Title: Las Noches High – chapter twenty-one
Author/Artist: Cheza-chan
Pairing/Characters: Grimmjow/Ichigo
Rating: PG-15 (citrus-y)
Genre: AU; high school
Disclaimer: I own the mangas that I purchased, but Kubo owns the characters.
Summary/Notes: Forced to transfer from school to school because of something he has no control over, Kurosaki Ichigo resigns himself to expulsion, only to find out he has one last choice: attend Las Noches High.
A/N: (new) Extra lines here and there, in every scene.
Grimmjow's eyes burned with a raw desire to kill. The only reason he'd left the dorms was because Aaroniero was keeping a close watch on Ichigo. Ulquiorra stood beside him. The brunet was small, but he was not a pushover. He kept a firm grip on Grimmjow's left arm. Knowing fully well what he was capable of doing to the injured appendage, Grimmjow remained rooted in place. Aizen had left the campus, so Ichimaru was in charge; that had been the plan, however. Gin smirked at the trio that stood at the front of his desk.
"Why am I here?" Szayel Aporro sighed, tucking his hair behind his ear. He cast a smug smile over his shoulder at the rest of the Student Council. "I never laid a hand on anyone. If anything, I should be filing a complaint against Kurosaki-kun."
Grimmjow snarled, surging forward. He wanted to wrap his hands around Szayel's narrow neck; he wouldn't stop squeezing until his head popped off. Ulquiorra held him back, tightening his grip to remind him who was in control.
"We got a complaint from Nel-san at Hueco Mundo," Gin stated, drawing Szayel Aporro's attention.
"What?" the pink-haired teen hissed.
"She said ya disrupted da arcade."
Szayel Aporro smirked, crossing his arms over his chest; he was above falling for such petty traps. "I was with Nnoitora yesterday, and we were nowhere near her so-called arcade. I'm sure Nel-san is well aquainted with him. They did put each other in the hospital."
"Ah. Dat's right. Nnoi's birt'day was yesterday." Gin sat back in his chair, opening one of his desk drawers. He pulled out the gift-wrapped cake Menoly had made. Szayel pressed his lips into a thin line. "'s a shame he didn' get his present. Menoly-chan missed a period for dis. Someone needs ta eat it. How 'bout we all eat it as a peace offering? Jack-chan won' try to kill ya. Ya'll stop using Kurosaki-kun as yer guinea pig. Ulquiorra… will smile."
Neither Ulquiorra nor Grimmjow responded to the quip. Ignoring his stoical students, Gin opened the package, pulling a cake cutter from who-knows-where, and cut out four small slices. He took it upon himself to hand deliver each piece to the Student Council members. He stood between the trio and raised his cake slice high. "Ta frien'ship!" No one else cheered, but they all took bites from their slices until there was nothing left. Gin handed out napkins, moistened and dry, and hands were cleaned free of icing. "Please be on yer way. I really don' wanna report dis ta Aizen-san."
"Ichimaru," Grimmjow growled. "Just like that?"
"I'm tryin' ta keep Tousen off yer ass."
"Fuck that! Fuck Tousen…!"
"I don't want to." Gin pouted.
With a chuckle, Szayel Aporro walked by the small group and out of the office. There was no way he could be punished. He made his downward descent, arriving at the science lab. A few of the club's members had already arrived, but there was no exchange of greetings and Szayel headed straight for his personal workstation. He pulled on a lab coat. There was no way on this earth he could give up his best test subject ever. The same lab coat he put on, Szayel removed halfway through his new experiment when a flash of heat washed over him. He removed the school blazer not too long afterwards.
It was after rolling up the sleeves of the long-sleeved uniform top and looking up to find the rest of his club members staring at him did he finally understand what was happening. Szayel Aporro smirked, undoing the first few buttons of his shirt. Someone had slipped him an aphrodisiac. "Done in by my own medicine. Not cool, Szayel Aporro." He laughed, removing his glasses and combing his dampened hair away from his face. "If you think you can handle me…" A pink tongue swept over parted lips and Szayel Aporro finished undoing the buttons of his shirt. "Come and get it." Chairs scraped and willing bodies rushed across the room to reach their prey.
