I am a very bad person.

I should not be working on this story when I already have two other uncompleted persons.

But its not my fault! This stupid plot bunny invaded my mind and WOULD NOT LEAVE! How was I to compete with that? Especially since my luffly beta said she liked it and I was like, "Darn! Now I must post it!"

Which is how I wound up here. For all those who are new to me: I do not currently posses a computer to which I have regular access. Instead, I am writing my stories down on paper and then typing them on my school computers whenever I have a change and then sending them to my beta the next time I have access to my email. So my updating will be seriously sketchy. But, if I get plenty of reviews, I'll see if there's anything else I can do. -wiggles eyebrows suggestively-

Oh, and this is my first ever Bleach fanfic, and therefore am unused to these characters. I did my best to keep them (more specifically Ichigo, he was the hasslesome one) IC, but let me know if I did not succeed. Thanks!

Narrowed brown eyes stared morosely up at the gray sky from under the shelter of his umbrella; a tanned, calloused hand grasped two heavily stocked grocery bags with ease. It was almost as if the sky was taunting Ichigo, reminding him that things were not alright with his nakama after they had returned with Inoue safely rescued.

The thought of the recently recovered female made Ichigo's characteristic frown deepen even more. Orihime had been exceedingly quiet ever since their return from Hueco Mundo. Even Tatsuki hadn't been able to shake her out of her funk, and they had been back a little over a month. Ishida had all but disappeared, while Chad was even more of a mute than normal.

Only Rengi, Ikkaku, and Yumichika had decided to stay behind, just in case any stray Arrancars appeared. Hitsugaya, Rangiku, and Rukia had been forced to return to the Soul Society shortly after their return, though the Kuchiki was going to try and get back soon. They were all still bumming out at their respective homes, though Ichigo's dad was now asking where his "third daughter" had gone and when she would return. This would usually result in Isshin claiming loudly that Ichigo must have driven her away, resulting in a punch, knocking him out.

Seeing a flash of dusky orange out of the corner of his eye, the man paused and looked over, only to see the bent-over, soaked form of the girl who had been plaguing his thoughts for days now. "Inoue?" He confirmed needlessly, walking over. The curvy girl jumped violently with a loud squeak. She spun a little to look at him with wide grey eyes. An umbrella was held in one hand, suspended over an uncovered box on the ground. In her other hand, a few grocery bags were wrapped around her wrist. A dark blue backpack was on her back. "What're you doing out here? You're soaked."

"Oh! Um, Kurosaki-kun! Konbanwa!" Orihime greeted, flicking a strand of her stringy, soaked hair out of her face with an index finger. Were her clothes dirty? The powerful Shinigami squinted his eyes and easily realized that her clothes looked streaked and rather ashy. The curvy girl also looked noticeably more cheerful than she had the last several times he had seen her. She looked more like the Inoue he knew.

"What happened to you?" Ichigo asked, wordlessly shifting his umbrella to hover over Orihime. She smiled gratefully up at him.

"My apartment burnt down!" She answered cheerfully. Ichigo stared at her blankly for a few seconds before shaking his head slightly.

"Burnt down, as in "to the ground"?" He clarified incredulously. Orihime hummed an affirmative, smiling broadly. "Did you leave the burner on or something?"

Orihime laughed. "It was actually one of my older neighbors. By the time I got there, the fire was out, and they allowed me to scavenge what I could. I was able to retrieve my picture of Sora, though Enraku is a little singed. I'm hoping Ishida-kun can fix him for me."

Ichigo remained silent. He was inwardly surprised that Inoue wasn't the cause of her house being burned down. The poor girl was so forgetful; she would start daydreaming about something and forget all about whatever food she would have been cooking. According to Tatsuki, it had happened once before, and Inoue's brother had had to buy new curtains as a result.

"So, where are you staying?"

"I was originally going to stay with Tatsuki-chan, but I'd forgotten that she had left for that vacation with her family yesterday, so that's out. I don't have enough for a motel, but now that I've found Puppy-chan, I'll stay with her!" Orihime brightened at the mention of her newfound friend.

… Puppy-chan?

Oh, she must have found a puppy. That's what she had been holding her umbrella over. Ichigo glanced down at the soggy box at Orihime's feet just in time to see a damp, mouse-grey puppy face poke out over the edge in curiosity. "You can't stay out here. It's going to be raining until tomorrow afternoon, and we have school tomorrow."

