Honey colored eyes stared at the floor, not wanting to look up at the chocolate orbs that were beaconing his attention. With eyes trained on the floor, Renji superficially swept as he felt the presence of familiar male in the room. He wasn't sure why, but every since a certain blue-head happen to appear in the picture a week ago, he'd been feeling way too antsy. Almost every other day, whenever he'd call Ichigo, his boyfriend seemed too busy to talk to him. This invoked an argument between the two almost on a daily basis. This was the first time that Renji had seen Ichigo in a week, and was surprised that he wasn't throwing himself on his boyfriend like he usually did when Ichigo decided to visit him at work.
"Are you really not going to look at me?" Renji stared at the floor harder. He was tempted to turn at the small plea in Ichigo's voice, but he didn't want to crack first. Renji felt a hand wrap around his bicep, just above his elbow, he allowed himself to be turned around so he was facing the slightly smaller male. "Renji, are you really not going to talk to me?"
"Are you really not going to answer my questions?" Renji's grip tightened on the broom handle.
"Seriously, Renji? That's why you're not talking to me?" Ichigo let out the breath he had been holding. "You're just being jealous, again?"
"Just being jealous?" Renji scowled. "I'm not just being jealous. I just want to know what the fucking relationship between you and that bastard is."
"I-I-I told you," Ichigo didn't know why he was stammering, but he had never seen Renji so mad over something. "He's just someone I know from elementary school!"
"Then why are you with him so much?" Renji took a step towards Ichigo so that they were almost touching foreheads.
"I'm babysitting for goodness sake!" Ichigo was getting mad himself. "Why don't you trust me Renji? I'm not gonna go cheat on you if that's what you're thinking!"
"I'm not thinking that!" Renji was yelling now.
"Then there is no reason for you to be so pissed off."
"Yes there is! I don't like that guy, and I don't want you to be around him!"
"I'm not around him Renji!" Ichigo's fist was balled so tight that he was surprised that he hadn't pierced the skin. He wasn't sure why he was getting so defensive, but he was. "I'm with his little sister for fuck's sake! I'm babysitting Renji, what part of that do you not understand?"
"Nothing! God, just fuckin' ferget it, okay?" Renji turned so that he could go back to work, angry waves radiating off his body.
"What, are you mad because I'm too busy for you? Well sorry for not being a college drop out with so much time on my hands, but I actually have a life!"
Ichigo froze after the words left his mouth. He hadn't really meant to say it, but the words just came out. Renji turned slowly, his eyes wide and filled with rage. Ichigo's eyes widened as well as he saw the look on Renji's face. He wasn't sure why he chose that time to say what was on his mind for a while, but it was clearly not the time or place to have word vomit. Ichigo's look softened. He knew he was wrong. He knew that Renji was touchy on the subject of his drop out.
"Renji, I'm sor-"
"Leave." Renji turned his back to Ichigo just as someone walked into the room.
"Ichigo-san!" Ichigo turned and groaned slightly as he saw Renji's uncle entered the room. Urahara opened his arms as he walked toward Ichigo a mischievous smile on what was visible of his face. "What are you doing here?"
"He's leaving." Renji continued to sweep, his motions rigid.
"Renji, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that."
"Whatever. Just leave, asshole." Renji began to walk away, his heart feeling heavier with ever step.
Ichigo was mad, he knew he shouldn't have said that to Renji, but the least he could do was acknowledge Ichigo's attempted apology. "Fine, then. Call me when you're not feeling like such a bitch."
Just as Renji was going to turn around and retort, the door of the Shoten had slammed shut, leaving a confused Urahara to stare at his nephew. Renji glared at the door and then his uncle before stomping off. Urahara simply sighed as he shifted the bucket hat that was on his head. He figured he should go call an old friend to see if he knew what the problem was between the two lovers.
On Ichigo's way home, he heard his phone ringing in his pocket. He stared at the I.D. angrily when he saw who was calling. He scowled as he answered the phone. "What do you want?"
"Geeze, berry. What has yer panties in a bunch?"
Ichigo scowled harder when he noticed that Grimmjow's deep voice made him shiver slightly. "It's none of your business." He sighed as he ran a hand over his tired face. "What do you want, Grimm?"
"I needa talk to ya. Meet me at my apartment in twenty minutes." Grimmjow didn't wait for any acknowledgement of the statement before he hung up.
