Wedding Planners From Hell!

by Ulquiorra9000

A/N: Hi, everyone. This is the sequel to my high school AU story, Karakura Days and Nights, but it will probably be readable on its own, too. This takes place six years after the original story. Please enjoy, and review if you like it!

Chapter 1: Meet the Roommate (and her scary pets, too!)

Grimmjow pouted in the backseat of the cab. "Okay, I'm like 90% sure we've passed that Starbucks three times now! Admit it, you're lost, dude."

The driver made an embarrassed smile. "No, young sir, I'm just working my way around difficult traffic."

"What, at 10:00 PM in Karakura Town?" Grimmjow checked his cell phone to confirm the time. "The aparment is right around here somewhere. We should be close, I think."

"Just a moment, young sir." The driver rushed through a yellow light and into a residential area, skimming past an oncoming city bus.

This place sure hasn't changed, Grimmjow thought wearily. He'd spent the last two years getting his Master's degree in veterinary medicine out of town, but that was nothing compared to a 30-minute cab drive in a town that only takes 20 to cross!

"Here we are, young sir," the driver announced, pulling up to the Cedar View apartment complex. "Building 4."

"Okay, um..." Grimmjow got out his wallet and counted out the bills in there. He was a bit over... heck, why not give a decent tip anyway. He was just glad to arrive in one piece! He handed over the bills, got his way-too-heavy suitcase from the trunk, and waved good-bye as the cab motored off. Crickets chirped and a light breeze picked up.

Mother of god, I packed too much... Grimmjow strained like an Olympic weight-lifter as he struggled his way up the stairs and to the second floor. Still, he couldn't help a wide, excited grin on his face, his heart racing eagerly in his chest. It's been so long...!

He took a deep breath, smoothed his Metallica logo tee, and knocked three times.

Loud, muffled voices inside erupted at once, and Grimmjow tried to make some manly pose to celebrate his return, but he was still trying to decide between Superman and the David statue when the door burst open and a young woman tackle-hugged him to the floor. "It's you! Grimmjow! Welcome!"

"What the...?" Grimmjow felt his brains being squeezed out in the girl's python grip, flat on his back. "Who...? Oh. Nelliel!"

The girl sat upright on Grimmjow, beaming. She wore jeans shorts and a a green babydoll t-shirt. "Yeah, it's me! Nelliel Tu Odelschwank! We've talked on the phone, remember?"

"Sure, I remember." Grimmjow felt himself going lightheaded.

"But it's so nice to meet you in person!" Nelliel took Grimmjow's head in her hands and held it up. "You're actually really cute up close..."

"Uh..."

"Nel, you promised you wouldn't do that," another girl's exasperated voice said from the doorway.

Grimmjow struggled to his feet when Halibel Tier pried Nelliel off of him, and at once, Halibel wrapped him in an even tighter hug. "Grimmjow! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow morning, you big silly!" Like usual, she wore a white sundress with black trim and a thin silver necklace.

"I-I wanted to surprise you!" Grimmjow choked out in his girlfriend's grip.

It was defnitely time to invest in an adamantium skeleton...!

"No kidding." Halibel let him go just enough to hold his shoulders and plant a long, hot kiss on his lips, closing her eyes. "I missed you," she added.

"Missed you too, babe." Grimmjow shoved his hands into his pockets. "Was I, uh... interrupting something?"

"Just Nelliel trying to convince me to eat raw cookie dough," Halibel said with a smile.

"Yeah. I already ate half of it," Nelliel added, hands on her hips. "I'm gonna get sick at this rate."

Halibel swatted her shoulder. "You're the one who wanted to eat it!"

Grimmjow's stomach rumbled. "That reminds me, I didn't have much of a dinner..."

Nelliel gasped. "You didn't?! But food is the best thing in the world! Come on! Oh, and I'll get your case."

Somehow, she easily picked up Grimmjow's heavy suitcase and held it over one shoulder as she dragged Grimmjow with her other hand into the warmly-lit apartment room, Halibel tagging along behind them.

"I saw this place in the background on Skype," Grimmjow commented, "but it's a lot nicer in person." He sniffed. "Whoa, smells good, too."

"Yeah. Halibel practically owns a stock in Febreze," Nelliel joked. "Wash those mitts of yours, Grimmjow, and sit! We've got some yummies for you."

