Grimmjow watched, forgotten, far in the background. It was just as well. It wasn't like he could do anything in this pathetic state he had been diminished to.
Damn, Ichigo could pack a punch. He knew it too, just never really realized how far his enemy would take it to get to where he needed to be, to do what he needed to do.
But could he truly call Ichigo his enemy? After all he'd saved him. Saved that girl, Orihime or something. Just so he could have another go at Ichigo. He didn't follow Aizen's orders. He'd deliberately temporarily disengaged Ulqiorra. And Ichigo had spared him. Just now, when he could have easily ended it all. No, Ichigo wasn't his enemy. Not really. Ichigo was more of an adversary, anyways. He just liked to fight him.
And could they ever fight. But Grimmjow conceded that he'd gotten whipped this last round. Ichigo beat him good and proper this time. Better not to threaten Ichigo's precious people in the future. It seemed like if even one vague acquaintance seemed to be even a little bit in danger, Ichigo suddenly became ten times stronger. No fair! They were everywhere! But, after messing with Ichigo that way twice, he'd learnt his lesson. If he ever wanted to win against Ichigo, in a fair fight, like this one had turned out, no one else would be involved.
Grimmjow had seen it. Oh, had he ever. He'd nearly had Ichigo. He'd almost won. But for Ichigo's determination. Determination. Now that was something he could respect. It's why he kept coming back for more. And he and Ichigo, well they had it in spades. Made for a good fight.
But now, watching Ichigo get battered around by Noitra, he was confused.
Confused because Ichigo spared him.
Confused because now Ichigo was fighting for him as well as the healing girl and the weird little green kid.
Confused because he was feeling a feeling that he refused to name because he shouldn't be feeling it, because he was feeling that it was somehow a bit of his fault that Ichigo wasn't able to put up as good of a defense. Hey, he did want to fight Ichigo again someday after all. Dying now would screw that up spectacularly.