I don't own Bleach.
Warning: Language
Rating: T
I think I might have to change it just over the language… Insights?
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Chapter Two: Beginning of the End
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Silence.
…
Fuck.
As a general rule, he hated silence. Would start shit just for having to endure it. But here-- this was indeed a golden silence. Hundreds, no thousands of faces were turned to him. Each mirroring the expression of awe, of love, of wanting his favor-- his fans. He paused a moment to absorb it all before raising the microphone and growling out his trademark scream.
"Fuck," he hissed as he ended it, bowing towards them, "Lets rock'n roll bitches."
Taking their cue the band began to play, he jumped onto a speaker, raising his arms, "I can't hear you!" he howled, snapped out of their silence the crowd roared to life. Yes! This is what he lived for! Heart pumping with exhilaration and adrenaline, he began to sing, and growl, and scream.
The crowd ate it up, they loved him.
His name echoed through the venue, the streets, the entire fucking town. "Grimmjow!" They roared. "Grimmjow!" The mosh-pit was already violent, "Grimmjow!" Girls already were losing their shirts, he grinned, "Grimmjow!"
He jumped from the speaker, landing on his knees as he howled into the microphone, sliding forward he flipped back his blue hair, grinning widely. The guitar riffs became more violent, then dropping off slowly to let the drummer have his solo. Grimmjow stalked the edge of the stage, leering at his fans he outstretched his hands. They jumped, begged, try to reach him.
Then he saw the only person who wasn't into the music, who wasn't screaming his name or ripping off their clothing, he saw the only person who looked bored to be there. She studied him somberly from the middle of the moshpit, seeming unphased by the wild animals around her she raised her chin and mouthed something to him. He narrowed his eyes, and grunted roughly.
"I need you," it rang between his ears, dull and without passion. Completely unlike the girls who would growl it out huskily before they wrapped their arms around his neck--
He looked again, and she was gone.
Fuck.
Angrily he stalked back to the stage, keeping his back to the crowd he threw himself completely into the music.
---
Orihime let out a shaky breath.
He had her cornered, a hand on the wall next to her head, the other stuffed in his pocket as stared her down with those chestnut eyes. "Why don't you hang out with your real friends, 'hime?" He asked evenly despite the anger obviously in his eyes. Somewhere deep inside he felt bad about doing this to her, but she needed to wake up. That twerp wasn't going to get any better, and she needed to stop moping about and spending all her free time at the hospital. "Come on, we're going to the movies tonight. I'm not letting you go 'til I know yer coming."
She looked like she was going to cry, tears were welling up in her big grey eyes. "H-he is my real friend…" She said after a moment, determination finally flooded her face and she clenched her hands at her side she faced him directly. She did it with such emphasis that she'd accidentally slammed her forehead against his. Ichigo hissed, holding his head with his hands as he reeled back from her.
"Dammit you have a hard head," he said, forcing out a laugh.
She laughed and hugged him, "Sure, I'd like to come to the movies with you," she said, "Are there going to be super-robots?" She asked with an excited smile as she released him from her friendly hug. He shook his head and settled a hand on her back and lead her away from the spot he'd cornered her a moment ago. "Oh-oh-oh! And they can fly and, and, and lasers all good super robots need to have lasers…"
Now this was the Inoue Orihime he knew.
---
She was a foster mother.
"Is he going to be okay?" She asked the doctor who was leaning over her boy. She had been there every day but never had gotten a clear answer. Prognosis this, Prognosis that, it's touch and go here, don't worry ma'am he's in the best hands.
"He's recovering slowly, we'll be waking him up sometime this week." He straightened and started to scribble onto the medical chart that had been placed at the end of her boy's bed. The man looked like he hadn't slept in months, how could she trust that kind of guy to her son's health?
"I thought you said he was in a coma?" She practically spat, if they could wake people up from comas now then why didn't they wake her good-for-nothing husband? Only reason she hadn't divorced the fuck yet was because he couldn't sign the release papers himself.
Least she still got tax breaks.
"He's in a chemically induced coma, ma'am. We placed him in it so he wouldn't be in a lot pain." The doctor stared at her as if she were a moron. She hated it when people did that, especially her good for nothing son. She'd slapped him an hour before he'd gotten into that accident.
Didn't feel guilty or anything.
Not her fault the fuck couldn't drive.
"Give me a call when you wake him up then." She turned on her heel, badly needing some liquor right now.
