A/N:
After a week working in a main stream fashion store, my brain is slightly fried and stuck on the song The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Suburban Space Invader..

I'm mentally slapping myself for this one, so ooc -.-' My apologies..
I promise I'll up my game in the next one!

Chapter 10
Teal

The sun was burning in the early afternoon and most people had sought comfort in the cooler inside. But Ichigo had resorted to hide on the roof of Urahara's shop. Well it was not as much hiding when everyone knew he was up there, but they knew not to bother him at the moment.
For the past couple of days he had been hanging around here, to help Nel, to train, to be distracted.
Nel had fled from Hueco Mundo because a certain bluehaired, feline-like espada had apparently set his eyes on her and seemed very presistent on wooing her. And not being too keen on the ways of said espada, she saw no other way than to leave. At least for a while.
Idiot.. Ichigo frowned and took a big slurp of a water bottle. Who the hell tried to seduce someone by forcing them to be Queen? I didn't even think Espada was capable of those emotions.
As if on cue, Nel, leaped onto the roof.
"Ichigo!" She chipped with a childish smile and handed him a bowl of mixed pieces of fruite. He accepted it and put a piece in his mouth, savouring the sweet flavor of Cantaloupe.
"You still haven't heard from him?" he shook his head and took another piece.
Nel had pulled him aside as soon as he had arrived, before he even stepped through the door. She had been able to both smell and sense the Quincy all over him and after knocking him over, straddling him with a dangerous amount of drool hanging from her mouth mere inches from his face, he had agreed to tell her what was going on. Even in her grown state, her childish nature was overwhelming and somewhat scary.
"Have you decided what you're gonna do yet?" He asked her as she sat down beside him. She took a deep breath and looked at the sky above them.
"I have to go back soon.. Pesche and Dondochakka is probably worried by now.. I said a couple of says, not 8.." Her eyes dropped to the ground before the shop.
"I think someone's here to see you.."
Ichigo followed her eyes and his chest felt like it was about to explode.

"I have no idea when my house became a hostel but will someone please remove the Espada acting like a cat in heat from my residence!" he snarled and gave the two a icy glare. Both of them sat, wide eyed. Nel trying to decide weather to run or laugh, and Ichigo convinced that a single breath was all it would take before his chest burst.
"Ishida-kun! What's that about a cat in heat?" Urahara chuckled behind his fan, coming outside.
"It would seem Grimmjow Jaggerjack is so lovestruck that even fighting Kurosaki has no interest.. So instead, he figured I would know how to win his prescious Neliel over.." the ravenhaired grimached and pushed his glasses in place.
"Oh dear.. We better take this inside" Urahara said and motioned for Ishida to follow him inside. Nel jumped down and followed but Ichigo hesitated. He completely ignored me...
For a moment, he considered going straight to the small house and give Grimmjow a good asskicking but figured that trashing the place would probably not make the Quincy appreciate his effords any more.
Besides, Uryuu said he had no interest in fighting with me.. What the hell is up with that?
He leaped off the roof and made his way through the shop, finding everyone seated and Tessi in the process of pouring tea.
".. didn't even think Espada would be capable of such a thing. I mean, they're just highly advanced hollows, lost souls without hearts?"
"It is true, to some extent that we don't share the same range of emotions as the living and those of soul society. Hollows are driven purely by instinct and a need to fill the void that used to be their heart. But arrancar and espada grow strong from consuming various hollows with different needs and desires, different reasons as to why they became hollows in the first place." Nel explained with an expression that showed no trace of her usual goofy personality.
"You would be amazed at how many souls are lost because of love" Urahara mimiced, steelgray eyes hidden under the shade of his hat.
Ichio stood in the doorway, abscent mindedly listening, soaking up thw words while is eyes rested on the icy apperance of Ishida Uryuu. Nothing for it then.. I have to let it go.. But he could not tear his eyes away.
"So Nel.. What do you wanna do?" He said, louder than needed in attempt to shake himself out of it. All eyes were on him, slightly surprised to see him standing in the doorway.
"My, my... The Locket of Secrecy really works wonderfully!" Urahara sang, talking abaout the bright red band around Ichigo's left wrist.
"It's a freaking rubberband!" the redhead snapped and turned his head to Nel.
"Anyway, any idea what we're supposed to do about him then? Need me to beat some sense into him?" The band was designed to conseal his reiatsu and he had been wearing it since Nel arrived. She too was now wearing one, in green of course.

