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Liquor Flip	By : Iori Category: Bleach > Yaoi - Male/Male > Grimmjow/Ichigo Views: 3125 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters are (c) Kubo Tite. Views expressed herein are exclusively those of the author. Author claims no profit off this work.

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Liquor Flip
A/n: Bleach and its characters are (c) Kubo Tite. Views expressed herein are exclusively those of the author. Author claims no profit off this work.
This is something I promised Blackstorm a while back. I've been so busy and tuckered out that I finally got around to writing it. It was going to be a one shot, but I think I got too story involved so um probably a long two shot. Anyway, I hope you like it storm. (I hope is doesn't feel rushed either)
If you don't know who Blackstorm is go check for her art on deviant art.

Ichigo had always wanted to go to college in America for as long as he could remember. His dream had been made true when he'd been accepted into an ad design program in the states. His first year had been spent getting acclimated to the area. Eventually he'd wanted his own place and had gotten a job at a swanky hotel bar. Being the adaptable person that he was, he'd caught on very quickly and had easily became the favorite for both his skills with a shaker and his exotic, good looks. As he'd worked there, he'd gained a few regulars that had become friends. Occasionally they'd come in at the end of his shift to take him out afterwards. It had made Ichigo feel even more like he belonged in the states.
His customers turned friends had decided one night after Ichigo had been dealing with a particularly high maintenance bachelorette party that he needed a night out. It was laughable that they had decided to take him to another bar on the other side of town. He hadn't felt in the mood seeing as he'd just finished dealing with bar patrons, but just out of good etiquette he decided to go ahead. The first thing he noticed was that he'd never be dealing with snobbery in this bar. It was gritty and neon and a far cry from his own. Next he noticed the clothing- or lack there of on the bartenders. The women all wore cropped tops and mini-skirts while the men were shirtless with tight pants. It made him just the slightest bit uncomfortable, but he still followed the group in.
Eventually they'd gotten a round of drinks from one of the waitresses and settled in. Ichigo had sighed and merely sipped from his own while eyeing the surroundings with some distaste. His attention was soon drawn to a commotion at the bar. 'Ohs and Ah's could be heard over the pounding techno and his curiousity got the better of him. He slipped through the rapidly forming crowd and was awed by the sight. He watched in rapt fascination as the blue-haired man showboated. Ichigo had to admire the skill as he tossed bottles and flipped glasses like it was nothing. It was all flair and not sleek like his own style, but the man had talent and it showed.
Unfortunately for him the group he'd came with noticed his disappearance and had joined in on the cheering crowd. He caught the other bartender's eye briefly but then found himself looking away in embarrassment when one of his group loudly proclaimed that he was better. The man stopped what he was doing and frowned. Ichigo had hoped for no drama, but was forsaken when the short girl in his group shoved him forward.
"So, you're this 'Ichi' that thinks he's better huh?" blue eyes peered down at him nastily.
"I didn't say that." He replied while sighing.
"You think you and your little buddies can just come into my territory and denounce my skills?"
"I told you I didn't say that!" Ichigo had started to get impatient with the ugly glare bestowed on him.
"I can tell what you're thinking just by looking at you." he sneered.
Just as Ichigo was about to argue his case someone from the crowd drunkenly yelled 'shake-off'. Ichigo covered his face in extreme distaste and sighed heavily. He knew this could only end badly. The crowd caught on and started chanting. Ichigo could feel his irritation growing as he got shoved towards the bar. He shook the wandering, forceful hands off trying very hard to move away. He was unsuccessful. As soon as he'd been pushed close enough to the bar, the tender had grasped the front of his shirt and hauled him up over the bar.
"Alright boy." He shoved Ichigo back forcefully. "You don't get to just come into Grimmjow's territory with that kind of claim." A Cheshire grin spread across his lips. "Show me what you got."
"No." He stated firmly, uncomfortable with the other man's close proximity.
"Come on don't be a chicken shit."
"I'm not employed here, so I see no reason why I should indulge you."
Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's shirt again and growled in his face. Defensively the ginger brought his hands up to put some distance between them. A mixture of booing and cheering came from the massed crowd. Eventually he shook himself free and turned to jump over the bar. He was fuming and had worked up a considerable aura of intimidation. The patrons actually had the sense to part away from him as he stalked toward the nearest exit intending to leave.
"Get back here you little shit!"
Ichigo whipped around to respond when he saw a bottle flying battle-axe style toward his head. Instead of dodging it, his first instinct was to catch it and he did so by the neck. A look of shock passed over the bartender's face for a second, but it was quickly followed by a grin that stretched across his lips. Ichigo stared at the bottle in his hand momentarily noting that it was a larger, unopened Grey Goose. He frowned and stomped back over to the bar.
"That was stupid and wasteful!" He yelled while slamming the vodka down.
Deep chuckling resonated from the other man as he leaned over. "Nee, maybe you just might have some skill."
Some applause happened causing Grimmjow to grin wider. Ichigo was put off though and felt his skin prickle at the look. He had intended to leave right after that, but a shot glass was suddenly tossed at him and again his reaction was to catch it. It was glaringly obvious that the other man was trying to get a rise out of him, but Ichigo never had been one to back down in such a situation. Instead he threw the glass at Grimmjow in retaliation. Unsurprisingly, it was caught causing more cheers. Ichigo was suddenly extremely angered feeling like the other was trying to make a fool of him. He rolled his sleeves up and jumped over the bar fleetingly thinking he was going to regret the decision later.
"Okay." He growled eyeing the liquor selection. "Tell somebody to order a drink." He tilted his head frown deepening.
Grimmjow grinned. "You heard the man." He turned addressing the crowd. "Give him a challenge."
"Hueco Mundo Special!" someone yelled.
"Come on. Be a little merciful." The blue-haired man chuckled. "Orange here doesn't know what's in our specials." He said while shaking Ichigo.
"It's fine." He grit out shoving the hand away and momentarily ignoring the nickname. "Tell me what's in it."
"If you want to play that way then fine." Grimmjow laughed. "You ain't gonna get it right on the first try though."
Ichigo just gave him an impatient look in response. Eventually Grimmjow rapid-fire listed the ingredients in order. Ichigo repeated them in his head then asked for two low-ball glasses. Taking them with one hand he again perused the liquor and then set to work. He tossed the glasses down letting them slide into place infront of him. The first two spirits he grabbed between his fingers and deftly tossed the primary ingredient to his dominate hand. He tilted and poured with grace across the two glasses not spilling a bit. He followed going the opposite direction with the second bottle. He set both spirits on the counter behind him then grabbed the soda dispenser and felt behind himself for the last spirit. His hand landed on the distinct bottle and pulled it forward and let it slide onto the counter in front of him. Wasting no time, it was then poured over the pair and followed not a second later with the soda. Last, the drinks were topped off with a pair of stirrers and a lemon wedge.
Grimmjow eyed the drinks with some awe. "Well that doesn't look too shabby. Lemon is all wrong as the garnish, but I'm sure if you mixed it right it'd taste okay." He took one glass and slid the other to the end of the bar so the person who'd suggested it could have it. "Alright orange, let's see what you're made of."
"Whatever." Ichigo sighed while turning to put the used spirits away.
The crowed waited with bated breath while the bartender sampled his drink. "Not bad boy. It's not the same like I said, but damn if it isn't a pretty good drink."
All at once Ichigo was bombarded with requests. He backed up while giving the other man a glower. The commotion was interrupted though saving him. "Maaa, what kind of trouble is Grimm causing in my bar tonight?" A pleasant voice asked through the crowd.
They parted instantly letting a tall man through. His eyes were closed in a amiable smile as he approached the bar. Grimmjow had instantly tensed recognizing his boss' voice. Ichigo froze noticing that the noise had died down. A chorus of 'oh shit' repeated in his head as he watched the man get closer.
"What have we here?" His eyes opened just a fraction studying Ichigo. "I don't remember hiring you.
Ichigo frowned at the calm voice. "You didn't." He said evenly while moving to leave. "I was just cleaning up my mess."
