He dared not ponder what was pulling Grimmjow to him, in fear of something he wasn't prepared for. He was sure, or was convinced, it wouldn't be attraction of all things and most certainly not hidden desire. Maybe it was something milder, like a personal interest, a special fondness to less complex beings such as himself.
Grimmjow's apartment was minimalist in style in every corner. While the pieces of furniture were only bare necessities of a decent lifestyle, alright, everything simply looked superb.
"Nice crib."
"Simplicity is beauty, when executed the correct way."
Seeing it with his own eyes, Ichigo didn't need to be informed of that, naturally. With all the marvels his eyes could absorb, he still couldn't tell what he was doing there.
"May I ask why you chose your place to hang out?"
"I wouldn't wanna run into people I know." Grimmjow answered, before assuming a serious face. He resumed, "I need to talk to you."
"Yeah, I sort of figured that much by myself."
"What do you say we collaborate? Not just you and me; Los Espada and Helios, together for the first time, on a single or something similar."
Ichigo frowned. "Business, I see. I'll have to sit it down with my fellows. What's on your mind?"
Grimmjow produced a six-pack of beer from the fridge, tossed one at his visitor, and sat beside him on the couch.
"We all have to make a living, or help people. What do you think your fellows are gonna say about this proposal?"
The bassist shifted uneasily, remembering a particular discussion. As far as he knew, Shuuhei, the chief songwriter of their band, quite disapproved of Los Espada's behavior on stage.
"Uhm, Grimmjow, I hope you don't mind my asking, but your two band-mates-"
"-Szayel and Stark, I'm guessing."
"Yeah. Are they, like, kissing out of nothing or something?" he managed to muster the courage to ask.
Grimmjow took a swig. Slowly, he set down the can on the table and spoke, with narrowed eyes,
"What do you think?"
"If I knew I wouldn't have asked."
"Any guesses?"
"Publicity stunt?"
"Oh, so you reckon we have to resort to that for attention?" Grimmjow said, a smile across his face, showing even the tiniest bits of his wicked features.
Ichigo felt impelled to say something smart. Instead,
"N-no. Forget I asked."
"They're not together, at least not officially, but they still kiss backstage, off-cam, and anywhere people can't and can see."
"Then they are together." Ichigo stated, much surer now.
"Hey, listen, I don't usually go around being defensive about issues that badly need defending, but they've made it clear they're NOT doing it to take fun on a different level. Little emo boys do that shit a lot-petting and foreplay- yet people don't call them emo fags. In fact, people think it's rather hot. Szayel and Stark aren't like that."
"Er, yeah, I'll quote you on that one, but that doesn't make it easier to understand, you know."
"Which part do you not understand?"
"If they're not doing it for fun, it must mean they're, like, in a relationship or something."
Grimmjow sighed, "You know, when Stark does his solos, you suddenly get this stupid feeling of wanting to kiss him. As it goes, being so near him during his little tricks won't be of any help. He is that good."
"And why does he kiss Szayel back?" Ichigo pressed, hardly knowing that if he tried harder Grimmjow could just stuff the ashtray in his mouth.
"Wouldn't you kiss someone like Szayel back when he's burning for you?"
That made it clear, poor comfort as the thought was. He understood it all perfectly, understood how Szayel must have felt whenever Stark plucked the strings out to make his guitar wail whatever note he wanted it to. And if his thoughts served him right, he wasn't entirely alien to that sensation. In fact the more he tried to relate to it, the more he could imagine himself lip-locking a particular vocalist on stage.
"Er, yeah. That clears it up."
Grimmjow downed the last drop off his can. To Ichigo's great discomfort, he could feel the vocalist edge closer, reducing the distance between them, and henceforth concluded that things from here could easily go out of order.
"Did you ever think of me?" The vocalist asked all of a sudden.
Tension built up Ichigo's throat. With much alertness he brushed off all meaningless attempts to dodge the question.
"I-I, well, yeah. I-I did. Only that…"
"…only that, you forgot."
