Ulquiorra Cifer & Grimmjow Jaegerjaques
I don't own any of the characters mentioned, nor do I own Bleach.
Summary: Ulquiorra doesn't understand the meaning of the question. Not right away, anyway. And Grimmjow seems adamant on repeating the question, over and over, despite already having an answer. Ulquiorra can't quite grasp why is Grimmjow so interested in an answer, nor why is he not at ease not knowing what he's exactly asking about.
A slice of life between the interactions of Ulquiorra and Grimmjow, and a very important question.
DO YOU HAVE DREAMS?
He stood there, looking at Grimmjow as he waited for a response. The Sexta Espada simply laid there, blue eyes fixed to the ceiling of his room. Ulquiorra allowed himself a moment to direct his gaze up, expecting to find an answer as to why was Grimmjow ignoring his presence and staring at the ceiling. He found none.
"What are you doing, Grimmjow?" Said Espada looked at him briefly, before going back to his staring. Ulquiorra stepped into the room, nearing the Arrancar's bed and stopping at a prudent distance. "Did you hear me, Grimmjow? What do you think you're doing?"
"What do you think I'm doing?" Grimmjow mumbled out.
"Losing time, I must guess. And clearly ignoring Aizen-sama's words."
"Mmh."
The aloof answer made Ulquiorra's temper waver, and he got even nearer to the bed, observing how Grimmjow was laying so careless, arms occupying the space on his sides, one hand hanging off of the corner of the bed. He was just so... lax. As if Aizen wasn't waiting for them.
"Grimmjow", Ulquiorra began with a firm tone, ", Aizen-sa—"
"Do you have dreams, Ulquiorra?"
"..." Ulquiorra hesitated before answering. What was the meaning of that question, being said all of the sudden? Grimmjow's eyes were still glued to the same spot, and Ulquiorra couldn't make sense of the man as of now. Why was he acting so relaxed, to the point it felt he was spacing out? What purpose served to ask such foolish question, anyway? "I don't dream, if that's what you are asking."
Finally, Grimmjow turned his face to look at Ulquiorra, and the Cuarto's gaze hardened. This odd behavior of Grimmjow was unsettling. It made him uneasy. This whole interaction was near unreal.
Why had Grimmjow not reacted when he entered his room, with no permission no less? Usually the man made a big deal of his privacy, but he had even allowed Ulquiorra to stand next to his bed with no reaction whatsoever.
A soft amused huff, accompanied by the smallest of smiles. "I suppose you don't." And the smile vanished quickly. "Not what I meant, though."
"Then I apologize, I don't get your question."
Grimmjow pushed himself to a sitting position, and he scooted to the edge of the bed, standing with a toothy grin. His usual back self, Ulquiorra noted. The pat on his shoulder as Grimmjow passed him made him tense up, and he scrunched up his nose more than necessary, making himself clear such action was unwelcome.
"Lets not make Aizen wait anymore, 'kay?"
Ulquiorra closed his eyes and sighed. No point in trying to make sense of the situation right now. Not when they were already running late for the meeting. He followed Grimmjow, eyes glued to the back of his head as he questioned the reason for his behavior.
"Grimmjow, Aizen-sama's patience is running thin by now." Ulquiorra said from the doorstep, tone showing irritation.
"I know."
Ulquiorra wanted to shoot a cero at the Espada. He was laying on his bed, relaxed. And going by his answer, he had willingly stayed on his room, not caring Aizen had called them. Such ill-mannered behavior, how dared he have the nerve! His hand slipped off from his pocket, and he pointed a finger towards the offensive presence. Surely Aizen wouldn't be against the Cuatro eliminating the garbage.
"Do you have dreams, Ulquiorra?"
His finger curled inward, and he let his fist drop. He was starting to hate that damn question. It was not the first time he had been asked that same question, and it was not the first time Grimmjow stayed in his room, ignorant of Aizen's words. Who did he think he was? He turned on his spot, not allowing himself to get worked up by Grimmjow's stupid behavior.
