Chapter Text
The noise of a cash register drawer slamming closed brought Ichigo back to reality. The college student behind the counter smiled weakly, and turned his attention to the petite blonde woman that was next in line. As she started to rattle off a complicated coffee order, Ichigo grabbed the steaming cup in front of him and stumbled out of the way.
“Are you like.. good?”
The voice came from behind Ichigo, and he turned to see Rukia, bag slung over her shoulders, iced coffee in one hand, half a croissant in the other.
“It’s the first day of classes, and you’re already a wreck? I’m honestly embarrassed for you.”
“If you want to be snarky with me, your delivery would be more effective if you didn’t have a giant flake of croissant on your face.” Ichigo snapped back.
“Ehh!?” Rukia gasped, furiously wiping at her face. “Okay screw you, we’re going to be late. Let’s go, hangover boy, I won’t have my perfect attendance reputation ruined because of you, even if we have an in with this professor.”
"An in? The guy is practically my uncle. I don't know if that makes it better or worse."
The pair exited the busy cafe, pushing past other students desperately trying to get their own caffeine fix before classes started. Rukia walked purposefully towards the science building, Ichigo trailing behind her in a fog. He pulled his sunglasses off his head and over his squinting eyes.
“I wouldn’t say I’m excited for this class, but it is nice to know that I have an easy A this semester,” Rukia chatted, ignoring Ichigo’s grunts and mumbles in response. Summer was still hanging on, the warm morning promising to continue to heat up. It would be perfect weather to read outside, Ichigo mused, mentally making a note to stop by the library later. A quick chop to Ichigo’s side pulled him out of his daydream and doubled him over as they walked through the quad.
“Are you listening?” Rukia asked authoritatively.
“God, Rukia, can you let a guy live? I’m clearly hungover,” Ichigo groaned. “It’s so fucking bright. I’m going to murder Renji for convincing me to go out with the guys last night. Just ‘cause the first day of classes is only an intro to the course doesn’t mean I’m immune to hangovers. Can’t believe you’re even seeing him.” Ichigo continued to grumble, massaging his side.
“First of all, we aren’t seeing each other-”
“Debatable.”
“Second, I was just talking about that, you absolute moron.” Rukia sighed as she started digging through her purse and continuing her relentless march towards class. “As I was saying. Renji is in this class too, so you’ll have plenty of time to murder him. I’m sure we will see plenty of repeat performances of last night. Aha!” Rukia pulled out a small, rattling bottle, and shoved it into Ichigo’s hands.
“Oh thank God,” Ichigo breathed, dropping two advil into his hand. “How many of these things do you think I can have on an empty stomach without dying?”
Rukia snatched the plastic bottle back, and began rummaging through her bag again. “Well,” she said smugly, triumphantly pulling a granola bar out, “you don’t have to do it on an empty stomach. And I think two is a good starting place.”
“You’re always so prepared. Where would I be without you?”
“Dead, most likely. Besides, we were literally just getting coffee, you could have gotten something.” Without being asked, Rukia handed him a water bottle. Ichigo took a swig to wash down the pills, and the bottle disappeared into the bag as quickly as it appeared.
She pushed open a door with her shoulder and the two entered the room. The airy classroom was filled with long counters, all facing the front of the room. A waving hand caught Ichigo’s attention, and a curvy, copper haired woman called out to them, much too loudly for the small, relatively empty room.
“Ichigo, Rukia, we saved you seats!!”
“Inside voice, Orihime,” the redhead at the counter behind her closed his eyes and groaned, resting his head on an elbow propped hand.
Rukia took the seat next to him. “Looks like you’re as bad as Ichigo. Did the both of you become complete wimps over the summer?”
Renji opened one eye and looked at her with a grin. “Really put me in my place, babe, thanks.” For a second, Ichigo thought his friend was puckering his lips at her, but before he could be sure of it, Rukia swiped at Renji’s elbow, his head slipping off his hand and slamming onto the counter.
