~ Chapter 8 –Hard work, work ~

It hadn't been many hours of sleep that Ichigo had gotten. To his surprise Shinji were already in the bed fast asleep when he came home. He had been forced to tip toe around to not wake him. This favor wasn't returned in the morning when Ichigo was asleep. Shinji threw away the blanket to crawl over Ichigo's body and run to the bathroom. Ichigo curled under the blanket in disgust as his friend threw up his insides. The sentence: "I'm gonna die.", did nothing to help the situation. He wasn't supposed to work until the afternoon and could use a few more hours of sleep.

"Ichiiiiigooo….I'm dyyyying!" Shinji complained from the bathroom.

"No, you aren't." Ichigo answered uninterested.

"I'm positive of it this time." His friend moaned.

"Shinji, I'm sleeping and I will not help you."

The apartment went quiet and Ichigo was drawn into sleep once again. He only got to sleep for a millisecond until Shinji decided to throw up again. It was futile. The air smelled like puke too, making Ichigo a little nauseous himself.

In the bathroom Shinji rested his forehead against the toilet seat, too exhausted to do anything else. Ichigo flushed the toilet and turned on the shower to get warm water. "Take a shower while I make breakfast, okay?"

"Thanks, Ichigo." Shinji whispered as he closed the bathroom door.

His friend needed a good hangover breakfast. Lots of fat and hydration. Ichigo, as promised, cooked breakfast; he made two different ones actually since he personally didn't want a greasy one. Shinji looked a little better when he stepped out from the shower. Like a zombie he walked to the kitchen table to clutch his head between his hands. When his plate appeared in front of him, one hand took the fork and he started to eat. It didn't go fast since he still felt sick. After eating half of it Shinji took two pain killers and downed a glass of orange juice. Ichigo nibbled on his piece of toast, wondering if Shinji felt any better. He sure didn't look like it.

"Too much to drink?" He asked. The blonde grunted and massaged his temples. "You didn't appear to be that drunk, so I'm guessing your body's just being a bitch?"

"Nnoitra, that bastard, made me do a shot race after you left."

"If it's any comfort I'm sure that he feels just like you when he wakes up."

"He probably does, plus he had work at noon so he's probably not that happy."

"I'm working today too you know."

"Yeah, but you lived we didn't. Speaking of that… where were you? I thought you'd be home when I returned… Grimmjow left after you in a hurry too. What a coincidence. Don't you agree?"

Ichigo sighed and pulled a hand through his hair. "It's not what you think. He found my wardrobe tag, collected my jacket and gave it to me. I somehow got to buy him Mc Donald's and we talked. Then I took a cab home." Shinji stared at him wide eyed. Ichigo stared back with an annoyed look on his face.

"So you're basically saying that you went on a date with Grimmjow?"

"WHAT?! No." Ichigo exclaimed horrified. "I only bought him food as a 'thank you' since I've been troubling him lately."

"It was a date no matter how you look at it."

"For it to be a date, one must be dating first Shinji."

"Not necessarily."

"Enough about me. Weren't you getting it on with Nnoitra?"

"If I remember correctly I had super hot dark alley sex."

"Sounds like something you would do."

"It was great; you should try it… with Grimmjow." Shinji winked.

"Come on! There's nothing between us. Besides, haven't you noticed the ring on his finger? He's obviously married." There was something between them though that he couldn't put his finger on. Not that he was going to admit that to Shinji, he'd rather keep that to himself.

"If he's married why does he live in that small apartment with no sign of other cohabitants?"

"I don't know! Just stop, there's nothing going on." Please.

"Alright… weren't his friends a little, uhm, odd?"

"Thank God, I'm not the only one thinking that! The small black haired dude was so stiff and formal."

"Yeah, I and Nnoitra managed to put peanuts in Starrk's nose. It was hilarious. An earth quake wouldn't wake him."

"That pink freak was too calculating. I could feel his gaze on me the whole time almost. I wonder what he plotted inside his head the short amount of time I spent sitting there."

"He did ask questions about you after you left but Nnoitra brought in those shots and my night turned fussier."

"So you may or may not have answered him?"

"Think so."

"Thanks a lot Shinji. If I get kidnapped you know who to call."

"Yepp, Grimmjow so he can save you again."