The door cracked open then closed. Gin tucked his hand into the pocket of his charcoal gray slacks, the other holding a phone to his ear. "Aa. Illy, come git yer brother. He'll be waitin' for ya in da science lab." His lips spread wider. "Yeah. He's not feelin' too well, so nurse 'im back ta health, won'cha?" Gin lowered his hand, pressing the END button. "Unfortunately, both of ya are being transferred out. Kurosaki-kun won' feel safe otherwise." Slipping the phone into his pocket, he whistled as he headed back to his office. After getting his hands on Szayel Aporro's pills, he'd broken one open and spilled the powder between the layers of the cake. Because of its damaged appearance, it was easy to mark, and he made sure to cut at the markings and deliver that piece to its maker.
The remaining Student Council members hadn't left his office, and both continued to stand in the same position and location Gin had left them in. "Wha' is everyone at dis school so uptight fer? Ulquiorra. Da Treasurer spot's been opened. Find someone ta fill it."
"I wanted to break him myself," Grimmjow spat, his fingers curled into tight fists.
"Dat won' werk on Szayel, you know that. You still have a chance, though. They're releasing Nnoitora-kun from the hospital this afternoon."
A slow grin spread across the VP's face. "I need to be excused," Grimmjow laughed darkly, heading for the door.
"Be careful of your arm!" Gin called out. He smiled at the brunet that remained. "Any objections?"
"No," Ulquiorra stated tonelessly. "If you'll excuse me, I will be searching for a Treasurer replacement."
Gin sighed, taking a seat on the edge of his desk. "Everyone left me."
Grimmjow made a detour before he would begin his journey off-campus. He stopped by the science lab. The musky scents that drifted out spoke volumes. He slammed open the door, grinning maniacally at the sight of a cum-covered Szayel Aporro lying naked on the tiled floor. The young scientist's eyes remained open, but were devoid of all life.
Grimmjow entered the classroom, headed over to the far corner. "I'll keep you company 'til your big brother arrives. It's the least I can do. The most I can do…" Using his foot to prod and roll Szayel over onto his back, he knelt. "…is prepare you for your brother." A small, plastic bag was produced from his pocket. Within it was a small pill. Gin had given it to him as a precaution, in case the one in the cake hadn't worked. Grimmjow removed it, slipping it by Szayel's swollen lips. "Swallow." The muscles of the pink-haired teen's throat worked slowly to do just that. "I know you haven't been a virgin for a long time. Your precious brother was your first, wasn't he?" Grimmjow straightened up, pulling up a nearby stool to take a seat.
Szayel Aporro inhaled softly, breathing out in a long sigh. The drug worked quickly. His skin slowly became flushed, his back arching from the floor.
"Nobody's touched you yet," Grimmjow scoffed in distaste.
"Il Forte..." Szayel whimpered.
As though hearing his brother's plea, the door opened and a suit-wearing Il Forte Granz froze in its frame. The blond's brown eyes widened. "Grimmjow-san…"
Grimmjow grinned, hopping down from the stool. "Don't worry. I didn't touch him. He's all yours." He strolled casually across the classroom. A hand was placed to Il Forte's shoulder as he passed him. "He's waiting for you. Enjoy." Grimmjow walked out, never looking back after the door slid shut.
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
Nnoitora felt the light touch to his shoulder and turned to tell whomever to 'fuck off', but he was forced to swallow his words a mere second later when something very solid cracked against his jaw. Nnoitora's head snapped to the side. He smirked, wiping the back of his hand across his bloody lips. "Piece a' shit… Who do you think yer messin' wit'?"
Grimmjow didn't answer. He fell into an offensive stance, ignoring the pain in his left shoulder.
"Szayel did tell me that toy was yers. If you and that bitch hadn't shown up, I woulda had so much fun!"
