Hey, sorry for the late update, but I've been finding it a bit hard to use my computer much, as I have been on holiday as of the past few weeks.

That said, I have a lot of spare time on my hands now, so I will hopefully be able to spend a little more time thinking about my fics, if nothing else. XD

So without further ado, enjoy my sad, sad attempt at plot building~!

"H-hey, Ichigo… slow down," the other person warned, frowning in worry as he watched the red-head drain bottle after bottle of beer.

Ichigo sighed, bringing down the bottle and slamming it against the counter, eyelids drooping in both exhaustion and annoyance. "Shut up, Shin," he muttered, running a palm over his face. No matter how much he drank, he still stayed sober. And right now, that was the very last thing he wanted.

Shinji's frown deepened, his normally energetic personality dulled by his friend's moody state. He glanced around the deserted bar, before leaning in worriedly. "Ichi… what's wrong?"

Brown eyes glanced up at the blonde, the red-head slumped over the bar-top. "It's nothing."

The other raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you come to my bar –which you've never done voluntarily– then drink enough to make a horse pass out. But obviously, nothing's wrong."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But…"

"Don't. Just… don't." Ichigo ran his hand through his hair, leaning his forehead in his palm.

The blonde's lips thinned. "Is it something to do with your new job?"

The red-head froze, muscles tensing slightly. Shinji's eyes narrowed, the action conforming his suspicions. "You can tell me, y'know…"

Eyelids drooped, falling to half mast over coffee-coloured orbs.

This is so messed up.

~( ^_^ )~

Before…

The red-head sat, staring after the closed elevator doors in confusion.

What in the…?

Gripping onto the wall behind him, Ichigo began to push himself up, still slightly shell-shocked.

Th-that was…

He covered his mouth with his palm.

So stupid.

The red-head leaned backwards into the metal surface of the elevator, his head thumping on the wall. "Fuck!"

He was such an idiot.

What happened to proving the other wrong? I fucking handed myself up on a silver platter.

Ichigo's palms slammed into the surface on either side of him, groaning in frustration.

"Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck!" he swore, thumping his head repeatedly.

He was so screwed over.

And still turned on.

…Fuck.

Honey-brown eyes glanced at the closed metal doors, the red-head frowning.

What do I do now?

His eyebrows knitted together. Walking over to the side wall, his tan fingers rose, hovering over the elevator's glowing buttons.

He…

"Just… take the rest of the day of."

That dick-head can wait til later.

Lips tightening into a thin line, the male pressed the switch, the 'G' turning red as the metal box began to move.

I need a drink.

~( ^_^ )~

Currently…

"…Wow…" The blonde's mouth was hanging open, eyebrows raised as he placed his chin in his palms, elbows leaning against the bar-top. "That's gotta suck."

Ichigo shot a dirty look at his friend. "No shit, Shin."

"Well, if he really is as hot as he seems to be… I don't really see the issue," Shinji cocked his head to the side, pouting.

"What?" the red-head gritted out. His eyes narrowed, before he pushed back his stool, standing up as he glared daggers at the other. "See? This is why I never come to you for advice."

"No, no, wait, Ichi!" Shinji whined. "I'm sorry, it's just… I honestly don't. If this is really so bad, then why don't you talk to him to clear it up?"

Ichigo's mouth turned downwards, one side of his lips curling into a wry frown. "Yeah, he has a perfectly plausible explanation for randomly molesting me in an elevator."

"Well, maybe…"

The red-head slammed his fists onto the bar-top, shoulders tense. "Then why didn't he explain it then?" he half-shouted.

The blonde's mouth pressed into a thin line, the male completely serious for once. "Well, if not, what are you gonna do, Ichi?"

Ichigo paused, staring down at his splayed fingers for a moment.

What am I going to do?

"I…," he said, sitting down once more in his seat, calming down. "I…honestly don't know."

Shinji cocked an eyebrow. "Well, you'd better figure it out."

"…Yeah."

Standing up, the male pushed back the stool, throwing a clump of bills onto the bar as he did so. "Thanks, Shin."

"…No worries…," the blonde replied, still slightly wary of his friend's temperament.

The red-head waved absent-mindedly as he strolled down the bar.

"Later."

~( ^_^ )~

"That'll be ten dollars fifty."

Nodding in affirmation, Ichigo handed over the cash, taking the plastic bag from the counter as the monotone cashier waved him away.

