Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Drawn to the Rhythm (The Easiest Thing ) ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer

I don't own Bleach and I am not making any money off of it. Some other lucky bastard is!

 

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Author's Note(s)

I didn't intend for this chapter to be so long but I had to tie up some loose ends before I could move forward with the story.

The next chapter will most likely be the move itself and Orihime actually facing some of her fears. Oh, and maybe some more stupid silliness (least I think it's funny but no one lets me know). And, If I can manage to not be so long winded I will do my best to make the chapter after that flow a bit faster and hopefully land someone in the hospital. I'll try. It's what's intended anyway.

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Chapter Edit History

3/23/2008 mild content addition, little grammar fixes. Nothing significant at all. Only about 3 lines of stuff focused around why it's necessary for Tatsuki to be a body guard. For anyone who cares enough to re-read, ctrl+f, search for the word `mall' and you'll be there.

3/23/2008 grammar and spelling fixes. One line addition to Orihime and roller coasters.

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Chapter Summary

Enter Renji the voyeur. Orihime, with Uryuu's support, makes the decision to face some of her fears. Tatsuki's resolve is solidified. Chizuru meets Renji for the first time and leaves a lasting impression. And Orihime's stuff gets packed up and ready for the move.

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CHAPTER 13

 

 

Orihime was still giddy over Tatsuki's big secret when she stepped out of the bathroom and detachedly scanned the living room. “Hn?” She mentioned passively while scooping more whipped cream, eggs, and rice into her mouth. “Where did Shiori-san go?”

 

 

“She'll be back in a little while… maybe.” Uryuu answered.

 

 

Orihime could tell he was preoccupied.

 

 

“She's out taking a walk.” Solemnly he motioned for his girlfriend to come join him at the table.

 

 

What's wrong Ury-kun?” She sauntered over and shot a seductive glance his way to try and make her boy smile. “I thought boys were supposed to be happy after lots of sex.” She said teasingly as she sat down at the table. The shy blush that crossed his face made her smile.

 

 

Despite the things that weighed heavily on his mind at the moment, happy couldn't even begin to describe how wonderful he felt. It took everything he had to fight back the urge to lock all the doors, call off the move, and drag her back into the bedroom for the rest of their lives.

 

 

`She's so close I can smell her.' His whole body ached for her, he was hooked! It seemed both sweet and cruelly unnecessary torture to not touch her when she was so close. A faint sparkle flashed in his eyes. `Yes, definitely unnecessary and easy enough to fix!' In one swift move the Quincy scooped up his girl and placed her in his lap. “Haven't you teased me enough for one morning?”

 

 

Orihime shook her head “no” and giggled when she felt him kiss and nibble on the back of her neck. She really liked it when he kissed her there. It was one of those simple, sweet, and innocent kinds of gestures that just made her feel beautiful, special, and above all loved. It was like the way he always kissed the top of her head before her left her side.

 

 

All the boy wanted to do was spend a carefree day with his special girl, but that was not what fate had planned. It wasn't surprising when his shoulders dropped. `I hate to have to be the one to kill the fun. She's so happy this morning.'

 

 

The sound of his voice tickled her ear, it was soft and serious. “Orihime… Shiori-san didn't know anything at all about your time in Las Noches.” She felt his chest expand against her back when he took in a deep breath. “She believed that for the past two weeks you were in the hospital because you hit your head. That's the story Tatsuki, Urahara, and Yoruichi told her. Though I'm not sure where she thought you were the whole time before that.”

 

 

He felt her posture stiffen slightly at the mention of Las Noches. He hoped that someday those words wouldn't affect her so badly. Still, Orihime became slightly more rigid with the unexpected news about Shiori-san's unawareness of her situation.

 

 

“I told her what happened to you. She's taking it pretty hard.” He idly buried his nose in her hair to breathe in her wonderful scent as he recalled the horrid look of devastation on his mother's face. “She really does love you like a daughter Orihime.”

 

 

Even though they both felt Shiori should know what was going on, they were relieved and incredibly grateful that their friends had gone through such great lengths to respect her privacy. It couldn't have been easy on any of them, especially since they were all more than likely dealing with their own issues as a result of everything that had happened.

 

 

“And that's why she's out taking a walk?” It wasn't really a question. The sadness in her voice was evident. Orihime didn't like to hurt anyone, especially those she loved. Even in cases like this where it couldn't be helped. She found herself trying to imagine how she might feel if she were a mother and heard such horrible news about her own daughter. It sent a sickening shiver down her spine and filled her with a nauseatingly powerful kind of anger.

 

 

Uryuu could see color and flow of her aura as it flared slightly from her anger. It was something he wasn't used to seeing in her.

 

 

“Hai Orihime.” He held her tightly. “She didn't want you to see her upset. She didn't want what she was going through to upset you, so she went out for a walk. Shiori-san said it would be selfish of her if she stayed only to have you console her when it should be the other way around.” He nuzzled at her neck before resting his chin on her head. “You know, you two are a lot a like that way; seems like something you'd do too.”

 

 

“Ury-kun…” Orihime released an angry breath that she didn't know she was holding and leaned deeper into her boy, tilting her head to the side to rest it against his.

 

 

“Hn?” He sat silently, hoping that his embrace would comfort her while she mulled over the news.

 

 

The pensive girl unconsciously ran feather light touches with her fingertips across his forearms. “Do you think we'll ever be normal again? You know, where it's ok to feel happy for more than just a couple of hours?”

