[fic] Slippery Stair Steps

[sweety8587]

I' m scratching my head over how to end this....anyhows, its Tatsuki's turn now!

4. Concerned

As they made their way across the school yard, Tatsuki wondered at what was wrong with her best friend. Orihime had been acting more strangely than usual today. Especially after she had come into class with the test papers Ochinii-sensei had asked her to get. And for some odd reason, she couldn’t stop blushing.

Concernedly she had asked, “Something wrong Orihime? Did something happen?”

She immediately got a reaction out of the red head as she waved her arms about and laughed nervously before rambling, “Wrong? Why nothing’s wrong Tatsuki-chan! Everything’s as fine as fine can be! Nothing happened! Nothing at all! Nothing ever happens to me! Everything’s just fine!”

Tatsuki raised a confused eyebrow and couldn’t help but thinking that maybe something had happened. So again she asked, in a gentler tone, “Orihime…You know you can tell me anything.”

Orihime’s face flushed as she insisted, “There isn’t anything to tell Tatsuki-chan! You’re just worrying too much!”

Tatsuki eyed Orihime dubiously and before she could further press the issue, a familiar voice called out, “Oye Inoue!”

Immediately the girl in question froze, turned bright red and slowly turned around. While she was unusually shy and clumsy around Ichigo, Tatsuki wondered why Orihime seemed even more conscious around the orange haired boy. Had he said or do something to Orihime?

Suspicion grew in her mind as she noticed the nervous gait with which Ichigo approached the pair. He turned to Tatsuki as he muttered, “Mind giving us a minute? There’s something I need to talk to Inoue about.”

Tatsuki’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. What the hell was going on? Ichigo’s body language all but screamed his nervousness as he stood before her and Orihime. Orihime in turn was staring down at her shoes as though they were the most interesting thing she had ever seen.

She debated internally what to do. Ichigo never was one to act like an idiot in front of girls and he was generally more respectful and gentle around Inoue. Grudgingly she gave him the benefit of the doubt and told him, “Just a minute. Orihime, I’ll be over by the gates if you need me.”

Orihime’s head snapped up and her mouth opened as she meekly replied, “O-Okay Tatsuki-chan.”

Ichigo returns in the next part!