Creep, Chapter 7

Grimmjow (of course) had suggested they watch a movie before they go. Shiro wanted to complain, but Ichigo had stopped him. He didn't know when he'd get to see his sisters next, and he had a strong feeling that shit was about to hit the fan. The testimonies would be taken down tomorrow, and there was no way he'd meet up with them after that. Maybe their host had noticed that he hadn't quite been ready to let his family leave. After all, that guy tended to be disturbingly perceptive at times.

He was already in danger, but by some stroke of luck no one knew he was there. According to his brother's sources, Sanji Piasu hadn't been seen for a few days. He had made it out clean that night as he'd expected, but it was still nice to know for sure. Ichigo Kurosaki was in America according to all public records, so that should leave Aizen to chase his tail for a few more weeks.

He had one day, and he wanted to make the most of it. So, they sat smashed together on what Ichigo had considered to be a good-sized couch before he'd tried to fit in it with two other people. Shiro, in classic Shiro fashion, flopped down in the lazy boy that might as well be his at that point. The two sisters sat next to each other, Yuzu laying on Karin, who was paying attention to the screen with rapt interest. The blonde twin was constantly asking her sister questions in a low tone of voice, which were answered with the smallest hint of irritation.

Ichigo was just as engrossed in the scene unfolding in front of him – he'd seen the first few entries in the series, but he'd never gotten a chance to watch the last one. He was just about to point out someone in the back of a large crowd; noticing a side character they had seen one of the prequels, but his words had died in his throat. Soft blue locks brushed against his cheek as a solid body gently leaned on his lithe one. The calming scent of pine had engulfed his senses once more.

A warm breath gushed out over his hair as a surprisingly soft cheek rested on top of his head, after what could only be described as a nuzzle. Sitting where he was it would have been impossible to see Grimmjow's face, but somehow, he knew there was a small smirk tugging at the bigger man's lips. Ichigo decided not to push the issue this time. After all, it would disturb everyone in the room if he did.

Besides… Another one of those feelings he couldn't put his finger on had started to settle in. It was warm and fuzzy, not too heavy but substantial enough to notice. It started in his stomach and sat on his chest, making itself comfortable and staying there. Fuck. Suddenly he felt like he was back in middle school, taking his girlfriend to the movie theater for the first time. The brunette's heart started to flutter in a way that made him feel a little sick.

He'd tried to sit up straight for the duration of the movie, but he felt himself giving in little by little. It wasn't until the last scene that he realized he'd ended up laying on Grimmjow just as much as he was being laid on. His head had found a comfortable spot on broad shoulders, the smell of pine now stronger than ever. The man beside him let out what sounded like a content sigh, and blue strands had tickled his forehead.

When the credits came onscreen Ichigo was the first to move, brushing a hand through his hair to dispel any bed head and feeling a light blush creep up to his cheeks. He could have sworn that he'd seen a tinge of red on Grimmjow's as well.

"Well, that was a good one!" Yuzu smiled and stood, stretching cramped appendages. It had to have been at least eleven, Ichigo noted.

"Yeah, it was, but you talked all through it." Karin grumbled beside her, getting up and fussing with her shiny black locks. Maybe talking while watching was a genetic thing. "Yes, I did! Thank you for answering my questions, Karin!" The blonde sibling beamed, prompting the other to groan.

"It's so hard to be mad at you." The black haired girl muttered.

"Right? I swear she does it on purpose." Shiro raised his head, pressing a hand to his eyes. "Badass movie."

"You're welcome," Grimmjow chimed in while he got up to turn the light on, eliciting a scowl from the pale twin curled up in the lazy boy. Ichigo laid back on the couch as he watched Grimmjow stretch toned arms towards the ceiling. Muscles rippled across his taut back and down to a fitted waistband, long blue hair swinging freely. One could only wonder if the man knew what a show he was putting on.

"No for real, good choice Grimm." He murmured, looking away and rubbing amber eyes. That was enough gawking to hold him over for the next few hours.

"Thanks. I'm glad you guys were into it." Grimmjow drawled, crossing over to sit in the matching lazy boy on the other side of the room. "Except for you." He sneered at the white-haired man sitting across from him, who countered with an equally nasty look. Those two were cut from the same cloth.

Ichigo sighed. He knew he would have to be the one to say it, but he probably wanted it the least out of the four siblings. "Okay kids, time to go the hell home. You got school tomorrow and Orihime is most definitely waiting for you." Shiro probably expected him to step up, as usual. The brunette felt his expression darken a tad. He would probably always end up being the adult in the room, so to speak.

As if they had purposely ignored his words, his sisters flopped back down on either side of him. Yuzu hugged him around his middle so tightly he started worrying about his spine's structural integrity, and Karin leaned into him a little. "Can we go on a vacation soon, Ichi-nii?" The more affectionate twin asked into his shirt, voice slightly muffled.

Ichigo grimaced. It depended on what she meant by soon, but he knew that there was no way his definition would align with hers. He'd need to go right back to work after Kariya was out of the picture. It would have been soon by her standards if that man hadn't decided to show up when he did, as the Bounts had been steadily losing money and manpower due to the spy's efforts. The sheer number of deals that were able to be intercepted due to his intel were taking their toll. Even if their leader hadn't mentioned it, he was starting to sweat.