“Oy Rukia, c’mon” he cried out, indignantly. He massaged his cheekbone and turned his attention to Ichigo, who had settled in next to Orihime. “Glad to hear I’m not the only one suffering though. That beer/shot combo deal is fucking deadly.”
“I can only imagine the rest of the guys are feeling it as well. At least this isn’t an early class.”
“Yeah, we really scored on getting a good filler class. The science of cooking? Honestly, it’s like they made this course for seniors who are just trying to breeze through,” Renji grinned.
“You’d be right, Mr. Abarai,” an overly familiar voice boomed from the front of the room.
Ichigo cringed and instantly became aware that the room was now full of other students. He turned to face the man in front of the white board.
“I hope you all didn’t get too comfortable, because I’ve assigned you all lab partners,” the professor said. “I’m Professor Urahara, though I know several of you already know me. Grab your stuff, I’ll call out partners.” A groan sounded from the class, as people gathered their things and stood against the wall, waiting to be told who to pair with.
Ichigo looked around the room. It wasn’t a very large class, maybe 20 students, tops. As he expected, the room was filled with students that were clearly seniors. Most of them had passed on the common practice of dressing nicely for the first day of classes, jaded by their years in the education system. There were a couple familiar faces around the room, people that Ichigo had taken gen ed classes with in the past, or that he just recognized from seeing around the relatively small campus over the past three years. It seemed like this course was a popular choice, full of seniors like Ichigo trying to get an easy class that filled a graduation requirement and wasn’t so early that it would dissuade them from going out the night before. As Ichigo’s eyes scanned the people around him, they fell on one person he never expected to see.
A tall, broad shouldered guy slouched in the corner. His presence was imposing, dressed in all black with a shock of electric blue, gelled hair. He was scowling at the ground while a shorter man with bright green eyes talked to him, an unreadable, neutral expression on his face. Ichigo quickly looked away, not wanting to lock eyes with either of them. As he did, the shorter man picked his bag up off the ground and crossed the room to take a seat next to Orihime.
Right, shit. Kisuke was calling out names. Ichigo’s gut clenched as the amount of people around the sides dwindled. Please don’t pair me with him, Ichigo pleaded internally.
“Ichigo Kurosaki ” Kisuke called out, “You’re with Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.”
Fuck.
He took a seat at the next available counter, which at least was behind Rukia. Rukia, who was paired with Renji. Fucking lucky bastards. Rukia’s face was sympathetic, but she quickly turned around to face the front of the room as soon as Ichigo felt a body next to his. The other chair scraped loudly against the floor and a malevolent presence settled into the seat.
Ichigo turned to face him properly. Bright blue eyes glared back at him.
“Good to see you,” Ichigo said, sticking out his hand.
His lab partner stared at it, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face. Ichigo’s outstretched hand hovered in the air for several long, painful seconds. Embarrassed, he took it back and started fiddling with his notebook. Thankfully it wasn’t long before everyone had been paired off and Kisuke had taken his place back at the front of the room.
“Okay, so for the record, I didn’t have a choice about the lab partners. If you have a problem with it, bring it up with the head of the department! Let’s get on with it. I mean, it’s a cooking class so, expect to cook things...” Kisuke began, starting to pass out a stack of papers.
Ichigo didn’t hear much else. He sat tensed in his chair, staring at the back of Renji’s ponytail for 30 minutes. How does he get it to look like that anyway? At this point his hangover was gone, thanks to Rukia, but he was still having a hard time focusing. Only when his friends in front of him started to stand up did he realize that they’d been dismissed early.
Snatching his bag from the floor, Ichigo nearly tripped over the stool he had been seated on and jumped up to join Rukia and Renji as they exited the classroom.
“So, lunch?” Renji asked, once the three of them were outside the classroom.
“Please, god yes,” Ichigo replied.
Students continued to file out of the room. Ichigo watched Orihime giggling and waving goodbye to her dark haired lab partner before joining the trio. He was watching the odd young man loiter in the corner when Rukia started talking to him.
