DISCLAIMER: Bleach & characters belong to Tite Kubo.
WARNINGS: Grimmjow x Ichigo. Yaoi, rape, language & blood / descriptive deaths.
For Isumi Sano.
Within an ordinary small house, there is an upside down black cross painted thickly on the wall, contrasting against the white. Ichigo Kurosaki and his partner stop in the lounge room to stand opposite the wall to view it. Against the wall is a black couch. The corpse is seated on it upright, naked, with black hair, and black horns on her head.
It's not a very welcoming sight, but it's not the first time they have seen something so disturbing.
Her eyes are gorged out, so when looking directly, there are two black holes that are supposed to be eyes. It's hollow, like looking into the depths of hell.
The body is white: chalky. The person may have already been pale but… death does a big toll on the body. The stink has already taken over the room. Unbearable if you've only been on this line of work for a short time. Bearable if homicide was the only part of criminology that interested you. Ichigo leans back, tilts his head to look directly in an angle.
The silence between both men in the house is eerie. The harsh wind rattles the weak glass, a high pitched whistle floating in the air. Ichigo looks back at his partner as he pushes a hand through his blue hair and shakes his head, a look of concentration on his angular face as he stares at the body.
"Similar to the one you saw first, huh, Grimmjow?" Ichigo asks, looking back at the corpse.
Grimmjow nods. Ichigo pulls on blue gloves so he can touch the face. It lulls, he pulls away.
It's fresh. The body is not so stiff because it hasn't been that long since her death.
Ichigo walks around the couch it's seated up on, head tilted down. Her shoulder back has incoherent words he can't read. The strange markings spur uneasiness in the pit of his stomach.
"Satanic bastard," Grimmjow sneers, hands in slacks. He never liked getting too close; instead opting out to stand a few metres away while his partner got in close.
Ichigo frowns, brown eyes grazing over the symbols on her skin. What was the message supposed to be? All these lines, all these cuts embedded deeply into skin. Why were the eyes taken? It must either be a message or a trophy for the killer. It's intriguing, yet Ichigo is not sure why he's so infatuated with death.
He continues to gaze at the markings until Grimmjow growls his discontent with the situation. Ichigo pulls away from the corpse so he can walk around the couch.
"There's no blood," Ichigo says, gazing at the body. But the only blood he can see is running down under the black hollow holes for eyes that have dried up, gotten crusty.
"Internal," Grimmjow suggests, "except for the eyes."
"My thoughts exactly," Ichigo pulls the gloves off, nearing the exit. Grimmjow follows behind.
Once they're outside, an ambulance, their vehicle they arrived in and other police vehicles surround the front. The front of the house is taped off with yellow DO NOT CROSS, POLICE strips. It moves furiously from the harsh wind, making a snapping sound. The neighbourhood is deserted. No one is outside but the curtains within move from the houses across the street. People are trying to see what the fuss is. Ichigo ducks under the tape, stopping right in front of his superior.
"Dead," he tells Byakuya as he stands outside, having just arrived. The sky is cloudy. Grey. But it won't rain. It hardly does in this town anyway. Instead a cool wind blows in their direction repeatedly.
"Satanic markings, eyes gorged out for some reason. Not a lot of blood."
Dressed in a suit, he nods, dark hair let loose as it falls over his shoulders, looking over Ichigo to the house behind him. "Very well, Kurosaki." He continues towards the house, ducking under the yellow tape. Ichigo watches, turning as Grimmjow opens the door to the vehicle.
"Get in Kurosaki," he tells Ichigo, starting the engine. "We got a fuck load a' paperwork to do thanks to this bastard."
He's referring to the killer –not their superior, Byakuya.
Ichigo looks out the passenger side window to the house. Its frame is small, made out of bricks. The wooden gate is broken, leaning over the neighbour's side. A toddler's colourful tricycle is out the front. The door wide open as investigators go in and out of the house. Two men zipped up in complete white suits covered from head to toe enter the house just as Byakuya exists. Those guys will be collecting the evidence. The body will be out of there soon. Their superiors eyes narrow at their direction, then at the window at the very front of the house next to the front door which has been shattered, the glass still littering the ground.
They drive out of the street in silence.
'Hueco Mundo' written on a white dirty street sign points in the direction they just drove out of.
"Not a good place," Ichigo murmurs, scratching the top of his spiky orange hair. He says it mostly to himself, but Grimmjow grunts in agreement.
"Not a good place at all."
Soft murmurs sound from the office, the door still open. No one is seen inside, but the superiors must be further in the room. Ichigo looks up from his badge, fingers grazing the front of it. He puts it away, straining his ears to listen, leaning back on the desk chair with a slight creek.
