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Ever since Grimmjow’s had his shiny new gigai, Ichigo's friends have made it their job to show his boyfriend the joy of human experiences. Regardless of Grimm’s very own past humanity, they can always expect some kind of reaction out of him, and they’re rarely disappointed. Like every opportunity to show a baby, or a wild animal turned house cat, new things. He seems to meet most things with an air of déjà-vu, like he knows he’s had the experience, but can’t put his finger on the specifics.
With the beginning of summer, these opportunities only increased tenfold, and with the heat, the idea to go swimming at a public pool popped up in the groupchat and, naturally, Grimmjow was invited. Not only because Ichigo encouraged him to tag along when the group hung out, but because everyone always looked forward to his reactions.
He tends to frown at things when he doesn’t understand them, growl and cuss when he hates them and widen his eyes and go completely silent when he’s trying to figure out how embarrassing it would be for the others to know he’s enjoying himself. It’s fun for everyone, so long as no one pushes him too hard.
For this particular outing, buying Grimmjow swim trunks became the first challenge. Ichigo learned the hard way that, as much as Grimmjow likes wearing nice clothes (even if he denies ever staring at himself in the mirror when he does) he hates shopping for them. Hates the crowd, and looking at stuff, and trying on stuff; but Ichigo can’t just guess either. So he dragged him along; gave him earphones and music so he didn’t have to listen to so many people talking (and look even more unapproachable to people who may try and talk to him, because there’s actually plenty of those) and looked around the store like he’s a mother fussing over his kid’s new clothes.
He went for something plain-ish, that’s not rough in texture, and that fit Grimm’s ass without being obscene (Ichigo held that fear from experience). Grimm was always a couple steps behind; as Ichigo took one and without needing to ask, tested its fit around his butt and thighs right over Grimm’s clothes. Like you would a child. It got them stares, as expected; but since this is the only way Grimmjow would not complain or look like he’s a ticking bomb, he took the stares gladly.
Come Friday, the day agreed for the outing, Ichigo noted Inoue had done a nice job finding a place farther away from the school areas, so there’s not as many kids and their parents for Grimm to be annoyed by. He huffed a little laugh at the thought, somehow everyone babied Grimmjow by then; like he just fit right in.
Everyone was quick to get in— or be pushed in. He could hear Uryuu squeak and complain at being splashed right on his glasses and, right after, Orihime’s giggling. At that very moment though, he was more concerned about Grimmjow; still sitting on his chair and looking at the water like it offended him.
“You’re not going in?”
“Fuck off.” Grimm’s prickly responses barely got to him anymore, he knows now that the ex-espada has the emotional intelligence of a toddler, so he just sighed and poked some fun.
“You know, people usually come to swimming pools to actually swim. I thought you hated the heat, you look like you’re about to melt under there.”
…
The tiny frown only deepened, but he didn’t seem to hate the place just yet; would’ve stormed off already if he had. What threw him off was Grimmjow’s tight grip on his sweatshirt’s sleeves, and the intense glare he gave the water and everyone in it.
—!
“Ah, could it be? Grimm, you can’t swim?” The tiny flinch and coloring of his ears was answer enough.
Next thing Ichigo shouldn’t have done. He should’ve swallowed the bubbling giggles down, but his eyes watered and he snorted a sudden laugh, only deepening the color of Grimmjow’s cheeks.
“Shut the fuck up—! There’s no water in Hueco Mundo, WHY would I need to LEARN?!”
“— haha -ah, I’m sorry—,“ he wiped off a couple tears, trying his hardest to keep the next wave of laughter inside.
“I didn’t even think to ask…,” he continued when finally he regained some composure. “Why didn’t you say anything? I would’ve made up an excuse or something so we didn’t have to come.”
Grimm looked a little surprised at the admission, but still frowned once more. “Just go with them.”
“Grimmjow, come on, I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“Go.”
“No.”
“I said Go!”
“And I said no,” as he often needed to when dealing with him, Ichigo held his ground. He knew well that, otherwise, Grimmjow would only continue to sulk and keep whatever bothered him buried deep until it eventually hurt him.
“I can’t fucking swim what do you want me to do?!” Maybe not scream so loud... so everyone could hear.
Surely enough it at least caught their friend’s attention, “ah, Grimm can’t swim?! Oh no, I should’ve asked before I suggested it!” Orihime looked worried, but really, it wasn’t her fault at all.
Grimmjow growled under his breath and got up finally, face flaring red, and stomped off; but he wasn’t getting away so easily this time, Ichigo decided.
“Hey, hey, Grimm—,“ Ichigo caught him easily, so maybe he still had a chance to help him calm down, at least. “I’ll get in with you.”
The judging blue of Grimm’s eyes and tiny frowning brows made him falter and blush a little, but he kept on.
