Adjusting

(The next morning)

They were walking, toward the building of social gathering and knowledge growth, with the events of last night playing fresh in their minds. Rukia could scarcely imagine the situation she ended up in. A former captain of the Gotei 13, sacrificing his powers to save the life of a human woman, now a father of three with a son that showed immense promise as a Soul Reaper. However, for as glad as she was that she got some answers, she was now greatly resentful of the boy in front of her. How many decades of training did she have to do to even come close to how powerful this child is? And to make matters worse, he took some of her powers.

(Flashback of the previous night)

"So that's the story." Isshin said, finishing his tale of meeting a human named Masaki and becoming human to save her life. Partway through that explanation, Kisuke and Tessai showed up to examine Ichigo and prepare a gigai for Rukia "I couldn't return to Soul Society after that and they'd probably arrest me for giving up my powers like that." Change does not happen overnight for the Living, and it takes much longer for the Dead.

"Doesn't seem like Rukia can go back either." Said Kisuke, jotting some notes down about his student's changes. "Looks like she lost a good chunk of her power when she got too close to Ichigo." He explained to them that the method Ichigo used would absorb nearby reishi and reiatsu if anything got too close to him. Rukia was lucky to just lose some of her power. As she is now, she is incapable of opening a Senkaimon or activate her Shikai.

(Present)

"Scowling at me like that isn't going to change the situation we're in Rukia." The teen told her as she followed him to class. "I already said I was going to help you with your duties, you have a place to stay, and when 'whoever' comes I'll talk to them about what happened." Ichigo knew that talking was probably not going to work, but it was better than outright violence when himself and the Captain Commander had bigger things to worry about.

"You still got me into this mess!" She yelled back, justifying her anger at the orange haired teen. "If you had just stayed back, I would have been able to kill those hollows and we wouldn't be stuck like this." She knew he meant well, that he was protecting his family first and foremost. But his actions put them both in danger for the long run. 'He's strong but he'll never be able to match the Soul Society.' She thought to herself as they finally made it into the school grounds of Karakura High. He gave her the directions to the office so she could finalize her status as a student of Karakura. He left for his own reasons, running into a certain well endowed girl with flower hairpins.

"Whoa!" He said, wrapping his arms around her reflexively, keeping her from falling onto her butt. "Hey there Orihime." Their faces were inches apart, Ichigo wearing a mask of casual nonchalance while the busty girl quickly became a stuttering blushing mess.

"I-I-Ichigo!" She never had enough courage to pursue her crush, though she is monumentally more comfortable around him now thanks to more than a few confidence boosts from her best friend.

"Yay! Go Orihime!" A black spiky haired tomboy cheered, trying to encourage her best friend, despite breaking the mood and causing the two to separate.

"Hey Tatsuki." Ichigo greeted his oldest friend. "How's your training coming along?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if I was the strongest girl in Japan after Sensei by now." She responded with a smile.

"And her ass looks amazing!" Said Ichigo's zanpakuto. "One with huge boobs and another with a great ass, how have you not slept with either of them yet!?"

'Zangetsu, how many times have we talked about this?' Ichigo asked his instinctual side.

"Every day you've seen either of them since you hit puberty." The more controlled half of the blade spirit said. "I'm almost inclined to agree with the hollow if it means an end to this argument."

'The answer is still no!' Ichigo stubbornly told his spirits. 'I have more important things to do than have sex with my friends. Especially when they have no interest.' Both spirits were in a stunned and irritated silence before Ichigo's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed Tatsuki's butt. 'Why?' He asked just before he was sent flying with an insanely strong punch, sending him flying down the school hallway.

"Because you're an idiot." The spirits said before leaving Ichigo alone.

"You pervert!" She yelled out, blushing furiously. Tatsuki never thought of herself as girlish, even when dealing with other perverts and would be molesters she was more mad than embarrassed. With her childhood friend, it made her heart pound and her knees weak. She didn't think of him that way, but he keeps bringing out her more girlish side. "Come on Orihime, let's get to class before we're late." She walked away quickly, trying to distance herself and Ichigo.

"Right!" Orihime cheered, rushing after her friend. "Bye Ichigo! See you in class!"

"Bye." Ichigo responded after finally pulling himself up. "Looks like its going to be one of those days, isn't it?" The day went by rather normally after that. Rukia introduced herself to his class, masquerading as gentle and sweet girl, immediately endearing herself to everyone else. After school was a single patrol, Rukia giving the cliff notes of the responsibilities of the Shinigami while Ichigo ignored them in favor of during what he felt was right because it was right. The day was coming to its end when they heard the loud screeching of tires suddenly braking. They turned to see Orihime, carrying a grocery bag with a man with dark hair in a blue suit holding her back.

"You need to be more careful Orihime," The man said with concern in his eyes, "you almost got hit."

"Sorry Sora nii-san." Orihime said with a sheepish smile, bonking herself on the head. "I zoned out a bit." She giggled happily, making her brother's take a look of tired annoyance.

"What am I going to do with you?" He sighed, patting his little sister on the head. "At this rate, I'll need to be worried for the man that makes you his wife." Orihime's response was to puff her cheeks and pout at her brother.

