A/N: Hello Hello! I had such a wonderful response to my newest chapter that I just had to whip you guys up a new one today! So here it is! In all it's splendid glory, the chapter you think you've all been waiting for... MWAHAHAHA *ahem* anywhooo, I love you all and all those people who are following and favouriting not just my story but ME! Gah! You make so happy, seriously, even my boyfriend is getting jealous ;) heh heh
Whelp, here it is!
*Recap*
Grimmjow looked back at Ichigo, blue eyes searching brown for a moment before he slowly, oh so slowly, lowered himself into the Hot Seat. Ichigo's mouth fell open as he took in the sight, the implications, and tried to calm his butterfly infested body. Kisuke just tilted his hat forward and walked away, smirk firmly planted on his face.
Ichigo watched him walk away, saw all his friends turn away and studiously ignore him before he turned back to Grimmjow.
Grimmjow, who was in the Hot Seat.
Grimmjow, his date.
'Oh shit.'
Chapter 5 – Are You Kidding Me
'Grimmjow – he's sitting – he sat in – why'd he do it – but that's the Hot Seat – does he actually – or because Kisuke told him – but he sat without much thought – so maybe he actually – no he wouldn't – but Tier – okay maybe not Tier but he's straight – isn't he?'
"Sooo, I like my steak rare, prefer chocolate to flowers, and long moon-lit walks on the beach."
Ichigo realized that he was staring still and snapped his jaw shut, instantly reddening at Grimmjow's words and did the only natural thing to do in this situation: get defensive.
"Che, idiot." His arms crossed.
Grimmjow's amused smirk didn't falter; he just put his chin in his hand and waited.
'What the hell's he waiting – oh…'
"Fine." Eyeroll. "I like my steak medium, prefer a planted flower, and – uhh – well moon-lit walks sound kinda nice…" He rubbed his neck awkwardly, 'He's too pretty to stay mad at - this isn't how I pictured – '
"Hmm, okay how about this? I hate the rain, don't like romance novels and can't stand my neighbour's barking ruffian of a dog." He actually started grumbling that last part and Ichigo couldn't help it, he just had to laugh.
It was Grimmjow's turn to roll his eyes and huff while his date recovered enough to ask, "Alright alright, neighbourly issues aside, why hate the rain?" He straightened thoughtfully, "I think it's kind of nice. It feels great on the skin and refreshes all the plants – haven't you noticed how green everything is after a rain?"
Grimmjow looked at Ichigo like he was suddenly growing three heads, "What? So? Rain sucks. It's wet and cold and gets inside your clothes and makes people sick." He made a face and Ichigo thought it was the cutest thing in the world, 'What a guy, even frowning he looks so… so… delicious! Ugh I did not just think that!'
"It also takes the sun away and makes people act all dreary," he shook his head, "Nope. Rain just… no." He looked back at Ichigo sheepishly.
Ichigo just snorted, "Eloquent, I like it. 'Rain just… no' has a nice ring to it. You're going places." He raised a sarcastic orange eyebrow, trying to keep his cool while not drooling on himself.
Grimmjow growled. Grimmjow actually growled. 'What the hell - that sounded ridiculously hot.'
"Yeah sure, make fun of me. Go ahead, laugh it up. But next time," Grimmjow waggled a finger with a serious look on his face, "next time you're out and probably on your way here – yeah I've figured out how bad you got it for this place – when you come here and it rains and you're all like," here his voice turned high-pitched and he rolled his eyes up, clasping his hands to his cheeks in mock-fret, "Ohh noo! It's raining and I've forgotten my umbrella! Whatever shall I do Oh Mighty Grimmjow, King of the Latte, Ruler of the Grinds – "
"-what the actual fuck-" Ichigo burst out into heavy laughter, 'This guy is too much!'
" – Emperor of the Cup, Leader of Aprons, Expert of Stir Spoons, God of – "
"Alright already!" Two smooth hands came up in surrender, Ichigo still laughing uncontrollably.
" – Oh thank God, I had nothing left!" A mass of blue hair fell face-first onto the table, apparently he really was struggling.'
"Serves you right." Ichigo looked over the coloured locks affectionately, finally able to hold in his laughter but not quite his huge grin, "I get it, by the way. You won't lend me your umbrella. Sorry for laughing at you." He gave a small chuckle, he just couldn't help it. 'I could talk to him for hours – this is too fun.'