Ichigo let out a frustrated noise. At the moment he would rather remain hostage then to have Grimmjow save him. He still has some kind of dignity left… probably.

~~xxx~~

Ichigo had been right about the weather. The outer pools were closed for the day; main focus went to the small adventure land and a big pool with swimmer lanes. He wasn't very fond of being on the inside. Groups of children in an echo friendly place made their screams and squealing a lot louder. Ear plugs was something he was going to bring up on the next staff meeting.

A group of 12 year olds had discovered the advantage of riding the water slide with their bath shorts half way down. It is the fastest way of doing it, Ichigo had tried himself when he was a kid, but other guests wouldn't see the fun in it. He climbed the stairs to the top to guard the start of the ride for a while. Not long did he stand there before the pranksters wanted another ride. Everyone flashed a grin towards him before they threw themselves into the slide with their naked behinds for everyone to see. Little monsters. He would talk to them this time since they didn't seem intimidated with him standing there. The group came once again, ready for another ride.

"Do you know what happens when you slide down without trunks?" He stated in the air. They stopped and looked at him, curiosity taking over. Seeing that he finally got the attention he wanted, Ichigo talked with them instead.

"There is chlorine in the water to keep it sanitary but the slide is plastic and crawling with bacteria. If one isn't careful enough and rides without trunks it can get itchy in a day or two. I'm sure that you are wise enough to not want that, right?"

The boys nodded a little bit chocked and rode the slide down with their trunks on this time. Mission accomplished.

Ichigo returned to the small cubicle where the lifeguards sat when they wasn't supposed to guard anything so that they were available to the public if help was needed.

"Kensei, we need to put up signs at the slide. A group of kids was riding it without their trunks." Ichigo complained as he sat down.

"Last year they used soap from the shower to make it go faster. The guests complained about empty dispensers and we got problem with the water, but yeah, I'll fix that."

Kensei is the head life guard at the pool and runs everything with some directing from the management. He's a cool guy, very easy to talk and joke with. Ichigo quickly grew fond of Kensei. The easiness that he emits always makes the days go faster. That's probably why the man practically runs the place.

"You looked tired when you came in this afternoon. You know better than to be snoozing while guarding the waters right?"

"Oh, that won't be a problem. I'm awake." He said and yawned. Kensei looked skeptically at him. "I'm alert when I need to, just saving it to later."

"Okay…I trust you. No one has drowned at this establishment before and I like to keep it that way."

"My friend wanted to celebrate my job and took me out. He got smashed and woke me claiming he was dying this morning. I had to revive him before going to work." Ichigo complained.

"Tell him 'no' next time it's the day before a shift, but I know you tried."

It didn't sound like Kensei believed him though. "I apologize."

"Accepted." Kensei smiled at him.

There was a knock on the window next to the sliding one. A small girl was standing on the other side. Ichigo rose from his chair to help her. He opened the window and put on one of his nicest smiles. "What can I do for you little girl?"

"Uhm, someone had an accident in the showers at the ladies."

"What kind of accident? Is it bad?" Ichigo answered a little worried that something bad had happened.

"There's a poopy on the floor."

"Thank you, we'll fix it." He said calmly. The girl walked away and he closed the window.

"Good luck cleaning that up with your eyes closed."

"What?! Matsumoto is working today. She's a woman, she can do it!"

"Matsumoto is teaching the 9-12 year old swim group. You're the only one able to."

"What about you? You're available too!"

"I'm making this very important sign you wanted and as your boss you do as I say."

"I get it. Let the newbie do it."

"You are so smart Ichigo. Hurry up before anyone steps in it."

When Ichigo came home later that day, he felt deader now than this morning. Shinji was asleep and snored deeply. Ichigo sat down heavily in the couch and turned on the TV. This day had been too long. He picked up a pillow and threw it at Shinji's head. Ichigo hit with accuracy and was rewarded with the same pillow flying at his direction, landing in front of his feet.

"I got reprimanded by my boss and had to pick up poop from the ladies shower room. I don't care how hung over you still are, but you will fix food. How you do it is up to you."

"Then I'm orderin' pizza. I'm not movin' more than necessary." Shinji mumbled from under his covers.

