CHAPTER 4: FRUITS OF LABOR
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach...
Onwards...
XOXOXO
Three Months Later
His reflection looked back at him, mirroring the smug grin he wore as he turned and appraised himself. Today was the day. Today was the day he'd show that old bastard who was boss. Embarrass him in front of a gym full of guys? He didn't think so.
"Yo, ya ready?"
Grimmjow turned away from the mirror over his bedroom dresser, grin spreading as he stalked to the door. He threw it open and stood on the threshold, blue eyes dancing.
"I was born ready. Let's do this."
Kensei shook his head, but couldn't hide the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "See ya got your cocky back."
"A'course."
Grimmjow followed the silver-haired man to the front door of his apartment, gait a sauntering swagger. He damned sure did have his cocky back. And for good reason. The last three months, he'd worked his ass off, and the results had been superb. Whenever he looked in the mirror now, it was with a strong surge of pride. No longer did disappointment swamp him, making him feel like less than a man. No longer did he want to hang his head and hide at the sight of the slightly toned abdomen and less than impressive chest he'd once had. His body could be considered a work of art these days. His torso rippled like a wash board, every muscle cut and defined perfectly. His legs were strong, thigh and calf muscles equally exquisite. Like he'd said: he had a reason to have his cocky back.
He'd always been good-looking, but now, his appearance had sharpened. His skin was tanned from working in the sun for most of the grueling Summer, making his bright blue hair and eyes stand out even more, and his body was statuesque, rounding off the entire package. He smirked to himself as they trooped from the apartment. He was in a great mood. After getting into shape, Kensei had gone over the basics with him – not that he didn't already know them – but he would admit (only to himself) that he'd needed some touching up. As a result, his punches were faster, harder, and his overall sharpness had increased as well. He felt like there was no one in the world that could beat him, which was how a true boxer was supposed to feel.
As they walked towards Luisenbarn's Gym, Grimmjow took in the balmy afternoon air. It was September, which meant the weather was still pretty nice, but not so sweltering. He only wore a pair of dark-blue basketball shorts and a gray, sleeveless tee. Kensei had convinced him to buy a decent pair of boxing shoes, so they hung by the strings over his shoulder. At the moment, he was allowing his feet to breathe with a pair of black and white athletic slippers.
"What're you so excited about?" Kensei asked, breaking the silence.
"I wanna fight," he answered simply.
There was no other answer he could have given. His nerves were taut, heart racing and body trembling from adrenaline. He couldn't wait to get to the gym and prove that old man wrong. It was like someone had given him a shot of epinephrine; he couldn't stand still. The faster they got to the gym, the better. He wondered what the old man had in store for him. Would the old rascal tell him to work out some more, or would he tell him to show him what he knew on the mitts? Was it too much to hope for a spar?
"Ya think ya got what it takes now?" Kensei continued.
"Hell yeah. What kinda question is that?"
"Hey, I'm jus' askin', ya know? Barragan ain't gonna go easy on ya."
Grimmjow gave him a wolfish smirk. "Tha's exactly what I want. I didn' work this hard fer nothin'."
"You're right. I just hope ya don't go showing off."
"Heh! I got a reason to show off."
"Don't. He doesn't like that. He won't even train you if you go in there actin' like you already know everything."
Grimmjow huffed and folded his arms over his chest. Fuck that. He had a reason to show off. After being sucker punched by that old fart, there was no way in hell he would pass up a chance to flaunt his prowess. He planned to flex all over whatever – or whoever – Barragan had in mind for him. As far as he was concerned, nothing and no one stood a chance against him right now. He was in top form.
"So, what's he gonna do anyway?" he asked with a petulant scowl.
Kensei gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Like I'd tell you that. He'd kick my ass and then some."
"Oh, what? So yer scared of an old man now?"
"No, but that old man ain't normal by any means."
Grimmjow started to retort, but changed his mind. Barragan wasn't normal. He looked like he was about eighty going on ninety, but the man's swiftness three months ago had shocked the hell out of him. In fact, that alone had driven him to attain his old shape. He hadn't been able to believe that a man of that age had been capable of besting him. And so easily, at that. One could say he'd been obsessed after that. He'd been bound and determined to make that old man pay for what he'd done. Now that he had the body of his youth, he would show him.
"Yeah, yeah," he ended up muttering.
Kensei just gave him a sideways look before smiling and picking up the pace. The rest of the walk to the gym was silent. Not uncomfortable, but still silent. Grimmjow had a lot on his mind, what with wondering what Barragan had up his sleeve, and being so anxious about getting to fight for real for the first time in over three months.
