Ashes to ashes.
Written for an LJ community.
Rated to be safe.
Reviews encourage more writing.
It had become something normal, and perhaps that was what was so wrong with the situation. They would go days, maybe weeks without seeing one another, share a night or two of passion, and then end up going their own ways. This process would repeat, the two of them acting as if it were something normal, their words to each other on the battlefield still containing hate, and the one spoken in the Shinigami's room still containing some other emotion. Ichigo called it love, but Grimmjow laughed and called it lust.
The relationship was anything but 'normal'. It was a secret, something dirty and sinful. It kept Ichigo's window open, caused him to daydream in school and on the job, but perhaps what was worse is that it caused him to so easily lie to his friends. They wouldn't understand if he DID tell them, what the two of them were doing wasn't just something against the laws of Shinigami-- it was against the laws of NATURE itself. They were on opposite sides, spend hours trying to kill each other and those on whoever's side. It wasn't normal, and it drove the both of them crazy.
Their words began to lose the hate, the drive to kill. Their swords dulled as they swung, often too shallow or aimed towards metal. It was turning into a show, two animals growling in place, frozen and unmoving, Neither of them would make the move, not one would call the other on it, either.
That didn't stop watchful eyes from growing mouths aswell.
Renji was one the notice, to point out how Ichigo didn't seem to be trying. Of course he wasn't. His Hollow told him that more than enough, sneering in his mind and chilling his blood, he didn't need to hear it from everyone else on top of it.
Espada didn't need to use words to tell one another of suspicions and the like. Grimmjow saw the looks he got, heard the amusement. Fuck them, let them think what they wished. It wasn't their business.
There was always the danger of being caught. Ichigo's room had become a terminal for people, showing up whenever they pleased from where ever. The window, the door if he was lucky, portals, his closet. There had been a number of hasted moments to cover it up, Grimmjow was even forced out the window once in time enough for Orihime and Chad to show up with concern about why he hadn't been to school.
They could never be careful enough. They both had orders, orders to kill what the other was fighting for, but they never spoke of it in each other's presence if it was possible. Ichigo refused to talk about what would happen to him if they were caught, and Grimmjow went about acting as if he didn't care at all. Not even in the slightest. His Shinigami had come to know better.
Ichigo often wondered if he would be set up for an execution if caught. The thought wasn't one he liked to get tangled in, and would often shift to another in hopes of the previous dying. What did Aizen do to punish the Espada? Probably something so much worse than just killing them, knowing the bastard. Was Grimmjow in trouble or something...was he under Aizen's foot being controlled even more due to what he'd done? Is that why he'd been gone longer than usual?
"Oi, Ichi."
The carrot-top's head slowly turned to look at the man beside him, a rather casual look on his face.
"What is it, Renji?" Before them, the television caused the room to flicker. Renji seemed tense, Rukia beside him on the floor with the same expression.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That thump... from upstairs in your--" But Ichigo was instantly on his feet, on the stairs before Renji called to him.
"Just stay there! I'll go see."
He found his room empty, silent and with nothing moved from where it had been when they decided to watch TV. It seemed as if nothing could have caused a thump, but that was always the way that it was supposed to be. A hand slowly raised to his closet, the door rattling as he pushed it aside. There sat Grimmjow, looking irritated and oddly tired-- looking rather strange.
"If I'd known that you lot were going to have a fucking sleep over, I wouldn't have bothered."
There was a sense of relief that washed over him as the other spoke. He was actually there, and that made him happy-- not that it would stop him from equally saying something wise ass.
"Well excuse me for also having people who I need to spend time with. They're called my friends, Grim, and they tend to follow me around a lot." A slow blink as Grimmjow shifted to get out of the closet, the eyes of the Shinigami widening some as the Hollow raised an arm... just one arm to heave himself out. One. Just one arm. The other was gone. The fabric of the other's jacket hung empty at his side, and Ichigo could not find words.
Of course Grimmjow knew what the smaller was thinking, but he wouldn't allow it. "They follow you around way too much, Shinigami."
"Grimmjow. What the fuck happened to your arm?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?! It's fucking MISSING! How is that nothing!? Don't act like your fine, you fucking bastard, tell me what hap--" Ichigo's words died when Grimmjow's remaining hand slapped over his mouth, the Espada looking over him with a dangerous frown on his face.
"Stop your bitching, right now."
There was the small urge to bite into the hand that had stopped his ramble of worry, but there was a gasp, one that wasn't from either of them. Both of them turned their heads in unision, and their eyes fell upon Orihime, who resembled a deer who had just met a pair of headlights.
Ichigo's mind went blank on what to do, but Grimmjow's obviously didn't. The hand moved quickly from his mouth and right down to his neck, the digits wrapping around the skin harshly enough for the boy to give a surprised noise.
"Get the Hell out, woman. Get out now or his neck snaps." Grimmjow had found hate to place in his voice, it came naturally when looking at one of Ichigo's 'friends', especially the ones that fancied him. She gave a small yelp and began down the stairs, and his hand released the male in a heartbeat.
"R-Run." Ichigo began, rubbing at his neck some. "They'll be up here any second, get OUT of here." He was pushing Grimmjow towards the window when he heard Orihime's frantic voice downstairs. "Stay away for a few days-- c'mere."
"Would you make up your fucking mind-- am I staying or goi--" This time it wasn't a hand that covered a babbling mouth, but another pair of lips. Grimmjow froze, and watched as Ichigo pulled away, a serious expression on his face.
"Don't get caught."
It was something they said, and when spoken it was direction to the both of them-- to what they had. The Espada nodded, and was already out the window when a band of people busted into his room.
"Ichigo-- c'mon! We gotta go after him!"
The Shinigami felt something in his chest twist as he nodded, and he realized that if this continued there was going to be nothing. The two of them would fall, and have nobody but each other to try and catch them.
End.
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