The blue eyes burned with rage and Grimmjow swung out again. Nnoitora used his height to his advantage, easily sidestepping the attack. He grabbed Grimmjow's outstretched arm, releasing his own fist into the teen's face. "You're no match for me!" Nnoitora bellowed. "Nelliel couldn't beat me… what makes you think you can?" Their brawl had drawn quite a lot of attention and the hospital police was running across the lot to reach them.
Grimmjow jerked his captured arm, bringing the brunet forward to headbutt him. He ignored his own pain, fueled to keep fighting after hearing Nnoitora's pained cry. If his nose hadn't been broken, Nel's brutal attack from yesterday played a great part, seeing as the pipe had all but cracked open Nnoitora's skull. Grimmjow gritted his teeth as he put stress on his left arm, but the officers pulled him off of the brunet before he could get his opponent to the ground. With one last yell of effort, he used the men holding him as leverage and swung out with his right leg. It connected with the side of Nnoitora's head and they both returned to the ground; Grimmjow, however, remained on his feet. His arm hurt like hell—now being twisted behind his back—but he was pleased staring down at Nnoitora's bloody face. "He's not a toy… but he is mine!"
A stretcher was brought out to collect the alumnus of Las Noches High. Grimmjow had a police escort into the hospital so he could be treated. He was then handcuffed to his bed. After a few hours, Gin came to collect his bandaged Student Council Vice President. He smiled widely at the natural scowl on Grimmjow's bruised face. Saying nothing, he led the way out of the hospital.
Inoue sat through homeroom and her first period class balancing a pencil on her nose. Loly, who was passing by, snatched the utensil off and snapped it in two with one hand. "Pay attention," the brunette hissed, dropping the pieces onto the desk. She walked back to her desk, sitting down. With a sigh, Inoue collected the two pieces and put them into her school case to salvage them. She couldn't concentrate, not when Aaroniero was keeping her from seeing Ichigo.
The ebony-haired doctor smiled apologetically at the girl, barring her from even looking inside Ichigo's room. The surgical mask he wore had been tugged down so he could speak. "He's still not up to seeing visitors. Sorry. The substitute nurse is very capable, so… no worries!"
'How can I not worry?' Inoue made a small doodle in the corner of her notebook before resuming her note-taking.
X X X
At the start of lunch, the young girl rushed from her own classroom, skirting around students to reach the hall where 2-A was located. She peeked inside and her eyes widened in surprise. Not only Ichigo, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were also missing. Inoue waited until there was an opening before slipping in to speak with the teacher.
The older man adjusted his glasses. "They were both collected by Aizen-san," he responded to Inoue's inquiry. "It might have something to do with the Student Council."
Inoue smiled, bowing her head. "Thank you." She slipped out as quietly as she had slipped in.
"Did you hear? The science club's disbanded!"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. They said Szayel Aporro-san transferred schools."
"We can get transferred out?"
"What's more… he went to Shinou!" It was the latest news that traveled swiftly through the grapevine.
Inoue kept her head bowed, school case clutched tightly in her hands. Her feet took her to the cafeteria, where she hoped to find Menoly.
X X X
Inoue looked up when the teacher stopped at her desk. The woman leaned down, relaying her message in a whisper; the class was in the middle of a quiz. She walked away, continuing down the aisle and up the other, keeping an eye on her other students. Inoue calmly finished her quiz, leaving the paper facedown on her desk after she'd collected her belongings and stood. Without a second glance, she quietly left the classroom. Her destination: the Principal's office.
Outside the wooden door, Orihime slapped her cheeks lightly a few times, giving herself the courage to stay strong. She knocked, entering when she was given permission to do so. She smiled widely at Las Noches' Principal.
"Ah, Inoue-kun. You got my message. Come. Sit down." Still seated behind her desk, Aizen indicated to one of the two wicker chairs at the front of the mahogany structure.
