I hope the story is going good so far! I haven't figured out anythign for the honeymoon yet, so don't ask. Dont' worry, I'll think of something soon hopefully! =D In the meantime, enjoy the next chapter! For those of you that didn't know, I reposted chapter 1 of Uncharted Waters and posted chapter 2 over the author's note! GO READ IT! D8 Just kidding! Read at your leisure ;p For now, just enjoy Ichi's growing irritation... and Grimmjow's inner struggle. COme on, there's no way he can be near Ichi without wanting to jump his bones.

Grimm: That is so not true!

Ichi: You're such a liar. You're constantly trying to screw me into the nearest surface, you horny cat!

Grimm: I am not!

Ichi: *glares balefully*

Grimm: ...

Ichi: *still glaring*

Grimm: *sweatdrop*

Ichi: *still glaring*

Grimm: *hangs head* Fine, you win.

Ichi: And THAT'S why I'll always be in control of this relationship. =)

Chapter 6

The meeting was a complete and utter disaster. Ichigo has never felt as drained as he does now, lying limp upon the bed as Grimmjow ushers out the women. He was lucky to reach the bedroom before the teal haired man, both throwing cautious glances before Ichigo darted for the door they both sought. After three hours and a dinner of pizza delivery, the females finally allowed one of them to exit… and the orangette certainly wasn't going to be the one to stay and deal with 'his gender' for the last fifteen minutes of their exit. He sighs in relief as the front door closes, smirking to himself in wake of this new time of peace as Grimmjow moves toward the bedroom.

"You're such a fucking loving wife," the Sexta snorts derisively. "What the hell was that? You took off faster than Kenpachi after Nnoitra on a free spar!"

"You're my husband, aren't you?" Ichigo mutters. "You should be ecstatic to sacrifice yourself for my wellbeing."

"I'm a sucky husband, next time you deal with them!"

In all actuality, Grimmjow could've beaten Ichigo to the bedroom and they both knew it. Ichigo would like to think he got lucky in their toss-up escape, yet Grimmjow is vehemently attempting to remind himself he only married Ichigo to keep the privilege of fighting with him. Not that they've abused that privilege yet, but he's sure as hell going to after this damn honeymoon. At the moment, he's already been threatened by the females. If he doesn't care for Ichigo and give him the experience he's deserving of, they'll castrate him the hard way.

"You taking a shower?"

"… I can't move," Ichigo mutters. "They're so fucking exhausting, how do you deal with them on a daily basis?"

"I'm prone to taking a page from Stark, just sit back and let them talk," he scoffs. "If not, they'll be down your throat in a heartbeat."

As he speaks to the orangette, he's carefully pulling his shirt from him. Though Ichigo is blushing and trying his best to get away, Grimmjow moves around him easily. It helps that the lights are out and the teen thinks he can't see him… 'thinks' being the keyword. He's not about to remind the other of his night vision. Once the shirt is off, he grabs a silk button up from the dresser and wraps it around the slighter male. Ichigo doesn't fight this time, but struggles to button it up in the dark. With his focus turned to his task the teal haired Arrancar quickly undoes his jeans and slips them off, tossing them into a laundry basket off to the side before shedding his own clothes. Ichigo doesn't notice as he pulls on the silk pants that should accompany the shirt he's wearing, but he certainly catches when Grimmjow slides into bed.

"I-I'll move to the couch," he stammers nervously.

Before he can move, however, Grimmjow traps him in his arms and pulls him tightly against his chest. The orangette struggles, trying his hardest to get away from the suffocating grip of his hubby, yet the Arrancar is unyielding. After fifteen minutes of this, he sighs in annoyance and sits up. Though his grip on Ichigo doesn't waver, it doesn't stop the teen from attempting a quick escape.

"Okay, that's enough," Grimmjow mutters. "Is it so bad to sleep next to me? I'm not gonna fuck you in your sleep, okay?"

"I like the couch."

"Ichigo, don't bullshit me. We're married, aren't we? We're supposed to sleep in the same bed, so what are you worried about? Haven't I been good enough to you?" the Sexta asks in growing irritation. "I'm doing everything I can to…"

"The girls got after you, didn't they?" Ichigo frowns.

"… That's beside the point," Grimmjow mutters petulantly. "They had a point, no matter how threatening it may have been put."