He snatched the half-downed drink from Grimmjow his eyes never leaving Ichigo. "Grimm, what have I told you about drinking on the job?"
Ichigo was surprised to hear an almost defeated response. He turned and looked at the other man glaring to the side. Both of them were drawn back to the satisfied sound of the other man downing the remainder of the drink. A tinge of panic ran through Ichigo while Grimmjow's eye's widened in surprise. Ichigo was sure that at any moment the silver haired man was going to turn from amiable to angry.
"Well, that was pretty tasty if I must say." He drawled. His eyes opened slightly more giving a more ominous smile. "We wouldn't happen to be breaking any laws here would we?" It was asked amicably, but Ichigo could feel the threat in it.
"I have my certification." He answered quickly before Grimmjow could respond.
"Hoooo...?" His full attention was now on the ginger. "Where might that be for?"
"It's a hotel bar." He swallowed a bit nervously. "Pure."
"You're on the wrong side of town ain't cha?" He closed his eyes again and tilted his head. "Have fun." He started to walk away but then nodded at Grimmjow. "Don't start too much trouble."
Grimmjow growled in response. "My trouble is what gets you all your business shitty boss."
Ichigo was baffled at the lack of respect the other had for his superior. The comment seemed to slide right off the silver-haired man as he shrugged while he walked away. He was tired and didn't want to be in the place anymore. Heaven forbid a patron of his own place see him in this predicament. He sighed and leaped over the bar truly intending to leave. A bunch of disappointed murmurs ran through the small crowd. Ichigo was more than frustrated and didn't even turn when the rebellious bartender called for him to come back. He didn't even care when he left without any of the crew he came with. It had been a long day and he was just itching to get home.

The next few nights at Pure had been uneventful. Even his regulars had not come by probably embarrassed about the situation. Ichigo had made it known that he'd been annoyed about the mess they'd dragged him into. Working at Pure had calmed him down some and he'd almost happily gone back to the swanky customers he was used to. A small twinge of jealousy was there though. The way patrons at Hollow Hole acted had been a bit of an eye opener. While yes, they had been obnoxious and loud, they all seemed to have a zest for living. It was vastly different. Many of the people he serviced all seemed bored and like they had too much money and no idea what to do with it. While Pure had outstanding reviews on drinks and environment, it seemed pretty lifeless.
He sighed heavily as he went back to unloading glasses to put away. Not that he really wanted the racket, but he would've liked to see his customers show some enjoyment. His sleek bartending skills had awed the crowd at Hollow Hole. Admittedly, it had been a little bit of a rush. Most of the showboating he did at Pure did not get near the response. He'd done it anyway though simply because he got pleasure out of it. It all felt so fake though now that he'd seen the other side so to speak.
"what seems to be bothering my favorite employee this evening."
So lost in his thoughts, the pleasant voice of his boss startled him and he almost dropped the snifter he'd been holding. "Oh um...Nothing sir. Just lost in thought." He stammered quickly.
"Your sighing says otherwise." He pushed his glasses up and began checking the spirits on the rear shelf. "You know that you can speak with me about your troubles Ichigo."
"Thank you, but it won't be necessary sir. It's just little things. Nothing to worry over."
"Be that as it may, you are my most talented bar tender. I'd hate to lose you to such menial dealings." He eyed Ichigo from over his shoulder. "One with your skill is a rare find."
The way his boss had stated the last bit had made it sound like he knew of Ichigo's unexpected adventure on the other side of town. A small shiver worked its way down his spine as his mind went over all the possible things that could happen if it was true. If he had been found out, it didn't seem like he was in trouble or in any danger of losing his job. It seemed quite certain that he was valued.
By the time he was done working his mind was a blur of questions about the other bar. He didn't really care to venture to the other side of town, but he found himself wanting to be around the zest for life. He sighed and resolved himself to try going there on Thursday since he had a late class on Friday and wouldn't have to be up too early. Part of him really hoped that Grimmjow would not be at the main bar for that evening, but he knew that was a long shot. The gruff man was the main attraction more so than the bands and Djs. It had been easy to tell from the way people flocked to him. It hadn't hurt that he was an attractive man. Even Ichigo could admit that despite the nasty personality.

Thursday he found himself dressing more chic. He couldn't fathom why. He had no intention of impressing anyone and no thoughts of bringing home a date. Despite that he dressed more fashionably than normal. Grey, pin-striped jeans enhanced his naturally long legs; quarter length cream colored shirt topped by a brown, bomber style vest inspired a classy-but-cool masculinity; matching wrist bands and scarf completed the look making him appear very much like a department store model. He hummed his approval and was quick to be on his way.
When he arrived it was still early and the place hadn't gotten full yet. He staked out a table in the corner near the edge of the dance floor and close to the main bar. Eventually one of the waitresses came around and he ordered a blue moon to nurse. Rush hadn't happened and yet the occupants already seemed teeming with delight. Sparse patrons milled about on the dance floor while others engaged in boisterous conversation. It was more than Ichigo was used to at Pure. The comfortable social environment was a far cry different from the prim and proper clientage of his own place. As time passed and more people came in the level of jovial merry-making seemed to increase. He almost found it contagious.
Just when rush was about to peak a spark of excitement shot through the crowd. He wondered what had happened, but quickly understood when he heard cocky laughter filtering in between the sounds of clinking ice. He sighed as he watched the mass cheer and swoon. He wanted to watch the other man showboat, but didn't want to be seen. A tap on his shoulder startled him and he really hoped that it was not someone who recognized him from the last time.
"Ichigo right?"
He turned to the slightly shy question and was met with a vaguely familiar face. Grey-green eyes blinked curiously at him and suddenly it dawned on him. The punk chic style and bold facial ink gave him away. The guy was in his media and advertising lecture. He was incredibly gifted at video presentation and had left quite an impression on everyone during the last round of projects. Ichigo nodded offered a cordial smile.
"Sorry, I can't remember your name even though i know you're in my class."
"It's alright. I'm Shuuhei. Mind if I sit with you?"
Ichigo paused briefly then gave his consent seeing that it would be less likely to cause a scene with the quiet man as company. "Sure. You come here often?"
"Every now and again. I make the posters for the bar when they've got events going on. Right now though I'm just here to watch and take pictures for their website." He motioned to the camera bag.
"What brings you over here? This seems a little louder than what you'd like."
He sighed and took a sip of his beer quickly thinking of a valid excuse. "I'm gauging the competition. I work at a different bar."
"You'd gotta be impressive with the new bar tender they brought in. Place has been packed since the man started here." He shrugged as he pulled out a cigarette. "YOu mind?"
Ichigo shook his head. "What do you mean? This place has a reputation already. I even knew if it when I started working at Pure."
"Sure for good music and 'scenery' Hollow's Hole is the best. Grimmjow is top of the line in mixology though. Also he's pretty easy on the eyes." Shuuhei admitted. "They just hired him about a month ago. Pretty much doubled the business."
Ichigo was honestly impressed. They lapsed into a comfortable silence after that. He watched as people cheered. Occasionally he'd see a shot glass or tumbler flying in the air over the crowd. Ichigo was slightly envious of the open enjoyment and wanted just a sliver of that appreciation for his own skill. He just didn't want all the commotion. It was a conundrum. The crowd parted for a brief moment, but it was all that was needed for Grimmjow to catch a glimpse of him.
"Oi! Orange!"
Ichigo groaned and let his head hit the table. He could feel Shuuhei's questioning look on him. He could hear increasingly irritated jabs being thrown his way, but he just kept his head down in hopes that the bar tender would go back to work. A moment later his head was yanked up painfully and he was staring into ice-blue eyes. He chanced a look at Shuuhei who merely watched in part curiousity and part nervousness.
"Hey brat, you come to challenge me again?"
"Fuck off." Ichigo muttered under his breath.
