I sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, pointedly ignoring Grimmjow as he lounged in the chair across the room, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed lazily on me. The silence was thick, but I was determined not to give him the satisfaction of looking his way.

It didn't matter, though. I could feel him staring at me.

"Oi," he said suddenly, breaking the quiet with that drawl of his. "You're pretty bold, aren't you?"

I frowned, not looking up. "What are you talking about now?"

Grimmjow's smirk was practically audible. "Sneaking off to take a shower like you own the place. Didn't think you had it in you."

My face instantly burned. I shot him a glare, my arms crossing over my chest. "I didn'tsneakanywhere! I didn't think I had to ask permission just to clean up."

He let out a low chuckle, clearly enjoying himself. "You looked pretty comfortable in there."

I felt my entire face turn red at the memory of him bursting in while I was under the freezing water. I pointed a finger at him accusingly. "You're the one who barged in like some kind of psycho!"

Grimmjow shrugged, unbothered. "It's my room. Maybe next time you should lock the door."

"There wasn't a lock!" I snapped, exasperated. "Besides, it's common courtesy to knock,you jerk."

Grimmjow grinned, his sharp teeth glinting as his gaze flicked to me again. "Didn't know humans got so worked up about stuff like that. You looked fine to me."

"Excuse me?!" My voice shot up, and I could feel my face heating up even more. "You—!"

He leaned forward slightly, propping an elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his hand as he watched me with that infuriating smirk still plastered on his face. "Relax. It's not like I haven't seen worse."

"You're impossible," I muttered, turning away and hugging my arms around myself to hide how flustered I was. My pulse was still racing, and no matter how hard I tried to calm down, his teasing lingered like a thorn under my skin.

Grimmjow didn't let up. "You should've seen your face, though. Like a little mouse that got caught in a trap."

I grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him before I could think better of it. "Shut up!"

He caught it effortlessly, one eyebrow arching in amusement. "Didn't think you had that much fight left in you." He tossed the pillow back onto the bed, shaking his head with a low laugh.

"I swear," I muttered under my breath, clutching the edge of the blanket, "you get some kind of twisted joy out of making my life miserable."

"Maybe," Grimmjow said easily, leaning back in the chair again. "It's pretty entertaining."

I glared at him, but he didn't look away. His blue eyes held that same dangerous glint, like he was always a moment away from starting trouble. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hit him or just ignore him until he got bored and left.

"I didn't do anything wrong," I said finally, my voice quieter but no less firm. "I just wanted to feel human again for five minutes."

Grimmjow's smirk faltered slightly at that. He watched me for a moment, his expression unreadable, before shrugging again and looking away. "You're in the wrong place for that, girl. This isn't your world."

I felt my chest tighten at his words, but I didn't argue. He was right, even if I hated to admit it. I wasn't supposed to be here. I didn't belong inLas Nochesor anywhere near the Espada.

And yet... here I was.

The silence stretched between us again, heavier this time. Grimmjow shifted slightly, glancing toward the door like he was ready to leave. For a second, I thought he was done with me, and I couldn't decide whether I was relieved or disappointed.

Then, of course, he opened his mouth again.

"Bet you'll think twice before pulling a stunt like that again, huh?"

I scowled, throwing my hands up in frustration. "Oh my god, let it go already!"

Grimmjow laughed—an actual laugh this time, rough and unrestrained, and it startled me enough to make me freeze. I'd never heard him laugh like that before, and for a split second, it almost sounded... real.

"You're too easy to mess with," he said, shaking his head as he stood up. "It's pathetic."

"You're pathetic," I shot back, though the heat in my voice had lessened.

Grimmjow ignored the insult, stretching his arms behind his head as he walked toward the door. "Get some rest. You'll need it for when Aizen decides he's ready to play with you you already know that."

My stomach twisted at the mention of Aizen. I looked away, suddenly feeling small and tired all over again. "Yeah. Great."

Grimmjow paused at the door, his back to me. For a moment, I thought he was going to say something else, but instead, he let out a low grunt and stepped out into the hallway.

The door closed behind him with a softthud, leaving me alone in the room once more.

I slumped back onto the bed, letting out a shaky breath as I stared up at the ceiling. Grimmjow's teasing still rang in my ears, but the weight of what he'd said afterward hit me harder.

"You'll need it for when Aizen decides he's ready to play with you again."

A cold chill ran through me. Whatever Aizen had planned—whatever he thought I was hiding—it wasn't over. And as much as I wanted to pretend otherwise, I couldn't shake the feeling that somethingwasinside me.

Something I didn't understand.

Something dangerous.

I turned over, curling up against the pillow as I tried to push the thoughts away. Sleep wouldn't come easily, I knew that much.

But I wasn't going to break. Not yet.

Meanwhile, down the hall, Grimmjow strode through the empty corridors ofLas Noches, his mind still replaying the earlier scene in the bathroom. He scowled to himself, his teeth grinding.

"Stupid girl," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

He hadn't meant to walk in on her. He really hadn't. But the memory lingered—her startled expression, the way the freezing water had made her skin shiver, her hair clinging to her face.

Grimmjow growled, shaking his head violently as if to rid himself of the image. "She's just a human. Doesn't matter."

But he couldn't deny that something about her was different. She didn't cower the way others would. She didn't beg. And despite the fear in her eyes, there was still fight left in her—a stubbornness that grated on his nerves and intrigued him all the same.

"She's trouble," he muttered to himself as he stalked down the hallway. "That's all."

And yet, no matter how much he tried to convince himself... he couldn't stop thinking about her.