AN: There have been a few anonymous reviews lately, I can't reply to those personally like I do to all the other comments, so I'd like to thank those few people that I can't reply to! I do read your comments too!
Also, if you havn't read Monsters and Men: Welcome to the Family yet, you should *wink* (it's mildly referenced in this chapter for fun, but not necessary to understand the story)
Anyway, Enjoy~
"Lay back down, King" Shiro mumbled as the bed shifted, his voice still heavy with sleep. He buried his face further into the warm, hard body beside him, not bothering to open his eyes.
Grimmjow snorted and tightened his arm around the albino. He yawned, baring perfect white teeth for a moment, but didn't make to get up or disturb the still half asleep man at his side. The bluenette had been having one hell of dream and was a little disappointed that he had woken up but for now he was content to stay and lay in the warm bed.
Ichigo chuckled from his other side, sitting up a little more and looking down at his twin. "It's morning though, Shiro" He said teasingly, a smile on his face and in his voice. He hadn't been planning on getting up, only shifting to a more comfortable position, but he couldn't help but play with his tired brother's mind at least a little.
The sun was tinting the edges of the horizon pink and the few birds still around were singing. The cool, morning breeze rattled through what was left of the red and yellow leaves on the trees, smelling of rain and promising cooler weather for the rest of the season.
Shiro pried an inverted eye open to peek up at his more colorful copy. The room was still in shadow, the feeble light of the awakening sun barely reaching through the parted curtains.
"Tch, this don't count as mornin'."
The Caster smiled and leaned over the naked form of Grimmjow, pulling his twin into a soft yet passionate kiss. Shiro hummed into his mouth and slid his tongue out to languidly tangle with Ichigo's.
After a few, brief seconds, Ichigo pulled away and settled back on the mattress, resting his head on the werepanther's chest. He draped his arm across the man's toned stomach and laced his finger's with his brother's.
The near-albino smirked and closed his eyes again, snuggling back against the newest edition to their little family and tugging the sheets further up his bare body.
Grimmjow hooked his free arm around the Caster and pulled him close, a smile on his lips as he closed his eyes again.
"I could get used to this." A quiet purr rumbled in his chest, making the two human's laugh softly before being pulled back into a comfortable slumber.
••••••
With a soft grunt, Renji pulled himself up into the saddle of his horse. The beast angled it's ears backward to listen to him, but otherwise stood still and easily excepted his extra weight as the red head swung his leg over and grabbed up the reins.
"You really should come with me, I'm sure they would enjoy a visit from you too." He said, looking down to the woman standing beside his horse.
Rukia looked up at him; a small, forced smile covering her features. She somehow doubted that either of the twins would really wish to see her, and she held no desire to see Shirosaki or the blue haired creature that was surely still there, but she wouldn't tell Renji that.
"I promised Byakuya that I would visit, he still wants to finish teaching me proper sword technique." She said, the hints of the first genuine smile she'd shown in days lifting the corners of her mouth.
A wide smile bloomed across Renji's features. The man was happy that she seemed to be in a little better mood then the previous few days. It had been a while since she had visited her brother and his small family, maybe it would do her some good.
"Alright, then. I'll be back later tonight probably." The red head said, clicking his tongue and setting the horse in motion.
Rukia watched his retreating form and waved, the smile on her face becoming a delighted smirk. The mid-day sun, dulled somewhat from clouds, glinted off her raven hair and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle and swirl.
Thunder shattered the silence a few miles away, promising stormy weather in a few hours.
••••••
Renji gave the reins a light tug, halting his horse in front of the stables Ichigo and Shiro kept their animals in. He tied the horse off to one of the posts just outside the stable, under an awning, giving it enough room to move about and graze, then headed toward the front door of the small mansion.
As he approached the front stair case, the lilting, watery laughter of Shiro met his ears. The sound made a smile crease Renji's features and he turned around, heading back in the direction he had come. Rounding the back of the house, the pale twin's laughter met his ears again and he watched as Shiro doubled over at the waist, laughing so hard he was nearly shaking.
Renji snorted and headed over to join the man, still trying to figure out what was so funny.
Ichigo came into view, standing further away from Renji than Shiro was. A set of elaborate, heavy robes were folded on the ground next him. Renji recognized them as being the one's Ichigo had found several years ago, when he and Shiro had first decided to start living in the building they now called home. The Caster's torso was bare, a pair of old jeans slung low around his waist. His hands were on his hips and a small smile that desperately wanted to morph into laughter sat on his lips.
As the red head watched, something flew out from the tree line, aimed at Shiro's head. The near-albino ducked out of the way, his lilting laughter erupting anew as the object clunked off the side of the stone wall behind him and bounced to the ground, rolling to a stop only a few feet away.
Growling drew Renji's attention back to the tree line, where a large, dark figure was emerging from the wilting undergrowth.
"It's not fuckin' funny" The werepanther growled. Sending the pale human a glare that could freeze hell. He grunted, discomfort and something else flashing across his features as a slight tremble racked through his muscles.
"Oh, hey" They cat added after the small spasm was over, nodding his head toward Renji.
Shiro and Ichigo turned around simultaneously to see who he was talking to.
"Hey, Red!" Shiro called, his tone light and happy. "Nice a ya ta visit! Bring the midget with ya?"
"Hey guys, no she went to visit her brother." Renji greeted back, stopping at Shiro's side and giving a curious, slightly uneasy look to the werepanther still standing a few meters away from the Caster.
Ichigo waved to Renji, then directed his attention back to the panther in front of him.
The werecat's tail twitched and jerked in irritated movements as he shook his head a bit, clearing the slight fog the magic had caused. He cautiously took another step forward before halting and refusing to take another step. His expressive blue eyes told Ichigo all he needed to know, but he asked anyway.