"Look. I know you think this should be second nature to me… but it's not," Ichigo sighs. "I've never lived with anyone but my family, I've never shared a room unless it happened to be in the infirmary in Seireitei, and I've certainly never shared a bed before."

"You think I have? Like hell I'd let those loose bitches sleep in my bed!" Grimmjow states angrily. "You can't trust anyone in Hueco Mundo to that point; you just fuck in the sands in passing and go about your merry way. This is as uncomfortable for me as it is for you."

Ichigo can't find anything to say to that, the realization that he seriously doesn't know Grimmjow slamming into him once more. They've fought off and on for the four years between the war and now, yet Ichigo was tainted by the stereotypes set by the Shinigami. They poisoned his mind to the ways and attitudes of the Hollows and even the Arrancar, yet his hubby is beginning to show a side that the Shinigami never got the chance to explore… Grimmjow is sharing his life in Hueco Mundo.

"… I guess it wouldn't hurt to suffer this together," the orangette sighs in relent. "But don't you dare try anything."

"Got it," Grimmjow states with a huge feral grin. "Come here, honey."

"Don't call me that, damn it! I'm not a chick!"

"Maybe not in sex, but definitely in gender," he remarks quietly.

Ichigo growls in annoyance at the comment, snuggling into his pillow as Grimmjow curls his body against the lithe male's back. Although he wants nothing more than to run from the larger man behind him, Ichigo bites his bottom lip and forces himself to stay put. He knows Grimmjow isn't sleeping yet, they're both unaccustomed to such a manner of slumber and can't find that escape yet, so he decides to move. He turns in those thick arms full of powerful muscle, finding himself nose to nose with the cyan eyed Arrancar.

"Grimmjow?" he wonders quietly. "What did you think of the honeymoon plans?"

"I don't know… Sounded like another day to me," he shrugs. "You?"

"… I was sort of interested, but I could never leave home. What if something happens and they need me? What if my sisters get hurt or sick?"

"You're a serious worrywart, did you realize that?"

"… I've been told."

"Just relax a bit, stop worrying so much. You're married now, you don't have to carry the full weight of whatever burden you decide to place on your shoulders," he comments. "That's what marriage is all about, right?"

Ichigo nods, careful not to hit Grimmjow or accidentally touch their lips. The other is correct, that's what marriage should be like, and Ichigo is suddenly curious on how 'mating' would be considered. He knows Hollows are more animalistic, yet he's never really thought what something like this would be to them. Obviously, Grimmjow would want to adhere to their rules.

"Is that what your marriage is like?"

"No. Bonding between Hollows, if you're good enough to be marked as a permanent mate, leaves the alpha in charge. No alternatives, no complaints," he smirks. "You'd be mine and I'd take care of you utterly."

"But… you only want me just for the fighting, right?"

"We'll get to that," he waves off. "We have forever to duke it out. Right now, we need to take the time to bond. If we don't, it could lead to some seriously complicated shit I don't want to get into."

"… Like what?"

"Challengers, for one thing. I hate them, can't stand when someone thinks they can waltz in and take what's mine… uh… that would be you," Grimmjow explains. "You're mine. Don't forget that, because if you tell a lesser Arrancar or a Hollow that 'you belong to no one' your ass is gonna be their playground. Got that? Should you ever be asked who you belong to, your answer should automatically be 'Grimmjow'."

"Fine, but you're mine, too!" Ichigo counters. "Don't go screwing around with other people just because you got bored with me, this is your fault and you're gonna commit to it!"

"Sounds fair to me," the other chuckles. "I'm a one person kind of feline anyway. We should really get some sleep, Ichigo. Long day tomorrow."

The orangette frowns, yet gives one more nod in agreement. Grimmjow shifts them carefully, using his free hand to tuck Ichigo's head beneath his chest as he turns to lie on his back. Ichigo grumbles in annoyance, yet doesn't move away. Sleeping like this is actually rather comfortable; he's out in only a minute or two at the sound of the larger male's rumbling purr.

The wind is gentle within Ichigo's mindscape, a place Shiro is loathed to exit. He's been pacing since his aibou's breakdown, uncertain how to handle it and hoping Ichigo is strong enough to come to grips on his own. Needless to say, he wasn't very happy when it was Grimmjow and not he that calmed the orangette. The very fact that the Sexta managed something even Shiro couldn't speaks volumes on his ability to sway the young Shinigami hybrid. He waits semi-patiently as Ichigo manifests within the morphing world, still asleep and snuggled within a blanket. There hasn't been a need for his Shinigami form here in a long while, though it's adopted on occasion for spars brought about by boredom or stress. Carefully, he steps over to the more vibrant twin and shakes him awake.

