Do You Remember Me?

Chapter 5

Chapter 5:
Two weeks had passed since Ichigo had last seen Grimmjow and he was getting more and more worried with each day. He had tried calling him a few times, but when they didn't go through and it became obvious Grimmjow was avoiding him so stopped trying.
After his revelation about his mystery woman, Ichigo had been trying to find out who she was and to no avail, he had nothing. Ichigo had checked everything he could think of, Grimmjow's laptop, work phone, his office, anything but couldn't find anything. Whoever she was, he didn't want Ichigo to find out who she was by the looks of things and that was more worrying than anything. It made the possibility of Grimmjow cheating more realistic than anything else he could think of.
To take his mind off everything, he spent the day working on his latest project, he was getting behind because he was so absorbed in his personal problems, his work was suffering. After spending most of the day working, he paused when the doorbell rang, he wasn't expecting visitors. Finishing the stroke, Ichigo set his brush down and went to answer the door.
When he opened it he was surprised to find it was Nel. "Oh, hey Nel, what is it?"
"Mind if I come in?" Ichigo stepped back to let her in before shutting the door and she sighed heavily, turning to look at him. "How've you been?"
"Ok I guess." Ichigo shrugged, walking into the kitchen to clean up and Nel followed. "How about you? And uh, Grimmjow?"
"I'm fine and Grimmjow's ok I guess." She waited a moment until Ichigo was finished and sat down across from her at the table. "We haven't found that woman yet. Whoever she is, Grimmjow was sure as hell determined no-one would find out about her."
"Yeah, same here. Whoever she is we probably won't know until she tries to contact Grimmjow." Ichigo sighed, shaking his head before frowning at the table. "He won't talk to me."
"Yeah, I noticed." She looked at Ichigo and sighed. "Don't worry Ichigo, he just wants to keep his distance whilst this is sorted out. Grimmjow doesn't think getting together with you will do anything but cause more problems."
"I don't care; it would be nice to at least hear from him." Ichigo muttered stubbornly, folding his arms with a huff. "I just... miss him." Looking at Nel, his expression softened. "I'm lonely."
"I'll talk to him." Nel promised, standing up. "But I have to go, I only stopped by for a quick hello."
"Ok." Ichigo followed her to the front door again, leaning against it and sighed. "So, when will I next see you?"
"Soon, I promise." Nel smiled and hugged him quickly before leaving.
Ichigo sighed again and went back inside, his good mood from earlier thoroughly ruined and he had no desire to go back and finish his project. Instead he grabbed a blanket and curled up on the sofa, turning the TV on to watch some crappy rerun to try and take his mind of everything.
...
When Nel got home and went inside, she found Grimmjow sat with her laptop, staring intently at the screen with a small frown. "Find anything?" She asked and he shook his head, his eyes never leaving the screen.
"No."
"So what you looking at?" She walked over and peered over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow when he slammed the lid shut before she got a look at the screen. "Ok?" Noting how he was carefully averting his gaze from her, she sighed and sat down next to him. "I went to see Ichigo on my way back." She commented and as predicted, Grimmjow stiffened. "He's confused as to why you're ignoring him."
"Did you tell him why?"
"Yeah, it still doesn't mean he isn't hurt." Nel sighed and shook her head. "He said he's lonely. He misses you Grimmjow." Her brother stiffened and his jaw clenched. "Please go talk to him."
"And say what?"
"I don't know, something, anything..." She paused before murmuring softly. "You told me two weeks ago that you still feel something for Ichigo. Go tell him."
Grimmjow sat silent for a few minutes, contemplating what Nel had said before groaning and standing up. "Fine, I'm going. But this is not going to end well."
"You don't know that."
"Except I do." With a heavy sigh he took her keys and left for Ichigo's. When he got there he sat in the car for about ten minutes, working up the courage to go to Ichigo. Finally deciding to get it over with, he got out of the car and walked to the door, ringing the bell. When no-one answered he frowned, if Ichigo was in half an hour ago, where was he now?
Twisting the handle, he was surprised when it open and cautiously stepped inside. Looking around the unfamiliar house, he felt something pull in his mind but ignored it, walking into the main room where he saw the TV was on. Hearing movement from the couch and a quiet sigh, he crept closer to see Ichigo was curled up on it under a blanket, fast asleep.
His chest rose and fell gently and Grimmjow found himself drawn to the man's peaceful face, smoothed free of any emotion. Suddenly he frowned and kicked at the blankets to make them fall to the floor and exposed his flat stomach as his top had ridden up. Grimmjow felt his cheeks flush slightly as his stomach tightened, moving closer to Ichigo and knelt over him.
Ichigo mumbled something unintelligible and his head fell to the side. Grimmjow carefully slipped his hand under Ichigo's cheek, turning his head back and ran his thumb over his lip. The man frowned, his eyes opening slightly and he looked at Grimmjow in confusion. "Grimm?" He asked quietly, moving to grasp the hand against his face. "What're you doing?"
"I- I have no idea." Ichigo sighed, his eyes closing briefly before opening again and he smiled softly.
"I've missed you." Grimmjow's heart jolted slightly, Ichigo hadn't realised who he was. He thought he was the old Grimmjow, not who he was now. "Stay a bit longer." Wrapping his arms around the older man, Ichigo pulled him down onto the sofa and curled up against him. "Mmm, that's better."
