I'm on vacation and I'm on a roll. I've been typing so much lately that the letters are wearing off my keyboard. It may slow down a little after this since I have to go back to work tomorrow, but I've got so many specific ideas, that it practiacally writes itself.

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Lesser Evil- Chapter 36

Ichigo hissed as his body hit the hot water in the tub. It actually felt almost cold. Not a good sign. He hadn't realized how close he'd gotten to hypothermia out there. It wasn't that cold outside, but being nearly naked and strapped to a giant piece of cold metal had leeched the heat right out of him. He still had his boxers on and the fabric clung wetly to his skin beneath the tape. There was a knock on the door and both he and Grimmjow turned to look at Urahara as he came in. He had a bottle in his hands and he held it out. Grimmjow reached out to take it and read the label.

"Massage oil? I don't think this is the time. . ."

"It will help get the tape off without tearing his skin." Urahara flicked his fan open and grinned over its edge. "Really Grimmjow. Is that all you think about?" The arrancar frowned at him as Ichigo snickered in the tub. Grimmjow tried not to let himself get too irritated. If Ichigo could laugh in any capacity right now, it meant that he was okay. At least a little anyway. The shopkeeper just laughed and left them alone.

"He's just. . ." Grimmjow sighed.

"Strange beyond belief?"

"Yeah."

"No arguments here." Ichigo started to pick at the tape on his left arm. It pulled at his body hair and he winced. Grimmjow opened the bottle and rubbed the oil on his hands. Reaching beneath the surface of the water, he smoothed his fingers between the tape and Ichigo's skin. Both sighed in relief as it started to come easily away. Ichigo tried to help but Grimmjow just pushed his hands away.

"I've got it." Ichigo sighed and lay back in the tub as Grimmjow's hands moved over his body. It took quite a while and they had to turn on the hot water while draining the tub a little to maintain the temperature of the water. The only sound was the lapping of the water against the edge of the tub and their own breathing. Ichigo turned his head to look at Grimmjow as he worked.

"Aren't you even going to ask?" Grimmjow snorted as he worked on a tricky piece stuck to his thigh that didn't want to come off.

"You'll tell me if you feel like it." Ichigo watched him for a minute before continuing. He was waiting for him to ask a bunch of prodding questions and demand answers. But he honestly wasn't going to. Ichigo almost couldn't decide if he wanted to tell him or if he wanted him to ask first.

"I didn't even know them. It's always been like that."

"Like what?" Ichigo sighed.

"I always seem to attract attention to myself even if I don't want to." Grimmjow stilled his hands and shot him a look. Ichigo blushed a little and turned away. "It's not always like that. Usually it's just my hair. Or my attitude." There was a chuckle beside him and Ichigo frowned. "Do you want to hear this or not?" Grimmjow held his wet hands up in surrender.

"Sorry. Go on."

"Don't know if those guys were transfer students or not. I've been gone so long it's hard to say. They just. . ." He sank a little lower in the water and closed his eyes as he remembered how angry he'd been. "Oh, God." Grimmjow pulled off the last piece of tape and brought his hand up to touch his face lightly.

"What is it?" Ichigo wouldn't look at him.

"I could have killed them." Grimmjow frowned. Of course he could have. Ichigo took down hollows all the time. Humans wouldn't be a problem. Then he caught himself. At least not a physical problem. But the emotional consequences and the legal ones. Those would be severe. Ichigo's voice was quiet. "And I think. . . I think for at least for one small moment, I wanted to." Grimmjow watched him struggle with the idea.

"But you didn't."

"No." Ichigo frowned into the water. "I let them kick my ass instead." There was a sullen tone in his voice now. At least that was better than the pain Grimmjow had heard there. He was starting to see what was bothering him so much.

"You're not a killer Ichigo." Those brown eyes fixed on him and he almost couldn't stand to see the disbelief in them. Grimmjow cupped his face in his hands and fixed him with a level stare. "You're not." Ichigo's eyes glistened a little, and he tried not to blink. But he couldn't hold it back forever and the tears fell, catching on Grimmjow fingers where they rested on his face. He brushed them away with his thumbs and moved to help Ichigo stand. After he stepped out of the tub, he rubbed him gently down with a towel, being careful around the new bruises and raw spots from where the tape had ripped away.

Ichigo remained quiet and listless as Grimmjow bandaged the worst and dressed him in loose pants and a long sleeved shirt. Taking him into the bedroom, he set him down on the edge of the bed only to swear and step back. Ichigo shot to his feet, his head colliding with Grimmjow's nose. "Shit! My phone." Grimmjow held a hand to his face and raised a brow. "My phone was in my bag and they took it." Grimmjow took his own out of his pocket and handed it to him. Ichigo stared at it for a moment before looking at him. Grimmjow just shrugged.

