Chapter Thirty Three

"Retreat!" Ichigo screamed as he sat up in bed panting and blinked away the last dregs of the dream he had been having.

Grimmjow growled and reached up, gripping the back of Ichigo's head and pulled him back down to the bed by his hair.

"Ow. What the hell was that for?"

Grimmjow growled again and pulled Ichigo closer, nuzzling his neck before biting his ear lobe and hissing, "That's fer tryin' to wake up the entire building, idiot. Shut up and go back to sleep."

"What time is it?" Ichigo asked, trying to sit back up and see the digital clock on the bedside table.

"Don't matter. Shut up and sleep." Grimmjow grumbled and started to kiss Ichigo's neck, his lips brushing lazily over the sleep warmed skin and his tongue leaving behind a moist trail.

Ichigo giggled and then blushed because of it. "I can't sleep if you're going to do that. And it's time for me to get up. I have class today."

"Fuck school." Grimmjow complained and continued to kiss him.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and again tried to get away from Grimmjow so that he could shower and get ready for the day. He felt sticky from the night before and if he didn't get moving he would barely have time to have breakfast before he left.

"I have to go." He said, pushing out of bed and padding to the bathroom.

Grimmjow frowned into his pillow and peeked one eye open at the clock. Technically he still had one more week of leave at work, but he was getting antsy being locked up all the time. Maybe he'd get out of the house today and just go for a walk. He sighed and sat up, rubbing the back of his hand over his eyes and then back through his hair. He was still tired. He made a mental note to try and get more sleep but with Ichigo's work schedule compared to what his was normally like that didn't look like it would be happening any time soon. With a deep frown he walked to the bathroom and pushed his way into the shower, leaning back in to the hot spray as Ichigo watched him with an amused look. Grimmjow sure is grumpy this morning, he thought to himself as he poked him in the bellybutton. Grimmjow grunted and slitted open his eyes, glaring at the blurry orange head in front of him.

Not waiting for Grimmjow to retaliate he slid his finger up and over the hard muscles of his chest, watching the man in front of him relax and sigh into the touch as he did so. To Grimmjow's surprise Ichigo suddenly pressed him into the side wall of the shower and began nibbling on his neck as he brushed their groins together. He grabbed Ichigo's hips and leaned forward.

"I thought you had to get ready for school."

"I do." Ichigo stopped long enough to say. "But I wanted to cheer you up a bit." He practically whispered before continuing what he had been doing.

Grimmjow sighed contentedly as his hands slid over the hard plains of Ichigo's back and shoulders. He cupped the sides of Ichigo's face, his thumbs running gently over the high cheekbones, before angling his head down and capturing his lips. Ichigo kissed him back, their tongues slowly caressing each other as their hands copied the movement on skin. Things very quickly turned heated as hard, wet cocks rubbed against each other and tongues fought for dominance. Ichigo reached down between them and wrapped his hand around both of them, sliding it up and down over the turgid lengths. Grimmjow's breath shuddered out and he bucked his hips a little into Ichigo's hand. With his other hand, Ichigo reached up and plucked one of Grimmjow's nipples, rolling it between his fingers before flattening his palm over the pectoral muscle beneath. Grimmjow groaned and let his head fall back, hitting the wall behind him. All too soon he was cumming followed closely by Ichigo, leaving them panting and clinging to one another. As the hot water cleaned away the sticky substance Ichigo looked up into Grimmjow's blue eyes and smiled, kissing his lips sweetly.

"Still grumpy?"

"Not really." Grimmjow replied with a smile, kissing him back.

"Good. Now I gotta get dressed."

Twenty minutes later Ichigo was gone and Grimmjow was left alone to decide what to do with his day. Nnoitra was most likely still sleeping and he knew from experience that waking him for anything short of the apocalypse was just asking for pain. He hated to admit it, but Nnoitra could kick his ass. They had fought on multiple occasions when they were younger and a couple times after adulthood and Nnoitra had won most of the time. Not that Grimmjow hadn't put up a good fight but Nnoitra was insane when it came to things like that and he wasn't afraid to fight dirty. Grimmjow liked to fight with at least a modicum of honor.

Making up his mind, he slipped on a pair of running shoes and a sweater and decided to go for a jog for as long as he could. He knew he'd be in pain afterwards but he was sick of being inside. Monday's were not meant to be lazy days in his book. Putting his cell phone ringer on high, he clipped it on his pants and walked out the door.

