With a sigh and a small tear that tracked down his tan cheek, Ichigo snapped his phone shut and chucked it at the wall. That bastard! He did it again!
He flopped onto his side on his bed.. his empty, two person bed that his boyfriend had bought for him as a graduation present. His boyfriend that had just missed their anniversary date.. for the third time.
Ichigo's heart twisted painfully. He had stayed up all night cleaning, and getting ready, cooking dinner and to what? To turn the tv to wait for his boyfriend of two years, to see that he was smiling at the cameras at a movie premiere with a blonde bimbo hanging off his arm?
A tear slid down Ichigo's cheek.. Grimmjow never brought him anywhere.
Keys thud onto the small table by the door, which opens and closes with a bang. The movie premiere had been boring to say in the least and the blue-haired man that walked through the door simply wanted to get back home. The heels of his boots click against the black, hard wood floor and his scoffed gray jeans cling to his hips. If it was one thing, he hated formal wear.
Taking the first corner, he spots a head of orange hair, a sight for sore eyes. He strides effortlessly over to the male and places a peck on his cheek before ruffling his tanned finger though the orange spikes. "How's my Ichiberry doing?" Grimmjow's cyan eyes run over the slightly tense frame before him, concern nipping at him. "Is something wrong?"
With a sigh, Ichigo placed his pencil on the cherry oak table, resolving to keep his bright hazel eyes gazing at the table. "It's nothing, Grimm." With a quick swallow, and a bite-back of his pride, and his wounded heart, Ichigo looked up into Grimmjow's kohl-lined eyes. "S-So, how was your premiere?" He bite the inside of his cheek. 'Ichigo.. don't be mad.. he must of just forgotten to tell you.. yeah, that's it.. again.'
Grimmjow waved a hand in the air as he slouches against the table, crossing his arms over his chest. "It was a drag. I might as well had slept through it!" A rumble of laughter begins at the statement, falling silent as he glances back over at Ichigo, worried why his berry won't look at him. Raising a cerulean eyebrow, he reaches over to brush his fingers over Ichigo's cheek. "Berry? What's gotten into you?"
Ichigo jerked his head away, slamming his hands onto the table, causing it's contents to rattle as he moved to stand up. "Take a wild guess, Grimmjow! Why am I always mad now-a-days?" He turned, his eyes glazed over with pent-up frustration and tears, his cheeks showing trails of dried tear tracks as they pooled against the collar of his white shirt.
It hurt to see Ichigo in that much anguish. Yet, as he thought through all that had happened recently, he could only come up with one and only one possible answer. The rings on Grimmjow's fingers clink as his fingers curl into his palms, "Don't you dare tell me that you're upset because I didn't take you to the premiere?"
Ichigo's face falls, his face becoming blank, expressionless. "What day is it, Grimmjow?" He voice was eerily calm, almost quiet, instead of it's gruff, confident tone.
"The twentyfirst-"
"Did you look around when you got here? Did you notice the candles? The roses? The cold dinner on the kitchen counter?" Ichigo's voice shook with a small, building anger, his fists clenching in the fury that burned-roared- through his veins. "It was our TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!" He slashed his hand outward, the papers scattering across the table as hot tears poured their way down Ichigo's cheeks. "NOT YOUR STUPID MOVIE PREMIERE THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME ABOUT! DID YOU FORGET THAT?" 'How could you..'
Grimmjow casts his eyes to the floor, conflicting thoughts battling out in his mind. He couldn't say the wrong thing, it would ruin everything. But, everything seemed to be wrong in his mind. Grimmjow had no idea what to say to that, Ichigo had him backed into a corner.
Yes, he saw it all; the wilted roses, the candles burned down to the nubs, the table perfectly set with a cold dinner in the middle of it. Truth was, he didn't want to see it.
"Look Ichigo, I didn't forget, I planned on making it back. I just got busy is all, you can't just walk out of one of those things. Come on Berry, you know I love you."
Ichigo's hazel eyes hardened into a glare. "Yeah, but you have a funny way of showing it." He grabbed all his supplies, a small hiss of pain escaping his lips as his nails scratched against the wooden table.
Grimmjow stepped forward taking the supplies from Ichigo's hands. "Dumbass, you and your stubborn ass just take a seat before you rip your hands to shred with paper." Shrugging his jean jacket off, he sits Ichigo down on the chair, wrapping the bleeding hand in the fabric. Not caring if it's bloodstained or not, what did it really matter at this point? "Don't move okay? I've gotta go get some cloth and ice...and whatever. Just, don't move Ichigo." He sighed softly, almost unheard to even himself as he started out of the room, planning on helping Ichigo whether he wanted it or not.
