Chapter 11:

*Three Months Later*

Grimmjow looked up at the modelling agency building determinedly; today he would get Ichigo to agree to a date. After months of trying, he wasn't leaving without a yes. Walking inside, he nodded at the receptionist who just snorted, returning to her magazine as he went in the elevator.

Ichigo, who was upstairs, glanced at elevator when it dinged, rolling his eyes with a sigh when he saw who it was. "What do you want Grimmjow?"

He grinned and moved to stand in front of him. "What do you think I want?"

"It's still a no."

"But you don't know what I'm going to ask."

"It's still going to be no." Ichigo stood up and brushed past him, not surprised when he was followed.

"C'mon, just one date, that's all I'm asking."

"Like I said before, no. It's never going to happen, Grimmjow."

"I'm not giving up until you say yes." Grimmjow caught his arm to stop him, lowering his voice. "All I want is to try and convince you I won't leave. Just give me a chance. One date is all I'm asking for, if at the end you still feel the same, I'll leave you alone."

Ichigo sighed and turned to look at him dubiously. "Fine, one date. Only because I want this to stop, you're daily insistence is tiresome."

Grimmjow grinned, not affected by the statement. "It worked though didn't it? I'll pick you up tonight at eight from yours."

"Fine." Ichigo pulled his arm free and pointed at the elevator. "Now will you please leave so I can work in peace?"

"Sure, see you tonight."

Before Ichigo could argue, he lent forward and kissed his cheek quickly before leaving with a wave of his hand. Ichigo stared after him, his mouth open in outrage but he couldn't find the words to yell at him. With a heavy sigh, he rubbed his face and turned around, almost walking into Nel.

"Hey Nel."

She grinned knowingly and linked their arms together. "So you're going out with him?"

"Unfortunately."

She giggled and tapped his head. "Don't act disgruntled, I know you still love him. I thought you'd want this? After all, you're the only one keeping you both apart now."

"For a reason." Ichigo sighed and shook his head. "I can't trust him again; I won't put myself out there like that."

Nel frowned and bumped his shoulder, she knew they belonged to each other. But Ichigo's stubbornness was getting in the way and she needed to sort him out. "He left to keep you safe from Aizen. Now he's dead so why would he leave? You're just afraid and your stubbornness is getting the better of you."

"I'm not afraid."

"See, stubborn. Now get your ass home and get ready for your date. Please consider what Grimmjow has to say, keep an open mind." Nel shoved him towards the elevator and he glanced back at her with a small smile.

"Thanks Nel, see you tomorrow."

"I want all the details!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes as she shouted after him before getting in the elevator with a small smile. Maybe he could make this work with Grimmjow. Heading home, Ichigo felt his heart flutter slightly in his chest, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time and he couldn't help but smile.

…

…

…

Ichigo looked up at the door when someone knocked and sighed heavily, shaking his body when it tingled with anticipation. "You can do this Ichigo; you've done it plenty of times before." Walking slowly to the door, he opened it and nodded. "Hey."

"Ichigo." Grimmjow leant against the wall and quickly looked over him with a satisfied smirk. "You ready to go?"

"I guess." Ichigo sighed and grabbed his jacket before locking the door behind him and following Grimmjow out of the complex. "So where are we going?"

He grinned and held out his hand. "Somewhere I hope you remember."

Ichigo hesitated before slowly reaching out to put his hand in Grimmjow's, frowning when their fingers entwined. Choosing not to say anything, he let the man take lead and almost laughed when he saw where they were going.

"Burger King?"

"Yup." Tugging his hand, Grimmjow lead him inside and ordered their food before paying for it and sitting down.

Ichigo looked down and smiled softly. "So are we going to the cinema afterwards?"

"No. But I do have a copy of Batman if you wanna see it afterwards. At least this time we won't annoy anyone or hit them with popcorn."

At that, Ichigo couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Ok, I'll come see it."

"Great." They lapsed into silence and Ichigo took the opportunity to start eating. "So has anything interesting happened since I left?"

Grimmjow asked him quietly, looking down at his food as he did so he missed Ichigo's small frown. "Nothing really, Nel moved in with Starrk when she told him she was pregnant and they got married after Takara was born."

"What about you?"

Ichigo shook his head and chuckled. "Nothing new happening here, I'm the same as always." Sighing, he decided to turn the conversation on Grimmjow. "So what about you? What were you doing in the time you weren't here?"

Grimmjow frowned in though before carefully answering. "Moving around a lot, keeping my head down and not getting into trouble. I couldn't stay in one place to long because there was always the risk Aizen would find me."

"So how did he?"

He chuckled and looked up at Ichigo with a wry smile. "I came back."

"Why? Surely you knew the danger of coming back here?"

"I did." Grimmjow sighed and reached across the table to grasp his hands. "But I needed to see you, I couldn't help myself. I was in a city close by and I just though one day that I was so close to you and couldn't help but come to try and see you." He snorted and shook his head. "I wasn't very careful and Aizen caught me within an hour of being in the city."

