A/n: This one totally ran away with me. My bad. OC, maybe a tad. I'm trying, I'm trying. Keeping these characters IC in an AU setting is surprisingly hard! Or maybe I've just lost my touch, probably lost my touch. I'm getting myself back on track slowly, so we'll be okay. Right? Right.
Grimmjow watched Neliel expectantly for a long moment. The silence between them was heavy, and the expression of panic on her face warned him that this was an unexpected and unwanted visitor. "What? Who is it?" Grimmjow asked Neliel quietly.
"Uh..." Neliel leaned against the wall, trying to find words in her shocked condition. "It's my...my ex fiance."
"You were engaged?"
"Long story. I dumped him, and sold the ring..." she whispered. She jumped as he knocked again, shouting "Neliel, I know yer fucking in there, you fucking slut."
"What am I supposed to do?" Neliel breathed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I have to answer."
"Why? Can't you just act like you're asleep?" He asked.
"No, he'll knock and carry on until I wake up or the neighbors call the cops." She sighed. "I've tried to get a restraining order, but somehow they never let me. I just..." She sighed again, looking to be on the verge of tears.
"I'll answer it." he told her, and the man knocked again.
"Open the fuck up, you bitch. I know you're awake."
"Okay, Nel. Go to your room, get into your pajamas and into bed. But first-" He paused so he could undress to his underclothes. "Take these with you. This may seem a little over the top...but-"
"Grimmjow, you'll get yourself killed." Neliel told him seriously.
"You really think I can't handle myself?" Grimmjow demanded fiercely. "I run a dojo. I'm not stupid. Just do what I say, and I'll do my best to make sure this guy leaves you alone. Neliel sighed at his stubbornness, but scampered up her stairs anyway, secretly glad that Grimmjow hadn't left her.
Grimmjow flung the door open suddenly, coming face to face with a lanky, tall black haired man. "Can I help you with something?" He demanded irritably.
"Where the fuck is Neliel?" The man demanded.
"In bed, where do you think? She has a lot to do tomorrow, so she's asleep. And if you woke her up, you'll have hell to pay." Grimmjow told him angrily. "Who the fuck are you, anyway?"
"I'm Nnoitra Gilga, Neliel's fiance."
"Oh, you're her fiance? That's funny. She told me she dumped you, and she sold the engagement ring."
"How do you know about that?" Nnoitra demanded. Grimmjow grinned.
"How the fuck do you think I know, idiot? She told me. Didn't you fucking hear me say that? What are you doing here at this hour? Don't you know she's an important woman?" Grimmjow demanded fiercely, taking a step forward. Nnoitra took a small step back, finding himself uncomfortable and defensive suddenly.
"Yeah, I fucking know. You probably think that bitch is a fuckin' saint, don't ya? Well, yer wrong." Nnoitra leaned closer. "Lemme tell you something, man to man." Grimmjow could smell the alcohol on the taller man's breath and he cringed. "She's a fucking skank. Every time I come over, she puts out. So why don'tcha let me in so I can get what the fuck I came for?"
"Why don't you fuck off?" Grimmjow took another step forward, and Nnoitra sent a fist hurtling to his face. Grimmjow was too quick, and had Nnoitra's arm encased in a death grip immediately after it connected. He held the arm in such a way as to be able to break it in one swift motion. "I will break your arm if you don't promise to leave here and never come back. And if you do ever come back, believe me when I say I will make your life a living hell." Grimmjow grinned menacingly.
"What the fuck is yer problem? That slut's just gonna ditch you fer me anyway." Nnoitra laughed, and Grimmjow pushed his hand down on Nnoitra's elbow. The joint began to creak in an unnatural way, and Nnoitra grunted in pain. "Yer not really gonna break my fucking arm."
"Do you really want to test that?" Grimmjow demanded, pushing down harder on the joint. Nnoitra squirmed, but Grimmjow refused to let up his grip.
"Fine, I'll fucking leave. Have fun with that fucking slut." Nnoitra laughed again as Grimmjow let go of his arm and shoved him away. "You might wanna get tested after stickin' it to her, asshole."
