I'm so sorry you guys. Gah! I meant to get this out so much earlier (earlier meaning Thursday) but my week suddenly got totally bogged down. Boo. Tch… I really hate myself for getting it out late. Oh well, at least it's a few hours earlier than usual…
Anyways! Yeah… Thanks for all of the reads, reviews, favorites, alerts, and for sticking with me on this! All of you are fantastic! Oh, and to the few of you who PM me, thanks! It was great being able to talk to fellow authors and readers! :].
The reviews were fantastic as usual, thanks for the support! I mean it; I couldn't do this without the people who like this. Ahh!
Okay, I'd like to thank my crush and good friend for inspiring this chapter. :]. Haha… I'm glad to have people like him in my life ;]
Read and Review? Big thanks to those of you who do.
Rated T: Mild language. Blehh. :].
Pairings: Soon to be GrimmIchi, and a new surprise pairing introduced in this chapter. :O Haha.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or any of the characters. Nothing but the plot.
Bleach AU yaoi. =] Read at your own risk ;D
...
Ichigo rolled around in his bed, trying fall back asleep. "Why is the sun such a bitch?" he grumbled to himself, curling up under his covers. "It could be a little nicer and go back down for a while…" he yawned. The dim room slowly started to brighten, not even the boy's thick black curtains could keep out the rays of sunlight. He let out a tired sight and sat up in his bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes. "It's only six? Ugh…" he muttered groggily. "I guess I'll do morning stuff now," he yawned once more, swinging his legs over the side of his bed. As he stood up and stretched, he noticed he was wearing Grimmjow's jacket. "I guess I fell asleep in it last night," he said to himself, a tint of pink splashed across his face.
A knock came from his door, a voice following, "Big brother, are you up? I hear talking," Yuzu's voice called out.
"Yeah, I'm awake. You need anything?" he asked, scratching his head.
The young girl leaned against his door, sighing in relief. "No, I just thought someone might have broken in and you were talking to them!" she giggled.
"Uh huh… Well, thanks for the care? I'm gonna get ready now, so I'll see you in a while," he replied, walking over to his closet.
"Okay!" the girl called, her footsteps fading as she walked down the hall.
Ichigo opened his closet, sliding his clothes around. "Hmm…" he grunted. He pulled out several outfits, trying to pick which one he would wear for that day. "I wonder… This one is good!" he said, hanging the clothes over his back. "Oh! I almost forgot," he mumbled, slipping out of Grimmjow's jacket, leaving it on his desk chair. He opened his door, walking down the hall quietly. He slid into the bathroom, flicking the light switch on. He placed his clothes on a towel rack, shedding what he was wearing onto the floor. Walking over to the shower, he took a quick peek at the mirror. "Ugh, I need a tan," he scowled, sliding the glass door to the shower open. He reached in and messed around with the knobs until the water was at his desired temperature. Steam started filling up the bathroom as he stepped in, shutting the door to the shower. Beads of hot water rolled down his body, relaxing the boy's muscles. "Ahh…" he groaned, closing his eyes and placing his head under the running water. He reached out and grabbed a bottle of shampoo, squirting a small amount into his palm. He gently massaged it into his hair, creating a foamy lather. He ran his fingers all around his hair, thoroughly soaping it up. Once completed with the task, he reached for a bad of soap, slowly running it over his body. He lightly massaged each part, softly cleaning away all stress along with dirt. Sliding his hands on every single inch of his own body made the young teen let out a tiny moan, thinking what it would be like if it were not his hands, but another's.
He heard knocking at the door, followed by a muffled yell. "Ichigo! Hurry your ass! I need a shower, too!" His other sister, Karin, called out.
"Okay, okay! I'm going!" he called back, stepping under the rush of hot water. The soap ran off his body as water splashed at him, sending drops cascading to the floor and walls. He turned off the water, grabbing a towel as he stepped out of the shower. He patted himself dry, making sure to wipe the entirety of his body. He shook his hair, sending droplets of water falling to the floor. He tied the towel around his waist, leaning in the mirror to get a better look in the mirror. He wiped away a circle of the steam to see his face. He ran a soft hand all over, checking for any blemishes in his creamy white skin.
"Princess! You done yet?" Karin called out once more.
"I'm going Karin, just be patient," he grumbled, letting the towel drop to the floor. He grabbed his clothes, slipping each article on with care. Once done, he took one last look in the mirror, checking for any bad spots. "All good," he mumbled to himself, a small smile playing at his lips.
He opened the bathroom door, bathing his younger sister in a cloud of steam. "Wow, why is it that you seem to look better than most girls?" she asked, looking over his outfit. He was wearing a black jacket over a red and black checkered collared shirt. The sleeves of the undershirt extended past the jacket's, folding back over it giving off a cufflink appearance. His jeans were a nice fitting, but not tight, black color with four zippers running horizontally on his right leg, with two more on the left. "You know, one day one of them is going to kill you for turning their boyfriend gay," she snickered, walking into the bathroom.
