A Neko's Fate
Chapter 2: "You can trust me- I promise."
A/N: Sorry that it took me so long to update this. I'm happy to report that I had enough people fav/review the story that it will continue on. Just letting you know- I have absolutely no idea where this story is going so...yeah. BUT I had the brilliant idea of letting you guys choose what the next chapter will be about and I'll weave it in to an overall plot (cause I have an inkling of thought of how the story ends). So yeah- that's it. :) ON WITH THE SHOW
Regular words
'Shiro taking in Ichigo's head'
'Ichigo's thoughts'
`Grimmjow's thoughs`
Sun streamed through windows and glowed against vibrant orange and cerulean locks. Grimmjow's head was nestled against Ichigo's chest, the substitute's arms wrapped tightly around him. Birds created sweet songs that flowed into the room, waking one blue-haired panther hybrid. Drowsy azure eyes blinked open, quickly observing vibrant orange locks and smooth tan skin. His eyes raked over a pointed nose and light brown freckles, as well as serenely shaped lips that no longer were frozen in their usual scowl. Those same azure eyes widened to epic proportions upon realizing that he was currently nestled into his enemy's arms, with his head resting against a firm and well-toned chest.
Grimmjow let out a frantic shriek while simultaneously pushing Ichigo away (and not so coincidently off the bed) before scooting as far back into the corner of the room as possible- his arms straining against the wall in a futile attempt to get himself farther away from the shinigami. Ichigo's chocolate orbs popped open the moment Grimmjow screamed, his eyes greeted with immediate movement before his unsuspecting back hit the floor and he groaned in pain. Sitting up, Ichigo surveyed what had happened. Grimmjow's usual perfect hair was matted against his head with sweat, perspiration adorning almost his entire body, his strong eyes were filled with a fear not known, his dark teal ears pressed against his head in submission and his tail worriedly flicking back and forth.
With a sigh Ichigo stood- he had hoped that some of Grimmjow's submissive and fearful behavior would've gone away after their sudden bonding last not, but apparently not. "Grimmjow, it's ok. You can trust me- I promise. I won't hurt you." With his eyes still fearful and his body betraying his unease he replied," Shut the fuck up, Kurosaki. Why the fuck would I believe you! Last time-" his words suddenly came out choked and his eyes began to water slightly as he shut them, turning his head away before continuing," Last time I saw you, shinigami- we were trying to kill each other. Now I'm weak and submissive and- and vulnerable" he spit the word out like venom-" and you're a powerful alpha. In Hueco Mundo that means you're either gonna take advantage of me or kill me then eat me." Then, upon realizing his state of being partially nude in front of said alpha, Grimmjow scrambled to yank the blankets over his body. A sigh escaped Ichigo's lips once again when he heard Grimmjow's words. What Grimmjow had been exposed to continuously since the war ended made him afraid and had made him lose his previous fire and courage. The Sexta Espada was no more and in his place was a fearful, beta panther neko-hybrid.
"Grimmjow you can trust me, okay? I know that it makes no sense, and your instincts are probably screaming at you to run- but you're safe here with me. I found you tied up on my bed last night- you were a little off last night and when I finally was able to calm you down, you fell asleep in my arms. That's all that happened, okay? Promise." Ichigo then attempted to get closer to Grimmjow when suddenly the hybrid let out a sharp hiss and attempted to climb up the wall. "Get the fuck away from me Kurosaki! I don't know what kinda lies your spewing but I don't give a shit! If Szayel gave me to you then that means he expected you to hurt me- so I ain't goin' anywhere near you, shinigami!" Ichigo tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Szayel, do you mean the 8th Espada- the one with the pink hair and crazy smile?" Grimmjow nodded his head slightly before replying,"That's the asshole I'm talking about." 'Ah shit King- if that Espada got aholda' our Grimm-kitty then who knows what the fuck that guy did to him.' 'You think that the Octava did this to Grimmjow?' 'Who knows, King. But I'd assume so if Grimm-kitty is this scared a' 'im.
