Earlier…
Coyote Starrk is not one to complain about anything, especially orders. He just follows it through like the good, higher-ranked Espada he is. Neither is he awake for this long.
Man, this is boring. Why did Lord Aizen want me, of all people, to investigate anyway? Why couldn't he have sent Ulquiorra instead? Starrk thought to himself as he stood motionless.
He stood lazily in the park, letting the sun beam on him and enjoying the light wind. He's watching young couples walk hand in hand, whispering sweet nothings and other intimate things that would most likely make him blush. Starrk noticed some older adults feeding birds or sitting on the benches looking out into space. Children are running around, playing whatever game they came up with, and laughing.
One of them, a small, dark-haired boy, stopped mid-run and glanced over in Starrk's direction. He noticed from afar them blinking wildly before beaming a big grin and waved enthusiastically.
Starrk found it odd that a human child could see him but waved back, nonetheless.
The child beamed brighter once Starrk acknowledged him, then followed his friends who ran ahead of him.
Starrk watched the boy run off, curious about the small interaction yet uninterested at the same time. He would brush the encounter off when a thought occurred to him. What if the child had seen Grimmjow? He could locate his former associate using Pesquisa, except Starrk knew it would be an invitation for the shinigami to come looking for a fight. Which he is honestly not in the mood for. So, if this little human boy could see him, maybe he had seen Grimmjow. It's a long shot but worth a try anyway.
Using sonīdo, Starrk vanishes within a blink and materializes several feet away from the boy. The kid stops in his place, gawking at him.
"Whoa, how did you get here so fast?" The boy inquired in amazement.
The kid looked around quickly to make sure his friends weren't around. When he knew no one was watching, the boy eyed Starrk's tall form before grinning madly.
"Hey, that's a pretty cool necklace you have there, Mister," he said while pointing at the teeth around Starrk's neck.
An amused brow quirked, and Starrk faintly smiled.
"You mean this thing," Starrk points at the remnants of his hollow mask. The boy answers with an eager nod.
"This is what's left of my hollow form."
The boy's eyes widened with a sparkle.
"Cool!"
In amazement, the boy admired the bone-white teeth, then eyed Starrk curiously, realization gleaming in his big brown eyes.
"Hey, then that means you're like the other one I saw a couple of weeks ago."
Starrk blinks, shocked that he was right.
"You've seen him?"
"Yep," the boy quickly answered, beaming. "I saw him lounging on the other side of the park underneath a tree. I was with my friends so I couldn't talk to him. Although, he did seem kind of angry about something. So, I guess it was a good thing I didn't bother him. He might have literally bit my head off! He looked kind of punkish with that spikey blue hair of his. Are you his brother or something? What exactly are you guys anyway? Are you members of a punk band? He…"
"Calm down, kid," Starrk calmly interrupted.
The boy lightly gulped and blushed.
"Sorry, I ramble when I get excited."
"I noticed. Thanks for the info, kid."
Starrk turned away from the boy and started in the direction of where Grimmjow might have been. He got the information he needed to investigate the perimeter for any clues of Grimmjow's whereabouts.
"Oh, um, I don't think your brother is around anymore," the boy replies quickly, watching Starrk dejectedly.
Starrk stops to acknowledge the child, noticing the lack of sparkle in the kid's eyes.
"Why do you say that?" He wasn't going to correct the kid about Grimmjow being his brother. He will let him think that.
"I haven't seen him around since I first saw him. I think he went off somewhere else. I'm not sure where, though. It seemed like he wasn't from around here with the weird clothes you guys wear."
Starrk blinks and frowns as he ponders his next question. It will be a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
"Have you seen anyone else that looks like us? Maybe a colored man?"
"No, sir," the boy responds. He would have left it alone when he remembered something as his eyes lit up.
"Oh wait, I remember seeing Miss Hiromi several days afterward looking for something where your brother was."
This piqued Starrk's interest.
"Who now?"
"Oh, Miss Hiromi is my teacher and babysitter sometimes. She's a really nice lady and sees things others can't like me. If you want to find your brother, she might have some answers for you. I can show you where she lives."
Starrk eyed the boy passively, slightly amused at the kid's bright smile and eagerness to help.
"Thanks, but I can manage on my own. Besides, you have friends to catch up with."
The boy pouted, crossed his arms, and pleadingly glared up at Starrk.
"Aw, come on. They're not really my friends. They're just some boys from school I chum around with sometimes. Besides, I haven't seen Miss Hiromi in weeks. Plus, I accidentally left my favorite toy at her place. Please, let me come with you."
Starrk rolled his eyes, then began walking away from the child.
"Absolutely not."
The boy puckered his lips, slightly groaning.
"How would you be able to find her anyway if you don't know where she lives, hmm?"
"I have my ways. Now run along and play with your "not really your friends," kid."
The little boy growled and balled his fists at his side.
"My name is not kid, Mister. It's Shirō."
"Fine, go play with your friends, Shirō."
"No, I want to help," Shirō argued, then started after Starrk.
"I don't need, oomph."
Starrk stumbled when Shirō lounged and grabbed at his ankles, teetering before keeping balance.
"Get off me, kid!"
"It's Shirō, remember?"
"Of course, I remember, now get off!"
