Help Given, but Not Offered

Bleach Fanfic: GrimmHime

A Coming Together: Chapter 1

Mild language
________________________________________________

After the winter wars, Orihime had been returned to the human world of course. Ichigo was still unconscious from using the Final Getsuga Tenshou, but at least was home. She looked forward to the day that he woke so she could thank him for saving her.

For a few days she went about her normal life in Karakura Town, going to school and being with Tatsuki, and shopping when one day after coming home from school, she found Toshiro leaning against the wall next to her door in gigai form.

"Well hello Toshiro-kun, what brings you here?"

"It's Hitsugaya Taichou. And I have a favor to ask. Actually the whole of the Soul Society does."

"What is it?"

"Well, we have kinda a predicament. With Kurosaki's raitsu like it was before, this is a place full of raitsu, where many hollows will come looking for food. The one shinigami we have in the area won't be able to cover it all, even with a Quincy helping. And with repairs and paper work we can't have more than one Shinigami located her. So we've recruited some help." He looked over to the corner, "Alright, come out you."

A man stepped out from the shadows, and she gasped. There is no mistaking that shock of bright blue hair, and that scornful smirk on his face and his eyes framed by a teal color. Grimmjow was glowering with displeasure being in the human world.

"Grimmjow-san, you're alright. I've been wondering about you."

"Tch"

"We found him in Hueco Mundo and he was just such a pitiful sight that we healed him instead of killing him. At first we couldn't decide on what to do with him. We couldn't just let him wander away and kill off Kurosaki since he won't be able to see him when he wakes up, and we didn't want our efforts to heal him to go to waste. So the Soutaichou decided to put him in a special gigai for hollows and he'll live here protecting the town from hollows. Obviously he'll need a place to stay. Kurosaki's house is definitely out, and Urahara-san's place is where a lot of shinigamis go all the time. So you're our best place. Would you mind housing him?"

"Oh, sure. That'll be fine" She wouldn't want him to wander the streets not knowing how things are here and picking fights with people who couldn't beat him, even if he was in a gigai.

"You're sure? We know there have been some bad history between you two."

"Yes, he would have left me alone if it wasn't the fact that he needed my healing powers, and he did help me against some others. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Alright then, I'll leave you two to settle things between the two of you. Now Grimmjow, you are going to stay here and protect her, not harm her. You are going to help fight hollows when you are needed. Is that clear?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," he looks away distainly.

"Alright then, that's good enough. Farewell Orihime, sorry to burden you with him," he bowed to her formally.

She bowed back. "Oh it's quite alright, it can get lonely living by yourself sometimes. This should be fun."

"Goodbye then," he then walked away.

Grimmjow and Orihime stared at each other for a few seconds, and then she smiled her bright smile, "I hope you enjoy the human world, I certainly do. Come on in and see where you'll be living." She unlocked her door and walked in as she heard him grunt noncommittally. He did follow her in though.

Her home was a modest one bedroom apartment with the bedroom and living room separated by a sliding door. She had several bookshelves as well as a small round table and a tv. Not much else really, so she was thinking that there really wasn't someplace really comfortable for him to sleep.

"Well right now I just have the one bed so you can take that tonight and we can get something else for you later," she then turned to look at him and noticed two things. He had some bizarre clothes one that would make people look at him and wonder what's wrong with him. His shirt was a nice button up, but was a neon pink color. He also had bright green pants on.

Who in the world gave him those clothes to wear for the gigai?

The other thing she noticed was he had a confused scowl on his face, "What?"

"I'm no expert on that chivalry crap but shouldn't the girl get the bed and the guy the floor?"

"Oh, right. I guess in normal circumstances you'd be right. But you're my guest. What kind of hostess would I be if I took all the good stuff for myself? I'll be fine with the floor," she smiled at him.

"Eh?" He looked at her quizzically for a few seconds, and then shrugged, "Whatever." He went over to the door to the bedroom then and opened it and walked in then closed it again.

She then giggled a little. He must be in a bad mood right now, that's the only time he's ever so quiet. Well she could hardly blame him really. He's being forced to obey orders and he's never liked orders. Not even from Aizen. She then went to the kitchen and started making dinner since it was late in the day.

________________________________________________

After he entered the room he fell back first onto the bed, and rested his head in his hands. Tch, who did those stupid shinigami think he was? He wasn't just some stupid senseless hollow to be ordered about. He was an arrancar, the top of the pile, one of the elite ten that Aizen had set up. And before he was an arrancar, he was a Vasto Lord-class Menos. He took orders from no one since Aizen was no longer around. Then what was he doing here? Other than the reason that they'd either kill him or imprison him if he didn't come here. There were just too many shinigamis in Soul Society for him to take them all on at once, and it would have to be an all or nothing battle for him to gain his freedom.

