Hey guys, it's been a while...almost a year
But I swear i've never had writer's block this hard in my life. I changed and broken down so many parts of this story and made it into something that i'm satisfied with and hopefully it comes up to 30 chapters, no more or less. My next update will be after my other two stories which will hopefully be before the year ends. Next chapter is literally me just perfecting it and adding and removing bits. I've got university and life struggles in general so bear with me and my atrocious story management. I hope you like this chapter though :)
"Grimmjow."
"Mm."
"Grimmjow."
"Mhm."
"Look at me you dick,"
Blue eyes snapped up to meet eyes that were almost steel. "What?"
"Neliel is my best friend."
"I'm well aware," said Grimmjow amending a drawing for his car. He kept his head down, choosing to ignore Halibel as long as he could. He was not in the mood for this conversation at all.
"You aren't taking me seriously Grimmjow. I won't have you fucking around with my best friend."
"Look here Hali-tits-"
"No. You look here Jaggerjaques. If you make her do as much as frown or even shed a tear I will emasculate you and feed your worthless dick to you."
He stopped drawing and put the pencil down, deciding that if he tried to ignore her any further he would surely end up getting stabbed or something equally painful. He might as well humor her with something to make her shut up.
"I like her. That's all you're getting from me and I'd really appreciate it if you gave me a chance to see where this goes with her. You happy now Tits? Can I continue my work in peace now?"
She huffed and crossed her arms over her bosom.
"You really like her?"
"How many girls have you seen me take out on dates like the one I took her on?"
"You have a point. But remember I will boil your balls if you hurt her. I'm the first person she'll tell and I know where you live."
Grimmjow glared at her, even though he knew what she said was true. "Whatever. Can I continue my work now?"
"Sure, I don't even know why you put so much effort into it anyways you know this is all a cover. But I also need a favor from you."
He frowned. Halibel's favors tended to be...dangerous. Very very dangerous. Usually he'd be all for it but with his current home situation and mood...not so much.
"I'm listening." He said cautiously, brushing eraser dust off the page he was working on.
"I'm going on assignment for Aizen for a few days and I want you to check in on Neliel for me every once in a while."
The tension in his chest released. Babysit Shorty? No problem at all. But there was something about this that was still bothering him.
"Why?"
She hesitated then sighed. "Just as a precaution, you know that the people closest to us aren't safe,"
"Funnily enough I'm not buying that bullsiht, you've been on a thousand missions by now and you've never asked me to look out for her" he told her bluntly.
"You're too smart for your own good. Unfortunately I can't tell you why, it's just as a precaution."
"Che. Fine,"
"Okay, now second favor-"
"Woah Tits, you said A favor,"
"Well I need two, after my assignment I need you to pick me up after it all goes down. I'll let you know when,"
"Fuck sake. I'm supposed to be on break, ask your boyfriend,"
"Starrk is coming with me and you're the best driver I know Jaggerjaques, plus you know we always have fun on the streets" she said in a light tone.
"Your flattery will get you nowhere, and your idea of fun is dodging bullets and fucking my car up" he growled, picking his pencil back up. In the back of his head he wondered what kind of job Aizen had Halibel doing, especially seeing as their number one sniper was going along for the ride as well. "What kind of job is it?"
"I can't tell you that either, but I promise I'll owe you real big," she pushed.
"Tell me what I'm getting into Halibel," his tone left no room for discussion.
She sighed and took a seat across from him. "It's nothing too serious...just my usual espionage gig get in, get information and get out as fast as possible."
"Then why are you taking Starrk with you if all you're doing is gathering information?"
She hesitated once more then said, "he's just there as a precaution,"
"Right, and my dad is father of the fucking year. What the fuck is going down with this job?"
"We're going into Jin Kariya's mansion."
The silence in the room hung heavy and then Grimmjow started to arrange the stacks of paper and got up. Halibel jumped up to intercept him.
"Grimmjow-"
"Are you guys fucking high?! That's fucking Kariya! You set a foot on that land it's a bullet between your eyes before you can even comprehend what's going on!"
