'Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Other say that fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one's destiny intertwines with many others. It's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it. But there are some, who are lead.'- Merida, Brave

Ichigo's nerves were on end as he walked towards the stage from behind the curtain, he'd made his decisions on which scholarships to accept with the help of his friends. There was a hollow feeling though; he'd wanted his family to be sitting in the audience with smiles on their faces. He had been so cocky about being the first of three to graduate and now he was the only, he didn't know what to feel. Being the only was a sad thing, especially when you'd been one of several at one point.

The teen almost tripped on the hem of his gown and cursed the stupid material for getting in his way. "Hey Ichi, don't worry about it. At least you're not fucking first." Renji clapped the orange haired teens shoulder as he made his way to the front of the line. Ichigo was realizing more and more that he'd been dreading that moment. The one where he would accept his diploma and shake Aizen's hand, signaling the end to being a child, of having that excuse of 'I'm just a kid, what do you expect of me?'

"Hey Ichi, hang back after." Grimmjow whispered it from behind Ichigo, his lips ghosting over the others ear before Ichigo spun around, far too high strung to have anyone doing that to him.

"What?"

"Don't go running off to the party right away." Grimmjow looked good in his cap and gown, the annoying yellow tassel was dangling in front of his face and he kept scowling at it every few moments while the gown did nothing to hide the fact he was built well. Ichigo nod his head robotically, deciding he'd just sit down wherever until the emotions and trauma had completely sunk in. "Alright, I'll see you after."

"Yeah, see ya." Ichigo stretched up onto his toes and pressed a firm kiss to the others lips, just wanting to feel grounded for a moment.

Ichigo started hopping up and down as Aizen gave the 'last lecture' and started calling out students names; Renji Abarai.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He wasn't expecting to feel as dazed as he came off the stage, grabbing the young girls' arm that was offered. His diploma was in his hand and he was juggling a rose as well. The girl lead him back to his seat with a kind smile, he recognized her as one of the upright bassists in the orchestra who had always hung back after class like himself, they had never talked much though.

Everything seemed like it was happening like it had when his head had been hit, words slurred together and other people started sitting down beside him again in the large concert hall the school had rented for this occasion.

As the graduates were dismissed the students all tossed their caps into the air as Ichigo still sat there stunned, his hands on his knees before he calmly stood and started making his way out of the seats with the rest of his peers before the families could file out.

"Ichigo! Oh I'm so proud of you!" Ichigo turned just in time to see Toshiro's mother walking up to him before he was pulled into a hug. "You did really well. Do you know where Toshiro is?" Ichigo silently pointed towards where he'd last seen the flash of white hair and nod to his friends' father as the adults passed him.

"Ichigo, congratulations." Ichigo was pulled into another hug, this time by the vibrantly red haired woman that was Mrs. Abarai. "You family would be so proud dear." Ichigo gave the woman a hug in return before disjoining himself and heading into the back stage area, wanting to just get away from the hustle and bustle.

A hallway behind the stage lead to a big gym where Ichigo found his solace, he hand in his gown and tucked his hat under his arm with his diploma and rose. Sitting down in one of the further corners Ichigo pulled out his phone and found the only portable image of his whole family, moving his knees up to his chest and letting his mind whirl with emotions.

'I accepted the Phil Harmonic orchestras' scholarship opportunity. I-I know it's not Disney, but I don't want to be tied just to them, and I can spend as many years as I wish with the Harmonic so long as my skill keeps up. There were a few smaller awards I won from some sponsors, Byakuya being a jackass and giving the group a thousand bucks towards University like the rich bastard he is. I guess what's I'm trying to say to you guys is; I did it. Adulthood and all it's splendor of being a graduated human being. I really wish you guys were here though, everyone says you'd be proud of me and I know you would be. But I can't help but want to hear you say it yourselves. There is no part of me that wants to be out there with those families, grandparents and cousins, siblings and extended family. I don't want any part in that.

'The last eleven months and twenty days have been shit. It's almost the anniversary of your deaths, dad, Karin, Yuzu. And I've got another two weeks to go for you mom. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to playing the violin every night like I wanted to, some shit happened, you know? Uh, Grimmjow has a bunch of investors all interested in his business idea, he's going to be opening by September after he buys a small newer building downtown near the park and he want's me to teach some Karate on the weekends if I can.

'I'm not too sure, but as far as I know it's going really well between the two of us. Yeah, he's a bit of an asshole- alright; he's a hue asshole. But he really does seem to give a damn and he doesn't treat me like I'm fragile because of everything that's happened. I love you all so much, and I really wish you could be here with me. I think you would have thought me stumbling was funny as I crossed the stage at least. So yeah, that's what I've been thinking, for a while now. Love you.' Ichigo took in a deep breath and let it out shakily as he turned the screen on his phone black once again and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Hey, there you are Berry. Why the fuck are you hiding in here?"

