I'M BACK and I HAVEZ A STORY
Its been an age, ACTUAL YEARS.
But I'm back - back in my fandoms, back online and back writing again. I've found I have a bit of time before the ol' Masters Course starts now my degree is over so I've really got back into all of this - and have written lovely things for you all - A SEQUEL TO CAT AND MOUSE!
Predator Vs Prey
The long anticipated dramatic sequel and thrilling conclusion to Cat and Mouse - A Grimmjow x Ichigo AU one shot. After conning Aizen Sousuke and sleeping with the hit man sent after him, just how long can Ichigo keep running?
If you have not read the first story in the series, Cat and Mouse, I would recommend doing so. Its under my fic tag - just go look. You probably can read this without it, but its just a warning.
Rated M: Swearing, violence, death, sexy situations, Grimmjow being all 'king alone' Grimmy and Ichigo not caring, tattoo stroking and general sinning.
I don't own Bleach and the characters, just these storylines.
Grimmjow slipped silently through the hotel room door, his gun glinting in the moonlight that poured in through the windows. The rest of the room was in complete darkness, and Grimmjow peered cautiously around. His eyes skimmed over the messy bed and the flickered towards the open wardrobe doors. There was no sign of the young man, but the room had definitely been stayed in. He walked quickly over to the bed, pulling his leather glove off with his teeth before pressing his bare hand in amongst the messy sheets. It was still warm. He frowned, quickly tugging his glove back on glancing around again, his sharp blue eyes landing on the closed en suite door. Was he waiting in the bathroom in ambush? Or had he just slipped in there before Grimmjow arrived?
He paused, a thought occurring to him. There were no bags anywhere in the room. He glanced around; relaxing his stance a little wondering were on earth his elusive target could have hidden the thing. The open doors suggested that maybe he had bolted, been tipped off somehow and climbed down or maybe onto another balcony. Grimmjow tutted, peering out of the huge, open French windows and tried to judge how easily you could perhaps drop down to the balcony below.
He shook his bed, the bathroom was the best bet and he would just have to take the gamble that the guy wasn't lying in wait with a gun of his own. He strode across the room and listened. Then he heard it, movement and the sound of running water. He grasped the handle and opened the door slowly. His target stood in his boxers, looking down at the sink as he splashed water on his face. Grimmjow took in the lines of his strong back and almost sighed, such a shame to waste such a good body, he thought to himself.
He moved quickly, slamming the gun into the back of the young man's head. He crumpled to the ground easily and Grimmjow smiled, staring down at the unmoving body. Of course that wasn't anywhere near enough to kill him, just enough to stun him for a few moments, and that was all he needed. He reached down and quickly broke the other mans neck. He slumped down face first onto the floor, his dull brown eyes staring lifelessly. Grimmjow sighed. It had not been a particularly thrilling evening, not compared to some of the others anyway.
He turned the shower on and ripped the shower curtain down, carefully positioning the body on the floor and making sure there was an adequate amount of water on the floor and removing the mat that had been placed there to prevent the very accident Grimmjow was now staging. He drained the water from the sink and glanced around the bathroom, trying to decide if there was anything else he needed to do. Water on the body perhaps? He sighed; it was going to mean he would be getting even wetter. He hauled the body up; the red head falling onto his shoulder as he made sure the body was covered in water. He then laid him back into position before stripping off his now wet shirt. He picked up his gun, sticking it back into his trousers and pulled his gloves off, shoving the wet ones into his back pocket and pulling another pair on. He didn't want to leave water all around the room.
He glanced down at his black wife beater, he didn't think you could see how damp it was and grinned at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
"I really am the best," he murmured, tucking the strand of electric blue hair back into his black beanie hat. He did a final check of the bathroom and tying his damp shirt around his waist slipped quietly out of the hotel room, placing the do not disturb sign carefully on the outside of the hotel room door. It never hurt to leave it a while before the body was found, he could at least guarantee being on a flight out of the country by that point this way.
Grimmjow walked quietly down the corridor to the stairwell and, glancing around to check there was no sign of anyone, hurriedly ran up to his own floor. On his own floor now he slowly wandered back into his hotel room, closing the door quietly behind him. He tugged his hat off and pulled his gun from his pants and slipped it under his pillow, careful that he would be able to grab it at a moments notice. He slowly undressed, shoving his clothes into the black duffle bag ready for if he needed to make a hasty exit - the same reason he would be sleeping in his boxers tonight. He slipped between the sheets and felt the body in the bed next to him shift.
"You were gone ages," Ichigo muttered, rolling over and leaning up on his elbows to inspect Grimmjow. "I thought you were just going out for a cigarette?"
Grimmjow turned his head to look at the naked young man, his eyes sliding up and down his body. Ichigo raised an eyebrow and ran a finger down Grimmjow's chest.
"Your damp," He murmured and Grimmjow smirked.
"I ran to get back to you quickly," he drawled, sliding closer to the red head. He slid a hand into his hair and pulled him close, pressing their lips together. There was no further intent in the kiss, no desire for anything else; it was just a simple and rare gesture of affection from the blue haired man. Of course, if asked, Grimmjow would adamantly deny this, stating that the kiss was nothing but a method of shutting the young man up, but even Grimmjow couldn't lie to himself for long.
It had been over three months since the incident where he had slept with his target on the plane, and since then their time together had been a whirlwind. When they had got off the plane Grimmjow had given Ichigo a days head start, informing him cockily that it wouldn't take him long to track him down. It hadn't and when they had met up again, two weeks later in a dark hotel room on a rainy night in London, Grimmjow had gone in with the full intent of killing the younger male. But that wasn't exactly how things had gone down, which had led to this relationship dragging out as long as it had.
Aizen wasn't Grimmjow's only employer, so when he had been given a mission to remove someone else Grimmjow had decided he would take the job. A little time away from the red head, back on a normal job where there wasn't this… intensity would be good for a while. Get his head back in the game. He had fully expected the result of this to be that Ichigo would vanish, and that he would back at square one again, have to find the kid from scratch all over again. But, what had really shocked him was that Ichigo had followed him to Venice, to the very hotel where his current mark had been staying, appearing in his room late one night after Grimmjow had been tailing his target and practically jumping Grimmjow.
Now Grimmjow wasn't sure about much, but he was pretty sure about one thing. Ichigo was bored. Sure, he'd hidden his conning business behind some Robin Hood shit, some idea of being noble and robbing the rich, but when it came down to it, he was still a criminal and he still got his kicks from doing it. Now that he was on the run from Aizen, all of that was gone, and now this twisted cat and mouse relationship with Grimmjow was all he had to get his kicks, never knowing if the next time they saw each other they would try and kill the other or fuck. Though, really, the fighting to fucking ratio had become heavily weighted in one direction. Which was the issue that was worrying Grimmjow. He had already had to deal with Aizen's questions concerning Ichigo once; he really didn't want to have to deal with the consequences if he took too much time over the kid. Grimmjow had assumed that after doing another job his head would have settled, that he would have been ready to kill him. But all the he had found was that, after having to deal with that cold body downstairs, he had welcomed the warm body of another in his bed. He didn't even want to think about it, but a part of him quietly considered that he enjoyed Ichigo being there.
He looked at the other man, who had moved back away after their kiss and probably had drifted back to sleep while Grimmjow had been thinking. His red hair stuck up everywhere and Grimmjow resisted the urge to touch it. They weren't some lovers on a fucking honeymoon, they were trying to kill each other, trying to erase the others existence. Grimmjow scowled, how the fuck had this happened?
He reached out, his hand slipping to the graceful long neck of the gently slumbering Ichigo, he slid his fingers around it.
"I've got my hand on the knife I keep under my pillow Grimm, I wouldn't even think about it," Ichigo murmured, opening his eyes just enough for Grimmjow to see a sliver of cold, dark eyes watching him carefully.
"A knife under your pillow eh? Anyone would think you don't fucking trust me," Grimmjow whispered, the hand on Ichigo's neck turning to a gentle caress as he slid his hand down the side of his body.
"Well its quieter than the loaded gun you keep under yours. I'd hate to cause a scene," Ichigo told him, his gaze cold. Grimmjow shifted, lying so he adopted the same sleeping position as Ichigo. They lay, staring at each other's faces for a moment, before Grimmjow tugged the thin sheet that covered Ichigo over his own body as well. He closed his eyes and sighed.
"Well if you are going to stab me, let me get at least a few hours fucking shut eye, I'm beat," He muttered. His eyes flickered open as he felt Ichigo's hand brush some strands of his hair from his face. He watched the other carefully, Ichigo looked concerned.