"Nope," Shirō grinned.
"Damnit, ki- Shirō. Get off!"
Even when Shirō didn't let go, Starrk started trudging with the kid dragging behind him at the ankle.
"Not unless you let me help you."
"I," Starrk struggled. "Don't…need…your…help, gah."
Eventually, Starrk lost his balance and tumbled forward, faceplanting into the dirt.
Shirō giggled, sat up, and pointed at the fallen Starrk, grinning madly.
"Tehe, Bonehead fell down."
Starrk snapped his head up and glared daggers over his shoulder at Shirō.
"Bonehead? Why you," Starrk was going to call him something offensive but refrained himself. "I swear, you remind me of Lilynette."
"Who's that? You're daughter, niece, girlfriend maybe?"
Starrk faceplants into the dirt again with a groan, not bothering to answer the annoying child. He eventually sighs.
"If I let you help me, will you promise to leave me alone?"
From behind him, Shirō sucked in his bottom lip, and his eyes drooped. After a moment of consideration, he sighs.
"Yeah, fine, I promise," he agreed.
Starrk noted the dejection in the kid's voice but made no effort to reassure the human child. He felt a weight lifted from his shins, then soft feet padded close to his fallen form. Starrk glanced at Shirō, who seemed okay from the outside, but he could tell the kid was a little hurt from what he requested a second ago. He's not going to say anything about it right now, though. Starrk will wait until the boy shows him where this Hiromi person was.
"Well, are you coming, Mister?"
Starrk eyed Shirō, who stood several feet away from him and frowning deeply at the adult. He felt his eye twitch at the formality and lightly scowled.
"The name is Coyote Starrk."
Shirō continued to frown.
"Fine. Are you coming or not, Mr. Starrk?"
"I would prefer if you referred to me by Coyote. And yes, I'm coming."
Shirō says nothing, just leads a reluctant and bored Starrk to his destination.
About an hour later, and several pitstops later, Starrk stood beside Shirō in front of a five-story apartment complex. It's a simple, white structure with hallways on each floor, a railing extending from corner to corner, and stairs on each end. The doors are painted a soft yet warm terracotta color, and windows exposing the interior for some. There are pots full of Japanese ferns and colorful autumn flowers, making the place homey and calm.
"Nice place," Starrk remarks.
"They're especially nice inside. Miss Hiromi has enough room to house a roommate or two, but she doesn't trust others easily. She works as a waitress part-time and, of course, is a teacher at my…."
"Shirō," Starrk urged lightly, giving the kid a light thump on his head.
"Oh, oops, sorry, habit. Miss Hiromi is on the second floor at the end."
Starrk glances at the last door on the second floor, noting how plain and identical they are. It seems no one makes any indication of their place of residency. Starrk assumes it is not a custom to hang anything on the exterior of an apartment door.
Starrk hums as he eyed the door still, pondering how to approach the woman.
"Well, I got you here, and I made you a promise. So, I guess I better get going and leave you be. I hope you find your brother. He's pretty lucky to have someone like you that cares and is out looking for him." Shirō says, then starts walking away.
Starrk glanced at the retreating boy, confused yet felt strange about the assumption. He doesn't care. To actually give a damn about anyone, well, except for Lilynette, is petty. He doesn't doubt Ulquiorra believes the same. Besides, Starrk is only following Lord Aizen's orders despite his feelings about it.
Except…
That statement made Starrk consider something. Does anyone really care that Grimmjow left? Does anyone care to know if he is alive or dead? The possible answers made his stomach twist unpleasantly. What would happen if it were him in Grimmjow's shoes? Would anyone care that he is missing and hope that he is alive? Even if he were alive, Lord Aizen would be replacing him immediately like he had done with that Nel girl. When Grimmjow fucked up the first time, he was swiftly demoted, and a replacement was made the same day. So, why didn't Lord Aizen do the same? What is his motive? These questions put a different perspective in his mind, causing him to reconsider the mission he was given.
With a sigh, Starrk regards the boy who put some distance between them then called out.
"Hey, kid," Starrk shouts.
He faintly heard Shirō growl, then turned sharply to glare at him.
"The name is Shirō!"
"Did you not say you left something here," Starrk questions, ignoring the boy's puckered lips.
"Yeah, I did. What of it?"
"And did you not want to see your teacher?"
Shirō pouts with arms folded before him, reluctant to return to Starrk's side.
"Yeah, I do. Why?"
"Then, instead of stomping off like a spoiled child, why don't you join me? I'm sure she would like to see a familiar face when I ask her some questions about my…brother."
He wanted to call Grimmjow his associate but figured he better continue with the story to make the boy happy. Starrk doesn't understand why he would like to when he and the other higher-up Espada members will be invading soon. He assumes it has something to with Lilynette. She does have a childlike appearance and acts like one. Treating the boy as if he were her would make sense.
He saw Shirō blink then a soft smile surfaced.
"So, you want me to come with you? I won't be a bother?"
"Nah, you won't be bothering me much. You'll just be pestering this friend of yours."
Shirō beams then ran back to Starrk's side and hugged his legs at the thigh.
Starrk stood rigid, unsure what to do now that the kid was hugging him.
"Thank you, Mister! I mean, Mr. Starrk, no wait, Coyote! Thank you."
