Champagne

AN: Yay! Another fanfic! :D It's been ages! (9 Days, but whose counting?) ANYHOO... hope you love my very first chapter of my very first Grimmhime fanfic- Champagne! Please review with what ya think! (:

"How did I get myself into this mess?" Orihime Inoue wonders, watching (but not really listening) as Grimmjow barks at her from behind a desk for getting him the wrong type of coffee, irritation etched on her face.

Really, though, she knows how- and ironically, it all started with another beverage… champagne, to be exact.

A tray full.

~Two Weeks Earlier~

The room is alive.

Orihime stands at the center of the party of the year, holding a tray of full champagne glasses without any difficulty or strain. She's used to working- it's clear by her calloused hands and tired eyes- and tonight is no different than all others; all work, no play.

But she can't help but be amazed at the excited buzz drilling in through her skin and coming from the room around her- no guest is unsmiling, no server isn't lucky to be there, and nobody has a care in the world about anything but the here, and the now. They all look like great, living paintings around her; they breathe with an air of grace and fortune, walk as if the world is helping them along, and look as if nothing bad could ever happen to them- as if tragedy or pain is some small insignificant thing that doesn't exist for their class.

She can't help but be jealous- can't help but want to join them and never have to worry again- but she knows she can't. Not right now at least, not with Sora counting on her to work hard. Maybe one day she'll be able to save up. Maybe one day she'll be able to get there. But right now…

It's time to work, with the life of the room going on without her.

Grimmjow steps through the entrance of the large party hall, smug arrogance leaking from him like water. His electric blue-hair seems spikier than normal, the way he walks seems cockier, and even the fire in his eyes is burning brighter- simply for one reason.

He just knows he's getting laid tonight.

The wealthy CEO smirks to himself as he heads toward the doors to the party, footsteps echoing down the wide and finely dressed walkway leading to the main room in the hall. He's been waiting for this night for too damn long. Nnoitra Gilga and Coyote Starrk, plainly dressed compared to the man ahead of them, follow behind silently, knowing Grimmjow won't wait up. They've been guarding him long enough to know his habits that way- and neither of them are exceptionally worried about his safety, or his ability to protect himself.

The party is much different in the eyes of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. He can easily see the worn look in many of the guest's faces- the men that are having affairs, the women who are angry about it, the alcoholics, the insomniacs- unhappy faces everywhere, that's what he sees, and it's unsurprising.

But it immediately kills his buzz.

"Tsk! They call this a party?" Nnoitra asks, watching as Grimmjow's excited smile turns to a frown.

The black haired man steps up beside him, crossing his arms, one good eye narrowing. Grimmjow completely ignores him, however- his buzz returning due to one lone woman he's noticed serving drinks, with striking red hair and steel grey eyes. Taking a sure step forward, his smug smirk returns.

Oh yeah, he's definitely getting laid tonight.

Orihime steadies her tray of champagne carefully after almost dropping it, sighing faintly. She had heard the upper class treated the lower badly, but she hadn't ever expected this. Not one person has even looked at her- much less given her a thank you- and it frustrates her so greatly that she feels the beginnings of a migraine coming on.

That's when she first sees Grimmjow.

Of course, she doesn't know who he is- he's just another visitor- though he looks wildly different from the others with his bright blue hair and eyes. Not only that- but he's staring straight at her.

The look on his face immediately makes her more irritated than before.

He stands halfway across the room, leaning against a pillar with a glass of champagne carefully held in his hands. His eyes are smoldering- filled to the brim with cocky amusement that seems to mock her indefinitely. Her blood pressure shoots through the roof.

"It's bad enough I have to serve people like this… but for him to just… just… gawk at me like I'm trained monkey…!"

She turns away immediately, then, gritting her teeth, heading for another guest as carefully as possible, trying to ignore the nagging feeling of his eyes following her as she walks away. He chuckles a little, moving to follow her, but a strong hand grabs his shoulder.

"Mr. Jaegerjaquez… I would greatly appreciate it if you would at least attempt to control yourself here. Those I've hired are by no means expendable to me- nor is their comfort any different."

Grimmjow turns, mouth immediately set into a scowl as he looks down at Ulquiorra Schiffer, who is hosting the evening. The other man's eyes narrow faintly at the look.

"I had hoped that inviting you to such an established event would curb your inappropriate behavior. Was I incorrect in assuming so?"

Grimmjow growls faintly under his breath, gritting his teeth.

"Not at all, Mr. Schiffer," Grimmjow murmurs boredly, glancing up at Orihime as she moves past, locking eyes with her. "Though surely you can understand my wanting another glass of champagne?"

The onyx haired CEO frowns even more deeply than normal (as he's not one prone to smiling), turning away from his competitor, not noticing that Orihime has frozen mid-step under the blue haired man's gaze.

"Not at all. It's bitter stuff- alcohol has never been my forte."

"Well don't I feel sorry for you…" Grimmjow smirks, speaking sarcastically, looking away from Orihime to lock eyes with his rival again. Ulquiorra hardly looks amused.

"Good evening, Mr. Jaegerjaquez."

The tone of his voice could burn skin.

By the time the host walks away, Grimmjow has lost track of Orihime, though by no means has she lost track of him.

"Stare at me like that again…" She thinks to herself, eyeing him warily from across the room. "See if I don't say something."

He finally finds her again after a few moments of looking around, and she sees the same fire in his eyes- the same look that everyone has given her all night (when they glanced at her, at least).

I could buy you. It says. You're like the ground beneath my feet.

She takes a sure step toward him, and he does the same, more steps following.

What can you do to me?

Halfway to him now.

You're nothing.

Almost there- no, wait….!

Orihime trips, sending the tray full of expensive liquid flying straight at him. She hits the ground, but not before the glass, cutting her hands when she lands in the shattered mess.

Nobody even glances her way, though she immediately looks up to lock eyes with Grimmjow, whose staring at her again.

I win. The look on his face says- and before she even knows what's going on, she's grabbed by both arms and lifted up in front of him by Nnoitra and Starrk.

"What do you want us to do with her?" Starrk questions.

The CEO wipes off his soiled suit with his hand, sighing, though his unhappy face melts into a devious smirk.

"How about we go for a little ride, eh?"

Orihime doesn't have time to protest.

AN II: CLIFFHANGERRRRR! Well, sort of. Hope you loved it! Don't forget to review! Please don't forget. Please. TT-TT

Also, if any of my "Orihime and the Beast" readers are here, that spin-off drabble series is coming! Check my profile for ongoing/future/cancelled fics- the title is TBA soon! Much love!

See you next chapter!