 

 

“I don't think we'll ever be normal, I doubt we ever were… as for happy…” That same sparkle flashed in his eye again, the one he had a moment ago when he scooped her into his lap. It was a new look for the normally stoic Quincy, and apparently it was here to stay. In fact Orihime had lost count of how many times she had seen that particular mischievous little glint in his eyes last night. She told him it made him look like a naughty little boy who was about to rob a candy store.

 

 

However, with her back against him she couldn't see this one coming. Uryuu sprung out of the chair cradling his surprised princess against him bridal style and spun in circles around the room, stopping only when she smiled so big he could swear he saw her back teeth. `I will not let you be sad Hime-chan. Not if I can help it!'

 

 

He bent over to kiss his freshly happy girl. It was a short but sweet kiss that held the promise of millions of kisses whose time had yet to come. “You Hime-chan are destined to be happy. I'll see to that personally!” He smiled infectiously and spun around once more for dramatic effect.

 

 

Orihime giggled. “You're a silly undercover god! I love you.” It was impossible for her to not believe him. `Ury-kun's the perfect boy! And no one will ever know it but me.' She smiled at just the very thought of him, her very own secret treasure. `He's goofy when no one else is watching.'

 

“Besides,” he said as he set her down, “we already have everything we need. We have friends, a family, and each other. We just need to be patient and let everything else run its course. Oh… and uh,” he scratched at the back of his neck, “there is one more surprise this morning.”

 

 

Orihime knew that look too. It was his do I have to say this look. She was willing to bet money that he had reason to sport that look more times over these past few days than he'd ever had in his all his previous days combined. So, she cocked a curious eyebrow and patiently waited.

 

 

“Since Shiori-san didn't know about Las Noches, she didn't know that you weren't ready to be around people just yet.” He looked at her both apologetically and empathetically. “Apparently Renji and some others are meeting Tatsuki at your apartment to help with the move. Shiori-san thought since your place was so small and there wasn't too much stuff, all the extra hands could help get it all done in one day. I don't think Tatsuki knows about it either or she would have said something.”

 

 

He was very surprised when she just sighed rather loudly in what he could only describe as defeat while he watched her butt collapse with a thud when she dropped cross-legged onto the floor. “Orihime?”

 

 

“Chizuru's coming too.” She watched his face contort into some oddly surprised expression. She could tell that was something he never expected to hear.

 

 

In addition to that tiny bit of unexpected and surprising news, Uryuu was also not prepared for the rambling and incredibly informative burst of Hime-speak that followed.

 

 

He watched his girlfriend fiddle with her fingers as she politely looked up to speak to him. The not so casual information rolled off of her tongue as candidly as if she were reading this morning's edition of Japan Today. It spilled forth in one long massive run on sentence that was miraculously sustained by only a single breath.

 

 

“Tatsuki-chan asked me if she could come. It's really wonderful. Tatsuki-chan just told me they've been having sex with each other for two years. Isn't that great Ury-kun? I bet she knows a whole lot of cool things to do! Oh, I know, we should ask them! Tatsuki-chan smiles big when she talks about Chizuru-chan. I haven't seen her smile like that in a long time… I'm a bad friend Ury-kun, they've been together for two years and I never knew.” Orihime's face saddened, briefly before she resumed.

 

 

“So, anyway, Tatsuki-chan wants her here today. Maybe Tatsuki-chan thinks she'll get horny. If she does then I guess it's a good thing for Chizuru-chan to be there too. And Tatsuki-chan says her Chizuru-chan is sweet, patient and reeeeeally good at sex. Anyway, I think Tatsuki-chan's in love with her. Oh, and she promised Chizuru-chan would keep her distance from me. Tatsuki-chan also said that she wouldn't leave me alone with her.” Orihime finally took a breath and stared obliviously at her dumbstruck boy.

 

 

“And Ury-kun… I just want you know that I think Tatsuki-chan used to have a crush on me, but she can't possibly now because she's in love with Chizuru-chan. Right? Isn't that how it works? And even though it would be really-really fun to have sex with two sexy twin Quincies at the same time, I'll never cheat on you Ury-kun, never! Not even with Tatsuki-chan.”

 

 

His mouth hung widely agape. “Huh?” Uryuu didn't know where to begin. He stared at his girlfriend as though monkeys dripped out of her nose. “Uh, ok… are you done Orihime? I mean is there more you want to tell me?” He watched her nod and smile. She was done.

 

 

All of her words began to sink in and the absurdity of it all prompted monkeys to start flying out of her ears too. `What the hell!'

 

 

`Why is Ury-kun looking at me like that?' She continued to smile up at him and was overcome with a sensation of the warm fuzzies. `Ury-kun's so cute!'

 

 

The fumbling Quincy really couldn't put together anything too intelligible yet. “So, if we weren't together you'd sleep with Tatsuki?” Of the million questions he had that one popped out first. `I'm a dumbass. Why did I ask that?' He scolded himself and chalked it up to every healthy heterosexual mans fascination with lesbians.

 

 

Orihime reacted as if her boyfriend had just asked her if she had ever worn socks. “Of course! Tatsuki-chan's wonderful, she always looks out for me, she's really sweet, she has a great body too I bet she's really good in bed, plus she's so beautiful, and she uses her powers for good and not evil.” She giggled to herself over that last part, even though it really was true.

