Chapter 2
Ichigo wakes the next morning with a terrible pain racing throughout his body, his collar throbbing, and a heavy body lying half on top of him. He flexes his hand, moving what he can to test his mobility. True to Grimmjow's word, he's able to move around better. Grimmjow shifts over him, grumbling in his sleep and pulling Ichigo into a tighter embrace. Every Hollow cell within his body tells him he should devote himself to Grimmjow's happiness, lay down for him and play the simpering uke that wants nothing more than to be filled by their alpha… Thankfully, it's beat down by the other two-thirds of his cells in a gloriously bloody battle that leaves his Hollow cells in a mass of mutilated crimson! He bites down roughly on Grimmjow's shoulder, the other yelping as he rolls away from the pain only to get Ichigo's knee in his crotch.
"Fucking hell!" the Sexta groans. "What the fuck's your problem!"
"I can't believe you're asking me that!" Ichigo screams. "I told you I'd kill you if you fucking touched me! I wasn't kidding, you piece of shit rapist!"
"Think back really hard, drama queen," the teal haired male scoffs. "Did I go there before you asked me to?"
"… You cheated!"
"It's mating season, there's no such thing as cheating," Grimmjow snorts derisively. "Either an alpha has a strong enough reiatsu to push a beta down or they don't. Mine just happened to be strong enough to make you spread your legs. Don't get pissy with me just because your willpower crumbled beneath mine."
"I… you… this is… DAMN YOU!" Ichigo snarls. "Get the hell away from me!"
"Oi! If I wanna be around I'll damn well be around you," the Sexta growls. "You're mine now, that's what that pretty little mark on you neck means. I don't care where the hell you wander off to, I don't care what the fuck you do or say to anyone else here, but you're mine. You're gonna have to learn your place fast, little bitch, because it's not gonna change. That mark can't be undone."
Ichigo stares at him a moment in shock, his mind trying to process everything that's been said. He blinks a few times, a thousand different emotions set into a stampede within his mind… and then he settles for his default emotion.
"I'll fucking make you regret this," he hisses with a venomous scowl. "I'll make your life miserable every chance I get!"
"That's the spirit!" Grimmjow grins maniacally. "Now… let's get you to the bathroom so you can wash up."
"Don't touch me!"
Ignoring his beta, Grimmjow dodges the hits and kicks. He grabs Ichigo off the bed and slings him over one shoulder, his free hand coming down on his ass with a sharp smack that stills him. Ichigo is completely stunned, his mouth opening and closing in his inability to find the words to say.
"… Did you just… spank me?" he gasps indignantly.
"I'll do worse than that if you don't settle your ass down," he warns. "Of course, I'm not against a repeat of last night… I just don't have the time right now."
Ichigo immediately goes limp on Grimmjow's shoulder, much to the other's dismay. He was really hoping for a reason to put his bitch in his place, but he wasn't lying… he really doesn't have time. More gently than he's ever been with any of his lovers, mainly because he's never bothered to actually mark any of this lovers, Grimmjow sets Ichigo in the tub and turns on the water. The orangette gasps and moves away from it, reaching over and turning more cold water on. Although he usually takes very hot baths, the Sexta lets it go. He can handle a cooler bath as long as his mate is with him. When he gets in himself, Ichigo scoots all the way to the other end and turns off the water. Grimmjow reclines in the water that rises to his chest, watching Ichigo slouch on his end with mistrust shining in his amber pools.
"Come here," he states.
"No, I don't want to."
"Awe, come on," the Sexta pouts playfully. "I don't bite."
Ichigo growls and points to the mark on his collar, Grimmjow's lips twisting into that feral grin Ichigo sees whenever they fight. This is just another battlefield for Grimmjow, one that Ichigo has little to no experience on. A Hollow screeches outside somewhere close by, another answering them and giving off the distinct impression of a bloody battle. The sound startles Ichigo, unused to such things unless he's in a familiar area in his own safe zone. Hesitantly, he inches closer to Grimmjow while trying to maintain his own pride. Halfway there, the teal haired Arrancar rolls his eyes and reaches over to yank him closer.
