~ Chapter 10 - Betrayal ~
When Ichigo opened his eyes he found himself staring at two defined pectorals. He also couldn't move. His eyes traveled higher to see Grimmjow's sleeping face. Wait… how exactly did they end up in bed together? Ichigo tried to untangle his legs from Grimmjow's but found out that he was held rather firmly against the others chest. It was the first time they actually had slept in bed together this close he realized. It was nice and cozy, Ichigo almost went back to sleep but only almost. He suddenly remembered that they had exams today. How much was the clock? He hadn't overslept, or had he?!
"Grimmjow?" He said quietly.
"Yeah?" Was sleepily answered.
"We have to get up."
"Mmm, sure…later." Grimmjow snoozed on and it made Ichigo shake him to wake him. "Come on." The shaking made the fraternity leader let him go in irritation. Finally free, Ichigo got up and could finally see that they hadn't overslept. An arm shot out from the covers and Ichigo was pulled back into the bed.
"Who said you could leave?"
"We don't have the time for this."
Grimmjow ignored him and spooned him from behind. Something prominently prodded his lower back, making Ichigo blush. He was thankful that he at least had all his clothes on from the night before. Grimmjow liked sleeping half naked it seemed.
"Grimmjow… the exams."
"…" Grimmjow sat up. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Ichigo looked up at him from his lying position on the bed. "I tried."
"Where is your exam?" Grimmjow asked.
"Uhm at the big hall. You?"
"At school somewhere." He started to take on his pants and shirt. "I hope that it was okay that I slept here, you looked exhausted so I didn't want to disturb you."
"No it's fine. Thank you."Grimmjow bent down and pecked him on the lips followed by a 'Don't worry'. Ichigo put on coffee to bring to the exam and made sandwiches for both of them while he was at it. Grimmjow took his and said good bye and that he hoped to see Ichigo later tonight.
Done and packed with snacks for the exam, Ichigo rolled down on his bike to the hall. He was going to write together with a lot of other courses taken at the UNI. Shinji was already there when he arrived, he must be nervous to actually be on time. They had the opportunity to speak to each other a little until the doors were opened to let everyone inside. Ichigo never went into details of his evening with Grimmjow since the room had many ears but confirmed that it had gone good. While they waited for the exams to be handed out, Ichigo saw Szayel in one of the bench rows. If he compared how Grimmjow had looked during the news of the fracción dropping out, Szayel didn't look any different. He chatted happily with those sitting around him. It only made Ichigo dislike him even more.
The hall got silent and the exams where handed out to everyone, except one poor guy that hadn't applied for the exam before hand and therefore weren't permitted to take it. Ichigo looked at the turned upside down paper and took a deep breath.
"Begin!" Was called out and he turned his exam over and begun with reading all the questions before starting with the first one. He recognized every one of them. With a confident smile he started to write and it took almost three hours until he could walk out through the door to the freedom outside. The exam had been… dare he say, easy? It could be a good and a bad sign, but for now he would take it as a good one. He decided to text Shinji to let him know and thank him for the studying they had done. For the first time he was able to tell someone how it went and it felt great. Everything was going in the right direction and it felt damn good.
While home, his neighbor already had music started. Ichigo pondered if he should go over or not. If he went over he wouldn't need to go out and party if he didn't want to. It was only next door after all. With the way Grimmjow and Nnoitra drank, the pre-party would be tiring enough. After he made up his mind Ichigo took a shower and put on some nice but comfy clothes.
He pressed the door bell on Grimmjow's door and it was opened by Nnoitra. The fracción grinned and called for Grimmjow.
"Blue, you have someone at the door!"
"If it's Ichigo, let him in!" Was shouted back from the balcony. So, Nnoitra let him in.
Ichigo sat down in the sofa and could absolutely not strike a conversation with the fracción. He didn't know the man at all more than that they had gone out together once. He sat there quiet, extremely self-centered about himself. Oh how he hadn't missed this feeling.