"Better or worse?" The Caster asked, doing a valiant job at hiding his amused smile.
"Ow! Fuck, worse!" The panther growled at him, his blue eyes widening before narrowing on the Caster's form. "Are you trying to kill me now?"
Ichigo couldn't help his chuckle as he lowered his head and waved his hand in the air in a dismissing motion. "I thought you were a big, tough deidad?"
The werepanther growled and bared white, curved fangs at the mocking Caster.
"What's going on?" Renji asked Shiro, his cinnamon colored eyes wide and locked onto the seemingly angry werepanther's large and intimidating form.
"King's tryin' a modify the barrier so Grimm can get through like that instead a changin'." The pale twin said through his mirth, a wide grin still firmly in place on his face. "S'not workin' well at the moment"
Renji snorted, a small smile taking over his features as well. It was good to see the twins so happy and the red head was starting to think that the two men befriending the werepanther was good for them. The guy was a little scary, but didn't seem too bad and Renji was willing to give him a chance.
"Yeah, you keep laughing, human." Grimmjow growled, crouching a bit and pinning his ears back as he looked toward Shiro and Renji. That was the second time he had the misfortune of getting his ass thrown to the ground and he was really getting sick of being the Caster's guinea pig. Even if the man didn't really know what he was doing yet, he was powerful and the magic he harnessed dealt a fair amount of pain.
"Ok, ok. Let me try again" Ichigo said, pulling the cat's attention back to him as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A soft chanting left his lips and the air around the barrier crackled with power.
Grimmjow stood back up and took a wary step back, eyeing the now noticeable magic that flowed around the invisible defense system. After a moment, the Caster let out another deep breath and the air settled into a deceptive peaceful calm once again. Grimmjow's feline eyes rested back on the Caster.
"Ok, see how that feels" Ichigo said, almost feeling bad for making the cat test the barrier for him. Unfortunately, he had no other way of knowing if what he was doing to it was working. He could only guess and do what felt right, then Grimmjow would have to tell him if it worked or not.
Renji and Shiro watched as the werepanther took a deep breath, a slight trepidation flashing through his eyes. The feline extended his arm, his breath held as he took a step forward, body tensed in anticipation of what was to come.
His hand brushed against the magical seal, lightening like streaks shot outward from the spot he touched and traveled up his arm. Gritting his teeth, the werepanther snatched his hand back with a hiss and slowly released his held breath.
"Better" He ground out through clenched teeth, shaking his tingling limb a bit and taking another step away from the barrier.
"How much better?" Ichigo asked.
"Could ya have pushed through if ya tried?" Shiro asked, nearly at the same time as he walked over to join King, Renji in tow.
The twins glanced at each other, then both turned to Grimmjow with expectant looks. The werecat looked from one man to the other before speaking.
"No. It's still repelling me..." He said in answer. "Just not quite as...forcefully" He shivered and curled his lip, then mumbled something about humans and their magic, making the two brothers laugh again. Even Renji cracked a grin at the panther's plight.
The werepanther gave an indignant huff, then started relinquishing his resurrection. Silky fur started to pull back, leaving smooth, golden skin in it's wake. He closed his eyes for a moment, reopening them to reveal the rounded pupils associated with humans, rather than the vertical slit they held in his werecat form.
"Aww, kitty ain't havin' fun anymore." Shiro said, pretending to pout but his smirk wouldn't leave his face no matter how hard he tried.
Grimmjow, now standing in front of them looking like a human, sneered and stretch muscled arms above his head, rising to his toes with a soft, appreciative groan.
Shiro bent to retrieve a pair of loose shorts they had been lending to Grimmjow and tossed them to the panther turned man. The balled up fabric hit his stretched abdomen and fell to the ground at his feet, unnoticed.
Grimmjow slowly dropped his arms back to his sides, head tilted up slightly as he stayed balanced on his toes, testing the scents riding the slight breeze. His muscles tensed and a low, rumbling growl vibrated the very air around him. He took a step back, away from the barrier and started shifting back into his resurrection as he continued to test the air.
In front of him, the three humans each frowned and watched as the man's heavily muscled body veered into the lean, agile bodied killer he truly was. Black fur shimmered blueish in the feeble sun light, muscle rippling below the soft coat as he stretched back to his full height and bared his curved, feline fangs. Pointed ears flicked about slightly, listening to sounds the humans would have no chance of picking up.
Shiro's hand instinctively reached for his favored gun and his inverted eyes narrowed as he looked toward King. Ichigo met his gaze, before flicking his vision over Renji and back to the werepanther on the other side of the barrier.
"What is it?" The Caster asked almost cautiously, letting his vision wander the tree line behind the cat.
"Wolves" Grimmjow said, his deep voice rumbling to them like the thunder that broke the still air in the distance.
"Are they headed this way?" Renji spoke up, hoping they weren't but figuring they wouldn't be that lucky.
"Not sure." The cat said, still distracted as he continued listening and testing the air; keeping track of where the mutts were headed. "Coming this way at the moment"
With that, the werepanther dropped off his toes and a few long strides brought him to the forest line before anyone could react.
"Wait!" Shiro's watery voice called after him, halting Grimmjow in his tracks. The cat turned and cocked his head to the side, giving the pale man a curious look.
"Ya stay here, King, I'm ganna go wit him" Shiro said, taking off after the cat before Ichigo could protest.
Grimmjow looked down at the man, giving him a slightly incredulous look.
"What?" Shiro asked, looking up at the taller feline, flinching slightly when thunder clapped loud over head. "Can't let ya have all the fun." He said, a wide grin stretching across his face.
The werepanther snorted, something of a grin stretching across his feline features as well. He looked back toward the Caster and red head.