"We've got it all planned out perfectly, there's no way we can fuck this one up especially after how Szayel has it planned out, we'll all be fine,"
"Sorry Tits, yer on yer own," he said firmly. There was no way he was fucking around with big cheese like Kariya. The last time Aizen attempted to send someone in all that came back was an eyeball. He shivered at the memory. And he didn't scare easily considering his line of work considering the shit he's seen on a regular basis.
"You kinda don't really have a choice anyways, I've already told Lord Aizen you'd be our transporter," she said flippantly, "I was just hoping you'd be up to the task,"
"If you haven't realized my mom's ill! I can't run around playing race car for you and putting myself at risk when she's unwell Halibel, in case you've forgotten, I'm literally all she has now" he said through clenched teeth.
"You'll be fine, promise, you'll be picking us up well out of the parameter from the mansion. If it makes you feel better Gin volunteered to go with you. Szayel will stay with your mom. Now I gotta go get ready for my mission. Take care of Neliel for me yea?" She said at the door.
"Sure, at least you won't be here to cock block the next time I see her," he said under his breath.
"I heard that Jaggerjaques, she tells me everything, so try something that makes her uncomfortable or sad and I'll wring your thick neck,"
On Monday, Hal dropped me a text saying she had family affairs she had to deal with so she wouldn't be in school for a few days, which sucked because I was planning to use her as an excuse to go down to the garage to see Grimmjow. As soon as Ichigo found out about her being absent he stuck to me like glue this morning while taking me to school. I knew what this was though. "Operation Protect Nel from Grimmjow" was fully underway it seemed. Well at least that's what I heard Renji call it when it when he practically hollered it down the hall when he heard Hal wasn't in school. I was in my class 5 minutes before the bell rang and Ichigo annoyingly stayed there until the bell to make sure that a head of blue wasn't around until the teacher came.
My first three hours of lessons went by in a breeze, they were going over German, my native tongue, so I spent most of it either doodling in the back of my notebook or staring out the window at the garage. At the bell that signaled lunch my phone vibrated.
Yo Shorty, come see me
I smiled unconsciously and quickly replied back.
At your car? I'll be there in about 5 minutes.
I stepped out the class and thankfully there was no shocking spiky head of orange waiting for me, so I practically skipped my way out of the language block and to the back parking lot in record timing. I walked towards the black Mitsubishi looking around for Grimmjow but he was nowhere to be seen, so I plopped my bag on the trunk and leaned against it, once more checking my phone to see if he'd sent any other messages.
Seeing none, I sent him another one.
Are you standing me up? I'm quite offended Grimmjow :P
"Well if it isn't Little Bo Peep," came a snide voice from behind me.
I turned around and saw that crazy looking girl again, this time lacking her side kick. What was her name again. Lo-Lola? Leona? Naah Lelly? Hmm...
"Why are you out here at Grimm's car?" She snapped, cutting me from my thoughts.
I'm usually so good with names, why can't I remember hers? Lia? No that wasn't it...
"I'm waiting on Grimmjow, he sent me a text telling me to meet him out here," I said distractedly, still trying to remember her name. L...l...
She huffed. "Right. And pigs fly out my ass."
I tilted my head at her questionably. "Do they? That's a bit TMI for me to know don't you think?"
She growled. "I was being sarcastic you idiot, now listen up. Pack your shit and go back to Kurosaki's little happy go lucky group and leave Grimmjow alone, he's mine,"
I sighed. "Listen...Leanna-"
"It's Loly"
"Semantics," I replied as flippantly as possible, "I don't mean to be rude to you or anything but I doubt Grimmjow belongs to anyone. Now I know you like him and that's great, but if he was 'yours' as you so eloquently put it, "I said making emphasis on the yours, "wouldn't he be texting you saying to meet him here and not me? Because it's kind of pathetic the way you're pissing all over him like he's your territory when he doesn't even seem to bat an eyelash at you."
She turned red and started to march around the car to me, "Why you little bi-"
"Loly, the fuck're ya doing here?"
I turned and smiled lightly at Grimmjow, who was holding a large brown paper bag, cigarette in his mouth and a look of disdain at the other girl.