"Quiet." Ichigo's reply was spoken as opposed to Grimmjow's shout across the empty gym.

"I hear ya; it's like a freaking zoo out there. Sneak out the back with me." Grimmjow walked up to the teen and offered his hand, pulling Ichigo up as their fingers made contact. "Want to go for dinner before the party or back to my place for our own?" Grimmjow pressed his lips against Ichigo's neck as soon as he was standing and pressed him back against the wall.

"Dinner please." Grimmjow stopped at the monotonous sound making him look at the other with a raised eyebrow.

"You alright Berry?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine in a little bit. We can have some celebratory sex later if you really want. I haven't eaten yet to day though, so…" Ichigo motioned towards the large blue door that lead out into the parking lot, knowing that his car was there waiting for them.

"Uh, wherever you want to go for dinner then Ichigo." Ichigo pulled Grimmjow out of the building, climbing into the drivers' seat and getting the both of them to a simple restaurant that his dad had always talked about taking him to after his graduation.

"Table for two please." The hosts nod his head and grabbed two menus, leading them to their seats.

"The waitress will be right along to ask for your beverages." Ichigo nod his head as he sat down in the booth across from Grimmjow, still feeling slightly numb about graduating.

"This is an interesting place. Steak house and Grill but no bar. The best they've got is bottled beer." Grimmjow scowled at the menu and Ichigo shrugged his shoulder, knowing that Grimmjow could get smashed at the party afterwards.

"Well, my dad always wanted to take me here for the steak and said he would on my graduation night. So I'm here now. You can walk to the party if you want."

"Ugh, that's not really important. The reason I wanted you to hang back is because I wanted to know what you've been thinking. I know we've talked a bit. But you still haven't said which school you're going to be going to."

"Uh, I was thinking the Imperial school of Music actually. They have a program that allows a new student to take part in concerts around the world while keeping their base here in Japan. It's in Tokyo though, so I'm going to have to move again."

"Oh, you are going to be moving to Tokyo?"

"God no, I'm moving about twenty minutes away from here. I know it's still not inside Karakura, but it's better then Tokyo. Y-you're still opening up your center here in town, right?"

"Yeah, I've got to get on that and hire staff and find the equipment-"

"Why were you asking?"

"Because I wanted to know. Are you sure you're going to be able to commute that far? It'll still be an hour and a half drive into Tokyo and back, why not moving closer to the city if you don't want to live in it?"

"Because I don't want to. I hate the very idea of moving away from this city and just… never seeing anyone."

"Interesting, so it's just because you don't want to be alone?" Ichigo nod his head, fiddling with his napkin until the waitress came over.

"Hello, what can I get you boys to drink for tonight?"

"I'll have a coke, he'll have a beer and glass, and we'll both have a king cut steak cooked rare please." Ichigo gave the woman a kind smile as his attention snapped to her, not minding at all as Grimmjow made an amused scoff across from him.

"Oh, alright. I'll be right back with your drinks."

"Rare king cut steaks huh Ichi? Since when do you order for me when we go out?" Grimmjow leaned forwards, his chin resting on the backs of his hands as his smirk grew.

"Since the last five times we've gone to a steakhouse you've gotten a king cut and had it from blue rare to rare, and the fact that my dad always wanted me to try it from here. Apparently the seasoning is really good." Ichigo's smile was sincere as he moved into the same position Grimmjow was in, grabbing up the salt shaker and leaning back in his seat to toy with the amount of salt and pepper so they were even.

"Think you know me that well?"

"I think I'm getting used to your rhythm."

"Really? Then what am I thinking right now?" Grimmjow took the salt from Ichigo's hand and brushed the salt off the table, never letting his eyes move from Ichigo's as he waited.

"Well, since I said rhythm you're thinking sex, and I'm pretty sure you're also thinking how amazing I look right now."

"Actually, more like; will you move in with me?" Ichigo's eyes went wide as he looked at Grimmjow.

"Now how's that going to work? I know it'll only be an extra half hour in the mornings, but it's a half hour I won't have if I move out of town. I mean, I know we can live together really well and all, but that was also before we had any kind of actual relationship. Plus, we had only been living together for a month before we couldn't stand each other."

"You know perfectly well that was because I was bringing Szayle or Luupi back almost every night and you had your precious Hisagi. And it wouldn't be a longer commute. It'd be a much smaller commute since my first building is going to be in Tokyo."

"What? Grimmjow, what are you babbling about?"

"I'm going to open the first center in Tokyo; my investors think it'll give the business more opportunity to grow faster. The building I've had my eye on is three floors, and the third is a loft space that's already furnished and everything for living. The shop is going to be mine so the loft above it is going to be my main living area; it's too big for one person. I think I'd like the company of a Pumpkin and a cracker." Ichigo kept his eyes locked with Grimmjow's, his face heating up as he thought about all the possibilities of what would happen if he moved into a loft in Tokyo with Grimmjow. "I'm going to tell you right now, most of my time is going to be going into the center; getting it up and going, checking over all the paper work and dealing with my investors. But I'm sure I'll have part of the weekends off and nights free."