"Hey, why blue? Its not very inconspicuous is it?" Ichigo asked, his hand falling away from the soft strands. Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know we were telling each other all our fucking secrets at this slumber party," Grimmjow growled, "Want me to tell you about the boy I got a crush on as well?"
Ichigo sat up, punching the bed next to him. He looked pissed off.
"God, you're a freaking jerk. If you don't wanna answer, don't. You don't need to be a dick about it. Maybe I will murder you in your sleep," Ichigo growled, stomping off to the bathroom.
Grimmjow sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ornate ceiling before he let his eyes fall closed.
"Oh yeah, well at least if you are going to kill me in my sleep I wouldn't have to deal with this fucking car wreck anymore." Grimmjow muttered to the empty room.
Grimmjow awoke to the feeling of water dripping onto his face. He opened his eyes, hazy and confused to the sight of Ichigo wrapped in a towel leaning down over him, his wet hair dripping onto his face. Grimmjow sat up, shifting back in the bed so his back was against the headboard.
"What time is it?" He asked, leaning his head back with closed eyes.
"8am. Check out is midday, which means we have loads of time," Ichigo said lightly, moving to straddle Grimmjow's waist, the towel slipping of his hips and pooling between them.
Grimmjow opened his eyes and sat up, looking Ichigo dead in the eye.
"Oh yeah?" He murmured, running his hands up Ichigo's sides languidly. It was rare for Ichigo to be quite so forward, and despite his actions there was a definite blush across his cheeks. Grimmjow smiled, leaning forward to lick a droplet of water than ran down Ichigo's neck from his skin and then inhaled the gentle citrus scent that Ichigo was emitting.
"Why don't you show me what you want?" Grimmjow whispered in Ichigo's ear before leaning back, folding his arms behind his head. Ichigo's eyes widened, and his blush increased a little. He leaned back, his eyes darting over Grimmjow's chest. He was clearly torn between wanting the other man, his pride and the embarrassment of having to take control of the situation.
Ichigo leant forward, pressing his lips to Grimmjow's hungrily. Grimmjow smirked, moving his hands slowly back down over Ichigo's chest before resting them on his hips, his grip tight.
The kiss was fierce, both of them almost desperate to consume the other. Ichigo's hands fisted into Grimmjow's blue hair as he pulled Ichigo even closer, pressing their chests flush against each other. Grimmjow's tongue slid into Ichigo's mouth as his fingers slid over a nipple and Ichigo arched, his bare erection making contact with Grimmjow's covered one. They both groaned into the kiss, pressing even desperately closer, Ichigo now grinding his hips against Grimmjow's.
"Boxers," Grimmjow growled between them and Ichigo reluctantly pulled back, frantically tugging on the article of clothing. He slid them off down Grimmjow's legs, allowing his erection to spring free and into Ichigo's hands. He bent down, carefully lapping at the head of Grimmjow's cock before he carefully took it into his mouth, using one hand to try and stop Grimmjow's hips from moving too much. Grimmjow's hands fisted in red hair as Ichigo began to suck his cock, making wet slurping noises as he struggled to fit the full length in his mouth. Grimmjow used his grip on Ichigo's hair to pull his mouth down over the remainder of his length and he felt Ichigo gag. He loosened his grip and Ichigo scowled up at him, slowly sucking on the length as it slid from his mouth. A single strand of saliva connected Ichigo's mouth to Grimmjow's cock before his tongue slid over his swollen lips. Grimmjow tugged him up his body, pulling them close as he thrust his tongue back into Ichigo's mouth.
"I want to fuck you," Grimmjow purred, his hand wrapping around Ichigo's aching erection. Ichigo gave a moan and Grimmjow smiled. "Is that what you want?" He asked and Ichigo nodded. "Say it," Grimmjow murmured and Ichigo glared. Grimmjow sped up his ministrations on Ichigo's cock and the younger man rocked his hips, causing Grimmjow's own cock to slide deliciously against his ass. "Say it," he requested again.
"Shit… yes, of course I want you to fuck me… ah," Ichigo gasped out and Grimmjow laughed.
"There we go, I knew that dirty mouth of yours was good for something else other than sucking cock," He muttered as Ichigo reached past him to the bedside table, pulling lube and a condom from the top. He dropped them into Grimmjow's lap before turning his head back into another heated kiss. Grimmjow let go of Ichigo's dick, and held out the lube to Ichigo.
"Why don't you prepare yourself then?" Grimmjow suggested and Ichigo flushed.
"What the hell?" He gasped out, and Grimmjow leaned in, pressing his mouth close to Ichigo's ear.
"Turn around, get on your knees and let me see you finger yourself," Grimmjow purred, biting gently on Ichigo's earlobe. He could spy a blush working across Ichigo's face from the corner of his eye, but didn't lean back, just began to press kisses down the teen's neck.
"You're a sadistic fuck, you know that?" Ichigo hissed and Grimmjow laughed against his neck, stroking his hands down the young mans muscular back.
"I've been told,"
Ichigo pulled back suddenly, slipping off Grimmjow's lap and onto the bed next to him. Grimmjow settled back to watch, his hand fisting his own cock as he heard the pop of the cap from the lube. He watched as Ichigo, leaning up on one elbow reached a hand around and pressed a finger against his hole. It slid in, up to the knuckle and Ichigo gave a little groan, carefully moving his finger out then back in, a little deeper.
"Don't stop," Grimmjow instructed, moving forward. He reached forward and pressed two fingers against Ichigo's lips. He opened up for him, his tongue stroking the digits before he gave a long suck on them, coating them. Grimmjow watched his fingers slipping in and out of his mouth and couldn't help touching himself again with his free hand. He pulled his fingers from Ichigo's mouth with a pop and carefully, slid one in next to Ichigo's. The red head moaned and pressed back, welcoming the intrusion, adding another of his own fingers in. Grimmjow kept to his rhythm, sliding his own finger in and out with Ichigo's, watching closely.
Then Ichigo was stopping, pulling his fingers out and spinning around, pushing Grimmjow back before settling himself back on Grimmjow's waist. He popped open the lube and reached down between them, smearing Grimmjow's dick with the cool substance. Grimmjow closed his eyes, growling a little at the sensation before Ichigo's hands were gone and he was slowly lowering himself down. They both moaned as Ichigo began to move, pushing up and fucking himself on Grimmjow's cock. Grimmjow's hands clutched Ichigo's hips, desperately trying to speed the other man up, but Ichigo continued his slow pace, his hands splayed across Grimmjow's chest for support.
"You're killing me," Grimmjow purred, sitting up to nuzzle into Ichigo's neck, changing the angle. He began to thrust his hips up into Ichigo, who groaned and began to speed up to meet his thrusts.
"I was trying to," Ichigo gasped out, clawing Grimmjow's back as they joined their bodies frantically. Their mouths met in a desperate, messy kiss, tongues rubbing together as they climbed in frenzy towards their orgasms.
"Fuck," Ichigo groaned, and Grimmjow reached down to stroke Ichigo's leaking cock that was trapped between them. Ichigo's back arched at the feel and he clutched Grimmjow closer, his hands gripping his hair forcefully as he rode the older man.
Ichigo exploded across them, covering Grimmjow's and his own stomach as he shook in his arms. Grimmjow continued to keep up his bruising pace, biting down hard on Ichigo's shoulder as the boys tightening and twitching body brought him over the edge as well.
They remained like that for a few minutes, riding out their orgasms, panting into each other's mouths. Ichigo's eyes were closed and he rested his forehead against the others as he struggled to regain his breath. He moved, Grimmjow slipping from his body easily, but he didn't climb off the other man, settling back into his embrace and enjoying Grimmjow gently tracing patterns across his back. His own hands followed suit, and he found himself subconsciously tracing the scar he could feel across Grimmjow's chest.
"Hey," Ichigo murmured suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen on them. Grimmjow opened his eyes to look into Ichigo's and Ichigo struggled to hold back a smile. Grimmjow looked like he had been drifting off to sleep. "Let me see it," he whispered and Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.
"You really like it, don't you?" he asked and Ichigo tilted his head to the side.
"Its interesting," he told him. Grimmjow shrugged and Ichigo climbed off him, taking Grimmjow's shrug to be compliance with his request. Grimmjow rolled onto his stomach tiredly, resting his head on his hands and looking away from him as Ichigo lay down next to him, leaning up on his elbow so he could investigate the huge tattoo that stretched across Grimmjow's back. It was a huge dark blue panther, its claws stretched out, lying on a sakura branch, surrounded by flowers and snakes that twined down from the top of Grimmjow's shoulder to the bottom of his back, just before his ass. It looked traditional and Japanese and just underneath it was tattooed a number 6. Ichigo ran his fingers over it, staring in fascination at the intricate design. He could still remember the first time he had seen it, moving as if alive as Grimmjow's muscles had flexed beneath the skin as he pulled his shirt on, his hair tussled and bite marks littering his neck. It was one of Ichigo's favourite memories of the other man.
