Chapter Text
Everyone returned to their daily lives like clockwork as though they hadn’t just experienced a life-changing event together that would forever alter at least a part of themselves. What could they do but move on together, better for getting through it all still intact?
None of them were without their share of traumatic experiences.
For Ichigo, coming out the other side of the ordeal right up against his mother’s memorial date no longer felt ominous. It felt like an embrace, reminding him that at the end of it all, he would still have his family, both blood and chosen. He knew he was beyond lucky to have that.
“Hey, so, I know this is kind of sudden after everything,” Ichigo began as he pulled Grimmjow back into bed that morning. They had been sleeping in later and later, both intent on taking off at least a full week after the situation to recuperate. There were some things that couldn’t wait, however. “I need to go to Karakura for my mom’s memorial in a couple of days.”
“Yeah?” Grimmjow asked. He slid back down into bed, taking Ichigo’s hand and pressing a kiss to his knuckles as he continued to hold it. He found himself exceptionally more in need of giving physical affection to Ichigo with every moment they had now. Sometimes he told himself that it was out of a desire to protect and feel like Ichigo was incessantly bedside him, but it was hard to deny that he was touch starved. “Are you staying the night?”
“I should,” Ichigo sighed. “But… I wanted to see if you would come with me. It’s okay if it’s too much. I know family is difficult, and this is kind of a hard day for all of us even if we spend it celebrating her. I just wanted to include you because…” He felt stupid even thinking it, but at the same time, it was the truth, and the thought of it was bittersweet.
“I want to introduce you to her…” Ichigo said quietly, searching Grimmjow’s eyes desperately for any sign that what he said came off as ridiculous. He didn’t realize that he would feel so desperate for that approval until the sentiment had left him.
Grimmjow was taken back by the words. It had been hard enough when Ichigo first wanted to introduce him to his dad and sisters. They got through it just fine in the end, but sometimes it was still hard to grasp the idea that Ichigo wanted him to meet his family, be around them regularly, and become part of their dynamic. The days of partners who were loudly ashamed of him and a childhood of cruelty felt both too close for comfort and so distant that they seemed like a different lifetime.
He wanted this, though. He wanted to be accepted and welcomed by Ichigo’s family, maybe even to be someone they looked forward to seeing, someone they enjoyed the company of.
And how could he not include Ichigo’s mother in those thoughts?
“Of course I’ll come meet her,” Grimmjow said softly. “I want all of this with you, Ichigo. Don’t worry about stuff like this. I want all of you, even your past.”
Ichigo rolled over, pushing himself against Grimmjow’s form and hugging him tightly. He didn’t have the words for how much that meant to him. He wasn’t even sure he could find them.
“Do you think she would like me?” Grimmjow asked before he could stop the thought, hurting his own feelings a little in the process.
“Yes and no,” Ichigo chuckled. “I think you would remind her of my dad a little, from what he’s told me.”
“Gross,” Grimmjow said, mockingly gagging. “How are we alike?”
Ichigo rolled back over, looking up at the ceiling with a fond smile. “He always smokes a cigarette once a year when we visit her memorial. When they met, she said it made him look cool. They were so in love,” he sighed. “He said she was like the sun.”
“You take after her, then,” Grimmjow said immediately without needing to think about it for even a second. “You look like a sunset.”
“Because of the orange hair?” Ichigo asked with a tired groan, even if he was still pleased by the idea that he took after his mother in any way.
“Yeah, that’s definitely part of it,” he laughed. “The rest is… You make me sound like a f*cking greeting card,” Grimmjow said exasperatedly. Just because he was allowing himself to feel all of these emotions now didn’t mean it wasn’t awkward and uncomfortable as all hell more often than not.
“What is it?” Ichigo asked again, prying. He felt the small smile stretch across his face when Grimmjow pulled him in, gently cupping his jaw and looking as though he were trying to memorize him.
“You make me feel warm when I’m with you. Warm and quiet. I could just look at you forever and feel peaceful. I’ve never felt peaceful at all before you,” he said quietly. “I wish you could understand how much you’ve changed me, but I’m glad you’ll never know me during the earlier parts of my life.”
