Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH

A/N How to describe this scene. It's not an intermission nor is it a full chapter. It is an important part of the story though. Couldn't figure out where to place it because it's the first memory that is shown from both Grimm and Ichi's view points.

DRUNKEN SEAHORSE

A day in the rain

Flashback school days

Dark clouds covered the sky giving the mid-afternoon the appearance of nightfall.

Neither Grimmjow nor Ichigo paid attention to the sudden torrential downpour as they wrestled each other to the ground out on the wide-open field.

Grunting and snarling, each youth trying to get the upper hand. It was really more of a scuffle this time rather than a full-blown all-out brawl seeing as no actual punches had been thrown.

Even the snarling lacked its usual edge and as for the grunting well that last one had sounded more like a groan-indeed to a casual passerby the two boys rolling around probably looked like they were engaging in some kinky version of foreplay or something.

Lightning crashed and thunder rumbled in the distance.

The "fight" was brought to a sudden halt as Ichigo let out a startled sort of yelp and jumped a little.

A not quite so friendly smirk made its way on to Grimmjow's face. "Not a fan of thunderstorms, Kurosaki?"

The berry teen glared harshly at the blunet, shoved him off and then scrambled to his feet as fast as he could (not an easy task considering he was drenched and all)

"Asshole," it was muttered low and if Grimmjow had been anyone but Grimmjow he wouldn't have heard it.

"Hey now there's no need for all that. Lots of people hate thunderstorms." The blue-haired teen slowly moved to his own feet and swept matted locks out of his face. "I confess I don't care for em' much either."

Surprise flashed across Ichigo's face before he masked it with a look of cool indifference.

Grimmjow opened his mouth to say something else but was abruptly cut off by a loud almost deafening boom.

Ichigo let out another yelp and then cringed inwardly knowing his arrogant rival would probably mock him for it.

"That's kinda a cute sound you're making strawberry princess," rather than mocking Grimmjow's tone was a straddling the line between playful and flirtatious," Electric blues flashed with interest before he took a few steps towards Ichigo, "I wonder what other kinds of cute sounds you'll make for me."

Ichigo's face went flush as Grimmjow invaded his personal space. And he kicked it down determined not to embarrass himself further. "Bastard," he snarled but it lacked edge, lacked fire, not even a hint of true animosity.

Amusement danced across Grimmjow's face. He took a few more steps towards Ichigo, voice just above a whisper, damn near a caress if he dared to close the miniscule gap that remained between them, "Say it like you mean it."

Grimmjow and Ichigo stood there locked in a staring contest (although it was so much more than a staring contest) with the rain beating heavily on them, soaking them to the bone.

Both teens were being stupid instead of running for shelter or going back to their respective homes like they should have been doing they were standing outside in the middle of a storm trying to figure each other out-trying to figure out why they constantly kept being drawn towards one another-

It wasn't the first time something like this had occurred. And it probably wouldn't be the last.

There was something a little different about it this time though and both teens could sense it though neither chose to comment on it. At least not directly.

The stare down shifted suddenly

Ichigo's breath hitched and cinnamon and coffee-colored eyes widened when one of Grimmjow's hands shot towards his face, "What are y-?"

"Shh, don't say anything just let me try something."

It was the only warning/partial request the blue haired teen gave the orange-haired teen before he brushed the pad of his thumb against the other's smooth cheek, secretly marveling at the texture before sliding down towards the chin and up to an equally as soft, no softer not quite pouty lips which were often more than not set into a frown.

()

Ichigo waged an inner war with himself and the tiresome feeling of teenage hormones and tried to make sense of things, not entirely sure if he was daydreaming or if this moment was really happening right now, nor if he should welcome Grimmjow's touch and reach out and touch back (definitely touch back) or knock the bastard better known as his rival straight into next season.

As the storm raged on, he continued to stand there and let Grimmjow continue brushing his thumb against his lips Ichigo concluded this sure as fuck was not a daydream it was happening live in 3 fucking D. Electric blues were sharper and darker and hadn't left his face for a minute.