"You know what it means right?" Grimmjow asked suddenly, his voice soft. Ichigo could almost imagine him purring under the delicate ministrations of his hands.
"Yakuza?" Ichigo asked quietly, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer, but intrigued at Grimmjow's sudden desire to share.
"Hmm," Grimmjow murmured, suddenly turning his head to look at Ichigo, his eyes dark and heavy lidded. "Born and raised," He confirmed, a cold smile breaking across his face.
Ichigo's hands paused and he looked down at Grimmjow's face before his eyes flickered to the six on his back.
"The number?" He asked and Grimmjow didn't answer, just watched Ichigo carefully, as if he was unsure how much he should reveal.
"Keep stroking," he answered eventually, his eyes falling closed as Ichigo's hands began to trace across his back again. Grimmjow gave a contented little sigh, and Ichigo stared down at the man beside him, deciding that was probably enough information from the other for now.
Grimmjow let the warm water from the shower run down over his back as he leaned forward pressing his forehead against the cold tiles. What the hell was he doing? Casually talking about himself like that to the kid - as if it was nothing, as if it wasn't something that could be used against him. He sighed, rubbing the water from his eyes and reluctantly climbing from the shower. He knew he had a few hours before the body upstairs would be discovered, and a few hours before check out, but he wanted to be away as quickly as possible. He knew he'd asked the hotel to get him a car to take him to the airport at 11am - the same time that cleaning staff would probably discover the body, so he had an hour before he would need to leave. The room was paid for; all he would need to do was drop of the key. He wandered out of the bathroom, intending to ask Ichigo about his plans to find the room empty. He shrugged; it wasn't exactly any different from normal.
It was as he was pulling his shirt on that he heard it, the sounds of cars screeching up outside. He wandered casually over to the balcony, noting as he stepped out the other guests leaning curiously out of their own rooms. Several police cars had pulled up, with suited and booted police clambering out. He saw a man he assumed to be the manager rushing to talk to the officers as they walked in and Grimmjow cursed. They had found the body much earlier than he thought, which meant the whole hotel would go on lock down - no guests in, no guests out. He sidled casually back into the room, making an effort to look calm. Once he was inside he grabbed his boots, pulling them on and then slipped his long black suit coat on over his crisp white shirt before pulling his black beanie on to cover his hair. As Ichigo had stated, it was pretty obvious, so he had made sure that he was wearing a hat, leather gloves and scarf when he had his interactions with the hotel staff. Luckily January in Venice allowed you to adopt such a look with minimal suspicion.
He needed to get some more information. He stashed his belongings carefully just behind the hotel door, so he could just reach in and grab them if he needed to get out, and carefully walked down the corridor. Luckily, he wasn't the only curious guest wandering about, seeking answers so he simply sidled up to a group of angry tourists who were questioning a policeman by the lift on why they had to stay on their floor.
"It's nothing to panic, we've just received a tip off and have to investigate it," The man was reassuring them in heavily accented English. "We will be coming to everyone's rooms with hotel staff shortly, and request that everyone stay in them," Grimmjow stayed amongst the questioning crowd a little longer, before giving up and walking off back into his room.
He pushed the door closed and cursed. A tip off? It had to have been Ichigo. The policeman had been tight lipped with the group about what exactly it was they had received a tip off about but Grimmjow couldn't take any chances, his original plan off just waiting out the investigation had to be abandoned and he now knew he had to clear the room and run.
He began to carefully wipe down the hotel room, removing any fingerprints from the room before he glanced at the bed sheets. He pulled them off the bed and threw them into his bag, deciding to dispose of them when he burnt the clothes from the job. He glanced down at his hold all, scanning the room for anything else he would need to put in there to dispose off. He was used to clearing a room when he left, but usually he didn't have to bother with this sort of stuff. He grabbed his laptop bag and opened it to do a quick check of his belongings that he would be keeping. The locker key for where his other bag was stored at the station, his laptop and his phone. Grimmjow paused then, his eyes widening. His passport and wallet were gone. There was still his cash in there, thrown haphazardly in - as Ichigo had obviously taken some pity on him. Grimmjow scowled, the little son of a bitch. He was going to have to get a whole set of new things to allow him to travel. Shit, he knew he shouldn't have trusted the little bastard.
But Grimmjow had more important things to worry about than that at the moment. He needed to be out of the hotel now - with no ID, no passport and a gun tucked into the back of his jeans, Grimmjow was going to be any policeman's dream if Ichigo had ratted him out.
He wandered to the balcony doors, closing them and then grabbed a bed sheet, pressing it as carefully as he could along the bottom of the door, an attempt to block smoke from coming out and highlighting which room the fire came from. He then lit a cigarette, careful not to touch it more than necessary before dropping it onto the bed before joining the other guests in the corridor who were milling around, concerned at the police cars around the entrance. Grimmjow hadn't been stood outside the room a few doors down from his own long when the fire alarm began to wail, and Grimmjow grimaced at the sound of it. The policeman looked around concerned, but began to usher the guests out of the fire exit. Grimmjow followed the crowd down the stairs, ignoring the cursing and conversations around him and focusing on simply getting out with his bags. He wasn't the only guest who had decided to bring their belongings with them, and as they piled out into the street at the back of the hotel, he could see angry guests arguing with hotel staff and police at not being able to check out.
"What the hell is going on here?" Grimmjow overheard one policeman asking another.
"Search me," The other replied, glancing up at the hotel. The street the hotel emptied into was quite busy; an unfortunate side effect of the hotels situation in the cramped Venice streets, but that was exactly why Grimmjow chose it. He slipped into the crowd and walked away; turning down the first side street he could see to get away quickly from the crowds. The street brought him out right at a canal and he glanced around, needing to be as far away as he could in case anyone had followed him. A gondola leant against the narrow steps leading to the water and the wrapped up man on it smiled at him hopefully.
"Gondola?" He asked and Grimmjow nodded, fighting the urge to check if anyone was following him. It would simply make him look more suspicious if he was glancing around all the time. He stepped onto the boat and felt the driver push away and into the canal, when he heard the sound of running steps.
He glanced up and saw two policemen run round the corner, glancing around the street before pointing and running after a man in a hat. He settled back in the boat and let the motion calm his frenzied angry thoughts.
"Where would you like to go sir?" The gondolier asked him, and Grimmjow stared out across the murky water.
He had a point - where did Grimmjow want to go from here?
Grimmjow wasn't happy that he had changed his hair colour, dying it to a deep and rich brown. He knew it would wash out as soon as he showered that night, but something about it bothered him. It felt so… conformist. He rubbed his thick stubble, another source of his irritation. Grimmjow usually kept himself clean-shaven, but for the sake of his disguise he'd allowed this to grow. He scowled, in fact the thing that probably annoyed him least was the brown contacts in his eyes, which he had grown used to. He sat down, observing the couple he had followed in here carefully from his table behind them. They were speaking in Japanese, both with dark hair, although the woman's hair had a purple tint to it. Grimmjow watched them carefully. He had sat down in the café so he was sat behind Ichigo, but close enough to over hear them, even in the busy café, it was a risky move, but with his book and disguise, he figured that even if Ichigo glanced over he wouldn't recognize him. After all, he had almost not recognized Ichigo in his new look of dark hair, glasses and suit. He had been almost impossible to track down this time, Grimmjow thought as he ordered a black coffee in perfect French from the beautiful waitress, throwing her a charming smile. He lit a cigarette, and pretended to read his book, listening carefully.
"All new identities," the woman was telling Ichigo, who nodded. She reached across the table, her hand sliding into Ichigo's, her low cut shirt revealing a lot of cleavage. Grimmjow couldn't see Ichigo's face but he could guess he was blushing - he almost laughed. "You'll be safe, all of you. I even did the others you asked for, though I have no idea why…"
Grimmjow kept his expression neutral, wondering whom the others could be. It made sense really, a whole new set of information and details, leaving the trail on Kurosaki Ichigo to go dead. It might not be a completely permanent idea, them to live far away with new names, but it would keep Aizen off them for a while. Grimmjow almost smiled, Ichigo was more intelligent than Aizen had given him credit for.
