Berry Angel by Boogermeister
27- Beautiful Nightmare (A/N: inspired by that True Blood episode recently, when that red-headed lady dreamt about some evil guy who impregnated her. I only started watching the show so I don't know much in the first two seasons. Oh well!)
It was a normal night in the Kurosaki-Gingerback residence, Ichigo was sleeping deeply while his lover was cuddling against him with his arm wrapped around his waist. Even in his dream, he smiled warmly of being in love with the brunet who used to be the former Primera Espada. They were a family, regardless of being an untraditional one. "Hmm . . . . Starrk, you're so special," he mumbled in his sleep.
". . . . Oh really?"
Ichigo's chocolate eyes widened suddenly at the long-forgotten voice. The one voice that was full of malice and evil. He stared down and gasped sharply, it was him. Aizen. His Hollow-like eyes and long hair, along with his decieving smirk. It was him. "N-no . . . .!" he gasped sharply as he glared around the bedroom, but Starrk wasn't around. "No, this can't be . . . .!" He tried to inch away but the hold around his waist tightened.
"My dear queen, it's been so long since I last saw you . . . ." he chuckled lowly. "It's been, what, over twelve years?"
"No, this is not real . . . .!" rambled Ichigo, his heart was thumping wildly at the sight of the devil. "I killed you . . . . I know I killed you!"
"Indeed you had . . . . and yet, I am right here," he smirked as he leaned closer. "I know what you're thinking, 'how is that possible?', 'how can he be here, even after being beheaded?' . . . ." Ichigo shivered in fright as tears threatened to trickle out of his eyes. "Well, Ichigo, there's another way why I'm still here . . . . and it's what came out of you."
"Wh-what . . . .?" he whimpered.
"Oh, you don't get it, do you?" sneered Aizen, placing his hand over the man's flat stomach. "I'm still a part of him, Ichigo."
". . . . N-no!" he gasped, the devil was talking about Tensa.
"You may have killed me, but one way or another you cannot take away what is evident in my precious heir," Aizen chuckled. "Accept it . . . . Even in death, I'll come back eventually through him."
"You're lying . . . .! Tensa's not like you, you monster!" gritted Ichigo, but his eyes widened again when the devil's face morphed into more demonic and skull-like.
"I'll come back for him, Ichigo . . . ." he growled gutturally, "and then I'll consume him body and soul . . . ."
"NOOOOO!" Ichigo screamed out of his dream and abruptly jolted up, startling Starrk out of his sleep. "You can't take him! You can't take Tensa! You can't . . . .!"
"Ichigo? Ichigo, what's the matter?" Starrk questioned concernedly, shaking him. Ichigo whipped his head, his wide chocolate eyes stared at him before crumbling into his arms and sobbed. "Ichigo . . . .?"
"I thought he came back . . . ." he sobbed. "He wanted to steal Tensa away from us, saying that he'll come back through him . . . ."
"Shh-shh-shhh . . . . it's all right, Ichigo," Starrk frowned sadly when he finally realized his words, kissing at his forehead. "He will never come back. We know that, he's gone forever."
"But . . . . that devil, that monster . . . . who knows if that's true," whimpered Ichigo. They were startled slightly when the door was knocked softly.
"Mom . . . . what happened in there?" muttered Tensa. Ichigo glanced up through teary eyes and quickly got off the bed to open the door. "Mom-"
"Are you okay, Tensa?" he rambled, pulling him into a tight hug. "Are you hurt . . . .? Are you okay?"
"Mom, Mom . . . . I'm fine," Tensa assured but frowned a little at the sight of his crying mother. "But what happened? I heard you scream bloody murder or something. Did you have a nightmare?"
"I . . . ." Ichigo mumbled before stepping away and snifled. "Yeah . . . . I had a terrible nightmare involving you, it was scary."
"Well, I'm all right Mom," the young teen sighed, rubbing at his shoulder. "Okay? It was just a bad dream, it's not real . . . ."
"Right, not real," Ichigo nodded, but the tears were still pouring. "Sorry that I woke you up, Tensa."
"It's all right, Mom," Tensa smiled lightly. "Good night . . . ."
"Good night . . . ." he muttered, closing the door. But he couldn't stop his resumed crying, even when Starrk went up to him to hug him. "I don't know, Starrk, I don't know . . . ." he whimpered into his strong chest. "Do I need to tell him the truth now?"
"No, not yet . . . ." Starrk sighed heavily, rubbing at his back soothingly. "You're too frazzled for the moment, Ichigo. You can't tell him yet."