"Ichi, I need yer help." Shinji said as he approached Ichigo that afternoon on his lunch break.

Ichigo looked up from the book he was reading while enjoying the suns warming rays and frowned. "What's up?"

"Well I have to start interviewin' newbie's at the club. We need more dancers. Anyway, I don't wanna do it myself."

"Get Yumi to help." He replied distractedly. He had a test that afternoon that he hadn't really studied for and he was increasingly becoming nervous about it.

"I can't have him help. He'd only want to pick beautiful boys and to be honest we need a muscle man in the mix. Besides, he and Ikkaku are havin' relationship shit and I don't wanna be around them unless I have to, ya know?"

Ichigo sighed. "When?"

"After ya get outta class? I'll make it up to ya."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, how?"

Shinji shrugged. "Back rub?"

Ichigo pursed his lips at the thought. That actually sounded really good, Shinji was amazing when it came to using his hands that way and he knew from experience, but he didn't think Grimmjow would like the idea of Shinji's hands all over him. For some reason he seemed to be a bit jealous of Shinji and Ichigo really did understand that. Then he shrugged. It was only Shinji.

"Alright. Does it have to be today?"

Shinji nodded, a large smile on his face. "Yup. First one is at three and we have seven today and there are another five tomorrow and I think a few more that can't come until Thursday."

Ichigo sighed. "Okay, but I want some time off then. I got tests coming up that I have to study for and I've been really tired lately."

Shinji nodded and rested his head on Ichigo's shoulder. "Okay. How 'bout we knock ya back down ta gettin' off at ten again fer a couple days and as soon as we hire someone we can work it out so ya get off at like midnight. That sound good?"

Ichigo laughed. "It's so weird seeing you be all business like. Mr. Manager Hirako."

Shinji giggled. "Well we can't all be doctors."

Ichigo checked his phone for the time and stood up. "So meet me after class okay?"

"Yup, see ya!"

Shinji wandered off to walk aimlessly around the school until Ichigo's class was over and then waited while he discussed something with his anatomy teacher. Curious, he inched closer to eavesdrop.

"Well, I really wanted to get some extra work…."

"Mr. Kurosaki, you already have an 'B' in the class. It's not as if you're failing."

"Yeah, I know but I don't think that stopping because I already have a good mark is very smart. I mean, if everyone did that we wouldn't have very good doctors."

The teacher laughed and clapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Alright Kurosaki, why don't you write me a six page essay on the differences between gross and microscopic anatomy citing the various forms of microscopic anatomy as well as the difference between anatomy and anatomical pathology. Give it to me after the test next week."

Ichigo scribbled the information down on his notebook and smiled up at his teacher.

"Thanks."

"You know, Kurosaki, I never would have pegged you for being such a hard working student but I'm pleasantly surprised. Keep up the good work."

"Thanks." This time with less enthusiasm. He was so sick of people judging him by his hair.

"Suck up." Shinji whispered as he walked up behind him, startling Ichigo enough to make him jump.

"I am not." Ichigo shot back as they began to walk.

"Ya keep gettin' more work at school yer gonna hafta cut back even more at work."

"I know. But that's not happening yet so chill out."

As they walked to the car waiting for Ichigo he pulled out his phone and called Grimmjow to let him know what he was doing. Shinji grumbled that it was like he was having to check in with a parent but Ichigo ignored him and finished his call. Grimmjow groused a bit but in the end had to go because of another phone call so Ichigo got off pretty easy. On their way to the club Shinji chatted on about the men that they were going to be watching that day and Ichigo only half listened as he thought about how much homework he had to do. He really did have a bad habit of putting too much on his plate at once.

Grimmjow had been in the middle of a phone call with Ichigo when someone beeped in. Irritated he pulled the phone away to see who it was and his eyes rolled when he saw the name. After telling Ichigo that he had an important call he switched over the line.

"Szayel?"

"Why hello Grimm. How have you been?" A bright voice greeted him.

"Fine, what do you need?" His irritation hadn't been quelled by the walk that morning and after a phone call from his secretary, who seemed to be having a nervous breakdown fielding all his calls at the office and dealing with the temp that had been placed there in his absence, coupled with the short talk with Ichigo, his mood had far from improved.

"Oh don't be so mean. Aren't you happy to hear from me at all? You got the package I assume?"

