Love At First Word

Chapter 11

Thank you, KitFoxNaruko, faustina_08. You guys keep me tremendously motivated! I love you guys so much!! ✌️
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~ Grimmjow ~

"No, kneed it. Don't mush it." Ichigo scolded.

"How do you know? You're blind as a bat." I muttered under my breath. Renji cackled and Ichigo scowled at me playfully.

"I know because I can sort of see out of my left eye, remember? And you've got your upper arm against my calf. I can feel your movements and you're. still. mushing." Ichigo tried to be stern, but ended up grinning like an idiot as Renji continued his cackling behind me.

"Shut it, Pineapple." I grumbled, trying to hide my own smile.

"Sorry, it's just-he just sounds like my girlfriend, Rukia, when she tries to get me to clean the apartment. 'No, dust it, Renji. Don't make it worse.'" Renji quoted in a mock girlish voice, but his words caught my attention.

"Apartmen....Renji how old are you?" I asked.

"Ah, almost twenty." the larger red-head replied.

"And you're willingly hanging out with two eighteen-year-olds when you have a girlfriend waiting for you at home." I stated incredulously.

"Well, yeah. Rukia gets that Ichigo is my top priority. He's my little brother and nothing is gonna keep me from my family." Renji frowned, as though lost in a memory and Ichigo cleared his throat.

"I...I have to go to the bathroom." With that, he left the room and Renji sighed, rubbing his forehead as he leaned his elbows on his knees.

"That's a sensitive topic."

"Oh..sorry. I was just-"

"Curious, I know. Everyone is at some point. Basically, he was afraid of his father after the accident and separated himself when they were in town; only planned to for a little while. But he got on the train and went to sleep and missed his stop and the police got him and stuck him at the orphanage until they could track down his parents. I took care of him and he refused to leave without me. It was actually his uncle that adopted me because his dad couldn't afford another kid at the time." Renji sighed as he got up and went down the hall. I peeked out to watch him bang on the door.

A peppy Ichigo walked past him and back into the kitchen.

"I'll do it. Don't worry Grimm."

An hour or so, Ichigo pulled fresh cinnamon buns from the oven with a small, genuine smile.

Renji and I watched as he slathered glaze over them and then grabbed three plates.

"Grimmjow, will you pour the milk? My hands are still shaking a bit." Ichigo asked casually, as though it was normal for his hands to shake.

I got up as told and poured three glasses and Renji took out three forks.

"I gotta go home today, Ichi." Renji mumbled through a bite of cinnamon bun.

Ichigo paused and slowly put down his fork. He wiped his mouth as he swallowed and looked at Renji curiously. His eyes, on the other hand, look sad.

"Why?"

"Because Rukia's sick. Just a cold, but she's read half the books in the house this week and she's already read the other half. I gotta find her somethin' to do or she'll go insane. You know she is." Renji told him. Instead of frowning like I thought he would, he grinned and nodded.

"Is that it?" He got up and went to the living room, grabbed a box and plopped it in front of Renji.

"There. Take those to her. They're some of my favorites." Ichigo went back to his seat, set his napkin in his lap, and continued eating.

~~~~~~~~

"You sure about the books, Ichi? I know Dad didn't let you escape with that many books." Renji worried.

"Of course! Ken snuck me a third box and I've got Grimmjow to entertain me." Ichigo replied happily. His hand was gripping my upper arm hard, but not enough to hurt, and I could feel the way he slightly leaned on me for support - it was a good feeling, a powerful feeling.

"Yeah, and why do I feel like you'll be saying 'dance monkey, dance' next?" I muttered. Ichigo smacked my chest lightly with his other hand, a giggle bubbling from his lips.

Renji suddenly reached forward and pulled both of us into a hug.

"Thank you, Grimmjow. Love you, Otōto."

"Love you too, Aniki." Ichigo smiled lovingly and as Renji waved and got in the car, Ichigo's hand tightened on my arm. Once he was out of sight, it relaxed to his original grip as Ichigo turned to me.

"Whelp. I can't get up the stairs on my own. You're gonna have to carry me."

I grinned mischievously and swooped him up, throwing him over my shoulder and he squealed and protested loudly as I marched back inside, not minding the playful thwhacks to my back.