Chapter XI: I Need You to Stay

Ichigo sat in his room, typing a paper on chlamydia for his health class. After doing that research, he was even more glad that he was a virgin. Nature was nasty as fuck. He lucked out and got one of the less gross ones, but poor Renji was stuck with researching syphilis. Ichigo's skin started to crawl just thinking about it. Of all the STIs though, the worst had to be that nine month virus. You know, the one that leads to an infant. You can get a shot for the clap, but a baby is forever. He shuddered at the thought.

Not that he didn't want kids per se, but he knew he didn't have anything to worry about in that area at least. It wasn't one of those weird stories that Orihime read where dudes had mystical wombs and shit, so he was cool. He wouldn't mind adopting at some point though, if Grimmjow didn't mind. Oh damn, how far ahead of himself was he getting, huh? He and Grimmjow weren't even an official couple and he was already planning to adopt a kid. Calm thyself, he thought.

He was saving his document and preparing to email it to his teacher when his phone vibrated against his desk. He picked it up, smiling when he saw that it was a message from Grimmjow.

Dinner tonight?

Yeah, sure. What time should I be ready?

I'll send Szayel for you at six. Dress formal.

Okay.

He looked at the clock on his laptop, seeing that he had about an hour before he'd have to leave. He opened his closet pulling out a pair of black slacks and a charcoal grey dress shirt. He left his room and went down the stairs, crossing through the living room and going through to the clinic where he knew he'd find his dad. Once inside, he smiled slightly as Isshin made stupid faces to comfort a little girl who was getting a shot of some sort. He stood quietly against the door as the girl's mother thanked Isshin and picked the little girl up off of the gurney.

"Bye bye, Dr. Goatface!" the little girl called as her mother carried her out of the exit. Ichigo laughed at that.

"See, it's not just us," he commented and Isshin chuckled as well.

"I suppose not. Did you need something, son?" he asked.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going out with some friends later on." Isshin raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you have such a bustling social life?" Ichigo shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"It's near the end of the year, so I guess we're just loosening up a bit," he mumbled. Isshin didn't look like he was buying the shit Ichigo was trying to sell. For a moment, Ichigo was nervous; then all his fears were quelled when a goofy grin broke out on his father's face. He rolled his eyes.

"My darling son has found a lovely young lady to quench his adolescent thirsts!" Ichigo's eyes widened, a faint blush spreading over the bridge of his nose.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Dad."

"Oh is it that lovely girl Rukia with the big eyes?"

"Dad -"

"Or is it that darling girl Orihime with the big -"

"If you finish that statement, I will move out right now." Isshin just chuckled at his son's flustered state. "I'm leaving around six and I should be home before eleven. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, sure, son."

"Alright, I'll see you later, Dad."

Ichigo left the room, just as another woman walked in with her two young sons. He smiled to himself, happy that he was helping his dad keep the clinic running, secretly, of course. Grimmjow had recommended Isshin to some of his own clients, and Ichigo had been making donations under a false name. At first, Isshin had been suspicious, but Ichigo gave him a speech on gratefulness and dedication to one's craft to rival any motivational speaker. He was quite happy with himself.

He went back upstairs and into the bathroom, stripping down for a shower. Once he was done, he ran a towel over his body and through his wet hair. He went back to his room, getting dressed slowly. He had to admit that even with all the numerous dates he'd been on with Grimmjow, he still got nervous before every one. He surmised that that was one of the symptoms of the newest STI: feelings.

He hadn't been sure about it when they first started seeing each other, but he knew now. He wanted nothing more than to be with Grimmjow and only him. He preferred to wait until he was eighteen to tell him that, but he figured it'd be okay if he told him then. That, and he could barely contain himself. He wanted to shout it from rooftops or be like that douchey ass fucker in that boring movie that Yuzu liked to force him to watch and stand at the front of a fucking boat, screaming it for whomever wanted to listen. He thought better of that though, and decided that simply telling the man how he felt would suffice.

