As both Grimmjow and Nikki stand up, Midnight meows and squirms to get out of Nikki's hold. "Oh, you want to stay here?" Nikki let Midnight jump on the sofa and crawled onto Ulquiorra's lap. "Awe. So cute."
"We'll be back guys." Ulquiorra only nodded. "Okay!" Nel said waving. Nikki takes Grimmjow by the hand leading the way. "The hell are we going?"
"I went to this auction a year ago and I bought something really cool. She made me think of you. I bought her for you in hopes that we can meet, but it didn't happen until now." Nikki led him down a long hallway until he reached a large pair green doors. He let go of Grimmjow's hand and placed his own on the doors. "She told me everything to know about you like she was preparing me for something. So I listened and there was one detail I noticed. As soon as he pushed open the door, he was tackled to the floor by a white blur. Grimmjow watched in astonishment as a white panther licked Nikki's face.
Nikki laughed while trying to push the eccentric panther off. "Down girl." The panther willfully moves off the blonde. Nikki sits up and scratches behind the panther's ear and looks at Grimmjow. "She's a rare albino panther. I named her Pantera. Spanish for panther. She's yours to have."
"You've got to be shitting me." Pantera looks at Grimmjow with her large blue eyes. If she stood up, she be taller than him. She immediately ran over and tackled him to the ground as well. She laid her head on his chest and wrapped her tail around his leg. "She likes you." She purred as he scratched behind her ear. "This is fucking awesome! I can't believe it!" He hugs the panther tightly while laughing. "You can take him now if you'd like." His laughing ceased and he looked at Nikki with a serious. "Animals aren't allowed in my apartment."
"I thought ahead and bought you a condo. Five years rent paid." Nikki dangled some keys in front of his face. "I even went ahead and bought two years' worth of food." Grimmjow couldn't help but laugh. The laughter ended soon as he looked at Pantera in deep thought. "No one's ever been this nice to me. Not even Nel. Why are you being this nice to me?" He asked with eyes filled with suspicion. "Well…you're the closest family I have. Besides, I like you and I want you to like me. I care about Nel, and I don't want her baby brother to hate me." Grimmjow nodded in approval while petting Pantera.
"I'm really glad you agreed to help me find my nephew." Grimmjow looked at Nikki in confusion. "Kurai, the raven is my nephew and that was his friend Ichigo." Nikki explained sitting next to Grimmjow. "They just finished college and decided to travel abroad with friends for a few months. Their last day was three weeks ago. No one has seen them, since they got off the plane." Nikki seemed even more upset as he continued on. Grimmjow stopped him by setting a hand on the older man's shoulder. "We'll find him. Don't stress."
"Quite the encouraging words coming from you." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. "Nel said you weren't the sensitive type. She even told me about your promiscuities as well." Grimmjow couldn't help but scowl. "What hasn't she told you?"
"How you and your friends started working with Aizen." Grimmjow stiffened slightly and turned to walk away. "It seems to be a touchy subject so I leave it alone." He turned slightly. "You're damn right. Stay out of it." He walked down the hallway without waiting for an answer.
xXx
Nel laid on the floor with Berry in front of her playing with a blue ball of yarn. Nel tapped it and watched the orange kitten run after it. He jumped on top of it and balanced himself on top. Midnight was still lying in Ulquiorra's lap. "Yo! We're back!" Berry hissed and jumped off the yarn. He ran over to Nel and curled into a ball. Midnight sat up abruptly and jumped off his lap. The black kitten crawled into the cushion so only his tail stuck out. "What's wrong, Berry?" Nel picked up the orange kitten and cradled him. Nel turned around to see Pantera and a confused Nikki and Grimmjow.
"What's with them?" Grimmjow asked. "What's with them? What's with the panther?" Nel asked almost frantic. "This is Pantera. A present for Grimmjow." Nel immediately pouted. "Why can't I have a kitty?"
"Your death hugs would kill it. Besides, I bought this for Grimmjow." Nel folded her arms and pouted. "I want a pet." Nikki shook his head. "Maybe later, but not now, Nel." Nel whined while poking Berry. Pantera walked over to the orange fur ball and nudged it with her nose. Berry only moved slightly but didn't uncurl. "Berry, why don't you like Pantera?" Nel asked. The panther continuously nudged him. "It be easier if you could talk."
"Stop being a scaredy Berry." Berry uncurled himself and hissed at Grimmjow. The blue haired man grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and lifted him in the air. Berry hissed and struggled to escape the grip. He laid Berry in his left arm and waved his finger above his face. Berry stopped hissing a tried clawing at the finger. "He might feel threatened by the big kitty. Or he's actually scared." Nel added. "Either way, he'll have to get over it." The orange kitten looked at the panther warily and saw that she just sat there looking at him. When he felt safe, Berry hopped out of Grimmjo's arms and onto the panther's head.
"See? They'll be fine." Nel looked from Berry to Midnight, who was looking at them from the cushions. They could only see his eyes. 'Hmm. Something's off about these kittens.' Nel thought to herself as she watched Ulquiorra pull Midnight out of the cushions. The black kitten curled his body around the quiet man's hand again. This time he didn't try to pry the kitten off. Instead, he set his hand in his lap and Midnight let go himself. Nel pouted again. "I want a kitty." She whined completely forgetting about the unusual actions from the kittens.