“So, I know you like the udon place on Broad Street, but I’ve actually been dying for some tacos lately.”
Yeah, that seems good, I’d be down for that. I just want to ask Kisuke a question before we go.”
“And what kind of question would that be, Mr. Kurosaki?” Kisuke asked, appearing out of thin air. Behind him Ichigo’s new, scowling lab partner slipped out of the classroom and stalked down the hall after throwing a glowering look in Ichigo’s direction. Orihime’s lab partner trailed behind him, seemingly unfazed by his friend’s behavior.
Once Grimmjow was around the corner, out of sight and presumably earshot, Ichigo rounded on Kisuke. “What the hell is up with these pairings, Urahara!”
“Well, I did say the partners thing was not my choice,” Kisuke said soberly. “The department chair knew it was a mostly senior class and insisted on assigned partners so that it wouldn’t just be friends goofing off. Plus, I believe he knew that I was friendly with the four of you, so he didn’t want me playing favorites this time around.”
“As if you play favorites! If anything, you’re gonna be harder on us than with normal students!” Renji complained.
“If it’s random, then how did Rukia and Renji end up together!” Ichigo said pointedly.
“Well. It was the luck of the draw,” Kisuke replied, wringing his hands hard enough to raise some questions.
“If anyone should be the favorite, it’s me. I’ve known you most of my life,” Ichigo whined.
Sensing that the students weren’t buying his reasoning, he added hastily, “Anyway, I wouldn’t cross Rukia if you paid me, and you are, technically, since that’s how tuition works.” He held up the papers that had been in the crook of his arm like a shield in front of his face, throwing all but his eyes into shadow. “That being said, I had no idea that was the young man you had run ins with in high school, and I would have thought by now you’d be over all that. It was years ago, Ichigo, time to move on! See you!” With that, the blond professor turned around and swiftly shut the classroom door behind him.
***
El Rey del Tacos was his college town’s best kept secret in Ichigo’s opinion. Easily the best tacos in the area, but far enough off campus that it never got too busy and you could always get a table. Ichigo had grumbled the whole way there, but after being away for the summer, he was glad to get his regular order, three carnitas and cheese tacos with everything on them, and a Mexican coke.
The four friends sat down at their favorite booth by the window. They sat in silence for a moment, Ichigo and Renji trying to banish the last remnants of their collective hangovers.
“So, when are you going to fill me in about that guy?” Renji said, a portion of his burrito hanging out of his mouth as he sucked it back. “I didn’t want to ask earlier, but I feel like I’m missing some history here?”
“It’s honestly nothing,” Ichigo bristled, “and I’m embarrassed we even have to talk about it.” He took a long drink of his coke and set it down with a bit too much force. “Me and this guy, we actually don’t even know each other.”
“So what’s the fuss?”
“There’s no fuss.”
“Then why are you being weird about it?”
“I’m not being weird. He’s just this guy. We got in a fight once back in high school cause he tried to jump Rukia as like, a prank, or a dare, or whatever. But then we kept seeking each other out to fight. He would beat my ass, honestly, and then one time I actually won it, and I never saw him again.”
“Mmmm. Awkward,” was all Renji has to offer, as he dove back into his lunch.
“I always had the feeling that something happened though, like it wasn’t that he wasn’t seeking me out any more, he was just gone. I looked for him too, you know? I’m not looking for a fight now, obviously, but I always wondered what happened.”
“I don’t think you have much to worry about here. It’s been what, four years?” Rukia waved her taco in the air. “I think you’ve both grown and changed. And if it’s really a problem, like if he actually starts a fight with you, then we can go from there. If nothing happens, then there’s no reason to stress over it and ruin an otherwise excellent class.”
“Cool, yeah, and what do I do in the meantime? Just make a freaking croque monsieur with this dude that hates me? Won’t even shake my hand?”
“Well actually, I think next week is omelettes, so..” Orihime cut in.
