Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rhapsody in Blue
Chapter One
"Get your fucking hands off of me, you bastards!" a deep, richly wild voice suddenly boomed throughout the elongated captain's headquarters of squad one, nearly shaking the pristine, somberly-colored walls as the huge, double doors were banged open.
All of the remaining captains of the Soul Society could not help but turn their heads towards the source of such vulgar, commanding noise, as multiple members of the mysterious kido corps were all wrestling a struggling, shouting form into the dignified room to stand before them all.
Eyes widened dramatically as the statuesque captains standing on either side of the room beheld the sight of stunning, electric blue hair thrashing from side to side as a bloodied and heavily battered white-clad male strained his muscles against the ominously masked men that were holding him back and trying to force him onto his knees.
Grimmjow Jeagerjaques had his immaculate, white teeth grit in ferocious resistance in spite of how the kido squad had had his hands and wrists bound behind his back with several layers of spells as the defeated arrancar was violently shoved down onto his knees in a classic display of submission, as he cast his furious, sky blue eyes towards the head captain seated a little ways before him.
The spectacle was a most intriguing one to all of the speechless onlookers, as the lively enemy, whose blood was currently splashing onto the polished floors beneath his crouched form, continued to harshly shrug off the many hands holding onto him and keeping him still.
One pair of naturally half-lidded, grey eyes, as grey as any chilled slab of intricately crafted stone, was particularly glued to the savage-looking male in the center of the room as the stoic squad six captain felt his own blood rush with invigorating adrenaline just from seeing such an unspeakable, enticing person in the flesh.
"Wow...he's...I have never seen anyone like him before," the Kuchiki male thought boldly to himself as he admittedly marveled at the way the fiery espada male's tanned skin contrasted so heavily with the bright white of his hakama and opened yet tattered jacket that revealed, almost as if in pride, his hollow hole and his thickly-lined number '6' along his lower back.
The aged but seemingly forever serene head captain thudded his walking cane solidly against the clean, hardwood floor in a single, startling gesture, demanding immediate attention as the powerful and highly-revered soul reaper was prepared to address the matter presented him to his subordinates.
"Espada number six, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques, you have been found guilty of your violent crimes against the Soul Society and the inhabitants thereof;" Head Captain Yamamoto's overly-gruff voice announced with skilled conviction as he kept his narrowed eyes trained keenly on the blue-haired and bloodied enemy before him,"however, it has come to my attention that, as one of the elite espada, you have worked closely alongside the traitor Sosuke Aizen."
A few of the captains around the room tightened their respective jaws at the mention of the most sullied name in all of the Soul Society, the realization of their head captain's words dawning on them even more so, however, as they eyed Grimmjow Jeagerjaques with a new level of understanding as to why he was presently in this room.
He could be potentially useful to their methods of operations in their war against the other arrancars.
His fate was to be decided.
Grimmjow snarled defiantly as he peered up through his fallen, blue bangs at the bearded man, detesting how he had been captured by the soul reapers, hating how all of the captains were watching him now like he was some sort of disgusting creature on display, hating...how the head captain had mentioned Aizen's name to him.
"Therefore, we are keeping you prisoner here in order to retrieve information about Aizen's upcoming plans," the eldest soul reaper concluded simply, already sensing a number of piqued interests and silent questions floating around the room at his disclosed decision.
"Prisoner...?"Byakuya quickly reiterated to himself, his genius, highly-strategic mind already analyzing possibilities of outcomes of such a predicament and exactly what that could mean for such a notorious person within their grasp and, ultimately, their disposal.
"Ha! You think you can keep me here?! Think again, old man!" Grimmjow proclaimed venomously at the head captain, grinning madly with a wicked glint in his devastatingly blue eyes, before suddenly kicking the ground hard and launching himself towards the seated man, malice in his smile as he broke free from his captors with nothing but brute strength.
However, just as he was only a foot away from Head Captain Yamamoto, who was still seated and just as calm in spite of the ravenous enemy who had just proceeded to tear him apart with whatever means, Grimmjow's every movement came to an abrupt halt as all of the remaining Court Guard Squad captains had their zanpaktos poised at his neck and a few at his heart, ready to strike him dead.
"Tch," Grimmjow voiced heatedly at his failed attempt to quench his rage with the elderly soul reaper, the many, cool blades of the surrounding captains crossing and angling dangerously around his most vital places before they were given the word to do otherwise, rendering the espada unable to move in any direction.