"You're walking a thin line." Grimmjow told the man through gritted teeth.
"That bitch will fuck anything that moves!" Nnoitra grinned, and Grimmjow found himself utterly disgusted by this man. He couldn't resist the urge to punch him in the face, hard, sending him hurtling to the ground. He made impact with a sickening thud, but was quick to return to his feet. "You mother fucker."
"If you want me to get you arrested, or worse, go on and keep fighting me. But you're really better off just leaving, now." Grimmjow glared. "Like I said, I won't hesitate to break your bones. Stay the fuck away from here, I don't know what Neliel ever saw in someone like you, but apparently she wised up if she dumped you." Grimmjow shoved the man back as he tried to advance again. "Seriously, go the fuck away. If you're gonna come back, be sober next time. You're scum."
"Your angel fucked scum, then. Hope you're okay with that, bastard!" With that, the lanky annoyance left, and Grimmjow watched him pull away from the house and drive down the street. He sighed and shut the door behind him, dead bolting it. Neliel emerged from the stairs, wearing nothing but a thin negligee. His eyes widened at the vision she made, finding that despite the ugly things Nnoitra said about her, he was aroused yet again.
"You're truly a cruel woman." Grimmjow groaned. "I can't sleep if you're going to wear that to bed."
"That's why I sleep in the dark." Neliel told him. Grimmjow sighed and shook his head at her.
"I'm sure this is a sensitive subject...but I have to ask. Is anything he said about you true?" Grimmjow asked softly, as though afraid of the answer.
"No, he's a liar." Neliel sighed. "I was engaged to him, I don't know what I was thinking. It's been years since I broke up with him, but he still can't get over it." She took a deep breath. "And every so often he'll come back to torment me, and it's usually at the worst times...like now." She looked to Grimmjow apologetically. "I'm really, really sorry. And I really appreciate everything you've done for me tonight. Please...let me thank you properly." Neliel reached for his hand, and he could feel the tremors coursing through hers. "I know I said I've broken so many of my rules tonight...but I really owe you a lot right now. And I appreciate what you're going through right now."
"Neliel. Don't." Grimmjow frowned. "You need to sleep. We can sort this out in the morning."
"Grimmjow, you don't honestly believe him, do you?"
"No, of course not. And you know I fucking want you, but it's not right. I told you, I don't want to fuck this up." Grimmjow tugged at her hand playfully. "Now put some real pajamas on and we'll sleep on this. I'm actually pretty fucking tired myself."
"Oh." Neliel suddenly found herself yawning. "You're right, you're right." She frowned. "I have put you through a lot. You're surprisingly patient." Neliel told him, and Grimmjow smiled sheepishly.
"Let's just go to bed." He followed her up the stairs, and she went into her room. He walked in, shutting the door behind him. He pointed to a door. "Is that a bathroom?" He asked.
"Yes." She moved to her dresser, pulling out a set of pajamas. He nodded and went in.
"Just let me know when you're decent." He told her before shutting the door and making use of her facilities. She dressed quickly, climbing into bed.
"I'm dressed." She called softly, and he emerged from her bathroom, taking her in. She had a well organized bedroom, and a large bed with mint green comforters. There was a small table and chairs in a corner beneath a window, and the drapes were all the same mint green as her bed set. The only light left on in the room was a lamp on one of her night stands.
He crawled into her bed nervously, surprised at just how he felt at this moment. It had been such a long time since he'd shared a bed with a woman in anything other than sexual encounters. He didn't want to mention that to Neliel, but at the same time he thought it might help. It was a little embarrassing to admit, after all.
"You're so quiet." Neliel murmured.
"It's been a long time since I shared a bed with a woman."
"Isn't that what you do every night?" She asked.
"Not as much as you'd think. And I don't stick around to actually sleep in their beds." Grimmjow enlightened her, and she sighed.
"Then I suppose I feel special." She rolled onto her side, and he heard her yawn. He rolled to face her, calming his heartbeat before reaching to pull her close to him. She whimpered softly, pressing into him gently. His grip around her stomach was tight, but not so tight that she felt smothered. She felt comforted, and extremely surprised. "I'm sure you're not a cuddler." Neliel mumbled, and he gave her a playful squeeze.