"Yes, thank you for getting that for me. Look, I'm really…."

"I was thinking of stopping by later." Szayel announced.

"What? Why? I didn't even know you were in the country." Grimmjow said, suddenly suspicious.

"Got back this morning. I really should be asleep right now. This whole time change thing really messes with a person's head."

"Look, I don't think now is a…."

"I'll come over about eightish okay?"

"No, Szayel…."

"See you then, Grimm." He hung up and Grimmjow was left the pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

He really didn't want to deal with that man in person right now. But even more, he didn't want Ichigo and him to meet. Not yet anyway. Szayel was someone that you prepared the love of your life for not spring him on them in the middle of the night after a long day of school and work. With another frustrated sigh he began to seriously debate taking up boxing again.

"Thanks for tryin'."

"But if I could just try one more time! Please?"

Shinji shook his head adamantly. "No, I don' think another try's gonna help. Next!"

"Geez Shin, you don't have to crush the poor kid's dream."

Shinji snorted as the klutz that had been trying to dance for the past ten minutes stumbled off stage. "Trust me Ichi, he needs a knew dream."

Ichigo chuckled and shook his head. "You're being such an ass today. You need to get laid."

"Oh, ha ha." Shinji shifted in his seat and wondered if his friend was right.

Not that he wanted Nnoitra to come back to his house ever again but he had been surprised that he had stayed away for so long. He really had expected him to come back later that night and finish him completely off and had been rather upset when he hadn't showed up. Not at Nnoitra, he told himself, but at himself for almost wanting it. He shuddered at the thought and ignored a strange look from Ichigo.

"Yeah, yer probably right. Let's go out this weekend and pick up guys." He smiled winningly and Ichigo snorted.

"Uh, taken, duh."

"So, that doesn't mean ya can't help me look." Shinji pouted and then sighed. "Alright, the next one is… Luppi Kishio."

A short, thin young man walked out on the stage and cocked an arrogant hip as he sent a confident smile to Ichigo and Shinji.

"Yo."

"So ya got any experience dancin'?" Shinji asked as he was passed a rather lengthy resume.

"Yes I do. I've been dancing my entire life. Classical, Jazz, Contemporary, you name it. I know how to do it all."

Shinji cocked an eyebrow. "Right. So ya ever taken yer clothes off in public?"

The small man laughed condescendingly. "Not that I've gotten caught for."

"Alright then. Ya got three minutes to wow me."

Luppi threw Shinji a wide smile and walked back to the other end of the stage to wait for his music to start. As soon as it did, a catchy little pop song that had become very popular recently, Shinji leaned over to whisper in Ichigo's ear.

"He seems like an asshole."

"I would have said bitch. You really think we need another bitch working here? We already have Yumi."

They watched the thin hips move as deft fingers slowly tore away articles of clothing.

"Yeah, but he does seem to be doin' a good job."

Ichigo grunted. Shinji was right, this Luppi guy was doing pretty good. He lacked a certain finesse but made up for it with his confidence. As soon as he had gotten down to his black and white stripped women's underwear the music was turned off and he began to gather his clothes.

"So did I get the job?" Luppi asked.

"We still got others to look at so we'll be givin' ya a call on Friday ta let ya know. If ya do get it when could ya start."

Luppi cocked his hip again, resting a small fist on it. "Any time you want me to." He added a cute purse to his lips that made Ichigo want to hit him. For some reason he really didn't like this guy.

When he walked off stage Ichigo sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching. "How many more?"

"Just one, but he ain't here yet. Give 'im a couple more minutes and then we can go get somethin' ta eat. My treat."

"You got the money to feed me? I'm fuckin' starving." Ichigo teased.

Shinji smiled. "I asked Z for an advance so I could pay rent and get house stuff so yeah, I got enough."

After waiting for what they deemed was long enough, they closed up the club and wandered off the get food, stopping in a small tea house near by. The man behind the counter waved to them and set a couple menu's on the counter in front of them as they sat at the bar before leaning his elbows on the smooth wood.

"Hello, Shin-chan. I heard you guys at Wank were hiring."

Shinji smiled at the man. "Yup. Why, ya wanna try out?"

The man laughed and stood up straight. "Are you kidding me? With my two left feet? What can I get for you two sexy young men?"

