Unexpected Baggage- 21

After the unexpected interlude in the bathroom, Grimmjow and Ichigo came out to get dressed. Their bags were sitting at the foot of the bed and Grimmjow sighed as he dug around for something to wear. He felt Ichigo's hand settle on his back and he let out a noisy exhalation that sounded extremely grumpy.

"You're not usually this moody after." Ichigo's voice was a mixture of worry and a little bit of amusement.

Grimmjow pulled on a pair of jeans and shrugged into at clean t-shirt before he turned to look at him. "Moody?" He stood still as Ichigo reached out to pull at the hem of his shirt, his fingers smoothing the fabric. Grimmjow tried to make his voice sound light but wasn't sure how successful he was. "Did you think a quickie would solve our problems?"

"No, but I figured it would be a nice distraction." "Has anyone told you denial isn't healthy?" As soon as Grimmjow said that, he wished he hadn't. Ichigo's face went flat as he turned to go dig in his own bag for something to wear. Grimmjow clenched his teeth as he sat to pull on his sneakers. "Sorry."

"It's okay, you're right." Ichigo turned to look at Grimmjow, his eyes narrowing. "But apparently being drugged make you surly." He didn't really sound upset but he didn't soften his expression at all either.

Grimmjow snorted. "Nah. According to everybody else, that's a natural state for me."

Ichigo relaxed and shook his head while he finished dressing. When he was done, he came over and ran his fingers thought Grimmjow's wet hair. His look became thoughtful as he caught the other man's gaze and held it.

Grimmjow watched him for a moment before speaking. "Now who's moody? Thought you were getting mad."

Ichigo tugged with his fingers before letting go. "I don't know. I just. . ." He trailed off uncertainly as if thinking about what was really going on was enough to derail his thoughts.

Grimmjow reached out and pulled him down to sit next to him. He kept his arm loose around Ichigo's waist as the younger man leaned into him. "It's alright. I think we're allowed to be a little moody right now." The atmosphere was still heavy but neither of them thought it would get any better immediately. They sat together for while before getting up and to go downstairs.

Ilfort was waiting in the kitchen when they came down. There was takeout sitting on the counter and he was pulling things out of the bag. He seemed distracted for some reason, his expression a little lost.

Grimmjow frowned and went over to take one of the sandwiches from him when he stopped what he was doing and stood still. "Hey."

"Hmm?" Ilfort looked up and blinked. He opened his mouth and closed it again before he spoke. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being completely mental earlier. There's honestly no excuse."

Grimmjow shrugged. "That always happens when you have to deal with your brother. If I got pissed off every time you got weird on me, I'd probably never speak to you again." He'd meant it be a joke but it came out sounding flat and Ilfort still had a worried look on his face.

"I sent him away as soon as Ichigo woke up and it was clear that he'd be okay. He's. . ."

"Your brother, I get that. Don't worry about it." Grimmjow brushed it off. Szayel was a pain in the ass but he had his uses on occasion. "As much as I hate to admit it, we needed him."

"No. You're my brother more than he ever was." Ilfort gripped Grimmjow's wrist and looked at him steadily before he lowered his eyes and murmured, "I mean that." The air became heavy with the weight of the emotion behind the admission.

Grimmjow sighed before leaning down to catch his lowered gaze. "You're not dying or anything, are you?" He watched a look of exasperation cross Ilfort's face before the other man took a deep, calming breath and squeezed his wrist harder. Grimmjow clapped him on the shoulder and pulled his hand free. "I know," he muttered. Wordy expressions of emotion never really came easily to him. But nobody would ever guess that from the events of the last few days. Since he'd discovered Ichigo, or rediscovered him as it were, he'd been spewing emotional crap left and right. It wasn't necessarily that it bothered him but it was several steps out of his comfort zone.

Ichigo came over and tried to look like he wasn't intruding. He grabbed a sandwich, a bag of chips and a drink before heading over to the small kitchen table. He attacked the food like a starving man and both Grimmjow and Ilfort watched him for a moment, their warm moment from earlier momentarily pushed away. They exchanged one last meaningful look and then brought the rest of the food over to join him. They all ate quietly for a few minutes, none of them sure of what to say. Out of the corner of his eye, Grimmjow could see Ichigo's lips curl in a small smirk like he'd just thought of something.

"So, were you guys ever an item?" the redhead asked casually.

