I Reckon You do What He Says, Boy
"What do you mean 'You have to go back'?" The Primera furrowed his brow and sat up in the bed.
"Aizen said that you were to come back asap." Grimmjow rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"What about you?" He frowned harder. "Why don't you have to go?"
"I dunno." He rolled over to avoid the angry, thin eyes.
Starrk leaned down and lay atop the smaller arrancar.
"What exactly did he say?" He whispered in a menacing tone.
"Well, Yylfordt was the one who relayed the message." The sun was hanging just over the rooftops.
"What did he say?" He repeated, gripping the other's arm.
The Sexta whimpered in a most uncharacteristic manner.
"Go brush your teeth." Grimmjow turned further into the mattress. "Your breath is kickin'."
"Yours is too, buddy."
"I'm not the one trying to talk though." He pulled the silky sheets over his head.
The older man waited for the other to answer his question.
"I'll tell you if you brush your teeth." He demanded from under the covers.
Impatiently, The Primera stood and walked into the bathroom, returning to the threshold immediately after wetting his toothbrush and sticking it in his mouth. The other threw the black bedding off himself and sat upright. His lips were swollen with sleep and his eyes were just as heavy lidded as usual, yet softer in their gaze. The fabric made his skin seem pale and was just as smooth and the rolling muscles of his torso.
"He said, 'Starrk needs to return to Las Noches for some official business about a meeting or something of the like'." He let his mouth hang ajar and waited for a response.
Starrk merely grunted, bristles still grinding across his teeth.
"Any idea how long it will take?" Grumpily, he mumbled through the foam.
Starrk never really was much one for keeping the paste in his mouth.
"I dunno." Running a hand through blue hair, he shrugged.
"Well, I can't just leave you here all alone," Trudging back into the bathroom, he continued. "Lord knows what kinda trouble you'd get into."
"Hey, I can take care of myself just fine!" Starrk began brushing the other side of his mouth.
"Don't kid yourself, Grimmjow." He gargled.
The smaller man huffed, putting both his hands in his hair and watching himself in the enormous mirror on the wall with the door. He arched his back and pouted his lips, rolling his shoulders and lowering his lids seductively. His own beauty was always a good distraction from the real world.
"You should try to be there before Aizen starts his day, huh?"
Starrk came back into the room and looked down at the lime-green colors on the digital clock. 7:58, it read. The pair of them had slept through the night.
"Shit!" There was no point in spitting into the sink now, he looked at the white mess on the floor and his t-shirt and huffed.
He tip-toed backwards to the sink.
"Hey! You still have to clean this up!" Grimmjow let his arch reverse into a slouch.
"Don't you have some party to be at or something?" The bearded arrancar said into the hand cupping water.
He rinsed at lightning speed and returned to the doorway again.
"I don't want any monkey business going in this apartment, you understand?" An index was held up between them.
"But—"
"No hanky-panky."
"I didn—"
"No Tom-foolery."
"She—"
"Or shenanigans."
"What abo—"
"And mercy upon you if I have to use the word 'party', when I get back."
The other Espada was silent, face contorted in frustration and disappointment.
"As a matter of fact, no females in this apartment what-so-ever." The other's jaw dropped.
Surely, there was something fun he could do around here.
"Well, well, well," A sleazy, silver-haired man leaned against one of the pillars. "Welcome back, Starrk."
He grunted in response to the sly, pouted grin of the former captain.
"How are things in The World of The Living?" Gin continued. "High school treating you well?"
A flash of the fact that their photography project was unfinished in the development stage came to his mind.
"'S goin' fine." He stopped when he noted the smaller man moving into his path.
"Is it now?" Stepping to be right before him, he folded his arms and put his body in a sassy, housewife-like, contra-posto position.
"Yes." The Primera looked down into the tiny lines that were his grinning eyes.
"Because I heard that you were in acquaintances with a former colleague of mine." He twisted his neck to lift his ear toward the other's mouth. "Is that true?"
"I plead the fifth." He didn't know exactly what the phrase meant but he had heard it used many times.
