I don't remember much of how it happened. One fight. One fight was all it took. I was hooked on the pain, the anger, the sorrow that could be erased by one blow to the face of whoever the Hell was stupid enough to challenge me. So when that kid, that prettyboy, cocky mouthed, reckless son of a bitch was assigned to me by Aizen. Ichigo Kurosaki... I was intrigued. He was powerful, like Aizen said. But he was using that power for others. He wasn't using that power for himself. Not to any extent.

What the Hell? I'd thought. Is he fuckin retarded? Even after I beat him half dead he wasn't using that power to protect himself. Just the people around him. He didn't fight for the same reasons I did. I fought for the Hell of it, he fought for the people he loved. This kid. He was interesting. Even protecting his friends, he didn't kill me, though it was easy to tell that I'd lost. I'd been lying in a pool of my own blood for days. As far as I could tell, Aizen and his squad had deserted the place. What a fuckin drag... I guess I better get out of here.

So what did I do, you ask? I payed that kid a visit. Near wrangled Urahara for a faux body. I didn't have any buisness trying to kill that kid anymore, honestly. I gave it my all and damn well would have died if that kid hadn't let me off with so my spirit body would heal itself. I tracked him down by his reiatsu, right down to his home. I actually knocked on the door. Hadn't done nothin like that in years, what with my history of cracking open windows so I could steal to survive. I'd been lucky to find Aizen and his luxurious living conditions, but he was gone.

"G-Grimmjow!" the shock on his face was priceless when he opened that door.

"Cool it, carrot top. I ain't here to fight." I put up my hands in surrender, and he folded his arms over his chest.

"Why are you here then?"

"Well, there ain't anything left for me in Hueco Mundo. Aizen packed up and deserted the place." I explained.

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"Kid, you near cut me in half. I'm bound to be down a few days before I wake up good as new."

"Yeah, sorry about that. But you were gonna kill my friend, you beat my ass near dead, used a Gran Rey Cero..." Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"W-Whatever, fair enough. But I was hoping you could show me how to have a life here."

"You're joking right?" I offered up the most serious expression I'd probably ever have on my face. "You're not joking." he sounded disappointed.

"Christ, I'm not that unbearable." I groaned, accepting his motion for me to come inside. The place was a dump compared to Las Noches, but who'd ever have enough money to get better than this?

"You don't have anywhere to go, do you?" Ichigo said, setting some tea in front of me.

"Nope..." I looked away from his sympathetic brown eyes.

"How do I know you won't try anything funny if I let you stay here with me and Rukia?"

"Don't act like she won't be watching me left, right, and through the night." I crossed my arms, and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, whatever... just do something about your reiatsu. I've got two sisters, and one of them can pick up energies and see spirits. By the way, what happened to your mask?"

"You're one to talk. But I thought of that in advance and ordered a faux body to look more human. No hole either, see?" I pulled off my shirt to reveal the presence of flesh where it would have been absent in my spirit form. Ichigo wasn't looking. "Hey, strawberry, what's the problem? It's convincing ain't it?" Blush filled his cheeks.

"A-Ah, just put your clothes back on!" I couldn't help but smile.

"You're shy, ain't you? You're more innocent than I thought, strawberry."

"Urusei. You sound like that damn perverted cat Yoruichi."

Ichigo's POV

Over the next month, I taught Grimmjow everything there was to living in the human world. Vending machines, convenience stores, school, (Rukia was extremely reluctant to alter people's memories so he could transfer in quietly) music, (heavy metal subgenres, indie, and acoustic were some that we had in common) and video games. He seemed to really enjoy all the fighting and war themed types... probably an outlet for his tendency towards bloodlust that he couldn't take out on people anymore. He was a surprisingly decent guy, now that his temper had calmed down. I almost want to say he's friendly, but he's just not as extroverted as I thought he was.

One day, when we were on the town, he wanted to catch a movie, "Jurassic World." Seemed okay to me. It was a pretty normal experience, even with Grimmjow's initial amazement with the 3D quality of the film. We were both shoveling down popcorn as the two brother characters were being kicked around like a soccer ball by the genetically engineered dinosaur in their hamster dome. He seemed to think it was hilarious when they were near eaten. Something about him changed though, when the scientist and the dinosaur tamer came across a field of badly wounded, dying herbivore dinos. He was silent, still as stone, and I nudged him to see if he was okay.

