Chapter Thirty Two

He pulled at the bandage around his neck and swallowed. It made him feel like a pair of hands were constantly trying to strangle him but were only strong enough to irritate the hell out of him. But there was no way he'd walk around without it until he could get rid of the mark on his neck. That damn skinny freak. He had been minding his own business, cleaning out the remaining tattoo equipment from his apartment when the guy had shown up; just walked right in like he owned the place and smiled like a maniac.

"Yo." The man said quietly as he sagged against the door and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Who the hell are you?" Renji had asked as he set down a box of tattoo ink.

"Che, ya don't need ta know that." The man continued to grin as he looked around the small room.

"Look, you need to leave. I don't know who you are or what you want, but I don't have time for this shit. And I don't have any money so you're wasting your time" Renji bent down to grab the box of ink once more.

Suddenly he was face first on the floor with a large foot pressing him down in the middle of his back and his arms, though free, useless because of the mans reach.

"Can't leave yet, I got shit ta do here. And if I needed money I'd rob in a better part'a town, ne?"

"Get off me you stupid freak!" Renji tried in vain to wiggle free from under the foot pressing him down. No use. Even if he kicked his legs nothing seemed to touch him.

The man chuckled lowly. "Nah, first ya gotta answer some questions fer me." The weight on Renji's back increased and he could have sworn he heard bones popping. "Who gives ya yer orders?"

"I don't know."

"Wrong answer." The pressure increased and Renji was certain this time that his bones were being pushed beyond their limits. He felt it this time, the popping, grinding sensation that felt wonderful and horrible at the same time.

"I don't know his name, I swear. Shuuhei got all the orders texted to him from the guy. I never met him."

"Well that sucks fer ya. Ya don't gimmie answers yer really no use to me."

"Wh-what does that mean?" He asked, his voice sounding a little panicked.

The man lifted his foot and took a step back, watching Renji with an amused expression as he rose cautiously from the floor. It was like an old Western stand off he had once seen in a movie with his brother, Renji thought fleetingly as the man reached into his pocket and withdrew something. He fitted a pair of highly polished brass knuckles over his long thin fingers and grinned, the smile stretching to each corner of his face.

"No, please." Renji put his arms out in front of him to ward off the man seemingly intent on hurting him; and he knew just how bad those things could hurt. "I already fucking apologized, damn it! Things weren't…." The man just continued to grin as he made sure the weapon was fitted against his knuckles tightly.

"So yeah, if ya ain't got nothing ta tell me I'll just have ta make ya pay fer what ya did to the bitch. Ya see, Grimm really digs him and ya almost fucked that up." The grin stretched unbelievably further and Renji felt his stomach drop. "Ya should be glad it's me an' not him. He'd kill ya." The man pulled back to ready his punch and Renji, who had backed himself into a wall, screamed.

"No!"

The last thing he remembered was a bright flash and then sudden darkness. When he woke his jaw and neck hurt like hell and there was red ink all over the front of his shirt. He stumbled to the bathroom and gawked at what he saw in his reflection. Clear as could be was a surprisingly well done word etched into his skin in bright, bold, red lettering. He would have admired the work had it not been for what it said. Funya chin. Limp dick.

"No way." Renji breathed, his burgundy eyes wide with disbelief.

Needless to say he gathered what he could carry and never returned to his old apartment, choosing instead to move into Shuuhei's place until he got out of the hospital. Everyday since then he unrolled some gauze and wrapped as much of it as he could stand around the offending word. Everyday he swore he'd get that man back for what he did.

"Hey, you there. Boss will see ya now."

Renji started from his memory and pulled once more at the bandage as he rose and followed a short stocky man into a poorly lit room. There was a man staring out the window with a handkerchief to his lips and another lounging in a plush chair, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Welcome. Please, take a seat. My brother and I have so much to discuss with you."

"Do you think he'll be able to do it?" The smiling man asked as he leaned against the window sill.

The man next to him shook his head and smiled. He knew the new guy wouldn't be able to pull it off, but he really didn't care about that. They were getting closer to his goal of making that filthy kyodai pay for what he did that everything else was just a game now. Just foreplay for the main event.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Hiroki? All this playing seems to doing your constitution well."

The man near the window reached for his notebook and scribbled out a reply.

You are too good to me, aniki. I thank you for all of your help in this.

"Aw, come now, Hiroki. What are big brothers for if not this?" He shifted his weight and looked out the window with his brother. "Besides, I'm having more fun than I have had in years."

