*Rushes in with sunglasses on and a Venti latte in hand* I am late.

Whoever still reads my updates, I hope you can enjoy.

XXXX

Ichigo took a deep breath to savor the cleanness of the air and the taste of the ocean on his lips. It was a nice day, the sun shone bright in the middle of the cloudless sky and although the beach was as crowded as it could be, there was an odd serenity about it. Under the safety of the shade, Ichigo watched the surfers float about the waves, some riding them, some falling off their boards before even getting on top, but it was a beautiful sight regardless.

Or maybe it was the butterflies in Ichigo's stomach and the fluff in his head which made everything so beautiful.

"Ich," Shinji called suddenly. He waited for Ichigo to turn his head and quirked an eyebrow. "Did you hear a word I said?"

Ichigo pushed his lips together. He had had the impression that Shinji had started a one-sided conversation without him noticing, but he hadn't realized he had missed so much of it. Ichigo stared at his friend, then sighed. "I'm sorry, no."

Shinji shook his head, but laughed airily. "I've never seen you like this," he said, "What has Grimmjow done to you?"

Ichigo smiled and hugged his knees to his chest. "Nothing much."

"Nothing much," Shinji repeated in a mocking tone. Then he grinned, elbowing Ichigo on the ribs gently. "What happened yesterday between you two? You're practically glowing."

A wave of heat that had nothing to do with the high temperature of the summer midday, crawled its way up Ichigo's face. Although nothing of what Shinji implied had happened between Grimmjow and Ichigo the night before, yet still Ichigo walked on cloud nine.

Grimmjow had picked him up from the bar Ichigo had been having a drink with Shinji when the sun had completely set. Shinji and Nnoitra had teased them and Ichigo had blushed again and Grimmjow had laughed, rowdy and throaty and as beautiful as he was, then asked Ichigo to follow him to his car and they took off. It was a long ride away from the lights of the city and the road was unfamiliar to Ichigo, but Grimmjow had put on some of his favorite - he claimed - jazz music and he was holding Ichigo's hand, while the other one held the wheel. They weren't speaking, and for once Ichigo didn't feel like he had to fill the silence. He stared off in the distance, at the ocean gleaming under the pale light of the stars and he could feel his breath escaping his lungs at the mere sight of it.

Ichigo remembered feeling small, he felt like drowing in the ocean's depths, but Grimmjow's hand acted like his anchor.

When they pulled up at their destination, Grimmjow instructed Ichigo to climb on the roof of his car, despite Ichigo's apprehension. He had to help Ichigo get up there because his two left and super unfit feet weren't helping him in the matter, Ichigo had to kick Grimmjow lightly on the arm for laughing at him, but it was good-natured and it ended up with both of them on their backs, admiring the stars in each other's arms.

Ichigo had gasped at the sight of the stars. He had never seen so many stars in one place at once.

Grimmjow turned out to be knowledgeable on stars too, and with his sweet, sweet baritone, he directed Ichigo's attention to the right constellation, giving him a brief history of each until Ichigo couldn't hold himself back anymore and kissed him. Grimmjow had joked that Ichigo could have just told him he found the things he said boring and Ichigo had replied to him that he just couldn't help himself at the sound of Grimmjow's voice. Grimmjow's eyes grew darker and the humor left his face. He urged Ichigo down the roof of his car and pushed him down on the back seat instead.

They didn't go far, only hands under shirts and nails digging half-crecents into skin, but the high from Grimmjow's lips on his neck reached almost the same level as if their clothes and inhibitions had been gone.

"It's not what you think," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes as Shinji's theatrical gasp. "But it was fun, so that's what matters."

"Of course," Shinji nodded. Then he laughed. "It's true though that I've never seen you like this. You're really in love with that dude. Already."

Ichigo pushed his finger in the soft sand. "I haven't thought about it. I just...don't want to think it through, y'know? For once, I wanna have fun on the now and not think of the later."

