This chapter is a bit of a doozy but quite important to the story line. Beware of angst and abuse.
I tried to kill the pain
But only brought more, so much more
I lay dying, and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal
I'm dying, praying, bleeding, and screaming
Am I too lost to be saved?
Am I too lost?
Grimmjow waited impatiently outside the door, sulking at the most recent part of this babysitting duties. When did Aizen plan to finish with the girl? He'd been told to wait to retrieve her within two hours after dropping her off. Three hours had now passed and there was still no sign of her. He'd contemplated leaving but if he wasn't here when she was sent away he'd sure get an earful. His musings were cut short when the door clicked open; someone shoved Nezumi out of it and onto the floor, before slamming it shut again. He glanced down at her and had to double take, unable to suppress a gasp. She kneeled there clutching her naked form, skin stained red and blue with blood and bruises. Most surprising however, was the torrent of tears. After his first day with her she'd refused to allow him to see her cry again.
"Blondie...what the hell happened?" He asked quietly, chewing the inside of his cheek. She was silent and just shook her head in response, pressing her bound hands against her mouth to suppress her sobs. Knowing he probably wouldn't get an answer from her in this state, he sighed before shrugging off his jacket. "Come on." He growled under his breath, lifting her up in his arms and covering as much of her with the clothing as he could. He wanted to at least spare her the humiliation if they ran into anyone on the way back to her room. He went through the halls quickly, trying to ignore the trembling girl in this arms and the strange burning anger it caused him.
When he'd finally made it back to her room he set her gently on the bed before shutting and locking the door. He undid the ties around her wrists, noting the skin was blistered and broken from where she'd struggled to escape them. She sat there motionless besides her whimpering and he couldn't stop staring at just how broken she looked. There was no more cocky attitude or snide remarks just dead eyes and quivering lips. Shaking himself out of the stupor he walked to her dresser and pulled out what looked like something she would wear to sleep in, and set it on the bed beside her. She remained staring blankly down at her lap and he groaned in frustration. He didn't know what to do in a situation like this! There was nothing in him that knew how to be reassuring or nurturing. He only liked being the cause of tears and blood, not the one cleaning up afterwards.
"You owe me." Was all he said before hurrying from the room. He'd filled a bucket from the bath and grabbed a cloth before returning. He wet the cloth and stooped beside her, running it over her skin. As he wiped the bloody streaks away, he noted the various shades of dry and wet crimson meant she'd been bleeding for quite some time. With the the blood beginning to rinse away he was able to pinpoint where the wounds lay. Numerous little slashes on her arms and legs, lower lip split in the middle, her cheek sliced on one side, and he didn't look to see where the blood between her legs was from but just cleaned it off and cringed at the sight. What the hell had Aizen done to her?
It was disturbing to say the least, however it wasn't until he'd moved around to her back that he lost his breath and felt sick. "Shit..." He whispered to himself, wondering how he hadn't noticed it earlier. The skin where her tattoo once sat had been marred and burned, the image no longer recognizable. He dabbed the cloth lightly against the broken and blistered skin, cringing as she cried out in pain. "I'm sorry! Just...just hold still." He mumbled, cleaning the trails of blood away while the images burned into his brain. He came to a halt when his path crossed into another fresh mark, elegant kanji larger than his fist was carved into her skin. 財 'Property' the character read. He growled low in his throat, knowing Aizen's calligraphy all too well. He'd actually done all this just to mark the girl as his? The man had left her so wounded that by the time she was rinsed clean the water in the bucket itself was tinted bloody red. The blood Grimmjow himself had once drawn, had thought of as sweet and alluring...now it made his stomach churn. Standing once more he grabbed her clothes off the bed.
