Guys, college is hard. For me it was the week before spring break and it was defiantly one of the most stressful weeks this semester. Why is spring break so late for me? Well, its spring break now so I now have more time to work on my story…Even if I have friends over right now. Seriously, someone is asleep on my couch as I am posting this.

Chapter 9

After several more attempts of escaping, Uryu finally agreed to let Ichigo have visitors and promised to let him leave the next morning only if he continued showing signs of recovery.

Even though he admitted that he was recovering quickly he doubted that he would be ready to leave by then since Ichigo was barely able to stand. He only said he would allow it so that Ichigo would calm the hell down.

Ichigo didn't find the precautions necessary. The pain after he woke up subsided, he was able to stand even if he was a little shaky, and as soon as he started eating his appetite gradually came back, but he decided to take what he could get and not fight with the hunter since he was the one holding the keys to his freedom.

He woke up earlier than expected so he was probably being generous by letting him leave before they usually would. They called him a special case, and he should just count his blessings at this point because he would be in way worse situations.

Ichigo had no idea that Uryu was working as a doctor already. He knew that he was training to become a doctor like he was, but apparently working in the infirmary as a volunteer to help with victims from vampire attacks counted as some sort of internship, no wonder the guy didn't have any time for a social life.

"Seriously, that's what happened?" Renji groaned, holding his head. He sat beside Ichigo with the curtain drawn back so that he had more space to sit.

The room was bright from the window behind him. It leaked in the sunlight that came from the afternoon during the springtime making the room seem even whiter. It felt like an asylum. "No one gave me the details."

Renji interrogated the freshly showered and dressed Ichigo about what happened to him after he left his room the morning after he slept over. Ichigo was able to convince Grimmjow to leave and that he was safe in the hands of the hunters. Knowing Grimmjow he probably wasn't too far away though, he probably didn't even leave the building.

"I feel so bad. If you stayed in my room a bit longer then this may not have happened." Renji whined. He laced his fingers through his hair, pulling it lightly and ruining the ponytail that his bright red hair was tied back in and making the bandana that he wore as a headband run back toward the top of his head.

Ichigo shook his head lightly, sympathizing with his best friend, understanding that he tended blame himself for things that he had no control over. "Not really, they were waiting for me. I could have left an hour earlier or an hour later and we would probably be in the same position we are in right now."

"But still, if I went with you then maybe they wouldn't have attacked you." Renji complained, not lifting his head from hiding.

"Or they could have attacked both of us." Ichigo suggested now shaking his friends shoulder urging him to get up. "You're a human so they would be able to take down the both of us or threatened you at least. Stop trying to win this fight; you get competitive over the stupidest shit."

Renji pulled his hands away, lifted his head a little and started to fix his spikey ponytail and readjust his bandana all while looking at the floor grumbling some things that weren't audible.

"Can we move on? What did I miss besides class?" Ichigo asked trying not to think about the pile of work that has most likely accumulated while he was gone and the hoops he's going to need to jump through to convince his professors that he was unconscious for three days and that was why he couldn't show up to class nor turn in his assignments.

'Excuse me professor, sorry I couldn't turn in my assignment. I got bitten by a vampire and went into a coma. Don't worry, I'm fine now, but can you give me an extension on my late assignments?'

Renji didn't move from his staring contest with the floor and started to rub his neck. He always did that when he had something on his chest that he wanted to confess, but didn't know how to say it.

"What's up?" Ichigo asked with a groan. Knowing Renji it was something stupid and the answer should be obvious, but it was the job of the best friend to tell him what to do.

"Byakuya agreed to let me join his clan." Renji said. Ichigo looked at him confused. "I'm officially allowed to propose to Rukia."

"Wait, isn't that a good thing?" Ichigo asked. "That's what you came here for."

Renji sighed and took his drum sticks out of his bag. "He said that if I truly wanted to become a vampire, I have to dash any hopes of pursuing music professionally. He said that when I first entered the program." Renji said sitting up so he can twirl a drum stick in his hand, blocking the light that was in Ichigo's eyes before with his large head of hair.

