Love At First Word

Chapter 19

~ Ichigo ~

The first thing I felt when I woke up was the tingling of my thigh trying to revive itself.
When I tried moving, a heavy weight at my waist kept me from moving and, when I glanced down, I couldn't help the shit-eating grin that split my face.

I could see blue hair and felt strong arms around my hips. I then realized that I was laying on my back and sighed, flopping my head back on the pillows to look up at the ceiling.
I absentmindedly ran my fingers through Grimmjow's thick hair as I listened to his deep breathing.

He was using my stomach as a pillow and he had rolled slightly to the side, therefore laying on my thigh.

"Grimmjow~..." I sang, tugging on his messy mop lightly.

"Mm-mm." He answered, turning back to his stomach to put his face in my own belly.

"I need to pee and my thigh is asleep." I deadpanned, tugging a little harder on his hair.
"I'll come back."

"But I just got to start cuddling you. You can't just leave." He mumbled plopping onto his back to watch me amble away to the bathroom.

When I came back, he was asleep again, judging by the snores from the bed.

I gently climbed on beside him, swung a leg over his torso, and tucked my head under his chin and my arms between our chests, completely ready to doze back off.

"ICHIGO!"

I felt Grimmjow jerk violently awake under me at the screech and the slam of the door and I laid all of my weight on him to keep him down.

"If we don't move, it won't see us."

"What are you whispering about Ichi-berry? It's time to get up now! C'mon, Toshi's making breakfast!"

"I'm just glad you don't let Orihime cook..." I muttered grumpily, planting my hands on Grimmjow's chest to push myself up.
"What time is it, Ran?"

"Eight-fifteen! I'm taking you and Yachi shopping today!" she answered cheerily, and I glared at her.

Grimmjow sat up, me sliding down from his chest to his lap.

"Oh! Are you...Jimshow?" my aunt asked, smiling.

"Grimmjow...and who are you?"

"I'm Rangiku! It's great to meet you! I guess you're going shopping with us too!"
And she was off, skipping cheerily out the door, closing it behind her.

I slipped out of bed, ready to strip down when I was yanked backwards. I stumbled into the bed, flopping backwards.
Grimmjow planted his hand beside my face, effectively trapping me in. He leaned over me, blocking my already obscured view, and his lips were breaths away from meeting mine.

I put a hand on his face and shoved him backwards, smirking to myself when he made a shocked, yet disgruntled sound.

"If you're gonna kiss me, don't do it when we don't have time. At least not that cheesy way you were going for there."

I listened, amused, as he sputtered indignantly behind me. I pulled off my shirt and tugged on a tank top, along with no-show socks and swim trunks.

"That's not fair, and you know it." Grimmjow grumbled unhappily.

"It's fair when my pancakes are at stake, dear."

~ Grimmjow ~

I pout-scowled after Ichigo, upset at not getting a good morning kiss.

I heard a thump outside the door and a quiet 'fuck!' and, despite that I was worried a bit about him, I grinned, triumphant. Pulling on a shirt as well, I shucked my own pants and replaced them with trunks as well.

Just as I'd suspected, an unhappy Ichigo sat on the top stair, grumbling to himself.

"Alright, let's go, Beethoven."

"Grimmjow, Beethoven was deaf."

"He...was?"

"Yes, you uncultured bafoon. He cut off the legs of his piano so that he could feel the note vibrations through the stage. I'm gonna have to give you some lessons.." Ichigo smiled despite himself and I followed him into the kitchen after we finished the stairs.

"Toshiro, good to see-"

"Kurosaki-kun!" someone interrupted, basically mowing Ichigo down, the latter barely keeping his balance.
Just as I was about to protest, Ichigo pushed the girl away to arms length.

"Orihime, it's Zaraki now. And call me Ichigo."

"Y-Yes, Ichigo-kun!"
Ichigo sat down at the bar stool instead of the table with the others. I noticed that there were very few people actually there, but any thought was swept from my mind when I looked back and the new girl was leaning precariously towards Ichigo.

"I'm..really sorry, Mr. Jeagerjaques." Hat-N-Clogs murmured from behind me. "She's always had a crush on him, even though they're cousins...you'll have to endure it for another day.."

I sneered, stalked to the bar, and angrily pulled up a seat, watching her flirt with him in a ditzy way. Inconspicuously (read: totally obviously.), I pulled Ichigo's stool towards mine. In turn, the girl stumbled and had to flail a bit to keep herself on the bar.

Ichigo turned furiously to me.
"You will not harass my younger cousin just because she has a blind crush on me."

"What can I say? I'm territorial." I mumbled back. "Once I get something I want, I don't like to share."
Satisfied with the angry but embarrassed blush I got, I turned gleefully to a magazine on the counter and flipped through it, glad to find cars and things I could relate to.

"O-oh! Kurosaki-kun, I didn't mean to bump you! I just stumble a lot! I also made you a rice ball and wasabi cake, topped with fish sauce! Would you like to try some?"

"Um, no, Orihime. I'm allergic to...wasabi."

"Oh...well I'll make something else for you later! By the way what are you doing today?"

"He's going on a shopping trip with his little sister, me, and his Aunt. There's only room for four in the car." I told her, already fed up with the chirpy chatter of the damned girl.
I could feel Ichigo's glare burning into my very soul, and the rest of the family looked anxious as Orihime studied my face.

"Oh. Then...he'll just have to spend all afternoon with me, then, to make up for it."
I could see a smile, but I knew she wasn't stupid.

And I also knew I couldn't hit her.

__________

YES YES SETTLE DOWN

I actually thought about ending it last chapter, but then you guys would despise me.
And I decided the wonderful idea of the "love triangle" is good.
It's actually more of a:

Grimm- I'm gonna fucking kill her because I love Ichigo.

Ichi- I'm wanna kill him because he's messing with my cousin, but I love him so I'll just glare heatedly.

Orihime- ah. So it truly is one-sided. Fuck, might as well mess with this possessive asshole then.

And it's not gonna last long, or destroy them...or cause much angst at all because I'm not making Orihime the villain. She's a sensible girl who's ditzyness we can all relate to at some point - *ahem* of course, Grimmjow sees her as an enemy, but he doesn't know that she's just messing with him now and this writers note is so fucking long guys I'm really sorry.