Contact and a Secret to Keep

Touch can be both welcome and unwelcome, depending on the person it comes from…

Saturday evening. Ichigo sat quietly in the kitchen as Yuzu prepared dinner for everyone. He couldn't help but wonder what their lives would be like if Yuzu wasn't their own little private cook. What would they eat? How would the change affect their overall attitudes and well being? If there was one thing Ichigo knew, it was that a person's diet determines their energy and mental condition.

He was glad to know she was happy making dinner for the family.

Grimmjow entered the room and plopped down on the couch. His hair was wet and down. That meant he must have just gotten out of the shower.

Ichigo blushed but remembered what he was sitting at the table watching his sister for. This was his chance. Yuzu wasn't too far along in cooking, so he could still ask her to teach him.

Before he could though, Senna and Inoue walked down the stairs and entered the living room. They, along with Rukia, Renji, and Shuhei were all up in his room watching a movie. It must have ended otherwise the two now coming his way would not have been downstairs in the first place.

"What smells so good?" Senna asked.

"Oh Yuzu-chan! We should cook together!" Inoue smiled.

Ichigo's eyes went wide. He had just realized that Inoue would probably be sad if he asked Yuzu to help him learn to cook when she had always offered to teach him. But he wanted to learn for Grimmjow.

Before he could come up with a solution, Renji, Shuhei, and Rukia came downstairs. Renji was immediately drawn to Ichigo. Rukia took a seat on the couch and flipped on the television as Shuhei sat down beside her.

Rukia looked at Grimmjow, who was lying on his back with his legs propped up, and asked him why he was wearing a shirt that was too small for him.

The bluenette flushed with embarrassment and anger when Shuhei started chuckling. He was wearing one of Ichigo's shirts since he hadn't had the chance to go home, nor had he brought a change of clothes with him.

He honestly didn't think he was that much bigger than Ichigo. But after all the effort he put into his appearance, namely his upper body, it was no surprise that the boy's clothes didn't exactly fit him like they used to.

Renji shook his head and wrapped his arm around Ichigo's shoulder, "Ichigo, do you know how nice you are?"

"No…but since you think I'm nice, I could use a favor."

"Damnit, you beat me to the punch… Okay, what do you need?"

"I need you to get Inoue and Senna out of the kitchen. I want to ask Yuzu to let me cook with her tonight, but I don't want Inoue to get offended."

After a few seconds of consideration, Renji agreed to the proposition and took a moment to lure Inoue out of the kitchen. However, there was no way he could reason with Senna though. Ichigo was on his own with that one.

Karin paused upon seeing the large group in the living room as she made her way into the kitchen from her shared room with Yuzu.

"Karin." Ichigo whispered.

Said girl walked over to her brother and asked what he needed.

"Can you get Senna to go into the living room?"

"Sure." She smiled.

Once he was finally alone with Yuzu, Ichigo walked over to her and quietly asked her if she could help him learn to cook.

"Onii-chan! Of course! Why didn't you ask soone-"

"Shh! I didn't want everyone to find out."

He was hiding the fact that he just didn't want Inoue to find out. She and Yuzu seemed to have this spirited competition of who cooked better. Although he didn't often eat Inoue's food, he had heard from Rangiku that it was pretty good. It was something he kept putting off and thinking back on it, he realized that may have actually hurt Inoue's feelings. He made a promise to himself to let her cook for him at some point in the near future.

Yuzu told him how happy she was that he was helping her. There was a large group to feed tonight and she was worried she would have been overworked trying to feed them all.

"Please mince the veggies while I boil the noodles and prepare the sauce." She said.

Ichigo sat down to the table with his back to the group in the living room. A little bit after getting the onions cut up, he felt a warm pair of hands on his shoulders.

"What's this? I didn't know you could cook." Grimmjow leaned forward and whispered into the boy's ear.

"I can't. I'm just learning."

"Why would you want to learn how to cook?"

Ichigo turned his head and looked directly into the vibrant cerulean eyes, "For you, you idiot."

"Hm, you told me on multiple occasions that you didn't want to be some housewife, but now that's exactly what you're doing. Oh the irony." Grimmjow said.