"There at least you're clean now." He muttered while slipping the garment over her body, still trembling and cold. Her eyes looked sunken and hollow, no life dancing behind them. Sighing, he sat next to her on the bed and pulled her to him. "You don't have to tell me. I get it. You can cry if you want. I won't leave just yet." He said quietly. Unsure of the reason himself, he felt the need to comfort her. If nothing else he'd at least calm her down enough to not take her own life through the night since there was no telling what her mental state was at that moment. Finally she glanced up at him, a small flash of emotion in her eyes before she buried her head in his lap, sobbing like there was no tomorrow. He flinched back at first, not used to dealing with such emotions but eventually relaxed back against the wall and placed his hand on her shoulder. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours before she'd finally cried herself dry and the tremors and whimpers had seemed to fade away. He hadn't said anything since her breakdown and continued to just stare at the wall in front of him. Her wounds and sounds a terrifying mix-tape playing over in his mind.
"I mouthed off." She whispered, her voice hoarse from exhaustion and tears. He blinked down at her, startled by her finally speaking. "You were right, about him getting back at me for baiting him. He was furious and I said something smart and he hit me." She said, gingerly touching her cheek. "Then he said he'd make me learn my place, even if it meant breaking his would be bride. So he...he did this. Bound me, and gagged me, and hit me, and r-raped me." She stammered, tears resurfacing while her fingers clenched the fabric of his hakama. The story made him sick. Sure, he may have taken what he'd wanted from an unwilling woman before, but this was different. They were nobodies, literally nothing more than hollow women. This was the woman Aizen was trying to marry, a prize he'd so desperately wanted to win. Grimmjow said nothing, just squeezed her shoulder lightly and sighed. Aizen was a sick fuck, that much was certain. Once more, he waited for her tears to subside, finally moving to stand once they had.
"Come on, it's late. You should get to bed." Stretching his stiff muscles he laid her down among the covers. He turned to go but she quickly grabbed his wrist, hands clamped in a vice grip. Perched on her knees, reaching out for him with wide eyes and a quivering lip he couldn't help but be reminded of the look Lilynette would get her way with Starkk. Although where the hollow brat's look was just pretend, the shinigami's was hauntingly real.
"Please don't leave!" She whimpered, sounding as much like the child she resembled. Already worn out himself, he gave an angry exhale.
"What am I supposed to do, sit here and watch you sleep all night? I'm tired too." He snapped, wrenching his arm back.
"Sleep here." She pleaded, giving him wide, desperate eyes that really shouldn't have gotten to him so easily. Feeling like a useless old man, he sighed grabbing a pillow and spare blanket off the bed.
"Fine but I'm sleeping on the couch. Aizen would have my dick if he found me sleeping in bed with his wife." He growled, hardly able to stifle a yawn.
"I am not his wife!" She snapped, and for a moment her eyes came alight with the defiant fire he'd come to know.
"Go to sleep blondie." He groaned, getting comfortable on the couch. He laid awake for a while longer, waiting to hear her breathing even out. Through the dim moonlight he could make out the stains her blood had left on his skin and he couldn't help but cringe at the thought. More than anything, he couldn't help but wonder why he even cared?
At some point in his musings he must have finally drifted to sleep. Before long it was morning and he was startled awake by a knocking on the door. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He shifted to move, but felt something weighing down his legs. Beside the end of the couch Nezumi sat on the floor, arms and head resting on his legs, still fast asleep with a blanket wrapped around her. The insistent pounding continued so he quickly scooped her up and set her back in bed before going to answer it.
"Will you shut the fuck up before ya wake her?" He snapped as he wrenched the door the open. In the doorway stood Ulquiorra, face blank but with one brow raised at the sight of Grimmjow there, shirtless and having clearly just woken up.
"Why were you sleeping in the mistress's quarters?" The question was spouted immediately and Grimmjow had to blink a few times to process. It was too fucking early for this bullshit.
"The hell do you mean why? I should be asking you why you're here trying to wake up my prisoner. I'm just doing my job. That a problem?" He growled, shutting the door quietly behind him.
"And that requires you to sleep with 'your prisoner'?" Ulquiorra's voice may have been flat but Grimmjow still noted the condescension he used.
