The Grab Chapter Seven

Ulquiorra POV

Ulquiorra quickly cleaned his zanpoktou, sheathed it and looked down briefly at the fallen Espada. The Sexta breathed rapidly due to the pain and his shoulders quivered and jerked without thought. Trash, ignore him.

As Ulquiorra watched the man writhe in pain, he considered Tousen's unexpected appearance. New orders from Aizen-sama? Not likely, though the idea of Tousen being the messenger for Aizen was appropriate in a way. Lord Aizen would never venture to the the trash-infested streets of Karakura. Of course someone would speak for him, lay the law for him when he himself could not. The issue, Ulquiorra realized – not for the first time – was about trust. Tousen's orders weren't unreasonable, really. What were two weeks to Ichigo Kurosaki's life, or to Grimmjow's for that matter? Two weeks was nothing. Ulquiorra had patience, discipline and above all, loyalty to Lord Aizen. Even if the order was false, if it was unnecessary, it would be Tousen who paid the price, not Ulquiorra. And according to Tousen, they were trapped here. In the end he would still complete his initial mission: killing Ichigo Kurosaki - with or without the aid of Grimmjow. Preferably without, he decided.

A low gasp made him turn sharply, seeking the small sound beneath the wash of rain. The sound was too soft to have been made by Grimmjow. Ulquiorra's eyes scanned the seemingly empty road and sidewalks, squinting as the rain continued to obstruct his vision. As if she was borne of the rain, a woman came forward from one of the paths that lead down one side of the Kurosaki house. Her fiery hair was dark and flat from the water, clinging to her jaw and throat, framing her distraught face in the night. He recognized her instantly, disheveled as she was. She was the woman from his earlier exploration of the human world, the one with the powers that interested his Lord Aizen. A small frown grew on Ulquiorra's face. Was the woman a prize to be take to Lord Aizen, or a future threat? Ulquiorra did no know the answer and so he simply ignored her. It was not his place to make such decisions.

"Woman..." A deep groan floated through the thick rain. Grimmjow still lay bleeding, his wild hair a deep blue that covered his eyes, one hand pressing tightly against the wound in his leg. His other arm lay virtually useless from the blow to his shoulder.

The woman shivered in the rain and inched closer, eyeing the two of them carefully, her hands poised to attack or protect. Ulquiorra gave her a uninterested glance and began to walked away. There was nothing more he could do here.

"Go get Ichigo, woman," Grimmjow's pain ridden voice croaked out.

Lips trembling, she answered in a smaller voice than Ulquiorra expected, even in the rain.

"Why should I?" Another deep shiver rocked her body.

Ulquiorra reached the road when he heard Grimmjow say, "He is my lover."

Ichigo POV

Ichigo...Ichigo...wake...Ichigo...

Wake up, Ichigo...

Grimmjow is....

Ichigo left his troubled dreams behind as he was awoken, twisted deeply in his bedding. The Shinigami slowly looked over his shoulder and saw long wet hair and dull grey eyes staring at him.

"Shit!" Ichigo shouted, surprised at the unexpected visitor in his room.

Orihime stood back from the bed once he was awake. She was wet and shivering. "Ichigo."

Ichigo looked to his window, seeing the round drops hit and roll down the misted pane. Lightening flashed and lit the room. Orihime looked even paler as the light flashed over her, draining her already ashen skin of color, white from fear and worry.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo sat up properly and faced her. He looked at his clock momentarily and noticed the early hour.

Orihime didn't so much as flinch as she spoke. "Grimmjow is asking for you." Her eyes were piercing in a way he hadn't seen them before. "He says that he's your lover...?"

Orihime didn't look mad or embarrassed by the content of her question. She probably just needed to know. Well, this was awkward. "He is."

Her eyes flickered to the window and her shoulder seemed to fall slightly after his response. Her voice was flat, toneless...empty. "He's hurt. Just outside. In the front yard."