"You don't think this is funny?" I whispered.

"No." He replied, voice husky.

"It was funny when those kids almost died."

"They were human, this is an animal. Animals don't have malicious intent, they act on instinct. And all of them were helpless."

"Is that why you saved Orihime back in Hueco Mundo? Because she was helpless?" He nodded. I thought he was a decent guy before. Now I was near convinced he was a great guy, feeling sympathy for animals. He wasn't volatile anymore, but his humanity was still lacking. I needed to test him. I needed to see if Arrancar were really as different from Shinigami and humans as he'd last said. I didn't think he was born to bring decay to everything. He wasn't born to destroy.

The next day, on my way home from school, I bought a kitten from the animal shelter. Grimmjow hadn't shown a huge interest in animals on his own, but I think if he got a push from someone he trusted, (at least, I hoped he trusted me by now) he might give the little girl a chance. Walking up to my room, I opened the door. Grimmjow was seated on the windowsill, playing some chains through his hand, and Rukia was in her closet, reading. I dropped the kitten down lightly in the Arrancar's lap. He picked her up by the scruff of her neck, eyeing her curiously. She was black with grey tabby markings and blue eyes. In a way, she looked a lot like him and I think he noticed it too.

"Did you buy her with me in mind?" He asked, letting the kitten crawl over his clothes and nuzzle his face with her cheek.

"Yeah, you could say that." I admitted, crossing two fingers behind my back.

"I'm still a monster you know, Kurosaki. Don't leave her in my hands." Grimmjow sounded almost sad, giving the kitten a few gentle strokes down the back with his fingers.

"I don't believe that. I don't believe that you want to hurt that little cat like a monster would. I trust you with her."

"She got a name?" he asked, smiling slightly as the small creature licked his cheek with her sandpaper tongue. I had forgotten that I hadn't explained the human culture of naming animals to him yet.

"Well, here, when you take an animal as your pet, you're supposed to name the animal yourself."

"Hmm... I'm no genius, but I think Ritsuka is a good name for her."

"It sounds a lot like Rukia..." I murmured.

"Fine, fine. I'll choose one from my own language then." he picked her up by the scruff again. "You look like..." he stared intently into her eyes. "Cereza."

"That's 'cherry' right?" I said, not sure why it was so hard to be creative.

"Shut up, strawberry." He really is unoriginal. I thought.

Grimmjow's POV

I was having a pretty good time with strawberry and his friends. I really liked Cereza. She was a sign of trust from Ichigo. As good as that felt, I was still irked by the way Orihime and Rukia acted around me. I couldn't really blame em though. I'd punched the Shinigami girl full of holes while we were enemies, and damn near choked Orihime before Ichigo fought me after he was healed. I was learning to be less bothered by it though. More as, I didn't have the time to be bothered by it. I was always hanging out with the strawberry, kicking his ass in videogames, developing my sense of style, (a guy's and girl's sense of fashion is part of their identity; don't judge me.) and even sparring with him at the dojo as of late.

I think Rukia noticed this too, and was slowly warming up to me. As little as it irked me now that she was afraid of me, it still pissed me off that she couldn't be happy Ichigo and I were friends. Maybe she felt threatened since he and I spent so much time together? I couldn't be sure. Point is, I'm not their enemy more. I wasn't a good guy. But I was far from trying to start a fight with them any time soon. I'd finished sparring with Ichigo, and his round with Rukia was done also, when he went to buy some drinks for the three of us. She took this chance to try and sort things out.

"You came along this time because you wanted to talk with me, right?" I said, just as her mouth was parting.

"Yeah... I wanted to say I'm sorry I haven't welcomed you as warmly as Ichigo has."

"You have a snow and ice katana. I wasn't expecting you to be some hearth I could curl up by in the winter." I replied.

"B-Baka. I'm not cold... who do you take me for, Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I lay back on one of the mats on the floor. "If it makes you feel better, I still think I'm a monster."

"I don't think you're a monster. The way you handle that kitten, Cereza... I couldn't help but feel bad. You're so gentle with her." Rukia looked over at me, a smile on her face. I blushed, turning away from her gaze with embarrassment.

