Everybody kept begging for Grimm to save Ichi! Will he save the teen? Find out next time . . . . which is this chapter! Yays!
Dark Moon Rising by Boogermeister
Chapter 14
He appeared to be extremely distant after so many days; his chocolate eyes had already lost his luster, his bright orange hair became dull, and his body was gradually emaciated. And yet Shiro was still happy that Ichigo was with him, he can never leave him with the state he's in. The teen was still terified of him. He was afraid of any wrong move he makes in front of him, or else those strong hands would strangle him to death. Even more so, Shiro followed after him everywhere he went, to keep a tight rein on his Horse. He doesn't have a strength to fight back, not even to cry.
His expression was nothing but deep depression, day after day. The only thing he can feel are the cruel hands of his boyfriend as he forced himself on him. What was the point, anyway? He has nobody, it was his own punishment for pushing his friends away. The warm afternoon sun wasn't enough to cheer him up as he and Shiro walked around the downtown area, his body was practically being dragged with his boyfriend's arm around his waist. "Ichigo, ya think we should get somethin' ta eat after this?" purred Shiro.
". . . . Yes," Ichigo muttered hoarsely.
"Hmm, maybe later," the older man shrugged. "I wanna buy some booze first." Ichigo didn't have to reply, as his boyfriend dragged him into a nearby liquor store. Taking a lot of his lover's money, he bought the alcohol he wanted before leaving. "Ichi . . . . I think I should go home first," he muttered, kissing him tenderly on the forehead. "Why doncha buy tha food an' shit an' make somethin' fer me, 'kay?"
". . . . Yes, Shiro," Ichigo muttered tiredly. As Shiro walked away, the teen just stood there with a dazed look on his face. He should be happy that Shiro finally left him alone, but it was pointless. Eventually, he'd have to be around him soon. Soon, he moved and walked down a few blocks, vaguely being noticed by the busy passerbys. He wrapped himself with his thin arms as he staggered a little, his eyes dully focused on the ground below him. Turning a corner, he accidently bumped into someone and quickly moved away. "Sorry . . . ." he mumbled.
"I . . . . Ichigo?" Ichigo froze and slowly turned around. "Ichigo, is that you?" questioned Grimmjow as he stared wide-eyed in astonishment. "What happened to you?" Ichigo merely blinked at him, as if he doesn't recognize him. "Kid, it's me . . . . it's Grimmjow," Grimmjow muttered, gripping at his shoulders. Ichigo gazed at him, a quick flicker of light appeared in his eyes and he blinked again.
"Gr . . . . Grimmjow . . . .?" he muttered weakly as he stared at his face. It was like that night, the man's cyan eyes was gazing sadly at him. "Y-you're real . . . . Grimmjow?"
"Of course I'm real, kid," Grimmjow frowned a little. "But what happened to you? I haven't seen you for a few weeks--"
"Help me . . . ."
"What?" questioned Grimmjow, as the teen was shaking in his grasp.
"Please help me . . . ." Ichigo whimpered, his frightened eyes were watered with tears as he gripped at his shirt. "Get me away from him . . . . I-I can't take it anymore, I'll die . . . .!"
"Ichigo, what're you talking about?" Grimmjow questioned concernedly.
"Help me . . . .!" whimpered Ichigo, shaking his head violently. "Grimmjow, help me please . . . .! I'm sorry . . . .!"
"Ichigo--"
"Don't turn me away!" cried Ichigo. "I'll die! He'll kill me . . . .! Please . . . .!" It was too much for him; his body abruptly collasped into the man's arms and he eventually blacked out. "Please . . . . don't turn me away . . . ." he whimpered quietly in his black, empty mind. "I'll die if I stay with him . . . ."
Reflexively, Ichigo clenched at the bedsheets in his deep sleep, tears were still trickling down his face. Grimmjow frowned in concern as he sat down on the edge of the bed, his hand clenched on the teen's cell phone. He had already turned it off, even removing the battery, so that bastard Shiro wouldn't try to call him. He had never expected to run into Ichigo like that, the teen was so pale and emaciated and was barely unrecognizable.
"So unbelievable . . . ." he muttered stressfully, staring at him as well as the cast on his left arm. Ichigo was still out of it for the past few hours, after that frantic and erratic plea for help. Cautiously, he reached his hand out and touched at his dull-colored hair. Ichigo whined softly a little at the touch but continued sleeping. "Kid . . . . what happened to you?" he muttered, moving his hand away and stood up. He put the cell phone into his pocket and left his bedroom. Nel wouldn't believe this; Ichigo passing out in front of her cousin and staying in their home.