"It would be dangerous for them if one of their members becomes famous since vampires are immortal." He stopped his twirling to look at the drum sticks closely, as if he was looking at them for the first time even though he has had them for years and they have been through so much together. He ran his hand up and down the smooth wooden sticks as if that was going to be the last time he held them.

Ichigo sighed and leaned back in a sitting position with both of his hands pressed into the mattress. "Don't be an idiot. Just because you can't play professionally doesn't mean you can't play at all." He said. "Rukia loves your music, if you aren't going to play for the wide audience then play for her. She would be upset if you stopped playing because you couldn't do it professionally."

"I'm afraid that in a hundred years or something I'm going to look back and regret everything." Renji admitted.

It didn't matter if Ichigo just woke up three days later after being attacked by a vampire; it was always time to listen to his best friend if he is making life changing decisions. He was there to support any decision he made…unless it was stupid, in which case it was his job to yell at him. He always asked for advice, whether he followed it or not depended on the situation…it usually ended up with Ichigo being frustrated at him for doing the exact opposite of what he was supposed to do.

Ichigo looked deep into his best friend's black eyes. "Listen, you know you love Rukia, and you gave up on music professionally already. Why worry about something you decided you aren't going to do just because that option disappeared? Chase for something you are sure about, like spending the rest of your life with the girl you love." Ichigo said.

It wasn't common to say that he loved Renji and Rukia because it was weird to outright say your emotions in this day and age, but they were his best friends and he wanted them to be together even if it meant that he was going to eternally be the third wheel. It meant both of their happiness and that's what best friends are supposed to wish for. People really should say 'I love you' more often to their best friends because we don't say it enough. (Please go text your best friend and tell them you love them. This story will be here when you get back…there is no way for me to tell so you can just keep reading or whatever.)

Renji sighed ducking his head back down to look at his feet. "Yeah, I know, you're right, as always." He said. "But can you do something for me then?"

Ichigo gave him a puzzled look. "Sure."

"Give Grimmjow a chance." Renji said.

Of all the things Renji could have said, he did not expect that. Ichigo looked at him bewildered and at a loss for words so he decided to go with the intelligible response of "what?"

Renji's smile stretched across his face. "I know what it looks like when someone is in love or at least likes someone, and Grimmjow has it bad."

Ichigo was getting ready to deny it, but then he thought about it. Grimmjow ran into a room picking a fight with other vampires, and not just any vampires, Aizen. Not only that, but it was a room that he wasn't invited inside and once he was sure they were safe he was more scared for Ichigo's well-being then his own, staying by his side while he laid unconscious for three day, and right after Ichigo finally woke up he was very touchy…oh shit. No, he was still not going to admit it. There was no way.

"We aren't talking about this." Ichigo said trying to hide the red that was appearing on his face. "Did you tell Rukia that her brother gave you his blessing?"

"No, Byakuya wants to do it and he thinks Rukia wants to be the one to change me. Now that that conversation is over we are going to talk about Grimmjow because you need to know this." Renji said.

Ichigo glared at his best friend and started to question why this guy was even his best friend. He was too headstrong and will say things that he doesn't want to hear even if he really should.

"You need to give him a chance because I honestly think you like him too, Ichigo." Renji said. "You were always the type to deny your feelings in the interest to stay your stubborn self and stuff but, if you put your pride away for a second I think you'll like what you find. There are more emotions besides anger you know?"

Ichigo looked at his best friend. He wasn't usually the serious type; that was typically his job. If Renji is being serious that means that it was important and Ichigo needs to listen and take what he was saying to heart.

"Renji, I'm not gay. You know that." Ichigo argued.

Renji shrugged. "I also know you aren't 100% straight. There is a spectrum and there is no way you aren't against the idea of trying guys. What's there to lose? He's hot."

"My pride," Ichigo responded without a second of hesitation.