"And the other thing?" Ichigo asked, keeping his voice low, "Did you find the information I asked for?"
The woman's face changed, and her hand slid away from Ichigo's.
"I did, but as with those other items, I have to wonder why you would want it," She murmured, her unusual golden brown eyes narrowing. Grimmjow glanced up at his waitress as she placed his drink down.
"Merci," he murmured quietly, allowing his fingers to brush hers as he pulled the cup closer. The woman smiled, flicking her hair and walking away. He returned his attention back to his book and tried to pick up the conversation again.
"Look, I don't have to explain myself," Ichigo was arguing, and Grimmjow took a careful sip of coffee.
"Yes, yes you do. He's a dangerous man. The illegitimate son of a big Yakuza boss back in Japan, he was pushed out at 16 when his old man died and the new heir took over. Him and some of his followers seemed to wander about for a bit, then he vanishes before he pops up doing Aizen's dirty work, and the work of anyone Aizen whores him out too. Seems like Aizen raised him and a load of other teenagers, it was seen as some kind of charity thing - Aizen and his troubled teens. But in reality he took a load of bad kids and just got them to be his thugs," The woman hissed, eyeing Ichigo. "If you are mixed up with him…"
Grimmjow clenched his fist beneath the table. Ichigo had got this bitch to dig up information on him? So that's what this was - he was going to get rid of him as a big risk.
The woman rubbed her forehead, before she continued.
"The group who pushed him out, a fair few ended up dead. Its never been proved but there was talk in the underworld it was his doing, as revenge." She continued and he saw Ichigo shift uncomfortably in his chair. He returned his gaze to his book as the woman glanced around the café.
"He's a bad person Ichigo," She finished, watching him carefully.
"I know," Ichigo muttered in response, his shoulders sagging.
"Come on, we better go to the pick up point," The woman peeled a few bills from her purse and dropped them onto the table. Grimmjow kept his gaze down as the chairs scraped back, signaling the two's departure. He glanced up at the exchange of thank you from Ichigo and the staff as the door of the café swung shut, and he could have sworn that Ichigo had looked back at him.
Ichigo didn't look at all surprised to see him when Grimmjow appeared in the room of the flat he was renting in the quiet northern quarters of Paris. In fact, from the way Ichigo looked at him Grimmjow suspected he had been waiting for him.
"You found me quicker than I though," Ichigo grumbled, and Grimmjow smirked stepping carefully into the room, his gun pointed at Ichigo.
"I actually found you a few days ago, but thought I'd just soak up Paris. Visit some cafes," Grimmjow informed him, his voice cold as he peered at Ichigo down the length of his gun. Ichigo frowned, clearly picking up on the loaded comment.
"You were there?" He asked, and Grimmjow smiled, sitting down in a cosy armchair across from Ichigo, who sat shirtless on the bed, his back completely straight.
"Heard everything," Grimmjow told him, glancing around the room carefully, "You got some bitch to go around snooping about me?"
"Would you have told me those things?" He asked.
"Of course I fucking wouldn't," Grimmjow sneered in response, using his free hand to pull a packet of cigarettes from where he had them folded into the white sleeve of his t-shirt. He flicked the bottom of the pack, extracting a cigarette, which he held out to Ichigo. He shook his head at the offer and Grimmjow placed it in his own mouth.
"Matches,"
It wasn't a question and Ichigo walked into the kitchen. When he came back he found the gun still pointed at him, but he ignored it and held the packet out. Grimmjow didn't reach out to take it and Ichigo scowled, glowering at the other man as he lit a match and leant in close to light the cigarette for the other man.
He returned to the bed, watching as Grimmjow smoked, his gun never lowering from pointing at Ichigo. His eyes wandered over his body, taking every detail in as if memorizing it.
"I had to know who you were," Ichigo told him seriously.
The two sat in silence for a while; just looking at each other in the yellowish lamp light, while the sounds of the evening seeped in on the breeze through the open window.
"You don't want to kill me," Ichigo announced suddenly and Grimmjow raised an eyebrow, grinding his cigarette out into a glass on the side next to his chair.
"Do I not? Sure looks like I do," Grimmjow laughed, gesturing with his head to the gun pointed at Ichigo.
"Exactly, looks like. But we both know if you wanted to I would already be dead, that I would have been dead ages ago," Ichigo admitted. Grimmjow didn't say anything he just considered him carefully.
"I want you," Grimmjow announced quietly to the room, "but it's gone too far now. We end this, one of us walks away and the other doesn't. That was how it was always going to end and we knew that. I was something fun for you, for a while and you were someone…"
"I was someone who what?" Ichigo asked, sitting forward suddenly, as if he needed to hear the answer and Grimmjow narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know. I don't," Grimmjow told him, "I just know its something, okay,"
"You know I'm leaving right - new name, new life. It's all set up. Once I've taken you out I was always meant to go to that life," Ichigo told him.
Silence fell again and Grimmjow closed his eyes, unsure of what to say. He felt something for Ichigo - he knew that. He was aware of the initial attraction becoming something more a deep hunger and dark desire that burned in his stomach, but he just didn't know what it was. And he had a job to do, and Grimmjow did his job because it was all he had, and it had, at some point been fun. But now, it wasn't and Ichigo was, and after that last job all he had been able to think about was Ichigo.
"You are someone to me too," He admitted, feeling around next to him. He threw something at Grimmjow, who simply watched the objects fall into his lap. Passport. Wallet. He scowled as he looked at the objects, before placing his gun on the table next to him and opening them both.
"What are these?" He asked, staring at his photograph next to a name and details he didn't know.
"A new life," Ichigo told him, looking at him long and hard. "If you still want to fight me Grimmjow I'll fight you as many times as you want, so for now can't you just stop?"
Grimmjow looked up then, his eyes wide.
"I've always been alone, even those who came with me when that bastard took over my family and kicked me out were just cowards, but you what? Want me to come and live with you? Get a house and a kid and a little fucking dog?" Grimmjow growled suddenly angry, stalking towards Ichigo and grabbing him. Ichigo swung a fist out and it made contact with Grimmjow's stomach, pushing him back a little, but he didn't release his grip on Ichigo's shoulders. "Do you have any idea who I am? What I've done? I kill people Kurosaki,"
"I know, and its not… what you have done is bad, but I just don't think I can hate you because of it," Ichigo told him, the words so powerful it felt as if they were hanging in the air between them. Grimmjow released him, turning his back on the teen and running his hand over his face.
"Aizen will send someone else," Grimmjow told him, turning to glance back over his shoulder. "After both of us, he won't let either of us go. He fucking raised me, he'll see it as a betrayal and he'll send the worst he has after us. You see this?" He tugged up his shirt showing the six on his back, "That's my sign of being a general in his organization. There are ten of us in his organization that are considered his generals, you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
"That's why I need you," Ichigo told him, looking at him coolly, "I need you to kill anyone who comes to threaten my family and friends,"
Grimmjow sat down, shaking his head.
"Urahara is going to take him down," Ichigo announced and Grimmjow looked up at him. "There is a way out,"
Grimmjow's blue eyes seemed to stare right through him into his soul and Ichigo found he was moving towards the other man, and pressing his lips to Grimmjow's in a soft kiss. He went to pull away but Grimmjow was grabbing his head and pulling it down, kissing him frantically. Ichigo let himself be pulled in and after they pulled apart, breathing heavily.
"Whatever this is… is it worth risking everything for?" Grimmjow asked and Ichigo stared at him.
"I have no idea, but all I know is that I like this. I like us having sex and fighting and being together," Ichigo told him, a blush on his cheeks despite the defiant set of his jaw as he told Grimmjow this, his stare daring Grimmjow to tease him.
Grimmjow sighed, looking away and towards the window.
"It's a shame we can't just stay here," He muttered, grabbing Ichigo's hand and pulling him into a clumsy embrace in his lap. "I do quite like Paris…"
Ichigo scowled, wriggling in Grimmjow's lap an objection at the position on his lips when Grimmjow spoke again.
"Don't expect to be some fucking saint," Grimmjow murmured into his ear, and Ichigo paused, "and don't expect some fucking lovey dovey relationship crap,"
Ichigo shook his head, smirking down at Grimmjow.
"Who the fuck would want that?"
Err so that's it! I was going more for final battle, somber, eating meat alone Ichigo and Grimmjow characterization, rather than the mental fighting in the earlier ones - I hope Grimmjow or Ichigo doesn't seem OOC because of this. I just generally hope this whole thing is okay its been a verrrryyyy long time since I last write anything, so I'm just hoping I haven't lost any mojo!