Ichigo growled at the phone. He was seriously thinking about ignoring Grimmjow's call and just going home where he could wallow in the wake of the fight with Renji, but something tugging at the back of his mind kept him from doing so. Without realizing it, he found himself walking to the general direction of the home of the bane of his existence. He walked slowly to the apartment, not caring if he made it there in twenty minutes or not. If Grimmjow really wanted to talk to him, then he could wait. As he walked his mind kept reeling back to Grimmjow.
Grimmjow's reappearance was the reason why Ichigo's life was slowly becoming undone and resealed as the same time. With Grimmjow's return, he found himself fighting with Renji a lot more, but at the same time Ichigo was enjoying Nel's company on the days that Grimmjow spontaneously called him. As much as he thought he'd hate being around the latter, Ichigo found himself staying over when Grimmjow came home to play with Nel, though he and Grimmjow didn't really talk during that time. Regardless, Ichigo could feel something change in the atmosphere, and he wasn't sure how he liked it.
"You're late." Grimmjow was standing in the door way with a wife beater on and some fitted jeans. Ichigo didn't even remember arriving at Grimmjow's house.
Ichigo tried not to stare at the other's body as he pushed past him and into the house, taking a seat on the couch. "Whatever. I'm not in the mood to pull up with your bullshit. What do you want?"
"I want to hire you." Grimmjow walked into the kitchen, pulling out a beer and taking a swig of it as he studied Ichigo's reaction.
Ichigo felt his eyes go wide as the air left him like he had been it in the gut. "Wha-wh-what did you just say?"
"As a babysitter. I want ta hire ya as a babysitter for real. With work and school, I have no time to pick up Nel or make sure she has dinner, or whatever. That's where you come in."
"You want me as a babysitter?" Ichigo felt stupefied in the chair. Grimmjow's reappearance was not supposed to bring him a job. But then again, he wasn't supposed to see Grimmjow in the first place.
"Yes. I'll pay ya big. I know ya don have a job, so just take this." Grimmjow continued to nurse the bottle in his hand, leaning back against the counter as he watched Ichigo, his eyes raking all over the other male's body. Grimmjow subtly shook his head; he was not checking the other man out.
"You want me as a babysitter…"
"Yes."
"No."
"Did you just say no?" Grimmjow growled a little; he didn't like being denied.
Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows before looking up at Grimmjow. "Why don't you ask Yuzu? Or someone else? Why does it have to be me?"
"It has to be you." Ichigo's eyes went wide at the statement, which caused Grimmjow to roll his own. "Nel won't shut tha fuck up about ya. If yer here, she'll be quiet for once. You're just makin sure that she doesn't die of starvation or somethin'."
"Like a nanny?" Ichigo scrunched his nose at the thought.
"Well, if you wanna apply a pussy title like that, then fine."
Ichigo sat in the couch not saying anything for a second as his mind wrapped around the thought of working for Grimmjow. He knew Renji wouldn't like it at all; well fuck him and his jealousy. His dad also wouldn't like it, but it wasn't like I cared too much for his sideways opinions. The money would most likely be good. The thought made his eyes do a quick sweep of Grimmjow's living arrangements, everything subtly leaking an aura of expense.
As much as he felt like he should say no to the other man's offer, Ichigo found himself liking the idea more and more. Granted, he'd be working for Grimmjow but the idea of being around Nel made up for it. Plus, if he could use this time to…assess his feelings. Not that he had any for Grimmjow, because he was an arrogant ass, of course. Ichigo sat quietly for a little longer, still filing his brain over the idea of working of the enemy. Maybe, I'll find out why our parent's don't get along. It wasn't a main priority of Ichigo's, but he felt like it sort of validated his reason to work for the other.
Grimmjow couldn't help himself from watching Ichigo sitting on his couch. Ever since he had returned, he'd been finding excuses to the other male. When he first thought of getting a babysitter, in attempts of relieving Ichigo of the job, he couldn't think of anyone else that he had wanted for the job. He hadn't even told Nel, he only said that so that Ichigo wouldn't be suspicious. He watched as Ichigo leaned against the back of the couch, his shirt riding up a little exposing a tan flesh. Some unknown force buckled within Grimmjow. He snarled slightly as he shook the thought of his mind, just as Ichigo was getting ready to say something.
"I have two questions." Ichigo stared at Grimmjow, who didn't make any notion to response. "How much are will to pay?"
Grimmjow smirked. "Not gonna tell ya. But it's more than enough."
Ichigo scowled. "Second question: where's Nel?"
"She's with her grandpa. She's staying there for tha weekend." Grimmjow tossed his now empty bottle into the trash can and walked towards the door, holding it open. "You start Monday, now get out."