"But . . . . that monster, Tensa's father . . . ."
"Shh . . . . I'm here now," he muttered, wiping away his lover's tears. "He won't return, Ichigo . . . ." On the other side of the door, Tensa clenched his fists as he frowned stressfully. His mother was aching and hurting terribly, all because of his unknown father. He knew that he was evil based on what he knew from the time he spent in the Soul Society, when people treaded around the subject carefully around him. And now this, a nightmare of him being taken away by that 'monster'.
"Damn, I wish I could do something about it . . . ." he then frowned sadly, stepping into his bedroom and flopping onto the bed. But he knew that asking his mother about it would hurt him further, and he didn't want that. "I hate him . . . . even from the grave, he's still hurting Mom," he mumbled, scowling to himself when he felt a warm trail of tear falling down his cheek.
28- Money
Ichigo sighed stressfully as he shifted through opened envelopes full of bills and notices. Rent, lights, gas, payments from his medical school even after he had graduated. "Ugh, I wish I could just burn these away . . . ." he groaned as he sat up. Tensa glanced from watching T.V. to see his mother kneeling over the scattered papers on the floor.
"What's wrong, Mom?" asked the twelve year old.
"Oh . . . . it's nothing, Tensa," Ichigo mumbled.
"I'm not stupid like Grandpa, they look like bills," he sighed.
"Yeah, but don't worry," he muttered with a light smile. "I got this under control- oh, this one says 'immediately'," he frowned when he picked up one paper.
". . . . Can we ask Grandpa for help, Mom?" asked Tensa.
"No, even he's having problems," he sighed. "He's too good of a doctor, helping those with no insurance and didn't pestering them to pay him full cash. And I know that Starrk's helping us, but he's not making enough lately . . . . and he insisted that he wasn't sleeping this time for a while."
"Then . . . ."
"Tensa, please," sighed Ichigo as he stared at him. "This is my problem, it's not something for you to worry about. I'll get this over with, okay?"
"All right, Mom," Tensa sighed deeply. He knew that both his mother and stepfather working so hard, but it appeared to be difficult. Even after several months of owning his own office, Ichigo was falling behind on his bills. He wanted to help, but it was obviously 'grown-up' business. But it doesn't mean that he could help behind his back.
After school the next day, he decided to go his mother's friends for advice. First, he went to the tall one named Chad who was working in the most ironic place ever, a zoo. ". . . . I see," the half-Mexican muttered, feeding pellets to a species of rabbit that can grow twice their size. "But I'm not sure if Ichigo would like if I offer to lend him some money."
"Why not?" asked Tensa.
"Ichigo's strong-willed, he might feel offended if I try to help him," he replied quietly.
"Oh . . . ."
"Don't worry, he won't have the problem for long," Chad nodded, patting him on the head. Next, he went to Tatsuki, who was a gym teacher at an elementary school, and she simply frowned.
"That idiot, always trying to take the burden for himself as usual," she scoffed. "But he wouldn't accept my help, even if I kick his ass. Sorry, kid . . . ."
"Thanks for trying," Tensa nodded. He could go to Mizuiro, but that guy went away on a 'business' and he was smart enough to know what that meant. And Keigo wasn't in town either, as he was gone on vacation. Considering Uryuu, he would simply dismiss it and call Ichigo an idiot. So the last person he could go to was his mother's office assistance, Orihime.
"Oh, hello there, Tensa!" chirped Orhime when he came in.
"Shh, there's something I have to tell you, Miss Orihime . . . ." whispered Tensa, tugging her behind her counter.
"Really, what is it?" she questioned in confusion.
"Well . . . . Mom's having problems with money lately, and he doesn't want me to worry," he mumbled. "I know it's not my business, but I'm worry that Mom's worried and I can't help it."
"Oh . . . . I understand, Tensa," Orihime smiled warmly. "And you believe that I have a way to help him with that, right?"
"Uh, kinda . . . ."
"As much as I'd like to, I really cannot," she sighed softly. "That's just Ichigo's personality, trying to hold in all the problems to himself. Even when he stopped being a Soul Reaper, he'd rather help the people and not be helped by them. Sorry, but it sorta sounds like I'm saying that he's . . . ."
"A stubborn jerk?" he frowned.
"That sounds about right," she shrugged.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Ichigo appeared out of nowhere behind them, startling the two.
"Oh, Ichigo!" Orihime smiled sheepishly. "Did I forget to give you a file or something?"
