Love At First Word

Chapter 15

~ Ichigo ~

After we finally got serious again and helped each other put sunscreen on, I followed him warily downstairs.

"So what're they like?" Grimmjow asked casually, his hands in his swim trunk pockets.

"I told you. Eccentric and overbearing are polite words for them." I paused in my speaking for a moment to toy with a stray string on his trunks while we walked.
"Oh, and I warn you now - you're going to see a whole new side to your Coach and Psyc teacher. They're quite good at façades."

Grimmjow turned and I suspected he was looking at me suspiciously, but I just hummed in childlike innocence, gently nudging him on with a hidden grin.

I wasn't sorry anymore.

~ Grimmjow ~

When we stepped out into the particularly large deck attached to the house, it was like a stereotypical movie scene.

Nobody moved.

Beside me, I could practically feel Ichigo roll his eyes.
"Everyone, this is Grimmjow. Grimm, this is everyone."

And once again, I was startled as the party resumed and chatter started up again.

"Grimmjow!" a familiar voice called.
I could hear Ichigo snickering at my side as I stared in utter disbelief at my Psychology teacher.
Urahara had a broad sun hat on, but it didn't cover his eyes like the one he usually wore in school, and his swim trunks were black. They were a bit shorter than standard ones, and without his slightly baggy clothes, his figure was slim but built and no tan lines were in sight. To top it off, he had Yachiru, her short pink hair pinned back, sitting on his hip.
"I'm so glad you came! It's nice to see Ichigo bringing a friend around."

"Uh....uh, yeah. Nice to..nice to see you too, sir." I stuttered, holding out a hand to him.

I was once again baffled as Urahara pulled me into a hug, Yachiru squealing happily as she transferred herself to me.
"Please, call me Kisuke when we're not teacher and student."

"Alright, that's enough teasing. Let's go find Kenny and then we can go meet the rest of them." Ichigo told Urahara as he pried Yavhiru off my back and gave her back to Urahara.

Urahara nodded and gave Ichigo a brief hug before wandering off again.
I was taken from my trance when Ichigo looped his arm through mine and lead me away.

We stopped by the edge of the deck. It spread out over the water and had three ladders placed equally along the side of it.

"Just give it a second. They'll come up." Ichigo told me, itching his ankle with toes on the other foot.
He'd chosen to go barefoot while I wore flip flops.

Just as soon as he finished speaking, though, someone burst out of the water, along with someone else a split second later.

"Damnit, woman!" Zaraki growled as a woman smirked triumphantly next to him.

"I'm better - deal with it."
She was pale, her dark hair cut short and slightly shaggy with two long braids.
She looked up and caught my eye, her face turning expressionless.
"And...who is this?"

"SoiFon, this is Grimmjow. Grimm, this my surrogate Aunt, SoiFon. And you know Kenpachi." Ichigo smiled down at them and allowed SoiFon to hug him when she came up.
As she started chattering with him about Martial Arts, Coach pulled me away from my new friend.

"Jeagerjaques..." Zaraki started, and I waited to be scolded. "Thank you. For takin' care'a Ichigo, I mean. It...it makes us all really happy that he's opening up to someone." The smile that finished off the thanks was both shocking and genuine. It wasn't his normal 'I-may-be-thinking-about-murder-but-you'll-never-know' smile.

A hand grabbed my arm and Zaraki let me go after he patted my shoulder a bit.

"He wasn't being mean, was he?" Ichigo asked as he pulled me along.

"No. We just...were talking about the next football game." I smiled at him and got one back.
"Who's next?" I mumbled, looking questioningly at the different people around me.

"Well....everybody, I suppose." the red-head smiled and pushed me towards the throng of people.