"Urahara said I should have one." Ichigo dialed and sat carefully back down, his sudden movements having caused more than a little pain. It was getting late and his family had probably been trying to call. Grimmjow sat silently beside him.

"Hey. Yeah, I know. No, I'm okay, just really tired. No. Not tonight, I'm sorry. Thanks. We'll be over tomorrow. Yeah. Bye." Ichigo sighed as he hung up and handed the phone back. He rested his face in his hands and Grimmjow put his arm around him. He was quiet for several minutes before speaking, his voice slightly muffled by his own fingers. "I don't deserve them being so understanding."

"Stop that." Ichigo looked up at his sharp tone. "Self pity doesn't suit you so knock it off." Ichigo pulled back a bit and narrowed his eyes.

"What the hell?"

"I can't stand it when you beat the crap out of yourself. Especially when their's no reason for it."

"I'm not. . ."

"Yes you are." Grimmjow sighed and softened his voice. "Every time someone does something for you or they forgive you for something you think you've done, you make yourself miserable." Ichigo was still frowning. Did he? Maybe. But there was so much that he had done. Some of it rather terrible in his opinion. He thought about the incident earlier that day. So much that he could do. Grimmjow's hand on his shoulder drew his attention back. "Driving yourself to distraction with self loathing won't make it better no matter what it is."

"But today. . ."

"Don't even bring those fuckers up. No, I don't think they deserved to die." And strangely enough, he didn't. Beaten into unconsciousness maybe, but not dead. "They are still breathing right?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm guessing you didn't go down without a fight." Ichigo sat up straighter, his tone mildly indignant.

"Of course not."

"Then let it go." Ichigo snorted and shifted a little on the bed.

"They'll just be back." He murmured to himself. "They always come back."

"And you'll kick their asses again until they get the message." Grimmjow leaned in until their faces were close. "They'll run away because I'm also guessing that you won't let them win twice." He caught Ichigo's sleeve as he moved back a little. "And they'll be alive to do it because that's not in you and you know it." Ichigo glared a little, but there was no malice in it. He seemed more mad at himself than anything else.

"Sometimes I hate it when you're right."

"Do you enjoy being miserable?"

"Well, no."

"Will it make things better?"

"No, dammit. Alright, I get your point. Now who's having trouble letting it go?" Grimmjow laughed quietly and pushed him gently back onto the bed. Ichigo let him and looked up, fatigue clouding his eyes. "I'm just so tired. I want to be left alone." Grimmjow lay down next to him and pulled him close.

"Can't help you with that last part. I'm not going anywhere." Ichigo let out a small, snorting laugh.

"Not what I meant. Just the fighting. At least when it's stupid and meaningless."

"Want me to come with you tomorrow?" Grimmjow grinned at him. "I think I could persuade them to find something else to occupy their time." Ichigo laughed for real this time and they both relaxed a little. As amusing as that would be, it still wouldn't solve the problem.

"No. I can take care of it." As much as he didn't want to, Ichigo would do it himself knowing that having someone else step in would make it worse. He wouldn't let those assholes win. He sighed deeply, only wincing a little. "Thanks. I think I needed that." Grimmjow pressed his lips to Ichigo's temple.

"Don't worry about it." Of course, he probably would. Grimmjow was starting to see that Ichigo had trouble accepting anything from anyone freely even if it was advice or forgiveness. He always wanted to be the one giving or protecting. Noble, but draining. Of course, beyond seeing some sense, Grimmjow didn't really want him to change that. It was part of who he was. He just didn't like seeing him hurt because of it. And then there was that other thing.

Grimmjow had been becoming increasingly aware of changes within himself. Protective feelings and a yearning for safety that had never even crossed his mind when he'd lived in Las Noches. At first, he'd felt that it was a weakness. Something that meant he was becoming soft. Then he'd wondered if it was his contact with Ichigo that had caused him to mellow and become more subdued. But maybe it was more than that. Ichigo's reaction today seemed to be pointing in another direction. That kind of homicidal rage was more within Grimmjow's territory. Were they rubbing off on each other in some unseen way? Picking up on personality traits that weren't normally part of their normal habits and thoughts?

