It was a lovely night.
The darkness enveloped the town in a way that it was not cold but warm in its embrace, a thin veil that allowed for specks of light to pass through. The hour was late, and yet there still remained signs of life, artificial lightings used by those still hard at work, unwilling to succumb to the night.
And here he was, pondering over the events of the day as he absently stared at the full moon, admiring the rays that had been praised by poets long before his time. The gentle wind caressed his cheeks, strands of his bright orange hair drifting along to the occasional gust.
His mind was completely blank, void of much thought as he gave up the task of pondering deeply, choosing to relish in the serenity of the night. Such a chance did not come often, for he was frequently swept up in the fast-paced society of both the living and the world of the dead.
The teen cushioned his head with folded arms, leaning back lazily. Admiring every little movement that could be spotted, he occasionally shifted his attention to the simple twinkle of tiny stars through open windows. If life were as simple as merely observing, that would make everything so much easier. Lesser bloodshed, lesser fear, lesser despair…
As if in answer, a larger gust rustled the still curtains, only to reveal a figure half-shielded by the darkness of the room.
It took Ichigo a few seconds to register the presence of someone in his room, followed by the identity of the mysterious person.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
Eyes widened in surprise rather than fear, Ichigo stood up rapidly as he stared at the man. There was the same feral smirk overflowing with confidence he remembered from what seemed like ages ago, the overall posture speaking of the pride he knew the sexta held.
The difference though, was the cyan blue hair that would normally have been a stark contrast to its surroundings. On this very night under dim settings, the colour had softened to a peaceful, softened one. Aside from that, he had grown out his hair such that it reached his collarbones, portraying a completely different image than what Ichigo was used to. It was slightly sexy, and he was sure the blunet would be immensely popular with the female population in Karakua.
The sudden realization that he was not supposed to be treating this enemy as he would a long-lost friend jerked him back to the current situation, and he quickly spoke whilst keeping eye-contact with the other. "What do you want?"
Silence hung in the air, tension forming at the unusual situation at hand. Of all people and of all times, an ex-Espada appearing in a substitute Shinigami's room in Karakura?
The man raised those delicate eyebrows of his in amusement after a while, letting the tranquility of the night take over for those few moments.
"Would it satisfy you if I told you that I had a sudden desire to see my rival?" Every word enunciated with care, Grimmjow took his time as he watched the changing emotions on Ichigo's face.
Confusion morphed into anger at once. "What kind of answer is that!" he exploded, before remembering that his sisters were all asleep. "Obviously it wouldn't satisfy me! Just tell me your real motive- is it a sparring session?" he whispered in alarm.
Grimmjow chuckled, the soft, low sounds so unbecoming of him that it instantly put Ichigo on his guard. "A sparring session?"
"Well, yeah. I can't think of anything else you want. At any rate, the answer to that is no. I don't have the time to spar with you and for goodness' sake, it's 12.10 in the morning. Coming here at this hour doesn't seem to be the smartest decision. At least look at the time! I might have decided to turn in already!"
Grimmjow growled in annoyance at the unexpected berate but he stopped himself in time. "Well, at least you're still awake," his usual snarky attitude surfaced. "and I don't want to spar with you. At least, not now."
Bewildered, Ichigo took a few steps to his bed and slumped onto it. "Then what are you doing here? Look, if you're going to stay here and keep bitching, I suggest you leave before I-"
The gentle press of lips together silenced the teen altogether.
Slowly, the one who had initiated the kiss leaned backwards, eyes forever trained on the teen's own. "I'm leaving, then."
The uncharacteristic quiet swallowed all of Ichigo's words, protests stuck in his throat.
Without another word, the blunet was gone, the rustling of curtains the only physical evidence of his earlier presence.
Slowly, the teen brought a finger to his lips, a slight blush gracing his face.
Thump.
Thump.
A/N: First fluff oneshot. Hope it was okay?