I don't own Bleach or its characters. Wow. After overwhelming reviews, favorites, and follows, I felt compelled to crank out this next chapter for you! Do enjoy!
Chapter Eleven: Misery
Ichigo tried so hard to put Grimmjow and Espada Ranch out of his memories, throwing himself into his work with fervor. Unfortunately, he'd be a quarter of the way through a painting when he'd realize he was painting the serene mountains that lingered in the background of the ranch, or recreating the colorful canvas that was the clear Montana skies at dusk. Disgusted with himself, he'd slash black paint across it and give up for the day, waiting for it to dry before pitching it outside in the apartment buildings communal dumpster. It was becoming a problem; this whole thing was stifling his creativity and causing him to waste supplies. He ignored the voice in his head that nagged he could afford more.
It'd been a month since he left Montana behind, and he barely slept at night. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could picture was Grimmjow. It wrenched his heart to think of him, he really thought he felt something that night between them that was more than lust, but clearly he'd been mistaken. Last time this happened to him, he swore it'd be the last time he let some guy reject and humiliate him ever again.
Ichigo sighed and rolled over in his bed, he spent most days there when he wasn't trying to get his emotions out through painting. He hadn't left the house in over a week and a half, and that was only because he needed toilet paper and was not going to wipe his ass with paper ripped from magazines. He threw out all the perishable stuff in his fridge before he left on vacation and couldn't be bothered to restock it. He survived off toast and instant ramen, when he could force himself to eat.
He had bought beer though, lots and lots of beer. A couple 24 packs of beer, like they used to do in college. He'd barely made a dent in the first box, feeling like a real loser drinking alone after about two beers. Beer sounded good right now though, and Ichigo got up out of the bed, dragging the comforter around him like a second skin as he moved to the tiny kitchen.
His phone began ringing, as it had for just about every day this month. The only time he answered it was when his family called from Japan, but he couldn't stay on the phone long. His father's over enthusiasm and his youngest sister's mothering was too much to bear and too hard to pretend he was ok. He talked longest to Karin, who seemed to sense something was up but didn't push him to talk about it.
The caller id read Kisuke's number and he scowled- Kisuke had been the one blowing up his phone multiple times daily. He rolled his eyes; it was now or never, might as well get the crazy bastard off his back for a while.
"Yes?" he said into the phone indifferently as he reached into the fridge for a can of beer.
"I have been trying to reach you, Ichigo, but it seems you've been avoiding my calls," the voice on the phone said cheerfully.
"What was your first clue?" Ichigo snapped, cracking open his can.
There was a pause before Kisuke tactfully asked how his vacation was.
Ichigo lost it.
"Thanks to you, you fucking bastard, it was shit! Complete and utter shit, one of the worst times in my life! It was your idea and I followed it blindly, like an idiot! I should have known any suggestion from you would lead me astray! Don't talk to me; I'll call you if I ever come up with anything worth gracing your gallery!"
He hung up before Kisuke could get a word in and powered down his phone, angrily shot gunning his beer and tossing the crumpled can in the sink, grabbing another instantly and stalking back to the living area. He was completely incensed now. He found his Ipod and hooked up to his dock, cranking the volume as Memphis May Fire's "The Deceived" rocked his space. He fucking dared a neighbor to come complain about the volume as he killed half of his can. He found the largest canvas he had and propped it up on the easel, filling his palette with nothing but blue. He was going to get all this shit off his chest, right fucking now.
BANG, BANG, BANG.
"Go the fuck away!" Ichigo screamed, before collapsing back down, his whole body protesting, especially his head. Ichigo moaned into the pillow, rolling on the bed until he was pressed against the wall. The incessant banging at his door persisted, making the throbbing in his head increase and it felt as if a hippo was tap dancing on his brain.
Gloriously, the knocking stopped, and Ichigo sighed with relief, whoever it was must have finally gotten the hint. His relief was very short lived when his door suddenly swung open, banging off the wall and the devil herself was visible to Ichigo from the one eye he cracked open to see who the fuck was breaking in his apartment.
"What the fuck, Kurosaki!" exclaimed Yoruichi, looking around the tiny apartment before shutting the door rapidly.
She took two steps into the apartment before pinching her nose in disgust.
"Fuck, Ichigo, it stinks to high heaven in here! What the hell is going on?"
"Go away," Ichigo whined, pulling the covers tighter around his body, feeling like his brain was going to explode out the side of skull like Mount Saint Helens.
Yoruichi carefully sifted through the beer cars littering the floor, holding her breath as she made her way to Ichigo. She gingerly sat on the edge of his bed, nose wrinkling in disgust at the smell of body odor radiating from the sheets.
"I deduce that you are severely hung over. I don't know what is going on, or when was the last time you showered, but I suggest that you drag your pathetic ass into the bathroom and get yourself decent while I open some windows in here to let the stink out. Then we shall sit down with some strongly brewed coffee, and you can decide whether or not you'd like to make use of my great listening ears and tell me what's going on with you."
Ichigo peered at her for a moment, deciding she was serious and that he was not in any position to argue. He was supremely defenseless at the moment, so if he told Yoruichi to fuck off she probably would, but with his balls in tow. Right now, she probably was the only one he could to talk to anyhow. He sighed, shoving himself from his cocoon, smirking slightly when Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at his state of undress; Ichigo had passed out in his boxer briefs. He didn't have to worry about being embarrassed around her; she was a staunch lesbian, very committed to her girlfriend, Soi Fon.
