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Christmas Day was right around the corner and preparations in the Kurosaki household were running at full speed. It wasn’t surprising, that Ichigo spent his weekend in the kitchen, helping Yuzu with the baking. During the special Christmas family meeting they had held a few weeks earlier it had been decided, they would gift friends and relatives solely with cookies this year. For simplicity reasons of course, not because Isshin was too lazy to come up with something fancy for everyone except his daughters. Ichigo on the other hand, was already mentally prepared for the usual dumb Christmas-themed hoodie or pair of socks, since that’s what he got the previous few years.
And so he stood there. Cookie cutters in hand and putting dough stars and trees onto the baking tray while Yuzu was busy forming, decorating and preparing the more complicated stuff. It would have been a nice and quiet afternoon – especially since Isshin was out shopping for whatever ungodly number of holiday lights and whatnot, with Karin accompanying him to prevent him from going overboard with everything – if not for one person.
“And what the fuck is this?”
Grimmjow had decided to annoy him to the edge of madness, by sticking around and asking about every single little thing he came across in the kitchen because apparently, he had nothing better to do.
“It’s a tin opener. Can you-”
“And this?”
“Eggbeater.”
The Arrancar narrowed his eyes in disbelief. “You know the other one looks more like something to beat shit up, right?”
As if to underline his point, he poked Ichigo’s face with the egg beater. Yuzu giggled behind him. She must have turned around at the right moment to see the floating tool. Ichigo only rolled his eyes.
“And you know you’re freaking annoying, right?”
“Not my fault.”
“Course it’s your fault.”
“Nah, it’s yours.”
“How can you being annoying be my fault? Ouch!” the tin opener had been thrown at him – with force of course – and hit his forehead. Now he rubbed the aching spot.
“See? Way better weapon.”
“Grimmjow!”
“What?”
“Can you please be less of an asshole?” Ichigo dodged the second attack with the metal device. The prick of a former Espada had used Sonido to get it back and throw it again.
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“You’re going to fight me?”
“I told you I don’t have time.”
“Guess it’s staying an asshole then.”
It took the Arrancar exactly one swift move to mash the rolled-out dough back into one big chunk and take it before Ichigo could react. He started to throw it into the air over and over again like a ball.
“Oh, come on! Give it back!” Ichigo lunged for it, but Grimmjow moved to the side whenever he tried to get his hands on the dough. “That’s not funny!”
“Sure is more entertaining than staring holes into the air in Las Noches.”
“What do you want then? Ha? An apology?”
“Don’t need a fucking apology. I’m here for my weekend fight, moron!”
“How about cookies?” Yuzu interrupted their bickering, holding a big tin in Grimmjow’s direction, almost hitting the Arrancar’s face with it. In her defence, even though she was getting better at sensing and sometimes also hearing spirits, she still couldn’t see them, not even the outline. Grimmjow squinted his eyes, as he sniffed on the cookies.
“You can’t offer him cookies, Yuzu. It’s like rewarding him!”
“And you shouldn’t be so mean to your friend, Oni-chan. After all, Neko-san came all the way here to spend time with you,” she shot him one of these meaningful glances which usually came from Karin. It reminded him that both his sisters knew about the tiny little secret, he may or may not have told them this one time they caught him drunk. Although he was pretty sure in reality Yoruichi had let them in on it.
“Who the fuck are you calling Neko-san?” Grimmjow growled and Yuzu tried to focus on him. Ichigo got the impression she hadn’t heard the grumpy feline.
“He said-”
“I heard him. Would you prefer to be called Neko-sama?”
A long moment of silence formed between them, seemingly stretching into eternity. The Shinigami wondered what was going on in Grimmjow’s head. Was he considering murdering his little sister? Or was he already thinking of where to dump her corpse?
“I can live with that,” the blue-haired finally stated, before he threw the dough back to Ichigo – who almost dropped it in surprise for multiple reasons – and took a cookie from the tin. It was one of the Engelsaugen filled with strawberry marmalade and the Arrancar continued to suspiciously eye the little sweet snack.
“See, Oni-chan? You just have to be nice.”
“Yeah, whatever…” Ichigo turned and got back to his task: rolling out the dough anew. In the meantime, Grimmjow ate the Engelsauge in one piece.
“Do you want another one, Neko-sama?”
Instead of an answer, Grimmjow took a second cookie. This time a Vanillekipferl which he swallowed immediately. The Shinigami still didn’t know who had given Yuzu all the German cookie recipes, but Uryu was probably the one responsible.
