Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or anything related.

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A few months ago, Grimmjow had gone to America instead of Japan to find someone to fight. Ichigo was just getting so boring and predictable. In America, he found a girl, Anna, that could see him. He started talking, and she listened to him, and he kept coming back. He had begun to think of her as a sort of therapist. However, she never really spoke to him, and whenever he looked in her eyes, they were fragile and lonely.

Today, he was going to talk to her again. He stepped out of the garganta and latched onto her reiatsu, sonido-ing to her location. He was rather surprised to find himself in a bathroom, with clothes and a towel on the floor and the shower door closed. From behind the door came suppressed sniffling.

Cautiously, Grimmjow opened the shower door to find Anna curled up in a ball on the floor with water cascading down on her. She looked up at the sound of the door opening. Her eyes were even more fragile than they usually were.

Grimmjow frowned. "Jeez, Anna. I came here to vent and relax, not to find you crying in the shower like a weakling coward."

Whatever was behind her eyes broke and her gaze deadened.

Anna's POV

I sat in the shower, trying to stifle my crying as the water poured down on me. I was lonely. It hurt. Not even listening to Grimmjow had ever helped.

I thought back to what he had told me of Hinamori Momo and Aizen. Even though Aizen was a lying, manipulative bastard, he had still been there for Momo and held her when she cried, if only to keep up his façade. Just thinking about that made tears well up in my eyes again. What was it like, to be held in someone's arms? Is it warm?

As I sat there and cried, I wished for someone to hold me and chase away the pain, loneliness, and cold. But I don't know how to receive comfort. I all felt anymore was cold. I don't even shiver while waiting for the bus during the winter.

Then Grimmjow showed up.

Grimm's POV

Anna's eyes turned all dead and glassy, and she buried her face back in her arms. Not shaking, not crying, just sitting there. That look she had given me unnerved me, it was like she wasn't there anymore.

I stood there staring at her for a while before something that Gin had said awhile back came to mind. "Ev'rybody needs a hug sometimes." I didn't really know what that meant at the time. Now I did. Anna was in need of comforting, but I didn't know how to give it to her. It's not really my forte.

Finally, sighing, I scooped her up into my arms.

Anna's POV

I was surprised when Grimmjow picked me up and held me to his chest, not seeming to care about my state of undress. It was indeed warm, and he rubbed my back somewhat absently. I looked up at him to see him looking down at me with worry in his eyes. I again felt tears welling up in my eyes. Burying my face in his chest and clutching his jacket, I sobbed until I was spent as he held me tighter. Then I fell asleep.

OWARI