Author's Note: This story is fighting me quite admirably, but I refuse to give up... I hope this chapter is up to standard.
- Chapter 24 -
Grimmjow stood in front of a painted navy blue door. He was staring at a silver knocker, his chest barely moving, the sound of his mother's voice from inside the single story beach house having stopped his hand halfway... She was singing.
Cobalt eyes clenched shut, and the tall Espada let his forehead fall forward to rest against the cool door as he listened, and he let out a measured breath from pursed lips, nostalgia making it hard to do anything else.
"You okay?" was whispered in a low voice.
The tall, blue-haired man nodded faintly, clenching his jaw, not lifting his head or opening his eyes. He'd put her through so much, all he'd ever wanted was to help her, to make her life better, and he'd done nothing but ruin it. She seemed happy now, and she had a nice place.
He heard an easy laugh that had always put him at ease as the song changed to a more upbeat one, and then she started up again. "I can't do this," he said, finally righting himself. He glanced down at the shinigami who'd found her for him, copper eyes wide with confusion. "Thanks for finding her, Ichigo, at least I know she's okay."
"But I thought you wanted to talk to her. To see her, you wanted to stay with her you said! We came all this way, remember?"
The blue-haired man shrugged, hiding his emotions. "Yeah. I changed my mind." He started to turn away, ignoring the stubborn look on Ichigo's face, and there was a heavy knock on the door.
Grimmjow spun back around, to see Ichigo's hand falling away, and he grabbed the guy by his shoulder, pulling him around. "What the fu—"
"Hello? Oh..." A blue-haired woman stood at the door, looking between the two guys only for a second before settling on just one. "Oh..."
Grimmjow's hand dropped from Ichigo's shirt, and he found himself stepping back up onto the wooden porch, his movement careful.
"Grimmjow...?" The woman lifted a hand to her mouth, her eyes going impossibly wide. "No, it can't be... They said you..."
The blue-haired man spoke, his voice rough. "Mom..."
The woman grasped the doorway, her head shaking. "Why did they tell me that—why would they do that, why didn't you"—she reached out for him, Grimmjow moving forward so she could pull him into a hug—"Grimm, you're alive."
"I'm sorry, it was to keep you safe," Grimmjow whispered, "and then I couldn't find you, I had to get help from a friend. I'm sorry."
Ichigo stood quietly, watching the tall Espada, who was leaned over so the woman could embrace him, cobalt eyes hidden and teal tattoos wrinkled. The fierce Espada he'd fought was barely recognizable at that moment as he softly whispered apologies and soothing words to his crying mother, hugging her back gently.
Ichigo cleared his throat silently, something in his chest constricting and making it hard to breathe.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," the woman said, pulling back to shoot Ichigo a teary smile. "You're Grimm's friend?"
Ichigo pressed his lips together as he nodded. "Yes, ma'am, I'm Ichigo," he said politely, and then the next thing he knew he was being pulled into a motherly hug too. He stiffened at first, but when the woman only squeezed him tighter he found himself relaxing and returning it timidly. He looked up to meet intense cobalt eyes watching him quietly, and he felt the tightening in his chest grow.
"I can't believe this," Grimmjow's mother said as she finally released Ichigo, and she laughed a half sob as she looked on her son again. "Come inside, please. Both of you."
"Oatmeal chocolate chip, your favorite." A plate of still hot cookies were set atop a white bar-level countertop just thirty minutes later. "Do you like these, Ichigo?
The blue-haired woman, who'd told Ichigo to call her Liz, was smiling like, well... like her son had come back to life. Ichigo nodded quickly, holding back a grimace at the thought. "Yes, thank you."
He picked one up and took a bite, chewing distractedly, as the women turned away to check her refrigerator for probably some other favorite food item of Grimmjow's she could make. She'd seemed like she didn't know what to do with herself once they'd come in, and had set to making Grimmjow's favorite cookies immediately.
He chanced a glance over to Grimmjow, the man was eating one too.
And he'd seen him eat cookies before, but somehow, it made him feel like complete shit seeing the guy doing such a simple thing at that very moment. Because he'd been a person, just like Ichigo, and he'd had a family, a mother, who'd cared about him as much as a mother could... and Grimmjow clearly cared about her just as much, if not more. The substitute soul reaper, remembering why hollows came into existence as he looked between the blue-haired son and mother, suddenly felt impossibly worse.
"Would you like a sandwich?" the woman asked in what sounded like a strained cheerful tone as Grimmjow stood up. "You are staying tonight, right? I know you probably can't stay longer with what you told me, but you will stay tonight and have breakfast before you leave?"
The tall blue-haired guy nodded, the movement slight, and he made his way around the counter. "Sit, mom, I'll make us all something," he said quietly.
Ichigo felt his mouth go dry, as the ex-Espada's mother sat down beside him. He forced down the bite he'd been chewing on for too long. He watched as Grimmjow opened up the refrigerator and started to pull out food items, and he almost got up and left. He couldn't—
"So you two are friends?"