"Oh?" His smile faltered and he leaned back momentarily. "But you've just incriminated yourself by saying that, haven't you?"
Captain Ichimaru leaned back in and kept his lips in a perfect 'o'.
"I don't know, have I?" Starrk raised a mocking, lazy eyebrow.
"Hmm, might wanna do something about the jam you've got yourself in before someone else finds out." Gin put a hand on the other's chest. "Ya know."
The arrancar lowered his head, inclining Gin to continue.
"That relationship isn't going to go very far."
"What?" He let his curiosity get the better of him.
"Captain Kuchiki is a rather chaste, some might even say 'asexual', man."
The taller man leaned back and stared defiantly into the other's grin. Not from what he could tell.
"I don't know who Captain Kuchiki is." He whispered.
"Ever since his wife died, he's just been such a Debbie-downer." Starrk's jaw clenched so as not to let his eyes betray him.
Gin swirled around him and gingerly walked away, turning and waving with a chuckle after a few paces. The other lifted his hand out of courtesy and then turned back in the direction he, himself, was headed.
He furrowed his brow in concentration and dug his nails into the white gloves. The words 'Captain Kuchiki' had sounded so strange in his mind, as he had shoved the night when Grimmjow told him of the shinigami's occupation into the recesses of his ancient mind. He couldn't believe that the man would have been old enough to be a widower. The longer he stood in that hallway, the more indications of his photography partner's true age came to light. The depth of his voice was something that one could hardly forget, for a boy in his teens to be blessed with such an authoritative sound was peculiar. Of course, the way which he spoke was remarkable too, quite unenthusiastic or concerned with the trifles of high school. He wasn't petty or immature like the younger people.
But he couldn't be more than a couple hundred years old, right? Starrk had seen soul-reapers and souls that didn't go through hollowfication before and they aged slower than on earth, but not so as to have such creamy skin at the equivalent of, say, 40. He had to be younger than 35, which was equal to about 270, no? That would create a 2,800 year difference between the two of them. He was officially the worst pedophile in the history of human and humanoid life.
He gripped his head. Thinking was something to be left for someone that was good at it.
"Starrk!" A familiar, tiny voice called him.
"Lilinette!" He said, turning around.
"What's wrong?" She put a hand on her scantily clad hip. "You not happy to see me?"
"What do you mean?" He opened his arms.
"You body language says one thing," She put a hand on her other hip. "But your reiatsu says another."
Without thinking, he immediately reeled the entirety of his aura back in. She lifted an eyebrow.
"I can still see you," He stiffened. "And now you look guilty."
"Then what am I guilty of?" Snobbishly, he asked.
The tiny arrancar folded her arms, her pint-sized toe tapping as she twisted her mouth and narrowed her eyes in irritation and concentration. He looked down on her thirteen year-old body blankly and put a hand in his pocket.
"Something sexy, I bet." He was taken aback by the suggestion. "Rumors spread quickly around here. People don't often pay attention to who's around them, either."
"Who was talking? What did you hear?" Leaning down concernedly, he widened his eyes.
"Nnoitra-sama was talking to Halibel-sama about you and Grimmjow-sama." She pulled him to the side of the hallway. "They were saying some pretty scandalous things about what you did in bed."
"What?" He hissed.
"Halibel-sama was all 'He shouldn't be forcing himself upon the poor creature' and Jiruga-sama was like 'He knows that he's weaker, he didn't even have to ask to hit it, resistance wouldn't even be an issue'."
"Did they ever name names?" He asked, gripping her shoulders.
"He said 'Poor Grimmjow is stuck in the middle of it all' and then Tres was like 'You can't really blame The Primera, it's only natural to want such things'." She put her hands on his biceps as he looked to the floor.
"Did you…rape Grimmjow-sama, Starrk?" Cautiously, she whispered.
"NO! OF COURSE NOT!" He shuddered at the thought of having that blue-haired freak under him. Then corrected himself, knowing that the nympho would enjoy riding and being the provider of pleasure. "His moan must be so weird."