"Fucking hell, Shinigami," he growls out. "You're my mate, you're supposed to feel comfortable this close to me."
"I didn't ask for a mate!"
"You don't have to," he scoffs. "The Shinigami chose this path for you when they dumped you off in Hueco Mundo unarmed and injured."
"… I'm sure it wasn't intentional," Ichigo murmurs with a light blush.
"Hell it wasn't. But I'm not complaining… You're mine now and it's there fault," he smirks haughtily. "I should thank them."
"Yeah, I should him, too," Ichigo growls. "With my Zanpakto running through his gut! Fucking Kurotsuchi!"
Grimmjow reaches for a washcloth, soaping it up and running it along Ichigo's body. The amber eyed male jumps at the touch, trying to pull away as Grimmjow's arm tightens around his waist. He puts up a good fight, the Espada will give him that… but he's just no match for his alpha. Pretty soon, he's sulking with his arms across his chest as Grimmjow cleans him up.
"See? It's not so bad when you cooperate with me."
"I hate you."
"I find that to be an extremely empty threat, Kitten," he chuckles. "You see, that pretty little mark that now binds us together for life? It never would've taken if you weren't just a little interested in the idea of being my mate."
"What?" Ichigo asks in surprise.
"Are you infatuated with me, Shinigami?" he grins teasingly. "Do you dream about me having my wicked way with you?"
"N-no! Who'd want to dream about you, pervert!" Ichigo denied with a crimson face.
"Hmm… I'm thinking you're lying to yourself, Shinigami. I would bet my Zanpakto that you've dreamed about me often after, and or during, the war."
Ichigo doesn't say anything, just blushes brighter as Grimmjow lays his chin on the smaller male's shoulder. Those strong arms wrap around his waist loosely, the orangette sitting between Grimmjow's legs.
"So… have you?"
"Sh-shut up," Ichigo mumbles in embarrassment.
That satisfied chuckle rumbles straight through the Shinigami, those arms tightening minutely before loosening once more. Ichigo is shifted so the Sexta can wash up while keeping an eye on his feisty mate, the two getting out to dry off and dress. Ichigo covers as much skin as possible with his large towel, not trusting Grimmjow as far as he can throw an elephant in the human world without Shinigami abilities… Grimmjow, on the other hand, walks around showing more skin than need be. He's completely oblivious to Ichigo's embarrassment, the orangette's face ten shades of red as he tries to look everywhere but at the Sexta. Grimmjow's always been comfortable in his skin, always known he has nothing to be ashamed of and that he looks more than sexy, but Ichigo is more prudish about nudity and tries to avoid it at all costs.
"Where are my clothes?" the teen wonders with a scowl.
"I'll have clean ones brought for you," Grimmjow waves off. "Don't worry about it."
"What am I supposed to wear until then?"
"Um… Here," he states before throwing a pair of clean pants at the other. "That'll do."
"These are yours."
"Yeah, so?"
"Have you missed the fact that we're built totally different?" the Visored growls in frustration. "These won't fit me!"
"Tie the sash tighter," the Sexta huffs. "God, you're so bitchy in the morning."
Ichigo opens his mouth to argue a bit more, but pulls back. It won't do him any good, arguing with Grimmjow about anything is as useless as arguing the fact Visoreds and Arrancar are barely different than Shinigami with the So-Taicho… it just won't get anywhere. He pulls the pants on, flinching at the lingering pain along his spine, and ties the sash tight around his waist.
"See? They'll work till you get some of your own."
"… Whoa… wait a minute," Ichigo glares. "What do you mean some of my own? I'm going home soon, I don't need clothes here."
"You are?" Grimmjow inquires feigning surprise. "You learned how to open a Gargantua?"
"Well… no…"
"A Senkaimon then."
"No," Ichigo growls.
"Then how the hell are you gonna leave?"
"… You can…"
He's cut off by Grimmjow's laughter, immediately regretting saying anything. Grimmjow isn't about to let him go, he shouldn't have been naïve enough to think he would. A pang of hurt blossoms in Ichigo's chest, but he shoves it down quickly. He's still young by all rights, but he isn't about to let this asshole see him cry.
