Disclaimer: Tite Kubo still owns and will forever own it!
Renji and Ichigo stuck their heads out of Byakuya's office and looked left and right. No sign of Ulquiorra or any other Soul Reapers, so they sent a signal to Szayel that let them know that they can follow in pursuit. Ichigo stood behind Szayel and Grimmjow while Renji lead them in the front. When they reached a corner, Renji would stop them and peer around the corner to make sure that no one, Ulquiorra in particular, happened to be strolling around.
When they finally reached the building that Rukia was once kept prisoner, Renji let Szayel and Grimmjow in and they rested on the floor. Ichigo crouched down beside them.
"You guys can wait here, right? I mean, you won't have any troubles?"
"No..." Szayel shook his head. "We should be fine. You guys said that his place was best for keeping us hidden, right? So, therefore, we should."
Ichigo nodded. "Right." Ichigo nervously chuckled. "Well, if you happen to be any trouble..."
"I can hold out." Szayel furrowed his brows.
Ichigo nodded. "We'll be on our way now. Be careful."
And they left to find Byakuya possibly recruit other Soul Reapers.
Szayel exhaled deeply as soon as the door shut. He stared at the figure in front of him, laying peacefully. He must have fallen asleep again.. Oh well. He needs it. He thought to himself. Rays of sunshine exposed his tan skin beautifully, revealing the bulging bump on his stomach. It seems like something you would see in an art museum- so beautiful, elegant.
Szayel looked closer- he had not observed Grimmjow's stomach before like this. The ripples of muscle that used to be there was now gone, replaced with smooth, silky skin. Also, his hollow hole had been closed completely- as if he were never a hollow in the first place. Remove his hollow remains on his face- and you would have thought he was a completely normal person.
That's the horror of being an Arrancar. Sometimes you wonder what it's like to live like a normal human. Sometimes you wonder what it's like to go into public and not receive suspicious eyes that are glaring into your soul. They look at you like you're some outcast. Being an Arrancar isn't rewarding at all.
Szayel looked at Grimmjow's peaceful, sleeping face. It looks like he's out of pain, and Szayel couldn't help but give a little smile.
"You know, you seem like a total different person when you sleep," he murmured under his breath. He stared at his lips and gave a sigh. "You're changing me, Grimmjow. Suddenly I don't really feel like a brother to you anymore, but more than that.." And, without thinking, he leaned in slowly.
Grimmjow had opened his eyes right before Szayel had done what he did. It took him by surprise, and for once he actually was blown away. Sure, he was kissed by girls before, but with Szayel- it was totally something new. And he liked it. It was overwhelming. Ecstatic. It felt like there was some sort of spark in the kiss. That spark that is always mentioned in romance movies. That spark that Grimmjow never understood until now.
And with that, their lips slowly parted. Grimmjow absent-mindedly put his pointer and middle fingers on his lips, feeling his swollen lips. It was completely unexpected. And, after he was out of momentary shock, he finally stammered, "I thought..that you liked me as a brother?"
Szayel frowned and shook his head. But he was too embarrassed to say anything. He mentally hit himself upside the head for doing something that he would never do in his lifetime. But, he was so caught up in the moment that he couldn't stop himself.
So they sat in awkward silence. Grimmjow propped himself up slowly, trying to hide the pain with each movement he made. Goddamn, my back. He thought to himself once he finally sat up. Once he was out of his lapse of pain, he stared at the pink haired being before him. Grimmjow hid a blush and slowly moved his hand to Szayel's, grasping it firmly; but gently. Szayel looked down and smiled, his face glowing a light pink. He grasped Grimmjow's hand and stared into his eyes.
Grimmjow smiled and leaned in, returning Szayel's kiss. He liked having someone this close to him like this. He felt something that he could never feel before, and that particular feeling- he couldn't put his finger on it. But, it strangely felt nice. So he welcomed and cherished it. Having someone care for him like this made him feel somewhat like a child, but he knew that it wasn't meant to be like that. He, himself, didn't give a shit for any of his used-to-be fellow "comrades", if you want to call them even that. He didn't feel anything for them, and they didn't feel anything for him. So, it was just that. As for Szayel, granted he was a fellow comrade, he actually cared for Grimmjow in a sense that was foreign to him. It made him feel special, or rather, good about himself. It was a feeling he rarely experienced in his lifetime.
Once their lips parted, Szayel rested his head on Grimmjow's shoulder. He heaved a heavy sigh, and looked up at the bulky man. "I think I love you," He mumbled.
"How are you able to tell that so quickly?" Grimmjow's heart beat uncontrollably. Szayel gave a little smile.
"It's just what I feel."
Grimmjow nodded. "W-well, in that case..." He paused, trying to keep his voice from crackling with embarrassment. "I..I love you too." He hurriedly mumbled, but Szayel heard it perfectly. He felt his heart burst open with excitement and love, and because of this confession- warmth.
They sat in a tight embrace for a short while. And that short while was interrupted.
"Well, would you look at that?" A calm, collected voice called out of nowhere. "I never thought that the Sexta Espada could be a person such as himself. And with the Octava Espada, at that? You are superior to him, Grimmjow."
Grimmjow jumped and looked behind him. Szayel glared at the dark figure, hidden in the shadows, approaching them. And they feared the worst.
He stepped out.
And then it was confirmed.
"Ulquiorra," Szayel mumbled under his breath.
