Laundly? Prease? ( Log)
It started with blue. Some where in the middle of blue, it turned into screeching over cockroaches, and it ended with Yachiru not being able to take being in the same space the bug which had crawled over her foot. In a brave (cursing) tip toe hop-from-foot-to-foot-incase-there-were-more-bugs, the pink terror donned her illustrious fuzzy rose bear clawed slippers to protect feet, grabbed the sheet from her own bed, and plopped it on the floor.
Why? Because that was the laundry basket. There was no way in hell or heaven Yachiru would be able to lift or carry the amount of Kenpachi's clothing she'd gone through this week before she had her own. So, like a horrible, terrible Santa clause, Yachiru dropped shirts, pants, socks, the usual into a pile on the blanket and folded it up.
Balling the corners in her fist she drug it as fast as she could from the living room which also was the bed room, the kitchen, and straight for the door in a determined march. By god, she would clean these clothes, defeat the dirty laundry, AND not only have a painted bathroom but nice smelling things for Ken-chan to wear all dry and ready when he came home.
Locking the door behind her, after picking up a trail of socks which had leaked out from the blanket, Yachiru padded fuzzy feet to the stairs. And paused.
Two flights to the first floor. Chris'sakes. Who's idea in my family was it to pop out midgets? Right. Well. Let's do this.
There she went. Step. Thump. Step. Thump. Step. THUMP. Every time she placed a foot on the stairs, the giant impromptu bag of laundry thunked in fabric-like manner on the stairs behind her. Someone could easily imagine a body being drug down the steps. (The laundry may look far larger due to the fact that the girl carrying it was incredibly stunted.)
It was at that time that Orihime was just coming home from church for the day. She heard the curious sound as soon as she walked in the building. Her first thought was that it was possibly their vampire landlord, but the sun was not yet down. Everyone knew vampires couldn't survive in sunlight, so that option was Right Out.
At a loss for what else it could be, Orihime bypassed her own door to walk up the steps, peering around curiously just in time to see Yachiru clearing the first flight, and not long after her, the laundry bag clearing it as well.
"Yachiru!" Orihime gasped. "...You didn't kill Temari's brother, did you?!"
:Jump! Not -- too much. And not really that badly. Most often Yachiru was paying attention, but between dragging the de-er, laundry, and trying to keep her arms in their sockets was a distracting sort of business.
"No, s' laundry I gathered because I couldn't stay in the apartment there was a bug and I was in the middle of painting and I couldn't fuc--" Rethinking. " friggin' stand it anymore. " Serious faced a moment, until dimples appeared sunnily.
"Oooooorrrrrriiiii~hhhhhhhhiiiii~mmmmeee!" Sing-song, aw! So sweet. "Are you still gonna help me with the laundry? " Peer. "Why y' all dressed up?" Orihime looked all nice. Like she'd been on a date, went to church, or --maybe a funeral. Che. She hoped it was the first two!
Orihime smiled at Yachiru, happy to see that it wasn't a body she was dragging after all. "I just got back from church, but of course I'll help you with the laundry." She moved her purse to the other shoulder, to get it out of the way before going over to Yachiru and taking hold of the bag as well. "The first step, of course, is to get it down the stairs."
Yachiru pondered this, by screwing up her face in thought. "I thought I had a good game plan, y'anno? With the blanket an' sh-stuff. I coulda tried a box or basket, but I'm sure I would have cracked my skull. "
Yachiru did not voice or express any opinions on church. Maybe on some level, some where, old lessons of what was right and wrong to say knocked around inside that thick skull of hers. Chin tipped up and back to look at with whom she spoke.
"I feel like one of Santa's frikkin' elves. Except I'm like, givin' out dirty socks. Yanno I heard once that when you stick 'em in the dryer.." Once Orihime got a hold of the bag, she began to attempt decending the stairs again. " ..That like, ya always lose a sock. Maybe they get eaten, aa?"
"Oh yes!" Orihime nodded, eyes wide. "Always, they're a sacrifice, see. Mr. Bowie even lost a pair of pants recently!" she said, remembering the event. She hadn't heard if he ever got them back, but she doubted it. Rarely did one ever rediscover socks that had gone missing.