The raid had been scheduled last month, and at the time he'd thought he'd be getting the call any day. All he had been doing was monitoring them and waiting for the last few weeks while they got a the evidence straight. Unfortunately, those plans would have to change with Aizen in the mix. At some point, it was about choosing between the lesser of two evils. As soon as the Bounts were gone, the power vacuum would be irresistible to someone like that.

"Maybe." Was all he'd had the courage to say. Karin scoffed at the lame answer and Yuzu tightened her grip on his ever-weakening spine. "I'll try to work something out."

"God If I had a nickel for the amount of times you two missed me that much when I went on a mission, I'd be dead broke!" Shiro groaned, getting up from his spot on the comfortable chair and standing in front of the couch.

"That's because you're always here, Shiro-nii!" Yuzu got back up to frown at the pale man in front of them. The other sister followed suit, rolling black eyes.

"Yeah, you gotta give us more time to miss you." Karin snickered.

They tried to put up a front, but their eyes were both a little red and their voices held a slight tremor. Ichigo sighed. He really did wish he could be around more, but he had to work to provide. At least one of them needed to think about stuff like paying for college, weddings, and day-to-day items. Meaning either him or Shiro. As much as his twin loved their kid sisters, he couldn't seem to control his spending for more than a few days. Byakuya should just start giving the guy designer clothes, jewelry, and booze instead of paychecks.

"One day you two brats will be thankful for me. Come on. Orihime's going to be worried, and you know how she gets when she's worried. Fuckin' annoying…" Shiro muttered. Ichigo rose to his feet, his leg killing after the long day. He had tried to hide his grimace, but much to his dismay a slim arm had already been slipped around his waist, leading him to the exit.

"You have to stop putting so much strain on your body. It must have been a peashooter seeing as you can still walk, but that doesn't mean you should push yourself any more than you need to." Karin lectured him in her monotone voice, staring straight forward. She supported his weight with relative ease, leaving him to wonder when she'd gotten so strong.

"Maybe you both could just put yourself in less dangerous situations…" Yuzu followed the pair. The words had been biting, and Ichigo almost winced. The dangerous aspects of doing this job were a real pain point for her. "Hey – we're the best of the best, top of the line. When we get hurt, It doesn't even hurt." Shiro earned a smack in the arm for that one.

"I hate to say it, but I agree with him," Ichigo grinned widely as they reached the door. His little brother may be infuriating, but he was helpful every once in a while. "Okay, text me when you get home. Make sure you brush your teeth before bed. Dry your hair before you go outside so you don't get sick, it's getting cold outside." He fussed, smoothing their hair down.

"Not kids." Karin grumbled after hugging him goodbye. "Later Grimmjow. Have Ichi send me that song you recommended." The brunette smiled at the pair with a hint of sadness. They really were all grown up, having matured so much since he'd last seen them. He remembered when they used to cling to him and not let go in times like these. If there was anything he'd regret forever, it was not being around to watch them become the amazing people who came by tonight.

Yuzu waved to the blue haired man on the couch. "Don't forget my recipe! It was nice meeting you!" She said with a grin, always the friendliest Kurosaki. "Okay. Be safe on the way home." Grimmjow grinned and waved back, easygoing as ever.

The girl pulled her eldest brother into another bone breaking hug. "Please stop getting shot." She muttered into his ear.

"I'll try my best, Yuz." Ichigo replied, trying to keep his voice even.

"Oh and…" She lowered her voice to a whisper, pulling back to look at him with playful hazel eyes. "He's cuuute, Ichi-nii." Ichigo let out a startled chuckle, a slight blush forming over his cheekbones. "He is, isn't he?" She nodded enthusiastically, a knowing smile forming on her lips.

"Okay, wrap it up! I gotta drive all the way back, don't forget." Shiro clapped his brother on the back and pulled the protesting girls out of the entryway, a slight arm in each hand.

"Drive safe." He gave his twin a friendly punch on the shoulder. "And thanks, asshole." That was pretty much the best props he was going to give the man, but Shiro had known what he meant. "Yeah, yeah. You be safe." Came a somewhat serious response. Ichigo was given a stern look that he didn't see often and nodded back..

The brunette watched his eccentric family pile into a black SUV with tinted windows, standing in the doorway and waving until he was sure they were gone. As soon as he closed the door, his leg started to shake madly. He cursed to himself. He couldn't walk. No matter how hard he tried, his damaged limb had no intention of supporting his weight any further. He could manage for a few hours tomorrow, but he really did need to rest for as long as possible to do so.

As if on cue, Grimmjow appeared behind him. "Try not to make this harder than it needs to be." Suddenly, the lithe man was a little further from the ground than he was usually comfortable with. Ichigo could think of at least three ways that the bigger man could have helped him out, and none of them involved being picked up bridal style.

"Put me down?" It was meant to be a command, but it came out as more of a question.

The younger man carried him to the bedroom, ignoring the protest. "No. If you don't like it, I can let you fall over on the hardwood next time." Grimmjow muttered, deep voice reverberating through a toned chest. He nudged the door open with a sock clad foot. The man hadn't looked down at the frowning brunette in his arms, but Ichigo could see his sinewy neck tint pink. The worst part was, he didn't completely hate the situation he found himself in.

