...A Strawberry And His Saccharine Lover...
Summary: Sopa opera blues, whirring emotions, life. Ichigo's life has taken a small, but good detour and it's a little much, so he makes his way to the bakery down the street from his apartment, hoping their sweets were half as good as the one's Byakuya always 's where he meets the Latin man, the one with the rich, chocolate hair and the skin to match, his smile blinding,body broad and towering. You know the one. And the plus? He bakes.
A/N: Another installment ya'll. Yay! I finally picked the college I'm gonna goto Yas and did all the financial stuff or whatevers so now I am tots ready to continue on my stories starting with updating the ones I haven't been focusing on much! I love the people who left reviews since I haven't been on and not to worry I wasn't ignoring it! So enough of that, on with the story :D
P.S. there are original characters in this chapter. You pronounce them as says:
Japanese: Naueru. French: Nau-well.
And everyone knows how to say Ari. It sounds the same in both languages just in different accents. Also I dunno i I mentioned it but Chad gets his Latin from his dad and his Japanese from his mother, may her imaginary soul rest in piece, so *spoiler* when you meet his cousins they are related to him through his mother's side, her brother, while their mother is of French descent. You get me? Okay.
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The mood is set uh huh
So you already know whats next uh huh uh
Tv on blast turn it down turn it down
Don't want it to clash with my body screaming out
Noooooo
I know you hearin' it uh huuuuh
You got me moanin' now
-Skin (Rihanna)-
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Ichigo woke up to the sound of his alarm blaring in the background and he turned around in his over sized bed and kicked it off the nightstand.
'Shit. I'll have to buy another one. Again.' He thought irritably as he slipped out of his bed and ran his fingers through his fluffy orange hair as he shambled over the shaggy, turquoise carpet on the side of his bed and hurried into the bathroom. A smile came to his lips as he thought about Chad and their date today.
...Flashback...
'Hey Ichigo. I'm leaving the bakery now and I was wondering if it was okay for me to call you?' Was the text Ichigo got around six in the evening. Ichigo had immediately responded and soon after that his phone was ringing with Chad's name flashing across the screen. He answered it on the first ring and heard a chuckle on the other end and flushed embarrassingly.
'You answered fast, Ichi.' Chad said on the other end, adding to Ichigo's embarrassment even more. Along with the fact that his accent was so deliciously warm and enticing.
'Sorry I'm a little excited. And that's even more embarrassing to admit to you. Haaah.' Ichigo sighed, a hand to his burning face.
'It's fine Ichigo. I was excited to talk to you to but I didn't want to give you the wrong impression.' Chad said with a great amount of bravado. Ichigo silently pouted on his end, a little disappointed Chad didn't stick with the Nickname.
'Oh, that makes me feel better. A little.' Ichigo admitted with a small laugh.
A chuckle, 'Fantastic. But Ichigo I wanted to know if you would go out on a date with me tomorrow night.' Ichigo almost moaned at the sound of Chad rolling the last part of that word off his tongue with a purr.
'O-of course. I would love to!' Ichigo cursed the stutter and high pitch of his voice before he cleared it and started again. 'Where and when?'
'I'll come pick you up from your place. If you don't mind, of course. I thought we'd go back to my place and have some fun making pastries.' Chad said and Ichigo could hear the hesitation and also the smile in his voice.
'Oh sure. I'll send you the address as long as you don't plan on giving it out. And I think that's a great idea.' Ichigo said, excitement ringing his voice. He absolutely loved sweets even though he'd never tried making them himself.
'No I would never.' Ichigo laughed at the mock hurt sound of the Latin man's voice before he continued on. 'I'm glad you think so. I have to go for now but I hope to talk to you again later. And don't forget to send me your address, Ichi.' Ichigo bit his lip but told Chad he wouldn't forget and that he'd talk to him soon before they both hung up and he was facing down a leering Shinji and Nnoitra.
...End Of Flashback...
Ichigo turned on the shower and started to strip out of his sleeping clothes before he was jumping into the warm water happily soaping up his lofa. He started to wash down slowly, enjoying his steamy shower to the fullest before more images of last night flashed into his mind as if he was coming back from a hang over.
