I don't own Bleach or its characters. Well readers, here is the next installment! I do hope you enjoy and I apologize for it taking a while. Life's gotten hectic lately, but on the up side I have only about 4 weeks left of college for the semester, then I'm free until mid-January!
Chapter Three: Family Feud
Ichigo sat to Nel's left at the dining room table, amongst the rest of Espada's crew, Grimmjow sitting at the head. Everyone had cleaned themselves up from a hard day's work, and was ready to dig in to the buffet laid out on the table before them by Nel.
Ichigo smiled politely as Nel introduced him to everyone. She started with the man to her right, a tall man with long blonde hair and a sarcastic grin named Yylfordt Granz, who arched a slim brow and told Ichigo he just went by Granz. Next was a man shorter than Ichigo, with a short silver crop and dark eyes. His name was Di Roy Rinker, and when he grinned Ichigo noticed the man's teeth were sort of shark-like in shape.
She skipped over Ulquiorra, whom Ichigo already knew; who sat to Grimmjow's left. To Grimmjow's right was the extremely tall, skinny guy with the eye patch Ichigo remembered from earlier. He was Nnoitra Gilga, and his piano key grin made Ichigo a little uncomfortable. Taller yet and bulging with muscles was Yammy Largo, tan with his hair shaved off save for a long black ponytail at the back of his skull. Ichigo was sure he alone could eat all this food, the table and all the chairs before he'd be full.
Across from Yammy sat a buxom, tan blond with analytical green eyes. Ichigo was surprised to find a woman on the crew, but he could tell by looking at her that she was not someone to be trifled with. She was Harribel. Coyote sat next to her, the only one who really made much effort to make Ichigo's acquaintance by smiling warmly instead of giving some sort of curious grin and a "hey".
Two chairs remained empty, one next to Ichigo and one next to Yammy. He assumed one was for Weiss, who hadn't shown up yet.
"You heard from Weiss?" asked Grimmjow across the table to Nel.
"No Grimm, but I didn't hear from the school today either. So he's been in class all week, which is a good thing."
"Well, it's nice he can do what's expected of him at school, but this is the third time this week he's been late for dinner. I understand its Friday, but he knows the rules, Nel."
"I know, he'll be here soon I'm sure," replied Nel softly.
"Well, we ain't waiting for his highness," retorted Grimmjow, reaching for a basket of fresh baked cornbread.
Nel sighed and waved a hand, the others taking cue and reaching for the nearest dish. Ichigo didn't know if he had room on his plate for everything as each piece of CorningWare came his way, each smelling as mouth-wateringly delicious as the last. Ichigo's plate was soon laden with crispy fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked macaroni and cheese, cornbread, green bean casserole, and buttered corn on the cob. He was certain he was going to get fat during his stay.
The mood turned jovial as everyone began to eat, conversation sparking up easily and joking had laughter flitting among the group. Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, and Nnoitra were engaged in a low conversation at their end of the table, Granz and Di Roy were engaged in an eating contest with Yammy which they'd surely lose, and Stark and Harribel were talking about a mare that was soon to foal. Nel had started explaining to Ichigo about the giant roasts she was preparing for dinner tomorrow night when it happened.
Deafening bass rattled the windows as a truck rolled up the drive way, and everyone's talking died down to quiet conversation as Grimmjow visibly stiffened and a slow, angry scowl began morphing his features. Nel eyed Grimmjow with a look that pleaded with him to calm down as she placed her fork on her plate and slowly wiped her fingers on the napkin in her lap. Ichigo ate slowly and quietly, the sudden tension in the room making him uneasy.
The music was louder as the door to the house swung open and then was slammed shut, closing out the offending truck that was now backing out of the driveway and vibrating the windows once again as it passed. Ichigo watched as Grimmjow's grip tightened around his fork, and Ulquiorra sat back in his chair with a blank expression, yet Nnoitra grinned gleefully.
A lanky kid appeared in the door way, about Ichigo's height, with blonde hair that swept in a heavy fringe over his right eye and hung down in shaggy layers just passed his ears, which Ichigo was quick to notice were gauged to about the size of a dime. A black unzipped hoodie that stretched down to the middle of his fingers in the sleeves revealed a black t-shirt with a skeleton reaper on it, the letters BMTH in the back ground. He wore black skinny jeans ripped in several places and black combat boots that were loosely tied so that when he walked they shuffled and dragged across the wood floor.
"You're late, again," ground out Grimmjow, glaring at the boy.
"I was with some friends, and my battery died in my cell."
"And you couldn't use any of their cell phones either?"
"Didn't occur to me," the kid retorted, his visible eye narrowing.
"We have a guest," interjected Nel, shooting Grimmjow a poisonous look.
"Weiss, this is Ichigo, he'll be staying for a while. He's from New York."
Ichigo smiled warmly at the boy, who nodded his head but didn't comment.