 

 

“She's a lot like you. Don't you think Ury-kun?” She could have sworn his face turned a little greenish. She giggled out loud this time and took his reaction as a queue to never mention Tatsuki in a personally romantic sense again unless she wanted to make him change colors.

 

 

Uryuu gave up trying to think and instead mimicked her by dropping down on the floor cross legged right next to her, their shoulders and knees touched. “So Chizuru huh? She's kind of gropey and obnoxious. I never really liked her all that much. She's always all over you Orihime. Are you sure about this?”

 

 

“If Tatsuki-chan says she'll behave, I believe her. Chizuru-chan really isn't as bad as everyone thinks she is Ury-kun. You should give her a chance, and if Tatsuki-chan really loves her maybe we'll both get another sister.” Orihime smiled big at the thought.

 

 

`Wow!' It didn't go unnoticed by him how her face lit up every time she talked about family. `She really wants a family, a big family! Guess my bachelor hermit days are over. That'll take some getting used to.' He continued to listen attentively.

 

 

“Did you know she used to get beat up all they time by some older kids? Tatsuki-chan made me promise not to tell, but the reason those kids stopped picking on her was because Tatsuki-chan beat them up just like she beat up the girls who cut my hair. And I was the first person Chizuru-chan ever came out to. She said she knew I wouldn't judge her or think differently of her for being a lesbian. And after my brother died she came over to my place every night for two weeks and brought a different scary movie just to try and make me laugh.” Orihime reached over and wrapped both her arms around his closest one before resting her head on his shoulder.

 

 

“I still don't like that she's always touching you Orihime. I don't like anyone going after you like that.” A quiet and devious laugh escaped him. “Except me!”

 

 

Orihime smiled at his claim. Still, she rolled her eyes before validating him. “Yup, just you my beautiful Quincy boy, I'm all yours.” Orihime stretched up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before settling back down to taunt him. “You better put a lot of miles on me too!”

 

 

Uryuu did a double take and both of his eye brows were stretched so high that they disappeared under his bangs. That was a challenge he intended to meet. `I'll blow that one right out of the water!'

 

 

“But you don't have to worry about Chizuru-chan being clingy anymore. I'll just ask her to stop. She told me once that she'd stop being clingy if I just asked her to. It always made her so happy and since it really didn't bother me I never asked her to. But I'll ask her now.”

 

 

“I just hope she's a good enough person to respect your request Hime-chan. She'll get hurt if she isn't!” The threatening and protective tones of his voice indicated that he was quite serious about that too.

 

 

“She's good I promise.” Orihime thought for a moment. “Chizuru-chan once said the most wonderful thing to me Ury-kun. It was right after those mean girls cut off my hair.” Orihime wasn't afraid of seeing Chizuru, she was just afraid of seeing anyone really, but when she remembered what Chizuru told her she was reminded just what kind of a person her crazy red-headed friend really was.

 

 

“Chizuru-chan said: Don't worry too much about it Orihime, so what if they got your hair, you'll grow it back if you want to and with no effort at all. But those girls, it'll take a lot more effort than just growing hair to fix whatever's really bothering them. And I promise Orihime, whatever's really got them acting like little bitches, well, it's not you. You aren't their problem. But, if you want to get back at them, just be yourself Orihime and show them how happy you are, because they clearly aren't.”

 

 

Soft grey eyes met tender violet ones, “See Ury-kun. She'll be just fine!” Orihime's voice began to quiver a bit, “so who else is coming?”

 

 

She tried to hide it but he could still see the anxiety in her eyes. `Even if she'd be ok seeing Chizuru, she's just one person. One person is manageable, but a lot of people… I don't know.' “I'm not sure Hime-chan. All Shiori-san said was, and I quote `some Shinigami Urahara knows named Renji and some others.' So whoever's coming knows Urahara.”

 

 

Uryuu thought about his last statement for a moment then shook his head. “Well, that pretty much includes almost everyone we know so your guess is as good as mine.”

 

 

He was definitely concerned, what ever the case might be, it could possibly end up being too many people all at once. “I can cancel everything Orihime. Just tell me what you want.”

 

 

Orihime knew her friends missed her. If their situations had been reversed she would want to see her friend too. She would want to do everything she could to help her friend out. “No, don't. They just want to help.”

 

 

“Besides, I don't think it'll ever really be easy for me to get better, especially if I don't try.” She let go of his arm and took his hand before leaning against him. He could hear the longing, the sadness, and the apprehension in her voice. “I don't like hiding from my friends Ury-kun.”

 

 

In a forced and very uncharacteristically upbeat voice, intended to help liven the mood, Uryuu belted confidently, “Ok then, you're the boss! I guess we'll be having even more company today.” He silently chastised himself for sounding like a cheesy motivational speaker.

 

 

Still, he was proud of her for trying to face her fears. That was the Inoue Orihime he'd always known. “I'll be right here with you Hime-chan. I promise no one will hurt you and everything will be on your terms, always. Just tell me what you want and I'll make sure it happens.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly and kissed the top of her head.

 

 

“I love you.” He mumbled with his lips buried in her soft hair.