"...Then again, maybe the laundry machines won't take a sock this time. I'm not sure they'd want to mess with Mr. Zaraki." Orihime added, thinking about it. After all, some of these clothes HAD to be his; she didn't think a little girl could go through this much in just a few days.
She had to wear a clean shirt to bed, a clean one when she'd gotten up, not to mention she randomly went through and changed them when she felt the need. Yachiru showered or bathed twice a day. Sometimes, in the summer, it'd go to three our four. For a slob; she wasn't bad when it came to herself. But when it came to clothes she randomly donned or shucked them at will.
Her and Ken-chan already had lively discussions over this as well. Perchance, this was a reasonable pushing factor into why the man was rather enthusiastic of granting the girl her own clothes.
"S'all..like..too big. " Humming, faintly, in between dragging the monster pile behind her with Orihme. "So after I went through all the too big newer stuff, hadda look for the older ratty smaller stuffs. " Pause, as a pair of sweat pants attempted to commit suicide by falling out of the blanket al slither down the steps.
"Didn't have any." Grunted delicately. "Smaller stuff. I read once that female spiders an' praying mantis eat the males after matin'. Maybe socks mate in the dryer an' then the females eat 'em and that's where ya get lint." It's plausible, right?
Orihime answered with a nod while she fetched the sweat pants, folding them up and tucking them under an arm before returning to the laundry blanket. "That is HIGHLY possible! That must be it. There should be a study, I think it's a good theory… we can count the socks between the washer and dryer to see which one it happens it." She said, excited at the new idea.
"Better not happen with my socks some day. " Growled. Or more importantly, she attempted to growl. Its very hard to look threatening and dangerous wearing fuzzy slippers and pink polar bear pajamas in the middle of the afternoon.
One floor cleared, and half of the other. It was easy to make time fly when someone let her yammer on. "What did y' do to get those?" Hiiiii. Yep. One teeny, tiny, little finger was pointing at Orihime's ...errr...assets?
"Alla his socks are white or black. How're we gonna know? I brought some coins. " Carrying right on, even though her question was the sort that made people stare. "I don't think he'll like it if we mark 'em. I brought a flash light too--it's in there somewhere. " Head jerk to the blankets. She'd never been in the basement before, so she didn't know how the lighting was down there.
If it was anything like the apartment itself, it was spaztastic then, at best.
Orihime had gotten many comments on her breasts in her lifetime, having developed them before other girls her age and also having them keep growing long after the other girls had stopped. Still, in the last few years, the majority of these questions were from men, so a small girl asking 'how she got them' was still enough to make her blanch slightly and remain silent while Yachiru jumped to the next subject. Hoping the previous one was forgotten, she continued on.
"Well, I suppose for the socks, first we need to find out where the killing happens." Orihime said, looking at the blanket of laundry with a critical eye. "So, our first task is to count all the socks going into the wash, then count them again before the dryer, and finally count them a last time after they're done washing. That way we can find out which step to focus on."
Orihime could hope, but sometimes resistance with Yachiru, was futile.
"Bet you gotta slap alotta guys. " There's a few things unsaid in that. Pink-brat was not stupid. Nor was she from happyfuntime childhood. Then again, not many in this place could say that their youth had been spent blowing sunshine and roses out their as-"Aa. Sorry. S'not meant like that, I mean, do..Yo...No, see, what I meant was.." Mental flailing. But it was visible.
"I don't wear socks much, 'cause I run around. Socks make yer feet sliiiiiiiiiiiide--" Hand lifted, side to side, then in a line. Yachiru accompanied the gesture with a sound she figured represented sliding. SpppssshpSSSPPpppsssh.
"Got slippers though because my feet get really cold. Can't wait until summer!" There, as if she hadn't said anything or apologize, dimpled smile appeared. "D'you need to stop at your place for anything? " Because they were pretty much three steps away from the first floor.
Amen!
Just the basement steps to go. Yachiru was not panting. No. She was..aaah...breathing fast in order to..mm..Right. She's got nothing.
