Chapter 10:

Two days had passed since Grimmjow asked Ichigo to move with him, it took two days to get everything Ichigo owned into the Grimmjow's house. He wanted it done quickly, he wanted to be out before the second day was up. Shiro didn't make idle threats, he was going to turn up at an empty apartment today. Ichigo shivered at the thought of what Shiro was going to do, but he stuck by his decision nevertheless. It was not up to his brother whom he wanted to date.

Of course he didn't expect Shiro to just roll over and take it, no by midday Ichigo had received several calls from his twin and many more angry texts. "You should answer that." Grimmjow nodded towards the phone which was vibrating yet again. "Whoever it is must really want to talk to you."

Ichigo let out a huff and sat up. He had been trying very hard to ignore the phone, he was currently trying to undress Grimmjow. Apparently even Grimmjow couldn't ignore Shiro's insistence. "No, I'm not going to." Ichigo grabbed the phone, intending to turn the thing off but Grimmjow grabbed his wrist.

"Who is it?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering. The truth would do no harm. "My brother."

Grimmjow looked at him in surprise, his grip on Ichigo's wrist loosened. "I thought you didn't talk to him anymore."

"I don't, well I'm trying not to." Ichigo sighed and looked down at his phone as it stopped vibrating. "He's being a pain in the ass."

"What does he want?"

Ichigo smiled wryly at that. "He doesn't approve of my relationship with you. He thinks you're dangerous." He amended the statement when Grimmjow rose an eyebrow. "Well, a danger to me."

"What do you think?"

He shrugged, looking down at Grimmjow's bare chest with a sigh. "I think we should stop talking about my brother and start taking clothes off again." Throwing the phone away Ichigo shoved Grimmjow down onto the bed and kissed him forcefully to prevent further talk. Talking about Shiro was a dangerous topic, surely Grimmjow knew the name Shiro. If he figured out Shiro was his brother, he could put two and two together and realise why Ichigo had started dating him.

Of course Shiro wasn't taking no for an answer and from the floor Ichigo's phone started buzzing again. "I am going to kill him!" Ichigo got up again and finally answered the phone. "What?" He snapped.

"What? Don't what me, where the hell are you!" Shiro hissed back, just as annoyed as Ichigo himself felt. "Don't tell me you're with him."

"So what if I am?"

Shiro let out an exasperated sigh. "Ichigo have you lost your mind?! He's going to kill you!"

"You don't know that." He replied cooly, very aware that Grimmjow was listening, hopefully Shiro wouldn't loose his cool and start yelling, he was sure to hear that. And Shiro had a very short fuse, especially when it came to Ichigo's safety. "Just leave them alone, I'll deal with it ok?"

"Ichigo please, how many times do I have to say it? Grimmjow is dangerous, he will find out who you are eventually. What will you do then?" When Ichigo didn't respond he continued. "Just come back home with me ok?"

"It's too late."

"Why?"

Ichigo hesitated and closed his eyes. "I moved in with him."

"You WHAT?!" Ichigo yanked the phone away from his ear and Shiro's voice rang through all too clearly. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

The phone went silent and with an apologetic look at Grimmjow he gingerly held it to his ear again. "Um, are you done?" He got a snort in reply. "I'm fine Shiro, don't worry about me. Look I'll talk to you later alright, bye?" Ichigo heard him grumble something in reply, something he was better of not hearing and ended the call.

"So when you said he thinks I'm dangerous, does that mean he knows who I am?"

Ichigo jumped at the sudden question and turned to face Grimmjow. "What?"

"You said before answering the call, he thinks I'm dangerous. He just said you're going to get yourself killed. He knows who I am, doesn't he." Ichigo nodded, there was no point denying something Grimmjow already knew. "Did you tell him?"

"No." He replied firmly and moved to sit next to Grimmjow. "He already knew. He knew the moment I told him your name." So it wasn't exactly the truth, after all Shiro knew about Grimmjow before he did. But some details were best left unsaid.