"Yeah, yeah. Just get ready for school," he scowled at her, patting her head as she passed him. He walked down the stairs to see Yuzu in the kitchen. "Hey Yuzu, what time is it?" he asked.
"Ten minutes til seven. You sure did take a long time in there, huh?" she asked, looking up at the teen. "Wow! You have to show me how to wear stuff like that!" she giggled.
Ichigo sighed, lightly massaging his temple. "It's not all that great. Well, I guess I'll have a slice of toast," he said absentmindedly.
"No, no. None of that mister!" Yuzu said, waving a finger at Ichigo. "I'm making some eggs, you can have some of them," she said, walking over to Ichigo with a plate. "Here, now sit down. I'll get you some juice."
He smiled down at the girl, thankful for her large contribution to keeping the household together. "Thanks, I bet they're really good," he yawned, walking over to the table. The sun shone through the windows, reflecting off the glass of orange juice Yuzu brought him.
"Aren't you worried about getting a heat stroke in that thing?" Yuzu asked, removing her apron and sitting next to Ichigo.
"Naw, even if I did I still have Orihime and Rukia to take me back here to get treated by dad," he said through a mouthful of eggs. "By the way, where is he? I haven't had to kick his ass all morning," he asked, looking at his sister.
"He had to go to the clinic early today. He told me to hit you over the head with a frying pan while you were eating, but that's a little rude," she laughed sheepishly, taking a sip from her glass.
"Right, well… Thanks for not doing that," he said, arching an eyebrow.
"Hey, Ichigo," Karin sneezed, walking down the stairs. "You left your phone upstairs. It's ringing like crazy, you might wanna do answer that," she said, shaking her head.
"Oh, thanks," he mumbled, placing his empty dish in the sink. "Thanks for the food Yuzu." He ran up the stairs, his phone's vibration against his desk audible through the walls. He opened his door, flipping his phone open. "Hello?"
"Get your ass out here!" Rukia's voice came from the phone. "We need to get our stuff before the bell rings for first period.
"Okay, I'm going," he grumbled, shutting the silver phone. He passed his desk, Grimmjow's jacket catching his eyes. "He wouldn't mind if I kept it for another day… would he?" The teen wondered aloud. He ran down the stairs, calling out to his sisters, "I'm off to school! See you guys later!" He walked out into the bright sun, seeing Rukia and Orihime waiting for him.
"Wow, you look amazing!" Orihime giggled, looking at Ichigo's attire.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" he sighed, looking more carefully at the two girls. "Are you kidding me? I pale in comparison to you two!" he grinned. Orihime was wearing a long, beige colored skirt the flowed down to her ankles. Three dragons spiraled around the dress. Looping, spiraling, intertwining, and twisting, the dragons met at her right hip, further complimenting her shirt. It was a cream colored V-neck with sleeves that ended at her elbows. Three stripes, colored red, orange, and yellow, curled around the shirt from where the dragon's head's met at her hip to curl on her left breast.
"I think both of us totally die on comparison to her, she always seems to find the most random and complicated of outfits," Rukia laughed, looking her up and down.
She twirled around, creating the dizzying effect of three dragon's spiraling around her spewing out fire. "Do you think it's that good? I like yours better Rukia! It's more… Sexy," she smiled, complimenting the girl.
"She's right, ya know. Her outfit is umm… Unique while yours excites… Umm… Guys and stuff," Ichigo said. Rukia was wearing a tight white tee which extended a few inches past her breasts, exposing her midriff. Over the shirt, she had an open black denim jacket on which went past the shirt, ending at her waist. She donned a pair of black jeans, which complimented her tiny waist. "You know, maybe Yuzu was right. We're all gonna get heat stroke," he said, starting the trek to their school.
"Sometimes I think we overdo our clothes," Orihime said, placing a finger on her chin.
Rukia sighed, "No, I think we're fine."
Ichigo smirked, "Well, you guys are girls, and I'm gay. I think that pretty much takes care of the argument."
"Hey, where's Grimmjow's jacket?" Orihime inquired. "Did you forget it?"
"Umm… Not exactly…" he replied, a faint shade of red staining his cheeks. "I just… Didn't think he would mind if I kept it for a little bit longer…" he mumbled.
Rukia skipped in front of him and grinned. "You wanna see how long you can keep it to you can secretly wear it, don't you?" she teased.
"That's so not it!" he grunted, picking up his pace.
Orihime and Rukia shared a sly glance and continued the assault. "Oh really? Then why are you blushing?" Orihime asked innocently.