“Great. I’m thrilled. Well, I’m still pissed that you two lovebirds got paired up.”
Rukia smacked Ichigo on the head with a rolled up laminated menu. “How dare you imply anything about my personal life.”
Beside her, Renji grinned and winked at Ichigo. “At least I know she makes a killer omelette in the morning, eh?”
The menu smacked him too, a little harder this time. Rukia grabbed her tray and set off to return it, maintaining a rigid back though her face was bright red.
“She looked like this bottle of hot sauce, eh Ichigo?” Renji laughed, jutting his thumb towards the condiments.
“You should be ashamed, it’s obvious she really likes you and is trying to be discreet about the beginning of your relationship.” Orihime tutted across the table.
“What! I mean I really like her too, that’s why we can tease!” Renji stammered.
“No, your teasing is why she wants to hide it from everyone. She doesn’t want to get this from everybody and you’re making it worse,” Orihime scolded, her voice low.
“But she-”
“All I’m saying is, go apologize,” she said, cutting him off with all the motherly authority she could muster.
Renji grabbed the remaining trays on the table and followed Rukia to the counter. From their seat across the room, Ichigo and Orihime watched Rukia scold Renji, the tall, bear of a man practically cowering in front of the woman who was a solid foot shorter than him.
“They’re actually kind of perfect together, don’t you think?” Orihime said to Ichigo after a moment. They watched as Renji tenderly placed a kiss on Rukia’s forehead, which earned him both a smack on the arm and the swiftest peck on the cheek Ichigo had ever seen.
“The weirdest part is how they’re like the same person but also, exact opposites? Unsure on how that one worked out.” Ichigo laughed.
The tension was gone as Rukia and Renji returned to the table. The four friends gathered their stuff and exited the restaurant, making their way towards Renji’s impeccably clean Rav 4. The smile on Ichigo’s face, which appeared when Renji tripped on a particularly large pothole, stayed there the rest of the way back to campus. Yeah, he thought to himself, it was going to be a good semester. No need to sweat about it.
***
Ichigo’s other class for the day was much like his first, in the sense that it was short and consisted of little more than a brief introduction to the course. After leaving it, his phone buzzed in his pocket. There were several messages in a group chat.
Karin: oi bro when r we getting dinner
Yuzu: Ichigo! You promised we would eat together today. When are you out?
Karin: I vote tacos
Yuzu: Yes!
Karin: where’s the best taco place
Karin: you said there’s a good one
Karin: wouldn’t shut up about it all last year
Karin: better not hold out on us
Ichigo sighed and began typing back.
Ichigo: I literally just got out
Ichigo: hold your horses you maniacs
Ichigo: also I already had tacos today
Karin: nooooo
Yuzu: NNOOOOOOOO
Ichigo: next time
Ichigo: off campus pizza? I promise you’ll get sick of the stuff in the student cafeteria.
Karin: deal
Yuzu: yes!
Ichigo: Okay, meet me at my car, it’s parked near the weird sculpture that looks like a naked lady by the library.
Yuzu: ☺️☺️
Karin: got it
When he arrived at his car, he was greeted by two short girls. They looked nearly identical, except that one had dirty blonde hair and wore a huge grin. The other had dark hair and a disinterested smirk.
“Ichigo!! We’re in college!” Yuzu ran up to him and caught him around the waist with a hug.
“And how is that going?”
“It’s only the first day, Yuzu, calm down. As if he didn’t move us in.” The dark haired girl laughed and put her hand on her hip.
“It’s just nice to be able to see you all the time!” Yuzu said, a genuine smile spread across her face.
“Don’t get too used to it. It’s going to get busy, and soon you won’t even have time for each other.”
“We’re roommates, idiot,” Karin said as she rolled her eyes.
“I said what I said. You’ll see.” Ichigo unlocked the car and hopped into the driver’s seat.
***
“Ughh I can’t believe it’s already crowded. It usually takes the freshmen a couple weeks to find this place.”