He put on a pair of loose fitting jeans and a white t-shirt. Of course he wouldn't leave the house dressed formally, that'd be stupid. He put his dress clothes into a gym bag and pulled his white Vans onto his feet. He pulled his phone out, checking the time. It was a little after six, but he was sure Szayel was already waiting, so he headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked from her place on the couch.

"Out with some friends. I'll see you later."

"I saw you with a woman that had green hair and a little girl." Ichigo frowned a bit before he turned to her. "I wasn't spying on you or anything, but Toushirou and I were walking to the park, and I saw you go into the pizza parlor with them. Who are they?"

"It's my second job. I babysit the little girl," he responded, easily. Karin frowned, obviously not believing him in the slightest. Ichigo shrugged and turned back to the door. "Look, I have to go. I'll see you later."

He left before she could say anything else, jogging down the street to where he knew Szayel would be waiting. Once he got to the designated spot, he nodded at the pink-haired male before jumping into the backseat of the Navigator. The ride to Grimmjow's penthouse was silent, which Ichigo found a bit odd. Szayel usually made a bit of small talk with him, but today, the bespectacled man was completely quiet. He decided not to think about it too much. He had a lot on his mind already, what with his decision to ask Grimmjow if they could make things official. The Navigator came to a stop in front of the building and Ichigo got out, saying goodbye to Szayel absently. He took a deep breath before he decided that he was worrying for nothing. The worst that Grimmjow could tell him was no, right?


Grimmjow sat on his couch staring blankly at his television. To say that he was shocked at Tier's sudden revelation would be a complete understatement. He was absolutely fucking terrified. He was a grown ass man, yes, but that didn't mean that he'd be ready to be a dad. He would admit that no matter how scared he was, though, he was equally excited. The thought of having a little him running around causing scenes made him smile. If only his/her mother wasn't a complete and total bitch.

After Tier told him she was pregnant, she proceeded to rave about how it was such an inconvenience for her and how she needed to get rid of it. Grimmjow was beyond pissed about that. He understood her desire to keep her career going, but it was his baby too. Didn't he deserve to have a say in the matter? He'd managed to get her to calm down and be rational, and she'd said she'd think about it and let him know in a few days.

The other issue that plagued Grimmjow's mind was Ichigo. How was he supposed to tell him this? What would he say? Would he still be interested in having a relationship with Grimmjow? Ichigo was so young; he had his whole life ahead of him. He wouldn't want to be saddled down with an old man and a baby, would he? He had far too many questions and far too few answers. He decided it'd be best to just tell the younger male. The worst Ichigo could say was no, right?

Just then, the doorbell rang and Grimmjow knew it could only be Ichigo. He stood from his place on the couch and walked over to the door. He took a deep breathe before he opened it, feeling his insides shudder. Big brown doe eyes captured his own oceanic ones and Grimmjow suddenly had the overwhelming urge to kiss the orange-haired teen. He wasn't alone in his thoughts apparently and before he knew it, Ichigo was yanking him down by his shirt and connecting their lips. The kiss started out slow and innocent, but it escalated rather quickly with Ichigo getting handsy and sliding his tongue into the older man's mouth. Grimmjow was starting to forget whatever it was that he was supposed to be telling Ichigo. What was it again?

Oh yeah. Tier. Pregnant. Baby. Shit.

He reluctantly pushed Ichigo away, much to the teen's displeasure. The scowl/pout was adorable, and Grimmjow smiled a little before he gestured for Ichigo to go inside. The teen walked inside the penthouse, scowl still in place as he sat down in the living room. Grimmjow shook his head as he closed the door before joining Ichigo on the couch. They sat awkwardly for a bit, Ichigo palpably irritated and Grimmjow obviously nervous. The older of the two decided to stop stalling, and he turned to Ichigo, looking straight into his eyes.

"Ichigo, I have something to tell you," he said, as calmly as he could muster in his rather anxious state. The boy's face lit up, then, with a devastating smile.

"Me too, but you first."

Grimmjow almost didn't want to tell Ichigo anymore, but he remembered his promise to keep things completely open between them. How could he expect Ichigo to trust him if he told lies and kept secrets? With that thought in mind, he steeled his nerves and spoke,

"Tier is pregnant."

