2. Past Shadows

Renji didn’t return directly to Urahara’s shop after leaving Orihime’s apartment. He wasn’t a deadbeat this time on his passive mission of testing out the new gigai; this time he had his own place.

He sighed as he looked at Urahara’s shop neighboring his new residence and opened the gate overrun with some creeping plantlife to the ( Read more... )

3. Leftovers

The tree at the bamboo fence between Mrs. Tanaka and Mr. Nishigawa’s back yards was eyelevel to Renji, and the maple tree hanging over it was mature, having seen its share of neighborly squabbles, some of which it had even caused.

Renji was unfamiliar with tree trimming, but his landlady have been liberal in her description that ( Read more... )

4. Robbed

Two days later the end of the school day neared like most others for Orihime. She sat at her desk, doodling on the bottom edge of her math paper, listening to Tatsuki recount her victories from the tournament over the weekend to a few other classmates, this time including Ichigo. She’d already heard the story, but listened anyway as the ( Read more... )

5. Evening Odds

Orihime passed on the Handcrafts Club the next few days. She felt guilty about it, but she wasn’t the only one whose interest was dimmed in the trio of dresses they were making for the fall festival competition. She’d noticed Uryuu’s absences more frequently after school, his usually quiet nature even more somber
( More Renji & Orihime ... )

6. Contact

Orihime thought a lot about what Urahara had proposed that day over the next week. She wanted to help, had already decided to help, but she wanted it to be on her terms. Actually, on Tsubaki’s terms, more accurately.

( More Renji & Orihime ... )

7. The Right Girl

The mid-September breeze was gusty and on the cool side as Orihime finished her work for the day in the classroom the Handcrafts Club met in after school. It was one of the old science labs, defunct equipment and storage supplies for other classes stored in it, boxes and desks lining the walls.

( More Renji & Orihime ... )

8. Alley Find

Urahara generally made his rounds in the surrounding neighborhoods a few times a week, out of professional curiosity he’d always told himself, and Yoruichi and Tessai, but lately the morning strolls had taken on a new purpose. The increased Hollow activity coupled with sightings of a once-thought-dead Espada was unsettling, and since ( Read more... )

9. Tomato and Raspberry

A slight drizzle had started earlier in the afternoon and continued on into dusk, making the Karakura streets shine with the damp. The shinigami from Twelfth Division had had his hands full with the Hollow that had
( More Renji & Orihime ... )

10. In a Name

The sun had barely risen when Grimmjow found Loly and Menoly on the fringe of town that morning, both hovering over a white-robed shinigami who was slumped against a wall as Menoly stood triumphant.

His eyes narrowed at them, crouching unseen at the edge of the four story building two streets from the alley they were in. The morning was ( Read more... )

11. Unpromise

Orihime awoke shortly later as Renji settled her on the futon of his apartment living room. He rested her back against the upright cushion of the futon, watching her open her eyes slowly, her hand going to her face, rubbing at the few wild strands of hair that had become windblown on her fall down to street level.

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