"You can have a beer if ya want." Nnoitra said.
Ichigo took one to have something to do. Nnoitra sat and glued on new fabric patches on to the legs of his overalls. Both legs were littered with them. Ichigo found himself looking at every one of them. Most was from event Nnoitra had been at since they had year dates, some he had duplicates of but from different years. "What will you do when the legs are full?" Ichigo found himself asking.
Nnoitra halted with his gluing and looked up. "Worst case scenario you can put them higher but there's always room somehow."
"Ah, okay." Ichigo drank his beer and Grimmjow finally came inside. Ichigo smiled when he saw him and the smile was returned with a flash of those deadly, pearl white teeth. The fraternity leader had, like his fracción, dressed in his black overalls. He usually did anyway though.
"You came."
"Yeah, changed my mind. Won't follow you out though and I'm sorry that I didn't bring anything."
"No worries, we got plenty." Grimmjow walked to his computer to change song on Spotify.
Nnoitra had finished his pants and put away the glue. Then the doorbell rang and a small panic bloomed in Ichigo's chest. Worried that Grimmjow had invited more people that he never had seen before but in the end it only was the pizza delivery and Ichigo could breathe out. It was good timing too, he was starving. With pizza on the coffee table, Grimmjow sat down next to Ichigo. The couch wasn't that big and it forced them to sit close as the members of Espada where large men. Ichigo found himself squished between the two but he didn't mind. Grimmjow sliced the pizza he had ordered for himself since they only had ordered one each and mentioned to Ichigo that he could eat. A new beer was put in front of him too.
It was a little awkward with Nnoitra being there, he didn't know how to act with Grimmjow now when they weren't alone. There were still a few bits and pieces about 'them' that they never had gotten to talk about. The bluenette didn't take the initiative so he guessed that he was cool with them being casual. This made Ichigo very quiet, munching away on his pizza slice. It didn't hinder Grimmjow and Nnoitra to chat away even if he was like a wall between them. It felt good to just sit there and eat. Company while eating wasn't a luxury of his. Ichigo was cut out from his musings when a shot hovered in front of his face. He took it and swallowed it down. The two others weren't worse and did the same. Then suddenly an arm sneaked its way around his waist. Ichigo froze for a moment but then melted into the touch. He was so happy. One more shot was swallowed down before Grimmjow and Nnoitra wanted to go to the Club. Everyone said good bye and Ichigo walked back to his own apartment. Compared to Grimmjow's it was cold and empty. The shots had made his head a little fuzzy and he suddenly wanted to go out as well. Surprise Grimmjow and all. What a good idea.
[Let's go out.] He texted Shinji.
[Are you sane?] Was the immediate answer.
[Yes, come or not?]
[I'm in.]
Ichigo quickly changed his clothes and hurried over to Shinji's. When the blonde opened the door he was putting on clothes. Ichigo walked inside while Shinji wandered around to get ready.
"Never thought that you would initiative a night out."
"Me neither." Ichigo confessed. "I was at Grimmjow's… and got this good feeling."
"Oh?" Shinji cocked an eyebrow.
A silly smile spread on Ichigo's lips and he didn't even notice. "I see how it is." Shinji said knowingly.
"What?"
"You're gonna surprise him, right?"
"Yeah, is it stupid?"
"No it's awesome. Don't worry." Shinji wanted to say romantic but that would only scare away the orangette.
Shinji was of the opinion that Ichigo wore the wrong outfit on to be surprise worthy and demanded that he changed it. A few beers were consumed during the change of clothes and once again he had been convinced to wear make up. The eye liner brought forward his eyes in a dark mysterious way, according to Shinji, and he found himself agreeing or it was all those beers that did the deciding for him. He wasn't sure.