Pizza Pizza No. 1 was a popular spot for a reason. Hot pizza by the slice, late night dollar deals, and proximity to campus made it a haven for students looking to eat something other than campus food.
“Hurry up and grab a booth, you’re probably going to have to fight someone if you wait too long.” Ichigo directed Karin and Yuzu towards the seating area and jumped into line to order for the three of them.
A few minutes later, balancing six slices on a tray, he made his way back towards his sisters.
“Karin, you’re going to do women’s intramural soccer, yeah?”
“Obviously. I don’t have time for the school team, but I want to keep playing,” she replied, trying to find a graceful way to eat the cheesy slice.
“The men’s and women’s mixer is tomorrow, you going?”
“We both are. I went to the info session at the club fair and it felt like they were pitching the party more than the team.”
“You’d be surprised how much they make off those parties. Though it means Renji’s house becomes even more of a shithole.”
“You’re not playing though, are you Ichigo?” Yuzu butted in.
“No, I don’t have the time to really commit, but obviously I’m still close with all the guys on the team. I might go to practice every now and then.”
“Right, we saw Renji at the table for the men’s team. He basically told the girl running the women’s table that if they didn’t take me, they’re idiots. As if there are tryouts for an intramural team,” Karin snorted.
“Also,” Yuzu said, suddenly sly, “we saw Karin’s future boyfriend.”
A sharp inhale came from Karin’s side of the table as she choked a bit on her pizza.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, as soon as she regained her composure.
“She does know, and I bet Renji does too if you wanted to ask him,” Yuzu said, pointing towards the door.
Four guys had just come in, the jingle at the door inaudible over the sound of the busy restaurant. The one at the front was Renji, sporting a black and white jacket with the soccer team’s logo on it. Behind him were Yumichika and Ikkaku, both upperclassmen on the team. The third was a stranger, a, short guy with a cloud of white hair. Though Ichigo didn’t recognize him, the boy’s carried himself with the same knowing authority as the other three soccer players, if not more. Renji locked eyes with Ichigo, and started making his way over to their table, beckoning the other three to follow.
“Let me out of this booth, I need to pee,” Karin said suddenly, pushing on Ichigo to get out.
“Running away are we? Is it that white haired boy? What’s his name?” Ichigo teased, refusing to budge.
Just as it seemed that Karin would vault over the table, the guys reached them.
“Scoot over Kurosaki, there’s no other fucking booths available,” said Ikkaku, the muscular, bald man. He was a junior and an aggressive forward for the men’s team. “Can’t believe this place is already crawling with freshmen.”
Renji sidled in next to Yuzu, a familiar smile on his face.
“Hey ladies, how’s the first day going?” He asked.
“Great so far!” Yuzu chirped back.
A slender young man pushed Renji in even farther, brushing his silky, shoulder length hair out of his face. He sat down and gracefully stretched his right hand out to Ikkaku, who grabbed it with unabashed tenderness. A flicker of surprise flashed across the white haired boy’s face, standing awkwardly at the end of the table. It was obvious that another person wouldn’t fit in the booth, and that Karin was actively avoiding his gaze.
“That’s how it goes freshie,” the long haired upperclassman smirked, gesturing to the lack of seats.
“Just steal a chair and sit in the aisle,” Renji jumped in. “Toshiro, this is Ichigo and his sisters Yuzu and Karin. Ichi, Toshiro. We had to go out and replace you since you can’t be bothered to show up to practice this year.”
“Hey, that’s not fair, you knew I was going to be busy-” Ichigo started to counter.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Renji said with a wave of his hand.
“As if he needed to be replaced,” Ikkaku scoffed.
“Even if we didn’t need to, Toshiro is better than you are. Maybe you need replacing,” Renji said.
“You better take that back!”
“Make me!”
Renji and Ikkaku started to go back and forth when Yuzu spoke up rather suddenly.
“Actually, we have to go! I forgot there’s a baking thing our floor is doing and Karin promised she’d come with me.”
