Soooo I haven't updated this in years lol but I was going through my old laptop and found this chapter already almost finished so I figured I'd wrap it up and post. Its's 2020 ya'll, things are rough out here in these streets and I find myself wanted to write again and escape it all. Hopefully updating this story makes someone's day just a little bit better. Enjoy. 3
Chapter 13: Birth of the Sexta
Grimmjow sat heavily on his crème colored couch, his elbows on his knees as his hands hung loosely between his legs. At first glance, he appeared to be the picture of total relaxation, but his face was drawn into a harsh scowl and his eyes were aflame with barely contained rage. The bluenette did not take well to being threatened at gunpoint and it took every ounce of control in his body not to lash out and wring Shiro's stark white neck. The albino stood a mere few feet away, gun held firmly in hand as his calculated, lightning yellow eyes scanned the burly man. He'd yet to speak or show any indication that he planned to, so Grimmjow decided he'd have to break the ice.
"How long have you known?" he asked gruffly.
Shiro narrowed his eyes and squeezed his gun tighter. "I been suspectin' ya since that night at Hueco Mundo, I just didn' have no proof 'til now."
"Really? And what proof is that?"
"Saw ya at the school gym today," the albino began with a smirk. "You were careless. Ya lifted yer shirt ta wipe the sweat from yer face an' I saw yer mark."
Grimmjow could almost feel the gothic style six tattooed on his back itch at the mere mention of it. He shook his head at his own recklessness and gave Shiro a sideways glance, unable to help the challenging look in his eyes. "So, what? You gonna kill me?"
"Well, first yer gonna answer some questions fer me," the twin stated as he seated himself on the couch across from the bluenette, "then I'll decide whether or not yer worth sparin'." Grimmjow merely narrowed his crystal blue eyes in response as Shiro lowered his gun to rest on his knee. "I know who ya are, Sexta. I used ta hear stories about ya all the time, Jiruga's lap dogs talked about ya like ya were a legend. You were a hitman fer the Espada, the strongest they'd ever seen, an' the only one ta ever make it out alive. How'd ya do it?"
"I wasn't the only one," Grimmjow answered, "I gave them something they wanted in exchange for mine and my sister's freedom."
"Nel too?" Shiro asked with an uplifted, snowy brow. "Interestin'. An' how many people did ya kill before ya decided ya wanted out?" Cyan eyes flashed with something unnamable and the bluenette's fists clenched of their own accord. "More than ten? More than twenty?" When Grimmjow only clenched his jaw stubbornly in response, Shiro made a point to aim his gun at the burly man once more. "How many, Sexta?"
"Will you stop calling me that?!" the man roared. "I ain't that fuckin' guy anymore and I haven't been for years!"
"HOW MANY?" Shiro suddenly bellowed, shooting up from the couch cushions and rounding the coffee table between them to press the barrel of the gun to Grimmjow's temple. "I know you Espada keep track o' yer kills. Last I heard, Jiruga was pushin' twenty. How 'bout you, Sexta?" he growled.
Grimmjow knew he could disarm the albino at any time he chose, he could overpower him, he could knock him the fuck out, and if he were anyone other than Ichigo's brother he would've done so ten times over. Instead, he made a conscious effort to keep his hands as far as possible from Shiro's throat and breathe deeply through his nose to try and relax. "I stopped countin' after fifty," he answered honestly.
There was a pregnant pause. Shiro's grasp on his gun faltered and he found himself lowering the weapon just slightly as he regarded Grimmjow in awe. "Did they… Did they at least deserve it?"
Crystal blue orbs fell to the faux fur carpet then, sculpted features twisting in pain as if the man just recalled a terrible memory. "Most of them did… Some were innocent," he nearly whispered.
Shiro shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably as he bit the inside of his cheek. "Look," he started, his tone devoid of all heat and anger it held just moments before, "I might hate yer guts, but I don' think yer the kinda guy ta kill over fifty people o' yer own free will. What'd they hold against ya ta keep ya in line?"
Grimmjow swallowed the lump in his throat. "My sister's life."
After another short pause, the albino lowered the gun to his side and flipped the safety back on, ignoring the bluenette's questioning looks as he dropped the weapon on the coffee table and sat beside him. "Turns out, I actually know a thing er two about doin' things ya ain't proud of ta protect someone ya love," he said with a sigh. "So, how did ya even end up in?"
The burly man sighed as well with a shake of his head. "That's a long ass story."
The albino shrugged and swiped the forgotten bottle of bourbon off the coffee table, taking a heavy swig before offering it to Grimmjow. "Ya got somewhere ta be?"