Grimmjow's head shifted and two equally bright eyes stared up from the table, locking with a pair of brown ones, and winked slyly, "You could convince me to share it…?"
'Oh wowww.' Ichigo blushed hard at that, the combination of those teasing beautiful eyes and the innuendo were enough to cause some uncomfortable things to happen to his insides. Apparently all his butterflies decided to either occupy his heart or his … Gulp. 'Too much!'
"Ahh uuh-huhh," he squeaked and cleared his throat, "I'll uh keep that in mind?"
Grimmjow just smirked and turned his head to lay it on its side, "How about movies? What doya like?"
Still internally reeling, the blush-fest of a student replied, "Uhmm usually mysteries… or cheesy slasher films."
He jumped, startled, when his date suddenly shot up and leaned forward, "What kind of cheesy slasher? Anything in particular?" His eyes were shining in excitement.
'So cuuuute!' Ichigo thought, "Yeah actually, I really like the one with the lone samurai who starts up a team of warriors – "
" – They break into the Emperor's palace?" Grimmjow cut in with bated breath.
Surprised and excited, Ichigo answered, "Yes! To steal the prized crystal that grants wishes!"
"Yeah! And it turns out one of the guys on the team is a mole for the emperor – "
" – but not really because he was actually just trying to get close to him to learn the ways in and out?"
"Yeah exactly! But he got cut down anyway, and the team started to fall – "
" - but then the original samurai beats the Emperor on his own and saves the day!"
"Gotei's 13!" Both exclaimed at the same time, smiling goofily.
Ichigo realized they both were suddenly leaning dangerously close to each other and hastened to sit back, slightly embarrassed. He noticed Grimmjow look around himself a little confused and slowly sit back too, as if he also wasn't aware of moving. Feeling pleased that he wasn't the only one, Ichigo chuckled and shook his head, "That's my favourite movie series! It's so old, I can't believe you've even seen it!"
"Are you kidding?! I love those movies!" Grimmjow laughed, eyes dancing. He looked over at Ichigo and leaned forward on one elbow, grinning darkly and looking way too damn sexy for his own good (in Ichigo's opinion), "Maybe you should come over someti – "
The door chimed, "ICHIGOOOOO!"
Both males violently jumped and turned (along with a few customers) as Renji Abarai came barreling into the poor little shop, stormed right up to their table and demanded he be followed.
Ichigo spluttered, "Wha-what? Are you kidding? N-No! Why?"
"It's an emergency, please! I need you right now."
Ichigo sighed, he saw Renji trying to hide some worry on his face and that was the only reason he reached for his bag, 'Renji doesn't even worry about getting to work on time or if he's failing a particular Computer Sciences course… damn it! I better go… but Grimmjow…'
He barely had time to look over at his date before Renji grabbed his arm and hauled him away. Ichigo looked back as he was pretty much dragged out and made eye contact with that beautiful blue once more, noting the troubled look there and mouthed an 'I'm sorry' while trying to look as apologetic as he felt.
'Damn, and I was actually enjoying myself. Him too apparently, I think he was going to ask me over to his place – oh god could I even handle that? – damn it Renji!'
He decided to let his words mirror his thoughts, "Damn it Renji! This better be important!"
"It is! It is!" Was all he got from somewhere within the flapping red locks as Renji all but ran down the sidewalk.
After about three minutes Renji called a stop and put his hands on his knees, huffing and gulping.
"Someone hasn't been keeping up with their exercising." Ichigo mused, not feeling it at all.
"Goddamn *huff* you don't *huff* feel tired *huff huff* at all?"
"Nope." Ichigo grinned before crossing his arms, "Now what's wrong?"
Renji stood up, looked around himself and suddenly grabbed Ichigo's arm, "Over here!" He said urgently, tugging on his friend's shirt-sleeve.
'Over here' was a bush. He knelt down behind the plant and hurriedly called Ichigo over.
"Look over there, see 'em?"
Ichigo crouched beside his friend, annoyed, and confusedly looked where instructed, "What where? Behind that group of students?" They were currently in a park and people passing by were sweat-dropping at the two boys hiding behind a bush.
"No them. See the one in the blue jacket?"
"Uh-huh…" Ichigo did not like where this was going.