If they'd had a mouthful of anything, they probably would have sputtered and spit it all over to the table. As it was, they were both caught by surprise. Grimmjow eyed Ichigo who looked like he was trying not to laugh. He hid it behind his drink but didn't completely manage since his eyes gave it away. As much at it was nice to see him smile, couldn't he have come up with something else?

Ilfort recovered first and waved nonchalantly, his voice equally casual. "We tried once but he kept giggling and saying it was weird." He ignored Grimmjow's dark look. "Any particular reason you brought that up?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Just wondering." He took a few more bites and another sip of his drink before flicking his eyes over to Grimmjow.

The blue haired man glared at him before shaking his head and letting it go. From the outside, it might seem like he and Ilfort were together sometimes. And it was true that they had actually tried to get intimate once. It was a long time ago when they'd both still been very young and feeling experimental. Before Grimmjow had gone to work for Aizen. But it had been awkward and they'd mutually decided to just stay friends. And no, he hadn't giggled. He decided to change the subject before Ilfort decided to bring up any more embarrassing stories. Of which there were more than he cared to admit.

"So what happened to the furball?" Grimmjow hadn't seen the cat anywhere since he woke up and it hadn't been in the hotel room.

"I had Nakim come get him from the other house. He's keeping an eye on the cats and the shop while I'm busy."

Grimmjow shook his head. "I haven't seen him in forever."

"Well, he's still a little scared of you so he's been keeping a low profile. He does guard work for Shawlong."

Ichigo played with the straw of his drink. "That's the guy we met at the restaurant right?"

"Yes." Ilfort crumpled up his napkin in the empty wrapper of his sandwich until it was a tight little ball.

Grimmjow snorted. "Guard duty? He was never the violent type."

"No, but he looks like he is. Mostly he just stands around looking menacing." Ilfort gave him an indifferent look. "He's quiet and knows when to stay that way so he's worth is weight in gold really. And the cats love him so it works out well."

Grimmjow relaxed a little. Ilfort was right about him being quiet. If anyone came to the shop asking questions, the large man wouldn't say anything.

"Could you tell me what happened yesterday? I still don't remember much." Ichigo frowned down at the table and looked like he didn't like the gap in his memory. So, back to business then.

Grimmjow gave him a basic rundown of everything that happened after they'd decided to go back to the house including the fake delivery men and the van crashing. Except what Ichigo said in the alley. He didn't think he was up for that yet. "I don't know who they were and you said you didn't recognize them either."

"What about that guy that called you?" Ichigo rolled his sore shoulder and winced.

"Guy?" Ilfort tiled his head to the side. "You didn't mention that anyone had called."

Grimmjow sighed. "Apparently, Nnoitra is back in town."

"What does that asshole want?"

"He said he called to warn me." Grimmjow bit his bottom lip. "And he called me a fugitive. I didn't think much about it at the time, but I don't like it. He said that I might want to know what Aizen's been saying about me. And he knew about Ichigo. Like he'd been watching us."

Ilfort immediately dug out his phone and made a call. Grimmjow looked at Ichigo who was picking at what was left of his sandwich, his face pensive. When Ilfort hung up, his expression wasn't much happier.

"Well, the good news is that there isn't a warrant out for your arrest."

Grimmjow closed his eyes briefly and let out a slow breath. That's the first thing that came to mind when he heard Nnoitra mention the word fugitive. He swallowed a bite of his sandwich and took a sip of his drink before asking. "Is there bad news to go with that?"

Ilfort continued to look uncomfortable and was quiet for so long, Grimmjow nearly kicked him under the table. But after a moment, he let out what was bothering him. "Your place burned down last night. Took half of the block with it."

Grimmjow sat silently for several moments before gritting his teeth. There was a difference between giving something up and having it taken away. He'd had a least a small hope of going back there at some point. It wasn't the bike. At least not completely. It was everything. Maybe it's because he'd gotten the shop and everything in it by himself. He'd worked hard for it after he'd escaped from Aizen and now it was gone with no way to get it back. He felt a touch against his calf and saw Ichigo watching him from across the table. The redhead rubbed his foot up and down Grimmjow's leg a little, letting him know he was there without trying to be all mushy about it. Who would have thought playing footsie under the table could be so comforting on some level.

Grimmjow swallowed hard and looked at Ichigo. "I know you don't want to give up, but I think we might have to leave the area. At least for a little while." He waited for an argument. The heat that would try to blast him for making the suggestion. When it didn't come, he got worried. "It's okay. You're probably right. I don't think it would have worked anyway. He's. . ." Ichigo trailed off. "He's better than me."