"Yeah, whatever. Now unhand me, you little pest," Starrk growls halfheartedly, then lightly shoves Shirō away.
Shirō continued to beam up at Starrk, took his hand then guided him towards a stairwell.
"Hmm, that's strange. I would have thought she would be home."
Shirō and Starrk stood in front of the door, confused by the lack of an answer. Shirō had knocked on the door eagerly moments ago. He eyed the panel apprehensively, wringing his hands and shifting from foot to foot.
"Why would you think that?"
"Well," Shirō starts. "Miss Hiromi told us that she would be away from the school for a short while to take care of a family emergency. She's even on leave from the diner. So, I would have thought she would be here."
"Maybe she had to run an errand?"
"Maybe, but…" Shirō trails off, pondering something.
Starrk watched the boy from the corner of his eye as possibilities filtered his thoughtful, determined gaze. He lets out a sigh, turning towards the railing.
"Well, while you stand there thinking about other possibilities, I'm going to investigate either way."
Shirō flinches, turning to regard Starrk curiously.
"Huh, investigate how?"
"I'm going to search inside. How else?"
"What are you nuts? You can't go around snooping in her home!"
Starrk jumps onto the railing and then glances over his shoulder at Shirō.
"Look, I can't stand around waiting on someone who might help me locate my idiot brother. I really don't have the time for it. Just keep an eye out if she is on her way up."
"But," Shirō starts to argue, but Starrk has already disappeared from his view.
He groans, then sags in his spot. "This is not going to turn out well, the freaking bonehead."
Shirō eyed the spot where Starrk was before turning his gaze to the sidewalk. He watched for a moment before returning his gaze to the door. His lips screwed sideways, humming.
Without a second thought, he raps at the door.
"I know she's here. I just know it," he mutters, then waits.
Shirō waited a moment as he played with a thread on his white graphic tee. Still, no answer. He huffs with a stomp and then knocks again. That is when he heard movement from behind the door. His back straightened, and he beamed at the approaching footsteps.
"Ha! I knew she was here!"
He waited for a second longer on bouncing feet before the door finally swung open, revealing someone other than who he thought it would be. He had spiky blue hair, a muscular frame, and a bone-white jaw piece on his face. His grin dropped, and his eyes widened once Shirō realized who answered the door.
"Hey, I know you! You're that guy I saw three weeks ago!"
"And this is the first time I've seen you. What the hell do you want, kid?" Grimmjow snarls as he grips the door.
Shirō's lips puckered, and his brows crinkled.
"Jeez, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," he snarks.
"I was taking a nap, you little runt," Grimmjow growls. "Now, what do you… wait, how can you see me?"
"Duh, I can see spirits, or whatever you and your brother are, dumbass."
Grimmjow looked at the boy before him stupidly yet bristled at the kid calling him names.
"Hey! Who are you calling dumbass, you little brat?"
Shirō scuffs. "Gee, let me think. The only other person that's in front of me, dumbass."
"Why you little," he snarls with a fist curling in front of the boy. "Just what the hell do you want? And what do you mean by my brother, kid?"
"Uh, hello," Shirō exaggerates. "The guy with teeth around his neck, long brown hair, and eyes like yours. You know, your brother, Coy…."
Shirō doesn't finish when he and Grimmjow hear a scream followed by some yelling.
Grimmjow snaps his gaze towards a hallway and a closed door where he can hear the voices coming from. There was a woman's voice and a familiar masculine one Grimmjow knew all too well.
The fuck, I know that voice, Grimmjow says to himself.
He swiftly turned to leave Shirō at the door, storming over to the closed door with a look that could kill thousands.
"Um, wait! You don't want to go in there!" Shirō shouts as he starts to follow after Grimmjow.
He briefly stops to kick off his shoes, then scurries across the floor in his socks.
"Wait, you can't!"
"Shut the hell up, runt!"
"No, really, you don't…."
Shirō scrambled for a solution to prevent Grimmjow from going into the bedroom. He doesn't know why he's trying to keep him from going in, but what Shirō does know is that closed doors mean privacy. He might get whacked for this, but he lunges forward and snatches two handfuls of pant legs. His tactic caused Grimmjow to teeter and nearly collide into the wall face first. The tug also caused the top hem to slip down Grimmjow's waist, exposing a sliver of his asscrack.
"Hey! Let go you, little shit!"
"Uh oh, you said a bad word! You need to put a yen in the swear jar."
"What the? You called me a dumbass earlier, stupid! And there is no swear jar! Now get off!"
Grimmjow roughly shook the boy off, then stormed towards the door that housed the owner.
"Ow! You didn't have to be so rough, jerk! No, don't go in there! Closed doors mean privacy for a reason!"
It was too late. Grimmjow threw the door open and started into the room with the intent of hurting someone.
~ooo~
The moment he jumped off the railing, Starrk found himself balancing on a windowsill. He peered through the glass, discovering a comfortable yet underwhelming bedroom that had calming light blue and lavender accessories of pots and decor. The bed below him looked soft and plush that he didn't doubt would feel like sleeping on a cloud if he laid down.
He could use a nap right about now anyway. Except, his priority is locating Grimmjow and hopefully reporting back with him in tow. A good long rest will come later.