"I wasn't sleeping with her! I was sleeping on the couch. And I was only there 'cause she asked me and didn't want to be left alone. Aizen ordered me to give her what she wants and keep her happy. Again, is that a problem?"
"Lord Aizen would like to see you later on. That's all." Ulquiorra said grimly before turning and walking away. Grimmjow groaned to himself.
"Fuck." He snarled, slamming a fist against the wall before retreating to his own room to shower. Trying to forget about the girl he'd left alone to sleep, his mind raced as he showered. Dread at the thought of having to see Aizen (what the hell did he want this time?), irritation at Ulquiorra (why the fuck was that guy so damn annoying?), upset at the state the blonde was in (would she recover from all this?), and rage at what Aizen had done to her (what was the bastard thinking?). Before he knew it his fist had hit the tile, knuckles splitting from the repeated assault. This was way too much shit for such a short time period. He dressed quickly and made his way to Aizen's quarters, knocking roughly on the door.
"You may enter." The cold voice called. Reluctantly the Espada did as commanded, hoping it would be a short visit. Aizen was seated at his desk, not even bother to look up as his subordinate approached him. "Ah Grimmjow, good morning. I apologize for having to disturb you so early, but I just wanted to touch base on how Nezumi was doing." Grimmjow could do nothing but stare disbelievingly at the man. What the fucking fuck...he actually had to gall to ask how she was doing after what he'd done?
"She's doing fine now, I believe. Still asleep at the moment." His voice was, for once, at least more in control than his thoughts were, not letting on to his inner turmoil.
"And her injuries? How are they?" Aizen asked with such a sickeningly sweet smile it was almost as if he was purposely taunting Grimmjow. 'Did you see what I did to her?'
"I haven't had a chance to check on the current state of her injuries yet this morning." Grimmjow began, clenching his hands into fists. Bite your tongue dammit. Don't say it! Don't fucking say it! "I think you may have been a little rough on her sir." He muttered against his will, knowing already that he should just kept his mouth shut.
"Oh? I didn't know that I had employed you to think, Grimmjow." Aizen said with a look of amusement. "But while you may be right, it was about time the girl learned, ne?"
"Yes Lord Aizen, I apologize for speaking out of place." Grimmjow said through gritted teeth.
"No apologizes needed, you're dismissed." Aizen said waving him off. He scowled as he marched out the door, walking without any idea of where he was going. In his fury, the hallways all twisted together in an endless maze. Before long he found himself knocking straight into someone, toppling over on top of them with a loud 'oomf'.
"Why don't you fucking watch where you're..." He started before looking up the bare legs, curvy hips, and onto the startled face of Nezumi. She still had a few scrapes and bruises on her face from the night prior but they seemed faded and all in all she looked rather back to herself. It was definitely a significant improvement from before and he wondered if soul reapers were quick healers. He opened his mouth to torment her clumsiness before realizing he was situated right between her spread legs.
"I can see up your dress." He said with a lecherous grin, making her blush and swat at him before scrambling to her feet.
"Do you not know how to look where you're walking?" She snapped and crossing her arms, doing nothing but pushing her cleavage further into his view.
"Yeah I could say the same for you Blondie. You ran into me you know." He growled standing up and brushing himself off. "What're you doing down here anyway?"
"I...I wanted to see my friends. I got lost." She mumbled quietly, knowing he was sure to have something rude to say. He raised his eyebrows and smirked.
"You still wanna visit Strawberry even though he's a vegetable now?" He chuckled darkly. She glared and punched his shoulder with all the strength she could muster.
"He's not a vegetable, you ass. He's in a coma. He'll wake up eventually. No thanks to you." She seethed, clearly still holding Aizen's dirty trick against him.
"You know the saying, love and war and all that shit." Shoving his hands in his pockets, he watched her chew her lip from the corner of his eye.