The quiet man chuckled and rested a hand on his brother's shoulder, squeezing slightly. He never would have gotten this far without Junichi and he thanked the gods every day that his brother was blessed with a silver tongue and a sharp wit. If he had been the one blessed with a silver tongue, they would have been screwed.

Ichigo had really let his guard down since he had moved out the year before. There he slept, sound as could be and completely oblivious to the world around him, when out of nowhere a horrible warbling shout was heard before something forcibly collided with stomach. He grunted as all the air was knocked out of him and he fell with a dull thud to the wood floor. Clutching his stomach as he tried to catch his breath his father stood over him in a triumphant pose, much like Superman, and laughed jovially as he looked down at his son.

"You've gone soft on me son!" He announced in a loud booming voice.

He had barely started laughing again when Ichigo's foot smashed into his chin, sending him backwards over the coffee table.

"Stupid old man! Can't you wake someone normally?!"

Isshin groaned and rolled over, wincing at the pain that lingered in his side.

"It seems you have learned all I can teach you... my… son…."

"Don't go around waking people like that, damn it!"

"You two are at it already? That didn't take long." Karin said as she descended the stairs with Yuzu.

"Dad you need to be nice to onii-chan, he's been through a lot lately."

"I'm so sorry my darling Yuzu. Daddy will never do it again." Isshin cried, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her stomach.

"Idiot." Karin rolled her eyes and pried him off with her foot.

Having started the day off in a typical Kurosaki fashion, the family spent the afternoon together at the park enjoying the sun and warming weather. Yuzu enjoyed it most of all, leaning back against Ichigo's bent knees and smiling at everything around her. He couldn't imagine what was going through her head at that moment. She had almost literally been at Death's door recently and come back with the clear bright spirit she had had before she had gotten sick. He smiled to himself and hugged her, kissing the top of her head in a brotherly fashion. He hadn't realized he missed doing things like this until he had stopped doing it. He made a mental note to try and spend more time with his family.

"Onii-chan? Can you tell me about the place you are living now? Is it nice?"

Ichigo smiled. "Yeah, really nice. I think it's a condo or something." Yuzu "ooh'ed" predictably.

"And the friend you're living with, how's he?"

This was where things got sticky for him. He wasn't sure how much to say about Grimmjow. He didn't want it to be too obvious that he was completely in love with the man, but it was obvious to any outsider that they at least cared about each other. Why else would Ichigo have spent the last two weeks practically living in his hospital room with him?

"He's okay." He settled with that since it was the safest thing he could say without lying through his teeth.

"That's good. Karin said the two of you seemed rather close. It must have been hard to see him in the hospital like that. And to get stabbed over a mugging!"

To explain Grimmjow's reason for his stay at the hospital the first thing that had come out of his mouth had been a mugging. It seemed to make sense and no one questioned him after that on it, much to his relief.

"The doctors say I can return to school this year, isn't that great?!" Yuzu exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together and smiling up at her brother.

Ichigo smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, that's great."

Spending time with his family was great but he had to work that night. After making sure Yuzu was in bed with a kissed forehead he bid his father goodnight and walked down the street to the underground station nearest his family home. It was bit of a walk but he was enjoying the time alone to think about things. At least he would have if a bright pair of headlights had not appeared behind him at that moment. He turned, shielding his eyes from the light and just barely saw the dark shape emerge from the vehicle.

"Mr. Kurosaki. I am here to give you a ride to work."

Because of the unexpected ride he arrived early to the club. Thankfully he wasn't the only one there and he stopped and stared at Shinji in surprise as he stood in the middle of the dance floor with a clipboard in his hand, writing furiously as he looked around the room.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he walked backstage to set his bag down.

"Lookin'." He said with a smile and lowered the clipboard. "I talked ta Z about the partners dancing and he loved the idea. And then Hanataro suggested a drag night and he loved that idea too!"

Ichigo shook his head. "Make that a night I don't work. I'm not dressing up in women's clothes for anything."

"Aw, Ichi don't be like that. I told ya okaachan has a great outfit that would…."

"You want to die tonight?" Ichigo asked, deadly serious.

Shinji had been trying to get him in a dress for years, mainly because he was so opposed to the idea, and he hadn't managed to do it yet. Mostly because Ichigo could still kick his ass if provoked. He gave Shinji a once over and frowned.

"Why are you all dressed up?" He asked, taking note of the pressed black slacks and the crisp white button up shirt, complete with pale pink tie and shiny black shoes.