Grimmjow reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "No, he's not."

Ichigo was shaking his head. "But Urahara was right too. It won't ever be the same even if he's arrested. My family will always have to hide." His voice got smaller. "I'll have to hide." He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. "It was stupid to think that I could take him."

"What about the King's Key?" Grimmjow was still a little twitchy about that.

"I don't think it really exists," Ichigo muttered.

"But Urahara and that chick got all secretive when you mentioned it."

"It might be something but I don't think it's what we think it is." Ichigo snorted derisively. "The more I think about it, the less I believe it. There can't be a network of satellites poised for world destruction. Aside from being stupidly illegal, there's no way they could keep that kind of thing a secret. Not completely anyway."

Grimmjow looked at Ilfort who seemed to consider that idea. "It's possible. We might have been thinking the worst just because we were grasping at straws and we convinced ourselves that's what he wanted."

Ichigo shoved back from the table suddenly and brought what was left of his lunch to garbage can before throwing it in with more force than was necessarily. "What the hell have I been doing?" he hissed.

"Ichigo." Grimmjow didn't like the pained expression on his face.

"No. Seriously, what have I been doing?" He whirled around. "I keep making all these stupid choices. And when I tried to fix it, I just ended up playing with electronics and constantly getting all emotional. I've been doing it for days and it's not getting me anywhere." He turned to look at Grimmjow. "Not getting us anywhere."

Grimmjow felt a tingly little jolt at the emphasis he put on the word 'us.' Despite his doubts about where there relationship would go, he liked the sound of it. "You've done what you can. That's more than most could manage. Some would buckle and be crushed under that kind of pressure."

"It's not enough." Ichigo leaned back against the counter and gripped it like he was afraid he'd fly away if he wasn't anchored to something. "I don't know what to do," he said quietly.

"We're going north." Grimmjow stood and took care of his own wrapper, snagging Ilfort's on the way to the garbage. It wasn't something that just suddenly came to him, he'd considered leaving before and that was probably the best way to go.

The blonde looked at him like he'd just sprouted another head. "North? Are you serious? I told you that might start a war."

"War?" Ichigo's brow furrowed as he looked between the two of them.

"Maybe. But Aizen will definitely think twice before following us there. They've got a truce, or at least they did a couple years ago. Intruding on Kariya's territory would be bad and he'll avoid it if he can."

"Kariya? Jin Kariya?" Ichigo's frown deepened.

Both Ilfort and Grimmjow turned to him in surprise. But they shouldn't have been shocked. The man's name had to have come up sometime. Grimmjow went over to stand beside him. "You know him?"

"Not really. I've met him a couple times. He came over to Aizen's for dinner once. He's old money, family goes back generations." He look up at Grimmjow. "I don't think he likes Aizen very much. Kind of an elitist thing."

Grimmjow snorted. "Yeah. That's the impression I got when I saw him too."

"You know, there are rumors that say Jin's really the same guy that started the family centuries ago, like he's immortal or something. That he just makes up new identities every few decades."

"Right, like he's a vampire." Grimmjow eyed Ichigo who just shrugged.

"Rumors, remember. I personally think that the kids in his family just look a lot like their parents. Guy's the spitting image of his dad. I saw a picture once." Ichigo let go of the counter finally and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm not sure we should get too close to him though. He's kind of creepy and I don't trust him."

"Neither do I but I know his type. He won't touch us for fear of pissing off Aizen. New money or not, nobody can deny the influence he has. And I'm not talking about walking up and knocking on his front door or anything."

Ilfort snorted from the table. "That's not what you said a couple days ago."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo was frowning at them both again.

The blonde waved it away. "A hypothetical situation we discussed earlier. The police might not have been able to use anything we found in his computer system. If we were successful." Which they hadn't been and probably wouldn't be with the way they'd need to keep moving around. Ilfort ignored Ichigo's pouting sneer. Apparently, that was still a sore spot for him. "But they aren't the only ones who would be able to use that kind of info. And some of them wouldn't be quite so hampered by legal issues."

"Sounds very espionagey," Ichigo murmured.

"That's not even a word." Grimmjow poked him in the shoulder and was happy to see him smirk a little.

"Yeah, but you knew what I meant." The redhead took a deep breath and sighed. "So. North. I guess it's as good a direction as any." He still didn't sound happy about it but he wasn't angry anymore.