"Dammit, Nel. There's just something about you...I don't know..." He sighed, trying to figure it out. "I want to protect you and I dunno why." He buried his face in her hair, exhaling softly. The warm rush of air made Neliel shiver as it hit the back of her neck.
"I don't need protection." She whispered. "I take care of myself, I always have." She yawned again, continuing sleepily. "But it's nice to have someone who actually wants to look out for me." She admitted, rolling to face him. She threw her arm around him, pressing her body against him. "I'm pretty mad at you right now though." She told him playfully. "You broke a lot of my rules."
"I'll make it up to you, woman...somehow."
"I'm all right with that." Neliel murmured. "Goodnight, Grimmjow."
"Goodnight, Nel."
She fell asleep in his arms almost instantly, and he found himself following her just as quickly.
She woke with a start the next day, almost forgetting the events of the previous night. Then, she heard Grimmjow's light breathing somewhere in the space beside her and she bit her lip as she looked toward him. He was still asleep. She glanced to the glowing numbers on her alarm clock to find that it was only 10am. Well, she already knew she was up for the day, so she hopped in her shower. Her bathroom contained a large, jacuzzi tub and a stall shower, but most days she used her shower.
She didn't like to waste a lot of time, after all. She showered quickly, even managing to shave her legs. It was a habit she hadn't broken in the years since she and Nnoitra had broken up. Every other day she would shave, because she knew how he hated any stubble whatsoever. She sighed, wishing he would just leave her alone. But maybe with Grimmjow around—she shook her head to herself.
He might not stay around... she thought to herself.
She pulled on a light green robe and slipped her feet into a pair of slippers. She opened the door slowly, finding that Grimmjow still slept peacefully. She didn't mind, in fact, she was relieved. She would cook him a surprise breakfast. She silently left the room and slipped down the stairs.
She first pulled the dishes from the living room and put them in the sink. She could wash everything once she'd cooked breakfast. She opened her refrigerator and pulled out some eggs, bacon, ham, and veggies. She had onions, cheese, celery and a green bell pepper. She smiled at the prospect of making omelets, as for some reason she enjoyed cooking. She just hardly had a chance to cook for anyone.
She scrambled six eggs, three in each bowl, and chopped up her veggies while she fried up her bacon. She also managed to start on some coffee for herself. Then, she started on the first omelet. She grinned as she realized she still had some bread left, and started making toast when she began the second omelet. She almost had everything finished when she heard slow, shuffling footsteps. A sleepy Grimmjow appeared in the doorway, and she beamed at him.
"Good morning, sunshine." She teased, and he yawned.
"Whatcha doing?" He asked sleepily.
"Making breakfast. I hope you like omelets." She grinned as she finished up her toast. She quickly spread some butter on his toast and cut it in half. Then, she slid his omelet, bacon and toast onto a plate and handed it to him with a fork and a knife.
"Yeah, omelets are great." He looked at her in awe again. "I didn't know you could cook."
"There is a lot you don't know about me." Neliel told him. "You've only just met me, remember this."
"I feel like I've known you forever..." Grimmjow admitted, and Neliel rolled her eyes. She felt the same, but she didn't want to admit it. "Don't fucking mock me." He grumbled, sitting down at her table.
"What do you drink with breakfast? I have milk, orange juice, or I have coffee."
"I could go for some coffee and a glass of milk." He told her, and she nodded. She handed him a cup of coffee and a small glass of milk and brought a bowl of sugar and some half and half to the table. Then, she seated herself beside him.
"Well, dig in!" She told him, realizing he had waited for her to sit down. He did as she asked, and they ate silently for a little while.
"So, you gonna kick me out after breakfast?" Grimmjow asked suddenly, and Neliel laughed.
"Well, maybe not right after breakfast, but Halibel's going to call later." She shrugged.
"Let me guess. You have to go shopping." Grimmjow scoffed.
"Oh, Grimmjow, you act as though you'll never see me again." Neliel took a sip of her coffee.
"For all I know, I won't. It was pure luck I even met you, you said it yourself."