"I've told you before. I do not dream." He left the place, deciding he'd meet Aizen's anger for not dragging Grimmjow out of his chambers. He'd rather say Grimmjow refused to obey, rather than wait for the man to get moving.
Another pair of footsteps joined him a few minutes later. He didn't say a thing.
"No, I don't dream."
Grimmjow received him with a face-splitting grin, a different reaction to the usual silence and cold attitude.
"I wasn't going to ask you that." Blue eyes looked at the thin and pale frame standing on the entrance.
The Cuarto frowned ever so slightly, but he appreciated the lively and wild glance rather than the one that seemed to look through him, as if he wasn't there to begin with.
"Could have fooled me, since you're so attached to that stupid question of yours."
"So harsh." Grimmjow laughed, and he sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs. "But I was going to ask what is the reason of you coming here. Aizen hasn't called us as far as I know."
"What is the purpose?"
"Ah?" Grimmjow's face looked puzzled, and he scratched his head in search for answers. "Purpose of what?"
"Of staying here, even when we have been summoned. Of asking the same question over and over, despite knowing my answer."
"Ah, that."
"Yes", Ulquiorra said curtly, ", that."
Grimmjow hummed in thought, and let himself fall back to his bed, eyes glued once more to the ceiling.
"Truth is, you've not answered me properly." Silence stretched over them, and upon noticing the Cuarto would not speak, Grimmjow continued. "I'm not asking you if you dream. I'm asking you if you have dreams."
"Dreams." The Espada repeated, thinking the word in his head. It made no sense to him. He did not dream, thus he had no dreams. "Elaborate on it." He demanded, feeling unease at the fact he was missing something.
Grimmjow moved from his position, and laid his head on the pillow, giving his back to the Arrancar. He offered no words, no answer. Ulquiorra left the room after some time, noticing the Sexto had fallen asleep.
"Do you have dreams, Grimmjow?"
"Ah? What's with that question?" He looked amused at the Arrancar, toothy grin in place.
"Do you have them or not?"
Grimmjow sighed heavily, and slipped his fingers through his hair, pushing back a few strands for a moment, before they fell again over his face. The grin evaporated from his face, and he looked now annoyingly at Ulquiorra.
"Yes, I do. Do you have dreams, Ulquiorra Cifer?"
"Tell me at once what do you mean by that, Grimmjow. What meaning do you give to the word 'dream'?" Grimmjow gave him an unamused face, and he tch'ed, scooting back and patting the pillow. As it seemed, he would go to sleep again, ignoring Ulquiorra. He wouldn't have it. "What are your dreams about? Which is the dream you have?"
Grimmjow stopped his actions, and gave Ulquiorra a hard glare, before smiling up at him, seemingly satisfied with that answer.
"But of course... I will be king!"
"King...?"
"I'll become a king, Ulquiorra. That is my dream."
Ulquiorra seemed surprised for a split second to hear that, and he stepped forward, eyes cast to the floor and his bangs covering his vision of Grimmjow. So that's what he meant by it. His hand rested on the hilt of Murciélago, and he spoke up.
"You mean purpose? Is that a goal you want to achieve in life? To be king."
"Did I stutter, idiot?"
He gripped the hilt, and looked up at Grimmjow seriously. "I see. Then, you could pose a threat to Aizen-sama—"
"BWAHAHA!"
Ulquiorra's grip faltered, and he looked at the Sexta, taken aback by the laugh.
Grimmjow wheezed a bit, his laugh dying. "Don't mind me. I won't even try it, you moron. I don't have a death wish. I do feel flattered though, that you consider me a threat." Ignoring the dirty look he received from Ulquiorra, he cocked his head to his left, and looked at those green eyes. "So, Ulquiorra, do you have dreams?"
"I suppose I don't." His fingers left Murciélago's hilt, and he chanced a glance at his Zampakutō. "Perhaps I share the same dream as Aizen-sama's. To create a new world. I'll help hims for as long as I breathe."