Orihime had noticed the 'breathing fast' Yachiru was doing. She was, after all, quite tiny, but had a lot of pride. Orihime was quite used to dealing with prideful people, though. She'd only known Ichigo since high school.
And so, Orihime devised a plan. "Aha, actually, I do need to get something… there's my dress I got recently, I haven't had a chance to wash it yet but if I'm going to wear it on my date tomorrow I should. Would it be too much to ask for you to grab it from my apartment for me while I take the rest of the laundry to the basement?"
Almond eyes slipped to the side, and then up. For a moment, fathomless black seemed to hold some sort of struggle.
It is pride against being truthful with one's self. Yachiru chose to save face; and did not say anything about the clever tactician's choice of words which Orihime chose. Tip of her tongue had peeked from the corner of mouth without her realizing. This is what she did deep in thought.
Then? Her nose wrinkled. "Y' got a date? Men are pigs. " Sweet, delicate little Yachiru. "Unless y' like women. " Eye. "Y' don't seem the type. Sure! I'll get it -- where'd y' put it? "
Some times even the pink-haired terror had problems following her own line of thought that spilled past lips without the common sense to censor it before letting it fly!
"Aha, no, my date is with a boy... Kiba, I think he lives with Shikamaru and Chouji..." Orihime said with a smile, unfazed at the comment relating to liking girls. Truth be told, Orihime had gotten offers from men and women alike, and her reason for turning them down had been for the same reason she'd turned down the boys. 'Holding out for hero', Orihime would joke. She let go of the blanket long enough to retrieve her keys from her purse, holding them out to Yachiru. "My room is the one with the sunflower sticker on the door; the dress should be hanging up in the closet still. It's the black and white one."
As generic as that description seemed, when all of Orihime's other dresses were bright and colorful, either patterned or solid, the black and white dress stood out quite a bit.
Pink and strawberry red flew a moment in her head shake these names prodded from her. "Dunno them yet. " Truth be told, Yachiru liked the fact she'd met two people personally so far, and would keep it slow and steady. The more people, the more she had to keep an eye on. And she only had two.
"Okayokay! I'll get it quick. Wait-- there anyone I'm gonna scare iffin I run in there?" A lot of people roomed with someone else, to save on bills. Except for ..a few.
"I like butterflies." Random, it seemed, to tag along with Orihime's comment about sunflower stickers. The woman just handed her keys over to a street kid who used to swipe things. ...Yachiru didn't have any sorts of ways to describe what it felt like to reach out and grab the keys offered.
"Be right baaaaaaaa~aaaaaaaaack!" Had a habit of sing-talking. Had a habit of singing too; she's humming to herself by the time she's found the apartment with sticker, and putting key in the door without giving poor Orihime time to even answer the roomate question. Zzzzzzzzoooom!
Quite thankful that both Iruka and Tatsuki were supposed to be gone for the time being, Orihime just shook her head and laughed quietly. Though she clearly had a swearing problem, Yachiru seemed to be a sweet girl at heart. She could see why Mr. Zaraki took the girl in, he had always seemed to lonely and anti-social, if nothing else Yachiru probably never allowed him to be alone.
With a determined grunt, she hefted the edges of the blanket once more over her shoulder and imagined herself like a mountain climber making his way down the alpines, having to carry the wounded body of his companion with him. She must get to base camp on time! Otherwise Johnny will never make it! He'll never see his wife Louise again, and she's pregnant with his child! The poor kid will never know his father!
Determined to not let Johnny die, she set to the task of dragging the laundry blanket as far as she could into the basement before Yachiru returned.
Where's the mention of Jonny's nefarious ex showing up in order to try and foil his heroic plans? That sultry seductress, in her evil ..helicopter?
She tries to offer to him a ride to the hospital, and of course, Johnny would refuse! All for the love Louise!
Yachiru would never reveal the secrets she knew, or thought she did about Ken-chan. 'Least...she thought about it that way. Between her mouth and her brain, she should have known she'd lose. In the door and through rooms without looking. Not even pausing to be nosey, (and oh how tempting it was), straight to what looked like a closet in her sugar-fueled rocket run, to skid to a pink bear clawed stop--throw the doors open wide and side-to-side ogle the rainbow that burst into sight.
