Ladies and Gentlemen- Chapter 6
Ladies and Gentlemen 6
I had a firm belief that relationships were never worth the trouble, but since fate likes to watch me suffer, it put him on the same train. Bleach fic, Hichi-Ichi, Yaoi
**Kubo owns Bleach. The songs are by Saliva and Survivor, respectively. I do not own/profit from any of it.
How to Feed a Berry~
"Ladies and Gentlemen please,
Would you bring your attention to me,
For a feast for your eyes to see,
An explosion of catastrophe,
Like nothing you've ever seen before
Watch closely..."
10:52 A.M. Groaning, I reach over to my nightstand and snatch the ringing cellphone. Seriously, don't people know not to call me before noon on a Sunday? Flipping the object of my ire open, I mumble rather incoherently into the mouthpiece, "'ell-o?" My sleep induced state wears away rather quickly however, when I hear Shiro laugh on the other end.
"Mornin' Ichi. I was just callin' to check up on ya. Feelin' better today?" Despite not being much of a morning person, I smile at his voice and dedication to my well being.
"Yeah, a little tired, but other than that I'm good. No sign of a fever, and no fainting, so I think I am in the clear. I will probably hang out inside today just to be safe though." My clerkship starts on Thursday, so I have to make sure that I am better before then.
"That sounds like a good idea. Want some company?" The thought of seeing him again excites me, but isn't it a little too soon? I haven't even had the chance to think whether or not I want anything out of this. I open my mouth to politely decline, "yeah, that sounds great." What the hell is wrong with me?
"You got a DVD player? I got a bought a couple movies last night we could watch." Did he plan this? From what I have seen of him, probably.
"Yeah, I've got a player. You wanna come over around 2 or 3? I've got some reading and a few forms to fill out for my clerkship that are due tomorrow, so I kinda need to finish that up first."
"Sure thing Ichi, I'll see ya later then."
"Yeah, bye Shiro."
Rolling out of bed, I realize that I haven't showered since Friday night and make that my first order of business. Step one, shower. Step two, paperwork. Step three, Shiro. Today was going to be a good day, minus step two.
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About twenty minutes after the phone call to Ichigo, I step out of the shower, wrapping a thin towel around my waist. The entire time I was under the spraying water, I couldn't get my mind off the berry. Somewhere along my line of thought, I decided that bringing lunch with me this afternoon was probably a good idea. While contemplating what would be quick, but good for a recovering body, I hear my phone in the other room...
"Risin' up,
Straight to the top,
Had the guts,
Got the glory.
Went the distance,
Now I'm not gonna stop,
Just a man and his will to survive.
It's the Eye of the Tiger,
It's the cream of the fight,
Rising up
to the challenge of our rival.
As the last known survivor
Stalks the prey in the night,
And he's watching us all in the...
Eeeeye of the Tiger..."
Walking out of my bathroom, I recognize the ringtone as Grimmjow's and flip my cell open before it goes to voicemail. "Hey Blue, whats shakin'?"
"Ya Snowflake, wanna tell me what was so damn important that had me coverin' for yer ass yesterday?" Hmm, how to tell a man with serious anger management problems, that I screwed up his day off for a date with a stranger...
"Sure, but I don' know if you can handle the truth..."
"Rest assured, I'll be fuckin' fine." Oh, he already sounds agitated. This should be good.
"Grimmjow..." I know pulling this off successfully will require my voice to remain calm and serious-
"Just spit it out already asshole." And oh joy, there is the anger.
"I...am...Batman."
With a shit eating grin on my face, I eagerly anticipate the response.
"..." His silence alone threatens to send me into a laughing fit.
"I am going to beat your fucking ass! Do you have any idea some of the shit I got last night from your weird ass obsessive regulars?" Oh yes, the response I was hoping for...
"Well, what did you expect? They came to see Batman, and got Catwoman instead!" I've given up by this point and am bent over laughing.
"Scratch beating your ass, I am going to fucking kill you!" Just then my call waiting signaled, "now, now, no need to get all hissy...I've got another call, later kitten."
"Hey ass-" Hitting the call button, I calm myself from the earlier hysterics, "Shirosaki speaking."
"Shirosaki, for the love of all that is holy, would you please stop tormenting my hot-headed, loud mouthed, buffoon of a brother. He is clear on the other side of the apartment and his incessant yelling is still giving me a headache." Brilliant, that mission exceeded even my own expectations!
"How'd you know it was me?"
He responded in a tired voice, "while Grimmjow has always had a short fuse, you are the only one capable of an explosion in less than thirty seconds of conversation."
"Should that make me feel accomplished?" It does.
He ignores my question in favor of his own, "Grimmjow mentioned that you missed work yesterday. Will you still be joining us for dinner tonight?" Right, about once every few weeks the three of us have a rather pricey wine and dine night. Well in my case, beer and dine. Ulquiorra's the only one of us that actually drinks wine.
"Sorry spunky, can't make it. Gotta hot date tonight." The thought of simply inviting Ichigo out with us did occur, but the last time I brought someone, I discovered through Ulquiorra's blatant jealousy that he still had some weird infatuation with me. That and I can't really trust Grimmjow to not say something that'll piss off the berry. So it came down to choosing between them, and what can I say...The hot little strawberry wins, hands down.
"A date? You have never canceled on us for a date before." The word date, practically dripped bitterness. I made it clear in our first year of college that I was not attracted to him in that way, and he has held contempt for every one of my 'prospects' since. Wait till he finds out that I plan on keeping this one.
"Yeah, well this one's different. I'm keepin' him."
"A little over confident, aren't we? And even if you are serious, what makes you so sure he wants to keep you?" He doesn't seem to believe me yet.
"Oh, I'm dead serious. And I have no plans of letting him simply slip away from me. Not that he'd want to by the looks of things."
The line is quiet for a bit, and I know he is surprised by the seriousness in my voice. I've never shown a genuine interest in relationships before, so I think he is trying to wrap his brain around the situation.
"If you still feel that way three weeks from now, I will believe you." Whatever. Honestly, I don't really care if he believes it or not. Just as long as he doesn't go all PMS'y we're good.
"Yeah, yeah. I gotta get ready. Later spunky!"
"Goodbye, Shirosaki."
Snapping the phone shut, I go back to thinking about feeding the berry, while finishing my morning routine. Eventually, I settle on making soup. Sure, it's not exactly quick, but the strawberry needs nutrition, and I've got a few hours to spare. Looks like I am finally going to get some use out of that kitchen job I tried last summer. So, with a goal finally set, I grab my keys and head to the store for ingredients.
Who would've ever thought that I'd be excited to cook for someone. Yes, this boy definitely has me deriving enjoyment from the oddest situations. Him fainting in my arms, footsie in a public place, which I'd deny if anyone asked, a simple kiss on the forehead, and now cooking...All of this should worry m- hmm let's see, carrots, potatoes, I wonder if he likes celery?