“I love you, Grimmjow,” Ichigo said softly, reminding him with a small kiss. “You’ve changed me too, you know.”
Once the family found out that Grimmjow would be joining them for the memorial, the tone changed drastically. Grimmjow was the first partner of one of the Kurosaki children to be brought into the family like this. They knew that this was serious, more serious than they had given Ichigo credit for. Isshin quietly approved of this, and while he had originally put on a tough front at first, he was proud and beyond happy for his son. Ichigo really deserved some good in his life.
To say the girls were over the moon about it would have been putting it lightly.
It turned out that Karin thought of Grimmjow much like she thought of Tatsuki; to some degree, they were her bonus older siblings. They both would clearly let her get away with a lot while incessantly teasing Ichigo right back with her. She loved their mischief.
Behind a very calm front, Yuzu was practically frothing at the mouth to share recipes with Grimmjow. She had bonded over cooking and fashion with Uryu, but they had been so much younger when Ichigo would bring him around. Uryu was still a bonus brother to her, but she hadn’t seen him in quite a long time.
And when Grimmjow offered to cook something to bring along for the memorial picnic, Ichigo was positive he was about to be replaced in his family. Apparently, they could all be bought with food.
He was beaming with pride even on one of the hardest days of his year. Grimmjow fit into his life perfectly and made it so much better in every way.
They spent the morning in the cemetery, taking their time walking up the steep hill and making small talk. Grimmjow wasn’t sure what to say other than to just take it all as it came. He never would have imagined himself accompanying his partner to their parent’s memorial along with the rest of their family. Then again, he never thought he would do many of the things he had with Ichigo. He never thought he could be so lucky.
His brain chimed in to remind him again that he was getting soft and old. This time it felt like a kind reminder instead of a looming threat. There was part of him that was pleased by the idea: He could finally relax into a quiet life and let his constant guard down entirely. A life with Ichigo would never be truly quiet, and he loved that.
Getting to wake up next to Ichigo in their bed, warm and safe, would forever feel like a dream.
He let the family have some time to themselves while they greeted Ichigo’s mom. Unfortunate memories of his childhood continued to try to make themselves known, and he was grateful that Ichigo and his family weren’t outwardly religious. Still, it was nice to see how a mostly normal family functioned.
Maybe one day, he and Ichigo could have this. Not kids, but a family of sorts. They already had a found family, and Ichigo made sure he knew that every day.
The sun was beating down on them in the middle of June, but Grimmjow let it warm him. He grounded himself in the moment.
Happy. Safe. Ichigo.
This was the life he deserved. It didn’t matter that it felt like he had earned it through suffering.
Ichigo’s mother was in the ground, and his monstrous parents continued to walk around, freely proselytizing.
And even with all that, Ichigo still felt like his destiny. He loved it.
The girls took their bags and headed toward a shaded area under a few trees, beginning to set up a picnic for all of them. Grimmjow turned to join them when Ichigo caught him by the wrist, gently pulling him toward the gravestone for his mother. He didn’t look at Grimmjow. He couldn’t.
“Hi, mom,” Ichigo said softly. “This is Grimmjow.”
Grimmjow noticed Ichigo choking back emotion and took his hand in his own, locking their fingers together. It was strange, talking to a slab of concrete with a name etched into it. To think they were nearly the same age as she had been struck him with a deep sadness he wasn’t prepared for. He wondered if Ichigo felt it, too.
“I love him,” Grimmjow spoke up. “I’m gonna take care of him now.”
If the afterlife was real, and he sure as sh*t hoped it was, maybe Ichigo’s mother knew just how much they meant to each other.
“Thank you for that,” Ichigo said quietly, pulling Grimmjow into him close and holding his face in his hands. “I know this is a far cry from our usual time together,” he said with a small sniffle. “But I’m happy you’re with me.”
“I’m always with you, Ichigo,” Grimmjow reminded him. “Always, Strawberry.”
They joined the family over on the picnic blanket Karin had spread out, and Grimmjow watched as Isshin took his leave to have a few minutes alone with his wife. He couldn’t imagine losing his life partner. Just the thought of losing Ichigo like that had his throat tightening.