"I literally just said to put it away for a second." Renji moaned. "If you keep acting like that then we aren't going to get anywhere."

"You just want me to turn into a vampire so you don't have to do it alone." Ichigo joked, trying to get Renji back his default idiot mode.

Renji chuckled, "I won't deny that it would be a bonus, though I think you should seriously give it a try. It can't be too bad and you might like it."

Renji's face turned serious again drawing back Ichigo's attention. "You're exterior is hard, but you really should consider letting more people in, and letting some of your feelings out."

Grimmjow was right about one thing, Renji was really nosy.

Grimmjow sat outside the door waiting for Renji to leave, listening to the conversation on the other side, casually. He didn't know how to feel about what he overheard Renji say. Renji found out that he liked Ichigo, which was pretty surprising considering that they've only seen each other a few times, around twice with Ichigo there, the rest were when he was unconscious and the guy still decided to visit him while he was asleep. Seriously, why couldn't he leave the two of them alone?

They did have some time to get to know each other a bit better when he came over though. He thought Renji was only an idiot, but it seems that he was able to figure out that he liked his best friend even though he tried to keep that under wraps. If it was so obvious that the idiot was able to figure it out then he wondered how long it would have taken for Ichigo to figure it out himself. He was oblivious but there was no way he could be that oblivious.

He only discovered that he liked him more than a potential food source or play thing just recently. The night he was left alone he felt empty with no roommate to bother or protect. The next day when he felt uneasy his first instinct was to find him. As he fought Gin the only thing he could think about was to find him and protect him from Aizen. When he found him he didn't question running into that room even though he knew he was going to get hurt. The past few days where he was unconscious and wouldn't wake up no matter how many times he whispered his name when they were left alone was the loneliest he's ever felt in his entire life.

He just came to that realization himself so he didn't need Renji to go and tell the guy. He built a new plan to recruit Ichigo that revolved around making him fall in love with him even though he knew there was an off chance of that happening.

Then he ended up letting himself fall for the orangette, but he would let it slide as long as Ichigo confessed first. Grimmjow realized that this would also be wishful thinking considering how headstrong the guy in question was. If things went according to plan than Ichigo wouldn't have minded letting him turn him so that they could spend the rest of their immortal life together.

As for the second part of that conversation, he said that Ichigo liked him back. He just didn't seem to know it or admit it to himself yet. It was hard for Grimmjow to believe it himself. Yes he was very confident that he had the whole package, looks, sense of humor, sex appeal, but Ichigo was a hard person to convince even if he could convince anyone else.

It took Grimmjow a while to admit that he liked the guy, so he can't imagine how hard it must be for Ichigo to admit it. Seriously, this was Ichigo, the guy that only seemed to care about school work and being left alone. He was the only guy he has ever met that was more adamant then he was.

Grimmjow didn't think it was possible for him to fall in love either. He liked to sleep around and he didn't have a preference for what he likes more, male or female, but he never considered love. He slept around so much that he had to break many hearts because after hooking up with someone regularly they would develop feelings.

He didn't usually care though; it was their fault for continuing to hook up with him knowing that their feelings won't be returned. Now here he was, now considering Ichigo's feelings and well-being above everything else in his life.

Who couldn't believe how he was acting himself. He still didn't want to admit it, or at least say it out loud. He wanted to make Ichigo fall for him so that he didn't have to say it first even though he knew the chances of that happening were slim.

He had a week long plan, he had to skip a few days because of Ichigo's condition, but if what his friend said was true then he wouldn't need to worry about that anymore. The only part that can cause a problem is to make Ichigo say it himself.

The door opened right next to him and Renji walked out. He met eyes with Grimmjow and blinked twice before a smirk replaced the dumbfounded expression that came when he discovered him by the door with his ear practically pressed up against it.

"Looks like it's up to you now, buddy." Renji said gesturing behind him with his head after he closed the door so that Ichigo wouldn't be able to hear him.