"I didn't forget. I just didn't think I'd see you again so there was no point in remembering."
"I got the tattoo. After realizing I was to have no witness, I scrubbed in the shop anyway and got myself a personal tribute to Layne Staley."
Ichigo choked back the lump in his throat. He glanced sideways at Grimmjow, who was sincere from any point of observation, while there was his self-righteous self, lying about having thought of him all along when the truth was he had had to comb for Grimmjow's personal background to reach a recollection.
"I sort of guessed that right."
Grimmjow was about to say something, when Ichigo's cellphone went raising hell. He checked the screen, throwing a furtive glance at his host to see if he was curious about the call, and buried the gadget beneath the nearest pillow to dispel the sound.
"Take the call; I don't mind."
"It's nothing urgent. Don't worry."
"Your eyes widened when you read the incoming. Anyway, if you have to go, try to mull over my proposal, okay?"
"The collaboration, yeah."
Ichigo's attention divided into multiplicity. The caller was Ulquiorra, and he just shoved the damned phone under a pillow.
"Who was that?"
"Who?"
"The caller."
"Oh. Er, one of my band-mates. He probably was just checking on me because I just disappeared like smoke, remember?"
"Call him back, then."
"Grimmjow, I have to go."
"Yeah, I got the message. Give me a call whenever."
"Right."
Ichigo did his best to smile upon turning to leave. He didn't think he had stayed long enough to clear anything or redeem himself to Grimmjow, but he was also well aware he wasn't cut out for a job like that anyway. If anything, he could just make things worse by tarrying longer.
Grimmjow rose to his feet to lead the way to the door. When they stood side by side, he towered over Ichigo by almost half a head. On their way to the door, the vocalist paused to survey his visitor.
"It's a good thing we got to sort a few things between us. But if I may make one request…" Grimmjow trailed off.
"Er, request for what?"
"A deal, rather… I'm sure producing a song with us isn't high on your list, for reasons difficult to elaborate. But I can tell Szayel and Stark to tone down their, er, bedroom-bound activities."
Ichigo blushed. "No, please don't trouble yourselves. If we got to agree on something we should make both sides comfortable. It's just business, right? No personal involvement required."
"But you completely misunderstand me, Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm trying to make a bargain here."
"A-alright. I'm listening." Ichigo said, his face soured by hesitation, for a revelation that seemed larger than the thought of gaping at Stark and Szayel making out in person.
Grimmmjow loomed a foot in front of him, subjecting the physical differences between their statures to quite a contrasting sight for no one to see.
"On tour I'll ask Szayel and Stark to keep their snogging into a minimum. In exchange for that great charity you, mighty bassist of Helios, shall make it a point to restrain from sticking too close to your vocalist while I'm around."
Ichigo tried to suppress a scoff, or else he was seriously choking in his own spit. Upon recovering, he asked,
"What are you saying, Grimmjow-san?"
"Skip the formal address."
"Grimmjow."
"That's better. Well, going back, I sort of can't handle rivals really well. You know, I've always been used to being mounted on the highest pedestal. And Ulquiorra might just tear that away from me." He explained with much confidence.
Other than learning Grimmjow wasn't the kind to yield the number one post to anyone, Ichigo wasn't sure he could follow.
"I'm not sure I follow you completely. But I'll admit you might just give Ulquiorra a run for his money with your three-octave wonder. It's just too bad that you guys are probably on par with each other in terms of talent."
Grimmjow shook his head. If Ichigo had only failed to notice the fascination playing in the odd corners the other's face he would've given him much credit.
"Four octaves, actually. But I'm hardly talking about that."
"Oh…"
Grimmjow ruffled the top of his head, almost too affectionately that Ichigo couldn't help shuddering from shoulders down.
"Don't make me too jealous, or all of Hades shall break loose."
As a rule, he had decreed himself to be attracted to one person at a time. If rules were meant to be broken, however, he more or less wasn't someone to struggle against what was fated to happen. And so he blushed, motionlessly inviting Grimmjow's advances, as the latter stooped low, as if to kiss him.
TBC