Shinji blinked. "Wow, Grimm is really rubbing off on you."

"Heh, maybe."

"Are you seeing him today?"

Ichigo thought back to Grimmjow's promise in the midst of their heady kisses the night before, when he dropped Ichigo off at the camp. He had almost begged Ichigo to spend the night at his place instead, but Ichigo enjoyed the new power Grimmjow had so generously given him, that he declined, just to intensify Grimmjow's longing. It did nothing to lesser his own longing, yet Ichigo found himself enjoying the pain as well.

"You're staying with me tomorrow night," he growled over Ichigo's lips, "Or I'm abducting you against your will."

Ichigo melted right on the spot and agreed with no further ado.

"I'm spending the night at his place again," Ichigo said, shaking his head as if to clear it from the last night's memory. "I hope you don't mind."

Shinji snorted. "Why the hell would I mind? Go sleep with your man. Besides, had you listened to me earlier, you'd know there is a man on the standby for warming my bed when you're gone."

Ichigo raised one eyebrow. "Nnoitra?"

"Bingo."

"You guys hit it off?"

Shinji sighed dejectedly. "I'm not telling the story again, but yes."

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. If that means I get to see you so happy, never listen to me again."

Ichigo blushed and smiled at his friend. "Sap."

Shinji kissed him on the cheek, grinning. "I love you."

"Love you too. Now quit being gay."

They laughed at each other and Shinji leaned his head on Ichigo's shoulder and sighed. "Is Grimm coming to see you now?"

Ichigo shook his head. "He's at work," he said. He pushed the strands of Shinji's hair that tickled him under the chin and added, "He coaches kids to swim, did you know? It's adorable."

Shinji snorted a laugh. "Hard to think of a ginormous beefy dude who scowls more than he smiles, teaching brats how to swim."

"Grimm smiles."

"At you. The rest of us aren't priviledged." He lifted his head from Ichigo's shoulder and hugged his knees. Turning to Ichigo, he said, "Speaking of ginormous dudes that never smile, where the fuck is Renji?"

Ichigo shrugged, picking at some sand grains under his fingers. "According to Shuuhei, who texted Grimm, they're still together. Probably went on their own somewhere else."

A smile spread on Shinji's face. He turned his head at the ocean, his eyes resting in the horizon. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly through the nose. "This trip was to heal your broken heart..." He trailed off and craned his gaze so his and Ichigo's gazes met. "But we all ended up with something nice. Probably the only good thing that came out of Kaien's existence."

Instead of the prickling needles in his heart at the mention of Kaien's name, Ichigo chortled loud and genuine, surprising even himself. "For once, I agree with you."

Shinji patted him on the shoulder. "C'mon, let's go swim for a bit. Then we're eating at a nice place that serves seafood. Nnoitra told me about and I wanna try it out."

They dashed together towards the ocean, the chill of the water cooling the burning of the sand and sun. Ichigo dove in face first and Shinji followed by slowly submerging himself in the water, complaining about the cold and shrieking when Ichigo chased him around for a hug. They wrestled each other by the shore and competed with each other swimming towards the horizon, they were rowdy and a few heads turned their way, but Ichigo laughed and did not care. It was few times he cared about what other people thought of him.

Swimming back towards the shore left them both breathless, with aching limbs and shivering to their core, but a few minutes under the sun was enough to balance their body temperature. Ichigo cuddled his towel while Shinji laid flat on his back on top of it. He wiped water and salt from his face and hands, and sighed. Once dry enough, he reached for his bag and sought his phone out. A smile spread on his face when he saw an unread message from Grimmjow. I hope you're thinking of me, it read and Ichigo replied, I never stopped, adding a winking emoji at the end.

Giddy, he looked through his contact list and quickly typed a message in the group chat he had with his sisters, letting them know that he was having a blast and that he was eating right. Before putting his phone down, Ichigo also texted are you living to Renji. Within a few seconds, Renji replied and upon reading his reply, Ichigo barked a laugh. "Renji says he's living his best life," he said and shoved his phone in his bag.