Grimmjow seemed to be thinking hard about something, he didn't respond for a long time. If he figured it out then Ichigo was going to kill his brother for blowing his cover. He was the one worried about it falling apart and now, he was the one who might break it. "He's Yakuza?" Ichigo nodded again. "Which clan?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." Another hesitation. He couldn't tell Grimmjow the truth, if he knew Shiro was Yakuza, then surely he knew… "You're Yakuza aren't you." This time it wasn't a question and just as Ichigo had feared, Grimmjow's expression was closed, he was waiting. For what Ichigo didn't know, he wasn't about to attack him if that's what he thought.

"I was." Ichigo finally replied, deciding again to tell as much of the truth as possible. "But I told you, I left that life a long time ago."

"You don't just leave Yakuza, Ichigo."

"Don't you think I know that?" He replied harshly, glaring at Grimmjow. "I gave up everything to escape."

"Is Ichigo even your real name?" The question took him by surprise and he stared blankly at Grimmjow. "Or is that just an identity you've created?"

"Of course it's my name." Ichigo felt affronted that Grimmjow would even ask that. "But my surname's not Shiba, that was my mother's maiden name." Another silence stretched between them, he didn't know how to fix this, how to make it better. "Look…" He started, reaching out to Grimmjow but stopped when the man pulled his arm away quickly. "I'm not Yakuza, at least I haven't been for years. What my brother does is none of my business. He's just being an overprotective idiot because he thinks you'll kill me now you've found out about my past." Grimmjow didn't respond, Ichigo didn't know if this was a good thing or not. "You won't, right?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Fine." Ichigo stood up abruptly and yanked the cupboard doors open to grab a bag. He began whatever he could reach into it. "I'll go then, you won't see me again." Still no response which just made him feel angrier. If Grimmjow wasn't going to say anything, wasn't going to try and stop him then he really didn't care anymore.

He stopped abruptly upon turning around to see Grimmjow had moved and suddenly he found himself pinned to the wall. Grimmjow seemed to have some internal struggle for a moment as he looked at Ichigo, then he made up his mind up and bent down to kiss him. Ichigo had a strange sensation of a thrill in his stomach unlike anything he'd experienced before, it wasn't exactly a good sensation either. Did this mean Grimmjow didn't care?

It was over just as abruptly as it started. Ichigo opened his eyes, looking at Grimmjow but the man refused to look back. He was looking across the room, his jaw clenched and then he stepped back so they were no longer touching. "So where are you going to go, back to your brother? Are you going to tell him everything?"

Ichigo had moved before he could stop himself, the sound of his fist connecting with Grimmjow's jaw seemed to echo in the otherwise silent room. "You think," Ichigo started and he clenched his hand again, his voice shaking slightly with the barely controlled fury he felt towards Grimmjow. "I would do that? You honestly think I would go to my brother and rat you out? And I thought you knew me." Shaking his head, Ichigo grabbed his bag, shoving Grimmjow when he tried to stop him. "Everything I've told you is true, I just left out the part about the Yakuza because I knew this was how you'd react. I wouldn't betray you like that."

This was true, even though he had made a folder on Grimmjow and the Espada, Ichigo knew he never had any intention to use it. In fact he had burned it two nights ago whilst Grimmjow was asleep.

"I love you." Ichigo stilled at the words, turning to face Grimmjow again. The man sighed, slowly approaching him and then gently took his hand in his own. "Ichigo I love you… I just need to know you aren't using me."

Ichigo nodded and looked down. He understood of course, the thought of being used for the power you held was not a pleasant thought. "I'm not." He finally replied and dropped the bag. "I promise Grimmjow, I'm not doing anything like that. I have not been Yakuza for a long time."

"Don't take this too personally, but how can I trust that?"

With a soft smile Ichigo lent forward to kiss Grimmjow chastely. "Just ask yourself, do you trust me?" He nodded after a slight hesitation. "Then stop asking questions and trust me when I say, there's nothing for you to worry about. I'm here because I love you, no other reason. Got it?"

"Ok."

Ichigo relaxed and after a moment, let out a long sigh before smiling. "Ok?"

"Ok." Grimmjow was smiling now too, but he flinched suddenly and touched his bruised jawline. "That fucking hurt."

