Dating Advice

By: eternalsailorsolarwind AKA youkai_girl

Disclaimer: Bleach and all of its characters are owned by Tite Kubo, his Japanese publishers, and Viz. I only play with them for grins and giggles.

A/N: Written for the following prompt from sharikqah on LiveJournal: Prayers like gravel/ flung at the sky's/ window, hoping to attract/ the loved one's/ attention (R.S Thomas). Ichigo flubs Rukia's advice on dating, and Tatsuki is displeased. Ichigo/Tatsuki.

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Ichigo ran down the street, dodging pedestrians. He could still hear Tatsuki yelling, and risked a glance backwards. She was closing the distance between them, and the baseball bat she was carrying looked painfully hard. Putting on another burst of speed, he rounded a corner. He skidded to a stop; it was a dead end.

Cursing, he retraced his steps, halting when a panting Tatsuki appeared at the entrance to the alley. Her scowl rivaled his own, and he involuntarily took a step back. "It was an accident, Tatsuki. I didn't mean to break your window."

She rested the bat on her shoulder, much like he did with Zangetsu. "I'm listening."

Nowhere to run, Ichigo spilled his guts. Tatsuki'd always been able to beat him up when they were kids; he didn't doubt she could do it right now, angry as she was. As the story came out, she looked more and more disbelieving.

"So let me get this straight. You wanted to ask me out, couldn't figure out how, and asked Rukia? The girl who practically lives in shoujo manga? At least that explains why you're dressed like an escapee from a mariachi band - and broke my window with a handful of gravel."

Ichigo's face flamed. "I was just supposed to get your attention, and…and…."

"Cough it up mister, or you'll be spitting out teeth."

"Serenadeyou." The words came out in a rush as Tatsuki hefted the bat.

Her eyebrow quirked and he repeated himself, slower this time. Ichigo felt his face turning the color of Renji's hair. "Serenade you. Rukia said it would work."

"You can sing?"

"…Um…kinda, yeah."

"Prove it. Karaoke; tomorrow night at seven. Your treat. Be late, and you'll regret it." Tatsuki turned to leave, looking back over her shoulder. "Oh, and Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time, just ask." A tight little grin crossed her face. "And you're still paying for that window."

She left, leaving a relieved Ichigo to lean against the brick wall of the building behind him. That was close. Wiping away the cold sweat that had broken out, he decided to never ask Rukia for advice on anything other than shinigami business ever again.