Grimmjow clicked his tongue. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He said looking away from the guy who now had a shit eating grin on his face. Who knew this idiot was able to see right through his little act?

"Whatever you say, champ." Renji said walking away with a sway in his step which looked way too cocky for Grimmjow's liking. "Keep in mind that I've known about vampires for a very long time, so I know about your heightened senses. If you were a human then you wouldn't have heard anything, but since you don't fall in that category you shouldn't pretend that you didn't hear anything."

Grimmjow sighed getting up from where he was sitting on the floor and opening the door that was just recently closed. He walked inside and opened the curtains to Ichigo's bed. Ichigo laid under the freshly changed sheets, hair still damp from the shower, eyes closed. He climbed over him and laid beside him wrapping an arm around his body, spooning him.

He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of Ichigo's damp hair which smelled like the combination of shampoo and Ichigo's natural scent. The scent and the sound of Ichigo's heart beating relaxed him; all his tense muscles went slack against Ichigo's body as he closed his own eyes.

"You know, my fever is gone." A voice said coming out of the figure that he was clinging to. Grimmjow could already feel the boy's body temperature rise as his ears and neck turned red. "You really don't have to do this anymore."

Grimmjow hummed like he was purring and pulled Ichigo tightly against his own body. "I don't care, I want to stay."

Ichigo said nothing exhaling, realizing that nothing he says would convince him as he backed himself up further into Grimmjow's chest, trying to get comfortable. Grimmjow smiled curling up into Ichigo's hair before letting himself fall asleep too.

Gin sat in his bed that was assigned to him for the rest of the month. He was on dorm arrest for a few days for picking a fight on what was practically his first day. The hunters scolded him not for provoking the fight, but doing it in an open area, right in front of a dorm building where anyone could be looking right out of a window even if it was pretty early in the morning.

Vampire hunters tend to not give a shit when a vampire dies; they have always been natural enemies. Even though a few guilds decided to gain an understanding of vampires and other supernatural entities, like the ones overlooking this entire program, it is hard to overwrite centuries of wars between them and the countless deaths that took place.

Hunters were also known to stick to a strict guideline; the fact that some hunters reached out and tried to make peace was amazing. Soken Ishida was basically the Avatar, he was the bridge between the two worlds. He was later killed by hunters which resonated with a lot of other hunter guilds for good reasons and bad.

Some believed that it showed how weak he was while others believed that hunters should cut back on the violence and try to gain an understanding. Even with this belief system to try and understand each other the ideology was still considered new. The hatred of vampires was in their blood even if they wanted to get along.

From the vampires' point of view it looked more like they were pretending. They can pretend that they care all they want, but what they have is basically an agreement, and if any of them stepped out of line then they would have to pay for it.

Every vampire clan attending this event knows better than to pick a fight with the hunters that watched over them. They all understood why they were there, to keep the peace. The peace being making vampires existence mythology in the eyes of the people who weren't affected by the program, and there were plenty of them. More than people who knew about them.

This fake abroad program is one of the biggest in the world and held once every four years. It's known for the amazing classes, the diversity, and the amount of credits they give out. Even if the purpose of having the humans there is for clans to try and expand their size, not a lot are picked because the point of the program is to promote peace between clans.

Many vampires go not to recruit, but to sort out feuds and work out contracts to absorb or conjoin clans. Gin laughed as he thought of the reason why he was there. It was the complete opposite of what the program was trying to encourage. He was going for war.

He jumped off of his bed and walked to the Microfridge, basically a microwave and a fridge combined to protect against using too much power that can potentially cause fires. Most college students living in dorm rooms know what this is.

He opened up the fridge section and pulled out a bag of blood and poured it into a mug. He squeezed and twisted the bag until he got impatient, it was impossible to get every last drop. He put the mug in the microwave to warm it up.

It was impossible to make the blood taste like it wasn't from a bag, but warming it up made it taste like it wasn't processed vomit. Gin wasn't really fond of it either; he would usually hunt for small animals or if it was a special occasion a blood hooker. There weren't a lot of animal options on campus though and none of them were for him since he wasn't even allowed to leave that room.