While Ichigo was talking with Shirosaki in his head, Grimmjow could only stare at the shinigami in confusion. He hadn't responded to any movement Grimmjow made or even responded to his statement about Szayel. `I wonder what the fuck that kids thinking about.` `Master, the boy is telling the truth. You do not remember the events of last night because Szayel's paralytic drug was continuing to effect you. Sadly, the drug that turned you submissive is permanent lest the Octava change you back. I believe you should trust the boy- so far he has only acted to insure your wellbeing.` `Fuck! I was hoping it wouldn't be permanent. Thanks for the heads up, Pan. I'll try to trust that fucking shinigami but no promises.`
And it was in that very moment that Ichigo was done talking to his hollow and he noticed that Grimmjow had somehow gotten much closer while he spoke to his inner pain-in-the-ass. When Grimmjow shook out of his stupor as well he let out a shriek once again and tried to scurry away. Tried being the key word here. When Ichigo noticed Grimmjow was about to bolt he wrapped his lean arms around the former Espada and yanked him to his chest. Grimmjow shouted and screamed, bucking his hips, scratching, biting, kicking and whining- anything to get away. And the whole time Grimmjow did so the orangette continued to whisper soothing words in his ear and slowing lowering them to the floor- attempting to setting the riled neko. 'Thank God, Goat-face and the girls are outta town for awhile- and I'm on a leave of absence so I won't be bothered by Soul Society.' Finally, after what seemed like hours of struggling (which was really only a few minutes), Grimmjow calmed down and laid against Ichigo's chest. "Grimmjow, I know it's really hard to trust me- but you can. We're not enemies anymore, and you need help. But first let's get you downstairs- feed you, check out your injuries, and clean you up, okay? And after that -if you still don't feel like you can trust me- I'll just have to prove it to you. But your health is more important than your trust right now and I can help." Grimmjow glanced up making eye contact with the shingami and was surprised by the genuine concern and worry displayed in Ichigo's eyes. Grimmjow nodded before burying his face in the crook of Ichigo's neck- relishing in the aroma of vanilla, cinnamon and something that was just Ichigo.
Grimmjow let out a yelp when he felt himself being lifted into the air and carried bridal style. He hastily threw his arms around Ichigo's neck before saying, with a growing blush across tan cheeks,"Wh-what the H-he-hell Kurosaki! I'm not some chick that needs ta be carried, p-put me down-n you as-sshole!" With a slight smile at the Sexta's unusual behavior Ichigo replied,"I'm not carrying you because I think you're a chick, Grimmjow. I'm carrying you because one, I don't know the extent of your injuries two, you don't know where we're going and three, I'm pretty sure you won't like what I'm about to do." Grimmjow's eyes went wide in fear and he froze in panic, "What do you mean I won't like what you're about to do, Kurosaki?" Ichigo did not reply.
Ichigo brought the fear-stricken neko into the bathroom, where he set Grimmjow on his feet. Ichigo reached towards the only clothing left on the Espada with eyes closed- and soon the Sexta was as naked as the day he was born. Grimmjow began to scream, thinking Ichigo was about to rape him, and attempted to dart out the bathroom door. And once again his escape attempt was foiled by Ichigo grabbing him around the torso. The substitute then dumped Grimmjow's struggling form into the porcelain tub. Upon feeling a sudden cold object come into contact with his rear end, Grimmjow opened his eyes and froze. He was in a fucking shower. And what comes out of showers? Water that's what. But Grimmjow didn't even have time to think of getting out of the tub before he was enveloped in a comfortably hot rain.
The orangette whom had dumped said neko in the bath gazed upon Grimmjow with amusement. Ever since he had turned the water on, Grimmjow had locked him with a wide-eyed innocence gaze from underneath his matted blue hair with his ears pressed against his head and his tail flicking back and forth slowly. Ichigo grabbed the shampoo bottle and the body wash and began cleaning Grimmjow's hair and behind his ears (an action that awarded the substitute shinigami with a purr) before washing off the dried blood from Grimmjow's chest. The water mixed with crimson and was sucked down the drain- further revealing a wicked slash across the Espada's chest that had been sown together again and Ichigo could only imagine what further damage the Sexta had taken that were unnoticed due to the water.