It was packed with people inside, most had already entered when they arrived and the line was almost nonexistent. They made a beeline for the bar and ordered something to drink. A shot and tonight's special. Best view of everything was at the stand tables so there's where they positioned themselves. Finding Grimmjow in the crowd would be a challenge despite his unusual hair color. Shinji nudged him in the side and held up his shot glass. Ichigo took the hint and raised the small glass to his lips and tipped the content into his mouth. The shot burned in a pleasant way. He continued to scan the crowd, but so far no fraternity leader in sight.
Many wore their overalls tonight making the Club littered with colors. Ichigo tuned his head to the right where the booths were. Memories surged back to him and Renji sitting there alone on his first night out with Shinji and company. A group of people drew his attention. The table was full of empty glasses and you could clearly see that they had a good time. It was Shirosaki's fraternity Ichigo concluded when he saw the white overalls, the leader himself wasn't there. Strange, as his fracción sat at the table, but then he came out from a clump of people. Shirosaki moved confidently through the crowd, occasionally throwing a smirk to drooling women in his path. Behind him a familiar pinkette walked, dressed in white. Ichigo had to look twice to be entirely sure. His eyes hadn't fooled him the first time. Szayel was wearing the white overalls; the man had done the worst possible traitorous move.
"Shinji, look." Ichigo said over the music. The blonde watched with Ichigo how Shirosaki and Szayel sat down at the table among the other slayers. Everything got worse as Szayel sat down beside a blond man who put his arm around him before ducking in to steal a quick kiss. Ichigo wondered if Grimmjow knew, he must have seen them roaming around at the club. Their overalls were prone to light up clearly under the UV- light on the dance floor. Submerged in the slayers business, Ichigo failed to notice a person joining them. Two big hands covered his eyes and a low baritone asked "Guess who?"
"Renji?" The hands disappeared and the read head chuckled.
"Thought I spotted something orange." He said and grinned.
"Ichi dragged me down here." Shinji explained.
"I see, well I was only passing by to say hello. Have a fun night!" Renji said and then left to where ever he had come from.
"Wanna dance?" Shinji eagerly said. To which Ichigo shook his head to, he didn't feel like dancing. "Let's order a few more drinks then and see if Shūhei is DJ-ing?"
"Can we be behind the booth?"
"Rules say no, but Shūhei is cool."
They went and got more to drink, one for Shūhei as well as a bribe of some sort. He almost denied them first but when Shinji held up his drink he waved them inside. The DJ booth was close to the dance floor making the volume incredibly high, but the plexi in front of the controls shielded them a little from the sound. Shūhei downed his drink; obviously he had been in need of one for a long time.
"Have you seen Grimmjow?" Ichigo wondered. If anyone had seen the Espada Shūhei would be the right man.
Shūhei gave him a confused look upon hearing the fraternity leader's name. "He's here alright. Don't know if he's back on the floor however." Shūhei pressed some controls and pulled on levellers. The song faded to a new one, a remix of Adele's Hello and everyone sang with it. It always got the crowd going to be able to sing out together. Ichigo sipped his beer while looking at the mass of swaying bodies. He would never find Grimmjow if he really was in there, everyone was like black shadows. Sighing to himself he tuned back into the conversation Shinji and Shūhei was having.
"Why do you need to find Grimmjow by the way?"
"I…" Ichigo blushed a little.
"Sweet." Shūhei said when he got it and winked lazily.
"It's a secret so don't tell anyone, please."
"It's none of my business. I'll let you know if I see him. Now shoo, I have to concentrate."
"Okay, it was fun talking to you." Shinji said and took the empty glasses with him. "You can have the last beer." He added.
They exited the DJ booth and Shinji dumped the glasses on the nearest table. Ichigo was at loss, what was he supposed to do now when he couldn't find Grimmjow? He had been so pumped up before damn it.
"Hey Blondie." Someone said behind them. They turned around and saw Nnoitra standing there smirking and looking to have been drinking much more since arriving at the Club. His unsteady feet made him tilt a little to the side but the corrected himself easily. "Didn't know that you were going to be here." He said and stepped closer. "Weren't ya staying home?"