 

 

`Ury-kun's the best. I can do this so long as he's with me. I know I can. I'm home now. My friends won't hurt me. I left everyone behind and they still risked their lives to rescue me. Why would they want to hurt me if they would do all that for me?' Orihime closed her eyes to force back the recurring flashes of Aizen, of the Espada, and the rest of the Arrancar. Most of all she fought the images that scared her the most. She struggled with the memories of her friend, the most self-less person she knew, the object of her lengthy school-girl infatuation, Kurosaki Ichigo. In her mind she watched all of them beat her, all of them use her, and on a twisted loop she watched all of them force themselves inside of her.

 

 

The images never left. She knew the boy at her side understood everything as much as he could without having lived through it himself. He understood that just because her memories and her fears couldn't be seen and heard by everyone else that didn't mean they weren't tearing her apart inside. That's why he refused to leave her. If he left she'd carry the full weight of everything by herself and that was entirely unacceptable to him. Something about his presence, his support, and his truly unconditional love helped tame the mess of horrors in her head just enough to keep her sane.

 

 

`My friends won't hurt me. My friends won't hurt me. That wasn't Kurosaki-kun. Kurosaki-kun is my friend. Kurosaki-kun wouldn't hurt me. That wasn't Kurosaki-kun.' She rocked back and forth and quietly chanted affirmations to herself. Orihime was completely unaware that she spoke just loud enough to be heard. Her words and unconscious gentle rocking caused a frightful and mounting concern to fill the boy that sat next to her as he listened.

 

 

Her affirmations were self pleading and desperate attempts to replace the irrational feelings that begged her to stay locked up in a room and never come out. Instead she fought to replace them with what she logically knew to be the truth, her friends wouldn't ever knowingly hurt her and that was not her Kurosaki-kun who raped her.

 

 

She let go of his hand and crawled into his lap. She liked it there. Orihime decided that it was her favorite place to be. In his lap she was surrounded by him, he was her safety net - her Quincy cocoon. She curled herself up into a ball and felt waves of tension ebb away when he enveloped her. It was a scary thing to make the decision to face your own fears. Even scarier when there was already a plan set in motion to do so.

 

 

It felt like waiting in a long line to ride the biggest and scariest rollercoaster, even though you were deathly afraid of them. The anticipation of waiting and slowly inching closer and closer to the horrors that lay waiting were daunting. She felt like a dead man walking. Orihime could only hope that her mind was playing mean tricks on her again, and that this really would be exactly like the first time she rode a big scary roller coaster.

 

 

Turned out she loved roller coasters and all her anxiety was for nothing.

 

 

It was definitely scary, but it could be worse. She could be doing it all alone, but he wouldn't let her. “Ury-kun, until I'm comfortable with them again can we make it so it's only one special person in the house at a time? Just don't leave me alone.”

 

 

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Tatsuki was surprised when she got to Orihime's apartment and found a small mountain of flattened and professionally bundled boxes, some markers, and a few rolls of tape sitting outside the front door. `I guess Mom ordered those. There should be a truck coming by soon too.' “Go MOM!” Tatsuki shouted out to no one. `I was wondering what were going to use to package up all of her stuff.'

 

 

Dragging the packing supplies behind her Tatsuki used her key to let herself in before shutting the door. “Ugh I hate moving.” She looked around Orihime's cute but messy little place. Orihime always kept everything nice and very sanitarily clean but never orderly and presentable. “Clean slob! Today's going to suck!”

 

 

Tatsuki looked at her watch and smiled before she continued talking to herself to kill the silence. “So I called Chizzy what, about 10 minutes ago maybe. She should be here in another 15-20 minutes. That should definitely make this more fun, at least until Mom gets here and we have to pretend to just be friends.” She sighed to herself. `Well that's a downer.'

 

 

“Oh well, still. It'll be way better with her around. Besides, I hate talking out loud to myself. Someone will hear me and think I'm nuts!” The raven-haired girl looked around the messy little apartment. “Ok Arisawa, where are we gonna start?”

 

 

Figuring that Orihime would need her personal effects first since the Sex Pistol already had all the other basics, Tatsuki grabbed a few boxes and headed to her friend's bedroom. `Clothes, she definitely needs her clothes. Even as cute as she looks in them, she can't keep wearing his stuff.'

 

 

Tatsuki was busy packing. She was completely preoccupied, still reeling in the memories of last night's activities with her Pervy-chan. On top of that she kept pensively recalling and analyzing key pieces of her recent conversation with Orihime. `Orihime you're the best, best friend-friend-friend-friend ever!' Tatsuki couldn't stress friend enough. `I can't believe she made that so easy. It really is Chizzy, just Chizzy. She's the one I want!'

 

 

Tatsuki felt like the vise-grip that had been squeezing at her heart had just disintegrated. The name of that vise-grip - Orihime. `I love you Orihime, I really do. I can't ever imagine my life without you. I'm just not in love with you… anymore.' Now there was only one girl in that lived in her heart.

 

 

She was so consumed with her own thoughts and apparently so used to the warm and comforting feel of Chizuru's aura that she mistook the slight tingling sensation she felt as a mere side effect of her current state of happiness. The Quincy didn't recognize the feeling of Chizuru being near, nor did she hear the girl knock on the front door.

 

 

Chizuru decided to let herself in, since the door was unlocked. She headed toward the noise of things being shuffled around in Orihime's bedroom. “Hey Babe, I knocked but…”

 

 

Tatsuki was caught unusually off guard. Her heart rate shot up as she jumped two feet into the air and turned around landing in full attack stance. Between deep breaths she tried to slow her racing heart. “Damnit, Chizzy! Don't sneak up on people like that.” The jumpy warrior straightened up and rolled her eyes as she watched her little pervert laugh her ass off.

