Content warning: domestic violence
Orihime felt safest in Tatsuki's arms. Ever since leaving Grimmjow – no, even before she had actually left him, Tatsuki had been a symbol of both strength and safety for Orihime. After spending the night crying in Tatsuki's arms, Orhime had finally managed to fall asleep. She awoke the next morning to the gentle squeak of her door being opened and an apologetic-looking Tatsuki on her way out.
"I thought I'd go to Sado-kun's café and grab us some takeout brunch. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Tatsuki smiled.
Orihime sat up slowly and wiped away the sleep from her eyes. "Hmm, that's okay. Brunch sounds lovely. Thank you, Tatsuki-chan."
Tatsuki smiled and headed out of Orihime's dorm room.
Orihime got up gingerly, gently prodding her face and feeling how puffy her eye sockets had gotten from all her crying. On her own, she thought back on last night's events and shuddered. When she had left him a year ago, she truly thought she would never see him again.
She looked out her window at the campus and sighed. She thought back to when she met Tatsuki and all that Tatsuki had done for her since they had become friends.
A year and a half ago
Grimmjow loved karate. Well, sort of. It would be more accurate to say that what he loved was proving that he was more powerful than others and he loved doing so in front of an audience. Especially when his Hime was in the audience. But from Orihime's perspective, Grimmjow loved karate. And because Orihime loved Grimmjow, she made an effort to attend every one of his competitions. No matter if she had class, or club activities, or get-togethers with friends, he had made it clear to her that she was his good luck charm and that he needed her to be there. Every. Single. Time. And if she was late, or if she wasn't as lucky as he needed her to be, there would be repercussions.
The first time Orihime and Tatsuki met was after a karate match that Grimmjow had lost. One he had lost because, according to him, Orihime had been unlucky.
Grimmjow, five years older than Tatsuki and Orihime, and not pursuing any formal education, competed in the adult division in karate competitions.
Tatsuki, nearly outgrowing the karate competitions in Karakura Town, had started attending competitions outside of her town. These competitions included school-level competitions (up to high school) and adult levels.
Tatsuki had first noticed Orihime after overhearing some of her male colleagues from the dojo during one of Grimmjow's more brutal victories.
"Why is that blue-haired guy so brutal? Doesn't he realize he's winning and at an advantage?"
The other man, shaking his head, only sighed. "That's how that guy is. Win or lose, he approaches each match like a wild animal."
Nodding to where the audience sat, the first man noted Orihime, "That girl over there is so enthusiastic. Does she even realize what's going on?"
"I don't know, man. Love is blind, I guess."
Tatsuki was surprised when she saw the auburn-haired girl. Still in her school uniform, the girl looked to be around Tatsuki's age, and was cheering loudly for the grown man with the blue hair. Tatsuki thought about it. Love is blind? That girl seemed much younger than the blue-haired man. Though they didn't look related, Tatsuki convinced herself that they must be siblings. There was no way that a girl her age was involved romantically with a grown man.
The next day of the competition, Tatsuki was in the bathroom splashing water on her face after a tough, but ultimately successful, match, when she heard a gentle voice beside her. "Ah, I, uhm, saw your match earlier! Congratulations on your win!"
Out of the corner of her eye, Tatsuki spotted a head of auburn hair. "Thanks," she replied, and then added, "your brother seems to be really, uhm, passionate about karate."
"Brother?"
"Uhm the guy with the bright blue hair?"
"Oh! Grimmjow." The auburn-haired girl retreated a bit. "He's my boyfriend. And he is very passionate about karate! Th-that's why I have to do better to support him."
Tatsuki had started slightly at the news that the two were in fact a couple and had turned to face the auburn-haired girl full on. But before she could say anything, Tatsuki was shocked into silence; the auburn-haired girl stood in front of the mirror nursing what appeared to be a broken nose, with blood staining the girl's handkerchief in her hand.
"Wh-what happened to you?" Tatsuki turned to the girl concernedly.
"Oh! Uhm, nothing. Please, don't worry about it."
Tatsuki, frustrated that this girl did not seem fazed, began to argue, "Your nose is broken!" But before she could say anything else, she was interrupted by the sound of a fist banging on the door.
A male voice was heard on the other side. In between banging on the door, he was calling out, "Hime! Hime! Are you in there? God damn it, woman, I said I had a handkerchief, why did you run to the bathroom?!" Under his breath, he muttered, "I said it was an accident."
"Ah, Grimmjow!" The girl called out. "I-I'll be right out."
The girl hurried to leave the bathroom, but Tatsuki caught her sleeve. Tatsuki eyed her intensely. "You're not seriously leaving with that guy, are you?"
"Why wouldn't I?" The girl stared back at her.
