Angry at the World

Ichigo sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast before school. Normally he was moody and tired over breakfast, but today he was wide awake and alert. Grimmjow sat next to him, his sisters, and his father.

“So what did you say your name was?” Isshin asked with a glare. Grimmjow matched it.

“I—“

“Jonathon Grimm, but we just kinda call him Grimmjow as a nickname,” Ichigo said overly loud, while looking at Grimmjow. He rolled his eyes and took a bite of cereal.

“It’s so nice to meet new friend of Ichigo’s!” Yuzu said with a smile. Ichigo watched Grimmjow’s expression carefully; he looked puzzled and suspicious of Yuzu’s natural excitement.

“Yeah, great, another punk to attract the wrong kind of attention,” Karin said gruffly. Grimmjow seemed to approve of her attitude more, and continued eating. It figured he wouldn’t know how to deal with someone who was kind.

Grimmjow had demanded he be enrolled in school. But he didn’t look like a student, dammit, he probably couldn’t fit in, would start trouble, and then fail out. It was bizarre enough to see him doing something as simple as eating cereal. Bantering with students and raising his hand during class was more than Ichigo could imagine.

“Well… If you’re a friend of Ichigo’s, I suppose you can stay as long as you need to,” Isshin finally said grudgingly.

“Indefinitely,” Grimmjow said before taking a sip of orange juice. Isshin twitched, but before he could explode, Ichigo had grabbed Grimmjow’s sleeve and bag and halfway dragged him out the door.

“See you later Dad, Karin, Yuzu!” He yelled over his shoulder.

“Oy, I was still eating!” Ichigo just shoved him harder.

“Shut up and go already,” he said. Grimmjow grumbled to himself and kept walking. They made most of the trip in silence, Ichigo brooding with a hand in his pocket. When school was in sight, he finally let out his insecurities. “You can’t hit people there who may you angry, y’know that? You can’t just talk back at the teacher and leave whenever you want. You’re gonna be treated like a no-good dumbass,” he told him.

“I’m not retarded Kurosaki. I’ll keep a low profile,” he said, keeping his gaze forward. Ichigo gave him a skeptical look. Had he actually thought things through? “Besides, people don’t try and view y’outside of what y’seem to be. In a uniform, they ain’t gonna be thinkin’ I’m anybody else,” he finished. There he was, surprising him again with something surprisingly philosophical, the uppity bastard. …And he was right too, which made it worse.

“Just… don’t do anything fucking stupid,” Ichigo said, still uneasy. Grimmjow just waved a hand at him dismissively. The lump in his throat grew bigger and bigger as they approached the classroom. He paused with a hand on the door, giving Grimmjow a warning look, and then opened it and walked inside to his desk.

“Kurosaki, didn’t think I’d see you back so soon—“ whispers started to build up in the room, “you still look like hell,” Ishida said while pushing up his glasses.

“Nice to see you too,” Ichigo replied dryly. The level of conversation in the background seemed to grow, and Ichigo craned his neck to look.

“Oh my god, you’re gorgeous!” A girl exclaimed, and wrapped her arms around Grimmjow’s waist. Several other girls already milled around him admiringly, a few tugging on his sleeves, while a fair number of boys looked on forlornly. At first, Grimmjow looked alarmed and a little disturbed, but then he seemed to adjust, and his expression grew smug as more girls flushed about his looks and muscles. Ichigo scowled.

“What. Is. That.” Ishida demanded.

“He looks so old and handsome,!”

“So mature…”

“Exactly what it looks like,” he replied, his expression darkening. “Except he isn’t trying to kill us.”

“That isn’t an explanation,” Ishida argued. He stood up with his hands on the desk.

“Tch, trust me, I know,” he said, still glaring at the crowd.

“Now now ladies, you’re making me blush, give a man some room,” Grimmjow said with a grin, while not trying to extricate himself from the mess at all. It looked like he was even copping a feel on one blushing girl. Inoue was in the corner, looking shocked, while Tatsuki looked annoyed by her easily charmed classmates. Chizuru, of course, was effusing how much more beautiful Inoue was. Finally, Ichigo stalked over and ripped the girls off of Grimmjow, and punched him. The unsuspecting man hit the wall.

“You weren’t supposed to attract attention, dipshit!” He said with a scowl.

“Owww, what the fuck Kurosaki, I was just havin’ some fun,” he complained while rubbing his cheek. The girls around them were stunned at first, but then began to titter.

“Ooo, does Kurosaki-kun like one of us?”

“I bet he just wanted some attention.”

“He’s always doing that, like with his hair.”