Loly went from ready to fight to 5 dollar whore in 0.5 seconds. I was actually in awe of her transformation. The look of anger on her face completely morphed into a somewhat sultry look and she stepped towards Grimmjow in a walk that I guessed was supposed to look sexy? It seemed really try hard to me.
"Grimmjow, you haven't been answering any of my texts or calls," said Loly, reaching out to touch his chest. Grimmjow however artfully dodged her actions and placed the bag on the trunk then said, "All with good reason Loly,"
"Well let's go back to working on us-"
"What? There is no us, there was a one night stand where I was pretty drunk- drunk enough to give you my number but that's it sweetheart, nothing more,"
Oh wow. Well this was quite a new light on how Grimmjow could be.
"Oh please, are you gonna tell me that you're all of a sudden on the straight and narrow and settle down with her of all people?" The girl hissed. I blinked, suddenly feeling really self conscious. I wasn't all the ugly or something...was I?
"Leave Shorty out of this Loly, she's got nothing to do with the fact that I don't like you." He grit out. She huffed and stepped towards me.
"He'll tire of you eventually. Look at you wearing this dumb scarf in this weather. What have you got to hide you ugly green haired freak," she said bitterly and to my shock she snatched the scarf from my neck. I gasped and tried to hold onto it but she was close to choking me so I let it go, the speed that she tore it off my neck caused a burning feeling on my neck.
I quickly held my hands around my neck to hide the still green and yellowing bruises there.
"Move your hands bitch, what are you hiding?!" She screeched.
I stepped back and stumbled against the car and she was just about to step towards me again when she was hauled back by Grimmjow.
"Just what the fuck do you think yer doin' Loly, leave her alone and get out of here, he said pushing her away and picking up my scarf from the ground.
"You'd pick that freak over me?" She hissed.
"Loly I don't hit girls, but if you don't leave right now I will not be held responsible for my actions," Grimmjow said as calmly as he could. The girl said nothing, just got up from the ground and ran off.
Once he made sure she was gone he, turned to me. "Are you okay Neliel? I'm sorry bout that," he said softly, holding my scarf out to me.
I reached out for it, forgetting the bruises on my neck and watched his eyes widen.
"Christ, Neliel who the fuck did that to you?" I quickly wrapped the scarf around my neck and ignoring my shaking hands gave him a small smile.
"Well this isn't how I planned for lunch to go."
"Shorty what-"
"Grimmjow please," I pleaded, "Can we just eat?"
He dropped the cigarette from his mouth to out it and swore in German before nodding and used the button on his keys to deactivate the lock on the car. I grabbed my bag and sat in the passenger seat and he sat in the driver's seat with the huge brown bag.
"What's in there?"
"I cashed in on a favor a friend owed me and got us some Burger King, I hope you like whoppers," he said pulling out the burger wrapped in paper and handing it to me.
"With extra bacon?" I asked hopefully.
"And extra cheese too, with a strawberry milkshake to wash it down," he said with a grin.
"Wow I could kiss you right now," I said absently taking the food from his hand and greedily unwrapping the paper.
"Well you could," he said bashfully.
"You reek of cigarette smoke, so no," I said playfully and bit into the burger.
"Mmm oh my god foodgasm," I moaned.
"You're showing the food more affection than you've ever shown me, gotta admit I'm kinda jealous," he said smirking and scarfing his own down. I slapped him playfully.
"Stop talking and eating at the same time. If you choke I doubt I could do the Heimlich on you. Also, I'm not obligated to give you any affection, it's not like we're-"
I stopped mid sentence, blushing furiously at what I was thinking and hurriedly bit into my burger again. I almost said the "D" word. My god what was wrong with me?
"Like we what?" He asked glancing over to me.
"Like nothing," I said jamming fries in his face.
He bit into them and playfully glared at me. "The fuck was that for,"
I ignored him and continued eating and thankfully he took the hint and we finished our meals in silence. But as soon as I gulped down the last of my milkshake the questions started again.
"So are you ever going to tell me about those bruises? Because I don't think we can just gloss past that like it was nothing Shorty"
"And if I don't want to tell you?"
