Hey all, sorry for the lack of updates, I do have valid reasons (although I must thank Confusion No hime for reminding me)
Have written the chapters but wasn't happy with them – decided I might as well as that was all I could write – argh! I hate not being happy with my work.
University has just started – usually a manic time, lectures/classes to be sorted, books to be bought etc. etc. (parties to attend)
I co- run one of the sports club in university, this has taken up a lot (most of it) of my time
Anyway, enough with the excuses I bring you two adequate updates…
Twelve – Almost famous
Rukia Kuchiki shuffled along slowly with her shopping bags along the high street. Her normally defiant blue eyes were lacking. They had been for some weeks now. She was tired and a little thin. It seemed the Aizen case was so technical and needed many legal dealings that paperwork soared in the office, meaning she got the brunt of the work.
It meant she could mostly keep up with Renji's whereabouts without asking members of the team. She couldn't face looking like a freaking mother hen asking about Renji all the time. Plus she would have to deal with her brother, and at this period of time she didn't have the energy to do such a thing.
All she wanted to do was go to sleep, all she wanted (and desperately needed) was a day with Renji. That night had played on her mind...did she love him? She was sure but now she was so sick with worry about him, it was pushing her love for him out! She bit her lip when Ichigo popped into her head. He had been gone for weeks – his department had now put in a private investigation. A missing cop was a bad sign, it usually meant some criminal with balls was exacting revenge for himself or some comrade. Rukia had done some snooping with old colleagues – they were coming up dry with it. Apparently the investigation team just wanted to mark Ichigo as dead but thankfully Ukitake had insisted on keeping the case longer.
She came to her car on the side of the street on put her bags on the car bonnet, she rummaged in her bag for her keys and pulled them out. She slammed the back door after half throwing in the bags and froze at the sight a few metres ahead.
It was Renji with some pretty dark-skinned woman with brown wavy hair. Renji looked even different now. Sure she had seen the much shorter hair cut but there was something about him. Renji looked at her and walked past like she was nothing.
Rukia gritted her teeth and got into her car, she wanted to scream at him just to leave Las Noches, to run away. She shook as her body threatened to just blow out but she didn't. She gripped the wheel and drove off steadily.
XxXxXxXxXx
Grimmjow walked down the stairs of the main mansion, he rolled his sweat glistened shoulders and clicked his neck, man Aaron could fight like the devil when he wanted. Grimmjow had to admit in disgust but being back with Las Noches meant living in style that people could only dream of. He rolled his shoulders again and ignored the lustful gasps of the maids.
He walked towards the kitchen, desperate for some water. He walked past one of the many reception rooms and froze when someone coughed loudly. He froze and walked back and looked in.
Yoruichi Shihoin sat on one of the leather chairs, looking glamorous as usual. She looked at Grimmjow and grinned a mischievous grin.
"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, right?" she purred.
Grimmjow grinned "you know me?"
"I've heard of you" she batted thick eyelashes and gestured "you must be tired, sit down"
"Hell no"
She simply cocked her head at the rebuff "why not?"
"And risk Aizen seeing me sit down next to you? I love my life...and my balls. So that you're not offended, I won't lie. I am sorely tempted"
She simply grinned again as Grimmjow grinned and walked to the kitchen. He ignored the kitchen staff pottering around and walked to one of the big fridges littered around the massive room, he grimaced.
"Hey, this is the drinks fridge...why do I only see meat?" he snapped at the nearest worker.
"Things have changed Grimmy boy" Aaron was stood a few metres away at an open fridge. He took out a bottle and hurled it at Grimmjow who caught it easily. Aaron smiled an easy smile which succeeded in lighting up his handsome face.
"So, how's Nel?"
Grimmjow shrugged but answered "she's fine"
"Where is she?"
"Probably napping or something" Grimmjow replied easily.
"I see, she settling in okay?"
Grimmjow narrowed his eyes at Aaron, he knew the guy had been Nel's guardian before Grimmjow came along. Grimmjow initially wasn't sure whether Aaron was genuinely protective of Nel or there was something else. To be honest he didn't like not knowing what number nine thought of his sister.
"I think so" Grimmjow growled.
"Cool, cool...just asking!" he replied at the slanted look on Grimmjow's face.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah" Aaron smiled before walking away.