 

 

Chizuru was laughing so hard she could barely breathe but the opportunity to pick on the other girl was just too ripe. “You know, for someone who can kick the asses of more than half of Japan's citizens without even breaking a sweat, you sure are skittish.” She couldn't pass up the chance to taunt her cocky champ. “I can see it now; Japan Today's headlines will read: World renowned karate champion fears for her life against an unbelievably hot and unarmed fru-fru girl wearing a dress and sandals!”

 

 

Tatsuki fought to hold back her laughter. It leaked out in the form of an strained and amused grin that refused to be denied. This moment of weakness did not go unnoticed by the loony little fru-fru who laughed even harder as a result.

 

 

Quickly the proud champ feigned an annoyed snarl to try and regain her edgy and cool composure. She was completely unprepared for what happened next. All the powers that be seemed to conspire against her at once in a rather painful kind of epiphany that seemed to last way too long but in reality lasted no more than a second. Even though that fleeting second completely escaped the red-head's attention, the consequences of it landed right on her.

 

 

Tatsuki stood, unable to move as she watched. She didn't see the creative pervert that found new and sometimes freakishly scary ways to make her body sing. She didn't see the supple physique she craved or the skilled fingers that could fondle her to state of pure arousal. She didn't see any of those things, the very things she had so sinfully indulged in over the past two years.

 

 

Instead, in a fraction of a second, Tatsuki saw and felt everything she'd fought so hard to overlook and deny about Chizuru and their relationship. She saw a rare silly kind of mirth in the other girl, a warm kindness, genuine compassion, a strong will, and so much more. She saw a place where she was wanted; a home where only she belonged. `God she's beautiful.'

 

 

Tatsuki felt her heart ache with a desperate longing. It was a physically painful sense of rapture. The weight of the feelings that she'd spent two years burying - two years denying. They all forcibly demanded acceptance at once as they gripped at her. The weight was so crushing she could barely breathe. `So much denied for too long.'

 

 

Despite years of trying to maintain a safely detached distance, the enraptured champ knew her girl, every curve, every sound, every taste, and smell. She knew her past, her fears, and her dreams, her sneaky little tricks, and all her favorite things. Hell, she could walk into a store and buy Chizuru's favorite color nail polish. `I know where you hide.'* She could even tell how the crazy little spit-fire was feeling by the rhythm and expanse of her breathing. `I know all of the things that make you who you are.'*

 

 

She began to suffocate. `Hurt… can't breathe.' She rubbed frantically at her chest to help ease the overwhelming pressure.

 

 

Before Chizuru knew what hit her, two warm palms grabbed her face as their fingers buried themselves in her hair. A hard body pinned her aggressively against the bedroom wall. She felt a hungry thigh dig demandingly at her center. It felt like her soul was being sucked deliciously out of her by way of a completely unexpected, exquisitely searing, and intensely passionate kiss. The shocked red-head didn't know what had gotten into her spikey haired hell-cat and by the gods she didn't care! She didn't want it to stop… ever!

 

 

Tatsuki had never kissed her like this before.

 

 

The moment Tatsuki's lips met Chizuru's the pain in her chest began to ease and she knew she'd made the right choice - chosen to love the right girl. The harder she kissed her own special girl, the faster the agony of everything she'd denied herself over the past two years began to subside. `This is the way a girl like you is supposed to be kissed Chizzy.' Tatsuki swore she'd never hold back again.

 

 

When the kiss ended both girls were gasping for air. Tatsuki kept the other girl pinned against the wall and pressed their foreheads together. The pain was gone but the heavy bursting sensation in her chest remained. Between the lingering remnants of her rapture and watching the mixture of euphoria and confusion that etched across her Pervy-chan's face, Tatsuki met her girl eye-for-eye and just beamed knowingly. She smiled so big her face hurt, but she just couldn't stop.

 

 

Chizuru felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her in the best way possible. `That was amazing!' She looked into her attackers dancing eyes. “Wow!” she exclaimed while she brushed her thumb softly over Tatsuki's lips. “What was that for?”

 

 

Still grinning wider than a Cheshire cat, Tatsuki replied coolly, “I just missed you.”

 

 

The green-eyed girl glared in knowing suspicion. She placed a quick kiss on her liar's lips, still puffy and red from its previous exploit. “You're full of crap babe, something else is up!” Still she grinned contently. “But after a kiss like that I won't argue with you!” She hoped it wouldn't be the last kiss of its kind, and something about the way Tatsuki was staring at her told her that it wouldn't be.

 

 

“Yeah fucking no kidding!” A crass husky voice sounded from inside the room. “That was the sweetest live action I've ever seen in awhile. So, what hell's up with that?”

 

 

In shock Tatsuki spun around and took up a protective stance in front of Chizuru. He heart was pounding wildly in her chest. For the second time that day she was caught completely off guard. `What the hell is wrong with me today?'

 

 

There was no danger. “God damnit Renji!” She relaxed her stance and shifted to stand beside a very bewildered Chizuru before laying into the tattooed Shinigami. “What the hell are you doing here and how long have you been sitting there preparing for your lonely life as a dirty old man?”