"What?!" Ichigo felt his stomach give a nearly painful lurch and his heart throbbed deeply in his chest. God, Grimmjow, what did you do...? He climb over his bed to tried and look out of his window, and then realized seconds later that he couldn't actually see the front yard from there. In his moment of panic, Ichigo jumped off his bed and grabbed the nearest shirt he could find and pulled it on, completed unconcerned if Orihime saw his state of undress or not. He was a few steps out of his room before he even remembered her.

"Come one, Inoue," Ichigo pleaded. "He probably needs to be healed."

Ichigo was strangely glad he couldn't see the look on her face as he practically told her to heal an Espada. But just then he really didn't care what she thought, as long as she'd do this for him. When she didn't move, Ichigo tried again, attempting to keep sheer desperation out of his voice. "Whoever did this to him could still be out there! We have to hurry."

Ichigo saw her give a hesitant step and that was all he needed before he turned and threw himself down the stairs and dashed to the front door. The eerie green-yellow streetlights made it easier to see than inside the dark house. The grass sparkled, water rippled and flowed and gathered, the rain shifted with the wind. Lightening flashed just like it had the night he and Grimm....

Where is he?

Ichigo saw the white of the Espada uniform crumpled on the grass of his front lawn. He didn't notice how slippery the lawn was or how cold the rain was on his bare legs, unprotected by the thin sleeping shorts he wore. His t-shirt clung tightly to his chest as the rain soaked it, and his teeth clacked lightly as the cold made it's presence known in his body.

"Gimmjow..." Ichigo said softly, aware that the rain would cover the sound. Grimmjow was motionless on the grass, curled over himself in an odd position. Ichigo rushed closer and saw what a mess the man was. There was blood soaked up and spreading over the stark white of the Espada uniform. A deep red surrounded the still oozing wounds left on his shoulder and thigh.

Nearly falling to touch Grimmjow's cheek gently, Ichigo asked hurriedly, "Grimmjow, are you alright?"

Grimmjow's jaw, which Ichigo hadn't notice was clenched tightly, was released and then the violent shivers began. The man's eyes slid open and focused on Ichigo. "Fff-uu-uck, it-t's c-c-cold!"

Ichigo was grateful that Grimmjow had the ability to notice the temperature in the condition he was in. The idiot could have been worse off, he supposed. Smiling and feeling the grass and mud beneath his bare feet, Ichigo had completely forgotten to look for the person who had attacked Grimmjow. He dropped to a knee and scanned the area, allowing his usual instincts to return now that he'd assessed that his lover was alive and well.... kicking at least.

Orihime stood just outside of the front door, holding herself protectively as she did in Ichigo's bedroom. He was confused by her lack of help. Orihime usually jumped at any opportunity to help him, but Ichigo suspected that she was uncomfortable and slightly unwilling now that she knew he had a lover; a male lover, a male Espada lover at that.

After assuring himself that no one else was around and no unusual reitsu was present, Ichigo turned to Orihime. "Orihime, please," he nearly begged. Grimmjow was alive, but still in pain and that just didn't sit right Ichigo.

The healer approached them, looking warily at him and Grimmjow. "What is he doing here? Why was he fighting with that other Espada?"

Ichigo paled and jerked his head back to his lover.

"He was here to kill you, Ichigo," Grimmjow interjected with a grunt, turning to lie on his back, blood spreading like watercolors on his uniform.

"To kill me?" Ichigo said incredulously as he moved to lean over his lover, pulling his jacked open to see the wound on his shoulder. Ichigo knew he shouldn't be worried, Grimmjow was perfectly fine when it came to taking care of himself. He was a little crazy and reckless, but he'd live. But seeing the man bare wounds that he didn't personally put there made Ichigo feel overly protective. He never imagined feeling that way about the man in front of him. God only knew how many times Ichigo had stabbed Grimmjow and laughed about it later. Too many times.

"Stupid fucker," Grimmjow laughed, coughed and then laughed again. "Like I'd let him hurt you."

