Work Text:
Nnoitra Gilga doesn't believe in 'equality.' No one is better than him, nor are they worthy enough to stand at his side. It's a fact. Has been for as long as he's been an Arrancar. No one could fight him on this as he would simply kill them.
Some people took that as an excuse to care about him? He doesn't understand that at all. All he needs in life is power and the knowledge that he's the strongest Espada there is; he does everything he can to push others away or put them in their place, reminding them that he only cares about bloodlust and sadism. So why the fuck did someone consider him nice? Considerate? An idiot, that's who.
Unfortunately, it was Nnoitra's idiot.
Tesla Lindocruz wasn't an idiot. Far from it. He was smart, witty, and calculative. The only Fraccion in existence that was perfect. Nnoitra thought that, at least. While not equal at all, Nnoitra did think that Tesla was the most deserving of his position. The only one Nnoitra trusts, anyway.
That said, Tesla thinking Nnoitra was something more than violence was despicable. He tends to think Nnoitra has a heart because Nnoitra saved him a few times. He also has this confidence in Nnoitra that Nnoitra himself finds confusing. Clearly an idiot. There was no other explanation.
Stupid Tesla.
Though, if Nnoitra were being honest- which he wasn't- he admits that it is almost flattering. At least there's someone who has such strong devotion toward him. It's the type of admiration that Nnoitra can't betray- wouldn't dare betray. There's no one he considers his equal but he at least considers Tesla good enough to be right below him. Nothing more, nothing less. Tesla's own comfortable spot.
Ugh, Nnoitra rolls his eyes at himself. Disgusting. He didn't have time to consider his Fraccion. That is a lie, he always has time when it comes to Tesla. That doesn't mean Nnoitra is going to like it. He looks toward his door, lips pulling into a firm line.
Like clockwork, Tesla would be coming around with tea in a few minutes. Tea, like the damn Arrancar's drank or ate. They didn't have to do any of the basic humanities. Even sleep was optional: Nnoitra's seen Grimmjow cat-napping, literally, on occasion. The point was, Tesla acts like a butler and it grates Nnoitra's nerves more often than not.
It was the purpose of a Fraccion, however, so he wasn't sure why he kept getting mad. Nnoitra scoffs and throws Santa Teresa across the room like it's nothing to him. At the moment, it really isn't. Destruction is a good distraction, and thinking about his dumb, not-so-equal, perfect Tesla was infuriating Nnoitra.
Three knocks at the door sound and Nnoitra grits his teeth, glaring at his zanpakuto without addressing the one walking through the door. He won't admit this, ever, but looking at Tesla is hard when Nnoitra is in a mood like this. Thinking about him for hours was one thing, but it was another when Nnoitra had to stare at Tesla.
"Are you alright?" Tesla asks. Usually Tesla tacks on the word 'master,' like it is more than just a title. He doesn't do that today.
Nnoitra is not as mad as he should be. He gestures to Santa Teresa and plops himself in a chair, one leg over the other, and huffs. "I want to kill something," he says, only half-lying. He wants to do more than just kill something. Wants to massacre. Wants to spill blood rain down onto Hueco Mundo and cackle as red colors the sand and otherwise vapid scenery.
Tesla, to his credit, is in tune with Nnoitra's moods and does not question this. Instead, he walks over and picks up Santa Teresa with little effort, and brings her over to Nnoitra. Not many people can pick up Santa Teresa and live. Actually, there's only one person who can pick her up and give it to Nnoitra. It's Tesla. It's always Tesla when it comes to Nnoitra's things.
"Maybe after tea," Tesla offers. "I will find an unsuspecting group of hollows for you."
That's another thing Tesla does to Nnoitra. He cares and supports Nnoitra's actions. No one's done that before. If he weren't aware of Tesla's actual, honest-to-God loyalty, Nnoitra would call him out on his pity. No, all of this is genuine and Nnoitra hates it. Hates it so, so much. He would kick Tesla's ass if he had a replacement in mind but no Arrancar besides Tesla was a perfect fit.
Nnoitra rolls his eyes again and accepts Tesla's damn tea. Stupid, stupid Tesla. "Why should I keep you around?" His question comes out quietly, barely a mutter as he watches Tesla pour two cups of tea and push one toward him. He doesn't mean for Tesla to answer him, but he knows Tesla heard so... So he waits.
"I'm the only one who doesn't yell at you for being a complete asshole," Tesla replies. So simple, so easy. So annoying. "There is also the fact that it would take years to train a new Fraccion under you and we don't have that time. And..." Tesla trails off at the end. He purses his lips and moves to stand behind the chair opposite of Nnoitra's. He always stands behind the chair because he and Nnoitra are not equals. “You don’t have a reason to kill me yet.”
Nnoitra wants him to sit across from him sometimes. Never all the time, just sometimes. He will never say that out loud. "You're right," he admits, voice more forceful than he means. "Maybe I'll make you train your replacement and then kill you."
Lips curling upward, Tesla merely nods his head. "If that's what you want."
It's not what Nnoitra wants. "One day your patience will run out."
"Does that matter to you?" Tesla arches an eyebrow. "Are you alright? I felt your anger earlier but now it feels weak. Are you tired?"