Grimmjow decided that this place was much nicer than the little apartment was renting out of town. With the paintings and photos of flowers and willow trees on the eggshell-white walls, pillows on the couch, the bronze Buddha statue in the corner, and the generous Febreze, he could easily mistake this place for a killer hotel room.

Aside from the countless empty TV dinner trays and leftover dishes. Probably from Nel!

Grimmjow washed up and had a seat at the kitchen table. "I didn't mean to barge in here and impose..."

"Nonsense! Here, try this." Nelliel dug up half the fridge's contents and shoved a slice of strawberry shortcake right into Grimmjow's pie hole. "Good, isn't it? Right? Right?"

Grimmjow's pro chef review consisted of "mmmmmmph!" as Nel kept shoving more into his mouth. He took a big swallow, and right away, Nel somehow fit half a roast chicken in there, too.

Mmmmmm. Nice spices and lemon juice rub, Grimmjow thought. Too bad he couldn't voice that opinion through all the chicken!

"Nel, slow down -" Halibel started, until Nel introduced the rest of the raw cookie dough to Grimmjow's throat.

I'm dying... Grimmjow hung onto the table for dear life, chest heaving.

"You know you want to feed him too," Nel teased her roommate.

"Well... yeah." Halibel smiled and dug up a few mini riceballs, and sat next to her boyfriend. "Here. A recipe I invented last week. Ichigo described it as 'Orihime without the insanity.' I think that's a compliment..."

She blushed as she gently fed it into Grimmjow's mouth.

"Mmmmmmm!" Grimmjow hastened to swallow. "Babe, that is good! What's in it?"

"That's a trade secret for now," Halibel said with a wink. "Here, try and guess the ingredients instead." She went a shade pinker as she fed him another, and another.

Grimmjow heard the click sound effect of a smart phone's camera. "Hey!" he yelped.

"What's the big deal?" Nel said defensively, holding her phone in place. "This is adorable! Why not capture the moment?"

"She means well," Halibel muttered covertly in Grimmjow's ear as she fed him again. "But yeah, she's always like this. That's why we pay rent 60-40. Guess which half I make her pay?"

Grimmjow grinned wickedly. "Damn, just when I thought I couldn't love you any more..."

It wasn't long before Grimmjow's stomach threw in the towel, though, so he retreated into the guest bedroom and lay on the bed, willing himself to not explode. Heck, even this room smelled great!

At once, the door blasted inward and Nel came stomping in. Grimmjow groaned.

"I need some peace!" he cried.

Nelliel giggled, hands clasped behind her back. "Feeling full?"

"What do you think?"

Nelliel sat on the corner of the bed. "This wasn't just a friendly visit to say hello, was it?"

"Uh... what?" Grimmjow tried not to blush. Too late!

Nelliel giggled. "I can read people, you know. To guess their favorite food, whether or not they're keeping a secret..."

"Can you keep a secret?"

Nelliel blinked innocently. "Duh!"

"Hey, I need a real promise from you. I'll show you my secret if you don't tell anyone, and if you promise not to torture me anymore."

Nelliel clapped her hands together. "Deal!"

"Okay. One sec." Grimmjow carefully got off the bed, knelt by his suitcase, and dug out a small box. He stood and pried open the lid for Nelliel to see.

A small but brilliant diamond glinted on a gold ring in there.

"Oooooooooh!" Nelliel jumped up and down with joy. "Seriously?! For real? Are you serious?"

Grimmjow made a face. "Those were all redundant..."

"Lemme see!" Nel swiped the box from Grimmjow's hands and held the ring close to her face. "When did you get this?"

"Week before I left."

"When are you gonna..." Nel went red and lowered the box a little. "Y'know... when were you going to ask...?"

"I was gonna do that tonight," Grimmjow confessed, "but the scene isn't turning out right. I'll be in town all summer. It's only June 2nd, so I have some time to figure this out."

Nel poked a finger into Grimmjow's stomach. "You'd better hurry, buddy! I can't keep a secret very well."

Grimmjow flinched. "But you said you could...!"

Nel smiled. "Just kidding. Mostly. But, y'know, poor Halibel really missed you since you moved out two years back. That whole time, I've been here, trying to fill that void, give her everything she needs..."

"This is starting to sound weird."

Nel cleared her throat. "Point is, Grimmy -"

"Don't call me that!"

"Point is, Grimmjow, that she's been waiting for something like this. Sooner is better!" Nel once again had her hands on her hips to emphasize her point.