"Wow. S'like a garden blew up." Chipper, and indeed it was not hard to miss the only dress that settled monochromatic in the middle of skittles clothes. Snatching it up before tappaclickaclackatippitytappaclackclick claw-tap running right out.
If she did it fast, Orihime wouldn't have anything to be suspicious about. Only pausing long enough to lock the door behind her and following a trail of cookie crumbs (socks) to the basement. Black and white fluttering with pink!
Triumphantly, Orihime had made it to base camp just in time to save Johnny. The medics would fly him to the hospital in their own helicopter, where he would be reunited with Louise to recover just as his wife went into labor. A beautiful ending to a dramatic story.
Orihime tugged the last tail end of the blanket off of the staircase as Yachiru appeared in sight on it, dress in hand. "Ahh, thanks, Yachiru! Now we have to sort the clothing. We can count the socks then."
"Shouldn't be too many. " Leaning then, to drop the one's the blanket had spewed. She's pretty sure there's a trail of them still from the bedroom to the door in apartment sixteen. At least, however, she didn't leave Zaraki's underwear all over the hallways.
Be harder to live through that.
"How d'we figure out which one is male, and which one is female? Socks don't have --" Yeees, let's rethink that. " ....parts." Finger twiddle, thinking. "How much does it cost t' wash an' dry? An' d'we know which one's work? How'd you get to be smart?" Questions, anyone? She tracked toward the blanket to help open it up, then diving hands right up to elbows in dark clothes. Inside there's a bottle of rather expensive laundry detergent that only the poor bastard who had to buy it knew about; a flash light, and? The surprise -- She couldn't offer popsicles, because they'd melt and then Yachiru would be sad if they did. Melt, that is.
Instead she had thrown into that pile of clothes two cherry lolipops, wrapped up in bright wax paper. A triumphant crow, before the girl offered one proudly up to the woman.
She leaned then, as if it was something of a secret, to whisper. : "I..dunno anything about washin' clothes in one of these things..Always just..washed in sinks n' s..Tubs. " Glance about. Though there wasn't anyone here it seemed.
"We'll have to guess. The prices are marked on the machines. The washer in the middle doesn't work and only the last two dryers on the far left work. I don't know, but my brother always helped me study." Orihime answered, having adapted now to Yachiru's questioning. While the young girl seemed to be looking for something Orihime went to the machines she'd mentioned and checked them all for stray clothing left over, clearing the lint traps in the dryers as well.
She was surprised but pleased when Yachiru offered her one of the lollipops, taking it gratefully. "Thank you! Is this cherry? That's one of my favorite flavors." After Yachiru had told Orihime her secret of no laundry knowledge, Orihime just gave her an understanding smile. "Well, first we'll separate them into whites and colors, and if there's enough, something separate for underwear."
The thought occurred to her that no doubt Mr. Zaraki's underwear would be somewhere in that pile as well, but she resolved to just think of it as if she was doing her brother's laundry again.
Yachiru didn't look at all that she'd put in the blanket. So as to the things that were worn under? It didn't register or matter...Not to mention the fact that maybe he didn't...
No need to for Yachiru to mentally scar herself any further than she already was.
"ee! I see it. " Finally exclaimed, once the peace offering, or thank-you-for-helping-me-gift was taken, she bent down to consider the scattering of material and Orihime's amazing knowledge of the secrets of the washing.
"It's cherry yeah, its my favorite too. But I like green tea. There's nothing but white an' black. Some grey..Ken-chaaaa~aaan already threatened to hang me by m' guts if I accidentally dropped some thin' pink in with his sh--stuff!" It was frustrating, sometimes, to censor herself.
So she began to seperate them. Grey, white, black. "You're brother taught ya? Huh. " She thought about that. "There a library 'round here?" A casual question.
Orihime nodded, kneeling down as she began to separate the white and... black. Really, Mr. Zaraki had such depressing clothing colors. She took extra care in making sure nothing that was just light pink was in with the pile for whites, lest Yachiru take the flack for her mistake.