"Such foolishness shall not be tolerated!" Head Captain Yamamoto spoke harshly as he opened one of his eyes at his would-be attacker, seemingly sizing up everything Grimmjow was and stood for in the one, singular gesture, his proud words positively coursing through his captain-ranked subordinates who had yet to move an inch away from their enemy.
"Then, just go ahead and kill me, old man. I'd rather die than stay here with you fucking people anyway..."Grimmjow commented darkly, acid lining his every syllable as he narrowed his eyes and began to relax his tense, tanned muscles as a sort of signal to the captains that he was through trying to attack in his current, defeated state.
None of the blades were lowered from the espada's throat and chest, however, and Grimmjow leisurely trailed his gaze over to his right, perhaps in disdain or even boredom, and immediately caught the hauntingly beautiful gaze of Byakuya Kuchiki as the raven-haired male held fast onto Senbonsakura and stood his ground.
The bewildering event had only taken place within the space of a few seconds, but Byakuya knew that Grimmjow had seen the inevitable surprise that had briefly flashed over his pale face due to him seeing the espada's entrancing, blue eyes from so up close, the noble soul reaper even able to notice the tiny, teal-colored markings around the edges those beautiful eyes from underneath the dried, cracked blood that matted his face.
Grimmjow's profile was astoundingly striking to the briefly gaping Kuchiki, as the espada's strong features, even in spite of his current disheveled state, were impossibly handsome to the raven-haired male who could not even register inside his mind that he was made unable to look away.
However, as soon as the temporary respite from the surrounding world had come, it was gone, as Grimmjow turned his now narrowed gaze back towards the head captain in front of him, ending his mutual, pregnant stare with the pale, older man to his right whose inky bangs descended across his brow at an appealing, alluring angle for all who cared to look his way.
"Squad Two Captain Soi Fon," Head Captain Yamamoto called suddenly, pointedly ignoring Grimmjow's request to merely end his life where he stood.
"Sir!" the short, female captain piped up, her blade that had been directed over Grimmjow's heart quickly disappearing as she replaced it in its sheath along her back while she addressed her aged superior.
"This espada is to be held in the squad two prison until further notice," Captain Yamamoto instructed her coolly, his voice and simplicity of his words leaving no room for confusion or error, as he watched the aforementioned female bow to him before replying.
"Yes, sir. I'll have my men escort him immediately!" Captain Soi Fon responded enthusiastically; no later had her words left her mouth did several members of her black-clad Stealth Force appear at her side, kneeling respectfully with their heads bowed.
As the other captains withdrew their zanpaktos from Grimmjow's slightly taller form now that orders had been given, Captain Kuchiki could not help but feel a tiny pang of disappointment upon learning that the mysterious and admittedly attractive espada was to be shipped off with another squad.
"Well, I'm just glad that it's not my squad that has to watch over him. Could you imagine how lovestruck Nanao would have been if I had shown up with him next to me...!" Captain Kyoraku chimed in, more so to Jushiro Ukitake, as he intentionally tried to lighten the seemingly sullen and depressing atmosphere amongst them all as the captains all sheathed their respective zanpaktos and stepped away from Grimmjow and the approaching Stealth Force, giving them all room to move about.
Captain Ukitake chuckled at his friend's odd humor before replying.
"You may be right about that," the long-haired, thirteenth squad captain agreed lightheartedly with his old friend, as the same, blue-haired male they were discussing was being walked back towards the double doors he had entered in from, members of the Stealth Force relieving the kido group as Grimmjow Jeagerjaques let the black-dressed men show him his way with Soi Fon trailing behind in case the unpredictable espada tried anything.
Byakuya Kuchiki, unaffected by the side conversations going on around him as his comrades took this momentary reprieve from their meeting to socialize amongst each other, watched with curious, partially longing eyes as Grimmjow was being made to walk out of the room, his well-muscled and bronzed arms still being bound behind his wide, strong back by layers of kido all the while.
However, the minute before Grimmjow and his group of escorts had successfully moved out of the room to make a sharp right down the corridor, bright blue eyes turned to meet his steady, waiting gaze as well, giving Byakuya another electric jolt to be felt all over his body just from simply seeing that magnificent color looking back at him once more.