With a gust of a sigh, he let Grimmjow set him down on the bed. Wait. The bed? The last time he had been in this spot, he'd fucked the younger man's brains out. He felt his dick twitch at the memory. Man, that was a good night. "So, uh… Why am I in here?" Ichigo refocused his thoughts and arched a groomed eyebrow, but simultaneously stretched out on the soft mattress. He knew his actions were contradictory, but he couldn't help himself.

"Didn't I tell you not to make this harder than it needed to be? You're gonna sleep here, guy with a gunshot wound. Especially if you're going to do whatever the fuck you do tomorrow." Grimmjow glanced at him, catlike eyes observant. "Strip."

Ichigo's own eyes went the size of dinner plates. "Fuck do you mean, strip?" Embarrassingly enough, there was another twitch in his pants.

"Take your clothes off? Do you usually sleep in the shit you wore all day?" Grimmjow frowned. "Actually, don't answer that."

They ended up on the same bed, Grimmjow muttering something about "not sleeping on the couch in his own house," before stripping down and lying next to a startled Ichigo. They wore nothing but their boxers, the man who came up with this plan facing the wall.

Ichigo opted to lay on his back, staring up at a plain white ceiling. They both had a lot of shit to deal with in the coming weeks and possibly months. He had made peace with it; this was his job after all. Though, he hadn't been sure how his companion felt about the situation. The man had never mentioned anything to him about being nervous, but he had seen the emotion in those kaleidoscopic eyes at least once a day since they had that conversation with Renji and Ikkaku.

The brunette watched taut shoulders rise and fall unevenly. Moonlight slanted over the smooth back, and the dark blanket covered the man from the waist down. Illuminated blue hair splayed over the pillow under a still head. At first glance he was asleep, but upon further inspection… "Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked tentatively. He had no idea what he was doing, but he'd already started.

"What?" The man answered him in that deep, honeyed voice. The response had been much quieter than the spy expected.

"You worried?" He chose not to elaborate further, but Grimmjow as usual, understood him well. The blue haired man let out a dry chuckle, the sound vibrating through the mattress. "I would be stupid not to be worried, Ichigo."

That was a fair point. The brunette frowned, extending his arm before he could think about it. A shocked Grimmjow jumped before settling into the touch. Ichigo had rubbed a hand over the curve of a partially covered waist, the skin there softer than he remembered aside from a thick scar sitting above a shapely hip. He guessed he was too drunk and or horny to notice it days ago. The gothic "six" tattoo poked out from under the duvet and caught his eye, making his already dark expression deepen.

"Don't worry too much. I… I got your back." That was all he could muster, but it seemed to do something to relax his housemate, if only fractionally. The brunette felt a little awkward in this position with the blue-haired man, but then again, he wasn't near-blackout drunk this time around. His heart was racing, but he felt somewhat content with where he was. Fighting it for the past week was exhausting- even though some part of him still wanted to turn tail and run away, he was starting to understand that he wanted something else. Sometimes, he confused himself.

"Okay." Grimmjow murmured, still facing the wall. Ichigo had expected to have to fight him off that night. To be completely honest, he was a little disappointed. His body was in no shape for that, but some part of him had hoped the blue-haired man would at least try. He was closing in on sleep, which is how he would later justify the action he took next. Sliding his body closer, he pressed a lean chest to a taut back. Grimmjow gave a slight shudder before settling in, leaning back into the strong arms that wrapped around his middle. The brunette felt the man in front of him yawn hugely before a warm hand slid over his smaller one.

"Go to sleep, Grimm…" Ichigo nuzzled his face into the warm body against his better judgment, long blue locks tickling his nose. For once, just for tonight, he wanted to be the one to take care of Grimmjow. The guy always took care of him, even if he had no reason to be so kind. "It's going to be okay." By that point, he was nearly gone.

"Mhmm." There would have been no way to tell who was out first if they'd tried.

Ichigo walked down the alley, distancing himself from the man on the ground. His blade was slick with blood, and his body drenched in water. Getting out of there fast was the priority, as it was obvious what had happened at first glance. A streetlight flickered above him, and he looked around the area. There was no one around, thank god. There were other things to do that night, and he didn't want to kill anyone else. Turning back to the street, he came face to face with the man whose life he had just ended. The brunette jumped. How the hell had the young adult survived his attack?

"Why not?" The guy was standing in the rain before him, throat slit, nose almost brushing his.

"Why stop at killing me?" The voice that had come out was warped, barely intelligible. Ichigo went to fight, but soon felt the cool barrel of a gun pressed to his stomach. The brunette stilled.

His voice came out laced with panic and regret. "I didn't want to kill you!"

Another figure enveloped his back, seeming to slither up it. A woman's voice whispered into his ear, warm breath creating puffs of steam around him. She'd worn a wound much like the man with the gun, and the hot blood flowing out of it drenched his jacket. "It's okay hun. I'll get you back." Her tone was saccharine, but equally as garbled as his other assailant's.