"The library is east, the 48 bus stops right in front of it." Orihime said. She visited the library frequently, both for school and for fun. "Do you have a library card? ... Oh wow, Mr. Zaraki is a GIANT, isn't he?" she commented, holding up one of his shirts. She could use it as a blanket!
"Ken-chan's a wha?" Absently. No, oddly, none of Yachiru's clothing were in this pile. In fact...Not a single piece of her clothing was anywhere to be seen. All of it was Zaraki's.
"Oh. Yes. He let me buy pajama's but when I didn't have any I just wore those 'cause they go past m' knees like a night dress. " And the sleeves had pretty much dangled to her knees if she didn't roll them.
"He's good to me. " In lightening change of voice. Uncharacteristically quiet, this statement was delivered to Orihime. A side of Yachiru that was almost calm. And? Just as quick as that was revealed, it wandered off elsewhere. "48.." Her shoulders drooped then. "A card..huh? Iie, I've no card." Cards always brought Yachiru to thinking there was paper work needing to be done.
Paper work and a homeless kid didn't always work out well.
She checked over her pile, found it acceptable, and lugged the laundry soap to the tops of one of the yellowed (once white) washers near the ones Orihime thought worked. "Okay, now what?"
With careful patience, Orihime took one of the clothing piles to the washing machine and showed Yachiru step by step how it worked and what you could do for the best results, as well as explaining what you would do for colored (well, black) clothing instead of white clothing. Like not add bleach.
Yachiru's eyes followed Orihime's finger when it pointed out a dial. Explained how to start the machine, where to put the coins. Why it was bad to ever, ever drop things with the tags: 'Dry clean only, ' into the wide, black pit of the washer. Why it was not good to stand on a wobbly box and try to peek into the washer, itself, while filling.
Then trotted behind Orihime when she continued explaining and picking up the clothes that fell when she scooped some of them up, turning on heel to patter like puppy right behind the bright red head on her way back to washer.
She listened carefully when Orihime explained what happened to white boxers or briefs or socks or other white pieces of clothing when red or pink was introduced together in hot water, and the importance of not adding bleach to anything with color.
When Orihime was done, and the lid finally closed on the first pile, Yachiru with very solemn features (this was serious business!) lifted fingers and ticked off, verbatim, everything Orihime, Queen of Laundry and Savin Johnny's and Louise's romance, had told her in a clear, concise manner. And then giggled.
" D'you think the socks are knockin' in the washer now?" Gigglesnort. Dimples!
Orihime's previously serious expression faded into a smile and a giggle, herself. "Maybe!"
She was quite happy that Yachiru was so good at listening and learning. She couldn't help but wonder how well Yachiru did in school. The little girl DID go to school, right?
"Yachiu, what school do you go to?" Orihime asked, though she had the sneaking suspicion of the answer already.
"I'm in the middle of a transfer. Ken-chaaaaa~aaaan is working on getting me into another. " The lie was so easy, that it was utterly natural. The girl's dark, black eyes neither strayed left nor right when looking into Orihime's. She had no eyelid tick, nor hesitation, no faster thump of heart beat or hitch in the childish- dimples which had shown in her giggling.
It had been important in her life, to be able to do this. It's the way she just grew up.
"What school did you go, or d'you go too? I'd like to go to the library sometime. They have little chair that fit me, I saw them through th' window one time, " her hand came out, then palm flat toward the floor, then lowered. To demonstrate the tiny plastic backed chairs for children which suited her much better. "--could you imagine Ken-chan fitting into one?!"
Distraction, or at least, Yachiru hoped it was.
For a moment, it seemed Orihime was not buying Yachiru's lie. That she had somehow through psychic powers saw through the girl's lie and her serious expression was waiting for Yachiru to admit it, like a mother would. For a full minute, she said nothing, just looked with that serious expression.
After that minute was up, she just burst out laughing, the sound echoing against the exposed pipes in the laundry room. "Ohmigosh, that's the funniest thing ever!" she managed to gasp out through her laughter.
That look was something Yachiru had never faced before. There was THE LOOK , which Zaraki Kenpachi had copy righted and bought the patent too -- which, also, worked very fine and immediately upon the girl. But that look was new, studdied from the corners of her eyes with unreadable expression.