"No, but I'd like to speak to Tensa for a quick second now," he frowned. Tensa frowned back, a little bit out of guilt, as he followed his mother into the office. ". . . . Tensa, I know what you were doing just now, just like what Chad and Tatsuki had called me about it."
"Oh, about that . . . ." mumbled Tensa. Ichigo gazed at him and sighed as he sat down.
"Tensa . . . . I'm not like what I used to as a teenager," he sighed tiredly. "After everthing that had happened, I let people break down my guard and help me. I needed it, as I was struggling of raising you. That's why we got that apartment, they put out so much money for us. And that's why I felt like paying back, by not going back to them for more financial support."
"But that's still being stubborn, Mom," he frowned.
"It may seem like that, but I can't use them like some kind of moocher," he smiled a little. "I understand that you're worried about us but we can get this over with. We won't go into debt like Goat-Face."
"Fine . . . ."
"Good, because I had called Dad a few moments ago and he insisted of paying half the bills," he shrugged. "I can't mooch off my friends but it's a bit easier to do it with family."
"But I thought he was in debt," Tensa muttered dubiously.
"I thought so, too, but something magical happened . . . ."
29- Naptime 3
"Tensa . . . .?" Ichigo called out as he came home, and almost immediately the fourteen year old stumbled up to him. He frowned and was about to question his action when he noticed a barely contained grin on his face. "Um . . . . what so funny?" he frowned anyway.
"Come here, Mom . . . ." he whispered, snickering a little when he led his mother into the kitchen.
"What? What happened, Tensa?" he muttered in confusion. "What's so funny?"
"Well . . . . know that you're often annoyed when Starrk sleeps on the couch, Mom?" he grinned.
"What? Don't tell me that you pull a prank on him as usual," he scoffed lightly.
"Maybe . . . ."
"Like what, doodle on his face?" he questioned.
"Actually more than that . . . ." snickered Tensa before leaning close to his ear and he whispered something. Ichigo's eyes widened at the answer and his mouth dropped in disbelief.
"No . . . ." he gasped out just as a smirk threatened to tug at his lips. "I can't believe you, Tensa."
"Well, you wanna see for yourself?"
"No, I have a better idea," he struggled not to smile. "Starrk, are you home?"
". . . . Huh?"
"Can you come here for a minute, please?" he called out. They heard a tired grumble before the sound of a body getting off the couch. As soon as he walked into the kitchen, Tensa turned away to prevent his laughter from spilling out while Ichigo put on a strained smile.
The former Primera's face was completely altered. He had on too much blush on his cheeks, very dark eyeshadow covered up to his eyebrows, and his lips were painted with a plum color. "Yeah, is there something you want Ichigo?" Starrk asked obliviously.
"Um . . . . Starrk-" Ichigo muttered, nearly snorting out a laughter before shaking his head. "I realized that we ran out of milk and bread. Can you do me a favor . . . . and get some from the supermarket?"
"Oh, okay . . . ." he shrugged tiredly as he then walked away to leave. As soon as the front door opened and closed, both mother and son roared into laughter, while the teen leaned over the countertop to hold his sides.
"D-damn it, Tensa . . . .!" Ichigo laughed, he could barely scowl as he glared at Tensa. "I c-can't believe that . . . . you would do that to your stepfather! You're gonna be in so much trou . . . ." But he bent down to let out a few chuckles. "What made you do that . . . .?"
"I dunno, it just came to me . . . ." laughed Tensa. "But you're just as bad, you sent him out with that clown face on!"
"Oh, shut up . . . .!"
30- Predator
Waiting for Nel to come visit, Ichigo was busy changing Tensa before dressing him up. Tomorrow would be the last day that he will stay in the Soul Society before going home for the first time in two years. He felt so nervous, a lot of things can change in all those time. Oddly, Tensa sighed deeply out of boredom as his mother fixed his kimono. ". . . . Did you just sigh like that?" frowned Ichigo. His young son simply blinked at him. "Uh, whatever," he shook his head. "You ready to see Nel and Grimmjow, Tensa?"
"Yah, Geh-Geh . . . .!" Tensa smiled, clapping his hands.
"Yeah, Grimmjow but also Nel," he rephrased. "Can you say Nel?"
"Neh . . . .?"
