Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Dandelion Fluff ❯ April Fools' Day {HalibelXGrimmjow} ( Chapter 3 )

Sexta Espada Grimmjow Jeagerjaques checked off the box on his calendar and checked his to-do list as he sat in bed, listening to the footfalls of people outside. This had been a productive day. He'd given a scathing report on why there was no need to revise the uniforms, they were just fine. He'd been by Halibel's room—or rather, her cell, due to her tenacious quest to get out—tried to strike up a conversation however unsuccessfully. Like it was his fault she'd broken her leg—okay, it was his fault, but still, she should forgive him for it. He only meant to cause a hairline fracture—not the compound break that meant she would be in agony for another six weeks. He went to sleep blissfully unaware of tomorrow's date…April 1st.

When Grimmjow woke up it wasn't to a blaring alarm clock. It was to his least-favorite song, “Brick House”, playing at the highest volume possible. He shot up in bed, to see that not only was he decorated with a shaving-cream bikini and handlebar moustache…but he'd also upset a giant bucket of water—freezing water, as he soon discovered—that had been rigged directly over his head.

When, finally, The Drenched One had navigated the obstacle course/string trap formerly known as his room and changed, he was just getting ready to walk out the door when it occurred to him that there might be a second bucket waiting. So, Grimmjow pulled his Zanpaku-to from its sheath and was about to nudge the door open when he saw the blade. Pantera, his pride and joy, his only weapon, was…pink. Not coppery pink. Not faintly, subtly pink. PINK, screaming, yelling, Day-Glo hot pink…and, worst of all, it wouldn't rub off. In his total and complete grief, the poor soul staggered out the door to his quarters…and upset a second water bucket as the door shut behind him. Freezing water, of course.

From the morning's incident everything went downhill. His “pet” cat, the orange tabby that liked to follow him through the grounds, was unceremoniously booted from the room during a board meeting. The cafeteria (read: Orihime) was serving Tuna-Noodle Surprise. He hated Tuna-Noodle Surprise, because when he tried to bite it, it bit back. After lunch, as he was walking out, Ulquiorra caught him and beat him bloody for trying to leave early—Lord Aizen's orders. The little punk. Ulquiorra knew they could leave whenever they wanted.

The sparring rooms were closed—or, more precisely, Ulquiorra and his deep-black reiatsu were occupying them. Same difference. And, besides all that, there were more pranks. By 2:00 p.m. he'd had water balloons thrown at him, extremely noticeable silver glitter thrown on him, a whoopee cushion had been on his chair at any and every possible time, and he'd discovered halfway through the aforesaid board meeting that there was gum—flaming red, tropical-punch flavored gum—in his hair. He had also, thanks to a random escapade by some newly-promoted Fraccions, been glued and feathered within an inch of his life. Grimmjow decided that he needed to escape. And, with any luck, he'd be able to do so…however embarrassingly.

 

 

 

Please give Halibel credit, she really did try not to laugh. But when Sexta Espada Grimmjow Jeagerjaques shows up at the door to your aforementioned room/prison cell, not only drenched but a mess of glue, glitter and feathers, and holding out a pair of googly-eye spring glasses like some sort of weird peace offering, and begging to be let in for the sake of all that is holy, it's kind of hard to keep a straight face.

“G…Grimmjow! What happened?”

“Let me in first.” She quickly deactivated the traps she'd set for Szayel and allowed him to unlock the door and step in, and that was when the dam broke; she couldn't hold it in any longer. It started as a giggle and quickly graduated into a roar. When the laughter finally subsided, Halibel was doubled up on her bed with tears staining the front of her shirt. Grimmjow had an expression on his face like a mixture of relief and devastation.

“It's not funny!”

“No…sorry.” The conversation turned almost immediately. Halibel began politely asking questions—he looked tired, what had happened? Would he like to sit down? He could have her lunch, she didn't want it. Despite how much it looked like a cunning trap, Grimmjow sat down and was soon pessimistically devouring a plain baloney sandwich.

“So…what happened?”

“Everything. Apparently, nobody told me it was April Fool's Day.”

Truly, he looked as if everything had happened. Grimmjow's hair was matted with sticky red gum, there were feathers sticking out of his ears, and his shihakusho was completely out of order, to the point that one could plainly see his regulation-standard, black cotton boxer shorts underneath.

“Um…”

“Yeah, I know. Pathetic, isn't it? Sixth crying to second, and you're injured, too, but I didn't know where else to hide.” He sheepishly lowered his head. “I shouldn't be bothering you. I'll just…get out of here.” He stood to go.

“No.” She pulled him back down onto the bed, tugging his hand until he was sitting back down next to her. Grimmjow cocked an eyebrow.

