A/N: New story! And it's cannon universe, which I don't do too often. Without further ado,

Title: Hottest of Them All

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Tatsuki picks up her phone when she hears the 'new message' alert jingle. Her brown eyes quickly scan the screen. She finishes reading and tosses the phone back down onto the blanket she is currently sitting on.

"That was Orihime. She says they're on their way."

Chizuru stretches out on her own blanket, which is adorned with the smiling face of well-known lesbian Ellen DeGeneres, languidly. "Good. I've saved a spot for my precious Hime right here." She pats the spot beside her. "So we can cuddle."

Tatsuki's vein throbs. "Idiot. She's not interested. I can't understand how she's been rejecting you for 4 years now and it still hasn't gotten through to you."

"I admire your persistence Honshō-san. Never give up! Never surrender! Oww! Why'd you kick me Arisawa-san?"

"Because you shouldn't encourage her!" Tatsuki explains impatiently.

Mizuiro tssks disapprovingly at their antics, continuing to stand slightly away from the group and text his latest older girlfriend on his cell phone.

"Hime just needs a push in the right direction. It's senior year. There's nothing to lose. The time is now." Chizuru says, rather ominously in Tatsuki's opinion.

Tatsuki rolls her eyes. "Whatever." The karate champion frowns when she sees a family approaching, ready to set up camp beside them. Space is limited in the small park, and everyone wants to get a good spot for optimal fireworks viewing. "Sorry, we're saving that spot. We have four more friends coming."

The father frowns, but he doesn't put up a fight, walking away to find a new spot.

Keigo rolls off Tatsuki's blanket and stretches out on the patch of grass so their claim is clear. He scratches his leg. "This grass is so itchy. They better hurry up."

Chizuru's face lights up when she hears a familiar giggle. "Speak of the devil. Or in this case, an angel."

Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Ishida appear on top of the grassy hill. Ishida and Ichigo are arguing about something, as usual, and Orihime and Chad look amused by the familiar sight. It is nice having Ishida back on their side, after the while ugliness of the now resolved Quincy War.

"Shut up Ishida. I'm not interested in learning any Quincy techniques!" Ichigo bites out, stomping towards the group irritably.

"I don't know why you refuse to even try. Fighting those hollows just now would have gone by way faster if you would just use your Quincy powers." Ishida says calmly. His ability to stay calm in the middle of an argument really irritates Ichigo.

Chizuru ignores the continuing banter between the two frenemies. "Hime! I saved you a spot!" She yells, patting the spot beside her excitedly.

"That's okay Chizuru-chan. We stopped by my apartment and I brought my own blanket! So we'll have lots of room." Orihime replies. Chizuru pouts as Orihime lays out her blanket beside Tatsuki's.

Keigo happily rolls himself back onto Tatsuki's blanket, happy to be off of the grass. Mizuiro finally decides to join the group, taking a seat beside the dejected Chizuru on her blanket. Ishida starts to take off his cape, considering sitting on that. But then he looks at the muddy ground with distaste. It is so hard to get mud stains out of the cape's fabric. He takes a seat on Tatsuki's blanket instead. Ichigo and Chad both take a seat on Orihime's bright green blanket.

Mizuiro smiles nostalgically as he looks out at his group of friends. "Man, how long has it been since we all got to hang out like this?"

Chad thinks back. "Definitely before the Quincy War. So it's been a while."

Orihime smiles. "I'm so glad we're doing this! Only one more semester of high school and then who knows where we'll all be next year?" Orihime says.

"Don't worry Hime! I'll follow you wherever you're going! To the ends of the Earth!" Chizuru offers, reaching across Tatsuki for the pretty healer's hand.

Orihime laughs slightly uncomfortably, moving her hand just out of Chizuru's reach. "That is so sweet Chizuru-chan! But I think I'll be staying right here in Karakura."

Ichigo nods. "Yeah, we talked about it." It was understood that we always meant Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Ishida. When you go to hell and back together, it winds up making you close. "Karakura always attracts a lot of hollows, so we should probably be here to fight them."