Instead of having the desired effect though, Grimmjow just laughed. He then proceeded to drag Ichigo into standing and eventually to the bar. Shuuhei followed his interest perked and camera ready for whatever shenanigans the gruff man had planned. A few of the bar's regulars had recognized Ichigo and had already drunkenly started cheering. He groaned regretting his decision to come out. He cringed as the bartender threw an arm over his shoulder daring him to try and weasel out. That hadn't bothered him too much, but he was acutely aware of the man's naked upper half as per his bar uniform. He couldn't help but notice that there was not a single inch of fat on the man.
"So loyal patrons," Grimmjow addressed the mass when he'd successfully dragged Ichigo behind the bar. "Look who decided he wanted more."
"Take his shirt off!" Was rudely slurred out.
Ichigo tensed in horror as the other turned to him. Thankfully Grimmjow gave a negative response to the request. "Sorry ladies and gents, he's not on the payroll. He's just tonight's entertainment." He smirked as he tossed a shaker to Ichigo. "So, show us what you got unless you can't back it up."
Ichigo frowned his competitive side getting the better of him and slammed the shaker down. Then he took his scarf and wrapped it around his waist and then rolled his sleeves up. Not a second later orders were shouted out left and right. Grimmjow watched with rapt fascination at how efficient the ginger was at fufilling orders. What he wanted to see though, was the skills he knew was hiding underneath the smooth and quick exterior. The customers were pleased at the drinks and service, but they mostly came to the bar to see him put on a show and he was damned if the brat was not going to comply. Just as Ichigo was grabbing a pint to fill he grabbed the shot glass sitting on the bar and tossed it. The other turned just slightly and barely noticed it, but it was enough. He reacted on instinct and caught the small shot in the pint.
Ichigo's indignant 'What the fuck?' was drowned out by cheering and clapping. He paused for a second and looked at the pint in his hand. The urge to showoff took over and he popped the shot up and caught it on the back of his hand. Grimmjow chuckled seeing the other start to come out of his shell. He flipped the shot glass several times alternating which hand he caught it in. The crowd kept cheering loudly encouraging more. The final time he tossed it he smacked it off in Grimmjow's direction. The other grinned and easily snatched it out of the air and followed by filling it with Patron and sliding it down the bar.
He loved the act of flair. He didn't really do many tricks at Pure just because of the patronage. There was such a rush though flipping bottles and rolling tumblers with a captive audience that had him almost completely forgetting his reason for being there. Grimmjow's snide remarks and egotistical personality were far from mind and they seemed to actually work in great tandem with each other. There was a definite feel of competition, but it just seemed to spur the pair to perform more tricks.
The revelry was yet again interrupted when Grimmjow's boss appeared on the scene. He smiled eerily pointedly more toward Ichigo than the latter. As soon as he noticed the crowd quiet down, Ichigo stopped what he was doing and nudged Grimmjow harshly. The other glared but instantly sobered up when he noticed his platinum haired superior. The man tilted his head in question and opened his eyes just slightly.
"Ara, Grimmjow... I thought you weren't going to cause me trouble anymore." His smiled never faltered.
"Sir, I was under the impression that you were having him as entertainment tonight." Shuuhei peeped up from beside the bar hoping he could divert some of the blame from the pair.
"Hmmm. Must have slipped my mind." He shrugged and tilted his head at Shuuhei. "You're real good about 'membering that kind of stuff though. That's why ya do our event ads." He waved his hand noncommitally and walked away. "Carry on. Bring in the good money."

Ichigo was loath to admit that he had enjoyed the competition with Grimmjow. yes he wanted to punch the other bartender in the mouth a few times, but he'd actually enjoyed every minute of making drinks and doing flair. It hadn't even felt like work. He smiled to himself while popping open a bottle of Merlot for one of his regulars.
"You seem in good spirits." The middle-aged woman addressed him while accepting her glass. "I almost never see a real smile on you."
"Oh. I actually had a surprisingly fun and challenging evening the other night." He made small talk with her and twirled a spoon between his fingers.
"Whatever it is you're doing, keep doing it. A handsome young man such as yourself should be smiling." She chastised lightly before walking away to her regular table.
As it got later in the evening, Ichigo couldn't help but feel the urge to show off again. At Pure his flair was minimalistic and sleek. A few spins of a spirit or maybe some shaker tosses, but nothing that was a huge crowd grabber. After being able to showboat limitlessly, he wanted to do so. Pure's environment just didn't allow for it though. After a few boring orders, he'd just about had it and couldn't take the lack of outlet. To his luck someone ordered a martini with extra olives. He gave the customer a soft smile and then grabbed a shaker and the ice scoop. Effortlessly he scooped up some ice and tossed it up and caught it easily in the shaker without missing a single cube. After that he grabbed a bottle of Gin and flipped several times. The final time he caught it in the shaker upside down. His customer actually seemed interested and watched in quiet awe. With the gin measured out, he grabbed the Vermouth and rolled it over the back of his hand and upended in the mixer. A slight flick of the wrist and the bottle was rolled the opposite direction and put back on the shelf. He capped it and then gave the mixture three good shakes. With his free hand he pulled a cocktail glass out of the icebox and tossed it once and caught it between his fingers before setting it down. The mix was then poured in and garnished with a green sabre and three olives.
His little stint had impressed not only his customer, but a few of the patrons. Small applause happened followed by a large tip from the man. His eyes darted around quickly for his boss. When he caught no sign of him he grabbed three tumblers and started juggling them. It garnered him more clapping and a few amazed coos. It was nothing compared to the rousing response from the other night, but for a sleek an respectable place like Pure it was enough. He knew that he'd have to drop the act if his boss came in, but for the time being he was going to enjoy it.
There had been no sign of the man by the time he was ready to leave. Luckily enough, all the customers that had been in were amused and entertained. He knew for a fact that some of the richer patrons though would not be too keen on the flair, so he'd enjoyed the more laid-back evening. He knew that the coming weekends would bring about the same snobby ones who only cared about fancy wines and flashing their money. Ichigo had definitely wanted to go back across town to flair despite the poor attitude of the egoist that worked that bar. He also knew that it would be inviting a headache and other possible negative side effects, but he couldn't help it.

Continuously Ichigo had found himself going to Hollow's Hole on Thursdays. He knew it was asking for trouble, but he couldn't help himself. It had surprised him how much he'd actually begun to like coming. Occasionally he'd run into Shuuhei and they'd casually converse. Other times he'd find himself wandering and actually taking in the environment. Almost every time that he went though Grimmjow would try to incite some kind of competition with him. Sometimes he would succeed, but the rest of the time his attempts were thwarted by his boss. Gin, as Ichigo had later found out, was pretty lenient about the crap Grimmjow tried to pull, but it was easy to tell that the smiling hid a very ominous authority.
It had one night occurred to Ichigo how strange it was that the bartenders and waitresses were all portrayed in a sexual manner (shirtless for the guys and midriff and minis for the girls) but there seemed to be a distinct lack of sexual misconduct. Despite that, the skimpy attire still made Ichigo in his modesty slightly uncomfortable. He'd almost been able to ignore it until one of the nights the blue-haired man had dragged him behind the bar. Ichigo could appreciate attractiveness in men and women and was open to both in his life, but that time had ruined any sort of standard for physical aesthetics. Grimmjow had easily manhandled him into the bar and in the tight space, he'd become acutely aware of naked and perfectly sculpted abs pressing up against his back. After that he was done. He couldn't look at the other without noticing the traits that made the other 'easy on the eyes' as Shuuhei had said.
When he'd gone home that night he'd been so hyper-aware of the other that he'd found himself embarrassingly stroking himself to completion with naughty thoughts about the man. After the humiliation that had brought crashing into his mind he'd tried to go on a few days with men and women alike. The efforts to rid himself of Grimmjow's image had all been in vain. Eventually he'd accepted that the other would be playing a starring role in his fantasies and tried to leave it at that. On the outside he'd been good at hiding just what he thought about. It was easy enough to fake indifference being as he was well practiced from doing it most his life. It would have worked too if the other wasn't so intent on being in his personal space. Grimmjow seemed to have no concept of boundaries and Ichigo could without a problem guess what cologne the other was wearing on any given night. (His personal favorite was between the aqua-eternity by Calvin the acqua gio by Armani.)
