthiness.

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Thank you for reading!

I go back to work tomorrow but I hope I can continue to upload quickly!