Shinji snorted. "Don't we all."

"He doesn't know that."

"All he knows currently is Shuuhei's dick and asshole."

Ichigo wrinkled his nose. "You're gross." Then he added, "But not wrong."

Shinji laughed and rolled on his stomach, stretching with a groan before glancing at Ichigo. "Wanna go eat?" he said after a few moments.

The sudden gurgling of Ichigo's stomach was enough of an answer for both of them. They gathered their things quickly and took off for the seafood place. It was much further away than both Shinji and Ichigo had initially thought and the scalding heat did wonders on making their trip miserable. The cold bottle of water the waiter offered them as soon as they sat on a table, was the best thing that had happened to Ichigo all day. Or so it felt.

"When is he picking you up?" Shinji asked around a mouthful of grilled squid. "Or you're going to his place on your own?

"We'll meet at Starrk's bar in a few hours," Ichigo said. He cut a piece of sea bass with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth before he added, "I was shitfaced the last time I went to his place, so I don't remember the way to it."

Shinji snorted behind his cup of water. "And you're meeting at Starrk's bar for what? To get shitfaced again?"

"First of all, he's working," Ichigo muttered, "And second of all, fuck you. You're coming too, by the way. I'm not leaving you alone."

"Who told you I'll be alone?" Shinji quipped with a smirk and an arched brow. "I have things to do too. It's me who's leaving you alone my dude."

"Fucking rude."

"That should be my line."

Ichigo glared at Shinji and Shinji glared at Ichigo, long and heated, but it was Shinji who cracked first and flashed a smile, to which Ichigo followed with a snort of his own. He wasn't even close to mad that Shinji was going off on his own. On the contrary, he was happy for his friend. Shinji hadn't been lucky with his relationships either, and he had been in way more than Ichigo had, so it was a relief to see him get along with a decent guy. Since he was Grimmjow's friend, Ichigo assumed Nnoitra would be alright.

Seems all three of us will be moving back and forth for a while, he thought to himself as he finished his sea bass. He stretched his arms above his head, groaning in satisfaction. Shinji reached over and patted his belly. "Is the beast sated?"

Ichigo chuckled and knocked Shinji's hand away. "Shut up."

While chatting idly about inconsequential things that could have been left unsaid and with Shinji holding the majority of the conversation, they finished their meals, paid and headed back to their tents. By the time they made it there, Ichigo's limbs were heavy and his eyes drooping, so, regardless of Shinji's coaxing for some more conversation, Ichigo crawled into his tent and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the sleeping bag.

He woke up when the sky wore the color of his hair and Shinji fussed around in their tent. Cracking an eye open, he muttered, "What time is it?"

"Time to go," Shinji replied quickly. He pulled a shirt forgotten in his bag, sniffed at it and then shrugged it on. He turned to Ichigo with a frown. "You too, wake your ass up. Grimmjow texted me because you weren't replying. He's at the bar already."

With a series of colorful curses, Ichigo sat up and rummaged through his belongings, pulling out a clean shirt, underwear and pants. Next to him Shinji made a comment on how he looked — not as good as him but a valid try, and it was enough to put Ichigo at ease that he at least didn't look like a clown. He pushed a hand through his hair. It was tough from the sea salt and sticking up against the force of gravity. He clenched his teeth, hating that he lost the chance to take better care of it, but the biggest part of him only wanted him to bolt out of the tent and run to wherever Grimmjow was.

With a hurried farewell and half a hug, Ichigo stepped in his sneakers and did just that.

The sun edged towards the surface of the ocean, as if its sole purpose was to merge and become one with it, and despite the torturous heat during the day, the evening brought a pleasant breeze that ruffled Ichigo's hair and caressed his skin. The horizon bustled with colors, red and blue and pink and orange, while the waves crashed nonchalantly against the shore. Some surfers lingered even at the late hour, pretending to ride them before climbing down and doing it again, as swimmers swam alongside them.

