The question binds itself to Ichigo’s thoughts, clings to them as if to burrow into his nerves and make a home within his throat. There is a simple answer, and there is the not so simple reason behind such an answer. Is he kind, Ichigo asks himself, and his thoughts recall the warmth of the arrancar’s hands, a chaste kiss from rough lips ( many, in fact, maybe too many ). As course as his soul may be, or the texture of his skin, there is an acute gentleness at Grimmjow’s fingertips that has slowly been born between them.
Strange to think that something akin to softer things would have found purchase between them, but it is not unwelcomed either. “He’s kind in his own way,” Ichigo answers while his eyes drift downward, a small smile having spread slowly across his lips as he speaks. It’s warm, only born from hidden moments and tenderly kept in thought, but behind it is a sense of certainty ( of trust, trust in Grimmjow ).
As Sado continued to speak, Ichigo meets the Fullbringer’s eyes once more, and he nods in response to the proposed question of why the arrancar had stayed. “At first, it was to heal— after the fight.” The stumbling of his voice now is a noticeable shift in tone from the gentle but certain canter he held before, made even more obvious as his fingers curl into fists against his thighs. “Ugh, hold on, let me back up…” Ichigo says as he raises one of his hands to run through his hair.
“At first it was just— whatever. He’d come around sometimes, hang out, spar, ya’ know.” Hang out probably wasn’t the right word, it made things sound too casual. It was more like Grimmjow was nosy and Ichigo was busy, so sometimes sparring was left only at bickering, which gradually turned into questions, and then finally came to be an odd form of coexistence. “But… There was…” His voice starts and stops again, struggling to find words that would translate his memories into clarity ( but his memories were hazy and they were more feelings than words ).
There is nothing fond to recall in the battle they had before, the battle that broken their very foundation and forced the two of them to rebuild their relationship entirely ( perhaps it was fitting in some way, that they were begot to destruction and would pick up the pieces of themselves and learn to heal together ). “We fought, but… He wasn’t… Grimmjow wasn’t himself,” he says, his brows kitting together as he painfully recalls the memories, again his line of sight drifting away from Yasutora. “Grimmjow wouldn’t… respond. He wouldn’t talk to me, it was like he couldn’t even hear me…” Ichigo’s hands move up his thighs nervously, his fingers clenching to keep from gravitating towards the ring of scars on his stomach that seem to burn. “I don’t know what happened for a lot of it. When I woke up, he was in really bad shape— I was, too, but… he was way worse off.”
Ichigo doesn’t elaborate much further, about how he’s certain that the arrancar’s state was his fault, and he’s still not sure what had happened with Grimmjow to begin with. One of his hands moves to rest on his forearm, rubbing against his skin as he continues his explanation. “So, uh, he stayed around, mostly to heal, but we spent more time together ‘cause of it.”
He feels awkward after having finally explained everything ( well, brashly, but it was more details than he had ever divulged to anyone before ), as if sitting with his soul barred to the prying eye. In a way, he was, but such an act was so unfamiliar he was unsure of where to go next— and it didn’t help that nothing concerning Grimmjow would be conventional. Brown eyes finally meet the gaze of his friend, and Ichigo rests safely in the knowledge of who he is confiding to.
“Getting along better is definitely one way to put it,” he answers somewhat jokingly, though his laugh is nervous and is definitely meant to hide a hint of embarrassment ( obvious in the rise of colors in his cheeks ). “But… yeah, we do,” Ichigo says with a return of confidence from before, slow smile returning to his lips. At the very least, he feels a little lighter after finally breaking down some of the weight that he carries on his back.
“No, no one else knows but you and my family.”
Sado was surprised, from what he could tell, their relationship had been going on for awhile now. There was a very small part of him that was slightly put-out--he hadn’t noticed the change in his friend’s demeanor enough to notice. But then again, Ichigo could be rather good at hiding things for others. With Ichigo, things took time, Sado couldn’t blame him for taking his time, to having the courage to speak about this. He blamed himself more than anyone, because while Ichigo was going through a difficult time.
He wasn’t shocked to hear that their altercation had escalated to fights and spars. When in the presence of Grimmjow, the promise of a good fight seemed to be the only thing that kept his interest. War and chaos, things like this attracted people like Grimmjow. So it came as a surprise to know that Ichigo actually managed to settle down with the former Espada and have a few conversations. Or maybe it was because Sado didn’t know him very well. Not nearly as well as Ichigo.
The Fullbringer watched the other’s movements carefully, he was nervous, it looked like. Something like this was personal, moments dear to his heart that couldn’t just be shared with anyone. He was very careful with his words, attempting to put his feelings out and try to make Sado understand. It wasn’t hard for the Fullbringer to understand Ichigo, in fact, it was a very easy task for him. He knew his friend like the back of his hand at this point. So, to try and put the Soul Reaper more at ease, he rested a hand on Ichigo’s forearm, “If you trust him, Ichigo, then I trust you.”
As long as things are calm and stable between them (as stable as things possibly could be with a Substitute Soul Reaper and an Ex-Espada), then Sado would place his trust in his best friend. It was what they’d done since they first met, placing trust and hope in one another to drive each other forward. Even though Ichigo was quick with his explanation, Sado didn’t think anything of it, resting his palm back in his lap again as he leaned back into his seat.
“...You haven’t told Inoue or Ishida.” It wasn’t a question, more of an observation when the Fullbringer noticed that Ichigo didn’t mention their two closest friends, “I don’t think Ishida will take that well...” His tone was thoughtful.
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