Ichigo gripped Grimmjow's jacked tightly. So Grimmjow had come to protect him?

"Jesus, Grimm. I don't need protecting," Ichigo growled, not having the courage to say what he really felt. Thank you, you didn't have to. I can't believe you'd do that for me. Would I have done it for you? Ichigo stopped thinking about that instantly.

Ichigo sat back at watched Grimmjow frown at his words and push himself up to rest on his good arm, elbow sinking into the soggy grass. "That' not --"

"-- it doesn't matter," Ichigo interjected quickly, telling himself that he wasn't ready for Grimmjow's answer. That meant that he would have to answer in return.

"The fuck it does!" Grimmjow yelled, no longer muffled by the rain. "I just fought Ulquiorra for your stupid ass. You sleep like the fucking dead through the whole thing and then you come out here and say it doesn't matter. Fuck you!" His face was red with rage as he pushed himself up and stumbled to his feet with a series of groans.

Ichigo ignored him for the moment, letting Grimmjow hobble around on his own. Orihime was watching them. Just watching, observing, and not judging, Ichigo hoped.

Rising and walking over to Orihime, Ichigo spoke over the rain. "Can you heal him?"

Ichigo didn't have the nerve to tell her how relieved he was as she nodded. "Thank you." Now, there was an Espada to deal with. "Grimm, get your ass over here!"

Ichigo received his typical Grimmjow response. "I don't need no fucking healer. Ain't never needed one, not starting now." Grimmjow mumbled for a few moments, hobbling back and forth across the yard, clearly refusing to look at Ichigo.

Under normal circumstances, Ichigo might have let him suffer, but they were out in the rain and he needed to speed things up. Pulling Orihime behind him, Ichigo approached Grimmjow and knocked him flat on his back. By then Orihime had figured out his strategy and began her healing without the blue-haired man's consent. Ichigo could only laugh fondly at Grimmjow's fussing within Orihime's healing bubble. Why did shit like this always happen to him? Now that was a good question.

Orihime had long gone and Ichigo wasn't quite sure what they were doing still sitting in the rain. He was really fucking cold and still upset about what had happened while he'd slept, but he couldn't bring himself to get up and go inside before Grimmjow said or did something. The man was sitting cross-legged, fingering the hole left in his bottoms from being stabbed. He hadn't looked at Ichigo since Orihime had left.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo pressed gently. "What happened?"

His lover spoke like he'd been waiting for Ichigo to say something first all along. Idiot. "Big old mess, that's what happened." He looked calmer now and definitely not in any more pain, Thank God. "Left you, went to Los Noches, got called to Aizen, sent back with Mr. Kiss-Ass Numero Quatro to kill your ass dead."

Ichigo smiled at Grimmjow's play-by-play recount. "Well...I'm not dead."

Grimmjow looked happy as he replied, "No, you're not." After another soft look at Ichigo, Grimmjow finally rose gingerly and offered a hand to Ichigo. "Let's go inside, we'll talk."

Ichigo stopped him as tried to pull them across the yard and tugged Grimmjow roughly against him. "Wait..."

"What?"

Ichigo eyed the still bloody clothing Grimmjow wore and swore silently and he hugged his lover to him tightly, the night events condensing and overwhelming him. "Grimm..." He ignored the shaky rasp of his voice, ignored the needy quality it held as he said the name that was becoming more and more important to him each passing day. He felt lips against his damp forehead and just then, even in the rain, he wasn't cold anymore.

Grimmjow POV

Grimmjow remembered why he never took any lovers in Los Noches. Aside from the fact that they would probably try to kill him, they were needy and just so goddamn confusing most of the time. The gossip was horrible and crippling. It was never worth having a lover only to end up demoted, dead, or just fucked over - that's what they did best in Los Noches.

Grimmjow was no stranger to loneliness, and he suspected that most of the Espada would agree with him. No one really wanted to fuck around with you when you were at the top of the food chain. He knew that was one of the reasons he rebelled as much as he did, just to get the attention. But even that lost its charm eventually.