Tugging the collar of his jacket up higher, the red-head walked out towards the glass entrance of the convenience store, the automatic doors sliding open and allowing the chilly weather outside to spill in. The moon beamed down onto the pavement, alighting the mass of people still rushing through the streets.

Head bowed, Ichigo joined the bustling crowd, a deeper frown than usual on his tanned face.

Figure it out, huh? Well, easier said than done.

The bag weighing on his fingers, the red-head continued his trek back home, lost in his thoughts as hundreds of people milled around him.

Abruptly, Ichigo was jolted, stumbling backwards as another body ran into his.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!"

Rubbing his head as he grunted in pain, the red-head raised his head to glare at the other… and froze.

Honey-brown eyes widened.

Yet it was not the other that had shocked him into a stunned silence, mouth hanging open ever so slightly.

No, it was the sight behind said person.

Is that…?

"Hey, you there?"

Ichigo could barely reply, unmoving as he stared blankly over the other's shoulder, the person in front of him completely forgotten.

"…Whatever." The male shrugged, stepping to the side and past the silent red-head.

No, that… that can't…

And yet he knew. Even from the other side of the busy road, there was no doubt.

Muscled arms, covered by a high-class leather jacket were wrapped around a thin waist, hugging the feminine, curvaceous woman closer to a wide chest.

The female's face was turned upwards, eyelashes flitting flirtatiously up at the other, her breasts pressing themselves scandalously into his front.

Blue, blue eyes stared right back down at the woman, wild cerulean hair framing the face that Ichigo knew all too well.

Grimmjow.

Before he could even move, the strawberry-blonde had reached up, arms hooking around the bluenette's neck as she pulled the other in for a deep lip-lock.

The plastic bag slipped from the red-head's fingers.

He…

Ichigo's jaw clenched, his brown orbs flicking away from the couple as he turned his head to the side.

Guess that's the way it goes, huh.

His fingers twitched, curling into fists. Blinking rapidly, the red-head fought against the stab of pain blooming in his chest.

What did you expect? That he actually thought of you than more than a quick fuck?

He let out a shaky breath.

Idiot.

This is what you get when you start falling for shitheads like him.

"Ichi…"

His eyebrows lowered, expression morphing into a glare as his upper lip curled.

You know what? Screw that bastard.

Bending down, the red-head snatched up the fallen bag of groceries, the plastic clenched tightly in his fist.

If he thinks I'm going to let him keep fucking with me, he's got another thing coming.

And yet even as he stubbornly set his teeth, the red-head couldn't help but walk that little bit faster, eyes prickling as he rushed away from the man.

The man who, in only a day, had taken every bit of respect he had gained and crushed it callously beneath his feet.

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo walked into the giant lobby of what was now his workplace, expression blank as his lips curved downwards in a seemingly permanent version of his trademark frown.

"Oh Ichigo~!"

The green-haired female that was way too energetic early in the morning skipped over to the red-head.

Gaze flicking over to her, not even the slightest of smiles graced the male's face. "Ms. Neliel," he stated.

Nel paused, a perplexed pout forming at the other's strangely monotone attitude, before shrugging it off for her usual sunlight-shimmering smile. "You're gonna be with me today!" she chirped.

Honey-brown eyes blinked for a moment.

"For… the entire day?" the red-head inquired, slightly tentative.

The green-haired woman nodded excitedly.

Ichigo's lips quirked. "You sure Grimmjow's okay with this?"

"Yeah!" Nel replied, before holding her pointer-finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Well, come to think of it… I think he was the one who suggested this…"

So that's how it is.

The red-head shrugged.

Meh. Not like I'm gonna complain.

Ichigo gestured towards the lifts. "So, what's first?"

~( ^_^ )~

So here I am again.

He stared down at the cleanly-cut slices of bread, laden with jam on the table in front of him. A steaming cup of coffee stood next to his sandwich, the exact same that he had used yesterday.

He had grown attached to it.

Ah, such good memories…

He smirked.

"Watcha smilin' 'bout?"

"Fucking hell!" Ichigo was shocked backwards, arms flailing and chair teetering as it came dangerously close to toppling backwards.

Pale hands gripped the armrests of the seat, pushing it back down onto the safety of level ground as the male sniggered in laughter. "Woah, woah, careful there, Ichi-chan!"

The red-head twisted around behind him, striking out at the grinning albino, who easily dodged the punch, still cackling like a madman.

"Shut up! You're the one who scared the shit out of me in the first place!" he growled.

"Aww, I'm sowwy," Shiro pouted, trying his very best puppy dog eyes.