It wasn't a comfortable feeling. Grimmjow wasn't about to apologize for what he was and what he'd done in the past, but his actions had been far from praise worthy. He didn't like the idea that Ichigo might be getting some of that from him. Like a bad influence. On the other hand, maybe it would help make him strong enough to deal with the difficult tasks set before him. The war was far from over and Ichigo would most likely be forced to do things he wouldn't want to do. But they might be necessary. Grimmjow sighed. None of this was easy. He ran a hand up and down Ichigo's arm.

"Are you hungry?" Ichigo mumbled in reply, already half asleep.

"Not really." He'd just have to make sure he ate in the morning then. Grimmjow shifted and kicked his jeans off before pulling the blanket up over them both.

* * *

Ichigo got ready for school the next morning with only a minimal amount of pain. Everything felt stiff and sore, but most of it was superficial. Thankfully, he had more than one uniform. He would just have to make sure he got another one to replace the loss. The school books might be a problem. He'd probably have to pay for those. At least he'd only had two with him yesterday. He closed his eyes as he zipped up his jacket. His phone. He'd have to get a new phone. What a pain in the ass. When he came out into the kitchen, he saw breakfast spread out on the table. Hmmm. How domestic. He felt his lips pulling in an amused smile.

"What's that smirk for?" Grimmjow glared from the stove. "You think I can't cook?" Ichigo just grinned at him.

"It's not that." He laughed a little. "Well, yeah it is." Grimmjow snorted and came to sit at the table.

"Believe me, I was self sufficient long before I met you." Ichigo watched him for a moment before sitting down across from him. Yes, he would have been. Grimmjow didn't really like relying on anybody but himself.

"Thanks." Grimmjow shrugged but smiled at him. After breakfast, he pulled Ichigo close for a deep kiss before he could get out the door.

"Be careful."

"I'm going to school, not into battle or anything."

"It looked like both when I brought you home yesterday." Ichigo bit his bottom lip before pulling away.

"Not going to happen again. I'm. . .I can do this. I've done it before and now isn't any different from them." He paused as he considered something. "Well, I'm different. But that doesn't mean I have to handle it any differently." His eyes flicked back up to Grimmjow. "It'll be okay."

"Okay." Ichigo leaned up and kissed him again before heading to the door. He gave him one last look before leaving.

"See you later." After Ichigo was gone, Grimmjow turned to answer the knock on the inner door that led to the shop. Urahara stood waiting, his fan flapping.

* * *

Ichigo walked into school and received a few interested looks. His hands were bandaged from where they'd scraped across the pavement last night, and he had a few visible bruises. But nobody actually said anything. Ichigo was known to get into fights frequently even if that had calmed a bit recently. He ignored them all as entered the classroom, nodding to Chad and Ishida he went to sit at his desk. They nodded back and didn't say anything. He'd at least expected them to ask about yesterday. But he supposed it was just as well. He didn't really want to talk about it. Ichigo busied himself with reading a last minute assignment and didn't bother to look up when the teacher came in.

"Well class, we have a new transfer student. Please welcome him." Ichigo froze. He didn't even need to look up to know who it was. Closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, he sighed heavily as he waited for the newcomer to be introduced. "His name is Grimmjow Jaegerjaque." Ichigo couldn't quite hold back the groan. When he felt him sit at the empty desk next to him, he turned his head while keeping it propped on his hand.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He wasn't angry really. Just surprised, and maybe a little irritated.

"Don't give me that look, it wasn't my idea." Ichigo closed his eyes again for a moment.

"He just doesn't stop does he?" Grimmjow snorted.

"Apparently not. He said I needed something to keep me busy." Ichigo gave him a level look.

"And it's got nothing to do with keeping an eye on me? I don't need a babysitter."

"Tell him that." Urahara had told him earlier that it would be best if the two of them stayed close. Grimmjow had no real objections except for the school part. He wasn't sure what the shop keeper expected him to do here. He wasn't about to get all studious and start spending his time with his nose in a book. The teacher rapped her ruler on her desk to get their attention before starting the lesson.

As irritated as he was, Ichigo had to admit Grimmjow looked good in the uniform. The grey color set off the blue of his hair and made his eyes look amazing. There were several girls already checking him out. And a couple guys. They could look all they wanted as long as they didn't touch him. The possesive thought made him pause and he let out a small sigh. As long as he didn't let himself get all weird about it. They'd just have to see how this went. It wasn't like he could stop him from coming if he wanted to be here. Ichigo smirked at the thought of Grimmjow tackling geography or algebra. This could be interesting.

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I hadn't originally planned to send Grimmjow to school with Ichigo, but more than one person metioned it. And then I decided that I could have some fun with it before I moved on.