Shocked and confused, Tatsuki loosened her grip on the girl and let her walk away. Had she misunderstood? In any case, Tatsuki thought, as a complete stranger, there wasn't anything she could do. Her fists tightened anyway, her whole body reacting to the thought that someone out there was taking hits that they did not deserve.
At the next competition a couple months later, Tatsuki kept an eye out for the auburn-haired girl, hoping she would see her again.
As chance would have it, she saw her in the bathroom in between matches.
"Hey!" Tatsuki called out.
The auburn-haired girl started and turned around, smiling in recognition at the dark-haired girl. "Hello again!"
"How's your nose? It looks a lot better."
"My nose? Oh right," she smiled sheepishly, "it's totally fine! It wasn't a big deal or anything. That's kind of you to remember though."
"I'm glad you're okay."
The auburn-haired girl smiled.
"I'm Tatsuki, by the way. Tatsuki Arisawa."
"Inoue Orihime. It's nice to meet you Arisawa-san."
"Inoue-san. I, uhm, I wanted to give you this." Tatsuki reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with her name and phone number scrawled on it. "If you ever need any help, please call me."
Orihime looked puzzled. "What would I need help for?"
Tatsuki struggled with answering but ultimately landed on what she felt was the truth. "I want to be your friend, Inoue-san."
Orihime was startled and then smiled genuinely. "I would like that very much Arisawa-san."
Tatsuki returned the smile.
"Are you done in the bathroom?" Orihime asked. After receiving confirmation, Orihime linked arms with Tatsuki and started chatting as they left the bathroom, "I don't have many female friends Arisawa-san, so I'm really excited to become friends with you! Grimmjow says that the other girls in my class don't like me because they're jealous but I don't really get that. Do you like wasabi, Arisawa-san?"
Tatsuki struggled to keep up with Orihime's excitement but was entertained by her rambling. This Inoue-san was a sweet girl and Tatsuki was happy to befriend her. Tatsuki tensed slightly, however, when a certain imposing blue-haired man approached the two girls.
"Hime, who the fuck is this?" He grunted and stared down Tatsuki.
Orihime smiled, completely disregarding his curt language. "This is Arisawa Tatsuki-san!"
He grunted a reply, and Tatsuki, boring into his skull, asked, "And you are?"
He grabbed a hold of Orihime's other hand and pulled her to his side possessively. "Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." Looking at Orihime only, he muttered, "We're leaving, Hime." And pulled her away from Tatsuki.
Orihime looked back at Tatsuki and waved excitedly, miming what could only be interpreted as "I'll call you later."
Over the next few months, Orihime and Tatsuki became good friends, texting often, calling every other week or so, and seeing each other occasionally. As Orihime told it, Grimmjow really relied on Orihime. To the point that Orihime felt terrible for every moment of the day that she did not spend with Grimmjow. He loved her and needed her, she would say to Tatsuki. He wanted to have a family with her, to have as many children as they could.
Orihime shared her own history with Tatsuki; how her brother had been her guardian since she was little and that when he passed away, she had had no one. She had been supported at a distance for a little while by an aunt but was lonely and living on her own. When Orihime had met Grimmjow and shared her newfound love with her aunt, the aunt promptly stopped sending her money, telling her she was throwing her life away. At that time, Grimmjow had become her everything. Together with his income and hers from a part-time job, they made up their own little family.
During this time, Tatsuki did her best to be supportive of Orihime. They were truly becoming close friends, and Tatsuki felt how deeply it hurt Orihime when Tatsuki criticized Grimmjow's treatment of her. During one phone call, however, things changed.
"What did you just say, Orihime?"
"Huh? Oh, Grimmjow was saying that I should quit school."
"Why?"
"He's a bit worried about money right now. He got let go unjustly from his job and so we're trying to get by on just my part-time salary and it's not enough. Also, he keeps on saying my homeroom teacher is a lecher and that I shouldn't go there anymore."
Tatsuki had heard a lot from Orihime over the months about Grimmjow's anger and jealousy (though always framed in a loving light), but this was not something she could stand for. "Orihime," Tatsuki began, "You have to stay in school."
"Eh, I dunno. My nii-san dropped out of university to raise me, so I think I'd be okay."
"He at least had a high school diploma, Orihime. And didn't you always say that Sora-san wanted you to be a doctor?"
Orihime got quiet on the other end of the line. Tatsuki sighed, recognizing Orihime's conflicting feelings: love for Grimmjow and love for her late brother.
"Listen, Orihime," Tatsuki started again, "For now, just stay in school. At least finish this year."
"Yea, okay." Orihime replied.