Starrk sighs and redirects his objective. He leaned close, placing an ear to the cold, smooth surface to hear no sounds coming from inside. He figured no one was in the room or in the apartment. He would have put it behind him now that Starrk realized answers were not to be found here. Except, something deep in his gut told him to stay and search.
He cautiously drew the window open, crawled through then gently set his boots on the cushiony comforter.
As he slowly entered the bedroom and climbed off the bed, Starrk remained to look around the room. To the left sat a writing desk where he found Grimmjow's hakama and jacket placed gently on a dark wooden chair.
There're the idiot's clothes, but where is the dumbass himself, Starrk thought to himself.
Adjacent to the desk is a rather large closet and a full body mirror hung close by on a wall of what could be a washroom. Starrk scans his eyes to his right. He finds a long metal shelving unit running along the wall full of books, storage boxes, and two large, intricate wooden carvings. One of those carvings is an impressive and intimidating panther. Its carved fur rippled, and its sinewy body seemed so realistic it could jump off and maul him. The other is a majestic, humbling wolf head. Its wooden eyes seemed to stare him down as Starrk approached with mouth gaping and widened eyes.
He came close to touch and smooth his gloved fingertips across the wood when a door opened.
He stayed relatively calm despite a small wave of panic. Starrk withdrew his hand and glanced over his shoulder to turn to the source. He stared for a long silent moment. Starrk couldn't help but stare since the person who opened the door was a woman with long ash blonde hair wrapped in a white towel.
Starrk blinks once, then discreetly skims his gaze over her lithe and toned frame before making eye contact. They are widened, but they are a brilliant turquoise color. It's a shade similar to Harribel's, but hers are livelier, brighter, and… kind.
He continued to stare at her. His eyes slightly widened, and he felt heat brush along his cheeks and nose.
Damn, Starrk says to himself.
She then pelted a scream.
Oh, shit!
"Just who the hell are you?" Hiromi yelled.
"You, you can see me?" Starrk stuttered as he pointed at himself.
"Of course I can, you freaking pervert! Just how in the hell did you get in here anyway?"
"I crawled through the window. How else?"
"Through my window? That's two stories high! What did you do, leap up here? I do have a front door, you know."
"Yeah, I tried that, but no one answered."
The woman growled, then swiftly stomped forwards with a balled fist at her side. She rose an arm to land a punch to his jaw, only to get caught. Starrk quickly grabbed her wrist, gripped it firmly yet gently, and shoved it aside. He snatched the towel at her stomach, unknowingly tugging it down some to hold her in place just inches away from his person.
"Unhand me this instant!"
"Not until you calm down a little, Miss."
Starrk acknowledged the woman fully, noting the water beads trailing down her flushed skin and semi-damp hair clinging to her shoulders. She had just finished washing and smelled pleasantly of flowers, which delightfully tickled his nose.
Hmm, she smells pretty, he thought to himself.
"Don't tell me to calm down. Now let go!"
Starrk now believes the woman before him is Hiromi that Shirō told him about. He expected to meet a middle-aged or elderly person, not a young and pretty lady. Starrk doesn't know why he just thought that.
Hiromi tried to pull away and wrench her wrist from his grip but ended up yanking the towel down and unhooked itself, exposing her chest. It would have fallen to the floor and pooled at her feet if Starrk wasn't holding onto it. Hiromi then stood before him naked, flustered, and angrier.
Starrk willed himself not to glance down at her, despite the itch on the nape of his neck.
"Whoever you are, you best let go of my hand."
He scuffs lightly. "Even if I did, you would assault me, which is warranted due to my intrusion, and I apologize for that, but I will not let you place any abuse on me."
Hiromi's delicate lips puckered, and a blush swept across her already flushed skin.
"No, I wouldn't," she argued under her breath.
"I find that doubtful, Miss. If I let go, will you promise not to strike me?"
He could see in her gaze that she was considering the proposition. She opened her mouth to answer but couldn't get a word out when the bedroom door flew open.
"What the hell is going on in here?" Grimmjow's voice bellows into the room.
Starrk heard Hiromi squeak, scrambling to snatch the towel and cover herself. Not even caring what he is doing, he yanks the young woman behind him to hide her from view. He felt her tense from the quick movement but gripped the back of his jacket and clung to him like a child, forgetting the towel that fell to her feet.
"Starrk? What the bloody hell are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same thing," Starrk returns as he continues to shield Hiromi from Grimmjow's ferocious glare, who was attempting to peak.
"Duh, I live here now. Why else?"
"You don't live here. You're staying here. There's a difference. And will someone please explain to me why any of you are in my room?" Hiromi screeched.
She then remembered the towel pooled at her feet. She quickly stoops to replace the piece of fabric around her torso.
"I heard you scream. So, I came running."
"I'm only here on orders, and I intend on completing it in the time I was given," Starrk explained, hiding her still from Grimmjow's seeking eyes. "And stop trying to get a peak."
Hiromi makes a strange noise from behind him, then snaps her gaze on Grimmjow over Starrk's shoulder.
"Are you seriously trying to look, Grimmjow?" She yells.
"What? No, not all. Why on earth would you think that?"
Even while he denies it, Grimmjow attempts to sneak a peak again, but Starrk blocks his view.