He really was becoming soft, he thought, as a smile spread across his face when the twins started gushing about the simple food he had brought.
“Inarizushi! That’s my favorite!” Karin exclaimed, practically looking up at Grimmjow with stars in her eyes. “I made us egg sandwiches and prepared some fruit and edamame for us. Oh, and karage with rice! The pickled onions you made will be great with that!
Ichigo bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh at the way Yuzu was fawning over his much older, very much taken boyfriend. His sisters seemed to fall in love with everyone he brought by.
“Do you do the cooking at your place with Ichi-nii?” Karin asked, giving Ichigo a very knowing look.
“I do if I don’t want to eat burnt food,” Grimmjow smirked, even as Ichigo elbowed him in the middle for that. “I’ve gotta make sure he eats a vegetable every day. I don’t know how your brother didn’t come down with scurvy,” he half-joked.
“It’s because of these perfect, healthy Kurosaki genetics!” Isshin loudly declared as he rejoined the group, posing like a body builder, much to the embarrassment of his children even though they were entirely alone.
Can’t deny good genetics, Grimmjow’s dumb horny brain piped up. He shoved a piece of watermelon in his mouth before he could potentially say anything stupid.
They spent their lunch catching up on recent events. Isshin was thinking of fostering kittens to fill the emptiness of his house. Yuzu was in line for a promotion at work. Karin’s girlfriend was taking a job in another country and they were making the best of it.
“How has work been, Ichigo?” Isshin asked.
Somehow, it was always the innocent questions from Isshin that made Ichigo and Grimmjow anxious. But they had decided to be as honest as they always could be, and this was a time when Ichigo was adamant they were honest with what they needed to let the family know. Still, quite a few details could be left out.
“Uh, actually, I need to talk to you all about that. We need to, actually,” he started. “Before I even start, please don’t worry. It’s all over and done with. I’m only telling you because you deserve to know, so don’t freak out.” Before he could even finish his sentence, he felt Grimmjow place his hand over his on the picnic blanket.
“I’m not working at Central 46 anymore. My boss tried to blackmail me. I’m only telling you because he was threatening…” Ichigo didn’t want to say it. Of course he was embarrassed. How could he not be? He wanted his family to know he and Grimmjow had done what they needed to to protect them.
“His boss tried to blackmail him with a tape Ichigo and I made,” Grimmjow said for him, ripping off the bandaid. He saw Yuzu open her mouth and cut off her question immediately. “For ourselves, not like what I do.”
“Oh,” the twins said quietly nearly in unison.
“And I’m telling you because he threatened to do a lot of things with it, but he also threatened to send it to all of you, and your jobs, and your friends. He even threatened your medical license, dad,” Ichigo confessed. He felt horrible having to tell them this, but maybe it was the right time. They were already all feeling vulnerable and sentimental, here on a day to remember his mother. Saving the bad news for another occasion was stringing it along too far.
Isshin had a hard look on his face, and Ichigo wasn’t sure what he was about to do or say, but it made him nervous. Even when he had gotten into endless fights as a teen, Isshin hadn’t been too hard on him. The only other time he saw his father serious with an expression like this was when he came out. He had been worried for his son only because the world was so cruel, but he still loved and accepted him endlessly.
“And what became of this man?” Isshin asked in a quiet, even tone that Grimmjow recognized as seething rage boiling beneath the surface. He was far too familiar with the emotion.
“It’s a long story, and there’s a lot I don’t want to and can’t tell you, but he fled the country,” Ichigo explained. “Uryu helped us settle it. He’s even offered me a job at his company, so I’ll start there next week doing consulting.”
They watched Isshin visibly deflate, seemingly so relieved he couldn’t hide the reaction. Grimmjow didn’t know the man well, but he imagined that he would have liked to storm off and physically handle the problem himself with his fists. Just like Ichigo would. Just like he had wanted to as well. It was comforting to know they were all hot headed.
Well, maybe not Yuzu, but then again, she was probably just sneakier about it, he imagined.
“Do you see Uryu a lot, onii-chan?” Yuzu asked. She tried her best to help change the subject, knowing how upset everyone seemed and wanting to lift their spirits. It was who she was.
