Notes:
This fic is written in the same AU as SocialDegenerate's 'Medicine Man' (with her permission) and is a tribute to the amazing work she does, so if you like this, head over and read 'Medicine Man' it's awesome ( /users/SocialDegenerate)
This is also my first AU fic, was quite easy to get away from things with so much writing freedom, and anyone in Melbourne Australia who knows of the Pony Bar, it's where this is based.
Much Thanks!
"We could go to a bar," Ichigo suggested; the evening was still young and he didn't want their date to end yet.
"A little desperate are we? Yeah sure, got any idea where?" In fact, Ichigo did. It was a little place, packed down an alley way in the inner city, a secret den among the hustle of the streets and people.
"Yeah, my friend Rukia works there. " Setting off, Grimmjow grinned, wanting to tease the poor kid for a little longer.
"Sure they won't mine our type being there? I love a good fight, but I'm just not sure you're up for a good old fashioned fag drag." Wincing at the slur, Ichigo paced faster, attempting to outrun the cold.
"I think it's fine, fairly sure the owners are..." he paused, trying to address it properly, "batting for the other team." Grimmjow laughed.
The metal railing was slippery in the open night air as they carefully descended the stairs to the bar. Ichigo watched furls for heat wisp up from open door way; passing several outdoor smoking patrons, the duo entered. Warmly furnished with old-style tall chairs, torn sofas and a long, handmade mahogany bar, the lights were dimmed just enough to give off a smoky atmosphere. Rukia was working behind the bar, an apron casually knotted around her waist. Her eyes lit up when she saw Ichigo across the room, growing impossibly wider at the sight of Grimmjow. Frowning slightly, Ichigo went to pull away, to sit around the corner in the sunken alcove, but Grimmjow pushed forward and up to the bar.
"Can I help you?" Rukia purred as Grimmjow took a stool at the polished bar. Grinning, he glanced over his shoulder at Ichigo who dragged his feet up next to him and sat.
"I'll have a beer and he'll have a sex on the beach."
"Wait a minute," Ichigo interjected, "I have a prac session tomorrow, there's no way I'm getting hammered tonight." A dangerous light flickered in Grimmjow's blue eyes and Ichigo immediately regretted his choice of words, blushing slightly.
"Come on Ichigo, it's only one drink." Rukia pushed the fruity beverage towards him. Frowning at her, Ichigo took a sip as Grimmjow passed her some cash.
"So," the blunet started casually, "You know Ichigo?" Rukia nodded, wiping the bar down swiftly. It was relatively quiet for a Thursday evening, but it was early and Ichigo supposed an underground hipster bar wasn't most people's cup of tea.
"Yeah. We've known each other for a while now, friends of friends." Grimmjow nodded, taking a long drink of his beer.
"Has he told you about me?" That wicked glint was back and Rukia laughed cheerfully.
"Well actually, it was -"
"Nope, that's it." Standing suddenly, Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow's arm, yanking him off his stool. Laughing heartily, the tall man saluted Rukia with his glass.
"We'll chat soon, baby." She waved back, then turned to serve another customer.
Shrugging Ichigo off, Grimmjow's face hardened into a scowl.
"You ever try to manhandle me in public again, I swear I will cut you." Frowning back, Ichigo dropped down the two large steps leading into the alcove then immediately back peddled, bumping into Grimmjow in the process.
"Ow, what the fuck, man? You wanna go?" Ichigo shook his head, hands raised as he tried to usher his lover back.
"No, it's just full down there, that's all. There's better seats out here."
"Ichigo, you lying rat, get back down here boy." Visibly cringing, Ichigo turned and forced himself to retrace his steps. Within the cosy alcove were somehow crammed two spacious sofas, and sprawled across them were the owners of the establishment, Jūshirō Ukitake and Shunsui Kyōraku. Both were older gentleman who fancied nothing more but to own a comfortable business, while managing to drink and sleep as much as they could. Frowning, Ichigo recognised the third figure of their group as Starrk, a peculiar character who appeared to spend a lot of time loitering in this very bar. To Ichigo's understanding (or that which he had obtained from Rukia), he was once a well-respected business man who had a severe mental breakdown and ended up wandering the woods for several months. He'd come back claiming he'd had a spiritual journey, led by a coyote, to which he'd promptly changed his name to Coyote Starrk. It sounded like completely bullshit to Ichigo, whose best bet was that the old man had staggered around drunk as a skunk for three days, thinking up his grand spirit vision tale on the three month vacation he took after that.
