Chapter 14: Big Changes Are Coming

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance

- Allan Watts

Grimmjow couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He was ecstatic that he was finally going to get out that God forsaken cell but today? That was a bit sudden wasn't it? But then again he might finally get to sleep on an actual bed again and not a cot. He wouldn't have to yell at the guards when he had to go to the bathroom. He wouldn't have to eat food from the mess hall when Isane wasn't around to take him to the Squad Four dining hall. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

Grimmjow was just a bit ticked that Isane had given him such short notice on the whole thing.

"So if you didn't blurt this out during you're rant when were you planning to tell me?" Grimmjow snipped.

Isane began to fiddle with her fingers and her gaze was firmly locked on one of the place mats on the table. She was pretty embarrassed about the entire situation but she could not help that now. "I was actually trying to tell you about it before we got in that big fight." Grimmjow huffed like an insolent child again.

"You started that fight anyway." he rebuked. Isane's eyes widened in disbelief at Grimmjow's comment. "No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!" Grimmjow shot back, "You shouldn't turn off the hot water when a man's bathing."

"And god knows that Grimmjow is in desperate need of a bath."

Isane and Grimmjow whipped their heads around so fast you would have thought they would get whip lash. Standing not two feet away from their table were Renji and Ulquiorra. The Lieutenant of the Sixth Division had an annoyed look on his face while Ulquiorra simply was blank faced. A smile blossomed on Isane's face at the sight of the two men while a scowled found its way onto Grimmjow's.

"Renji, Ulquiorra please join us?" Isane offered, shifting to the side to make room for their newly arrived friends. Grimmjow's scowl deepened when Ulquiorra took the seat beside Isane. Isane called out to Naruna and told her to bring out two more cups for Renji and Ulquiorra.

Renji looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin looked pale in the bright midday sun. Isane offered him a cup on the now warm Jasmine tea which he gratefully accepted and downed in one go. He proffered his cup for a refill and Isane happily obliged his request.

"What's up with you Red?" Grimmjow questioned the sulking soul reaper beside him. Renji leaned against the table and mumbled something unintelligible. "Didn't quite catch that Red?"

"He's just coming off an eighteen hour shift." Ulquiorra supplied while sipping his tea idly, "He was posted in the lower districts if the Rukongai for the most of last night."

Isane's browed creased in concern. She leaned across the table and shook Renji gently by the shoulder. "You should be in bed. You need your rest." Renji grunted in response before shaking his head. He propped himself on his elbow and turned his weary gaze to Isane. "Can't… I have to be with Ulquiorra for the evening."

From her peripheral vision Isane could see Ulquiorra roll his eyes in exasperation. She smiled slightly at his antics. He was slowly moving his past his stony demeanor. Grimmjow saw the smile Isane shot towards Ulquiorra while the other man wasn't looking and it set his teeth on edge. He bit down the snarl that was trying to force its way out of his mouth.

Meanwhile Isane turned her attention back to her tired comrade. She could see that Renji was badly off. He could barely keep himself awake at the table and she was sure the two cups of warm tea didn't offer him any relief in this situation. If anything they only served to worsen his already fatigued state.

"You need to sleep Renji. You know we have a big meeting tomorrow with Captain Kurotsuchi and you know how unpleasant he can be." Isane pleaded. Renji peered up to Isane through his eye lashes. He saw her staring at him with her big grey doe eyes and he felt compelled to take her advice and go rest but he couldn't leave his ward could he?

"What off Ulquiorra? Who will take him to the new dwelling area?"

"I will!" Isane offered enthusiastically, "You're house's right next to mine it won't be a problem."

Upon hearing Isane's offer, Grimmjow's mood darkened. He really didn't need Ulquiorra being a third wheel here. He had now gotten back Isane and he really wouldn't like sharing her attention with Ulquiorra. He hated the somewhat easy friend Isane and the former Quatro had formed. Ulquiorra – who hated people in general- had taken surprisingly to Isane rather quickly and if it didn't grate against Grimmjow's skin.

"Won't they say something about one Soul Reaper and two Espadas?" Grimmjow queried, hoping that Ulquiorra wouldn't be spending the little time he had with Isane, with them.

"I don't think so." Isane replied. She cocked her head to the side in confusion at Grimmjow's sudden defensiveness. Over the table Grimmjow could see that Isane was trying to figure out why he was being so dismissive of the situation and he really hope he had put on his best poker face.

Neither party noticed Ulquiorra who was observing the pair closely. Their naivety about what was sparking between them was so amusing Ulquiorra thought. He didn't care much about other people's life, especially their love life, but Ulquiorra actually liked Isane. Yes it was a shocker. He didn't tolerate many people, much less like them but Isane had proven she was different from the masses and Ulquiorra could appreciate that. Where most soul reapers were loud and brutish, using their bravado to dictate the situation, Isane was calculated and conscious of her surroundings.

Added to her likeable traits there was the fact that Grimmjow was ten times more tolerable in her presence. He was less of his cocky arrogant self around Isane. It was as if he were actually trying to tone down his usual testosterone fueled demeanor. And if only for those reason, Ulquiorra would see them together.

But like most people in this world, they were blind to the obvious. They were to blind to all that was staring them in the face. A friendship, a relationship, a future.

They just needed a helpful push in the right direction and Ulquiorra was only too willing to be the one to give them that defining push.

"No more debating." Isane announced finally after a silent heated conversation passed between her and Grimmjow, "Ulquiorra will come with us and Renji you will go get some well-deserved rest." Her tone left no option for argument. Isane could be quite intimidating when she wanted to and right now she had brought out her aggressive side to achieve her goal.

Renji nodded solemnly before getting up and making his way out of the café. However, before he made his final departure, he called out over his shoulder, "Don't give Isane any trouble Ulquiorra." The Quatro scoffed at the implication of the words. As if he would ever cause any unnecessary trouble?

Renji left after that and the group dissolved into an uneasy silence. Luckily, the food had been brought over and that saved them from having to make strained conversation.

When lunch was finally over they left the café and began their trek through the Seiretei.

"So what do want to do for the rest of the evening?" Isane questioned hoping to get past the foreboding silence.

Neither Grimmjow nor Ulquiorra spoke at first. The later looked at his former comrade in arms and saw that Grimmjow still wore the disheartened scowl from lunch. Ulquiorra thought the expression was quite comical. Grimmjow looked like a pouting child and he was shooting him a dirty look.

Ulquiorra thought it was the perfect time to start pushing their buttons and maybe doing a little something for himself while he was at it.

"Isane can I speak to you?" Ulquiorra asked before casting a sideways glance in Grimmjow's direction, "In private?"

He could see Grimmjow bristle but that was just part of his plan.