“Sometimes,” Ichigo said. “I used to see him a few times a year when our paths crossed in business meetings, but I’ve been running into him a lot lately. We’re trying to make sure we stay in touch more now, though I suppose I’ll be talking to him at least weekly now that we’re working together,” he explained.
“He got married,” Grimmjow offered with a smirk that had Ichigo whipping his head toward him with a look of don’t you f*cking dare. How much more could they even endure today?
“He did? That’s great!” Yuzu exclaimed.
“To a dude?” Karin asked curiously, hoping she had called it right.
“Yeah, to a guy, a few months ago, he said,” Ichigo said. “We sorta ran into them at a work thing. He’s really nice. I’m happy for them.”
“What does his husband do?” Isshin asked curiously.
Ichigo gave his father the most exasperated, tired look he could muster, knowing nothing in the world could stop Grimmjow from what he was about to say.
“Oh, he makes videos with me. I’ve known Shuhei for years. Great guy,” Grimmjow smiled, showing off that wide, charismatic grin that bought everyone’s attention around him.
This time, it was Isshin that shocked the hell out of them.
He threw his head back, barking out laughter like he had just heard the joke of the century. He was literally wiping tears away from his eyes, trying to contain himself. “Oh, I can’t even imagine what Ryuken thinks of that. That man was such a terrible father. Honestly, what a prick. Good for Ishida-kun.”
“He was always weird those few times he came over,” Karin said. “He was so uptight and angry all the time. No wonder Uryu ran away.”
“He didn’t run away,” Ichigo clarified. “He’s dramatic, sure, but he’s practical. He lived alone in one of the apartments his father owned during high school and then moved out when college came. He gave up his title and all of it after that. He didn’t want to be an heir, especially if it meant he had to stay in the closet and have a kid someday.”
“Like Shinji?” Grimmjow asked curiously. He hadn’t known or heard much about Uryu still and all of this was news to him.
“Yeah, sort of. Shinji is connected through industry. Uryu is part of a long line of minor royalty. They’re one of the oldest families in Japan. When he came out, his dad was… well, disapproving.”
“Pretty ironic considering he’s exactly like his son,” Isshin snorted in amusem*nt. All his children looked at him in shock and disbelief. It made sense of course, but to hear the Ishida family dirty laundry aired out so casually was new. “What? You’re more than old enough to know things like that,” he said. “Ryuken Ishida likes men. Your brother made a sex tape. What else do we need to air out today?”
“Is this what having a family is like?” Grimmjow said quietly under his breath, to which Karin pointedly looked at him and answered Yes, not withholding any of her annoyance.
“Wait, if Uryu had his own place when he was just a teenager, why were the two of you always huddled up in your room? The door doesn’t even lock,” Karin asked.
“Karin, please,” Ichigo begged.
“I offered to let him live with us,” Isshin explained. He had never shied away from serious discussions with his children, but they were all grown enough now to have these kinds of conversations. “You girls were still very young, so we didn’t say anything, but he refused. Uryu is a very proud person. Still, I know he liked coming over and feeling like he was part of our family. As long as my son was being safe and suiting up, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Isshin added dramatically.
“I’m going to walk into the sea,” Ichigo hissed out the threat.
While Grimmjow was enjoying the always strange and entertaining dynamic of the Kurosakis, he took pity on Ichigo and changed the subject. “Are you all coming to Tokyo for his birthday? I know we talked about it when I was here last.”
“Yes! Yes! Please, Ichi-nii? Can we stay with you?” Karin asked, pulling out giant puppy dog eyes she used only once in a great while, knowing they would break him instantly. Yuzu was great at pouting to get what she wanted, but Karin had perfected the look of adoration she was pinning her brother with.
Ichigo realized that while it might have been obvious, they were going to have to explain that Grimmjow worked out of their home. He wasn’t ashamed of it, but it changed things a little. Instead, Grimmjow spoke up for them. He seemed happy to be candid about it all now that he felt accepted. It warmed Ichigo immensely to see how much he had changed.