"Well if you're interested then I'll go and talk to him for ya and set up a date. He's always surrounded by all those scary-lookin' guys but if you like him then I'll go risk it. Just please make sure you're interested 'cause I don't wanna know what they'd do to us if you pissed 'em off…"
Renji looked back at his friend, grin on his face and hope in his eyes.
Not today Renji Abarai.
"…" Ichigo could not yet form words, he was so mad.
"Ichi?" Renji's smile faltered. He'd seen his friend this mad before, oh hell yes, many times. But he was confused why now of all times? Shouldn't he be happy? Thankful, even?
"H-hey I haven't talked to him yet, I mean it's n-no big deal if you don't l-like him, okay? Ichi?"
Ichigo finally snapped out of it and stood abruptly, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" He noticed a startled family sitting not five feet away from them and grabbed Renji by the front of his jacket and hauled him up too. Faces inches apart, Ichigo growled out in low, measured and venomous tones, "You dragged me all the way out here to … look at some guy?"
Renji put his hands up in surrender, "H-hey dude, what's the matter? Why are you getting so w-worked up for?"
Ichigo's eyes flashed as he forcefully let go of his best friend, sneering and turning away a step, "I'm getting so worked up at the fact that you busted in saying it's an emergency and pulling me away from a date – a date that was going really well, I'll have you know – to look at another guy for a potential date. Do you not see why I would be a little upset?"
'And now how am I supposed to go back there and explain what happened? God damn it Renji!'
"R-really? That was a date? But that was – " Gasp, "That was that new guy! You were on a date with him?"
Ichigo felt a tap on his shoulder and turned with a scowl, "What?"
Renji's eyebrows drew down (which was emphasized by his tattoos) as he frowned and looked up at his best friend, arms thrown wide open, "What the hell man? Are you kidding me?" He shook his head and got in Ichigo's face, poking him in the chest, "You never told me you liked him. You," Poke. "Never once mentioned wanting or having a date with this guy. You," Poke. "Have also never told me anything about these dates – except to complain about them!" Renji pointed at himself now, "You didn't tell me anything!" He threw his arms up in frustration and paced backwards. "Look, I've been doing this for you okay? I'm not even gay but I've been approaching guys all week! Ya wanna know how many times I've had to defend myself from these guys' friends? It hasn't exactly been the easiest ride for me either ya know." He looked up accusingly at a shocked Ichigo, "Yeah be surprised, bet ya didn't even notice I was setting you up with one of everything, eh?" He listed them off on his fingers, "The flirt, the bookworm, the family man," he gestured towards the students, "the jock… I even have plans to talk to this biker-guy that hangs around Clube Hueco Mundo – "
"Wait you knew Starrk has a kid?"
"Duh, who do you think watched the brat while he was with you?"
Ichigo was speechless. 'Renji…'
Awkward silence...
"Look I gotta go, I promised Rukia I'd study with her today… maybe later we can hang out?"
Ichigo just nodded and watched his friend walk off, head down and hands in pockets.
To say he was surprised would be an understatement. He was also, quite frankly, annoyed, frustrated, and a little bit sad at his loss of time with Grimmjow.
But Renji … 'Shit, I gotta fix this first. Grimmjow will have to wait.'
So he pulled his hood up, turned around and walked home. Thinking about what his friend had said and feeling like the world's biggest shit-bag because of it.
Ichigo paced back and forth, deep in thought, while his sisters Yuzu and Karin looked on, the former with worry and the latter with amusement.
"How'd you screw up today?" Karin asked, arms crossed behind her head.
"Shut up, I didn't screw up. And don't say 'screw', it's not ladylike." He added as an afterthought.
"Tsk. Screw that," Karin rolled her eyes, "And you did too 'cause you never invite Renji over for dinner unless something's wrong, he usually just shows up and mooches."
"Karin!" Yuzu scolded, "Mr. Renji is allowed over anytime he wants and I told him that too!"
"Yeah and he doesn't seem to have a problem taking you up on that pretty much every day!"
"He's our brother's best friend! Of course he'll be over often!"
Ichigo tuned out his sisters' bickering as he waited, sighing when the door swung open and Renji loudly announced himself 'home'.
"Idiot," Ichigo grinned, giving him a shove before heading upstairs. Renji just smirked in response and followed him upstairs, but not before he called an enthusiastic 'hello' to both Kurosaki girls, stating they looked lovely and making them both blush.