“You sure like cookies, huh? Please, take as many as you want.”
Barely a second later, Yuzu placed the tin in front of Grimmjow and got back to work herself.
“Again, don’t reward him for sabotaging me. Besides he only took two-”
“Five,” Grimmjow corrected him, mouth full of cookies.
“Ok, five cookies. That doesn’t make him like-”
“Six.”
“What I wanted to say-”
“Seven.”
“Could you stop interrupting me!”
“Ten!”
Yuzu laughed. “Seems I was right. O-ni-chan~”
“Oh, give me a break you two…”
It felt like some sort of miracle when they followed his request. Yuzu was back in super-focused decorating mode and Grimmjow munched away on the cookies at high speed, only gradually slowing down. Eventually the Arrancar realised he was really allowed to eat as much as he wanted and didn’t have to bolt as if there was no tomorrow. In the end, it gave Ichigo some silence and he could finally finish filling the next tray with cookies before shoving it into the oven. Then the blue-haired opened his mouth to speak once more.
“Why are you making those in the first place?”
“Why? Well, it’s almost Christmas and we’re going to gift them to friends and relatives.”
“And eat some ourselves,” Yuzu added.
“Yes, that too,” Ichigo returned to his working space, immediately starting to fill the next tray.
“And why gift them to others? Did they do something to earn it?”
“No. Look, it’s just something you do. You know? Show the people you like some love and appreciation by gifting them something. Doesn’t have to be something big. Just a small gesture to say thank you.”
“And that’s what Crysis is about?”
“Christmas. And basically yes. Although there are a lot of traditions, different in every country and sometimes varying from family to family. Our old man for example always puts up a Christmas tree for us and started to get more and more crazy with decorations in and around the entire house during the past few years.”
“I’m almost scared of what he’ll bring home tonight,” the shuddering was audible in Yuzu’s voice and Ichigo felt it running down his spine as well, as he remembered a conversation, he had with his father about a week ago.
“Let’s just hope it’s not the ugly Santa Clause for the roof…”
“Oh, don’t remind me of this nightmare! He already fancied the thing last year, didn’t he?”
“He sure did… Maybe Karin can talk him out of it again.”
The blue-haired interrupted their horror vision with another question. “And when will this thing take place?”
“Christmas Day is on December twenty-fifth, so Thursday and there’s still plenty of stuff to do till then.”
“So- no mid-week sparring either?”
“I’m afraid not. Sorry.”
Another long silence filled the air and Ichigo could almost feel the disappointment emanating from Grimmjow, though he tried to hide it. He wanted to say something. Anything to perhaps raise the spirits a bit, or at least show how bad he felt about cancelling their fights twice in a row. But he simply didn’t know how to explain.
“Thanks for the cookies, baby girl. I’m out.”
“Grimmjow, I’m really-”
“Keep it to yourself, Kurosaki.”
“But-” he didn’t get any further, since the Arrancar had already left the kitchen with a Sonido. Ichigo sighed deeply, cursing himself internally for once more not having the right words when needed.
“Is he gone? I can’t sense him anymore.”
“Yes. Yes, he is…”
“Good, then let me ask you a question,” his little sister stood right in front of him, her gaze demanding full attention. “Are you always acting like the biggest idiot in existence around him?”
“Of course not!” a light brown eyebrow was raised in a questioning manner. “Ok, maybe I am…”
“Why?”
“I don’t know!” in an attempt to avoid further eye contact, he turned to the side continuing with cutting out the cookies. His younger sister wasn’t ready to give up yet.
“I think you know the reason just too well, Oni-chan. You’re too afraid of telling him how you feel, and for that act stupid to not let on how nervous you are.”
“I thought Karin is the one who considers studying psychology?”
“Oh please, I watched so many soap operas and romantic movies, I know what I’m talking about here!”
Ichigo rolled his eyes again – certainly not for the last time today. “Fine, then what do you suggest?”
“Just tell him the truth!”
“No way I can do that. He’ll kill me. Literally!”
“I doubt it.”
“Oh yeah, why?” looking back at her he could see how Yuzu now rolled her eyes at him; as if what she was about to say was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Cause he’s acting the same as you, which can only mean one thing.”
“I don’t believe you. After all, you’re unable to see him.”
“I saw the dough flying and heard all of your and most of his conversation parts. You’re both idiots.”