Ichigo blushed and looked away from his eyes, his heart rate increasing dramatically. "You're an idiot."

"Only for you." Ichigo's blush intensified and he pulled his hands back to rest on his lap with a small sigh. "Sorry."

"No, it's ok." Ichigo looked back at him with a soft smile. "I'm just finding it hard to get used to this again."

Grimmjow chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Guess I should slow down a bit huh?"

"Yeah."

The rest of the night past uneventfully, for which Ichigo was thankful for. He really didn't want any more drama in his life, Grimmjow was more than enough for him to handle. When they left, he let Grimmjow take his hand again and he led him back to a small block of flats.

"This is where you live?"

Grimmjow glanced back and him and shrugged. "Yeah, there not as nice as yours, but they serve their purpose." He let go of Ichigo's hand to open the main door and Ichigo hesitated before slowly going in, wrinkling his nose at the depressive decor inside.

"It's umm… nice?"

Grimmjow chuckled and walked down the hallway, opening the door at the far end. "What you mean to say is, it's crap."

Ichigo grinned and joined him. "Yeah, pretty much."

He followed Grimmjow up several floors and as they stopped outside a room, he hesitated again. Am I really going into his apartment? After all, we're only supposed to be watching a film so what's the problem?

"Are you coming in?" Ichigo jerked back to reality to see Grimmjow had opened the door and was now watching him patiently. "You don't have to."

"It's fine, I was just thinking." Ichigo brushed passed him and looked around the small one room apartment with a raised eyebrow. "It's kinda small isn't it?"

"Well not all of us can afford luxury like you."

"You used to be able to."

Grimmjow chuckled and sat down on the bed, turning the TV on. "Optimum phrase being 'used to'. I'm between jobs at the minute so this is all I can afford for now." He patted the space next to him, glancing up with a smile. "You can't watch it from there can you?"

Ichigo snorted and swiftly sat down next to him, making sure to keep some distance between them. "So where's the popcorn?"

Grimmjow winked and got up, walking into the kitchen area to put something in the microwave and returned with a bowl of popcorn a few minutes later. "I hope you like microwave popcorn because that's all I've got."

"It'll do." Ichigo reached out to pick up a piece and popped it in his mouth. "Tastes fine."

Sitting down with a smirk, Grimmjow started the movie and they lapsed into silence again. The whole time Ichigo had to force himself not to jump every time Grimmjow moved, or whenever their hands brushed. He wouldn't show Grimmjow how effected he was just by sitting next to him. Nearing the end, Ichigo grinned and slowly picked up a handful of popcorn, flicking a piece at Grimmjow which accurately hit him on the head.

"What was that for?" Ichigo didn't reply, rather, he flicked another piece, catching him in the forehead this time. "You sure you wanna go there?"

"Think you can take me on?"

Grimmjow grinned slyly and picked up a piece to throw at him, hitting him on the cheek. "Think I can't?"

"Oh now it's on." Ichigo threw his handful, catching Grimmjow by surprise and grabbed another handful before jumping up and moving out of reach. "You should know by now, you can't win."

"One day I will."

"Not today though." Ichigo ducked when what looked like half the bowls contents was thrown at him, yelping in surprise when he was suddenly caught around the waist and pressed to the wall.

"What was that you were saying?" Grimmjow's hand caught his wrist and slammed his hand into the wall, effectively making him drop the popcorn. "What's wrong Ichi? Nothing to say?"

Ichigo wasn't sure why he did it, maybe it was the use of his nickname, maybe it was because Grimmjow's face was inches away from his. Whatever the reason, he lent forward and kissed him, surprising both of them in the process.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

His apologies were cut short when Grimmjow let go of his wrist to cup his face, pulling him into another kiss. Ichigo's mind stopped working when Grimmjow's body pressed to his and he shivered, wrapping his arms around his neck. Grimmjow's lips left his to kiss down his neck, earning a tug on his hair and a small moan.

"G-grimm…" Ichigo whined when he pulled away suddenly, stepping back to put some distance between them. "Grimmjow?"

Grimmjow ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. "Are you ok?"

Ichigo frowned in confusion, stepping forward to stand just in front of him. "Of course I am why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable. This chance I have with you, however small, I don't want to ruin it."

Ichigo smiled and leant forward to kiss him quickly. "You haven't ruined it." Taking Grimmjow's hand, he pulled the confused man back over to the bed and sat down hesitantly, tugging Grimmjow down to sit next to him. "I want this."

Grimmjow lent over him and gently stroked his cheek. "You're definitely sure?"

"Definitely."

Ichigo caught his face and pulled him down into a kiss, opening his mouth with a groan when Grimmjow nipped his lower lip. He chuckled when Ichigo's hands started pulling on his shirt and pulled away again, resting their foreheads together.

"Promise me you won't regret this in the morning."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, successfully undoing the shirts buttons to push it off Grimmjow's shoulders. "I promise, now hurry up." Ichigo grinned when he pulled the shirt off and almost pounced on him in eagerness, his mind completely taken over by lust. "I won't regret this."