Grimmjow's inability to leave him alone was causing more tension than there already was. Ichigo was desperately trying to hide his sudden crush and had gone back to angrily pushing the other man away. It had of course made the other man retaliate putting him even more in his personal bubble. Ichigo's rival turned crush had flared up dangerously and safe to say he was going down with the ship. It had gotten to an almost unbearable point that he forced himself to stop going to Hollow's Hole. Shuuhei had noticed his absence and had commented during class one day asking what had happened. Ichigo didn't want to admit the situation, but the young man had become the closest friend he'd made since being in the states. He didn't divulge the whole truth, but he did admit that he'd become increasingly uncomfortable around Grimmjow and just was going to stay away for a bit to cool off.
Fortunately or not, some regulars from Hollow's Hole had noticed as well and had managed to track him to Pure and were now frequenting on Grimmjow's off nights. Ichigo had enjoyed the attention and had performed more of his sleek showboating when they came by. Of course his original regulars had been the ones to tell everyone where he worked. While he enjoyed their zest for his tricks, the increasing crowd of boisterous people caused distaste for the rich clientele and apparently had caused complaints to start popping up. The worst had happened when Grimmjow had decided to show up one night. Ichigo had near panicked when he'd seen him. At first though, the other behaved himself and just merely watched. Ichigo didn't have that much luck though. After a while of doing easy flair Grimmjow had approached him.
"What the fuck are you doing working in a place like this?" Ichigo grimaced as the customers all turned toward him. "I mean seriously, what kind of douche bar doesn't let the bartenders do tricks?"
"Sorry, I don't think you'd understand that the mainly upscale clientele here doesn't like that kind of stuff." He grit out.
"That's bullshit. You're being wasted playing to these head up their own ass money bags." Indignant replies came from the patrons. "Besides, you can't honestly say you enjoy working here. I'd hate it if I had to fake nice to this ass parade."
Ichigo slapped his hand over his face because right as Grimmjow had effectly offended a great majority of the customers Ichigo's boss had walked in. He groaned wearily knowing that a) he was going to get in trouble, b) Grimmjow was going to cause a scene, and c) the 'ass parade' was going to start filing more grievances against him and the sudden clientele.
"It's a good thing that you don't work here then." Grimmjow turned to the seemingly warm voice. "I run an efficient bar where businessmen can come to let their worries away. I'm under the impression that you're being rude to my customers."
"Whatever. Those fuckers can just deal with it." He'd responded while shrugging.
"Ichigo, I'm going to have to ask you to escort your friends out. They are upsetting our best clients." He adjusted his glasses and gave a chastising look to the ruffians that Grimmjow had come in with. "Afterwards we're going to have a long discussion about the recent comments we've received concerning you."
He sighed and nodded. "Yes sir." Stepping from behind the bar he calmly rounded up the Hollow's crew and showed them out. It wasn't before Grimmjow caught one last jab in though.
"You're squandering his talent. That's why I hate you rich, so damn greedy and wasteful."

Ichigo's boss had not been happy about the complaints. He reminded him that the type of customer came to his bar for a quiet drink and not a bawdy show. That hadn't been the worst though. He'd found out about Ichigo's escapades at Hollow's Hole and had 'kindly' reminded him that an upstanding reputation was important in the recommendations letters he'd be writing when school was finished. Ichigo had felt threatened, but also it had made him realize exactly how right Grimmjow had been. While bartending wasn't his aim as a career, he definitely had a passion for it and now he knew just how much he was wasting time. He didn't want to work in Hollow's though mostly because of the 'dress code' but at the same time he was tired of working at Pure. He felt stuck and was unsure where to go.
Shuuhei had given him a solution. He would help get Ichigo set in freelance in his designs so that the other could eventually quit Pure. At least that way he'd have an income source while looking for other work. He'd also reassured him taht because he was already certified he'd be able to find a bar easily if he wanted. Ichigo had been more than okay with the idea. Though as he'd started up his standard contract letters a crazy notion popped into his head. At first he dismissed it, but eventually he found himself looking up regulations and laws regarding beverage service. He wasn't serious, but he figured it was a nice little fantasy to have.
Not long after his boss' talk, Shuuhei had managed to get an old friend in contact with Ichigo and had gotten him his first 'commission'. As luck would have it, they were supposed to meet up at a restaurant near Hollow's Hole. Several times throughout their conversation regulars from the bar had spotted him and interrupted. He was sure that he was going to lose the commission from all the distractions until the man seemed intrigued. Ichigo then had to go through the entire story of why he seemed so well known to the customers. The man had actually been entertained and after their meeting wanted to see what Ichigo could do. He'd calmly explained that it would only work if Grimmjow was working. He'd secretly hoped it wasn't the case though. He didn't know if he could handle being around Grimmjow. He was well aware that his attraction had not cooled off any.
As always though, his luck was bordering on the bad side. Grimmjow was there showboating in all his shirtless glory and had immediately noticed when Ichigo walked in. What he didn't expect was the menacing frown that was shot his direction. He could almost identify jealousy in that look, but he knew that would never have been the case. His crush was very much one-sided and he knew it.
"So prissy-boy, whatcha doing back in here? Didn't your stuck up boss threaten to fire you for associating with my types." Grimmjow had yelled across the bar.
"Maybe. But what I do outside of work really isn't his business now is it?" he'd stated calmly while approaching the other with practiced nonchalance.
"Well this is the first time you've been eager to play. I thought you'd gotten all chicken shit since you hadn't been by."
Ichigo's look soured, but he was determined not to lose his temper in front of his potential first buyer. "I have a life outside your supposed competition. You guys just seem to keep finding a way to disrupt it."
"Are you going to keep bitching or get up here and make some damn drinks?"
Ichigo looked back at his companion. The man simply smirked and shrugged in response. "You do realize that I am potentially breaking rules since I don't work here right?"
"Yea so? Who the fuck is going to say anything. My boss doesn't give two shits so long as you don't mess things up."
That was how Ichigo's evening ended, behind the bar at Hollow's Hole. He tried ignoring Grimmjow's close proximity as much as possible and put all his focus into the flair. No matter how many times he performed the same tosses and flips, there was always awe and enjoyment. He tried to keep his mind on that instead of the way the other man was trying to get a rise out of him by chucking ice and shot glasses his way. Each time he'd caught them or smacked them back, but he could tell it was all in efforts to annoy. It might have worked if he hadn't been so keen and impressing his company. The man hadn't left and was casually sitting at the bar drinking away at whatever mixed drink came his way.
The venture to Hollow's had turned out better than Ichigo could have imagined. Not only did he get the commission, but he'd been asked to play bar tender at an upcoming event. He'd readily accepted happy that things had seemed to play out in his favor. When he'd seen Shuuhei in class he'd thanked him and told him all the details of what had happened. The other had congratulated him and offered to get his name out there with other potential clients. They arranged to have coffee after class to sort the details out.
It was then that Ichigo's secret had become officially known to Shuuhei. The pair had been sitting next to each other in a booth, laptops out, with stacks of concept art for his first job littering the table when he felt somebody staring at him. Ichigo looked up and came eye to eye with Grimmjow. It was the same almost jealous look that surprised him. A wad of cash was then tossed on the table causing Shuuhei to look up as well.
"What the hell is this?" Ichigo had asked genuinely confused.
"You stupid? It's your tips from the other night." He snapped.
"Grimmjow, I can't take your money. I don't even work there." He stated firmly while trying to hand it back.
"Just take the damn money ya puss." He shoved Ichigo's hands back.
"How'd you know I was here?"
"Didn't. Saw you with your boyfriend through the window. Figured it was you since your hair is pretty damn bright."
Shuuhei then started to chuckle mirthfully causing both Grimmjow and Ichigo to turn to him questioningly. Their twin looks of surprise made him chuckle even more. "You must be mistaken. Ichigo is not my boyfriend." He chuckled some more. "We have class together."