OR you can read it on my fanfiction profile
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9203273/1/Predator-Vs-Prey
But I'm back - back in my fandoms, back online and back writing again. I've found I have a bit of time before the ol' Masters Course starts now my degree is over so I've really got back into all of this - and have written lovely things for you all - A SEQUEL TO CAT AND MOUSE!
Predator Vs Prey
The long anticipated dramatic sequel and thrilling conclusion to Cat and Mouse - A Grimmjow x Ichigo AU one shot. After conning Aizen Sousuke and sleeping with the hit man sent after him, just how long can Ichigo keep running?
If you have not read the first story in the series, Cat and Mouse, I would recommend doing so. Its under my fic tag - just go look. You probably can read this without it, but its just a warning.
Rated M: Swearing, violence, death, sexy situations, Grimmjow being all 'king alone' Grimmy and Ichigo not caring, tattoo stroking and general sinning.
I don't own Bleach and the characters, just these storylines.
Grimmjow slipped silently through the hotel room door, his gun glinting in the moonlight that poured in through the windows. The rest of the room was in complete darkness, and Grimmjow peered cautiously around. His eyes skimmed over the messy bed and the flickered towards the open wardrobe doors. There was no sign of the young man, but the room had definitely been stayed in. He walked quickly over to the bed, pulling his leather glove off with his teeth before pressing his bare hand in amongst the messy sheets. It was still warm. He frowned, quickly tugging his glove back on glancing around again, his sharp blue eyes landing on the closed en suite door. Was he waiting in the bathroom in ambush? Or had he just slipped in there before Grimmjow arrived?
He paused, a thought occurring to him. There were no bags anywhere in the room. He glanced around; relaxing his stance a little wondering were on earth his elusive target could have hidden the thing. The open doors suggested that maybe he had bolted, been tipped off somehow and climbed down or maybe onto another balcony. Grimmjow tutted, peering out of the huge, open French windows and tried to judge how easily you could perhaps drop down to the balcony below.
He shook his bed, the bathroom was the best bet and he would just have to take the gamble that the guy wasn't lying in wait with a gun of his own. He strode across the room and listened. Then he heard it, movement and the sound of running water. He grasped the handle and opened the door slowly. His target stood in his boxers, looking down at the sink as he splashed water on his face. Grimmjow took in the lines of his strong back and almost sighed, such a shame to waste such a good body, he thought to himself.
He moved quickly, slamming the gun into the back of the young man's head. He crumpled to the ground easily and Grimmjow smiled, staring down at the unmoving body. Of course that wasn't anywhere near enough to kill him, just enough to stun him for a few moments, and that was all he needed. He reached down and quickly broke the other mans neck. He slumped down face first onto the floor, his dull brown eyes staring lifelessly. Grimmjow sighed. It had not been a particularly thrilling evening, not compared to some of the others anyway.
He turned the shower on and ripped the shower curtain down, carefully positioning the body on the floor and making sure there was an adequate amount of water on the floor and removing the mat that had been placed there to prevent the very accident Grimmjow was now staging. He drained the water from the sink and glanced around the bathroom, trying to decide if there was anything else he needed to do. Water on the body perhaps? He sighed; it was going to mean he would be getting even wetter. He hauled the body up; the red head falling onto his shoulder as he made sure the body was covered in water. He then laid him back into position before stripping off his now wet shirt. He picked up his gun, sticking it back into his trousers and pulled his gloves off, shoving the wet ones into his back pocket and pulling another pair on. He didn't want to leave water all around the room.
He glanced down at his black wife beater, he didn't think you could see how damp it was and grinned at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.
"I really am the best," he murmured, tucking the strand of electric blue hair back into his black beanie hat. He did a final check of the bathroom and tying his damp shirt around his waist slipped quietly out of the hotel room, placing the do not disturb sign carefully on the outside of the hotel room door. It never hurt to leave it a while before the body was found, he could at least guarantee being on a flight out of the country by that point this way.
Grimmjow walked quietly down the corridor to the stairwell and, glancing around to check there was no sign of anyone, hurriedly ran up to his own floor. On his own floor now he slowly wandered back into his hotel room, closing the door quietly behind him. He tugged his hat off and pulled his gun from his pants and slipped it under his pillow, careful that he would be able to grab it at a moments notice. He slowly undressed, shoving his clothes into the black duffle bag ready for if he needed to make a hasty exit - the same reason he would be sleeping in his boxers tonight. He slipped between the sheets and felt the body in the bed next to him shift.
"You were gone ages," Ichigo muttered, rolling over and leaning up on his elbows to inspect Grimmjow. "I thought you were just going out for a cigarette?"
Grimmjow turned his head to look at the naked young man, his eyes sliding up and down his body. Ichigo raised an eyebrow and ran a finger down Grimmjow's chest.
"Your damp," He murmured and Grimmjow smirked.
"I ran to get back to you quickly," he drawled, sliding closer to the red head. He slid a hand into his hair and pulled him close, pressing their lips together. There was no further intent in the kiss, no desire for anything else; it was just a simple and rare gesture of affection from the blue haired man. Of course, if asked, Grimmjow would adamantly deny this, stating that the kiss was nothing but a method of shutting the young man up, but even Grimmjow couldn't lie to himself for long.
It had been over three months since the incident where he had slept with his target on the plane, and since then their time together had been a whirlwind. When they had got off the plane Grimmjow had given Ichigo a days head start, informing him cockily that it wouldn't take him long to track him down. It hadn't and when they had met up again, two weeks later in a dark hotel room on a rainy night in London, Grimmjow had gone in with the full intent of killing the younger male. But that wasn't exactly how things had gone down, which had led to this relationship dragging out as long as it had.
Aizen wasn't Grimmjow's only employer, so when he had been given a mission to remove someone else Grimmjow had decided he would take the job. A little time away from the red head, back on a normal job where there wasn't this… intensity would be good for a while. Get his head back in the game. He had fully expected the result of this to be that Ichigo would vanish, and that he would back at square one again, have to find the kid from scratch all over again. But, what had really shocked him was that Ichigo had followed him to Venice, to the very hotel where his current mark had been staying, appearing in his room late one night after Grimmjow had been tailing his target and practically jumping Grimmjow.
Now Grimmjow wasn't sure about much, but he was pretty sure about one thing. Ichigo was bored. Sure, he'd hidden his conning business behind some Robin Hood shit, some idea of being noble and robbing the rich, but when it came down to it, he was still a criminal and he still got his kicks from doing it. Now that he was on the run from Aizen, all of that was gone, and now this twisted cat and mouse relationship with Grimmjow was all he had to get his kicks, never knowing if the next time they saw each other they would try and kill the other or fuck. Though, really, the fighting to fucking ratio had become heavily weighted in one direction. Which was the issue that was worrying Grimmjow. He had already had to deal with Aizen's questions concerning Ichigo once; he really didn't want to have to deal with the consequences if he took too much time over the kid. Grimmjow had assumed that after doing another job his head would have settled, that he would have been ready to kill him. But all the he had found was that, after having to deal with that cold body downstairs, he had welcomed the warm body of another in his bed. He didn't even want to think about it, but a part of him quietly considered that he enjoyed Ichigo being there.
He looked at the other man, who had moved back away after their kiss and probably had drifted back to sleep while Grimmjow had been thinking. His red hair stuck up everywhere and Grimmjow resisted the urge to touch it. They weren't some lovers on a fucking honeymoon, they were trying to kill each other, trying to erase the others existence. Grimmjow scowled, how the fuck had this happened?
He reached out, his hand slipping to the graceful long neck of the gently slumbering Ichigo, he slid his fingers around it.
"I've got my hand on the knife I keep under my pillow Grimm, I wouldn't even think about it," Ichigo murmured, opening his eyes just enough for Grimmjow to see a sliver of cold, dark eyes watching him carefully.
"A knife under your pillow eh? Anyone would think you don't fucking trust me," Grimmjow whispered, the hand on Ichigo's neck turning to a gentle caress as he slid his hand down the side of his body.
"Well its quieter than the loaded gun you keep under yours. I'd hate to cause a scene," Ichigo told him, his gaze cold. Grimmjow shifted, lying so he adopted the same sleeping position as Ichigo. They lay, staring at each other's faces for a moment, before Grimmjow tugged the thin sheet that covered Ichigo over his own body as well. He closed his eyes and sighed.
"Well if you are going to stab me, let me get at least a few hours fucking shut eye, I'm beat," He muttered. His eyes flickered open as he felt Ichigo's hand brush some strands of his hair from his face. He watched the other carefully, Ichigo looked concerned.
