A/N: Sup! So, this is a piece that came to me while I was working on a Nel cosplay with a friend of mine (who will probably be reading this, since I'll link you) (though by the time of posting that status would have changed about a gazillion timesXD) who suggested he and I go to a mini expo as Grimmjow and Nel, since we're both into cosplay and ship these two as one of our favorite Bleach couples. I suppose it's a little more like a drabble piece, with some fluff, but I hope you'll all enjoy it and drop a review at the end! You know I love those;)

Bleach

Fanfiction

Disclaimer:

I do not own Bleach, or any of the characters, comics, anime or dialog etc. The rest of the characters and ideas are mine. Enjoy and please review!

Hueco Mundo.

Las Noches still stood after Kurosaki Ichigo had blown through in a storm to rescue Inoue Orihime from Aizen Souske, albeit a bit more broken, and a lot more empty. Fracción and lower-level Arrancar were dead and had yet to be replaced.

Grimmjow had taken Nnoitra's scythe after his battle with Kurosaki, and thoroughly expected – almost wanted – to die. Fading in and out of consciousness, he could barely sense Kurosaki's black and red reiatsu, and Nnoitra's insectoid, sickeningly yellow one clash, and, ultimately, Kurosaki's reiatsu was pathetic next to the Espada Quinta's. That shit has no honor in battle, he remembered musing briefly.

Then there was a sharp flash and – explosion? – of pink reiatsu, first matching and then exceeding Nnoitra's, before it suddenly vanished again.

Sometime between healing Kurosaki and leaving with him, Inoue had come to heal him. She hadn't gotten far, and Grimmjow was far from anywhere near ok, but at least he wasn't going to die.

Yet.

I'll fight that fucking Shinigami when I see him again.

Yes, he would fight Kurosaki Ichigo again. Their battle had been too close to be conclusive, and he refused to be left like this – he was a king! But his Fracción, as much as he disliked the weaklings, were dead, and as that shitty Shinigami himself said: what kind of king was he, if he had none to rule?

And so his thoughts drifted when he lost consciousness again, unaware of the small bundle of curious, pink reiatsu toddling over.

Grimmjow wasn't sure who had healed him completely, or why, or even which part of Las Noches he was in, but he was alive and he owed someone for that. He fucking hated owing someone. But he was alone in this part of the citadel, and he'd make his way back to his chambers for now. He'd need to get stronger, maybe find that shitty little Shinigami and challenge him again….

"Oh, for fuck's sa–" he stopped short when his shin connected with a soft little bundle, and it thudded to the ground a short distance away with a huff and a whine. "Watch your step, brat," Grimmjow growled, and kept walking, barely sparing a glance in the child's direction.

"Oi."

The child's voice was forceful, and quietly angry. Grimmjow rolled his eyes and kept walking.

"Oi, Nel is talking to you, bwoo-kitty! You bedda wisten when a lady is talkin'!" she shouted after him.
"Che, as if you're any kinda lady, brat. Get lost."

"Oh."

If that's all it took, I'm grateful, Grimmjow stalked away, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Nel is lost."

Grimmjow snarled at the air in front of him. Maybe if he just ignored the damn brat, she'd go away on her own –

"SUPA SPEED!"

The rounded part of the brat's skull mask connected painfully with his lower back, the force of her speed driving them both to the floor. Then she wailed. "Nel's lost! Help Nel! Nel jus' wanna –" she wailed and mumbled something more he didn't want to hear, "– NEL NEEDS HELP!"

Grimmjow sat up and pushed the child away. He was covered in snot and tears. Disgusting. She sat there, sniffling and tears running down her face. "Please help Nel?" she mumbled, her lower canines poking out over her top lip. The Sexta Espada found he couldn't quite say no.

Grimmjow had all but thrown the toddler into her chambers when they finally found her rooms. He was a little surprised they were so lofty, and on the side of the 'higher-ups' in the Espada ranking, but it was a room he'd never encountered before. It was filled with random nooks and crannies and smaller rooms inside the larger one. No wonder the brat gets lost easily. Even I would have a hard time in here… he admitted, scowling even deeper and shoving his hands further into his pockets.

