Grimmy...?

: Ichigo x Grimmjow

rated : T

A/N : I cried when i was typing this out, made me heart swell - this oneshot is probably from my own experience though. My apologies for the errors unintentionally made in this chapter, will be corrected soon.

The words in Italic are Grimmy's thoughts. The first few bits belonged to Ichigo's.

I still remember the question i used to ask back then - Why do people say cats have nine lives?

And they would reply...

"Cats have their own super powers, they aren't afraid of heights, they're not scared for being injured. They would continue on living, and will act as if nothing had ever happened. And there are other things..."

"Other things? Like what?"

"You will know them someday soon, yeah? It's some kind of animal instinct."

"Super powers and instinct..."

"Yes."

"Then why won't my cat return to life once they're dead? They have some kind of special powers, right? Why won't my cat told me if they're going to leave me...?"

And that nailed them. They couldn't answer the question from the young me.

The memories of when i was still a mere three year old, were still vivid in my head. It felt like it just happened yesterday. The scenes rewinding over, over and over again. Continuously tormenting me, cheering me... saddened me.

Thank you for the fall that i met him. This one strange blue cat that saved me from drowning. Larger than a mere cat, a bit smaller than a wild panther. He was different than any other that i've seen.

Strong, agile, sinister... yet its protective instinct was far more higher.

Smooth blue fur, menacing blue eyes, he didn't growl at me and i never thought of running away when i first saw him. My eyes fixed to his, this cat that seemed to tell me, "You're safe" stayed behind. Although i couldn't hear nor read its expressionless, i just knew it.

This strange feline in front of me, i kept telling myself, i'll watch him safe beside me... As he would too to me.

My cat...

"C-Can... i call you... Gwimmy...?"

... that understands a mere human kid.

~(0*0*0)~

I've been taking care of my little master for years now.

I watched him grow, every single day. Maturing, from an innocent young kid i saved to a ten year old.

And i never took my eyes off of him. I wished to see him grow old.

Sure.

...I'm not making any sense at all.

"Grimmy? Where are you?" called out an orange-haired boy in his summer clothing.

We made a habit out of ourselves. To go to the park, to play hide and seek.

Every Sunday...

...we would play.

Play.

Play.

And play.

And play some more.

Ah, how time passed by so fast. I'll be missing quite a lot.

"...Grimmy?" he called out again, his high-pitched voice became a bit strangled.

He's gonna cry again.

I don't hide that far away from you. I'm just... very, nearby.

I can see your head from up here.

Come on.

The boy wiped the forming tears away. He searched and searched, moving his kiddy ten-year old feet to look underneath the benches, the picnic table, all over the slides and below the see-saw.

I can't afford to move a lot right now. Sorry...

You just have to find me.

Just a bit more.

His eyes started tearing again, beginning to choke but he continued his search to a nearby tree that stood alone on the small park. Looking around that one area for a familiar colour, he raised his head up when a leaf flew down right in front of him.

The boy widened his eyes, happy that he's finally found him.

Tadaa.

His blue cat.

"Grimmy!" he giggled, opening his arms wide enough for Grimmy to fall on.

See? I knew you could find me.

I'm pretty big, really blue and had a long tail...

I'm never that hard to spot, Ichigo.

Ichigo caught Grimmy safely in his arms. Though the cat looked pretty heavy, the way that Ichigo held him ignored the gravity's rule. It was really surprising.

The orange-haired boy hugged his beloved pet. Smooth furs, that soft touch of Grimmy's paws, that overwhelming warmth of love and being loved.

"I love you, Grimmy!" said Ichigo, stroking Grimmy's head.

...Yeah.

Grimmy closed his eyes, purring and enjoying his little master's massage on his head. The warmth of Ichigo's small hand and that 'protected' feeling of the hold he was in, apart from everything else...

I would miss this... I just knew it.

Then, Ichigo stopped.

The blue cat slowly opened his eyes, raising his head up to look on his master's worried face.

"...Grimmy?"

Yeah?

"You won't leave me, right?" Ichigo asked, though he knew his blue cat couldn't reply.

Grimmy's cat eyes stared for a moment, then moved his head to Ichigo's chest. His ear listened to the heartbeats of his master.

That strange rhythm of a human's heartbeat that Grimmy wanted.

I'll always be right here.

And then, Ichigo smiled sadly as he stroked Grimmy's head once more.

"You're a good cat, Grimmy..." he mumbled.

I am.

I'm sorry that you have to carry me home. Though i knew that you thought i'm one of the most 'obese' cat, i'm just not. My body is growing old, growing tired, unable to eat no matter how much yummy food you gave me five times a day.

Being a cat, Ichigo... is always so hard.

Because there are so many things i wanna do and that there are so... many things that i wanna tell you. I wanna share something, but the things i can do right now, is to listen, obey and nod my head.

For these many years, i've harboured a lot of confessions.

But i don't have the ability to put them to words that you know.

Sure i have a voice, be it hoarse, high or low pitched, average or really dreamy.

In my world, the word, 'Meow' could mean anything.

Like Meow, 'What's up?'

...Meow, 'My sky's pretty dark...'

...Meow, 'Wanna have some fun and make babies?'

Though in humans' world, Meow is just one thing.

Food.

That's why you, dear Ichigo thought that i'm always hungry.

I wanna say something else, in human words.

Something like, "...Hey, how're ya doin'?"

"...Meow..."

Grimmy stayed on the same position, leaning his head for that comfort he loved.

Agh... I couldn't breathe.

Times like this, i just wish that i have 'that' ability to talk...

