"I'm going out for a bit, 'kay?" Grimmjow paused at the doorway, looking over at where Ulquiorra sat.

"Sure." Ulquiorra looked up from his work at the computer. "Be careful, it's a bit slippery out there with the rain and all."

Grimmjow smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. See you!" Heshut the door, leaving the house as Ulquiorra watched from the window.

Sighing, Ulquiorra returned to his work, rummaging through the piles of papers stacked around him.

Looking up, Ulquiorra realized it was almost 11PM. He leaned back to stretch...and froze.

Outside the window, it was pitch-black, and he could hear the rain pattering down, the wind blowing. Worry slowly trickled through his mind as he walked over, wondering why Grimmjow still hadn't returned.

Half an hour later, half an hour till midnight. Ulquiorra paced the room, trapped in the cage waiting for Grimmjow to return. He jumped at every sound at the door, green eyes flicking back and forth desperately.

Finally a noise at the door, the sound of a key turning in the lock, and a soaking wet Grimmjow stumbled in, bringing the wind with him.

Ulquiorra was on him in an instant. "Do you know how late it is?"

"Sorry, Ulqui." Grimmjow grabbed a towel, throwing his wet jacket over the back of a chair and drying his hair. "I know you're angry."

"You can bet I'm damn angry, Grimmjow! You went out Iages/I ago, and you only return now! Do you know how long I waited? Do you know how worried I was?"

"...You're beginning to sound more and more like my mom."

That was it, that snapped Ulquiorra's leash. "That's beside the point, Grimmjow! Why were you so late? What were you doing out there, that kept you out for so long? Why were—what—" He choked on his words, burying his head in Grimmjow's chest, not regarding the wetness.

Grimmjow patted Ulquiorra's back, soothing him as he cried himself out. After a small silence, Ulquiorra leaned back, wiping his eyes awkwardly. "I did sound like your mother, didn't I?"

Grimmjow chuckled, hugging Ulquiorra in closer. "At least you aren't, that would be really awkward right now." He paused, eyes glancing over at the clock. "I really am sorry, Ulqui."

"I know." Only after a moment did they both realize how wet Grimmjow still was. "You should change..."

"Yeah, we're gonna need to clean up this puddle here too..." Grimmjow gestured helplessly at the pool of water they were currently standing in.

AN: I would like to thank my parents, for inadvertently giving me this idea. You see, my dad went out for a walk while it was raining, of all times, and didn't come back till a bit past 10, which by then it was already really dark outside. My mom chewed him out for that, although she was a lot more sane than Ulqui here was. (no angry shouting or sobbing there.)

Grimmjow: I don't like the rain. *sulks*

Ulquiorra: Of course you don't. Your instincts are that of a cat, and therefore like a cat you dislike water.

Grimmjow: *confused* ...Shut up.