Ichigo stared blankly at him, not reacting in the slightest.

The expression morphed quickly into a full-blown grin. "But anyways…," he snickered. "Watcha doin' all on your lonesome in the break room?" The albino wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "Shouldn't 'cha be with Grimmy-chan?"

"…I hope you didn't mean it the way I think you did, because if that was the case, I will do my best to make sure your 'little birdie' never chirps again."

The red-head smiled sweetly.

Shiro grinned manically in return.

"Woow…" Suddenly, those gold-on-black eyes were only centimetres from his. "You're surprisingly sadistic for such a pretty face."

The red-head's eyes narrowed. "Pretty face?" he muttered, before sighing. "Ah, I give up." As he spoke, his palm pushed against the other's cheek, shoving the albino back.

"But I wash being sewious…!" Shiro spoke through his flattened cheek, head facing to the side as Ichigo continued to keep him at arms length.

The red-head only rolled his eyes.

"Hm… but anyway, Ichi…," the albino pulled his face away, raising a hand and wrapping his long fingers around the other's elevated wrist.

Eyelids lowering seductively, Shiro pressed his lips softly to the other's palm. "Shouldn't you be a little more careful around me…?" he whispered, voice lowering.

A tongue slid out, licking along the red-head's hand… at about the same time that Ichigo's knee connected with the albino's groin.

The male toppled to the ground, cupping his burning crotch as he cried out in pain. "Fuck!"

The other only stared on, a weary expression on his face as he shook his head. "You just never learn, do you?"

"I-Ichi…," Shiro turned over onto his back, still moaning in pain.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Oh suck it up, Snowflake," he muttered.

The albino could only groan loudly in reply.

~( ^_^ )~

"So did you get all that Ichigo?"

The green-haired female smile at him, the red-head nodding in return as he filed the last of the papers. "Yeah, it makes sense now. Thanks, Nel."

"No problems!" she beamed. "You're such a good student, anyway."

As the male stood, pulling his bag onto his shoulders, Nel gestured towards the lifts, continuously pattering about something or the other.

They stepped into the lift when it arrived, heading towards the lobby. "So tomorrow you'll be heading back to Grimmjow!" That caught Ichigo's attention.

"Already?" He frowned.

The green-haired woman blinked. "Yes… is something the matter?"

The red-head's expression darkened further. "No… it's nothing."

The female's green eyebrows knotted together across the elevator.

What is going on with him today?

After the moody start to the day, Ichigo's demeanour had improved, but every once in a while he would space out for a moment, before shaking his head and returning to work, albeit a little more distracted. There was something wrong. That much was obvious.

Could it be… something to do with…

The corners of her lips turned downwards.

"Nel?" Ichigo asked, slightly bewildered at her sudden change in attitude.

The elevator doors slide open, and the green-haired female forced a smile onto her face. "You go ahead first, Ichigo-kun. I forgot… something."

The red-head nodded warily, stepping through the threshold.

Though, as he turned his head, readying his farewell, he caught sight of her expression, the grin now dropped.

What he saw made a shiver run down his spine.

He hadn't known that the always-happy Nel could even produce such an expression, but it appeared that he had been proven wrong. The look on the female's face was of such livid anger that he could almost feel it.

The doors closed before he could look for much longer. Laughing nervously, he let out a shaky whistle. "Whew."

Whoever that is for, they are so utterly screwed.

~( ^_^ )~

"Grimmjow Jeagerjacques!"

The male looked up from his desk, blue eyebrow raised in response to the shrill shout. "…What?"

A hand slammed down onto the wooden surface. "Don't 'what' me!"

"Honestly…," the bluenette leaned back, gazing uninterestedly up at incensed green eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Nel cried, "Be. Nicer. To. Others!"

Others…?

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'Oh'!" the green-haired woman hissed. "What the hell did you do this time?"

A deep frown formed on Grimmjow's face. "…I didn't do anything…not really…"

Nel let out a sound of frustration. "Ugh! You are such an idiot, Grimm!"

The bluenette began to rise from his seat in argument. "It wasn't completely my fault!" he growled. "Anyway, who are you to tell me what to do?"

The other grit her teeth, vein throbbing on her forehead. "Who am I, huh…," she muttered, eyes shadowed and lip twitching in annoyance. "Oh, I don't know… what about your big sister, huh?"

Nel reached across the desk, and before he knew it, the bluenette was being pulled across the span of wood, crying out in protest as his ear was tugged painfully.