Ichigo barely had time to react before a searing pain had ripped through the skin at his throat. It was a dull, serrated blade that she'd used to exact her revenge. The spy reflexively tried to cry out, but he was unable. He was going to die here, he realized belatedly. All he could manage to do was sink to the ground and writhe. The cold rain continued to pour on a helpless, shaking body. A dying man lay there, terrified and alone.

The brunette's amber eyes went wide as he gasped, his body coated in a thin layer of sweat. A lightly shaking hand immediately went to touch a thankfully intact, neck. Relief overcame him. That one had been bad, but it wasn't his first night terror and it wouldn't be his last. His eyes met a messy field of blue strands, and he realized he was still wrapped around a gently heaving body. Untangling himself carefully, the smaller man was instantly grateful that he hadn't woken Grimmjow up with his trauma. That would have been an uncomfortable conversation that he wasn't quite ready to have.

"Good morning to you too," Just when Ichigo thought he had managed to pull away successfully, a strong hand wrapped around his arm. Still shaken from the dream, the brunette startled. "We've gotta put a bell on you," he mused, his heart threatening to beat out of his chest. Depth-less blue eyes narrowed at him, seeming to observe his unsteady frame.

"You good?" Grimmjow asked, seeming to know the answer already. With a sigh, Ichigo ran a hand through messy brown hair. What was he supposed to say? That he has scary dreams sometimes because he's killed more people than he could count? Fuck no. He didn't want to hear any platitudes today. If anything, he deserved to suffer a little for the things he had done.

"Yeah." A warped smile appeared on his face, and the look he was given had told him that he wasn't believed for a second. Still, the brunette pulled away from the larger man with a little too much force. He wasn't used to having anyone around in moments like these, and being studied like that felt intrusive to say the least. "Well you look like shit." Grimmjow stated flatly, flopping back down on the bed beneath them and pulling up navy blue covers.

Ichigo's usual scowl had finally set in for the morning. "You act like shit." The larger man snorted, rolling over to face the wall again. 'What a pain in the ass,' he thought, sliding off of the western style bed. His response had been a shrug and nothing else. In truth it was nice; he needed space from the intense gaze and caring words for a second. How that man had managed to make him feel better just by being himself, he would never understand.

There was no time to sit around to try and figure it out though. He needed to be at the Bount HQ in just a few hours. So, the brunette stood with less difficulty than he imagined he would have and pushed all that shit to the back of his mind. Sleeping with his leg fully extended had done wonders for it, he noted as he completed his morning routine. He'd changed his own bandages today and the day before, each time more impressed with the progress he'd seen there. It was still a mess, but it had begun to heal. The spy nodded to himself, sure that he would make it through the meeting without issue.

Ichigo had just finished putting his gray contacts in when Grimmjow pushed open the bathroom door, still dressed immodestly. He'd left it ajar for some air, not expecting the man to just barge right in. Then again, he never knew what to expect from someone so unpredictable. Proving his point, his housemate cupped his chin gently when the brunette had turned to chastise the unwelcome guest. Much to his dismay, he felt a blush forming on his face. What the hell? Was he about to be kissed again?

"I like the originals better." The blue-haired man snickered at the expression he must have made, mischievous smirk firmly in place on full lips. The brunette could only hope it wasn't disappointment. They were so close that Ichigo could feel the heat radiating off of that toned body, and the fingertips holding his face still seemed to burn his skin. Willing his unfriendly expression to come back, he brushed the larger hand away.

"Bathrooms are a private space." Ichigo muttered, unconsciously rubbing the spot Grimmjow had touched him in. This had to be karma for few times he had teased the man. He'd take it all back in a heartbeat if he could get his emotions under control for more than ten minutes.

"So get out while I take a piss." Pausing for a second, the ever present smirk on the other man's face widened. "Unless you want a show." Gross.

With that, Ichigo was gone, trying his best to tune out the sounds coming from behind the now closed door behind him. He had his agency issued pistol strapped to his calf, and holstered the gun that had been given to all of the Bounts on his hip. At the time, the extra security had been explained by the appearance of an assassin in the area. The lithe man had to wonder if that was really the case, or if Kariya had realized the law was catching up to him. Pulling his shoulder length and stubbornly spiky hair into a low ponytail, he concluded it was the latter.

He was just about ready to leave after grabbing a few more things, having allotted time to get his most prized possession from his house. Ichigo smiled to himself at the prospect of getting to drive his baby again. It almost made it worth seeing his boss' not so ugly mug. Just as he'd finished calling a cab, Grimmjow sauntered out of the room he was in, headed back into the bedroom and still as half naked as he'd been earlier.

"Yo, Grimm." He'd turned to tell the man he was leaving, but when his dull gray eyes had met deep blue eyes, Ichigo had felt himself walking forward. The usual cocky expression had been marred by a tad of anxiety. Without thinking, he pulled a toned body into a short hug. The brunette had stepped back almost immediately, having surprised even himself. When he looked up at handsome features the anxiety had dissipated, replaced by a level of smugness that instantly had him regretting his actions. So what if he was relieved that Grimmjow felt a bit better? The guy was a pro at getting on his nerves.

"Salut. I'm glad to see you're warming up to me." The larger man grinned, running a hand through shiny blue locks.