Grimmjow blinked momentarily then turned to the side and blushed while frowning. Ichigo sighed not really understanding what was going on. He again tried to give the money back but his wrist was slapped down to the table. After that Grimmjow walked away and said nothing more. Shuuhei smiled and spared a glance at Ichigo. Before going back to what he was typing.
"It seems that he's the jealous type."
"What do you mean? He probably just got embarrassed. He seems like the type that would throw a fit over being wrong." He replied while slightly flustered.
"Hmm. I don't know about that." Shuuhei slid his gaze to the other. "I think you should go for it."
"I think you're crazy."
"It's plainly obvious that you find him attractive, and why not?" He smiled.
"He also seems like he'd be straight and maybe homophobic." Ichigo rebutted not even attempting to deny Shuuhei's observation.
"Nah, he's an open minded kind of guy."
"How would you know something like that?"
"Just try it." He smirked
"If you haven't noticed I'm not exactly the most open person." He glanced at Shuuhei.
"Hahaha. Next time you're at the bar stop focusing so much on trying to hide your crush and try watching how he reacts to you." Shuuhei turned his laptop and showed Ichigo what he'd been working on. "Here's the recommendation."
"I don't know." Ichigo sighed again and leaned forward to read the letter Shuuhei had written to add to his portfolio. "Thanks. This makes me look like a lot nicer of a person."

Ichigo had started working less hours at Pure much to the disapproval of his boss. He'd been incredibly pleased that his first project had gone over well and that Shuuhei's contact had been working with him to get it finalized. He also had discussed the upcoming event that he wanted Ichigo to be the bar tender for. He'd expected something formal since the ad layouts he was making were for a series of fashion trends. He'd been asked to make posters and accessories for their fashion walk/ charity to compliment and secretly advertise their items. The company had been pleased with his work and was even more pleased with the fact that they had one less thing to organize. The event he was going to be work with them was the opening ceremony for the Charity gala. He'd been expected to have to wear a black vest and all like when working at Pure, but they'd been more lenient and wanted him to dress in something trendy to match the event itself.
He'd actually been looking forward to the event. Not only were his posters going to be displayed, but the whole thing was going to be decorated in things that matched his design. He'd spent more time putting himself together for the event. He wanted chic, but also something that would work well for doing flair. Eventually he settled on a pair of black and gold vertical striped jeans with a fitted leg, a black quarter-length sleeve shirt, and a half-length gold vest. It looked professional and in his eyes still fit the posh bartender stereotype. He also had decided as an afterthought, to use a few pins to keep his hair out of his eyes since it had been a while since his last cut.
When he'd arrived at the hotel the event was going to be at he was surprised. It was sleek and fancier than the place Pure was in. The pop-up bar had pretty much everything he could need as far as spirits and garnish went. He inspected all the items making sure they were satisfactory and that he wouldn't need anything. He was pleased and just knew everything was going to go well seeing how prepared it all seemed. Ichigo was excited to get started and idly began spinning a shot glass while waiting for the event to start.
When the guests started arriving and ordering drinks, he was happy to entertain. A few quick flairs here and there, but nothing to time consuming as he knew he was the only bar tender. He got compliments from pretty much everyone from how he was dressed to how easily he made everything look. He actually was feeling pretty good about himself. For a bit the activity died down as the guests were eating and a few speeches and introductions were made. At the tail end of all of that he caught his own name being listed in the thank-you. He suddenly felt all the eyes in the room on him. It made him just slightly nervous, but it was just in passing. After a moment everyone turned back to the front and began clapping. The activity started up again as the guests were milling about socializing. By the end of the night his little tip jar was full and he was feeling mighty pleased with himself. It had been a great experience and more than once the a guest commented on how good the design for the ads and posters had been. He of course had been paid his commission, but also for being the bar tender. It had given him some much needed confidence to quit Pure.
First thing he'd done when the gala was over was call Shuuhei and tell him of the grand success his night had been. He had offered to take Ichigo out the next night he was free in celebration and had also informed him that he had another potential client for the him. His next thing had been to get himself a late dinner and get home afterwards. The local 24hr diner called to him as he made his way back. Figuring he'd give it a shot he popped in and was greeted by a very familiar face. One of the regular customers at Hollow's had recognized him and had immediately asked if he was there to sit with Grimmjow. He was about to refuse when the seemingly downtrodden appearance of the usually obnoxious man caught his eye. He nodded his consent and went over and sat down across from the other.
For several moments they sat in silence Grimmjow just staring down at his hands. Ichigo was at a loss. He hadn't ever seen the other look discouraged and vulnerable. His heart actually hurt for him and he wondered what could have been the cause. He sighed and ordered two cups of hot chocolate when the other still hadn't said a word. It seemed that at that instant Grimmjow became suddenly aware he was there.
"So...you don't exactly seem like the sit and sulk type." Grimmjow glared at him but he could tell it was half-hearted. "I'm not going to ask because it isn't my business, but despite my better judgement I'll listen if you need it." He calmly sipped his cocoa while giving the other man a mild frown.
Grimmjow huffed and angrily grabbed his own mug. "Shit. Just got in another fight with the old man." Ichigo merely waited for him to continue. "Ain't nothing new. Pops and I are always fighting over something. He fucking disowned me because I want to go to culinary school."
Ichigo had to sputter at that."Why? What the fuck is wrong with culinary school? You already bartend."
"Fucker thinks it ain't manly. He's always been on my ass about that shit. Ever since high school." Grimmjow swiped at the whipped cream and licked it from his finger unaware of Ichigo's sudden interest.
"Disowning you is pretty damn stupid." He agreed. "But if the old man doesn't want to accept you for who you are then go ahead and succeed without his shit in your life."
"Easy for you to say." The other snorted.
Ichigo frowned at that. "It's not easy for me. My family wasn't too happy when I came over here for school. If you can't tell I'm not from the states. They just learned very quickly that either they accepted that I was following what I wanted to do with or without them. And without them meant that I was cutting ties." He tilted his head. "My old man's always been a real nutcase, but he cared about me and despite his reservations he accepted it. I've been doing it mostly on my own though. Never ask him for help."
"You don't have a criminal record though I bet. I got myself into some trouble back in highschool." He pinned Ichigo with a serious look. "I ain't a basket of roses. Creepy-faced Gin was the only one really willing to overlook my record and give me a chance." He slammed his fist on the table. "Shit I don't even know why I'm telling you. You already hate my guts anyway. Not like I need to be adding fuel to the flame."
Ichigo chuckled warmly. "I find you annoying as shit sometimes, but I don't hate you. Your stupid antics actually gave me some confidence."
Grimmjow had to smirk at that. He looked up momentarily and caught the genuine smile the other had. Honey-colored eyes were filled with a tenderness he'd never expected to see in the usually scowling face. It had him feeling hot around the collar and a little bit afraid. He'd long since acknowledged that from day one he'd found the insufferable boy desireable. He'd felt no need to hide that fact. He'd tried to make it obvious anytime that he'd seen him, but the other was too dense. He'd actually been surprised that when he got Ichigo behind the bar that they were incredibly similar and worked well together. They seemed to function on their own wavelength and the fact that the other could keep up with his showboating made him even that much more attractive. He'd been just about ready to give up on pursuing the other when he'd seen him and the punkish guy together at the coffee shop. He'd been jealous for sure, but then his assumptions had been all wrong. The times he'd seen them in the bar together had merely been as friends and thus his drive had been renewed.
"Look, I just got off a job so I'm hungry. Let me eat something then if you're up for it we can bum about my place with a few beers for a bit." Ichigo suggested feeling that it had been incredibly forward of him to invite the other.
"Not going to turn down free beer." He grinned.
Ichigo had been again astonished at how easily they got on. It was like they'd been old friends once they had a few in them. Grimmjow was incredibly knowledgeable in the types of beers and what situations and foods they were most appropriate with. Ichigo had nowhere near that amount of know-how concerning alcohol. Sure he knew his drinks and how to serve them up. He also knew flavors that went well together, but the history of them was something completely out of his range. It wasn't just that though. Grimmjow belonged in a culinary institute. His knowledge of food was astounding as well. It all played into why Grimmjow knew the perfect complement drink. He was intrigued and finding himself enjoying the other's presence. He'd lost count of the beers that had been drank between the two of them.