"I am so sick of you! After all this time, you still continue to act like a spoilt brat!" she shouted, tugging harder at his throbbing earlobe with every word. "Every. Time. I have to console some poor crying girl or find a replacement just because you can't keep it in your pants for just one week!"

Grimmjow cried out, scrabbling at her wrist with his hands. "Stop it, dammit Nel! You're ripping my ear off!"

"I don't fucking care!" his sister screamed in reply. Breathing hard for a moment, she suddenly relaxed, shoulders sagging. "…I actually like Ichigo. He's a good kid."

The bluenette's eyes widened slightly, before lowering into a dejected expression. "Yeah. He is."

"…Then why aren't you being more careful with him?" she said, voice soft. "At first when you asked for him to work directly under you I was a worried, but I gave it a shot. 'Coz I thought that maybe he would be different."

Grimmjow sighed, but stayed silent.

Gazing down at her brother, Nel's lips pressed into a thin line. "So is it? Has anything changed?" she murmured. "…or will you break him until he runs…like all the others?"

The green-haired female turned around, walking towards the double doors noiselessly. "I don't know what happened Grimm. And honestly? I don't care," she muttered. "All I know is that I really like him."

She turned her head towards her younger brother.

"…and I know you will too."

~( ^_^ )~

Ichigo leaned against the bus-stop post, arms crossed as he closed his eyes, frown warning off others who passed.

Sadly though, his small moment of peace and quiet didn't last. An obnoxiously loud high-class car raced down the street, its shiny veneer glinting boldly in the sun.

A brown eye slid open as the vehicle came to a stop beside him, its black-tinted window scrolling down. "Yo, Ichi!"

Oh God. He mentally face-palmed.

The red-head rolled his eye, before closing it once more, paying to attention to the albino waving at him from within the expensive car.

"Are ya waiting for the bus?"

Nooo, of course not. Wow. Shirosaki really did bring out the sarcastic side in him.

The red-head remained coldly soundless.

"Aww, c'mon. I was just asking a question…" He could just imagine the childish pout on the other's handsome face.

Ichigo sighed. "Leave me alone, Shirosaki."

"Well, how about I give you a ride home instead?" the albino offered.

The red-head's eyes peeked open. "…And why exactly should I accept?"

Shiro smirked. "'Coz then you can take a ride in this beauty," he said, hand lovingly petting his car.

"Tempting, but…no." Ichigo shook his head. "I'd rather not have you knowing where I live."

The albino grinned suggestively. "Ah, but where will I go when you're moaning in my arms and begging me to take you home…?" he purred, eyebrows making some sort of obscene gesture.

The red-head stared blankly at the perversely grinning male. "You're just asking for a repeat of earlier, aren't you?" he dead-panned, before turning around.

"No, no, wait, Ichi!"

"What?" Ichigo tapped his foot impatiently, arms crossed.

"Please?" the albino begged.

The red-head stared at the other.

"I promise to behave…"

It appeared that Shiro did a very good impersonation of Puss In Boots.

Ah, what the hell.

"Alright," he said, stalking around the front of the car and tugging open the passenger door.

"Really?" Now he was like an excited puppy.

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh internally. He was such a brat.

He stepped into the vehicle, falling unceremoniously onto the passenger seat.

"…You are such a kid."

The albino smiled widely. "I know."

~( ^_^ )~

Within the now almost-empty lobby of Pantera Inc. stood a very confused, highly pissed off male.

What. The. Fuck.

Grimmjow's cerulean eyes narrowed to slits, the hand gripping his briefcase white-knuckled.

What the hell did that idiot snowflake just do?

The bluentte grit his teeth.

Ichigo.

o_o This is a record, even for me. TEN different scenes in one chappy. Wooow... that's a lot of time-jumping. But yeah, that's how I write, so I hope it wasn't too annoying how short each scene was.

Ah, I'm so sorry, Shiro dear, but you are just so cuuuute~! Kyaaa~. I love this cheeky, childish side of Shiro; but it's not very often the case in fanfics (with him being either insane or a sadistic vampire and what-not), which is a shame, 'coz he's just so fun. ^.^

Yup, no smut in this one, nor any sexual tension (wow, that's the first time throughout this entire fic o.0); just a little drama, feelings, yadi-yadi-ya... Naw, I'm just upset 'coz I always suck at writing it.

I'm not as confident in this chappy (I almost never am, but it's worse this time); feels like there's something missing...anyone care to tell me?

Next chappy will have more drama~! And it will finally be from Grimm-chan's perspective.