A few hours later, Tatsuki had a missed call and a voicemail from Orihime. When she listened to it, she was both horrified and incensed at what she heard. She could hear Orihime crying in the voicemail, as Grimmjow yelled in the distance asking "Who are you calling?". Mixed with the sound of glass being thrown and broken, Tatsuki was struck with an urge to beat the shit out of Grimmjow. Instead she settled for texting Orihime to see if she was okay. Orihime texted back.
Orihime: I think I might need to go to the hospital.
Orihime: I'm scared though. I can't afford to go to the hospital.
Tatsuki considered this and came up with a solution.
Tatsuki: Hold on. I'm getting my mom to drive me to yours. I know someone who'll take care of you free of charge.
When Tatsuki and her mom arrived, Grimmjow was out of the house thankfully. He had stormed out in a fit, determined to drink away his anger. Orihime left him a text and a note on the table and went with Tatsuki and her mom. When Tatsuki saw Orihime, she couldn't help but feel tears form at the corners of her eyes. Orihime had a gash at her hairline that was scabbing over uncleaned, a bruising eye socket, and she was holding her left arm very carefully. Tatsuki's mom was shocked, but drove the girls back to Karakura Town in silence, while Orihime leaned on Tatsuki and wept.
They arrived late at night to a residential area near Tatsuki's home. Orihime blinked her eyes and saw no hospital, but Tatsuki reassured her that the doctor at this clinic was a family friend and an excellent doctor. Tatsuki helped her out the door and into the clinic, where a rough-looking but friendly man held the door open for them.
The older man looked deeply disturbed when he saw Orihime and her bruises but smiled at her gently and introduced himself as Kurosaki Isshin. "Welcome to the Kurosaki clinic, Inoue-san. I'm glad Tatsuki-chan brought you here." Orihime nodded shyly and sat on the examination table, holding onto Tatsuki tightly. Noting her tight grip, Isshin looked at Orihime. "Do you want Tatsuki-chan to stay here for the examination, Inoue-san?" Orihime nodded. "She can stay," he continued, "but you have to let go of her. She'll sit just here, but I need to examine you."
With his examination, he noted just how many bruises and breaks had been heaved onto this young girl's body. While the obvious new ones were a broken arm, black eye, and split forehead, almost every part of her body had some bruise or cut at various stages of healing.
"Inoue-san," Isshin began, "I've noticed that you have a lot of cuts and bruises all over. How did you get them?"
Orihime remained silent.
"I know Tatsuki-chan is a karate champion," he smiled, "do you also practice karate, Inoue-san?"
Orihime shook her head no.
"Does Tatsuki-chan know who did this to you?"
Orihime looked up at Tatsuki and then to Isshin and nodded her head yes.
"Can Tatsuki-chan tell me who did this?"
Orihime panickily shook her head no.
"Okay, okay, Inoue-san. I won't ask you anymore. But please know this: someone who does this to a woman he loves, does not understand what true love is. Okay?"
At these words, Orihime's eyes widened and she stared directly at Isshin, considering his words deeply.
"Tatsuki-chan, if something like this happens again, please help Inoue-san get medical treatment." Turning to Orihime, he added, "Inoue-san, these are very serious breaks and bruises. Someone could go to jail for them. I won't ask you to call the police, but please be mindful of your own safety and make that a priority, okay?"
Orihime nodded and followed Tatsuki out of the clinic. Tatasuki's mother insisted Orihime stay the night, and so that night Tatsuki and Orihime laid down next to each other, both wearing sets of Tatsuki's pajamas.
"Thank you, Tatsuki-chan." Orihime said, looking up at Tatsuki's ceiling.
Tatsuki, who was also looking at the ceiling, replied without looking at Orihime. "I wish I could do more Orihime."
Orihime shook her head slightly. "Not at all! You've done so much for me, Tatsuki-chan. Tomorrow, I'll talk with Grimmjow and I'm sure he'll apologize, and it won't happen again. I'm sure of it."
Tatsuki paused and looked at her friend, "Do you really believe that, Orihime?"
"I have to. Because Doctor Kurosaki was right. If he can do that to me… if he could hurt me, how could he really love me? And I have to believe he loves me. Because if he doesn't… th-then I'll be all alone again."
"You'd have me." Tatsuki replied.
Orihime turned her head to look at Tatsuki. "But you have other responsibilities too! What about your own family?"
Tatsuki thought about this. "Why can't you be part of my family too?"
Orihime smiled, "I wish."
They both fell asleep, and Tatsuki dreamt of having a sister who was a lot like Orihime…
The next morning, at Orihime's insistence, Tatsuki and her mom drove Orihime back to her and Grimmjow's place. Before Orihime went in, Tatsuki held her friend's non-broken arm gently.
"Orihime. I talked to my parents early this morning, and we agreed. We want you to move in with us."
"Huh?" Orihime asked.