Hiromi growls, snatches something off the metal shelf, and hurls it at Grimmjow. It collides into his face with a loud and painful clang.
"OW!"
"Get out, you freaking perv!"
Grimmjow groans as he rubs the side of his red face, glaring angrily at Hiromi.
"That hurt, damnit! And just what the hell was that for anyway, girly?"
"You were attempting to look, that's why. At least Mr. Matador here has the decency to keep his back to me instead of taking a peek."
"Probably because he already got a good look at your lady bits, Romi," Grimmjow replies as he nonchalantly waves at her. "I don't doubt there's anything unimpressive."
Grimmjow couldn't help but grin at Hiromi's flustered expression, who softly growled at him.
"You're such a pig, Grimmy."
Starrk could be reading too much into it, but their interaction is baffling and has this strange brother, sister dynamic. He is also surprised Grimmjow would casually refer to Hiromi as "girly" and allow her to use any nickname towards him. He wonders now how they became close in a short amount of time.
He sighs heavily, then glances over his shoulder at her, keeping eye contact and not letting his eyes wander.
"I'll escort the moron out for your privacy, Miss."
Hiromi blinked up at him and opened her mouth to say something when Starrk moved away. He trumps towards Grimmjow, snatches, and roughly turns him around by the shoulder.
"Hey! You still haven't answered my question, asshole! What the fuck are you doing here?" Grimmjow roars as he tries shaking Starrk off him.
"That's two yen in the swear jar," Shirō's voice sounds from around the corner.
Hiromi curiously peers around for the child. "Shirō? What are you doing here?"
He eventually pops his head out from around the corner, eyes closed but grinning nervously.
"Teehee, hi, Miss Hiromi. Uh, sorry for the intrusion."
"You're forgiven, but why exactly are you here? Is something wrong?"
Shirō quickly shook his head. "No, I was just showing Mr. Starrk, uh, I mean, Coyote, where you lived."
"Why would you, pipsqueak? I thought I told you to scram," Grimmjow snarled.
Shirō narrows his eyes at him, scowling deeply.
"No, you didn't."
"Well, then, scram, kid!"
"Alright, that's enough," Starrk sighs. "We're leaving Lady Hiromi's chambers so she can have some privacy."
Grimmjow scowls and glares over at Starrk.
"Lady Hiromi? Pfft, what's with the lame honorific, brownnoser?"
"It's called respect. It's something you should work on. Otherwise, you wouldn't be in the mess you're currently in."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"That's a discussion we will have shortly once your gracious host is decent. Now move it."
Starrk shoves Grimmjow forward, glances over at Hiromi briefly then disappears down the hall.
Hiromi is then left in the middle of her room, eyeing the door curiously.
Hiromi joined Starrk and Grimmjow five minutes later at the dining room table. She's casually dressed in a rose pink tank and feather gray loungers that conformed to her hips and thighs and flared slightly at the knees, elongating her toned legs.
She sat with her arms and legs crossed, watching Starrk from the corner of her eye with a twinge of pink on her cheeks and lips pursed gently. Starrk is in the chair next to her, mirroring her posture with a lounge. Grimmjow is across from Starrk, observing the two curiously but still angered at Starrk for being here and wanting to club him. Then there's Shirō, sitting across from Hiromi and looking at the adults uncomfortably.
He glances over at Grimmjow with a frown and sighs.
"I told you not to go in there," he says in a matter-of-fact tone, breaking the ice.
"I don't say this often, but you were right, kid. But what did you expect me to do when I heard you screaming as if you've seen a rat?"
"I'm not the one who gets scared of rats or mice. You, however, chase after them like a domestic house cat," Hiromi responds with a smirk and a dismissive wave.
"I do not!"
Imagine him with a ball of yarn, Starrk says to himself when he recalled an experiment Szayelaporro performed on the former Sexta Espada.
During a meeting, the crazy pink-haired scientist wondered if Grimmjow would behave according to his resurrección form and brought a ball of yarn. Well, he got the results he wanted. Grimmjow had lept from his chair across the table and tackled the pink-haired idiot to the ground. Grimmjow then proceeded to bat and roll the ball of bright red yarn around the room, cackling and purring. He didn't realize what he was doing until Lord Aizen snatched the blasted thing and told Grimmjow to get a hold of himself.
Grimmjow was mortified, while whale-mouth Nnoitra laughed his head off, who ended up falling backward in his chair and crashing against the wall. Szayel finally managed to get back into his chair whose hair was a mess and bone glasses slightly askew from the tackle. Quite a few of the others, him included, chuckled. Some simply stifled their snickers, while convulsing. Ulquiorra, however, stared blankly at his rival. Starrk remembered the cuatro's lips twitching slightly, but no smile or laugh surfaced, just coughed.
It was comical but bizarre.
He is snapped from his thoughts from Hiromi hollering.
"And you could have knocked instead of barging into my room!"
"Pfft, whatever. If you're so bent out of shape with me going into your room, how come you're not screaming your head off at Starrky boy?"
Starrk felt his eye twitch.
"Excuse me?"
"Because he already apologized for intruding. I'm still waiting on yours."
Grimmjow's nose wrinkled.
"Pfft, why should I?"