"Plus, Karakura has some great colleges. Maybe by the time we graduate from college they'll finally find a capable Shinigami to defend this town so we can move." Ishida adds.

Keigo starts crying dramatically. "And no one thought to tell the rest of us?! We might be on the outer fringes of the gang, but we're still in the gang! I've probably missed the deadline to apply to Karakura colleges."

Ichigo raises an eyebrow skeptically. "You're going to college? I just assumed you would stick around here. Maybe work at a grocery store or something…"

"How rude you are Ichigo! Just because I get bad grades doesn't mean I can't go to college!"

"He actually got into Tokyo Tech. I was shocked." Mizuiro quipped.

Keigo turned teary eyes toward Mizuiro. "Shocked!? Why do I even hang out with you guys? You're all so mean!"

"I'm not shocked Asano-san! I always knew you were very capable." Orihime adds sweetly.

Tatsuki scoffs, and Ishida seems to nod in agreement with her skepticism. Chad is silent, which Keigo takes to mean he agrees with the nay-sayers.

"Well if you're so smart where are you going for college Arisawa?" He challenges.

"Osaka University. Full ride karate scholarship." Tatsuki brags.

Orihime smiles at her best friend. "I still can't believe it Tatsuki-chan. I'm so happy for you! But I'm going to miss you terribly! We'll have to skype at least once a week."

Tatsuki smiles. "Osaka isn't far. You can come up to visit me sometimes. We'll go to parties. Meet cute boys." Ichigo frowns at that, causing Tatsuki to smirk as she carries on. "I've heard the guys in Osaka are much more sophisticated than the ones here in Karakura."

Orihime blushes, wanting to defend the men in Karakura but not sure she'll be able to do so without her gaze obviously wandering over to the substitute Shinigami currently sitting quite close to her.

She is saved from having to respond when the spiritually aware friends all feel a tremor. A hollow is nearby. Ichigo immediately leaves his body, it falls back into Orihime's lap, and is propelled into his Shinigami form.

"Do you need help?" Chad asks.

"Nah, stay here and guard our spot. I'll be back soon." Ichigo replies, leaping off to fight the hollow.

Orihime looks down at the head that currently lies in her lap with a slight blush. If everyone else wasn't around, she would be tempted to run her fingers through the tussled orange hair.

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Dealing with the hollow took longer than anticipated, because Ichigo actually decided to try to use his Quincy powers. He's terrible at it, which he thought might be the case, which is why he constantly refuses to attempt to use them in front of his friends.

He only manages to defeat the hollow when he reverts to using Zangetsu, but he considers it a victory that he was able to hold his own while attempting to use his long dormant Quincy powers.

By the time he returns to his friends, it has started to get dark so the fireworks are imminent. The park is also jammed back, so he is glad to be able to create reishi footholds and walk over several people, some who he recognizes from school, to reach his group.

They are all chatting amicably when he returns, wearing flower crowns Orihime has fastened for them out of various flower types and colors. Ishida looks ridiculous in his dandelion crown, but Ichigo doesn't say anything. Because she's currently working on another one that must be meant for him, and he assumes he will look even more ridiculous than Ishida since his appears to be made out of roses.

He slips back into his body, blinking up at Orihime from his position using her lap as a pillow. She smiles down at him. "Are you okay? Any injuries you need me to heal? You were gone for a while."

"No, I'm fine." He assures, sitting up when he realizes he is still in her lap.

She finishes tying the last rose in and presents him with his crown. "Here you go Kurosaki-kun! It is specially designed for your hair color."

He takes it and reluctantly puts it on. He shoots a glare at Mizuiro when the black haired teen chuckles, mumbling something about roses being a symbol of love.

"Where's your crown?" He asks.

"Oh. I ran out of flowers." She responds with a shrug.

He takes his off and places it on her head.

"But that was specifically designed for your shade of hair Kurosaki-kun!"