The good thing about being a kid, was that if you slapped a grin on your face, not many people could read it! And: who payed attention to kids anyhow?
"His knees'd be up 'round his chest an' his legs would all dangle on the floor--and I bet his butt wouldn't even fit in the chair..Ohohoh! If he did, and he stayed, I'd make all the kids swarm him just to see th' look on his face from under a pile of brats." Consider. " He'd throw them all on a wall of course. But it'd be worth it for a second. What kind of books d'they have at the library?"
She liked slipping questions in when she thought she had people off guard.
Once Orihime had managed to stop laughing (not something she was able to do very quickly, mind) she had to catch her breath, which caused her chest to heave in a way that no doubt made the universe sad no one was around to appreciate it.
"They... they have all kinds of books at the library." Orihime managed to get out, finding enough breath to talk again.
There were no doubt men whimpering in their sleep somewhere right at this moment, somehow having nightmares understanding that their chance had come and gone. And was totally lost on a snot-nosed brat giggling madly in a basement over a rattling washing machine.
"I bet they do. I've walked through a few. " But I'd always leave quickly, because there were kids there with their parents and round cheeked, bright eyed girls with clean clothes and happy eyes.
"Heyyyy, its dinging. Does it mean th' clothes are done?" Rocking up on her tip toes. "Orihime? " Querulous tone to the woman's name.
"YEP!" Orihime answered cheerfully, going over to the machines. "Now we take out the wet clothing and throw it in the dryer! And that spins it round and round and makes it dry faster than hanging it up and letting it drip-dry." She explained, demonstrating for Yachiru mostly out of habit. She had no doubt the little girl would understand what to do. "Once the dryers are done drying them, then we just fold them and I'll help you carry the clothes to your door, okay?"
Two fingered salute brought to the girl's brow. Sergeant Laundry, reporting for duty--yes'm sort of thing. But it trailed off for her to scratch at her brow.
"An' don't forget to read the labels on th' clothes before puttin' the clothes in there or else they may shrink smaller than me. " And there'd be no end to yelling about the fact that Ken-chan's sweater only fit his head. Or arm.
Clasping tiny hands before her, prayer like, Yachiru's toes crossed over one another in the slippers before the girls cheeks puffed out in a long exhale. Solemn-faced, cupid's bow of mouth pulled flat in this.
"Thank you Orihime-san." Entoned. "I wanted to say thank you to Ken-chaaaa~aaaan, but sometimes I don't do well with words they all spill out of me all at once and really, it ruins what I'm trying to say sometimes and everything's all awkward an' wrong so it was important, you see, that I learn how to do this because someone needs to take care of Ken-chan, or else I don't think anyone w.." Yachiru? ...Yes brain? ...Shut. Up.
Oddly, her consciousness had a voice much like Zaraki's. "Thanks!" Short words. Let's go with that plan from now on, Yachiru.
Orihime smiled softly at Yachiru, but for a moment it seemed like she was thinking of another place, or maybe another person. "It's... it's really nice, to be able to do things for people you care for, especially when you can't tell them. I wish I could do more for mine." she murmured before putting on the same bright and sunny smile she was known for. "Now, let's get this done before Mr. Zaraki comes home so you can surprise him!"
Little hands reached, as if to touch Orihime's own. But they fell half way through the action to dangle easily against the girl's thighs.
"If you're like this for everyone, with everyone, Orihime-san, then every bit of kindness is not missed. I know its seen. "
Contradicting that serious tone, completely, was the blurred motions of a child with hectic energy that should be outlawed from sugar completely. "Okay! I'll get this pile, and you show me how to fold these, an' then when they're done I'll take these up an' fold 'em there. Don't think they'd stay folded in the blanket. " Tap of bright cheek in thought.
"Okay!" Orihime agreed cheerfully. "Let's do this!" she took one piece of every kind of clothing she could find dried, then folded them all to show Yachiru how it was done. There was, of course, a problem therein.
"It looks like a couple of these need to be ironed... do you know how to iron?" Orihime asked Yachiru with a wary tone.