"Well, come eat honey," Nel said, gesturing to the chair next to Ichigo. "I made your favorite, baked mac n cheese; I'm so proud of you for making better choices and going to class."
"Yeah, 'bout that, I already ate at Tilly's," Weiss said, holding up a white box, "that's why I'm late."
"Oh," commented Nel, her face falling a little at the sight of the restaurant box. "Make sure it gets in the fridge then and not left in your room."
"Alright," he said, leaving the dining entry way and could be heard clomping his way up the stairs.
The clatter of a fork hitting against the glass plate startled everyone as Grimmjow shoved his chair backwards from the table, throwing his napkin on the plate angrily as he rose to his full height.
"Don't go yelling at him, Grimm, its ok. It's good for him to be social, he barley has any friends!" cried Nel.
"That ain't the point Nel, and yer too soft with him and that's why he blatantly disobeys every fuckin' thing I say!"
"He's just a kid, Grimm! Let him be, he'll come around!"
"He's had time to come around, I'm sick of his disrespect. This is my house now and he wouldn't be this way if you and Pa hadn't spoiled his ass rotten!"
"Yeah, you show tha' lil' punk, boss!" Nnoitra said with a giant grin, which faltered after suffering a hard kick to shin beneath the table from Harribel.
Grimmjow stalked off, and Nel threw her napkin on her plate, excusing herself to the kitchen, Harribel not far behind her.
Ichigo sat there dumbfounded, while Ulquiorra shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose, Nnoitra rubbed his sore leg, and Yammy kept stuffing his face. Di Roy and Granz started clearing the table and Stark lazily stretched, reclining his chair back on two legs. He caught Ichigo's eyes and grinned.
"Don't worry kid; this is something they got to figure out on their own."
Grimmjow was heated. He stomped up the stairs like a five year old, but he could care less right now. Two doors to the left side of the hall was Weiss' room, and he angrily threw open the door to find the teen stretched out on his bed.
"What the hell?! You can't just barge in here!" Weiss said, jumping up from the bed.
"I'll barge in wherever the hell I want to in my house! You and nobody else is gonna tell me different. What the hell is wrong with you, boy? You trying to make me mad at you on purpose, cuz' it sure as hell is workin'! I got half a mind to take off this belt and tan your backside so good, you won't sit for a month!"
"You wouldn't dare, that's child abuse and I'll call the cops!"
"Call 'em! You think anyone of them is gonna do anything to me? They'd probably congratulate me for trying to get your little truant ass in line! Yer skippin' school, breaking every rule I lay down, got an attitude that stinks to high heaven, and yer hurtin' yer sister's feelings all the time- biting the hand of the one person always stickin' up fer yer ass!"
"Just ground me and get the fuck out of my room!" Weiss screamed back.
Grimmjow crossed the two feet between them so fast Weiss didn't see it coming. He had a fist full of Weiss' t-shirt and had the kid a foot off the ground.
"Oh, you're grounded all right," he snarled. "I'm taking the IPod; I'm taking the PS3, the laptop, and all of your summer freedoms from you until you learn how to act right. You know you weren't raised this way, boy, and I don't know what's going on in yer head, but you better get it straightened out or I'll do it for ya."
He dropped the kid back to his feet and strode over to his desk, snatching up the portable computer and the Ipod. The PS3 was added to it from the T.V. stand near the end of the bed. Weiss trembled angrily as he watched his older brother take all his things.
"I hate you!" he said lowly, angry tears threatening to spill over.
Grimmjow turned in the doorway.
"I ain't asking fer yer love boy, I'm asking fer yer respect. Say one more thing to me and this shit will take a trip down the stairs not in my hands. And if you slam this door when I leave, I'll be back up here to take it off its hinges."
Weiss threw himself on the bed and buried his fists into the pillows as Grimmjow stalked off down the stairs. He met Nel and Ichigo at the foot of the stairs.
"Don't even say it Nel, it had to be done. We tried yer way of givin' him space, now we're doin' it my way."
"Whatever Grimm," she sniffed, angrily folding her arms over her chest. "But you're wrong, and you're a stubborn asshole just like daddy and this is why it's not going to work!"
"I really don't care right now Nel, and I have an ass load of stuff to do tomorrow; I am done for the night. A few days of busting his ass might do him some good. Speaking of which, you," he said, pointing at Ichigo, "had better be prepared to pull yer share of the weight around here. Yer stay ain't gonna be free."
Ichigo scowled.
"I can handle whatever you throw at me."
"Good," Grimmjow retorted with an ominous grin, stalking off and leaving them standing there, Nel shaking her head in disbelief.
End chapter. Ooooo, Grimmjow isn't one to trifle with, is he? Some good ol' fashioned parenting, taken straight from memories of being a child. XD The best thing about parents is that sometimes they teach you what not to do, yes? Reviews appreciated! And a thanks to my Beta: Misc. Ink, who helped clean up the errors! -hugs-
