Seven Reasons We're Together

Part 6: Friendship

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo is the author of Bleach.

One way or another, Grimmjow and Halibel found themselves stuck in the world of the living after the Garganta system mysteriously malfunctioned, so they basically have to make do until a week passes and the rift to Hueco Mundo can be restored. But then again, a whole week here could give the two Espadas enough time to spend with each other... exactly seven days.

Day: Friday

"Ugh. Why can't there ever be anything good on TV?" Ichigo Kurosaki complained as he slouched on the couch, repeatedly pressing the buttons on his TV remote to flick through the channels in hopes of finding an entertaining program. One channel after another rushed past, from cooking shows to nature documentaries and even a ghost-hunter program. Ichigo stopped at that one, his eyes widening in interest.

"Hey. Do you think this show will have Don Kanonji in it? Eh?" Ichigo asked while pointing at the TV, turning to Rukia who was seated next to him. She shook her head while trying to suppress a smile.

"No, Ichigo. Don is on hiatus, remember? After the massive fangirl attack he endured last week? And sit up. You're ruining your spine."

"Yes, mom," Ichigo joked, scooting back upright in the couch, leaning against his girlfriend and yawning widely. "Bleh!" he complained again. "Look at that. I'm bored out of my mind again."

That was as good as "come fight me!" to the ears of Grimmjow Jaegarjaques, who was seated on Rukia's other side. He perked up, his ears twitching and his hand compulsively reaching for his Zanpakuto, Pantera. "I've got an idea! Fight me right now, Ichigo! We'll pass the whole evening!"

"Sorry. This is a no-fighting zone, remember?" Halibel reminded Grimmjow patiently, placing a hand on his to keep his Zanpakuto in its sheath. Like Rukia, she couldn't resist a smile to her companion. "You did enough bashing and running around yesterday."

"Don't even get me started," Grimmjow pleaded as a joke, recalling the deadly bee attack that he and Ichigo had endured. It was worth it, though, because parks made for excellent places to spar with Quincies and Soul Reapers! Yesterday's brawls had been excellent.

It was Friday evening, and Halibel and Grimmjow would be returning to Hueco Mundo before long. The Garganta rift would repair itself at midnight on Saturday night, the time-border between Saturday and Sunday. The two Espadas had decided to chill at Ichigo's house, and would be alone at their own rental house in early Saturday night… an evening for just the two of them. Presently, however, they were in the company of good friends.

"Uryu sent you guys a message, you know," Rukia said suddenly, addressing both Ichigo and Grimmjow. She turned off the TV.

"Huh?" Grimmjow asked, perking up again. Rematch! Say it's a rematch challenge!

"He says that the next time he wants to be chased around by a bunch of crazed animals, he'll go to the zoo and unlock all the holding pens," Rukia laughed.

"I'm nothing like that! I'm civilized!" Ichigo protested hotly as Rukia laughed again. "That lion at the zoo has no manners compared to me…"

"I'm not an animal, blast it! Mreeeooowwwr!" Grimmjow also argued, standing up for emphasis and flexing his fingers like claws. He wound up making a cat-growl at the end of his sentence by habit, however, and everyone burst out laughing.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to get you a ball of yarn to keep you happy at our house, okay?" Halibel teased Grimmjow, riling him up further. He gestured. "Yarn? Playing with? I want a battle! House visits aren't my thing!"

In response, Halibel fished something out of her pocket: an actual ball of yarn that she tossed in Grimmjow's face. The orb of stringy goodness seemed to float through the air in slow motion to Grimmjow's eyes, and he lashed out with his paws and caught the ball. The ball of yarn slipped out of his hands, however, and it bounced to the floor and started to roll away, leaving a trail of yarn behind it. Grimmjow pounced on the floor after it, trying to catch the runaway ball. Everyone laughed again as he squirmed about, baring his teeth in primordial glee as he attacked the ball, and wound up sending it toward Ichigo. "Take this!" he shouted. It was almost like he was on catnip!

"Yah!" Ichigo shouted, swinging his open hand. He tried to hit the ball back at Grimmjow, but he missed and the ball hit Halibel instead.

"Mine!" Grimmjow cried, leaping after Halibel and reaching for the ball of yarn. Halibel held it up high, teasing him again. "Come and get it! Fight for it!" she encouraged him, and Grimmjow reached higher but still couldn't reach it. He started to slink away in disappointment until Halibel lowered it again, on the condition that he had to fight her for it. They went back and forth, but Rukia saw that they were enjoying themselves, almost as though this were an everyday thing for them.

"Arrrrrgh. This too weird! I'm going up to my room to… um… do urgent things," Ichigo excused himself, making a mad dash for the stairs to the upper level. Karin had been going down the stairs, and turned to give a funny look to her brother dashing upstairs, and then she gave an even funnier look to the Espadas in the living room.

"I swear, the people Ichigo brings here…" Karin muttered, wandering away. Meanwhile, Grimmjow had exhausted themselves, both resting on the couch and supporting each other in their fatigue. Rukia stood up, clasping her hands behind her back as she smiled and regarded her two friends.

"I can see why you both are together. Clear as day," Rukia announced, now placing her hands on her hips.

"Is this another one?" Grimmjow asked weakly, his mind still buzzing from the excitement. I wanna fight Ichigo! I want that ball of yarn, too! But… I want to go home with Halibel, too. A little alone time.

"Number six," Halibel said, and Rukia raised her eyebrows.

"Grimmjow and I have been realizing the reasons why we're both together," Halibel told Rukia, patting Grimmjow's head. He made a little "mreowr" noise. "And now we figured out today's reason."

"I don't see it," Grimmjow said in confusion. "Is it the love of yarn?"

"No, silly! I'm not fond of yarn. All that was just to play with you," Halibel corrected him.

"I can tell what it is: friendship," Rukia decided, clapping her hands together. "Only great friends could get along the way you guys do! Uh-huh."

"I think she's got a point," Grimmjow had to admit. "Hallie, we are good friends, right? I mean, I don't keep a lot of company and I don't really know how friendship works…"

"Well, this is a good example. Friends are people just like us," Halibel told him gently. "Like Ichigo and Rukia, too. We're more like them than it would seem at first."

"Ichigo and I love to fight," Grimmjow grinned wildly, "but yeah. You're my dear friend, Halibel. Am I your friend, too?"

Halibel ran a hand through Grimmjow's sky-blue hair. "Of course, dear."