"Fuck off." And he was storming to the door, the tips of his ears burning. He'd just made it there before his brain decided to do something else he didn't ask for. What was the point of housing it in his head if it just did whatever the fuck it wanted to do? It didn't even bother to run things past him anymore.

"You got this. I'll be back soon." Ichigo muttered, not sticking around long enough to hear an answer.

The brunette raced down the highway, enjoying the near dangerous pace he chose for himself a little too much. The sunny day and clear road felt like a small blessing. Being cramped up in a house for a week straight was probably the last way he'd want to spend his time if he had been given the choice. In other words Ichigo felt like himself again, glad to have an excuse to metaphorically stretch his legs. He would have loved to be able to thoroughly enjoy the adrenaline and sense of freedom that driving gave him, but uncertainty about how the meeting would go down was plaguing his mind.

Kariya had been making mistake after mistake lately, his biggest being inviting a guy like Sosuke Aizen to come on board. If his so called boss thought he could keep that man on a leash, he was sorely mistaken. If anything, as soon as he'd considered replacing Koga with that psychopath, he was already the dog in the equation.

Aizen was always said to have his hand in a little bit of everything. Even so, the only thing that they'd ever been able to get him on was killing his wife, so that was what the headlines had read on that day. On paper, the guy was squeaky clean, with that one exception. Renji had mentioned that the shocking case had been dismissed because his lawyers had proven that he was acting in self defense that night. Ichigo scowled, gripping the steering wheel a little more tightly when he brought up a mental image of Momo Hinamori. Yeah, of course that's what happened.

In this city and a generous handful of others, the man was well known. He'd emigrated from Spain ten years ago or something like that, most likely out of necessity knowing what that guy was capable of. The consensus in his own agency was that he wasn't just some dickhead like Kariya, some useless Yakuza that pedaled fake ID's and drugs. If the Bounts were like a company, then the Hollows would soon be something of a parent company if Aizen wasn't dealt with appropriately. Then he'd move to another area, rinse and repeat. The dead-eyed brunette had nearly taken over half of Japan before he was sent to prison.

Ichigo had only been thirty minutes away from his destination when he got a call. On his personal phone. He slowed to a more reasonable speed, despite the lack of traffic. Discreetly swapping out his earpiece, the brunette hit the button on the side.

"What happened?" The spy answered. The vibration pattern was the one he'd assigned to Renji. If the pineapple had called him freely while he was undercover, it must have been serious.

"Yo, Ichi… You're not going to believe it, but we're raiding the place today." Grey eyes widened, staring at the road in front of him in disbelief. A meeting would be a good time to get as many people as possible, but he thought everyone had been on the same page about taking things slow. One of the most influential criminals Japan had ever seen was fresh out of prison and meandering about. Renji seemed to understand this at least, because he'd sounded almost as frustrated as Ichigo felt.

"What? Who the hell made that decision?" He hissed, eliciting a sigh from his friend.

"Look," Renji continued, sounding like he'd had this conversation at least twice before. "The call came from above. That file we took from you last week was essentially everything we needed to take down the Bounts in one convenient package. Go Koga must've turned over a new leaf. Either that, or he had a serious grudge against Kariya."

Ichigo was too stunned to say anything more than, "so?" He really wanted to hear a decent excuse as to why the fuck they were going through with this at the most dangerous time possible.

"I told you already, the call came from above. Like, high above. They called both my sergeant and Kuchiki, telling them to stop sitting on the evidence they had and just pull the trigger already. So don't be surprised when I arrest you in an hour or so." The redhead muttered hastily, like he was getting suited up in that moment. "Of course, we'll have to call off our chat with your blue haired boyfriend."

"As long as we both understand that the person having fun right now is him." On some level, the brunette knew who was pulling the strings. It almost felt nostalgic to think they had everything figured out, only to realize they hadn't even been close. "Fuck, Renji. I guess I'll see you later." With that, the call was ended. A helpless feeling overcame him as he pulled onto a dirt road. There was nothing he could do about this. Ichigo was a good spy, but there was only so much he could control. If asked, he would claim that it was good enough to arrest Aizen. The truth? The only way to take the guy out for good would be to kill him.

So the Bounts sat in the conference room, unknowingly holding the last meeting. "We were supposed to introduce our newest member today. Unfortunately, he's… he's under the weather." Ichigo, presenting himself as Sanji, had to repress a snort. Kariya was clearly pissed, but the level of respect he'd shown for the new recruit was unprecedented. In three years here, he'd never seen anyone get a sick day. The simple fact that Aizen hadn't turned up seemed to confirm his belief that he was the one to 'encourage' the team working the Bounts' case to close in now.

"Who the fuck is this guy that he gets to take breaks?" Ritz growled, looking at his leader in disgust. Jin Kariya looked so much smaller today, but still responded as expected. Everyone in the room prepared for the probable outburst.

"You know what? You should take over, Mabashi." The outspoken member's face fell. "No, no, since you clearly know what's best for us, come on over here." The boss stood, gesturing to his seat rhetorically. The blonde in question was clearly regretting his words, unconsciously trying to create distance between them by leaning back in a squeaky chair. "You never let me stop working. Not even when I had my tonsils removed, boss." The Bounts that snickered were silenced with a harsh glare.

