Chapter Two: I'm Always There When It Matters

He says it's obvious; it's obvious that I don't need him. Humph. Seems like the other way around to me. I ain't never been any good at expressing emotions. Just ain't something I've ever been allowed to do. Growing up on the streets, there's no place for weakness. And yeah, I know it's pretty cliché for me to act the way that I do towards him, but whatever. If this is how he wants it to be, then it is what it is.

I can still remember the first time I ever saw him. It was the first day of my second year; he was coming through the front entrance with a group of his friends. At first he was scowling but then his red headed friend said something that made him smile. I was mid-sentence, but I had to stop speaking because I lost my voice. He was absolutely gorgeous with that smile lighting up his young, innocent face. I was completely and utterly floored. I knew then that he'd mean something to me. He has since that very day.

I can still remember the first time we spoke...

"'Sup?" I said casually leaning against the wall next to the water fountain he's been drinking out of. He stood up straight, wiping excess water from his full lips. I noticed that he was a few inches shorter than me. He looked nervous, though he tried to hide it.

"Hey. What's up with you?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared at me as if he'd seen better and I don't know why, but I suddenly had this overwhelming urge to impress him. I flashed the sexiest smile I had in my repertoire, and he blushed slightly. That's when I noticed the light dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose. Cute.

"Nothing much. I'm just wondering what's up with me and you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean when you gonna let me get some?"

"Some what?" I stepped forward, pulling him toward me and sliding my hand down to his ass.

"This," I said, easily. I felt him shiver before his pretty brown eyes flickered up to meet mine.

"But you don't even know me," he said softly. He had a killer smooth voice; I was almost envious.

"I know you well enough," I responded. His eyes widened slightly as I leaned down so that my lips brushed against his. "Ichigo. . ."

He shivered once more as that pretty blush intensified.

"How do you know my name?" he asked quietly. His eyes fluttered shut as I kissed along his jawline.

"Don't worry about that, baby. Just lemme fuck you," I replied in a whisper. He let out a soft moan as I squeezed his ass slightly.

"O-okay," he muttered pathetically. I smirked, and just as I was about to kiss him, a loud, annoying voice called out,

"Ichigo! Hey, get away from him!" I turned around to see a tiny girl with big violet eyes and an even bigger mouth rushing towards us. She grabbed Ichigo's arm and pulled him away from me. "Asshole."

I didn't respond, just shook my head and leaned against the wall as she drug him away. My smirk turned into a full-on lecherous grin as Ichigo peeked over his shoulder; I winked at him and he smiled slightly, continuing to blush. I knew it didn't matter that his friend didn't like me. He was going to sleep with me regardless.

As far as I was concerned then, I'd bed him and be done. That's how I was; or rather, that's how I made myself look to outsiders. One-nighter, hit it and quit it, toot it and boot it, what have you. I presented myself that way to keep people from falling for me. The sad part was that I always ended up alone because of it. But it's how I chose to be. After losing something, it's kind of hard to find it again, if that makes sense. I promised her that I'd never love anyone more than her; too bad I might've broken that promise.

I wipe my feet against the welcome mat before unlocking my front door. This is the first night I've had off in quite a while, and I plan to spend all the time I have with her. I open the door and pull off my jacket, hanging it on one of the hooks next to the door. Glancing over at the picture of my grandmother, I kiss my first two fingers before placing them against the cool glass.

"Love you, gram," I say quietly before heading towards the kitchen.

I reach into the cupboard pulling out a jar of peanutbutter. I gather grape jelly from the fridge and the bread from the counter before making two sandwiches. I pause in my actions when the door opens and a purple-haired woman walks in, followed by a much smaller green-haired girl. I walk into the living room, a smile pulling at my lips.

"Daddy!" she calls, and I get that same warm feeling in my heart that I always get when I see her. I kneel down and she runs into my arms, wrapping her small arms around my neck. "Nel missed you so, so much daddy!"

"I missed you too, baby. Did you have a nice day today?" I ask as I pull back to look into her wide expressive eyes. She nods happily, pointing at her teacher.

"Ms. Yoru gave Nel two gold stars today because Nel can say her al-alfa-ABCs!" Nel says, her eyes shining with excitement. I smile once more and place a kiss on her forehead.

"That's great. I got a snack waiting for you in the kitchen. Go and eat while I talk to Ms. Shihouin, okay?" Nel nods again before she hurries off to the kitchen. I direct my attention at Yoruichi, who smiles warmly.