“Ok, maybe you got a point there. Still, I can’t just go and tell him that- that- that I-”
“-love him?”
“Yeah. That…” The mere thought of telling Grimmjow those three words made him blush so hard that his cheeks felt like they were actually burning. Yuzu simply smiled at him in the same way she’d look at a cute puppy.
“Then show him.”
“How?”
“Give him something special for Christmas.”
“And what? He’s not interested in anything but fighting me,” Ichigo aggressively rammed the cookie cutter into the dough, getting his hand caught in between in the process.
“Then give him a fight.”
“We’re fighting all the time, it’s nothing special anymore…” he inspected his hand. Luckily there was no blood, solely the imprint of a tree.
“Then give him cookies.”
“Cookies aren’t the solution to everything, Yuzu!”
“Yes, they are! Look, he ate all the Engelsaugen. So here’s what you’re going to do:”
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?”
“You’re going to make a whole big tin of them for him and you’re going to make them heart-shaped.”
“No freaking way I’m going to do that! Ouch!” Yuzu had snapped her index finger at his forehead. At the exact same spot where Grimmjow had hit him with the tin opener earlier.
“Yes, you will! And if he still doesn’t catch the hint then you will kiss him.”
Now he was sure to have a head as red as a tomato. There was no way he could kiss the Arrancar out of the blue. It screamed for beheading.
“Do you really want me to die?!”
Yuzu grabbed his shoulders.
“He won’t kill you. Trust me. And now get to work.”
“But-”
“GET TO WORK, KUROSAKI ICHIGO!!!”
“Y-yes. As you wish…”
And so, he did. He prepared the dough and put it into the fridge for a few hours which he spent finishing the gift cookies for the others. Afterwards he spent the remaining day preparing an unholy amount of Engelsaugen filled with strawberry marmalade in the shape of hearts. At this point, Ichigo seriously questioned the sanity of his little sister, but still did as she had ordered him, only so he could say I told you so! when he would come back as some sort of patchwork meatball. And he also started to fear his next encounter with Grimmjow, whenever it would take place.
Time flew by in the blink of an eye and before Ichigo knew it, it was Christmas Day already. He could have bet a certain Arrancar would appear out of nowhere and give him a hard time, just like he had done the previous weekend. But to his surprise, nothing happened. Grimmjow hadn’t shown up the whole day. Neither when he met with his friends for lunch at KFC, nor at the Christmas tea party Urahara held. Even the Christmas dinner – including Christmas cake in form of a strawberry shortcake made by Yuzu for dessert – and the movie night with his family had passed without any unexpected visitors. And although he knew he was probably overthinking things or going insane, it somehow bothered him.
Was Grimmjow too pissed to haunt him?
Or worse, had he hurt the Arrancar’s feelings?
It was a possibility. One, that seemed more and more plausible, the more Ichigo thought about it. Of course, Grimmjow wasn’t the type who talked a lot about himself – especially not about feelings – and as a result, remained rather mysterious to most people. But the Shinigami was confident he knew him good enough to realise when the other was genuinely hurt. And looking back, the belied gaze he had seen in deep oceans before the blue-haired had disappeared, told him everything he needed to know. Additionally, he was aware he had most likely screwed up big time by acting all annoyed and hostile, not only on that particular Saturday but also a bunch of weeks before the cookie baking.
But it hadn’t been like this all the time. No. Right after the war against the Quincy, they had started with their weekly spars. They were a hell of a lot of fun and they never seemed to run out of ideas for more banter. Matter-of-factly, they both enjoyed their fights so much, they had ended up training together twice a week. Yet, it still had taken Ichigo about three months and getting quite drunk at Halloween to realise why their little fights made him so happy.
He had hopelessly fallen in love about two years ago already. As a sixteen-year-old wannabe Shinigami who knew nothing about anything, especially not about himself.
Looking back, it had been so obvious yet he simply hadn’t been aware of it. This little moment of realisation though changed everything and he didn’t know anymore how to act around Grimmjow. Every word, every move, not to mention body contact when kicking each other’s asses – everything could mean so much more and nothing at all simultaneously. At least that’s what his eighteen-year-old brain suggested. So the next logical step had been to pretend no magical enlightenment had happened and instead continue with their usual bickering and fighting.