“Actually, I use one of the spare bedrooms for work, so we’re down one, but we could sleep in there and you girls could have our room and Isshin could have the other guest room,” Grimmjow offered.
“Or we could get you hotel rooms if you would feel more comfortable,” Ichigo offered. He was already going to have to spend tonight in his childhood room not getting bent over by Grimmjow. He certainly wasn’t about to try to pretend he didn’t want nasty, disrespectful birthday sex in their quiet condo.
“Or, hey actually,” Grimmjow piped up, seeming excited. “Weren’t we gonna talk to Shinji about throwing a party? You, me, and Tatsuki all have birthdays within two weeks of each other, right? I bet he’d love that, and he’s got plenty of rooms for us all to crash.”
It wasn’t a bad idea. Shinji would love to plan something like that, and when it came to friends and family, he wasn’t worried about having a bunch of people in his place. Plus, he hadn’t seen Ichigo’s family in a very long time, and it would be nice to mesh so many new connections together. “That might work. Shinji’s sister is back in town, and her birthday is right after yours. It would be like one big party.”
“God, Nnoi told me he met her. She sounds like a handful,” Grimmjow groaned. “Before you even say it, I know he’s a handful, too. They get along great, apparently.”
“We haven’t seen Shinji in at least a year,” Isshin remarked. “How is he these days?”
Ichigo could feel Grimmjow’s sh*t-eating grin grow astronomically wider beside him. Well, they might as well get it all aired out now since everyone was about to meet up close and personal. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
“We introduced him to Grimmjow’s best friend, Nnoitra, and they’ve been together for a month or so now. They live together and everything,” Ichigo explained.
“Nnoi and I share our company, along with another guy who does our tech stuff,” Grimmjow said, boasting a little. It wasn’t often he got to show off in his civilian life. He wanted Ichigo’s family to like him, but even more so, he wanted them to feel like he took care of Ichigo. He wanted them to know that he was doing well enough in life that they would never have to worry about Ichigo when he was beside him. Maybe all of that conversation was for another time, though.
“Wait, hold on,” Yuzu suddenly interjected, looking puzzled. “Dad, how long have you known Ryuken Ishida liked men? You’re not really into gossip.”
All eyes turned to Isshin, and he gave his kids a look of pure disappointment. “You mean, none of you ever figured it out?”
There was a notable pause before the Kurosaki children all made horrified sounds of disgust.
There were just some things they never needed to know.
Grimmjow had agreed to stay the night in Ichigo’s old room with him, but he had been chastised repeatedly by Ichigo about keeping his hands to himself. It was like deja vu; once again, Ichigo was lecturing him, and once again, Ichigo was the one that couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
One day, he would get his wish. He was going f*ck Ichigo all over his high school bedroom and claim every inch of it. Maybe they could convince Isshin to f*ck off for a vacation at some point. Then they could role play and dress up, all of it.
Ichigo really brought out the best in him.
Unfortunately, Ichigo was being a huge f*ckin’ prude around his family. Grimmjow didn’t really get it; his only exposure to another family dynamic had been his childhood, which was beyond f*cked up, and Nnoitra’s family, which he was pretty certain was abnormal even if they were wonderful.
Would it really be so terrible to shower together? They were grown adults, after all. Grown adults that had just had to admit to making a sex tape. He was pretty sure everyone was aware they were having sex.
“It’s disrespectful,” Ichigo hissed quietly, arguing with Grimmjow in the bedroom.
“It’s a shower. I’m not trying to f*ck you against the wall in there,” Grimmjow groaned, rolling his eyes. “I’d love to show you how disrespectful I can be right now,” he grinned, gently pushing Ichigo up against the door, teasing him.
“F-fine,” Ichigo relented, trying to keep in the begging whine that desperately wanted to escape his mouth as Grimmjow rubbed against him. “Just a shower. Keep it PG.”
“You keep it, PG. Hands to yourself, Strawberry,” Grimmjow drawled, his voice rumbling into a purr against Ichigo’s skin. He loved the way he could make Ichigo tremble just from the sound of his voice. Teasing him was too fun. Unfortunately, it also turned him on, and apparently, he wasn’t about to get any relief in the shower.