Grimmjow exhaled slowly, his body relaxing after a moment and he wrapped an arm around the half asleep man, leaning over him to grab the blanket and drape it over them both. He looked up at the ceiling as Ichigo fell asleep again and sighed, the sound of the TV and Ichigo's breathing calming him slightly. When he woke up, Ichigo was going to freak out for sure. But in that moment, Grimmjow's sleepless nights were finally catching up to him and he soon fell asleep as well.
Ichigo woke up first and he sat up slowly, blinking to clear his vision and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Grimmjow asleep underneath him. Clutching the man's shirt, he had to take several breaths to calm himself down. When he calm his raging heart down, Ichigo opened his eyes again and gently touched Grimmjow's cheek with a shaking hand. He frowned when he noticed the dark shadows under the man's eyes and he hadn't shaved in a few days, his chin rough to touch.
"Oh Grimmjow." Ichigo sighed, quickly lying down again and pressed his head to the man's chest. "You are too damn confusing. One moment you say you don't want me and the next, your sleeping with me. What do you want?"
He jumped when fingers threaded in his hair and Grimmjow sighed deeply. "I wish I could tell you, but I don't know myself." Grimmjow replied, looking at the ceiling again. "I came over to talk to you but you were asleep. I woke you up by accident." He hesitated and sighed again. "You thought I was the old me."
Ichigo stiffened, lifting himself up to find Grimmjow refused to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry, I wasn't awake, I wasn't thinking." He paused, his fingers clutching at Grimmjow's shirt again and screwed his eyes shut to stop himself crying. "I need you so much and it doesn't stop hurting. I just wanted to believe you were who you used to be, if only for a moment."
"Ichigo..."
"J-just let me finish." Grimmjow fell silent and Ichigo calmed himself before continuing. "That woman, whoever she is, can we just forget her?" Lifting his eyes, he met Grimmjow's to see confusing clear in his blue eyes. "Even if you did cheat I just want to forget. Please stay with me a bit longer."
Grimmjow shook his head, sitting up to pull Ichigo into his arms with a sigh. Feeling his slim body tremble, he held him tighter. "I didn't cheat." He murmured into his orange hair. "I swear to you Ichigo I didn't cheat because I loved you so much, I could never have done that."
Ichigo's trembles slowed to a stop and he looked up hesitantly before smiling warmly, making Grimmjow's heart beat faster. "Thank you." Leaning forward, he kissed Grimmjow softly before kicking the blankets off them both and stood up to stretch. "I needed to hear that."
He jumped when Grimmjow stood up suddenly and spun him around. Their eyes locked and Ichigo froze, staring dumfoundedly at Grimmjow who frowned back. "Do you still need me?"
He hesitated before nodding slowly, his eyes lowering. "Yes." He whispered brokenly, closing his eyes again. "Yes I still need you and I won't ever stop needing you."
"Ah fuck..." Grimmjow muttered, cupping Ichigo's face to turn him towards him and smiled softly. "How am I supposed to say no to that?" Ichigo frowned, but never got to ask what Grimmjow meant as the man bent down and kissed him firmly.
Ichigo opened his mouth when questioned and moaned softly, pressing closer to Grimmjow's body as things got heated. Grimmjow's hands grabbed the hem of his shirt, yanking it up and Ichigo was quick to throw it off, their lips parting for only a moment before reconnecting. Grimmjow pulled back suddenly and Ichigo frowned in confusion.
"What's wrong?" He reached out to touch Grimmjow, surprised when his hands were pushed away before his eyes widened in realisation. "I-I'm so sorry." Backing away, Ichigo grabbed his discarded shirt before bolting from the room. Stumbling upstairs, he made it to the bedroom and shut the door, firmly planting his back against it before sliding down to the floor.
Burying his head in his arms, Ichigo started crying uncontrollably as his already broken heart shattered completely. He'd managed to convince himself within a few short minutes Grimmjow still loved him and when faced with the truth, it was unbearable. He jumped when Grimmjow knocked on the door, quickly rubbing his face dry and stood up, taking a deep breath before opening the door.
Grimmjow stepped towards him but Ichigo shook his head, taking a step back. "Please, just go."
"And if I don't?" He asked, still advancing on the shaking man who was now trapped against the wall. "Why'd you run?"
"You pushed me away." Ichigo murmured back, pressing himself closer to the wall as Grimmjow trapped him against it. "You don't want me anymore."
"If I didn't want you, why would I kiss you? Why would I bother coming here?" He asked, leaner closer still to the trembling man. "Why would I come up here now instead of leaving?" He was close enough now that their noses were brushing, their lips a few mere millimetres apart. "Damn it Ichigo stop acting like this, it isn't you."
"You don't know me anymore."
"You're right I don't, but give me the chance to again."
Ichigo's eyes snapped up to meet his and looked at him in confusion. "W-what?"
Grimmjow frowned, trailing a finger along his jaw before tangling his fingers in bright orange locks. "Let me get to know you, stop pushing me away." When Ichigo tilted his head up, Grimmjow kissed him quickly. "Show me why I fell in love with you."
"Ok." Ichigo nodded, smiling against his lips. "Let's give this a try."