"I'll find a box for us to use as cover. If the homeless can do it, we can do it!" The petite girl's face lit up at the expectation of a challenge. "I've already bought food. I should be fine for the night." She slightly lifted up the arm supporting the grocery bags with difficulty, as if to prove her point.

It was clear that Orihime wasn't going to leave the puppy, which didn't surprise the Kurosaki a bit. He shoved his umbrella at her brusquely. "Here." Inoue's grey eyes crossed to look at the umbrella that had been shoved unceremoniously into her face. "Take it for a moment. And give me your bags. You two can bum out at my place for tonight." He relieved her of her bags, and she accepted his umbrella, closing her smaller one and looping it around her wrist.

Next, she picked up the puppy and held it close to her chest. She held the umbrella over Kurosaki-kun's head. "Won't your dad mind? Or your sisters? I don't want to put anyone out." Inoue asked worriedly.

Having situated the extra baggage on his wrists, Ichigo started walking down the street to his house. "Nah. If my dad believes Rukia's half-assed story, he'll let you stay."

"Oh, alright," Orihime bit her lower lip, but didn't say anything else as she pressed the whimpering, shivering puppy closer, "Thank you, Kurosaki-kun." She added on shyly after a moment of silence.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Ichigooooo!" His dad's bellow was clearly heard as Isshin proceeded to try and slam his elbow into his only son's skull. The orange-haired man caught the protruding joint and their daily ritual began.

"You're getting good, boy!"

"Shut up! Why do you have to do this when we have company!?"

"Company?" His father paused in attempting to lock his son into a half-nelson. Isshin looked past Ichigo to examine the petite, utterly flabbergasted girl still standing in the rain. "Orihime-chan?"

"Kon-Konbanwa, Kurosaki-san." Inoue greeted timidly.

"Well, what are you still doing out in the rain? Come in, come in!" Under Isshin's insistent herding, Orihime stepped into the warmth of the Kurosaki household and promptly slipped off her shoes. As she stood there, a puddle of rainwater quickly formed at her feet from the water dripping off of her skirt.

"What are you doing out here on this fine, fine day?" The elder Kurosaki asked brightly.

"Inoue's spending the night. Move." Ichigo saved her from answering as he gave his father a brusque, literal kick in the rear to get him to move out of the way.

"Oh? Well, you're more than welcome here, Orihime-chan! Ichigo should have told me you were coming, but the more, the merrier!"

By now thoroughly ignoring his father, Ichigo turned to Orihime. "You'll probably want to change before you get sick. Were you able to get any clothes?"

The dusky-haired girl brightened. "Yes! I had clothes that were at the dry cleaners, so they are successfully un-burnt!" She deflated slightly. "Though they probably got wet from the rain."

"That's what you get for standing in the rain. How long were you out there anyways?" Ichigo responded as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Um, I'm not sure. Forty-five minutes, maybe?" Inoue answered, busy staring at Ichigo's father, who had gone to weep about his mean children, and then something about puberty, to a life-size picture of a beautiful, smiling woman.

"Ignore him. He's always like that." An unexpected voice came from behind the curvy beauty, successfully startling her and causing her to jump. Orihime turned slightly, and saw the familiar figure with short, black hair.

"Karin-san. You startled me." The Shunshun Rikka-user smiled slightly.

"Sorry. Is Ichi-nii back?" Orihime gestured to the kitchen quietly.

"Thanks. Cute puppy, by the way." Karin tromped into the kitchen and reappeared seconds later with a bag of cookies. While she waited for a hint of what to do next, Orihime examined the puppy in her arms more thoroughly. It, or rather she, had a cute button, puppy face and slick, mouse-grey fur with a single, white splotch on her chest. Her long, whip-like tail began wagging as the puppy yipped excitedly.

Orihime's heart melted.

"You could have sat down." She looked up to see Ichigo with a towel around his neck and fresh clothes on. In his hands was another towel and some more clothes. He handed them over to her. "Here. Wear these until some of your clothes are dry." She put down the puppy, who immediately started to explore the room with shrill yaps, and accepted the clothes before following his directions down the hallway to change.