Grimmjow had spread himself out on the couch sometime during their conversation and had his arms resting on the back of the couch, his left hand just barely brushing Ichigo's shoulder. He couldn't find it in himself to care though. Infact, the more he drank, the more he leaned back into the hand. Grimmjow didn't seem to mind either and he let his hand idly trace patterns in Ichigos shirt. Ichigo didn't know when, but found himself drunkenly gazing up at Grimmjow's perfect profile. The man was ruggedly handsome. Even the scar running along his jawline was enticing to Ichigo and he found himself wanting to trace it with his tongue. Apparently though he'd actually voiced his wants and Grimmjow had heard. He grinned down at him like the Cheshire cat.
"You know, what I'd really like to do is fuck that sweet ass of yours into oblivion. Unfortunately i don't think that would go over well and you'd be regretting it in the morning."
The idea of sex with Grimmjow hadn't sounded bad at all and Ichigo's body was more than willing at the moment, but even with the dirty grin the other wad giving him all he'd managed was a slight brushing of lips. It caused a spark of wanting to flash through him and he wanted more in his lust addled mind. He'd tried to deepen it pushing for something more. It ended up being no more than a languid twining of tongues that left him unfilled. He was angry that the one time he wanted Grimmjow to be impulsive, he was being denied. It both frustrated and excited him though.
"You'll thank me in the morning brat. Now go to bed. I'm going to hunker down on this couch so move."

Ichigo awoke to the smell of sizzling bacon. His head was pounding, but his stomach seemed to growl in anticipation of the delicious aroma. He couldn't remember much about the previous night except the gala and then stopping to eat with Grimmjow. His eyes popped open and suddenly it all came rushing back. He was absolutely mortified at the attempt to makeout with the other man. He rushed out of his room and was surprised to see Grimmjow standing in his kitchen making hash browns. He coughed in embarrassment causing the other to turn.
"Ah, you're up and about finally." he faced the stove again. "Figured you'd want some food after all the alcohol you drank."
"What time is it?" Ichigo mumbled blearily while sliding down at the table.
"Ten after eleven. Why?"
The ginger shot out of his chair. "Shit! I'm late for class."
"So skip. One day is hardly going to do anything. Besides, your brain is shit right now. You aren't helping yourself by going."
He slumped back down seeing the reason in the statement. Grimmjow seemed to be ignoring whatever had happened the previous night. Ichigo was indeed thankful for that. He sighed heavily and lowered his head to the table muttering sleepily in Japanese. Eventually Grimmjow sat a plate in front of him. It was filled with a wonderful American breakfast that Ichigo had only recently started to enjoy. Thick slices of bacon sat atop a pile of hash browns. Also two sunny-side-up eggs complimented the plate.
"I don't know how to make a Japanese breakfast so you're just going to have to deal."
He didn't care. It was perfectly okay in his opinion. After they'd eaten Ichigo had been surprised to notice Grimmjow had cleaned up their mess. No bottles or any evidence of drinking had occurred. He'd briefly wondered if the blue haired man had been embarrassed as well and was trying to avoid the topic. It had offended him a little to think that Grimmjow was trying to mask what had happened and he progressively felt himself getting more and more angry. Just as he was about to blow a gasket Grimmjow got up to leave.
He stopped directly behind Ichigo's chair and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Next time you go saying suggestive things I really am going to fuck you drunk or not."
That thought stayed with Ichigo the rest of the day. He'd been so immersed in it that he almost didn't hear his phone go off. He instantly recognized Shuuhei's number and answered it ready with an excuse as to why he wasn't in class. What he got instead was a teasing remark followed by a question asking if he'd taken the advice and just gone for Grimmjow. Ichigo had sighed and decided it was better just to explain the whole thing to the other. Shuuhei had urged him on and told him to follow through. Ichigo had disagreed claiming that it had just been alcohol talking.
"Ichi, you're smart enough to know that alcohol just gives you the courage to do things that you secretly want to do."
Afterwards he'd asked how the event went and told Ichigo he'd gotten another potential buyer for some his work. Of course they had wanted a rec and some high quality files to look at to compare with other potentials. Ichigo had been elated and had quickly agreed to send some files. Shuuhei had given him some suggestions of the type of things they'd be looking for. They had asked for a few items that might show the designer would know how to design a playbill cover and full page ad. The production they wanted to test him for was Reefer Madness. All the people involved had agreed the traditional artwork had looked dated and wanted something new to match the parody. After more small talk they hung up and Ichigo got ready for his shift at Pure.
Many of the patrons had noticed that he'd been there less and less. Some were upset as well. A few were genuinely missing him, while the other (trophy wives) were just missing the eye candy. Either way, things had been tense of late. His boss' disapproval was obvious despite the pleasant smile, and he couldn't help but want to get out asap. Ichigo was happy that his first job had gone well and was anxiously looking forward to the next one, and hopefully being able to find more contacts. He had wanted to get a few commissions under his belt before he quit Pure. As things were going though it seemed lucky that Shuuhei had bumped into him at the bar that one night. They'd become decent friends and Ichigo was now rapidly becoming part of the circle of contacts the other had.
His first draft of the playbill had started out on a cocktail napkin, and had gone from there. When he'd finally decided on a more complete image he'd sent it along with a copy of all the concept art just in case they wanted to see the process. They'd been particularly impressed with the images of the characters even though they were just doodles. Belatedly Ichigo had noticed that his 'Jimmy' scribble had mimicked some of Grimmjow's good looks. That had been all good and well until Shuuhei had pointed it out teasingly during one of their 'coffee dates'.
He hadn't been to Hollow's in a while. Partially because of Grimmjow's 'threat' but mostly because he'd been very focused on his current project. While they had liked the designs they were talking over edits with him. It had seemed that each time he turned a piece over, it came back with some kind of edit. It both frustrated and encouraged Ichigo. He'd been spending any free time meeting up with Shuuhei to get guidance since the other had more experience in that area. Needless to say, his social time had taken a back burner.
Grimmjow had noticed his absence too. He'd been aggravated that Ichigo had initiated contact with him, but had yet to follow through. Two weeks and he had yet to see and sign that the ginger had stopped by. It made him irritable and less wont to entertain while at work. Gin had noticed and told him to find a way to fix his attitude or else. He'd tried, but he couldn't help but feel ignored and slighted. Several empty beer and spirits had suffered his wrath to a loud and shattering death. He was just about to bust another when he caught a bit of the kid's name. Using the guise of refilling drinks he moved closer to the pair sitting at the bar. If he just happened to hear what had become of the other then maybe he could relax his temper. It seemed like ages before they mentioned him again, but it was all he needed. He smirked thinking it was about time to cause another ruckus at Ichigo's bar.
The following week Grimmjow had made good on his resolve to cause a scene. He'd gone into Pure confident as all get out and eyed Ichigo from across the room. Instantly the ginger had blushed and looked away. Casually he'd ordered a drink while flirting with a woman sitting at the bar. His actions had caused Ichigo to frown and then attempt to ignore him. Of course it hadn't been that easy. Grimmjow had shamelessly flirted with all the women that had approached the bar all the while giving the bartender the eye. Ichigo could feel the arousal of the look and had desperately tried to keep his thoughts elsewhere. Grimmjow wanted to rile him up. He was very much intent on getting a reaction. If the other was willing to try to snog him while drunk, he was sure he could 'convince' him while sober. It was obvious the kid needed to get laid. Grimmjow kept his eye on the clock and just before last call he closed his tab and leaned forward to address Ichigo.
"I'll be waiting for you to finish where we left off." He murmured silkily and just loud enough for Ichigo to hear.
Ichigo's heart started racing and he knew his cheeks were aflame. The husky statement had sent shivers down his spine and had him entertaining unwholesome thoughts. He knew that Grimmjow had done it just to agitate him, but he couldn't help but want a part of it to be true. He finished his shift with nothing but that repeating in his head. Quickly he'd gone through closing anxious to see if the other had been only teasing him. He hadn't even bothered with changing before he left and rushed out still in his vest and slacks.