"Close enough," smiled Ichigo as he clapped back. Aside from Starrk, Nel and and Grimmjow were the last of the Espadas. He wasn't sure how the Sexta survived the final battle, but had a feeling that he wasn't considered an enemy to the Soul Society anymore now that Ichigo decided to stop being a Soul Reaper. "Let's go, we're going outside," he sighed as he picked him up and walked out of the Squad 4 barracks.
"Ichigo . . . .!" smiled Nel, nearly tackling him down as soon as he stepped onto the field.
"Nel, calm down!" gasped Ichigo as he held the giggling toddler out of the way when he was squeezed around the waist. After a moment, the former Espada let go of him and giggled.
"Come on, who knows when we will see each other again?" she smiled. "I just wanna hug you for one last time."
"All right, I understand . . . ." he sighed.
"Geh-Geh! Geh-Geh!" giggled Tensa as the sight of Grimmjow stalking up to them. The Sexta simply frowned, mostly out of disgruntlement at Ichigo.
"Tch, I can't believe this bullshit, Kurosaki," he frowned. "Do you really have to stop being a Soul Reaper?"
"What's wrong with that?" Ichigo frowned back. "I want to stop for Tensa's sake, there's nothing for me to do anymore."
"Then what about my promise of going at it with your kid someday?" he scoffed lightly. "You got what you wanted, and I now want a challenge from him once he gets older." Ichigo was about to retort when Tensa reached out to pat at Grimmjow's bare chest.
"Dah . . . .!" he smiled, despite the confused glare from the blunet.
"Aw, seems that Tensa really likes you!" smiled Nel.
"I don't want him to like me, he needs to be afraid of me," scoffed Grimmjow but it was pointless. Tensa continued to hit at him, giggling obliviously.
"Oh . . . . then why not take this challenge, Grimmjow?" smirked Ichigo. The blue-haired Arrancar blinked in slight surprise and narrowed his eyes at the tone. "Play with Tensa for a while, since he likes you so much."
"What?" he frowned, but the teen settled Tensa onto the ground.
"Just play with him, there's nothing wrong with that," he replied.
"You've gotta be shitting me, Kurosaki," he scoffed but the toddler seemingly agreed, as he grabbed at the hakama leg and shook at the fabric. As much as he wanted to flick him away, he was disgruntledly afraid of Ichigo's powers since he was the one who killed Aizen. ". . . . Fine, what you want me to do with this kid?"
"Just go with his flow," shrugged Ichigo. Grimmjow frowned again, he only knew about stalking his preys and 'playing' with them before the kill. That was his nature from his days as a panther-like Hollow.
"Fine then . . . ." he grumbled, stepping away from Tensa before crouching down, narrowing his cyan eyes in a predatory manner.
"Huh?" frowned Tensa. He noticed the different air around him, but wasn't backing down as he smiled again. "Geh-Geh . . . .!" he grinned, patting him at the cheek.
"Tch, you're not backing down," he sneered with sharp teeth. "You're really Kurosaki's kid." Tensa giggled again as he decided to wander off. "Don't worry, someday I'll fight you and see that you're just as strong as him . . . ." he chuckled, following after him.
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Another bonus drabble! GrimmIchi- Perfect Being 2
It just wasn't his day. The blue-haired driver managed to escape from the police in not-so one piece, and his 'fare' was a tad worse as the orange-haired being was unconscious. But not before he breathed out a name, "P-preist . . . . Kisuke U-Urahara . . . ." before passing out. He frowned, though he managed to find said name as well as the address. So there he was, holding the young man bridal-style as he waited momentarily for the metal door to open.
Finally it did, as a blond-haired man with a striped hat answered the door. "Yes, how may I help you?" he smiled behind his fan.
". . . . I'm looking for a preist," muttered the cab driver.
"Well, I'm not that kind of priest," he cajoled, despite the condition between the two. "The chapel's on the second floor, and congratulation~!" With that, he closed the door. The driver blinked at that and instantly frowned, kicking the door open with such strength.
"He's not my damn bride, he's my fare!" he scoffed as he stepped in, the hat-wearing man was surprised but not startled when the man walked up to him. "He told me about some priest named Kisuke Urahara, and the address says that he lives here . . . ."
"Well, I am Kisuke Urahara," he nodded with a light frown as he glanced at the passed out being. "But I've never seen this person before-"
"Nobody seems to know," he grumbled. "No I.D., no name . . . . all he got here is some tattoo on his wrist."