After hanging her clothes up to dry, Orihime padded down the hallway as she rubbed her now-damp hair with the towel. Ichigo's clothes were way too big on her, and she kept having to pull the boxers up higher on her hips. The clothes smelled like Kurosaki-kun, she noticed dreamily. The smell was smoky, with just enough of a hint of mint to still seem masculine. The clothes smelled of a more condensed version of how his room smelled, which she still remembered clearly.

She paused at the entrance to the living room and had to giggle at the sight that greeted her. Her crush had several newspapers on the floor and was currently telling her new puppy in his scariest voice, "You go here, got it?" The puppy instead ignored his order and decided that Ichigo's pointed index finger made a great chew toy. Ichigo looked rather nonplussed by the action, and the look on his face made her giggle, which she attempted to hide by snorting.

He looked up and saw her, and the sight of her in clothes that were so big on her that they were repeatedly slipping off her shoulders was completely ridiculous. Upon her realizing that he was studying her, a red flush started at the bridge of her nose and spread across her delicate cheekbones before darkening several shades. She plucked nervously at the hem of her (well, his) shirt. "Thank you for the clothes, Kurosaki-kun." She told him shyly.

"Mmm hmm," He responded vaguely. She had thanked him enough. "I set up your bed. I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch. I asked Dad, but it turns out that he's reserving the bed for his 'third daughter.'"

"No, not at all!" She responded vivaciously, looking indignant at the thought. "Um, he has a third daughter?" She added on a bit more reluctantly.

"Rukia."

"Oh."

From up the stairs, a shrill "Hollow, Hollow, Hollow!" echoed from Ichigo's room.

"There's my cue," He sighed.

"Okay, do you want me to come along?" She asked.

"Nah, just make sure Kon doesn't do anything too crazy with my body while I'm gone, alright?"

"Okey dokey, artichokey!" She saluted him, earning an eye roll from the orange-haired man as he walked up the stairs to his room. "Could I use your phone while you're gone? I need to call Tatsuki-chan and my relatives."

"Sure. Help yourself." Ichigo answered over his shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the phone! You're staying with WHO?" Tatsuki almost bellowed from her side of the phone, sounding disbelieving.

"I'm staying with Kurosaki-kun," The orange-haired girl repeated sheepishly. Tatsuki burst into laughter, her voice sounding rather scratchy due to the distance between them.

"This is perfect! I couldn't have planned it better myself!" The karate-master exclaimed mischievously.

"Perfect for what?"

"For making Ichigo realize that he's madly in love with you, of course!"

"Tatsuki-chan, no! I think he prefers Kuchiki-san anyways." Orihime's voice lowered in volume, as she glanced furtively at the door.

"That's just because he hasn't seen your gorgeousness yet. I swear that boy is more oblivious than a rock." The raven-haired woman's voice was matter-of-fact.

"Tatsuki, what do you have in mind?" Orihime asked warily.

The grin was almost audible in her friend's voice. "Y'know those shorts and wife beater I got you? Were you able to save those?"

"Umm, I think."

"Good. Along with those knee-high socks I know you have, wear that tomorrow night. Buy a hair clip or something and then put your hair up. Can you do that?"

"I should. But are you sure?" Orihime asked hesitantly.

"Trust me. The idiot will never know what hit him." Tatsuki reassured. "Oh, damn. I have to go, Mom wants me."

"Okay. Bye."

"Later. Have fun!" Orihime clicked the phone off and, with a sigh, leaned back into the pillows wearily.

"I put your clothes in the dryer. Hope that was alright." Startled by Ichigo's sudden reappearance, Orihime squeaked loudly and tumbled off of the couch into a disheveled heap on the floor. Apparently thinking that this was some kind of game, the puppy bounded over and started trying to gnaw on her fingers.

"Whoa! Inoue, are you alright?!" Righting herself, Orihime looked up at him through dusky orange strands of hair, before blowing them out of her face and scrambling haphazardly to her feet.

"Yes, I think so." Other than a dull pain in her knees and the palms of her hands, she seemed alright. "Thank you for putting my clothes in the dryer, Kurosaki-kun."

"It was no problem," Ichigo shrugged, "I need to go finish my homework from last night, so I'll be in my room if you need me."

Orihime smiled. "Alright. I've already finished my homework, so if you need help on any of it, feel free to ask."