“Go have some fun at your desk!” Ichigo pointed at it. Grimmjow was glaring at him, but then the sly grin returned. He dusted himself off before saying quietly,

“Oh, I get it. Is somebody jealous?” Ichigo’s fists tightened.

“Don’t push me,” he growled. “I still don’t like you.”

“Yeah yeah,” he said and sauntered to his desk, and gave a sarcastic salute to Ishida. His seat was right behind Ichigo’s; what a headache. Ishida looked over at Ichigo, aghast, but he just shrugged tiredly as he walked back to his desk.

“So, new classmate, ready for class?” Ishida inquired darkly.

“Tch, yeah. I took a look at Ichigo’s stuff last night,” he answered in a bored tone. Ichigo sat down at his desk backwards, and looked at him with surprise.

“You did?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t gonna come in unprepared. How many times do I have to tell ya I ain’t stupid?” He glared at both of them, especially Ishida. “I just got a temper an’ bad grammar!”

“Good morning class!” Their teacher walked into the room and set her books down. Ichigo turned around in his seat. They’d find out one way or another how well Grimmjow blended in.

~

Grimmjow was leaning against a wall up on the roof, looking dark. He hadn’t packed a lunch, and hell if Ichigo was willing to share. He was hungry dammit. So he sat next to Ishida on the edge, and ate in relative silence. The sandwich tasted alright today. He watched Rukia talking with Inoue and Chad, though truthfully Inoue was doing most of the talking while Chad listened and Rukia focused intensely on the flavor of her juice box. It actually made him smile a little.

“Hey, what’s this?” Ishida asked with his own smile. He was probably weirding him out.

“It’s, uh… nice to see someone enjoying something normal for once, y’know?” He looked back at Grimmjow, who was surveying everyone on the roof with leveled eyes.

“You always did strike me as the simple type, Kurosaki,” Ishida said with a smirk. Ichigo looked at him blandly, before sipping his own juice.

“Lucky for you I know when you’re putting on the act, Ishida,” he replied. Ishida didn’t respond; that was just how he was. He kept eating with those elegant hands of his and not spilling a crumb.

“Yo, Kurosaki,” Grimmjow said with annoyance, hanging his face of Ichigo’s from behind him.

“Agh!” He jumped and almost dropped his sandwich. “Don’t do that when I’m eating on the edge of the roof, asshole!” Grimmjow grinned wickedly and stood up straight.

“Eh, you’re fine, ain’t ya?” He put his hands in his pockets. “It’s funny to be around all these punk kids…”

“Is that all you came over here for?” Ichigo asked with a scowl.

“Can’t I talk to ya?” He replied with a similar scowl. Ishida quirked an eyebrow at the mirror image in front of him.

“I haven’t decided yet, psycho,” he said. Grimmjow clutched his chest dramatically.

“Oh! My heart! Your insults sting!” He moaned. The redhead opened his mouth to retort when he was interrupted by Grimmjow’s stomach growling loudly. “…Ignore that.”

“…”

“…” Another growl.

“…” Ichigo gave an exaggerated sigh and shoved the rest of his sandwich in Grimmjow’s face while looking away. With as much dignity as he could muster, the Espada took the sandwich and finished it off in three quick bites.

“You shouldn’t feed stray dogs, Kurosaki,” Ishida said sharply.

“Aw, but I’m such an endearing little mutt, ain’t I Glasses?” He bent down and took Ishida’s chin in his hand roughly. The air seemed to fall stale and silent. Ishida couldn’t escape from his grip so instead glared coldly. “You’re all so endearing to me that I want t’be your friends instead of killin’ ya, so why don’t you be friendly too, huh?” Grimmjow said sweetly, looking him in the eye. Then he gave him a pat on the cheek that was just a little too hard before letting go. When he stood back up, Ichigo was right in his face.

“Don’t threaten him. Or anyone else,” the strawberry said through his teeth.

“Easy…It wasn’t a threat,” he replied genially.

“Kurosaki-kun…?” He heard Inoue inquire softly while walking towards them. She was probably scared to see them butting heads like this.

“Don’t get involved, Inoue,” he said, not looking away from Grimmjow.

“Nothing to get involved with,” he said coolly. Rukia stepped in front of Inoue.

“It’s not worth bothering with, Ichigo will handle it,” she said confidently; she still walked over to the pair in spite of her own assurance to Inoue. Ichigo clicked his tongue in distaste.

“Rukia—“

“Grimmjow, I know you have your…strange reasons for being here, but you have to respect at least some sort of social graces!”