"Can da bwoo-kitty keep his little kitty to himself?" Nel asked nonchalantly, waving at Grimmjow's pelvis.

He blinked, shocked. Where the fuck had the brat learnt that kind of language?

It was only after he had straightened did he realize he had slouched backwards. He scowled at the brat's back and was about to sneer at her when a thin, lanky purple Hollow raced up, digging into the front of his loincloth for something – hopefully not that; Grimmjow wasn't that way inclined – spewing nonsense from under his mask, when the toddler squealed.

"PESCHEEEEE!" she squealed, stretching out her arms, running forwards and giggling. "Grimm-kun brought Nel back when Nel was lost! He was kind to Nel! He's staying for lunch!" she halted when she saw the lanky purple Hollow's hand down his loincloth. "Pesche. You don't need to hit him with your zanpakuto."

So these were Arrancar, and her Fracción…?

"I ain't stayin' for lunch. Keep a better eye on that brat; not everyone here's as helpful as I am," Grimmjow scowled and turned away.

"At least say 'thank you' to Nel because Nel's spit healed Nnoitra's ouchie."

"Huh?" Grimmjow gawked, sure he hadn't heard right.

"Repeat after Nel-chan!" the toddler stood up straighter with a smugly proud grin. "'Thank you Nel'. Now you, Bwoo-Kitty! Say 'thank you'."

The Sexta Espada stared.

Several weeks passed in a similar fashion: Nel got lost somewhere near Grimmjow, and the panther had to return her to her chambers and Fracción. Because he was sure that's what they were, simply by their weak reiatsu, and not-completely-human forms.

But this particular… excursion… had kept him in longer than the others. Mostly because the brat's Fracción had made food and the toddler was trying to get Grimmjow to eat.

And she actually managed to feed him.

Naturally, Grimmjow glared at her, scowling and sneering but couldn't quite muster up the will to deny her, or even get up and walk away. So she sat on the table, ignoring the fact that he was leaning on the table with his elbows, holding his head up. Usually the brat scolded his 'bad manners around ladies'. She scooped up some of the soup they'd made, giggling as she held it up to Grimmjow's mouth. "Haaa-ump!" she opened and closed her mouth, smirking when Grimmjow rolled his eyes and complied. The food was actually pretty damn good, but he'd be damned if he admitted that to the brat.

He stayed for the entire lunch, grateful when her Fracción left them alone. He shifted uncomfortably, looking away from her. "You said you'd healed me, after Nnoitra," he started.

Nel looked up, nodding. "Nel did! Nel was scared you was gonna die!" she went silent suddenly, fiddling with the crack on her skull. "Nel thought she was gonna fail," she mumbled, her lower canines poking out over her lips.

Grimmjow scowled, feeling his cheeks warm. "Why's there a crack in your mask?"

Nel looked up, surprised. Grimmjow looked away, embarrassed he'd asked.

"Nnoitra tried to kill Nel, and threw Nel off the top of Las Noches years ago."

Grimmjow looked back, surprised. Nel touched the crack.

"It keeps Nel little."

Grimmjow found that he enjoyed the brat's company, once he'd gotten over something so… little – he scowled to himself – spewing the kind of profanities he usually dished out. But the one thing she said stuck in his head, like a broken record. It keeps Nel little. It fucked with his head more than he liked.

What the fuck did she mean by that? 'It kept her little'. Grimmjow scowled, snarling at the ground, kicking at a door and surprised to find himself in Nel's apartment. He pursed his lips, about to turn around and leave when Nel appeared down the hall. She blinked, her brown-green eyes wide.

Then she waved, offering a toothy smile. "Come! Nel's gonna try something!"

Grimmjow kicked the door closed behind him, stalking after Nel with his hands deep in his pockets. She led him to an open room, looking out over the interior of Las Noches. Grimmjow leaned against the wall, watching the toddler scuttle to the center of the room. She grinned again, a devilish glint in her eyes. "Nel thinks she can go back!"