Grimmjow started the long journey home from school with a tight-lipped scowl on his face. He was fourteen years old and had just completed his first day of high school. He already hated it. The kids all gave him weird looks and their hissed whispers of *"gaijin" did not go unnoticed by the young teen. He briefly wondered if maybe things would be different if he knew someone, anyone, at the school, but as it was, he'd spent practically his whole life being the new kid in town. He lived in the U.S. in elementary, Germany in middle school, and now he was to spend his high school years in Japan. He was so sick of bouncing from place to place, so sick of starting over, never having the chance to make any real friends. It was a lonely existence, especially now when even his sister, Nel, wasn't around due to the fact that she was still a year behind him. Their father spent all of his time working, so all they really had was each other, but they wouldn't get to spend much time together until the following year when Nel transferred.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Grimmjow kicked a small rock on the sidewalk, jolting when it flew clear across the street and nailed an older boy right between the eyes.
"Ah! Nanda yarou!" the boy screeched as he slapped a hand to his face. The few other men he'd been walking with gave him equally incredulous looks before erupting into laughter. "Urasai!" the blonde shouted angrily, only eliciting more laughter.
Grimmjow couldn't help but snicker himself at the comical display and had to bite back the cackle threatening to bubble from his gut. Even when the older boy spotted him and began marching angrily in his direction, Grimmjow still couldn't help his laughter and tried fruitlessly to hide his lips behind his hand. When the blonde finally made his approach and began shouting in Japanese, the bluenette sobered up and lifted a hand to silence the angry teen. "I don't speak Japanese," he said calmly, surprised when the hand he held in the air was roughly slapped away.
"I said just who the hell do you think you are, brat?!" the blonde shouted in perfect English. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?!"
"No," the bluenette said simply, his expression challenging, "should I?"
"As a matter of fact, you should, you fucking-"
"Ilforte," came the deep, intimidating voice of one of his companions as he approached. This man was older, his eyes were calculating, wise, and he had an aura of authority around him. "Leave him be. The boy is merely a child."
"I don't give a damn, Shawlong, he's a 'child' that needs to be taught some damn respect!"
"You sure you wanna do that here?" another one of his companions asked as he made his entrance.
"Shut your trap, Di Roy," Ilforte snapped harshly, "there's nobody around anyways. Right here's as good a place as any!"
"You're making a mistake," young Grimmjow suddenly spoke, disrupting all conversation between the three.
"Oh, really?" the blonde inquired, his brows lifting in amusement. "And why's that?"
The boy smirked devilishly. "You make the assumption that just because I'm a kid you can beat me in a fight."
Ilforte's face twisted in anger as he raised his fist. "Why you little-!"
Grimmjow dodged his right hook easily and delivered his own, grinning from ear to ear when the blonde's head snapped to one side as he stumbled back. The young boy was practically bouncing on his toes with glee as Ilforte became even angrier and lunged at him. The man was careless and made no effort to protect his core in his blind fury, so Grimmjow took complete advantage as he ducked and sent a debilitating blow to the blonde's gut. The air audibly left his lungs as he was thrown several feet back, all logic of physics leaping out the window as he skidded down the sidewalk. His eyes were wide and disbelieving as he fumbled to a halt, gripping his stomach and wheezing loudly while the blue haired teen's grin grew even wider. Ilforte refused to be beaten by a kid and straightened his back stubbornly, albeit with more effort than he expected. He marched back towards the teen and lunged once more, hitting the cement with a surprised grunt when the bluenette used his momentum to throw him to the ground. Ilforte practically roared his frustration and scrambled to his feet, readying for yet another attack.
"Oh, come on," Grimmjow groaned, "it was fun for a minute, but this is getting boring very quickly. If ya want a fight that badly, find someone that ain't so far above your level 'cause I'm done."
Ilforte, Di Roy, and Shawlong all blanched in unison as the arrogant teen turned his back and started down the street, as if he'd never even encountered the group. But Ilforte just couldn't let it go. He chased after the bluenette and stopped only to deliver a roundhouse kick to the boy's head, hoping to catch him off guard and finally teach him a lesson, but the kid caught his ankle without so much as a backwards glance. Grimmjow's grip was like a vice, one that Ilforte didn't have a chance of escaping, and the bluenette cocked his head to the side, crystal eyes still pointed forwards.
"I thought I told you I was done," he said in an eerily calm voice. There was a short pause before suddenly Ilforte was catapulted through the air, arms flailing as he was swung over Grimmjow's head like a rag doll and slammed into the cement sidewalk with a sickening crack. The blonde went limp, almost instantly falling unconscious, and Grimmjow stepped over his still form casually, continuing on his way home as he ignored the two sets of wide eyes at his back.