"What?" Lilinette asked.
"Nothing." He said, patting her arm and straightening out. "Where can I find Aizen?"
"Probably on his throne." She looked up at him and let her arms fall. "There's a meeting in couple minutes, you know."
"He holds meetings without everyone present?"
"What do you mean?"
"The Sexta…is still in The World of The Living."
"….I guess we're about to find out." She walked out from between the pillars they were hiding behind and started towards the Espada's chambers.
"You know," He turned to her back and she stopped. "You really ought to where a little more clothing."
He sonidoed to the doors of the meeting room before she could harvest a rebuttal. Upon opening them he realized he was the last to arrive and that Aizen, did, in fact, hold meetings without all members present.
Immediately after the meeting ended, The Primera had sonidoed right out of sight. He had left a gust of wind behind before departing to one of the colossal training arenas in Las Noches and tearing off his shirt. An awful scowl was upon his face, mirroring his tumultuous thoughts and boiling anger. He growled and let out an enormous, inadvertent burst of spiritual pressure.
"Starrk?" He straightened and released his fists at the call.
"Lilinette." Turning on her tiny frame, he saw the fear in her eye as the last bits of his outburst dissipated.
Her odd-colored orb moved up and down his naked body and a visible chill went down her spine. As much time as they had spent together, she had never seen him with this amount of clothes on before.
"I need a moment." He swallowed and flexed unconsciously. "If you see Grimmjow, tell him, I need to speak to him."
"Is he supposed to be back today, too?" He looked down at her, accidental menacing face in place.
"Should we go get him then?" Looking into the distance behind her, his face was icily stolid.
"N-no!" A pink tinge came upon her cheek. "We can wait to see if he's coming."
"I don't wanna wait." He advanced towards her, expecting her to move obediently, but she put her hands up and flinched as her body came into contact with his much larger, solid one.
"We could ask someone if they know about his return." She shrunk away from the hair running up his torso.
"Like who?" He stepped back, nasty attitude shown plainly in the reiatsu floating about them.
"Quinta-sama?" She squeaked.
He picked her up bridal-style and sonidoed right through the door of Nnoitra's room.
"H-holy crap!" The skeleton wrapped a towel tighter around his waist. "You can't just burst in here, Starrk!"
Letting the smaller arrancar onto the bed, he sat beside her.
"Sorry." His frown drew unbelievable lines in his face.
"Stop glowering, you look so old." Nnoitra reached for his eye and covered his hollow hole instinctively.
"Do you know when The Sexta is supposed to come back?"
"He was supposed to?" He asked.
The Primera pursed his lips.
"I mean, eventually, yeah, but are we talking about today?" He had never seen the other this upset.
"Yes. Today." He was still shirtless and without gloves.
"I have no idea if he comes back today."
"Do me a favor?" Standing, he gripped Los Lobos.
"Yeah?" He was nervous.
"Go get him."
"STOP SPILLING REIATSU EVERYWHERE." Lilinette shouted.
"I am not spilling any reiatsu, that's probably just yours you see floating around." Tesla responded in a much calmer voice.
"I think I would know my own spiritual pressure." She sneered, running over the rooftops a few paces behind Starrk.
Tesla was directly beside her, behind his master, padding along the roof with a completely blank look on his face. He was concentrating on keeping up with Nnoitra while still remaining a safe distance from such ghastly limbs. Starrk was at the head of their pack, speeding from the opening of the Dangai Precipice to his apartment. In the distance, he could see that the balcony door was open as usual, allowing him a convenient reentry into the condo.
"Would you two shut up?" Nnoitra snapped. "It doesn't matter whose reiatsu it is, just reel your own in."
Both of the Fracciones were quiet as Starrk stopped atop one of the roofs. He let his feet slide across the concrete as he came to a slow finish. Nnoitra halted rather ungracefully by locking his knees and letting his torso extend like a band. Tesla and Lilinette both slowed like runners, taking leaping steps before walking to stand behind their masters.
"That's the apartment," The Primera pointed across the street directly into the window. "Now, stay here so I can catch him in the act of something."