Grimmjow paused and waited as his lover closed and locked the front door behind them. Ichigo turned and took his hand, twisting their fingers together and pulling him to the stairs. The mood was grateful and somber, as though Ichigo knew how lucky he was to have this time with Grimmjow after what had transpired. Grimmjow knew just how he felt. As they moved up the stairs, Grimmjow let his unoccupied hand touch the small of Ichigo's back, keeping as much contact between them as possible.

"I'm tired and cold," Ichigo sighed as they entered his room. The man began stripping his wet clothes off, tossing them into the corner before diving under his covers. Grimmjow just watched from his position against the closed door, not at all concerned about the state of his own clothes. He smiled as a hand emerged from the sheets and waved around blindly. "Strip and get your ass in here."

Chuckling and smiling, Grimmjow removed his clothes and shook slightly to get most of the water off himself. Ichigo's hand still stuck out and Grimmjow took it gently to let him know he was there. The blankets were lifted in an invitation, but Ichigo didn't wait to tug him down. Laughing like an idiot, Grimmjow flopped down next to Ichigo, all wet and slippery and growing warmer by the second. They wiggled together, shifting and wrapping around each other before they grew still and content.

"I'm glad you're alright," Ichigo said softly against Grimmjow's hand that he'd pulled to his lips, mouthing each syllable into his knuckles. Grimmjow shivered as Ichigo wiggled his foot, slipping it between his own to interlock yet another body part to him. "What happened out there... really?"

Grimmjow couldn't hold back the sigh that fell from his lips. He didn't want to ruin the little bubbled they'd just wrapped themselves in when they got into bed. He never wanted it to end. "Where do I start?" he stalled, leaning forward that last inch to kiss Ichigo on the tip of his nose.

"Just... talk, I'll listen," Ichigo said softly.

"Like I said before, Ulquiorra and I were sent by Aizen to kill you. We get here and I plan on killing the bastard before he gets at you." Grimmjow stopped and took a deep breath and pulled Ichigo closer to him, sliding his legs higher to securely wrap around Ichigo's hot thigh.

"Grimm, you really didn't..."

Grimmjow shushed him with a hard, possessive kiss. God, if Ichigo only knew how scared he'd been; how pissed it made him that someone was after his lover. "Ichigo..." he moaned unintentionally.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo murmured against his lips. "Keep going."

"We fight and he stabs me in the shoulder and the thigh." Grimmjow shivered when he felt his lover's fingertips tracing the vanished wounds.

"And..." Ichigo drawled sleepily, his fingers still moving, touching, breathing across Grimmjow's body.

Grimmjow was almost short for words as Ichigo distracted him with his hands, his eyes, his smell. "And then Tousen showed up."

The Shinigami tensed in his arms and Grimmjow regretted his words instantly, but Ichigo had wanted to know. "Tousen was here?"

Grimmjow buried his face into Ichigo neck as he thought about what might have happened if Tousen hadn't shown up. But everything was fine now. Ichigo was fine and in his arms for now at least. "Yes."

"Why?" His lover inquired with a deep, troubled voice, fingers dancing from Grimmjow's shoulders to curl into his damp hair.

"He stopped us from killing each other. Said that he had new order from Aizen, but I don't know if that's true," Grimmjow growled against Ichigo neck before he kissed the soft skin. "He pushed back your killing two weeks and then left me and him here. Trapped us here for two weeks."

Ichigo pulled him by his hair away from his neck. "He just left you and him here. You mean, you can't go back?"

"Said we were locked out," the Espada answered and then dove back into Ichigo's neck.

"So you're here for two whole weeks with me?"

Grimmjow chuckled at his lover. "So you're not even worried about the death sentence, are you?"

"Why should I be? I've got you here," Ichigo declared, ducking his head to kiss Grimmjow's forehead.

Grimmjow could only hold Ichigo tighter. "Yeah. You do."

TBC...

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