"I have shit to do today," the teal haired Espada states after calming himself. "Don't go outside for any reason whatsoever, or I'll fuck you into the mattress so hard I won't have to worry about you moving for a week. Got it?"
Ichigo nods quickly, amber eyes wide in shock. With a satisfied grunt, the Espada walks toward the door. Before he leaves, however, he turns back to look at his beta. The smaller male looks so out of place within the expanse of white, so lost and alone, yet Grimmjow isn't fooled one bit. Ichigo will managed to get himself into trouble without anything to do, especially if his luck throughout the war is anything to go by… the Shinigami substitute is just a magnet for it.
"… It's okay to wander the halls and other rooms," he remarks. "Just don't go outside this building."
"Okay," the orangette murmurs.
"And stay… out… of trouble. The Arrancar here won't hurt you as long as you don't give them reason to."
"Oi! I never gave them reason to!" Ichigo snaps. "You guys were always starting shit!"
Grimmjow glares at him, Ichigo silencing himself with a huff, and then the Espada is gone and the orangette is alone. Ichigo sighs, walking over to curl up near the headboard of the bed with the blankets wrapped around him tightly. Sometime during their bath someone had changed the sheets and made the bed, yet Grimmjow hadn't said anything about a servant coming in and out. Then again, Grimmjow hadn't told him much of anything. He wonders if the other was telling the truth about the mark, if it really is permanent. The Sexta doesn't strike him as a liar and he really didn't take him before he asked… he molested him, yeah, but he didn't penetrate him. This whole thing is just so confusing to the Visored, as no one ever explained any of this stuff to him. If they had, he wouldn't been more on guard. He never would've ended up here, in Grimmjow's bed… trapped in a relationship that's built purely on sex. Just thinking about it gets him more and more angry, but the anger is just to mask the depression he's falling into. Ever since his mother's death, he's always used anger to distract him from his own depression… it's just easier that way.
It's around noon when someone knocks on the door, Ichigo having stayed in that spot all day unless he had to take a bathroom break. He says nothing to the one knocking, the door opening quietly to reveal the pink haired Espada that fought with Uryu and Renji. He's carrying a pile of white, his willowy figure moving with a slight sway to each step.
"Here, Grimmjow asked me to drop these off for you," he states. "If you'd like, the closet is over there and there should be enough room for you to hang them."
"… Thank you," Ichigo mutters quietly.
"You weren't in the dining hall for breakfast," he points out as he pushes his bone glasses up his nose. "Were you not hungry, or did you just not know where to go?"
"… I'm not hungry."
"Grimmjow won't be happy with you if you don't eat."
"I don't care."
The other sighs at the petulant tone, setting a hand to his temple and shaking his head in exasperation. As if dealing with Grimmjow and Nnoitra when they're injured isn't hard enough, he gets the wonderful task of dealing with their ex-enemy for a day.
"It's a punishment," he grumbles. "It has to be a punishment."
Ichigo gives him a questioning look, yet he brushes it off with a flippant wave of his slender hand. The orangette curls his fingers tighter in the blanket, moving closer to the headboard as he scowls from his cocoon.
"Come now, I need to make sure you at least eat lunch."
"I'm not hungry."
"I'm afraid that Grimmjow has given me permission to get you to eat by any means necessary," he smiles with feigned kindness, a syringe held between his fingers lifted so Ichigo can see. "I just so happen to have a drug in this syringe that will drive you into a terrible hunger. You'll eat absolutely anything… even a Hollow that's still alive."
Ichigo gags at that, grumbling in irritation as he slowly crawls from the bed and grabs one of the many matching outfits. He watches Szayel warily as he heads into the bathroom to change, the pink haired male looking around in disinterest as the door shuts. The outfit is horrendous! It has long belled out sleeves that travel well past his hands, holes in the sides to show off part of his abs, and it just makes him look far too feminine… but he can't help thinking he's seen it before. When he steps out, infuriated at the outfit he'd rather burn than wear… and he would've, too, if he'd still had his own Shinigami uniform… Szayel confirms him earlier feeling of familiarity.
"I'm so glad they fit," he sighs in relief. "I've been trying to make use of Luppi's old clothes for months now, but he was so small compared to more of us."