"Aizen-sama is strongly displeased with you and your acts, Szayel. He had trusted you with this mission, and you had gone and left with the guinea pig. Such a shame." Ulquiorra shook his head. Grimmjow flinched at the words 'guinea pig'. Ulquiorra continued, "What made you think that you could get away without any consequences?"
Szayel furrowed his brows. "Well.." Grimmjow shook his head and scowled.
"I am far superior than both of you. Particularly more superior than you, Szayel, seeing as Grimmjow is in a condition that holds him back from fighting. You cannot beat me, and you well know it."
Szayel frowned. "Has Aizen done anything further with the experiment? Has he tested it on anyone else?"
By this time, Ulquiorra had been slowly pacing around them. He gave a low chuckle and nodded. "Well, since you have left the instructions for creating the sedative behind for Aizen to look at, he was able to create a whole supply of it for his use." He paused. "He already tested it on poor Luppi, Stark, even Nnoitra. But, without a specialist there," he glared at Szayel, "we won't even know if they'll make it through. Very terrible conditions."
Grimmjow snorted. Ulquiorra's head shot towards Grimmjow's general direction. He walked slowly, and slowly. So slowly, that it seemed like time itself had frozen. Grimmjow glared at the black haired man suspiciously, wondering what in the world this guy was going to do.
Once Ulquiorra reached to the couple, he grabbed hold of Grimmjow's tousled, blue hair and held him in the air. Szayel was immediately dropped to the ground as Grimmjow struggled to get Ulqiorra to let go. "Are you getting smart with me?" Ulquiorra grumbled, but kept himself collected at the same time.
Grimmjow smirked. "What if I was?" He grimaced with pain when Ulquiorra pulled more. "What are you going to do to me, huh?" And he snorted once more. "That's right- nothing. Aizen would punish you because I'm a test subject that is in better condition than the others."
Ulquiorra stood emotionless, but deep down inside he was scowling. He was enraged, just because he wanted to kill that smart-ass bastard, but Aizen had given strong orders to bring them both back alive. Aizen had strongly warned Ulquiorra that he had wanted to deal with Szayel, which threw Ulquiorra off a bit.
Ulquiorra glared at Grimmjow and let go of his hair, allowing him to fall on the ground. "That may be so, but who said I couldn't mess around with you both?" Ulquiorra managed a small smirk as he picked Szayel, unexpectedly, by the collar of his uniform and throw him against the wall. Szayel winced against the impact and scoffed.
"Oh, did that hurt?" Ulquiorra sneered. "Oh, you poor thing." Ulquiorra slammed Szayel's head into the wall. Szayel gasped with pain and felt a warm liquid trail down the side of his head. A huge gash had formed on the back of his head, and it bled profusely. Surely he would pass out of blood loss anytime soon.
Grimmjow growled and regained himself after a while, throwing himself off of the ground and running full speed towards the stronger Espada. Grimmjow grabbed Ulquiorra's neck and threw him to the side, still grasping his neck with a strong force. Ulquiorra was not affected in the least bit. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What do you think I'm doing?" Ulquiorra grabbed Grimmjow's hand and ripped it off of his neck, managing to get out of it without a broken neck. He brushed off his uniform. "Sure, Aizen may be displeased with me just a bit for harming both of you, but I believe it's quite worth it." He paused. "What can I say? I just enjoy your guys' pain too much, I can' hold it back. Since I couldn't do it back at Hueco Mundo, what better chance than to do it now?" Ulquiorra's malevolent, green orbs scanned Grimmjow and Szayel carefully. Ulquiorra took notice of Grimmjow's stomach. "I see, so the process is progressing faster than we had originally expected. Aizen-sama will be most proud of this, once I bring you both back."
Grimmjow snorted. "Tch, you'll never bring us back to that Bastard."
"Oh, I won't?" Ulquiorra furrowed his brows. "Well, as far as I know, I believe I'm winning."
Szayel sneered. "Winning or not, you still won't take us back."
Ulquiorra grimaced. "Defiant, I see." He mumbled. Ulquiorra walked up to them slowly. Grimmjow put up a defensive arm to protect Szayel, but Szayel furrowed his brows and pushed that arm back. Szayel stood in front of Grimmjow.
"Remember the one who is in a bad condition, here." Szayel commented, obviously referring to Grimmjow. "You are in no way capable to put up a fight."
Grimmjow snorted. "I'll be fine. If you see me slacking, then pull me out." He smirked. "Besides, I haven't beat the shit out of anything in such a long time, and I think right now would be the best time to let some anger out."
Szayel sighed at Grimmjow's comment. "Fine." But he felt like he would regret it later on. No, he didn't feel-
He knew.
Ulquiorra stopped a few feet away from Grimmjow. He glared at him. "Do you really, absolutely, think you can put up with me, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow chuckled. He kicked the ground and spit, preparing himself for the formidable battle ahead of him. "Actually, yes," he paused. And he looked up, his eyes gleaming with a strong hope he had never felt before in his life. He was pumped. He knew he was really ready for this battle. However, Szayel couldn't shake that feeling away from him. He knew something was going to happen.
"I do."
Author's Note: Whoo! Some fighting in here~
I would also like to note that this is my longest chapter ever! *Applaud* :[
Next chapter should include an actual fighting scene, which I shall try with my best attempt to keep entertaining and whatnot. Also, I feel I made Grimmjow and Szayel slight more OOC than they were in the first place. If you feel that I did, I apologize, but I felt that I couldn't get that part out with out making them OOC in a way. But, regardless, I shall try and keep them in-character to the best of my ability.
Reviews are welcomed~ Criticism is as well.