"No." Honestly. "But Ken-chan does, he is soso much better at this sort of stuff than I am, " confessional tone. Please enjoy imagining the man looming over an iron and board now.
It had happened. True story!
"He'll be home really soon. I'll hang up the really wrinkly ones an' he can show me. " Of course, the ironing board was too tall. She was beginning to think everything in this entire world was too tall.
Paying attention to the way things were folded, nodnodnodbobnodding her head each time, then going behind Orihime to unfold it and try it herself before piling it with the rest on the blanket. Some where damp, some dry. No one should be surprised with these machines.
Orihime nodded. That was good. She also could iron, but if Kenpachi would take care of it that was good too, no need to offer. Once she was done with her demonstrations, she helped Yachiru load the clean clothing onto the blanket. Going up the steps would be much more difficult, but hopefully things wouldn't be as hard for Yachiru this time now that Orihime was here to help with the whole journey.
It wouldn't be, no. And the entire time Yachiru babbled in one, long, straight, continuous ...blurb about everything. Butterflies and pixie dust, day dreams and chocolate. For all intents and purposes? A little girl content, protected, sheltered and learning that she was being utterly spoiled rotten.
But her eyes darted along the hallways, looking for shadow's that were not there, her gestures were right -- but the look in her eyes was always a few decades older.
"Annnnnnd theeeeen, Old Obaasan said that I'd never really grow any taller. She said that I reminded her of the little dolls she used to play with as a child, an' the old women who tottered on bound feet through her village on the way to their weekly gossip. They were all tiny too-- she said that I should be grateful, because my feet would be small and someday I'd find a good husband because of it. " Her. Nose. Wrinkled. Up. So. Bad. Yachiru had no interest in this topic. Despite the pink? She was not a raging boy-band-hormonal ball of cuteness.
When she finished, she realized the two of them had dragged the entire thing up the flights of stairs. Upon this observation, she dropped her end to do a short, victory dance-- this involved much arm flailing and hip movements the rhythmically handicapped would be proud of.
A laugh escaped Orihime at how happy Yachiru was. She had listened very well the whole way up the stairs, not once getting bored. Orihime knew hugging wasn't always appreciated with people her age, but Yachiru was a young girl, and Orihime just couldn't resist herself. She had to hug Yachiru, so she gave the girl a quick and loving embrace. "That was very good of you, Yachiru! You'll be washing clothes like a pro in no time. Do you have it from here?"
"I do, I know I've taken up alot of your time, I'm sorry. Y' all right Orihime. " But when the woman hugged Yachiru, she looked more startled than she should. More smaller than she was, perhaps.
This expression remained for a long while, considering the bright woman in obsidian depths.
With a slow, short nod of head she said, "Hai. I've got it, thank you. I will make sure not to forget today. "
Yachiru did not return the contact, but neither had she bristled or made angry teen age sounds. "You be careful on y'er date, ee? If he touches y' tell 'em I'll kick 'im till he turns into a woman. " Sweeeeeeeeet smile! Yachiru dug through polar bear pajama pants for the key to # 16.
"Anytime, Yachiru, okay? ... And thanks. I think Kiba will be a perfect gentleman, and if not Tatsuki and Ichigo will have it covered-" Orihime blushed "-but if they need any help, I'll let them know you'll be here. Have a good day, Yachiru." Orihime leaned down to give Yachiru a kiss on her forehead, then made her way back down the stairs to her own apartment, dress folded in her arms.
Yachiru stopped in mid motion of unlocking the door, edging along the wall until she could peer down the stair well. It was easy to note that Yachiru was simply making sure that Orihime made it home alright.
Dark eyes tracked the girl in sharp focus until bright hair had gone around stair's and out of sight. Only then did Yachiru genuinely smile. It'd be a very stunning thing when she grew up, that expression. For now it was a secret shared to the hallway, and a load of laundry.
Scrabbling back to the door of the apartment, unlocking it, opening it, and dragging the clean clothes in behind her. The smell of fresh paint greeted her, and for the first time in a long time, Yachiru's eyes smiled too.
It is a good beginning. Thought the little idiot; who tottered off to make a mess of folding Ken-chans clothes.