He hadn't expected that when he left Grimmjow would be waiting for him. But as he exited to elevator to his apartment the unmistakable form of the man came into view. His mouth ran dry watching cautiously as he was approached. He wanted to ask what the other man was doing there, but suddenly it sounded stupid. Grimmjow had done exactly as he'd said and now he was there maybe to fulfill the other part. Ichigo could only secretly hope.
"You gonna invite me in?"He husked tilting his head suggestively.
Ichigo only nodded mutely and slowly let them both in. He sighed ans turned to the other. "Well sit anywhere-"
Grimmjow laughed boisterously. "Ne Ichi- you don't need to be all formal and shit. We both remember how much you wanted in my pants last time. Let's just skip the preamble and get right to it." He chuckled and pressed the small man against the wall.
Ichigo had been appalled and riled all together. He swallowed thickly unable to look away from the piercing sapphire stare. He'd almost resigned himself to the other when suddenly he was let go. He frowned questioningly and then noticed the soft chuckling. His face flushed angrily and he reeled back to punch the laughing man. Instantly the other stopped and caught his wrist with a smirk. Ichigo jerked his hand back and instead shoved at Grimmjow.
"You fucker. Think it's fun to toy with people's feelings?" He glowered trying his hardest to look threateningly at the other.
"I ain't toying with you."
Strong hands cupped his face and he was abruptly pulled into a kiss. At first he didn't know if he wanted to hit the other or pull him closer. The indecision didn't stay long and his arms wrapped around broad shoulders and eventually settled against the other man's back. All anger was sapped from him as the kiss turned more forceful. He was rapidly becoming willing and pliant and was very glad that this time around he wasn't intoxicated. He pulled back for just a moment to breathe and saw for the first time just how handsome Grimmjow was. All the sharp angles of his face were complimented by the more subtle aspects. The faded scar that ran from the top of his right cheek bone all the way to his jaw again took most of his notice. He loved the way it looked. Loved how it looked dangerous next to the teal tattoos under his eyes. Loved how it contrasted with the soft barely there freckles on his nose.
Grimmjow was painfully attractive and Ichigo could feel himself falling. His lips parted and he exhaled before going in for another kiss. It was softer this time, but he still allowed Grimmjow to take the lead. Their lips curved almost perfectly together moving and pressing in just the right places. Ichigo slowly let his hands move upwards one coming to the nape of Grimmjow's neck the other tracing the scar. It caused the man to pause and peer questioningly down at Ichigo as if almost a little bit scared. He smiled lightly to assuage the blue-haired man's fear before nosing his cheek in the scarred area. They stood in a companionable silence for a few moments both just basking in the other's presence.
"So...what does this mean?" Ichigo finally broke the silence.
Grimmjow shrugged in response. "Whatever you want it to I guess. Doesn't change the fact that I'm going to fuck you."
"What if I want more than just a fuck?"
"Then I say you better not even think of looking at anyone else."

Ichigo's mood had been incredibly hard to break after that. Him and Grimmjow didn't exactly function like a typical couple. They argued relentlessly and were constantly trying to outdo the other, but it worked. There was a chemistry between them and they thrived off the competition with each other. Sure sometimes they would never reach an agreement, but both liked having someone on an even playing field. Shuuhei had noticed instantly when the change had happened. Not long after, he'd spilled the beans. Shuuhei had been supportive and had even told Ichigo he could come to him anytime he needed advice in the area seeing as he was the same.
Of course his second commission had been going well and they'd finally reached a final decision on the designs. He'd been super excited and couldn't wait to see the finished product. The theatre had also drawn up a contract with him to do designs for some of their smaller shows. It wouldn't be quite as much pay as 'Reefer madness.' But it was a start. Between that and his relationship with Grimmjow, he'd gained the confidence to quit his job at Pure. His boss had wished him well with a faked smile, but Ichigo knew. It was a huge weight off him and he was happy to finally be out of the stifling environment. It allowed him to focus more on finding more contacts and getting himself out there.
He'd designed his webpage and online portfolio and had made it available to many local design groups in hopes that it would bring commissions in. Mostly what he got was word of mouth. His professors had given him good recommendations plus what reputation he'd got from his first two jobs. In his down time he found himself entertaining the crazy idea he'd briefly thought up before. He didn't know where to start, but after he'd really learned more about Grimmjow, he thought perhaps he might research it more deeply.
As the term was coming to a close, Ichigo found himself wondering what was going to happen for his last few semesters. He only had thirty six more hours of class and then he'd hoped to get an internship. His thoughts circled on that, and on the fact that his family had decided that they were going to visit him for Christmas. He was excited to see his sisters, but his father was going to make a scene, and as much as he loved the man, he didn't want to deal with that. Also there was the small little bit about him being homosexual and dating a rather foul-mouthed man. He was sure that was going to cause a fight if the two got into it.
He resigned himself to I don't give a fuck mentality and pretty much just decided that his dad would eventually accept it and there was no need to worry over something not so important. He wondered what Grimmjow was even going to do for the holiday. He'd been disowned and pretty much told not to associate with his family anymore. That much he'd remembered from the last big conversation, but he'd never brought it up again. In the very least Grimmjow had his own place, but he figured if the man was up to dealing with his odd family he could celebrate with them.
They fought about it when the topic of Christmas was brought up. Understandably it was a sore subject with Grimmjow, but Ichigo couldn't help his temper flaring up from it. The whole day after the fight they didn't talk to each other. The silence was broken when Ichigo came into Hollow's Hole while Grimmjow was working and groped him right there in front of everyone. Knowing that the forward behavior was an uncomfortable thing for the ginger, suddenly Grimmjow wasn't as angry anymore. They had resolved to try to fix the problem after he got off work.
They'd fought again followed by a heavy session of kissing that had left both of them unfulfilled and wanting more. It was actually killing Grimmjow to not make good on his promise, but he could tell he had to tread lightly with Ichigo concerning sex. The boy was very insecure and actually quite shy on the subject despite the way he kissed. Slowly Ichigo had opening up to the idea more, but just couldn't seem to get over his doubts.
Aside from that Grimmjow was stressing about presents. He wasn't normally the type to give presents do being put in an environment with a family, he felt more obligated. He'd tried to bring that up with Ichigo, but the subject had always been closed before he could get a word out. He didn't really know what to do. Despite what all was said, he did want to make a good impression on Ichigo's family. Because he didn't really know anything about them he decided to stick with what he knew best, cooking and drinks.
When the holiday had finally rolled around he'd literally forced Ichigo out of his own kitchen. Previously they'd planned on what to do, and Grimmjow had pretty much stated he'd cook since he had nothing else to offer Ichigo's family. They'd argued over what was going to be prepared but eventually Grimmjow had won out and they'd gone shopping for ingredients. The previous day when Ichigo had been out to meet his family at the airport was when Grimmjow had taken time to make special things for the other. Baking and decorating was something he'd become especially affluent at and had very rarely showed. Anytime he'd been over, he'd snooped through Ichigo's pantry to find out what kinds of food the other favored. The one thing he'd noticed that seemed to have a new bag every week was dark-chocolate pretzels. It was the only junk food in the place aside from alcohol. Based on that he made a dessert for the other that he figured would encompass what he knew. He wasn't going to give it to Ichigo until after his family had left, but it left him feeling anxious.
Christmas dinner had gone awkwardly well. Grimmjow wasn't used to the family environment, but he had done anything incriminating. He was also horny as hell since Ichigo had kissed him that morning before being forced out of the kitchen promising that he'd make it up to him. When the family had finally left Ichigo had all but pounced on Grimmjow. It was a surprise, but he welcomed it. Before he got to into it though he stopped Ichigo telling him he still had a present. When he presented the dessert Ichigo was left speechless. He knew Grimmjow was good a cooking, the dinner had attested to that. But the delicate hand needed to make something like that was impressive and he never knew Grimmjow had it in him. The whole thing was edible. Chocolate formed into a martini glass filled with cake balls of varying flavors and topped off chocolate covered pretzel sticks.