"This is the worst serial killer we've ever seen."
He know's that's Byakuya's voice.
"Renji, I need you to join the case."
Shit. Yet another is now trying to figure these killings out. Renji had always worked for Byakuya, but wasn't always on the cases per se.
"Alright," Renji confirms, "Images?"
"Kurosaki has them."
There's shuffling inside and the closure of a desk from within the office. A moment after Renji emerges from the room, Byakuya following from behind. They approach Ichigo's desk as he continually watches them.
"Looks like this killer keeps adding to the list," Byakuya says. True. The case started with only two investigators. As little as that is, they supposed it was one of those ambitious types who tried to make themselves appear terrifying, like from some type of book or movie. But the message didn't add up. The motive unknown, the bodies slaughtered.
"Brief me," Renji sits himself by the desk.
"The first body was found in Hollow's way." Ichigo pulls the document from the desk, opening it up to the first images that started this case.
"Antlers hand crafted from flexible sticks," he tells Renji, pointing at the head of the young woman. Her eyes were also gorged out, her abdomen ripped open. Maggots had already been eating flesh upon arrival. But Ichigo wasn't assigned on the case at the time of the finding. "Two investigators, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques –my partner now, and another had been called to the scene after a farmer found the body."
Renji nods, looking at the images closely.
"The other detective left the case. I was assigned in his place," Ichigo continues. The reason behind that detective pulling out of the case was because of one reason only: danger. Extreme danger, because at a time like this the investigators lives are also on the line, under threat from serial killers on serious cases like this. No one suspected a pull out like that, but that only meant Ichigo would join the case. And even though he is young, it doesn't detract from the knowledge he's acquired.
Renji shakes his head. He is now yet another member assigned to the task force. "Little blood," he murmurs. "Obviously has an idea about cutting to avoid certain arteries."
"A butcher, or a doctor," Ichigo sighs. He leans back in the chair once again, staring up at the ceiling.
He frowns by the thought that the killer may have just been careful, done some research before he struck.
"I have a mountain of paperwork and I still can't figure out who the victim is from the last finding." It had been two days since the woman with the horns was found dead in her house.
"He already has a nickname," Ichigo adds, looking up at Renji who's been watching him for moments. He nods and Ichigo doesn't hesitate to tell him.
"The White King."
Renji raises a brow, "the white king?"
Ichigo nods. "Yeah, because the victims are always so white: pasty. There's hardly any colour, since there's so little blood. Almost like the killer would clean up after he slaughtered them."
"The artist likes to look over his work, I suppose," Renji smirks. "How do you know it's a 'he' anyway? It could have been a woman."
This makes the young detective smile. It could be a woman, but it's the way the killings are done that say otherwise.
"Those women that were killed lived in shady neighbourhoods. Probably did some shady work too, making them more susceptible to men and the danger that comes from the wrong kind."
Ichigo looks at Byakuya, his presence not disturbing but forgotten when he opened up the images. Their superior preferred to remain quiet, so he would listen to what they had to say. Arms folded over his chest, he nods approval and leaves just as silently as he stood. Ichigo watches him retreat into his office.
"Have ya done the god damn autopsy yet?" Ichigo hears Grimmjow growl, his office only a few feet away from him. His head snaps in that direction. Ichigo's been pulled away from the first victim ever found with this killer to the fourth. The autopsy report, that's what he needs. That's what they both need to get through this. They need DNA to know who the woman was. But it's only been two days when it takes at least a week for the results to come back. At a time like this, however, the killer is out there somewhere. Probably killing someone right now, crafting his manifestations. Obviously they don't have all the time in the world, especially not when a killer worse than anything the task force has seen in these parts for years is out there, on the loose.
"One minute," Ichigo says to Renji as he gets up from the seat. He looks back at Renji as he flips through the images, concentrating on them as Ichigo walks away and approaches Grimmjow's office.
Three knocks against Grimmjow's open door gets his attention briefly. Blue eyes looking directly at Ichigo, then back at the computer screen. Grimmjow has the phone against his ear as he listens to the other person on the line for a moment. He rolls his eyes, hand rubbing at his temple as he sighs.
"I need the results in a week," he says into the receiver before hanging up. Grimmjow looks at Ichigo again, a brief silent stare from the both of them for a moment.
"Ichigo," he greets, leaning back in his seat.
"Well you're stressed," Ichigo muses. Grimmjow scoffs.
"Haven't been able to sleep, maybe we need to have a few drinks, Ichi."