...Flashback...
'So who was that Ichi?' Shinji asked first, leaning into Nnoitra. Ichigo damned the fact that he just had to have been in the kitchen when Chad had called him and now he had to deal with the fucking noises.
'Nun of ya damn business, Shin.' Ichigo grumbled as he pulled a cake plate from a low cabinet and sat it on the counter. He opened his box of pastries and placed each one on top of the cake plate and put the glass cover over them, his eyes glaring over at the two bystanders who had started to salivate at the smell of his pastries.
'Touch them and you die.' Ichigo mumbled as he went to a corner of the kitchen and tossed the box.
'But Ichi, honestly. I can smell the liquor in them! Just a little nibble.' Nnoitra said as he and Shin started to inch closer to the cake plate holding the sweets. Ichigo hurriedly ripped a knife out of their knife holder on top of the counter and moved forward, stabbing the knife in between him and Nnoitra and Shinji, defending his pastries.
'Of course you can smell the liquor. Is that what you've been doing all these years? Off some place drinking your ass off?' Ichigo realized he was getting angry too fast, as if he hadn't taken his medication and stopped himself, slamming the knife back into the holder. He turned sharply and went the long way before he ran upstairs to his room, quick, fast and in a hurry, tears stinging his eyes. Nnoitra looked at Shinji and Shinji nodded, patting his arm and cocking his head in the direction of the stairs. With a deep, sad sigh, Nnoitra headed up to Ichigo's room, knocking softly.
'Go away.' Ichigo replied petulantly, not bothering to get up from his bed or remove his head from his pillow. Ichigo heard a sigh, some clicking and then his door was being pushed open slowly. Ichigo sat up quickly and moved away as Nnoitra approached his bed, a solemn but understanding look on his face as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
'Ichigo I'm gonna tell you a story. And I'll hope you'll understand by the end. No interruptions.' Nnoitra spoke softly, since Ichigo didn't say anything he continued on with what he had planned to say. How he had been diagnosed with lung cancer that was inoperable in their homeland so Byakuya had arranged for him to live with some family friends, Shunsui and Jyuushiro Kyouraku, in America. Then he was operated on and and sent through all the renowned treatments to help him get through it, which lasted for a few years. He went through remission which kept him there for the rest of the time he was missing until the doctors told him it was safe for him to go home. And here he was now, explaining his story to Ichigo who was looking at him with those big doe eyes he remembered from all those years ago, tears highlighting the hazel flecks.
'So you're okay now? No more sickness?' Ichigo asked softly as he inched over to his eldest 'brother'. Nnoitra wrapped him in his long arms and squeezed him tight, ruffling his orange locks as if he was still that little kid from all those years ago.
'Yeah. I'm okay again. I even finished school while I was in America, with the help of Jyuushiro of course.' Nnoitra added, a smile on his face as he wiped the tears from Ichigo's face like a dad did a child, leaving Ichigo with a pouty face.
'That's great. Did you get a degree in something?' Ichigo asked, excited that Nnoitra had went through with making something of himself, even with the stuff he'd been going through.
'I did. I got a Master's in research science study and went on to get my Doctoral degree for medicine and you're now looking at Dr. Gilga M.D.' Nnoitra said proudly and Ichigo hugged him.
'Wow. I can't believe it! So i'm guessing you've decided to be an Oncologist?' Ichigo asked expectantly.
'Yes. I learned alot over in America and I brought it back over here to further treatments and such.' Nnoitra replied in what Ichigo named his 'Doctor voice'. They talked a little bit more until Shinji decided he was bored and wanted to see if his two favorite people were alright and they'd spent the rest of the day laughing it up as they reminisced.
...End Of Flashback...
After Ichigo was done washing his hair he jumped out the shower and finished getting himself ready ending with tying his shoulder length hair up into a loose bun and dressing up in a pair of black sweats and a lose white shirt that showed off his left shoulder and the black tank beneath. He slipped out of his bathroom and hurried over to his closet on the other side of the room in search of his favorite pair of trainers. When he finally found them he slipped them on, grabbed his keys, phone, and mini black and red plaid backpack and headed downstairs.
