Disclaimer: As I am presently 20-something volumes shy of owning the complete manga, it's safe to say I do not own nor make any profit off of Tite Kubo's masterful work.

Rated for Ichigo-cursing.

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"Tatsuki-chan!" A glimmer of relief washed over Tatsuki's features, before smoothing into a complete smile.

"Oh, good! You're home! Are you back from your trip?" She made no move to enter, which surprised Orihime. But, as she had no clue regarding the whereabouts of her shinigami, she wasn't about to complain. She leaned comfortably against the door frame. This likely wasn't going to be a long visit.

"Ah, no. I just needed to pick up a few things I forgot to pack. I'll be leaving again, soon."

"I'm…I'm glad I caught you." There was a pause in the conversation, during which the idle buzz of cicadas filled the awkward silence. Tatskui scratched at her head distractedly. She couldn't tell if it was the heat, or merely her anxiety burrowing beneath her skin. Her emotions were making her feel like a used dishrag: all twisted up and damp. She hated the feeling.

"I fucked up," She started simply, then bit her tongue. Orihime's eyes widened; struggling to interrupt her friend's painful confession.

"What? But, Tatskuki-chan….we talked about—"

"No," she blurted, avoiding her friend's cinnamon stare, "I mean….this isn't about last time. I screwed up. Big time. Like…and hour ago…" Orihime lowered her brows in concern. This couldn't be good.

"Can you explain…?" She probed gently, wanting to understand. She was worried, but not just for herself. Tatsuki-chan looked slightly crushed. Like that time she had received Second Place in the Vale Tudo Championship of Japan.

"Look….I….I don't know how to say this. So I'll just go ahead and say it: Ichigo knows." Orihime felt as though the blood flowing through her body was suddenly running in the opposite direction. She struggled to process her best friend's words. Tatsuki continued in a rush, the words falling over themselves as they tumbled out.

"I was worried about you! About how you felt! I wondered if maybe…you were rushing into things. I've never heard you speak of this…this other guy. And you've pined after Ichigo for months and months…I know it was stupid. And selfish. But I thought…maybe…he might…" She breathed out, agitation apparent in the sweat on her brow and in the tremble of her voice. It was noticing these little details that kept Orihime from slamming the door and walking away.

She felt rage. It was festering beneath her skin, battling for dominance along with the sickening sense of betrayal. With effort, she was able to push those feelings down. Deep, deep down…squashing whatever hideous reaction they might encourage. Instead, she embraced another feeling: shock. She felt numb in her reaction. It was a lot to process. Dark brown eyes finally met her own, and they were wet with unshed tears. "It—it doesn't matter what I thought. I shouldn't have done it. I'm ….I'm sorry Orihime."

The honorific remained forgotten. Her voice broke on the last syllable of her name. The sound of it, proof of her sincerity, helped bring Orihime back to herself. She stepped forward, enfolding her friend in a hug. Tatsuki grasped her tightly in return, penance heavy in her jerking actions.

"You made the wrong decision…for the right reasons. I think I can understand that," She murmured softly, recalling another time and place she herself had acted with the best of intentions. One that led her on a road to Hueco Mundo. She stepped back a bit, smiling gently at the other girl. "Why don't you come in for some tea? I'm not leaving until the morning." She slipped away, putting on her slippers as she stepped away from the door.

It took a moment for Tatsuki-chan to follow her. Not for the first time, Tatsuki was amazed at her friend's capacity for forgiveness and love. As she came inside, she noted a shattered teapot on the floor. Orihime, noticing her hesitant albeit questioning look, grinned as she grabbed a broom to take care of the mess. Well, it's not a button this time…

"I'll do that. You can go ahead with the tea." Nodding gratefully, Orihime instead filled up her kettle and clicked on the stove as Tatsuki swept up every ceramic shard. The pieces were then deposited into the waste bin, next to the recycling. As the water boiled in the kettle, Tatsuki recounted her tale. She mentioned how Uryu had shown up before she had gotten around to confessing the details of her concerns with Ichigo.

The crackling, bubbling water was then poured into a different teapot. One rescued from disuse in the back of a cupboard, along with some tea packets. As they steeped, bleeding out aromatic flavor into the hot water, she explained how Uryu had overhead some of their classmates speaking of her. How they had observed her with a stranger and not recognized him. The tea was poured into separate cups as she related how Uryu had seemed to recognize the description of this person, and obscurely communicated his identity to Ichigo. And exactly how he had reacted.