Inoue moved forward, taking a seat in the left chair. She placed her school case in her lap, laying her hands atop it. Her smile widened. "I hope I'm not in trouble," she joked.
"That depends," Aizen chuckled. "On how you define 'trouble'. Wouldn't you agree, Inoue-kun?"
Inoue's hands curled into fists, but she kept smiling. "That it does."
"I brought you to Las Noches for the same reason I accepted Kurosaki-kun. You're both unique. While his is something that can be scientifically proven, yours… I see in you the ability to change anyone's heart. You've even gotten through to Loly, which is saying a lot."
"Really?" Inoue laughed, staring down at her school case. The broken pencil was still inside. She smiled, thinking that maybe it was Loly's own way of communicating that she wanted her to pay attention in class. "Maybe you're right."
"Now I'm wondering if Ulquiorra chose you for his own personal gain. You accepted this transfer after boldly stating that you would protect Kurosaki-kun."
Inoue's eyes widened. "It wasn't Ulquiorra-kun's fault. It was mine! He doesn't deserve to be punished."
Aizen showed her a surprised mask—Inoue knew it was all a game to him. "Ulquiorra's not being punished. On the contrary. Right now, he's being praised. Along with Grimmjow." The Principal smiled. "You honestly thought you were being punished? No. I called you here not just to remind you of your job, but to question you on whether or not you would like to accept the open Treasurer's spot. I'm sure you've already heard about Szayel Aporro." Aizen was certain Mayuri would enjoy his new assistant.
Inoue nodded stiffly.
"You will have a short reign as Treasurer, but I feel you will enjoy the time."
The young girl smiled, "I accept, then."
Aizen mirrored her smile. "Wonderful. I'm sorry for interrupting your classes."
"No!" Inoue shook her head fervently. "I finished my quiz. I was hoping to go to the Home Ec. room to finish my project. It's due… and I also want to finish it before Winter Break."
"By all means." Aizen lifted a hand, extending it outward. Inoue stood, hurriedly bowing. With a soft laugh, she left, closing the door quietly. Aizen sighed deeply, turning in his chair so he faced the large picture window behind his desk. His white lies were kept in order, so no one could classify him as a pathological liar. Ulquiorra and Grimmjow were being punished for going against his orders, but the results were beneficial to him; his subject was finally up to accepting samples. Aizen removed his glasses, combing his free hand through his hair. The brown curls remained combed backwards, a single strand hanging down in front of his face.
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
Aizen left his office at the end of the school day and headed to a wing of the school Inoue would have known well had she been with him; it was where Loly and Menoly had taken her during her first arrival at Las Noches. This particular building was closed to students, but he hadn't punished the girls because they were simply having fun and hadn't disturbed anything. Remaining on the lowest level, Aizen calmly headed for the end of the building. Upon reaching the old music room, he quietly slid the door open, stepping into the darkness. The door slid shut behind him and a dim light was switched on.
The lighting of the machinery stationed throughout helped guide him. Aizen cared nothing for the bodies on the metal slabs he passed. Ulquiorra lay atop one, Grimmjow on another. Both were topless, electrodes attached to their chest and temples, monitoring and gathering data. All information was sent to the equipment lining the walls. After being processed, it took a new path to the large container in the middle of the room, which Aizen now stood in front of. He placed a hand to the cold glass, smiling as he stared into the inky waters. A small frame was curled at the bottom, electrodes attached to the figure as well.
"Soon," the man whispered. "That child delayed my plans, but things are progressing once again." Aizen removed his hand and turned away from the chamber. He headed for Grimmjow, glancing from the monitors to the motionless body. There had been an increase in brain and heart activity.
"Even in this state, Grimmjow? I wonder what it feels like… loving someone so wholeheartedly." Aizen smirked, glancing over his shoulder. Now Ulquiorra's readings were increasing. "This is why I chose you two. Feed him well until I can gather the others." He combed aside the sky blue bangs, letting his finger trail over Grimmjow's cheek as he turned away, heading back to the door. Aizen turned off the lights before stepping out, making sure the door was shut securely behind himself.