The next day, as Grimmjow exited through the front gates of his high school to head home once more, he found Di Roy and Shawlong waiting on the other side, along with a few other men he assumed were only present to intimidate him. He was unfased. "You guys here for revenge or somethin'? 'Cause your friend got what was coming to him," he said gruffly as he tried to brush past them, only for a large brown skinned man to halt his step.
"You're coming with us kid," the man stated in a manner which left no room for argument.
Grimmjow fought the urge to roll his eyes and just as he opened his mouth to retort, he felt something hard press into the small of his back followed by a small "click". He felt the blood drain from his face and his body went stiff as the familiar voice of Shawlong sounded from behind him.
"You better listen to my friend Yammy, boy," he began, his tone sending chills down Grimmjow's spine. "You may be strong, but are you strong enough to survive a bullet in your spine?"
The teen swallowed thickly as he fought not to show his fear on his face. Shit, what the hell have I gotten myself into?
He remained silent as he was guided into the back seat of a black SUV. No one around seemed to notice the exchange as the door slammed shut behind him and the vehicle sped off to God knows where. Grimmjow realized belatedly that he should've been keeping track of turns, memorizing street signs, but his mind was reeling and he found himself unable to focus as all he could think was that he was going to die. He'd never see his sister again, Nel would be left all alone. Who was going to beat up the boys who broke her heart? Who was going to see her off to prom? Who would she drag along with her to pick out a wedding dress someday? Who would-
His thoughts came crashing to a halt when he was suddenly yanked from the vehicle and dragged into what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Upon entering, he found that the building was still fully functioning and several men and women wandered about, all eyeing him with equal looks of curiosity. Before he knew it, he was walking into a makeshift office and was shoved none too gently into a seat placed in front of a mahogany desk, the throne like chair on the other side unoccupied. Shawlong, DiRoy, and Yammy all huddled around him like a pack of wolves, silently making it known that escape was not an option. When heavy footsteps entered the room with purpose, Grimmjow fought not to turn his head and peek curiously at the newcomer, instead keeping his eyes drawn to his hands in his lap. Even when the footsteps rounded the desk and he heard the cushion of the seat opposite his shift, he kept his head hung and remained unmoving.
"So," a deep, haunting voice began, "you must be Grimmjow Jeagerjaques."
The bluenette snapped his head up at the sound of his name and trained wide eyes on the man before him. He wore an all black suit, had jet black hair cascading down his back, as well as a beard and mustache to match. His eyes were dark, evil, and sent the worst kind of chills down Grimmjow's spine. The young teen felt as if he was gazing into the eyes of the devil himself and had the sensation that he was physically pinned to his seat with the man's stare. "How do you know my name?" he asked breathlessly as he fought to keep his voice from cracking.
"I know all about you, Grimmjow," the man answered smoothly. "My men recognized your uniform from a private school in Osaka. It wasn't difficult to sort through their records and find you. Your father, Sousuke Aizen, is pretty well known and your sister, Neliel Tu…Odelschwank is it? Well, she's just adorable."
Grimmjow felt his temper flare at the mention of his sister and he snapped without thinking. "Who the fuck are you and what do you want with me?!"
A sudden pain shot through his temple when he was roughly smacked upside the head by Di Roy and he cursed as the man in black raised a hand to halt him. "My name is Juha Bach, I am the leader of the organization known as the Espada. Perhaps you've heard of us."
"'Fraid not," the teen spat as he rubbed his tender scalp, "the only companies I'm familiar with are the ones my dad work for."
Di Roy and Shawlong laughed as sky blue brows furrowed when even the supposed leader cracked a grin. "We are not that sort of organization, Grimmjow. Our line of work is more…underground."
The teen blinked dumbly at first until the gears in his head clicked into place. "Like a gang?!" he blurted.
"Ugh, the word 'gang' sounds so unprofessional," the man named Juha scoffed, "but I suppose, yes, that is essentially what we are."
Grimmjow gulped. Holy shit, I beat up a gang member, he thought exasperatedly. "What does a gang want with me?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
Juha grinned wickedly. "You put one of my men in the hospital. Normally I would have you killed, but I see potential in you, Grimmjow. You're strong, stronger than men twice your size, and you enjoy a good fight don't you?"
"I fight when I have to," the boy replied quickly, as if the answer was rehearsed.