"Will do," Ichigo nodded, though they both knew that he would rather shoot himself than ask for her help. Even if she constantly made better grades than him. "Thanks."

She nodded, fixing her fallen and scattered pillows and wrestling one of them from the puppy who had been gnawing on a corner. Ichigo headed back upstairs and she fell back onto her makeshift bed with a soft sigh.

"Psst, Inoue."

A soft shaking movement caused her to start awake with a mumbled phrase. Blinking blearily, she eventually realized that the bright orange blob was not a figment of her imagination and was only Ichigo's hair. Fighting back a yawn, she sat up slowly, rubbing at her eyes. "I-is, something the matter, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked, yawning despite her best efforts.

"Well, you said that if I needed any help, I could ask you, and well, I need help." He admitted sheepishly, not looking at her. She was now more awake and she scooted over to allow him room on her bed.

"Well, what do you need help with?" She asked, accepting the papers he offered her. She scanned the papers briefly, her eyes alighting with recognition. "Yeah, this was rather tricky. I even had Ishida explain it to me." She nodded, spreading the papers out. "See, this is where you got confused." She gestured him over, pointing out his errors and then explaining how he could correct them.

"Okay, I think I've got it," Ichigo stated a few minutes later, picking up his papers once more. "Sorry for waking you, Inoue." He added on apologetically. She waved at him, yawning widely once more.

"It's no problem. I said you could." She told him.

"You can go back to sleep now. I think I can do the rest on my own." Nodding, she slid back under her blankets and curled up on her side into a semi-ball, almost asleep quickly. "Oh, and Inoue?"

"Nnn?"

"… Let's not tell Ishida about this, alright?"

She fought back the urge to smile. "Sure, Kurosaki-kun."

"Hey, Inoue. Time to get up."

The dull feeling of a hand shaking her shoulder caused her to stir, and she swatted at it almost lazily with a loud, inelegant snort before rolling over and burrowing her face into her pillows. "You're going to be late for school."

At the last word, she started awake and slammed her diamond-hard forehead into Michigan's skull. The orange-haired man reeled back with a low groan. "Ack, Kurosaki-kun! I'm sorry!" Orihime panicked, holding a hand over the area of contact on her own forehead. "Are you alright? Oh, god I killed you. And now everyone's going to look at me and think, here comes the girl who killed Kurosaki-kun, and when the aliens will get here, they won't want anything to do with me because they're benevolent and don't want anything to do with a girl who kil-"

"Inoue, I think I'm fine. Or going to be, at least. Ow." The young Shinigami interrupted her ranting, rubbing at his aching forehead. "Anyway, it's time to get ready." Belatedly, she realized that he was wearing a plain, tight, white t-shirt and pajama bottoms, and flushed brightly.

"I don't have a uniform. It got incinerated at the fire." She realized with a saddening expression.

"I'm sure the school will cut you a break if you explain what happened to it."

"Yes, but hopefully they won't make me pay for it. I know I can't afford it now." She clambered out of bed before brushing past her crush and tracking down the dryer to decide what to wear after she took a shower. Dull thumps outside the laundry room told her that Ichigo had headed upstairs to change, having probably already taken his shower, as indicated by his wet hair. She rifled through the cool, but dry clothes and picked out a skirt and shirt.

The skirt was one she'd only worn once or twice, and wasn't one she would normally wear around Ichigo, but she didn't have a lot of options at the moment. It was a loose, darker green skirt that was made out of silk. It fell to just below her knee with a slit on the side that revealed a generous amount of her thigh. The shirt was a plain, white, peasant-styled shirt with sleeves that fell to her elbows and showed off a decent amount of cleavage.

After taking a quick shower, she dressed hurriedly before slipping on her knee-high socks and her normal flats and joined Ichigo by the door, grabbing her backpack on the way. He lifted an eyebrow at her attire but didn't say anything as he opened the door and they stepped out. The two walked in silence to the school where Orihime broke off to go to the office. "See you in class, Kurosaki-kun!"

Alas, the first chapter is done. It did not have nearly as many words as I'd been hoping for, only a little above three thousand and wasn't as long as I'd wanted either (only eight) but I liked it.

Reviewers get a cookie! And a plushie of their fav Bleach character!

(Hey, bribery gets you places, man.)

- Vampyre Heartbreak