He hasn't exactly had a special occasion where he ordered a blood hooker in a long time. It's been about four years. It was when he went to the program for the first time and became sworn allies with the Hitsugaya clan.

He went back home to Japan where his clan set up headquarters to find that his entire family was turned to ash. It was one of the largest forms of humiliation for a clan to get killed off after signing a contract of any kind. Clans are very prideful even in death.

Not having any other choice, Gin became an independent vampire not having a home to return to since his old one was discovered and destroyed. It was rough living on the streets and trying to keep hunters' eyes off of him, but eventually he was saved by Aizen who let him into his clan with open arms.

The microwave beeped as Kaname Tosen walked into the room. He was supposed to be on dorm arrest too for abducting a human and creating a scene, but he seemed reluctant to listen to the rules when he was in charge of managing a bunch of other jobs that was assigned to him by Aizen.

He claimed that the rules were stupid considering they only had two more weeks until it became acceptable to force vampirism on humans that refused to turn. Yes, there was a rule for that and it was fucked up. He smelled the room and sighed walking to his own bed.

They were roommates until the program ended and they weren't exactly the best fit. Gin came to the school late, but they were still in the same room together since they were both under Aizen's name.

"Your dorm arrest is over." He said. "You don't need to be here anymore."

Kaname Tosen was never fond of him, which made sense since they were opposites. He was a man of discipline and loyalty… where he applied that discipline and loyalty varied, but he was still a whole lot more disciplined then Gin.

Gin, went with the flow and only paid attention to things that amused him. He didn't like doing tasks that he found boring and tended to pass on his responsibilities to others. The recipient of those responsibilities was usually Tosen.

Gin actually following through with his dorm arrest was mostly out of laziness, since he didn't feel like doing anything. He didn't care about the rules either, but he'll follow them if they are to his convenience and him being on dorm arrest was an excuse to make everyone leave him alone.

"You didn't even have to get in trouble. Your job was to stall Grimmjow, not pick a fight with him." Tosen said. "What you did was reckless and wrong. You gave him a reason to prepare for war."

Gin waved a hand at him to show that he didn't care as he sipped from his mug. "Yes, but fighting is way more fun and it's a way easier to keep him there that way. Did you actually expect me striking up a conversation would stall him for long? Also, by the way things are going we are going to have to go to war. Wouldn't it be better if he knew what he was in for?"

His roommate scoffed, "Only fools thinking about what's right in front of them would say that. When playing the long run it is best to keep the enemy in the dark."

Gin laughed, Kaname would know something about being left in the dark. He was completely blind. He was cursed with the ability to put humans to sleep upon looking at them, a useful skill except the side effects were brutal. He is unable to control his ability and he was cursed with blindness. It was basically like Medusa turning mortals to stone; though she was evil she lived a life alone. Szayelaporro, a member of Aizen's family invented the glasses that he wears to keep his power in check.

Though he was blind he never really had a problem getting around. Gin had no idea how he did it, but he was able to walk around without bumping into things, talk to people knowing fully well who they were, and attend class. Most people didn't even know that he was blind. Gin had no idea how he was able to take exams though since he wasn't able to read.

"If he didn't know you were part of the family then you could have been a secret weapon. You are known for your fighting ability." Kaname lectured. Not really realizing that Gin wasn't listening, either that or he didn't care since the other vampire seemed to like the sound of his own voice. He had a bad habit of talking more then he needed to. That's probably why he was still single.

After a few minutes of him just talking with Gin not really listening he finally said something worth listening to. "Ichigo Kurosaki woke up, so we can move on to the next phase of our plan."

A/N: As always please review and stuff. Also if you did text your best friend that you loved them please tell me how that went. You can leave a review about it or if you're shy but you still wanna talk about it you can PM me. I don't mind, seriously. You can also just leave a regular review, tell me what you liked. I'm going to go play Persona 5.