"That didn't answer the question." Grimmjow remained silent. "I want you to work for me, son. I believe your skills may help to branch out our business. I'm looking to play my hand in the underground fight clubs in Osaka and I think you'll be the perfect fighter." A single blue brow lifted at that and, though the boy remained silent, it was enough to let Juha know he'd peaked his interest. "Although I can assure you'd be paid handsomely, I doubt that appeals to you as your family is already quite wealthy. I could offer you women, but I'm sure a boy with your looks won't have much trouble in that department either. However, if you agree to work for me, I can give you something I know you've always wanted, something your father's money could never buy."
"Yeah? And what's that?" Grimmjow scowled, forcing himself to sound uninterested.
Juha smiled, as if he saw right through Grimmjow's façade. "A family," he answered slowly, purposefully. The scowl quickly dropped from the bluenette's face and Juha's grin grew even wider, knowing he'd already sealed the deal. "The Espada are more than just a 'gang', Grimmjow, we are a brotherhood. We take care of each other, we fight for each other, and, when necessary, we even kill for each other. That sort of kinship is something you lack, isn't it?"
Grimmjow visibly deflated as his eyes fell to the floor. He couldn't pretend that the gang leader's offer wasn't appealing. He knew he had Nel, but he'd never felt as if he had a real family. Perhaps what Juha offered wouldn't be quite "real", but what if it came close? All he'd have to do is fight, he was good at that, and he'd have a family, brothers, people to turn to other than his sister. It sounded like a sweet deal in the fourteen year old's mind and he hardly thought about everything else being a gang member entails. "What do I have to do?" he asked.
Juha smirked, producing a small stack of paper from a drawer and sliding it across the mahogany desk. "All you have to do is sign."
One of Bach's henchman took Grimmjow's hand in his, forcibly wrapping his fingers around a pen and bringing it to the dotted line. The teen knew he'd likely be signing his soul away to the devil the moment he allowed the pen to touch paper, but he was tired of being alone. He wanted more than anything real companionship, brotherhood, a family, and perhaps it was pathetic, perhaps he could give it more time, after all he'd only just moved to Japan. But here was Juha Bach, offering all that and more on a silver platter and all he had to do was something he already knew he was good at. All he had to do was use the strength his father wanted so badly for him to suppress and maybe this way, he could actually learn to control it. Maybe if he had an outlet, he wouldn't snap the way he did when he lost his temper. Maybe, since everyone feared him anyway, he might as well give them a reason to.
Cyan eyes fluttered shut for just a moment as the teen took a deep, shaky breath, nodding to himself as if to harden his resolve before finally leaning forward and signing his name.
Shiro blinked at the burly man sitting beside him, shaking his head as he did so. "Damn," the albino began, "you were jus' a kid."
"Yeah," the bluenette half chuckled, half scoffed, "but I chose to sign those papers, dumb teenager or not."
"As opposed ta what?" Shiro replied exasperatedly, tossing his hands in the air as he spoke. "They were jus' gonna let ya walk away an' go back ta doin' dumb teenager shit if ya didn' sign?"
Broad shoulders merely shrugged in response. "Suppose you're right," Grimmjow grumbled, mostly to himself.
Shiro tossed back another large swig of bourbon, grimacing as it went down before outstretching his arm and offered the drink to the now ex Sexta Espada. "So riddle me this," he started, "how in the hell did ya go from baby gang banger in a fight club ta a hitman rankin' in the top ten o' the entire organization?"
Grimmjow accepted the handle with the umpteenth heavy sigh of that day, throwing back a large swig himself. "Fight club was all fun and games until one day, Bach wanted me to fight a man to the death. He said he was an enemy of the Espada and if I was to become a fully-fledged member, I first had to gain their trust. And killing this man was how I prove my loyalty," he confessed.
Shiro paused for a long moment, then began tentatively, "So was that yer first…?"
"My first kill," the bluenette finished. "It wasn't as hard as it probably should've been. The guy was notoriously a piece of shit and had a thing for beatin' on women," he added before taking another drink. "I figured the world was better off anyway, and if it meant proving myself than I thought hell, there were worse things that Bach could've made me do than kill a woman beater. But in hindsight, he was grooming me. Starting me with easy kills, bottom of the barrel douchebags that I'd feel less guilty about killing. Slowly, there were more and more 'enemies of the Espada' that Bach threw in the ring with me, and I stopped questioning why they were being punished. I was a dumbass kid. I was so hell bent on proving my loyalty because it was my first real taste of family and I guess I was so afraid of losing it I just never questioned his motives."
"Grimmjow," the albino twin interrupted, "real family would never force ya ta fight fer their acceptance."
"Yeah, I uh…" the bluenette chuckled sadly to himself, crystalline eyes drawn to the faux fur carpet under his feet, "I wish I had known that then."
