Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any aspects of it. The story and characters belongs to Tite Kubo, and I am writing this out of simple enjoyment.
Main Pairing: Ichigo x Grimmjow
Side Pairings: Ichigo x Ginjo, Renji x Shuhei, Inoue x ...
A/N: So hey there everyone! This is a sequel to the story "Romances of Love". Please be sure to read that one before you read this one!
I hope you all enjoy this story.
Close to You
Constellations Under the Cherry Blossoms
Two lovers all alone during the summer will make the most of their time together.
Summer, a time of year when students are able to relax from the stressful and overbearing work they receive at school. It's a time in most students' lives when they socialize and happily anticipate the coming school year. However, for some, it's a time of vital last moments before a separation.
For Ichigo and Grimmjow, two high school seniors, this summer would be such a case.
The two have been dating for a little under a year now, and quite a number of things have transpired in that time. The most influential event was the confrontation with Grimmjow's former boss, Sosuke Aizen. This man founded his business and ran a drug operation from its underbelly. He treasured Grimmjow as little more than a slave, but more than anything, he was dreadfully attached to him. Ichigo willingly threw himself into the flames to save both he and Inoue from the man's clutches. It's something all of his friends witnessed and truly respected him for.
Upon Aizen's arrest, Grimmjow found himself out of a job and his savings began dwindling. Of all the things he found himself doing, he started working on cars in an auto shop to hold down his car note and cell phone bill. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was ask his father for money. That's when a corporate executive over in Tokyo took a liking to him. He was visiting family in Karakura when his car broke down. He took it to the local shop to have it repaired and discovered Grimmjow.
At the very end of the summer, he's going to move out to Tokyo and begin working part-time while attending a public school. Although this was heartbreaking, Ichigo cared far too much about Grimmjow's future to hold him back.
The two, currently sitting side-by-side under a cherry blossom tree, observed the moon and stars together. The summer they spent together had been one without interruption as Ichigo's friends had all been out of town. Inoue was with Tatsuki visiting her relatives. Chad was in Mexico visiting his own family. Ishida went off on a trip with his father to South America. Renji somehow saved enough money to take Shuhei on vacation in the Bahamas. Perhaps he got an advance on his paycheck. Rukia went with her brother on a cruise in the Caribbean. And Senna was back up North and didn't know when she'd be back. She said she'd definitely be back for the school year though.
Thus, Ichigo was left all alone with Grimmjow. And what a summer it had been. The two had gone to movies, taken long drives out to the beach, drank a little…well, a lot in Grimmjow's case, and even got to go to a few concerts together.
But after excitement, they had found that it was nice to just sit back and relax in each other's company.
"Grimmjow." He spoke from his place leaned against him.
"Yeah?" the larger man responded.
"I'm really proud of you for getting such a good job."
"You don't sound too happy about it though."
Ichigo turned his attention to the stars overhead, "Well, I won't get to see you as much. But, after this year, maybe I'll go to med school in Tokyo." He spoke.
Wishful thinking was all he was uttering.
"You can always run away with me." Grimmjow offered.
"N-no. I couldn't just leave everyone like that."
"You're making this hard for me, Kurosaki. Do you want me to go or not?"
Ichigo turned his eyes to his boyfriend, "Of course not. But, I know this is a great opportunity for you. You can finally make an honest living."
"Yeah… I'm sure gonna miss sexin' you up though."
Ichigo rested his head on Grimmjow's shoulder. This was for the best. How could he claim he loved the man if he held him back from making life better for himself?
"Grimm?"
"Huh?"
"Just, promise me this."
"What's that?" the bluenette asked calmly.
"Promise me we'll always keep this same love for each other. No matter how great the distance between us."
"Yeah. I promise."
"All right."
Around midnight, the two decided to call it a night and head home.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Ichigo let his eyes move about Grimmjow's immaculate car. To this day, he still kept it clean. Unlike his room for some reason. It was no surprise he enjoyed working on cars so much. He was quite good at it actually.
Sighing at the depressing turn this summer had taken, the orange haired boy leaned on his hand and looked out the window at the passing night city. It wasn't long before they arrived back at the clinic.
"Grimm, you can spend the night if you want. My dad's not going to care."
"You know what that means huh?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't know you very well now would I?" Ichigo smiled.
Grimmjow pulled his car into the narrow driveway and jumped out. He caught up to Ichigo at the front door and entered right behind him.
The house was dark. The only light provided was from the one above the stove. After taking off his shoes, Ichigo walked past the kitchen noting how clean Yuzu kept it. When he headed up the stairs, Grimmjow's large foot caught his heel due to his close proximity.
"Space, Grimm. You're so impatient." He complained.