As he went to the living room to call Nel, Ichigo groaned slightly as his eyelids twitched open. He blinked a few times before he realized where he was, but it wasn't his own bedroom. The moment panic started to set in, he heard a familar voice in the other room. Was it Grimmjow? He glanced around the room and noticed the man's helmet on a chair positioned in the corner. He was right, he was in Grimmjow's room. Does that mean Grimmjow would try to help him?
He stiffened a little when the footsteps were walking towards the bedroom, he quickly closed his eyes and pretended to sleep just as Grimmjow walked in. ". . . . You're awake, kid?" muttered the blunet as he walked up to the bed. Reluctantly, Ichigo opened his eyes and glanced at him.
"You'll . . . . you'll help me?" he mumbled.
"I'll help you but I'm not sure what were you talking about earlier," Grimmjow replied quietly, as he sat down on the bed. "You were babbling about you getting killed, what do you mean by that?" Ichigo just gazed at him, his glassy eyes were full of nothing but dreaded fear by the mention of it. ". . . . What did that fucker do to you?" Grimmjow muttered, his voice automatically filled with anger.
"I'm sorry . . . ." Ichigo whimpered, cringing his body closer to himself. "I turned you guys away . . . ."
"Don't worry about that, I just want to know if that bastard did something to you," muttered Grimmjow.
Ichigo tearfully glanced up at him and his lips tightened. ". . . . Shiro . . . . he tried . . . ." he whimpered in fright. "He thrashed me and strangled me . . . . and I nearly died." The man's body immediately went rigid at the last words, his eyes were burning with fury as his fist clenched tightly enough for the knuckles to turn white. "I'm afraid of him . . . . I can't go back," whimpered Ichigo.
"You won't go back," grunted Grimmjow, his face hardened in determination. "You're staying with us until we sort this out, Ichigo."
". . . . But it's my fault, I don't deserve to get your help--"
"Don't say that," Grimmjow scoffed softly, grasping tenderly at his wrists. "You must never say that it was your fault. Shiro was the one that nearly killed you, it's his own fault that you're like this. He doesn't deserve you, he doesn't deserve anyone but his fucking maker." Ichigo sniffed as he glanced down, he needed this. He needed the man's help.
"Just help me please, Grimmjow . . . . I don't want to live like this anymore . . . ." he whimpered quietly.
"I will, kid . . . ." sighed the blunet. Ichigo snifled as he wiped his tears away, for the first time in weeks he gave a small smile. "Are you hungry?" Grimmjow asked.
"Yeah . . . ." muttered Ichigo as he sat up.
Tightly, Shiro clenched around the phone as he listened at the dial tone for the twentieth time. At each time, he gradually became angier and angier. Finally, he hanged up the phone and suddenly smashed an empty beer bottle at the wall. He glared at the shattered shards on the floor, so far it was the eighth one he had smashed. "Where tha fuck is he?!" he fumed as he furiously paced around the living room. "He shoulda been came back! I can't believe that fuckin' bitch!"
He stopped pacing and exhaled sharply; he doubted that Ichigo could really try to leave him with the condition he was in. But he wasn't too sure of that. He thought he finally shattered Ichigo's will with his destructive domination but it seemed that a bit of it was still left in him.
"Fuck . . . .! I'm gonna kill him!" he seethed. If Ichigo really did leave then where would he go to? Shiro doubted that the teen would go back to his family; Ichigo hadn't talked to them in months, mostly because of their relationship. Then who? Ichigo's friends had long since been shunned away. Shiro doesn't know what to think next, he wasn't sure where Ichigo would go next.
"Shit . . . .!" he gritted, opening a new bottle of beer. He'll find him tomorrow, and make him pay.
Ichigo devoured greedily on a slice of pizza, he felt better to eat now that he was in a safe place. Through the haste, he coughed a little from the fast eating. "Careful, go easy on it," Grimmjow muttered, patting him gently on his back.
"Sorry . . . ." Ichigo sighed, resuming to eat the tasty food. Grimmjow simply observed him, Nel wouldn't be home until later tonight. He merely watched the orange-haired teen eating his meal, it was obvious that he was starving from so long.