"Go back where?" Grimmjow sighed.

"Grimm-kun will see!" she giggled, then closed her eyes and concentrated hard. Grimmjow almost laughed at her.

Almost being the operative word. She glowed a bright pink, the strength of her reiatsu surprising Grimmjow and making him take a step back, surprised as he shielded his eyes from the light.

"Ah! That's better," a more mature voice giggled.

He lowered his arm, staring at a very adult woman with amazing legs and a tiny skirt, her midriff exposed, and the jagged edges of the top only barely covering her bust.

Holy fuck she's stunning.

"What are you staring at me like that for, Grimm-kun?" she asked, tilting her head to the side with a playful smile.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked, looking up at familiar brown-green eyes, and a broken mask. He stared, shaking his head and swallowing. "N-Nel?"

She nodded, beaming broadly at him. "Yup! And it seems all I needed was time to recover…" she nodded, brushing her long hair over his shoulder. "I think I get to stay like this, now. I really hope so."

Fuck. Well, me too, Grimmjow thought, looking over the blush on her cheeks, under her mark. "So that crack in your skull makes you a shitty little brat, and for some reason you're now able to be… back to normal?" he summarized, mentally kicking himself for sounding so disinterested and cruel.

"Well… basically," she tapped her lips in thought.

"Fucking bastard… I'm glad he's dead," he scowled, looking away.

Nel hummed, choosing not to say anything when she saw a faint blush appear on the panther's cheeks.

Weeks passed, slowly becoming months. The pair grew closer, helping to rebuild Las Noches with the others, slowly filling it with new Fracción and Espada.

Grimmjow found himself drawn to the Tres Espada, snapping at any who dared mentioned it in his presence. Nel would blush and laugh it off, then scold Grimmjow for his bad manners.

Secretly, the Sexta Espada lived for her blush in such moments.

This day, however, found them relaxing in his chambers. Nel lay back against the pillows in a hollow in Grimmjow's floor, her eyes closed as she heaved a happy sigh. She'd found her old clothes, dressing more like an Espada, and far more covered than Nel had been before.

Grimmjow reclined beside her, enjoying the lazy day like any cat would: with sleep and food and more sleep. Neliel had been more than happy to follow along with his plan, piling up all his pillows before diving into them with a delighted giggle.

The panther was about to brush the hair from her face when she sat up suddenly, launching herself onto his chest and lay on top of him. "Hold me," she ordered, a smile on her face as her eyes closed, burrowing into him.

He huffed and sighed, at first ignoring her request before wrapping his arms around her stiffly. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he grumbled, swallowing hard at having Nel in his arms.

"Stop swearing! It's rude to swear around a lady," she chided, swatting his chest.

"You swear more than I do as a child," he shot back, denying the smirk that threatened to grow on his face at the memory. Grimmjow quickly shot it down with a disgusted sneer. "Get off, will you?"

"Nope! And I do remember, Grimm-kun. It took you by surprise," she giggled.

After a while, her breathing deepened, her body relaxed as she slept on him. He couldn't fully bring himself to hate it. Grimmjow held her tighter, her soft warmth pressed against him even as his sneer hovered between deepening and vanishing. Why couldn't he just give the fuck in and let her know how he felt?

"I can feel your heart beat."

The panther stiffened, his arms tightening around Nel when she spoke instinctively. Shit. She'd been awake this whole time? He stalled. "What?"

"I can feel your heart beat, Grimmjow," Nel repeated softly, her left hand moving to his chest, pressed over his sternum. Her eyes were large and sweetly unsure when she smiled faintly up at him. "I like the way it feels. I like the feel of your heartbeat."

The confession took him by surprise. Her face was so close to his…. Maybe….

He leaned closer, his lips brushing over hers before he pulled back with a scowl and a faint blush. "Shut up, woman. You won't feel it if you're telling me about it."

Nel giggled, grasping his jaw and pulling him in for another chaste kiss. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say…" she trailed, rolling her eyes at Grimmjow when she settled on his chest again, smiling when his fingers trailed over her back.