"Mm… Shiro?" Ichigo grumbles sleepily. "What the hell? I'm trying to sleep."

"Yeah, I know," the more aggressive male remarks. "I need ta talk ta ya, aibou… it's kinda important."

"… Okay," Ichigo murmurs as he sits up. "Go ahead."

Shiro sits beside Ichigo, the orangette moving so they can both curl up beneath the blanket draped over his shoulders. After a long moment of silence, Shiro takes a deep breath and tries to figure out how to best go about this discussion. Of course… he's never been anything but blunt when it came to Ichigo.

"What the hell are ya thinkin'?" he snaps in irritation.

"… Uh… what?"

"Yer fallin' inta that pussycat's hands just 'cause he says a few sweet words an' touches ya all nice like," he spits out. "Yer bein' set up fer a fall, aibou! He's a alpha, he don' fuckin' care 'bout ya! He only wants ya 'cause he can beat the shit outta ya later witout regret!"

"You're lying. Grimmjow could've hit me at any point in time and I'd gladly give it back tenfold, but he hasn't," Ichigo frowns. "I don't know why he hasn't, though I'm a bit curious, but I trust that he'd never hurt me."

"Then yer a fool!" Shiro snaps. "The first rule a beta learns is ta never trust a alpha, no matter how nice they may be ta them. The minute they let their guard down, that alpha will destroy 'em both physically and mentally!"

"You dipshit, I'm already Grimmjow's," Ichigo scoffs. "We're already tied together forever. What could he possibly do to me that he hasn't been able to get away with since our blood touched that Kido?"

"… Well… I suppose," Shiro mutters. "But still…"

"I'm not going to let him get away with shit, Shiro," Ichigo laughs. "He's an Arrancar, I know that. Those others were human, they couldn't stand up to the strength I've gained over the years… Grimmjow can. I will most definitely make certain he knows I'm not a pushover."

"Ya damn well better, aibou," Shiro mutters petulantly. "I don' wanna have ta kick his ass ta get my point across."

"Shiro, you worry too much," Ichigo smiles. "It's kind of sweet."

"Shut up."

Ichigo laughs and wraps his arms around his inner demon's waist, snuggling against his side as Shiro sighs in relent. It's been this way since he got back; something the pale twin isn't exactly upset about… Ichigo is cute when he's acting like the Beta he's supposed to be, but he can also be far more dangerous and unforgiving if dealt with wrong. As he sits quietly with the orangette, wrapped in that warm blanket as Zangetsu watches the sky off to the right and just within their sight, Shiro catches Ichigo's breathing evening out. The two slowly relax and fall asleep beneath the morphing sky, the waters receding around the image of Karakura as they snooze peacefully together.

Grimmjow is awake in a heartbeat, the insistent prodding of a potential threat dancing around the edge of his mind before leaping. Ichigo doesn't stir, yet the Sexta can't rest easily with the threat hanging in the air as it is. He slips from bed, only half an hour from sunrise, and stalks out into the living room of their apartment. It's quiet, the crickets outside still chirping aside the late night drivers heading home or to work, and Grimmjow shakes off those background noises to focus on the footsteps coming down his hall. There's no knock, the steps just stop outside the door, and Grimmjow knows who it is without even reading their reiatsu signature. With a heavy sigh, he flings the door open and levels the unwanted guest with a dagger-like glare.

"Ulquiorra," he growls. "Have you no idea what time it is? Don't you know I like my sleep?"

"Apologies," he states monotonously. "I'm an early riser. I've come to remind you that we need to have a meeting today."

"Are you serious," Grimmjow snaps. "A text message or phone call wouldn't do?"

"You don't answer your phone and last time I left a text you never checked it," he reminds. "I find dealing with you personally to be far more effective."

"Whatever."

"How's your mate?" Ulquiorra asks curiously. "His breakdown was terrible, but I heard he was settling. Was Hallibel accurate?"

"He seems to be calming, but I think he's still a bit reluctant. I only just managed to get him to sleep in the same bed as me, but he still won't let me touch him."

"I'm sure he'll come around eventually," the dark haired male assures. "In the meantime, perhaps he'd like to get out while we have the meeting."