Seeing the look on Renji's face, Ichigo chuckled. "Go ahead, I'll stay and play with the barrier and maybe Grimm will be able to walk right in" He said, giving Renji a light push toward his twin and the werepanther.
Renji looked up at the panther, then back to Ichigo. He took a steadying breath and swallowed before nodding and turning back to Shiro and Grimmjow.
The three set off into the forest, the werecat taking lead, as silent as a shadow, so that he could tell them where the wolves were headed. Lightening flashed through the sky, the clouds finally breaking open to shower the surrounding area in a light drizzle. He angled their direction slightly toward the North and the three moved in a light jog, a pace that the humans would be able to match with a fair amount of ease. After a few minutes, Grimmjow stopped to retest the air and shake the water drops from his coat, adjusting their course again.
"Hey" Renji whispered to the pale twin stalking through the forest beside him. "Aren't we headed toward the village now?"
The near-albino looked over at him, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Yeah, I think we are." He scrunched his brow a bit, then turned back to face the werepanther, almost impossible to see in the shadowed forest even with his size.
The cat had froze, his muscled body tense and his ears perked forward. The water from the rain dripped from his coat in small streams, unnoticed by the focused werepanther. He crouched down and stalked forward on silent, padded feet through the forest.
"What ya hearin'?" Shiro asked, his voice barely above a whisper but easily carried to the creature's sensitive ears.
"Humans" was all Grimmjow said as he continued to stalk forward, keeping his senses tuned outward for anymore signs of the werewolves. He could smell them, could tell they were close by, but they seemed to be holding still and not running through the trees any longer.
A faint scream, muffled by the rain and thunder, reached the two men's ears.
"It would seem the wolves found their target" Grimmjow rumbled, loping off in the direction of the commotion. He could hear much more than the what the humans could and knew the wolves had been spotted and were setting their attack into motion.
"Shit" Shiro cursed, taking off in a sprint after the werecat, Renji on his heels. "Grimm, you go ahead and we'll catch up" He half yelled to the cat still trotting only a few meters ahead of them.
Grimmjow nodded and lengthened his stride, easily out pacing the two men following his trail. He covered the ground that lay between him and the wolves in a matter of seconds and paused at the tree line just as a loud shot echoed from the surrounding trees and buildings. The werepanther instinctively flinched at the noise, but an angry snarl snapped his attention back to the creatures in the clearing.
The wolves had attacked a farm on the very edge of town. He counted four. None of them were originals, most likely strays looking for trouble or an easy kill. Three of the wolves were nearly his size, not out weighing him by more than a hundred pounds; rather small for werewolves. The fourth wolf, however was much larger and probably the leader of the little troop.
An older man stood several meters away, shot gun in hand and leveled at a crouching wolf; one of the smaller ones. The beast bled from a wound to it's chest, but the bullet hadn't been silver and would do very little permanent damage, if any at all. The angered mutt snarled and bared fangs at the human while a small figure cried and wiggled in it's grasp.
Grimmjow could see blood covering most of the child's clothes, but it sill lived enough to struggle and fight back. The little girl cried out for her mother and Grimmjow huffed a sigh, knowing that he would try to save the human child before he even realized he was launching himself toward the wolf crouching over her.
He landed on top of the hunched over wolf, wrapping powerful jaws around the back of it's thick neck and using his claws to rake and tear at the beast.
A surprised yelping snarl left the mongrels throat before it crashed to the ground under the werepanther's weight and strength, barely missing the child in the process. Struggling to get back to it's feet, the wolf rolled about and grasped at it's feline attacker. Managing to get a clawed hand around one of Grimmjow's back legs, the wolf heaved and dislodged his slightly smaller form, throwing the cat to the ground.
The werepanther landed on his feet, claws digging into the mud for purchase, and prepared to spring back at the wolf. A pathetic whimpering pulled his attention to the ground at his feet and stayed his attack. The human child cried and looked up at him, her blond hair matted to her skull and sticky with blood.
Grimmjow let a low rumbling vibrate his chest as he crouched, eyeing the wolves that circled about the forest edge nervously. He quickly assessed the child's injuries. Wolf claws had dug deep furrows through her flesh and would leave angry scars but there didn't appear to be any bite wounds. The girl may have gotten lucky. At any rate, if she did turn, the transformation would destroy her small body and she would die before she became a threat.
The werepanther grabbed the back of the girl's shirt and stood back up, still watching the wolves as he took a few steps back and toward the adult humans. The sound of the shotgun being reloaded reached his ears, but he was hardly worried. The human didn't have silver and bullet would be more annoying than painful. He extended his arm, holding the child toward whom he assumed to be her parents.
The older man held a crying woman back as she struggled to free herself from his grasp and run to gather her child from the monster holding the small girl. The toddler cried out for her mother again, tears streaming down her face to rinse rivulets through the blood.
Grimmjow growled, watching as the larger wolf took a bold step toward him, it's teeth bared and ears back. He bared his own fangs back at the mutt, a hiss rising from his throat.
"Take her!" The feline practically yelled at the humans, unwilling to take his eyes off the wolves as he held the child out at arms length toward the adults.
The woman gasped at his voice but finally broke free from the man's surprise slackened grasp and ran to her child. She snatched the girl close to her, looking up at the werecat that had saved her baby girl with wide eyes.
"T...Thank you...thank you..." The woman chanted in a whispered tone as she backed away, the child clinging to her.
As soon as the woman was back with the male human, Grimmjow sprang forward, a vicious snarl on his lips. He locked the beast in close combat, forcing it to grapple with him. The struggling creatures tumbled to the ground; a mass of angry snarling and sharp teeth.
The wolf managed to sink it's claws into the muscle of his abdomen, but Grimmjow leapt off it before any real damage could be done. He could tell the creature was only gauging his strength and prowess at this point, the next attack would most likely come from one of the smaller beasts. He took a few steps backward, keeping himself between the human family and the werewolves.