"Can you please show me where to go?" She asked quietly, eyes flickering downwards. If there was one thing he'd noticed by now it was that she never wanted to look someone in the eye when asking for something. Almost as if she was embarrassed to express her own desires. He hated that she did it because it made it that much harder to tell her no. Like a child. There was something about this stupid girl that was getting to him, making him soft even. Like a pet. He groaned before turning back to face her.
"Come on, let's go." He sighed in defeat, leading her towards the prisoners' ward. He allowed her to spend the rest of the day visiting each room, and by the time she'd left the second to last one, belonging to the Princess, she seemed to be in a much better mood. For some reason it made him glad, slightly dampening the fire of rage that had burned nonstop in his gut since the night before.
"Last one. This is Kurosaki's." He grunted, taking his place by the door and gesturing for her to get inside. Momentarily she hesitated before finally working up the nerve to step in. Outside he could faintly hear her voice, and he curiously found himself leaning in further to listen. Whether it was because he was injured or just her admiration of him, Grimmjow wasn't sure, but her voice took on a sweet tone he'd never imagined could even come from her. He was almost envious, she only ever yelled or snarled at him.
"Hello, Ichigo-kun." She said softly, taking a seat at the foot of his bed. He was attached by wires to various beeping machines, and although it made her chest ache to see him that way, she was at least glad he was being kept alive. She'd held a fondness for the substitute soul reaper and his friends since the first moment she found him during the invasion of the soul society, even though they'd been nothing but trouble ever since.
...
There was talk of an invasion that day but Nezumi paid it no mind. She was a part of the medical division, there was no need for her on the front lines even if she would have loved to be there. Her captain wasn't worried so there was no need for her to be. She'd have no run ins with the invaders and would merely clean up the mess they made afterwards. That was, until fate intervened, quite literally tossing a frantic orange-haired boy in shinigami robes at her. She was changing with her back turned when the shōji slid open, the boy stumbling inside. He tripped forward just as she whipped around, hardly time to gasp before he fell and pulled her down with him. She'd expected the digging impact of floor in her back, but the boy turned them at the last minute so that it was he who hit the ground with her lightly collapsing on top.
"Itai." She whined, wincing as she rubbed her knees, sure to be burned from skidding across the tatami mat.
"Shit are you okay?" The boy asked quickly, hands on her shoulders to steady her. His eyes widened to the size of saucers as he noticed her clothing, or lack there of. "Oh! Shit! You're naked!" He cried, flushing scarlet and slamming his eyes shut.
"Well yes, this is the women's bath house after all!" She snapped, leaning back on her heels. Her eyes raked his form, not recognizing him at all.
"Ah! Sumimasen, sumimasen!" He waved his arms frantically. "Gyah! Don't sit up! I can see everything!" Surely she'd have seen his bright hair around the Seireitei before if he'd been a soul reaper in training. It wasn't until she remembered the reports from a town called Karakura that a small smile stretched her face, realizing just who it was she'd landed on.
"But I suppose you wouldn't know that because you're one of the ryoka!" She squinted, poking a finger at his chest. He quieted for a moment, faltering before reaching for the sword at his back. He'd just wrapped his hand around the base when she snorted and stood up. "Relax...I'm not trying to kick your ass while I'm stark naked." She padded across the room and grabbed a robe hanging on a peg. Wrapping the red silk around her so that she was mostly covered she turned back with a grin.
"So ryoka, what're you doing here?" She was calm and looked at him curiously as she reached down to help him stand. He hesitated before excepting her hand.
"We came to save Rukia." He said sharply, with determined eyes as he brushed himself off.
"Rukia huh?" She glowered before biting at her lip, "We may not get along very well but that doesn't mean I want her dead." Her mumbling was mostly to herself before looking up at him again. "What purpose do you have for saving her? You were just a normal boy before and now you're this. Rukia was the one who did this to you."
"She didn't do anything wrong!" He shouted, hands curling into fists. "She was just trying to help, and there's nothing wrong with how I am now!" Nezumi just shook her head and let out a small sigh.
"We have rules, ryoka...she broke them and this is her punishment."