"But we have pretty similar hair colors. I think it works on you." He replies. It does look good on her. Plus, he doesn't want to wear it. He has an image he has carefully constructed and flower crowns contradict said image.

"It definitely works on you Hime! You look like a bohemian goddess! Such a pretty white dress you're wearing. You look even better than you do in your school uniform!" Chizuru praises, leaning over Tatsuki until the black haired girl roughly shoves her back.

The group is startled by several camera flashes.

"Ah! Inoue-senpai is so cute!" One second year student says to his friend.

"Cute?! She's stunning! Like an idol!" Another adds.

"Just look at her in that flower crown. Be still my heart!" A third comments loudly.

More camera flashes go off as the students take pictures for their Inoue Orihime photo collection.

Orihime blushes, embarrassed, and takes the flower crown off.

"Well if it's not the Orihime fan club." Tatsuki remarks dryly, taking off her own lilac crown since Orihime basically gave her permission by taking hers off. Plus, Tatsuki isn't really a flower crown kind of girl.

"You know they actually have meetings? Wednesdays after school in the gym. I saw a flyer in the boy's locker room." Keigo comments.

Orihime's blush intensifies. "How embarrassing." She mutters.

"They're the ones who should be embarrassed. Shamelessly snapping photos with flash." Ishida criticizes.

"Well, can you blame them? Hime is gorgeous! I actually went to a meeting of the fan club once. Everyone was so jealous that I've actually spoken to you! I told them you are nice, that they could talk to you, but I think they're all too intimidated." Chizuru says.

Ichigo glares in the direction of the younger boys, and their excited chatter immediately quiets. "Losers." He mutters.

"You know Ichigo, you have fans too." Tatsuki gestures behind her with a tilt of her head, where some freshmen girls are staring at him. When caught, they all blush and try to look away, giggling all the while.

Ichigo glares at them as well. "Since when are girls at our school not afraid of me?"

"Since Yuzu started telling them all the rumors about you being in a gang are a lie, and that you're really a sweetheart." Tatsuki answers.

Ichigo whirls around to look at his longtime friend. "Seriously? Damn it! Why would she do that? The image I have carefully been creating, ruined!"

Chad pats his friend's back reassuringly. "You had a good run Ichigo." He comforts in his deep rumbling voice.

Keigo stopped picking at blades of grass, lying on his stomach with one hand supporting his head. "Why don't I have a fan club?" Keigo complains.

"Probably because you are not very attractive." Mizuiro answers, yelping when Keigo throws his discarded sandal at his head.

"I am too attractive! At least as attractive as Ichigo! I bet girls only like him more because of the whole super powers thing."

Tatsuki raises an eyebrow skeptically. "The super powers thing that no one knows about besides us and a bunch of dead people?"

Keigo ignores that valid point. "Besides, it's not like he's capable of actually using his 'supposed' attractiveness to actually get a girlfriend."

"I don't have time for a girlfriend." Ichigo argues, fighting down his blush at the turn in the conversation. Orihime looks crestfallen for a second, but Ichigo doesn't notice.

"Being attractive doesn't automatically mean it's easy for you to get into a relationship. Look at Hime! Has she ever had a boyfriend? No! And look at her! It's not like she couldn't get one. Could it be, that the problem is she doesn't need a good man, but a good woman?" Chizuru pointedly looks at Orihime as she finishes her thought.

Orihime blushes again. How much more blood does she have in her body to continue rushing to her face? She twirls the end of her hair nervously. "Maybe I just need to wait for the right guy to come along?"

"You and Ichigo would be an attractive couple." Chad says, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Sado-kun!" Orihime chokes out, embarrassed, but still watching for Ichigo's reaction to the statement.

Ichigo blushes, much like he did when Chad forced him to talk about Orihime's outfit during the war. He is saved from having to say anything when Keigo interrupts.

"Hmm…they would be an attractive couple. But out of the two of them, who is more attractive?" Keigo taps his chin thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Tatsuki asks.

"When they walk down the street, who would people think is the one dating up? Who's hotter?" Keigo clarifies.