Grimmjow watched as the smile slowly faded from Ichigo's face. It was heart-breaking, and Grimmjow immediately regretted telling him but he knew it was the right thing to do. Ichigo turned away from him slightly, his face portraying his utter shock and disbelief. Though he didn't say anything, Grimmjow could very nearly read his thoughts and he felt his nerves stabbing at him once more. Ichigo stood from the couch and began to pace back and forth in front of Grimmjow. He tugged at his bangs a little, and kept rubbing his hands down the front of his pants. Grimmjow hated to see him so distressed, especially since it was his fault. Ichigo continued to pace as he asked,

"How long have you known this?"

"I just found out yesterday," Grimmjow responded. Ichigo stopped pacing, then, giving Grimmjow another look of pure disbelief.

"How far along is she?"

"Four months."

"What? And she waited until now to fucking tell you?"

Grimmjow definitely agreed with Ichigo on that. He'd suspected her of lying about it, but he couldn't deny it when he saw the subtle roundness of her usual level abdomen with his own two eyes. Plus there was the fact that she'd come expressly to tell him that she was going to kill his baby. She was a bitch like that.

"Yeah. It's why she broke it off in the first place. She wants to get rid of it." Ichigo's eyes widened as he sat back down next to Grimmjow.

"Wha - what? Can she do that? I mean, don't you have a little bit of say in the matter?" It was Grimmjow's turn to be shocked. Ichigo continued to impress him with his level of maturity. The conversation was going in a direction that the older of the two hadn't even considered. "I mean, I know it's her body and she has the right to make that decision, but Grimm. . .it's your baby too, right? Don't you want it?"

"Of course I do, Ichi, but in the end it's gonna be Tier's decision. I don't want to be selfish, but. . ." Grimmjow rested his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. "I don't want her to take my baby away from me."

Ichigo barely heard him, but he felt the despair in the other man's voice. It really wasn't fair. Everyone always talked about the woman, but no one really cared how the man felt. Yes, he understood that pregnancy was dangerous, but he believed that if you had a man who was willing to take care of his responsibilities no matter the circumstances, or the relationship with the mother, then you didn't just let that go. If you were more than capable of caring for the child, like Grimmjow was, then there was no real reason to go through with abortion, unless medical issues were involved. He sighed, running his hand through Grimmjow's hair.

"Don't worry, Grimm. We'll get through this," he said, softly. Grimmjow sat up then, looking at Ichigo questioningly. The teen frowned. "What's that look for?"

"You. . .you'll stay with me?"

"Of course, you idiot," Ichigo replied, punching Grimmjow's arm playfully. "Thought you could get rid of me that easily?"

Grimmjow couldn't help but to grin like an idiot as he pulled Ichigo towards him in a tight embrace. Ichigo hugged him back just as tightly before pulling back and kissing Grimmjow's lips gently. The blue-haired man watched a faint blush spread over Ichigo's cheeks and he smiled again. He knew he was beyond lucky to have Ichigo in his life, and he didn't plan to let him go any time soon.

"What did you want to tell me, Ichi?" he asked, suddenly remembering that the teen had said he needed to tell him something. Ichigo just shrugged waving it off.

"Doesn't matter now," he said, smiling once more. "Kinda self-explanatory anyways."


Wow...I got so emotional while I was writing this for three reasons...reason number one: listening to a playlist that only contained the songs Stay With Me by Sam Smith and You Were Meant for Me by Jewel...terrible idea in hindsight, but ya know, hindsight is 20/20..I have no regrets; reason number two: this is the very first story that I've made it past five chapters ever and I can't even...OMG I hate to say this, but I am so proud of myself, and it brings me to reason number three: I don't think I would've had any motivation to go farther with this if it wasn't for all the love I got from you all *tears* I am so glad that this silly little story makes you guys happy, and in turn, I am very happy...so thank you from the bottom of my bottom...know that some random fanfiction author whom you've never met loves you deeply ~(^_^~)

Until next time,

Patd06