"Please, Orihime. I don't want Grimmjow to hurt you anymore. You can leave him and live with us."
Orihime shook her head. "It'll be okay, Tatsuki-chan. Thank your parents for me, but there's nothing to worry about! Grimmjow won't hurt me again. He really didn't mean to, honestly. It was just a big misunderstanding."
Tatsuki frowned and pulled her friend into a gentle hug. "Promise me you'll think about it. You could enrol at my school or do distance learning if you wanted. I know you love him. But I'm not sure he loves you too."
Orihime, looking troubled, pulled away from Tatsuki and went inside.
One week later, on a dark and storming night, the doorbell at the Arisawa residence rang loud and clear.
Tatsuki went to answer it and was shocked to see Orihime. She was drenched from head to toe, carrying a backpack and a duffel bag that had been hastily packed and not even zipped up completely. Her hair was messy and matted; her clothes slightly muddied in addition to being soaked through.
Tatsuki brought her into the home without any questions, ushered her into the bathroom and drew her a warm bath.
As Orihime soaked in the tub, Tatsuki hung up Orihime's soaked clothes and surveyed what Orihime had brought with her. It looked like some clothes, some stuffed animals, and a few other knick knacks.
Orihime came out of the bathroom, once more donning Tatsuki's pajamas.
Orihime kept her gaze lowered at the floor as she stepped into Tatsuki's room. "I'm sorry," she began, "I should've called."
Tatsuki shook her head no. "I'm glad you came, Orihime."
Orihime looked up at Tatsuki, her eyes welling up with tears.
Tatsuki smiled at her warmly. "Welcome home, Orihime."
With those words, Orihime burst into tears and threw herself at Tatsuki. They hugged and cried, and then laughed at crying so much.
For the remainder of the year, Orihime lived with Tatsuki and her family. She decided to complete distance learning for the remainder of high school and was determined to forget all about Grimmjow Jaegerjacques.
Present day
Grimmjow sat in the holding cell, growing impatient with every hour and every minute that passed. He observed his hands, stretched and clenched them repeatedly, meditating on the events from the previous night.
Hime. His Hime. He had finally found her, after searching for months and months. He had found her and held her. God, she felt so good to hold. To be separated from her almost immediately after finding her was unbearable.
That asshole better be on his way.
And almost as if he had summoned the devil himself, a guard came to the cell with a guest in tow.
"Jaegerjacques-san," stated the guard, "Your bail has been paid and you're free to leave."
Grimmjow looked up slowly, staring that asshole down, while the other man just smiled at him. Though that guy was truly an asshole, Grimmjow had to thank him. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't have found his Hime, and he wouldn't have been able to pay his bail.
Grimmjow walked out of the police station with his apparent benefactor close behind him.
"Aren't you going to thank me?" stated the man.
Grimmjow scoffed. "I said I'd pay you back. Do I need to thank you too?"
The other man smiled and stopped walking. "I suppose not. What will you do now?"
"What do you think?" Grimmjow replied as he continued to walk away. "I'm going to find my woman."
"Do you want a hint as to where to look?"
Grimmjow stopped in his tracks and turned towards the other man. He stormed back to him and grabbed the man by the front of his shirt. "This isn't a fucking game. Don't play with me."
The other man maintained his composure. "Does that mean you don't want the hint, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow scoffed, let go of the man's collar and began to walk away.
"I can help you, Grimmjow." The other man stated calmly. "I can tell you exactly where Inoue-san will be, nearly every hour of every day."
Grimmjow stopped in his tracks and turned back to face this man who he had known for several years at this point. No matter how many times they interacted, Grimmjow never felt like he understood this man. A pleasant face with a smile plastered on, framed by dark-rimmed glasses and a dark head of hair. Aizen Sosuke. An enigma.
Meanwhile, across town at Sado's café, four friends were huddled around a table. Tatsuki had called together Sado, Ichigo, and Ishida to develop what she was calling the "Keep Orihime Safe" plan.
Ishida reviewed the plan thoughtfully. "You're sure we shouldn't tell her about this, Arisawa-san? You don't think she'll be suspicious?"
Tatsuki turned to him and shook her head. "Orihime never wants to be a burden to others. We can't tell her, Ishida."
The other three nodded understandingly.
Tatsuki looked at her watch and then to Sado. "I should get back to her. Can I grab some takeout?"
A/N: I'm very sorry for this being such a delayed update! I won't make any more promises about how quickly I'll update, but please know that I want to see this story through.
I started this fanfic thinking it would be mostly fluff but have decided that a bit more plot and character development is called for. So it's taking me a bit longer to write.
I hope you still enjoy it and that you stick with me! All your follows and reviews mean a lot to me so please keep 'em coming! I love hearing what you think and if you're enjoying it.