Ichigo sat up with a startled gasp, frantically looking around to distinguish his surroundings. Tensa Zangetsu stared back at him from the top of the television. He was in his own room. He fell back onto the bed, inhaling then exhaling deeply. Raising his arm to eye level, he saw that he was back in his Adjuchas uniform. The last thing he remembered was leaving cram school. After that, everything was a blur. Focusing on that blur, however, brought about intangible thoughts and feelings that told him something else was hidden there.
Ichigo lowered his arm, trapping his hand between his thighs. He didn't care what time or even what day it was, he wanted to go back to sleep.
x
Sleep was stolen from him once again, but by an outside interference; someone was knocking. He buried his face deeper into the pillow to ward off the dull noise.
"…kun? Kurosaki-kun… Please answer the door."
'Inoue? She sounds… upset.'
Ichigo tossed back the covers, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stumbled a few paces before his eyes widened and he promptly crumpled to the floor. The sound, of course, did not go unheard.
"Grimmjow-kun. Do you think somebody—Maybe it's Aaroniero-san?"
"Shut up and move!" the rough voice snapped.
Arms on the mattress, Ichigo was in the process of trying to pull himself back up off the floor when the door flew open. Inoue's face flooded with relief and the tears flowed freely down her face. "Kurosaki-kun..."
Grimmjow stalked across the room to the bed, hooking his hands beneath Ichigo's arms to lift him from the floor.
"You... have a key to my room?"
Grimmjow's eyes widened. "That's what you're worried about?" he sputtered incredulously.
"Damn right I'm worried!" Ichigo glared. "I don't want you sneaking into my room in the middle of the night! It's bad enough Nel can pick the lock and scare the shit outta me… Why aren't my legs working?" he finally added after he was dropped unceremoniously back onto the bed.
"You've been... in your room for three days," Inoue finally supplied, her voice just above a worried whisper. "I asked Grimmjow-kun to check on you because... I was concerned. I heard noises. Aaroniero-san said you came down with the flu and you shouldn't be bothered."
"Oh..." Ichigo slowly lifted his knees, unable to make them function faster. "Thank you, Inoue." 'Thank you, Lulu.' Gingerly, after lowering them, he crossed his legs to sit Indian-style. "What have I missed?"
Inoue smiled. She would have replied, but her friend's eyes were locked on the scowling figure looming over him. She decided to leave them be; Ichigo was back to normal—that made her happiest, and she obviously wasn't needed at the moment. She backed out of the room and turned to continue for the stairs, stopping when the door to her left opened. Ulquiorra stepped out, gracing her with a brief glance. He remained rooted in place and Inoue's eyes widened, her smile never fading. If anything, it grew wider, brighter. Orihime grinned, hurrying forward to reach his side. Her fingers brushed his once she was there and they headed down to the lobby together, leaving the dorm house.
x
"Were you… punished because of… me?"
Ulquiorra faced right, staring at Inoue's worried expression. Her hands were clasped together tightly in front of her, eyes pleading for the truth. Her presence alone lessened the pain radiating from the mark that was printed onto his skin on the left side of his chest. "No," he lied, keeping her gaze.
Inoue studied Ulquiorra's face, searching the stoic mask for the slightest giveaway that would let her know if he was telling the truth. She smiled, "I'm glad. Guess what? Aizen-san invited me to become the Student Council Treasurer."
"I made the suggestion."
Inoue's eyes widened before she grinned knowingly. "When I think of this side of you that only I get to see, I get mixed feelings. I want everyone to know that you're not that scary and very caring. But… then I want to keep this side of you all to myself." Inoue stole a shy glance at her walking companion, giggling when she found Ulquiorra staring back. She reached out, curling her fingers around his. The dorms were out of sight, so they were granted a temporary reprieve from prying eyes.