True to his prediction, one of the smaller mutts lunged at him from the left. Grimmjow pivoted and caught the beast, staggering back as it's weight crashed into him, but he stayed on his feet. He drove forward with powerful legs and knocked the beast backward, landing to straddle it. The mutt's hand shot up to dig at his chest and throat in a pathetic attempt to ward him off. Grimmjow let a slight grin curl his lips at the resounding snap of bone accompanied by the mutt's yelp as he yanked it's arm out of his way.
Fear flashed in it's yellow eyes and by the time a second wolf had decided to aid it's comrade, the mutt lay in a pool of it's own blood and bile, gurgling as it tried to force air through it's crushed trachea.
That second wolf, not smart enough or too loyal to flee, slammed into Grimmjow with all the force it could and let it's momentum carry it and the cat to the ground. The mongrel latched onto one of Grimmjow's arms, where he had throne it up to block the beast from his throat as he slammed into the muddy earth.
He grunted and hissed as he struggled under the weight of the creature and pulled himself back to his feet, chest heaving from the effort combined with the exertion of his previous kill. The wolf stubbornly held on as it's larger leader stalked in, circling around behind Grimmjow.
The werepanther caught sight of it and blue eyes widened as he renewed his efforts to free himself from the smaller wolf. He sank his fangs into the beast's snout, violently shaking his head and pulling pained whimpers and yelps from the beast. He heard the human woman scream something in his direction just as the weight of the larger wolf drove him and smaller wolf to the ground.
The force of the crash dislodged his hold on the smaller wolf and he creature released his arm and struggled to get out from under the weight to the panther and it's larger companion.
Cruel fangs sank into the muscle of his shoulder blade, pulling a strained hiss from Grimmjow as he struggled to flip himself over to at least face the large beast. The rain soaked dirt covered the battling creatures in mud as the tumbled and fought.
An unbroken growl still leaving his throat, Grimmjow managed to reach over his head far enough to drag hooked claws up the side of the beast's thick neck and jaw.
It yelped and released it's hold, giving the werepanther the time he needed to flip over. He sank his own teeth into the beast's throat, still growling his fury, and began tugging backward.
The monster grabbed at his face and shoulders, anything to hold the feline from ripping his throat out. Panic lit it's yellow eyes and a fearful, yet aggressive snarl curled it's lips.
Another shot rang through the air, drowning out Grimmjow's growling and ceasing the wolf's whimpered yelps. The smell of silver wafted through the clearing, seemingly freezing time for a moment. A set of crystalline blue eyes and two sets of yellow orbs snapped to the tree line where Shiro stood, gun still swinging to level toward the other wolf left standing that wasn't grappling with Grimmjow. The beast he had shot stumbled forward another step before toppling to the ground, dead before it could even begin to feel the silver eat at it's flesh.
Renji ran around the battling monsters, sliding to a halt in front of the small family and checking the state of their wounds and making sure everyone was ok. He backed them toward their home and kept them out of the way.
Grimmjow continued his battle, hissing as jagged claws tore at the flesh of his chest. A second shot rang out, followed by a screeching whimper and a thump as the last of the smaller wolves fell to the ground, writhing in pain before it finally died.
Using the temporary distraction to his advantage, Grimmjow swiped his hooked claws in a horizontal slash across the mutt's middle. Vicious talons sliced through muscle and bit into the bone of the beast's rib cage.
With an enraged snarl, the large wolf finally dislodged the cat and threw Grimmjow to the ground. The werepanther landed heavily with a grunt, but was back on his feet as the beast lunged toward him again.
A third shot shattered the air, the sound almost lost in the booming thunder. Grimmjow flinched at the sound and scent of silver as the bullet ripped through the wolf's chest, only a few feet in front of him. The mongrel snarled, a high pitched, screaming yelp tearing from it's throat as it continued to struggle toward the cat. It dropped dead at Grimmjow's feet.
The werepanther sucked in a deep breath before stepping over the carcass and making his way toward Shiro, who was still standing near the tree line. Panting lightly, he attempted to shake some of the mud from his fur before giving up and gingerly taking inventory of his wounds.
Seeing the blood that blossomed to the surface of Grimmjow's flesh, Renji, without thinking too far into who he was approaching, hurried to the panther's side and helped check him over, much to the feline's surprise. The werepanther sank to the muddy ground, curling his legs under him to crouch and let the red head have a look at the wounds he couldn't get to on his own.
Like usual, the smaller cuts and gashes were already healing shut. The bite to the back of his shoulder, where the large wolf's fangs had sank deep into muscle stung but he was certain they would be healed by morning with the rain helping to clean the saliva away.
"Y...you're...Shirosaki?" A woman's voice hesitantly called to them. She still clutched her shivering child to her chest, the girl still whimpering and sniffing as she buried her face in her mother's dress.
Shiro didn't say a word, just stepped around the werepanther to watch the small family. Tucking his silver plated hand gun away in it's holster, he pushed a few loose strands of his damp hair away from his pale face as he regarded the woman that had spoken.
"You're that Caster's... Ichigo Kurosaki's... twin?" She asked, eyes wide with disbelief and shock. She seemed to struggle with how to phrase her question and the near-albino was just glad she hadn't asked if he was King's 'dead' twin.
Shiro nodded his head, letting his inverted eyes stray to the shot gun still held at the ready in the man's hands. Out of habit, he started to reach for the hood of his cloak before letting his hands drop to his side, realizing he wasn't wearing the concealing fabric and couldn't hide his features.
Crouched at his side, Grimmjow tensed and slowly climbed back to his feet, sensing the pale twin's growing unease at being the center of attention.