However, by now he had to admit he had gotten too salty on multiple occasions while building up a wall between them, which he could use to hide and figure out how to proceed. The problem was: he hadn’t come up with any usable plan. He still knew nothing about himself or what to do. Yet, even he had understood he couldn’t go on like this. He had to change tactics as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the baking weekend might have been the first but surely not the last time he would see hidden sadness in Grimmjow’s eyes.
All those thoughts ran through his brain during the credits of the Christmas comedy Isshin and Yuzu loved so much. The same movie Karin and Ichigo only watched because it had become a family tradition a long time ago. Needless to say, his mind had wandered off more often than not during the movie. But now the popcorn was eaten, the TV fell silent – unlike Isshin’s and Yuzu’s sobbing since the end was Oh so sweet – and the Shinigami just wanted to get rid of the newest and so far, most hideous of Christmas socks he ever got before he would crawl into his bed and try to catch some sleep, though he was pretty sure, he wouldn’t get a lot of it.
“I’m off to bed. Good night.”
“But what about The Grinch?! There’s no Christmas without this classic and- hurgh!” Karin punched Isshin into the guts.
“Cut it out, Goatface! If Ichi-nii’s tired he should get some rest. In fact, I might hit the sheets as well.”
“What? Why?!”
“Check the time! It’s almost midnight already ‘cause that Hatman’s stupid tea party dragged on into eternity!”
“Kisuke is a dear friend and you should respect-”
“He’s a crazy person, and you know it!”
Ichigo wasn’t keen on witnessing yet another discussion concerning the afternoon tea party. They had already talked about it on their way back home. And while he still was neither happy about how offensive Jinta was flirting with Yuzu, despite her obvious disinterest, nor about the fact Yoruichi had tried to feed them hash cookies to their Punch tea – leaving him wondering, if she and Urahara knew anything about Christmas traditions at all – he had more urgent problems now. After another Good night he left his already quarrelling family and headed for the stairs.
First, he needed to figure out how to properly apologise to Grimmjow. Admittedly, Yuzu’s idea with the cookies came in handy for it.
Second, he should work on a plan for how to behave around the Arrancar in the future, ultimately leading to the third and probably most important thing:
How should he attempt to propose to him?
Should he do so at all?
The moment he entered his room he beelined for his bed and dropped himself there. By now certain he wouldn’t be able to sleep for quite some time with all those thoughts swirling around in his mind, he didn’t bother to change into his sleeping clothes. He did slip out of the itchy socks though. While the fresh air cooling down his feet was a blessing, something else felt off. As if someone had been in his room while he had been away. He looked around, as good as his lying position allowed it, but everything seemed normal. His wardrobe, the bookshelf, even the way the blanket on his bed had been folded.
On the other hand, it could be just his imagination playing tricks on him again, which was something that happened rather frequently recently due to dreams of the naughty kind. Dreams he would deny he had if asked. But just like after waking up, it was nothing but a weird feeling. Or so he thought until he checked the desk with an investigating gaze.
Within a split second, he sat up straight. On the table, right next to his textbooks, was a little cube-shaped present with the diameter of his hand and half of it in height. It was carefully wrapped in dark blue paper with white sparkling spots on it, resembling snowflakes before a dark winter sky. A matching white ribbon was swathed around it as well. There wasn’t a note attached, not to mention a card, so he had no clue who could have left it there. However, when he touched it, he could feel a very familiar Reiatsu pulsating inside the present. Similar to a beating heart.
Ichigo shifted into a cross-legged sitting position and took the present to unwrap it. Underneath the top layer of paper lay another one, white and half transparent with a decent rainbow-coloured shimmer. It already gave view to a night-blue box, not unlike the cookie tin hidden in his drawer, which waited to be delivered to a certain Arrancar. The very same Arrancar, who had left this present for the Shinigami. At least judging by the Reiatsu it was a gift from Grimmjow.
But why? Wasn’t he mad, because of the cancelled sparring sessions? Was it a trick or a trap? Or was it actually just a Christmas gift? And how did he manage to wrap the thing with so much care? Not even Yuzu could compete with it and she was the queen of gift wrapping!
Oh, he had so many questions. A few of them would hopefully be answered in a few seconds since he decided to open the box right away.
With a gentle wave of Reiatsu, a sweet and fresh scent filled the air and moments later Ichigo laid his eyes upon something that looked like ice-blue heart-shaped diamonds. They probably were some sort of sweets, though he wasn’t entirely sure of it. In any case they were stunningly beautiful, especially due to the low blueish glow they emanated.