Ichigo glared at the other man as he stood up. "You can't just order me around, ya know."
"Actually, as your employer, I can." The smirk on Grimmjow's lips broadened into a sickening smile as he motioned to the door. He needed to get the berry out of his house, fast. "Leave."
Ichigo simply glared again as he walked out of the apartment. If anything, he was even more confused than he had been when he went in there.
:::
"Ichi, you've had such a long day. You know what you need?" Ichigo didn't like the glint that was shining in his best friend's eye. "You need to go dancing. That's exactly what you need."
"What?"
Ichigo had some how wound up at Shinji's house after leaving Grimmjow's. His dad wasn't on the best of speaking terms with him (it even seemed like his 'training assults' carried a little edge to them) so he wasn't necessarily in the greatest mood to go home. After arriving at Shinji's house, the latter had some how managed Ichigo to spill about everything that had ahappened that day. Shinji, if anything, was a lot happier about Ichigo's situation than he had been. A hot bad boy with a job taking the spot of Ichigo's current loser boyfriend, what else could a man want for his best friend?
"Dancing. You know, moving your body to the rhythm of music." Shinji had already made his way to his closet, pulling out different tops and bottoms.
"I know what dancing is." Ichigo scowled slightly. "What does that have to do with my current situation?"
"You need to relax Ichigo. When was the last time you had any fun?'
As much as Ichigo didn't want to admit it, he really couldn't think of any recent time that he just let everything go and relax. Especially since Grimmjow's sudden appearance, his life's been a little bit more hectic. The idea of going out dancing with his best friend was sounding extremely appealing before his mind went flying back to his boyfriend. Renji didn't really like it when Ichigo went dancing with out him, not that Renji even danced when he went, which was the main reason why Ichigo had always denied Shinji's offer. But then again, Ichigo had been doing a lot of things that Renji didn't like recently.
"When are we leaving?" Shinji turned slowly as he looked over at the orange haired man on his bed. Ichigo sighed, he had a slight feeling that this night was not going to end the way he wanted to.
Girmmjow leaned against the bar, his eyes narrowing slightly at the people around him. He watched as males danced against one another, butch females spitting game at the more feminine lesbians to his right. He groaned at the sight, this was not what he imagined when Nnoitra said they were going out. He looked to his left and saw his one-eyed friend staring at a tightly clothed man who happened to pass by. When he saw Nnoitra lick his lips, Grimmjow scrunched his nose.
"Ya said we were going to a bar."
Nnoitra tore his gaze off the man who passed by to grin at his friend. "This is a bar."
"This is a gay bar."
The smile on Nnoitra's lips managed to stretch even further. "But a bar, nonetheless."
"I'm not gay." Grimmjow scowled as drank from the bottle that was in his hand.
"Yeah, and that's why ya wanna see that carrot all the time, ne?" Grimmjow caught the condescending tone in Nnoitra.
Grimmjow turned to face him fully, "I don't like tha guy. Okay?"
Nnoitra patted his friend's shoulder, shaking his head. "Keep tellin' yerself that. Whateva helps ya sleep at night."
Grimmjow growled as he pulled his shoulder away from the hand. Just as he was going to turn away from Nnoitra, he caught the sight of something over the man's shoulder that made his jaw slacken slightly. Nnoitra looked over his own shoulder and smirked when he saw the carrot he had just mentioned, followed along by a delicious looking blonde. Target sighted. Nnoitra continued to smirk as his eyes followed the blonde.
Grimmjow couldn't believe what he was seeing in front of him or well…at a distance. Whenever Grimmjow had seen Ichigo he was wearing clothes that well were normal. Clubbing Ichigo was clearly a different side of Ichigo that was not exposed enough to the public. Grimmjow's eyes instantly latched onto the purple tank top that the berry was wearing, he swore it was like a second skin it was so tight. His eyes trailed further down as he came to black leather pants, hugging the lithe body in all the correct spaces while riding extremely low on his hips. He didn't know what was going on inside him, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the guy. You're not gay. You are not looking at him. Yeah right. Grimmjow couldn't even lie to himself properly. He openly stared at the man when he knew he should have turned away.
Ever since Ichigo stepped foot in the club he could feel a persistent pair of eyes latch onto him. He was used to it, having someone look at him when he went out, he did make a show of it and all, especially since he didn't go out too often. He scrunched his eyebrows when he continued to feel like he was being watched. He turned his head slowly in the direction of where he could feel the stare coming from. Ichigo could feel his eyes grow to the size of dinner plates: across the room Grimmjow was staring directly at him. Ichigo turned his head away quickly, trying to pass it off as he burrowed himself in a throng of people.
