Love At First Word

Chapter 13

I just really feel the need to give a shout out to some of my favorite readers, ones that regularly present challenge and idea to me.
grimmxichi , and Grimmjow_6 , you guys are the best.

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~ Ichigo ~

"You ready?" I asked. Grimmjow stood and slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, swinging his keys around his finger.

"Yup."

With a grin, he opened the door and I put a finger in his back belt loop as we walked down the stairs.
I was still nervous about going down by myself, so I was glad he didn't mind my clinginess.

"Ichi!" A cheery voice called from behind me. I turned to barely see a blonde head out the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, Shin?"

"Where ya goin?"

"We're going to my family's lake house for the weekend since we've got Monday off. Yachi's been nagging me about bringing Grimm around."

"Isn't that an hour or two away?"

"Two, yeah. I'll bring ya back some homemade curry of you want."

"Yes!" Shinji hugged me, and I was grateful for the large hand that laid itself on my back to keep me steady.

My blonde friend pulled away and waved goodbye. I waited for the door to close before I let Grimmjow turn me around and help me down the stairs.

"You're gonna gimme directions, yeah?" Grimmjow asked.

"Of course. I've been told I'm the best at reading maps." I grinned cheekily as Grimmjow chuckled at me.

He unlocked the truck and took my own bag from me to hand me the keys.
After putting our bags in the back, he grinned at me.
"Start it up; I gotta go get somethin' from the room."

I frowned and watched Grimmjow go, but nevertheless, obediently got into the truck and felt around until I found the key hole.

After a few minutes of me fumbling with the radio, I found a station I liked and relaxed into the nice leather seats.
Grimmjow came back not long after and popped open the door.

"What'd you go back to get?" I asked curiously.

"Can't tell you. It's a surprise." he responded airily. Grimmjow slung his right arm behind my seat and looked behind him as he backed out, signaling that I wasn't getting much else out of him.

~ Grimmjow ~

Two hours later, I pulled up the driveway of a secluded lake house, hoping I was in the right place, since Ichigo had fallen asleep soon after helping me set the GPS coordinates.

Not wanting to wake him up, I eased out of the truck, but left it running.

I hesitated before I knocked on the door, but when it was ripped open and a tiny body crashed into my legs, I was sure I was in the right place.

"GRIMMY! You came!"
I grinned and swept the hyper child up, letting her fly into the air a moment before I caught her again.

"Of course I came, kid! Can't miss a chance to see you!"
Yachiru squealed and giggled as I tickled her before she squirmed for me to let her down.

"Where's Ichi?"

"He fell asleep. I'm gonna got get him, so why don't you run back inside and tell Hat-N-Clogs we're here, huh?"

The young girl happily nodded and skipped back in as I ambled back to the truck.

~

A few minutes later, I finally had Ichigo crawling out of the seat, leaning heavily on me as he sleepily asked where we were.

"We're at the house. You wanna wake up some more now?"

"Not really. There's bound to be a party going on in there. I'm not entirely sure I'm ready for my family yet."
Ichigo grumbled and walked sluggishly away, but not before he took his bag from my shoulder.
"C'mon. I think you'll like them."

With the grin returning to my face, I followed him inside excitedly.

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Yeah...this one is kind of fillerish.
Anyways, thanks again, guys! And I'm warning you now. The oncoming family is strange, mismatched, probably OOC, and definitely rambunctious.