Ichigo's eyebrow twitched as he pointed his face down, not allowing the girls to see his slowly reddening cheeks. "I'm not! It's just hot out here, and I'm wearing black," he mumbled.
"The only thing that's hot over here is in your pants and waiting for Grimmjow," Rukia snorted, sending the girls into a fit of giggles.
Ichigo held his face up to the sky and let out a sigh of frustration. "Isn't there anything else for you two to obsess over?" he asked, glaring at the two.
"Well, of course," Rukia said, looking over her shoulder back to Ichigo.
"But it's not nearly as much fun about obsessing over your first boyfriend," Orihime giggled, walking up to Ichigo's side. Rukia nodded in agreement, taking her place at Ichigo's right side.
"He's not my boyfriend!" Ichigo grunted, rubbing his forehead. With that, the three teens arrived on the school grounds, hurrying inside the building to get to their lockers. "Were any of our assignments actually due today" he asked in a worried tone.
Rukia spun the dial on her locker, pulling it off to open it. "Nope. All of our homework was pushed to tomorrow, that way we could get used to being back at school," she said, slipping her book bag's strap on.
Ichigo let out a sigh of relief, shutting his locker after retrieving his books and binder. "Well, time for English," he muttered, walking down the hall to the English room. "Good morning Mr. Ukitake," he waved to the teacher as he walked into the bright classroom.
The teacher sent a warm smile their way, hurrying around the room to straighten up things. Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime took seats at the back of the classroom, choosing seats near the open windows. Once the rest of the students filed in and the bell rung, Mr. Ukitake made his way to the front of the classroom and cleared his throat. "Class! Ahem! Quiet down please!" when the students' attention was focused, he continued. "An erm… Unexpected… Meeting was planned today with me and Mr. Kyoraku so I'm sending you to the library for today. His English IV AP class should be there with you, so don't make fools of yourselves," he explained, pulling a strand of his flowing white hair behind his ear. "Please take all of your stuff with you, as the classroom will be locked."
The door swung open, revealing a man with dark brown hair. "Jushiro! You haven't sent yours away yet? I already took care of mine," he winked at the other man, walking into the classroom.
"Shunshi! Well, yours are already used to the surprise meetings by now," he laughed with a tinge of pink splashed across his face. "Well have fun down at the library class! It shouldn't be too hard to find," he called out as the students walked out of the classroom. He let out a small yelp, grabbing the attention of Rukia, Ichigo, and Orihime as they were walking out.
"Is there something wrong?" Orihime asked, worried for their teacher.
"Aha… No! I'm fine," he said with a sheepish grin, locking the door behind her. When the students' footsteps were only a silent muffle, he turned to Shunshi. "Do NOT grab my ass in front of my students!" he sighed, placing a hand and leaning on his desk.
Shunshi laughed, walking over to his lover. "I thought they were all gone," he whispered, planting a soft kiss on the other man's lips.
"Yeah, yeah. That's always your excuse you lazy old man," Jushiro laughed lightly, placing a soft kiss on Shunshi's jaw. He let out a small moan as the other man hoisted him on his desk, sliding his tongue across his own. He wrapped his legs around Shunshi's waist, pulling him in closer.
The other man slid off his pants, shirt already disposed. His hands danced playfully on Jushiro's waist, slowly sliding one up his shirt. "Old? If I remember correctly I'm only thirty-three. But that doesn't matter… How about we get that meeting started?" he moaned, grinding his hips into Jushiro's.
"I agree," he whispered, wrapping an arm around the taller man's neck. His hands wandered all over Shunshi's bare skin, letting out small moans of pleasure each time his hips made contact's with the other man's.
...
Principal Yamamoto neatly placed the files on his desk, looking up at the ceiling. "It sounds like those two are at it again," he sighed as muffled moans drifted from the floor above. "I'm gonna have to teach them a lesson one of these days…" he grumbled to himself, lighting a cigar.
...
"What do you think Mr. Ukitake yelped at?" Orihime asked as the three teens exited the building in search of the large library.
"I have no idea; maybe the other guy grabbed his ass or something?" Ichigo suggested, surveying the grounds for their destination.
"Ichigo! Just because you're gay doesn't mean everyone else is! I doubt Mr. Ukitake is gay!" Rukia laughed.
Ichigo pointed to a large domelike building. "I think that's it," he mumbled. "And it was just an idea, but what else could it have been?"