It does matter and that makes Nnoitra's eye twitch. "It shouldn't," he answers. "It's nothing, Tesla. Drink your stupid tea."
Proving himself even more of an idiot in Nnoitra's eyes, Tesla shakes his head and rounds the table. He stops just within Nnoitra's space and waits until Nnoitra looks up at him. If any other Arrancar attempted this, Nnoitra would cut them down with no hesitation. Then the bastard has the audacity to press an ungloved hand over Nnoitra's forehead. "I'm sorry if I am making you upset in any way, Nnoitra."
Nnoitra exhales, having not expected Tesla to say his name so softly. It's nice.
No. No, it's not. Nnoitra scowls. "I'm fine, back off." As he says this, he finally gets a good look at Tesla. The first thing Nnoitra notices is the worry in his brown eyes, the second is that Tesla's hair was longer. Long enough to run his hand through blond locks and -
"Tell me what you're thinking."
Where Tesla has the guts to demand such a thing, Nnoitra does not know. He waits until Tesla's hand is gone from his forehead before he answers. "I am above you." He will admit to snorting when he catches Tesla rolling his eyes. The actual audacity- Stop, Nnoitra. "Why should I tell you?"
"Getting it off your chest would be very beneficial," Tesla answers. He always has common sense and niceness. "I also think that you want to tell me."
Feelings are an obstacle: a stepping stone that could pave the way for bloodshed. Tempting. Nnoitra's seen some of his fellow Espada, namely Ulquiorra, show more than one emotion. That in itself was a reward considering Ulquiorra was always deadpan and boring. More proof that feelings are a chore.
He does not need feelings when he is above everyone in the world. Even as he thinks that, his eyes narrow at Tesla and Nnoitra wants to reach out and take Tesla's eyepatch off just because he can. Wants to see all of Tesla. Everything that Tesla so willingly devotes to him.
"This is dumb," he says. "Telling you would only inflate your ego and make you think you're special."
Tesla tilts his head at that. Then he stands up straight and holds a palm to his chest with his head held high. "I think serving under you is special enough as it is, Nnoitra."
Why does that omission make Nnoitra blink with eyes wide? Why does it send his pulse racing in four different directions? Maybe Tesla was trying to raise his ego. "What is it that you like about serving under me, Tesla?"
"You." Tesla answers so readily as if he's rehearsed this conversation before. As if the answer being Nnoitra himself was the easiest thing in the world.
Nnoitra itches to take Santa Teresa and throw her across the room again. How could he deal with... Whatever this feeling in his chest was. "Me?" He laughs because he can't honestly believe that. No one likes Nnoitra Gilga enough to want to work with them, let alone as his servant. "You might have taken a hard hit in the last battle," he mocks.
Deep inside, however, Nnoitra's heart warms for the first time in hundreds of years.
There is a second where Tesla stares at Nnoitra in disbelief before he reaches out and takes Nnoitra's hands in his. It's a bold move, but Nnoitra just blinks as Tesla raises his hands and presses his forehead against Nnoitra's fingers. "Regardless of the difficulty, I'll withstand any battle thrown at me as long as I get to stay under you, Master Nnoitra. The choices I have made, and the ones I will make, I would make them again for you. None of it is out of obligation or loyalty, but rather respect and... Something else."
"Something else?" Nnoitra's not sure if his question comes out breathless or full of suspicion.
Tesla nods. Then he nuzzles into Nnoitra's fingers as if he's always wanted this. "I love you.” Then he repeats those cursed words. “I love you, and that's all there is."
Love. That's the emotion that's been growing inside Nnoitra and his more competitive side wants to tell Tesla that he loved him first, but the rest of himself wants to sneer. Hearing the words come from Tesla is really surprising. It's more proof of the good and perfection that Tesla himself is and Nnoitra himself is not.
It's like a wild melody that never ends, the repetition of Tesla's confession in Nnoitra's ears. He slowly takes one hand away from Tesla and then caresses his face with it. The sound of Nnoitra's bangles fills the room. "I'm above you," he repeats. "And I love you too, didn't you know." Though his words are soft, Nnoitra's inner hollow is screeching for a fight.
Nnoitra Gilga is imperfect. He's crass and a dick, but somehow Tesla still caught feelings. Tesla, who is patient and deals with Nnoitra's insatiable lust for power. He might never understand how that happened, but Nnoitra finds he doesn’t care. At least right now.
"If you're above me," Tesla begins, dragging him out of his thoughts. "Then how come I'm standing and looking down at you?" He doesn't give Nnoitra a chance to respond because suddenly his hands are cupping Nnoitra's cheeks and he's leaning down and they are kissing.
His first, impulsive, thought is disgusting. How dare he kiss Tesla and like it. How dare he do something that does not involve killing. How dare he have feelings. His second, not so impulsive, thoughts are to lift a hand and push his fingers through Tesla's hair, holding him in place and kissing him back.
He's the strongest Espada, regardless of his number, and there's no one he cares about. No one except Tesla, who somehow, in their years of working as partners, has become more equal than anyone else. Maybe even more than equal. Maybe Nnoitra secretly considers Tesla above him.
He'll never admit that out loud.
“I’m still going to kill you,” Nnoitra mumbles when they part. He watches Tesla pant and takes pride in the ability to make him speechless.