"You walked in on her, dumbass. I told you not to go in there. Just say you're sorry and that you'll never do it again," Shirō urged.
"Who asked you for your input, you little pest? Now beat it before I make you."
"Leave him alone, Grimmjow," Hiromi snaps. "He is right, though, Shirō. You really should be heading out. We need to have a conversation, and it's not meant for your young ears."
"But," Shirō began to argue. "But I haven't seen you for weeks! I miss seeing you. Shoot, my mom has already stuck me with Mrs. Itō four times because of work. Can I stay just a little longer, please?"
Hiromi looked at him, considering her options with a tiny screw of her lips. She didn't say anything for the longest time, but she stood from her spot to head towards the kitchen.
Shirō followed while Starrk watched her every move.
Hiromi approaches one of the cabinets and reaches in to withdraw a red racecar.
"You may stay a little longer, but you would have to wait outside, Shirō. Why don't you take the racecar you left behind and play with Taro? I'm sure he could use some company."
"Sure, I can do that, but what about Misa and Ran? Aren't they around, too."
"I'm sure they are, but I believe they're playing in the trees like the little monkeys they are. I'll come down and get you once we are finished talking, then you can visit me for as long as you like."
Hiromi smiled softly at the child as she handed the toy to Shirō.
"Thank you, Miss Hiromi. It was nice meeting you, Coyote!" Shirō waved at Starrk. He then regarded Grimmjow with his tongue sticking out and pulled at his bottom eyelid. "You, not so much, dumbass."
"Why you little," Grimmjow snarls, then runs after the child.
Shirō giggles and then runs for the door with an enraged Grimmjow at his tail.
"Come try and get me!"
"I fully plan on it, you little oomph!"
Grimmjow trips over his own shadow and sprawls on the floor. He groans and winces from aches and pains coursing through his body and feels his face heat from falling face first.
"Damnit, that hurt," he mutters.
Nearby, Hiromi tsk'd with her arms folded in front of her.
"It sounds like you need another round of medicine," she replies, then glances over to a wall clock. "It's around that time anyway. So, I'll get that going for you."
Grimmjow made a sour face. "Ugh, that witch juice is nasty."
"I know, but you need to take the nasty witch juice you like to call it to get better."
He slowly stood to his feet with a bit of assistance from Hiromi but shook her off afterward.
"I can stand on my own, you know. I don't need you as a crutch."
"I realize that, but you didn't seem to argue when I aided you just now. So, apparently, you're hurting. The fall certainly didn't help matters when you're still trying to recover from your injuries. Now go sit down before you trip up again, you clod."
"Shut up," he groans softly. "If it wasn't for that Toasted Marshmallow, Tōsen, I wouldn't be here getting nursed like a damn child."
From the table, Starrk observed the two critically. As the two spoke and interacted, he noticed Grimmjow lightly touch Hiromi's arm and the protective gaze in his eye in passing. Hiromi's soft eyes watched him and flashed a kind smile his way. Starrk found this curious yet baffling still. Who would have thought a person like Grimmjow, who is dangerous and cunning, be friendly towards a human woman? Maybe, there's more to it than meets the eye?
He watched as Grimmjow plopped in the chair and sat back in a lounge with arms folded. Starrk noticed patches of black and blue on Grimmjow's torso, and some were yellowish and light purple. Bandages are adorning his chest, biceps, and right wrist. He caught a wince as Grimmjow took a deep breath and clutched his abdomen.
"Damnit, I will kill that justice freak when and if I see him again," Grimmjow mutters.
"Even if you did, you won't last long in your current condition," Starrk states. "You need to get your strength up first before duking it out like the raging bull you can be."
"Shut up, I could handle him right now if he tried coming after me. Now, what the hell are you doing here, Primera?"
"On assignment, what else?"
Hiromi approached the table and sat a cup of hot tea in front of Grimmjow.
"Here, drink this," she instructs.
"Don't want it," Grimmjow grunts while glaring at Starrk, who rolls his eyes at him.
"Stop being defiant. There is no sleeping draught. There's only the medicine to ease any pain you're in."
"I still don't want it, woman. Now answer my question, asshole!"
Hiromi sighs, rolls her eyes then leaves his side to sit next to Starrk, who remains to watch her.
"I gave you an answer. I'm on assignment."
"Yeah, I got that much, but what is the assignment?"
"Isn't it obvious? Lord Aizen requested I investigate any possible remains of you, which will confirm that you are alive."
Hiromi watched Starrk as he spoke, searching his gaze as he eyed her curiously. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she puckered her lips in thought.
"Why would that prissy, megalomanic care? It's not like I'm going back," Grimmjow spews, eyeing the two people in front of him.
"Lord Aizen has some suspicions he needed to be clarified. Why do you keep staring at me?"
The gentle question is directed at Hiromi, who couldn't tear her gaze off him.
"Why are you? You haven't stopped watching me since I stepped out of my room."
"I'm merely assessing. I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?"
Hiromi faintly smiles.
"Not at all. Assessing is observing, something we have in common given the circumstances."
Grimmjow watched the two converse, somewhat fascinated by their exchange yet irritated.
"I do apologize for my intrusion. It was rather rude of me."
"I accept your apology. One thing, though," Hiromi responds, turning to him completely.