Kariya sighed and rubbed a hand over tired ruby eyes. Ichigo understood that feeling well. All of his efforts for the past five plus years were going to go the drain today. Soon, him and his team would be dealing with someone far more intimidating than the man standing before them.

"That's because…" The leader's voice raised a decibel and every member flinched, before the (usually explosive) anger had been contained with a long breath. "That's because your body is the only thing you've got going for you. If you had something going on up here-" Kariya pointed to his head, white hair barely concealing the vein throbbing in his temple. "Then maybe we could talk. For now, I have far more important shit to worry about besides your boo-boos."

The white-haired man continued with a clap of rough hands."So any more questions? Or do you useless fucks want to shut your mouths and listen?" Cutting red eyes scanned the room for any signs of dissent. 'Sanji' pursed his full lips and stared at the table in front of him. If they were going raid the place regardless of how he felt about it, he hoped they did so before he died of boredom.

"Good. As I was saying, we have a new member. He's as valuable as all of you put together and more, so when he's feeling better, be on your best behavior. Or else I have no problem letting you go." Kariya sneered, his tone contradicting his grin. To think Kariya considered the new recruit a mere member was truly laughable. Aizen was moments away from taking him out of the game for good, all while being miles away doing whatever the fuck he does for fun. Probably kicking puppies, or stealing candy from babies.

Ichigo had to fight another chuckle. He might be going insane. Grimmjow had been right though; making himself laugh made him feel a bit better about drifting up shit creek with no paddle.

Jin Kariya rambled on and on, stressed about something that wouldn't exist in an hour. He should have just skipped school today, so to speak. Instead, he had come in to voluntarily get cuffed. It was necessary, but that didn't mean he was excited to be manhandled. At least not by Renji. Already injured enough, the brunette prayed that those blockhead feds would take it easy on him. He'd been through this enough times to develop some empathy for the people he'd helped put away.

"In other words, we're rebuilding. We've been hit too many times to sit on our asses and wait for things to get better. Starting now, you bring me twenty percent more cash in everything you do." Kariya narrowed his fiery gaze at each and every member present. You could feel the disdain at that sentiment in air, and Ritz drew another breath to complain. Before he could piss the boss off two times in half an hour, he was cut off.

"I can't do that." Ugaki was no Mabashi. If one of them was all muscle and no brain, the other was the polar opposite. The slight man seldom protested their leader, and when he did, his opinion was respected and almost welcome. Pushing round glassed up a pointed nose, he gestured to the other people in the room. "They won't tell you, but they won't be able to do it either." Sanji Piasu nodded in agreement.

"You need to." Strangely enough, there was no vitriol in that statement. It was firm, but sounded exhausted. Ichigo was surprised to hear the boss outright deny his favorite strategist, but knowing the inner workings of the Bounts like the back of his hand made it obvious to him that Ugaki was right. Even he had to wonder why Kariya had asked them for the impossible.

Then, the leader sitting at the head of a long table did something unthinkable. He hung his head, looking his age for the first time in three years. The mood in the room was indescribable.

"Someone bought the building from us. To be honest with you all, someone bought the whole block from us. So if you want to keep your desks, you'll do what needs to be done." Ugaki rose to his feet, rattling everything on the table after slamming small hands to the glass in anger. He looked like he was about to lay into the boss, and Ichigo swore that he saw Kariya flinch. Even so, Gisell composed himself before he spoke.

"You're telling me this now?" The strategist asked, tone low and even. He narrowed deep black eyes at the white-haired man before them, leveling an unyielding glare at the boss.

Kariya seemed to wither for a second before defaulting to the personality that had brought him so far in the first place. "You know what? Anyone who doesn't like it, feel free to get the fuck out of my face!" He boomed, standing to meet the glare with the same, if not more intensity.

"You've lost your damn mind!" The smaller man snapped, taking a small notepad with him as he brushed past past a somewhat stunned Kariya. Ugaki pulled the frosted glass door open with a force Ichigo had not yet known the black haired strategist to contain. Though, all of that energy seemed to drain from his body in seconds.

"Fuck!" Ugaki came face to face with the grizzly mug of the brutal sergeant of the federal police. He was seized by a thin arm before he could even think about pulling his gun. The giant standing in front of him seemed to toss the strategist out of the way, making his body look more like that of a rag-doll than a living, breathing human. Everyone in the room startled, reaching for their piece of choice and preparing themselves. Ichigo grabbed his too, leveling it at the officer like he intended to use it. 'Finally,' his impatient thoughts offered.

"Listen up!" Jin Kariya and Ugaki's yelling match had been nothing compared to the howling voice that shook even the glass panels in the large windows behind him. The brunette tightened his grip on his Bount issued glock, absentmindedly wondering how Renji hadn't gone deaf by now.

"We got all of you dead to rights! So I suggest that you don't dig yourself deeper into the shit you're already swimming in." Impossibly sharp canines were on full display within a wolfish grin that promised nothing but pain. Riot gear contorted and twisted as he cuffed the slight man in his hands, and at least ten similarly dressed but masked feds filed past the hulking figure. They each carried an AR in trained hands.