"So basically you're saying that I can live with you in Tokyo because all the time we'll be spending together is going to be probably eight hours on the weekend and an hour every night that you're gonna want for sex. How nice of you Grimmjow."

"Sex isn't needed every night, just a perk if I get it every night."

"To be honest Grimm, I can't. I left your apartment for a reason; I didn't want to depend on you. Do you think I'm going to want to again?"

"Fine then, just promise me you'll move either smack dab in the middle or that you'll move to Tokyo with me."

"Grimm-"

"Here you go. Just let me know if it's not to your liking and I'll have it fixed right up." Ichigo stopped as the waitress came back and set their drinks and dinners down in front of them.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks." As the waitress walked away Grimmjow turned his eyes back to Ichigo, picking up the bottle of beer and taking a swig despite the glass that was brought for him to pour it into. "What were ya gonna say Berry?"

"I need to know what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking I don't want this… relationship… to be over just because we're out of high school. You're the first guy that doesn't actually put up with all my shit but is letting me still be a dick all the same." Grimmjows smirk left his face and he moved back, grabbing his knife and fork to start working at his dinner. "Don't answer now, we don't have to figure things out until you're ready to move out. I'm going to be buying the building on the eighteenth and I'm going to be moving in throughout the rest of summer."

"Alright Grimm. I'll think about it." Ichigo joined the blue haired teen in starting to eat through his dinner as they start up a much lighter conversation about the latest soccer game they'd seen on the TV as snippets throughout the day.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Hey Ichigo! Where the fuck are those damn friends of yours?" Grimmjow let out a sigh as he dropped yet another box onto the hardwood floor of the loft where he was going to put the living room.

"Like I know. Renji was driving so they're all probably lost." Ichigo set his two stacked boxes down in the kitchen and let out a sigh, leaning against the island of the almost door-less loft space above the two floors of workout facility.

"Well get their asses over here. We've only got the truck for another five hours before I have to pay more money and there's still another trip to make." Grimmjow pulled his shirt over his head and walked into the kitchen with Ichigo, reaching into the fridge and pulling out the water pitcher; the only thing the box held.

"Whatever Grimm, they'll get here in a few minutes I'm sure." Ichigo stretched upwards; glad that his fingers finally didn't come close to the ceiling since it was a good twelve feet high. The loft was so spacious that it felt nice. Grimmjow's arms snaked around Ichigo's waist and his fingers toyed with the hem of his pants.

"It's not too late, I'm sure in the next trip we can get all your stuff here." Ichigo shook his head, tilting his messy orange head to the side, letting the grown out mess move off his neck in places as Grimmjow bent down to kiss the skin.

"Nah, it's too late, I've already paid first and last month's rent. Besides, we're only half an hour away if we walk, it could be worse."

"Fucking hell!" Both males looked up at the shout and Grimmjow smirked as he saw Renji almost covering his eyes as he looked out the large bay windows that went out onto a fairly large balcony that spanned the length of the loft. "I know it's kinda the thing to christen a place with a good romp, but don't you usually wait until your moved in?" Grimmjow scoffed and moved his fingers along the hem of Ichigo's jeans again before the other slipped out of his grasp.

"Whatever Renji. It's not like you knocked, now come with me; the truck's out back." Ichigo motioned to his friends to head down one of the hallways to a set of stairs that went right out into the alley.

"Fuck Ichi, why did he have to pick the third floor of a building with twenty-foot floors?" Ichigo just scoffed, looking over his shoulder as he got to the 'back door' to the apartment loft.

"Renji, stop being such a baby. I've already done like ten trips with boxes and shit. Consider it strength and conditioning practice for soccer, you're playing it in college, right?"

"Yes, but this is summer! I don't want to work in the summer!" Ichigo decided to just shut up as he, Renji, Uryuu, Chad, Starrk, Nnoitra, Toshiro, and Ulquiorra head down the winding back steps.

Ichigo handed out the boxes to everyone, telling them where it went in accordance to what was written on the top or side. "Wow Strawberry! What're you doing here? Still dating Grimmy? Huh, I never thought of that actually happening." Ichigo stood up straight and spun himself around just in time to see Gin hopping up into the back of the truck with him.

"Gin? What do you want?"

"I came to give Grimm something, but I'm going to give it to you instead since I'm sure he doesn't want to talk to me." Gin started to approach Ichigo, his fox smile perfectly in place.

"What makes you think that?"