There was a slight crease in between electric blue brows and he could tell the other teen was clenching and unclenching his chiseled jaw as the muscles in his face moved-Grimmjow's face a mixture of full-on concentration, lust and something Ichigo could not quite decipher in the moment. Or maybe he just didn't want to think too hard on it.

Maybe he didn't want to think at all. Ichigo was tiered of thinking. At least for the moment. He'd probably feel differently tomorrow. Maybe. Anyway, why was he just standing here and doing nothing? At the very least he should reciprocate.

There wasn't a major difference in height, not as much as there had been a year ago (and even if there was Ichigo still wouldn't have cared) so he should touch his rival back. Ichigo was itching and twitching-wondering not for the first time what would it feel like to glide his fingers through Grimmjow's electric blue locks of hair especially now that they were wet and free of product?

Not that he didn't dig the half Canadian's bad-boy rebel without a cause hairstyle because he totally did. (1)

And that chiseled face, the same chiseled face he punched and kicked, made a bloody and bruised mess of more times than he could properly even remember, that same sharp angled face (that haunted/teased him in and out of dream land) that was slightly animalistic, exotically beautiful and perfectly wonderfully masculine all at the same time, yes what would it be like to caress Grimmjow's face?

Why was he still asking himself and not just going for it?

Would the blunet teen allow a touch like that? Since when did Ichigo ask for permission anyway? And why should he? Grimmjow started this...whatever this was.

His touch was so fucking gentle it was almost too much to bear. But Ichigo managed, deciding he quite liked how Grimmjow was touching him. Yet at the same time...

Why wasn't Ichigo biting the finger that was still rubbing and brushing his mouth? Or why wasn't he opening said fucking mouth and demanding that Grimmjow stop being a such a dick (tease) and just kiss him already?

It wasn't like his rival wouldn't know what he was doing since the other boy was well versed in tonsil hockey among other things-no doubt Grimmjow knew how to use his mouth in multiple ways.

But why wait for Grimmjow to do it? Ichigo wasn't completely without knowledge or experience in the kissing department (he may not have as much experience as his rival or some of his classmates but so what?) He could always improvise and he'd always been a fast learner.

Grimmjow could teach him all kinds of things if that is in fact the road they were heading down?

It didn't seem quite out of left field. At least not entirely.

Arghhh this was annoying! At the very least Ichigo should demand to know what the bastard was doing instead of panting heavily, blushing 10 shades of crimson and continually drinking in the other teen with heavily glazed eyes (no doubt catching fucking ammonia or some shit from the stupid rain which hadn't let up at all!)

()

Unbeknownst to Ichigo... an internal war was attacking Grimmjow at that exact same moment.

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Just how many times was he going to play this dance with Ichigo before it took a decidedly different turn? Flirting was one thing, even teasing wasn't exactly foreign but it was one thing to shove the smaller teen against a wall or up against locker (or a number of other surfaces) or crowd the other boys' space and leer or purr or make sexual innuendos and watch his entire face go flush, it was quite another to move his thumb across Ichigo's face like he was tracing a fucking map!

Memorizing every slight dip or curve or angle, taking his sweet fucking time especially once the pad of his finger touched that mouth-

Ichigo's mouth.

Grimmjow had attempted something like this once (not all that long ago) and the strawberry princess had definitely not responded to it well at all but he'd been stupid at the time and had lacked finesse and a whole lot of other things-well actually he was still plenty stupid but whatever-it was different-

This moment, right here right now, it was nothing like that day had been.

This afternoon was the beginning of something new if he took the plunge and went for it.

It wouldn't take much. The red blush on Ichigo's face had not only returned it had deepened, and he was sucking in sharp little breaths and his dark orange lashes were fluttering and the heavy rain was making that ridiculously tight uniform cling to his skin (even more so than it already did) and Grimmjow should really just hurry the hell up and replace his thumb with his mouth instead!

Because he wanted this. He wanted the berry and the berry wanted him.

So, what the hell was he waiting for?

Why was he not just staking his claim? It's not like Ichigo would fight him on it, not at this stage in the game.

