Don't Break My Heart

Don't Break My Heart

Part 1

Karakura University is filled all sorts of people and personalities… but it's still ruled by cliques.  The school is ruled by the jocks and cheerleaders, as always.  The most popular sport here is the track team, which is headed by Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.  He's from a wealthy family, yet doesn't show it off.  He gets paid for working with the company every now and then, although he has no interest in taking it over.  He has bigger dreams, dreams he's been masterminding with his closest friends for a few years now.  Ever since high school he and his friends… Ulquiorra, Nnoitra, Stark, Hallibel, Szayel, and his older sister Nelliel… have been slowly gathering more information to make their plan come to reality.  Track is his stress relief, that and the weekly flings he has with his many fans.  Grimmjow is bi-sexual, but hasn't had a taste for men since his last boyfriend beat the shit out of his sister for reasons unknown.  Doesn't matter the reason, he still ended up in the hospital eating out of a tube.  
Unlike Grimmjow, Ichigo Kurosaki is the only one in the school that can fit in with any clique.  He stays away from them for the most part, hanging out with select friends and usually keeping to himself.  He's an art major and has a rare talent for seeing thing with innocent eyes when painting, which makes him a rather sought after genius.  Ichigo is humble and modest, hot tempered and caring, and there are only two things he simply can't stand!  Jocks and jock parties.  Guess where he's sitting now?  Oh yeah, you guessed it… in the middle of a jock party surrounded by said jocks.  Damn Shinji and his persuasive guilt tripping!  Shinji is Ichigo's best friend, but he's been dating a jock for about two years now and always manages to drag Ichigo to the parties with him.  He uses the excuse that Ichigo needs to get out and meet new people, playing off his horrid first love and heartbreak of four years now.  The only problem is that these parties are filled with nothing but alcohol and sex… something that caused his heartbreak in the first place.  He's lonely, he won't lie, but he has trust issues with men… and he's not interested in females, which makes it all the harder.  He glances to his left, watching Shinji giggle as Nnoitra boyfriend pulls him close.  To his right, two guys are setting up for the live band.  A head of spiky black locks catches his attention, another of long crimson pulled back in a ponytail, and his eyes grow impossibly large.
"Shin, I want to leave," he says immediately.
"What?  But we just got here."
"Shuuhei's here."
Shinji's eyes widen in shock, darting their gaze over to the two setting up.  It's not a few minutes later that the dark haired male looks over, catching Ichigo as he gets up and heads outside after setting down his empty bottle.  He's quick to intercept the orangette, Shinji and Nnoitra watching as Grimmjow wanders over to put a stop to any fights… the last thing he needs is one of his expensive items getting trashed.
"Ichi!" Shuuhei grins. "Fancy meeting you here, I always thought you hated jocks and their parties!  I was just telling Ren we should stop by your place and hang out, what do you think?"
"I think you should leave me alone," Ichigo states icily. "I haven't spoken to you in four years, and I seriously wasn't planning on changing that!  How can you break my heart like that and show up acting like you never did?"
"Come on, Ichi, we're friends," the other smiles almost nervously. "I've missed you."
"… Why are you doing this?  Can't you just leave me be?  Why are you trying so hard to completely destroy what I've managed to heal?"
"Just… think about it, okay?  I was a fool to let you go, I'm sorry," the raven says as honestly as possible. "Please… come back to me."
"I… I can't.  Just leave me alone," the orangette whispers as he retreats out the sliding glass doors.
"Ichi!"
"Just let him go, Shuu," Renji sighs. "He's just not ready to deal with all this yet.  Now, come on… we're getting paid for this gig."
He nods and follows Renji back to their stuff, his eyes traveling over to Shinji as the blonde talks furiously with two others.  The one with long black hair seems riveted, yet the other just grabs a couple bottles and heads after Ichigo.  Fury strikes Shuuhei at the thought of this asshole moving in on his territory, yet he knows Renji would never let him stop the other.  With an irritated growl, he starts up their gig in hopes he can catch Ichigo later.
The house is awesome, something only a rich guy could have, but the garden is what first caught Ichigo's attention when they were coming in.  The garden is breathtaking and Ichigo can feel the itch to paint it, his amber eyes greedily eating up the view as he leans on the marble banister in front of him.  He's surprised when a beer is held out in front of him, his eyes immediately darting over to see the most beautiful and well sculpted man he's ever seen.  His breath catches, his eyes searching for an empty pedestal just in case he's going crazy and a statue came to life.  He slowly takes the beer from the Greek god in front of him after making certain he's an actual person, and drinks deep from the bottle.
"You okay?" Grimmjow asks quietly.
"… Not really."
"Wanna talk about it?  My sister always tells me it helps and I'm a pretty good listener," he smirks kindly. "I have to be when dealing with her.  She may babble, but if I don't pay attention I'll end up with a black eye."