Shinji looked down at himself and smiled. "I'm askin' the public what they want tanight! 'Sides, I've missed bein' here and the patrons have been askin' 'bout me so I figured I'd make an appearance."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Yes, your fandom has been asking about you. I was waiting tables last week and one of my customers asked me where the 'cute one' was. I assumed he meant you." Ichigo had been surprised at the blow it had dealt to his own ego.

Shinji giggled and tossed his hair back. "I feel so loved."

Ichigo snorted. "They just wanna see you naked."

Shinji grinned. "And what's so wrong with that?"

Ichigo laughed and reached for a broom, setting about his normal duties before the club opened. Shinji finished up what he was doing on the stage and came to help him out on the floor.

"So what are ya doin' tonight? Anythin' special?" He asked as soon as the floor was swept and the brooms were put away.

Ichigo shrugged. "I figured I'd wing it like normal. Actually, I wanted you to help me out with this idea I have for… well for when Grimmjow is able to come down here next." He said the last part quietly and blushed as he scratched the back of his head. Shinji may have told him he was okay with everything but it still felt weird for him to talk to him about Grimmjow in anything resembling a normal fashion.

Shinji pursed his lips and opened his mouth to say something before stopping and taking a deep breath. There were still so many things he wanted to say about Ichigo's relationship but being his friend was more important than getting it all off his chest. He had a feeling Ichigo wouldn't like anything he had to say anyway.

"Whaddya need help with?"

Nnoitra leaned back against the bar after taking a shot of something the bartender had called goldschlager and made a face. It tasted like shit and made his stomach and throat burn uncomfortably. He turned back to the man and ordered three fingers of vodka and used that to chase the disgusting taste away. He was early to the club, but that was fine. He had plans to meet someone important there that night and it was just an added bonus that Blondie was walking around and talking with customers. He couldn't wait for him to notice him because he knew that it would make him uncomfortable. He had deliberately left him alone the night before to let him recuperate from their night together. He had plans to seek him out again soon, but he had a job to do first and even he knew that work came before pleasure in cases like this.

His sources told him that the man he was meeting tonight knew the names of the men who were involved with Shinji's kidnapping and the shooting of the tattoo face guy as well as the name of the man who had stabbed Grimmjow that night. That meant he would be busy for at least the next couple of days. But after that he would reward himself with the young blond.

Shinji sat on the edge of the stage surrounded by a group of men who seemed more than eager to give their opinions on the things he was asking and he was drinking it up. He loved the attention that his job offered him and it made him feel so good to know that at least on some level he was loved by these men, even if it was completely superficial.

"Goldie, when are you coming back to us?" One man asked, his face already red with drink.

Shinji smiled his most winning smile and leaned forward over his clipboard. "As soon as I get this darn cast off sweetie."

"Who did that to you anyway? I'll beat'em up for ya!" One man shouted, a few others rallying behind him in agreement.

"Fuck that, I'll kill him." Another man shouted.

"Gentleman please. It's all water under the bridge now. I'll be gettin' the cast off next week…."

"Goldie! We need ya backstage fer a bit." Z called out to him and Shinji hopped off the stage.

"Sorry boys. The man is callin' me."

"Come back to us soon!"

Shinji giggled as he walked away, his ego swelled from the attention and his mood generally good. Backstage Yumi was helping Ichigo shove himself into a tight pair of jeans while Hanataro wiped his lipstick off probably for the umpteenth time. For someone who likes to dress up as a woman he sure sucks at it, Shinji thought to himself and turned his attention to Z who was leaning against the wall and staring out a two way mirror at the bar. Shinji, being the curios person he was, strolled up for a peek.

"Oh, God." He groaned at what he saw and ducked down as if he could he seen.

"Ya know 'im?" Z asked.

"I wish I didn't."

"He's been starin' atcha fer a while. But if ya know 'im I ain't gonna worry 'bout it." Z started to walk away and Shinji looked back out the two way.

"Wait! Can't ya kick him out 're sumthin'?"

"He ain't done nuthin'." Z called over his shoulder and continued his retreat as Shinji hurried to catch up to him.

Inside his office he held out his hand for the clip board. "So what did they say?" He asked, too lazy to look at the notes.

"Well most of them really like the couples idea but I get the feelin' that they have couples they wanna see in mind. So I was thinking some kinda suggestion box er sumthin' fer that. As far as the drag show…." Shinji sighed and pursed his lips. "They all said hands down they wanna see Ichi dolled up. But not Queeny, more Loli like Hanataro." He giggled at the picture in his head before continuing. "I guess yer gonna make that my job ta convince him, huh?"

Z just cocked an eyebrow at him as his answer.