With a blink, Ichigo looked down at his hands, hissing as his scraped-raw nails dug in against the fabric.
'Chime~'
He blinked again, his hazel coloured eyes being covered by deep brown eyelashes as he gazed around the table, his eyes landing on a sleek silver cellphone. He reached over with his un-injured hand, grasping the small mobile and flipping it open.
'Hali.' It read in clear, bright white letters. The orange-haired teen clicked the small 'read' button and read the text quickly, surprised to find it all actually readable.
'Did ya' do it yet? I'm waitin' for ya'!'
The phone cluttered to the table, the sound resounding through out the room.
Grumbling as he strides through the house, Grimmjow juggles the first aid kit, an ice pack, and a couple cloths. Ichigo could be a handful, be he loved him nonetheless, he didn't care. It was a lovely break from the pain of celebrity life, he most certainly did not want to get Ichigo involved with that. This was bad enough.
Grimmjow sets everything down on the table, eyes immediately locking on the cellphone that lay open beneath Ichigo's hand. "Who called me Berry?" Reaching for the hand still wrapped in the jacket, he holds a slightly damp cloth in the other.
Ichigo pushed away from the table, his head lowered so his bangs covered his heartbroken eyes. "Y-Your girlfriend!" The denim jacket fell to the floor with a dull thud as Ichigo turned, his long legs carrying him to the doorway as it slammed shut...
Grimmjow stood there...confused to say the least. The orange-haired male had run out, those words still ringing in his ears like an afternoon school bell. Setting the wet cloth on the table, careful to avoid Ichigo's papers and such, he picks up the phone and clicks the light back on. As his eyes scan over the text, he can't help but slip down into the chair, that Ichigo had left vacant.
Cradling his forehead in his palm, a low growl comes from deep in his throat, thumb replying with a simple, two lettered word. 'No.'
Isolation started settling in as he looked over the table, Ichigo's work still scattered across it. He was destruction, destroying everything that was built up around him. Maybe...maybe it was better this way. Now Grimmjow didn't have to worry about Ichigo getting hurt by rumors and press...because he'd already caused the damage.
With a pounding against her front door, the small girl awoke with a growl. Reaching over to flick her light on she ambled to the door, flinging it open with a scream of "What-!"
"I-Ichigo? O-Oh my gods.." She quickly dragged him in, screaming for her roommate to wake up and gently sitting Ichigo down on her bunny bed-spread.
"W-Wha- I-Ichigo?" The redhead sat up quickly, throwing off his covers and rushing to kneel beside his friend.
"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Rukia spoke calmly, her eyes meeting Renji's for a second before she gazed back at the tear-stricken face of their best friend.
Renji crossed his arms over his chest, only able to guess what had the man staggering to their doorstep so late at night. The redhead tears his eyes away from Rukia's and back to Ichigo. "It's that damn guy isn't it? I told ya he was no good!" he exclaims, only stopping his next sentence at the insistent glare Rukia sends him.
Ichigo rubbed at his eyes, the tears pouring down endlessly as Rukia rubbed his shoulders, whispering soft words to try and calm down his never-ending sobs.
"I-It was our two year anniversary tonight.."
"Oh Ichigo.. please don't tell me.."
"He had a movie premiere that he d-didn't tell me about.."
Renji let out a growl, his fists clenching tightly, his nails biting into his skin. 'That bastard.. Just wait until I call Byakuya.'
Jumping to his feet, Renji runs a hand through the crimson hair cascading down his back. He turns on his heel, leaving his back to Ichigo, wanting to comfort his friend, but knowing he can't being this angry. Striding straight out of the room, he knows Rukia won't follow, that she'll stay with Ichigo and make sure he's alright, emotionally and physically.
Renji snatches the phone off the cradle hanging on the wall, punching in the numbers and not caring how late it is, only that he gets through. He holds it up to his ear, the persistent ringing the only thing he hears as he taps his fingers on the counter.
"What?"
"Well that's a great way to greet your boyfriend. Love you too." Renji grumbled, rolling his eyes at the angry shouting that rang through the phone. "Straight to the point. We have a problem." He decided to be a jackass and pause for dramatic affect.
"Renji? What is it? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Byakuya quickly fired off questions, sitting up in bed, his eyes wide. What was wrong? Was his lover ok?