"He changed his number and moved to the middle of Tokyo. If I wasn't secretly one of his investors I wouldn't know where this place was. Anyhow, back to the topic at hand; I've got this sealed envelope I need you to give to him." Grimmjow held up a normal sized envelope in his hand with absolutely no writing on it as he started walking around Ichigo. "So I'm going to slip this into your back pocket here…" Gin trailed off as he hooked his finger into Ichigo's jeans back pocket before the orange haired teen spun around and grabbed the offending hand and the envelope.

"I can put something in my own back-pocket. Now tell me why I should give this to Grimm?"

"It's the last bit of family stuff that I've been dealing with for a while now. Do it for Grimm, alright?" Ichigo slipped the envelope into his back pocket and crossed his arms over his chest. "Great. Now go get a haircut, you look like a hippy." Gin's smirk grew once again to an insane smile and he reached up, ruffling the slightly sweaty locks before hopping out of the truck and heading back to his car parked three blocks away.

"Hey Berry! What's taking you?"

"Sorry Grimm! My belt got caught on the truck!" Ichigo shook his head at his own excuse, it was weak and he knew it but he just shrugged it off as he grabbed a box and head up the hundred or so steps to get up to the apartment.

Ichigo made it up to the apartment with the last box, walking into the master bedroom he set it down and head back into the main living area, knowing that they'd be using the lift for the heavy furniture that would be coming back with the next trip.

"Hey, your friends took the lift down. They were right pissed you made them climb the stairs by the way. Nnoitra is gonna drive the truck there and back to pick up the furniture." Ichigo walked up to Grimmjow as he lay on the floor of what he decided was going to be his living room, lowering himself so he was straddling his boyfriends hips.

"Don't get pissed off at me, alright?"

"Now why the hell would I do that?" Grimmjow pulled himself up, his hands resting on Ichigo's hips and holding fast to them. Ichigo reached behind himself and pulled the envelope from his back pocket.

"You need to open this."

"Why? Are you confessing your love for me through written word? How sexy."

"Hmm, since when do you find written word sexy Grimm?"

"Nah, just your voice. What is it?"

"Just open it up." Grimmjow nod his head and Ichigo moved to sit beside him on the hardwood floor, already deciding that he had to get the other area rugs to fight against the cold in the winter.

Grimmjow's brow furrowed as he pulled the pages out of the envelope and began reading over what the hand written letter from his brother said. It took him a couple minutes to get through the three pages explaining many things Grimmjow half believed until he looked at the attached certificates.

"What's up Grimm?"

"Both my parents and Nemu are dead. Apparently Gin has been using his inheritance money to fund this project and has just given me the means to retrieve the rest of the money that's due to me."

"Oh, sorry." Ichigo bent his head to the side, knowing that Grimmjow didn't like his parents but it was still hard to hear of death sometimes; most likely in the way of Nemu most.

"You don't get it, my parents were fucking millionaires. Being rich ran in their families and they were reach single children. Even after all the money Gin's put into this place as that private investor he's still got millions to himself." Grimmjow set the papers all down beside himself and fell back against the cold floor, letting out a huff as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Do you want to talk about anything Grimm?"

"No. But I could do with a kiss." Ichigo let out a light sigh as he smiled down at Grimmjow, pressing his lips firmly against the others as he lowered himself. It didn't take long until Grimmjow rolled Ichigo onto his back, pushing the other into the floor. "What am I gonna do?" Ichigo remained panting under the other as Grimmjow used the crook of Ichigo's neck and shoulder for his forehead.

"About the money?" Grimmjow nod his head and Ichigo let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through blue locks. "Use it for your business. Make it grow and make sure you always have enough to get by. You might not want them to have given it to you, but you deserve to have some kind of happiness after all the shit they gave you."

"I'm gonna think about it. Until the guys get back, just have a nap with me, alright?"

"Uh, sure thing. But um… when were you going to tell me that Rukia, Orihime, Uryuu, Ulquiorra and Toshiro were still here?"

"Probably wouldn't have." Grimmjow smirked as he stretched out and rolled Ichigo towards himself so his friends couldn't see the pink turning face as he got comfortable for a nap. "Night Berry."

"Grimmjow, I'm going to kill you."

"You'll have to marry me first."

"If that was some sort of proposal you did it all wrong."

"Just a statement Berry. I don't let just anyone kill me. You'd have to be more fucking special then you are now."

"Then I just might have to take you up on that horribly timed offer. One day."

AN: Well. There you have it; Chasing Dreams. I don't really remember what inspired this story anymore, but I'm glade I've written it and I'm super happy that so many of you have liked reading it. I think this is pretty good for my first Bleach fandom story, though I might have gone crazy with the amount of content this has for having no original plot.

It is however my longest story yet, and I'm really happy about that!

Thank you all for reading, reviewing, commenting and really just cheering me on. I hope you've all enjoyed the journey. Have a great time everyone, Bye!