Chapter One: Reunited

Version: 2.0

Large feet stomped an already worn path in Las Noches' milky sand as long, sword calloused fingers stuffed deep into pockets twitched with pent up energy and frustration. The tall man's sheath covered zanpaktou swung violently with every turn.

Grimmjow was ready to pull his hair out from sheer boredom.

"Grimm!"

Cyan eyes snapped down to meet a pair of large, innocent hazel eyes framed by wavy sea foam green hair. The former Tres Espada gave the Sexta a big toothy grin.

"Why you so grumpy?"

"Why 'er you some damn annoying?"

Grimmjow resumed his furious pacing. He kicked at the sand as he turned sharply on his heel, causing it to bellow up into the air and slowly flutter back down.

The lack of things to kill was driving him mad. The ever perfect Quatra had scared away any worthy prey with his release form. Lingering reitsu hovered miles around Las Noches acting as barrier between the remaining Espada and any formidable hollows.

Grimmjow could feel Nel's large eyes watching him, curiosity swimming in their depths. It made his spine crawl with horrible memories of her healing techniques. She walked up to the seemingly older male and reached out with a small, chubby hand to tug on his tattered, white Hakama. He came to an abrupt stop in the sand, eyes traveling slowly downwards to fix his unwanted companion with an icy glare. Nel tilted her head to the side slightly and met Grimmjow's piercing gaze.

"Grimmjow, yer temper tantrum is annoyin'."

Grimmjow screwed his eyes shut to concentrate on breathing. If he hadn't owed this twat his life she would have been made a pile of ash by his cero ages ago. He peeled his eyes back open with an exasperated huff just in time to see the small girl's eyes widen and a smile spread across her round face.

"Hey! Why don't we go see Ichi?!"

At the mention of the orange haired shinigami hybrid's name Grimmjow's shoulders tensed in anger and frustration.

"Ya know what ya, little bitch? Why don't you go suck Kurosaki's - actually, that gives me an idea."

Grimmjow smiled widely at Nel, a cackle working its way up his throat. He could feel the adrenaline already pumping through his veins at the mere thought of crossing swords with the orange-haired little shit.

Oh, this would surely be fun.

Kurosaki Ichigo trudged up the stairs of his family home, the wood squeaking underneath his weight. It was quiet for once. The girls were staying with a friend and the old goat was at a medical conference. The young man continued down the hall and let out a world weary sigh as he pushed his bedroom door open then shut behind him. He crossed the small space and plopped down on the bed, the springs quietly protesting underneath him.

Slowly losing my shinigami powers is really one of the worst ways I could go out. There's nothing heroic about this. There's really nothing I can do this time to fix it. Everyone will be moving on without me. They're all already looking at me with sad eyes, like I'm nothing without my powers. It's frustrating.

Well, there's no use moping about it.

Ichigo stood and stretched before leaving the room, having decided on a nice hot shower and maybe some T.V. He was going to enjoy his weekend.

Ichigo, having fallen asleep on the couch with his hand shoved in his shorts and an infomercial blaring on the television screen, woke with a snort and bolted upright. Maple eyes widened as a faint tingling of a fimialir reitsu tickled at the small hairs on the back of his neck.

If he hadn't been so shit at recognizing and detecting spiritual pressure, he could have sworn it was -

No. It's not my job. Afro-san will take care of it.

Ichigo pulled himself up the stairs and to bed where he snuggled under the heavy covers and fell back into blissful unconsciousness.

The nagging feeling of the familiar reitsu pulled Ichigo from sleep once more. He sat up and swung long legs over the side of the bed. The teen sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, resigned to being kept awake. Standing, he groggily made his way down stairs and into the kitchen for a glass of water completely oblivious to the grinning predator standing nearby with a dangerous glint in cold, steel blue eyes.

Grimmjow could barely contain his mirth. He had made his way to the human world with a grinning Nel in tow and had immediately tuned into the reitsu that made his skin crawl and his heart race. He and the brat had quietly entered the teen's family home. The place reeked of his spiritual pressure. It set him on edge. Grimmjow set Nel in front of the flashing box in the sitting room and crept further into the house, senses alert, when a loud wooden creak snapped his attention to the grumbling teen making his way down the stairs. He could almost purr at the sight of the sleep rumpled teen. The oblivious idiot made his way to the sink and reached for a glass and filled it from the tap.

Grimmjow began to stalk slowly towards the shinigami till his body was nearly flush with Kurosaki's. He noted with glee the moment that his body tensed up and the fine, orange hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Grimmjow grinned and leaned forward slightly till his lips brushed the shell of the teen's ear.

"Kur-o-saki~", he husked in a sing-song-voice, grin nearly splitting his face in two. The espada almost lost his composure when the glass of water slipped from long fingers and fell into the sink and shattered.

Kurosaki slowly turned till he could just make out the subtle curve of his chin, quivering lips, a slightly up-turned nose dotted with cinnamon freckles and wide whiskey colored eyes.

"G-Grimmjow?"

The espada was practically shaking with energy and desire to spill blood. He smirked.

"Miss me?"

This is much better. xD There's not much to this chapter but as most of you know it picks up. Also excuse any mistakes, I had to write it on my phone bc my computer is dead. .-. hope you guys enjoyed!