 

 

Of all the strange new people Tatsuki had met over the past several weeks. Renji was by far her favorite. Not only was he fun to hang out with, he was also teaching her how to become a much more effective fighter. Plus, they both enjoyed making other people squirm and they were both smart asses who thoroughly enjoyed flinging insults back and forth at one another.

 

 

He smiled like the bratty little trouble maker he was and flashed his prize winning toothy grin. “I saw the whole thing. I suppose if I had just kept quite a little longer I could have seen a lot more action, ne? ”

 

 

Chizuru wasn't expecting Tatsuki to jump off of her as if a dog suddenly bit her in the ass. Not after a kiss like that. If anything she wanted the girl to come in closer instead of pulling away to stand next to her. `What? Who the hell is she talking too?' She watched an odd scene unfold. Tatsuki seemed to be talking to some invisible person.

 

 

At first she thought the girl might be loosing it, but then she remembered everything Tatsuki told her last night. `Ok…. So she can see and hear things I can't. That really is just kind of creepy.' Chizuru reached out for Tatsuki's hand but missed it just barely as she watched her ghost whispering karate girl charge across the room.

 

 

Renji decided to stand still and not dodge her predictable attempt to knock him to the ground. His back slammed hard against the floor as he came crashing down under her force. All he could do was laugh as at the girl who strattled him and pinned to the bedroom floor. “Awe, look how cute you are. That shade of red looks good on you Tatsuki-chan.”

 

 

Renji stood up with ease and watched his friend amusedly tumble off of him only to fall flat on her own ass this time. The girl immediately jumped right back to her feet. “Seriously though, that was hot! Where did you learn to kiss like that? And I didn't know you liked girls.”

 

 

Chizuru stood near the bedroom door in disbelief. `There is no way someone can move around like that by themselves.' Though she never doubted what Tatsuki told her, it was a completely different thing to actually watch the very convincing rumble that seemed to play out between her girl and some other very real albeit invisible person.

 

 

Tatsuki was still a bit embarrassed about being both caught in an intimate moment and then landing flat on her ass in front of her Chizuru. She unintentionally took it out on her friend. Her voice held a hostile edge as she sternly corrected Renji. “I don't like girls you Baboon worshipping jackass. I just like that girl!” She pointed across the room at the still speechless Chizuru.

 

 

Two sets of eyes followed Tatsuki's pointed finger and landed on feminine red-head.

 

 

`She said she likes me! She's never… ever… acknowledged that out loud before.' Chizuru completely forgot about the invisible person. She was so happy she charged her Suki-chan and tackle-hugged her to the ground before slamming their lips together once more.

 

 

Renji just stood there watching. Despite how arousing it was to watch two cute girls go at it, all he did was scratch his head. `Poor little Arisawa's got too much of an alpha dog battle complex to be happy about being knocked on her ass, again.' He couldn't wait to watch the fallout. He wanted to see his little buddy get all flushed and bent out of shape again. `Hey, wait, that's the chick from school who's always grabbing on Orihime.'

 

 

More than a minute passed and his shoulders dropped in disappointment. `They aren't letting up!' The eager little guy between his legs stood at full salute when he realized that Tatsuki had no intention of making the other girl stop her assault. `Dammit! That bites!' Despite any good intention he might have, he knew that this little scene between the two girls on the floor would probably keep him warm at night for weeks to come.

 

 

Renji cleared his throat… loudly. He wanted to make sure he was heard, the first time. He was quite relieved when they stopped kissing and even more relieved when he saw Tatsuki's apologetic face peak out from underneath the other girl.

 

 

Chizuru sighed in disappointment when the kiss ended. And on instinct she followed the direction of her Suki-chan's gaze. “Opps, I'm sorry Tatsuki I forgot we weren't alone.” It was Chizzy's turn to look apologetic as she stood up and straightened out her clothes before offering a hand to help her champ up.

 

 

Though it wasn't necessary, Tatsuki took the other girl's hand and let her pull her back to her feet. “Uh, Chizzy, this is Renji.” She pointed in his direction. “He's a friend of mine. One of those Shinigami guys I told you about last night.”

 

 

Renji just raised an eyebrow. He knew the girl couldn't see him. Still it surprised him that Tatsuki seemed to like this girl well enough to tell her about everything. That was all he needed to know to conclude that Tatsuki wasn't just messing around. Well that and how relaxed and apparently intimate they were with one another. In fact, if he had to guess he'd say that they'd probably been going out for awhile.

 

 

Chizuru looked confused and laced her fingers with Tatsuki's. “Uh babe, you know I can't see him right?” Chizuru couldn't help but smile at the cute and wayward expression on Tatsuki's face which told her that her blushing warrior had completely forgotten all about that minor little detail.

 

 

Tatsuki watched Renji jump out of the window as she heard him holler, “I'll be right back.”

 

 

Tatsuki liked the way it felt to hold Chiz's hand. It was something she rarely allowed herself to do. “Sorry about all that. Renji's gone, but he'll be right back.” She idly ran a finger back and forth between the waistband of Chizuru's skirt and soft skin of her midriff. “You'll be able to see him then.”

 

 

“Gigai right?” Chizuru watched Tatsuki smile softly in surprise. `So beautiful.' She thought as she smiled back and silently praised herself for remembering the new vocabulary.