"Th...Thank you..." The woman said, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at the three of them. Her eyes widened as they landed on the striking blue of the monster that had saved her child. "Thank you...all of you..."
Shiro nodded again glanced up at Grimmjow, before turning to head back the way they had come. "That was all a the wolves?" He asked quietly.
"Yes, there were only the four" The werepanther answered, pushing Renji in front of him to follow after Shiro so that he could keep himself between them and the man still clutching his shot gun. He doubted the human male would do something like that, but he was still uncertain of the whole situation between Shiro and the rest of the town. With in inaudible sigh, Grimmjow also realized he was becoming rather protective of the two human's and their red haired friend.
••••••
Grey eyes, a match to the storm clouds outside, swirled and stared sightlessly at the far wall. He needed to come up with a solution quickly. But he didn't particularly like the few choices he had at his disposal.
Thunder boomed above, the sound reverberating down the unnaturally empty corridors of the den. He had made sure a rumor had been spread on hushed lips that today was not one to be wandering the halls.
The smaller figure curled at his side shifted in her sleep, a slight uneasy whimper made the she-wolf truly seem her young age.
Starrk carefully shifted his larger body to curl protectively around the form of Lilynette, letting his heat and strength reassure her as his younger sibling slept on.
Closer to the door, the ever present Nnoitra turned his head slightly to regard his Alpha. His lone eye shined in the dark, telling Starrk the big male would follow his lead, wherever that lead may end up.
Taking another moment to contemplate, he curled his tail around his dear sister and let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He looked up at the towering wolf in his chambers. His grey eyes steeled with resolve and Starrk nodded his head.
Nnoitra uncrossed his lanky arms and pushed away from the wall, silently leaving the room without a word exchanged between them.
Starrk sighed and closed his eyes, attempting to catch a little more sleep before things got ugly.
••••••
Ichigo fidgeted with the hem of the old cloak like robes he had thrown on when the rain finally started to fall. Grimmjow had spied them hanging at the back of the Caster and Shiro's wardrobe and had tentatively pulled them from the rack like they may catch fire.
Confused, Ichigo had confessed to the man that he and Shiro had found them in the basement several years ago, but he didn't know what they were for. They looked like they used to be important, but no one had been able to tell them what the robes had signified.
An odd mix of trepidation and something like unease had swirled through vivid blue before the feline had finally told him they were the robes Casters had worn when magic had still been a dominant art form and not feared and shunned by the human race. The feline had then quickly shoved the fabric at Ichigo, seemingly not wanting to hold the material any longer.
Seeing the feline's obvious unease, the Caster had started to place the articles back in the wardrobe, but Grimmjow had stopped him, saying they were befitting of his abilities and power and that he should be proud to wear them.
Ichigo shivered and leaned back against the stone wall of their home, pulling the robes closer about him as lightening split the sky. He worried at his bottom lip a bit, hoping his brother, Renji and Grimmjow were alright.
He had heard gunfire echo from the direction of the village. The Caster may not have been much of a weapons expert, but he knew the difference between the sounds of Shiro's guns and he knew that the first shot that had split the air had been made by something of a larger caliber. The next three shots that had followed a few minutes later had been in rapid succession and Ichigo had recognized them as his brother's. But that had been nearly a half hour ago.
The orange haired man jumped at the sound of deep laughter. Shiro's pale form pushed through the tree line, looking back over his shoulder as Renji and Grimmjow followed him. A smirk stretched across his face as he addressed the red head.
"Tha's why ya don't walk next ta 'im. Ain't ya ever owned a dog er somethin'?" Shiro asked, his tone light hearted.
Grimmjow's laughter died and his own smirk melted away as he glared at the albino.
"I'm not a mutt." He grumbled, releasing his resurrection and stretching his now human body a bit.
"He could have at least warned me before he shook the water from his fur." Renji answered the pale twin, not noticing the werepanther's shift in moods as he wiped the water out of his face.
The werepanther snarled indignantly at being compared to a dog, his lip curling to show still overly sharp teeth. He stepped over the barrier and crossed the short expanse of grass toward the Caster. His smirk returned to pull at his lips as Ichigo's chocolaty eyes drank in the sight of his naked form.
"So, uh, how did the hunt go?" Ichigo asked, dragging his eyes away from the bluenette and glancing at his brother and Renji before he turned and headed around the building to get out of the rain. He was cold and he had been able to stay mostly dry, the others were soaked through and Grimmjow was naked. He could just imagine having to put of with his brother and the werepanther if the two got sick. He absently wondered if it was even possible for the once-deidad to catch a cold.
"I'd say it went ok" Shiro's watery tenure called out from behind him.
Ichigo nodded slightly, glancing to the taller bluenette walking by his side. He noted a few, half healed gashes, though the rain had washed any blood away.
"So you guys found the wolves, I take it?" He asked, opening the door to their home. He tried not to stare as he held it for the werepanther turned man.
"Yeah we did. Grimm had already taken care a one of 'em and was workin' on the second when Red and I got there." Shiro answered, stepping inside and kicking his muddy boots off at the door. Ichigo's robes were hanging from a peg behind the door, his shoes sitting neatly underneath.
He and Renji followed the trail of wet foot prints to the sitting room, where the Caster was in the process of lighting the fire place and the big bluenette was standing in the middle of the floor watching him. Shiro snorted knowingly as he watched Grimmjow's eyes travel the curve of King's bared shoulders and back. Unnoticed by the distracted man, water still dripped from the werepanther's body to create a small pool at his feet.
Shiro smirked and walked past them toward the kitchen to set a tea pot on the stove so he could make them something hot to drink.
"Thought cats didn't like water" Renji said quietly, easing past the man and keeping his eyes directed ahead, following the albino.