"You're taking forever. Let's go." Said man impatiently responded.
Ichigo opened the door to his room and wandered over to his desk to flip the lamp on. His room was as tidy as he'd left it this morning.
He walked grabbed a change of clothes and left his room to go and take a shower. When he made to close the bathroom door, Grimmjow's foot stopped him.
"Grimmjow, what are you-"
"Let's shower together." He offered.
"Nothing raunchy. It's late and I'm tired."
"Fine. Lemme go grab something from your room."
Ichigo shook his head. Typical. He didn't wait to be offered anything; he just took what he wanted. But that was something he both liked and disliked about Grimmjow.
The boy turned on the water and adjusted it to a nice temperature. After that was ready, he slipped out of his clothes and stepped in.
Wasting no time, he stepped directly under the water and let it soak his hair. He had laid down in the grass with Grimm today so there was no questioning it needing a wash.
Just then, the door slid open and Grimmjow stepped in behind him.
"You didn't have any clean underwear." He said.
"Sorry. I forgot to do laundry yesterday. You'll have to go commando tonight."
Pressing his stomach to Ichigo's back, Grimmjow rested his chin on the crook in the boy's neck and spoke, "So long as you don't go peeping like you always do." He snickered.
Ichigo rolled his eyes. It had been forever since he had last done that.
"Don't deny how much you like seeing my junk."
"I think you might like it more than me."
Grimmjow wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's stomach and grinned, "I'm gonna miss this."
"Me too." The orange-haired boy sincerely added, "Let's get clean so we can go to sleep."
"Sleep? But you said-"
"In the morning. I don't want you…doing weird things to me if I fell asleep during."
"Pussy."
"Dick."
"Stop hogging all the cover!"
"I'm bigger than you so I get more." Grimmjow said.
"But it's my room!" Ichigo yelled in a lowered tone.
"Snooze ya lose."
"…Whatever..."
Giving up, Ichigo turned away from the immature man and closed his eyes. When Grimmjow scooted closer and draped the comforter over him, he knew it was his way of apologizing for his immature behavior.
"I thought you might see things my way."
The bluenette scoffed, "No. That's not it at all. I just like being close to you."
"Night Grimm. Don't get fresh when I'm asleep."
"Don't bet on it."
Even though they had said their good nights, neither fell asleep. They were just laying there, bodies in never ending contact. At some point though, the night claimed them both.
Early in the morning, Ichigo could hear whispering. He knew it couldn't have been Grimmjow. The man was practically suffocating him as he slept heavily on top of his right side. He was also lightly snoring.
Suddenly, the voices became much clearer.
"Renji, don't. We should wait for them to wake up. Let's go back downstairs." Shuhei said.
"No don't stop him. I think he'll learn his lesson when Ichigo pops him in the nose." Senna giggled.
Renji snatched the covers off and jumped when he saw Grimmjow's half naked form draped over Ichigo.
"Ichigo, you alive under there?" he asked.
"I'm going to kill you, Renji." The boy responded, eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room.
"C'mon! Get from under that boulder and let's go catch up!"
"You seem awake now. Might as well." Senna added.
"Onii-chan!" Yuzu called from the kitchen, "I'm making blueberry pancakes! They'll be ready in ten minutes!"
"Sounds yummy." Senna bounced.
"How can you sleep with him on top of you like that?" Shuhei asked.
"I'm fine." Ichigo responded, flipping Grimmjow's sleeping form off of him.
"What nice muscles…" Senna said, noting the bluenette's shirtlessness.
"Hey, we've been gone since May and this is the way you treat us? At least Yuzu and Karin know how to treat people." Renji huffed.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to get first dibs on those pancakes." Senna said, swiftly exiting the room.
After seeing Shuhei follow, Renji had no choice but to do the same.
Once the door shut, Ichigo looked down at the man still sleeping beside him.
"You were even more tired than I was." He smiled.
Looking out his window, he realized how lucky he was to be spending time with Grimmjow before he had to leave. Despite how childish and aggressive said man could be, Ichigo loved him no less for it.
The rest of their summer would be one he'd make sure to enjoy.
On that note, he slipped out of bed. Last night, he had said he would have a go with Grimm, but he was still fast asleep. Oh well. Once he woke up and ate some pancakes, he was sure to forget all about it.
Hello my previous and new readers! I've been planning this story for quite a while and have a lot going for it. I'm working with it and it's seeming really interesting. These first few chappies are a slow build up right now because I feel like I rushed things too much back in the first story so I don't want to take this too fast...or too slow lol. But things WILL pick up I promise. Stick with it and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Submit a review if you please and see you next chapter :)