"Ichigo . . . . why are you so thin, just skin and bones?" he questioned quietly. Ichigo stopped eating and simply glanced down in shame.
"He wouldn't let me eat sometimes . . . ." he mumbled softly. "I would have to wait for him to finish eating and then I'd eat but . . . . Shiro controls what I should eat and how much to eat. Also . . . . I was so afraid to eat around him, I'd often lose my appetite."
". . . . Well, don't worry about that," sighed Grimmjow. "You can eat until you'll get fat if you wanna." Ichigo glanced up at him and let out an another small smile, with a slight amusement this time. Grimmjow slightly smirked back as he leisurely picked at his own slice. "Listen, kid . . . . you don't have to tell me everything at once," he muttered. "Just tell me a little at a time . . . ."
"Okay, Grimmjow . . . ." Ichigo muttered, slowing down his eating. He wasn't sure how to react about Nel finding him here; after coldly shunning her away, he had a piece of doubt that she would forgive him. After finishing his first slice, he reached for a second one and ate it. "I'm sorry about I did to you guys . . . ."
"Hey, it's okay, Ichigo," replied Grimmjow. "I couldn't really blame you for what happened that time. It's just . . . . he really tried to kill me with that knife, kid. He was the one that was trying to hurt me. Can you believe me on that, Ichigo?" Ichigo paused in his eating and stared at his eyes, he was really being honest.
"I'm sorry that I didn't believe you . . . ." he muttered.
"It's all right, Ichigo," the blue-haired man sighed, waving dismissively a little. "That fucker was controlling you, none of it was your fault."
"But--"
"I said, don't worry about it, kid," Grimmjow said firmly. "I was pissed off, but mostly of myself at first. Then it was obvious that fucker was hurting you. But I couldn't do anything about it then, I thought you would still defend him if I tried to help you."
". . . . Not anymore," muttered Ichigo. "I can't love him like I used to, he's changed so dramatically. He's not the same Shiro like before." He glanced at Grimmjow then away as he continued eating. He felt better around the other man, his body was finally relaxed after so long and the fear inside of him was gradually dying down. ". . . . Thanks, Grimmjow."
"No problem, kid," shrugged Grimmjow. "I'll try to help you in anyway I can."
"No . . . . for the food," corrected the teen, finishing the rest of his slice. Grimmjow blinked at that and sighed deeply. It would be a difficult process for the both of them. "Guess I'm sleeping on the couch, huh?" muttered Ichigo.
"No, you can sleep in my bed," Grimmjow quickly replied, and both of them blinked in surprise at the statement. "I mean, you can stay in my room and I'll sleep on the couch."
"You don't have to do that . . . ." Ichigo muttered.
"Don't think so much of it," insisted Grimmjow. "You already slept in my bed, so why not again?" Ichigo opened his mouth but couldn't say anything, the man was right about that.
"Fine . . . ." he sighed. Unexpectedly, he was patted on his head and he glanced at Grimmjow in surprise.
"Ichigo . . . ." Grimmjow muttered, as he inched closer. "Even after what happened over a month ago, I still . . . . have feelings for you. I want . . . . to protect you from someone like that bastard. Can I do that for you, Ichigo? I . . . . I don't want to push myself on you so soon, but . . . . I want to know if I can be there for you." Ichigo stiffened a little when the older man moved closer, he wasn't sure what to think but anxiety rose inside of him. But nothing happened, Grimmjow merely gave him a soft kiss on the forehead before backing away. "Are you okay about that, Ichigo?" he muttered quietly.
". . . . Would you hurt me, Grimmjow?" muttered Ichigo.
"Huh?"
"If you like me so much . . . . then promise me that you won't hurt me," he mumbled, his eyes watered in pain as he stared at his sky blue eyes. "I can't keep on living like that, I'm in too much horrible pain because of that. I can't take it anymore. Please promise me that you will never hurt me in any way possible. Please, Grimmjow . . . ."
"I won't, kid . . . ." muttered Grimmjow, wiping a trail tear tickling down the teen's cheek. Ichigo grasped at the hand, and nuzzled slightly into the slightly calloused palm.
"To be honest . . . . when I thought I was going to die . . . . I called for you to help me," he said quietly. "Then on the first night in the hospital . . . . I kept seeing you in my shocked state. I guess in my mind, I wanted you to come and take me away. Take me away from Shiro . . . ." This time, he moved closer to Grimmjow. He leaned closer until they were inches away, and pressed his lips gently against his. Soon, the kiss deepened as Grimmjow slipped his tongue into his mouth and tangled at his. Ichigo was surprised at himself for initiating the intimate move but moaned deeply at the kiss.