Grimmjow's blue eyes snapped to his form, surprised that the red head addressed him; and in a joking manner at that. Shiro's lilting laughter flowed over them from the kitchen and the feline could only smirk before answering Renji.
"House cats don't like water. Do I look like a house cat?" He purred. His smirk grew into a grin when the red head looked over at him, his cinnamon colored eyes staying trained on his face.
Renji hurried past the man, stopping in the door way to the kitchen.
"A kitty's a kitty" He called over his shoulder, surprising even himself at how easy he was finding it to joke and talk to the man like he wasn't the were-creature he truly was.
The feline's resounding snarl had both twins and the red head clutching their stomachs with mirth. Grimmjow sighed, but let a smirk cross his features just the same and shrugged light heartedly.
Shiro and Renji disappeared into the kitchen once again. The sounds of dishes clanking and being pulled from shelves was muffled as the door swung closed.
Ichigo stood and turned to face the bluenette, a flame licking at the dry wood behind the grate of the fire place. He closed the few strides that would bring him directly in front of the man and looked up at him.
"Aren't you cold?" The orange haired male asked, his hands tentatively raising to press flat against the planes of Grimmjow's muscled abdomen.
The feline hummed at the soft touch, bring his own hands to cover the Caster's. He lowered his face, brushing his full lips against Ichigo's in the slightest ghosting of a touch.
"Freezing..." He said, his voice dropping to a silky baritone that sent shivers down the smaller man's spine.
The clanking of dishes settled down and Shiro's voice carried to them through the closed door, telling Renji he would be right back. A moment later, the albino was standing next to the Caster, shamelessly staring at the naked man before them.
"Go dry off, put some clothes on fer Red's sake. Later King and I'll make it worth yer while, yeah?" Shiro raised an ashen brow and looked up at the bluenette.
Grin never leaving his face, the feline tilted his head to the side fractionally, looking both men up and down before turning around and exiting the room, headed toward the stairs without a word.
Ichigo and Shiro watched him leave the room, both appreciating the view before they joined Renji in the kitchen.
"I'd have to say he's taking you up on that offer." Ichigo chuckled as they walked through the swinging door, shaking his head a bit. A second shiver racked his spine; this time at the prospect of what his pale copy had promised the feline.
Renji gave them a curious look as he continued to ready the tea.
"I bribed the kitty to put some clothes on fer ya" Shiro told him, laughing at the appreciative look the red head threw his way.
"Speaking of clothes." Ichigo said, walking over and began peeling his twin's soaked shirt from his torso. Shiro lifted his arms and helped wiggle out of the clingy fabric, shivering when the cool air met his damp skin. "You two should change and dry off too. I'm sure we have something you can borrow until your clothes are dry, Renji."
"Good idea, King" Shiro gave his copy a smile, then turned and headed toward their room, motioning for Renji to follow.
••••••
Panting to catch much needed oxygen, black lips pulled away from red tinted, cruel fangs. Ears pinned back in an obvious show of fury, Nnoitra lunged after the smaller male, snapping his jaws closed around air as the wolf turned heel and fled further out into the forest.
Enraged snarling followed by a yelp of pain rang through the damp trees, the echos drowned out by the pattering of rain. Taking in deep lungfuls of air, Nnoitra took off in the direction of his Alpha's snarling.
Starrk stood in a pool of bloodied rain water, watching as a stout, grey wolf attempted to drag it's self away. His chest heaved and each outward breath carried a low, snarling growl as his nostrils flared.
Nnoitra stalked past his leader, a cruel smile on his lips, as he headed to finish off the traitorous male.
A hand landed on his shoulder, staying his attack. Nnoitra spun around, pinning Starrk with his good eye. The Alpha simply shook his head, sucking in a deep lungful as he too attempted to catch his lost breath.
Nnoitra had set their impromptu plan into motion flawlessly, as expected. With the help of a few other loyal wolves, Starrk and his second had ousted the traitorous wolf that had challenged his standing as leader. They had managed to weed out several of the male's followers as well, killing many of them before the rest fled out into the vast forest.
"You should kill him before he becomes a problem later." Nnoitra grumbled but didn't go against his leader's silent command. They watched the elder wolf retreat; bruised, bloody and beaten. A few of the smaller wolves pitifully attempted to follow, but most succumbed to their wounds and would lay where they fell until the elements or another predator finished them off.
The Alpha dropped to sit on the wet ground. Already soaked through from the bitter rain and shed blood, he hardly noticed the puddle he sat in. Shaking some of the water from his fur, Nnoitra wearily sank to the ground next to him.
The battle had lasted a long time and had been fought mostly on the run. It had been fast paced and brutal, leaving little room for rest or regrouping. Starrk hated that he had to take things this far and risk ripping his Pack in half, but had little time and few options, so he had done the most logical thing. He had gotten rid of the wolf that had challenged his leadership, and proved that he would not tolerate insubordination from any of the Pack members. He had made an example out of the challenging wolf and his followers, even going as far as killing one of them in cold blood before it had managed to get out the den.
"The traitor will likely not last long." A cool, emotionless voice sounded from behind Nnoitra and Starrk. The smaller wolf crouched down beside his leader and second, his cold gaze scanning the desolate, wilting underbrush and trees for any signs of threat. "He is wounded quite badly, and also headed toward Pantera territory."
Starrk nodded his agreement and slowly climbed back to his feet. There would ultimately be more blood shed through out the Pack, but he would handle it as it came.
••••••
Eyes shut, head tilted back to lean against the high back of the chair, Grimmjow sat cross legged and focused on the various minor wounds he had received from the earlier fight. His body was healing at an incredible rate, faster than it had and a very long time and he was beginning to think it had something to do with being around humans again. He knew the Caster and Shiro didn't worship him as a deidad though, and so he was unsure why they would effect him this way, but he wasn't about to complain.