"Tch, could you get any more boring?" He spat out derisively. "And? You don't have any of your own? What happens once Aizen achieves his goals?"
"... Then I'll serve him in whatever he needs."
"Fucking empty. I don't care for such empty dreams!" He reached out under his covers, and pulled out Pantera, aiming it at Ulquiorra. "That's why I'll fucking beat the shit out of you, Ulquiorra. Because you're no different than a mutt who's protecting the hand that feeds it!"
"Ha, so that's it." Ulquiorra gave a small and amused huff at those words. "You are against me because I have no personal dreams, or because I'm loyal to Aizen-sama, to the point his goals are mine?"
Grimmjow stood up and took a stance, placing one feet in front of the other as he gripped with two hands his Zampakutō. "Both. I don't see why you should help that guy! If he's that strong what need does he have of having us do his bidding? Sorry, but I'm not living to find out what happens once he's got no more use for us. I live to become a king!"
Ulquiorra's lips stretched, forming a smile. He calmly looked at Grimmjow, feeling the faintest emotion akin to thrill. Seeing the Sexta this passionate about stupid dreams made him want to kill him. Both for the curiosity that arose inside him and for the annoyance of going through all those scenes with Grimmjow for it to culminate on a talk about goals and objectives. Of dreams. Had he really tested Aizen's patience just to ask for Ulquiorra's personal objectives?
"Well then, I wish you luck on that, Grimmjow. Although, if that's your dream, we might end up clashing swords."
"As if I would expect less of you!"
Ulquiorra's smile stayed on his lips, as he felt amused by this. "Best of lucks, Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, on becoming king."
Grimmjow frowned, becoming increasingly disturbed by such smile. It was a rare sight on Ulquiorra. "Stop smiling, you imbecile! Gives me the creeps to see you smiling."
"I apologize. I just can't really grip this human-alike behavior of you."
"Human you say?!" Grimmjow roared, now angry. "Take that back, you loyal mutt!"
Ulquiorra closed his eyes for a moment, giving thought to things. Grimmjow was interesting, if only in this aspect. To think he'd have such dreams, that could come to trouble Aizen's path. Ulquiorra would see to it. It was his own goal to make sure Aizen fulfilled his goal. Personal dream? No such thing as that. Not at the moment, anyways. It sounded like a human-alike behaviour to him, and although the subject arose some curiosity in him, he'd rather not thread on such confusing matters. Humans liked to "feel" complicated emotions, after all.
"Do not misunderstand me, Grimmjow. You behaving like a human is no more offense than me calling you trash."
"The fuck is that s'pposed to mean?!"
He turned his back on Grimmjow, not caring if the man would decide to take up on that opportunity and pounce him in order to take him down. They already clashed as it was. But with this... Oh, Ulquiorra wanted to see how much could Grimmjow sacrifice for such dream, how much would he push himself for that, and how much ignorance could go through to look like a human way of thinking. Humans. The lower form of life was simply too ignorant of its limitants, which was probably why they tried so hard to achieve that which they set theirs mind to.
"Don't just leave, Ulquiorra! I'll beat you, just you wait! I'll make my dream come true!" Grimmjow said angrily.
"If that's it, make sure you come in time to the next meeting." Ulquiorra said over his shoulder, the smile still lingering on his lips.
Grimmjow looked at Ulquiorra's retreating form, relaxing his stance. No dreams? No wonder he'd beat the Cuarta. His only goal was to assist Aizen on his stupid goals. That was not interesting at all. But he'd teach the Espada. His own dreams were far better, and he'd make them real.
He'd become king. And Ulquiorra would see!
.
It's the second fanfic I've written about these two :). I'm sure I don't have their personalities nailed down, and there's sure to be a feeling of them being OOC, probably. I apologize for that or any mistakes I might have made when writing it down.
If you wish to read this story, with a few images attached you can find in on my Tumblr " i-will-write-and-draw ", or in AO3, under the same name.