He couldn't wait.
XxxxxxX
The sounds of gloves connecting with mitts, bodies and sand bags made Grimmjow's heart leap excitedly. As soon as he stepped foot in the gym, his senses went haywire. His eyes darted everywhere, touching on everything briefly before settling on the old man stalking towards him. Barragan's dark eyes were pinned to him, causing his defenses to immediately jump into place. Even though that was the expression the old man had worn three months ago, it still managed to make Grimmjow's hackles rise. What did Barragan have planned? He found himself inwardly asking that question a lot lately.
The older man finally came to a stop in front of him, hawk-like eyes slowly traveling over his body, carefully assessing him. His countenance didn't change, but with Grimmjow's sharper senses and awareness came the ability to spot any minute shifts in appearance. Barragan's eyes glinted with surprise, but the older man was quite talented with hiding it. Anyone else would have failed to recognize it. Expecting the gym owner/trainer to address him, the blue-haired man was surprised when Barragan turned to Kensei.
"Did he work hard?"
Kensei nodded respectfully. "I followed the menu strictly."
"Good," the old man stated, returning his gaze to Grimmjow. "I see you didn't wimp out."
"Oh, yer talkin' ta me now?" Grimmjow asked as he pressed a hand to his chest in mock surprise.
Barragan's eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second before the man grinned through his heavy mustache. "OK, smart ass. What do you say to a spar?"
Grimmjow felt like any second and his knees would buckle from pleased shock. He wanted to grab the older man and hug him. Maybe swing him around a few times while he was at it. What did he say to a spar?
"I say fuck yes, old man. Thought you'd never ask."
"Heh!" Barragan scoffed before turning his back. "I like 'em cocky. Makes it funnier when they get knocked on their asses."
Barragan could have told Grimmjow the sky was falling, and all he would have done was nod and grin. Nothing could affect his mood at the moment. It was like he'd been handed the keys to a brand new luxury vehicle.
"Shuuhei! Get in the ring; yer sparring!" the old man shouted as he headed over to the ring that was center stage of the gym.
Grimmjow grinned some more, but noticed the look of astonishment on Kensei's face. It didn't unnerve him, but it gave him pause.
"What's that look for?" he grunted.
"Well...Shuu's the guy that you saw me with when I first brought you into the gym. He's pretty quick."
"Oh yeah? I think I owe him one for those smart remarks a'his anyway."
"Don't be too hasty. Shuuhei is pretty good. He's only eighteen, but he's got his pro license and a Rookie Championship under his belt."
"And that's supposed to mean...what to me?"
Kensei rolled his eyes as they meandered over to the ring. Barragan approached them before the silver-haired man had a chance to respond. The older man's face was neutral, but his expression was amused and a tiny bit anxious. He handed Grimmjow a pair of gloves and tape.
"I take it you know what to do with this?"
Grimmjow quirked a brow as he expertly taped his hands. He remembered that much from his days with his Pop in the makeshift gym of their old home. The basement had been transformed into their training room, the backyard a ring.
Barragan nodded and waved him into the ring, where the dark-haired man, Shuuhei, danced in one of the corners, gloves on and ready to go. Grimmjow wasn't big on foot work. He was more of a dig in and get things done kind of fighter. He liked to plant his feet and do as much damage as he could; trade punches with the best of them.
He lifted the middle rope and climbed into the ring, Kensei following him to the corner opposite Shuuhei. Grimmjow slipped on the gloves and adjusted the strings for a better fit before stretching and warming up. Excitement drove a path through his veins, his body restless and heart pounding. He couldn't wait to finally hit someone. It had been way too long since the last time, and now that he had his mojo back, he was like a boiling pot of water bubbling over.
"You might wanna calm down," Kensei said with a smirk.
Grimmjow glanced over his shoulder mid-shadow punch. He grinned at his old friend and went back to warming up, his hands shooting forward with quick jabs, fast straights and even faster combinations. He barely noticed the old man's eyes glued to his form. In fact, all of his attention was on his opponent across the ring. Shuuhei moved around a lot, his feet swift and sure as his punches. His lithe body seemed weightless and graceful.
"Two-knock down rule, four rounds!" Barragan called over the background noise of the gym. He didn't have to get too loud because after that statement, the occupants of the gym went silent as their attention was riveted to the ring. "Hana-chan, the bell."
Grimmjow's entire body tensed at the sound of the bell. He watched as Shuuhei turned towards him and danced to the middle of the ring. This was it. This was what he'd been waiting for, craving for. He slid towards the center of the ring, eyes like lasers as he focused. His hands came up in a standard boxing defensive stance. Shuuhei danced some more, his eyes full of laughter and amusement.
