Disclaimer: Kubo Tite owns Bleach.
Warning: Not beta'd.
Note: Thank you so much for all the reviews,the favs and the alerts! Decided Rukia was a better choice than an undeveloped OC. I'm going to go through the chapters and replace the names.
The Ironic Lives of Perfect People
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Ichigo picked up Rukia and headed for one of his favorite places to eat, the Eastern Sushi House. It wasn't where any big shot CEOs take their model dates, but if he were to marry Rukia, she'd have to have tried their food at least once.
Ichigo knew this place from when he was in high school. At the time, the sushi house was a shabby place, a no name shack. It was the perfect place for high school jerk offs like him and Renji to spend their lazy afternoons at. Funny how it grew along with it's teenage customers - the kids grew and started making their own lives while the Eastern Sushi House's reputation grew right along with them.
But what Ichigo loved most about this place was that this was where his date with his first love had been.
As he parked in the once non-existent parking lot, he had a serious nostalgic moment about the good old days, where nothing seemed to matter except making the best of everything.
He sucked in a lung full of air before taking hold of Rukia's hand and going inside. This might be a little hard, but it's time to leave it behind.
They chose a table for four next to the window and for the first time that night, Ichigo looked at Rukia and studied her face. She was looking out the window and her face showed just a little bit of sadness. Brows knit together, frowning and all that jazz.
"There's something just a little ironic and sad about us, isn't there?" Ichigo suddenly blurted out while fiddling with a toothpick.
Rukia faced him with a harsh smirk and a look of strength in her posture. "The way we're supposed to have everything wanted because we're viewed as 'Perfect', but really being able to do nothing for ourselves?" She sighed, "Yeah, that's just ironic."
Rukia was smart, he'd give her that. Everyone in the Kuchiki household was smart. A little detached and calculative, but that was just how they were raised. He was going to break that side of hers.
"Well, fuck this shit, yeah? Excuse the language, but I mean we're perfect so let's just order everything on this menu and have a blast. They've got the best in town."
"No kidding about that," a voice suddenly cut in. "Ichigo and I've been coming here since we were snotty brats."
Ichigo turned to see a head full of red and some serious tattoos. "Renji, nice surprise to bump into you here," he chuckled.
"Yeah, just like old times, huh." Renji then turned to Rukia and did a little bow accompanied with an old butler's voice, "Abarai Renji, Ichigo's best bro ever. And who might you be, fair lady?"
"Kuchiki Rukia," Rukia replied coldly, but her eyes twinkled with mirth.
"Are you here alone, Renji?" Ichigo asked.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Oh, hmm. Well. Rukia, do you mind if Renji joined us for our big feast?"
"Why not." She replied with a grin. Almost relieved to make this date more casual. "The more the merrier."
"Oh shit, you kidding me?" Renji straightened up and almost ran to his own table, which was secluded by a big wooden panel. "I'll go grab my shit right now,"
"He's nice," Rukia said as she watched Renji disappear behind the panel. There was a sort of laughter in her voice.
Ichigo observed her closely. Her skin glowed and her lips were lifted at the corners. She seemed...more alive now. More happy.
"Isn't he?" Rukia turned to face Ichigo, relaxed.
Ichigo could only nod absentmindedly as he wondered if something important just happened.
"Listen, Ichigo, I might come to love you some day." Rukia suddenly said, frantic. All traces of her previously lax state gone and when Ichigo just stared at her in bewilderment, she continued in a frenzy, "But it's more likely that I fall in love with someone else. Someone i'm not allowed to be with, because sadly, that's just how it's going to be with me. Something about me, something in me - it hates to be controlled. It wills be to be free-" then just as suddenly as she had starting talking, she stopped. Her hands were clasped tightly together on the table, skin turning white.
Ichigo smiled softly. He knew, at that exact moment, that he and Rukia will only be the greatest of friends. Nothing more and nothing less. He told her so.
And then Renji came with his big ass mouth, sniggering with look of mischief on this face. "Looking juicy, Strawberry,"
"Shut the fuck up, Pineapple," Ichigo retorted. He saw that coming.
"So anyway, Rukia, if I may call you that, do you work with Ichigo?" Renji asked as he took a seat.
"No, why do you ask that?" Rukia asked back playfully. Ichigo stared at her.
"You two are both wearing full-body suits," Renji pointed out.
Ichigo hadn't noticed that they actually did look quite like two people who just came out of the office after getting off late. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a pink collared shirt while Rukia had on a gray suit with a purple shirt that complimented her eyes. The severity of their disinterest in each other was worse than Ichigo imagines, they didn't even have the time to take in each others' choice of clothing. Huh.
The waiter brought their green tea as Rukia replied, "Well, we don't have any business relations." She then hurriedly took a sip of her tea.
Did Rukia not want to tell people that they were engaged? Ichigo stayed quiet but raised a questioning eyebrow at her but she didn't look up from her tea. Ooookayyyy...
The next hour was spent something like this. Renji and Rukia filled up the conversation and all Ichigo had to do was sit quietly and eat his fill.
As he stuffed his mouth, though, his brain worked furiously. He was good with people, good at reading people, good at guessing people. It's how he keeps people he work with happy and how he gets good deals going. Of course, once upon a time, he used to be feared by everyone just because he never tired to look nice for someone else.