"Then I want you to know that I'm not gonna force you to tell me but answer me two things," he said, using his fingers to tilt my face up to his.
"What two things?" I asked defensively.
"Are you safe?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Does anyone else know about this?"
I swallowed and nodded. "Just Hal and Ichigo. I trust them more than anyone else in this world."
He nodded and tucked some of my stray hairs behind my ear.
"Well, if you ever fall into trouble again, I'm here. No matter what okay?"
I was unused to this side of Grimmjow. He was so soft, so caring, and I couldn't look away from his eyes. So blue and piercing. This was a side of him that you would never see out in pubic. Right now, in his car it was jus the two of us and no one else. Or it was until Nnoitra banged on Grimmjow's side, causing me to jump and squeak slightly.
"Chill Shorty, Nnoi wouldn't hurt a fly," he said winding down the window.
"Riight," I said softly, continuing to suck on my straw.
"As much as the two of ya look fuckin' happy and wishy washy, Grimmjow you got work ta do,"
My eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
Work? It was the middle of the school day?
"I ain't got no work I'm off today," he replied.
"Not according to the call I just got from-"
"Listen. I'll deal with it. Go back in."
The boys were quiet for a while for a while and then the taller stood straight and backed off.
"You can't leave school to go to work can you?" I asked, glancing over to him.
"Wouldn't be the first time Shorty," he replied.
"But you'll fall behind in your studies and I'm pretty sure it's illegal and-"
"Shorty. It's fine, no big deal at all now- gimmie a sec lemmie take this," he said pulling his phone from his pocket. I sighed and leaned back onto the seat.
At this rate we were hardly going to get any...time to ourselves.
I checked the time on my phone and frowned.
Factor in the time that I spent waiting, the thing with Loly, the interruption and us eating we had about 10 minute until the bell went and I had to go.
I didn't even notice that he was done with the phone until I felt him grasp my hand.
"So...I know this ain't ideal, but I gotta go sort this shit out."
"It's cool, we had like 10 minutes of the break left anyways, I'll just see you tomorrow," I replied, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Naah Shorty, I'll pick you up after school, I'll come get you from your block okay?"
I bit my lip and nodded.
He smiled and leaned in closer to me. "Now about that kiss..."
"You reek of smoke Jaggerjaques, try again next time," I said wrinkling my nose in mock disgust.
"Wounded Shorty, totally wounded." He said, playfully clutching at his chest. I laughed and proceeded to check myself in the mirror, bags were smooth, my scarf was secure there were no bruises on show. After having my scarf dragged off like that by that...girl made me even more paranoid than usual. Grimmjow didn't say anything while I was straightening myself, but grabbed my hand as soon as I tried to open the car door.
"You really think I'm letting you go without my kiss Shorty?"
I smiled and turned to face him best I could in the car and leaned into him, resting a hand on his chest. His breath hitched and his eyes closed, which made me smirk, so to appease him I brushed my nose against his. Just as his lips were about to touch mine I leaned back and grabbed the cigarettes out his shirt pocket.
"I already told you Jaggerjaques, you reek of cigarette smoke," I said, shaking the box in his face.
"What the- Shorty give those back!" He said reaching for the box, but I was quicker and jumped out the car. Just as I closed the door the bell rang.
"Give 'em back or I swear to God Shorty-"
He growled, stepping out the car as well.
I giggled and did the most obscene thing I've ever done in my life.
I jammed the box down my shirt , in my bra.
"If you're a good boy you can get them back when you come to get me after school. This way I know you won't leave me here to fend for myself and you could also use the practice for quitting," I said sticking my tongue out at him.
"You aren't going to make this easy for me at all are you Shorty?"
"Nope, and if you're good you'll get your kiss," I said, tapping where the box was. "But for now I have to go, text me," I said turning my back and jogging to my building. When I got to my class my phone went off and I checked, a message from Grimmjow.
You really shouldn't run in a skirt that short Shorty, does things to me and my eyes are forever thankful ;)
I locked and turned my phone off mortified.
I spent the rest of the lesson and school day with a red face.