"Punishment? Punishment is a slap on the wrist, detention, a time out. This? This is senseless murder!"
"You don't go against the Soul Society, that's just how it is. There's nothing you, nor I, nor anyone else can do." The look she shot him as she spoke was so viciously cold, it could have froze a wildfire. "Rukia knew of our rules when she did this. There isn't anyone she can blame but herself."
"How can you say something like that!? Isn't she your comrade?" His tone wavered off there, staring as if she were a foreign creature.
"Comrade? Rukia and I can't stand each other." She shrugged in response. "She's too far up that arrogant brother of her's ass."
"Then you're an enemy. You'll have to fight me if you want to stop me." In a flash he'd drawn his sword, holding it out against her.
"I already told you, I don't want to fight you and I don't want her dead...Which is why I don't plan to stand in your way." She moved and made a sweeping motion for him towards the door as if to say 'go on then'. He stiffened and looked at her coldly, a stare that made her feel impossibly crummy.
"Thank you for not alerting anyone of me being here. I'll be on my way then." He grit out, hesitantly lowering his blade and turning to leave. Nezumi chewed her lip in thought, guilt eating away at her.
"Wait!" She piped up when he was no more than two paces away from the door. "I'd like to offer my assistance."
"You...what? You're going to help me?" He stared at her wide-eyed, as if she were a different form of foreign creature now.
"I can't really join you since that will risk my position among the court guard squad...but I can at least help you sneak through." She nodded, eyes scanning the room for an idea before landing on the item she'd brought with her. "Perfect!" She cheered, a plan already forming.
"What is it?" He asked following her gaze to the wheeled table. As a pounding began to sound throughout the room she jumped in surprise, frantically clasping a hand over the boy's mouth.
"Nezi-chan~ what're you doing in there? You're taking forever! Why'd you lock the door?" A loud female voice shouted from behind the door on other side of the room. The blonde breathed a sigh of relief and the boy noted that whoever it was must not have been trouble.
"Because I was trying to get undressed in peace, Rangiku!" She called, looking exasperated as she ushered him onto the stretcher.
"Oh let me help! Please Nezi~" The voice behind the door wailed. "Why do you always hide from me~?"
"Hentai! What have I told you about trying to watch me undress!" She screeched, much to the dismay of her orange-haired companion.
"I can't help it! You're just too cute~!"
"Lay still and be quiet. You'll have to pretend you're about as good as dead." She whispered before slinging a cloth over him, covering him completely. "I'm actually about to leave. I'm feeling a bit ill. I'll have to catch up with you later Ran!" And with that she raced out the door he'd entered from, jostling him harshly along the way.
"That was close." The boy muttered beneath the sheet, trying to hang on with looking like he was moving, damn rocky streets.
"Baka, dead men don't talk." She hissed under her breath. He had no idea of how fast they were going or to where, and for a fleeting moment, fear that she may actually be working against him crossed his mind.
"Oi, nurse! Can I get some mouth to mouth resuscitation over here?" A man called somewhere on the left as they passed by. He could see her hands clench against the sides of the table.
"Disgusting pigs." She growled, continuing to rush him along. About halfway to their destination she came upon an unlikely road block in the form of an expressionless man.
"Yoshida-sama...it's quite uncouth for a lady of your standing to be running around the Seireitei in little more than a parlor robe, don't you think?" A cold voice rang out, sounding terribly familiar as the gurney skidded to a halt. She saw the form beneath the tarp stiffen, both of their blood running cold at the thought. Not him now...
"Kuchiki-taichou! You startled me." She grumbled, glancing down and realizing she'd never bothered to put her uniform back on. "I found an injured soldier and needed to rush him to the medical ward."
"Oh? Shall I see which division?" A slim brow rose as he regarded her, as though he instantly suspected what she was hiding.
"No! Don't! Ah, he...he's quite bloodied up. Missing half his face, this guy. Those ryoka really are a nasty bunch." She stuttered, waving her arms at the man. 'Please let me pass...please don't look!'