Ichigo was beside himself with awe. "Grimm, you don't need to go to culinary school. This is fucking incredible."
"Yes I do. No credible place would hire me 'specially because of my record." He grumped.
Ichigo sampled one of the cakes and hummed in approval causing Grimmjow to swallow uncomfortably. The ginger suddenly turned to him a prominent blush present on his cheeks. "So, you promised something a while back..." He murmured while sliding closer. "Care to indulge?"
"Fuck yes."
Grimmjow was on him in an instant tackling him off the couch and to the floor. Their mouths sought out each other both competing for the upper hand. Ichigo relented letting Grimmjow take over once more relishing in the taste of the other. His kisses tasted like the Riesling that had been sipped after dinner and Ichigo loved it. His hands curled tightly in Grimmjow's shirt pulling him impossibly close. Grimmjow responded in kind by grinding his hips downwards letting the other male know just how much he wanted this. Ichigo gasped and pulled away from the kiss letting his head thump against the floor. The heated touch didn't stop though and the other's lips trailed downwards along his jaw and the curve of his neck. He stopped at the hem of Ichigo's shirt and shot him a look that was full of naughty promises.
"Don't tease." he stated firmly urging the other to go on.
Grimmjow's lips were on his again distracting him from the roaming hand groping and touching. He's anything but patient as he licks and nips at the man below him. He'd been waiting far too long for this and he didn't want the other's modesty to get in the way. Ichigo kissed just as passionately as he argued and it drove Grimmjow crazy with want. He was all teeth and tongue and Grimmjow loved every moment of it responding in kind. He used that vigor to help divest them of their shirts, only separating for the scant moment it took to peel them over their heads. He'd never gotten the pleasure of seeing Ichigo without a shirt on. His body was beautifully male. Slim muscle and lightly tanned skin with a dusting of freckles right along his shoulders. His eyes fell to the small tattoo decorating the ginger's chest just above his right nipple. It made him grin knowing that there was a wild side hiding beneath the surface of the man. Grimmjow resumed his kisses letting them trail downwards.
Ichigo groaned and pulled at his hair asking for his lips. Grimmjow was quick to oblige moving back up and pressing their bodies close to do so. Ichigo pushed against the other man so that their bodies moved more upright. Grimmjow's hands did not stay idle. Sensually he slid them around Ichigo's shoulders and slowly down his back. The touch drew soft gasps and shivers from him. The younger was not to be outdone though. His fingers pulled at the longer whisps of hair at the base of Grimmjow's neck and scratched along his scalp. Lusty growls passed between kisses until eventually he pulled back. Their eyes met for a brief moment causing Ichigo to blush and look down at the intensity showing in those cerulean depths. Grimmjow's hands slid down to cup his buttocks before pulling him up and standing in one go.
"What the fuck?" Ichigo squawked indignantly while instinctively wrapping his legs around the other's waist.
"I'd be happy to just all out fuck you here on the floor, but I figured you wanted to be more comfortable." Grimmjow smirked while giving a small thrust.
"Jerk." Ichigo mumbled but smiled just a bit allowing Grimmjow to continue his trek to the bedroom.
For the first time Ichigo actually took a moment to admire the body that was bared to the public on a regular basis. Grimmjow was built like a tank. His body was so perfectly sculpted and cut. He took notice of all the scars that just added character to his physique. Several knife scars he noted being able to identify them from his days in his dad's clinic. A large burn scar ran from hipbone to to shoulder, but it seemed to be of no consequence to the man. He touched it wanting to ask.
"Ah. That. My first venture into cooking as a teenager. Hot grease all over from being damn clumsy." He chuckled without even the smallest note of regret.
Ichigo kissed it then continued his exploration. He watched as Grimmjow's body twitched from the touches. He sucked in a gasp as he was instantly turned on from the sight of ink peeking out just beneath the hem of trousers. Grimmjow watched with rapt fascination as Ichigo unbuttoned his pants and slid them down to trace the tattoo on his hip that curved toward his crotch. It was simple black scrawl that merely said 'grind'.
"Hot." He breathed.
"Bet you never noticed the one on my back."
He shook his head but kept his focus on removing his boyfriend's clothing. He was nervous, but touching and revealing the other's body made it much easier. He suddenly didn't feel so self conscious as he laid back and let Grimmjow descend upon him. The other was just as curious about his body and he closed his eyes as his remaining clothes were removed. Grimmjow had picked up from where he left off licking and making his way down to Ichigo's arousal. He chuckled as Ichigo flushed all over from the touch. He was gorgeous and Grimmjow knew it was all worth the fighting and waiting. He responded splendidly with the first suck moaning softly and arching. His hand drew through powder-blue locks curling and tightening and asking for more.
When Grimmjow felt that Ichigo had relaxed more he reached for his discarded pants and dug out the tube of lubricant and condom he'd pocketed. Ichigo looked up from his pleasured haze just in time to watch with attentiveness as two slick fingers teased his entrance. He took a deep breath and urged himself to relax against the tensing reaction. Grimmjow murmured encouragement as he slowly pushed inside. Ichigo was no stranger to the sensation, but it had been a while to say the least and he took several breaths focusing on the deep voice of the other man. It soothed him and yet further aroused him. He beckoned the other to continue. Grimmjow alternated scissoring his fingers and giving shallow thrusts while sucking on sensitive areas to help give pleasure to the discomfort. A few moments more and Ichigo was ready for the next finger. Grimmjow had been surprisingly patient as he prepared Ichigo, but his desire was nearly begging at him to move on.
When he withdrew he caught Ichigo's honey eyes with a heated look. There was no turning back now as he ripped open the condom and rolled it on and the younger man knew it. Grimmjow hastily rubbed gel all over himself anxious to delve inside. Ichigo braced his body on his elbows so that he could watch their initial coupling. As Grimmjow scooted forward and grasped his hips he inhaled in anticipation. The first penetration was slow and slightly uncomfortable. He felt too full, but urged himself to relax to let the other fully in. He watched as his body opened up and let each agonizingly slow inch slide further. His eyes shot up to his boyfriend's face and he was endeared by the look of concentration. Grimmjow was biting his lip and exhaling softly pacing himself so he did not hurt the other. At long last he was fully seated and he grunted in relief. Ichigo's muscles twitched as he accomodated the other's girth. He adjusted his position and then tapped Grimmjow's back with his foot letting him know to start.
Grimmjow moaned in partial relief as he began thrusting. Slowly at first then progressively harder and faster. Ichigo arched up to meet him gving as good as he got. The chemistry and rhythm between them was just like when they were working the bar. instinctively they knew exactly what the other was doing and it translated over to sex. The slap of skin on skin added to the cacophony of moans drawn from their copulation. Ichigo pulled Grimmjow down by the neck and joined their lips in a sloppy kiss. Every piston of the man's hips brought them one step closer to that precipice pounding at that sweet spot. As they parted for breath Ichigo licked the sweat from Grimmjow's lips and moaned hotly against his mouth. He was coming undone and so near orgasm he could feel the firing in his nerves. In an instant his toes curled and he tightened his legs around the other's back caging him inside. Grimmjow grunted feeling the contracting muscles all around him. He fought those powerful legs so that he could finish. A few thrusts later he was sinking into orgasmic bliss and filling Ichigo with his seed. His arms strained as he balanced himself over the smaller man. Finally Ichigo tugged him down and they lay there basking in post-coital afterglow.

a/n: Part two is almost done. A big portion of it was originally in this part, but I figured this was a good stopping place for the time. Also, to anyone who is like WTF? what about your other fics? I'm going to update verloren next and then modifications. Expect a holiday drabble or two in between. Thanks for reading and if you feel so inclined I'd love to hear what you think. If you've got questions, send em my way and I'll try to answer in the next part. Also, seriously go look at blackstorm's art if you haven't. It inspires some of my ideas and is amazing. DO IT.
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