The pain from his marking was nothing compared to the pain he'd been feeling whilst struggling to understand his own heart. He slid his hand away, surprising the orange-haired girl, but Inoue's smile widened when his fingers returned to interlock with hers. She swung their joined hand, rambling on excitedly about the park behind the high school campus. Two miles from The Village, it was the one Ichigo frequented, but she was not about to tell him that.
X X X
Caught up—nothing was new, Ichigo stretched his leg out, sighing in relief when the appendage obeyed his brain's command. He smiled at Grimmjow. "All better."
Grimmjow wanted to ask if he really was, given past circumstances. He wanted to ask if he remembered anything at all, but Grimmjow bit his tongue, his features twisting into a natural scowl. "If you're all better, get in the shower and back to school. You missed a week's worth."
"I thought I was in here for three days." Ichigo drew his knees to his chest, hugging them. He felt like there was something important to remember, something he shouldn't forget. "I'm attending cram school anyway, so..."
"That's the mindset of a failure. Not to mention, you've been missing that also. Wake up the sleepin' shinigami I know."
"That's what I'd like to be doing now—sleeping. And how many times do I have to tell you, stop calling me that?" Ichigo's bladder chose then to remind him that he had been asleep for three days. He stood, grabbing onto Grimmjow's arm when his legs threatened to give out again. The taller teen stood still, waiting until Ichigo regained his balance and walked off on his own. Once at the bathroom door, Ichigo glanced over his shoulder. "You can leave now. Make sure you close the door on your way out. And throw away that key!"
The bathroom door slammed shut and Grimmjow shook his head. "Idiot." Slipping his left hand into the pocket of his school slacks, he made his way to the door Inoue had left open, walking out. "Don't push yourself too hard," he muttered aloud as he pulled the door shut behind himself.
Ichigo finished washing his hands and bowed over the sink, splashing some water across his face. He lifted his head, staring at his reflection. His eyes still looked tired despite what everyone was saying. The reflection blurred and his eyes narrowed. They widened when the reflection that stared back at him became distorted.
Bright gold eyes stared back at him. Yo! Aibou. Are ya tryin' ta forget? I won't let ya!
Ichigo clutched the edge of the sink tightly, the repressed memories quickly resurfacing with a vengeance. He was driven to his knees in front of the toilet, dry-heaving into the bowl; he hadn't eaten for three days, so there was nothing to bring back up. He fell into a sitting position, leaning his back against the toilet seat, his arms wrapped loosely around his midsection. 'I don't want to remember…'
Mustering enough strength, Ichigo pulled himself up from off the floor, quickly stripping and stumbling into the shower. He scrubbed his skin fiercely, hoping to rid it of all traces of Nnoitora and Szayel Aporro. Just thinking about them forced him into another dry-heaving fit. Once finished with the bathroom, Ichigo dried his skin and dressed in one of the school-appointed jerseys. His stomach growled softly, but there was no way he could put anything in it. Just thinking about the fact that he had to return to school and face the Student Council Treasurer made his empty stomach churn.
Suddenly feeling cold, Ichigo put some water to boil in hopes that a cup of hot tea would ward off his chills.
x
Unlike his neighbor, Grimmjow was well aware of his punishment. He carefully removed his sweater, glancing over his shoulder so he could stare at his back in the mirror reflecting it. A large gauze patch was taped to the lower right side. Aizen had explained to him that it would serve as a constant reminder of his participation in promoting a worthy cause. "Bullshit," Grimmjow spat, snatching off the gauze. A bold 'tattoo' of a 6, the black ink crisp and fresh, was revealed. What pissed him off even more was the fact that Ulquiorra had gotten a '4'. Competitive to the end, he couldn't help but wonder why the other's number was higher.
Grimmjow replaced the gauze, not wanting to upset the area too much. It was a day old and still needed more time to heal. He was more concerned with how the 'shinigami' would cope when he returned to school.