Orhime exhaled a shaky breath, taking a small sip of her cooling beverage. "Well…I can't say I'm happy he knows. But…I suppose it doesn't matter. It isn't really his business." Tatsuki squinted at her, shaking her head as if failing to understand something.

"Aren't you even the least bit worried…? I mean, I'm grateful….but…" she paused at the chirping sound of Orihime's giggle.

"Oh, Tatsuki-chan! Oh course I'm 'concerned'….but….it doesn't really change anything. This relationship….sort of….fell into my lap. Or maybe I fell into his…?" She shook her hand in circles, clearing her thoughts with the gesture. "Anyway. One thing….led to another…" A crimson blush stained her cheeks as errant memories trickled by. "…and….and it happened. We're making it work. Worrying about what Kurosaki-kun thinks is a lot like wandering around outside with an umbrella."

At her friend's befuddled look, she elaborated. "You know, wandering around outside with it on a sunny day. Waiting for it to rain. " Tatsuki nodded, bemused but impressed by her companion's unique way of putting things. Finishing her tea, she stood up. "I'm happy for you, Orihime-chan. I really am. But…I'm sorry for…" Orihime shook her head, almost snorting tea as she tried to wave off the apology. "Don't mention it. You were trying to do the right thing. I—I can appreciate that. You were only doing what you thought was right." Tatsuki grabbed her hand, squeezing as she let loose a smile. "Thank you." Orihime simply beamed back.

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The dull shrieking of the myriad insects in the trees did not abate as he wandered beneath the rustling leaves. He was unsure of exactly how long he was meant to wait, as the company had been…unexpected. Thankfully, he was not under much duress. He had endured far worse than the cravings his body now exhibited. Byakuya admitted, at least to himself, that it was only manageable now in thanks to Inoue's persistent assistance. He had been foolish to attempt action on his own. Especially as Unohana Taicho had expressly forbidden such a thing. Or rather, dismissed such behavior as being useless. He strode across the roof of Orihime's dwelling, his mind perusing through the unusual events of the day.

Spending time in the World of the Living had not been nearly as distasteful as he had imagined. It had been several centuries since he had voluntarily donned the guise of a gigai. Let alone felt the need to blend in amongst the pulsing throng of humanity. But that could easily be attributed to the company he now kept. Orihime Inoue was many things. Dull was not one of them. She was nearly always cheerful and was uninhibited when it came to chirping out her every thought.

Previously, he never would have considered that such a thing would successfully hold his attention. Ordinarily, he found any excess of dialogue to be wearying. He had long sought refuge in silence. A sort of asylum for his thoughts.

Strangely, he was beginning to find a sort of comfort in her consistent hum of words. True, he did not always understand her inferences. Yet there was genuine warmth and an enthusiasm for all that she spoke. It lent an odd sort of peace to his previously quiet moments. Moments, he now reflected, which had been considerably empty.

His feelings were disproportionate to the time they had spent together. But, he amended, their connection had been forged through an intimacy that neither could have foreseen. Despite how the seed had been initially planted, their relationship had only blossomed.

Her power was surpassed only by her kindness, which seemed immeasurable in and of itself. She also had a great capacity to love, and as fate would have it, he found himself enfolded within her affections. He was hers…just as she was his.

Such a revelation made him pause, mid-step. She made him feel more than he ever thought possible in over fifty years. And it was all thanks to her. Orihime Inoue. His future bride. He need only write up the prenuptial contract. Under the watchful eye of the Elders, of course….but still. He had made his choice. There was little doubt in his mind that they were well-suited to one another. At least in-so-far as things had progressed.

It was in this moment, as he mulled over these considerations, a flicker of reiatsu prickled across his skin. Any surprise he might have felt disappeared as he recognized the signature of this particular individual. Fighting back a sigh, he refused to turn in order to face the person in question.

Ritsu crouched low, bowing respectfully despite his yearning to flee.

"Taicho-sama, your presence is requested." He held his breath, watching the young lord's back.

"Who requests it?"

"The Elders of the Kuchiki clan, Taicho-sama." Another long pause. In spite of his better judgment, curiosity licked up Byakuya's spine. It was unusual for the Elders to summon him. It would be interesting to see what it was about, although he had an inkling.

"Very well." Biting back a sigh of relief, Ritsu quickly summoned a Senkaimon.

Before he passed through the door, Byakuya paused, and spoke without inclining his head.

"Inform Inoue-san that I will return on the morrow to collect her."

"As you wish, Taicho-sama."

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"Why the fuck won't you do it?!" Urahara resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Although the current angle of his hat, coupled with movement of his fan, would doubtless hide the action.