"What's wrong?" Shinji noticed the look on Ichigo's face. It was a cross of panic and a flush.
"What, nothing."
"No, you definitely saw someone." Shinji pushed on the tips of his toes to look past Ichigo, his eyes instantly locking onto a tall figure that was walking towards them. His eyes flickered past the looming man to the blue-haired guy sulking behind him. Shinji smirked as his eyes went back to Grimmjow. "I'm assuming you just saw a certain blue-haired man."
Ichigo's eyes went wide. "How'd you know?"
"Because he's walking this way right now." Shinji flashed a flirty smile as the tall man took a step next to him, leaving Grimmjow to stand next to an extremely embarrassed Ichigo. "Hi there." Shinji leaned against the tall table behind him, looking up at the taller male.
"Hey." Nnoitra placed his hand onto the table next to Shinji's arm, holding himself above the smaller male while still keeping a tolerable distance.
"Is there anything I can help ya with Mr…" Shinji batted his eyes slightly, his flirting in full throttle.
"Nnoitra."
"Shinji." He delicately placed a hand out for Nnoitra to shake. Smirking, the other man took his hand. Shinji's grip tightened as his smiled broaden. "Let's dance!"
Nnoitra stopped all movements. "I don't dance."
"Please, everyone dances." Not listening to the man he had reeled in, Shinji somehow managed to pull the taller male into the middle of the dance floor.
Ichigo couldn't believe what he had just seen. Shinji snagged a guy in less then five minutes, simultaneously leaving Ichigo with the last person he had wanted to be with at this very moment. The two still hadn't said anything to each other. They hadn't even bothered to look at each other, instead looking awkwardly at the people around them. Grimmjow noticed someone walking towards them, his eyes set on the berry standing next to him. Subconsciously, Grimmjow cleared his throat and took a step towards the berry, looking at the man who didn't dare to take another step forward. Ichigo hadn't notice the man who was walking towards them; he had only registered Grimmjow's body getting closer to him.
"What are you doing?" Ichigo took a step back as he stared the man next to him.
Grimmjow smirked. "Nothin'. Don't get so haughty berry, I wasn't comin' on to ya or anythin'."
Ichigo felt himself blush at the remark. "Whatever. What are you even doing here?"
"I'm allowed ta go where ever the hell I want, berry." Grimmjow turned towards Ichigo, trapping him against the table that he had been leaning on. From a bystander's point of view, the stance would have signaled that the berry was off limits.
"This is a gay bar." Ichigo was finding himself blushing even harder at Grimmjow's new position. You do not like him. He is not gay. You have Renji, who's an ass, but you have him. He is not gay.
"Maybe, I want to party it up with tha fairies." Grimmjow smirked as he watched the berry get uncomfortable by his stance, practically writhing. How I'd to see him writher underneath me- No Grimmjow! You are not gay!
"You're such an asshole."
Without another word Ichigo pushed away from Grimmjow, making his way towards the dance floor. He patted his cheeks as he tried to get rid of the blush that he knew was apparent. His face had felt extremely warm and the heat radiating off the bodies that were now surrounding him was not helping. He tried to push everything to the back of his mind. You are here to relax, not to think about a blue-haired devil that enjoys tormenting you. Ichigo nodded to himself has he felt the rhythm of the music coursed through his veins.
Every now and again he felt a body press against his. He'd merely begin to move away from said body, trying to show that he wasn't interested in dancing with anyone. In the middle of a song he felt a body press against his backside. Groaning, he moved away, swaying his hips as he tried to subtly detach himself. He thought he had gotten rid of the person, until he felt the body against him again. Ichigo tried to move again, only to see a hand snake its way onto his hip. The hand that was placed firmly against his the hip of his jeans, the thumb that was subtly rubbing the exposed skin between the tank top and leather pants, and the hard body behind him felt extremely familiar, but he wasn't sure why.
He furrowed his eyebrows, he wasn't sure why, but he was really annoyed by this guys persistence. Just as he was about to turn around the body left his backside. Ichigo turned around regardless, only to find a throng of people dancing and minding their own business. Ichigo no longer felt like dancing as he walked off the floor, heading to a table that Nnoitra and Shinji were sitting at. He noticed that Grimmjow was missing, not that I care.
"Hey Ichi, ya done dancing?" Shinji was resting his chin on is hand as he smiled at Ichigo.
"Yeah, there was someone who wouldn't leave me alone." Ichigo grabbed the front of his tank top and pulled the collar back and forth trying to fan his sweaty body.