Shiro nodded slowly, appraising his brother's old roommate for a moment before he continued. "So…how did you get out of doing fight club?"
Cyan eyes met golden then. "I didn't want to really," the bluenette confessed. "If I wasn't in the fight club, I would've been doing some other grunt work like drug pushing or gun trafficking, so I preferred to just lay low and stay where I was at. The stronger I got though, the more responsibility Bach wanted me to take on, he eventually wanted me to become one of the top ten. But the only way to do that is-"
"To kill a ranking member and take their position," Shiro finished.
Grimmjow nodded slowly. "Right. But he couldn't outright give me the position or tell me to kill a ranking member and take it because he would've been breaking his own rules."
"Somethin' tells me though he managed ta find a way aroun' that." At the affirmative nod the snowy haired teen received, he smacked his lips and shook his head. "Who did he make ya kill?"
Bouncing on the balls of his feet, a young Grimmjow watched his opponent with calculating eyes, arms raised in a defensive position but palms open and at the ready. The man was a tall, stalky Spaniard with lightly tanned skin, inky black hair, and dead eyes that observed him like prey. Little did he know Grimmjow had never been prey, he was a cold-blooded predator. He could practically feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, could hear the blood rushing in his ears even over the roaring jeers of the dozens of patrons filling the underground arena. He felt the itch of a single bead of sweat dripping down his temple and had to fight the urge to swipe the back of his hand over his brow as the other man in the ring began circling him.
The bluenette was sixteen now and over the last two years fighting in the underground arena he'd bulked up quite a bit. His father barely noticed his suddenly much more frequent absences and as long as the teen kept his grades up in school, he figured he'd never be bothered about his "extracurricular" activities. Nel, however, pestered him incessantly about his lack of availability, to which Grimmjow always insisted he'd make time for her when he could. Unfortunately for the both of them, that time never seemed to come and they'd grown apart over the years. The blue haired teen figured perhaps one day, when he was ready, he'd find a way out and somehow rekindle their bond, however, every time that thought crossed his mind, he worried what Bach would do if his strongest Espada ever tried to break free of his chains.
Ducking under a quick right hook, Grimmjow reeled back and drove his fist into the gut of the stalky Spaniard with debilitating force. The man fumbled a few steps back, but quickly shook it off and began his approach once again, only now noticeably supporting his right side.
The bastard knows how to save face, I'll give him that, the burly teen thought with a smirk, but that was at least a couple cracked ribs with my last hit.
He swung his leg to deliver a roundhouse kick to said ribs, deliberately targeting the man's weak spot to end this quickly. However, no such luck. A tanned hand caught his ankle in a tight grip and pulled with all it's might, sending Grimmjow flying into the fence lining the ring. He landed with a harsh thud and groaned as the air left his lungs, quickly gathering his wits to begin picking himself up off the cold cement ground. Much to his opponent's surprise, he rose with a wide, manic grin pulling at his lips, eyes wild with bloodlust as he threw his head back and cackled into the air.
"Well, would you look at that!" he laughed, as he readied his stance. "You might actually be worth some effort after all!"
The two lunged at each other then, the Spaniard moving to lock Grimmjow in an airtight grip when the teen suddenly dodged with a speed those dead eyes could barely follow. Before the stalky man could even blink, let alone react, the bluenette delivered an uppercut to his jaw that sent the man flying several feet in the air, landing with an audible crack as his head of inky black hair collided with the cement. Grimmjow sauntered over to the man's still form with feline grace as the crowd roared in an almost animalistic fashion. He fisted a hand through ebony locks and lifted his head from the ground, ignoring the small pool of blood under it. He then placed a finger under the Spaniard's bloodied and broken nose and when he found a barely detectable sign of breath, he looked into the crowd to find Bach watching him intently with a cold expression. This was now how every fight ended, the teen would usually win and if his opponent wasn't dead already, he'd look to Juha Bach, awaiting a signal to either spare the man, or kill him.
When Bach merely raised his palm in a halting motion, Grimmjow released his opponent none too gently and turned on his heel, throwing a fist in the air as the crowd cheered his victory. The unconscious lump of flesh the bluenette left in his wake was dragged away quickly as a man in a makeshift referee uniform entered the ring, dropping a small duffle bag at his feet. The teen nodded his thanks before taking the duffle in a firm grip and making his exit, joining Juha as they both made their way for the door.
"Excellent work as always, Grimmjow," Juha began as he clapped a hand over the boy's shoulder. "I expect nothing less of my strongest Espada."
"Thank you, sir," Grimmjow replied as he handed the duffle off to one of his boss's guards.