"Iine... Just don't expect me to be saving your ass like I did for Orihime." She actually laughed.

"Ichigo said you had a soft spot for helpless and cute things."

"What about me now?" We both turned to see Ichigo coming up the stairs of the dojo with three cans in his hands.

"We were just talking about how bad your defense is!" Rukia called, making me laugh with her.

"U-Urusei! My offense is strong enough so I can overwhem my opponent before I really need to use a defense!" His flustered blush really was too adorable.

"Which is why you got that scratch on your cheek from my windblade, right, Ichigo?" Rukia looked smug. Ichigo was now looking resigned.

"Well, I didn't think it had to come to this... but you forced me to do this, Rukia." The world moved in a cliche slow motion as he popped the tab off her drink and held it in front of her. Her face was suddenly drenched in the soda like version of ginseng green tea. Unable to keep a straight face, I burst out laughing as Rukia face turned puzzled, horrified, and humiliated at the same time.

"W-What the Hell?! How did you do that? What false kidou is this?!" She tugged at her sopping dress, trying to distract from her now visible cleavage through the thin, pale material.

"I increased the carbonation in that drink by shaking it up before I came here. I figured you'd have something smart to say, so I prepared a lesson in advance." He flicked Rukia straight in the forehead, making her shake her hair soaking hair out like a dog.

"You planned this?!" I watched the two of them argue with black cherry So-Be drink in hand. I had the best friends in the world.

Ichigo's POV

The day after the sparring session between me, Rukia, and Grimmjow was paying off. at least 50 Gillian level Hollow were in the skies. It was up to the three of us to take care of them.

"They just keep coming!" Rukia said, frustrated, as she came back to back with me and blocked a Gillian's fist to her face with Sode no Shirayuki.

"Just keep fighting then!" I recognised Grimmjow's voice meld with mine as I replied to Rukia, watching him absolutely annihilate the Hollow in his way. "Getsuga Tenshou!" I yelled, slashing the blue energy into five Hollow and watching them die.

"Mau, Sode no Shirayuki! Hakuren!" Ice traveled in a burst at the bath of Hollow Grimmjow had lined up for himself. With a smirk, he brought his spirit energy onto his palms in a red outline of energy. He shattered the frozen trail of Gillian in one blow. We were all slamming them back to dust, left and right, he seemed to thoroughly enjoy finally being out of his gigai. He was using the full range of his abilities.

"He's really powerful, isn't he, Ichigo?" Rukia said, slicing a particularly ugly green Gillian down the chest.

"Yeah," I agreed, blocking a grab for my face with Zangetsu. "Aren't you glad to have him on our side?" I hated her uneasiness, as mild as it was compared to when he'd first stepped into the house. I forgave the guy, and he'd kicked my ass way worse than he'd done to her. Separating from her, I looked for the head cause of this huge Hollow gathering. It was only distanced from Rukia that I noticed it. A Menos Grande, big as they come, looking straight at her with his Cero nearly ready to blast.

"Rukia!" I called out to her as the Cero fired, earning myself a smack from the Gillian behind me. I coughed up blood and saliva, shaking all over as I pushed myself up. I called her name again, using my shunpo and slashing the Gillian in half with Zangetsu. I was so close to reaching her, blinded by the Cero as it made contact with the target.

"Ara, ara..." a familiar voice murmured. "That was dangerous. You should learn how to use a Cero properly." the red energy that could have easily incinerated Rukia glowed in Grimmjow's palm, turning violet, and then sky blue. "Gran Rey Cero!" The remaining Gillian and the Menos were gone. Joining the two where they were, I tried to make sure Rukia was okay, but she was too busy apologising.

"G-Gomenasai!" she stuttered, blushing. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. I'm sorry I didn't trust you enough up til now." She bowed. Grimmjow smiled, placing a hand in her hair gently.

"Don't worry bout it, kid." he gestured me over. "Oi, strawberry, we got something for you." I stood in between them, waiting.

"What's that?" I asked. The two of them grabbed either side of my hakama collar. "O-Oi, nantekotta i?!" Both my cheeks flushed red as they each received a kiss from both Grimmjow and Rukia. "YOU BOTH WANTED TO KISS ME?!"

The end.