Important Meeting
"Retsu," Kisuke said as he walked into her office. She raised her eyebrow at the casual use of her first name but let it go. "What are you doing tonight?" he asked.
"Nothing."
"Do you want to go out?"
"No," she said, looking back at her paperwork.
"Oh come on, just a little dinner," he offered with what he hoped was a winning smile.
"Not interested," she countered.
He was a little flummoxed. I knew I should have brought some potions with me to help this along, he thought.
"Well, perhaps…" he began.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Nothing!" he swore.
"What do you want?" she repeated.
Kisuke decided to take another road. "You know, I have a new invention I think you'll find useful. It's a spiritual pressure injector."
"I already have those," Unohana said, unimpressed.
"These will actually store the spiritual pressure for up to five years," he explained.
She finally looked up. "With no degradation?"
"It only starts losing it's potency after the five year mark."
She finally appeared interested. Kisuke sighed.
"Just think," he said, "you could store all of the captains' and lieutenants' spiritual pressure for whenever people got injured, instead of having to ask for donations and wasting time when someone is ill. You could store up Captain Ukitake's spiritual pressure from when he's healthy and use it for when he's sick, up to five years."
"I know its benefits," Unohana replied. "Currently our system can only retain spiritual pressure for a week."
"So, what would you give for it?" Kisuke asked.
"I knew you were up to something," Unohana sighed.
"I just want a piece of video and a little forgiveness on your part."
"Ichigo," Grimmjow said when the two of them walked into his cell.
Shuuhei stiffened a little at the emotional content of Grimmjow's voice. He didn't think he'd ever get used to someone being so obvious about their desire for his boyfriend. Just when he thought he was getting a little better, Grimmjow would do something like what he was doing now, hungrily devouring Ichigo with his eyes, making Shuuhei long to punch him in the face.
Shuuhei sighed, and looked away.
"Someone is coming to talk to you soon. Actually a couple of people," Ichigo told Grimmjow. "I need you to be as nice and as respectful as you can."
"What's the plan this time? Is it as stupid as "let's run for it"?" Grimmjow said, shooting a glance at Shuuhei.
"It will be Captain Zaraki, Captain Kurotsuchi, and Head Captain Yamamoto. The one you want to be nicest too is the old man. Kenpachi probably could care less if you hated him, he might prefer it that way, and no matter what you do Captain Kurotsuchi is only going to look at you as a specimen so you don't need to waste any grace on him either," Ichigo explained.
"Just try to be polite," Shuuhei told him.
"Oh, I'm always polite," Grimmjow said with a wide smile.
"Uh huh," Shuuhei said non-enthusiastically.
"Here they come," Ichigo said in a low whisper, hearing a key at the door. Grimmjow watched it open curiously.
Kisuke walked in, leading the previously mentioned three captains as well as Yachiru, who was hanging off of Kenpachi's back as usual.
"Hi Blueberry!" Yachiru said to Grimmjow with a wave. Ichigo stiffened, hoping Grimmjow wouldn't take offense.
"Morning Princess Tinyfeet," Grimmjow responded.
"Heh," Kenpachi gave a chuckle.
"This is the hollow that saved you?" Head Captain Yamamoto asked Ichigo.
"Yes," Ichigo responded. "He did so knowing that he might lose his life. He turned his back on his own world just to save me."
"Why would you do that, hollow?" Yamamoto asked.
"Because I love him," Grimmjow explained.
That seemed to take them aback.
"Love?" Kurotsuchi asked incredulously. "What a ridiculous concept! You're a hollow, how can you claim to love anyone or anything?"
Grimmjow shrugged. "I'm claiming it," he replied. "If you have a different explanation for why I'd do it, I'm all ears."
"Hm," Mayuri thought it over. "Insanity."
"He seems sane to me," Kenpachi offered.
"Saner than you does not equal sane," Mayuri said, waving off Kenpachi's answer.
"I do not wish to put you in pain unduly, we merely need answers about how things are currently running in Hueco Mundo. We need breakdowns of the current leaders and a map of their operation points," Yamamoto said.
"I can give you all that," Grimmjow said. "I don't owe them anything."
"You will answer all questions freely?" Yamamoto asked.
"As best as I can," Grimmjow responded.