"Well, looks like ya have a lotta work ahead 'a ya." He paused and looked up at Shinji and a crocked smile. "Mr. Manager."

Shinji beamed at the new title. "Ya mean…?"

"Yeah, yeah. Ya got the job."

Shinji whooped for joy and gave Z mock salute. Z just rolled his eyes and told him to get out of his office. Backstage again Shinji refused to look out the two way as he passed it and walked up to Ichigo, wrapping his arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.

"Guess what?" He asked, grinning into his chest.

"Good or bad?" Ichigo asked and he fixed his hair in the mirror.

"Fantastic."

Ichigo smiled and looked down at the top of Shinji's head. "So what is it?"

Shinji let go and stepped back, clearing his throat dramatically and gaining both Yumi's and Hanataro's attention.

"You are lookin' at the new manager of Wank!"

"That's so cool!" Hanataro said, clasping his hands together under his chin and smiling. "I'm so happy for you, Shin-chan."

Yumi cocked a thin eyebrow and smirked. "Yes, I agree. Congratulations."

When the music started blaring everyone took their places and readied for the show. Shinji returned to the two way and sighed with relief when he didn't see Nnoitra standing there anymore. Hopefully the man had gone home, or anywhere else really, for the night.

"Nice place. The dancer looks like fuckin' chick." A short dark haired man said as he sipped the beer Nnoitra had shoved into his hands.

"Tch. That one's a stuck up bitch." He replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.

"Maybe, but he's still pretty for a guy."

Nnoitra rolled his eyes and sat forward, resting his elbow on the table. "So what do ya got fer me?"

The man took another sip of his beer before answering, leaning forward as well. "Where's my money?"

Nnoitra grinned. "Info then yen. Ya know how this works, Yuhki."

The man rolled his eyes. "Hiroki and Junichi Hiyashi."

Nnoitra slid the money under the table and handed it off to the man as he finished what he was saying.

"Hiroki lost his tongue a while back for mouthin' off to the boss. Guess he got caught sellin' drugs in Aizen's territory and Ichimaru wasn't too pleased about that. When Ichimaru confronted him Hiroko denied everything and then called one of the higher ups some dirty name. Anyway it was bad enough for Ichimaru to smile while he did the deed himself. He and Aizen are on good terms and no one wants that to fuck up. An all out turf war isn't what we need right now."

Nnoitra nodded even though the idea excited him. War, now that would be fuckin' fun.

"The person you really need to be wary of is Junichi though. Fuckin' genius. If he's the brains behind this yer gonna need some brains on yer side too. Big ones."

"Yeah, I get it. Anythin' else?"

The man shrugged. "I know they used to live outside 'a Kyoto, but I think they moved. They wouldn't be stayin' where they could be found out anyway."

Nnoitra stood and dropped some money on the table before turning and walking away. The man shook his head and grabbed it, placing it in his pocket before turning to the stage and shaking his head. What looked to be a small girl was flashing her behind to the crowd of gawking men and he just didn't understand the draw. After watching the show for another minute he stood and left the club.

"Why do I know that name?" Grimmjow asked himself out loud after Nnoitra had told him everything he had learned that day.

Nnoitra shrugged. "Fuck if I know. I don't remember it."

Grimmjow frowned and looked at him over his shoulder. "You suck at remembering names."

Things seemed to be getting more complicated as time went on but at least now he understood why the man was after him in the first place. He'd be a little upset with whoever had caused him to get his tongue cut out too, but that still didn't mean he was suddenly in a forgiving mood. Far from it actually. He was about to ask Nnoitra something else when the front door opened and Ichigo walked in, yawning widely. Grimmjow grinned and turned towards the door. Ichigo gave him a small wave, his cheeks tinted slightly pink as thoughts of the night before raced to the forefront of his mind.

"Hey."

"Hey. Long night?" Grimmjow asked, dropping his arms to his sides as Ichigo approached him and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Yeah. Stupid Shinji." He muttered sleepily as he nuzzled Grimmjow's shoulder.

"The fuck'd he do?"

Ichigo yawned again and looked up into a pair of startling blue eyes.

"He's trying to get me to dress up."

When Grimmjow frowned Ichigo snorted derisively. "In a dress."

Grimmjow snorted as well before the image of Ichigo wearing thigh high stockings and a puffy shear mini skirt flashed before his eyes. Fuck, he thought to himself, that would be hot.

"I told him I don't wanna do it but he just won't let it go." Another yawn. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

He walked away rubbing his eyes and Grimmjow turned to grin evilly at Nnoitra.

"See ya."