Shinji ordered two pizzas and a bottle of coke with the help from an app on his phone. The low volume on the TV filled the silence comfortably. The pizza was delivered to the door and they sat in the couch devouring them. Ichigo whished that he had changed from jeans to sweat pants before he sat down. Best pizza ever. He couldn't remember when he last ate a pizza, too long ago that's for sure. When it was gone he patted his stomach in satisfaction. It was the perfect food baby.

"Got to get familiar with wrinkly grannies today you say. Anyone who caught your eye?" Shinji said smirking as he was back to his usual self due to the food.

"I hate to say it, but yes, they where there alright." Ichigo shuddered at what he had been forced to see in the showers. "Wrinkly old men aren't as disgusting."

"Like Kariya?"

"He isn't wrinkly mind you." Ichigo said a little annoyed that Shinji even brought up his exboyfriend. "Hopefully that's the only poop incident this year."

"Can't get you get used to picking up poop."

~~xxx~~

Grimmjow had, thanks to Ichigo's impromptu meal on Mc D's, a painless morning. He only had a headache which was easily cured with his painkillers. Nnoitra had sent him several drunken texts saying a lot of stuff he barely could understand. The poor people that were forced to cross Nnoitra's path today wouldn't have it easy. Grimmjow didn't have the luxury either to sleep away the day. He also was sick and tired of lazying around in bed after his back had made a reminder. He had a customer at the gym who wanted a PT to show her how to make out the most of her training. If Grimmjow was lucky he would be able to earn profit money from selling stuff to her too.

Most of his clients only requested him as a PT because of his good looks since few of them end up returning after the first scheduled training. It was always fun to torture them the first time to make sure that they knew what they had gotten themselves into. Today would be no exception.

Upon arriving at the gym, he parked his car in the designated spot for employees. No bag of clothes was required since everyone shared a private dressing room with their own lockers. It was more like a small apartment actually with a few showers and a space for changing. It had a small kitchen to enable cooking and reheating lunch boxes. A table and couch was also present to make the space more comfortable.

Grimmjow greeted his boss and the gym's owner, Soifon, when he walked past the reception desk making a beeline for the dressing room. It wasn't many people in the gym at this hour so he wasn't forced to be nice to anyone else on his way. He jumped into his gym clothes: a black t-shirt in tight spandex with the gym logo on and the text 'Instructor' underneath it. Grimmjow also wore running tights with a pair of loose shorts over them. Before going out he signed and took notes in their employee folder. He exited and walked back to the reception to wait for his client. Soifon had pre made all the papers and gone through them with his client already, everything he could do was to wait patiently and hope that she wasn't late.

"Another one who you are going to see if she got what it takes?" Soifon asked.

"Yes." He answered and grinned.

"Training isn't a piece of cake after all and I still think you take too much pleasure in doing this every time."

"I'm sick and tired of sleeze balls who are occupying all the machines when they aren't using them. This isn't a place to check out the other gender or only have eyes for your cell phone."

"This is why I haven't even considered firing you, even though you got some crude ways to prove your point. It has given my business a good reputation."

It took a moment before his client to arrive. A first glance of her told Grimmjow that she knew what she had gotten herself into. She carried quite some muscles and wore the right training gear. This would be interesting.

"I'm here to train with Jaegerjaquez." She said as she stopped by the reception desk.

"That's me. I suppose that you're Yoruichi?"

"Yes." She smiled at him.

Grimmjow showed her around first to make sure that she knew where everything was located and how to clean the machines after use. After that they got into work. Grimmjow used his own training regime, believing that Yoruichi could handle a medium hard one. She did and even made Grimmjow sweat a little. Embarrassingly enough. It was a while ago he got a challenging customer; it was mostly appreciated if you didn't count his hurt pride. Grimmjow was sure that she would continue to work out at Soifon's gym. Yoruichi decided to check out the facilities some more before going home and Grimmjow walked back to the reception to write down what they had been doing if she wanted another PT- session. He didn't have more clients today therefore he followed Yoruichi's example and did some private work out.

After he had injured his back, it always had been important to him to work out regularly. He always had been taking care of himself but not with the main focus to strengthen his back as he did now. The old injury bothered him from time to time at random. It had healed but not to a 100 percent. The injury was a reminder from his past and he would never forget for as long as he lived. Grimmjow glanced at the heavy golden band around his left ring finger. He twirled it around with his thumb. Grimmjow still felt the loss in his heart and sometimes could wake up to a nightmare where it all happened again.