Ichigo looked over, surprised, and he startled a little when Grimmjow answered for him by leaning over the counter to place an unexpected kiss on his cheek. "Best friends," Grimmjow said with the hint of a grin against his jawline.
"Oh... You two are...?"
Ichigo blinked in shock, not sure how to answer.
"Yeah, we met a few months ago," Grimmjow said, dead-panning, and he turned away to flick on the kitchen faucet, filling up a large pot he was holding. "We didn't get along at first, but now we're inseparable. Isn't that right, Ich?"
Ichigo laughed a little, and he held back a scowl. "Sure is, Grimm." He cursed him mentally.
The woman smiled some at that, her lips pressed together as she tried to hide her obvious happiness. She looked over at Ichigo, who smiled back weakly, and then she said, "But you look so young, surely you're still in college."
Ichigo had to hold back his own grin then as Grimmjow stiffened at the stove, where he had been opening a box of noodles. He smiled politely at the blue-haired woman. "I get that a lot, but no, I just finished last year."
"I see," the woman said, seeming relieved, and she looked back over to Grimmjow, who was clearing away some of the mess from the counters for her. Her expression softened more. "Well, thank you Ichigo, for clearly making him so happy, and for helping him find me."
Ichigo nodded at that, guilt rushing his chest once more.
"You tired?"
Ichigo shook his head as he looked around the modestly-sized guest room Grimmjow's mom had set them up in. Together. It had large beige tiles for flooring, soft grey walls, one of them mostly made up of windows and a glass door. It was furnished with a single full-sized bed, a chest, and a TV. He would've protested, but he didn't think there were any other bedrooms but hers, and he hadn't wanted to make her uncomfortable by refusing to stay with Grimmjow after what the blue-haired bastard had told her; he couldn't help but like her. She was sweet and funny and opinionated... she almost reminded him of his own mother, or at least what he could remember of her.
"Mind if I watch something?"
Ichigo looked over to see the tall blue-haired guy without his shirt, his pants undone but still hanging around his hips, holding a remote, flicking through channels, and something inside his chest tickled; and he didn't think things could get any stranger at that moment. "Yeah, uh—I mean no, it's fine," he said, his low voice rough, and he scrubbed roughly at wild orange locks, clearing his throat.
He glanced around unsurely a few beats before giving a mental fuck it, and he pulled off his t-shirt. He glanced down as he began to undo his jeans, and he checked his phone distractedly for any missed calls from his dad before slipping it back in his pocket and pushing them down. He leaned over to swipe up his pants from the floor when music started up unexpectedly.
Ichigo walked over to the long green chest situated by a door that hid a private bathroom. He dropped his pants and t-shirt on top of it, and he found himself watching a turned around Grimmjow as he stepped out of his pants. He swallowed hard, copper eyes roaming over tan skin, sculpted muscles, and a bold gothic six.
Piercing cobalt orbs met his gaze as the ex-Espada turned around, and he felt his heart begin to thud harder inside his chest.
"You okay?" was asked gruffly.
Ichigo swallowed, and he shook his head, his feet carrying him forward. And when he reached the tall blue-haired guy, his hand slipped up his neck and into his hair, and he pulled him down and crashed his lips to his.
Strong arms wrapped around him as he opened his mouth, deepening the kiss, his hand tightening its grip on electric blue hair, and their kiss grew more heated. Hands slid down his back and then grasped his ass, lifting him, and he wrapped his legs around the taller man's hips, groaning down into his mouth, barely noticing as he was carried backwards until he hit cool sheets, Grimmjow's large body overtop him. Lips left his, moving down to his neck hungrily, and he gasped as teeth nipped at sensitive skin just below his jaw.
"What do you want from me, Ichigo?" was husked against his ear.
Ichigo trailed his hands down tight obliques, and his right one dipped in, and then it slipped inside white boxers. His lungs began to heave as he slid his hand around silky soft skin, and Grimmjow groaned against his collarbone, the broken sound making his eyes want to roll back. "You," he panted, "I want you."
"You sure...?"
Ichigo sucked in a sharp breath, and he nodded jerkily as he slowed his hand, his knuckles brushing his own aching body member through two layers of cotton. He felt lips begin to gently caress his chest, and then there was a tongue trailing a slow circle around one of his nipples, and he bit back a groan, the sound rumbling in his chest. Teeth captured it, and he grunted, shifting his hips up, then they released and a tongue was teasing it.
"Shit," Ichigo breathed, and he slipped his hand out to push white boxers down and off tan hips, "yeah, I'm sure."
Grimmjow helped him, kicking off his boxers, and then he leaned down, grasping the waist of Ichigo's black ones and pulled them off in one tug. The tall blue-haired guy hovered over him on his knees for a long moment, scanning his body with a hungry expression, and Ichigo felt suddenly nervous as he lowered down overtop him. Then his lower body met his and began to rock up against it, and his mind blanked at the incredible sensation.
Please review so I know who's still out there. Plus, it'll really help with the writing of the next chapter. haha. Should be eventful. ;)