Hah, yea, I'm not sure what I think of this ending. Read my comments at the end and tell me what you think.
Grimmjow wondered if he should hold Nel's hand as they made their way with a grim-faced Halibel to Aizen-sama's rooms. A large part of him wanted to, but if somebody was going to die in there he didn't want it to be him, and if the worst came to it he wouldn't hesitate to let Nel take the brunt of the shinigami's wrath. Holding her hand would probably give the wrong impression. Then again, maybe if he stood up to Aizen-sama and put his case well then he would get what he wanted. Besides, he really did want to hold her hand.
Nel looked at him in surprise, and gave him a brave smile as his large hand wrapped around her own slim fingers. He squeezed them gently, but did not smile.
"Are we going to die?" she asked him softly.
"Probably," he replied, knowing that she was smart enough not to believe anything else he might have said to comfort her.
"Then I am glad that I am going to die by your side, Grimmjow." Nel's stubborn voice gave Grimmjow a small bubble of happiness in the middle of the sea of turmoil and, dare he say it, fear, but it wasn't enough to dim his resolve to walk out of that room alive. He did not want to die. He wasn't the sort of pathetic fuck who would die by the side of the one he loved. Sure it would have been great if he and Nel could have had long years ahead in which to fight and screw and all that shit, but if it came to it, he would chose life over dying at her side. He was an espada. He did not love, he just wanted. And more than anything, he wanted to live.
"'S better than dying alone," he replied gruffly. "But we're not going down without a fight."
They reached the doors, and Halibel and her fraccion, who had been following behind her like a group of cheerleaders around their captain, seemed to melt into the walls. Nel and Grimmjow walked in alone to the vision of Aizen sitting in his throne, clad as usual in white, ridiculous quiff in place, and a cup of tea in his hands. Grimmjow felt his metaphorical hackles raise. How he despised this man.
"Grimmjow, welcome," Aizen greeted with what to all the world looked like a warm, genuine smile. "And I see you have brought your new toy. What have I told you about squabbling with your brothers over toys?" His light, teasing scolding sent shivers down Grimmjow's spine.
"Nnoitra was a weakling. He didn't deserve to live any longer," Grimmjow dismissed, his tone aggressive, daring Aizen to disagree. His answer was a tinkly little laugh which made him want to throw things.
"But seeing as he was my toy, that would be for me to decide, wouldn't you say?" Aizen mused silkily. Grimmjow did not like the inference that he too, by extension, was Aizen's toy.
"I'm sorry, Aizen-sama," he choked out, hating his inability to stand up to the shinigami. Aizen laughed again. No, he giggled. Ugh, that man needed a good punch in the balls, if he had any.
"Thank you, Grimmjow," he said patronisingly, like a father to his sulky four year old. "Now, do you have something else to tell me?" He sat back, waiting. Grimmjow hated feeling like a naughty schoolboy being given a second chance.
"I'm sorry for acting without orders, Aizen-sama, but it was for the good of the espada," Grimmjow jumbled out, trying to put his case before Aizen could interrupt or slash him to pieces. "Anyone who can kill the fifth espada should surely have a place amongst us, and Neliel defeated Nnoitra whilst weakened from imprisonment."
"Are you trying to tell me that I should give your young lady the position of fifth espada?" Aizen asked, his voice dangerously smooth and light. Grimmjow hesitated. That was pretty much exactly what he had been trying to tell Aizen, except he was going to suggest he became the fifth and Nel sixth, if his luck would push that far, but he didn't like the tone of voice.
"It was just a suggestion, Aizen-sama," he murmured angrily.
"But she just murdered one of my best espada," Aizen laughed. "Surely that makes her the enemy. And I don't suffer my enemies to live, Grimmjow. You of all people should know what I do to my enemies." Grimmjow did know. Aizen had sent him to deal with rebel scum and shinigamis on enough occasions for him to know their fate was never pretty.
"Then again, I recognise talent when I see it," Aizen went on, and Grimmjow breathed again. "And I can see that you were trying to please me, as always, Grimmjow." Grimmjow knew he was mocking him, and his fists clenched themselves automatically. "I am always ready to welcome an ex-espada back into the fold if he or she proves stronger than a current member. I'm sure you recall this, too, Grimmjow." Grimmjow dared to meet Aizen's eyes for the briefest second, and was almost floored by the crushing reiatsu behind them. What Aizen was saying was good, but his aura said that they were not going to get away so easily.
"She defeated Nnoitra, and she is loyal to you," Grimmjow pointed out aggressively. "There's no point in killing her when she can-"
"Kill her?" Aizen said, sounding highly amused. "I'm not going to kill her." Grimmjow's face mirrored his confusion and relief, and he felt Aizen's creepy smile widen. "I'm going to give you that privilege." His eyes shot up, wide and turquoise and panicked. No, no, no, please, fuck, no, no, n-
"I want to see that your loyalty to me outweighs every other emotion in your body, Grimmjow," Aizen said, his voice now as sharp and harsh as steel. "And if she is strong enough to have brought down Nnoitra, then you have nothing to worry about. Your lady should have no problem in staying alive. Either way, I win. The strongest of you shall gain Nnoitra's position."
