Ichigo found himself being wrapped back into the world of the Shinigami, which didn't really surprise me in the least. Years passed at a increasingly slower rate as he vanished from my life for a chunk of time to perfect all his skills. It didn't bother me because I knew in the end he wasn't truly going anywhere.

Any free time he had was spent lazing around with me and I felt progressively acquisitive to my need to have him around. But we were happy, for all intensive purposes. At least I was and I tend to believe that it was never a dull moment for him.

The woman was always stopping by when he was around. It was almost like she lo-jacked him and knew what we were going to be up to so she just had to interrupt our fantastic after school activities. Ichigo was always so pleasant to her and it didn't bother me in the least that their hugs lasted a bit too long and their laughter was strangely personal. He did have kids with the woman and I never really was the jealous type.

June stopped by a lot as well. She was a splitting image of Orihime, which was probably a good thing seeing that Ichigo's features would only look good on a man. She was a chatty, very perceptive girl and didn't find it strange at all that her father was in love with another man. She never once argued the fact that Ichigo had Orihime, we all knew that he would always love the woman. Just not the way a man should love the person he planned on spending the rest of forever with.

I got to take home that cake.

I never gave up my Hollow side, even though he tried to talk me into it many times. I was happy being the last Espada. I didn't mind the hole in my stomach, the funny looks that accompanied my jaw bone and my strange reitsu. I mostly didn't want to let him kill me properly because I didn't know how it would work. Would I be the same or would all the years vanish in one fell swoop and I would start back at square one? I didn't want to risk it.

The years finally picked up speed again when he was moved into Vice-Captain position of the 3rd squad and he not only had a pretty sweet new living arrangement but a lot more free time. Outside of paperwork, of course. I moved in with him and there were little to no repercussions of a Hollow living among the Shinigami. We honestly thought it was going to be a problem because I'd always been in the Rukongai.

I remember the year Jack came to Soul Society. It was the same year Ichigo was promoted to Captain. Apparently, and I didn't get this because I didn't belong in that world, Ichigo is some sort of boy-genius which is why he was promoted so quickly. Only the tiny silver-haired captain that worked with Vice-Captain Huge Tits had been moved up faster.

I was proud of Ichigo.

Jack moved into the life of a Shinigami rather quickly. I will never forget the first real conversation he and I had alone.

"So, you live with Dad?" he asked, forever trapped in the body of a 26 year old. Apparently those with high spiritual pressure revert to the time of their highest reitsu when they die. Strange, I know.

"Yeah, I do," I said quietly with my nose in a book.

"How long?"

"Good twenty years now," I stated simply, glancing over the pages to stare at the boy. He looked just like Ichigo.

"Do you love him?" It was such a blunt question, I almost didn't know how to answer.

"I do."

Jack just smiled. "Good. I am glad you two finally got your head's out of your asses."

I laughed deeply, "What the hell does that mean?"

"That first time I remember seeing the two of you together with your face all jacked up and blood all down the hallway," he paused, looking for his words, "I knew something was up."

"But you didn't know what?" I pressed.

"No. And I didn't realize until many years later just how much you meant to Dad. He never, ever spoke of you. But sometimes he would just sit quietly and stare off into the distance with a small smile on his face and I wanted to believe that he was thinking about Mom, but I knew better."

"Are you angry?" I asked, suddenly very serious.

"At you? Hardly. I am a little mad at him sometimes for keeping it such a secret and I am mad at Mom sometimes because I know she has known since before he did. She was always good at stuff like that."

"Yeah, sometimes I wish they hadn't married either."

Jack laughed with a smile, "No. Don't get me wrong, I am glad they did. It made Mom happy, at least for a time. And she is doing so well now with Ishida, I can't blame her for doing what she did. I just wish she wouldn't have because he could have been so much happier. They both could have been much happier."

I didn't want to sound cocky or arrogant, so I kept my comments to myself. I could never manage to tell the boy that his father found happiness the only way he could because so long as he was alive I would never be able to sate his needs. I guess that is what happens when you fall for a dead person.

Jack looked at me with those deep chocolate eyes that threw me back so many years. "I am happy, Grimmjow. I am not angry because Dad is just a little different. And I am certainly grateful that he picked someone as cool as you are to offset how lame he can be at times."

"He honestly doesn't deserve such an understanding kid," I smiled, honestly appreciative that Jack was such a decent child.

"I don't think he deserves you, but we are stuck with what we are given I guess."

I shook my head. "Get out, Jack," I teased him, "I don't think Ichigo is going to appreciate hearing that you just almost made a pass at me."

"Don't flatter yourself. I am extremely happy with vagina," he said as he walked down the hardwood walkway and waved over his shoulder.

When Ichigo finally got home from whatever he was supposed to be doing, I was lazing around in the back garden with my legs draped over the end of a bench and my book on my chest, fast asleep. He startled me awake by kissing me upside-down and moving my legs to sit down. I didn't move much and he just sat underneath them, letting his fingers graze up and down against the hair on my calves slowly.

"Long day?" I asked stupidly. I could see the day etched into his face.

"Very. Hollow were running rampant in the human world but we were training some kids that were ten kinds of cocky," he sighed.

I smiled, "Oh yes, because you were never cocky."

"I couldn't have been THAT bad."

"You were. I really thought you could have killed me with words the first time we fought."

"Shut up," he grumbled at my biting sarcasm.

"Jack stopped by today," I changed the subject.

Ichigo's face lit up, "Really? What did he have to say?"

"He just brought by some food that his wife made, I think there is still a little left over if you want it," I said as I ran a finger up his arm lazily.

"Oh, that was nice of her to make extra."

"He said she felt bad because two men living under one roof couldn't possibly mean we eat decently," I laughed. "Jack also said that he loves you. And he isn't angry at you."

"What a strange kid," Ichigo muttered, a blush creeping across his features.

"He is just glad you are happy, Ichi," I said, pulling his hand to my lips slowly.

Ichigo was silent and just let his eyes fall shut as I kissed each of his fingers. I knew he was tired and I wanted nothing more than to put him to sleep and watch his peaceful body dream about whatever it was that Kurosaki Ichigo dreamed about.

He sighed deeply when I stopped and looked at me with those brown eyes that would never loose their spark. "I love you, Grimm."

I stood up and extended a hand to him. "Come on, Ichi. Let's get to bed."

AN: That's it. I felt like that was a great place to end everything. I was going to add some smut, but decided that it would throw everything off. So, instead, I updated my one-shot collection Burritos and Tequila with an all new short that is full of sexy glory. Just for you guys. xD

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