"Yes...you're right. We can't allow them the ran rampant and cause any more destruction. I suppose I shall resume my search for them." The captain said, giving her one last lingering look of suspicion before turning away.
"Kuchiki-taichou, ganbatte in your search!" She chirped. Ichigo assumed the coast was clear when he heard her release a sigh and continue running the gurney along.
"You're turning out to be a whole lotta trouble, human." She grumbled, still smiling none the less. Serves that man right, he really needed to get that stick out of his ass. After a few more moments of frantic running he felt the stretcher come to a stop again. "Unfortunately, this is as far as I can get you. The rest is up to you." She removed the sheet and offered a hand to pull him up.
"I can't thank you enough, miss...?" He stalled, realizing she'd helped him this far but he still didn't know her actual name.
"I'm Yoshida, Nezumi. Lieutenant of the fourth Division." Her smile was lovely as she held out her hand and he took it gratefully.
"A Lieutenant huh? You really stuck your neck out for me. I owe you one!" He returned her bright smile, a rare occurrence from him, before preparing to run off.
"What's your name, so I know who to send my bill to?" She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the stretcher.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. Substitute Soul Reaper." He offered one last grin and then he was gone.
"Ichigo?" She muttered before chuckling to herself. Staring off into the direction he went her eyes became downcast. "Don't let that runt die, Strawberry-kun." She mumbled softly, dread curling in her stomach at the sight of the tower looming in the distance.
...
"How are you feeling?" She asked while brushing a hair back from his face. Not expecting a response, she gripped his limp hand tight in hers and continued to ramble on. "I just saw the others. For the most part they're okay. No one is happy to be here but they're alive, so at least there's that. It's only a matter of time before we're able to get out, I hope." She continued on as if their conversation were real, she'd been told once that those in a coma could still hear what went on around them.
"Me? Well I'm trying to be brave, but...i-it's terrible here. I wake up every day and wish it would just end. I've haven't felt this disgustingly helpless since...what am I saying, you don't know anything about that. Honestly, I want to quit fighting and just let them kill me. But I can't give up yet, ne? I have to stay strong for Hime-chan and the others. Because...because you're not here to protect them." Her voice trembled dangerously before a small sob ripped from her throat. "Who am I kidding? I-it's obvious I won't be able to leave this place, but at the very least I want to try to help the others escape. I agreed to this, they didn't. This fate wasn't meant for them, for you either. I-I'm so sorry Ichigo...this is all my fault! If I had just gotten to you sooner then maybe...maybe it wouldn't have turned out like this!" Tears flowing freely now she buried her head into the covers of his bed, so far gone that she didn't even jump when the hand suddenly clasped down on her shoulder.
"Come on, Blondie, time to go." He muttered in a voice not quite like his usual self at all.
"It's not your fault, you know. What happened to Strawberry." The words flew out before he could stop himself as they returned to her bedroom. Dammit he'd sure been doing that too much lately. Blurting out whatever thought crossed his mind.
She shot him a sharp glare and swiped at her eyes. "What do you mean it's not my fault? Of course I know that. I didn't put him in a coma. You're the one to blame!"
"Dammit that's not what I meant!" He growled before taking a breath and calming himself again. "I meant that regardless of the time, or place, or people involved the results would have been the same. This is what Aizen wanted. He'd have found a way to make it happen regardless."
"So that just means I'm supposed to lay down and take it?"
"No, it means you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. You can't change what happened." He forced out around a yawn. Dammit he was exhausted. "Besides, sulking really doesn't suit you, Blondie."
"I have every right to sulk, you ass." She snapped, "And I don't think you have any right to lecture me on this matter."
"Fine. Whatever. Look, it's late. I'm going to bed." He grumbled, not in the mood to argue with the girl any longer. Honestly he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep off this hangover of the past 24 hours.
"Where are you going?" She asked watching as he made for the door.
"Leaving? I have a room too you know."