The door closed behind them and both boys took their usual positions: Ichigo at the desk chair and Renji spread out on his bed.
"So? How'd studying with Rukia go?" Ichigo teased.
A groan was what he got in response. "God I don't even – she just attacked me at the doorway and we made out for what felt like forever before her brother came home and ruined the moment. It was finally getting to the good part too, if you know what I mean." He received a sympathetic nod and continued, "So anyways, after that she actually wanted to study and I couldn't concentrate for the life of me." He shook his head, "I don't get it man, how do they do it? How can girls just turn it off when they want to like that? It's like a damn light switch! Well I ain't no damn light switch!" He grumbled, earning a snicker from his friend and coincidentally starting an all-out pillow-war.
Once the flying pillows began to knock things over they decided to stop, falling to the floor exhausted and laughing.
Ichigo recovered first (no surprise there) and rolled onto his side, looking over at Renji, "So I really like Grimmjow…"
Renji blinked a couple times and smirked over at Ichigo, "That the barista guy?"
He got a nod in response and sat up, rubbing his shoulders absently, "How much?"
Ichigo gave a start, "Huh?"
"How much do you like him?"
Renji chuckled at the blush crawling over his friend's face, "That much eh? Damn. And I can't even brag about that one… Hang on, how'd the date with Starrk go?"
Ichigo looked down and fidgeted at that one, "It went really well, but … I don't know what to do about it… he has a kid. That's kind of a big deal." He pushed himself up and offered a hand to Renji.
Renji took it and said as he stood, "Well maybe you just need another date. A kid is a kid, you can get by that hmm? You have two kid sisters that aren't much older than her… It'd be kinda awkward I'll give you that but," he waved a finger in front of his face, "love always finds a way."
"Ugh!" Ichigo laughed and pushed his friend to fall backwards on the bed while he himself sat on his chair again. "That's so cheesy! What the hell, you sap!"
Renji grinned, "Cheese pairs well with wine, and wine, my young grasshopper, is romance!"
"Oh my god, can we get back on track please? Jesus Ren, this must be because of Rukia, am I right?"
The nervous chuckle he got was as sure a sign as any. "Aww how sweet, Renji turning all mushy for wittle Wukia Kutchiki." Ichigo teased, getting a pillow to the face for his efforts.
He laughed and lowered the weapon, not wanting to start anything again, "Asked her out yet?"
"Mfo…" Came the muffled reply, Renji's face being hidden under his arm. He peeked out at the pregnant silence and shot back, "Asked Grimmjow out yet?"
"W-well no…" He stammered, fidgeting the pillow in his hands, "What about Starrk? He was so nice too…"
"Have a threesome." Renji stated simply, cringing at his own idea but laughing at his friend's response to it.
Ichigo was having a full-body blush as sinful images flashed through his mind and actually made him salivate. He hid his face behind the pillow in his hands, quelling any embarrassing girly squeals that definitely weren't going to happen anyway. "Are you kidding me? Hell no, I can't do that! God Ren you're gonna kill me here, I need blood for my brain too ya know!"
He heard Renji give a hearty laugh at that and smiled too, 'Jeez, this guy.'
"But seriously, you need to pick, dude. Why not have another date with each and see where they get you?"
"I'd be finishing my first date with Grimmjow," Ichigo reminded, shrugging at the apologetic frown from his friend, "Don't worry about it, I just hope I can get another chance with him… I know Starrk was … enthusiastic about another one…" Ichigo hesitated, smiling shyly and catching Renji's interest.
"Ohh? What happened?"
"He kissed me."
"So? Why's that – oh! OH! That was your first! Shit dude! Alriiiight," he raised his hand for a high-five which Ichigo snorted and returned, "welcome to the club brother! I'm so proud of you!" He grinned widely, teasing just a little bit.
Ichigo rolled his eyes and was about to snap back something witty before Yuzu called them both down to dinner, effectively cutting off any more discussion on the subject.
Ichigo was glad it was so easy to make amends with Renji, but then again, they got along so well that it wasn't a big surprise. They were best friends for a reason. Ichigo was still a little put-out from his date with Grimmjow being cut short but he reasoned that he'd just get another one set up to make up for it. No problem.