"Maybe you shouldn't get a person angry when they're holding a knife, Grimmjow."

"You'd cut me, Kurosaki?"

"Deep." The boy replied.

"I don't doubt it. But…you probably wouldn't cut me as deep as I cut you..." The bluenette whispered before leaving Ichigo beet red at the table.

Sunday night. Ichigo was seated at the desk in his room, concentrated on some last minute homework. He had been so busy helping Grimmjow study that he had almost completely forgotten to do so himself.

The two had said their goodbyes earlier. Now he was alone in his room with nothing but the memory of the other.

He was at least able to give Grimmjow a decent meal for the week. They may have been leftovers, but Yuzu had done most of the cooking last night so there was nothing wrong with reheating them.

"Onii-chan." Karin called as she stopped and stood in his doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Ginjo stopped by for a visit a few hours ago. We told him you were studying so he wouldn't interrupt you."

"Okay. Is he gone?"

"No, we invited him to stay over in the guest room and he said that would be great."

Ichigo gripped his pencil. Why was this man so insistent on staying over at the clinic? He was a CEO and all, so why waste time visiting their small time clinic?

"Okay. Just make sure you two close your door."

"All right. Good night, Onii-chan. And don't stay up too late studying."

When he heard his door close, Ichigo sighed heavily. There was no point in letting Yuzu and Karin know how very uncomfortable he was with their guest. One thing was for sure though…Ginjo was taking advantage of the two girls.

He only seemed to come when he knew they were alone downstairs, and he knew they'd offer him a room for the night after they saw what happened to him a little while ago. He was taking full advantage of their sympathy and kindhearted natures.

If it were him, he would have personally escorted Ginjo back to wherever he lived rather than keep offering him a place to stay.

After another hour of studying, Ichigo felt himself getting increasingly tired. He looked at his clock and saw that it was now after twelve o'clock.

"Just one more page of these problems." He said, building up his confidence.

The thought of getting in bed and going to sleep was all the motivation he needed to speed through his homework.

KNOCK KNOCK

Turning his head, Ichigo wondered if that was one of his sisters or Ginjo.

"It's open." He said, hoping it was either Yuzu or Karin.

Unfortunately, his hopes were shot down. Ginjo smiled and entered the room.

"Do you need something, Ginjo?"

"Oh, no. I was just coming to see what you were up to."

"Well, I'm kind of in the middle of doing some homework-"

"Oh, let me see! I might be able to help you out!" the larger man said, walking over to and sitting down on the boy's bed before looking onto his page.

Ichigo became uncomfortable at their close proximity. He could feel the man's breath as he breathed calmly next to him and he didn't like it.

"I don't really need any help…" he said.

"Good because it's been years since I took a math course."

"Well, I guess you can leav-"

"Are you good at history? I noticed that's what you were tutoring that blue haired guy in two nights ago."

"I'm…not too shabby. But like I told you before, I can't let Grimmjow fail."

"Do you…like this fellow?"

"What?"

"Well, I couldn't help but notice you staring at him…even while you ate dinner."

"Ginjo, Grimmjow is-"

"Let me ask you a more interesting and important question. Do you…like…me, Ichigo?" Ginjo asked, gently putting his hand on said boy's thigh.

Ichigo's eyes went wide. Although he somewhat suspected Ginjo of being interested in him, he had only hoped it was his paranoid mind playing tricks on him.

This was no trick though, it was real. The presence of the man's hand on his thigh was proof enough.

Ginjo slowly and gently slid his hand up the boy's leg and rested it on his crotch.

"I can make you feel good, you know… Better than you've ever felt before."

Ichigo was currently frozen in shock and fear. A squeeze of the man's hand, however, broke his immobility and he slid away from him then hastily stood up.

"Ginjo, what the hell are you doing?!" he asked, keeping his shouting down to avoid waking his slumbering sisters.

"Ichigo, I don't know how else to say this so I'll put it bluntly: I want to fuck you." Said man responded with a serious look on his face.

"Wh-"

"I want to have you all to myself, every day of my life. I want to give you all the pleasures I possibly can. Especially the pleasure of having you screaming beneath me. I've wanted you for a long time, you know."