"Yes, but you do have my phone number, and you do know where I live." She smiled brightly.
"Are you encouraging me to stalk you, then?" He demanded.
"Well, if that's your prerogative, then sure." She shrugged. "But you really don't seem like the type."
"I bet you said that about that asshole Nnoitra, too," Grimmjow said breezily. Neliel froze, glaring at him.
"You're an idiot." Neliel had disappeared up the stairs before Grimmjow realized what he'd just said.
"Oh, fuck." He ran up the stairs so quickly he found himself breathing heavily at the top. "Nel, I didn't mean it that way, come on."
"Why don't you get your things and leave?" Neliel demanded as he moved toward her. "Your clothes are at the foot of my bed." She told him. Her eyes were filled with anger.
"Nel, I'm not leaving until you accept my apology." He told her firmly, and she just glared at him silently. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about what I was saying, I have no right to say shit like that to you. I am an idiot." He sighed, shaking his head. "To think I've already fucked this up." He tapped his fingers on his leg irritably, and Neliel found sympathy flooding her. But she wouldn't relent, he had done her a great injustice!
He was, however, sincerely apologizing to her, and she knew that had to be difficult, and she didn't have to be. She sighed, seating herself in one of her chairs. "Why don't you sit down? I'll explain this to you." She conceded, and he found himself surprised yet again. "I really don't want to relive the past, but you've done a lot more for me in the past 12 hours than most people have done for me in 12 years." She sighed deeply.
"I met Nnoitra when I was three years old. Or so I'm told, I don't quite remember that far back. Our parents were all friends, and so we had plenty of play-dates. So I've known him for quite a while. Our houses were on the same block, and so we saw each other a lot. Somewhere in that time, he...we...fell in love. Probably when I was around fourteen, I would say." She rested her elbows on her little table.
"He was a completely different person then, and you'll have to trust me here. He managed to be sweet, but he also pushed my limits. As the years went on, he became more and more emotionally and verbally abusive, even threatening physical violence. Yet, he would always manage to redeem himself with some over the top sweet gesture. A bouquet of flowers delivered to me at work or school, a candlelit surprise dinner, horseback riding in the sunset—things like that." She chewed on her bottom lip uncomfortably.
"Well, no one was surprised when he proposed to me. And so we were engaged for a year. Then, a month before we were set to be married, I caught him with another woman. The fall out was hideous. He denied it and denied it, and tormented me for months after that. Every day he would try something new to get me back, but I refused him each and every time. All it took was one glimpse of who he really was to send me back to reality. It hurt. But I needed it." She frowned, pulled her knees to her chest so that she could hug her legs.
"Neliel..."
"No one knew how he really was, Grimmjow. No one really does." She gave him a grave look. "But you do. I guess we both have our own problems with the opposite sex." She managed to lighten things up.
"Yeah, well, that's fucked up. You don't deserve that. But I still can't help but wonder if there's any truth in his words. It's nothing against you, Neliel, it's just that I've known too many women who lied."
"I...I understand." Neliel frowned. "The only other person who knows is Halibel. She witnessed more of this than anyone. And by that I mean she was the only person to ever witness him threatening me."
"And she didn't tell you to get the hell out of there?" Grimmjow demanded incredulously.
"Of course she did!" Neliel returned. "I was stupid! I didn't listen. I was young and naïve and thought I knew everything." She paused for a moment, her bottom lip trembling. "I guess most of all I was terrified of being alone and never finding anyone again."
"Right. I've been there before." He grabbed her hand suddenly, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Look, I know you're still suspicious of me, and I know it'll take a while for you to trust me, but I understand. You've told me so fucking much and I really can't believe this is happening." Grimmjow told her suddenly, and her eyes widened in surprise. "So, are you sure you're not free before Friday?" He asked, and she laughed.
"Look at you, trying to rush things!" She smiled. "Who goes on dates on days other than Fridays?" She asked.
"We'll still go out on Friday, but suddenly there are a lot of fucking places I want to take you." He told her.
"Oh? Are you intending on showing me off or something?" She asked.
"What if I am?"