"But you're an espada down," Grimmjow yelled. "You need us both."
"I've been meaning to promote Wonderweiss for a while now," Aizen said absently. Grimmjow sputtered. "Get on with it. I do not like giving orders twice." The spiritual force of his voice increased, and both Nel and Grimmjow cringed. Grimmjow looked at Nel. She looked so fragile, so beautiful, and so determined. He could tell by her expression that she would not fight him. It would be an easy fight. All he would have to do would be to push his hand through her slim, delicate torso, and-
"NO!" he roared, so loud that all three of them jumped.
"No?" Aizen repeated softly. "Would you rather I killed you both? I won't make it quick." Grimmjow ground his teeth in mental agony. Why should he care? He was made to kill. He had killed women before, and Nel was not defenceless. But she wouldn't fight back, and that changed things. Unable to find an answer, he simply glowered at his master, baring his teeth menacingly. Aizen only beamed, giving a single chuckle of amusement.
"Well I don't have any use for espada who won't fight. I'll just have to have my faithful fourth espada do it then. Although I am sure he is far too efficient to draw it out enough to sufficiently punish you both. Ah, I know... Gin, could you join me for a moment?" As if by magic, the creepy ex-taichou slunk out of the shadows to linger by Aizen's shoulder, the fox-like grin stretched, as ever, across his face.
"Sousuke?" he enquired casually. Grimmjow watched the brief flicker of anger on Aizen's face.
"How many times, Gin? It is Aizen-sama in front of our guests," he chided. Gin just carried on smiling. "Grimmjow and Neliel need to be taught a lesson about our little hierarchy, Gin. I can rely on you, can't I?"
"Of course, Aizen-sama." His voice was as oily as a vat of chip-fat, and the last syllables dripped with sarcasm. He went over to Nel, who looked sickened as he draped her hair over her shoulders, purring at her in a perverted, possessive manner. She flinched away, and addressed Aizen, looking him right in the eyes.
"I will accept just punishment from Aizen-sama," Nel spoke out for the first time, voice soft and humble, "to prove my loyalty to him. But I will not allow Ichimaru-san to touch me. My loyalty is to you, Aizen-sama." She bowed before him. Grimmjow looked stunned, but stood his ground. Aizen laughed, the sound bouncing off the high walls.
"I see you won't be necessary after all, Gin," he chuckled. "We are simply one big family after all." Gin slunk away looking disappointed. "Very well, I have faith in the both of you to carry out your roles as fifth and sixth espada with complete loyalty to me, and I commend you, Nel-chan, on your defeat of Nnoitra. I hope you'll be able to keep Grimmjow under control for me."
"Is that it?" Grimmjow asked incredulously, unable to believe the sudden U-turn.
"Of course. I don't kill those who can be of use to me, I was simply testing your loyalties. I will know if you ever need to be dealt with, but if you continue to work well under me then I am satisfied. Thank you for stopping by."
The intense reiatsu had dispersed, and Grimmjow and Nel, unsure and confused but mildly relieved, left the room, to the surprise of Halibel and her fraccion, although only the disappearance of Halibel's yellow eyebrows under her fringe betrayed her reaction, whilst her fraccion exclaimed and squabbled loudly at the reappearance of the two.
"Fuck off, you lot," Grimmjow snapped at them, causing them to squeal and disperse; he could be terrifying when he wanted, and his flashing teeth made them quail. When the corridor was empty, he turned and grinned at Nel, who was frowning lightly. "Well, that's that sorted. Would you prefer to have me here, or should we go back to my rooms?" Nel smiled slightly at this.
"I think I can wait, you're not that irresistible," she said sarcastically. Grimmjow looked offended. "But I'm not convinced that Aizen will let go so easily. I don't understand him."
"Nobody does. But as long as we still kill what he tells us to kill, and as long as Ichimaru carries on taking it up the arse, I think we should be fine," Grimmjow said carelessly. For him, it was already over and done with, and he wasn't concerned. As far as his thought process went, they had proven their strength and loyalty as espada, and that was that. Nel was a little more reticent and unwilling to believe it was that simple. There had been something about Aizen's eyes which spoke of malicious and manipulative plans, and pain saved for the future, when it had properly matured. But for now...
"In that case, I think your room would be-" she didn't have time to finish the sentence before she was in Grtimmjow's arms and being sonitoed to his room for some very thorough investigation. Hours later when their breathing had returned to normal and they had a chance to survey the shattered furniture and consider how loud they must have been, Nel spoke.
"Do you think Aizen-sama is more likely to get us assassinated if we trash this place?"
"Who gives a fuck?" Grimmjow responded lazily. "But just to be on the safe side, maybe we ought to do this in Nnoitra's old rooms next time?"
Well it's mostly happy, but I kind of leave it up to you to decide if Aizen eventually kills them or not. I was going to have Gin torture them both to death, or have Grimmjow kill Nel, but I was feeling generous. I also couldn't be bothered to write any Nel/Grimmjow smut so their bedroom activities are implied rather than explicit. We all know what they were up to, methinks. Satisfied? Disappointed? Please tell me.