"Ginjo! I'm-I'm with Grimmjow! He's my boyfriend!" the boy said, still maintaining his lowered tone.

"You're with…that bum?"

"He's not a bum-"

"I noticed you hesitated when you said you were with him."

"That's-"

"You don't need him, Ichigo. Come back with me. I can make your life easier…the way your mother did for me."

Brown eyes went wide again. The mention of his mother and the thought of her…

"My mother would never have slept with you! Don't spout such foolish shit to me!"

"No, no. You misunderstand completely. At least let me tell you what she did for me since you seem so dubious."

Ichigo backed a few steps away when Ginjo rose off the bed, but his capture was inevitable.

Ginjo grabbed him by his arms and forced him onto the bed then climbed on top of him.

"Let me go!"

"I knew you wouldn't stay and listen, so I'm going to hold you down so you can hear my story."

"Ginjo…!"

"Ichigo, your mother was a wonderful woman. Lovely and benevolent. And if I had been a little older, I would have taken her from your father."

Ichigo closed his eyes tight and tried to lift his hands, but Ginjo's weight was too much for him to repel. He had no choice in the matter. He would have to hear Ginjo's story.

"I'm glad you understand the situation. Smart, beautiful boy. Now hear what I have to say, because you too were a part of my encounter with her. We have a shared history and it's time you heard it."

Flashback

Ginjo walked the streets of Karakura in his old, tattered attire.

He was eighteen and had recently been kicked out of the adoption center that had housed him.

Life was bad for him at this point. With no address, he couldn't get a job which meant he didn't have money for food, clothes, or a place to stay. Thus, he pick pocketed people, ravaged restaurant dumpsters, and lived in an old sewer pipe.

More than anything, he wanted to be rich. He wanted so much money he could buy this town out and live like a king instead of the peasant he was now forced to live as.

Then one day, he came across this woman in the park. She was sitting out in a field with her toddler and unmindful of her purse that was sitting right behind her.

With no one around, Ginjo snuck up behind her and had the purse in his clutches. However, the orange haired child started crying, putting the mother on red alert.

She quickly turned around and saw him standing behind her and gasped.

"What are you doing?" she asked innocently.

"I-I'm taking this purse and all your cash can't you tell?!"

"Really now?"

"Call for help! I don't care! You're just some over-privileged broad raising some over-privileged brat!"

The woman stared at him for a moment and smiled, "You know, I don't want you to take this the wrong way… but you look like you need a nice, warm home. I can help-"

"I-I don't need your damned help, lady!"

With that, he snatched the purse and made a break for it.

The whole time, though, he couldn't help but notice the woman was still smiling and the kid was still crying.

Sitting alone in the massive old pipe he had turned into a home, Ginjo looked out to the city. He could still remember the smile that woman had given him.

"What a stupid woman. Who smiles at someone who's stealing from you?"

Looking over to the purse, he felt a little guilty. Any other person who had caught him would have cursed him unmercifully. But this woman, she had smiled and said he looked like he needed a good home.

"Let's see how good your home is…" he said, opening the bag and pulling out her wallet.

After finding her address from her ID card, he stood and headed to the location.

What he found was to be expected. It was a nice little home and clinic on a nice street in a nice neighborhood.

Standing from a distance, he could see why she was smiling. She was a middle-class, Japanese female. Losing her purse meant nothing to her. She could have everything replaced in little to no time at all. Probably within a day.

Yet, why did she seem so caring towards someone who would inconvenience her by making her have to take time out of her day to do it?

When the front door opened, he didn't retreat. He stood and observed as the little kid from before emerged. Then she emerged with a stroller and two babies in it.

The walking child noticed him and ran over to him. This drew the eyes of his mother. As soon as she saw him, she smiled and made her way over to him.

"I see you came."

"Che. Whatever."

"Ichigo, come watch your sisters." She said, walking over to the black haired teen.

"…"

"If you need a place to stay, you're always welcome here at our clinic. My husband won't mind at all."

"…"

"Come with me. I was about to go for an afternoon walk with the children, but I can see you need my attention even more right now."

Ginjo was reluctant to follow, but did so anyway. There was something inviting and benevolent about this woman.