Had Ichigo been rushing less, he would have taken his phone out for a picture.

The bar was already busy when he approached, but even through a sea of bodies and heads, he could make out Grimmjow's striking blue hair. Rebellious strands fell towards his eyes as he was hunched over the counter making drinks, shadowing his face in a way that made him look sharper than he already was — jarred and jagged, like a feline of some sort. He then pushed those strands backwards with his hand as he straightened up to hand over a couple of drinks with a magazine-worthy smile, and Ichigo's step faltered a hint. It was hard for him to wrap his head around it; a man like Grimmjow, who looked more like a God than Gods themselves, was wrapped around his finger in such a way.

Ichigo was twisted like a pretzel around Grimmjow's too. It made them even.

He slithered through bodies on his way to the bar. Grimmjow was bent under the counter, so it was Starrk who spotted him first. He winked when Ichigo smiled at him, but he said no word as he stirred a cocktail in front of the starry eyes of a customer. He sat on an empty stool right in front of Grimmjow, put his elbow on the counter and propped his chin on top of his palm. Then he waited.

Grimmjow reappeared after only a few seconds, with two beers and a bottle opener in hand. He paused for a moment as their gazes met, before he raised an eyebrow and placed the two bottles and the bottle opener on the counter with a thud. He slid his forearms in front of him and inched closer to Ichigo, expression mock-serious. "You sure kept me waiting," he said.

A sheepish smile blossomed on Ichigo's face. "It's a lame excuse but I passed out after lunch. I was exhausted."

Moments ticked by as Grimmjow stared at him intently. Tension built up in Ichigo's stomach, but when Grimmjow clicked his tongue and softened his expression, it all dissipated to thin air. "Makes perfect sense," Grimmjow said, "Must be tiring being so gorgeous all day long." Placing his elbows on the counter again, he smirked. "What can I get you babe?"

Ichigo pretended he wasn't red all over at Grimmjow's words and gave a shrug. "I'll leave it up to you."

Fingers gently pinched his chin. "I like that," he said. He bent under the counter again and came up with two highball glasses. As he reached for a bottle of gin, he paused. He glanced at Ichigo once again. "Have you eaten anything?"

Caught off guard, Ichigo frowned. "Nothing since lunch."

"Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach is a crime," Grimmjow said, shaking his head. "Wait here, I'll make you a sandwich."

Grimmjow disappeared in the back, leaving Ichigo thinking about marriage for the first time in his life.

He came back out a few minutes later with a white plate in hand and a whole-wheat bread sandwich that was thick and looked tasty in the middle of it. He placed it in front of Ichigo and motioned towards it with his chin and a solemn expression. "Eat up, sunshine."

Ichigo picked it up, but before he took the first bite, he said, "Aren't you overdoing it with the pet names?"

"Why do you say that, honey dear?"

Ichigo chuckled. "Stop, stupid."

Grimmjow smirked at him and handed him a glass of gin and tonic without a word. Ichigo took the first bite off the sandwich, marveled at its tasty simplicity. To Grimmjow's expectant gaze, he smiled and took another bite. Slowly, Ichigo started to sip from his gin and tonic, enjoying its bittersweet taste and the warmth it spread in his chest.

The sun was disappearing further under the line of the horizon. Starrk's bar buzzed with life.

When Grimmjow wasn't busy pushing out drink orders, he busied himself with pouring Ichigo drinks that were strong enough to get him pleasantly tipsy and giggly, but not strong enough to get him drunk. The conversation was easy and not because of the alcohol anymore. They talked about inconsequential things — about Grimmjow's day, about the kids he coached and the funny things they asked him at times. Starrk joined them the times the traffic slowed down the most and he would talk about Grimmjow as a child, embarrassing stories which had Ichigo doubling over laughing and Grimmjow glowering and blushing.