"Well, you'll have to give me a couple of free days then, because I have to prepare!" She laughed. "What is today? Saturday? Or is it Sunday?" She asked.
"Saturday."
"Oh, thank goodness." She smiled. "I can still sleep in tomorrow."
"So you aren't busy tomorrow?"
"Oh, you got me." Neliel relented. "How does six sound?"
"Sounds fine to me. Also, that was a fucking amazing omelet. Where did you learn to cook?"
"Learn to cook? Oh, you're too funny." Neliel laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "Well, I suppose you might want to put your clothes back on so I can get dressed. Knowing Halibel, she won't call me until one thirty or so." She shrugged. "So I guess if you really want to stay, go ahead, just wait for me downstairs."
"Well if you're inviting me to stay. I won't fucking stay if you want me to leave."
"Oh, no, don't go." Neliel grinned suddenly. "I'm so enjoying your presence. Now hurry up, my skin's drying up and I'm getting itchy."
"I can rub lotion on it for you if you'd like." Grimmjow offered before thinking about what he was saying.
"Oh? Can you be professional about it?" She asked, much to his surprise. She did so hate rubbing lotion on herself, as she couldn't reach her entire back.
"Of course I can." He told her after a moment, thinking to himself Or I can try...
"Fine." Neliel handed him a bottle of white lotion. "Now look away for a second, will you?" She asked, and he did as she asked. "All right." He turned to see that she was completely naked and lying upon her stomach on her bed, the covers pushed aside. Her legs were pushed completely together, and he could see that she was tense.
"Nel, you know that if I rub lotion on you, it's gonna be a fucking massage. So you're gonna have to relax." He told her.
"I thought you were just going to-"
"Look, just enjoy it." He interrupted her. "A massage from me is a privilege. Just trust me." He told her, and she sighed, allowing her muscles to relax as much as she could. "Thanks." He told her, squirting the lotion down her back. She flinched at the unfamiliar sensation, and again at the sudden caress of Grimmjow's hands. First, he used wide strokes to spread the lotion across her skin, not hesitating to rub some into her buttocks and legs as well. She tensed ever so slightly as his hands got lower, and he chided her. "Just relax, you have to trust me."
She sighed into her pillow and he continued his massage, kneading her muscles with an expertise Neliel wasn't sure he should possess. Still, it felt divine, and she found herself completely relaxed under his touch. She didn't even mind when he picked up her legs, one at a time, and massaged those muscles as well.
He found every single knot in her back and gently kneaded her back to normal. When at last he had finished, she found herself rolling herself over to pull him on top of her. He found himself completely shocked to be between her legs, and even more so when she began kissing him ardently. He couldn't resist returning the kisses, and was even more surprised when she pulled off his shirt and began tugging at his boxers.
"Neliel, what are you doing?" He asked her suddenly, and she kept him close to her.
"I'm sorry, I just can't take it anymore." She told him. "I don't care about my rules anymore. I don't care if you ditch me after this. I want you." She whispered, and he found himself incapable of denying her. He pushed her back down onto the bed, spreading her legs so that he could get a taste of her. She gasped in surprise, whimpering softly as the pleasure hit her. No one before him had made her feel this good, she realized suddenly.
He slowly slid his thumb inside of her, and she gasped again, locking her legs around his head. "Ohhh, yesss." She murmured, finding that she was quickly reaching her peak. She arched her back, her soft mewls of pleasure music to Grimmjow's ears, until her phone began to ring. She snapped back into reality suddenly, pushing Grimmjow away. He grunted in disappointment as she looked to her phone.
"Just let it ring." He told her.
"I wish I could, but I do have plans today." She told him softly, answering the ringing device. "Hello? Hey, Halibel! Oh, good! When will you be here? Ten minutes? Wow, you're on a mission, aren't you? All right, I can be ready I suppose. I'll see you then. Bye!" She clicked off, smiling sheepishly at Grimmjow.
"I do hate to do this to you, but you have to go." She told him. "And I was so close, too." She laughed, and he smirked at her.
"I could still finish you off."