The trio walked over to the two-story building, seeing their classmates enters it. "Well, I'm sure it wasn't anything like that," Orihime giggled. "Wow! This place is huge! I wonder what it's like on the inside!" she gasped as they reached the door. She pulled it open and they walked in, taking in the building's appearance. To their right was a checkout desk and to the left was a stair case that curved and led to the second floor. Past the stair case was an area of the library which contained a bunch of old looking books, and beyond that was another section hidden from their current view. Past the front desk there was another staircase which led to another portion of the second floor. Directly in front of them was a collection of tables with seats filled with other students and various armchairs. Several computer stations were spread throughout the library, upstairs and down. The walls were decorated by various paintings and large windows, and then seeming to stop at the second floor, which was surrounded by glass on all sides, stretching from side to side. The glass extended to the roof, leaving a totally open view of the sky. "Wow…" Orihime whispered walking over to the other students. On the side of the library they were facing, various large windows presented the students with a view of a flourishing garden.
"This place is amazing!" Ichigo gasped, looking straight up.
Grimmjow, who at the moment had his head buried in his arms muttered, "Where is the damn librarian?"
"Calm down, I'm sure she'll be here soon. I heard they had to replace her, so who wonder who we're gonna get.." she trailed off after spotting the three freshmen. "It looks like Ichigo has English first period," she whispered to the teal haired teen.
"Wha?" he asked, lifting his head. A grin spread across his face as he waved the three teens over. "Well, well. We just seem to keep running into to each other, don't we?" he asked as the three sat themselves at the table.
Ichigo blushed and played with a lock of his hair. "Yeah… we do… By the way… Where is the librarian?" Ichigo asked, looking around the room.
"Hmp, that's what I asked," Grimmjow said, rolling his eyes at Halibel, earning a sigh.
The students sat at the tables and in the armchairs, waiting silently for the librarian to appear. A girl appeared from behind the front counter, one whom Grimmjow and Ichigo instantly recognized. "Ahem! I'm the new librarian, Lisa Yadomaru. As long as you don't damage the books, steal anything, or get this place dirty, I'm sure I won't mind you. You're welcome to come here anytime of the day, and I'm here until four after school," she said, walking over to the classes. "I expect to see you guys often, I've heard your teachers are very feisty," she said, wiping her glasses on the short blue skirt she was wearing.
Her comment earned various snickers and giggles from half of the room, confusing the others. "What did she mean by that?" Rukia whispered.
"You'll find out eventually," Halibel grinned.
"Oh! And don't get caught looking at porn while you're in here. I have all of the security systems shit down because I like to read the occasional, well, I'm usually reading smut. Okay, have a go at it," she dismissed the students to roam the library in search of reading materials.
"Wow, she's really laid back, I like her," Orihime laughed, standing up with the other teens.
"Hey… I know you two!" Lisa exclaimed, walking over to the five teens. Rukia, Orihime, and Halibel shot curiousl glances at the two boys, who just stood with blushes highlighting their faces. "I'm really sorry for what that idiot said. Heh… Who knew you two would be students here," she said walking back to the counter.
"What was that about?" Rukia cocked her eyebrow, placing a hand on her hip.
Ichigo looked at Grimmjow from the corner of his eye and grinned. "We kind of met her at the mall yesterday… When we were looking for you guys," he explained.
"Yeah, her friend commented on how Ichigo and I were a cute couple," Grimmjow smiled. "Hmm… You look really amazing today, you know…" he whispered, wrapping his arms around the younger teen's waist. "So where's my jacket?" he asked, placing his chin on Ichigo's shoulder.
"You're a really touchy person, aren't you?" Ichigo asked, trying to squirm out of Grimmjow's strong grip. In all honesty, he didn't want him to let go. Being in Grimmjow's arms was amazing. It felt so good to be held up against such a strong, warm chest but he wouldn't dare fuel Rukia and Orihime's fantasies… So he had to try and free himself. "It's at home, I kinda forgot it… I hope you don't mind," he said, turning to face Grimmjow as he released him.
"That's okay, I don't mind it," he winked at the teen as the five of them made their way to one of the two large staircases.
"Heh, it looks like you've found another fag to screw around with," came a voice from behind them. Ichigo turned around to see an extremely tall teen glaring down at them. He had shoulder length black hair which shone in the sun's light.
"Nnoitra, why don't you find someone else to annoy?" Grimmjow scowled, ignoring his comment.
"What was that ya little ass?" the tall teen growled, glaring down at Grimmjow.
"I don't think you should be one to talk about gay sex, didn't you sleep with Szayel over the duration of this summer?" Halibel asked, her voice filled with malice as she sent him an icy glare.
This caught the other teen off guard, surprised about her knowledge. "I was smashed! As if you've never fooled around with someone while yer drunk!" he shot back.
"All six times?" she asked, turning her back to him and walking up the stairs, trailed by Orihime and Rukia.
"Where do ya think yer goin ya bitch?" he grunted, flipping his hair over his shoulder.
"Away from your sorry ass," Grimmjow grunted, shooting him a dirty look. "C'mon Ichigo, let's get away from this pathetic loser," he said, following the three girls up the stairs.