"To answer your question with a question: 'why the –beep— should I'?" Ichigo looked momentarily confused. A hairline crack in his visage of rage.

" 'beep'…? Are you mockin' me?" Urahara chuckled, affecting a buoyant approach. He snapped his fan shut before whipping it back open with a dramatic flourish.

"Oh, you youngsters with your oh-so-vernacular language!" he fixed the angry young man in front of him with a wry smile as he cocked his head airly, "you do realize how impressionable young Ururu-chan and Ginta-kun are?" A brief flicker of regret passed across the young man's face.

Obviously he hadn't considered repercussions of such an outburst. It was temporarily satisfying. Up until the point, anyway. Any satisfaction he relished in the momentary derailment of the teenager's angst died as suddenly as it had first appeared. This was due to the ever-evident scowl rekindling itself upon the teen's features. Urahara suppressed a sigh, snapping his fan somewhat irritably. Really, the boy had no sense of humor.

"Well?! Are you gonna, or not?!" He also had no patience.

"No. I will not," he replied calmly. Ichigo sputtered in his mounting rage. The former Taicho of the Jyuu-ni-bantai shifted on the plush cushion, feigning disinterest in the situation. "Your sudden demand that I open a gate to reach Soul Society is unprecedented," he intoned in a thoughtful, dry voice.

The Kurosaki boy scowled. "Unprecedented?!" he snapped tightly. Urahara nodded, glossing over. "Yes, or alarming to say the least. Why the sudden hankering to sneak into Soul Society through a back door?" The young man went ridged, which in itself was telling.

"…there's someone's ass I need to kick."

"Really? Do pray tell."

"None of your frickin' business!" Urahara sighed dramatically, gesturing toward the door. Although it seemed the hot-headed youth was attempting to sanitize his language. That was worth something.

"Then I'm afraid my constructing you a Senkaimon on the sly is quite out of the question. There's the door." For a moment the Substitute Shinigami looked stricken, as though this scenario had not played out as it should. Urahara waited patiently to see if he would cross over the precipice of rage into reason. Predictably, Ichigo's shoulders slumped.

"Look….I'm worried about Inoue, all right? I found out that…well…she's taken up with someone from Soul Society, and I'm just…I want to make sure she's okay."

"Bravo! Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" He helped himself to his neglected tea, gesturing for Ichigo to do the same. "Incidentally, who is it that Inoue-san has 'taken up' with?" He sipped calmly, unprepared for the shock of the boy's words.

"Byakuya Kuchiki—" A spray of tea spit from Urahara's mouth interrupted whatever else Ichigo had been about to say. Disgusted by the unexpected shower of hot liquid, Ichigo nearly dropped his own cup. The sudden click of the opening sliding door was a welcome distraction.

"Well, that's rather unexpected," Tessai intoned thoughtfully. Kisuke Urahara coughed, nodding his head as Tessai began to mop up his mess with a cleaning rag.

"Who would have thought…and after fifty years! I must say that IS progress!" The Substitute Shinigami scowled.

"You don't have to look so 'thrilled' about it…this is INOUE I'm talkin' about…"

"I…"Urahara paused, slowly resuming the consumption of his tea, " I fail to see the problem."

"What—so you just sprayed the room for shits n' giggles? Don't gimme that! There's NO WAY he's good enough for her. He can't…give her what she needs…" Tessai halted his actions, fixing Ichigo with a steely look behind his peculiar spectacles.

"Are you suggesting you know what those needs are?" The boy tried to backpedal.

"N—no! That's not what I'm sayin'! I'm sayin' that he's gonna break her heart! And if he does, I'm gonna break his face—!"

"Oh, Kurosaki-san!" Urahara sighed, " your inexperience is clearly showing."

"My wha—?!"

"You claim to have concern for Inoue-san, stating that her feelings will be hurt. But I wonder…if you realize that while your concern regarding the young lady is touching, it is also none of your affair.

Are you upset she is in a relationship with HIM, or simply upset that the man she is taken with isn't you?" Ichigo looked stunned at these words. Tessai quietly removed himself from the room, shutting the door quietly and unnoticed.

The eclectic shopkeeper waved a hand dismissively as he polished off his beverage. "In any case, it's rare for you take note of others."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Simply a humble observation by a simple shop-keeper," Urahara hummed. Ichigo snorted. "You usually leave others to their own devices. Unless you suspect they're in some kind of peril. What is it about Byakuya Kuchiki that would make you suspect Inoue-san would need your protection from him?"

"Are you shitting me?" He spluttered, "To start with, he's way too old for her!"