Grimmjow nipped at his lips before re-deepening the kiss, his hands traveled down to his sides and gripped at the hem of his shirt. "W-wait . . . ." gasped Ichigo, moving away. "Too soon, Grimmjow . . . ." Grimmjow blinked at him in slight confusion but sighed in understanding. "No . . . . I don't want to do that . . . . so soon," Ichigo muttered quietly, glancing downward as he rubbed at his injured arm.
"All right, kid," sighed Grimmjow.
"But . . . ." Ichigo muttered as he glanced up, "can you at least stay with me . . . . in the bed, Grimmjow?" The blunet blinked in surprise before smiling a little.
"Well, if you insist . . . ."
Ichigo actually felt safe in Grimmjow's arms as he slept peacefully for the first time in weeks. Never in his life would he even thought of being touched like this without physical consequences. At first, he just breathed into his scent for several minutes before finally going to sleep, nestling his head into his strong warm chest. However, as the morning sun blared at his face, he turned his body before waking up in realization. Grimmjow wasn't next to him, he wasn't even in the room. Ichigo sat up as he rubbed his eyes.
"Where is he?" he muttered tiredly as he got out of the bed, he was still dressed in his street clothes from yesterday. He staggered a little before walking right as he reached for the closed door and opened it. He heard small noises in the kitchen and stepped out. "Grimmjow?" he called out and the noises suddenly stopped. He didn't expect to hear hurried footsteps coming towards him and his eyes immediately widened at the sight of a familiar person.
"Ichigo . . . .!" gasped Nel as her eyes widened in surprise before suddenly embracing him, the great force caused them to stumble back into Grimmjow's bedroom. "I knew you would be here, Ichigo!" Nel cried happily, hugging him tighter. "I know that Grimmjow told me about it last night, but I wanted to see you for myself! I just can't believe it!"
"Nel . . . ." Ichigo smiled sadly, hugging her back. "I'm so sorry for treating you so badly . . . ."
"It's okay, Ichigo!" cried Nel as she glanced up, happy tears glistened in her eyes. "I didn't care about that, I kept hoping that you'll come back to us!"
"But . . . . it was my fault," muttered Ichigo. "You were right about Shiro. I should have taken your warning when you told me about what happened to you. I'm sorry, Nel."
"It's okay, Grimmjow told me everything before he left," Nel replied. "I'm okay with it, Ichigo."
"Everything?" questioned the teen. "Do you mean--"
"Yeah . . . . he told me that you guys kissed last night."
"Oh . . . ." Ichigo glanced away, with a slight blush across his face in embarrasment. "Are . . . . are you okay with that?"
"Duh, he had been told me about his feelings for you," smiled Nel. "And when I peeked in and saw you guys cuddling together, I knew you made the right decision." Ichigo frowned at that, as the blush deepened.
"So you knew . . . . about what Shiro tried to do to me," he muttered as he stepped back, sitting on the edge of the bed. Instantly, Nel's espressions turned pain-stricken and she nodded. "I won't go back to him, Nel. I will never return to him, no matter what."
". . . . All right, Ichigo," Nel sighed deeply, sitting next to him. "I know I can believe you on that, you finally saw what he really is. I just wish that it wouldn't have been that way, you would've died."
"Yeah . . . ." Ichigo muttered sadly. "Nobody . . . . not even my family, would've know about it." He cringed slightly at that, he hadn't thought his family in months. The last time he spoke with them, it was a mild argument about his relationship with Shiro. Now he felt devastatingly sorry about the pointless event. "Nel . . . . where did Grimmjow go?" he asked quietly.
"Oh, I think he went to the store--"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Bitch, I know yer in there! Where tha fuck is Ichigo?!" Shiro fumed ferociously as he violently banged on the door. Ichigo suddenly froze intensely in fear as he stared wide-eyed at Nel, who stared back in shock. "Where tha fuck is he, ya bitch?! Open tha fuckin' door, or I'll kick it down!"
"No . . . .!" Ichigo gasped breathlessly as he shivered. The threat came back, he will die if Shiro finds him here.
Yays, more cliffhangers! That's the fun of writing!!
Read, review, and no flames.
I'll update ASAP!!