Yoruichi went to work striping Ichigo's bed the minute the bathroom door closed and threw back the drapes, opening the windows to the sunshine, air, and to the symphony of the downtown afternoon bustle. She picked up the empty beer cans, rinsing them out in the sink and pitched them in Ichigo's recycling bin. She opened the fridge and cupboards, frowning at the lack of anything filling them. She thought Ichigo's slim frame looked at least ten pounds lighter.
She washed out his dishes and wiped down his countertops before sinking in one of the wrought iron chairs at Ichigo's dining area to wait. Her eyes kept looking at the large canvas propped against the brick wall, covered by a sheet. She wondered if it was a work in progress or if it was finished. Her fingers itched to lift the sheet and peek, but she didn't want to betray Ichigo's trust in her, especially since she wanted to know what the hell was going on with her favorite artist. It was genuine concern now that this had gone on for a month, she didn't need him to turn into a Van Gogh on her, and what was more, she was sick of listening to Kisuke's constant whining and pestering. What was the saying? If you wanted something done right, you'll have to do it yourself.
She straightened her spine and smiled as Ichigo emerged from the bathroom, freshly scrubbed and looking slightly less like a zombie. He opted for a loose fitting gray track suit and a black wife beater instead of his usual clinging skinny jeans and tees, probably selected for comfort but confirmed his weight loss. He looked a bit like he was swimming in them, the bagginess hiding his lithe frame from view.
"Starbucks is calling us, shall we catch a cab?" she asked, standing and striding to the door with cat like grace.
Ichigo knew that was a rhetorical question and obediently followed, scowling when she added over her shoulder that he owed her for a new manicure, she chipped her nail washing his dishes.
What a bitch. That's why he loved her.
Yoruichi sipped her frappuccino carefully, diligently avoiding getting anything on her white silk pant suit. She licked seductively at the whipped cream, teasing some poor college boy who kept staring at her shyly from behind his laptop screen. Ichigo rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee, slumping back in his chair.
Gold and honey eyes met, the gold ones narrowing.
"Out with it," Yoruichi demanded.
Ichigo conceded, quietly recounting his little over a week visit to Espada Ranch, ignoring her knowing smile when he angrily described the arrogant, brazen cowboy and what a douche bag Ichigo thought he was. He didn't realize how his voice softened as he recounted the details of Grimmjow saving his life and the kiss they shared in the barn that led to passionate sex. It was almost like he forgot he was supposed to mad and hate the guy. The fury came back when he retold the morning after events and Yoruichi quirked a finely arched brow.
"Are you likening this event to what happened between you and Renji?" she asked gently, smiling in apology when Ichigo's eyes instantly snapped up to hers, a storm of anger and pain flashing in them.
She sipped her drink before continuing.
"I believe you overreacted, Ichi. I know you still carry the pain of what happened between the two of you in your heart, after all this time you haven't let it just become a memory."
"Yes, well he taught me an important lesson about laying yourself out to be a doormat, Yoruichi. I'm never going to let it happen again."
She smiled gently.
"Ichigo, love is about taking chances. You were both terribly young. I'm not making excuses for his behavior," she added quickly when she noticed Ichigo about to hotly protest, "but I'm just saying, you can't go thinking that every guy who comes along is going to use you and toss you out. I mean, would you really have slept with Grimmjow if you felt like that was his ulterior motive? If your intuition didn't alert you to that, after your previous experiences, then I think you jumped the gun and followed your hurt feelings instead of your head."
Ichigo scowled like a petulant child, trying to burn a hole into the tabletop. Yoruichi could tell he was thinking over what she said, and he knew she was right, but wondered if he'd ever admit it out loud.
Ichigo wearily ran his hand through his crazed orange spikes, doing nothing to tame its stubborn shape.
"I suppose you are right," he mumbled as Yoruichi beamed. She has a sick perversion for hearing those words, he thought.
"But there isn't much I can do about it now."
"Well, never say never!" she replied brightly. "Now tell me about the painting covered by the sheet, I'm dying," she demanded, changing the subject from Grimmjow for now.
A pink tint spread across Ichigo's face and he gulped down the rest of his coffee.
"Honestly, I'm afraid to look at it. I was drunk off my ass when I did it."
"Well then," she said, standing elegantly, smoothing the wrinkles from her suit, "let's go see it together."
Yoruichi didn't know what to say. She gasped quietly when Ichigo ripped the sheet away from the painting, marveling at what lay before her.
"This may be your best work yet," she admitted seriously. "Kisuke will definitely want to feature this in the opening of his gallery, if you wouldn't mind. I believe this is your launching into the artistic world."
Ichigo was flushed with embarrassment and pride, watching as Yoruichi wrapped it back up in the sheet as if she were swaddling a new born baby.
"What's it called?" she asked curiously.
"Misery," replied Ichigo, moving to help her and missing the gleam in her eyes and fleeting conspiratorial grin.
End chapter. Well, there it is! I do think the story is nearing its completion soon, I'm happy with how it's come together and interested to see how everyone likes it when it's done! Reviews and comments always appreciated. XD