Grimmjow muttered something obscene under his breath before leaving the kitchen after him.
"How's Kurosaki settling in?"
"Don't give a shit"
"Whoa, whoa! That's kind of defensive...you in love with him?" Aaron joked.
Grimmjow muttered dark things again, loud enough for Aaron to hear and causing him to roar in laughter "Chill, chill!"
They came to the entrance hall as Ichigo and Harribel walked through the main door. Aaron walked over to the two and started to talk to Harribel about his situation with Uryu Ishida.
Ichigo walked over and dug his hands in his pocket.
"What's up Grimmjow?"
"You and Harribel are getting awfully chummy" Grimmjow raised his eyebrows and walked to the stairs. Ichigo growled and went after him.
"You sound jealous"
"Nah, already been there" Grimmjow said easily.
"Guh?" Ichigo stopped and frowned before trailing Grimmjow again "...hang on, are you telling me you've slept with Harribel?"
"Yeah, a few times, how else do you think I know about her nightly activities?"
"I just thought..."
"We spoke? Fuck no, Harribel fucks the way I like, Fast but not too fast and the only sound is of her or me coming"
Ichigo stopped and grabbed Grimmjow's shirt, he spun him around and in a style he had been taught by Zommari, he full on head-butted Grimmjow. Grimmjow staggered back and clutched his head.
"You fucking cunt!" Grimmjow barked "what is your problem?"
"You are" Ichigo snapped before spinning on his heels and marching away. He only realised Grimmjow had launched himself at him, when he felt the wind escape his lungs, his waist being crushed and being rammed towards the wall. He twisted but Grimmjow was already on him. Grimmjow was now slapping him, full-on back handed slaps
"You know what?" Grimmjow said between slaps "I was just going to punch you but THIS is a lot more humiliating" he laughed at Ichigo's pink cheeks.
Ichigo caught the hand and bent it back, as Grimmjow hissed in pain, Ichigo used this to boost himself up and flip Grimmjow over, they began to grapple and only stopped when Aaron pulled Ichigo off with great difficulty.
"You two are like a married couple! Eesh!"
Ichigo snarled and marched to his room.
XxXxXxXxXx
Ichigo was pacing the same warehouse where he brought Nel for the first time to meet Grimmjow after all those years. His cheeks were still stinging, he growled when he caught sight of Grimmjow and continued to pace.
Nel sensed the tension between the two "are you guys okay? And Grimmy what is that weird bruise on your forehead about?... Did you run into a wall?"
"Try my head" Ichigo sneered
"Ichigo!" Nel said hotly.
"How are your cheeks?" Grimmjow snapped.
"Fine, in a lot better condition that your forehead" Ichigo eyed the mass of purple and red, proud of his work.
"Everyone, shut up" Harribel pushed off the chair she was sitting in "we have two appointments" she paced them all "one, a little interrogation and two an execution"
Ichigo froze and looked at Harribel who didn't seem to notice his shocked face. He swallowed, an execution? Maybe they meant a plan. Ichigo cursed at himself for being so naive. What else could it mean but death? He dug his hands into his pocket as they began to shake...why was he so...frightened, he had seen death. Maybe he was frightened because it could be him dealing the punishment.
"I think we should start with the execution" Aaron yawned widely and leaned against the crate he was sitting by "Interrogations can take hours"
"Speak for yourself" Grimmjow scoffed "you're probably doing it wrong"
Harribel silenced them all with a look and pulled out a cell phone and pressed it to her head "Bring him in"
The door rattled as someone banged against it. Soon, the metal shutter was rising slowly and three figures stepped forward. The one in the middle was thrashing, wriggling and struggling with their life but to no avail.
"This piece of shit" Aaron took the reins "Is a CIA agent, you did well...not well enough because you are here"
"W-what are you going to do to me?"
"Make an example of you" Aaron ruffled the blood-crusted hair and pulled out a chair "make him sit"
The two thugs forced the poor man to the chair and clamped him there, after a while they let go. The man seemed paralysed with fear at the group surrounding him. His cut lips spread slightly as he took in all their faces through his bruised and battered eyes.
"This is the top...top ten" he whispered, in some twisted way, in awe.