"He'll never take me seriously now!" Grimmjow mumbled behind the rim of his beer glass, "You're working against me here, shitty Starrk."

Ichigo resisted another laugh at Grimmjow's pout. He reached over and placed his hand on top of Grimmjow's. With an easy smile, he said, "I only like you more now."

Grimmjow licked his lips slowly. Then, after a moment of silence, he turned to Starrk. "Keep going," he said quickly.

Starrk snorted as he patted him on the back. "Some of us have work to do," he said slowly, "C'mon, take your boy and go."

"For real?" Grimmjow asked and his voice had another lilt.

Starrk nodded. "Yep, go ahead. You're flirting more than you're working anyway."

A pang of guilt smacked against Ichigo's chest from the inside. "Starrk, will you be okay? I can leave—"

"No way," the man said, "Take Grimmjow and go. I'll keep it from his pay."

"I can live with that," Grimmjow said. As if electrocuted, he bolted around the counter stopping only when he was towering over Ichigo. Wrapping his arms around Ichigo's waist, he pulled him off his seat. "Let's go babe. Bye Starrk!"

Then Ichigo was in the air and a squeal left his throat. "Grimm! What the hell!"

"I'm abducting you, ginger prince!"

Ichigo squirmed in the uncomfortable embrace, thrashing his arms and legs and twisting his upper body. "Put me down!"

With a grunt and a curse, Grimmjow complied to his request. Once Ichigo's feet pressed against the sand, he let go of a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He glared at Grimmjow when he gathered his bearings back. "Don't...do that again," he enuciately slowly.

Grimmjow offered him a sheepish smile. He scratched the back of his neck as he lowered his head in the slightest. "My apologies babe. I got a bit excited."

Ichigo huffed. "What are you? A dog?"

"Impatient," Grimmjow corrected. "Just impatient and rash." He offered Ichigo his hand and with a sweet and husky tone he said, "Forgive me?"

At the rounding of Grimmjow's eyes, everything inside of Ichigo turned into a useless puddle of goo. He let go of a shaky breath and shook his head at himself, at how weak to a pair of eyes he was, before he slid his fingers on Grimmjow's palm and clasped their fingers together. He uttered no word and yet Grimmjow's grin could light up the whole sky with its intensity.

They didn't speak while they walked to Grimmjow's apartment. A tune was playing on Grimmjow's lips, a sweet melody Ichigo had not heard of before, but he was falling in love with it, and it was enough to fill the silence between them. The cicadas had finally ceased complaining about the day's heat and the night crickets chirped occasionally, stopping only when Grimmjow's and Ichigo's footsteps approached their hiding places. Few people strolled in the opposite direction Grimmjow and Ichigo walked, laughing and chasing each other or holding hands and kissing. Ichigo took a deep breath in. Past-midnight serenity always marveled him and relaxed his usually over-stretched nerves.

In front of a familiar building, Grimmjow slowed them both down and guided Ichigo through the entrance. Still hand-in-hand, and with Grimmjow walking in front of him, they climbed up a few stairs before stopping in front of an apartment door. Grimmjow fished his keys out of his pocket and the door opened wide for them, then closed after them.

As soon as they were inside, Grimmjow slammed him against the door and kissed him hard on the mouth. Ichigo gasped from the force of the impact, then a chuckle escaped his throat, muffled by Grimmjow's rushing lips. In an instant, Grimmjow pulled away and a fearsome scowl surfaced. "What's so funny?"

Ichigo grinned cheekily, as if Grimmjow's hands on his waist weren't the only things keeping him upright. "Your eagerness," he said. He slid his hands up Grimmjow's neck and inched closer. "C'mon, kiss me again."

Grimmjow needn't be told twice. When he let go again, Ichigo's vision was spinning and it had nothing to do with the alcohol.

"Wanted to do this all day," he whispered over Ichigo's lips, "What are you doing to me, babe?"