"Tattoo . . . .?" questioned Urahara, snapping his fan shut and seriousness etched across his face in an instant. He stepped closer, and picked up the hanging arm. He examined closer at the wrist, only to gasp sharply as his eyes widened. ". . . . It's . . . ." he gasped as he stepped away. "It's . . . . the F-Fifth Element . . . .!" With that, the priest collasped from some excitement, leaving the driver to sigh in frustration.
"Nnoi's gonna kill me . . . ."
Moments later . . . .
"Hey! Wake up . . . .!" grumbled the driver, patting at Urahara's face more harshly than needed to be.
"Uh . . . . huh?" Urahara mumbled when he finally came to. "What happened?"
"Remember, I brought this guy and you passed out?" he frowned, nodding at the orange-haired being still unconscious on the couch.
"Oh . . . . Oh, that's wonderful!" the priest happily replied as he suddenly stood up. "I'm glad that you found this young man and- he looked human!"
"Yeah, I noticed that," he sighed deeply. "But also he was talking in some crazy gibberish-"
"It's not gibberish, it's the divine language!" argued Urahara, but was too excited at the moment. "It's the universal language in which only I can understand!"
"Really? Then you can talk to him?"
"Yes, but I must find something regarding him. In the meantime, you must wake him up," he requested as he quickly moved into another room. "Hanatarou, there's a surprise for us . . . .!" The driver grumbled as he scratched through his hair, what he had gotten into? He glanced at the knocked out person, who appeared innocent and vulnerable at the face.
"Hey . . . ." he muttered softly, kneeling in front of him. He touched at the dirt-caked cheek and was surprised that it was so soft and smooth. "Hey, kid, wake up . . . ." He then touched at the silky hair before going back to the face, he was urging to do more than that. Licking his lips lightly, he leaned closer and pressed his lips against the being's.
The being inhaled sharply as he suddenly opened his eyes from the contact. The next thing the driver knew, he heard a sharp hum of a loaded laser gun against his temple. How and where did the weapon came from, he didn't know but he knew one thing. "You're right, you're right . . . . I shouldn't have done that," he mumbled in apprehension as he moved away.
"Sendou ackta gammut . . . .!" gritted the orange-haired being as he glared at the driver and shakily stood up.
"Right, I shouldn't have done that, kid," he muttered with an assuring smirk and his hands was raised to show that he didn't mean any harm.
"Ackta gammut . . . .!" he gritted, stepping away as his shaky aim was at his face.
"Sorry, kid, but don't you remember just a while ago?" he asked. "At the cab, saying 'bada-boom' to each other?"
"Bada-boom?" he questioned, narrowing his chocolate eyes.
"Yeah, I'm the cab driver you met," he replied, quickly looking for anything in his pockets to confirm it. "See . . . ." he sighed, taking out his business card. "My name's Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, this is my card . . . . Here, take it." Ichigo glared at the piece of paper warily, stepping forward to take it but Grimmjow held it back. "Ah, just kidding!" he smirked, when the being finally snatched it from him. "That's my name, but what's yours?"
The being glared at him with the gun still aiming at his face, but the driver seemed to be just as wary. "I'm Grimmjow, and you are . . . .?" he asked again.
". . . . Ichigo Kurosaki Tensa Zangetsu Shirosaki Hichigo," he finally answered, much to Grimmjow's surprise.
"Wow, great name but don't you have a shorter name?" he gestured. "Shorter . . . . like mine, Grimmjow."
". . . . Ichigo," he muttered. Nodding, Grimmjow smiled lightly.
"Ichigo, such a nice name . . . ." he remarked, just as Urahara and a meek-looking boy came back. Ichigo turned to glare at the stranger, only to blink when he noticed a small bronze artifact in the priest's hand.
"Hey there, do you know who I am?" smiled Urahara, waving the key-like object in his fingers. Ichigo knew immediately and smiled, it was the priest he was looking for.
"Okay, seems that you two have some catching up to do . . . ." muttered Grimmjow, but wasn't stepping away even with the gun to his face.
"Ah, young man, what's your name?" questioned Urahara.
"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques."
"Well, thank you so much, Mr. Jaegerjaques!" he smiled, pushing him rudely towards the door. Ichigo eyed at the driver leaving, reluctantly putting his arm down as he blinked in slight confusion. "You're a terrific help, but now we can take it from here! Good-bye~!"
"W-wait a second," he muttered, holding back the door from closing. "He said something to me earlier, what does 'ackto gammut' means?
"Oh, it's 'never without my permission'," Urahara translated.
"That's what I thought . . . ." he frowned, just as the door was slammed shut at his face.
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Poop.
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