"1,200 years, huh?" Ichigo questioned Grimmjow in astonishment while resting with his back up against a palm tree.

"Yes, 1,200 years today. Or tonight rather." Grimmjow replied to the much younger Ichigo, with the hint of a chuckle resonating in his deep voice.

"Oh my, you haven't aged one bit!" The younger teased.

"You just wait until you're my age." Grimmjow mused as he ran a hand through his light blue hair.

"Is that a threat?" Ichigo asked with a truly demonic smirk.

"Oh no, it's a promise." Grimmjow replied with a smirk to match.

Ichigo shook his head and walked from under the palm tree's minuscule cover out into the glistening moonlight. He stood admiring the attractive chiseled features of Grimmjow's pale face, that still had the slight remnants of a tan from his human yeas, as the moon's rays bounced off them. For a vampire as old as he was Grimmjow was still quite the newborn at heart, and that was one of the many reasons most had taken so much of a liking to him. That being said Ichigo was one of the many.

Grimmjow sensed Ichigo staring at him, he turned his head to the younger vampire and threw him a small smile. For a moment they just stared at each other in silence.

Back in the day, when Ichigo was quite younger, the two were inseparable. That was before the duties of being one of the last remaining purebloods were forced down on the young Ichigo by the irrifuedable vampire monarchy. So the only time they would have to spend together was the occasional moonlight hunt.

Their relationship was quite the dysfunctional one. They were two vampires that'd seen the world together, who would spend every waking hour together if they could, and who were undoubtedly in love, but couldn't be together because of the demands of their government. Demands if denied the punishment was death.

"Is your mate's pregnancy going well?" The older asked, breaking the silence that had instilled between them.

"It seems to be coming along smoothly, Orihime is just extremely hormonal." Ichigo replied with a heavy sigh.

"Tell her to ask for a donor who drank herbal tea no more than twenty minutes prior to her feeding." The older said thoughtfully.

"I'll make sure to do that. Grimmjow have you taken a mate yet?"

"No, I have not." The vampire in question replied coldly. Mates were a touchy subject for him.

"You know you'll have to take a mate eventually, they will force you to." The younger countered

In a flash Grimmjow was standing in Ichigo's personal space, with their foreheads resting against one another.

"I could never love another, not the way that I love you." Grimmjow murmured softly while caressing Ichigo's face gently with his hand.

"You can't wait on me forever." Ichigo said trying to make his point while absent mindedly leaning into the hand that was caressing his face.

A small smirk crossed Grimmjow's face. "I'll wait for you however long it takes to make you mine, and if it turns out to be forever then so be it."

"Stubborn bastard," The younger hissed before wrapping his arms around Grimmjow's neck and hugging him.

"Only for you," Grimmjow responded with a light chuckle as he hugged the other back.

They stood in each other's embrace for only a few moments, but both would've wished it too much longer. There was a small blush creeping up the back of Ichigo's neck as he pulled away.

"I hope you realize that I do love you Grimmjow." Ichigo sputtered, eyes glued to the ground.

"I do Ichi," Grimmjow spoke sweetly before placing a light kiss above Ichigo's brow.

Ichigo's blush grew a bit more, and he released a very unmanly giggle. Grimmjow looked down at him with a gentle smile, and a generous amount of amusement in his azure eyes.

"You'll be the death of me." The older mused.

Ichigo smiled up at Grimmjow, and shook his head. "I know, but it's ok because you'll be the death of me too."

"That's good to know, but I think you best be getting home. The sun will be up soon." Grimmjow replied.

Ichigo nodded his head, and placed a chaste kiss on the older's lips, before he did what he'd been told. Grimmjow watched him run off with a tinge of regret from sending him away, but something or rather someone was lurking in the forest around them. Someone Grimmjow would rather not have Ichigo mixed up with.

"I know you're out there Harribel." Grimmjow called into the thickly forested area off to his left.

Seconds later a tall dark skinned blonde vampire came sauntering out of the tree line and over to Verrick with the up most grace.

"Well, well, well the old man still hasn't lost his touch." Harribel said in her charming southern accented voice as she drug a long manicured nail down Grimmjow's chest.

Grimmjow stared down to her coldly, and slapped her hand away with enough force to shatter the entire hand of a human.

"What do you want?" He asked flatly.

"Well can't I wish my maker a happy birthday?" Harribel questioned with pursed lips while she dared to rest both of her hands on Grimmjow's chest.

"No you cannot, I told you to stay away from me and I meant it Harribel. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tear you apart and leave you for the gators?" Grimmjow questioned threateningly, just Harribel's presence was enough to annoy him.

"I have a valuable proposition for you, and it involves you getting your beloved pureblood all to yourself." Harribel said narrowing her cat green eyes.

"I'm listening." Grimmjow replied, even though his gut was telling him that he was going to regret it deeply.

"I need Orihime out of the way, plain and simple. Help me and we both get what we want."

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes, it was completely unheard of for Harribel to offer any form of help to anyone for any reason even if she would receive some kind of compensation for her efforts. There as definitely something more to her little proposition then she let on, and Grimmjow knew that. He just didn't know what exactly that something was.

"Why do you possibly need Orihime out of the way? What has she ever done to you?" Grimmjow question the tall blonde as he pushed her off him once more.

"The king bedded me, Grimmjow. He promised me the place as queen, and now that little whore plans on challenging me. You know just as well as I do I don't stand a chance against her." Harribel replied pitifully.

"If Aizen really cares for you he'll keep his word to you, but I don't see how killing Orihime will solve any of your problems. After all she has the birth right as a pureblood, where you do not." The older vampire stated.

"Doesn't it matter to you at all that your dear Ichigo's reputation among the council will be ruined whether Aizen accepts her offer, or not?"

To tell you the truth that thought really hadn't yet crossed the elder vampire's mind. He had to give it to her though, she had a good point, and he wouldn't allow Orihime to do that to his Ichigo.

"Give me a night to think your proposition over. I'll call for you when I've made my decision."

Harribel squealed, "Thanks Daddy!"

"Yup," Grimmjow replied, wincing slightly at her use of the word 'Daddy'.

He didn't even spare her a glance as he leapt for the trees. Harribel made him extremely uncomfortable, and she reminded him of things he'd much rather forget. Though if she did ever ask him why he left so suddenly Grimmjow had a completely valid answer. The sun would be up soon, and unless he wanted to fry like an egg on the sidewalk under the hot Florida sun he had to get home. Though in the back of his mind Grimmjow wished she would.