Ichigo let go of a shaky breath. "Took the words from my mouth."

The fingers on his waist dug in his skin and Grimmjow bit his lower lip. "I gotta shower first."

"You smell fine to me."

"C'mon, I want to take one." When Ichigo wouldn't let go, Grimmjow grinned and nuzzled Ichigo's cheek. "Babe please."

Reluctantly, Ichigo gathered his arms to himself. The absence of Grimmjow's body heat when he moved away made him shiver a tad. He wrapped his arms around himself instead, watching Grimmjow's back retreat towards the bathroom. "If you're hungry, help yourself at the fridge," Grimmjow called over his shoulder, then closed the door of the bathroom behind him.

Ichigo drew a breath and pushed against the door he was leaning on, and with slow, nonchalant steps, he made his way to the kitchen. There was a noticeable emptiness in his stomach and a deep craving for something sweet, so he took Grimmjow's offer and pulled the fridge's door open. A smile crawled on his face — Grimmjow's fridge was full of food. For a bachelor living by himself, he had a very meticulous collection of products. His attention was drawn to the plums sitting in the bottom drawer. He took one in his hand, closed the fridge, then washed it in the sink.

The very first bite was sweet and full of taste of nature. Ichigo walked back into the living room.

Grimmjow's living room had a small couch and a coffee table in front of a large window that saw all the way to the ocean. In the corner, against the wall full of intricate structures of nature and sea, laid his surfboard. Ichigo headed towards it. With his fingers, he traced its outline, thinking back to only a few days ago when he first met Grimmjow.

Only a few days, he thought to himself. And yet it felt as if they had known each other for years.

Next to the board, there were shelves loaded with medals and race cups. Ichigo's eyes scanned the inscriptions. They were for winning swimming and surfing competitions.

"Aren't they nice?" Grimmjow's voice suddenly spoke from behind, making Ichigo jump. Grimmjow chuckled. "Sorry."

Ichigo turned around. Grimmjow sat at the arm of the sofa, wearing only a pair of underwear while a towel hang around his shoulders. Whatever foul language Ichigo had planned on unleashing, went straight back inside. He swallowed thickly. "You're too quiet."

"Maybe you're too spaced out," Grimmjow said. He walked closer, wrapping his arms around Ichigo's shoulders and pressing their bodies together. "Thinking of me?"

With Grimmjow's scent in the air that he breathed and his perfectly toned body squeezing against his, there was no thought in Ichigo's mind in that moment. He swallowed the butterflies rising from his stomach and swayed in Grimmjow's embrace. "I should shower too," he mumbled, "But I'm too lazy."

Grimmjow chuckled. "Then don't."

"I haven't showered after I swam in the morning."

A nose bumped against his and Ichigo closed his eyes. "You don't gotta," Grimmjow murmured over his lips before kissing him.

The peach was half-eaten and forgotten on the kitchen counter as they stumbled to the bedroom without breaking apart.

Grimmjow pushed him on the bed, their lips parting only for a few seconds before his body weight pressed Ichigo into the mattress. Fingers fumbled with the hem of his shirt and Ichigo instinctively raised his arms as Grimmjow tugged the fabric over his head. Ichigo's pants followed suit, forgotten before they even hit the floor. Grimmjow lost no time reconnecting their lips, searching Ichigo's mouth with a curious tongue that knew by that point every sensitive surface.

With his breath caught in his lungs, Ichigo managed a moan. When Grimmjow blessed his neck with heavenly treatment, he arched his back and pressed their hips together. Grimmjow's growl in his ear made his stomach tumble.

"Watch it, babe," Grimmjow hissed against the skin of his neck, "My patience is running really thin."

Ichigo ran his palms flat against a pair of strong pecs, counted Grimmjow's abs with the tips of his fingers before he curled them around the waistband of Grimmjow's shorts. "Grimm," he whispered shakily. He tugged the elastic as an indication, face beet red and heart racing like a marathon runner. "Please."

A groan resonated through his chest and vibrates across Ichigo's skin. Grimmjow looked up, his bottom lip snagged between his teeth. "Babe, you're making this really hard for me," he said.

Ichigo shifted his hips again. A smirk crawled up his face. "Isn't that kind of the point? To make you really hard?"

Grimmjow was silent for a few moments, his gaze thoughtful and resting between their bodies. Then a drawn-out hiss escaped his lips. "I kinda wanna bend over for you right now."

Caught entirely off-guard, Ichigo blinked. "O-Oh, you want me to—"

"Very much so," Grimmjow said and attacked Ichigo's waiting mouth.

When Ichigo darted his tongue over a pair of lips, Grimmjow sucked it in his mouth. Ichigo squirmed underneath him, a pitched moan escaping his throat when Grimmjow let go with a wet pop. His eyes were as dark as Ichigo had even seen them when their gazes, his breathing slow and deep, while his cheeks were alight. They stared at each other without a word, only their heady breaths hanging between them, their bodies perfectly aligned that even the minimal friction sent jolts of electricity across Ichigo's skin.

Then, Grimmjow's expression softened. "But for now," he whispered, "We sleep."

Ichigo's stomach wobbled in his belly. His half-mast eyes snapped open. "Don't you wanna—"

"I do," Grimmjow said softly. He pushed his fingers in Ichigo's hair, massaging the scalp. "But I need you to be less tipsy and I need to not have work in the morning, so that I take my sweet time with you. I'm — I'm sorry."

"N-No! I'm sorry if I pressured you—"

"Hell no. Just never think I don't want you like crazy."

Flashing a small smile, Ichigo resigned, "Alright."

With a final chaste kiss on Ichigo's, Grimmjow unstraddled him and flopped on the bed next to him. They shifted in silence until they were facing each other, until Ichigo's leg was thrown over Grimmjow's hips while Grimmjow's snuck between the gap of Ichigo's thighs. Arms wrapped around his waist and their strong force pressed him against a solid chest. They were close enough for their breaths to mingle. Ichigo sighed through the nose, pushing his fingers through blue tresses.

The moonlight streamed through Grimmjow's blind-less window, weak as the moon wasn't full, but he silver light gave Grimmjow's tanned skin an ethereal glow. It highlighted the edges of his high cheeks and the sharpness of his jaw, while giving him an uncharacteristic otherworldliness that took Ichigo's breath away. A lot of times Ichigo had thought Grimmjow was the most beautiful man he had ever seen, but now, he finally realized the extend of it.

Grimmjow gave him a smile and closed his eyes.

Two days they had left, Ichigo thought to himself and his heart began to hurt. Shifting closer ever so slightly, he murmured, "Grimmjow?"

Blue eyes opened slowly. "Yes, Ichigo?"

Ichigo's chest clenched at the sound of his name spoken so quietly, softly, as if it was a delicate artifact Grimmjow caressed with a feather. "Can I sleep with you again tomorrow?"

Grimmjow delayed his answer clearly on purpose. He fumbled for Ichigo's arm casually thrown over his shoulder until the hand was in his, he dragged it closer to his face and planted a kiss on the fingertips. Then, in a low, husky tone, he rumbled, "You don't gotta ask anymore."

The knot in Ichigo's chest unwound like bow on a present. He nuzzled Grimmjow's neck, sighed and closed his eyes.

He would make the best out of these two days, he promised before drifting off.

XXXX

This fic is truly a sample of my writing style change / improvement throughout the years. Reading the first few chapters was ultra cringe.

I'm seriously hoping you're not looking forward to a special plot. I miss GrimmIchi with every fiber of my being, but I don't have the energy to write an elaborate story for them right now (as I already have a bunch of WIPs for another ship) so I write all the fluff with them I want through this one. It's sad I gotta wrap it up sooner or later.

Have you heard? I have Twitter! You can find me under Stylish_Racoon, if you wish!