“I’m not going to carry you or anything, but…,” he shrugged a little, trying to appear as casual and non-pushy as he could. “I won’t let you drown. I promise. And you can probably stand up easily on the shallower side anyway.”
Somehow, someone out there was looking out for him because that actually worked. Grimmjow grumbled all the way back to their table where the rest were reuniting again. He did a quick hand gesture to get them to stop conglomerating and act natural, and took Grimm to the shallow end of the pool.
“Look I’m standing, see? You’ll be just fine, it’s not even that cold either. It’s nice.”
“STOP consoling me, I’m not a CHILD!”
Yeah, only acted like one… but Grimmjow wouldn’t catch him saying that.
Slowly he got in, through the stairs of course, and cringed as the water reached higher towards his chest and shoulders, muttering under his breath all along.
“O—kay now just walk over here!”
...
He felt like an idiot, waiting with his arms stretched out while Grimmjow held for dear life onto the metal stairs.
“Come on, G, I promise you won’t drown. It’s not even that de—” A new theory occurred to him suddenly; maybe it’s not only that he couldn’t swim… maybe he was scared of swimming? Would that be a hollow thing? Or maybe a cat thing?
Time to try something else.
With warm hands he held Grimmjow’s from behind, sneaking a little kiss to his nape where no one else could see, and slowly coaxed him off the edge.
“There, was that so bad?” It worked nicely enough; speaking, however, was a mistake.
As soon as Grimm felt the water engulf him further, freer and with nothing close to hold on to but the hands on his wrists, it was like holding a cat underwater. Turning around to him and scratching for his shoulders and back and neck and anything he could use to push himself higher and out of the water.
“OW GR—IMM! CLAWS OFF, OW!”
It was probably only a minute of struggling, of finding a steady grip to hold onto; it felt like the longest minute of Ichigo’s life.
“Y-you okay now?”
His breathing was calmer at least, and the sharp nails that had pierced his back had thankfully retreated. He wouldn’t budge, though; if he tried lowering his body even a little further into the water, the arms around his shoulder and neck would pull him deeper between his pecs and squeeze the life out of him. And if the hands he was using to hold his thighs loosened their grip in the slightest, Grimmjow would start kicking again.
He sighed his defeat. “How about I get you out of here?”
“—nO!”
“Grimm— you hate it! You’re damn close to shivering.”
“No— I’m NOT backing down!”
Fuck. Ichigo closed his eyes firmly to avoid rolling them. That stupid ego of his...
“Then let me lower you into the water then!”
…
A little groan of complaint and a few too-sharp squeezes to his shoulders and Grimmjow relaxed some, finally. Ichigo took the opportunity right away, in case Grimm thought better suddenly, and slid his hands up to hold only his arms. His grip was still tight on his shoulders, but at least now his face was not buried in Grimm’s chest.
“See, you’re not dying are you?”
“F-Fuck off!”
“Alright,” the teasing was necessary, he decided; and let go of his arms just a bit, just until the other started to flail in his hold.
“I thought you wanted me to fuck off?” he couldn’t stop a little chuckle this time, when Grimmjow immediately struggled back into Ichigo’s arms.
“FUCKER—!”
“I’m still here Grimm, you’re not gonna drown. I promise.”
“Yeah, I’m not so fucking SURE.”
“Come on, trust me,” he tightened his grip, just for theatrics, just so he could really feel his hands holding him up.
“Hey, calm down,” he used a gentle, soothing voice, hoping it’d reach him in his stress, “if you struggle you’ll sink . You’re taller than me aren’t you? I’m standing right up, you’ll be fine.”
Ichigo pushed Grimm a little away from him, not loosening his grip but letting him feel the water more. “Now let go a little, you’re too tense.”
“—! Y-You said you’d hold me I’m nOT LETTING GO.”
Ah, Grimmjow’s hysterics shouldn’t have gotten to him so easily, but they did nevertheless; and Ichigo’s face flushed hot, and his heart beat really fast at his words. Fuck it, he was holding Grimm up all day, even if his arms lost all feeling to them.
Surely enough, that was the most he’d allowed to be let go; and really, Ichigo couldn’t let go either, not after that. He felt a little like a pervert, his face flushing back up just remembering how Grimmjow demanded he kept holding him.
Why had he found that adorable? Because he was so openly relying on him, maybe? His arms felt crampy and sore from holding onto him all day. Fucker was eating a popsicle lazily as they walked the rest of the way back home, just the two of them, like he hadn’t caused a scene that very morning.
“Why are you smiling like an idiot?”
“I’m not— hhg,” no use fighting Grimm and ruining their tired comfort. “Hold my hand will ya?”
“HuH?!”
“Oh, so I have to carry you all day but you can’t hold my hand while we walk home? We’re a couple, right?!”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
—!
“UGH your hand is stickY, you’re making a meSS WITH THAT THING.”
“Heheheh—“
A child, he’s dating a child.