Tears streaked down pale cheeks. Blue eyes turned away when they were met with brown.
"What happened to him?" Aizem demanded.
"He resisted arrest." The officer at the desk said. "Other than that he's just been waiting in interrogation. This is his first arrest, lots of kids cry when they realize they're in trouble."
The officer signed a paper. He was just the desk clerk. He didn't know what lay beneath Grimmjow's clothes. Paper tore from the clip board. Aizen was given a copy and handed Grimmjow's wallet and phone. He pocketed both and turned back to Grimmjow.
"It's time to go."
Grimmjow didn't move to stand. He looked to Stark who stood at the door, arm in a sling, then back to Aizen.
"I'm not going with you."
"What?"
"Give me my stuff."
"Grimmjow—"
"Give me my stuff!" He grabbed for Aizen's pocket and yanked out his phone. Aizen stayed himself. They were still in the station after all. Grimmjow called a cab while Aizen waited.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Just go."
"No."
"Aizen just get out of here, okay?"
"Let's talk about this outside."
Grimmjow shook his head. Aizen eyed him, looked at the way he was sitting on the chair. Then his features changed. He leaned in and looked Grimmjow in the eyes. Grimmjow jerked away from the hand that tried to hold his cheek. He looked anywhere but at Aizen.
"Stand up, Grimmjow."
"No…"
"Stand up."
"I said—"
Aizen took hold of his arm and yanked him to his feet. Grimmjow staggered and barely managed to keep his legs locked. He gasped in pain and then his face flooded with heat, with shame.
Aizen gripped his shoulders. His fingers were painfully tight. But his eyes shot up to the officer who was watching them in confusion. He was no one, he knew nothing, but Aizen's eyes burned into him all the same as if it had been him who'd done it.
"Is there a problem sir?" he asked.
"Yes." But Aizen said nothing more, took back Grimmjow's phone and put an arm around him to keep him steady.
Stark's eyes were just as full of anger while he held the door open for them. Grimmjow couldn't meet his gaze either. He allowed himself to be led to the car but at the door he stopped, holding the side.
He took a long breath, as if still deciding whether or not he was going to get in. Then he sat in and shut the door, not moving over to make way for Aizen. Aizen and Stark shared a look before Aizen went around and got in on the other side.
Grimmjow hugged his side of the car the whole way. He winced as the car hit bumps but he stayed facing the window the whole time. He never said a word. He still didn't speak when they returned to the hotel, or when they got in the elevator. He shook out of Aizen's support once they were upstairs and staggered toward the bathroom. He grabbed clean clothes just before he went in.
He slammed the door shut behind him, locked it, and turned on the shower.
He showered until the water scalded him. He soaped up and scrubbed down until his skin was bright red. Then he dried off and changed into fresh clothes before he could see the marks in the mirror. He bundled up the others and threw them in the trash. He smelled the blood on his underwear. His stomach bunched. He caught the sink and heaved but nothing came out. Then he faced the door. Aizen would be there, on the other side, waiting, wondering.
He couldn't face that. But the thought of staying in here was equally bad. These four walls would start to feel as small as the closet. He had no choice.
Aizen wasn't in the bedroom. Grimmjow let out a sigh of relief. He moved toward the balcony at once. It was all he wanted—fresh air, the taste of freedom. He closed the patio door behind him, then he sank against the wall and sat in his pain, knees drawn up close to his body.
He was there for a long time before the door slid open again. His hair was stiff from the wind, his body cold from the sudden change from the heat of the shower. He stared straight ahead when Aizen crouched to eye level with him.
He didn't speak. Grimmjow was glad. He let his arm be taken. He found it harder to stand now, and used the support he was given all the way to the bed. But that was all he wanted. He didn't want to be touched or looked at or talked to. He sat frozen on the edge of the bed, muscles taught.
Aizen reached for his collar.
"Don't." He slapped the hand away. "Don't touch me."
"If you don't want me to see, then tell me."
Grimmjow shook his head. "Just leave me alone."
"I need to know."
"You already do."
"No I don't."
"Just go. You have work to do, right? They used me to distract you, you shouldn't let them get what they want."
"Grimmjow!" Aizen's hands gripped his bruised face. "They did this to you because of me. Tell me or let me see."
"NO!"
He shoved back with both hands. Aizen caught them and pushed him back on the bed.
"AIZEN STOP!"
"Did they do it?" He was shaking as he restrained Grimmjow against the mattress. "DID THEY RAPE YOU?"
The scream shook him. He flinched against the bed. Tears sparked in his eyes.
"L-let go…"
Aizen did. His fingers slipped away. They were trembling with rage.
"Which one did it?"
"He didn't do…that. Not…not really." Grimmjow sat up again slowly. He was shaking too. He clasped his hands together in his lap and stared at the floor. "It was…he used his fingers…then his baton."
The lamp went flying from the night stand. Grimmjow remained fixed on the bed as Aizen's rage flew out of him. Then he stopped, heaving, and somehow seemed to calm all at once. He turned back to Grimmjow and knelt before him.
Grimmjow didn't hold him back. He felt numb now. He let himself grow distant. It was better than feeling everything that hurt, reliving the memory of that filthy man touching him. He let his shirt buttons part under Aizen's hands. He let it be pulled from his shoulders. He felt fingers trace over the mark on his collar. It hurt but he didn't react. He watched Aizen's hand glide down over his flesh, his eyes taking in every mark, their meaning. His hands rested at his hip where another purple mark had been made around bite marks.
Grimmjow lay back when he was pushed. He rolled to his side when prompted and let Aizen drag his pants down. He let him look. He heard Aizen's breath change and he felt the fury in the very air. But it didn't scare him. Then lips were on his back, near the horizontal bruise alone his shoulder blades. He was rolled over and the kisses found his other marks. Touching every place where the other man had touched, reclaiming his flesh, replacing the memories.
Grimmjow lay against Aizen's chest when he was done and pulled the young man into his arms. His breath was even and calm, now. Aizen's hand ran through his hair.
"What did he look like?"
Grimmjow gave the description of both men in even, monotonous tones. But he knew as much as Aizen wanted revenge, killing cops was almost impossible and it was definitely nothing that could be done in haste.
Then Aizen slipped away from the bed.
"I have to go back."
"I know."
"Grimmjow, I'm sorry."
Grimmjow said nothing but listened to Aizen leave.
He didn't move from the bed all day or night.