Grimmjow smirked from over his shoulder upon seeing the raven-haired man with diamond-cut features and the scent of sakura petals within the fabric of his clothes, his soul, as the latter had obviously received a shock in meeting his gaze again, this one having not been by some sort of unforeseeable chance.
Then, with the many, skilled assassins on either side of him, Grimmjow strode out of the captain's headquarters and out of Byakuya's line of sight, the Kuchiki instantly feeling it both easier to breathe now that such a revelation had ended, but also a certain degree of emptiness trying to creep into his mind.
The squad six captain closed his intimidating eyes and schooled his pallid features, mentally reprimanding himself for not thinking clearly, not remembering his role and ultimate duties as a noble and a captain, as Byakuya took a deep, calming breath and attempted to forget all about what had just happened during this meeting.
"Forget that man;" the head of the Kuchiki household mentally scolded himself, his own voice inside his head losing its initial solidarity the more he continued, "...he is an enemy of the Soul Society and the only reason he is still breathing is because of his ties of Aizen. Forget...those beautiful blue..."
"Captain Kuchiki," a pleasantly raspy, male voice suddenly spoke to him, tearing him away from his thoughts, for which the squad six captain was a little grateful.
"Yes? What is it, Captain Hitsugaya?" Captain Kuchiki responded with his usual indifference in his heavily timbered voice, opening his onyx eyes and looking down upon the young captain who appeared to be quite troubled about something.
"I couldn't help but notice that that espada looked directly at you before leaving the room..."the white-haired captain began, reminding the Kuchiki noble of just how perceptive and talented his short comrade truly was, while he listened to him continue, "...be wary of that man, Captain Kuchiki. Back in the World of the Living, he almost killed Ichigo Kurosaki and severely injured a few others of my team. He's dangerous and feels no remorse for his actions."
Truth be told, Byakuya was a little humbled that the small captain would choose to warn him about Grimmjow Jeagerjaques as per his blatant observation of said man seeking the noble male out one last time before taking his leave; the white-haired youth having genuinely been able to see some sort of connection, however vague it might have been, and wished to inform the squad six captain of just what had caught his attention before any more time had passed.
"Thank you, Captain Hitsugaya. I appreciate your concern," Captain Kuchiki replied almost monotonously, for as much as he may have valued Toshiro's words of fair warning to him, they paled in comparison to what his mind was currently telling him about the tall, intriguing male, the one person whom he felt he could not understand at first glance.
Everything that the raven-haired noble could glean from his brief encounter with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques had him secretly rampant to learn more, to know exactly what fueled such an unrestrained, furious man who appeared to place very little stock in his own life just as long as he could sink his teeth into what he craved, significant traits of the espada's reckless personality that contrasted so greatly with his own much more mild and harmonious one.
Byakuya Kuchiki, within the very fibers of his being, desired to know if such an astounding, captivating beast could be tamed and let those who wished to touch him do so.
The prospective challenge was intoxicating; the possible implications of such were worthy of obsession to the interested Kuchiki; and, at this moment, Byakuya acknowledged that no amount of verbal warnings about the seemingly untouchable Jeagerjaques would be enough to sway him from his ideas.
With no more words being exchanged between the two men, Captain Hitsugaya being satisfied that Byakuya had responded to him at all, the captains all left the spacious, important room at their own pace and discretion for their captains' meeting had been concluded and they were free to resume their duties as usual.
X
Twenty-seven minutes later...
"Turn him around," Soi Fon ordered of her squad members who were gripping tightly onto each of Grimmjow's arms and shoulders as they all had approached the simple, metal-barred cell which was to detain the criminal espada for the time being.
With a bored expression on his handsome, bloodied face, Grimmjow and his captors turned around to face the small, female captain of squad two as she glared up into his side-gazing eyes that appeared to be annoyed with the whole situation.
"Yeah...? If there's something you want to say, just spit it out..."Grimmjow said exasperatedly, just trying to get underneath the strict captain's skin as her features tightened even more before she addressed him.
"Let it be clear that while you are here, you will show me and my men respect, and furthermore..."Captain Soi Fon attempted to say in her typically rough-sounding voice that sent most people into a brief panic, before her statement was abruptly cut off.
"Jeeze, can't I just go into the cell without all the lectures and shit...?" the sexta espada whined stubbornly, totally oblivious to the raw anger that appeared on the second squad captain's face when he had finished interrupting her.