"I'm wearing the clothes of a dead Espada?"
"Of course," he waves off. "Then again, I only brought them because Grimmjow gave me the worst time last check up and I wanted to get back at him. He despised Luppi beyond rational thought, because he took the position of Sexta after he lost his arm… Grimmjow killed him promptly after regaining it thanks to your little witch friend."
"… Orihime?"
"Yes, whatever," Szayel states. "Let's go."
Ichigo follows the pink haired male down the many halls, passing Arrancar that he's never seen before and entering a large hall with many tables set up for dining. At the back of the hall, on a raised platform, is a long marble table with eleven chairs. The head chair is empty, as are a few others, but there are at least six occupied. Ichigo's eyes sweep over the six… Gin, Nelliel, Nnoitra, Hallibel, Stark, and Ulquiorra. He could've swore they died in the war, but the Arrancar species has proven to be extremely difficult to get rid of. From what he remembers from the Shinigami meetings he was allowed into, Hallibel had survived Aizen's attack and dragged Stark back to Hueco Mundo with her. Kurotsuchi had been complaining about a serum having an expiration date, yelling at poor Nemu for not having a better body to store it in. Kenpachi had brought up the fact that an unknown Vasto Lorde had popped up after Ichigo defeated Ulquiorra, the reiatsu signature almost identical to the raven haired Espada's. Unohana had also mentioned that Gin was missing from Karakura after Aizen's defeat, though there was a faint trace of Arrancar reiatsu she hadn't felt before. Ichigo can only imagine these Espada were closer than they appeared for Aizen, always plotting and scheming to destroy the brunette and take back their home. He's just surprised it went so well for them.
"Hi, Ichigo!" Nell calls with a wave. "I didn't know you were here!"
"Yes you did," Nnoitra scoffs. "You were bouncing all over the damn place when we felt his reiatsu come in with Grimmjow."
"Shut up, I was not!"
"You were," Hallibel remarks.
"… Oh… Never mind, I knew you were here, I just forgot!"
"Fuck, Hall, how can you love a childish bitch like her?" Nnoitra mutters.
"Her attitude is refreshing," the blonde shrugs.
"Stark love me, too, don't you, Stark?" Nell grins.
"Of course," the sleeping brunette nods.
Szayel pushes Ichigo into the chair at the head of the table, sitting in his own and giving the orangette a glare that clearly states 'if you move I will harm you'… Ichigo decides not to move. A dish is set before by a woman with long green hair, her mask fragment looking to be an innocent hair clip. Beneath her left eye are three circles of purple that fall smaller as they descend, her outfit so much like Ichigo's that he's beginning to think they really did dress him like a girl.
"Oh, Luppi's clothes fit!" she grins. "I'm so happy I could adjust them so well! Although, I really didn't have to alter them much."
"Yes, you did a wonderful job, Sun-sun. Thank you," Szayel chuckles.
"… Thanks," the orangette murmurs warily.
"I heard you were Grimmjow's mate!" she smiles widely as her sleeve is drawn up to cover her mouth. "You're so lucky! He's one of the best and most powerful alphas here!"
Ichigo opens his mouth to comment on that, fully prepared to give a sarcastic and venomous remark, when he feels a strong presence that immediately has him on edge. The others notice the tenseness of his body as the young Shinigami slowly turns around. Grimmjow is standing behind him, intense cyan orbs watching with a mixture of humor and expectance. When the smaller male clams up, he grins and walks over to him.
"Did you miss me, Kitten?" he teases.
"No," Ichigo growls. "I was very happy holed up in that prison of a room!"
"Awe, Ichigo's not happy," Nell frowns. "You should fuck him, Grimmy!"
"Oh… I intend to," the Sexta grins widely.
Ichigo immediately bolts from his seat, stopped by a thick arm around his waist. Grimmjow flops into the chair, yanking Ichigo back onto his lap and laying his fangs against Ichigo's collar in warning when he tries to get away. At the feel, the Shinigami substitute freezes and swallows the lump of fear in his throat. He's released, those expectant eyes waiting for him to eat… This sham of a relationship is starting out horribly.