"First, this will be the last thing you see" Aaron whispered, he bent down and whispered something so low only him and the man could hear.
"Shit" Grimmjow snarled, as a puddle formed underneath the man's legs
Aaron pulled out a switchblade "I'm going to draw this out as much as possible to send a message to your higher-ups don't fuck with us"
XxXxXxXxXx
Ichigo's jaw had unclenched itself since he saw Aaron, slice the skin of the CIA agent, and that was almost three hours ago. He thought he hadn't blinked either. His heart was still beating that same steady, loud pace...as if it was trying to stop itself from hammering. He stared across the horizon and came into the city next to where Las Noches' quarters were.
He pulled out the phone, he had ordered online and had delivered to his apartment. He finally dialled 911 and asked to be put through to the local police department.
"Hello"
"I have some information on Las Noches"
"What? Who is this? Hang on"
"wait-"
Ichigo scowled as the stupid hold music come on, luckily whoever answered the phone was taking it seriously as the hold music stopped.
"You have some information on Las Noches?"
"A CIA agent has been killed, go to warehouse thirty-three, Mainline Marina...trust me"
He cut off the phone and turned it off. He smiled, he recognized that voice. It was Soifon and she didn't sound her usual, slightly brash self. But harsher...and more tired. He drove over a bridge and slowed down, he pulled over and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He stepped to the railing and looked around. There were no cars...
He took the SIM out of the phone and snapped it in half. He then flicked it into the river smoothly. He then dropped the phone and trampled it underfoot, before kicking it into the river also. He continued with his cigarette like nothing has happened and got back into his car and continued driving to the neighbouring city.
That should give the local PD something, somewhere to start at least. What he saw today had jerked him out of the comfortable zone his mind had somehow convinced Ichigo he was in and to take action.
Action.
Ichigo swallowed, what if they had discovered about Renji...or him? What would happen? He didn't know...he didn't want to know.
He pulled into the city centre, the sky was beginning to darken and street lights came on. He parked on a street close to a bar where he used to hang out and began the short walk to the bar.
His phone rang and he stared at the screen, he frowned. Las Noches insisted on blocking caller IDs, just in case someone was taken.
"Hello?" he rasped and stopped outside the bar.
"Carrot top, where are you?"
"Nowhere, why?"
"Nel was worried about you today, don't know why..."
"I'm fine"
"Where are you, it's noisy?" Grimmjow noted.
"Nowhere, okay...I just want some alone time"
"Fuck, don't go and sulk like a baby over today Aaron has done much worse"
Ichigo ignored his stomach dropping and cleared his throat "Whatever, I can handle it"
"Really?"
Ichigo went to shout at Grimmjow but something, or rather someone, caught his eye.
Ichigo froze and gulped.
"Lieutenant Ichigo fuckin' Kurosaki"
"Who the fuck is that?" Grimmjow said in a deadpanned voice
Ichigo let the phone hang by his side and stared "Ikkaku"
"Where the fuck have you been? There's a missing person report on you!"
"I've been taking a break..." Ichigo was stunned. He was sure that no-one from the local PD would be in this town. One, it wasn't their jurisdiction. Two, the home city has everything this city had and more. Three, he just wasn't fuckin' expecting it.
"A break, Kurosaki, we've all been worried sick"
"Ikkaku...sssh, just sssh okay" Ichigo placed a finger to his mouth. He snapped the phone shut and dug it into his pocket.
"Don't tell me to sssh, you bastard!"
"Ikkaku!" Ichigo snapped causing the bald man to freeze "Listen, it is very important that you don't mention seeing me to anyone, when the time comes you'll understand-"
"Like fuck I won't! Months, Kurosaki, months. You know Rukia is basically ill over you"
"I know, I've spoken to her" Ichigo lied "she'll be fine"
"Really?" Ikkaku raised an eyebrow.
Ichigo gave a forced smile and nodded.
"What are you doing here?" Ikkaku changed quickly.
"I came to see a friend in this bar, just finished in fact" Ichigo looked around the street, there one seemed to be a couple straggling towards them drunkenly.
Ichigo stepped back, so there was a least a metre between them "Remember Ikkaku" he turned on his heel and was gone as quickly as the dark came in.
Beh, read on.