"No way am I staying here." Nnoitra said, leaping across the gap and perching on the balcony.
Starrk appeared right next to him and glared, holding a finger to his mouth. They both heard voices coming from inside.
"Byakuya's just such a sourpuss, isn't he?"
"I mean, I wouldn't know. He doesn't say much." Grimmjow answered.
Both of the voices laughed.
"If you are finished making jokes at my expense, I suggest we leave, Ukitake." That voice was undoubtedly Byakuya's.
Nnoitra's nose twisted in confusion at the depth as Starrk avoided his eyes.
"Oh, come now, Bya-boo." He paused, perhaps to sip tea. "We can't just drop in and then leave so quickly."
"Nah, it's perfectly alright," Grimmjow said. "You can go if you need to."
"Are you sure? I mean, I just feel awfully rude to drop in unannounced, dine and dash."
"I do it all the time at your brother's house. It's okay." The Sexta was walking back into the kitchen.
Starrk heard a member of the party get up abruptly and another stand slower.
"We will be leaving then." The raven-haired soul-reaper said as the sounds of him ushering the other to the door could be heard.
"See you later then." Grimmjow went to open the door. "I'll tell Starrk you were looking for him."
"Tell him Ukitake sends his greetings, too!" The white-haired man said excitedly before the door shut.
The two Espadas on the terrace waited a moment longer before entering the apartment, The Quinta looking back to see that the Fracciones were still safe. Lilinette kicked a pebble in circles on the roof as Tesla looked towards the balcony with crossed arms. With a grandiose shove of the vertical curtains and the glass door, Starrk stepped onto the threshold.
"The f—!" The blue-haired arrancar spun from the sink, fists balled and eyes wide in rage at the disturbance.
He was no less on edge when he noted the intruders' identities. Behind The Primera, at full height, stood the gangly skeleton. With enormous key-teeth shining in a grin, he winked. When the pair sharing the apartment made eye contact, the bearded man released his pose and melted onto the floor, his head and arms draped about the couch like a mournful, Grecian widow. The Sexta looked between the pair with utter bewilderment and hesitantly stuck his hand into the sink to continue with the dishes. Starrk let out a powerful 'oh' before deflating completely.
The younger Espada's didn't make a sound, Nnoitra giving an exasperated gesture as Grimmjow craned his neck and raised a sassy eye-brow. With his face in his elbow, the man on the couch let out another bellow of frustration. With feigned indifference, Grimmjow turned back to the sink and picked up a plate and a sponge. Starrk moaned again.
"What's his problem?" The dishwasher mouthed emphatically.
Nnoitra stealthily pointed to his heart, head tilted and face twisted in sympathy. The smaller man continued banging around in the sink as not to hint at their interest.
"What happened?" He whispered inaudibly.
Again, the one-eyed creature patted his heart, looking down upon the sad mess on the couch with a pitiful gaze.
Frustrated, Grimmjow threw down the plate and the sponge he was holding and walked over to the sofa with dripping hands.
"Starrk," He began, awkwardly trying to place his hand on the white-clad shoulder. "What happened?"
He didn't answer and his consoler looked to the man on the threshold. Waving his hands, he gestured to try harder.
"Tell me what happened."
"Fuckin' Aizen." He replied almost sniffling; face still shoved into the cushions.
"Did he say something?" With a pained face, he continued. "Or do something?"
The taller man remained silent.
"What…did he…do?"
"He said that the shinigami were going to attack and that we needed to be home to protect Las Noches."
"No more school?"
"No more school." Starrk shook his head.
"No more ladies?" Grimmjow sounded like he was going to cry.
"No more ladies!" The other cried and began wailing.
The Quinta shook his head at this melodramatic display, Byakuya wasn't even a woman.
"You mean," The Sexta sat on the couch and sighed. "No more Byakuya."
Abruptly, the strongest Espada sat up. The tears were in his eyes and not on his face.
"He said that if I ever talk to 'Captain Kuchiki' again, he was going to castrate, demote, and then feed me to the other Espada."