Ilfort stood slowly and stretched. "When do we leave?"

"You aren't coming with us," Grimmjow said quietly. He braced himself for the argument that was sure to come. There was no mistaking the bristling anger in Ilfort's stance.

"So I'm just backup when it's convenient for you? I hate to be the one to tell you it doesn't work that way."

"It'll be easier to move with just two and less conspicuous."

Ilfort looked the two of them up and down openly, a sneer on his face. "Yeah, you two blend."

"Don't make me kick your ass and leave you behind that way." They watched each other warily, both knowing that of the two, Grimmjow was indeed the stronger one. He'd have to work for it but he'd win in the end. And neither of them would be better off for it.

"You need a gofer and you know it."

"Like they don't know who you are? I can take care of it and I won't be responsible for what might happen to you." Grimmjow's voice rose and he didn't bother to stop it.

"You can barely take care of yourself," Ilfort spat.

"I got away from him once. I'll do it again if I have to."

Ilfort frowned in thought, anger still apparent on his face. "Got away? Is that what you think happened?"

It was Grimmjow's turn to look confused. Sure, he didn't remember much after he'd been caught by Aizen when he'd let the girl go but that's the only way it could have worked out. He saw Ilfort's expression soften a little but it was clear that he was still upset.

"You didn't get away. He let you go."

"Not possible. The only way he'd really let me go is if he killed me." Grimmjow was shaking his head, not really knowing why the alternative bothered him so much. Ichigo stood quietly off to one side, careful not to get involved.

"You didn't escape Grimmjow. You were dumped on my doorstep. Which scared the shit out me since we hadn't spoken in two years at the time and I'd moved around a lot. I was sure I'd covered my tracks and was firmly off the grid. But there you were in a bloody fucking heap, barely breathing." Ilfort swallowed and turned away as he started to pace. Grimmjow opened his mouth to say something but Ilfort held up a hand to stop him. "I'm not finished. You don't get to choose when people help you. And when you take off, where do you think he's going to go looking first?"

Shit. Grimmjow hadn't thought about that. Aizen would go right to Ilfort. Not just to get answers either. He might possibly use him as bait to lure him back. And it would work. Grimmjow knew that and felt something cold settle in his gut. Not with regret but with apprehension and a healthy dose of fear. Fear for a friend that would go out of his way to help him even if he didn't want him to.

"And besides, Ichigo is my friend too," Ilfort said gently. "I'm not giving up on either of you."

Grimmjow had always considered himself a loner. Even growing up with Ilfort, he'd always felt a little bit apart. And there were times, even now, that he wished he didn't have to worry about anyone but himself. He felt small thinking it and he closed his eyes as he took a calming breath. He could feel Ichigo watching him but he was apparently making no move to get closer. The redhead seemed to know that he needed some space at the moment. Or did he? He was surprised to find himself wishing that he'd get closer anyway.

Opening his eyes, he looked over to see that he'd been right. Ichigo had a pained expression on his face, his fingers clenched like it was taking an effort to keep his hands to himself. Grimmjow held out his hand and turned slightly. Ichigo came over and pressed himself up against him, his arms wrapping around his waist. Ilfort was watching them both and it appeared that his anger was draining away.

"Do I get a hug too?" he asked. There was a small smile on his face and he seemed relieved. Ichigo released his grip and held his arm open invitingly.

Grimmjow snorted out a short laugh that was bordering on sounding nervous. "A group hug? I'm think I might get sugar shock here."

Ichigo smacked his chest lightly before moving away and going over to the blonde who was smiling openly now. But instead of hugging him, he leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I know you don't have to do any of this. I appreciate it." The redhead moved off quietly into the other room leaving Grimmjow and Ilfort alone in the kitchen.

"You're so damn lucky he's yours," Ilfort murmured as he watched him go. Turning and giving Grimmjow a hard look, he cocked his head to the side. "Any last useless arguments?"

"No. I-" Grimmjow scrubbed his hand over his face. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Really. You're freaking me out a little being so quiet and agreeable. I'm more used to cranky and obstinate."

"Screw you."

"That's the stuff." Ilfort smiled at him. "We should probably go soon. I've got a couple of calls to make and then we can head out."

Grimmjow stayed in the kitchen as Ilfort went into the other room. He let his head fall back to rest on the upper cabinets as he leaned on the counter. He really didn't deserve either of them but was trying his best not to dwell on it. There were enough things to worry about as it was.