Ichigo rolls his eyes. "This is so stupid. Can't we talk about something else?" He is ignored.

"Well, I would say Inoue is obviously more attractive. Based on general standards of beauty, like facial symmetry." Ishida answers. Orihime's blush intensifies.

"Of course it's Hime! Look at her! And then look at him! No contest!" Chizuru adds. Ichigo scowls. Look at him? What does that mean?

"You know, I have to disagree." Keigo begins. Everyone looks at him in disbelief. "Wait, hear me out. Not judging at all by sexual desire, since I'm not gay and I would definitely have sex with Orihime if the opportunity presented itself." He winks at Orihime, and Ichigo has to resist his urge to punch his chatty friend's teeth out. "But I think Ichigo is actually hotter from a purely unbiased, unsexual, standpoint. Look at his jaw line!" Everyone turns to look, and Ichigo glares at them all for even entertaining this ridiculousness.

"Hmm…I'd probably say Ichigo too. No offense Orihime, and maybe I just can't be as impartial as Keigo since I'm not a lesbian, but Ichigo is obviously an attractive guy. I think of him like a brother, but you did say from an unsexual standpoint. And if we're also counting body, killing all those hollows has led to the development of some nice abs."

"Tatsuki-chan! You're embarrassing Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime complains, and Ichigo is turning bright red.

"I disagree. Especially if we're also considering bodies. Inoue is petite, but she has curves in all the right places! She's hotter. No offense Ichigo." Mizuiro claims. Ichigo is definitely taking offense to Mizuiro talking about Inoue's curves, but he could care less that Mizuiro doesn't think he's hotter than Inoue. Ichigo doesn't think there's anyone hotter than Inoue, and he's including Rangiku in that estimation.

"Chad?" Keigo prompts.

"Hmm…it's pretty close." Chad begins.

"Can we please change the subject?" Orihime practically begs. Tatsuki waves her off, really enjoying how uncomfortable the red heads currently are. Besides, the two obviously need a push to finally talk about their respective feelings.

"I'm going to say Ichigo." Chad finally responds.

"A tie? That's ridiculous! I feel like everyone who voted Kurosaki is biased! And blind!" Chizuru yells.

"Who's going to break the tie? We need to ask people who know both, and can be as impartial as possible." Keigo mutters.

"Soul society people." Mizuiro suggests.

"Great idea! Hmm…how do we contact them? Do you have some special walkie talkie? Oh! Can I just talk into your badge? Are they still using that to spy on you?" Keigo asks.

Ichigo scowls. Why does he tell Keigo things?

"Urahara-san added an app to our phones which lets us contact people in soul society." Chad reveals.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let's break this tie!"

Chad slowly types a text message. With his size, it is always difficult to hit the right letter on the small cell phone. "Sent." He announces.

Orihime fiddles with her discarded flower crown and Ichigo continues to glare at his so-called friends. If they had just asked him, he could have voted Orihime and broken this stupid tie without getting anyone else involved.

Chad's phone vibrates as responses pour in.

"Rukia says Ichigo. Renji says Orihime. Shinji votes Orihime. Nemu votes Ichigo." Chad recounts.

Keigo frowns. "They are all voting down gender lines. Did you explain this is not based on sexual attraction, and they can't vote on personality or likeability? This is strictly based on hotness. Let me see your phone." Chad hands it over. "You literally just texted, 'who's hotter, Ichigo or Inoue?' They have no context! These results are void. I'm going to send a text that actually explains what we are doing here." Keigo, with his small nimble fingers, has the lengthy text written in no time. He sends it to all the contacts on the phone. "And now, we wait."

The group isn't waiting long. The phone vibrates with the new votes.

"Renji still says Orihime. Rukia still says Ichigo. Shinji still says Orihime, but now Nemu has changed her vote to Orihime as well! See? Context is important." Keigo explains.

The phone vibrates again and this time Mizuiro takes it and reads the results. "Rangiku says Orihime. Hisagi says Ichigo. Kenpachi says Ichigo. Yachiru says Ichigo. We're tied again!"