“What is it?”

“It's just…well…those pranks were kind of mean.”

“Really.” He said sarcastically, “do tell. It's not that they were dangerous…”

“But they were cruel,” She finished. “Cruel…and…they really…hurt you. They were too cruel.”

“And…” Grimmjow pulled his Zanpaku-to from its scabbard for her to see. “The pranks on me were bad enough. But look at what they did to Pantera! They should know better than that…” he stared sadly at the sword, his eyes soft and hurt. She could almost see the tearing and the ripping-apart it was causing, all these things at once. He was shaking. Grimmjow, who never faltered, who was always ready for battle. It had been too much—she sadly realized that April 1st was the one-year anniversary of his becoming an Arrancar, the day he'd remember that terrible pain. His eyes shut, and he slowly sagged down. She could almost feel the pain in his shoulders as the muscles tried to loosen to no avail.

This was it. There was something that needed saying, and apparently, even though her mind was against it Halibel couldn't stop herself. She pushed him down so that he lay sprawled across the bed, carefully curling up beside him. The Espada barely opened his eyes.

“Uh…Grimmjow…I was the one who did all that. I called in a bunch of favors to get back at you for…” She trailed off, unable to answer herself. For what? For hurting her…was that all? She and Apache sparred every day, she and Nel, she and Stark; she'd fought with every Arrancar for sport and for training, including Grimmjow a few times. It had never bothered her, even when she'd been in terrible near-death trouble. What was it about Grimmjow that she felt so terrible when he hurt her? “I didn't know that it would get out of hand. I'm sorry.”

He was looking up at her, the fact not seeming to register. She felt terrible—what was the big deal? She should be happy; she'd gotten back at him. It only hurt.

“I…could feel it too; I bet if I fell on this leg then…the pain would come close…” She knew it wouldn't, and it was a lousy way to make it up. “I could try it…a couple times. I'm so sorry Grimmjow. I'll do it, I'll at least hurt too.”

She began to get up, but Grimmjow slipped his hands around her waist. Halibel, however, lost her balance and slipped, landing on the leg she'd broken. As he picked her up and turned so that they were both lying on the bed, Halibel pinned against the wall, the Espada bit her lip so hard it bled. She tried to smile at him. “I…I didn't even come close…sorry…” He stared intently at her face, unnervingly watching her eyes as they clouded with pain.

“Don't move,” he stated, his hand flicking out to push her back onto the bed. “Don't move, and don't do that again. Why do you think I want you to hurt?…I hurt you…but…” He stopped. “Just please tell me why you got so angry with me. I was just sparring with you. We've both done worse to each other. What did I do, that made you do this?”

Halibel sighed. With her face buried in the sheets, she didn't have to look at him, but she could feel Grimmjow watching her. “…I don't know.” She couldn't think of a single reason. She could remember clearly how irritated he'd been by the time he agreed to spar with her that day, even though his schedule was clear as glass. Why had he resisted?

“What about you?” She asked. “Why wouldn't you spar with me until I pestered you to death? You usually love to fight.”

“I…” His face colored. “I didn't want to.” Grimmjow's eyes flickered over to her. “It seemed, I don't know, wrong somehow. For me to fight you. Like I shouldn't be trying to hurt you…” He looked over at her again. “Like I should be protecting you. I don't know why. But I couldn't concentrate—I never meant to break your leg like that. I meant to slam you back, knock the wind out of you so I could go think. I planned on a small crack if anything. I can't tell you how sorry I am…I shouldn't have…even let you talk me into it…”

His words stabbed at Halibel. She couldn't imagine this unexplained truth being very true indeed…that both of them wanted this…peace. That it felt wrong to fight with Grimmjow, and that he felt the same way. Remorse…she felt the pain ricochet through her leg again as she whacked her heel against the wall. She was so stupid…it was the least she deserved. How could she have ignored this? How could she have hurt him like this? “Grimmjow—” Her heel hit again. The pain made her gasp. “I'm so sorry—please…forgive me—” She yelped as he picked her up and set her carefully on his chest. “Wh-what…?

“Don't you get it? I don't want you hurt. I can't stand for you to feel pain. Stop it.” Grimmjow stared up into her eyes, his hands resting across her back and gently stroking out the knots their conversation had tied. “Halibel—I think I…I think…I love you. And I want you to heal. You're…making yourself worse.”

He searched her face for any hint of an answer. Instead, Halibel leaned down and kissed him.

“I love you, too.” She smiled against his lips. “I guess I just didn't know.”

He sighed, and gently ruffled her hair. Within a few minutes, both Espada were sound asleep.