Yeah, Ichigo’s family was definitely not coming to stay with them. Even one day spent not bending Ichigo in half was a goddamn crime.
Much to Grimmjow’s dismay, the shower was fast and uneventful. He hadn’t realized how much he had gotten used to Ichigo’s massive walk-in shower and their long, indulgent, searing hot showers they took together. Crowding into the small shower together wasn’t awful, though. It meant they had to press against each other more often than not, and it had Ichigo scowling away every pang of arousal trying to make itself known.
It was very late, past midnight now, and they snuck back to Ichigo’s room in just towels. Ichigo assumed his dad was asleep and the girls probably the same, but he wasn’t foolish enough to think that meant he and Grimmjow could just go at it. Back in the day, he and Uryu had been extremely quiet when they weren’t home alone, but even then, everyone knew what they were up to.
Still, watching Grimmjow throw off his towel and stretch himself out across the bed naked, a bed that held so much history for Ichigo, it was hard to deny how much he wanted him. They were going to have to find a way to get this house all to themselves at some point. He was unwilling to make either of them let go of this fantasy.
“You just gonna stand there?” Grimmjow asked with a wicked grin. His hands trailed across his abdomen, watching Ichigo follow their path so longingly, like he wasn’t three steps away from being able to touch him. “I could put on a show, but I’d rather you join me.”
Ichigo dropped his towel and was on the bed so fast it bumped into the wall and he tensed in worry. “We have to be quiet,” he reminded Grimmjow, even though he was the much more vocal of the two of them. “But you’re right. I can’t wait any longer. I need you now.”
“Oh yeah?” Grimmjow asked with a smirk, running his hands up Ichigo’s perfect thighs that settled on either side of his hips. “What is it you need, Strawberry?”
Ichigo pushed his hips forward, moving them like a wave, lazily pressing his hardening co*ck against Grimmjow’s. “I need you. f*ck, I wish I could ride you right now,” he groaned quietly, letting his eyes fall shut for a moment as pleasure began seeping into him. “I want to ride you in this bed until you scream for me.”
He met Grimmjow halfway when he surged up, pulling him down for a heated, begging kiss, the kind that would normally have Ichigo moaning instantly. As much as he hated stifling himself, he hadn’t needed to in what seemed like a decade.
“You’re so f*ckin naughty,” Grimmjow said, bucking up roughly. “We’re gonna make up for lost time when we get home. I’m gonna f*ck you until we both pass out, and then I’ll f*ck you again when we wake up.”
Just hearing that was enough to make Ichigo pause, a full body shudder rolling through him, his thighs tightening across Grimmjow’s hips in desperate need. It felt totally unfair that they couldn’t be wild and uninhibited right now, when in reality, they could just get in their car and drive home. They both knew that having to hold back for a change made it more exciting.
“I wanna get off,” Ichigo confessed. “I wanna get you off, too, and neither of us can handle you f*cking my mouth without losing it.”
Grimmjow let out a groan that was just a little too loud at that thought. Ichigo’s mouth would always ruin him, and even just the mention of what he could do with it had him solid instantly. “f*ck, get down here. Lay on your side with me, baby.”
Ichigo slid down beside him, immediately hooking a leg over Grimmjow’s hip. Grimmjow’s hand was on his thigh instantly, grabbing at him greedily like a man starved. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his legs around him and ride him until neither of them could move. He felt so empty, and so endlessly greedy, knowing he couldn’t have everything he wanted at the moment.
“I really want your fingers, but I won’t be able to control myself,” Ichigo pouted, nearly unable to stifle a moan when Grimmjow carefully bit his bottom lip and rolled it between his teeth. “What do you want to do?”
“You didn’t bring lube with you by any chance, did you?” Grimmjow asked. He should have thought of it himself but he had completely forgotten during his rush to prepare food and everything else they brought with them that day.
Ichigo sheepishly smiled and broke their embrace, sitting up to reach into his bag on the floor and grab a packet of lube from the front pocket. It had just been sitting there at the ready like they might need it any second. “I brought a few. Just in case,” he admitted.