Soon the shower was complete, and Ichigo wrapped the neko-hybrid up in a towel before (once again) carrying him back to Ichigo's room. Ichigo set said neko on the bed, still naked yet covered by a towel. "Grimmjow, I'm gonna be right back okay?" A nod was the only response he received. After returning and handing the blunette a pair of boxers, something that made the Strawberry blush, the pair went down the stairs and to the clinic. Ichigo surveyed each injury spotting various needle marks that decorated Grimmjow's firm arms. Ragged and careless stitch marks sewed together various parts of the Sexta's body. Though they did the job intended, they would leave nasty scars. Soon Ichigo's check up was complete and he began to wrap Grimmjow's torso with bandages. Ichigo once again left Grimmjow alone for a moment as he went to find some sweat pants. "Sorry I couldn't get you something better- but you're bigger than I am and this is the best I could do for now. I can't give you a shirt because any shirt would be too tight and that would mess with your injuries." Ichigo glanced over to Grimmjow to see if he was listening and- seeing him nod- continued, "Come on, I'm gonna make you some food." The Sexta followed Ichigo to kitchen where he sat on a barstool and watched the shinigami make white rise and breaded fish. Ichigo served Grimmjow a plate, sliding it over to the neko before sitting down and watching him eat.
"Grimmjow?"
"yfhgefs?" Translation: yes?
"I noticed the needle marks on your arm, and all the places that you have stitching makes it seem like you were dissected. I just- I- I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me." Ichigo watched with sad eyes as Grimmjow swallowed harshly, before his eyes and body betrayed his pain.
"Grimmjow you don't have to tell me what happened if you're not ready." Grimmjow shook his head. "No Kurosaki. You should know, especially since you've been taken care of me and shit. You should know just what you're dealing with." Taking a deep breath, he turned his head away and continued. "Szayel found me out in the desert of Hueco Mundo on the verge of death. He healed me and used me as his personal living experiment. He- he'd cut me up- take a look inside me, poke around, inject me with stuff- and then sow me up. But he never put me under when he did it- and- and he never gave me any pain meds. Sometimes that fucker would pull out one of my organs or intestines or shit and show them to me. Sometimes all I can remember of his fucking experiments was blood and pain and screaming." Grimmjow took a deep breath. "But the worst thing he did was this. He turned me into a fucking beta, make me weak and submissive and took away everything from me. And- and I- I.."
Ichigo watched with sad eyes as Grimmjow's voice began to tremble and soon the poor panther-hybrid had broken into uncontrollable sobs. Ichigo stretched his arms out and enveloped the Sexta, slowly lowering them to the ground while he waited for the sobs to abide. The food laid on the table uneaten and forgotten.
It was many hours later, after Szayel's actions had come to light and the Sexta's tears had stopped, that the pair could be found curled up on the couch- Grimmjow still held tightly within Ichigo's arms. The TV created background noise to their quiet bonding. Soon the Sexta began drifting off against the shinigami's chest, soft purrs and snores signaling his trip to the world of dreams. With a soft smile that was wildly different from his usual scowl, Ichigo picked up the sleeping neko and carried him once again. Up the stairs and into Ichigo's bedroom they went. Ichigo gently set the sleeping form down upon his bed and pulled the covers up over his form. And as the shinigami began to sneak silently out of the room, a tan clawed hand grabbed the back of Ichigo's shirt. And with a sleepy murmur of, "Stay."- the orangette was coerced into sleeping with Grimmjow. He nestled the neko against his chest, and fell asleep to Grimmjow's quiet breathing- all the while unaware of the soft smile that overtook the other's face at the feeling of falling asleep with the one he had subconsciously marked as his alpha.