I don't own Bleach.

A/N: Kudos to Morphia for the fic name. Love that girl.

Like Any Other Day

Part 1

It was another school day as far as any Karakura high student cared. The sky was the sky, the wind was blowing, and the occasional downpour made everyone carry at least one umbrella around. Classes came and went, and the only thing out of the ordinary seemed to be…

"ITTETTETTE!"

An already unordinary girl.

People couldn't help but stare as Inoue Orihime made her way to class, rubbing the newly formed bruise on her forehead. Since the day began, the girl had already managed to run into three walls, five doors (one of them open), almost trip down the stairs twice, and got hit on the head by a flying soccer ball.

Now while she wasn't known to be the most graceful or down to Earth girl the school has ever known, this was too much, even for the redheaded girl with the flower hairpins (which she almost forgot in the morning on her way out).

Needless to say, then, that many found it rather amusing. Some were surprised and wondered about it, but there were also those whose brows twitched in a frown as they couldn't help but worry over someone who they came to call a friend.

"Eeeh, you bumped into something again?"

A goofy smile rose to Orihime's lips at the sound of her best friend's voice.

"Ah, Tatsuki-chan!"

She chirped happily, only to have her bruised forehead poked harshly by none other than Arisawa Tatsuki.

"What did you bump into this time, eh?"

A slight blush rose to pale cheeks.

"Sa, Sado-kun was carrying some boxes, and…"

"Give me a break, now you're walking into people too! I take my eyes off of you for like five minutes and you get like that…"

Holding Orihime's hand tightly, Tatsuki began towards their class in a steady pace, Orihime trying her best to keep up.

"There. Now you won't have to worry about walking into things."

"Tatsuki-chan…"

Orihime managed to retrieve her hand and come to a stop next to the staircase; Her gaze was downcast. The dark haired girl sighed as she turned to her, arms crossed.

"Really, this is too clumsy, even for you."

A small smile rose to Orihime's lips as she turned towards the stairs leading down.

"Because it's today…"

All Tatsuki could do was look after her as she turned away… and a moment too late did she reach out her hand as Orihime's feet entangled, sending her flying down the staircase.

"Orihime!"

She expected there to be the sound of a body hitting the floor – hard. She expected there to be a cry of pain, never ending, echoing through the halls until she couldn't bear it any more. Her worst case scenario voice claimed there should be limbs in abstract angles and blood on the floor.

Instead, all there was was the expected sound of books and school utensils dropping to the ground, and the cry of terror she so dreaded did come – in a form she couldn't possibly expect.

"A… ra?"

Was all Orihime's lips managed to produce as she herself still expected to come face to face with the floor. Slowly and far too late did her mind register the masculine arm which held her fast at the waist to which her own hands held on to, and the rather built body which obviously blocked her fall. Looking at the face to her side and ignoring the questioning looks they were getting, she found staring back at her a pair of deep brown eyes almost hiding under a pair of constantly frowning brows… which were frowning even more than usual at her now.

A blush rose to her cheeks and up to her ears as she realized that the young man who was now crouching beneath her in quite an uncomfortable pose, his left hand holding her, the other twisted in an almost impossible angle holding the railing and steadying them both, was in fact none other than the one whose name she could hardly utter without biting her tongue, the one who could always make her face flush, and the one… who reminded her most of her older brother.

"Ku, Kurosaki-kun…"

She felt them slide down gently as his hand left the railing and instead, moved to poke her still bruised forehead harshly.

"Itte!"

A sigh escaped Kurosaki Ichigo's lips as he shook his head, looking sternly at the girl now on top of him.

"Idiot, whoever goes down the stairs not paying attention like that? You trying to get yourself killed or something?"

"Orihime!"

It was only when Tatsuki's voice came in and she began running towards them that the two broke apart, Orihime rising to sit on a stair, Ichigo still crouching where he jumped in to catch her.

Upon arrival Tatsuki immediately checked her friend, and once she was certain no physical injuries save for a slightly hurting ankle were made, she allowed herself to glance away at Ichigo as he twisted his right wrist, relieving the stress from holding onto the railing.

"Really, even for you, it's too much…"

She eventually said, but Orihime as though paid Tatsuki no attention as she reached out her hand...

"Kurosaki-kun, are you al-"

"Are you alright, Inoue?"

He asked before she managed to finish, letting his hand drop as he pulled himself up, offering his good left hand to support her. For a moment she just stared at the offer, until she nodded, accepting.

"Hm. I'm fine… thanks to Kurosaki-kun…"

No sooner did she stand up though, did she pass by him the rest of the stairs - safely this time – and went to gather her discarded belongings. His own bag lay there as well, ridden of for the sake of having both hands free.

Kneeling down, Orihime began collecting her things, trying to ignore the help both Ichigo and Tatsuki were now providing in the task.

She bit her lip, not wanting to look up. Tatsuki's worried look all day long was already unbearable; she didn't want to see him looking at her like that too.

Once done, she stood up, and for a moment her face was blank until a smile was forced on and was directed towards the still kneeling boy.

"Arigatou, Kurosaki-kun. You really saved me back there."

He looked at her silently for a moment before standing up, his bag in one hand, and in the other…

"You dropped this."

He said plainly as he extended his clasped fist. She placed her open palm underneath it and only then did she pay attention to the hair in her eyes, when one of the two flower pins she treasured so much dropped into her hand. She stared at it for a moment before nodding, placing it in her breast pocket.

"You really did… save me…"

With a nod and a final smile she turned and left, an air of hesitation and caution in her pace.

"How's your hand?"

Tatsuki asked after a while, though Ichigo kept looking after Orihime's disappearing silhouette.

"She's going there after school, isn't she?"

He asked, turning away from her. Tatsuki blinked.

"It's today, right?"

He kneeled down, picking up a shiny object and stared at it as he stood up again.

"Make sure you go with her."

He said as he turned back to face her, offering her the second discarded hair pin.

"It's hard enough as it is… going alone… isn't something I'd wish on anyone."

Wordlessly she took it and stared at his back as he left, he left hand in his pocket, his right, twisted hand holding his bag over his shoulder, telling her not to worry about it.

Nodding once, Tatsuki placed the hair pin in her bag, and headed after Orihime.