"Mmmm!" She growled. "You're making fun of me!" Trying to be intimidating to her brother but only coming off as a harmless kitten. Ichigo and Rukia finally caught up to the siblings.

"Yo! Sora, what's up?" Ichigo asked the fellow older brother with Rukia close behind him, scrutinizing and studying the siblings. "What's going on?"

"Well, I was going to spend a nice dinner with my adorable ditzy sister," He said, rubbing the shy girl's head as she blushed while the brothers talked. "But then Ryuken-sama called and said he needed me at the hospital." Sora was fuzzy on the details but soon after the car accident and his recovery he came to work under Ryuken Ishida in a pretty good job. What Ichigo knew was that it involved Urahara and invasive experiments to make Sora knowledgeable on how to do that work and asking no questions. Not a proud or well liked moment in their history. "Do you mind walking my sister home. I'd feel safer if she was escorted."

"I can walk home by myself." She mumbled, secretly wishing that it would just be herself and Ichigo.

"Sure." He told the fellow older brother. "Come on Rukia."

"Oh! Is this the Rukia Orihime has told me about?" Sora finally noticed the silent Soul Reaper.

"Yes," She smiled innocently with a curtsy, "pleased to meet you Mr. Inoue." Sora laughed harmlessly.

"Old fashioned isn't she?" He asked through his chuckles before returning the gesture with a small bow. "The pleasure is mine Ms. Kuchiki. But alas, I must be off." Sora than began his trek toward the hospital, for whatever his boss has in mind for him to do. "Have fun with your sleepover Orihime!" He yelled before they were out of earshot. The three walked alone in silence, Ichigo's presence dissuading any would be flirts while the girls were left alone for whatever topic came up.

"So," Rukia started, trying to think of any conversation piece to end the awkward silence, "how did you first meet Ichigo?" Orihime immediately had a set of emotions flash by on her face. Pained, sad, but slightly joyful at the end.

"Well, it happened a few years ago." She started. "My brother got me these hairpins and I yelled at him for giving me such a childish thing." She pointed to the hairpins that allowed her hair to frame her face, then she got melancholic at the darker memories. "He was hit by a car later that day. I was terrified to lose him and carried him to this nearby clinic, hoping for a miracle. They did manage to save my brother, but it was Ichigo that helped me the most." She gazed at the orange haired boy ahead of them with a look of adoration. "He gave me hope, belief that my brother would be okay." Her hands reached for her pins, memories of that night playing again and again in her mind, how she made a wish that came true. Rukia could only stare at the happily blushing girl as, yet again, she had to change her views on the young Soul Reaper. Strong and gentle, fierce and protective, powerful and kind. He reminded her so much on her now deceased mentor she could swear he was Kaien's reincarnation, like fate was giving her a chance to undo her past mistakes.

"Well, we're here." Ichigo announced as they came to the Inoue apartment. "Have a nice day Orihime."

"Thank you Ichigo." She chirped with small bow, trying to hide her blushing face from her crush. She began to ascend the stairs to her home when Ichigo called out again.

"Hey, Sora said you're having a sleepover right?" He asked her. "Why not have Rukia join?" He was supposed to head back to the hospital as today was training with his cousin and uncle. He can't let Rukia follow him and learn about his Quincy heritage, who knows how she'll react. "She doesn't have a lot of friends in town and you're a great person to help out with this." Rukia grabbed his arm and pulled him down to her level.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" She growled. "I have to stay with you so you can be ready when we get our orders!"

"You're forgetting that I can sense reiatsu." He reminded the irate midget. "Besides, if you're going to live in this world you need to learn how. Your feudal age customs aren't going to help you much here. Besides, it'd be weird if you only stayed around me. I don't need more unwanted rumors about me going around." He reasoned. He did still have a rep as a violent punk and he disappeared some days for hours to days. He still managed as one of the best students but they attributed that to studying with the smartest in school, maybe even forcing him to do his schoolwork. Rukia couldn't argue with his reasons as he began to leave. "Have fun you two." He said before rounding a corner.

"Ichigo wait-" She chased after him in a vain attempt to argue her way out of an awkward situation, but he was already gone. "Damn it!" Orihime just watched as the scene played out before her. This certainly was surprising, but she was always happy to make new friends and this was a request from Ichigo.

(Later that evening in the hospital basement)

"So you left the Soul Reaper with someone she doesn't know, in a place she's unfamiliar with, with people she doesn't know, with nothing but the clothes on her back?" Uryu asked his cousin while shooting at both him and the targets he's throwing while moving all around the room of silver and glass, hiding behind blocks and pillars to work on reaction and awareness. "Is there any reason for this?" He fired several spirit arrows at his cousin who managed to dodge and block them all with a pair of deep red reishi blades from black hilts.

"To get her off my back so I could get here." He kicked up several rings and targets of various sizes and shapes for the archer to shoot at flawlessly. "Have to keep the Quincy thing a secret for now right?" He asked while cutting through more arrows. "Hey Uryu, you ever wonder what it would be like to be normal?"

"We'd probably be bored out of our minds."