“Goddammit Kuchiki-tan, I’m workin’ on it!” Rukia flushed bright red at the term, not sure if he were being insultingly cutesy or just insulting.

“Has anyone considered yet that I don’t require you to stand up for me, Kurosaki?” Ishida said with a sigh. But it was an idle protest, now that Ichigo had already started.

“Just back down, alright Grimmjow?” He rubbed his forehead. Ishida stood up and walked away, actively ignoring the fight that had started on his behalf.

“Tch, I’m not the one flippin’ out,” he said, and put his arms behind his head. Ichigo shoved him angrily with one hand. He arched to keep from losing his balance, and effectively hip checked Rukia right over the roof railing. She squeaked as she tumbled over, but had no time to scream before Grimmjow grabbed her arm and yanked her back up, grabbed her by the waist and set the shocked Shinigami back down on her feet.

“Fer shit’s sake Kuchiki, what did you think you were doing?” He said with a scowl. But Rukia didn’t reply. She just stared at him with her jaw hanging. Just like Chad, Inoue, Ichigo and Ishida. “…What, did I do something wrong!?” He exploded. “Fuckin’ Kurosaki pushed me, I grabbed her!” He was right, and it gave the strawberry a twisting feeling in his gut. But not just that. He’d saved Rukia without being asked. Why couldn’t he figure this asshole out?

“Th-thank you, Grimmjow,” Rukia finally said, still looking stunned. Grimmjow looked mutinous and instead of replying, shoved his hand in his pockets and left the roof.

“…He looks a lot like you when he does that, Kurosaki,” Ishida commented while adjusting his glasses. Ichigo’s mouth opened to reply sarcastically, but he stopped, his features suddenly disconcerted. His brows knit even closer together as he thought. He was not like Grimmjow. Did he actually owe the bastard an apology? Surely not. He ignored the others and left the roof.

~

Renji had watched that insufferable bastard Grimmjow pass him on his way back to the classroom, and had bit his tongue. He wouldn’t spare his words on Ichigo.

“Hey!” He called. Ichigo scowled and turned to look at him. He couldn't remember ever being greeted with a different expression.

“What, Renji?” He walked closer to the Shinigami substitute.

“What the hell is with that?” He asked , voice tense and accusing. Every moment he felt Grimmjow’s presence was like a betrayal. Every glance was a fresh wound. After how badly he’d been hurt, how could Ichigo stay around him? Did he not remember that day as vividly as Renji?

“With what?” Ichigo said, looking no less annoyed.

“A fucking arrancar! Staying at your house! And not just any Arrancar, an Espada, and not just any goddamn Espada, the one who—“

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Ichigo said quietly. Renji eyebrows snapped together in surprise at the venom in his voice. It gave rise to his own quick rancor.

“You think I don’t have a right to be talkin’ to you about this!?” He slammed his hand against the wall near Ichigo’s head. The grimace he aimed at Renji deepened.

“You think I would be letting it happen if I could do something about it!?” His flicked down to the boys hands, now balled into fists, before looking back at him. He must have no clue what he was doing. He had to get the redhead away from Grimmjow Jeagerjacques any way that he could. He could help.

“You could go somewhere, anywhere. This is the man that fucking ra—“

“Shut up.” He had a feeling he’d just stepped over the line. Ichigo’s eyes were blazing, and his face was pale. His body shook; at first Renji thought it was with fear at the memory he’d so crudely brought to the surface. Then he realized it was the teenager shaking with the effort of restraining himself from violence. Real violence, not a playful punch to the shoulder. With that discovery, Renji drew back in alarm.

“Ichigo,” he began in a conciliatory tone.

“No,” he said harshly. “I don’t need anybody’s fucking help, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t ask it from you, Abarai,” he spat out. He turned and, without even a glance, left down into the stairwell. Renji grimaced. Who said Ichigo was stupid? No one stupid would know the right words, so carefully calculated, as he knew they had been, to hurt. To hurt at a level that as a man he was certainly not allowed to acknowledge. The fucking bastard.

He cursed to himself and leaned his head against the rough cloth of his arm. He should have known better than to assume Ichigo’s emotions were fair game now, just because he’d seen him cry. Why does he have to be so stupid? He thought over and over again, because it was simpler than trying to find a solution.


~AN~

Oy vey! It has been awhile. I apologize. I hit a writer's bog-- I still wrote, but very very slowly. I was able to stall it to write a lengthy chapter that occurs a little ways down the line from this one that I have a feeling that you will all enjoy...But I have to write everything up to that point! I know this here isn't much... Regardless, I hope you enjoy and review, byebye!