"Yes?"
"You never did answer my question. Who are you?"
Starrk turned to her completely, softly smiling.
"The name's Coyote Starrk, the Primera Espada. Hiromi, I presume?"
Hiromi mirrored his smile, her eyes brightening.
"Yes, I'm Hiromi Watanabe. It's a pleasure to meet you. When you say Primera, that makes you number one, correct? And I assume you're the strongest amongst your colleagues?"
"Hey! I'm strong, too, and probably stronger than him," Grimmjow bristled.
Hiromi and Starrk ignore him, continuing their formalities and introductions.
"You assume correctly," Starrk replies with a swell of pride. "We're ranked according to our level of power, and as you assumed, I'm the strongest among the ten of us. Well, nine since Grimmjow here has abandoned his position as Sexta."
"I'm sure his abandonment caused some tension amongst those remaining."
"Nah, not really. There are only a couple who are curious about Grimmjow's whereabouts. Others not so much."
"I don't doubt that Emo Bat Ulquiorra is one of them," Grimmjow comments.
Hiromi glances over at Grimmjow and eyes him strangely, which Grimmjow doesn't care for.
What the hell is up with that look? Did I say something I shouldn't have, Grimmjow thought to himself.
"I was one of the few that didn't particularly care either. Except a different perspective made me reconsider."
"I'm sure you put yourself in Grimmjow's shoes if it were the other way around. I do wonder why this Lord Aizen person decided now to send you searching for him after three weeks."
"He didn't find out until after General Tōsen returned with significant injuries you inflicted upon him. Pretty impressive for a human woman to accomplish. Lord Aizen appointed me to investigate in two weeks, which is why I'm here now."
"Why wait so long, though?" Hiromi questioned.
Starrk opened his mouth to answer, only to get interrupted by Grimmjow.
"Whoa, hold up! If Aizen didn't know about me leaving, then how in the hell did Tōsen find out?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't doubt someone tipped you off."
"I bet my Zanpakutō it was Ulquiorra since he was the last person I saw, the fucking bat."
Again, Hiromi glances at Grimmjow with brows furrowed, and she frowns strangely. It goes unnoticed by both males.
"Hmm, it's probable. To answer your question before I was interrupted, Lady Hiromi, I'm not entirely sure why he delayed my mission. I suppose Lord Aizen wanted to make sure he," Starrk points at Grimmjow, "was alive and not going to the shinigami's aid."
"Pfft, why would I want to go them? I want no ties to either side. I just want to be left alone."
Starrk regards Grimmjow then. He can see his associate is adamant about not returning, and Starrk wonders why that is. There are so many possibilities that led to Grimmjow's sudden dismissal, but he has to narrow it down to at least three if not one.
What exactly set you off, Grimmjow? Starrk questions.
"Considering you are in Lady Hiromi's care, you are not entirely left alone. You're very fortunate to have survived since she did interfere."
"Oh, yeah, I was so lucky I was nearly killed because of that asshole. Chicky here just stormed onto the battlefield without giving a shit of her life and not knowing what the hell she was doing."
"I got him to retreat with a significant wound, didn't I?" Hiromi voiced.
"Yeah, but you could have gotten yourself killed, too, girly."
"I…" Hiromi trails off, unsure how to respond.
Starrk noticed color gracing her soft cheeks and gazing at the tabletop.
"You have some nerve to guilt the person that saved your life, Grimmjow," he replies, causing Hiromi to perk. "You are lucky despite the consequences, of course. I assume guilting her is how you express that you care."
"Pfft, like hell I do."
His comment made Hiromi glower and casually thrust a rude hand gesture at Grimmjow.
"You are simply in denial and defiant as ever."
"Pfft, whatever, asshole," Grimmjow mumbles the last bit.
Starrk did hear him but ignored it. However, he pondered the idea of questioning Grimmjow of his motives for leaving his position and seeking refuge in the living world. There is a reason for it anyway.
"What made you decide to leave?"
"Why the hell would I tell you anything, Primera? I don't trust you. We never hung out or anything. Hell, you don't associate with anyone except for that lime tart, Lilynette, and you are always sleeping. So, why do you care?"
"Grimmjow," Hiromi gasped.
"What? It's the truth, girly. The only reason Starrk is here is because he was asked to, period. He doesn't give a shit about me."
"Still, you shouldn't be so disrespectful."
"I only show respect to those who deserve it, chicky! And like you, I don't trust easily."
"And yet it didn't take too long for you to trust me, didn't it?"
"Only because you saved my ass from the Toasted Marshmallow."
"Did you forget the incident several days after I rescued you?"
Grimmjow's lips curled into a vicious snarl and his brows angled sharply.
"I thought we agreed to not speak of that night, woman."
"Oh, I remember, Jaegerjaquez. I won't get into the details like I promised, but I will point out the meaning behind the event, which is the current topic. You said you don't trust easily, yet you quickly earned mine in less than a week because of what I've done for you. Coyote asking why you left is him willing to listen and understand your situation. Give him a chance."
"Yeah, that's very doubtful since I know the guy, girly. Maybe not well enough, but I know he respects Aizen and will do whatever he is told no matter what he thinks. Telling him anything would just land me in deeper shit than I already am."