So he knew Rukia liked Renji and that Renji liked Rukia. This knowledge didn't hurt him and he didn't mind that his best friend and his fiancé were flirting like they never did before, right in front of him.
That's why he took Rukia to the side and told her something urgent came up and that he was sorry and that she'd just have to spend the night with Renji.
"Thank you, Ichigo. Thank you for understanding," Rukia replied. And he knew that she knew that he knew. Cool.
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Grimmjow, once again, opened his door to find a Kurosaki Ichigo in front of his door. This time, Kurosaki had the courtesy to bring some donuts, which he handed to him before entering without Grimmjow's invitation.
"Sorry to bother you so late at night, Grimmjow," Kurosaki said as he bent down to take off his shoes.
"Oh, come in, Ichigo." Grimmjow said in an irritated and sarcastic voice. "Thank you, Grimmjow, that is so kind of you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You know you're glad to have me here," Kurosaki said dissmisivly as he grinned over his shoulder.
Grimmjow stood still. Abso-fucking-lutely still, because he really did like having Ichigo around. And he just realized it. Holy shiiiiit.
"No. Shut the fuck up," he said. But, you know, saying it after five minutes when the person you're saying it to has already disappeared into your living room is kind of ... too late, Grimmjow knew.
"Come. Sit. Have a donut. Chill," Kurosaki's voice came. Cocky.
"Fucking hell," Grimmjow muttered as he entered his own living room. He shouldn't feel nervous in his own living room, damn it! "You were here just Tuesday."
"Oh, do you want me to leave?" Kurosaki said with a grin on his face. Somehow, Grimmjow didn't want him to leave, and somehow Kurosaki knew it.
"Fine," Grimmjow growled out. "Stay."
"I will, because Thursdays are the new Saturdays," Kurosaki sounded a little too cheerful. "And we're going to watch a movie."
Grimmjow was surprised. Had this big shot come just to spend time with him? "What do you wanna watch?" he said, proud his voice sounded absolutely bored.
"We will be watching Saw VII,"
"I don't-"
"Come on, Grimm, I know you have it."
"Christ!" Grimmjow threw his hand up in exasperation. "Fine. Here, have it!" He threw the dvd at the orange-head, who went to pop it in the dvd player.
"Do you have any booze?" Did Kurosaki's needs and wants ever finish?
"Yeah..." Grimmjow eyed his guest warily as the other made his way to the sofa. Doesn't this guy ever feel the awkwardness here?
"Bring them out. It's time to get wasted!" Ichigo shouted out as he flopped down on the cushions like a little kid ready for some cartoons and ice cream.
Watching this, Grimmjow thought what could be the harm in some movie and some alcohol, and decided to make the most out of it.
Of course, these two making the most out of it ended up in them both being pretty badly drunk.
"And then, and then-" Kurosaki was saying loudly, his face flushed. "Rukia just completely fell for Renji. Right there and then!" he said before laughing uncontrollably.
Grimmjow could only just try to make sense of what he was saying while the world spun. The last two hours with a surprisingly easy going Kurosaki had been, well, surprisingly fun. And from what he could make out, Kurosaki was engaged, had a crazy dad, had a weird fiancé, had a crazy family, had a best friend named Pineapple, is bisexual, had a fiancé who fell in love with his best friend, fell in love with a boy in high school before leaving with his family to run away from said love, and had a best friend who seem to like his fiancé a lot.
That was a lot of info just there.
"Hey, Grimm! Hey, hey, hey, you know," Kurosaki snorted, "You know, I really like you. That's why I keep coming here, isn't it? That's why I keep coming..."
Kurosaki was also really open about everything when he was drunk.
Grimmjow was startled out of his drunken state. He's heard Kurosaki say this before. He's heard it before. But right now, he was feeling it. He liked this man. Fuck.
"No, Kurosaki, no." he said as he fisted Kurosaki's shirt and pulled him forward. "You keep coming back 'cause I want you here."
Grimmjow thought Kurosaki would just keep blabbing about stupid stuff and not really understand what Grimmjow was implying.
But he did. And everything was suddenly serious.
The tension could make executors bite their nails.
But then Kurosaki's face split into a giant grin before he said, "Call me Ichigo," and smashed their lips.
The kiss was mind blowing. It was like they were thirsty for a long time and finally found water. IT was crazy. Teeth clashed and they panted out loud and spit dribbled and then they were biting and tongues chasing each other and-
Kurosaki suddenly pulled away and got up from the sofa and stood there. He muttered, "What the fuck, Ichigo," before disappearing to the hall. A few seconds later, the sound of the apartment door opening and closing could be heard.
Grimmjow just continued to sit, head thrown back on the back of the sofa. He groaned, not understanding what had just happened.
Because, you know, he was straight and didn't dig guy, let alone kiss them.
But Grimmjow had to admit, that was the best kiss ever and even if he didn't admit it, his dick was hard as a rock.
"Fuck," he said as he headed for the bathroom to take a shower, during which he jacked off thinking about Kurosaki Ichigo.
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A/N: Well, I have officially given up trying to make sense of what's going on in this fic. I had a different plot for them but it is impossible to write. So any suggestions, you guys? Also, if you spot any mistakes, please feel free to point them out for me. Thank you for reading.
Review?