 

 

`There must be something in the air.' The few inches that separated them were driving Chizuru mad. She pulled Tatsuki in and just stood there, holding her in a comfortable hug. She was surprised when the other girl returned the gesture without putting up her usual distant front and just relaxed in her arms. She liked the way her usually moody and gruff warrior girl had been acting since last night. She couldn't help but wonder though…`what's gotten into her today?' Chizuru didn't want that to end either.

 

 

They stood there in silence and enjoyed the always unacknowledged serene comfort they felt when they were together in hushed closeness.

 

 

They enjoyed the moment till they heard the front door open and slam loudly shut. Renji's voice echoed through the tiny place. “Ohio! You both better be decent. If I get another boner I'm gonna be pissed off!”

 

 

Chizuru's face perked up and Tatsuki growled in disgust. “Shut the hell up Renji that's disgusting.” The raven-haired girl watched the amusement dance across her Pervy-chan's face. She rolled her eyes and smiled knowingly. `Of course she's going to like Renji if he says pervy crap like that.' It was kind of an unnerving thought. `Neither one of them has any shame.'

 

 

Two pairs of eyes watched as Chizuru's nearly popped out of her head when she first saw the formerly phantom death god in all his hippie clad gigai glory. “You're Renji!... Damn you're hot! Nowhere near as hot a Tatsuki, but hell… I'd do you if I did boys.”

 

 

Another stroke to Renji's ego. `Damn what a morning! Wait a minute…' He looked inquisitively at the other red-head, he decided he liked her and hoped that Tatsuki would bring her around more. “What the hell do you mean nowhere near as hot as Tatsuki?” He puffed out his chest and brought his arms up for a nice flexing pose. “No way is she hotter than me!”

 

 

“Hmph…” Chizuru laughed and rolled her eyes as she mentally sized Renji's personality up and stepped in just close enough to teasingly graze against his body with her own. “Yes-yes, those are impressive.” She said as she licked her lips and pressed the warm palms of her hands against the sides of his neck. She slowly let them slide down to follow the teasing trail of his tribal markings till they disappeared under his tightly stretched cotton shirt.

 

 

Tatsuki tried hard not to laugh. `Renji you poor bastard, you deserve this!' She knew exactly what Chizuru was doing. `God she's hot!'

 

 

She loved watching Chizuru tease the hell out of people. She really only got to witness the girl go all out when they were away, usually out of town for a tournament. It was a twisted little thrill they both enjoyed, and the victims were usually unsuspecting vendors at the mall who had something Chizuru wanted for free or stupid little boys who insisted upon loudly voicing lewd and objectifying comments about the girls around them. Occasionally these little teasing conquests Chizuru embarked upon would require a body guard. Tatsuki recalled having to knock a few heads around over the past two years. `That girl can be a handful sometimes.'

 

 

Every time she watched the other girl mercilessly cause some poor bastard to go insane with desire Tatsuki felt some strange sense of pride and proprietorship built up inside of her. `How the hell is she mine?'

 

 

`He will know his place!' Chizuru bore her eyes into him hungrily. This was a fun game for her to play. She could feel the heat begin to radiate off of his body as it stiffened and grew tense against his will. She continued to explore and feel the contours of his forthrightly displayed and well defined chest through the confines of the stretched cotton of his shirt. `He may be an alpha dog bad ass warrior but sex is mightier than the sword and this boy is way the hell out of his league!' She grinned sardonically. `This little bitch is mine!'

 

 

She kept her face cast slightly downward as she looked up and seductively took and captively held his gaze. This was the very look and the sole reason the uppermost part of her eye glass frames were always rimless. Her warm breath brushed over the exposed skin above his collar. With a sultry coo she delicately ran her fingers nails across his scalp, “the red hair is pretty sexy too.”

 

 

Renji had long since lost the ability to think straight. He wasn't thinking about where he was and he wasn't thinking about whom else was with him. His whole body tingled, his blood flowed to one destination, and his pants continued to grow increasingly tight. He couldn't move and he didn't want to.

 

 

Tatsuki was biting her bottom lip so hard to keep from laughing, she expected to draw blood. The look on Renji's face was priceless. `That dumbass couldn't handle her even if he could land her!'

 

 

Chizuru never waivered, she kept his gaze, she leaned just hard enough into him to leave him wanting more. Her nimble wiggling fingers continued to massage his higher head. She waited patiently for him to cue her forward. Again she licked her lips before taking in a deep yearning breath. Any normal person would take that as the sign to go in for the kill, and Renji was no different.

 

 

Both girls watched amusedly as the cocky Shinigami's eyes drifted languidly shut, his lips puckered a bit, and he leaned into kiss the girl that dared him.

 

 

He was stunned, completely bewildered, when he felt both of her hands push into his chest with just enough pressure to force his eyes open and cause him to step back once to maintain his balance.

 

 

Chizuru smiled wildly and spun around on one foot before landing behind Tatsuki. She wrapped her arms possessively around her raven haired beauty's shoulders and pulled her back tightly against her own body.

 

 

“Yes…” she watched his eyes go wide while he shook his head from side-to-side attempting to regain his faculties, “you Mr. Shinigami are drop dead sexy.” Chizuru positioned her arms to briefly display the girl in front of her before encasing her once more, “but this... this is tops. There's nothing hotter than her.” She stuck her tongue out teasingly. “Not even you.”

 

 

Tatsuki leaned into her girl and blushed furiously. She brought her arms up to hang loosely from her Pervy-chan's possessive hold. Then suddenly the raven-haired girl felt bad for her friend. And even though she couldn't keep from smiling she mouthed a sincere apology in Renji's direction.