(With Orihime, Tatsuki, and Rukia)

"No offense Rukia but it would have been better if you weren't there." Tatsuki said as they finished a cobbled together dinner of leftovers and self made desserts. They discussed what happened during the walk and the time up to the sleep over of getting to know each other. "If they were alone, I'm sure Ichigo would have made a move on cute little Orihime." She always supported her best friend's crush, wanting to see her friend happier made her feel better as she pushed Orihime to be more aggressive when it came to the strawberry.

"I'm sure you would have come out of nowhere and ruin the moment Tatsuki." Orihime sighed.

"What do you mean?" The tomboy asked, ignorant of doing anything but being helpful to her friend.

"You always show up at the worst times and ruin the moment." She knows Tatsuki wants to help her, but she also knows that Tatsuki in unintentionally sabotaging her as well. "Earlier today you did just that. And that's not even the first time."

"Well." Tatsuki thought back to every occasion that her friend was thinking of, which was a lot of times. "Yeah that's my bad." She said deflated. "But I just want to encourage-"

"Will you stop using that as an excuse and just admit it already?" Orihime suddenly said, rather forcefully. "Stop lying to yourself and admit it. You like Ichigo just as much as me." Now Tatsuki became a stuttering blushing mess.

"What!?" She waved her hands in front of her, shaking them and doing everything to deny Orihime's claims. "No! We're just childhood friends! There's no way I'd like that cry-" She stopped, remembering that Ichigo hasn't cried in years. "That we-" Ichigo was stronger than her, has been for years. "That crude-" She knew Ichigo only retaliates or helps others, never doing anything to be a jackass. "That... that..." She knew she didn't have many bad things to say about him, if there was anyone she'd consider dating it was him. But for Orihime, she was willing to set her feelings aside for so long she forgot she had them.

"Tatsuki, you look at Ichigo the same way I do." Orihime said. Whenever they were around him Tatsuki was happier, just being herself around someone that made her feel comfortable in her own skin. No judgments, no crudeness, no lies or manipulations, they were free to be themselves around each other and be at ease. Tatsuki let her mask fall apart, she had nothing else to say, no excuse to say Orihime was wrong.

"Of course I like that idiot." She silently admitted. "How could I not? He's strong, kind, always puts others before himself, treats me like a friend rather than a girl." She smiled warmly, remembering laughs, cheers, shared struggles, so many fond memories together. Just being friends was enough for her, but she couldn't deny what it would be like to be more girlish, being his girlfriend. "But you liked him first Orihime. You're my friend so I'll back off."

"Why?" Orihime asked, completely innocent. "Why would you? I'm alright if you want to being his girlfriend."

"Orihime I'm not becoming love rivals with you." Tatsuki told her. "I won't let our friendship end because we're fighting for the same guy."

"Why do we need to be rivals?" Orihime confused her friends. Does she even know what she's saying. "I'm saying let's share Ichigo." Rukia and Tatsuki took a moment to glance at each other, trying to comprehend what Orihime just said.

".......HUH!?" They looked back at Orihime with disbelief. "Share Ichigo?"

"Why not?" Orihime said with a smile. "You're my best friend! I can share Ichigo with you!" She never dropped that smile, that innocent, happy smile.

'She's too innocent.' The other two thought to themselves.

(Back with the boys)

"Yeah, I have no idea what we'd even talk about." Ichigo agreed with his cousin before a barrage of light arrows stormed down on the two boys.

"If you two have enough time to talk, you're not working hard enough." Ryuken said, glaring at the two with a silver short bow in his hand aimed at the two. "Let's fix that."

(Kurosaki household)

Inside the house two sisters were setting up a room, moving furniture about while setting out clothes that they'd figure their guest would enjoy. Because father and son had no taste in womanly décor the task fell to the Kurosaki twins, eager to help the family and its new guest as a way of apologizing for her situation. Hours passed and soon Ichigo returned home, with more than a few scratches and burns on his clothes to show that Ryuken was nowhere near as kind as his father.

"Looks good you two." He announced, smiling at his cute sisters.

"Ichi-Nii!" Yuzu rushed to her brother's side, hugging him tightly. Karin then stripped him of his top before Ichigo had any time to protest. "You've been pushing yourself again! Look at all these injuries!" Yuzu scolded before realizing her brother was physically fine.

"Yuzu," he said while patting his sister on her head, "how many times do I have to tell you that I heal fast?" Yuzu's response was to look up at her brother with teary puppy eyes.

"Is it wrong that I worry about you? You're fighting monsters Ichi-Nii."

"But I'm stronger than them so there's nothing to worry about." Karin then noticed an absence of another Shinigami.

"Hey! Where's Rukia?"

"At Orihime's, learning more about teenage girls." Instead of calming down, Yuzu became that much more worried.

"But what if another hollow attacks?" She asked before a gray and red hollow phased through the wall and charged at the hybrid. In that same instant, Ichigo reached out and grabbed onto the goat skull shaped mask before crushing it in his hands, his veins glowing blue with his reiatsu.

"Than that happens." Ichigo calmly assured his sisters. "Nothing will hurt you while I'm here." He told them while wrapping his arms around them protectively.