Ichigo looked at Nnoitra, making a mental note to stay away from the anger prone teen. He turned around, following Grimmjow's example. Nnoitra let out a furious growl, lunging at Ichigo. "This'll teach ya to not fuck with me Grimmjow! I'll beat the crap outta yer pretty boy here!"
Everyone's attention was grabbed to the scene. Ichigo barely had any time to react, only being able to turn around in time to see Lisa blocking the punch with a simple magazine. Ichigo's four friends spun around, looking down at him and the librarian. "I don't appreciate your rude behavior to your fellow students," she grunted, lowering the magazine.
Nnoitra shot a deadly glare at the shorter woman, lowering his fist. "Yeah, and I dun appreciate it when stupid, bitchy women like you boss around almighty guys like m-" he started, but wasn't able to finish as Lisa simultaneously slapped him across the face with the rolled up magazine, punched him in the crotch, and kicked his legs, sending the tall boy sprawling to the floor.
"Oops, I slipped. Good think he was there to catch my fall push me back up," Lisa said, brushing off her skirt. Every single student was silent, staring down at Nnoitra's howling body. "It looks like he needs to be taken to the nurse, I guess I'll do it," she said, grabbing a handful of his hair and dragging him towards the door.
"You stupid whore! You won't get-" he started, only to be interrupted once more as Lisa slammed his head against her counter, rendering the boy unconscious.
She looked over her shoulder at the teens, arching an eyebrow at them. "Oops? I slipped again, how clumsy of me," she grinned, walking out of the library.
"Wow, I like her," Grimmjow said, walking back down to where Ichigo was standing. "Are you okay? You look a little shaken up," Grimmjow asked, frowning down at him.
"I-I'm fine… I just didn't expect that…" he stuttered, looking down at the ground.
Grimmjow pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around Ichigo. "I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have let him be that close to you," he whispered into Ichigo's ear, sending shivers down the boy's body.
"No, it's okay. It's just… I didn't even see Lisa! It was crazy…" he chuckled, unaware of the three girls squealing over how cute he and Grimmjow looked. "But thanks for caring," he smiled up at Grimmjow, not caring if he saw the red tint to his face.
"No problem," he whispered back, pushing a lock of Ichigo's hair behind his ear. "Oh," he said, pulling away from Ichigo. "I forgot you don't like it when I'm holding you…" he said, averting his gaze to the floor.
Ichigo looked at him in shock. "Grimmjow! I just don't like it when there are other people…! They might think things… and we're not together… so…" he mumbled, shifting his feet around.
"You know I'm just teasin ya" he grinned, looking at Ichigo in the eyes. "C'mon," he said, nodding his head at the three girls waiting at the top of the stairs. "Let's go before they have a fit," he said, sticking his hands down his pockets.
"Right…" Ichigo said, walking up the stairs alongside Grimmjow. He looked out the large roof, marveling at the sight. The sun shone all across the school grounds, which were visible from the building. The other windows and mirrors scattered across the large campus reflected and shone light around, giving off a spectacular display of colors. "Wow…" Ichigo whispered as they reached the top of the stairs.
"You should see it during and after a rainstorm," Grimmjow whispered into his ear, making his blush grow even more. "Here, let's sit down over here," he said, leading Ichigo to a large chair, one just big enough to fit the both of them. It overlooked the garden outside of the library, most of the fauna shining with dew from the previous night's rainstorm.
Ichigo snuggled closer to Grimmjow in the seat, slightly leaning against him. "Wow… This is a really great library," he commented, looking around at the numerous shelves.
Grimmjow looked down at Ichigo, then waved a hand over to the three girls. They seemed to understand as they walked away smirking, making a slight grin dance on Grimmjow's lips. "So… I'd like to get to know a little more about you," Grimmjow started, leaning back in the chair. "Tell me about your family… If you don't mind tat is…"
Ichigo leaned back along with him, his head resting on Grimmjow's shoulder. "Well… As you already know… My mom is dead… Aizen is kind of my uncle…" he started, looking up to meet Grimmjow's eyes. At the older teen's nod, he continued. "I have twin sisters, a few years younger than I am… And my dad is a big goof," he laughed softly. "My sister, Yuzu, is just like my mom. She cooks, cleans, and takes care of a lot of the housework… It's a lot of work, but she likes doing it… She's really kind hearted and extremely sweet… Karin, her twin, is somewhat the opposite in terms of personality," he said, leaning against Grimmjow, watching the sun slowly rise. "She's sarcastic, and a tad bit smug, but she cares for those she loves… When she and Yuzu are together, pretty much anything is possible…"
Grimmjow wrapped his arm around Ichigo, pulling the two closer together. He waited a few seconds to see if Ichigo would resist, and when he didn't Grimmjow asked, "What about your dad? What is he like?"