"You only have ten minutes, and I definitely don't want Halibel to know that you were here til now." She reasoned. "It would look bad for both of us, trust me. So, I'm sorry, but we'll make up for everything later on." She placed two fingers under his chin to pull him closer for a quick kiss. "Thank you for the massage, by the way. It was just as amazing as you claimed it would be." She complimented.
"I don't fucking lie." He told her. "You're lucky I like you or I'd be pretty pissed right now."
"Oh, Grimmjow, there are plenty of girls throwing themselves at your feet." She smiled. "You'll have to scoop one of them up." She mocked him. He growled irritably.
"Why the fuck would I do that when I have perfection at my fingertips?" He told her, pulling on his clothes. She was taken aback by his compliment, and surprised yet again. She quickly pulled on a set of fresh clothes; a bra and panties, white socks, a pair of jeans and a simple green polo shirt. Grimmjow was surprised at how fast she dressed herself, but impressed at the same time.
"You're flattering me far too much, you don't have to pretend to be someone else to impress me. In fact, you shouldn't."
"I'm not pretending to be anyone. Dammit, you're really pretty fucking impossible, you know that?" He grumbled.
"Oh, don't be such a grouch, Grimmjow. You have a couple of dates with this supposed perfection!" She teased, and he managed a grin at her. "Now, seriously, not to be rude, but you have to go."
"Okay, okay, I'll call you tomorrow. Uh, wear a nice dress." He told her.
"How nice?"
"The nicest you have." He told her, and she followed him downstairs. He pulled on his jacket and slipped on his shoes. Neliel fetched a jacket for herself, knowing Halibel would be there within the next five minutes. She really hated to rush Grimmjow out, but she needed at least a few minutes before Halibel got there so she could compose herself.
"Thanks for saving my life last night." Neliel told him, and he chuckled, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, and thanks for letting me crash here." He hooked his fingers behind her jaw and gave her a quick, passionate kiss. "I'll see you tomorrow." He promised and let himself out. She watched him drive off and sat at her table for a second, catching her breath. She had almost slept with Grimmjow. After knowing him for just one short night. Neliel was beside herself, she couldn't believe what she had almost done. But he had done such an amazing job on her back, and she couldn't help that her body decided to betray her.
"Now he'll think I'm just another one of those easy girls." She grumbled to herself, but his thoughts were far from that.
That Neliel is the most amazing girl I've ever met. He admitted to himself as he drove home. Wait, what the fuck was he thinking? Was he really changing so quickly? He was pretty pissed that Halibel had interrupted him and Neliel, yet at the same time slightly relieved. With the way Neliel had launched herself at him, he had been a little frightened. Still, the way she had fended him off with ease was impressive to him. No other girl before her had done something like that.
"Fuck, I can't wait for tomorrow." He mumbled, pulling out his phone to make a quick call. "Hey, I need to reserve a table for two. Yeah. Six pm. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. All right, thanks." He clicked off, relieved that one of the fanciest restaurants in town wasn't booked solid. He sighed as he pulled into his driveway. He'd have to find something to wear, but he knew it wouldn't be too terribly hard. He had a few nice suits and he knew he could be dressed to the nines.
Neliel heard Halibel's car pull up shortly after Grimmjow had gone, and she ran to the door. She was composed enough, and she heard Halibel's horn beep once. She locked her door behind her, dashing to Halibel's car.
"You seem flustered." Halibel noted, and Neliel laughed softly.
"Flustered? What makes you think that?" Neliel asked.
"Oh, come on now, Neliel." Halibel chided as she backed out of the driveway. "I know you better than that. What happened last night?"
"Well, I let him in so he could keep me awake for a little while. He ended up falling asleep on the couch, so I let him sleep in, made him breakfast and sent him on his way."
"You made him breakfast?" Halibel gasped. She feigned being scandalized, and Neliel rolled her eyes.
"You should probably thank him the next time you see him, he saved my life." Neliel sighed deeply. "Nnoitra paid me a visit last night."
"What? That creep? Neliel, what happened?"
"Grimmjow answered the door. We were still awake talking, and he decided to act as though he was sleeping over." Neliel told her, deciding to tell at least most of the truth. Halibel was going to find out eventually anyway, she figured. "So he and Nnoitra got into it, and of course Nnoitra slandered me." Neliel sighed as she recounted the rest of the events, and Halibel shook her head.