"You...aren't staying here?" She asked dumbly, bottom lip jutting out slightly.
"Look Blondie, that was a one time thing. It's my job to watch you, not coddle you like a child. You're a big girl, and you agreed to this mess." He snapped clearly annoyed. She flinched back a bit at his tone and nodded slightly before turning her back to him. Busying herself with spreading the comforter out flat, she tried not to look too upset at the thought of having to sleep alone. Grimmjow was right after all, she'd brought everything on herself. After a few more minutes of refusing to turn back around, she heard Grimmjow sigh and grumble to himself before pushing her out of the way and leaning past her.
"I'm starting to think you just wanna see me dead." He muttered as he snatched the pillow and blanket from the night before and headed towards the couch. She smiled softly before faking a surprised gasp.
"Is it that obvious?" She teased as she stepped behind the dressing screen, slipping off her dress and rummaged for night clothes.
"Shut yer trap or I'm leaving." He snapped from the couch. Coincidentally, from his spot he could just see around the edge of the screen and he spent the next few moments trying to convince himself that he wasn't getting turned on by those tiny black bottoms she called shorts. His eyes slid up her exposed back before landing on the scabbed over but still red kanji and dark burns just under the nape of her neck. He was becoming a terrible mix of angry, tired, sick, and turned on. From that angle he could just barely see the curve of a breast before she slipped a shirt over her head, and he cursed the fabric for blocking his view. She snuffed out the lights and crawled into bed a few minutes after. He heard her mutter goodnight but he ignored her, rolling over and finally falling asleep.
As had become the norm since the girl came around, Grimmjow was woken up sooner than he'd have liked. He was dazed for a moment trying to discern what had woke him before his ears finally registered the painful gasps and strangled sobs that echoed through the room. Bolting up quickly, his eyes strained in the darkness, just barely able to make out Nezumi tossing against her sheets. Letting out a sigh, he realized she was only dreaming and not actually being murdered. For some unknown reason, relief trickled through his chest. Pushing himself off of the couch, he went over to try and wake her.
"Oi..." He gruffed, gripping her shoulders and giving her a light shake. As soon as he'd touched her she fought harder, more pitiful sounds wrenching from her throat.
"No please!" She cried, thrashing beneath his grip. "Let me go! Let me go!" What kind of nightmare could she be having?
"Nezumi! Wake up!" He barked, giving her another shake. With a started gasp she sat upright, eyes open but not really seeing.
"Minna...please...don't leave me." She whimpered before returning to consciousness, her glassy eyes slowly focusing on him. Her breaths came in short pants and she brought a hand to her mouth to try and cover the new round of sobs. "Gomen...I...Sorry, I woke you." She choked out, dissolving into tears. Unsure of what to do Grimmjow stood there stupidly, rubbing the back of his neck. There was a foreign feeling tugging in his chest. Something that hated the sounds she made when she cried, and that wanted to stop them. As he looked down at her dismal weeping, he couldn't help but sigh and give in to the unfamiliar feeling.
"Scoot over." He murmured before crawling into bed next to her. She complied, curling into a ball on the far side of the bed to give him as much room as possible. "I ain't gonna try nothing, Blondie. You can take some more room." She scooted slightly closer once more. Nothing else was said, he just continued to listen until the blubbering faded to hiccups then to sniffles. He gave her a few awkward pats on the head and much to his dismay, she leaned into the touch instead of pulling away.
Tangling a hand in her soft tousled hair, he stayed that way as he closed his eyes and attempted to go back to sleep. He still didn't like her, that was for sure. But somewhere along the lines he'd stopped hating her. Somehow he'd become awfully protective of the stupid soul reaper, and that thought scared him shitless.
My poor Nezumi :( what a rough few days...
But on a brighter note, that was the first time Grimmjow has called her by her actual name ;) Progress!
As always, please continue to read and review and I'll try to get the next chapter out without taking a decade to do so! It's more motivatng to write faster when you know people are actually enjoying what you write :D
See ya next time!
-S