This is my first fanfiction, so please be easy with me. This will obviously be more than one chapter. Thank you for reading!
I do not own bleach!
Ichigo sat at his family's distressed dark oak rectangular dinner table. The flat surface shined under the Twig Nickel Transitional Drum Pendant Lights hanging from the crusting ceiling. The maroon colored room smelled of the sweet scent the early tulips that lye in the center of the shining table radiated. The beautiful tulips, irises, and narcissus dazzling color bursted from the brown-hazlenut wicker bird's nest.
Ichigo was left with himself on another cold Saturday night. Karin and Yuzu both away to a friend's house for the night. The only source of entertainment at his disposal were the massive and dusty books in the front room.
He had been put on punishment for losing yet another second-rate job. Compared to his father's superior career, his job at the local gas station was mediocre.
A dejected sigh slipped it's way through his pink lips as he sat humped over in the dark oak dining chair. His bright orange head resting on the gap between his forearm and bicep, his breathing hushed.
Boredom was going to kill him! He was 18, nearly 19, yet he was being grounded? He felt like he should be mad at his father, but he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. Pretty much all his life he had been cut slack. Although lately, his father had made it clear to him that jobs were meant to be taken seriously.
"Lose another job," his father's baritone voice echoed in his brain. "and you're being grounded." No way did Ichigo think he was serious, but he was under his father's roof, so his rules.
The mellow sound of his home's door bell resonated through the house. Lifting himself from his seat reluctantly, he ambled over to the front door.
"Hiya!" Renji said. A sly smile was plastered on his angular features. He wore a black Peter Pan t-shirt with "Neverland" in golden bold. The sleeves were cut, Ichigo knew so from the rigid appearance where the sleeves once that, he wore army print bottoms. They were just the right fit, not suffocatingly skinny, or disgustingly baggy. On his left wrist was a bracelet made of rope, his right wrist remained bare. What finished the outfit were black combat boots with black shoe strings to match. Renji lifted his large hands and in his possesion was a green and white board game. Across the top read in white bold was "MONOPOLY."
"Hey Ichigo, we thought you could use some company." Orihime said. Her warming smile was as kind-hearted as usual. Her burned orange hair was pulled back into a neat bun. Two stray hairs that I'm guessing didn't make it into the bun hung loosely by her ears. She wore a floral print skater dress, which was decorated with flowers in different shades of yellow and pink. To compliment the yellow, she wore light gold toms.
"Yeah, I nearly died from silence and boredom." Ichigo replied.
xoxoxo
They sat around the large kitchen table, the dark oak managing to glow under the dim lighting. That's why he loved wood, every kind you could name. Wood was like diamond; when found in it's natural habitat, it's rocky and rugged. After being taken into the hands of man, it's refined into dazzling gold. That's why-
"Your turn Ichigo" Renji said with a sufferable sigh, breaking Ichigo out of his web of thoughts.
"You landed on Boardwalk, you know that's my property Renji." Ichigo said with a bored expression.
"Ichigo, this game blows!" Renji yelled out of exasperation, his heavy hands throwing the monopoly money out of their hold.
"Well shithead, you brought the game yourself!" Ichigo yelled back, usual scowl in place.
"Well, it was my idea." Orihime chimed in. "We were trying to cheer you up, knowing you lost your job and what was on the line. Although, now that I think about it, maybe a game dealing with money and income wasn't the best choice."
"See, so don't take your frustrations out on us!" Renji yelled in agreement. "Were just trying to help your depressed ass!" He started fake sobbing. "You just seemed so unhappy on the phone earlier…"
After being furiously yelled at and inimitably fired because of an altercation with him and a customer, he called his two best friends. He refused to talk about the absurd incident, but he did need someone to talk to.
"Fine fine, my fault." Ichigo said defeated, subconsciously drawing a dejected sigh from his freckled nose.
They sat in still silence, waiting for someone to say something the least bit interesting. Orihime decided to take the initiative and speak up.
"So, what are you doing for your birthday?" She asked, her brown eyes glistening with curiosity.