“Right! I did!” Karin chimed in, a little strangled.
With more force than necessary, Karin pushed her way out of the booth and past Toshiro, still standing.
“Thanks for dinner, big brother!” Yuzu smiled, as Renji graciously let her out.
“Pleasure to see you ladies as always!” he grinned, suddenly distracted from his spat with Ikkaku. “See you at the mixer, yeah?”
“Of course!” Yuzu replied, as Karin practically pushed her towards the door.
Ichigo continued waving dorkily at them as they left, however as they exited into the rapidly darkening evening, a muscular, blue haired man entered. He locked eyes with Ichigo, squinting at him with a mixture of disgust and confusion.
Ichigo’s hand dropped to the table loudly, though none of his friends, now all settled at the table around him, seemed to notice. Damn. Did Grimmjow think he was waving at him? Would it be weird to go explain the situation? Ichigo worried. He had already looked away, but continued to nervously glance up at the man as he stood in line to order.
“So how are they adjusting? You gonna mother hen them now that they’re here?” Renji directed at Ichigo.
“Oh, uhh,” Ichigo said, looking back around the table instead of at the register. “They seem to be loving it. Yuzu already made about a thousand friends it seems, but that’s just like her. I’m gonna give them their space and all, but obviously I’m counting on you guys to keep an eye out for them.”
At that, a near imperceptible blush flushed Toshiro’s pale cheeks.
“Oh, I think we can manage that, right Toshiro?” Yumichika said devilishly.
“Oh right! Toshiro’s sweet on your sister, Kurosaki!” Ikkaku barked, still holding Yumichika’s hand over the table. In the shuffle to let the girls out, the pair commandeered half the booth for themselves, squishing Toshiro, Renji, and Ichigo on the other side.
“I don’t even know her!” Toshiro blurted, the blush even more prominent.
Renji and stifled a laugh, though Ikkaku didn’t even try to hide his amusement. His laughter carried over the restaurant, earning him more than a few glares.
“Don’t worry about it dude, Karin’s great. I’m not going to do that big brother thing. But obviously, you know, if you hurt her you’re done.” Ichigo said casually.
Toshiro continued to sit stiffly, trying a little too hard to regain the cool composure he had before.
“It’s a joke, dude, relax.”
Ichigo wished he could take his own advice. Instead, he was tensed up, nervously tapping his finger on the table. Grimmjow had settled into a booth across the restaurant but diagonal from Ichigo and his friends. It was just close enough that basically every time Ichigo looked up, he was looking right at the guy. And more frequently than not, much to Ichigo’s dismay, Grimmjow was looking back.
“Earth to Ichigo...” Yumichika sang.
“Huh?” Ichigo said, blinking rapidly.
“You’re really spacing out, dude,” Ikkaku laughed, “first day wasn’t that intense was it?”
“Oh, haha, no not at all. Sorry, I just realized I was supposed to bring something to Orihime, I’ll see you guys later?”
A chorus of “bye” went around the table, and Renji and Toshiro made room for Ichigo to exit. Ichigo waved behind him but pointedly did not look at Grimmjow as he left.
He did not have anything to give to Orihime. He just needed a good reason to leave. It was honestly uncomfortable to be under that piercing glare for so long. Grimmjow had changed since he last saw him, which was, god, four years ago? Five? For one, the hair. Not that the blue didn’t suit him. It actually really did, much more than what Ichigo assumed was his natural blond that he had back in high school. He had started wearing eye makeup too. That really worked for him too. It was a casual sweep of teal eyeliner under the eye, but very artsy. Was that his thing now? Art? Frustrating realization dawned on Ichigo. He knew literally nothing about this guy. What was his major, who were his friends, how had Ichigo not run into him before now? And most pressingly, where had he been for all those years?
Before long, Ichigo arrived back at his dorm, his feet carrying him on autopilot while his brain contemplated his new lab partner. Some questions don’t really have answers though. All you can do is sit and stew on them for a while.