Grimmjow grinned, pulling him back to the bed roughly and settling beside him, hiking Ichigo’s leg around him again. “Just in case what? In case you trip and I fall and you’re suddenly bent over your bed screaming for it harder?” he chuckled. “Gimme that. I don’t wanna wait anymore.”
He took the packet of lube and ripped it open, spilling it down the sides of the packet messily. Still, it was a good ounce of lube, and that was more than enough for what they were going to do. He spread the slick liquid across his co*ck, sucking in a small breath at how good that contact already felt. He couldn’t hide his smirk when Ichigo made nearly the same noise tinged with a begging whine as he spread the rest of the lube on his equally hard co*ck.
“C’mere. Use your hand with me.” He pressed against Ichigo fully, wrapping their hands together around their co*cks, trapping them together. He could feel every throb of Ichigo against his own slick flesh, and after a day of holding back entirely, it felt phenomenal.
Ichigo f*cked into his hand, sliding his co*ck Grimmjow’s needfully. He couldn’t get enough of it. It was so good, and he so desperately wanted something inside him to add to the sensation, but he was already losing the fight to stay quiet.
However, so was Grimmjow, and it gave him a wicked idea.
Ichigo pushed forward until Grimmjow was on his back and he was straddling him again. He f*cked into their hold like he was riding him, rocking his hips eagerly instead of bouncing on him. Ichigo pressed his hand fully over Grimmjow’s mouth, putting a bit of weight behind the movement and holding him down. Grimmjow’s eyes instantly rolled back and his hips bucked up violently like it was the most arousing thing he’d ever had done to him.
He grabbed Grimmjow’s free hand that was glued to his hip and moved it to his own mouth. Ichigo just barely suppressed an aroused groan when Grimmjow grabbed the bottom half of his face a little too hard, trying his best to help stifle their noise.
There was no reason for it to feel so thrilling, to hold each other down and keep quiet like this, but it had Grimmjow trembling under Ichigo. Maybe it was the way he took control, something that was rare for them, just to make sure it felt phenomenal for both of them. Even with his eyes threatening to roll back entirely or shut in concentrated pleasure, Ichigo was still a vision over him, grinding and f*cking against him desperately, like only Grimmjow could give him what he needed.
Grimmjow’s org*sm ripped through him unexpectedly with the added thrill of being held down and controlled like this even in a small way. Even with the unfathomable amount of sex Grimmjow had experienced in his lifetime, the smallest actions with Ichigo drove him wild, making him reexamine everything he had ever been aroused by or tossed aside as something he wouldn’t like. With Ichigo, he wanted it all, and only Ichigo could feel so damn perfect up against him like this.
While it wasn’t the rough sex or high school roleplay he had dreamed of, it was still perfect. As Ichigo grabbed his shirt to clean them both up and they fell asleep together within a matter of minutes, Grimmjow found himself taking in all that had changed in the last few months.
When he messaged his favorite viewer, he could never have imagined that it would lead to all this. The most shocking part of it all was how comfortable he felt laying in Ichigo’s bed in his family’s house, totally at peace with the world.
His last thoughts as he drifted off were the same as they had been all day: Happy. Safe. Ichigo.
The next morning found Grimmjow and Ichigo up much earlier than they had intended, though luckily, in both of their opinions, they were still awake earlier than Isshin. Karin and Yuzu were still in their room they shared even now as adults when they came home to stay.
Ichigo really hoped they were as quiet as he thought they had been last night. It was hard to keep track of things like that when it came to Grimmjow. It made him even more adamant that for the time being, he wasn’t about to house his family at their place in Tokyo. No way was he giving up sex, especially birthday sex, when they could stay in a nice hotel instead.
Grimmjow rifled through the cabinets and fridge, looking for something he could whip together for their breakfast. Subtly, he hoped that it would also win him even more favor with Ichigo’s family, especially Yuzu, who seemed to be his cheerleader. She was clearly the family member he had to impress the most to get into everyone’s good graces.
“So, you think your dad was serious about that stuff yesterday?” he asked, as he continued scrambling eggs. Cooking was always a good time to hold Ichigo’s attention, and he was much more forthcoming with answers when there was food about to be set in front of him.
He was so easy to please, Grimmjow thought.