"Hmm," Ichigo nods with a smile, "we certainly do."
"Hnnn"
Grimmjow pushes in deeper. Ichigo twitches around him, shuddering from the overwhelming sensations in his dick and nipples.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck….aaaah" Ichigo burrows his head into the pillow, biting into the soft cushion.
His erection dripping, Ichigo's hand closes around himself while he's panting for breath. Grimmjow continues to plunge into the young man, balls deep, his hands gripping Ichigo's hips hard enough to leave bruises. Ichigo pushes back against him, moaning at the doubling pleasure, jerking himself off.
It wasn't the drinks to blame which lead them to fuck each other in Grimmjow's apartment after the short bar trip. They only had two drinks each; their intentions geared more towards letting off some steam, some stress from the case. But of course, in this line of work, it just never seemed to stop. It never slept, always open for something to happen suddenly and it was expected. This also meant the two men didn't have enough time either, so the sex was always fast, but enough to get both off.
Ichigo releases for the second time tonight, feeling exhausted. Grimmjow grunts his own release and pulls out. He throws the condom in the bin, and then reaches for the carton of cigarettes after getting comfortable on the bed beside Ichigo.
Ichigo watches him, moving to lie on his side comfortably, in this sticky, sweaty, naked mess. Grimmjow pops the cigarette into his mouth. His face is half illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from the window. The bluey colour in the room tells that it's too early to be awake, too late to be asleep. A cool wind blows through into the room, making Ichigo shiver. Grimmjow lights up the cigarette and inhales, the smoke rising into the air as he exhales.
Ichigo refuses when offered one.
"You know I don't smoke."
"Hmm," Grimmjow shrugs, continuing to smoke.
Who is 'the white king'? Ichigo has to hold back on asking Grimmjow this. Obviously he's not in the mood to be thinking about work now –let alone a serial killer to put him off. But with the mind Ichigo has, there are always endless thoughts. This case has intrigued him from the very beginning, almost to the point of obsession. Because there was only these detectives who could solve the case, and if that meant questioning the actions, motives, and scenes they've seen so far, at any time –day or night, then so be it.
And since the beginning, the same questions stuck in Ichigo's mind. Why were the victims eyes gorged out? And why was there always such intricate crafts cut into white flesh, markings always so dark and demonic on every corpse found so far?
He crawls into Grimmjow's side, needing the warmth, the comfort. Ichigo closes his eyes while the cigarette smoke fills the air, into his nose. Ichigo listens to Grimmjow's soft breathing, his heart, and his body while he traces invisible lines over abs and solid muscle like he's got it memorised. They stay like that for how long, Ichigo's not sure.
"I should go," Ichigo tells him, finally moving himself, getting up from the bed before the risk of falling asleep. He takes his clothes off the floor, redressing. Muscles sore, and mind tired, Ichigo turns his head to look at the digital clock on the bedside table.
5:40am.
With a sigh he reaches for his car keys. Ichigo hasn't had many drinks, so to him, it's alright for him to drive back home.
Leaning over, Ichigo's lips brush over Grimmjow's for a kiss. But he doesn't respond and it makes Ichigo pull away.
He leaves Grimmjow's place with the hopes that he'll get some sleep this early, even though Ichigo knows it will be very little. He showers, changing into pajamas and collapsing on his own bed, in the silence of his home. Hollow eyes evade Ichigo's mind as he slowly drifts off to sleep.
"Autopsy results are in," Renji murmurs from the desk beside Ichigo's. He's got his nose stuck in the pictures again, this time looking closely at the young woman that was found a week ago, the one with the black hair and horns on her head. She looked like something that crawled out from the ground: the depths of hell. Ichigo watches Renji while he continues to concentrate on it, red hair tied back into a ponytail, black tight shirt revealing muscular definition below.
"Did Grimmjow receive them?" Ichigo asks, taking a sip of his strong coffee as he looks back at the bright computer screen before him.
"Yep," Renji sighs, looking up from the pictures.
There have been no more killings since, but the mood is tense. They don't have to talk about the next suspected strike since it's already dwindling in all of their minds anyway.
"How do you think we'll catch this…white king?" Renji asks, eyeing the screen. Ichigo's got up a document with the faces of all the victims killed by this serial killer. The latest one, they've found out from the autopsy report, was a single mother, once a prostitute working under the name of 'Hanna.' It means flower when translated to Japanese. She appeared to be of Asian descent, giving sense to the name, and had a child that was forgotten at a day care center for a whole day. That's how they found her mangled and manipulated body. When the workers had tried getting into contact with her about the child, yet when nobody picked up, they called the police.