He let out a deep, even breath and tuned out the conversation that the humans were carrying and forced his mind further into a meditative state.
Redirecting his thoughts back to the task at hand, the werecat was pleased to find that the only mark he had left from the brief fight was the bite wound to the back of his shoulder blade. Bite wounds always had been worse than claw wounds. The punctures seemed to be closing fairly quick none the less, and Grimmjow was unworried about them.
A slight grin quirked the corners of his lips as a few specific words seeped through his self imposed trance to taint his thoughts with images of Shiro and Ichigo fulfilling their promise to him. He had behaved himself, had thrown on a pair of shorts like the pale human had bade him.
Standing from his seat in a chair opposite the blue haired man, Renji stood and looked over at the twin's to his left. "I should probably get going before it gets too dark." He said quietly, placing his cup on the small table sitting next to his chair.
Ichigo and Shiro stood up as well. A smile tilted Ichigo's lips as he agreed with the red head and went to grab the man's clothes from where they had hung them to dry.
Shiro eyed the bluenette, who had yet to move, as he walked past him, following King and Renji to the front door. He wondered if the man had honestly fallen asleep, he had been curled up in the same position and quiet for quite a while now. Grudgingly, the near-albino had to admit the bluenette was kind of cute all curled up.
"Hopefully the rain holds off on your way home." Ichigo said, opening the door for his red headed friend.
"Eh, I hope so too, but a little rain wont hurt me" Renji said with a smile. "It was good seeing you guys again"
"Yer welcome over any time, Red." Shiro chimed in, waving as the man stepped out the door and began descending the marble stairs to the still wet grass.
"Thanks, same goes to you guys. If you happen to come to town, stop over" The red head called, laughing as he untethered his horse and mounted up.
"Might have to, see you later, Renji!" Ichigo called back from the entry way as he and his twin watched the man guide his horse to the dirt path that lead to the village.
Grimmjow pulled himself out of his half conscious state when he heard the sounds of the front door latching shut. He stretched from his curled position before settling back down and propping his elbow on the arm of the chair. Placing his chin on his fist, he let a suggestive grin take over his features and waited for the his two humans to reenter the room.
The sound of foot steps and whispered words announced the humans to be approaching before Shiro peeked around the door way to look at him.
"Nah, told ya he'd be awake" The pale man said as he stepped into the room, eyes never leaving Grimmjow and grin spreading across his face.
"Good" Ichigo walked into the room behind his brother. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been looking forward to giving the feline his reward at least a little. If the lecherous smiles on the faces of the other two in the room were anything to go by, both his twin and Grimmjow were anticipating it as well.
Before he could think much into it, pale lips were covering his own in a heated kiss full of tongue and nipping teeth. The Caster was pushed up against the wall beside the arching door way he had just walked through. Pale fingers found purchase in tangerine locks, pulling his head back while Shiro moved to lick up the side of his exposed neck. The man's other hand slowly ran up the lightly toned planes of Ichigo's abdomen, exploring smooth skin.
Ichigo fisted his hands in his copy's shirt, fighting to hold back the small sounds that tried to work their way up his throat as Shiro continued to nip and tease him in all the best of ways. A strong arm worked it's way around his middle, pulling him close to the solid body of his brother.
Hand dipping inside of King's jeans, Shiro let his fingers tease across the seem of perfect cheeks before dipping a single finger in to tease at Ichigo's inviting entrance. The hands fisted in his shirt flattened against his chest and a delicious whimper escaped the Caster's lips.
Grimmjow hummed in appreciation of the display before him, enjoying as the twins ravaged each other. He finally stood from his perch on the chair, sneering a bit when the fabric of the shorts the humans made him wear constrained his already prominent erection. The feline stepped up behind the pale twin, looking over the smaller man's shoulder to Ichigo, who was facing him.
The Caster cried out as the teasing finger finally pushed through tight muscle. His head fell back against the wall behind him, his heavy lidded eyes were dark and his face flushed with arousal.
The werecat flicked his tongue over full lips at the sight. He pulled at the hem of Shiro's shirt, pulling the fabric up until the man was forced to lift his arms so Grimmjow could remove the article.
Ichigo whimpered at the loss of contact, but as soon as Shiro's hands were free again, he wasted no time in delving two fingers into King's entrance. The Caster gasped, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment while he adjusted to the intrusion. After a moment, he pushed back against the fingers, a moan falling from parted lips.
Shiro leaned forward, attacking King's exposed neck with his hot mouth as Ichigo continued to moan and grab at his arms and chest. Grimmjow's big hands ran down his back, his nails barely scraping at the skin. Sharp teeth bit at the back of his neck before a hot, wet tongue was soothing the abused area.
"Fuck..." Shiro panted, pressing his body against the muscled one behind him. Grimmjow's heavy cock pressed against him and the werepanther's hands instantly went to front of his jeans, tugging at the button as a small growl rumbled in the man's chest.
Shiro scissored his fingers, further stretching the Caster. Ichigo rewarded him with low, drawn out moan. His hands trailed down his copy's toned chest and torso to hover over Grimmjow's, where the feline was still working at the button. Ichigo helped the man with his twin's pants before dipping his hand inside and freeing Shiro's aching member.
"King..." Shiro groaned as skilled fingers teasingly ran over his length. "Take yer pants off..."
Ichigo complied, yanking his own jeans open with quick, jerky movements, moaning as fingers continued to push in and out of him. He let the fabric fall to the floor, quickly kicking them out of the way as Shiro started to turn him around.
"B...bedroom...?" Ichigo panted out. A whimper escaped him as Shiro removed his fingers, but in the next instant he was being pushed out into the hall way, naked and hard.
