WELLLLL since it's going to get PRETTY climatic after this I should say this counts as a Valentine's Day gift to my lovely reviewers :3

Enjoy! ^^

Ichigo sighed as he stared at the hotel bed before him and the lump currently snoring away under it. He then proceeded to grab the edge of the sheets and pulled as hard as he could. The lump yelped in surprise as it rolled out of bed and fell flat on the floor. Uttering every curse word known to man, said lump surfaced from under the sheets in a mass of shocking red hair and burning eyes.

'What the fuck, Ichigo!' Renji snapped as he wrenched the corner of the sheet Ichigo had been holding and stood up tall so he was eye to eye with his friend. 'Can't a guy get any decent sleep around here!'

'It's four in the afternoon,' Ichigo said coolly and glanced down before locking eyes with Renji again, 'and you certainly defy the term 'morning wood'.'

Renji quickly glanced down and turned as red as his hair. He forgot that he liked to sleep naked. Next time, he was getting a separate room.

'Why'd you wake me up?' Renji grumbled as he wrapped the sheets hastily around himself like a toga and made his way towards the bathroom. Ichigo fell back on the bed, his feet still on the floor, and sighed deeply. Renji raised an eyebrow.

'Dude, did you just sigh like a chick?' he muttered.

Unfortunately, Ichigo heard him because next thing he knew a pillow was flying straight at him. He quickly ducked into the bathroom, locking the door in case Ichigo decided to follow that attack up with something worse.

'Jeez, just being concerned! Isn't that what you wanted me to do when you asked me to come on this trip!'

Well, Renji had a point. That was the reason he had asked Renji to come. That and the fact that he didn't want to go all alone to a foreign country. Though that seemed to be the least of his worries now, especially after he had met up with Grimmjow.

'I'm going to go see Grimmjow again today,' Ichigo remarked, 'and I was wondering if you could come along this time.'

After a minute or two, Renji emerged from the bathroom dressed in a pair of lime green board shorts and a matching graphic tee. He frowned at Ichigo as he tied his hair up.

'Did something happen the last time you guys met?' he asked, now genuinely concerned. Ichigo hesitated a bit. Should he tell Renji what he saw?

Without realizing it, Ichigo told Renji everything without sparing any details.

'I know I shouldn't doubt Grimmjow but…' Ichigo licked his lips nervously, 'it's been so long, Renji, and I didn't want to start off mistrusting him, y'know? But I can't help it if I think he's lying.'

'Hate to break it to you, Ichi, but that does sound suspicious,' Renji commented, 'I don't want to say that Grimmjow is a liar but one guy's word isn't going to confirm anything. You need to ask someone else. What about Stark? They live together, don't they?'

'Stark's got his exams. I don't want to bother him with this,' Ichigo answered with a shake of his head. Then something came to him. 'I could ask Shinji!'

'A what!'

'Not a 'what'. Who. He hangs out at the café Grimmjow works out and by the looks of things they're pretty close. I'm thinking of catching Grimmjow there so maybe Shinji will be around too. Though…if I start asking Shinji questions Grimmjow will think I don't trust him.' He brooded for a minute but then beamed as he glanced at Renji. 'Why don't you ask him? It's perfect! And he might just like you!'

'Me? Ichi, in case you don't know this, but me don't know Germanland lingo! And what do you mean he might just like me! What, I'm not likeable or something!'

'Don't worry about the language barrier! Shinji's English is pretty good! And it's not like that! See, Shinji's gay.'

'Oh, okay.' Then Renji's eyes widened in horror and he began to shake his head fervently. 'No, no, no, no, no! I don't swing that way, Ichigo! I like tits! Vaginas! Girls! Not dudes! That's nasty! No offense though! I mean, Grimmjow's a looker but not like I'm looking, if you know what I mea-!'

'Calm down, Renji! Don't go all ninja before we even get there! Listen, let's just go there and while I distract Grimmjow, you talk to Shinji. He's a nice guy. He'll cooperate. And he might not even hit on you. He probably doesn't even like guys like you.'

With that, Ichigo got up to take his turn in the bathroom while Renji breathed in relief. Then he froze and whirled around just as the bathroom door closed.

'Wait, what you do mean 'guys like me'? What kinda guy do you think I am! Ichigo? ICHIGO! Dude, stop doing this to me all the fucking time! Not cool, you hear me! NOT. COOL!'

'He's hot,' Shinji purred as he observed a guy from across the café. His eyes were glued to that guy's ass as he sipped his drink while seated on the café's alcohol bar.

Grimmjow glanced over before going back to fixing drinks. Today was his turn to take over at the bar but he just wanted to get out as fast as possible. He glanced at clock above him and sighed. Just one more hour.

'Shin, he's already seeing someone so if you try to jump him right now, he's not the only one who's going to get slapped by his girlfriend,' Grimmjow drawled as he poured a couple of beers and banged them heavily on a tray before a waiter grabbed it. Shinji coughed and turned his attention completely to the blue-haired boy.