"Grimmjow," Bach said quietly as he pulled the bluenette a bit closer, "would you by chance have just one more fight left in you tonight?"
The boy in question lifted a brow in confusion before looking over his shoulder at the double doors of the arena they'd only just exited. "I mean sure, yeah, but ain't we leaving?"
"This one's going to be…in house, I suppose you could say," the gang leader answered. "I'm afraid I've recently discovered we've been betrayed by one of our own and I need you to make sure they're properly dealt with."
Grimmjow nodded. "Of course. Anything you need, boss."
Bach halted in his step then, rotating on his heel to take Grimmjow's then much slimmer face into his hands and placed a chaste kiss to his forehead. "I knew I could count on you, my son," he said with a ruffle of blue locks before turning to step into his black SUV.
The boy felt his cheeks pinken slightly at the unexpected action. Juha was usually very cold and stoic, so Grimmjow secretly relished these rare moments of fatherly affection and refused to admit it was simply due to what he lacked at home. Over time, it was these very moments that began driving Grimmjow to do whatever he could to make the gang leader proud, to earn his favor. He'd been given the brotherhood he was promised, he and the other members of the Espada shared a loyalty unmatched by any the bluenette had ever known. What he didn't expect, however, was feeling for the first time like he had a real father.
After following said man into the vehicle, the ride back to their headquarters continued in silence. Crystalline eyes gazed out the tinted window pensively as Grimmjow wondered to himself which one of his brothers had betrayed them, what exactly had they done? However, he dared not question Bach and figured he would know, in time, all that he needed to.
Upon arrival, Grimmjow, Bach, a couple of the gang leaders gaurds pushed through the double doors of the warehouse to find nearly all members of the gang, ranking Espada and their grunts, awaiting them in the main room. Their leader stepped into the center of the crowd, secretly marveling at the way his subordinates stepped back as he moved as if repelled by his aura. Grimmjow hung back beside his brethren as he watched Bach pace the center of the crowd for a few moments before finally opening his mouth.
"How much joy it brings me to see all my children together in one room," Juha began, his deep voice filling the air like thunder. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you all to headquarters today, so I'll make this quick so we can all get back to work." He removed his dark trench coat and passed it off to a guard, revealing a crisp suit, black as night, underneath. His equally dark locks spilled over his shoulders as he lifted a large hand to his bearded chin while the other slithered its way into his pocket. "I've got some exciting announcements for you all this evening," he began with a devilish gleam in his eyes. "First," he paused for dramatic effect, "tonight we welcome a new sister in arms! Bring her in boys!"
At the sound of a door opening, they all turned their heads, though Grimmjow was unable to see through the crowd. Slowly, the crowd erupted in applause and cheers as they welcomed their new member, and just as the bluenette could almost make out the new face about to emerge through the throng of bodies, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder which caught him off guard. Whipping his head to one side, he found a dark-skinned woman with blonde hair and piercing green eyes staring back at him. "Halibel?"
"I'm really sorry about this, Grimmjow," she said lowly so that only he could hear.
"Wha-" Cyan eyes shot to the size of dinner plates as the teen swiveled his head and found a head of sea foam green hair emerge from the crowd as a young girl was practically dragged to Juha Bach's side by two henchmen. Tears seemed to fall endlessly from the girl's wide hazel eyes as she stood beside the gang leader, her face bloodied and bruised as her body shook like a leaf in the wind. "Nel! What the hell-"
The grip on his shoulder tightened as he was forcefully yanked back when he took a step towards his sister. "Don't," Halibel bit out harshly. "He'll kill her if you try to fight this."
"What the hell is going on?" the bluenette snapped back as he looked between his sister and Halibel exasperatedly.
Juha lifted a hand in the air to silence the gang. "You'll have to forgive her appearance, I'm sure you all remember what initiation is like." They verbalized their agreement then, some even chuckled a bit. "This is your new sister, Neliel. She'll be working under Tercera and I expect you all to welcome her with open arms."
"We welcome you and we love you, Neliel," the crowd replied unanimously in an almost cult-like fashion.
Grimmjow snapped his head in Halibel's direction then. "Did you fucking jump her in?" he seethed.
Calm green eyes met fiery blue and Halibel sighed sadly. "We took it easy on her, Grimmjow." The boy dragged a hand over his face before threading his fingers through his hair, nearly on the brink of frustrated tears. "I'll only have her manage the money and contracts," the blonde said softly as she loosened her grip on the teen, "I'll do everything I can to make sure she never has to see the things we do."
Grimmjow merely scoffed and shook his head to himself as he watched his little sister cower at Bach's side. "Even the pencil pushers eventually end up with blood on their hands."