Ichigo chuckles at that, the feeling of tears lost for that moment within the other's presence.  He doesn't know why, but it feels as though he can talk to Grimmjow.  He's been locking away all these feelings even from Shinji, the whole lot of them screaming to be let out.  He's never talked about this with anyone, which is why he's never gotten over it and has been taking it so hard.  Maybe that's all he needs, just to get it out, and this jock seems so different from the other ones that seem to be hell-bent on taking his virginity and throwing him away.  Sure, he's aware that the other has never bothered with a serious relationship, is probably more promiscuous than Shinji, and has a horrible attitude that's been grating on Ichigo's nerves since junior high… but he's the only guy that seems to relate.
"Do you know Shuuhei Hisagi?" he begins.
"The lead vocalist in that band Szayel hired?"
"Yeah, that's the one.  Well… I grew up with him.  He and Renji Abarai, his drummer.  We were always really tight," Ichigo smiles sadly. "When we were twelve, Shuuhei told me he liked me more than friends.  I was excited, he was my first crush and I loved him so much… and he told me that he loved me, too.  At thirteen, he started looking at others.  I didn't care much, there was nothing wrong with that.  At fourteen, he started getting interested in sex… I told him I wasn't ready.  He started looking a little closer at others, which I didn't like.  At fifteen, I told him I wanted him to stop flirting with other people.  He asked me to have sex with him again, but I still wasn't ready.  He said if I loved him, I would at least try… I tried."
"What a prick," Grimmjow mumbles. "Please tell me you kicked his ass."
"… I couldn't go all the way," Ichigo sighs though he's smiling at Grimmjow's remark. "He wouldn't stop.  I got scared and hit him, which led to an argument.  I was going to apologize the next day, but I didn't get a chance to see him.  Nor the day after, or the one after that.  Two weeks after the argument, I got a text message from him… he broke up with me and left town to start his music career.  Said he couldn't be held down by a boyfriend who wouldn't put out.  I've never dated another guy since, because I'm always afraid I'll give in and give them what they want… only to be thrown away afterward."
"You should've hospitalized that prick," Grimmjow frowns. "I don't know where people get off thinking it's okay to use a persons' emotions to get what they want, but manipulation should be illegal!"
"You sound like you've been through it, too."
"Hell yes I have!  Everyone I've ever dated pretended to love me so they could get to my money," he huffs. "I can't tell you how many times my credit card's been maxed out by air headed little floozies!"
"Maybe you should try dating another type of girl," Ichigo snickers.
"I'm bi," Grimmjow smirks back. "I stopped dating guys, though, when the last one beat my sister up.  I don't know why, but… once I found him, he regretted it."
"At least I'm not alone in the boat, huh?" Ichigo sighs in depression.
"… You know what?  I know exactly what you need to cheer you up!" Grimmjow grins. "Come on, follow me."
"… O-okay!" Ichigo says hesitantly.
Ichigo is surprised to be standing in the middle of a breathtaking garden with the track star, but says nothing more.  He follows Grimmjow deeper into the foliage and flowers, taking in the many colors and shapes.  Finally, Grimmjow stops and pulls back some thick fronds before motioning for Ichigo to pass through the hidden gateway first.  When he does, he finds himself in a small clearing fenced in by tall mahogany wood.  It has a good sized gazebo and a small koi pond with a tiny waterfall feature, foxgloves and snapdragons and many other flowers of a million different colors litter the area in strategic positions.  Ichigo can't speak, can barely move, and just stands to take it all in.
"This is beautiful," he whispers.
"These are all my mother's favorite flowers," he grins. "My sister and I started growing them after she died.  We both designed the area and take care of the plants… the gardener isn't allowed here.  You're the only other person that knows about it, save for Nnoitra and Ulquiorra, of course."
"Thank you," Ichigo smiles softly.
"You know… I've never seen you at one of these parties before," the deep baritone purrs.
Ichigo glances sidelong at him, the teal haired male gazing out onto the pond and the moon's reflection.  He looks so ethereal and perfect, something out of a dream that Ichigo just wants to curl up against and never leave the taller teen's embrace.  He shakes himself from his thoughts with a bright blush at the turn they've taken… he hasn't thought that way since… well… not even when he was with Shuuhei.  This man radiates an aura of safety for him, something the raven haired male never did.
"Uh… I usually skip out early," Ichigo mumbles. "I just come with my friend, I'm not into hanging with a bunch of mindless jocks."
"Hmm… I'm a mindless jock."
Ichigo's beer is promptly spit out and he coughs, the other snickering in humor as he pats his back.  Once he's calmed down enough to berate himself for acting so stupid, Ichigo makes certain to look away so the other can't see his bright blush.
"Sorry," he mutters.
"That's okay, sometimes I think the same thing," the taller man laughs. "So… Enjoying the garden?"
"Oh yeah!  It's beautiful!" Ichigo grins at the subject change. "I'd love to paint it."
"… Paint it?"
"I'm an art major," Ichigo blushes lightly. "When I see something I like, the first thought I have is to paint it."
"Understandable," the teal haired jock smirks. "Let's sit down over there, okay?"
Ichigo hesitantly follows, but though he sits beside him he doesn't sit very close to the teal haired jock.  He's still wary of this seemingly perfect man, as he remembers how perfect Shuuhei seemed.  He and Shuuhei were good friends for a long time, so if Shuuhei could hurt him like that… anyone can.