Usually the dark haired man with the tacky tooth necklace was in the company of his young daughter, who keeping in true fashion with his new view on life was allowed to call herself whatever she wanted. On Ichigo's last encounter, she had referred to herself as Lilynette Gingerbuck.
"Where's Lilynette?" Ichigo asked, finally deciding to take a seat next to Jūshirō. The pale man looked somewhat better today, his usually sickly appearance and its cause the key reason Ichigo refused to smoke. Starrk turned his clear blue eyes on the redhead, quickly glancing at Grimmjow who'd taken a relaxed pose next to Ichigo on the sofa.
"She's upstairs watching Disney," Shunsui replied for his friend. "Nanao's keeping an eye on her." Ichigo held back a shiver, Starrk's daughter hated Shunsui's adopted daughter with a passion, and the feeling was mutual, as he remembered from a night not so long ago when he'd arrived with Rukia to witness bar stools and glasses being thrown across the room by the two distraught girls. It had not been a pretty sight.
"So Ichigo," the bearded man across from him said, cocking his head to the side to watch the trio, "what's been happening?" There was something in the way the older man spoke that caused Ichigo to watch him, actually all three of them a lot closer. Shunsui at the best of times had a horrible shake to his hands, which were now remarkably still in his lap. Likewise, it was the longest he'd ever been in Jūshirō's company without hearing his gut-wrenching coughs. Suddenly it dawned on him, and he couldn't help but laugh.
"You guys are high as fuck right now!" A slow grin broke out over Shunsui's face as he watched his white haired parter give up the game.
"I have a prescription you know, it's all totally legal." Laughing, Grimmjow tapped Jūshirō's shoulder, nudging closer to Ichigo in the process.
"For real? How you'd score one of those?" Jūshirō's soft brown eyes grew sad for a moment.
"Two packs a day for twenty years." The smile slid from Grimmjow's face as he watched the man lean forward and cough politely, and after heaving a breath he looked up again through his white bangs.
"But seriously, what have you been up to, Ichigo?"
The next hour passed by without a hitch: Ichigo and Grimmjow found themselves in comfortable conversation with Jūshirō, interrupted by Shunsui and Starrk when something appeared overly funny or innuendo was due. Finishing his second drink, Ichigo watched the two dark haired men, arms swung about each other's shoulders, slummed shamelessly on the sofa, laughing so hard that Shunsui could barely drink his sake.
"What about that time, we thought it'd be a good idea to fight? But like, in the sky?" Shunsui sat up straight for a moment, waving his hands wildly in the space in front of his face. "We're like ninjas! In the sky!"
Starrk shook his head, wagging a finger at his companion.
"Not ninjas, we were gods!" An intense buzzing suddenly filled the room and patting down his jeans, Starrk pulled out a fancy-looking slim cell phone. Ichigo frowned, how could he even afford a phone like that? Did he even have a job any more?
"Yes Lilynette?" A loud scream was heard through the tiny speaker.
"Starrk, I'm hungry and the bitch won't get me anything to eat!" There was a grumble in the background. "Oh and that's my fault apparently. I can't be trusted."
"No you can't," Jūshirō cut in, "it's way past your bed time, go to sleep." Shunsui chuckled as Lilynette ranted at them through the phone.
"Crazy old man yells at phone," he whispered quietly, and Jūshirō frowned.
"Come down to the bar and we'll get you something to eat, and bring down my fur coat." There was a pause of the other end of the phone.
"Starrk, you don't have a fur coat." Frowning, Starrk looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Oh, well I need to get one then." Hanging up, Starrk pocketed his phone and leant back hard against the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose. Shunsui gave him a gentle pat on the leg.
"Damn, your daughter is a picky little bitch." Jūshirō nodded from the opposite side of the room.
"I'll second that! She needs to stay at home more, and spend less time out with you." Shaking his head, Starrk stood up, swaying slightly as he yawned and stretched.
"Please leave her out of this." He looked around the room, eyes resting on Ichigo and Grimmjow, "who's up for another round?" Shunsui laughed, stretching his long legs out.
"Oh, you're number one man!" Nodding as he walked up the stairs to the bar, Starrk mumbled,
"Yeah yeah, I know."
Ichigo twitched as he felt Grimmjow shuffle closer, straining against the head of the sofa, turning to watch him carefully. He hadn't drunk enough yet to allow any sort of physical affection, to any great extreme at least. Those bright blue eyes watched his with intensity as the sofa suddenly shifted and Jūshirō left the sofa to join Shunsui on the other.
"You feeling okay?" The dark haired man asked, slowly reaching out to loop a finger around a strand of Jūshirō's long, white hair. A warm smile broke out over his face.