"Good, you deserved it." Ichigo kicked his bag back towards the cupboard, he would empty it in the morning. That was assuming he lived the night. For all he knew Grimmjow was just lulling him into a false sense of security, doubtful, but still possible. Or he was keeping him around to find out more information, that was a greater possibility. Either that or Grimmjow really did trust him, something Ichigo was finding hard to believe right now.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side again." Still rubbing his jaw Grimmjow sighed and sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to him. After a moments hesitation Ichigo joined him. "But there's something you should know."

"That if I'm lying you'll kill me?" Ichigo asked, chuckled when Grimmjow looked at him surprise. "What, that's not what you were going to say?"

"Uh, no. What I was going to say was I'm not in the mood anymore."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow questioningly, then rolled his eyes when he quickly understood. "Yeah well neither am I, I'm still debating on whether I should punch you again." Lying down, he glanced at Grimmjow to see he was frowning. "I'm deciding against it, for now at least." Ichigo glanced at his phone which was now thankfully, silent. "So you're not going to kill me in my sleep right?"

Grimmjow chuckled, leaning forward to kiss the top of his head. "No." He murmured into Ichigo's hair and he sighed heavily. "Not unless you try to kill me first."

"I have no intentions of doing that." Ichigo replied firmly and he gladly settled back against Grimmjow's chest. "Jumping you maybe, but only to get into your pants." He smiled when Grimmjow laughed. "I'm serious you know, I'm not trying to trick you. Besides, wouldn't it be very foolish and dangerous for me to move in with you if I was."

"Or a very good trick."

Ichigo just hummed, neither confirming nor denying this slight question. "It's not a trick, I love you. How many times do you want me to say it?"

"As many times as you can, then I might believe you." Ichigo huffed, elbowing him in the stomach, he was more gentle about this than his punch. "Ok ok, I believe you." Grimmjow grabbed his chin, turning Ichigo's head so he could lean down to kiss him. "And for the record, I don't really believe you're using me."

"How do you know?"

"I trust you." Grimmjow said the words with such finality, such certainty that Ichigo felt his throat dry up. How could he ever tell Grimmjow the truth?

He had to tell him, Grimmjow would understand, he was still there, even after finding out about Ichigo being Yakuza. Surely he would understand once Ichigo explained that he had no intention to betray him, hell after meeting him had hardly any intention to do so.

"Grimmjow…" He began, but his voice faltered as the man's nose brushed along his neck and it sent a shiver down his spine. Tangling his fingers in Grimmjow's hair, Ichigo turned his head so their eyes met. "I-" He stopped and blew out a breath. "I want you to trust me ok?" He finished, chickening out, he couldn't say it.

"I do."

Ichigo had to stop himself from laughing, that sounded a hell of a lot like he was agreeing to marriage. That though quickly wiped the smile from his face. What if one day Grimmjow decided he wanted to marry him? It wasn't exactly something Ichigo had thought about before, but it was a possibility. What if Grimmjow proposed, what if he himself wanted to one day?

"Ichigo?" He blinked, coming back to reality to look at Grimmjow who was wearing a worried expression. "You ok?"

"Uh yeah." He replied, almost shyly because now when he looked at Grimmjow, all Ichigo could see was the man he would want to someday marry. And that was the scariest thought he'd ever had. "Sorry, got distracted. Listen I'm tired, you getting into bed or what?"

"Sure." Ichigo quickly pulled away from Grimmjow to dive under the covers. He couldn't look the man in the face right now, surely something in his expression would give him away. Did he truly want to marry Grimmjow, if he was honest with himself, yes. But would Grimmjow feel the same, if he found out the real reason Ichigo had been in that bar the night they met?

He stiffened slightly as Grimmjow slung an arm over his waist and pulled him back against his chest again before relaxing. Some things were better left unsaid, everyone would be happier not knowing the truth. So that was it, Ichigo decided as he snuggled back closer to Grimmjow, listening to the man's breathing slowly even out and deepen as he fell asleep. He wouldn't tell Grimmjow the truth unless absolutely necessary.