After their food arrived and Ichigo had downed most of his, Shinji broached a subject he wasn't really wanting to get into but did it for Ichigo's sake.

"So, how are ya settlin' in over at… yer new place?" He still didn't like saying his name.

"Good. I mean it wasn't that big of a change since I've already basically lived there before. It's just a little weird actually putting my stuff away permanently, ya know. Only other person I ever lived with besides my sisters and dad was you." Ichigo responded before taking another bite of his food.

Shinji sighed. "Well that's good."

"Kinda sucks that Nnoitra is there though. He's such an asshole."

Shinji snorted. "Yeah."

"So how's okaachan? Weren't you having relatives over soon or something?"

"Yeah. My gran'ma and gran'pa are comin' over from Germany in a couple days. I hate it when they visit. They always get on me about being seltsam and then get on okaachan case about not raising me right and finding a husband so I can have a father. Last time they were here okaachan cried." He sighed and looked thoughtfully into his tea cup. "I hadn't seen her cry since papa died." He added quietly. "I hate them."

"You want some moral support when they come this time?"

Shinji laughed. "They'd probably accuse me of tryin' ta corrupt such a good boy when we both know it was the other way around."

"Bullshit!"

Shinji laughed hard enough to have to hold on to the sides of the stool he was sitting on for fear of falling off.

"You should come over some time and hang out. Grimmjow has a huge TV and we could watch movies or something."

Shinji shook his head. "I don't think he would like that very much. He hates me."

"He does not." Ichigo retorted but with little confidence. "He's just…. Let me talk to him, okay?"

"Whatever. We should get back. Ya have to clean up and I have paperwork ta do." He giggled. "I have paperwork, Ichi."

"Idiot" Ichigo said, shaking his head and swinging an arm over Shinji's shoulders as they left the tea shop.

The intercom buzzed at eight that evening and Grimmjow rolled his eyes. Szayel was punctual as usual. He rose from his seat on his couch, upsetting Leiko from his lap and receiving an indignant meow for it.

"I gotta answer the door." Grimmjow tossed over his shoulder in reply, not even thinking how odd the gesture would have seemed to anyone else. "Yeah?" He spoke in to the speaker and waited for the cheery reply.

"Good evening Grimm! I brought my father's best wine!"

Grimmjow pursed his lips. It was really good wine. He buzzed Szayel up and unlocked the door before walking to the kitchen to get two glasses. Hopefully he wouldn't stay long and neither Nnoitra or Ichigo would show up while he was there. He could handle Ichigo if need be, but if Nnoitra saw him there… well he didn't want to deal with that at all. There was a swift tapping at his door before it opened revealing the thin pink haired man, showing that he had let his hair grow out a little as it now reached his shoulders. The smaller man held up a bottle.

"I graduated early!"

A few minutes later they were seated at the kitchen table each with a glass of wine.

"So what are you taking next? What did you even take this time?"

Szayel was the epitome of an overachiever, learning anything and everything he could in his attempt to cultivate all the worlds knowledge. Grimmjow had told him long ago that he was an idiot for it but Szayel had responded with a causal, "You'll see. One day I will be a god and you all will bow to me in my infinite wisdom." Grimmjow had laughed at the time but it soon became clear that Szayel was going to be at least putting up a good fight to get to the godhood he craved.

"I'm not sure yet. I was really upset about that Quantum Physics class getting canceled and I was so looking forward to it. But what I really want to do is take some time off. There is more to learn in life than can be taught in school you know."

"Yeah. So does that mean yer back in Japan then for a while." Great, now he was going to be bugging him more often.

"Yes. Father left me the house after he died so I thought I'd go stay there while I inventoried his things and sent the unimportant stuff back to France."

Szayel's father was half French and half Japanese while his mother had been full blodded French. There was hardly a trace of the Japanese in Szayel, something he was rather pleased with as he wasn't very fond of certain facial characteristics that the Japanese people had. Grimmjow looked at the clock and sighed. Ichigo should be home soon.

"Are you waiting for something?" Szayel asked.

"Yeah. Actually I'm living with my…."

Szayel cocked an eyebrow. "Oh my, you have a boyfriend? How wonderful. Why didn't you say anything before now?"

"Because the term boyfriend sounds stupid." Grimmjow grumbled.

"So let me guess, he has bleached hair and is tall and lean…."

"His hair is natural actually." Grimmjow grinned as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"Ooh, a hafu?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "I never asked."