"Yeah, yeah- Calm your sexy, protective ass down. It's Ichigo." Renji felt a blush warm over his cheeks, glad the black-haired god wasn't here to see it. He would never live it down.
"Grimmjow."
With one word, the other understood it all.
"I'll be there in 10."
"Bya- Wait-"
"What?" The other had moved to hang up, quickly being stopped by the red-head's voice.
"I love you."
Byakuya felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. "I love you too." The phone clicked off.
Surprisingly enough, Grimmjow was still seated in his chair, confusion rippling through him like waves coming from a pebble dropped in a pond. Yet, the ringing of the doorbell smashes through his mind, breaking him free as his weary eyes turn toward the sound. The melody begins rapidly, over and over and over again. Grimmjow jumps to his feet, cellphone clutched in hand, and stomps toward the front door, pissed that someone had the nerve to keep ringing the damned doorbell.
Throwing the door open, he raises his arm, about to smash the phone into the unsuspecting person's head. Well, until he sees his boss that is. A slim cyan eyebrow lifts slightly, bewildered at the man dressed in slacks and an unbuttoned shirt, with hair tousled from sleep and eyes still glazed with the possibility of dreams. "What the hell happen- You know what...I don't care. What the fuck are you doing here?"
With a crisp smack to the head, Grimmjow recoils back. "What the fuck? Did you not get laid or something?" Byakuya steps in, always an imposing figure. He glares around, noticing the scattered papers, and the ruffled state of Grimmjow's clothes. "You are an idiot. And as a matter of fact, I have gotten 'laid', but apparently my boyfriend isn't a problem."
He moved, walking further into the apartment, his cloak flowing behind his legs, the deep black blending in with his black sleep pants as his hair swished against his shoulders. He crossed his arms over his broad chest. "What happened with you and Ichigo? Renji called me, angry as fuck."
Grimmjow blinked. Byakuya just swor-..? "Wait! You know where Ichigo is?"
The raven haired man merely nodded, sending Grimmjow into a frenzy. Grimmjow curls his fingers around the phone, one hand reaching out but stopping short. "You're...not gonna tell me are you?"
Groaning, Grimmjow turns away from the threatening man, knowing that his boss could more than likely rip him into a million pieces if Renji was behind this. He scratches at the back of his head with his free hand, eyes briefly wandering down to the darkened screen of his phone. "I've been talking to Halibel is all. Ichigo just didn't give me time to explain."
"Why should he? All you do is ignore him, Grimmjow. You go to premieres, photo-shoots, even out in public!" Grimmjow felt his heart twinge. Byakuya was right..
"And all he wants to do is be next to you, like he was at the beginning. If I can see that Grimmjow.. God, I could barely see it with Renji, yet I still hold his hand, and kiss him in public." With a small sigh, Byakuya stepped forward, placing his hand against the others shoulder. "You have to give him up Grimm.. I.. If one tabloid scared you so much that you abused this relationship.. that kid is hanging on so tight to it.. you have to let him go, or get over your own petty fear."
Byakuya turned, leaving quietly and shutting the door before walking a few minutes to the other side of the dorms, his black hair sweeping against his back. "Nice speech there.." A voice mumbled, arms wrapped securely around his waist.
"Come on Renji.. let's go home. Grimmjow needs some time to think."
-o-o-
A groan split through the air, toes curling underneath the hem of his sleeping pants and away from the heat lifting out from underneath the door. Red hair hangs by the sides of his face as his forehead leans against the wood of the door. "Come on~ Ichigo! I gave you my bed, now give me the shower man." Only the sound of the knobs turning and the water sprinkling down into the shower met Renji's ears, his mind still half in the realm of sleep. "How do you ever get to class, you slowpoke?"
"Renji.. who the fuck are you talking to?" Rukia stepped out of the bathroom, a robe tied firmly around her body.
"Ru-Ruki-"
She rolled her eyes. "Ichigo left before Byakuya dropped you off this morning." She explained, closing the door to her room quietly and plopping back on her bed. She didn't have class for another few hours. So with her wet hair still dripping in her eyes, she snuggled closer into her plush white robe and drifted off to sleep.
0-o-0-o-0-o-0-o-0
Sooooo. What'da ya think? Ignoring AMLF's OOC Ichigo, is the plot ok? Want to see more?
Lea? Any words?
Hmmm...Okay going back to OOC Ichi, isn't he just the most adorable thing ever? [cough, cough] Review? With straw-...Ichigo on top? ;)
Yew-pervert. -AMLF