"Mummy! Grimmy's hungry again!" said Ichigo, bringing Grimmy over to his mother, the gentle Masaki who was sitting on the grass, reading a book.

"Oh? But he hasn't eaten quite a lot lately," Masaki replied, setting down her book.

She grabbed hold of Grimmy's body when Ichigo handed him over, and rested the poor blue cat on her thighs. Ruffling Grimmy's head as Ichigo squatted down near his mother, Masaki noticed Grimmy's uneven breathing. She frowned.

Checking Grimmy's paws, she realised something was awfully wrong his her son's favourite blue cat.

"What's wrong, mummy?" Ichigo asked, raising his eyebrows as he waited for his mother's reply.

Masaki's eyes met Grimmy's begging blue cat eyes, she could read the cat's mind. Its unknown feelings, the one that the others couldn't find.

Don't tell him, please...? Just bring me home, or something...

I'll be all right.

Grimmy's eyes wavered tiredly closed, slowly becoming uninterested of his surrounding.

"Ichigo?"

"Yes, mummy?"

"We're taking Grimmy to the vet..." she said, resting Grimmy close to her chest like a newborn baby and told Ichigo to bring along her book.

No...

"...Grimmy?" Ichigo called out, his eyes were gleaming.

He was about to cry again.

No...

Grimmy heard his little master's voice, and turned his head slowly. His body felt like it was being throbbed millions of times with sharp scissors, knives and needles.

And that his vision of his young master, his vision of the world that he spent many years observing... vanished.

This pain... stripped away his eyesight in just a few seconds.

...No.

Ichigo...

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry...

Keep on talking to me.

Please tell me that i'll be fine.

Tell me that this... is just a dream.

A dream...?

Am i a human yet?

Can i be one?

"Grimmy!"

"Ichigo... Please, calm your voice. Grimmy can still hear you," Masaki said softly, calming down her crying son.

Ichigo...

...You're crying, right?

You're crying for me like always, right?

...Right.

I can feel your small hand touching my paw. I'm so sorry i'm not that warm anymore.

"Grimmy..."

...Yes?

I don't know where i am anymore, this surrouding, it's so unfamiliar.

That voice...

The voice sighed, "From the looks of it, dear Grimmy is terribly in poor shape. Even all of the symptoms were obvious now..."

Huh... A doctor.

"It is strange... that Grimmy is able to hold on until now," the doctor continued, checking Grimmy's body.

"What do you mean?" Masaki asked, surprised of the question.

"It's strange that he had passed over thirty-years of living. Yet it's not that surprising since there is a report of the same situation."

Shut up. I eat healthy foods.

Canned cat foods... crackers, bread, fish... meat... vegetables.

And burgers.

Oh... I'm not that healthy at all.

"What's... going to happen to Grimmy?" Masaki asked worriedly.

And the doctor only sighed and shook his head. The gentle Masaki knew what exactly he meant.

Whose hands were on me? I couldn't hear Ichigo's voice...

Resting on this warm alien bed, metal creaking... I'm in a cage? I could hear their footsteps walking out of the room, maybe...

And that faint, familiar... kiddy voice...

...was it Ichigo's?

"Ichigo, listen... Grimmy is sick..."

Don't listen, Ichigo...

"Grimmy could never be cured..."

I'm not. I'm perfectly in shape... and don't mind my weight.

"...Grimmy... he's dying."

...I'm alive.

This pain is nothing...!

Ichigo...

"...I-I... wanna keep Grimmy beside me...! I promised Grimmy i will never let him go...! I promised Grimmy he'll be all right!" Ichigo sobbed, tears were trickling down his chubby blushing cheeks.

Grimmy's ear twitched, Ichigo's voice rang through him as he continued to listen.

"...I... love Grimmy..."

If Grimmy was ever a human, he would cry real tears right about now.

Yeah.

...Yup.

...I know.

I know.

"Let him go," the doctor hugged the crying boy, patting his small back gently as he assured Ichigo.

...Couldn't help it then.

I've been thinking a lot, no matter how small my brain could be. I have stayed in the vet, in this cage until the next day. They got Ichigo's permission to let me go. I'm not that angry... nor am i sad.

I'm fulfilled.

I couldn't move my limbs, so they had to carry this blind blue cat out of the cage. Onto one very comfortable blanket, they rested me. Though i feel so cold.

But there's always that one voice that i really loved.

"Grimmy..."

The Ichigo that will always call my name. He nearly got my name right...

I couldn't see him anymore. I've forgotten his face.

But i remembered his voice.

Bits and pieces coming together slowly... It was just yesterday that i spent my last remaining energy to play with him, though it wasn't that much.

Ichigo stroked my head, gently... I'm slowly breathing.

This pain is killing me.

Hell, it is killing me.

You're just beside me, right?

Let me move my paw, can i touch your cheek?

Are you crying?

Your small hand returned to mine, warm... Really warm.

Call my name again... Please?

"...Grimmy," Ichigo mumbled.

Thank you.

I could hear faint voice, i could feel Ichigo's warm breath near me, his embrace calms me down as my last comfort... i could feel foreign hands searching for a suitable spot to inject me at.

Slowly, drifting slowly.

Though i couldn't see, my dulling ears stayed with me till the end...

...as they put me to sleep.

...Oh yeah, my... name's Grimmjow... by... the... way...

Will be continued on the story's sequel.

"Hey, It's Ichigo!"

Ready! Uh... O-Online!

I've been ignoring my other fics... i don't know why! ToT

But i promise i'll continue them when i have the time.

Still, read and review!

Ready, offline.