But even as Ichigo made up his mind, an unpleasant weight settled in his stomach and something told him that everything was about to change. Whether for good or bad, that was still to be decided.

It was the following day when everything went to hell.

…

When Ichigo woke up, he was glad to see that Grimmjow didn't kill him in his sleep, not that he thought the man would, but it was nice to know he was right. Grimmjow was nowhere to be found so Ichigo took his time getting up, mornings were never his strong suit. By the time he had woken up fully, showered and changed, Grimmjow had returned.

"What are they for?" Ichigo jerked his head at the keys in the man's hands. "Are you going somewhere?"

"We are so get changed." Ichigo raised an eyebrow, but did as asked and changed quickly, following Grimmjow down to his garage.

As you would expect from a man such as Grimmjow, he had several flashy street cars, most of which had never seen outside this room Ichigo had no doubt. But they walked past these until they stopped in front of a large four-by-four.

"AlRight, get in the back." Ichigo paused as Grimmjow opened the door. "I'm not going to do anything you won't like, promise."

"Ok?" Ichigo lifted himself up into the massive car, surprised when Grimmjow got in beside him. "Um, what are you doing, who's driving?"

"No-one, we're not going anywhere."

"So what exactly will I like back here?" Ichigo asked dubiously as he looked around the large backseat of the car. He turned to face Grimmjow, surprised to find the man so close he almost head butted him. "Grimmj -"

The name got cut off as Grimmjow closed the gap between them and kissed him. To say Ichigo was surprised was an understatement. After what happened the night before he was fully expecting Grimmjow to keep his distance for a while, even more so after the punch. But apparently he'd had a change of heart during the night.

Of course it was short lived as Ichigo's phone started vibrating from his back pocket which was unfortunately pressed up against the side of the car and made a loud buzzing noise. "Tell me that's not your brother." Grimmjow sighed, resting his head against Ichigo's shoulder as he pulled the phone out.

It was. "What now?" Ichigo asked, wishing Shiro would just take the hint and leave him alone. The insistent phone calls had ruined his sex life for two days straight now, Ichigo was not impressed with his brother's timing.

"You need to leave."

Ichigo sighed exasperated lay, rolling his eyes at Grimmjow when he looked up questioningly. "For the last time, no."

"I'm not talking about that!" Shiro snapped impatiently, taking Ichigo by surprise, it was unlike his twin to get so snappy so quickly. "We're about to go in and shut the Espada down. Everyone's under orders not to harm you but I'd feel a lot better if you weren't in the house."

"Shiro you can't-"

"It isn't on my orders Ichi! There's no time to explain just grab your shit and get out." Shiro hung up and Ichigo stared down at the phone in shock.

This could not be happening.

"So what was it this time?" If Shiro really was telling the truth, then Ichigo needed to leave. But he sure as hell wasn't leaving Grimmjow here to his fate. There must be a way to get him out to. "Ichigo?" suddenly an idea formed in his head and Ichigo turned to Grimmjow.

"Wait here for a minute, I have to get something." He was out of the car before the other could respond. Running up the stairs Ichigo grabbed as many of his clothes as possible form their room and ran back to the garage. But not before grabbing his gun and pocketing it for safekeeping, there was a good chance he'd need it. "Shut up, don't ask questions." He said when Grimmjow opened his mouth. "You trust me right?" Ichigo asked and after a moment Grimmjow nodded. "Then trust me now. I need you to lie down and be quiet. Don't move or make a sound until I stop driving ok?"

"Ichigo what-"

"Grimmjow just do it!" Ichigo snapped and he threw his clothes over him. Once he was sure Grimmjow completely hidden he grabbed the keys and started up the car. With a heavy sigh he pulled out of the garage and started up the short driveway. As the gates opened Ichigo was only half surprised to find himself suddenly surrounded, several guns pointing in his direction.

There was a tap on the window and after a moment Ichigo lowered it. He glared at his twin. "What the hell are you doing Shiro?"