He sighed and rolled on his side with his back to the door. Well whatever, this was the only thing for him right now. At least he'd get some action every now and then with hollows coming, though they wouldn't be any kind of challenge.

With that thought he closed his eyes and went to sleep

Orihime was cooking some rice balls with red bean paste and leeks humming to herself. It would be nice to have someone else in the house, not as lonely. Sure it's kinda weird that it will be a guy, but it will still be fun. But first thing tomorrow she needed to buy him some clothes. The ones he's wearing now would just cause other guys to tease him and then he'd fight them. Not the ideal situation. She also needed to buy him something to sleep on. At least some cushions and blankets. Yes, that would be just the thing; her place was too small for another bed, or couch. But the cushion and blankets can be folded and set to the side during the day.

Smiling to herself she put some rice balls onto a plate and gently knocked on the door. When that didn't bring a response she quietly said, "Grimmjow-san?" When there was still no reply she slowly opened the door and saw him lying on the bed with his back towards her. She guessed that he was a sleep so she just put the plate on the bed stand and left the room.

……………………………….

When Orihime woke up the next morning, she didn't exactly know where she was at first, but then remembered that she still was in her room, just not in her bed. She sat up and stretched a little then went to the bathroom to freshen up a little and then realized she slept in her clothes last night.

"Oh well, I'll just change into something else when Grimmjow-san wakes up."

After washing her face, she went to the kitchen to fix some breakfast. She was almost done when her bedroom door slammed open.

"What the hell woman, what is this crap you're trying to poison me with?" He held up the rice balls she made last night.

She stammered a little, "I..I..I..I'm sorry. I thought they were delicious. But then I know that there are others who don't like what I make. What would you like me to make for you?"

Grimmjow smirked and folded his arms, "Tch, I don't know. I've never eaten human food before woman, I eat souls and hollows."

"Oh, that's right. Well I'm fresh out of souls and hollows at the moment. I know that shinigami in their gigai forms do eat human food, so I'm sure in the form you're in now needs some kind of nourishment, so I need to make something for you." She put her finger on her lips as she thought for a little while, then hit her fist in her other hand as she came up with an idea, "Oh I know, Tatsuki-chan tells me she and her family have rice and miso soup for breakfast a lot. I can make that for us." She smiled happily.

Grimmjow looked at her skeptically, "What is miso soup?"

"I may not make it often, but I know how, so I'll show you." She went about preparing the miso paste and dashi stock to make the soup, then started the rice. When it was done she presented it on the table in front of Grimmjow who was sitting on the floor in front of it with one hand supporting his chin in boredom. "Here you go Grimmjow-san. I hope you like it." She smiled happily.

Grimmjow looked at it a little fearfully then sighed loudly and took a bite of the soup. "Hmmm, not too bad," he admitted grudgingly.

"Oh good, I'm glad you like it," she puts together some for herself and eats some too.

"Now, the first thing we need to do is do a little shopping. Today is Sunday so I don't have to worry about school."

"Shopping? What's that?"

"You don't know what shopping is?" She looked at his blank look, then tried to think of a way to explain it, "Hmmm, it's where you can use money to get stuff you need. Like you need different clothes, you shouldn't be wandering around looking like that," he blushed hotly and turned away and she giggled. "Yeah, I suspect that the shinigami weren't all that nice to you since you're an arrancar. But I can get you something that won't attract a lot of attention and get you in fights. We also need to get something for you to sleep on. One of us shouldn't always be sleeping on the floor. Not too comfortable." She shifted her shoulders a little bit.

________________________________________________

Grimmjow looked at the woman at the table as she rolled her shoulders. Was the floor really that uncomfortable? He had never lied down on the floor before. Except when he was injured from a fight, and everything is uncomfortable when you're hurt. So he never gave it much thought. Oh well, it was her own fault for offering him the bed in the first place.

But this shopping sounded promising. The jeans he was given aren't that comfortable to sleep in as they're rather stiff, and the colors were just appalling. Those damn shinigami.

"Well then, let's get going." He stood up eager to get out of those clothes but tried to hide it behind a bored face.
________________________________________________

Orihime was surprised when Grimmjow announced that they should go now, but then she realized he probably didn't want to be in those clothes for longer than he had to. Plus the crowds wouldn't be as think now then they would be later, so now would be the best time to go actually.  So she stood up too, "Alright then, let's go get some clothes for you. Just wait here for a while as I change my clothes." She put their dishes in the sink in the kitchen then went to her room so she could change.

As she changed she wondered what would suit him best for clothes. With his unusual hair color she would have to be careful about what colors of shirts to get him, and of the patterns too.  Given his personality, she could definitely see him in the rough and tough type clothes, and he could pull off the sleeveless shirts very well with his muscular arms.

Oooh, this is going to be fun, she never had been able to go clothes shopping for a guy before.