Cinco

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She was crying

He didn't understand what he'd done, and she wouldn't tell him. Supposedly it was nothing, supposedly he was in the clear, and it had nothing to do with him. But, if that was true, why was she avoiding him? Why hadn't she shown up for movie night? Or accepted his invitation to the bowling alley?

It was all so confusing, and frustrating, and he was infuriated. With her, with himself for not figuring it out (he was brilliant! How could he not know?), but mostly with her.

So he decided to confront her. He'd shown up at her apartment, and it was raining. But, for once, he didn't find her spinning around in the middle of the street (a little part of him was glad, because he was sure that one day she'd be hit by a car or something like that.

But another part worried, because that meant something was definitely up, and what if he couldn't fix it?) or sitting on the little patch of grass outside.

So he dared to venture into the building, and climbed the three flights of stairs, went to the fifth door down the hall. He knocked, once, twice, three times. "Damnit, Nel! Open the damned door!'

It creaked open, and Nel stood, rubbing her tired eyes, as she gazed at him dully. "Nnoitra? What're you doing here?" she mumbled groggily.

He frowned at her, a deep, irritated frown, that she'd never seen on him before.

"Yanno what, Neliel?!" he said, huffing and puffing, and glaring daggers at the woman in front of him. "Sometimes I just can't fuckin' stand you!"

She blinked up at him, utterly confused by his attitude. She'd never seen him so angry. Well, there was that whole mustache thing…But that was months ago!!

He quickly threw in, "Why are you avoiding me?!"

She sighed, opened her mouth to respond – "I haven't been avoiding you." she would say – but he had started on a rant, and he was stepping towards her, so that she was forced to back up.

The wall at her back stopped any further movement on her part, and he got up close, so that he was in her face, and still yelling at what seemed to be the top of his lungs.

And before she could stop herself, she was crying. She wasn't sure what had brought it on. His anger? Or maybe it was just everything that had led up to her misery that day.

Losing her job, the possibility that she might lose her apartment as well, not to mention that her cat was missing...

(it was funny, because if she ever remembered any of this when she became an Espada, she would surely think it trivial)



Whatever the cause, it had finally taken its toll, and the next thing she knew, she was leaning into his chest, and he was as stiff as a board. She suspected he might have even stopped breathing for a moment.

He didn't try to offer any sort of comfort. Didn't wrap his arms around her, didn't pat her head or back, didn't even mutter a soothing word. He just stood there, and let her cry. And right then, it was comfort enough.

And she pulled away, sniffling, and hastily drying her tears – because he's not supposed to see her like this, this isn't who she is. She's strong, and bold, and she doesn't just break down.

He stared down at her, gaze questioning, and curious, but not sympathetic – never sympathetic (she's convinced he can't feel sympathy, and she's grateful for it)

She asks him to take her out, and he does. He takes her to the movies, and they see some crappy comedy, and everything just seems to go back to normal (or as normal possible, considering it's them)

Nnoitra never found out why she cried, or why she'd "avoided" him, but he never brought it up for fear of having her break down on him again.

Admittedly, he'd made plenty of girls cry in his lifetime, but he never wanted her to be one of them.