Disclaimer: Again, own nada. Tite Kubo is the man.
Chapter 4
He chuckled halfheartedly while looking back down. "Would you believe me if I confessed to asking you the same exact question eight years ago?" he whispered.
"What was that?"
Sighing, he mentally gave up. Guess there's no point, he really doesn't remember at all. "Nothing, just talking to myself." He looked up again and gestured the redhead to the swing next to him. Ichigo gave a weary stare, obviously dumbfounded by the odd invitation. "Just sit down, will ya?" Finally sitting beside him, it was deafly silent for the next few minutes. Oddly enough, Ichigo didn't feel uncomfortable from it, but, rather, he was enjoying the silence. He grimaced from the thought, wondering why it was exactly that made him feel like he had no worries whenever he was near Grimmjow.
"You know," Grimmjow began, "I'm actually flattered that you guys are going out of your way in trying to be my friends." He stopped, taking a deep breath. "But, it's really not necessary."
Ok, now he was utterly confused at that. "What the hell are you talking about? How is trying to make a new friend unnecessary? If anything, it would be messed up if everyone just ignored you from the get-go."
"Isn't that what you were doing for the most part?"
Gulping, he held a guilty expression. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry about that, by the way. I was being stubborn and an asshole towards you when you didn't even do anything, but now I'm trying to fix that. Through what I've witnessed so far, you don't seem like a bad person, and everyone else was quick to take you in as if they had known you for years. And now, I'm finally trying to make the effort, so don't go telling me what's necessary or not."
Staring back at him, Grimmjow didn't know how to respond to that. He was definitely not expecting an answer like that from him. He studied the other's features. Brows downward, gleaming determination written on his face. Those deep, chocolate colored eyes that have haunted his thoughts for the past eight years, always a constant reminder of what he left - what he had to part with. If only things were different back then, maybe we could've…
"Hmph. You wouldn't even want to be near me if you knew what I've done."
"Says who, exactly?"
I said that out loud? "Don't fool yourself. You don't understand anything. Did you know that I used to live here? I didn't always live in Germany, but ever since that scumbag did that - I had to protect her." I had to leave you when you suffered the most.
"It's funny, really. You say I don't understand anything. Well, if that's true, then let me understand. You can talk to me." He smiled, words filled with compassion for the bluenette. "I know I don't really know you, nor you me. But that's fine. I can still be a friend to you, only if you want one."
Eyes closed, he took those words to heart. After what seemed like an eternity, Grimmjow finally allowed himself to form a genuine smile. "Ok then. What do you want to know?"
"Well, for starters, when was the last time you lived here, and why did you leave?"
"Hmm. I left about eight years ago. As to why, well, I have to go back in order for you to understand. When I was three, my parents were killed due to a fire that had started at their workplace. They were both very successful business people who worked under the popular organization called Hueco Mundo. Their origins were from Germany, but they had many branch offices all around the globe, Japan included. My parents had been transferred to a small town near Karakura from Germany, so we lived here. Anyway, after they died, my sister and I had nowhere to live, so we were taken into foster care for about two years."
"Wait, sorry to interrupt, but you have a sister?"
"Yeah. She's four years older than me. Anyway, after two years living under foster care, the owner and founder of the company had come to us and adopted us, saying that he was an old friend of our parents. So, from then on, we were under his care. However, it was a hell on earth for us both, especially my sister. Our new guardian, whose name was Sosuke Aizen, was very cruel to us both. He constantly yelled at us, beat us, treated us like shit. This went on for years. When I was ten, we moved to Germany because he was away from the main headquarters of the company for too long. Even then, not much changed about our living conditions. I knew, for the sake of both myself and my sister's wellbeing, we had to leave. We couldn't stay with Aizen any longer, but that was easier said than done. We couldn't do anything. Aizen had many resources, and was a very powerful man, so I couldn't think of a way to get us out. That is, until that happened…"
It became quiet again. Ichigo was taking all of this in like a sponge, and was boggled by the insane amount of information. However, he became very troubled when Grimmjow's tone changed at the last second. "...What exactly happened…?"
It was the evilest expression he had ever seen in his life. The fury in Grimmjow's eyes was very much alive and raging out, like a vicious panther who had just gotten out of its cage. "When he had the audacity to break hurt her with his actions. My sister, Nelliel."