She almost ran into a busty strawberry blonde, who in turn gave her a dubious look.
She stopped short when the woman walked into her son's room. Frowning she slunk back, deciding she would eavesdrop. The hell would a woman like that want with her pathetic good for nothing son?
"Excuse me, doctor?"
"Mm?"
"This is the boy who was pulled out that car that exploded last week, right? Was on the news." She waved vaguely, figuring the doctor was intelligent enough to put two and two together.
"Yes… do you happen to be family?"
"Can't say I am," she drawled dully. He opened his mouth and she shook her head, "Don't worry, I'm leaving." She stalked out of the room and punched a few numbers into her cell phone. It was ringing but that didn't mean he'd pick up.
Beep, there was the tone. She didn't spare a glance at the woman who almost ran into her a few moments ago. She had shrieked and nearly run into a passing nurse.
"Hey, it's your manager. That kid you wanted me to check up on? Got a location for you." She shut the phone quickly.
Her sake was calling her…
--
Stark took a long drag on his cigarette as he studied his cards.
"Bob, you got an eight?" He finally drawled. Bob grunted and tossed the card across the table, he was quickly turning purple with anger. The captain had been picking on him all night. Stupid cards.
"How 'bout a queen?" He asked, flicking the ashes off the end of his smoke.
"Fuck! You're cheating aren't you!?" Bob howled, slamming his fists on the table and crinkling the cards.
Stark studied him for a moment, quietly pondering if it was worth it to set his junior in his place. "How could I possibly cheat?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
Logic usually brought men out of their pissy fits.
"Fuck if I know! You just seem to know exactly what to use against me! Every single fucking game!" The man hissed, easing back into his chair.
"Poor Bobette~" Chimed in another of their squad. He was wearing that obnoxious pink apron he used to cook in, "Wouldn't it help if you didn't flash your cards at everyone~?"
"Shut up cook." Bob hissed, trying to keep the flush of anger off his face.
"Aw, no brownies for you then~" The thin man waggled his finger at the irritated firefighter, "When's the newbie coming back?" He asked, a little too cheerfully.
"Hell if I know," Stark tossed his cards into the pile and stood up slowly.
"Dinner's not ready yet," the cook crossed his armed and frowned at the firefighting captain.
"Who said anything about dinner?" He asked as he stalked off towards the bunks, "I want a nap."
--
She was supposed to meet them a little after seven.
It was currently a little after four, which meant she had a little over two and a half hours to visit Ulquiorra and then meet the group. She stalked inside and smiled when she spotted the back of a familiar and very small doctor, "Doctor Yamada!" She cried cheerfully as she ran after him, catching him around the arm she smiled at him.
He laughed softly and pounded on his chest with his fist, "You scared me, Miss Inoue!" He shook his head, "Here for Mr. Schiffer?" He asked, leading her to the nurses' station so he could get back to work. He did have other patients besides the poor crash-victim, now didn't he?
"Yes, how is he doing today?" She asked, looking worried briefly before that look of optimism returned to her features.
"Better, we'll be waking him up in the next couple days-- I take it you want to be there for that?"
"Of course!" She beamed at him, he wondered if he'd need sunglasses to be near her outside on a bright day. Probably. He laughed and nodded his head in understanding.
"He'll recover quickly with someone like you at his side," he patted her arm and relieved her to the nurses.
He waved over his shoulder as he left, nearly running into a wheelchair-bound-patient as he did.
Poor guy.
"Orihime!" One of the nurses cried cheerfully, she threw her arms around her. "I do hope you're considering nursing for a career," she smiled, releasing the redhead, "You have the personality for it!" She exclaimed, leading her to his room.
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There's chapter two!
A couple more hidden characters this chapter, and a couple from the previous one revealed!
On a completely different note… I'm tempted to make Byakuya a nurse…
…
…
…
Naaaaah.
Sneak Peak for next time!:
"So you his girlfriend or some shit like that?" he asked, walking in and looking at the prone body on the bed. Figures the kid wouldn't be awake. Boring. He prodded the kid in the side and leaned over his face, he grunted and glanced at everything hooked to the kid he'd rescued.
She could feel herself turning red, "N-n-no!" She finally managed, looking off to the side. Why did everyone think that? "We-we're just friends." She bowed, realizing she'd never introduced herself, "My name is Inoue Orhime."