"Changed my mind." Ichigo answered plainly. He couldn't say that he was going to surprise his best friend, that would be too embarrassing.
"Okay… I was on my way to the bathrooms, any takers?" Nnoitra looked pointedly at Shinji who got the hint.
"Sure. Uhm, Ichigo we'll meet at the bar later? Don't know how long the cue is and-"
"I get it." Ichigo said and smiled to hide his insecurity, deep inside he didn't want to be alone in this kind of environment. Maybe he should head to the bar straight away Grimmjow must be thirsty sooner or later. He glanced at the bar and realized that it was the busiest corner in the whole building, not a good idea. Nnoitra and Shinji left for the bathroom. Ichigo stood awkwardly at the stand-table wondering how he would survive until his friend came back. He watched as they zigg-zagged through the crowd and how Nnoitra's hand groped Shinji's behind as they went. He wasn't that positive that he would see Shinji again tonight.
He spotted an empty stool by the crowded bar and decided to sit there anyway, at least until a booth was free. Though when he made his way to the bar and had to quickly side step a group of people, he accidentally walked into someone.
"Sorry." He blurted out on reflex. Ichigo then looked at the person he had bumped into and couldn't hide his reaction. Before him stood the leader of the Slayer's himself.
"It's cool." Shirosaki said, bright eyes searching for something. "Ya okay?" He then asked.
"Yeah." Ichigo answered trapped in those yellow eyes, they where cold and nothing like Grimmjow's warm blue ones. With a small chuckle, Shirosaki turned around and walked away. Stupefied, Ichigo stood staring at nothing while he wondered what just happened.
Soon enough he was at the bar, sitting on one of the stools trying to get the bartender's attention…which was easier said than done. Ichigo wasn't one to raise his voice to get attention as he rather stayed in the background. Shinji had been the one to do that all night. Like a ninja, he caught the bartender just as he served the person standing next to him.
"A shot and a drink of your choice." Ichigo said and breathed out in relief. He got his shot while the drink was made which he swallowed down straight away. The drink was placed in front of him quickly and he tasted it. It was strong he noted and payed for it. While sitting at the crowded bar, Ichigo came to the conclusion that the night had come to an end. Shinji had dumped him and he hadn't seen Grimmjow at all. Hell, he even had been closer to his worst enemy than the bluenette himself. Who was he trying to fool, it was futile. A fun idea that had gone terribly wrong. Not interested in lingering any longer he chugged his drink and made to leave. On his feet he noticed the alcohol intake he had gotten over the night, he had promised to never drink like he had done at the Espada after party but the drinks tonight had snuck up on him.
As he passed the toilette line he couldn't see Shinji so he texted him that he was going home.
[I goi hom] ….well he tried.
Away from the loud music he stepped out in the entrance and stopped dead in his tracks. He finally found his reason to come here. Grimmjow. The fraternity leader wasn't alone though; oh he had company, very much female. She was trapped against a wall with Grimmjow's arms caging her in, partly blocking her from view. Grimmjow stood flushed against her. He said something in her ear, she grind her knee in between his legs while lips and tongues got to know each other.
First there was the inability to get any reaction to what he was seeing, then it he got hit by the feeling of betrayal and it fucking hurt. Ichigo's stomach rolled and he rushed outside. He rounded the corner of the Club building and threw up in a set of green bushes. He had been so stupid to believe that someone like Grimmjow actually cared for him. Stupidstupidstupid. Grimmjow even got his virginity. Oh God. Ichigo retched again, disgusted by the whole situation. The burning acid in his throat felt good in comparison to his aching heart.
"Ichigo?" Ichigo angled his head to see who it was to witness him at his weakest moment. "Hey, are you okay?" No he wasn't okay, not in the slightest.
"Renji…I'm-" A tear fell which he quickly dried, but it only came more and more.