Ichigo breathed in, taking in the scent of the teen who he was feeling such a strong attraction to. He smelled… Delicious. That was the only thing Ichigo could think of and it was hard to explain. The scent radiating off Grimmjow was one of dominance, one that kept running from Ichigo's senses each time he got close to understanding it. It evoked raw desire, yet purity. It confounded Ichigo greatly, but it also soothed him. "Umm… My dad?" he asked somewhat dazed. "He's… Weird. Crazy… But he cares about me and my sisters… He can be serious at times… But he rarely shows it," Ichigo sighed. "How about you? What's your family like?"
"Well, I never did like my family much," Grimmjow grunted. "I ran away a few years back, and with help from Halibel I've managed to rent a place of my own," he explained, burying his nose into Ichigo's spiky, yet strangely soft hair. He breathed in lightly, taking in a sweet smelling scent of strawberry. "Haven't talked to any of em in years," he mumbled, shutting his eyes slowly. "I don't mind it, though. Halibel's parents are pretty nice, they're like a second family to me," he explained.
"Oh… Wow, that must have been tough on you," Ichigo half purred, trying to resist not falling asleep in his arms.
"Ehh… It wasn't all that bad. Well, what kind of-" he began, but was interrupted by the bell echoing in the sunlight filled building. "Hmm… I guess we better get going," Grimmjow mumbled, slowly taking his arm from it's position around Ichigo. "It was good talking to you," Grimmjow smiled, ruffling Ichigo's hair as he walked away, leaving the teen alone on the warm seat.
"Yeah… See you later," Ichigo yawned, standing up. He surveyed the room, looking for Orihime and Rukia. He found them standing at a bookcase discussing something excitedly. "Hey, let's get going to class," he grunted, walking down the stairs.
"So? What's up with you and Grimmjow?" Orihime giggled. "You two looked like you were getting pretty cozy up in that chair… Are you guys together?" she asked excitedly.
Ichigo felt his face warm up. "No, we're not. We were just talking…" he mumbled.
Rukia scoffed, "When are you two going to get over yourselves and just get together already?"
"When we're ready… For all I know he could have already found someone new to be with…" he stated, starting to doubt himself.
"Don't say that, you two have undeniable chemistry. Even I can see that," Rukia frowned as the trio walked out of the library and into the sun bathed school grounds. "Don't talk like that," she said, walking over to the building to where they came from.
Ichigo looked over his shoulder to see Grimmjow and Halibel walking over to a different building. The teens walked back into the main building, walking up the first flight of the stairs making small conversation the entire way there. "I'll see you guys later," he called to the two girls as he walked into his math class. He walked in, not able to concentrate on anything as soon as the bell rang. He pulled open his notebook, absentmindedly scribbling his name with Grimmjow's. He looked out the window, trying to rip his mind off the older teen. The class flashed by as Ichigo attempted to focus on the math problems in his textbook. When the bell rang, dismissing them, he sighed and shut his large book.
"Ichigo?" the teacher called, waving him over.
"Yes Ms. Nanao?" he asked as the other students filed out of the room.
She erased the board of equations, observing Ichigo from the corner of her eye. "Are you feeling okay? You seemed to be really distracted today," she asked.
A hint of scarlet rose to his skin, making the teacher's suspicion grow. "N-no… I mean yes. I'm fine. I guess umm… I just didn't get enough sleep last night," he stuttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well you look a little red. I'm going to send you to the nurse. I'll send a note to your next period's teacher, don't worry about that," she assured him, readjusting her glasses. "Now off you go to the clinic," she ushered him out of the classroom.
Ichigo sighed and dropped his head. "Great. Now the teachers think I'm sick… I need to get myself together…" he mumbled, walking downstairs. He wandered around, searching for the clinic. After asking a few students, one who was shorter than he and had an unhealthy shade of white skin, he made it to the clinic. He walked in to see a woman with long, black, braided hair treating another student.
"Why hello there dear. Here, take a seat and tell me what's wrong," she said, offering him a seat on a bed.
Ichigo sat down as the other student walked out of the room. "Umm… Ms. Nanao sent me because she thought something was wrong with me… Something about a fever… But I'm just fine," he explained.
"Ahh, I see. So then why did you some down here if nothing was wrong?" she asked.
"I guess I just didn't want to upset her… Nurse…?" he asked, lying down at her instruction.
"Nurse Unohana. And wise decision, she can be quite frightful when she wants to be," nurse Unohana giggled. "Well, nothing seems to be wrong, so you can just take a short rest until third period is over," she said, walking into her office.