"Hey, why blue? Its not very inconspicuous is it?" Ichigo asked, his hand falling away from the soft strands. Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know we were telling each other all our fucking secrets at this slumber party," Grimmjow growled, "Want me to tell you about the boy I got a crush on as well?"
Ichigo sat up, punching the bed next to him. He looked pissed off.
"God, you're a freaking jerk. If you don't wanna answer, don't. You don't need to be a dick about it. Maybe I will murder you in your sleep," Ichigo growled, stomping off to the bathroom.
Grimmjow sighed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ornate ceiling before he let his eyes fall closed.
"Oh yeah, well at least if you are going to kill me in my sleep I wouldn't have to deal with this fucking car wreck anymore." Grimmjow muttered to the empty room.
Grimmjow awoke to the feeling of water dripping onto his face. He opened his eyes, hazy and confused to the sight of Ichigo wrapped in a towel leaning down over him, his wet hair dripping onto his face. Grimmjow sat up, shifting back in the bed so his back was against the headboard.
"What time is it?" He asked, leaning his head back with closed eyes.
"8am. Check out is midday, which means we have loads of time," Ichigo said lightly, moving to straddle Grimmjow's waist, the towel slipping of his hips and pooling between them.
Grimmjow opened his eyes and sat up, looking Ichigo dead in the eye.
"Oh yeah?" He murmured, running his hands up Ichigo's sides languidly. It was rare for Ichigo to be quite so forward, and despite his actions there was a definite blush across his cheeks. Grimmjow smiled, leaning forward to lick a droplet of water than ran down Ichigo's neck from his skin and then inhaled the gentle citrus scent that Ichigo was emitting.
"Why don't you show me what you want?" Grimmjow whispered in Ichigo's ear before leaning back, folding his arms behind his head. Ichigo's eyes widened, and his blush increased a little. He leaned back, his eyes darting over Grimmjow's chest. He was clearly torn between wanting the other man, his pride and the embarrassment of having to take control of the situation.
Ichigo leant forward, pressing his lips to Grimmjow's hungrily. Grimmjow smirked, moving his hands slowly back down over Ichigo's chest before resting them on his hips, his grip tight.
The kiss was fierce, both of them almost desperate to consume the other. Ichigo's hands fisted into Grimmjow's blue hair as he pulled Ichigo even closer, pressing their chests flush against each other. Grimmjow's tongue slid into Ichigo's mouth as his fingers slid over a nipple and Ichigo arched, his bare erection making contact with Grimmjow's covered one. They both groaned into the kiss, pressing even desperately closer, Ichigo now grinding his hips against Grimmjow's.
"Boxers," Grimmjow growled between them and Ichigo reluctantly pulled back, frantically tugging on the article of clothing. He slid them off down Grimmjow's legs, allowing his erection to spring free and into Ichigo's hands. He bent down, carefully lapping at the head of Grimmjow's cock before he carefully took it into his mouth, using one hand to try and stop Grimmjow's hips from moving too much. Grimmjow's hands fisted in red hair as Ichigo began to suck his cock, making wet slurping noises as he struggled to fit the full length in his mouth. Grimmjow used his grip on Ichigo's hair to pull his mouth down over the remainder of his length and he felt Ichigo gag. He loosened his grip and Ichigo scowled up at him, slowly sucking on the length as it slid from his mouth. A single strand of saliva connected Ichigo's mouth to Grimmjow's cock before his tongue slid over his swollen lips. Grimmjow tugged him up his body, pulling them close as he thrust his tongue back into Ichigo's mouth.
"I want to fuck you," Grimmjow purred, his hand wrapping around Ichigo's aching erection. Ichigo gave a moan and Grimmjow smiled. "Is that what you want?" He asked and Ichigo nodded. "Say it," Grimmjow murmured and Ichigo glared. Grimmjow sped up his ministrations on Ichigo's cock and the younger man rocked his hips, causing Grimmjow's own cock to slide deliciously against his ass. "Say it," he requested again.
"Shit… yes, of course I want you to fuck me… ah," Ichigo gasped out and Grimmjow laughed.
"There we go, I knew that dirty mouth of yours was good for something else other than sucking cock," He muttered as Ichigo reached past him to the bedside table, pulling lube and a condom from the top. He dropped them into Grimmjow's lap before turning his head back into another heated kiss. Grimmjow let go of Ichigo's dick, and held out the lube to Ichigo.
"Why don't you prepare yourself then?" Grimmjow suggested and Ichigo flushed.
"What the hell?" He gasped out, and Grimmjow leaned in, pressing his mouth close to Ichigo's ear.
"Turn around, get on your knees and let me see you finger yourself," Grimmjow purred, biting gently on Ichigo's earlobe. He could spy a blush working across Ichigo's face from the corner of his eye, but didn't lean back, just began to press kisses down the teen's neck.
"You're a sadistic fuck, you know that?" Ichigo hissed and Grimmjow laughed against his neck, stroking his hands down the young mans muscular back.
"I've been told,"
Ichigo pulled back suddenly, slipping off Grimmjow's lap and onto the bed next to him. Grimmjow settled back to watch, his hand fisting his own cock as he heard the pop of the cap from the lube. He watched as Ichigo, leaning up on one elbow reached a hand around and pressed a finger against his hole. It slid in, up to the knuckle and Ichigo gave a little groan, carefully moving his finger out then back in, a little deeper.
"Don't stop," Grimmjow instructed, moving forward. He reached forward and pressed two fingers against Ichigo's lips. He opened up for him, his tongue stroking the digits before he gave a long suck on them, coating them. Grimmjow watched his fingers slipping in and out of his mouth and couldn't help touching himself again with his free hand. He pulled his fingers from Ichigo's mouth with a pop and carefully, slid one in next to Ichigo's. The red head moaned and pressed back, welcoming the intrusion, adding another of his own fingers in. Grimmjow kept to his rhythm, sliding his own finger in and out with Ichigo's, watching closely.
Then Ichigo was stopping, pulling his fingers out and spinning around, pushing Grimmjow back before settling himself back on Grimmjow's waist. He popped open the lube and reached down between them, smearing Grimmjow's dick with the cool substance. Grimmjow closed his eyes, growling a little at the sensation before Ichigo's hands were gone and he was slowly lowering himself down. They both moaned as Ichigo began to move, pushing up and fucking himself on Grimmjow's cock. Grimmjow's hands clutched Ichigo's hips, desperately trying to speed the other man up, but Ichigo continued his slow pace, his hands splayed across Grimmjow's chest for support.
"You're killing me," Grimmjow purred, sitting up to nuzzle into Ichigo's neck, changing the angle. He began to thrust his hips up into Ichigo, who groaned and began to speed up to meet his thrusts.
"I was trying to," Ichigo gasped out, clawing Grimmjow's back as they joined their bodies frantically. Their mouths met in a desperate, messy kiss, tongues rubbing together as they climbed in frenzy towards their orgasms.
"Fuck," Ichigo groaned, and Grimmjow reached down to stroke Ichigo's leaking cock that was trapped between them. Ichigo's back arched at the feel and he clutched Grimmjow closer, his hands gripping his hair forcefully as he rode the older man.
Ichigo exploded across them, covering Grimmjow's and his own stomach as he shook in his arms. Grimmjow continued to keep up his bruising pace, biting down hard on Ichigo's shoulder as the boys tightening and twitching body brought him over the edge as well.
They remained like that for a few minutes, riding out their orgasms, panting into each other's mouths. Ichigo's eyes were closed and he rested his forehead against the others as he struggled to regain his breath. He moved, Grimmjow slipping from his body easily, but he didn't climb off the other man, settling back into his embrace and enjoying Grimmjow gently tracing patterns across his back. His own hands followed suit, and he found himself subconsciously tracing the scar he could feel across Grimmjow's chest.
"Hey," Ichigo murmured suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen on them. Grimmjow opened his eyes to look into Ichigo's and Ichigo struggled to hold back a smile. Grimmjow looked like he had been drifting off to sleep. "Let me see it," he whispered and Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.
"You really like it, don't you?" he asked and Ichigo tilted his head to the side.
"Its interesting," he told him. Grimmjow shrugged and Ichigo climbed off him, taking Grimmjow's shrug to be compliance with his request. Grimmjow rolled onto his stomach tiredly, resting his head on his hands and looking away from him as Ichigo lay down next to him, leaning up on his elbow so he could investigate the huge tattoo that stretched across Grimmjow's back. It was a huge dark blue panther, its claws stretched out, lying on a sakura branch, surrounded by flowers and snakes that twined down from the top of Grimmjow's shoulder to the bottom of his back, just before his ass. It looked traditional and Japanese and just underneath it was tattooed a number 6. Ichigo ran his fingers over it, staring in fascination at the intricate design. He could still remember the first time he had seen it, moving as if alive as Grimmjow's muscles had flexed beneath the skin as he pulled his shirt on, his hair tussled and bite marks littering his neck. It was one of Ichigo's favourite memories of the other man.