"And for the next exciting announcement," Juha began as he wrapped a hand around Nel's shoulder, visibly bringing her closer. "One of my sons, after spending years in the fighting arena has decided he his ready for greater responsibility."
What the fuck is he doing? Grimmjow thought exasperatedly.
"One of my most promising pupils, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, has decided to challenge the Sexta Espada, Luppi Antenor, for his rank!"
The gang erupted into chaos then, some were thrilled at the idea of witnessing a challenge for rank while others shouted their disagreement. The noise, however, barely registered in the burly teen's ears as he caught eyes with his sister, her barely contained fear overshadowed by surprise. She moved to take a step towards her brother, hazel eyes pleading, until she was roughly snatched back and held steadfast under Juha's grip. The nonverbal threat was made clear, if Grimmjow wanted to ensure his sister's safety he would have to go through with this without protest. He had to hand it to Bach, it was a smart move. He knew he couldn't get Grimmjow to kill for him outside of fight club, those men entered the ring ready and willing to lay down their lives which was the only reason the teen was halfway alright with it. He knew that forcing Grimmjow to take a ranking Espada's position would also force him to take his job. So who better to throw in the ring with him than the Espada's hitman, Sexta?
Cyan eyes fluttered shut in defeat and he wordlessly stepped into the open center of the crowd, accepting his fate as Luppi Antenor followed suit. Bach finally released Nel then and she ran into her brother's arms, sobbing the whole way. "I don't understand, Grimm, what's happening?" she cried.
Grimmjow squeezed her tightly in his arms and dipped his head, his voice nearly a whisper as it floated into her ears. "Just do as you're told for now, I swear I'll get us both out of this," he promised.
Nel only nodded as she was escorted away by some of the female members, presumably to get her cleaned up as her brother turned to face Luppi with a sad look in his eyes. Luppi was one of the first friends he'd made after being initiated into the Espada, one of the only members to actively show him the ins and outs of operating under the radar. As much as it saddened him to have to do this, it was either Luppi or Nel which, frankly, wasn't a choice he had to dwell on.
"So, this is how it's gonna be, Jeagerjaques?" Luppi asked rhetorically as he began to pace around the bluenette.
"I'm sorry, Luppi, I really am," the teen replied earnestly.
The two regarded each other for a long moment, their silence speaking louder than words ever could amongst the cacophony surrounding them. They took each other's arm in a warrior's handshake, nodding their respects before take a few steps back and allowing themselves to soak in the applause of their peers. With only the slightest bit of hesitation, the two sprang forth and launched themselves into what would be Luppi's final battle.
Shiro nodded his head slowly, allowing himself a moment to truly sit with Grimmjow's words. "Wow," he began in awe, "tha's tough, man. I'm sorry he made ya kill yer friend."
The bluenette nodded back before downing the last of the bourbon with a grimace. "Thanks for that."
There was a thick silence between the two before Shiro finally brought himself to ask, "Ya said ya gave them somethin' they wanted ta get out. What was it?"
Grimmjow dragged a large hand over his face before he answered. "The Hogyoku."
"The wha'?"
"Hogyoku," the bluenette repeated. "It was a secret government project my father was helping fund back in the day. It's an enhancement drug intended for military use to increase soldiers' strength, agility, speed, heighten the senses, ya know? But it had side effects, like curing certain illnesses, making blind men see and shit, or-" Grimmjow paused, eyes falling to the floor as he fiddled with his hands. "Or giving a dying woman the strength to endure pregnancy."
The albino at his side blinked. "…Bro. What?"
Grimmjow huffed a heavy sigh. "My mother was sick when she was pregnant with me. Aizen pulled some strings to get her an experimental version of the drug so she could carry me to term and when she died shortly after, Aizen adopted me. The old man's never admitted to it, but I think the only reason he went to such lengths is because he was in love with my mother."
"So, this 'Hogyoku,'" Shiro began questioningly, "is what makes ya, ya know…Hulk smash pick up trucks?"
Grimmjow chuckled involuntarily at that despite the seriousness of the conversation. "Yeah, pretty much," he answered, "but I was the first to be born with the Hogyoku already in my system, an experimental version at that. The drug was never meant to give that much of an enhancement. I imagine the latest versions, by now, are much more under control and with minimal side effects."
"So, what does tha' mean? Yer like Captain America er sum'?"
Funny, your brother calls me Superman and now you're calling me Captain America, Grimmjow thought to himself with the tiniest grin pulling at his lips. "Actually no, uh, it means that, um," the bluenette tucked his lips between his teeth and clapped his hands together, as if mentally preparing himself for his next words. "It means I'm probably dying."