Ichigo shut his eyes, thankful for the break. "Thank you," he called out. He drifted into a calm state of mind, trying not to fall asleep. Much to his dismay, or quite possibly his delight, he was unable to think of anything else besides Grimmjow. Thoughts of him ran through Ichigo's mind, making the teen smile. He let out a yawn just as the bell dismissed him to his next class, a class where he could actually see Grimmjow.
"Have a good day," the nurse called out from her office.
"Yeah, you too," Ichigo mumbled, walking out with a blush on his face. He made his way slowly to the next class, and nearly jumped when he heard an all too familiar voice from behind.
"Hey Ichigo," Grimmjow called out, walking faster to catch up with the teen. "I really enjoyed our conversation earlier," he whispered softly, just loud enough for Ichigo to hear. "I was thinking… Would you like to go off school grounds for lunch with me today?" he asked.
Ichigo was taken aback by the sudden invitation. "S-sure! Where are we gonna go?" Ichigo stammered heat radiating from his face.
"I was thinking a simple shake and a burger, I know this really cute place a little bit past the mall. Whadda ya think?" Grimmjow explained, grinning down at Ichigo.
"That sounds perfect!" Ichigo smiled, grinning madly on the inside. "Oh, I hope Orihime and Rukia don't mind," Ichigo mumbled, wondering what the two girls would make out of the situation. The two boys walked up the stairs heading to their class, not paying attention to the multiple students shooting looks of envy at them. When they reached the classroom, Orihime nearly jumped on Ichigo.
"Where were you? Rukia and I were SO worried! We thought you got sick or something!" she babbled.
"I'll talk to you later," Grimmjow winked, leaving the two teens alone.
"Ichigo! Hello! Are ya there? What happened?" Orihime continued, only stopping when she saw the distraction in his eyes.
"Huh? Oh… Mrs. Nanao thought I was sick, but I'm fine. You'll never guess what I'm gonna do at lunch," Ichigo grinned, walking over to a desk on the opposite side of the room from Grimmjow and Halibel.
Orihime looked at him, her eyes full of rabid curiosity. "Ohh! What is it? Does it involve Grimmjow?" she squealed, barely able to restrain herself.
A wide grin spread across Ichigo's face as he told his best friend, "He invited me to go to lunch with him! I'm leaving the campus at lunch and we're gonna go out and get something to eat!" he rushed out excitedly.
Orihime's mouth widened as she contained a loud squeal. "NO WAY! That's freaking am amazing! Rukia is totally gonna die when she hears this! Ohmygosh! This is so cuteee~" she giggled, unable to hide her enthusiasm.
"You need to calm down child," Ichigo mumbled, eyes of a few students on them. "People are looking at us, so hush!" he grinned, unable to hide his joy of the situation. He sat down as the bell rang and their energetic teacher rushed into the room.
"Okay class! I'm handing out your graded assignments from summer along with your class rank! Don't worry, you will have a chance to go up or down, so this isn't final. Today we're going to do a new exercise, so be ready for anything," she announced, flowing across the classroom handing out the students' papers.
"Wow! I got fourteenth! That's not too bad!" Orihime whispered to Ichigo. "What did you get?" she asked.
Ichigo scanned his paper, locating a big number "4" at the top of his paper. "I got fourth! Wow! That seems a bit odd, don't you think?" Ichigo whispered back to Orihime. Her eyes widened in shock as she gave him a big smile.
She was about to reply with a "good job", but Yoruichi had returned to the front of the class. "Ahem!" she called out, grasping the attention of each student. "Okay, in this exercise, you will come up to the board to get ready to write in any form of writing. Poem, short story, anything is acceptable. I will give you a prompt, and you will take as much time as you need to write it. Okay?" she explained, pulling out a hat from her desk. "I'm going to draw out a name form this hat…" she said, ruffling the small pieces of paper around. "Okay! First up is ranked fourth in this class, Ichigo Kurosaki!" she called out, signaling Ichigo to come to the front of the room.
"Great," he mumbled to himself, walking up to the front of the room. He picked up one of the dry erase markers, turning to the teacher for his prompt.
"Okay Ichigo. This will be your inspiration for your writing!" she said, reading from a piece of paper in her hand. "Imagine someone close to you. Now imagine that you harbor strong emotional feeling towards them, feelings of love. Just as you were going to ask this person out, they tell you that they have found someone to love. Express your feelings, you have as much time as you need," she said, stepping back from the board to give the teen room.
Ichigo gulped as he gripped the marker. "Crappy prompt if you ask me…" he mumbled under his breath. Slowly, he began to write out a poem. He stopped and bit his lip several times, thinking of words he could use. After what seemed a long amount of time passed by, he moved out of the way allowing the class to read what he had written.
Feeling bitter and jealous, I start to cry…
Seeing you with him, what a surprise.
How, my love, could this be?
To him I feel jealousy.