He felt like that was the most random thing Orihime could pull out of her hat for sure. Not that he didn't want to talk about it, it just wasn't the first thing on his mind right now.
"Not sure yet, but I guess-"
"Wait!" Renji interrupted with his long arms stretched out in front of Ichigo from across the table. "Do you still want to go camping like you always dreamed of in grade school?"
Ichigo's eyebrows were raised with shock advancing across his tan features. He hadn't thought of that idea in ages. He thought camping would be an awesome get-away from school and all of his responsibilities. He remembered sitting in front of the glowing t.v. screen and watching the shades of green of different forests. His dad would him how his mom loved the outdoors. She was always going on adventures, and dragging him along on her wild exploits. He felt like going camping, in a sense, would be like bonding with his mom. Alas, that's just what it was to him, an idea, one which he never thought of giving life to.
"Renji, that was ages ago." He said with a wave of his hand, dismissing the idea once again. "I was never serious about it, just thought it looked cool on t.v."
"That would be a great idea!" Orihime jerked out of her seat with excitement. "We could build tents, roast marshmallows, and tell ghost stories!" She said with excitement, completely ignoring Ichigo's last statement.
She seemed delighted with the idea, but Ichigo just wasn't convinced yet. The compelling and forceful void secretly within him refused to allow the privilege of happiness.
"What do any of us know about camping?" Ichigo asked, scowl across his features. "We could get lost or worst case scenario, die."
He was being the gloomy storm cloud on his friend's cheerful parade, but he was desperate. The void hiding inside of him was desperate.
"Ichigo take a look around you." Renji said, his muscular arms spread. "You've decorated this kitchen, your favorite room in this house, in wood. Sure, you might have ignored that dream of yours, but that dream just influenced the next best thing. Just fucking say yes."
Of course it was no surprise to him that his favorite room in the house, which he was given complete control to decorate as he pleased, was decorated in wood. It, quite frankly, resembled what Ichigo remembered from the forests he had seen on the Discovery Channel.
"Fine." He rarely won an argument with the red head, he knew him better than himself sometime it seemed. "But whose gonna be the group leader? None of us are qualified for the task." Ichigo said.
After hundreds of doubtful glances at each other's faces, uncertainty took over the atmosphere of the room. The tranquil smell of the early tulips no longer held power in the room. Disappointment came soon after, as they all knew that it was just another dream wasted.
xoxoxo
Grimmjow took a deep sigh of relief as he leisurely undressed himself. He steadied his fatigued and aching body into the steamy water slowly. The searing water relaxing his every sore muscle. His stressed form contracting and tensing up every second as he became familiar with the temperature. He could feel the ghostly steam run across his form, breathing in the warm essence. His already red arms resting on the sides of the gold painted bathtub.
This is exactly what Grimmjow needed after a long day, challenging himself to climb Mount Olympus. It earned it's name by being one of the most difficult mountains to climb in the area. He had to drive an hour to the sight, but it was well worth it. He had not been disapointed by his greatest trail yet. Climbing the rugged stone with a lunatic grin placed on his sharp features nearly the entire time, only peering toward his goal. Finally he made it, the rewarding sun offering him bright colors before him as he stood in the center of his latest accomplishment. He had then sat himself down on the small platform and happily ate his packed lunch in the serene silence. For those three hours he spent on the top of Olympus bathing in the sun, the world was his oyster.
"Shit, this feels amazing." He said at a low volume, just loud enough for his ears to pick up.
He recalled the day's earlier events. He had to deal with an obnoxious customer at the new gas station that just opened up. He originally stopped by to buy himself a drink, but fate had different plans for him. Some random guy was being rude to the cute employee working up front. He had to put the fucker in his place.
Taking a deep sigh, he dipped his flushed head under the water, just so it touched of his flared nostrils. He then rested his eyes, his entire rugged form relaxed. Another day at the office was his future, so he had to enjoy this tranquil peace while he could.
This is only chapter one, so exscuse how short it is please! Thank you for reading, and please leave a review :)