From then on, Ginjo stayed with the Kurosaki family. He even returned the purse he had stolen. A year later, when he got a job, he moved out leaving Masaki, Ichigo and the others behind.

But one thing he never admitted to the whole time he stayed there was falling in love with Masaki. She was about ten years older than him, give or take a few, but that didn't stop him from falling for the lovely woman.

Unfortunately, he would never be able to be with her since she was married with children. It was that realization that made him turn his sights to Ichigo. The one thing he had learned about the five-year-old was that he was quiet. It had taken him forever to get him to open up and begin speaking to him. When he did though, he realized this child was practically a mirror image of the woman who brought him from a life on the streets and into a warm home.

Before he moved out, he secretly promised Ichigo that he would repay his mother's kindness in the future. After all, he was far too young to court. But the future Ichigo was someone he was anxious to meet.

End Flashback

"You expect me to believe any of that?" Ichigo asked.

"Believe it or not, it doesn't matter. I told you, didn't I? I came here looking for someone. That wasn't the full truth. I actually came here looking for two people."

"My mother and…"

"Your mother and you."

"Well, you won't find her here. She's not here with us anymore…" Ichigo said.

The thought of his mother's passing caused him to ignore his feelings about Ginjo and the position they were currently in.

"I see… I'm grieved at the fact that someone as lovely as she was is gone now, but you're still here before me, Ichigo. You might not remember me, but I remember everything about you. I wouldn't be as successful as I am today had it not been for her. And I'll return the favor by taking care of you. I won't let you live a life of regret and poverty."

"What makes you think I would?!" the boy asked angrily.

"What makes me think you would? Simple. That shallow, gutter-dwelling, low-life, loser you're with. How much can he really provide you with? He'll never amount to anything other than mediocrity. Dump him and live a happy life at the top."

"You don't know anything about him so shut your fucking mouth! And get off of me! Get off and get out! Right now! Just go home, Ginjo!"

Said man sighed heavily with disappointment. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Ichigo's forehead then got off of him.

"Think it over. We can have a good life together, Ichigo. I promise you that." Ginjo said before leaving.

When he was sure the man was gone from the house, Ichigo sat up and found himself swept up in a cascade of emotions. Confusion, anger, and sorrow were now enveloping his mind. Mainly because of the horrible things Ginjo had just labeled Grimmjow.

"Mom...what's going on…? And what should I do…?" he breathed.

Grabbing his phone, Ichigo quickly dialed the number he was so familiar with that he knew it backwards. It felt like time was frozen in those few moments he waited for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Grimmjow…"

"Kurosaki… Why are you calling me this late for?" Grimmjow asked. He sounded like he had just woken up. The "why" and "for" were a clear sign of that.

"I…I just needed to hear your voice…"

"Kurosaki-"

"I love you, okay? I always will."

"…Why are you telling me that like I'd ever forget it? What's going on with you all of a sudden?"

Ichigo sat in silence for a few moments. He was denying all that Ginjo had said before. He absolutely had to. Grimmjow wasn't a loser. He also wasn't a bum. And he wasn't any of those other names that had been laid on his name. He meant more to Ichigo than he would probably ever be able to put into words.

"Will you stay up with me for a while? I just need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Anything, I don't care. I need to hear your voice."

"…Fine. But if I fall asleep in my classes tomorrow, you know it'll be all your fault. I'm gonna call you if the teacher slams a book on my desk and let you talk to 'em."

"Right now, the last thing I care about is your teachers... I just need this favor…just this once."

"Okay. But I get to ask a favor of you at any time, about anything, and you can't deny me." Grimmjow responded.

"Deal."

"Don't forget because you know I won't."

"Yeah…"

The last thing he was going to do was to tell Grimmjow about what just happened. If he ever found out about something like that, there's no telling what he'd do.

This was something he would keep to himself for now. This secret that had now been forced upon him…he inwardly swore to never tell Grimmjow.

Right now though, just hearing the other's voice in the complete silence of the night was all he needed to remind him that Grimmjow was the furthest thing from a loser there was. He didn't know why, but when someone insulted Grimmjow, it felt like a stab at his own heart. Why was that?

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