Lighting yellow eyes shot open wide at that. "What?!"
The bluenette hung his head. "The human body has a threshold for how much it can endure. The more I continue to push that boundary, the more likely it is that my body will just give out one day. I had it under control for a while, but what can I say? Experimental science in unpredictable."
Though the man's voice was practically dripping with sarcasm, it didn't take a scientist to detect the fear in his voice and Shiro felt his expression soften just a bit. "Ain't there somethin' yer dad can do? Pull some strings? Get some scientist friends o' his ta fix it?"
"He's trying, but there's no guarantees."
"An' this thing that basically makes ya superhuman, ya gave it to the Espada in exchange fer freedom?" Grimmjow nodded, shame written all over his face. "It all makes sense now," the albino drawled as he rose from his seat. "If my timeline is correct, you must be the reason those damn Espada were able ta take over the Japan underground." The heat in Shiro's voice began to rise with his volume. "It was you who gave 'em the strength ta become so widespread. You made them practically unstoppable. This was all you!"
"I did what I had to in order to protect my family," Grimmjow replied through gritted teeth.
"Do ya even have any idea what's been happenin' in Japan since ya gave 'em that shit?!" Shiro bellowed. "They've been terrorizin' people fer fuckin' years! Women and children, Grimmjow!"
"I know what I did!" the burly man roared. "I know everything they've been able to do since then is my fault, I know that! And I'll have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life. But don't you stand there and act like I'm the only one here with blood on my hands!"
The snowy haired teen jerked back, as if he'd been slapped. "Wha' the hell are ya-"
"Your family is running from the Espada, right? You really gonna stand there and act like you haven't done terrible things in order to protect them?" Grimmjow asked lowly, almost challenging.
Shiro's eyes widened and he sputtered for a moment before finally gathering his wits. "Ya mean you knew this entire time?!"
"Not at first," the blue haired man admitted, "but when Ichigo was adamant about not going to a hospital after that subway fight, I had questions. I know a man who's running or hiding from something when I see one, so I did some digging." Grimmjow took a few dangerous steps closer to Ichigo's albino counterpart until they were nearly nose to nose. "I found out about your hospital visit and dug a little deeper. Your family thinks the Espada want you dead because of what you know, when really they want you dead because of what you did." Shiro's golden eyes were now so big they were practically in danger of popping right out of his skull as the bluenette spoke his next words in a near whisper. "So are we finally ready to stop pretending I'm the only killer in the room?"
Shiro abruptly snatched his gun of the coffee table and spun on his heel, making his way towards the exit. "We're done here. I have ta talk ta Ichigo."
"There's no point," Grimmjow called after the albino just as he was beginning to rip open the front door. Thankfully the teen stopped and looked over his shoulder with an uplifted brow. "Ichigo and I are no longer speaking. I told him I was going through with marrying Loly, so telling him any of this now would only hurt him unnecessarily and you know it."
"Well, shit," Shiro replied, brows nearly kissing his hairline, "yer really gonna marry the bitch, eh? Tragic." At receiving only a roll of cyan eyes and a smack of the lips, the albino heaved a sigh. "Tell ya what, why don' we both jus' keep our mouths shut an' as long as ya stay yer ass away from my brother, we'll call it square."
Grimmjow bit the inside of his lip but nodded reluctantly. "Fine."
Shiro made like he was about to exit but paused, looking over his shoulder once more. "One las' thing," he began, "don' go dyin' on us, asshole. My brother would be pissed."
"Weren't you about to fuckin' shoot me a few minutes ago?" Grimmjow shot back.
"Mah, mah," Shiro drawled with a dismissive wave of his hand. "No use dwellin' on the past, McDreamy."
"Che. Yeah, sure. Water under the fuckin' bridge."
And with that, the albino made his exit with a soft click of the door behind him, leaving the blue haired man alone to his musings. He strode towards the floor to ceiling windows of his living room, gazing longingly at the New York skyline as the night blanketed the city that never sleeps. He mulled over the days' events and began wishing with all his might that he could somehow fix the poor choices he'd made. Maybe it was his karma that he'd never get his happy ending the way everyone else did. Maybe it was simply his fate to finally find love only to lose it by his own foolish hand. Maybe Ichigo was better off without him and he'd eventually find someone that would love him better than Grimmjow ever could. And perhaps, one day, the bluenette might actually bring himself to believe that.
"Fucking Christ," he groaned as he ran a hand through his vibrant locks and turned towards the bar. "I need another damn drink."
And there it is~ Hopefully I'll be back with another one soon. Much love to you all. 3
Note: *gaijin= foreigner/outsider