"She really is so bright. Probably gets it from her mom, yeah?" she jokes and I chuckle slightly before gesturing for her to sit.

"Thanks again for bringing her home. Sorry I had to stay after school late again."

"Oh don't worry about that, Grimmjow, you already know I don't mind. You just make sure you get some rest. You look like shit."

"Hardy har har. Anyway, do you have any news for me?"

"I've good news, and bad news. The good news is, they are going to let you adopt her officially," Yoruichi responds, and I almost smile again, but decide against it until I hear the rest. "The bad news is, they're going to do a criminal background check."

I haven't exactly been a model citizen my whole life. I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger, mostly for things like petty theft and simple assault for all the fights I used to get into. I've never actually been to jail since they were all misdemeanors, but I'm still apprehensive. What if they don't let me keep Nel because of it?

"I'll vouch for you, but it'll all come down to them in the end."

"I understand. Thanks again, Ms. Shihouin."

"I've been telling you to call me Yoruichi for the past seven months, Grimm. Will you ever listen?" she asks as she stands to leave. I smile.

"Thanks, Yoruichi."

After she leaves, I head back into the kitchen where Nel has finished her sandwich and is now staring at her little feet as she swings them back and forth. she looks up when I come through the doorway, smiling her snaggle-toothed smile. It's funny how this little girl has changed my life in the short span of time that we've been together.

I found Nel two years ago when I was walking home from a party. It was dark and cold, and all I wanted to do was get back to my house and go to sleep. I'd ducked into an alleyway that was a shortcut to my grandmother's house when I heard sniffling. Nel was curled up beside one of the dumpsters crying softly with one of her small hands pressed against her forehead. Blood trickled through her fingers and she wiped at it with her free hand as she continued to cry. I knelt down in front of her, making sure to relax my scowl a bit so as not to scare her even more.

"Are you okay, little girl?" I asked, and she shrank back even farther sniffling pitifully. I could see her breaths coming out in short puffs and she was visibly shivering. I pulled my leather coat off and draped it around her.

"Nel is s-scared," she whispered as I picked her up and cradled her in my arms.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you, okay?" I said. It was only after the words left my mouth that I realized what I was saying. I was brought out of my thoughts when Nel cuddled herself up to my chest.

"Okay, Daddy."

I pick Nel up, grabbing my own sandwich and taking a bite as Nel plays with the locks of hair that fall over my forehead.

"Daddy, you should make your hair longer. It's so pretty and if there's more, then Nel can play with it!"

"I'll think about it. Let's get you into the bath for now, alright?"

I carry her into the bathroom, sitting her down on the counter.

"Daddy, you should have a girlfriend," she says as I pull her shirt over her head. I chuckle a bit, pinching her nose.

"And what do you know about that, huh?" She giggles behind her hand and shrugs playfully. I smile as I start to tickle her. "You've been spending too much time with Ms. Yoruichi, young lady."

"No! D-daddy, stop, please," she pleads through her laughing. I relent and turn to start the water in the tub. "Daddy, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Because I don't need one; I have you," I respond easily as I pour her favorite bubble soap into the tub. I hear her huff and I turn back around to see her pouting with her arms crossed over her chest.

"How silly, Daddy. Nel's not your girlfriend." I laugh out loud at that and sit her down in the bathtub.

"I'm not old enough to have a girlfriend. That means when you're my age, you won't be old enough to have a boyfriend," I say, and Nel frowns.

"That's no fair!" she laments and I shush her before I rub her shampoo into her marshy green hair.

Though it's just a simple conversation from a little girl, what Nel says has me thinking about Ichigo. I know for a fact that he's important to me, just not as important as Nel. I don't think I'd ever be able to put him before her, and I don't know how he would feel about something like that. But what does it matter? I'm an asshole anyway, right? He's with that stuck up Kuchiki, and I guess he's happy; he hasn't said anything to me since they started dating, and I haven't bothered him either, thinking that if he wanted to talk to me he would. And since he hasn't, I guess he was really serious when he said that we were done. I don't think I'm ready to accept that just yet.

Well, there's another chapter of that...I'm on a roll with the updates, huh? Proud of myself...thanks to my friend KeeBee for convincing me that this chapter wasn't complete rubbish...if you haven't you should totally check out her new story, Seams Like Love it's freaking awesome ^_^ okay, thanks for reading:)

Until next time,

Patd06