Ichigo scrambled down the hall, Shiro's hands roaming over his body as he made his way to the stairs. As Ichigo started to ascend the staircase, Shiro spun around. Reaching up to fist his fingers in a wild blue mane, he pulled Grimmjow down and locked their lips together. The panther bit at his bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth before plundering Shiro's mouth with his tongue. He was pushed backward until he tripped over the bottom step and fell to sit on the stairs. Grimmjow followed to hover over top of him, ravaging his mouth, the man's hard arousal grinding into Shiro's own.
Ichigo stopped, only a few steps above the other two men, and turned to watch the spectacle his twin and the bluenette made. There was nothing soft between the two, not like when Ichigo was involved. Ichigo watched as his twin pushed the cloth of Grimmjow's shorts down and over the man's hips and thighs and revealed his heavy cock.
With a slight whimper, wanting to feel and taste the men behind him, Ichigo descended the few steps between them and ran his hands over his twin's quivering abdomen, his fingers teasing at pert nipples.
Shiro gasped slightly at the unexpected contact, breaking this kiss he shared with the feline. The albino spun about, pinning Ichigo to the staircase. His mind not able to focus on anything other than his need and want, Shiro grabbed King by the hips and flipped him over so that he was on his knees a couple steps above him.
Grimmjow pulled the shorts the rest of the way off as he watched Shiro enter his copy. The Caster threw his head back and cried out in pleasure and pain. The albino slowly rocked forward, leaning to kiss the lightly tanned expanse of skin before him until he was fully seated.
"Sh...Shiro–" Ichigo panted, his voice breathy and moaning.
Shiro pulled out just as slowly before snapping his hips forward, groaning as tight heat enveloped his throbbing member. Without warning, his jeans were being tugged over the curve of his ass to settle around his knees as he continued to thrust into Ichigo.
Grimmjow leaned forward, wasting no time in licking the seem of Shiro's pale cheeks. The albino gasped and paused in his thrusting for a moment before picking up his slow, teasing pace again. The Caster's moans went straight to his dick and the werepanther thrust his tongue forward into Shiro's entrance, enjoying the choked moan that erupted from the pale man.
His patience beginning to fail him, the feline scooted back and replaced his tongue with a finger, sinking it deep in one, fluid motion as Shiro rocked back against it and out of the Caster.
Shiro thrust back into his copy, a deep moan vibrated in his chest as tight heat surrounded him again. He pulled back out, impaling himself of the feline's finger. A second was quickly added and Shiro cursed at the combined pleasure of heat hugging his cock and the fingers impaling him.
A deep, aroused growl vibrated in Grimmjow's throat and the last of his control snapped. He quickly removed his fingers and lined up, waiting until Shiro pulled out and was thrusting forward again. He matched the pale man's pace, seating himself at the same time the near-albino sheathed himself in the Caster.
Twin moans erupted from the two men below him, making his already painfully hard cock throb with want. Grimmjow grasped pale hips in a bruising hold and pulled out, snapping hips forward and quickly finding a brutal pace that forced Shiro to match it.
The Caster cried out, hands clawing at the stairs he was leaning on, as he was ruthlessly pounded into. Light flashed across his vision and the heat pooling in his belly began to feel like it was bubbling as a particularly sensitive area was found.
"Th...There... Shirooo–" He moaned out, doing his best to meet the man's brutal pace.
"Fuck...King..." The pale twin groaned. "Yer so...tighhnn" His words died, becoming a moan as Grimmjow pounded into him, grunting and moaning his own pleasure in pale man's ear.
The combined pleasure quickly consumed the albino and he could feel his release hurtling toward him. "Gr...Grimmnn...Harder..." His watery, distorted voice provoked the feline behind him.
Grimmjow gladly complied, growling as he sped up his pace and thrust harder into the tight head hugging his cock.
Both men below him moaned and panted at the added speed. The tight heat he was burying himself in constricted around his cock and Grimmjow let out a deep groan of his own as he continued to thrust. He released his bruising grip on Shiro's lean hips and wrapped one arm around to begin stroking the Caster's neglected member.
The man cried out, pushing back against his twin before thrusting forward into the hand stroking him. With a strangled sound of pleasure, his release covered Grimmjow's hand and the steps below him in his seed. Above him, Shiro cursed and continued thrusting a few more times before he quickly followed with his own orgasm.
The werepanther followed Shiro at nearly the same time, grunting as his own release was pulled from him by constricting heat.
Panting lightly, Grimmjow slowly pulled out and sank to a sitting position, off his knees with his back against the railing of the stairway. He watched as Shiro's arms shook slightly and he pulled the albino into his lap before the man could collapse on top of the Caster, who had given up on getting up altogether and was laying on the steps.
The pale twin snorted a bit, a smirk creasing his features as he buried his face in the man's neck and wrapped an arm around his abdomen. He gently rubbed at King's back with his other, before stifling a yawn.
"Bedroom, yeah?" He asked quietly, starting to raise out of the panther's lap.
Ichigo nodded his agreement and climbed to his feet, using the railing to begin pulling himself up the stairs. Grimmjow also stood, watching the way the pale man in front of him still shook with the strain his body had undergone.
Stepping up to stand right behind him, the feline scooped Shiro into his arms, ignoring the man's surprised and rather unmanly squeak. He quickly silenced the near-albino's protests with a kiss, then walked up the rest of the stairs to join the Caster at the top.
Ichigo smiled down at them as the bluenette scooped his tired twin up. Shiro finally gave up and accepted the gesture, resting his head on the man's broad shoulder and linking his arms around his thick neck. When the werepanther made it to the top of the stairs, Ichigo linked his fingers around the bluenette's free hand and lead the way to the bedroom.
AN: Sooo, what did you guys think? Shadow likes feed back, so be sure to tell me!