“Which part?” Ichigo asked. After all, yesterday had had quite a few discoveries between them.
“The stuff about Uryu’s dad,” Grimmjow clarified. “Not the stuff about how he’s a prick. I can only imagine he’s a sh*tty version of Uryu from everything he said. I meant the stuff about them… you know.”
“I’ve been trying to wipe that memory from my brain but sure yeah, thanks for reminding me,” Ichigo groaned. “Ryuken was always an asshole, but he seemed to really dial it up to eleven when he was here. He only came over twice while Uryu and I were together, and both times he seemed mildly furious.”
“Because you were dating his son?”
“Yeah, but probably also because he was apparently hooking up with my dad,” Ichigo scoffed, feeling his stomach turn at the idea. It didn’t matter to him that once again he was being sort of unfair, especially when it came to parading around his p*rn star boyfriend, but he kind of didn’t care. He wanted to scrub the idea from his brain.
“Do you think that was after…” Grimmjow started before he could stop himself and winced at the poor timing. Well, he might as well now that the thought was halfway out. “Do you think that was after your mom?”
“God, I hope so” Ichigo groaned, “Because if not, that meant she was aware of it in one way or another. I feel sick just thinking about that,” he complained.
“What about Uryu’s mom?” Grimmjow asked. “She an asshole too?”
“No, no she wasn’t,” Ichigo said softly. “Her name was Katagiri, and she was kind and beautiful. Uryu looks exactly like her. I never met her, unfortunately.”
“Was?” Grimmjow asked carefully.
“Uryu and I lost our moms only a few months apart,” Ichigo explained. “His mom was sick, too, with something else. I didn’t know about her until after we started dating, really. He keeps a pretty closed lid on stuff like that. We had been friends before we started dating, but we never talked about anything personal before that really.”
“He seems like the kind of guy that has relaxed more as he got older,” Grimmjow guessed. He slid a serving of food onto each of their plates, forgoing making any other servings until everyone was awake for the day. There was no sense in letting it get cold, not when he was trying to keep Yuzu impressed. He could find something more intricate than scrambled eggs to make for her.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Ichigo agreed. He was trying not to shove the perfectly cooked eggs in front of him into his mouth gracelessly, but it was hard. He had never eaten so well until Grimmjow started cooking most of their meals. He had never eaten so many fruits and vegetables, either. Then again, all it took was a glance at the body next to him sculpted with perfectly cut, obscenely gorgeous muscle to understand why Grimmjow ate what he did.
It was worth every goddamn calorie and minute of exercise, in Ichigo’s opinion. It was still hard for him to grasp that someone in real life could look like that, like they stepped off a movie set. Well, Grimmjow did make movies, so it was a fair assessment. He couldn’t imagine anyone more attractive.
“Maybe he’s chilled out so much from dicking down Shuhei,” Grimmjow laughed, smirking as Ichigo’s eyes darted up and around every corner of the house to make sure no one else might have heard that. “Oh, relax. They’re still asleep.”
“You don’t know that,” Ichigo grumbled, but he continued anyway. “Besides, Uryu’s a bottom, almost always.”
“Really?” Grimmjow asked curiously, but still that wild, dangerous smile of his came out. “He’s so bossy. I guess that makes sense, though.”
“What do you mean?” Ichigo asked. He immediately regretted it when he saw the way that smile grew across Grimmjow’s face. The comment was already flooding into his mind before the words were even spoken.
“Because you like being bossed around and told what to do, even when you’re being such a f*ckin brat for me,” Grimmjow said.
Ichigo couldn’t suppress the groan he made as he dropped his head into his hands, feeling a deep blush surge up his neck until the tips of his ears were pink. Whether it was from embarrassment or arousal, he couldn’t tell. It was funny how often those two emotions were coming in tandem these days.
Maybe it was time to let go of all the embarrassment he felt about sex. And maybe, just maybe, he could start taking pride in giving the world’s best blow j*b.
Well, at least he had been told enough times that that was how good he was at it. Even if it twisted something awkward inside him, he loved knowing he was especially talented.
Maybe it was time to revisit a fantasy he had divulged months ago.