"Ordinarily, I would agree with you. Age plays a huge factor in determining the suitability of romantic partners. A vast age gap would be unbalanced, and therefore the younger of the two would be on unequal footing. "

"What are you goin' on about?!..."

"I'm merely stating that, in trying to prove themselves to their older companion, inhibitions and personal boundaries could be lowered on the younger paramour's end. This also leaves them vulnerable to manipulation. When this is instigated intentionally, I think the term for it is called 'grooming'…"

"I don't freaking care what it's called! I didn't ask for a freaking text-book explanation! That's why—"

"But," Urahara interrupted unhurriedly, "Experience also plays a part. As much as I don't like airing another's dirty laundry, I think it would benefit you to know that Inoue-San is Byakuya Kuchiki's second-ever romantic interest." This seemed to grab the Substitute Shinigami's attention, as it was meant to.

"Second?" he parroted back unhelpfully. His answer was a nod, accompanied by a more detailed explanation.

"He has only been with one other. That puts him on equal footing with Inoue-san."

"Equal how?" Was the exasperated retort.

"You are Inoue-san's first love, are you not?" Taken aback by the question, Ichigo answered honestly.

"I guess…something like that...maybe" He scratched his head uncomfortably, not making eye contact. He sipped his tea, for lack of a better thing to do in order to occupy his hands. His racing mind offered no such reprieve or distraction.

"Granted, this is mere speculation on my part, but I would surmise she loved you from afar. Possibly for years. Long before you noticed, at any rate. But much is the same for Kuchiki Taicho. The time and intimacy he actually spent with his wife was minimal. They were married for one year, and involved outside of marriage for only four. From what I've heard, he worshipped her from afar long before he actually approached her." He scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Or perhaps 'admired' is a better term for it. Then, of course, I imagine he had quite a time trying to convince the Noble Kuchiki household to accept his decision in wedding her." he shrugged nonchalantly. "In any case, both individuals seem to come out as a rather balanced match in terms of romantic histry. I would say both parties hold traits that would do well to—"

The unexpected slamming of Ichigo's cup onto the table stopped Urahara's musings abruptly. He glared at the older man sullenly, although it seemed a bit contrived to the former Shinigami's trained eye. Like putting on an act.

"I ain't got time for this. If you're not going to help me, I'll find someone else who can." He quickly got to his feet, throwing one last comment over his shoulder as he did. "Thanks for the tea." After the click of the door and his footsteps faded, Kisuke risked aloud one final comment to any that may be listening.

"Well…he certainly has a lot to think about."

"…To say the least," a thoughtful voice answered.

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"Stupid Hat-N-Clogs…the fuck does he know, anyway...?" Ichigo repressed the urge to slam his fist against the alley wall. He continued on, muttering mutinously to himself as he focused on walking. Willing his feelings to go away as quickly as his though his current gait were chasing them.

You are Inoue-san's first love, are you not?

The question repeated inside his head. Refusing to give him any peace. Rather, the poisonous words spoken by the former Taicho of the Jyuu-ni-bantai had lit a spark inside of him. One that was quickly being fanned into a steady blaze that threatened to burn away what was left of his sanity.

Guiltily, he turned over the words once more in his head. True, he had been pretty slow on the uptake. Compared to everyone else, at least. Sure, he'd noticed how kindly she had treated him. How much concern and consideration she showed him. But she was kind to everyone. She regularly put others needs ahead of her own. It was more like part of her M.O. So he hadn't really read into it. Or at least, that was what he had figured, initially. Although lately…

He stopped walking.

Now that he really thought about it, she hadn't been all that…attentive…toward him in a while. After what happened in Hueco Mundo, there had been a sort of…heaviness between them; a sort of unspoken anticipation. Although whether it was a figment of his own interpretation of others' expectations toward their relationship, or simply an imagined pressure, he couldn't say. All he knew was that she had been pretty distant lately. When did that even begin?

He'd been so distracted lately. After her kidnapping, he'd figured she'd merely wanted some space. She never really talked about her experiences before. Mostly, he assumed someone like Tatsuki would be there to listen when she was ready to open up. He was kind of awkward about that kind of stuff. Not that he wouldn't listen if she wanted him to…he just assumed she would be too uncomfortable to lean on him in that way. Especially if she still had feelings for him. Did she still have feelings for him? Did crushes have expiration dates?

"Why didn't I notice…?" He muttered, resuming his steps.

"Notice what, exactly?" Ichigo stumbled in alarm, then cursed his over-reaction as he recognized the tightly coiled reiatsu at his heels. A benign-looking black cat sleekly bound up onto the recycle bins to his left. She fixed him with a curious look, the deceptively deep voice speaking once more.