"Nnoitra's an idiot." Halibel sighed, and Neliel nodded.
"I wish I wouldn't have wasted so much of my life with him. Oh! I have to get a really nice dress. Grimmjow got me to agree to going out tomorrow." Neliel told her. "I can't imagine where he's going to take me, but he told me to wear the nicest dress I have."
Halibel glanced over at her cousin in surprise. "Well, don't keep anything from me, Neliel." She chided.
"He told me he wants to take me to a lot of places..." She trailed off, frowning.
"Wow, he must really like you. I've never heard of him taking very many girls on dates, and usually when he does, one is all it takes." Halibel smiled at Neliel. "You didn't sleep with him, did you?" She asked suddenly.
"Oh, Halibel." Neliel sighed. "I guess I can't keep anything from you." She told her teasingly, and Halibel sighed.
"Really, Neliel?"
"No, I didn't sleep with him. I wasn't myself last night, though, so I tried a couple of times."
"What? Neliel!"
"Halibel! Concussions are strange things. He didn't let me sway him, though I could tell it took all he had. I think in a way, I was testing him. I suppose he passed. And Halibel, this is really strange but...I feel like I've known him all of my life." Neliel frowned.
"Neliel, be careful. I know you're smart, but just be careful."
"Thanks, Bel." Neliel smiled at her cousin. "I'm really suspicious of him. And there's no way I'll be throwing myself at him." She laughed. "At least I have a concussion to blame." Halibel pulled into a parking space in the mall's parking lot, and Neliel unbuckled her seat belt.
"So, we have to find a lot of stuff. I hope you brought your wallet, Nel." Halibel smiled softly at her cousin.
"Oh, come on. You know I've been saving up for a shopping trip. It's over a year overdue, after all." Neliel linked elbows with Halibel and dragged her through the mall. "Let's start with tomorrow!" She laughed, and Halibel followed her to the first store. Neliel weaved through the aisles, holding up dresses for Halibel's opinion. Once she'd found six to try on, they made their way to a dressing room.
The first one was a slinky, black and mint green creation that caressed Neliel's figure in a flattering way. Halibel nodded her approval. Neliel laughed. "I'm thinking this one could work for tomorrow."
"Oh, it's definitely an option."
Neliel modeled the other dresses for Halibel, and they decided on the black and green dress, and medium pink dress and a lime green knee length dress. They moved along to the next store, and Neliel found a couple pairs of high heels to complement her purchases. Halibel managed to find herself a pair of bright yellow heels and they left the store with their triumphs.
"Oh, I'm hungry." Neliel told Halibel suddenly, and the two made their way to the food court. "So, how do you know Grimmjow, anyway?" Neliel asked. "And why haven't I met him before?"
"We went to school together for a little while, and he would always come to my parties." Halibel sighed. "And you don't know him because you never went to any of my parties. You probably saw him around town without realizing it, you're always in your own world."
"Oh, you're right. He asked me why he'd never met me." Neliel laughed. "You know what, I guess he's actually kind of cute." She admitted, and Halibel rolled her eyes.
"You must think pretty highly of him." Halibel scrutinized Neliel.
"Well. I don't know yet, I wouldn't go quite so far." She sighed. "He did call me perfection, however." She revealed, and Halibel's eyes widened in shock.
"No way. He couldn't have. He must have been drinking last night."
"He was completely sober. I'm sure I would have smelled the alcohol on his breath." Neliel told her nonchalantly. "I told him not to pretend to be someone else to impress me..." She trailed off, thinking for a moment. "And he said he wasn't. That it was true." She frowned. "This is happening way too quickly, my head is reeling. But he also said he didn't want to fuck this up by moving too quickly. He..." She shook her head, wrinkling her nose. "I don't understand this."
"Just take it easy, Nel. He obviously really likes you. I can't believe you made him breakfast, though." She shook her head in mock disapproval.
