In case you're wondering, I have this obsession with Grimmjow saving Ichigo's ass and reaping the sweet rewards later on. It's a perfectly healthy obsession, oh ho.
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Summary: Ichigo, caught off guard by Szayel and his chemicals, is turned into a kitten. Thankfully, Grimmjow is around to save the day.
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Ichigo mewled like a lost kitten, scrabbling his paws around in the warm sand. Technically speaking, he really was a kitten, thanks to one of Szayel's remarkable concoctions. While Ichigo had been sneaking around Las Noches on a mission, the pink haired maniac had somehow managed to catch him off guard and rubbed something onto the skin of his arm. Oh, Ichigo had put up a struggle, but apparently he hadn't struggled hard enough.
At first, it had tingled like hell, and then fur started growing out of his skin with the speed of Jack's beanstalk in growth phase. Ichigo also found himself undergoing rapid negative growth, much to his consternation. Before he knew it, his human voice had been replaced with a feline's, and his nails were quickly morphing into retractable claws. Had the victim not been his own self, Ichigo would have been curiously awestruck by the inconceivably swift mutation.
To Ichigo's horror, instead of helping him turn back into a human, Szayel had cackled and skipped away, yelling to no one in particular about his successful experiment. Trying to follow the Espada back into the building, Ichigo had found it incredibly hard to walk on all fours at once. It wasn't easy having a tail twitching about his rear, either. Added to that, everything was magnified; his hearing, vision and even the heat emanating from the desert sand felt decidedly hotter than before under his newly developed paws.
A sand lizard skittered directly in front of Ichigo, slithering into the sand and burrowing deep down. At the same time, the desert sun was beginning to set between the tall sand dunes. The lights from Aizen's buildings flickered on.
Suddenly, everything seemed larger than it had a mere minute ago. Ichigo was starting to feel intimidated by the sheer vastness of Las Noches. If that wasn't scary enough, he couldn't feel the reiatsu of any hollow for miles around. That meant he would be utterly defenseless toward any incoming attacks; even nine lives wouldn't be enough.
So caught up was he in this realization that he barely had time to retaliate when a hand scooped him up from the sand. Ichigo let out a surprised mewl and flailed his paws about in alarm.
"What have we here?"
The orange furred kitten stiffened noticeably at the familiar voice, which was a low, sexy drawl. He just couldn't place the owner of the voice. Ichigo tried squirming his small feline body around so he could catch a glimpse of his captor. Doing so, he had to dig his claws into the skin enveloping his furry body.
"So, kitty likes to scratch?"
There was no mistaking it; that voice definitely belonged to Grimmjow. Ichigo's kitten ears perked up eagerly. Perhaps if he explained what was going on, Grimmjow could help him.
Desperately trying to string his words together to form a proper explanation, Ichigo released a barrage of panicked meowing and flailed some more.
It's me, Grimmjow! I'm Ichigo. I'm a kitten. See? See my paws? Look at my face! I need your help! I know I'm the enemy, but still! Szayel rubbed some chemical on me, and I don't know what to do please do something to help me I have school tomorrow!
Much to his chagrin, the blue haired Espada only chuckled and lifted him up so he was facing him.
"Calm down, pet. Let's get you someplace safe for the time being, yeah?"
Ichigo gave him a hesitant mewl and waved his paws feebly in response. Maybe he'd been wrong to overestimate Grimmjow. He probably couldn't even understand cat-speak! Anxious and agitated, Ichigo clutched tightly at Grimmjow's white jacket despite the firm support the Espada had around his rear. They entered a Gargantuan Grimmjow conjured up and darkness enveloped them from all sides. Ichigo could feel his heart thumping against his ribcage steadily, and he felt quite certain Grimmjow could, too.
"Relax." The Espada's cheek felt warm and comforting against Ichigo's quivering body. "Nothing's gonna hurt you, I promise."
The darkness receded as suddenly as it had arrived, and they stepped out into a brightly lit white corridor. Ichigo breathed a kitten-sized sigh of relief.
Grimmjow turned and made his way into his quarters, where he placed Ichigo on his white bedspread. Ichigo watched as Grimmjow rummaged around in a white closet and yanked out small white blanket.
"This is for you!" The Sexta Espada laid out the blanket on the bedspread.
Ichigo wasn't sure how to react, but he felt that some form of thanks was in order. Awkwardly, he pretended to sniff at the blanket and pat at it approvingly with a paw.
Misinterpreting his gesture, Grimmjow's face fell. "You don't like it?"
Ichigo mewled, trying to think of another way to convince the Espada he was delighted with the blanket. Padding clumsily over to Grimmjow, he rubbed his nose on his hand as a small show of gratitude.