Of course it wasn't long before Grimmjow and Ichigo spilled onto the scene to find another discovery to a grisly murder, done by non-other than the White King himself, and they knew it was his work because of all the similarities it had with past murders.
Ichigo shrugs, finishing up the coffee.
There's no definite way to catch a killer. It could be a slip up or on purpose. They had no leads, no way of telling for sure. It could be a big clue that leads up to getting closer to the white king, or perhaps…
"Sometimes the littlest things can solve the biggest mysteries," Ichigo says, placing the mug on the desk.
Renji nods. "Or maybe he'll give himself in."
"Not likely," Ichigo tells Renji but he just looks at him for a moment. "Who knows, Ichigo?"
Grimmjow emerges from his office, document in hand. He drops it on Ichigo's desk, pushes a hand through his hair.
"What's going on?" Ichigo asks.
"That woman," Grimmjow starts, annoyed. "Hanna was a prostitute. The other three were prostitutes too."
Good, Grimmjow read through the report. "Then it looks like we're having a lead," Ichigo tells him, "at least we know the type of people he goes after."
Grimmjow looks at the both of the men before speaking.
"Ya don't get it, Ichi," Grimmjow sighs. Renji and Ichigo both look at him in confusion.
"Yeah, he kills prostitutes. Very original, but the bastard is smart. No one knows these women that are all fuckin' dead."
"Then what about their relatives?" Renji asks, "Hasn't anyone come up to say they know at least one of them?"
Ichigo shakes his head in agreement, but Grimmjow has a point. If no one knows who those women were before they died, then it's a lost cause. Nobody is going to come up with more information.
"Prostitutes move to states where nobody knows them. Generally doesn't have much of a family, and if they do: that family don't want nothin' ta do with em." Grimmjow opens the folder he dropped on the desk, pointing at the image of the latest victim. She was beautiful, and the way she had turned out after the serial killer had his way with her…it was just revolting.
"They change their name, their status. Live in the shittiest parts of town. Hueco Mundo for example: where we found the most recent." Grimmjow adds.
"Shit," Renji rubs his face.
"The two victims have been dead since February. We put out posters, billboards to the public."
Grimmjow points at the image of a billboard that was set up to help people who knew those women to approach us for more information. Ichigo looks down at it, the first and second victims faces along with a headline: DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? And a number down the bottom, prompting anyone who knows to: TELL YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
"It's June, Ichigo." Grimmjow continues after a short pause. Four months have gone by. "No one has come forward. No one knows em. It's going to be the same with the other two. People in this town are already shaken up, no one leavin' their houses, too content with ignorance."
Ichigo nods. He figures that even if someone did happen to know at least one of the dead women, they wouldn't want to approach the authorities anyway. It's just the way the world works. Some people see but don't do anything about it. Ichigo's not sure whether to believe that those types of people are actually worse than the killers who actually commit the crimes.
It all makes sense. Renji understands too, sighing deeply and leaning back on his chair.
"Then what the hell is this killer's motive?" Ichigo frowns, closing the document because looking at it is frustrating him. They're all women. They were all found with shapes like horns on their heads, their eyes were all gorged out, and their bodies tinged grey and white. That's the thing that got them to open up the case immediately. The first victim wasn't just found dead lying around in Hollow's way, being found by two farmers. She was found naked, with all these strange satanic dark markings, stuck in a position like she was praying. Contradictory because the way she looked was like something from the pits of hell –nothing holly about that. The sight frightened the men so much, investigators were immediately called, not just the police.
Byakuya emerges from his office, approaching the three of them expressionless.
"Another body," he informs.
Dread washes through Ichigo. He can literally feel his stomach drop. It's only been one week. Already he feels drained. But it's to be expected. Killers keep killing. The world keeps spinning. Ichigo doesn't want to say this to the others, but whoever is committing these killings has the foot in the lead. And soon, to make things a little more fun for himself, the white king killer may even start messing with them –if not already. But Ichigo is determined to understand the intentions of this killer. He wants to get inside his head.
But of course, the young detective knows very well that they need to catch him first.
Ichigo stands from his seat, "When was it found?"
"Just then," Byakuya says, signalling for Renji to get up. He rises from the seat, picks up two documents with the images, closing them and walking past them.
"Ichigo and Grimmjow, you both go to the scene, business as usual."
A/N: I watched 'True Detective', and then THIS…IT…KINDA…HAPPENED…
I've wanted to write something dark and scary lol...
Do you like this type of stuff? I have a lot of ideas for this fic if it shall continue?