"He really did a lot for me. I uh..." Halibel noted that Neliel looked to be extremely uncomfortable all of a sudden. "I at least owe him a little bit. And I told him about Nnoitra. I told him I was mad at him for breaking my rules. He said we would have to make up for it later on..."
"You and your rules." Halibel chuckled, and Neliel frowned.
"Well, it's gotten me this far, hasn't it? You know, he seemed to lose interest in the other women throwing themselves at his feet as soon as he met me. I'm rather perplexed by all of this. Isn't it love that's supposed to change someone?"
"Nel! Don't get your hopes up!" Halibel chided, and Neliel laughed.
"I'm not!" Neliel finished her food and dumped her tray off. "Now, are you ready? I want to get a few more outfits!"
The two women shopped until they were laden with shopping bags. "You know what we should do, Halibel?" Neliel asked.
"Watch a movie?" Halibel returned.
"Oh! You know me so well. Well, do you want to come over? We'll have to stop at the store, I can make us some snacks." Neliel suggested as they hustled back to Halibel's car.
"I'm definitely okay with that." Halibel popped her trunk, and Neliel started to speak again, but was interrupted by Halibel's phone. The blond answered it as they stowed away their purchases. "Hello? Oh, hi, Stark." A warm smile melted across her face, and Neliel couldn't resist a smile seeing her friend's happiness. "Oh, well, I'm going to watch a movie at Nel's place. With who? Tell me. A surprise? Really. Well, let me ask her..."
"Ask me what?" Neliel frowned.
"Stark wants to know if he and a friend can come over to watch movies with us."
"I guess I don't mind, but who's his friend?"
"He won't tell me. You don't have to say yes, Nel!"
"No, really, it's fine! The more the merrier! Tell him to give us 45 minutes, then." Neliel smiled brightly, wondering who she was going to meet now.
"She says it's fine, but who is this friend of yours? Stark! I'm on to you..." Halibel feigned anger. "Well, give us 45 minutes, all right? Okay, bye." Halibel clicked off and locked her trunk. She opened the car up and drove them to the nearest grocery store. "What are you going to make?" She asked Nel, and the green-haired woman grinned.
"Well, popcorn, obviously! And I was thinking I could bake some brownies or something." She frowned, thinking over what ingredients she already had at home. "Well, let's hurry, I'm getting tired of shopping." She told Halibel, rushing through the store quickly after grabbing a basket. Halibel found herself having a hard time keeping up with the ball of energy, but somehow managed.
"You're getting a lot of stuff, Nel!" Halibel laughed, and her cousin gave her a serious look.
"I just remembered I needed to pick up a couple things! Now, come on, I'm done. I have to check out!" She rushed to the front, paying for her groceries quickly. Then, they left the store, Halibel driving them back to Neliel's house.
Halibel followed her into the kitchen, and helped Neliel put away her groceries. "Is there anything I can make?" She asked, and Neliel smiled.
"Hang on a second." Neliel told her, turning on a burner and getting out a pan. "You remember how I make popcorn, right?" Halibel nodded. "Then would you mind?"
"Of course not." Halibel smiled, and Neliel preheated her oven. She started mixing her ingredients, smoothing them into a pan with ease. "Nel, how do you do these things so fast?" Halibel asked, and the green-haired one only smiled.
"It's my secret." She told her as she slid the pan into the oven. "But I have had years of experience." She shrugged. "Well, I supposed I'd better pick a few movies out. I'll be right back." Neliel promised, and Halibel continued tending to her popcorn.
A few minutes later, Neliel came back into the kitchen. "All right, I'll take care of this, why don't you go watch television for a bit? You deserve to relax." Neliel cooed, and Halibel rolled her eyes as she left the kitchen. It wasn't long until she'd finished the popcorn, and poured it into a couple large bowls to serve.
She checked her brownies, and as she was shutting the oven door, she heard a knock upon her door. She heard a creak from the living room and called out to Halibel. "I've got it!"
Neliel bounded to the door, expecting to see Stark and someone different. However, she knew both of the men standing at her door.
A/n: CLIFFHANGER? Yeah, deal with it. Five million internets if you can guess who's with Stark. Go on. I know you wanna. :D (all my love, guys. you have all my love.)