 

 

“Besides,” Chizuru continued, “her chest is way more fun that yours!”

 

 

His eyes rolled up in thought as he considered that last statement. “Well you do have a point there but damn woman that was wrong!” He glared menacingly and watched both girls smile back at him. If he didn't like Tatsuki as much as he did and if he hadn't pulled little stunts similar to that himself at least once or twice he might have been a pissed off.

 

 

Renji's elevated pride had been momentarily flattened. `All's fair I guess. Hell, that girl is just unnatural.' He was impressed.

 

 

`She got me good.' He shifted around a bit and decided he really missed his loose and flowing Shinigami robes. `Yeah, she's real damn good!' He couldn't help but wonder just how good the little succubus was giving it to his blushing little friend. Suddenly he was acutely aware of his growing jealously toward Tatsuki. `What the hell, that little punk is getting laid and who the hell knows how often. And, all I have going for me are a bunch of nudey pics that little fairy bitch Yumi took of me and posted online.'

 

Out of nowhere Tatsuki saw him wink approvingly at her right before he huffed out a very unconvincing, “Arisawa, I hate you and your little girlfriend too.”

 

 

Both girls just giggled.

 

 

“You deserved it Renji, you pompous inked up zookeeper.” Tatsuki couldn't get over the fact that his Zanpakuto was a baboon. It was her favorite thing to tease him about. “What the hell are you doing here anyway?”

 

He dropped down onto the bed in defeat. “Same as you pipsqueak, I'm helping Orihime move. Some more people will be by later so we can get it all done today.” He watched her face turn a few shades paler. He was surprised she didn't already know about all of this. “Didn't your mom tell you? She set the whole thing up.”

 

 

Tatsuki was filled with a foreboding sense of all hell breaking loose. “FUCK! Orihime's going to hate this and Uryuu will probably end up killing someone just for upsetting her.”

 

 

Chizuru didn't know why everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells over Orihime, but she didn't like how tense the girl in her arms suddenly became.

 

 

“Huh?” Renji looked confused. “What are you talking about? I talked to both of them on the phone before I jumped into the window and watched you shove your tongue down her throat.” He pointed at the clever little succubus and waggled his eyebrows playfully before continuing. “They said it was all good so long as only one person was in the apartment with them, you know, aside from you and your mom and any other people Orihime's already fine with.”

 

 

Chizuru grew more confused by the second. `What's up with Orihime?' Now she was more worried than confused.

 

 

“Are sure about that Renji?” Tatsuki forced herself to relax when his head nodded in confirmation. “Ok then, I guess we should get started then?”

 

 

Renji made an old man sound as he stood up from the bed. “Hai, good idea. Let's get this done with.” He paused for a moment and turned toward the couple who still stood in place. `Well aren't they just fucking cute, heh.'

 

 

“By the way, congratulations Arisawa, maybe now it'll be more fun to kick your ass.” He could tell she was about to ask what the hell he was talking about, yet again. Renji just smiled and cut her off before she even began.

 

 

He raised his left hand in the air and wiggled it around. “I felt a new… and well a damn strong reiatsu in the air earlier this morning. It felt Quincy-ish but I wasn't sure. I didn't know where it was coming from.”

 

 

He didn't want to step out of line. Renji studied Chizuru's reactions and posture; he could tell that this wasn't news to her. “So, you going to tell me what happened. You were just an average pain in my ass two days ago when I last saw you, now you're an over sexed-super powered Quincy with a girlfriend.”

 

 

His implied reference to their relationship didn't go unnoticed by either girl.

 

 

This was the second time he referred to them as a legitimate and titled couple. The first time sent Chizuru's heart pounding, only to be followed with a stinging disappointment when Tatsuki either missed it or chose to ignore it. This time it was exactly the same.

 

 

“First of all I was never an average pain in the ass you numbskull. Secondly, she beamed proudly; I was just as over sexed two days ago. Thirdly, her voice evened out, I'll tell you all about the Quincy stuff while we pack.” The instant Tatsuki stopped talking she felt like something heavy had just punched her in the chest. She realized it was Chizuru's energy, and she knew exactly what had caused her Pervy-chan to feel that way. `This is just not a good time Chizzy.'

 

 

Tatsuki turned around forcing the girl behind to her drop her protective hold. Her final reservation had been demolished. She wondered if Chizuru really loved her, and now she knew.

 

 

Ignoring the still aroused Shinigami that was in the room; Tatsuki leaned in and kissed Chizuru softly. “Please Chizzy I know you're upset, but don't be.” She whispered into the other girl's ear. “We'll talk about it later, I promise.” She nibbled on the inviting ear. “But I'm happier now than I've ever been and I blame you for all of it Pervy-chan.”

 

 

When Tatsuki pulled back the gloomy feeling was gone. Chizuru was smiling back at her.

 

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END OF CHAPTER, not the end of the story

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Hey I made a website… WOOT! Check it out. Linked on my profile.

I have some pictures and things up on my site that might help people see the main characters in a similar way that I do.

 

Updates seem to be running at 1-2 weeks these days. It depends mostly on work.

 

Thanks to those who continue reading. Please review, I really do rely on the reviews for valuable insight. I fix things and they help me determine certain undefined and future aspects of the story.