He said before following Ichigo. In the bathroom Ichigo was in the middle of taking off his shirt when a warm pair of hands ran themselves over his chest and down his belly, thumbs tucking in the waist of his jeans. Ichigo sagged back into him and sighed. God, he was so tired. Grimmjow nibbled his neck and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"Would that really be so bad?" He asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Dressin' up for a night."

Ichigo groaned. "Not you too!" He whined.

"Well if you won't do it for yer friend, what about me?"

Ichigo glared at the shower in front of him and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No."

"Aw…."

"No!"

"Kill joy." He replied before setting his teeth back on Ichigo's skin.

Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes. "I really do need a shower. I've been sweating all night."

Grimmjow hummed into his shoulder. "Smell good to me."

Ichigo chuckled. "Shut up."

He managed to tear himself away and turn on the tap, finishing taking off the rest of his clothes as the water heated up. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head when he noticed Grimmjow's eyes raking over him.

"You gonna join me or just watch?"

Grimmjow grinned and licked his upper lip, leaning up against the wall. "I just took a shower." He answered quietly.

Ichigo shrugged, too tired to do much else, and stepped behind the glass door. As soon as the water hit him he smiled and let it warm him, comforting and relaxing every muscle it touched. If he wasn't careful he'd fall asleep there. Grimmjow watched him for a moment before retreating and giving Ichigo some privacy. As soon as Ichigo was finished, he dried himself and walked sluggishly to the bedroom, finding Grimmjow already in bed but with his laptop on the bed in front of him.

"What're you doing?" Ichigo asked as he slipped into bed.

"Stuff." He answered, shutting it and setting it on the nightstand.

Ichigo cuddled close to his side, curling an arm around his waist and kissing his chest. It was supposed to stop there, he hadn't intended to do more, but one kiss just wasn't enough. He soon found himself trailing wet kisses down a firm chest, lapping at pert nipples and stroking soft fingertips over a quivering belly. Grimmjow pulled him up and kissed him, rolling him over on his back and running his tongue over as much of him as he could. When he reached the thick black backwards six he shuddered and nuzzled it, spreading light kisses over it and tracing it with his tongue like he had the last time they had been together. Ichigo whimpered at the attention and shuddered when he felt a hot, wet tongue curl around the head of his cock.

"I…." He started, not even sure what he was about to say. He had been so tired before but now… now he wanted Grimmjow to make him cum. He didn't care how.

Grimmjow took Ichigo in slowly, the thumb of his left hand pressing agonizingly slow circles into his hip bone over the tattoo. Ichigo arched his back and spread his legs, his body temperature rising and he heartbeat escalating. Grimmjow closed his eyes at his taste and pulled back to flick his tongue over the small slit at the end, a small almost invisible trail of precum sticking to his lips and breaking when he rose and reached up, pressing two fingers to Ichigo's lips. Ichigo opened his mouth and sucked them in eagerly making Grimmjow groan and return to the weeping cock before him. Ichigo's tongue curled around the digits and sucked on them, eventually coating them thickly with saliva. Wasting no time at all, Grimmjow pulled them away and placed them at Ichigo's entrance, pushing past the tight muscle and slipping them in even as they were sucked in by force.

"Shit, you really want this, don't you?" Grimmjow marveled as Ichigo clenched around him.

Ichigo's answer was a whine and a bitten lip as he lifted his hips off the bed, begging for more. Grimmjow didn't waste much time with preparations, instead making it just loose enough before he sat back and pressed the head of his cock inside. Ichigo cried out as his breath hitched and Grimmjow groaned and let his eyes roll closed. They moved together, bodies rolling and hips titling for better friction. Grimmjow wrapped a hand around Ichigo's cock and pumped him it in time with his thrusts which were increasingly becoming jerky and erratic. When Ichigo pulsed around him and cried out his release Grimmjow held on for as long as he could before spilling himself inside.

Panting, he fell to the bed beside Ichigo and pulled him close, stroking his back absently as he tried to catch his breath. Ichigo mumbled something that sounded almost like 'Good night' and Grimmjow chuckled softly. This kid had a bad habit of passing out after sex. Without worrying about cleaning them up, he pulled the covers up over them and sighed in contentment before closing his eyes and slowly drifting off to the sweet sound of Ichigo's steady breathing.

A/N PLOT! I hope you all like the new developments I've made here. It should lead to some rather interesting things in the future. I had something planned to say here but not i can't remember what it was.... O'well. I have a poll I would really like everyone to take. It's funny :D It will be up after I post this so please, let me know by voting on it :D hope you enjoyed this one :D

~Penny