And why stop there?

Once he fucked that mouth which had been taunting him for way too fucking long Grimmjow knew-had no doubt (well almost no doubt-like 99 percent certain) that he could convince/persuade Ichigo to let him turn things up another notch-a couple hundred more notches actually.

Grimmjow could sweet talk with the best of em' when he really felt like it.

A few carefully placed words (which were mostly true by this point even though his rival had no clue that this was the case) and the absolute assurance that he wouldn't tell a single soul about what was about to transpire right here out on the field-that it would be a secret-his and Ichigo's not-so-little secret-that he would go slow and be as gentle as possible (or well as gentle as a hormonal teenage boy could be any way) and not make fun of his strawberry princess if he cried/when he cried (because of course the tough little bastard would cry or at least whine at little at first) and make it good for Ichigo.

The rain was still coming down in buckets so it would help make an easier entry-probably-maybe. And if the rain wasn't enough there was plenty of mud so yeah-sure maybe slicking his dick with mud might not be the smartest idea to ever cross his mind but maybe Ichigo would appreciate the gesture?

Hah! How stupid was he?

No amount of mud or rain would make a good alternative for lube. Grimmjow would barely get one finger in Ichigo's virgin hole let alone his raging hard on.

And even if his rival decided to be stubborn in typical Kurosaki fashion and insist that Grimmjow just enter him anyway, something would definitely tear and that just wouldn't fucking do. At all. Grimmjow would go completely limp.

Fuck that! Ichigo's first fucking time wouldn't be out on a fucking field in the middle of a storm!

At the very least it should be at crappy love hotel or something-with the overstuffed plush pillows and cheesy music-and the morning after while his strawberry princess snoozed softly in his arms and-wait! Morning after?! Since when?

Sure, his rival was different from all the rest but love hotels and morning after-especially the morning after that sounded more like...

Fuck! No! That would be a little too much like an actual relationship. And now Grimmjow's the one breathing harshly and fuck is that his heart pounding. What the fuck is going on?

He's not ready for...whatever the fuck this is?

No matter how fucking perfect Ichigo is-or could be he is so not ready for-

Grimmjow shook his head effectively banishing all his thoughts from his brain. He brushed his thumb along Ichigo's bottom lip once more and then dropped his hand back down at his side.

He stands there like a dumbass an additional ten minutes and then turns on his heel, grateful that the rain muffles his retreating steps.

()

Ichigo's not exactly sure when he finally let his eyes slip shut but now that Grimmjow has finally stopped touching his mouth with the pad of his thumb-Ichigo thinks finally it's going to happen.

He can feel the soft puffs of air against his face which tell him the other teen is still most definitely there-here-with him.

Grimmjow is probably just trying to build the suspense or something in typical Grimmjow like fashion but he's definitely about to kiss Ichigo.

Ichigo is suddenly so excited and nervous all at once for a moment he thinks he might throw up-and that would be just the absolute fucking worst! So, he does his best to calm himself, and just wait for it-half tempted to crack one eye open but he resists-

It's really going to happen and once it happens there will be no turning back. And that's just fine with Ichigo. More than fine actually because its Grimmjow and-what the hell is taking the bastard so long? Why is he still just fucking hovering when he should be claiming his mouth?

Deep tongue action should be happening right now as well as a whole lot of grabbing and a fair bit scraping and snarling because this is them after all.

Soft feathery light caresses and shojo hearts dancing around them sure as fuck is not!

Not that there's anything wrong with that per se its just-not now-not while their young and dumb and-

Why does it suddenly feel/sound almost eerily quiet and deserted?

Irritation rising back up in him Ichigo opens his eyes and is fully intending to give Grimmjow an earful only to discover the other boy has left.

()

TBC

1) Not that he didn't dig the half Canadian's bad-boy rebel without a cause hairstyle because he totally did. (1)

James Dean and Billy Idol...if you do readers do not know who these people are then do yourself a favor and google it.

Next time an official chapter. See you then! Thanks for reading!

~SLY~