"But you," Hiromi continued to argue but was interrupted.
"You don't have to argue on my behalf, Lady Hiromi," Starrk interjects as he glares at Grimmjow.
"But," she tried to argue with him, only to stop.
She noticed something that Grimmjow failed to see.
Starrk appeared uninterested, but he seemed… hurt. She may not know him well enough in the short amount of time, but Hiromi gathered that Starrk didn't seem one to get offended much. She thought he was well put together and surprisingly formal. His mannerisms towards her are nothing compared to Grimmjow's, that's for sure. Starrk is polite towards her and quite respectful, something Hiromi didn't think any of Grimmjow's former associates would be like. Meeting Starrk made her realize that not all of them are bad. Of course, she hasn't met all of them yet. Would Hiromi like to? That remains undecided.
Hiromi watched Starrk's features harden, and a frown appeared on his thin lips.
"Your distrust is apparent, so I won't waste any more of your time nor mine."
He gracefully stood from his chair and glided across the floor towards the door.
Neither Hiromi nor Grimmjow said anything, just watched Starrk approach the door and then gripped the door handle tightly.
"You have one hour," he says.
Grimmjow's brows furrowed as he snarled.
"What the hell does that supposed to mean?"
Starrk turned to regard Grimmjow, his frown still apparent and furrowed brows creased tighter.
"Lord Aizen gave me a three-hour time limit to locate you. I would like to complete my mission in two, considering an hour has already passed."
"You seriously think I'm going back there? Like hell I am."
Starrk's eyes narrowed, stared at Hiromi briefly, then over to Grimmjow.
"You just reduced it to half an hour."
"Fuck you! I'm not going back! You can't make me!"
Hiromi noticed Starrk's jaw square and steel blue eyes glare dangerously at Grimmjow, who remained defiant in being escorted back.
"If you are not compliant with the time I've given you, I will drag you back to Las Noches whether you like it or not. Don't test me either. Half an hour starts now."
"Do you seriously expect me to return there? I told you I'm not going back! If I have to fight you to make a point, I will!"
"Yet we both know you won't last but a minute in your condition. I'm being generous in giving you additional time with Lady Hiromi while preparing for the journey ahead. You also need to plead your case once you meet with Lord Aizen. Half an hour and not a minute more."
Starrk yanks the door open.
"I'm telling you, Primera! I am not returning to that hell hole!"
Starrk ignores Grimmjow. He disappears from view with a light click of the door.
"Gah, damnit! I'm going to murder that son of a bitch!"
Grimmjow starts forward to confront Starrk but is stopped by a light touch that disappears just as fast.
"Wait here," Hiromi's small voice echoed in his ears.
She brushes past him to follow after Starrk, but Grimmjow reaches out and snatches her delicate wrist. His grip was gentle on her smooth, warm skin but held Hiromi firmly in place. She peers over her rounded shoulders, gazing up at him with her thin brows slightly furrowed.
"What do you think you're going to do?" He asks his voice grave yet soft.
"I'm going to reason with him."
"Yeah, good luck with that, girly. You heard him, didn't you? I have half an hour before the asshole forces me back."
"I won't let that happen," she affirms.
Grimmjow regards Hiromi with a slightly panicked frown, his grip tightening around her wrists.
"Even if it means dealing with one of Aizen's more trusted subordinates? The guy may not share the same enthusiasm for his cause, but he does whatever Aizen tells him."
"I realized this earlier. If Coyote really were here to escort you back, he would have done so already. Instead, he took the time to speak with both of us and gave you additional time with me to sort things through."
Grimmjow wanted to argue, but Hiromi made a point.
"Alright, you made a point, but still…," Grimmjow drones but is interrupted.
"Do you not trust me, Grimm?"
It was a question he didn't have to answer despite his growing nerves. His lips press into a tight line and divert his gaze to the floor. His grip on Hiromi's wrist loosens, then falls in a trembling, clenched fist at his side. Grimmjow sighs heavily as he rubs the back of his neck with a free hand.
When he doesn't say anything, Hiromi places a hand on his bare chest and flashes him a kind smile that is unseen by his eyes. Grimmjow does, however, gently grip her wrist again, squeezing for an ounce of reassurance.
"Believe me, I know what I'm doing, so there's no need to worry. I'll talk to Coyote on your behalf."
He says nothing at first, but eventually, he does and squeezes her wrist.
"Thank you, Hiromi."
Grimmjow stares down at her, finally catching her kind smile. He is taken aback by it as no one has ever smiled at him with so much affection. It is infectious and causes something within his chest to bloom with warmth. He felt a corner of his mouth curl upward, trying to smile but couldn't.
She flashes Grimmjow a kind smile as her warm touch leaves his chest, moving away like a feather. Hiromi always stepped lightly, a characteristic similar to a cat. Except, hers is more graceful and poised like a swan.
He watched as the kind and gentle woman moved swiftly out of the apartment, leaving him to ponder his situation. Half an hour is enough to think of a solution. Except, all the possibilities he had benefitted him and not the girl. Grimmjow knows Hiromi will be left vulnerable once he is no longer around, so he must think of something to protect her.
Especially when he has sensed on numerous occasions something watching them.
Updated 05/25/2022 with additional scenes and fixes