The Shinigami was so caught up in the stunning gift, he almost fell from his bed in shock when someone knocked at his window. He managed to bite back the yelp and turned his head barely fast enough to see the rest of a pair of boots with ridiculously complex but stylish metal decorations disappear towards the roof. So the Arrancar had been sticking around all the time after all. As fast as he could Ichigo left his body, grabbed the box he just opened and followed the other up to the snow-covered roof.
Holiday lights in the form of a reindeer duo with a present-filled sleigh and a Santa Clause bathed everything in a soft golden shade. And as if he would have ordered it, it started to snow again, flakes drizzling down, dancing towards each other but staying separate in the end.
Grimmjow was standing there. Hands in pockets, back turned towards the Shinigami, facing the hundreds of little lights. Ichigo wasn’t sure if the Arrancar was waiting for something or if he was solely enjoying the view. Or maybe – given, Yuzu was right – he simply didn’t know what to say either. No matter which theory was the correct one, the Shinigami decided to take things into his own hands.
“So, have you been up here for long?” he asked while walking up to the blue-haired to occupying the spot next to him. He left about an arm's length of distance between them though.
“Just a couple of hours.”
“Hours?! Why didn’t you come inside?”
“Thought I leave you and your family alone.”
“And you were standing here, in the cold, at this exact spot for hours?”
“Nah, looked around the neighbourhood to see if any house would top yours in all things decoration.”
“And? What’s your conclusion?”
“Some were quite close, but- well. None of them has two dozen illuminated gnomes leading the way to their front door.”
“Yeah, the Mini-Santas. Dad’s biggest joy.”
For a few moments, no additional words were spoken, both of them staring at the holiday lights and the stronger growing snowfall. At least Ichigo thought it was merely a few moments. It might as well have been a few minutes. In the end it didn’t matter because he wouldn’t be able to tell anyway.
“So- ahm… what are the blue crystals about?” He turned his head to Grimmjow, but the Arrancar kept his narrowed to look down at the Christmas-themed garden gnomes.
“Stupid question. Weren’t you the one who told me that’s the point of Chrysler? Giving people you like a gift?” The former Espada kicked a bunch of snow from the roof, burying one gnome with it.
“Christmas. And- wait. Does this mean you actually like me?”
Only now blue eyes met his, with Grimmjow’s voice nothing but a grumpy whisper, barely loud enough to hear. “You got a present, so what do you think, moron…”
“I- I don’t know. I always figured you’d simply see me as a more challenging sparring partner than Nel or Harribel.”
The eye contact broke and Ichigo imagined seeing a tiny, decent blush on Grimmjow’s cheeks. “Well- you are, but… you’re more than that too…”
“So, what am I to you then? A friend?”
“That what you see in me?” Grimmjow countered with another question, wild blue once more returning to his figure. Expectant and uncertain. Almost insecure. So unlike how Grimmjow usually appeared.
Right now, Ichigo just wanted to hug him and what was even more important: he wanted to tell him everything. Wanted to say those three little words, he had been practising at least ten minutes every evening for the past couple of days when he was lying in bed so he would get them out when needed. But of course, when the decisive moment – this very exact moment – had come, the sole thing his mouth did was open and close again and again without any sound leaving it.
The Arrancar obviously misinterpreted it, his expression shifting into a mask which only partially hid the disappointment and hurt. “I see… So I’m even less…”
A glassy shimmer wetted the Arrancar’s eyes as he turned away entirely. Ichigo was certain it took Grimmjow everything not to cry. And it ached in his chest as if his heart was breaking alongside Grimmjow’s. He needed to do something. Anything! So he stretched out his hand.
“Grimmjow-”
“Sorry for disturbing your Chrisgas… Enjoy the Reishi sweets...”
The ginger managed to grab the other’s shoulder before he could disappear with a Sonido. Then a box with diamondlike hearts fell onto the snow-covered roof as Ichigo used both his hands to turn the blue-haired around, pull him close and kiss him.
Grimmjow’s lips were cold, unlike his breath which felt so extremely warm when it stroked Ichigo’s cheeks; it let him shiver for reasons he didn’t understand.
But it didn’t matter at the moment.
Nothing mattered for he had done it.
Not speaking with words but with actions. Just as Yuzu had suggested. Ichigo would thank her for her encouragement later. Now, on the other hand, he should really start explaining.