"Really, now?" If possible, the smile on Shinji's face grew. He had been watching Ichigo and knew exactly who had been dancing with his friend.
Ichigo cocked an eyebrow at his smiling friend. His eyes glanced over at the tall male sitting next to him. Nnoitra was staring at Ichigo with an amused expression. Ichigo shifted in his seat slightly, trying not to feel awkward at the gaze of the other man. Nnoitra smirked at Ichigo's reaction to his gaze; feeling extremely satisfied knowing that Ichigo was a lot denser that he had thought he was. Shaking his head, Nnoitra pulled out his phone that had vibrated in his pocket. He smirked when he saw that it was Grimmjow who had texted him.
'Left. Somethin' happened. Make sure tha berry gets home, alone.' Tch, and he says he's not gay. "Bastard."
Shinji looked over at Nnoitra, he clearly dropped his overly affectionate flirting act. In the short time that they had danced, he had come to the realization that Nnoitra was an asshole. Hot, but an asshole nonetheless, which made it easier for Shinji to be himself rather than a flirt, not that he wasn't regularly a flirt. "Something wrong?"
"Nothin'. Grimmjow left though." Nnoitra's eyes flashed to the clock on his phone. It was already two in the morning. "Gettin' kinda late."
Shinji looked at his watch, taking note of the time. "Yeah, we better get goin, if we wanna get home before the sun gets up."
Ichigo didn't say anything, simply shrugging as he led the way towards the door. He wasn't sure why, but it made him really uneasy to know that Grimmjow had left before them, or without saying bye. Not that the asshole would. Ichigo sighed as he stepped out of the heat of the club and into the cool of the streets. He took in a deep breath as he turned around to talk to Shinji. As soon as he turned around he met the sight of Nnoitra and Shinji caught up in a deep kiss. Ichigo's eyes went wide, suddenly embarrassed, he turned around.
"So…" Ichigo turned around slowly, an attempt to make himself known to the couple behind him. It didn't work though; the two were still going at it. "Shinji!"
Shinji jumped and bit down on the tongue that was invading his mouth at the moment. He pulled back and looked over at Ichigo. "What?"
"Bitch, ya bit my toungue." Nnoitra brought his hand to his mouth.
"Shut up, it wasn't on purpose." Shinji scowled at him before turning back to Ichigo. "What's up, Ichi?"
Ichigo was beginning to feel mad and embarrassed. "I thought we were leaving?" He was clearly being a cock block and was pissed that the person he could go see at this time of night didn't want to be around him. It didn't help that his mind kept going back to another man that he should not have been thinking about.
"Right," Shinji began to step away from Nnoitra to hail a cab. He had always been better at it then Ichigo, so the two had agreed upon it to let the blonde call their rides home.
"I can take ya home, if ya need it." Nnoitra lazily draped an arm around Shinji's shoulders, just as a cab pulled up.
"We're fine." Ichigo was already sliding into the back of the cab.
Through the corner of his eye he could see Shinji and Nnoitra engage in another lip lock. He groaned to himself. It felt like going out made him feel worse. Wasn't this whole thing supposed to make him feel relaxed? Per usual, Ichigo's mind went wandering back to Grimmjow, something that was happening way too often. It kept bugging him that Grimmjow had left before them. It also bugged him that Grimmjow had been there in the first place. That had put a damper on the night for Ichigo right off the bat. Grimmjow, Grimmjow, Grimmjow. Everything that's wrong in my life is because of that bastard.
Shinji slid into the seat next to Ichigo a smile clear on his face. He turned to his friend who was staring at him sourly. "Do not get mad at me just because you had a bad night."
"It's your fault I even went out tonight!"
"So, the turn of events were out of my control."
"Tch, whatever." Ichigo leaned back into the smelly cab seat as he watched the city to turn suburbia as they headed home.
"At least one thing came out of this night."
Ichigo turned to look at Shinji. "Yeah?"
"I found a man who can kiss like the devil." Shinji smiled happily to himself as Ichigo merely rolled his eyes.
Hello my dear readers!
My want to update and boredom and depression that I wasn't at SM Town LA (I'm a kpop fan!) made me get this chapter out in a couple of hours!
A little on the shorter side, but it's an update, yeah!
I have SOOO many ideas with this story, and I'm getting them out as fast as I can :D
Hopefully I'll still be able to update regularly, but my laptop decides it hates the internet and won't let me connect, so I have to transfer my stories over to another computer to update -_-'.
ANYWAYS, Thanks for reading and hope you review! :D