Ichigo had seen many reactions to a raid. There was the shooting which he had come to expect, the pleading, which was less likely, and the 'I didn't do anything wrong!' approach. The rarest of them all only became possible when faith in the leader was wearing thin. Kariya hadn't said a word, instead opting to lower his head and frown at the table. The core members of the Bounts had lowered their weaponry slowly, setting whatever they had pulled in front of them and donning similar expressions. Sanji followed suit, as to not draw attention to himself.

"Good job! You know, they said you guys were some fuckin' idiots back at the agency. You seem smart enough to me right now, though!" Kenpachi let out a laugh, and it sent a chill up Ichigo's spine. He'd never heard such a violent sound come out of anyone else he'd met in the last twenty-seven years. The only other noise that filled the room was the ticking of metal cuffs being snapped on. Mabashi spat at a thin officer as they took him in, and was met with the taste of rifle stock. Ichigo, couldn't contain his wince.

Sure he wasn't exactly working with the Bounts, and he didn't exactly like them. Still, he couldn't help but feel bad as blood started to drip out of the blonde's mouth. If all he got off with after that blow was a missing tooth, it would be a miracle.

One of the matching masked figures approached Ichigo and pulled him to his feet, as if to remind him that his time would be better spent worrying about himself. A yelp threatened to escape as he was forced to stand on his wounded leg, but he was able to conjure up a scowl and save himself. "Fuck you," he growled, not of ounce of acting required on his part. The masked figure only pulled his hands behind his back, cuffing him with the same apathy that was shown to those around him.

The brunette was pulled out of the room roughly, the last of all of the Bounts. For all intents and purposes the raid was a successful one – Kariya had been cuffed and given similar treatment with little to no resistance. The only discernible emotion on that usually angry face had been a shame that, even though he wasn't Ichigo's real boss, had made the spy look away in pity. A quiet woman named Yoshi had pushed the deflated man out of the way in a mad dash to escape, but was promptly tackled and restrained. Other than that, the attending officers had a fairly easy time completing their assignment.

They were all pulled down a lavish staircase one by one. As soon as Kariya had said that he was loaned the money to pay for this place, the spy had realized what was up. He snorted as he almost tripped down the winding glass stairs. He wondered if it was worth it to have sold your soul to the devil hold on to all of this. With a spy around it wasn't likely, but maybe the group could have lasted for a bit longer if had the former boss had just downsized. Not that it mattered now.

"Okay, take it nice and easy." It was Renji who'd arrested him. Ichigo felt his face twist in annoyance as the two diverged from the main group. Once they were a safe enough distance away and headed to an alternative exit near the back of the building, the cuffed brunette assumed it was safe to talk.

"You couldn't be a little less pushy? You know my leg's still fucked up." Renji touched the back of a masked head sheepishly, wayward red hairs poking out of the bottom making it even more apparent who the large man was. They were on the first level of the hideout that had presumably been cleared of enemies before the squad had come upstairs to make the big arrests. Without the dolls wandering around, it looked like any other abandoned building – covered in forgotten bedding, every surface coated in a fine (or not so fine) layer of grime. The pungent smell was still there, and would probably linger for at least a few days.

"I was going to, but Zaraki told me not to take it easy on you again." Ichigo cursed under his breath. The sergeant was someone you'd never want to have as an enemy. Even being acquaintances with the man was hard to cope with. After demonstrating one simple, akido based tackle on the him during a training event, the spy couldn't count on one hand the number of times he'd been asked to spar.

"That guy's a fucking lunatic." The brunette muttered as they reached the rarely used back entrance. It was barely noticeable; had it not been for his intel, Renji nor the other jar-head cops would have known about it. Just as the redhead was about to push the bar in and get them out of this hellhole, he felt the man who was holding his cuffs be yanked back sharply. They were almost done, and Ichigo was now sitting on the dirty tile floor, looking up at the brute of a guy who had taken the rifle from his shocked friend. He sucked his teeth, staring down the barrel of a gun that was too big to be legal.

If it had been just the one, he was sure Renji would have no problem handling the situation on his own. Unfortunately for the duo, they were outnumbered by one and out gunned by quite a lot. The red-haired officer would most certainly survive one or two shots – there was about a three hundred percent chance that the man had a vest on. Ichigo however, would be not be so lucky if he were struck, or even grazed by any bullet that the enormous rifle housed. Whatever caliber it was, it would most likely hit bone and or damage several surrounding organs in a wide diameter around the entry point. That, of course, would only be the case if his assailant was kind enough to stop at one.

The big, greasy looking raven-haired man in front of him sneered. "Sanji? You know what, I had a good feeling it was you." When the safety came off of the gun, the brunette felt a little bit of well warranted fear. He could handle all three in his sleep if he hadn't landed flat on his ass with his hands bound, but as it 'stood,' he was in a pretty shitty position. He thought of his little sisters in that moment. If he took any kind of damage here and lived to see the next day, he would never hear the end of it.