So he broke the kiss after barely a few seconds, his lips longing for more immediately, and stared right into the Arrancar’s absolutely confused face – it was so frozen in the moment like an ice statue. Hell, the blue-haired had stopped blinking, his brain most likely suffering the worst overload of his entire afterlife and the fact Ichigo didn’t let go of him probably wasn’t helping either.
“I’m sorry, Grimmjow. I should have told you earlier, but- you see… I’m an idiot. An idiot who couldn’t handle the-… uhm… well... the situation. Cause- you know… urgh… fuck…” He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath before brown once more locked his gaze with compressed oceans. “What I’m trying to say is: you are my friend. But I- I wish there was more between us. Like- a lot more. Cause I… I love you, Grimmjow.”
Silence.
Not a single word for what felt like an eternity. The still-falling snow had started to form a thin layer on top of blue strands, sparkling in the glow the holiday lighting next to them emanated. However, the Arrancar remained silent. It made Ichigo nervous after a while.
“If- if I misunderstood what you said earlier and that’s not what you want us to be, we can of course stay friends and-”
“No!” Finally life returned to the other, who now slung his arms around the Shinigami as well. A blink of an eye later, their foreheads connected already and the tip of Grimmjow’s nose touched Ichigo’s. Simultaneously, for once clawless fingers drilled deep into his Shihakushō. “It’s exactly what I want and also what I meant earlier. It’s just- fuck, I didn’t expect you’d feel the same!”
Ichigo couldn’t help but chuckle. “Good to hear. So, what do you say? Shall we go inside, so I can give you your present too?”
“Hmmm… No. Not yet.”
“And when will be a good time? Cause in case you haven’t noticed it’s freaking cold out here and-”
“We’ll hop into your room after I do this.”
Before Ichigo could ask what this was, he felt Grimmjow’s mouth pressed against his. It still felt cold, but also very smooth, as he only now noticed. Of course he returned the gesture immediately and this time the sensation sent him flying – unlike before this kiss actually felt like a first kiss should. Their lips caressed each other in soft motions, with Grimmjow’s teeth gracing Ichigo’s lower one every so often, yet never biting it for real. At least for the time being. Who knew where they would end?
While a hot tickling was already rushing through Ichigo’s entire body – making him feel light like a feather, ready to be carried away by the tiniest breeze – it increased further when Grimmjow’s tongue requested entry into his mouth. Which he granted without thinking twice about it. He almost regretted it a second later, when his knees felt as if they would turn into jelly, bordering on giving way entirely. But only almost. What the unexpectedly hot muscle did in his mouth must be illegal and he was so down for it! For all of it! How it flicked against his teeth, danced around his own tongue, simply everything. Yes, it definitely surpassed every expectation and fantasy he had about his first real kiss. It was so unbelievably good, he started to feel dizzy because of it.
All of a sudden ice-cold air touched his lips again.
“Oi, don’t faint on me, Kurosaki!”
Only then Ichigo realised that he had indeed stopped breathing out of sheer excitement. Maybe he had been holding his breath from the beginning. The embarrassment the perspective brought with it let his probably already pink cheeks turn strawberry red. Thankfully his knees started to feel useful again.
“Sorry…”
“Don’t be,” Grimmjow started to purr, a shit-eating grin decorating his face, while he pulled the Shinigami even closer. “I take it as a compliment.”
Worried he would lose himself in another kiss which would surely follow within seconds – and a lot more worried the next one could end with both of them naked on the roof – he tried to escape Grimmjow’s vice-like hug.
“Y-you definitely should. And now we should go inside so I can give you your cookies and-”
“Hold on, my present are cookies?”
“Yeah. You seemed really into them last weekend so I figured-”
“Why haven’t you said so earlier?! Let’s fucking go!”
Within the blink of an eye the body, which had been pressed against his own as if it would never let him go again, vanished; a blue-haired figure having disappeared without waiting for him.
Ichigo cracked a smile. Who would have guessed Grimmjow was a cookie monster?
He bent down to pick up the little box with the Reishi sweets and finally tried one of them. It tasted indeed sweet, with a honey note and it made him wonder why, since he didn’t connect this taste with Grimmjow before. He would run some research later though, translating to more kissing, to solve the mystery.
But first he would follow the other back into the house, where they would definitely cuddle on the bed, because it’s what couples do on Christmas, right? And they were a couple now, as far as he had understood.
So he jumped back into his room with a Shunpo to do just that and enjoy the most wonderful Christmas Day he ever had.