"You know what it means right?" Grimmjow asked suddenly, his voice soft. Ichigo could almost imagine him purring under the delicate ministrations of his hands.
"Yakuza?" Ichigo asked quietly, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer, but intrigued at Grimmjow's sudden desire to share.
"Hmm," Grimmjow murmured, suddenly turning his head to look at Ichigo, his eyes dark and heavy lidded. "Born and raised," He confirmed, a cold smile breaking across his face.
Ichigo's hands paused and he looked down at Grimmjow's face before his eyes flickered to the six on his back.
"The number?" He asked and Grimmjow didn't answer, just watched Ichigo carefully, as if he was unsure how much he should reveal.
"Keep stroking," he answered eventually, his eyes falling closed as Ichigo's hands began to trace across his back again. Grimmjow gave a contented little sigh, and Ichigo stared down at the man beside him, deciding that was probably enough information from the other for now.
Grimmjow let the warm water from the shower run down over his back as he leaned forward pressing his forehead against the cold tiles. What the hell was he doing? Casually talking about himself like that to the kid - as if it was nothing, as if it wasn't something that could be used against him. He sighed, rubbing the water from his eyes and reluctantly climbing from the shower. He knew he had a few hours before the body upstairs would be discovered, and a few hours before check out, but he wanted to be away as quickly as possible. He knew he'd asked the hotel to get him a car to take him to the airport at 11am - the same time that cleaning staff would probably discover the body, so he had an hour before he would need to leave. The room was paid for; all he would need to do was drop of the key. He wandered out of the bathroom, intending to ask Ichigo about his plans to find the room empty. He shrugged; it wasn't exactly any different from normal.
It was as he was pulling his shirt on that he heard it, the sounds of cars screeching up outside. He wandered casually over to the balcony, noting as he stepped out the other guests leaning curiously out of their own rooms. Several police cars had pulled up, with suited and booted police clambering out. He saw a man he assumed to be the manager rushing to talk to the officers as they walked in and Grimmjow cursed. They had found the body much earlier than he thought, which meant the whole hotel would go on lock down - no guests in, no guests out. He sidled casually back into the room, making an effort to look calm. Once he was inside he grabbed his boots, pulling them on and then slipped his long black suit coat on over his crisp white shirt before pulling his black beanie on to cover his hair. As Ichigo had stated, it was pretty obvious, so he had made sure that he was wearing a hat, leather gloves and scarf when he had his interactions with the hotel staff. Luckily January in Venice allowed you to adopt such a look with minimal suspicion.
He needed to get some more information. He stashed his belongings carefully just behind the hotel door, so he could just reach in and grab them if he needed to get out, and carefully walked down the corridor. Luckily, he wasn't the only curious guest wandering about, seeking answers so he simply sidled up to a group of angry tourists who were questioning a policeman by the lift on why they had to stay on their floor.
"It's nothing to panic, we've just received a tip off and have to investigate it," The man was reassuring them in heavily accented English. "We will be coming to everyone's rooms with hotel staff shortly, and request that everyone stay in them," Grimmjow stayed amongst the questioning crowd a little longer, before giving up and walking off back into his room.
He pushed the door closed and cursed. A tip off? It had to have been Ichigo. The policeman had been tight lipped with the group about what exactly it was they had received a tip off about but Grimmjow couldn't take any chances, his original plan off just waiting out the investigation had to be abandoned and he now knew he had to clear the room and run.
He began to carefully wipe down the hotel room, removing any fingerprints from the room before he glanced at the bed sheets. He pulled them off the bed and threw them into his bag, deciding to dispose of them when he burnt the clothes from the job. He glanced down at his hold all, scanning the room for anything else he would need to put in there to dispose off. He was used to clearing a room when he left, but usually he didn't have to bother with this sort of stuff. He grabbed his laptop bag and opened it to do a quick check of his belongings that he would be keeping. The locker key for where his other bag was stored at the station, his laptop and his phone. Grimmjow paused then, his eyes widening. His passport and wallet were gone. There was still his cash in there, thrown haphazardly in - as Ichigo had obviously taken some pity on him. Grimmjow scowled, the little son of a bitch. He was going to have to get a whole set of new things to allow him to travel. Shit, he knew he shouldn't have trusted the little bastard.
But Grimmjow had more important things to worry about than that at the moment. He needed to be out of the hotel now - with no ID, no passport and a gun tucked into the back of his jeans, Grimmjow was going to be any policeman's dream if Ichigo had ratted him out.
He wandered to the balcony doors, closing them and then grabbed a bed sheet, pressing it as carefully as he could along the bottom of the door, an attempt to block smoke from coming out and highlighting which room the fire came from. He then lit a cigarette, careful not to touch it more than necessary before dropping it onto the bed before joining the other guests in the corridor who were milling around, concerned at the police cars around the entrance. Grimmjow hadn't been stood outside the room a few doors down from his own long when the fire alarm began to wail, and Grimmjow grimaced at the sound of it. The policeman looked around concerned, but began to usher the guests out of the fire exit. Grimmjow followed the crowd down the stairs, ignoring the cursing and conversations around him and focusing on simply getting out with his bags. He wasn't the only guest who had decided to bring their belongings with them, and as they piled out into the street at the back of the hotel, he could see angry guests arguing with hotel staff and police at not being able to check out.
"What the hell is going on here?" Grimmjow overheard one policeman asking another.
"Search me," The other replied, glancing up at the hotel. The street the hotel emptied into was quite busy; an unfortunate side effect of the hotels situation in the cramped Venice streets, but that was exactly why Grimmjow chose it. He slipped into the crowd and walked away; turning down the first side street he could see to get away quickly from the crowds. The street brought him out right at a canal and he glanced around, needing to be as far away as he could in case anyone had followed him. A gondola leant against the narrow steps leading to the water and the wrapped up man on it smiled at him hopefully.
"Gondola?" He asked and Grimmjow nodded, fighting the urge to check if anyone was following him. It would simply make him look more suspicious if he was glancing around all the time. He stepped onto the boat and felt the driver push away and into the canal, when he heard the sound of running steps.
He glanced up and saw two policemen run round the corner, glancing around the street before pointing and running after a man in a hat. He settled back in the boat and let the motion calm his frenzied angry thoughts.
"Where would you like to go sir?" The gondolier asked him, and Grimmjow stared out across the murky water.
He had a point - where did Grimmjow want to go from here?
Grimmjow wasn't happy that he had changed his hair colour, dying it to a deep and rich brown. He knew it would wash out as soon as he showered that night, but something about it bothered him. It felt so… conformist. He rubbed his thick stubble, another source of his irritation. Grimmjow usually kept himself clean-shaven, but for the sake of his disguise he'd allowed this to grow. He scowled, in fact the thing that probably annoyed him least was the brown contacts in his eyes, which he had grown used to. He sat down, observing the couple he had followed in here carefully from his table behind them. They were speaking in Japanese, both with dark hair, although the woman's hair had a purple tint to it. Grimmjow watched them carefully. He had sat down in the café so he was sat behind Ichigo, but close enough to over hear them, even in the busy café, it was a risky move, but with his book and disguise, he figured that even if Ichigo glanced over he wouldn't recognize him. After all, he had almost not recognized Ichigo in his new look of dark hair, glasses and suit. He had been almost impossible to track down this time, Grimmjow thought as he ordered a black coffee in perfect French from the beautiful waitress, throwing her a charming smile. He lit a cigarette, and pretended to read his book, listening carefully.
"All new identities," the woman was telling Ichigo, who nodded. She reached across the table, her hand sliding into Ichigo's, her low cut shirt revealing a lot of cleavage. Grimmjow couldn't see Ichigo's face but he could guess he was blushing - he almost laughed. "You'll be safe, all of you. I even did the others you asked for, though I have no idea why…"
Grimmjow kept his expression neutral, wondering whom the others could be. It made sense really, a whole new set of information and details, leaving the trail on Kurosaki Ichigo to go dead. It might not be a completely permanent idea, them to live far away with new names, but it would keep Aizen off them for a while. Grimmjow almost smiled, Ichigo was more intelligent than Aizen had given him credit for.
"And the other thing?" Ichigo asked, keeping his voice low, "Did you find the information I asked for?"