Shiro sighed, shaking his head. "I told ya, it ain't on my order we're doing this. It's our father's. He wants the Espada taken down now. Remember the mole I told you about? He got away with some sensitive information. We can't risk it going public or reaching Grimmjow. So it ends now."

Ichigo sighed, gripping the wheel tightly as he stared ahead. "Don't hurt him, you understand? If I found out you did, I'll do the same but ten times worse to Gin and make you watch." He meant the threat and he knew Shiro understood that.

"Got it, don't worry about him Ichi, the old man wants him alive. Now get going already, I'll see you later at home." Ichigo nodded stiffly, but said nothing else as Shiro let him pass.

He drove for a good twenty minutes, keen to put a good distance between himself and Grimmjow's house. Once Shiro found out he wasn't there… Well his first suspicion would be Ichigo so he needed to get away quickly. To do that however he needed a passport so he needed to get in contact with his friend who could make some in such short notice. He would also need money to pay for these passports.

Ichigo had to stop though, his hands were shaking too badly to continue driving and he pulled him in an alleyway. With a heavy sigh he lent back in the seat and rubbed his face. The sound f a gun clicking quickly brought him back to reality and he spun around, eyes widening when he saw it was Grimmjow, and he was pointing the gun at him.

"You're brother is Shiro Kurosaki?" Ichigo only managed to nod, he couldn't find it in himself to speak under Grimmjow's furious glare. "The heir to the Visored's, that's your brother?" Another nod. "Which means you are too. You know, I heard rumours about a second heir, but I never believed them. At least, not until today."

"Grimmjow I told you the truth yesterday. I left years ago, I don't want to take over, I don't want to be part of the Visored's."

"You expect me to believe you." A sudden expression of understanding dawned on Grimmjow's face for a second, before he returned to glaring at Ichigo, this time more darkly. "It wasn't chance we met, was it?"

"No." Ichigo replied softly and Grimmjow snorted, shaking his head. "But it doesn't matter, I fell in love with you. I couldn't do it Grimmjow, I never told Shiro anything. I did have a folder, everything he would've needed to take you down." He stiffened at that, making Ichigo smile sadly. "I burned it up, Shiro never even knew about it. There's nothing left of it but ashes."

"Oh really, so how did he get into my house tonight?"

"How do I know, it was as much a surprise to me as to you." Ichigo closed his eyes briefly and exhaled slowly. He couldn't lose it now, he needed to stay calm. "I got you out didn't I? Why would I do that if I was working with Shiro? Surely it would have been easier for me to just know you out and hand you over."

"How the hell should I know? Maybe this is part of the plan to make me think you rescued me. Maybe there's something I have that you want and you can't get it by force." The gun in Grimmjow's hand lowered slightly. "Is that true? At least give me the truth, I deserve that don't I?"

"There is no hidden plan." Ichigo glanced at his watch and cursed, Shiro would know by now Grimmjow was not in the house. He grabbed his phone and threw it out of the car with enough force for it to smash against the wall. "We need to move or Shiro will find us. He'll be looking for me the moment he knows you're gone."

Ichigo started the car, sighing exasperated lay when Grimmjow climbing into the front and grabbed his arm to stop him. "We're not going anywhere? Where exactly are you going to go? Where will you hide?"

"Abroad." Ichigo replied simply and he tried to pull his arm free, unsuccessfully since Grimmjow refused to let go. "Come with me, let's just go somewhere, anywhere. We can get away form the Yakuza, it can be just you and me. We just need to see a friend of mine to get passports and we can go. Please Grimmjow trust me. I love you, and I've meant it every time I've said it. I don't want to kill you or hurt you or anything like that. I just want to be with you."

He stopped tugging on his arm and looked at the other imploringly.

"Believe me." After a long pause Grimmjow nodded and lowered the gun completely. Ichigo grinned, forgetting about the car for a moment and he hugged Grimmjow tightly. "I promise, we can go somewhere safe, no-one will ever find us."

"I'm sorry Ichigo."

Ichigo frowned and pulled back. Before he could ask what for, he felt the muzzle of the gun pressed to his chest and then Grimmjow pulled the trigger and everything went black.