Grimmjow grumbles about that, which is only to be expected. Ulquiorra knows how overbearing and overprotective he can be with new mates, so it's only natural he'd be ten times worse with one he's marked. Though he hasn't marked Ichigo in the manner a Hollow would, he's likely to eventually… especially since Ichigo belongs to him in the same timeframe now. The meeting is important, however, and Ichigo doesn't need to be present.

Ichigo rouses a few hours later, still tired and a bit cranky at finding himself alone in bed. He spent the night sleeping in his mindscape with Shiro, the other adamant he get his time with the orangette at night if Grimmjow won't let them be together during the day. Ichigo doesn't mind, he likes spending time with Shiro and they're practically joined at the hip whether in his mindscape or outside it, however he's curious as to why Grimmjow wouldn't allow Shiro around him during the day. He shrugs off his curiosity and wanders into the living room, finding the Sexta reclined on the couch with a contemplative look upon his brow.

"Grimm," Ichigo mutters. "Are you okay?"

"… Fine," he answers after a moment. "Good morning, Kitten. Did you sleep well?"

"I did. What's bothering you?"

Ichigo moves gracefully toward the couch, straddling Grimmjow's lap as he knows the other will position them like that anyway. He lays his arms across the teal haired man's chest to pillow his head, a familiar and comfortable position that radiates safety for the less aggressive male. Grimmjow purrs at Ichigo's submissiveness, running a hand gently through orange locks in reward.

"Would you like to spend some time on your own today?" he wonders.

"By myself? What are you going to do?"

"I have to be present at a meeting with the other Arrancar," he sighs. "You don't need to go, so… why don't you head out and get ready for the honeymoon?"

"But… I don't want to go on a honeymoon."

"No arguing, Kitten," Grimmjow murmurs as he closes his eyes. "It's already been set up and the females will force us to go no matter what we say… They'll do everything in their power to get their way."

"Fine. But… can't we plan our own honeymoon?" Ichigo scowls. "I don't want to go on a cruise."

"… I'll work on it, okay?" Grimmjow smirks. "I'm sure I can figure something out that will make everyone happy… it'll just take a bit of time."

Ichigo leaves at about noon that day, Shiro immediately taking form outside of him while sticking his tongue out childishly at Grimmjow. Obviously, the Sexta isn't happy about another alpha being around his bitch… but there isn't much he can say about it right now. He grumbles to himself as Ichigo and Shiro head off to spend the day at the mall, the teal haired man flopping down onto the couch to pass the time.

Fifteen minutes later, a knock strikes his door one before it's flung open. Nelliel practically leaps into the room with her arms spread and a huge grin on her face. It's her usual entrance and Grimmjow still rolls his eye every time she jumps in shouting 'ta da', yet that never deters her. After Nelliel's grand entrance, she's followed by the others. Gin pushes Grimmjow's legs off the couch to sit, Nnoitra practically falling into the armchair, and Stark takes the other chair as Hallibel and Nelliel make themselves comfortable on his lap. Ulquiorra and Szayel bring over chairs from the dining room table, sitting quietly before all eyes are on Grimmjow.

"Okay," he comments. "Since this meeting couldn't wait… what the hell do you want?"

"Urahara has a rather interesting idea," Ulquiorra starts. "I thought it was something we should all discuss before he throws himself… or Yorouchi… headfirst into something they can't handle."

"What should we care?" Grimmjow scoffs. "The guys a fucking genius, he's not gonna jump into something he knows will take him down… he probably has too much pride for that."

"He's doing this to help us," Hallibel sighs. "It's been difficult for us to fall into this social order, so he's attempting to fix that."

Grimmjow eyes her in disbelief, trying to digest that information. It's true Kisuke has helped them on occasion, but this is something much bigger than creating a gigai or talking down So-Taicho's temper during treaty negotiations. Kisuke kept the candy shop although they had few customers, living off money from dealings with Seireitei. This will be a whole new area from him… for them all.

Whoo-hoo! More drama to add to my collection of cliffies and twists! What business will Urahara set up? How will the Espada take to working in the living world? Is this starting to sound like a soap opera? Lmao! I couldn't resist that last one ;p Seriously, htough, I'm excited to choose the business Urahara will start!

Grimm: It's a strip club! =3

Hallibel: If he values his life, he will avoid such a demeaning option.

Urahara: ... That's exactly what Yorouchi told me! *in awe*

Vae: This ought to be good. ;p