Is he making fun of me? Or worse, is he underestimating me?
Grimmjow's fists tightened within his gloves. He'd show this ballerina what he was made of. Shuuhei's jab shot forward, quick as a mouse, but Grimmjow's instincts helped him block the blow. It wasn't heavy, but it was sharp as a blade. If he took too many of those, his face would resemble a bruised apple. He allowed Shuuhei to circle him, feeling him out with more of those lightning-fast jabs. Until the dark-haired man stepped into his comfort zone. Grimmjow lashed out with a perfect one-two. Jab, straight. Shuuhei stumbled back, his guard blown away from the sheer force of the blows. The expression on his face was almost comical to Grimmjow.
Ha! Take that, kid.
He hadn't managed to get a clean shot – Shuuhei's reflexes were too polished for that – but the mental damage was done. Grimmjow knew he had an abnormally powerful punch, but being able to show it off some was a lot better than having the knowledge all to himself. Shuuhei went back to circling him, trying to find an opening. Grimmjow would admit that the kid was a lot faster than he was, but based on what had occurred so far, he had the better fighting instincts. He guessed it was a result of all the street brawls.
Suddenly, Shuuhei darted forward, planting a fist into Grimmjow's gut. Shock and a smidgen of uncertainty made Grimmjow pause, but after the first few seconds, he realized that he was OK. He'd worked nonstop on his gut, so little bites like that didn't effect him the way he thought they would. He grinned and lifted his hands, tightening his guard.
Hit me there all ya want, kid. You won't get the results yer expectin'.
Tired of playing the waiting game, Grimmjow edged closer until Shuuhei danced into his comfort zone again. By the look in Shuuhei's eyes though, it appeared that he was expecting Grimmjow to make the same moves he had made previously. Grimmjow smirked as he did a quick sidestep and pivoted his foot, twisting his whole body into a perfect right body blow. Shuuhei buckled sideways, but Grimmjow wasn't ready to let him rest just yet. He followed up with another body blow to the younger man's left side. Shuuhei bent double, but Grimmjow urged his chin upward with a sharp uppercut. As Shuuhei's body was sent sprawling backwards, Grimmjow dashed forward and put all of his weight into his right fist, sending it flying into Shuuhei's face. The dark-haired man hit the canvas with a loud thud, out cold.
The following silence was only interrupted by Grimmjow's excited panting. He still had his guard up as he stared down at Shuuhei's prone form. When he was finally able to tear his eyes away from Shuuhei, he glanced around the gym, smug satisfaction settling over him. Everyone eyed him with awe and appreciation. Jaws were slack, eyes were wide as baseballs, and bodies were rigid with shock.
"Holy shit," one man mumbled.
"He knocked out Shuuhei?!" another man exclaimed.
"Nice one, newbie!" someone else shouted.
Grimmjow almost bristled at the "newbie" comment, but his pride was on a thousand, making any other emotion null and void. A short, dark-haired man smacked the canvas from Kensei's corner with a wide grin before stalking off towards a door on the opposite side of the gym. Barragan was nowhere to be found. Grimmjow scowled and turned to Kensei.
"Hey! Where's the old man?!" he shouted.
Kensei's eyes were on Shuuhei, but at the sound of Grimmjow's voice, he faced Grimmjow and stared, mouth slightly open. Grimmjow's scowl transformed into a wide grin.
"Don't look so surprised! I toldja I wanted ta fight!"
"I-I...I just. I've never seen Shuuhei knocked out before, let alone so quickly. I dunno what to say."
"Where's the old man?! Why'd he leave like that?!"
"I didn't even see him leave," Kensei muttered, voice faint. Then, his eyes lit up. "I think I know where he is. Stay here."
Kensei jogged over to where the little dark-haired man had disappeared, and closed the door behind him, leaving Grimmjow to his thoughts. A few of the gym members had retrieved a bucket of water and were trying to revive Shuuhei, but no dice. The younger man was still completely out of it. Grimmjow went to the nearest corner and leaned against the post, his arms draped over the ropes.
That had been so damned fun.
XOXOXO
Kensei stood in Barragan's office, arms folded over his chest. The older man was positioned near the office window, his back facing Kensei and arms folded across his own chest. Hanatarou was seated on the couch, eyes lit with amusement and excitement.
"Where did you find him, Kensei?" Hana asked.
"He's an old friend of mine. I ran across him the day I first brought him here. He was interested in getting back into boxing. His dad was big on the sport way back when and groomed Grimmjow-"
"Hn!" Barragan interrupted. He didn't turn around as he said, "He's got a monstrous punch. I haven't seen that kind of power in many years."