'Speaking of partners,' he said coolly and rested his chin in one hand. 'How was reunion? Shared any thoughts, feelings…secrets?'

Grimmjow scowled and jumped back as he almost doused his front with beer.

'I told Ichigo just enough,' he snapped and quickly grabbed the towel to wipe himself.

'Enough? Or just what you thought sounded right?'

Grimmjow flinched as those words echoed the same statement uttered to him just last night.

'Why can't you guys just leave me alone?' he muttered as he leaned over the bar counter. 'I know what I'm doing so don't tell me what to do!'

Shinji sighed and tapped Grimmjow's arm so that the boy would look up at him.

'You're lucky to have me as a friend,' he exclaimed with a comforting smile, 'I promise, I ain't going to tell Ichigo anything if he asks. But just remember, you'll have to come clean sooner or later. I know you haven't stopped canoodling with Gin. So you better decide who you want.'

'It's not that easy, Shin,' Grimmjow murmured as he ran a hand through his locks, 'I can't risk losing either of them. They both are really important to me. They both have helped me in their own way to get over the whole Aizen incident. And after everything they've done, how can I choose who I want? It's being unfair to the other. I don't know if Onkel Gin understands why I can't let go of Ichigo. And even if he does, I don't think he's happy about it. But what can I do? If I tell Ichigo the truth, he'll get hurt. Really bad, Shin. So for the moment, I can't tell him. To protect him.'

Shinji listened to every word intently without making any snide comments. Once Grimmjow was done, Shinji finished his drink before he spoke.

'Do what you want, Grimm,' he said casually, 'I've got nothing against anything you just said except one thing. You're not protecting Ichigo. You're trying to protect yourself. Because if Ichigo finds out, you're going to feel all alone again. And you don't want that. You're being real selfish when it comes to him. Just wanted to make that clear.'

Grimmjow stared, stunned. He couldn't believe what Shinji had just said so bluntly. It was like a slap in the face. But he had no retort. It was like Shinji had the spoken the very words he had tried to keep locked away so he couldn't face the ugly truth behind his warped deeds.

'By the way, why do you keep glancing at the clock? You've never had a problem working at the bar. You always manage to get free beer.'

'Oh, umm…I'm planning on meeting…Onkel Gin after this…'

Shinji raised an eyebrow.

'We're going to talk,' Grimmjow quickly explained, 'I want to sort this out, Shin. I really do. But I can't talk about it with Ichigo. Onkel Gin and I are going to talk and settle this situation once and for all. It's the only way, Shin. I don't want to torture Ichigo like this.'

Shinji sighed and whirled around in his seat so that he faced the cafe bustling with merry people. He rested his elbows on the counter.

'Suit yourself, Grimm,' he exclaimed. Then, after a pause, he spoke again. 'Though I think you might want to skedaddle early before you're spotted.'

'By who?' Grimmjow asked as he picked up a few glasses on the counter and placed them in the sink.

'Yonder lover just walked in and fuck me if I'm wrong but I think he might be looking for you.'

Grimmjow almost dropped the beer mugs in his hands and glanced in shock at the door. Sure enough, there was that familiar head of unruly orange hair paired with those warm brown eyes and that cute little frown as his lover tried to find him.

His insides twisted painfully and he looked up at the clock. Shit, fifteen minutes till his shift was over. He needed a distraction. He needed…

'Shinji, I will owe you for the rest of my life if you could distract Ichigo and help me sneak out!' Grimmjow hissed at Shinji as he ducked behind the bar, hoping that Ichigo hadn't spotted him.

'You have to be more specific than that, Grimm,' Shinji drawled, thoroughly enjoying this. Grimmjow gnashed his teeth furiously as he stopped himself from throttling the blonde.

'I'll introduce you to that friend of mine you've been drooling over for weeks!' he snapped. Shinji's eyes widened in delight.

'You mean Ylfordt?' he said gleefully, his grin growing wider.

'YES! Now will you please help me!'

'It'll be my pleasure-!'

He froze in midsentence. Grimmjow frowned. Just what in the world had gotten Shinji speechless?

He dared to look over the edge of the bar. He raised an eyebrow.

'Is that Renji?' he wondered out loud. What was he doing here with Ichigo?

'Renji, huh?' Shinji mumbled, his jaw literally an inch from the floor. Grimmjow flicked his eyes at him and rolled his eyes.

Great, leave it to Shinji to go and fall for the straightest guy ever. He just hoped Shinji's heart won't get broken. Wait, Shinji getting his heart broken? Please, the guy would have move onto the next cute guy who walked in in the next half an hour.

'I think I'm in love,' Shinji breathed in awe.

Grimmjow groaned and smacked his forehead.

This was not helping! Now how the hell was he going to get away? Maybe if he could stay hidden and sneak out from the back he might still have a chance to-

'Grimmjow!'

Too late.

No German words this time so danasy can get a break from my constant pestering ^^

Thanks for reading and please review!