"Would you guys cut it out? You're starting to piss me off." Ichigo growls.

"Yeah, let's talk about something else. What do you guys think of sensei's new haircut?" Orihime tries, and fails, to change the subject.

"Hmm…maybe what we need to do is just decide this between the six of us here. And it has to be a unanimous decision!" Keigo suggests.

Everyone, besides the two people being discussed, nods in agreement.

"This should probably be divided into subsections. Like who has the better face?" Keigo asks.

Everyone looks at the two, and opinions start to pour in. Ichigo and Orihime try to tune them out as much as possible.

"This is so stupid." Ichigo mutters to Orihime as their friends decide whose face is better.

"Yeah, hopefully the fireworks start soon and they stop talking." Orihime responds.

"Ok, so we unanimously agree Orihime has the better face?" Chizuru summarizes after what feels like an hour long debate. Everyone nods. "Ok then, should we judge body parts separately or just body as a whole?" Chizuru asks.

"As a whole." Ishida answers.

The six begin their debate, and it starts to get heated. Ichigo and Orihime watch on, mortified.

"How can you say that?" Keigo yells after Ishida insists Ichigo's abs aren't that great. Keigo forcefully lifts Ichigo's white t-shirt up to his chest.

"Hey!" Ichigo yells, throwing an elbow at Keigo and tugging his shirt back down.

"Orihime has abs too. They're not as defined as Ichigo's, obviously, but women and men have different muscle buildup!" Tatsuki argues.

"Hime, lift your dress! We must see your abs!" Chizuru insists.

Orihime sputters and turns bright red.

Chizuru makes a lunge for Orihime but Tatsuki stops her with a strong uppercut. "Pervert! Besides, that's totally unnecessary. I have some pictures on my phone from when we went to the water park last weekend."

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime whines as the 'hotness committee', trademarked by Keigo, gathers around the device to scrutinize Orihime in her bikini. Ichigo has to fight his urge to glance at the phone himself.

"Yep. I see abs. Subtle, but there." Keigo says.

The committee goes back to their discussions, ignoring all of Ichigo's and Orihime's insistences that enough is enough already.

"So we're unanimously saying Ichigo?" Keigo asks. Everyone nods, though Chizuru does it begrudgingly.

"So now what? Orihime won face, Ichigo won body. How do we decide?" Mizuiro questions.

"I guess we have to go with total package. Whose looks could dazzle a complete stranger?" Keigo ponders.

Chad lights up. "Riruka fell to the floor after seeing Ichigo for the first time."

Ichigo glares at his best friend. That wasn't something he wanted out there for the world to know.

"Tsukishima's little sidekick, Shishigawara, was it? He couldn't even bring himself to attack Inoue-san, completely dazzled by her beauty." Ishida adds.

Orihime blushes. Maybe she shouldn't have told him about that. But at the time, he was the only one who had been attacked by whom they had all assumed was Tsukishima.

"You know what we need to do? Find a stranger in this park. Someone who is bisexual. Or asexual. Asexual is probably better. Then, we need to make them choose between Ichigo and Orihime." Chizuru suggests.

"And how are we supposed to find this person? Just ask random people if they're bisexual?" Tatsuki asks skeptically.

"Well do you have a better idea?" Chizuru challenges.

"I have a better idea. How about all of you guys just shut up?" Ichigo proposes.

Just then, the fireworks start. Ichigo sighs in relief as everyone's attention is diverted.

Several moments later, when the show is reaching its climax, Orihime lightly taps his shoulder. He turns to look at her. She blushes shyly, absentmindedly playing with the rose flower crown. "Just for the record, I would have voted for you Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo blushes, but forces himself to say, "And I would have voted for you. So I guess there really is no way to break this tie, huh?"

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A/N: Let me know if you guys want more of this! I feel like it could stand as a one-shot, but it could also be a multi chapter story! Not long, like 5 or 6 chapters.

Please review and let me know what you think!