"Yeah, I remember how kids used to be scared of him in high school, but I thought he would've lost it since he hasn't been in action in so long."
Finally, Barragan turned and faced Kensei. "Make sure he keeps coming. I like his attitude, and his potential is astounding. We'll make a true demon out of him."
Kensei grinned and nodded. "Yes, sir! I'll let him know."
He left the office, his eyes immediately drawn to the ring where Grimmjow reclined against the ropes and Shuuhei was still sprawled on the canvas. He still couldn't believe how quickly Grimmjow had knocked him out. He'd expected at least two rounds of fighting, but he'd underestimated his old friend. Sure, Grimmjow was eager to fight; sure, he had a wealth of knowledge of the sport under his belt, but the blood lust and precision the blue-haired man had displayed had taken Kensei way off guard.
He stalked over to the ring, and posted up beside Grimmjow. "So, whattaya think? Wanna call this place home yet?"
Grimmjow's intense blue eyes speared through him. "What'd the old man say?"
Kensei chuckled. He figured Grimmjow wouldn't show his hand so hastily. "He said he wants you to come everyday from now on. Says he's gonna make a demon outta ya."
Grimmjow's feral grin crinkled the corners of his brilliant eyes. "That works for me. 'Sides, I'm still itchin' ta fight."
"Slow your roll, Goku. You have to do some more training. Your guard is damned near nonexistent, and you could up your speed some. Though I gotta say, your natural instincts are way above par. Jeez, you scared the shit out of Shuuhei."
Grimmjow seemed surprised. Blue brows lifted and his beneath bright blue bangs. "What?"
"When you hit him the first time and blew away his guard, I could tell you put the fear of the Lord in him. I don't think anyone in the sport hits as hard as you do."
He hadn't wanted to stroke the man's already inflated ego, but the truth was the truth. Grimmjow had one helluva punch.
"Awww, thanks, honey."
Kensei rolled his eyes as he leaned against the canvas. "Whatever. So, you gonna keep this up or what?"
Grimmjow paused and seemed to think it over for a few seconds. After what felt like forever to Kensei, Grimmjow shrugged, but the smile he wore told the real story.
"I think I like it here."
Kensei smirked as he turned to Shuuhei, who was finally coming around. Man, with a punch like Grimmjow's, anything was possible. He couldn't wait to see what the blue-haired man had in store for them.
XOXOXO
"Alright, kid, get your gloves on and get in the ring," Barragan ordered.
Grimmjow didn't necessarily like the brusk manner in which Barragan spoke, but figured if he wanted to get stronger, he would have to deal with it. He did as the old man said and slipped into the ring.
"What now?"
Barragan had practice mitts on his hands and positioned himself in the middle of the ring. "Let's practice some combinations. It seems like you have a decent grasp of jabs and straights. Show me what else you know."
Grimmjow smirked. That was all he needed to hear. He heard his father's voice in his head as he went to work on the mitts. One-two. One-two. Upper. Body. Body. Upper. Hook. Hook. One-two. Jab, jab, jab. Straight. He went on that way for a full round, the timer bringing him out of his zone.
For a change, he noticed a pleased expression on the old man's face. "Gooooood, good, good, good. That was a full round of fighting. Let's do a few more. We need to get your stamina up to par before we work on your speed."
It was the first nice thing Barragan had said to him since they'd met. Frankly, it threw Grimmjow for a loop. He hesitated as the buzzer went off, signaling the next round.
"What's the matter? That all you got?" the old man rumbled.
Grimmjow crouched into a defensive stance and growled under his breath. He couldn't let the old man's unusual behavior keep him from his goal. He went at the mitts again, using all of his power and all of the tension he'd built up over the years. It felt wonderful. He was flying high on a cloud of sheer awesome when the buzzer went off again.
"Good! At this rate, you'll be registering for your pro test in no time."
Who was this guy? Grimmjow was used to abusive language and indifference, not support and encouragement. He shook his fists and rotated his shoulders, trying to ease the fatigue that was slowly beginning to set in. His chest heaved from the exertion and when he glanced at the old man, he noticed a look of amusement that immediately set him on edge.
"What?" he barked.
Barragan scowled and swiped at his head with a mitt. "Shut up and get ready for another round."
Grimmjow had to grudgingly admit that he was starting to like the old man. He was strict, but sensible, and his advice was spot-on. He could learn a lot from him. Grimmjow got into position again and waited for the buzzer. His life at Luisenbarn gym was just beginning, but he was looking forward to every moment of it.
Thanks for reading!