Pity, sympathy… Feelings geared towards me…
For my, my dear, you never felt apathy.
Alone in a corner, I cry out your name,
Asking for forgiveness. It's like a game.
You take one step forward I take four back.
Why is love the emotion I lack?
When joy comes my way, I embrace it with glee…
Not knowing when misery will have it's spree.
Old memories fading… Taking me back..
I feel as if my heart is now black.
It kills me, not being able to share your joy…
Replace me! I'm but a mere toy.
I'm holding it back, that one small tear…
How awful I must sound… I'm so sorry my dear….
Ichigo read his classmates expressions as they read his work, focusing mostly on Grimmjow's. Shock, awe, just some of the expressions that were presented on their faces as they read what he had presented them with. "Wow! This is really good work Ichigo!" Yoruichi commended him. "Now, the purpose of this exercise is to-" she began, only to be interrupted by the bell. "Oh, I guess that's it for now. I'll see you when lunch ends!" she called out, walking to the back of the room.
"That was really great," Grimmjow came up from behind Ichigo, whispering into his ear. "Especially since it was from the top of your head…"
Ichigo turned around, a blush rising to his face. "Thanks… Now… Should we get going?" he asked timidly, waving at Orihime and Halibel as they walked out, sending the two boys winks.
"Of course," Grimmjow grinned. He walked with Ichigo down the stairs, students all around them. "So… Poetry really does come to you naturally, huh?" he asked as they made their way outside.
Ichigo frowned a little, holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun. "Yeah… I guess. Is that bad?" he asked, biting his bottom lip.
"Of course not" Grimmjow assured him. "It's a good thing," he said, walking over to the student parking lot. Ichigo looked around the collection of cars, wondering which one was Grimmjow's. Grimmjow waved an arm at an electric blue convertible and announced, "This is it."
Ichigo gaped in awe, running a hand across the passenger side door. "You've gotta be kidding me! This car is so… Wow!" Ichigo laughed in awe.
"Ehh… It's not all that," Grimmjow winked, pushing the unlock button on his key. "Now, get in and we can get outta this place," Grimmjow said, seating himself in the car. Ichigo followed his example, sliding into the sleek car. "I drive a little fast, I hope you don't mind," Grimmjow said, sliding his seat belt over his firm chest.
"Not at all…" Ichigo mumbled, leaning back into his seat after buckling his own seatbelt. A simple "whoa" was all Ichigo could get out as the car shot out of the parking lot, zooming down the street. Grimmjow only stopped once, and that was at a red light. The car sped through the streets, avoiding every other car. Ichigo stared out the window, eyes wide, taking glances at Grimmjow only to see him starting out at the road calmly.
"Ahh, we're here," Grimmjow said, the car coming to a screeching halt outside of a cute looking diner. It was one of those old fashioned looking ones, neon sign and everything. "Record time, too," he chuckled, walking over to Ichigo's side of the car. He opened the door and held out a hand to the younger teen.
Ichigo took it and stepped out of the car. "That was… Fast," Ichigo mumbled, a lack of any other adjectives.
"Yeah, well I like going fast, it's a rush," he laughed. "Well, let's go" he said, closing the car door behind them and walking into the diner. It was warm, nicely lit, and sweet smelling. Ichigo could see several people there on their lunch breaks. He walked over to a booth in a secluded corner of the diner. "I like it back here," Ichigo mumbled, taking a seat.
"I agree, it's nice and quiet…" Grimmjow smiled, sliding into the booth next to Ichigo.
Ichigo was about to ask Grimmjow what he would suggest getting, when two men caught his eye as they walked in the door. They were holding hands and gazing at each other lovingly. "Mr. Ukitake?" he called out a bit too loud, getting the men's attention.
Ukitake had a mixed look of shock and surprise on his face as the two walked over, ready to start up conversation. "Ichigo! Grimmjow! How nice it is to see you two here!" he said with a warm smile on his face. "You wouldn't mind if we shared a seat, would you?" he asked.
"Not at all," Grimmjow grinned.
...
BLEH. Major fail. O_o. This chapter was ehh. It was fun to write, though. :]. Didn't you just love the teacher fluff? Bahaha. I love them together. :D It's so cuteee~
Hmm… Yeah. I totally forgot what I was gonna put here… Umm.. OH YEAH! No… I forgot. _ Anyways… Review? It's SUPER helpful. Liked it? Hated it? Wanna flame it? Commend it? Tell me all about it, it's a good way for me to find out what I'm doing right. Umm.. Yeah. =] thanks for all of the support guys.
Once again, I'm sorry for getting it in later than I promised. Big mistake on my part.
Disclaimer two: Of course, I own the poem featured in this chapter. Woo.
Ohhh, Chapter four is on it's way. :]. Bahaha. Thanks for reading this! WOO! :D