"Where's Shinji?"
"I don't know." He glanced at people coming out from the Club. "I want to leave, can I sleep at your place?" He said while drying his tears. Running into Grimmjow now was not what he was keen to do nor did he want to hear him through the wall at home. An arm wound itself around his shoulders and Renji started to guide him home towards his apartment. He had been drinking quite a lot himself but had instantly sobered up when he encountered Ichigo so heartbroken. Someone had hurt him that was clear. Ichigo felt safe in Renji's arms while he got escorted away from the Club and Grimmjow.
"You can borrow my shower. Looks like you need it. I'll set out clothes for you." Renji said after they finally arrived to safety. Ichigo gave him a half hearted smile and went inside. He felt disgusting and couldn't wait to get rid of the taste of puke in his mouth. The clothes where taken off quickly and soon Ichigo stood under the spray of warm water. He smelled the bottle of body wash first before smearing in his entire body with it. The smell was minty and it got him to relax a little. The actual showering was a quick affair, but he stayed under the spray while he thought about the night. Everything felt so strange, the exam had gone great, the preparty at Grimmjow's had felt good and going out with Shinji had been fun even though he had been looking for the fraternity leader the entire time. Then it was the deal with Grimmjow pawning on some woman. Ichigo leaned his head against the wall, knowing deep inside that the situation between him and Grimmjow just had been shattered to pieces. His first attempted relationship would be another failure in his life. It knocked on the door, pulling him out from the self hatred.
"Are you okay in there?" Renji's voice behind the door wondered.
What was he supposed to answer without needing to explain any details? That he thought that he had a relationship with Grimmjow, who he also lost his first time to and that he'd opened up so much to the man? Ichigo chocked and realized that he was crying again. The water suddenly stopped flowing down his shoulders and a fluffy towel was wrapped around him. He had forgotten to answer Renji he realized. The man now stood behind him looking worried. Ichigo wrapped the towel tighter around him and the stepped out from the shower.
"I'm sorry."
"What happened to make you this crestfallen?"
"I… don't want to talk about it right now… I think."
Renji smiled a little to ease the tension and handed him the promised change of clothes. The man then walked away to leave Ichigo to change on his own. When he came out from the bathroom, he felt a little better. Ha paused in the doorway not knowing what to do from there. Renji sat in the couch with the TV on but rose when he saw Ichigo dry and dressed.
"I'll make you some broth for you; your stomach is still flippfloppy I reckon."
"Yeah, it needs something by the feel of it. Thanks." Ichigo answered and saw down on the couch absentmindedly watching whatever Renji had put on. Soon a steaming bowl with broth and a spoon was placed before him. Renji had reheated a lunchbox for himself as he hadn't turned his stomach inside out and thus was still a little intoxicated plus could handle the food. Ichigo stirred around the liquid to make it cool some before eating it. They sat in silence, Renji probably wanting Ichigo to tell him when he felt ready. Soon his stomach protested and he only finished half of it. The broth was held it in his hands for warmth instead. The empty feeling returned and all he wanted was to sleep. Fortunately Renji seemed to sense this; he shut the TV off and cleared the coffee table. When he came back he had found his spare blanket which he threw into the couch.
"You can take the bed." Renji said as he grabbed one of his pillows from the bed and laid it down at the armrest.
"Oh, no it's okay. I'll take the couch." Knowing that Renji would protest, he grabbed the blanket and lay down to make his point.
The lights were put out after no objections from Renji and he himself went to sleep. The apartment became dead silent. Ichigo turned in the couch, unable to find a good position to sleep in. His mind wasn't at rest either even if he was tired he couldn't find sleep. He could hear Renji's heavy breathing filling the silence, an indication that he was asleep. Ichigo sighed. Images of Grimmjow flashed every time he closed his eyes and the feelings with them assaulted his heart. He wouldn't be able to look the man in the eye anymore, but would Grimmjow dare to look in his?
TBC