Suddenly, Soi Fon leapt high into the air, her captain's haori fluttering behind her in soft, white folds of fabric, before the female soul reaper kicked a leg out hard and slammed the top of her tiny foot across the side of Grimmjow's face.
Her feet landed soundlessly on the floor in the same spot from which she had just jumped as her haori settled down her back once more, as Soi Fon kept her chilly, navy-colored glare cast on Grimmjow as he first spat out a few drops of blood from his mouth before grinning broadly and meeting her heated gaze with one of his own.
"You know...for a midget, I think I'm starting to like you!" Grimmjow joked arrogantly, loving how his cheekiness only made her gnash her teeth together harder and tighten her fists at her sides.
"Lock him in the jail cell!" Captain Soi Fon hollered to her nearby subordinates who had witnessed the whole scene of Grimmjow taking one of their captain's expertly-skilled blows and then made light of it.
"Yes, ma'am!" the two subordinates replied in unison before hastily shoving the blue-haired male inside the barred confines and then quickly banging the cell door closed, one of them hurrying to lock it with the set of keys in his gloved hand before Jeagerjaques had any kind of opportunity to retaliate.
"Ugh...can't anyone be a little gentler around here?" Grimmjow mocked the Soul Society again as he righted his steps and posture inside the mainly cement-walled cell, looking around the indefinitely plain surroundings and supplies as there was only a small cot placed against one of the sides nearest the tiny, barred window.
Grimmjow eyed the off-white cot with a bit of aggravation, the thread-bare cushion looking hardly big enough to support the espada's large, powerful frame as the blue-haired male begrudgingly sat down on it instead.
With narrowed, analyzing eyes, the sexta espada noticed that his captors had left the area outside his jail cell but were probably standing guard by the door down the short hallway, he imagined, and scoffed at the idea that he was now totally alone, a true rarity in his line of work.
"...shit," Grimmjow said quietly to no one in particular, dropping his broad, sturdy shoulders quite a bit as he rested his forearms on his knees, half-way appreciating the break of constantly being pushed and pulled around by these people, and somewhat feeling a bit downtrodden.
Here he was, in the dreaded, rejected Soul Society, to do their bidding and help their side out against his once-superior and lord, Sosuke Aizen and his remaining menagerie of like-minded arrancars.
Grimmjow realized that he did have pertinent information that would be rather vital for the soul reapers to learn about the murderous, brunette psychopath, coupled with the fact that he had always disliked Aizen for his own reasons and that by, in fact, adhering to his captors' rules, he just might make it out of this alive.
The Jeagerjaques male sighed, his mind coming up with too many directions that he could go with his situation, but unable to carry out a single one of them right this second, being in the tasteless, kido-blocked cell that he was.
In spite of feeling wholly restless and perturbed, Grimmjow reclined back on his small cot and swung his legs around to lie down properly, his battered and physically tired body battling diligently with his racing mind and recollecting thoughts as he sighed in relief from finally letting his overworked muscles release their tension.
Deep, blue eyes closed as Grimmjow placed his large, calloused hands behind his head, cradling the back of his neck and scalp, as he shifted his weight upon the surprisingly soft cot to further dig his own body into the supple, relaxing contours and bumps of fabric, his mind remembering something extraordinary while he did so.
Smirking slyly, Grimmjow welcomed the enveloping sensations of a light rest coming up to claim him, as he vividly recalled lovely, gunmetal grey eyes widening upon seeing his face for the first time whence the espada had turned his head towards that beautiful, long-haired man.
Pale, creamy features were completely enhanced by the dark, midnight-colored locks of silken hair that were strewn across half of his face while the length of which curled around his shoulders; even that man's stance whilst holding his sword to his neck had spoken of deceptive strength and grace, everything that Grimmjow knew was there within such a gorgeous person.
Grimmjow had purposefully dared to seek out those frigid but tempting features once more before having been made to leave that captain's meeting room, and had been instantly pleased to find that that man had been looking his way the whole time.
Grimmjow's smirk only widened across his tanned features before the espada licked the front of his teeth and around the roof of his mouth, wetting his uncomfortably dry cavern, before finally letting a recuperative sleep overtake his exhausted form; the question of whether or not he would ever get to see such angelic features again dancing lightly inside of his mind all the while.
Author's Note: Yay! My first Grimm fic lives!! Yes. So much for my alleged DOGS story, but whatever – this one has been driving me crazy lately. Leave your reviews at the door and have a super special awesome day. XD