That's where he found his brothers in a very compromising position. Shinji was bent over and Nnoitra was behind him, his front looking as if it was pressed close to Shinji's bottom. Ichigo cleared his throat and Nnoitra turned around a bowl in hand, while Shinji rose up, a spoon in his hand.
"If you guys are gonna do the nasty I don't need to see it in my kitchen." Ichigo said disturbingly, sticking two bottles of water in his mini backpack and searching for his headphones in one of the junk drawers in the kitchen.
"Ichi! We'd never! Nnoi was just getting a bowl down for me and I dropped my spoon! You just happened to walk in while they were happening simultaneously and from the completely wrong angle!" Shinji groaned as he covered his cheeks.
"Riiight. I'm going to work out, you guys are welcomed to join me if you want. I'll be waiting in the car, if you guys are not down in ten. I'm leaving." Ichigo danced away from the couple and out the door. Nnoitra and Shinji looked at each other and shrugged before they went over to Shinji's room in search of something to wear to the gym. Not ten minutes later they were heading out of the doors being held open by the doormen. Shinji waved his hello and Nnoitra spoke his piece before they were heading over to Hana by the Valet post.
"He's right over there, Shin-chan." Hanatarou pointed to where Ichigo was waiting under a shade tree and thanked him, handing him some big bucks. Hanatarou blushed and thanked him with a bow after Nnoitra also handed him a nice tip. They waved bye and headed over to Ichigo who was jamming to one of his favorite songs with the windows down. Nnoitra got in the front and Shinji slipped into the back, in the middle. Ichigo turned up the radio and pulled out of the lot, speeding off down the street.
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Twenty minutes later the trio were heading through the sliding doors of Zangetsu Gym, Ichigo and Nnoitra arguing over who was going to pay since Shinji lucked out in their pseudo game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Ichigo and Nnoitra ended up doing another two out of three game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, with Ichigo winning best three out of three. With a hefty frown Nnoitra pulled out his wallet and slid a gold card over to the boy at the register.
"Will you be paying for the room for all three of you?" The boy asked politely. Nnoitra grunted an affirmation while Shinji and Ichigo walked away towards the stairs on a far wall in order to get to the separate session rooms up there.
"Let's go to the room at the far end, Ichi." Shinji suggested as they sauntered past other rooms, glancing at the groups inside since they were all made of glass walls and doors. When they reached the room at the end they walked in an slapped the light, the room lighting up. There were two elliptical's, two treadmills, a bicycle, a weight bench and a few other machines that Ichigo definately never cared to find out the names of. He went for one of the elliptical's and Shinji went for a treadmill.
'Prissy Bitch.' Ichigo sniggered inside his head as he took his backpack off and hung it on the end of the handrails on the elliptical's. He plugged his earphones into his phone and wrapped the sweatband around his upper left arm right as Nnoitra was slipping into the room.
"Shinji why do you always go for the damned treadmills?" Nnoitra said as he walked over to the weight bench and sat on it, setting his water bottle and gym bag on the floor beside it.
"Because It's fun!" Shinji said, that same childish grin he used to use when they asked him that question in his younger days appearing on his face. Nnoitra snorted and Ichigo rolled his eyes as he put his earphones in his ears and started the elliptical.
Thirty minutes into Ichigo's workout there was a group of about three people, all tall, broad and brown skinned that walked into the workout room across from theirs and when the first of the three turned around Ichigo's mouth dropped open. It was Chad! And maybe his brother's? One had hair cropped right above his ears, shaved on the sides with a fluffy top, while the other had a head full of loose curls that fell a bit above his shoulder's. Ichigo probably would have thought they were triplets if it we're for the different colored eyes and skin tones.
"Ichi? Ichi-chan!?" Ichigo wasn't paying attention thought because Chad had finally noticed him and was smiling as he walked out of his own room and over to Ichigo's without a care.
"I knew it was you Ichigo!" Chad was all smiles and excitement as he saddled over to Ichigo and pulled him into a hug, pulling him completely off the elliptical and into his arms.
"C-chad what are you doing here?!" Ichigo looked up at said man, his eyes flickering nervously to Shin and Nnoitra.