The woman's face changed, and her hand slid away from Ichigo's.
"I did, but as with those other items, I have to wonder why you would want it," She murmured, her unusual golden brown eyes narrowing. Grimmjow glanced up at his waitress as she placed his drink down.
"Merci," he murmured quietly, allowing his fingers to brush hers as he pulled the cup closer. The woman smiled, flicking her hair and walking away. He returned his attention back to his book and tried to pick up the conversation again.
"Look, I don't have to explain myself," Ichigo was arguing, and Grimmjow took a careful sip of coffee.
"Yes, yes you do. He's a dangerous man. The illegitimate son of a big Yakuza boss back in Japan, he was pushed out at 16 when his old man died and the new heir took over. Him and some of his followers seemed to wander about for a bit, then he vanishes before he pops up doing Aizen's dirty work, and the work of anyone Aizen whores him out too. Seems like Aizen raised him and a load of other teenagers, it was seen as some kind of charity thing - Aizen and his troubled teens. But in reality he took a load of bad kids and just got them to be his thugs," The woman hissed, eyeing Ichigo. "If you are mixed up with him…"
Grimmjow clenched his fist beneath the table. Ichigo had got this bitch to dig up information on him? So that's what this was - he was going to get rid of him as a big risk.
The woman rubbed her forehead, before she continued.
"The group who pushed him out, a fair few ended up dead. Its never been proved but there was talk in the underworld it was his doing, as revenge." She continued and he saw Ichigo shift uncomfortably in his chair. He returned his gaze to his book as the woman glanced around the café.
"He's a bad person Ichigo," She finished, watching him carefully.
"I know," Ichigo muttered in response, his shoulders sagging.
"Come on, we better go to the pick up point," The woman peeled a few bills from her purse and dropped them onto the table. Grimmjow kept his gaze down as the chairs scraped back, signaling the two's departure. He glanced up at the exchange of thank you from Ichigo and the staff as the door of the café swung shut, and he could have sworn that Ichigo had looked back at him.
Ichigo didn't look at all surprised to see him when Grimmjow appeared in the room of the flat he was renting in the quiet northern quarters of Paris. In fact, from the way Ichigo looked at him Grimmjow suspected he had been waiting for him.
"You found me quicker than I though," Ichigo grumbled, and Grimmjow smirked stepping carefully into the room, his gun pointed at Ichigo.
"I actually found you a few days ago, but thought I'd just soak up Paris. Visit some cafes," Grimmjow informed him, his voice cold as he peered at Ichigo down the length of his gun. Ichigo frowned, clearly picking up on the loaded comment.
"You were there?" He asked, and Grimmjow smiled, sitting down in a cosy armchair across from Ichigo, who sat shirtless on the bed, his back completely straight.
"Heard everything," Grimmjow told him, glancing around the room carefully, "You got some bitch to go around snooping about me?"
"Would you have told me those things?" He asked.
"Of course I fucking wouldn't," Grimmjow sneered in response, using his free hand to pull a packet of cigarettes from where he had them folded into the white sleeve of his t-shirt. He flicked the bottom of the pack, extracting a cigarette, which he held out to Ichigo. He shook his head at the offer and Grimmjow placed it in his own mouth.
"Matches,"
It wasn't a question and Ichigo walked into the kitchen. When he came back he found the gun still pointed at him, but he ignored it and held the packet out. Grimmjow didn't reach out to take it and Ichigo scowled, glowering at the other man as he lit a match and leant in close to light the cigarette for the other man.
He returned to the bed, watching as Grimmjow smoked, his gun never lowering from pointing at Ichigo. His eyes wandered over his body, taking every detail in as if memorizing it.
"I had to know who you were," Ichigo told him seriously.
The two sat in silence for a while; just looking at each other in the yellowish lamp light, while the sounds of the evening seeped in on the breeze through the open window.
"You don't want to kill me," Ichigo announced suddenly and Grimmjow raised an eyebrow, grinding his cigarette out into a glass on the side next to his chair.
"Do I not? Sure looks like I do," Grimmjow laughed, gesturing with his head to the gun pointed at Ichigo.
"Exactly, looks like. But we both know if you wanted to I would already be dead, that I would have been dead ages ago," Ichigo admitted. Grimmjow didn't say anything he just considered him carefully.
"I want you," Grimmjow announced quietly to the room, "but it's gone too far now. We end this, one of us walks away and the other doesn't. That was how it was always going to end and we knew that. I was something fun for you, for a while and you were someone…"
"I was someone who what?" Ichigo asked, sitting forward suddenly, as if he needed to hear the answer and Grimmjow narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know. I don't," Grimmjow told him, "I just know its something, okay,"
"You know I'm leaving right - new name, new life. It's all set up. Once I've taken you out I was always meant to go to that life," Ichigo told him.
Silence fell again and Grimmjow closed his eyes, unsure of what to say. He felt something for Ichigo - he knew that. He was aware of the initial attraction becoming something more a deep hunger and dark desire that burned in his stomach, but he just didn't know what it was. And he had a job to do, and Grimmjow did his job because it was all he had, and it had, at some point been fun. But now, it wasn't and Ichigo was, and after that last job all he had been able to think about was Ichigo.
"You are someone to me too," He admitted, feeling around next to him. He threw something at Grimmjow, who simply watched the objects fall into his lap. Passport. Wallet. He scowled as he looked at the objects, before placing his gun on the table next to him and opening them both.
"What are these?" He asked, staring at his photograph next to a name and details he didn't know.
"A new life," Ichigo told him, looking at him long and hard. "If you still want to fight me Grimmjow I'll fight you as many times as you want, so for now can't you just stop?"
Grimmjow looked up then, his eyes wide.
"I've always been alone, even those who came with me when that bastard took over my family and kicked me out were just cowards, but you what? Want me to come and live with you? Get a house and a kid and a little fucking dog?" Grimmjow growled suddenly angry, stalking towards Ichigo and grabbing him. Ichigo swung a fist out and it made contact with Grimmjow's stomach, pushing him back a little, but he didn't release his grip on Ichigo's shoulders. "Do you have any idea who I am? What I've done? I kill people Kurosaki,"
"I know, and its not… what you have done is bad, but I just don't think I can hate you because of it," Ichigo told him, the words so powerful it felt as if they were hanging in the air between them. Grimmjow released him, turning his back on the teen and running his hand over his face.
"Aizen will send someone else," Grimmjow told him, turning to glance back over his shoulder. "After both of us, he won't let either of us go. He fucking raised me, he'll see it as a betrayal and he'll send the worst he has after us. You see this?" He tugged up his shirt showing the six on his back, "That's my sign of being a general in his organization. There are ten of us in his organization that are considered his generals, you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"
"That's why I need you," Ichigo told him, looking at him coolly, "I need you to kill anyone who comes to threaten my family and friends,"
Grimmjow sat down, shaking his head.
"Urahara is going to take him down," Ichigo announced and Grimmjow looked up at him. "There is a way out,"
Grimmjow's blue eyes seemed to stare right through him into his soul and Ichigo found he was moving towards the other man, and pressing his lips to Grimmjow's in a soft kiss. He went to pull away but Grimmjow was grabbing his head and pulling it down, kissing him frantically. Ichigo let himself be pulled in and after they pulled apart, breathing heavily.
"Whatever this is… is it worth risking everything for?" Grimmjow asked and Ichigo stared at him.
"I have no idea, but all I know is that I like this. I like us having sex and fighting and being together," Ichigo told him, a blush on his cheeks despite the defiant set of his jaw as he told Grimmjow this, his stare daring Grimmjow to tease him.
Grimmjow sighed, looking away and towards the window.
"It's a shame we can't just stay here," He muttered, grabbing Ichigo's hand and pulling him into a clumsy embrace in his lap. "I do quite like Paris…"
Ichigo scowled, wriggling in Grimmjow's lap an objection at the position on his lips when Grimmjow spoke again.
"Don't expect to be some fucking saint," Grimmjow murmured into his ear, and Ichigo paused, "and don't expect some fucking lovey dovey relationship crap,"
Ichigo shook his head, smirking down at Grimmjow.
"Who the fuck would want that?"
Err so that's it! I was going more for final battle, somber, eating meat alone Ichigo and Grimmjow characterization, rather than the mental fighting in the earlier ones - I hope Grimmjow or Ichigo doesn't seem OOC because of this. I just generally hope this whole thing is okay its been a verrrryyyy long time since I last write anything, so I'm just hoping I haven't lost any mojo!
OR you can read it on my fanfiction profile
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9203273/1/Predator-Vs-Prey