TOUGH LOVE

-"TESLAAAA!"

The blond boy startled, knowing the voice which was yelling his name. No way to escape this: the Fifth Espada was calling, and that wasn't exactly his nicest tone of voice.

So, he jumped off the bed (he was resting) and run in his boss' room.

-"Did you call me, Nnoitra-sama?"

-"'F course I was, what are ya, deaf? That four-eyed idiot, Szayel, burnt my hood. Fix it."

He threw half of his outfit at Tesla.

-"Anything else, sir?"

-"Yeh. Get out of here."

The Fracciòn rushed out of the room immediately. He heard a soft laughing from the inside. He have always liked to scare him.

Nnoitra was detestable, dictatorial and vain. Tesla had all the reasons in the world to hate his boss.

But he didn't. He always admired, in some strange way, that sadistic guy who treated him so bad- since always.

Girls were a little disgusted by his appearance too: too tall, too thin, with that eye patch like a stupid pirate, and always grinning. The thing they hated the most was his anteater-tongue. His outfit and weapon were not so cute too, no one liked the giant axe…

Tesla liked Nnoitra's looks: he was so used to hear his boss saying 'I'm the best Espada ever' that he began to think it sincerely.

-"Hi, Tesla."

-"Oh, good morning, Szayel-sama. How are you today?"

-"Today I feel incredibly handsome, like always. And… how's Nnoitra? Is he angry with me?"

-"A-a little, sir." Tesla said, his voice trembling. Szayel terrorized him. He was so… mean.

-"Tell him I'm not going to apologize.- he looked at the blondie like he was moved- You really must have a hard time being the servant of that freak. If he hurts you, tell me. I'll make him regret of being alive. Now I have things to do. See you, Tesla."

The other one answered quickly and practically run away, his heart running with fear too.

Regret of being alive. How could that pink monster even think of that? Tesla telling someone what the Fifth Espada did to him?

He could never do that.

Szayel could take him for his damn experiments. How could he think that he would leave the so- called scientist hurting his Nnoitra- sama?

-"Tesla, did you finish? Tesla?" Nnoitra entered his Fracciòn's room. It was empty. Maybe Dordonii was killing him. He laughed at the thought. His outfit was finished.

-"Good work." He said to himself, touching the hood, now in perfect order.

He looked at a picture hanged on the wall. Tesla and him smiling. He didn't understand that guy. He was horribly nasty with him and that idiot was nicer and nicer.

-"Fuck him."

-"Oh! Sir, were you looking for me?" Tesla's voice said behind him.

-"Oh, yes."

-"I finished to fix your clothes."

-"Saw that. Nice work."

Tesla smiled happily. Finally he likes something I do for him.

-"I need you to help me… training."

-"Yes, sir."

They went out, in the desert.

Nnoitra pulled out his flexible axe. His Fracciòn hated that thing.

-"Nnoitra-sama… you really want to hurt me that bad?"

His boss smiled, evil.

-"Are you saying I have bad aim? How dare you?"

-"Nononono, I didn't mean that…- he gasped- I'm just a little… scared. That thing is huge and…"

The axe hammered in the ground, two inches away from Tesla, who jumped like mad.

-"Ha-ha, you're so funny!- laughed the Espada- Now… shall we start?"

He suddenly retired the weapon and brought it down again and again, every time closer to Tesla, who shrieked and jumped every time. Nnoitra limited himself to laugh.

After less than a hour, Tesla was exhausted. He landed after a leap and then he didn't get up.

After a second of dismay, the Espada went closer to his subordinate, aimed his axe at Tesla and ordered:

-"Get up, you idiot."

He just opened a blue eye and looked at him. He seemed very sad. He was so tired that he barely managed to breathe.

-"N-N-Nnoitra-sama…"

The black-haired guy just pulled his axe nearer.

-"Up."

-"I… can't… sorry. Hit me… if you want."

Nnoitra snorted and looked at the Fracciòn. He was so.. so… fuck! He hated him sometimes.

He lifted Tesla in his arms and directed his steps homewards.

The other young man recovered a little strength and looked up at the Espada. He smiled weakly and rested his head on Nnoitra's shoulder. He could hear his heart beating.

It's not everyday business, being taken in my Nnoitra-sama's arms. Aw… what a fantastic sensation.

While Tesla was daydreaming happily, Nnoitra suddenly tossed the Fracciòn on the floor. They were home.

-"Inept!"

He slammed the door, leaving Tesla to cry his eyes out, without even knowing why.

The next morning, when Tesla knocked at the Fifth Espada's door to apologize, instead of hearing a 'come in', the door opened and a thin arm shove the blondie inside.

-"Well?"

-"I… I'd like to excuse myself, sir. I was a total idiot yesterday. Can I…"

-"Anything you're going to say, you can't. I don't know why you're still my Fracciòn."

-"Aizen-sa…"

-"Aizen made a mistake! You're not the guy for me."

Tesla's heart broke.

-"What…? But… Nnoitra-sama, I lov…"

-"You… what?

Tesla blushed and covered his mouth with a hand. He lowered his look.

-"What were you… saying?" Asked Nnoitra, moving towards him, threatening.

Tesla looked up and saw the angry look of his superior. Well, he saw the look, but those eyes- he felt them. So he did a thing that he only dreamed of. He bended his head and rested it on Nnoitra's chest.

-"What the f…?" He was so shocked that he didn't event knocked him down. Tesla started to cry.

-"I try… I try! I wanna be a good Fracciòn for you, 'cause I care for you, I really do! I'm not the right one, you're not wrong at all. Please forgive me…"

Nnoitra placed a long, bony finger under Tesla's chin and forced his head up.

-"You're stupid."

Then he punched him in the face. A spurt of blood stained the floor.

Then he hugged him.

After some moments, the Espada grinned and asked in a low voice:

-"You like this, don't ya?"

A trembling 'yes' came from 'lower'. He grinned again.

-"I like this too."

-"So why did you punched me? That hurt."

-"Truth hurts too. And the truth is, my boy, that you can't like me."

Tesla's eyes widened.

-"W-why?"

-"Aw, c'mon, look at you. Soft, blond hair, cute big blue eyes. Then look at me. What do you see?"

Tesla smiled sincerely.

-"Er… the most shiny raven hair ever?- he attempted, gently stroking Nnoitra's hair- A nice eye patch? A lovely smile?"

-"You don't think that, you liar!"

-"Of course I do!- he insisted- I like… er… everything of you."

-"Oh, yeah? Well, how do you like this?" Nnoitra asked, pulling out his incredibly long tongue. Tesla looked a little disgusted. Then he shook his head and said:

-"Aw, that's not a problem! I like you anyway…"

The Espada thought for a moment, then he replied:

-"So you mean… you'd like me to… er…- he lowered his voice- y'know, kiss you?"

-"W-well! Uh… yes?"

Nnoitra grinned and bended his head to get closer to Tesla.

-"Wanna try?"

Silence.

-"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Come on." He closed his eyes and waited.

-"Uh… Nnoitra-sama, I don't think I…"

-"Oh my God, you're such a pansy!" Then he leaned in an kissed his Fracciòn. Tesla instantly blushed and flung his arms around Nnoitra's neck. His hands were trembling.

When the kiss finished, Tesla held the Espada, because he didn't want to look at him, for now. He was a little ashamed.

-"How was that? I liked it personally."

-"It was wonderful, love."

-"Love? I'm still 'sir' to you, is that clear or I have to kick you in… someplace?"

-"Sorry!"

-"Just kidding."

-"Really?"

-"No."

They kissed again.