"Fine, better then I have in a while in fact." Ichigo watched the concern ease from Shunsui's grey eyes as Starrk reappeared, a tray of drinks in hand. Taking the drink, Ichigo nursed it, not planning on drinking any more then he already had. Grimmjow nodded his thanks to the older man as he took a seat next to the couple.
"Los Lobus," he raised his drink and downed half it one gulp. Jūshirō joined his toast but paused before it reached his lips.
"Is that a drink?" Starrk shrugged.
"It'd be a great name for a band." Shunsui laughed, snaking his arm out along the head of the sofa to poke Starrk's face.
"We should start a band." Jūshirō shook his head, leaning heavily on the arm behind his neck.
"We already tried that, remember?" Scratching his beard, Shunsui shook his head and Starrk nudged the hand previously poking him.
"Something wrong? You're kind of out it." Shaking his head, his arm retracting to snugly tuck around Jūshirō's shoulders, Shunsui shrugged.
"I don't think it's up to you to define my character." He should have sounded threatening, but instead Starrk simply laughed.
"...I...I don't understand you, man...Here I was was thinking you and I were alike." Shifting closer, Ichigo watched the sofa dip as Shunsui leant across Jūshirō to level his face with Starrk's.
"You're such a bad liar!"
To engaged in the scene playing out before them, Ichigo didn't realise his hand was rising to his mouth, drinking a big swig from his glass, just to wet his mouth. Taking a quick glance at Grimmjow, Ichigo almost laughed at the not-so-subtle stare his lover was giving the three men. Sighing, Ichigo went to politely excuse himself, but paused as suddenly his dinner theatre took a drastic change.
Holding his leaning position over Jūshirō, Shunsui had managed to grab the front of Starrk's shirt, pulling him in closer. Their lips were locked, kissing each other hard. Jūshirō, who was pinned between them with an up-close and personal view, licked his lips with his deep brown eyes wide. Glimpsing a hint of tongue between the two men's lips, Ichigo watched as they pulled back slowly, watching each other with hungry eyes. Turning to face the dark haired man head on, Jūshirō pouted.
"What?" His partner asked, "you're not jealous are you?" Blushing a slight pink, which developed to a deep red as Starrk slipped closer behind him, sweeping his waist length white hair away from his neck to brush it with a firm kiss.
"I meant no offence, he's all yours." Opening his mouth to argue, Jūshirō never managed a word as Shunsui pounced upon him with an kiss. Shifting closer, there was no room between the trio as they continued to kiss and sensually assault the man between them.
Starrk's hand trailed down Jūshirō's chest, pausing at the buttons of his shirt, leaning forward to lick a wet path across his neck. Shunsui pulled away as his lover moaned at the sensation. Helping Starrk pop the first few buttons, the older man leant down, pressing kisses to the pale flesh of his chest. Biting his lip, head tilted back, Jūshirō cried out as Starrk pinched his nipples lightly. Raising his head, Shunsui took his lover's face in his hands. Kissing him softly on the nose, he whispered something far too quietly for Ichigo to hear. The pale man smiled and nodded, glancing behind him to Starrk, who also nodded.
"Starrk, the bitch at the bar won't feed me. Eh, oh god really? In public? You guys are gross." Lilynette stood in the open doorway, a classy blue coat in one hand, purse in the other and a look of complete disgust on her face.
"And you! Creepy old fuck, your bitch of a daughter bailed out, left me all on my own." Turning, she threw the coat at Starrk,
"You don't have a fur coat and I'm still hungry." Shaking her head, she tossed her hands in the air. "Don't know why I even bother."
Grinning, Grimmjow shot Ichigo a look as if to say ready to go? Standing, Ichigo nodded to the trio, casually leaning back on the sofa. Jūshirō nervously attempted to button his shirt, while Starrk smoothed a hand through his hair. Shunsui stood to see them off, shaking both their hands and smiling.
"Come back any time gentlemen, you're always welcome. Could you send Rukia in on your way out, please." Nodding, Ichigo blushed as he walked up the stairs and went to exit the bar, grabbing Rukia's attention before walking out the door. Pointing to the alcove, he mouthed "They want you." Rolling her eyes Rukia nodded and began to walk off, flipping the bar up as she waved them goodbye. Dashing quickly up the stairs, Grimmjow and Ichigo's eyes met and they burst out laughing.
"Did that seriously just happen?"
Grimmjow shook his head in amazement, pausing to cross the street.
"I'll agree that was pretty good night out." His eyes narrowed, watching Ichigo catch up with him, "Does it have to end here?"