"Captain Zaraki here has an interesting proposition for you. I doubt he figured it out himself, it seems to reek of someone a lot more…meddling…but it is perfectly legal and I'm willing to allow it after you answer our questions and on the condition that you will answer any questions that come up in the future. You would also have to promise to not leave the Seireitei without permission or alone and that you won't harm any shinigami. Breaking any of those rules will make this offer forfeit and I will give you to Captain Kurotsuchi and the Research and Development department," Yamamoto told him.
"What's the deal?" Grimmjow asked, looking over at Ichigo for confirmation first and receiving a nod.
"It's called a Captain's Sponsorship," Kenpachi told him. "Basically I become your legal guardian. You do what I say, live with me, stay with me, and if anything goes wrong I take the blame."
"So what, you'd be my dad?" Grimmjow asked with a crooked smile.
"Oh yay! I want a brother!" Yachiru chirped happily.
"No," Kenpachi said with finality.
"She's yours?" Grimmjow asked.
"Close enough," Kenpachi said with a shrug.
"What would I be doing?"
"You'd follow my orders. Basically you'll be acting unofficially with Squad 11. Plus, you have to spar me whenever the hell I want," Kenpachi grinned.
"You're going to give me my zanpakuto back?"
"Yeah, I'd want you to carry it around at all times too."
Grimmjow looked over at Ichigo, wondering if this was all really true. Ichigo gave a nod in Kenpachi's direction and Grimmjow looked forward again.
"Hell yeah," he said. "Sounds like fun to me. I'm up for fighting for anyone at anytime."
"That is exactly what I want to hear," Kenpachi replied.
"So, what about it, Head Captain Yamamoto?" Kisuke asked from where he'd been standing in the corner.
"I'll allow it," Yamamoto stated. "However, I will be checking in and making sure that everything is going well. Like I mentioned before, I will revoke this right if I feel that I need to."
"Of course," Kisuke replied. Kenpachi grunted. Mayuri looked pissed.
"Well, let's go and get Captain Soifon and start the questioning then," Kisuke insisted, wanting to move things along. "Then we can have everyone sign everything and Grimmjow will be under the care of Captain Zaraki."
"Come on, get into the party spirit!" Rangiku told Ichigo, who was sitting in the corner.
"Sorry, Grimmjow is supposed to officially sign everything today. I guess I'll be on edge until it actually happens," Ichigo said, sipping slowly at his cup.
"Iiiiiiiichigo!" Shuuhei called drunkenly from the dance floor. "Ichigo! Come here, babe!"
"I think someone wants to dance," Rangiku said with a laugh.
Ichigo reluctantly got up, but soon forgot his reticence when Shuuhei pulled him close to his body and began to dance heatedly. "Shuuhei, everyone is looking at us," he whispered, trying to not get turned on by his boyfriend's closeness.
"Of course they are, this is your welcome home party!" Shuuhei said back, rubbing himself on Ichigo. "You're the star!"
"Shuuhei," Ichigo groaned. "Shuuhei, you're turning me on," he said into Shuuhei's ear.
"Oh no, whatever will I do?" Shuuhei grinned at him.
The door opened and three people came into the room. The room got strangely quiet. Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Grimmjow entered. Ichigo quickly walked over to the group. "Did everything go fine?" he asked Grimmjow.
"Er…yeah…" Grimmjow couldn't help but notice the flush across Ichigo's face, the dilation of his eyes. He was getting distracted by the very physical thoughts that were going through his mind. I just got free, I probably shouldn't jump on him the first chance I get, Grimmjow thought glumly.
"Hey Grimmjow," Shuuhei said, coming up next to Ichigo and wrapping an arm around him.
Grimmjow didn't respond to Shuuhei, just sighed and looked for the booze. Ikkaku saw his glance and took the lead. "This way," he called over his shoulder.
Before Grimmjow followed Ichigo came forward and gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad you're ok," he said.
It was only about half an hour later when the party got quiet again. Something was coming.
"Shit, it's the Captain!" Ikkaku said.
"Oh no," Yumichika sighed. "We'd better get Grimmjow outside before Captain Zaraki decides…"
The door was kicked in and Kenpachi stood on top of wreckage, his zanpakuto drawn. "I heard you were free," he said to the watching espada.
Grimmjow grinned. "Hell yeah I am," he replied, drawing his own zanpakuto.
"OUTSIDE! Fight outside!" Rangiku said, panicking. They didn't listen to her.