Feeling the anxiety slowly crawling in to him, he shook his head and went to get a shower and change. He couldn't stay here. After discarding his shirt he got caught in his mirror reflection. The long, red uneven scar on his back stood out like a gloving line. He splashed some water in his face to ease his mind and to calm his heart.

Grimmjow and his parents didn't get along in his teens. He slept at a friend's or random people he just met. Sex, booze and drugs were often involved as he used it as a way to escape reality. One night he had been too high and drunk to be let inside his own home. Having none of it, Grimmjow had started to make a ruckus in the stairway, only resulting in the neighbors' calling the cops on him. He spent the night in jail to sober up and that wouldn't be his first and last contact with the law. After the night spent in jail Grimmjow never returned home. He spent all the money he had to forget about his pathetic life. It worked most times, as long as he stayed under the fog.

His way of living only lasted for about two months. Broken and out of it he had been dumped in an alleyway by a man which he just blown to get some weed to smoke. The only payment he had gotten was a hit in the face. Grimmjow didn't pay any attention to the men suddenly surrounding him while he sat on the cold ground. A foot nudged him unkindly and he raised his head.

"Sorry, I don't do group." He joked bitterly.

"Our boss wants to see you." A gruff voice said.

"Too bad, I don't."

"I'm afraid that you got no say in the matter."

"The hell I do."

A gun was cocked and pointed at his face. The barrel pressed into his forehead. "You'll come along nicely, right?"

Afraid of his own life, he followed the men under threat of the gun. He was forced into a car where he was blindfolded to not figure out the way. After the car stopped he was led in to a building of some sort, something he figured out judged by the opening and closing of doors. The atmosphere inside wasn't quiet as more men that hadn't gone and picked him up resided in the building. They made a few turns before a knock was made on what probably was a door in front of him. The word 'enter' was shouted behind it.

Something poked him in his back, probably the gun from earlier, to force him inside. Two heavy hands on his shoulders pressed him down on his knees and forced him to stay that way as he tried to rise to full height. Grimmjow grumbled under his breath as he already was a little annoyed with all the abducting business.

"Wha' do we have 'ere?" A voice in front of him said. Grimmjow turned his head towards the foreign voice. "How rude of me." The man said sarcastically. "Take of the blindfold."

Grimmjow had to squint his eyes at the bright light in the room as the blindfold was taken off. Before him a man not much older than himself stood with his arms crossed over his chest. The first thing that hit him was that he had never seen the man before. The second was that the man's skin was ebony white. Not something you see every day. The most freakish thing was his eyes, black and orange.

"Didn't yer mommy tell ya it's rude to stare at people?" The albino said and toyed with his lip ring.

"Who are you, and what do you want from me?" Grimmjow questioned.

"That's a good question," The albino said and leaned on the edge of a working desk and crossed his arms. "Name's Shiro, the leader of this gang and this will be yer new home."

"I don't think so."

"If ya run, ya die. Yer choice."

As if on cue, the weapon previously pressed against his back moved to the side of his head, ready to shoot if needed.

"Ten seconds I'll give ya to decide. Should be an easy choice in yer predicament, no?" Grimmjow gave him one of his best glares. "Ten, nine…" Shiro smirked as he continued to count down.

Grimmjow was panicking. He could feel the beads of sweat rolling down his temples. Live or die? It shouldn't be a difficult decision and lately his life had turned to the worse making him wish for his passing at times, but when it mattered…

"Five, four…."

Come on, make a decision!

"Two, o-"

"Okay." He whispered.

"What was that?" Shiro said, pretending that he didn't hear him.

"I'll do as you say." Grimmjow answered more loudly this time. He hung his head in defeat.

Shiro grinned like a mad man.

TBC.

AN:

Gah, finally done with school forever and now I'm working at a summer job. Writing goes slow but I try as much as I can if I have the energy when I come home in the evenings.

Update info: Dominance has the majority written already. I've only started to write a little on The Fraternity leader as I can't decide in what direction the fic is going to take. Then I actually began a new story which I hope to get out soon. I think some of you may like it!