"Working out with my cousins who came to visit from Tokyo. I assume you're doing the same?" Chad inquired looking over at Shinji and Nnoitra himself.
"Yeah, um the blonde is my brother Shin and his boyfriend is the raven, Nnoitra." Chad smiled that dazzling smile and held his hand out to Shinji and Nnoitra who both took it respectively.
"So about later, I was thinking we could have it at my grandmother's house out in the countryside. Its a traditional Japanese and sits right next to a waterfall that flows out into a river. It's beautiful at night, under the stars."
"My My Ichi, you didn't tell me your Casanova had such a suave personality." Shin whispered conspiratorially in his ear, smiling saucily at Chad who was completely oblivious to what Shinji had said. Ichigo gave Nnoitra a pointed look and the Raven pulled Shinji away from them and Ichigo gave him a grateful smile before turning back to Chad.
"Forgive Shin, he's a weirdo, but I love that idea." Ichigo was blushing again and Chad couldn't help but smile softly at that.
"Then it's set. I'll come by to pick you up later." Chad ducked his head and pecked Ichigo on the lips chastely before leaving the room, calling out his farewells to Shinji and Nnoitra. They responded with waves before Shinji was on Ichigo like white on rice and asking him what happened, Ichigo only sputtered and shook Shinji off of him as he went back to his workout. With a pout Shinji went back to what he was doing alongside Nnoitra. They spent a little over two hours there before they left, Ichigo blushing and waving at Chad through the window as they walked past, Shinji too, Nnoitra just threw him the piece sign. Chad smiled back as he continued his lifting.
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"Chad who was that?" One of his cousins asked, the one with the curl top. His sharp green eyes were narrowed at Chad suspiciously. The other one, with the loose waves and blue eyes only stared silently, so silently him and Chad could've been brothers, the strong silent types.
"That, Ari, is my date for the night." Chad grunted as he put the barbell back on the bar and sat up, wiping his face with the towel that rested against his knee. Ari looked back at where the orange head had been then to his brother, who shrugged and turned away, gathering his stuff, ready to leave. Arisi huffed and then gave his cousin a smile much like Chad's and winked.
"You always know how to pick em'." Was all Ari said before he too started to gather up his stuff, pulling his shirt back over his chest, covering the ink there. Chad did the same, the navy of shirt swallowing the dark designs on his chest and torso.
"You act as if I have had multiple partner's Ari." Chad mumbled quietly, walking out of the door behind his other cousin, Nahuel.
"Well you did have all those girls in high-school." Ari snickered as they trotted down the stairs to the first floor. Chad only rolled his eyes as they walked through the sliding doors of the gym, heading out into the slightly cloudy day.
"That's only because they thought I would go pro in the NBA. Besides, I never touched them, that's why they never lasted." Chad said with a tone of indifference when in reality he hated all those girls for even trying. He was the brooding type back in high school but for some reason that seemed to attract the airheads.
"Well, that is true. Idiots they were. Now you have.. what is his name?" Nahuel asked, speaking for the first time since they stepped out of the gym. His voice was rough but strong as he spoke that one line, his fine eyebrow raised towards his cousin.
"Ichigo." Chad answered simply, starting up the Bentley Bentayga his grandmother had gotten him as a gift from an 'old friend.' From what Chad had heard it was not supposed to come out till next year but his grandma had those types of connections and he never argued with her, a force to be reckoned with she was.
"Ichigo." Nahuel nodded, tasting the name on his tongue casually." I only caught a glimpse of him but he looked spicy." Chad gave his cousin a look from beside him and Nahuel shrugged, looking out the window,signaling the end of the conversation. Chad only chuckled, knowing his cousin had a weird way of speaking, that's why he couldn't talk to his own brother, he didn't get it, but Chad did. Chad pulled out of the parking lot and pulled into the street, thinking of his date later.
'This should be fun.'
God cliffies be like! I suck at cutting off chapters in respectable places because then it'll just go on and on and on and I know I hate that soooo. Forgive me! But There is the second chapter guys! I dunno when the next will be out so i won't make empty promises but I hope you enjoyed this one! The date is in the next chapter squee! XoXo
Meep.