Convinced, Grimmjow inspected him curiously. "Are you hungry?"
Ichigo didn't feel anything except a tad bit cold. The chilly desert wind was picking up. He mewed his negatory reply.
"Great. I'm gonna take a bath then. You stay here and … relax." Grimmjow slid open an adjoining door and vanished behind it.
The sounds of running water splashing and the muffled thumps of Grimmjow getting ready for his bath could be heard twice as loud for Ichigo. The teenager practiced walking on two legs, but ended up rolling around on the bedspread due to lack of balance. Deciding that this just wasn't his day, Ichigo hopped off the bed and landed on the white marble floor. His claws clicked with every wobbly step he took as he made his way toward the half open bathroom door.
Peeking inside, Ichigo spied Grimmjow's bright blue hair and broad shoulders half-hidden inside the white porcelain bathtub.
Realizing that it was rude of him to invade the Espada's privacy, Ichigo mewed an apology for the intrusion.
The bathroom is warm. He tried to explain as Grimmjow flicked his gaze in his direction. It's chilly outside, so I hope you don't mind if I sit here.
Grimmjow replied with an unblinking stare.
Ichigo swallowed and gave him an apologetic look.
"Come over here, kit." Grimmjow extended a soapy arm, dripping suds onto the fluffy white carpet.
Hesitantly, the orange furred kitten allowed himself to be lifted up and placed on the Espada's toned chest. The water from the bath was warm and leaning against Grimmjow's damp chest felt comforting. Ichigo felt a long breath rattle deep in his throat. Hazily, he wondered what was causing that sound.
"You're purring," Grimmjow answered his unasked question for him. "So you like this, do you?"
Ichigo rubbed his nose against Grimmjow's skin in response, twitching his tail just centimeters from the pleasant bath water. Something floating by caught his eye, and Ichigo pricked his ears up eagerly.
It was a bubble!
He didn't know why he suddenly felt so excited. It was just an ordinary bubble made from ordinary soap in an ordinary bathroom. Yet, his feline instincts were screaming at him to leap up and catch it between his paws. Ichigo vaguely wondered if cats knew how to blow bubbles. Then he chastised himself; cats barely knew what bubbles were made of, anyway!
He reached out with a paw to bat at the bubble. The air movement caused the bubble to float downward. Triumphant, Ichigo lifted his forepaws and made a frantic grab for the bubble as it neared. His remaining paws slipped on Grimmjow's wet skin and into the bath water he went, with a soft burble.
Panic flooded his veins, and Ichigo struggled around in vain, trying to regain his footing on something solid. Without thinking, he opened his mouth to issue a cry for help. The water tasted extremely alkaline, which was hardly surprising. He promptly clamped it close. The soap stung his eyes, and Ichigo was forced to squeeze them shut.
A hand grasped him around his rear and brought him back up to the surface. Ichigo inhaled oxygen and feebly felt around for something to hold on to.
"Clumsy, aren't you?" Grimmjow's chuckle didn't feel derisive, only teasing. "You're so cute."
Ichigo wheezed in reply and scrabbled up to sit at Grimmjow's shoulder, further away from the dangerously soapy water. He blinked hard and shook water from his wet fur.
"Let's get some towels, then."
Grimmjow cradled him in his hands and lithely exited the bathtub. With one fluid motion, he unplugged the tub and whipped a towel around his waist before placing Ichigo on the sink. Together, they watched the soapy water get sucked into the drain hole. With an angry glugging sound, all the water drained out, leaving only foam and soap suds behind. Just then, Ichigo noticed something.
Everything's white, Ichigo mewed. Only your hair and mine add color to the things in here.
Even the towels were white, as were the taps and the marble tiles. The light that bounced off the hard surfaces was a soft white. The marble textured frame around the large mirror was white, too. The bathroom rug was a nice shade of off-white. Everything was arranged artfully to resemble a human bathroom, right down to the little window, which had a small white potted cactus. When Ichigo looked closely, he realized the bathroom tiles had white lizards painted on them. Although it was relatively strange for a bathroom to have that sort of design on its walls, they did look very creative. Despite Aizen's obsession with white, Ichigo had to admit that the Shinigami traitor did have good taste.
"Sorry," Grimmjow muttered and quickly fluffed out a small white towel. "Let's get you all dried up now, kit."
Mewing in protest, Ichigo was swallowed by the towel fabric, forced to clamp his little pink mouth shut before he tasted towel. Grimmjow gently massaged his wet fur and scooped him up with one hand before heading back into the bedroom. Ichigo was placed on something soft; presumably the bedspread. He rolled and clawed his way out from under the towel, shivering as the cool desert breeze caught him smack in the face.