Grimmjow made a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head. "I'll work up the courage and find the right setting. Promise."

"Great!" Nel shut the ring box and handed it back. "Now let's hang out some more, lover boy! You should meet our pets!"

"Your what?"

Nelliel took Grimmjow by the hand and dragged him to her well-lit bedroom. She smiled and pointed at a large glass cage that had mulch, dirt, rocks, and leaves in it. "This is my milk snake, Bawabawa. Isn't he pretty?"

Grimmjow peeked at the red, white, and black-stiped snake inside. It stared back with beady eyes. "Pretty cool."

"And look!" Nelliel opened a second cage and held something in her hand. "This is my tarantula, Luppi!"

"Yikes!" Grimmjow stumbled back in shock, staring at the hairy arachnid in Nelliel's hand.

"Scared?"

"I..." Grimmjow cleared his throat. "I'm just leery of spiders, that's all."

"Awwwwww." Nelliel petted Luppi with a finger. "He doesn't like you, Luppi. Isn't that sad?"

Grimmjow relented. "It's a cool spider. Pretty tame."

"Yeah, she's a sweetie if I'm gentle with her." Nelliel set Luppi back in her cage, then opened the window, letting in a breeze.

Grimmjow cocked his head. "What's that for?"

Nelliel poked her head out, looked around, and shrugged. "There's this bat who sometimes comes in to visit," she said. "My unofficial third pet. I think he likes me!" She drew her head back and shut the window just as Halibel came in.

"Showing him your scary pets, Nel?" she asked with a teasing grin.

"He doesn't like Luppi!" Nel cried.

"I'm not really a spider person," Grimmjow admitted. "Halibel, remember that time a spider got into my room and -?"

"Hey, Grimmjow has something for you," Nelliel hollered. "It's shiny and gold and -"

"Yeah. This!" Grimmjow hastily held his girlfriend close and kissed her. "Just like that. No big deal."

Halibel toyed with one of her blonde pigtails. "Are you okay, Grimmjow? You seem kind of tense."

"Check out Grimmjow's suitcase!" Nelliel added. "He's got something you'll like."

"Oh?" Quick as a cat, Halibel hurried into the guest bedroom and opened up Grimmjow's suitcase.

Grimmjow intercepted her. "M-my Slayer t-shirt! See?" He held it up, blocking Halibel's view of the ring box inside the suitcase. "I want you to have it. You like the 'boyfriend' look, right?"

Halibel beamed as she accepted the shirt. "I do. And thank you!"

Grimmjow shut the case. "A-anyway, I should be going. It's late. Isn't it time for bed?" He tried to act cool and totally did the opposite.

"Is something wrong, honey?" Halibel touched Grimmjow's cheeks. "Something I should know?"

"Uh... I just meant to check on how Pantera's doing."

"Oh, your calico cat?" Nel stepped into the room. "We've all been passing her around every few months, taking care of her. Right now, Uryu and Bambietta have her at their place."

Grimmjow nodded. "Okay. Sure. Look, it's been great, girls, but I oughta find a place to stay..."

"Not here?" Halibel patted the comforter of the guest bed. "You're in a guest bedroom! Stay with us."

"I-I..." Grimmjow blushed. "I don't want to impose. Ichigo and Rukia wouldn't mind, though. They've already offered several times for when I come back."

"Well, all right. But only as long as we can be together every day," Halibel said, holding up a finger for emphasis. "I've missed you! I need my Grimmjow time."

Grimmjow kissed his girlfriend's cheek. "There's lots of me to go around, babe. I'll take you out for a nice date tomorrow evening. How's that sound?"

"I'd love that."

Behind Halibel, Nel mimed opening the ring box and proposing, mouthing the words for Do it now! Grimmjow shook his head in response.

"Okay, uh... I'd better get another cab. Got to unpack at Ichigo's place," Grimmjow said. "Halibel, it was amazing to see you again. We're gonna have a fantastic date."

Halibel backed away to clear a path to the door. "I'll wear something nice."

"M-me too," Grimmjow babbled, picking up his 100-ton suitcase and squeezing past a giggling Nel. "I'll get a cab and pick you up at 7:00, okay?"

"Okay. Have a good night! I love you!" Halibel called after him.

"Love you too, babe."

Grimmjow stepped outside, shut the door, and sighed with relief. That was too close!

His trials had only just begun.