"Are you sure about this?"
"Hai.. I need to do this myself, I can't just keep running away, I'm not a child anymore.."
They were walking down the road that lead to the small, peachy coloured house. Ishida was walking infront of them, he had been quiet since they had left the shop.
"Besides, it's not fair to him.." she added. Nel had decided to try and talk to the bluehaired espada but she had insisted that only Ichigo and Ishida came along. Ishida because it was his house and Ichigo because he made her feel safe and in case Grimmjow got out of control, the former shinigami could easily fight him off. Not that Nel would have any problems fending for herself though.
They made it to the front door in silence but before opening it, Ishida gave the two of them a quick glare. Then he pushed his glasses up and walked in.
"Oi, Quincy! Did you fin... Nel..." For what seemed like the longest time, they just stood there, the bluehaired espada at a complete loss for words. Ishida went to the kitchen and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge.
"I have some work I need to finish, I expect you can figure this out on your own" he said and walked off to his work room.
"I should've known you'd run off to him!" Grimmjow sneered.
"Maybe I have to kill him for you to be with me!"
"You're welcome to try!" Ichigo barked back and pushed Nel out og the way, to protect her from any possible attacks. The next second he was on the floor with a hand around his throat, nails digging into his skin and his own blade barely an inch from the espada's.
"Grimmjow, NO! I did not leave to be with Ichigo, I left because I dissaprove of your childish ways to try and claim me!" The teal eyes seemed pained by her words and he let go of the redhead and stood up.
"But then what am I supposed to do? You keep running.." His voice was hard and cold and his eyes followed Ichigo as he got up from the floor and let his sword vanish.
"I am not your pray, hunting me like one will only ever drive me further away."
For a moment, Grimmjow looked like he was ready to tear something apart and the former shinigami prepared himself for another attack. But it did not come. Instead, the feline like man turned around and looked at Nel, his fists clenched down his sides.
"I still don't get it.. One moment, we're together and the next i'm chasing you around Hueco Mundo. I thought you wanted me.. "
The voice was still cold, but Ichigo figured this would probably be as vounerable as the espada got. And something had obviously happened between the two that Nel has not told the redhead about.
"I did. But you changed.. The Grimmjow I met after Aizen left Hueco Mundo for good and the one who followed me here are not the same.." Her words seemed to strike hard and the bluehaired sat down on the coffee table next to him and ran a hand through the blue locks.
Ichigo, a little uncomfortable being a bistander to the conversation, decided it best to leave the two alone for a bit. He could step in in a heartbeat if it was needed anyway. Besides, he had some business of his own to take care of, he needed a clear answer from the bespectacled Quincy.
He found the door to the small work room he knew to be filled with sowing equipment and lingered outside, listening for any sounds that might indicate what Ishida was doing. Nothing could be heard. He opened the door and quickly stepped inside, shutting it quietly and leaving against it.

"I would ask if your farther never taught you how to knock, but the answer is too obvious.. What do you want, Kurosaki?" Ishida keps his eyes on the fabric in his hands, graciously pushing the needle through, then pulling the thread, twisting it around the edge of the fabric and repeating the action.
"Just trying to give the two some space without actually leaving.. You know, in case that nutcase snaps back to his old self."
"There are plenty other rooms in this house.."
Ichigo slumped down on the floor, back against the door, resting his arms on his knees. He had so many questions but had no idea how to ask them and he knew he had to choose carefully because the chance of getting just half of them answered was very slim.
Ishida keps sowing, occassionally taking a sip of the waterbottle. His eyes stayed focused on the work in front of him, not even when reaching for the sissor lying at the end of the table, close to where the redhead was sitting, did they stray.
He cut the thread, folded the fabric and put it aside before getting up, heading for the door. But Ichigo did not move.
"Would you mind?"
"Just tell me why" the former shinigami said almost before the Quincy had finished his question.
"Because this is my house and I would like to go make dinner.."
"You know that's not what I mean.." Ichigo said and got up, anger bubbling in his stomach. And hurt.
"No Actually I have no idea what you're talking about.. I called your cellphone, but you seemed to be busy dating an espada." Ishida hissed.
"Dating..? I wasn't.." He had taken Nel out a couple of times because the gigai Urahara had made for her needed food and she was so curious about the living world, icecream, cakes, candy, fish, ramen, stake, carrots. You name it, she wanted to have it. And his cellphone had probably been lying at his desk at home where he left it a week ago.
"Why didn't you just come find me when I didn't answer your call? Never been a problem before.."
"Because, you idiot, you're wearing a reiatsu consealer!"
Suddenly, it was like the world came crashing down on the former shinigami, his legs threatening to give in, breathing becoming difficult. It was himself who had made it impossible for Ishida to contact him,he who had shut the bespectacled one out, he who had seemed uninterested.
"I'm an idiot..." he said out of breath, wide eyes starring at the ravenhaired.
"I'm so sorry, now it's probably too late, you must've been so angry with me, Uryuu I'm so sorry!"
Ichigo was startled when Ishida placed his hands on both sides of his head and he stared into deep blue seas ready to drown him on the spot.
"Say it again.."
"I'm sorry..?"
"No"
The redhead gasphed when pale fingers latched onto the edge of his jeans, gracing the skin beneath, sending jolts through his entire body. Soft lips connected with his own and he immediatly put his hands on the slim hips, moaning the ravenhaireds name into his mouth, his mind in total ecstacey.
When they broke apart, he put his head on the Quincy's shoulder and tightened his grip on the hips, a feeling of relief swimming through him.

When they made their way back into the livingroom, they both stopped and stared wideeyed at the sight that welcomed them.
Nel was sitting at the end of the couch, smiling softly while running her fingers through the blue locks spread in her lab while the male espada lay on his back with his feet planted at the arm rest on the other end. He seemed to be either purring or snooring. Or possibly both.
"He was lying exactly like this when I first realised I was falling in love with him.." she whispered.
"After you guys left Huecho Mundo, I brought him back to Las Noches and I was so surprised at his tender nature when we were alone." She continued but was interoupted by a somewhat sleep hoarsh voice.
"I would appreciate it, woman, if you didn't share things like that.." Nel just smiled more and decided to continue.
"He would sneak into my room after I'd gone to bed and curl up next to me, only to excuse himself with the possibility of unfriendly intruders.."
"Seriously, woman, if you continue I'm gonna have to kill te both of them!" he now had one eye open.
"He followed me around all the time.. Not much unlike Pesche and Dondochakka.. Except, he refused to play tag with us.."
"That's enough" he sneered and stood up, starring at the former shinigami substitute. But there was no real anger to detect in his eyes, he almost seemed relaxed, relieved. Exactly how Ichigo himself was feeling.