It's cold! Ichigo mewled, lifting a paw and rubbing at his nose. It's cold and I'm wet. I still smell the soap, and my eyes feel sore!
He ducked his head and rolled on the bed, feeling a great urge to bat at something, preferably a nice big ball of yarn. Grimmjow was tugging on a pair of blue striped boxers. He flipped Ichigo's towel onto a nearby chair – made of ivory white bone – and rolled himself onto the bed, careful not to squash his kitten in the process. He dimmed the lights by flicking the light switch in the white plastic panel.
"Time to sleep, kit."
This early? It's only sundown! Ichigo meowed his dissent, followed by a trademark scowl.
"I have to be up really early." Grimmjow frowned, as if he could understand Ichigo's feline talk.
Ichigo sneezed a kitten sneeze. There was no response.
I like you! You're not as bad as I thought. Ichigo mewled. I know you can't understand me, but I just thought I'd like you to know.
Grimmjow ignored him, closing his eyes and yawning.
Giving in, Ichigo circled around his part of the bed and found a nice warm spot between Grimmjow's chest and his arm. He sat down and curled up into a small ball of fluff, tucking his tail neatly around his back legs for warmth.
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He was warm, but he still felt cold at the same time. There was a whooshing sound in his ears, and he could feel the ground shake every few minutes.
Ichigo opened his eyes and blinked blearily, taking in the surroundings. He wasn't in the big white room anymore, but he was still near Grimmjow. The Sexta Espada's scent was still strong, and Ichigo felt secure. Houses and trees whizzed by, then a long fence, and some more houses.
Houses?
Ichigo snapped to attention; they were in Karakura!
The familiar smells of his home town was stronger than ever. Ichigo looked up to see Grimmjow with a determined look on his face as he ran, thudding on rooftops, jumping to the ground, and then back up on rooftops again. It was either night time of the early hours of the morning, judging by the cool dampness in the air and the dark sky above them.
Grimmjow landed with a soft thump on the ground near a row of trashcans, scaring the fish out of a stray cat with big green eyes.
"Hey, watch it!" It meowed. "I have two kids to feed!"
It sounded like someone's irate father.
Ichigo stifled a giggle, but ended up purring. So he was still a kitten. Was that why he could understand what that cat had yelped?
Suddenly, they were high in the air as Grimmjow took a tremendous leap, soaring over several buildings before slowing down over a row of houses. Ichigo could see the familiar sign of his father's hospital.
It's my house! He mewed, looking up at Grimmjow with a puzzled expression. Are you going to hurt my family?
Grimmjow didn't reply, only tightened his hold on his little kitten. Ichigo cuddled closer, enjoying the comforting warmth radiating off Grimmjow's chest. Strangely, he didn't feel scared or worried, just safe and secure. He loved Grimmjow's scent, all fresh and minty, almost like toothpaste, but not quite.
Ichigo felt himself lifted up by Grimmjow and lowered onto a bed, inside a bedroom that looked a whole lot like his own.
Confused, he mewed up at Grimmjow.
"Be careful when you're sneaking around Las Noches, kit. I can't be saving you all the time." Grimmjow gave him a wink and smirked at his puzzled expression.
Ichigo watched as Grimmjow uncorked a small vial of what looked like powder and upturned the contents over him. It smelled strongly of ripe strawberries. Ichigo coughed.
He lifted one paw to cover his mouth, and realized the fur was disappearing; his nails widening, his skin wrinkling. The strong, heady smell of strawberries was now faint, and the familiar smell of his bedroom disappeared. His eyesight weakened considerably, but he could see colors with sharper hues now. His ears popped, and the sounds of chirping crickets dimmed.
He was a human again!
Also, he was naked.
Ichigo yanked the blanket beneath him and pooled it around his midsection hurriedly. A light tinge of pink colored his cheeks. He looked up to see Grimmjow chuckling.
"Sleep well, you've got school tomorrow."
The blue haired Espada leaned down and brushed his nose against the teen's.
Their lips met, and a soft shiver of pleasure ran down Ichigo's spine. The light kiss lasted only for a second, before Grimmjow pulled away and ruffled his orange hair.
"Goodnight, kid. I like you too."
Then he was gone, like a panther slinking away into the night. Ichigo's blushed deepened as he came to one of usual sudden conclusions.
Grimmjow could understand cat speak!
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Ahaha, my sad attempt at fluff kind of turned out a little strange. Anyway, I hope you like it! Please review if you do. :D