"You are such a man sometimes, Grimm."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and stood, grabbing both empty wine glasses and setting them in the sink.

"Look, I don't want him to met you yet so you should take off."

"Blunt as usual. Oh how I missed that about you."

"Shut up and get lost."

"So rude." Szayel said with a smile as he grabbed his light coat and followed Grimmjow to the door. "I'll leave the wine. There are probably dozens of bottles of it in the wine cellar at home."

Grimmjow opened the door and held it as Szayel shrugged gracefully into his coat.

"So when do I get to meet the future Mr. Jaegerjaques?"

"Fuck you."

Szayel laughed, a sound vaguely similar to the one he used when he was happy about things that disturbed others but more playful, and stepped out the door.

"Soon then." He turned and began to walk away before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "Oh, and tell Nnoi I said hello will you. I look forward to seeing him and asking what life in prison is like."

With that he left to the elevators and Grimmjow shut the door, snorting and shaking his head. Yeah, like he was going to do that.

As Szayel stepped into the elevator the one next to his opened and Ichigo stepped out, adjusting his bag on his shoulder as he walked down the hall. As the doors were shutting Szayel looked up at the startling orange hair and smiled crudely.

"That must be him." He whispered to himself before the doors shut completely and the elevator car moved.

Shinji shoved a hand in his pocket to dig for his keys and cursed himself for not wearing them attached to his belt loop to make it easier for him. He was so glad that the stupid cast was coming off Thursday. He almost couldn't wait. As soon as he had the door opened, he stepped inside and shut it behind him. Or would have if a long fingered hand hadn't been slapped against it to hold it open.

"Let me use yer bathroom." Nnoitra said as he pushed his way inside.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Shinji asked as his bathroom door was slammed shut.

"Pissin'!" Nnoitra shouted out as he did just that.

"Well hurry up and get the hell out. I'm too tired to deal with ya right now."

Shinji grabbed his futon and laid it out before heating some water in his tea pot on his hot plate. Nnoitra came out of the bathroom and eyed the bed with a smirk before walking up behind Shinji in the kitchen and pinning him against the counter.

"Ya makin' me tea?" He asked with a smile, loving the way Shinji's body tensed against his.

"Fuck you. Get out already."

"Tch." Nnoitra lowered his head and sank his teeth into Shinji's neck.

Shinji was mortified at the tiny sound of pleasure that escaped his lips and instantly pushed back as hard as he could to get Nnoitra off him. It was no use of course, Nnoitra being much stronger than him, and instead he tried to distract himself from what was being done to him. The only thing within his reach to use as a weapon was a spoon or a fork.

"Ah… G-get off me!" He reached for the fork.

"Heh, make me, Blondie." He opened his eye just in time to see Shinji's hand curl around the fork and his whole body went rigid.

Before either of them knew what was happening Nnoitra's hand was around Shinji's neck and he had him pressed into the wall, a wild look in his violet eye.

"Ya gonna fuckin' try an' use that on me?" His voice had change, quietly filled with rage and tinged with panic.

Shinji shook his head, not knowing or understanding what was going on. He dropped the fork and Nnoitra kicked it away from them. His grip tightened around Shinji's neck and Shinji's hands rose to try and rip them away.

"Ca… can… t… brea….."

Nnoitra's eye widened, clearing, and he took a step back, dropping Shinji and watching him slide to he floor as he gasped for air. For a moment there he had seen his mother, felt the pain in his eye and everything had gone red. Without waiting for Shinji to recover, he curled his lip and let out a, "Tch." before he turned and fled the apartment. Shinji touched a hand to his neck and looked up at his front door which stood ajar in Nnoitra's wake and wondered what the hell that had been all about.

A/N Sorry it took so long to get this out to ya guys! Okay, so first off, translations. According to seltsam means: strange, odd, peculiar... Hafu is Japanese for someone who is half Japanese. Luppi in the sow does not have a last name so I ave him his seiyu's last name. I think that's it. SO! Surprises for you! If you haven't already seen the new additions you all are encouraged to check out Strawberry Bad Boy: Character Survey Meme and Strawberry Bad Boy Q&A Show both intended to be companions to the original SBB :D I really hope you all enjoy them as they are your presents for me almost reaching 1000 reviews for this story! I love you all so much and thank you with all my heart!!

~Penny