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
Ichigo was not coping well. After staring blankly at the moving pictures of the television for hours, he realized one thing: he wouldn't be able to go to sleep. Hot tea; warm milk; nothing worked. What was different Tuesday night that he didn't have now? Ichigo's gaze swept over the decorative weapon and he found the answer instantly. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
Ichigo lifted his left leg, bracing his chin atop the bent knee. "I can't very well go over and say 'sleep with me'… no matter how much I would like to. Now I'm talking to myself…" He drew his right leg up, hugging both against his chest. After several minutes of internal dialogue, Ichigo stood, deciding it wouldn't hurt to try. The worst that could happen was Grimmjow turning him down, their usual argument breaking out, and he would return to his dorm to continue staring at the walls. Ichigo found his slippers and put them on, heading out of his dorm room.
It took until Ichigo started pounding on his door for Grimmjow to realize he had a visitor. He removed his headphones, listening again. Sure enough—angry pounding. He smirked, knowing it could only be one person. He left his bedroom, passing his weapons display, and answered the front door.
"I can't sleep. Because it took you so long to answer the door, I demand that you let me sleep with you—sleep here!" Ichigo corrected, his glare withering to an embarrassed look.
Grimmjow smirked. "I don't have an extra futon, so you just might be doing that. You can take the bed for the time being. I was in the middle of homework before you came breaking my door down."
Said door was pushed open wider and Ichigo shuffled inside. He had been in Grimmjow's room numerous times before, but now it was different. His mind shamelessly reminded him that the bed he was about to lie in was the same bed he had received a handjob from Grimmjow in, all thanks to Szayel Aporro's drug. 'He did because I practically begged for it…' "I can get my—"
The door slammed shut and Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo by the back of his jersey top, propelling him ahead of himself toward the bedroom. He released him, continuing toward the cluttered desk he'd just left. Ichigo glanced at the bed and felt his thoughts and memories betray him. "If you don't get in that bed, I'll throw you in it," Grimmjow growled. "Your standing there is distracting me."
The threat snapped Ichigo out of his thoughts—not before creating new ones that he pushed aside—and he glared at Grimmjow's profile before stalking to the bed. He dropped onto the mattress, turning his back to the room's owner as he stretched out. Ichigo could hear the faint whisper of the music Grimmjow listened to. He closed his eyes, focusing on that rather than the soft sheets beneath him.
Grimmjow's voice broke through the silence a few minutes later, "Szayel Aporro got kicked out. He messed around one too many times." Ichigo didn't verbally respond, but the news helped to ease some of the fears that clouded his heart.
Grimmjow scratched his work onto the paper angrily as he remembered the day. Luck had been on his and Nel's side that day. Had they arrived even a second too later, the damage done would have been irreparable. He set down his pencil, leaning back in the wooden chair to enjoy the rock music. It helped to calm his nerves.
x
The unnatural angle his neck hung at reminded Grimmjow that sleeping in a chair was not the wisest thing to do. He righted himself and glanced at the desk clock; he'd slept for an hour. Text and notebooks were closed and pushed aside and Grimmjow removed his headphones before standing from the chair. He cracked his neck, removing all kinks, and turned to face the bed. Ichigo was fast asleep. Having rolled onto his back, his left arm was draped across his stomach, the right hanging over the side of the bed. Grimmjow shook his head, taking the few steps to close the distance. "I'm sure this is asleep, too," he sighed, lifting Ichigo's right arm so it joined the other atop his stomach. The orange-haired teen reacted to the movement, rolling back over toward the middle of the bed.
Grimmjow trusted himself if they shared a bed now, but he didn't want to wake to an awkward situation. He left quietly, barging into Ulquiorra's dorm to borrow an extra futon. He grinned at the brunet seated on his sofa before heading back out. Back in his room, Grimmjow set the bedding on the floor, a yard from his occupied bed. He would probably get tripped over, but this was a precaution to avoid being stepped on. He stole a pillow from the bed, turned off the lights, and settled onto the futon to sleep.
A/N: …and I'm just kinna winging it with what Aizen is doing *fail* 8D; / And, as always, thanks for reading and reviewing, you gaiz!