"Really, Ichigo—your inability to notice reiatsu in your environment isn't just alarming. It's down-right suicidal." He scratched the back of his head in moodily, not caring for another lecture. Especially as he already felt unsetteled.

"What do you want, Yoruichi-san?" The cat rolled her eyes.

"One way to get to the point. Although not quite the point I was aiming at. I'll reiterate: what didn't you notice?"

"You, for one." He huffed.

"We've established that," she replied dryly. She paused, as if weighing the impact of her next words, before stating, "Was there an insight that you gained after speaking with my former colleague?" He reaction was to stutter.

"Y-you—" He swallowed, ears flaming. Although whether it was from embarrassment or anger there was no way of telling. Yoruichi accurately guessed it was more likely the former. "Did he tell you?" Ah, a note of humiliation in that admission. So she was correct. She stretched, arching her back lethargically as she made to answer.

"Didn't have to. I over-heard your conversation." He scowled, spinning on his heel as he continued walking, biting out as he left.

"That conversation was supposed to be private!" She loped after him, conversing as she did.

"That's rich, considering the subject matter. The belligerent volume of your 'conversation' would also disagree. I was several rooms over. I can't help over-hearing what you yourself refuse to keep quiet."

"Are you sayin' I'm some sort of hypocrite?" The ire in his tone was real this time around. The shinigami in cat's clothing paid it no mind. Really, she had expected no less of a reaction to her words.

"Indeed I am." She over-took his steps easily, blocking his path ahead as she continued in a level tone. "You purport that your intentions are not the business of others', and yet your actions do not revolve around any business of your own. Your comrade has taken a paramour; someone who is not you. So I'll ask again, for the final time: what did you fail to notice?"

He bit his tongue, willfully reminding himself not to say anything rude that he might later regret. Well, sooner than later. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't completely impulsive to a fault. More like he preferred action compared to sitting on his hands. Still, when the path ahead wasn't clear, he was reasonably cautious. Especially when it came to the safety and well-being of his friends. After quickly mulling it over, he rationalized that it wouldn't hurt opening up a bit to Yoruichi-san. He knew she could be trusted. She knew more than he would admittedly like, but perhaps she could offer some valuable insight to the situation.

She had always been fairly straight-forward with him.

Leaving aside, of course, the fact that she was really a shinigami in disguise…and was female to boot. Her cat-voice was, after all, deceptively deep. Still, he recognized that was more from jumping to his own conclusions based on assumptions he had previously made rather than any trickery on her part.

"I guess…I failed to notice what was goin' on around me, again." He sighed. Yoruichi tilted her head, as if requesting extrapolation. Now she REALLy looks like a cat. He thought snidely. But he kept that thought to himself. He continued, trying not to let his resurging irritation color his voice.

"I mean…I didn't realize she stopped caring." Yoruichi snorted. The sound was so sudden, it sounded more like a hiss. Or a sudden, feline sneeze.

"Failing to reciprocate feelings is a far cry from not 'caring' as you put it." She meandered to the side, allowing the teenager to resume his pace before continuing at his side. "Just because a person doesn't care about you the way you wish, doesn't mean they don't care about you with all they have." Ichigo suppressed a sigh.

"I KNOW that…it's just…I'm trying to wrap my head around this, all right?"

"By all means, take your time. However, unless some sort of abuse is going on, your opinion on the matter is of no import. A relationship ongoing between individuals outside of your constraints is by no means a welcome invitation. Discussing the matter with others likewise outside the relationship can only lead to unpleasant repercussions. Surely this does not lay outside even your idea of common sense."

"Repercussions? Like what exactly?" He had pointedly ignored the barbed insult. So, he was looking for advice. She had almost expected him to fall for that ploy. Yoruichi had meant to plum the truth behind his erratic emotions by setting him up. But if he was beyond falling for such tactics, then he clearly was taking the time to consider things beyond how they affected him. Like the young man he was growing up to be. She forged onward, thoughtfully.

"Repercussions such as alienating those you care about. While your concern for Inoue-san may be real, the manner in which you approach the situation affects your own relationship with her. Barging in, trying to 'rescue her' can only insinuate that you don't trust her own judgment. Implying she is someone whom you do not fully respect."

"I respect her!" He interjected. Yoruichi resisted the urge to swipe at his legs. One of them had to be the adult here. She flicked her tail.

"Then prove it."

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A/N: Apologies! Got distracted by adulting and whatnot. Please do leave a review! I hope you all are staying healthy and being careful these days. ^_^

THAT BEING SAID: WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS