Did you all see the image I commissioned from Yochiru? If I reach 200 reviews this chapter, I'll commission another image. Tell me which scene you'd all like to see in the reviews. And again, thank you all for sticking with me through all this time.
On a personal note: This fic has taken me a lot longer than I wanted to. I've suffered from depression over the past few years due to miscarriages. I found out I have POS and I wasn't methylating vitamins properly. Depression keeps you from doing so many things you love. In the spirit of the semicolon project, I'll started using that scary punctuation when I can; never using one before. I'm starting understand the significance of this punctuation, I won't be afraid to keep the sentence going.
So, enjoy, all.
Week 27
"So, whadaya think, Blue?" Grimmjow's ex-boss, Toshusai, asks as he stares amused at the blue haired man's befuddlement. "I must say, both options have their merits. You really can't go wrong either way."
"You guys are shitting me, right?" Grimmjow scoffs as he scratches his head, wondering why people on this plane of existence got their jollies off on helping others so damned much.
"I assure you, Mr. Jaegerjaques, I am not...joking," the prissy woman with her hair in a tight bun proclaimed as she did a fantastic job of hiding her enthusiasm while adjusting the lapel of her skirt suit. "My company is willing to offer a lucrative contract with you. Your extensive training in martial arts, your agility, and your attractive physique would make a fine addition to our talent agency. Toushusai-san has also told me you can drive a motorcycle?" Grimmjow nodded the affirmative. "Excellent. With a bit more training in stunt work, you'll be ready in no time to start auditioning for upcoming action movies. I see big things for you in the future."
"And I'm not shitting you, either, Jaegerjaques." The hefty, umber-skinned man in the black Armani suit, dreadlocks, and eye-blocking sunglasses emitted in a deep, bassy intonation. "Your particular skill sets are highly sought after for private security agencies like mine. These rich bastards pay out a hefty sum to watch their asses on a daily basis. You'll work no more than eight hours a shift, have two days off a week, vacation, holidays and no one breathing down your back on your off time."
"Well, you don't mince words, now do ya?" Grimmjow asked rhetorically.
"Well, your choice is your own, Mr. Jaegerjaques. You can work for one of those rich bastards or you can be one of them; it is your prerogative." The prissy suit took it up a notch.
"Wow. Didn't know ya had it in ya." Grimmjow snickered and the prissy woman set a curt upper lip in the direction of the burly black man.
"I guess you have a point, if you want the hassle fame comes with it. What I'm offering is a way to make a decent amount of cash, then be able to sit back and relax, party on your off time or come home to the missus every night."
"Oh my god that is so funny to me right now." Grimmjow could barely keep it together.
"Hahaha, Missus!" Toshusai clearly couldn't.
"Fame seems such a small price to pay considering the future benefits of financial security and, oh, the lack of real bullets and knives potentially wielded at you." You could practically see the bun unwind as the female executive let loose her opinions.
"Oookayy, boys and girls. This is a lot to think about. You both have made very good arguments. Do you maybe think I could talk it over with the, uh, Missus, and give you a call on Monday?" The white haired builder let another series of snicker loose at his other half's expense. "Yeah, you wouldn't be laughing it up if the Missus were here right now, so shut it."
"That's why I can right now, bahahahaha!"
A knock at the door brings Toshusai's laughing butt off the side of his desk to open the doors of the trailer. Silence ensues.
"Hey Toshusai. Hi, Grimm, got your last paycheck? Oh, sorry. Am I interrupting a meeting? I'll wait outside if you need more time."
"Heyyyyy you!" Grimmjow deflects, "Nope, all done here. I was just about to go wait for ya at the entrance."
"Is that the M-"
"Uph!" Toshusai's security agent Army buddy was about to incur the wrath that is Kurosaki, "yes, this is Mister Kurosaki! This is my good friend from the Army Corps of Engineers, Odaki-san, and this is my partner's sister's best friend, Mitsugu-san."
"It's always the devastatingly handsome ones, isn't it." Mitsugu-san shakes her head as she pulls out another business card and hands it to a slightly confused and completely oblivious Ichigo. "Have you ever thought about modeling, Kurosaki-san? With your looks you could easily-"
"Oh, no no no no." Grimmjow protests as he puts his arm around Ichigo, steering him towards the door and giving Mitsugu-san back her card. "He's still in school. No time for jobs, now, especially public figure ones. I'll be sure to let you know my decision as soon as possible. Thanks, Boss, for everything." The Bluenette firmly shakes his old boss's hand before departing with Ichigo in tow.
Grimmjow lets Ichigo in on all that transpired at the construction trailer; all except the part where Odaki called him the missus. An amused and bemused Ichigo got in a few good jibes regarding the gaggle of fangirls and boys that would be following him around should he choose to become an action hero. But, after thinking about it more, Ichigo got increasingly apprehensive about the celebrity route.
"What if you're always busy? What if we don't get to see each other anymore? What if..."
Grimmjow laughs heartily. "I'm not picking that. I bet ya a hundred yen Toshusai invited her for his own amusement and ta see the look on my face. Besides," Grimmjow wraps his arm around Ichigo's waist and gives a squeeze to his hipbone, "I'd go crazy if I didn't get a dose of my red headed hotness every day." Grimmjow tries to nip at Ichigo's ear, but he gets shot down with a hand to the face and a 'not in public' reprimand.
As they walk the familiar narrowing streets that turn into the vintage section of downtown Karakura, they pass by a small flower shop. Grimmjow notices a small sign in the window and turns back to inquire to the stooped granny sweeping the front pavement, "this apartment still for rent, O bāchan?"
The weathered woman in the bright orange, vintage yukata looked up to Grimmjow and made a sound like she was enjoying the best ice cream she ever tasted, "you remind me of my late husband. He was a foul-mouthed yankī before yankī was popular. The sharper the tongue, the sharper the kisses I always say... Come this way, I'll show you what I got, Aka-chaaaaaan," the old granny shouted into the store, "gonna show the apartment to a couple of lover boys!"
Ichigo blushed as Grimmjow looked over to him knowingly, flashing him his picture perfect teeth and waggling his arched blue eyebrows. They followed the granny up some stairs on the side of the old wooden building; she opened the bolted door to a modestly decorated yet large 1LDK. Shoji screens separated the living room from the tatami mat bedroom. The appliances were old but the wooden floor looked refinished.
"You'll have to get a futon, it's not springy, but you won't wake the neighbors," she gave a wink to Grimmjow, "There's a small shower and toilet but a really nice 'family size' gas ofuro out back. You're the only tenants on this property; was my and my husband's home. I live with my grandson and his wife, now." The octogenarian gave the old woodwork a loving pat and sighed, "lotta good memories in this place. The spirit of romance and love. It'll be good luck for the both of you." She smiled sentimentally to the boys as they looked out the window together to the bustling shopping district below.
"What do you think, Ichi?" It was close to school and a few blocks away from the Urahara's shōten. The old lady was right, there was a great vibe coming from the old place.
"It's great, Grimm." Ichigo stared into Grimmjow's eyes, imagining his future with the cocky, blue-haired man and loved every second of it.
"Ok, why don't you go see the ofuro while I discuss rent with granny." They turned back to the old woman, still rubbing the warm, weathered woodwork.
She looked back up to the boys, seemingly lost in thought until she cocked her head to the side and smiled up to Grimmjow, "Oh, you remind me of my late husband..."
Ichigo opened the door to the small stone house in the back of the property to inspect the antique ofuro. The large, high, round tub was worn to a dark patina. The room was dusty but smelled like lemon hinoki wood and earth. A little elbow grease will have it looking like new.
A warm set of arms came around his waist and a low whisper sounded in his ear, "Nice bath. Kinda reminds me of the outdoor shower at the Inn."
"Yeah, kinda does." Ichigo agrees in a soft, sultry voice. Hot little pinpricks invade Grimmjow's belly as he remembers the good times about the trip.
"I put a deposit down. We can move in next week, well, I will for now; don't wanna freak out the father-in-law before the wedding. I gotta go in the shop and get this deal in writing. I have a feeling granny won't remember she promised the place to us in another hour. I'll meet you out in front." Grimmjow chuckles as he kisses his fiery red-head on the cheek.
The walk home to Urahara's was quiet and comfortable, the two of them wanting to hold hands but not in the mood for passersby's prying eyes. They settle for light touches as their arms dangle next to each other. The heat is palpable between the both of them, each knowing the other can't wait to be alone together, in each other's arms laying on Grimmjow's bed.
They turn a corner halfway home and both boys notice an eerie quietness covers the usually busy street in the shopping district. They look at each other, having strange pulled together brows, but think nothing more as they both want to get home.
The static of a walkie-talkie is the only warning before the sounds of guns cocking and the chaos of dozens of police officers surrounding the two boys breaks their quiet walk home.
The sound of screams to get on the ground and put their hands on their heads or they will be shot resonates off the surrounding business fronts in a frightening echo.
Grimmjow's senses are invaded with the ringing sound of fighter's instinct. He almost turns to confront the cops, but his world goes still when he sees the distinct glow of laser sights bouncing off the shiny orange hair on the back of Ichigo's head. He watches as Ichigo screams something to the officers as he gets dragged away from Grimmjow's side. He can only shake his head in the negative to Ichigo, pleading beyond all hope for the emotional boy to calm down before the unimaginable happens. As Grimmjow starts his decent to kneel, he looks up and sees snipers on the rooftops and barricades coming out on either side of the block. He hears a man in a long tan trench coat start to say, "Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, you are under arrest for the murders of...", but he cannot listen as a senior officer tries to calm his raging warrior along with the more than ten others pulling Ichigo to the ground to subdue him. Grimmjow sees a transparent blood red curtain fall over his eyes as the officer behind Ichigo raise his baton to strike Ichigo in the head. He thinks he tries to scream "DON'T FUCKING TOUCH HIM!" and lunge towards the man swinging the club down, yet all goes blinding white hot, his body uncontrollably convulsing and hitting the ground without any break to his fall. Then it all goes dark.
His eyes open to a white concrete ceiling. He can't move his arms to rub his aching forehead. He can't move his feet to sit up. He groans as he lifts his head up to see a bright blue jumpsuit and restraints. His chest hurts and his mouth feels like sand. There's an IV attached to his arm pumping some sort of clear liquid into it. Then he notices the man in the trench coat standing in the doorway.
"Electrocution unbalances the electrolytes in your body, the IV is just precautionary. How's your head?"
"Where's Ichigo?! Is he ok?"
"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?" Detective Kiba walks to the table beside the bed and picks up two small cups, "Painkillers. Got quite a bump on your head." He presses the button to raise the hospital bed and shows Grimmjow the pills and water. Grimmjow reluctantly takes the medication and then looks away from the even tempered detective. Detective Kiba nonchalantly inquires, "Why did you keep the last one alive? Was she special or something?"
"I'm not answering one question until you tell me where Ichigo is and show me that he is alright."
"Like men, hate women? He's your lover, isn't he?"
"You tell me what I want to know or this will be the last word I speak, asshole." Grimmjow demands with hard serious eyes boring into the detective's own.
"Eh, alright. Just a moment." Kiba retrieves his phone out of his pocket and dials the first number. "...Yuri-chan are you still with him? Ok, could you snap a picture or something-"
"No. Video. I wanna know in real time how he's doing."
"Eh? ...Yuri-chan can you send me a video or something? . . . FaceTime? What is th- you know I'm not good at this technology business...what do I do, again?"
"Get over here," Grimmjow grumbles I tell ya... Under his breath, "push that button that looks like a movie camera, ok. Now wait." The phone makes a few long chirping sounds until the screen changes to a woman with a blonde bob and big doe eyes.
"Kiba-san, you need to keep up with the times." The girl grouses at the screen.
The lazy man scratches his goatee and rolls his eyes, "Whatever you say, how's the kiddo doing?"
"Not bad. He's got a big ole ice pack on his noggin, needed 5 stitches." Grimmjow bristles and growls, pulling at his restraints. "He's about to be discharged and brought in for questioning."
"Ok. Can you video him without him knowing?"
"Yup, hold on a tick." The screen flips to an image of a hallway being walked down. When it gets to a threshold, the camera is lifted to a window in a door. Ichigo is sitting on the edge of a bed holding a large ice pack to his wrapped up noggin, sniping at a man."
"For the last time where is he? Look! Am I being arrested? You haven't read me my rights! I get a phone call! You let me call someone right now or you'll be scraping that smug look off the linoleum, jack ass! I'm not playing around here! You got the wrong man! It was a set up! If you'd just let me-"
The screen flips around again, "looks like he's getting all worked up again. I gotta go in and diffuse the ginger time bomb. Take a pic of that one and send it to me for Ginger over here."
"Ok Yuri-chan," the older detective chuckles. "I'll let you go deal, see you at the station." The girl salutes the screen before turning pitch black.
"You people shouldn't have laid a finger on him. What gives you the right to strike a high schooler?"
"What gives you the right to butcher innocent women?" Kiba asks in a calm, collected manor as he snaps a photo of Grimmjow.
Grimmjow laughs, "You people have no idea what you're doing. I didn't kill those girls. But we know who did."
"Is that right? Well, why was a hat with light blue hair that matches the same tone of your own locks?"
"Planted."
"Then why was the last victim seen with a tall, muscular, blue haired man before she was found in that park by your lovers?"
"Disguise."
"Then why is there a woman, the one that was kept alive, telling me that you, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, were the one who kept her locked up for over a week, torturing her? That she opened a wallet with your ID inside while you were in the bathroom cleaning yourself up for your boy on the side-?"
"FUCK YOU! I would NEVER do anything to hurt Ichigo! Go to hell, you fucking bastard."
"There's no love in the violence. What is it? Do you detest women so much, you don't even think of them as an honest replacement to a male? Or is it that you detest your desire for male companionship and take it out on the women who can't satisfy you emotionally?"
"You people. You think you got this all figured out. You have no idea who you're dealing with. That man is still out there. Laughing at all of your sorry, stupid asses. He's more cunning and devious than all of us put together. He's a master at it; and he has more tricks up his sleeve than you could ever deem imaginable."
Detective Kiba sighs and wipes his forehead. "There is so much evidence against you, I'm not sure how you can talk your way out of this. You might as well concede and give up this charade. It's very shameful and unmanly."
By attacking a narcissists ego, telling them they were imperfect and criticized; Kiba thought he'd get a rise out of the blue haired man. He thought Grimmjow would start spewing reasons how he was perfect in every way imaginable, but the opposite happened. Grimmjow smirked and rolled his eyes, relaxing his head and sighing out his fatigue.
"You love that boy, huh? Did you ever think it wouldn't be right for him to be attached to a killer like yourself?"
Grimmjow paused, holding his breath in at the ironically insightful question. "…Ichigo knows exactly what I am... And I've made peace with my demons. The one thing I'm certain of in this whole world is Ichigo and I would never betray the trust that man has in me. Never."
"Why do I feel like we are talking about something entirely different?"
"Because I didn't kill those women, detective. No matter what you may do to me, that man knows I didn't either and that's enough for me."
Kiba looked long and hard at Grimmjow's honest stare. He was sure in the beginning the pieces weren't adding up. Everything was a little too perfectly laid out. All the evidence seemed to conveniently surmount in such a small period of time. A person who in the past was so meticulously careful to not leave a drop of evidence, to all of a sudden drop off the perfection wagon and lay it all out before us, begging to be caught, never sat right in his mind. Yet all the evidence was there, all pointing to this one man so plainly. Even if on the chance that this man had been framed, there would have to be something, some irrefutable evidence in the latter direction, acquitting him of all the charges against him.
"Well, I don't see how anyone else could believe you."
A knock at the door took the two out of their conversation. A man with a toolbox came in and nodded to the Detective. He set the box on a table by the door, opening and rummaging through it.
"What's this guy? Haha, gonna pull my fingernails out with pliers to get me to talk? Torture is illegal on citizens, detective, I thought you knew that?" Grimmjow chuckled lowly. He stopped chuckling -a moment of dead silence lingered in the air- when the man turned around with a hacksaw.
"No, Mr. Jaegerjaques. He's here to remove those bracelets from your wrists; can't have those things on in custody, they could be used as weapons. How did ya get those things on in the first place anyway?"
"Get someone in here that will take me seriously! Ita ta ta ta!" My head is killing me and yelling just makes it hurt worse. That bastard and his shitty behind-the-back beat down. I have a serious problem with people attacking me from behind. Cowards: all of them. I move the ice pack to a colder spot, ahhh that's better.
The door swings back open and the petite blonde girl comes back in, "now now, Kurosaki-kun, don't bust a staple. If you're stable, we can take you back to the precinct and take a statement."
"Not before you give me what I ask for! I wanna know Grimmjow's fine!"
"Yes, yes. I have the proof for you." She goes to her phone and pulls up a photo of Grimmjow lying on a gurney in a blue prison jumpsuit. He seems awake and ok. I guess that'll do for now.
"When do I get to make my phone call?" I ask for the umpteenth time.
"As soon as we get back to the precinct. Now let's get those discharge papers and be on our way." The blonde opens the door back up and calls for the nurse with the papers. I huff. All I can do is wait.
What seems like forever later, I get put in the back seat of a squad car and speed off to the precinct. I look out the window, a scowl marring my face. What the hell are we gonna do now? How are we gonna prove his innocence? I sure hope he's behaving; I don't want his caged reiatsu de-stabilizing his gigai.
A ten-minute ride later, we're pulling up to the back of the precinct. As I get let out, an ambulance pulls up behind the squad car. I immediately deduce it's Grimmjow so I start screaming out, hoping he'll hear my cries, "Grimm! Grimm, it's me! I'm ok! I'm gonna call Urahara, he'll know what to do.
"Well, indeed I do, Kurosaki-san." A confidant voice comes from the entryway. It's Urahara, but…not Urahara. He's clean shaven, no hat covering his slicked back blonde shaggy locks. He's wearing an impeccably tailored, dark green suit with a lighter green tie and white shirt, leaning casually against his brown wooden cane. His shoes are modern and shiny, no indication of the Urahara Kisuke I know appearance wise, yet he still possesses that stately glow of a person who knows way more than a person on this Earth should be allowed to know. A weary looking man with a significantly less bespoke suit stands next to him on the front steps of the station.
I walk up to the suited up blonde about to speak when he stops me with a hand up, "you are to go straight home."
"Hey, you can't do that!" The petite blonde woman next to me gripes appallingly.
"Yes I can, I am this boy's counsel. Is he being charged with something today?" Urahara asks the man next to him. He shakes his head no. "Good, then he is free to leave."
"But Sensei, we have questions-" the man in the suit looks sternly upon the petite girl and she shuts up quickly.
"Very good, you know where to send the subpoena, if you need to. Now run along Ichigo, I will handle everything else. Ahh, ouch. You should have Inoue-San look over that nasty cut."
"But, Grimmjow-"
"I will handle everything. Now go. I do not want the two of you making another scene and sent back to the hospital."
His pursed smile annoys me, but I begrudgingly comply.
On my walk to find Inoue, my phone rings an unknown number. Maybe it's Grimmjow using his one phone call to tell me he's alright.
"Grimmjow?"
"Hi, ya little jerk. Did ya have a good day?" A snarky, grumbling voice comes from the speaker. "What is with you people skirting the law constantly? I thought you'd at least have to spend the night for resisting? Aiding and abetting? Must have some friends in pretty high places."
"How did you get this number?"
"It's pretty easy, pilfering a phone out of a young woman's back pocket on the train. You just make like you accidentally bump them as the train starts up and voilà. Thankfully she didn't have one of those fancy, passcoded gadgets you and your sweetheart have.
I immediately know he's talking about Tatsuki. Inoue doesn't have a phone.
"Little butch for my tastes; wasn't worth hacking around." The sinister man taunts.
"You won't get away with any of this. You'll be stopped, and you will pay." I sneer confidently into the receiver.
"And who's gonna stop me? You? You worthless little brat. I'd like to see you try. In fact, I'll let you. Cuz, ya see- I'll be in the clubs tonight and I'm lookin' for a new friend to play with; someone who's got the moves to keep up with me, a hip shaker, a professional bath time buddy. I bet you couldn't use one brain cell to stop me."
"I'm more capable than you think I am, stupid fucker."
"We'll see. Time's a tickin' and slickin'. Catch me if you can or you'll have another sliced up bitch hangin' over your head, Ichi-Go."
The phone goes silent.