"Fuck you mean? I'm getting arrested like the rest of you!" Ichigo spat, his only option being to play dumb until he was riddled with bullets or saw an opportunity to attack. "You three assholes should be freeing your superior right now. What the hell do you think you're doing, pointing that shit at me? Are you the rat?" Thankfully, the three musketeers had been shaken by his seemingly unwavering confidence. They must have been some upper level dolls that were missed in the first sweep, because if they were any higher or lower down on the totem pole they wouldn't have been going out of their way to impress the non-existent boss.

As soon as that intimidating weapon was pointed at his friend, who had pulled a baton from his belt and was presumably also waiting for a good opportunity, Ichigo pulled off a move that he hadn't been forced to do in years. Supporting himself with his hands, he spun and kicked the rifle with enough force to send it into the stratosphere. Before it was inevitably launched from those huge chubby hands, the guy had pulled the trigger.

The sound was deafening as almost half a magazine of ammo was flung into the ceiling, covering all five of them with dust, glass, and various other debris. The weak light above them had shattered into a million pieces, leaving the surrounding area dark. He immediately looked over at Renji who had cried out in pain during the confusion. It seemed the man had been hit, but judging from the burn mark on his chest the bullet thankfully hadn't done fatal damage. Ichigo sprung to his feet, the metal of the cuffs digging into his back as he completed the action. The adrenaline coursing through him wouldn't allow his pain to affect him, but he knew for a fact that the stitches in his arm were done for.

"That's why you never became real members." Ichigo let his usual scowl grace his lips, far from Sanji Piasu's constantly cocky demeanor. All three of them came at once, unaware of Renji, who had recovered and yanked one to the side. The redhead pushed the lanky man into the floor face first with enough force to break bone, cuffing him easily. The brunette spy now faced the two remaining dolls, still charging at him with reckless abandon.

He dodged a haymaker from the heavyweight leader, ramming his uninjured shoulder into the other, smaller guy. Now that the killing machine was a non-factor, he was pretty confident in his abilities. Said killing machine had ended up in the far corner of the room, where Renji ran to retrieve it. Ichigo watched his back, all while fighting two men with his hands tied. The smaller man had been launched back at least three feet, now in the same helpless position that the brunette had been in no longer than five minutes ago. A black canvas shoe was promptly rammed into the back of a blonde head, hitting and severing the most vital part of the human nervous system.

The guy on the ground let out a final choke before black eyes glossed over. The lifeless body fell flat on the tile, head cracking against the hard material with a sickening sound that would take years to forget. "Maki! The third man, still face first on the tile screamed, now struggling to get up and fight. Ichigo stepped through his cuffs as quickly as he could manage so he'd at least have his hands in front of him, now making his way to the leader. It wasn't something that he'd wanted to do, but all three men had figured out the truth. He couldn't take any chances. Not with family to protect.

With quiet and somewhat dumbfounded "shit," the largest man stumbled away. He was quicker than Ichigo had expected, but still not fast enough to avoid his approach and somewhat clumsy kick to the back. The guy fell forward, face sliding on the ground for a while before he caught himself and attempted to run. The brunette spy was already there though, leg finally on fire in a way that was impossible to ignore. He was still able to send a good kick to the nape of the other man's neck, not a hesitant bone in his body. The chubby leader had been knocked out from what he could tell. Ichigo didn't waste any time in bringing his still bound hands to his calf, wounded leg shaking like a leaf.

"Fuck! You don't have to kill him, asshole!" the third screamed from the floor, writhing desperately but unable to rise to his feet. Ichigo sighed, trusty sig now in his hands. The safety came off with a click, and for some reason he felt compelled to respond.

"It's too late for that." He murmured, shooting the unconscious man in the back of the head at almost point blank range. The brunette's own head, albeit in much better shape than the other, was throbbing, but he still had a job to finish. He turned to face the most likely horrified man on the ground, just in time to watch his writhing body be hit with a volley of bullets. Neither the sight nor sound was very pleasant, to say the least.

Ichigo looked up at his redheaded friend through a mix of blurry vision and messy bangs. Gray eyes softened. "Renj. You didn't have to do that." The brunette stepped through his cuffs again, making sure his hands were in the right position in case someone saw them as they left. He wobbled up to the mildly shell-shocked officer and waited for him to sling the AR back onto broad shoulders, a little concerned for the man's mental well-being.

Renji grimaced, grabbing Ichigo by the arm once again and leading him to the door. "Was I supposed to stand there and let you take out three guys on your own, dummy?" There was no way to answer that, really. The red-head radioed a cleanup crew before pushing the rear exit open, soon shoving the bleeding brunette in the back of an unmarked cop car. "How many times do I have to tell you that I got your fuckin' back?"

Blood streamed down the brunette's fingers, pooling on the seat beneath him. His breathing was starting to slow, even though the pain that now radiated through his entire leg was killing him. In spite of his worries, he couldn't deny that he was immensely grateful to Renji for sharing the burden of his job, as he'd done many times in the past. "Thanks, Renj." That was about all Ichigo could manage before his vision faded entirely.


A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading the chapter. I'll try to get the next one sometime in the coming week :) Things are finally heating up for Ichigo again, both with Grimmjow and Aizen! I hope you stay tuned for more updates and enjoy what's to come!

If you like this story, don't be afraid to review, favorite and follow! I welcome your criticism!

Stay frosty,

Sexta