Chapter Text
It was a bright Friday afternoon; Ichigo was coming back from university to his apartment after a hard week of midterms when he was ambushed by a familiar face dropping out from the sky with an enthusiastic wave of his hand.
“Kurosaki-san!!! Just the person I was looking for! I know you’re the most qualified for this very important task.”
“What exactly are you dumping on me you crazy scientist?”
“A cat.”
Rolling his eyes in exasperation, “Clearly, I’m not blind. I doubt you adopted a caramel tabby for fun. What else are you not saying? What did you do to it, it looks like it wants to kill you.”
“Why would you suspect me of some machination, I’ve always been a blameless shopkeeper?
Crossing his arms defensively, Ichigo continued. “There was nothing ever innocent about you, stop it. I won’t do what you want, if you don’t tell me more.”
Hiding behind his ever-annoying fan, sighing with a much more serious tone, Urahara gave in. He was desperate and in a rush; Ichigo had ample reasons to be suspicious of his motives. “Someone wanted to replicate Yoruishi’s transformative power and miserably failed. I’m going to consult with the Shihouin to reverse it or see if there are any consequences if they stay like this forever. Meanwhile, I need someone trustworthy and who else could I turn to than my favorite student. Just put it in a cage and let it rot there. I shouldn’t be long.” and throwing the little beast straight into his arm, Urahara shunpo away, already gone before he could protest further.
Manipulative bastard... as if he had nothing better to do...
And turning toward his burden, he scratches its head fondly by reflex, thinking how it could take care of it. In the unlikely case that what Urahara said was true (and it wasn’t a bad joke like he suspected) he probably had some random seat from the twelve division in his arms. It wasn’t going to let it in the street at the mercy of whatever predator might be lurking around. He’s always been a sucker for those cute little kittens and this one was particularly adorable.
It had big amber eyes and was throwing a bunch of cute little meow meow his way as if it was trying to communicate instructions. It didn’t seem particularly aggressive either. Ichigo decided to bring it inside until he figured out something better. He was sure Yuzu had friends that would be more than willing to adopt it. Screw whatever Urahara had said, this little guy wasn’t even talking, no way was it a Shihouin in disguise.
He settled it on the ground, throwing his backpack and shoes away at the entrance, getting a drink for himself and a bowl of water for his guest. Despite himself, he started to baby talk the creature, explaining that he was a friend and how to drink. His tone seemed to make it react with an adorable frown of disgust, followed by anger and it clawed its way out of reach, running out of the way toward his bedroom.
Fearing for his bedsheets, Ichigo followed, but found the kitty sitting on his desk chair, staring at him with uncanny intensity, intelligence shining through. Was it him or did those eyes look familiar???
Whatever, if it wanted to stay there for now, then it wasn’t an issue. He was going to fix himself supper and that would be it. Hopefully Urahara would come back soon or he’ll find a family for it.
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A few hours later, Ichigo was getting progressively annoyed at the blond trickster. He said soon, right? Why wasn’t he back yet? He had better stuff to do on a Friday night than babysit a cat. In addition, he had work tomorrow, what should it do with it while he was away? Pfftt....
At least the kitty knew how to behave so it wasn’t a total disaster. Ichigo was actually surprised how nothing had been clawed or destroyed yet. It’s as if the little one knew he was a guest and respected him somehow. Every time he looked at it, it meowed in his direction with the cutest pitch. Maybe it could stay here by itself for a few hours? It was following him around but only observing and didn’t seem dangerous.
Ichigo attempted to pet it by reflex, it was so cute! but it dodged his hand, somehow glaring at him for his presumption... What a weird one. Weren’t cats always looking for attention generally? Whatever, he settled on his sofa with a volume of poetry, trying to pass time.
A moment after, Ichigo realized that the tabby had settled on the top of the couch over his shoulder and was seemingly following the text along the pages with his eyes. Okay that was freaking weird. Not an ordinary cat then... Fuck. That made him swore against Urahara out loud for a long time. Weirdly, the cat seemed to approve.
Okay that was it. Not giving it a chance to escape, Ichigo grabbed it by the waist with both hands and tried to decipher who it could be by initiating a soul deep staring contest.
It was at this moment that a loud banging rang in the room. “KUROSAKI, come fight me!!! I know you’re in there.”
“Not a good time, Grimm, go away. Another day.”
“You always say that carrot-head. Open or I’m coming through.”
Damnit. He knew the Arrancar would just destroy his door if he didn’t obtemperate.
He dropped his burden, looking at it fiercely: “Stay there.” as he walked to his entrance, unlocking it. “I’m not even in spirit form, you, dumbass.” but Grimmjow wasn’t even look at him when he answered, instead staring at his feet at the little creature who had disobeyed and followed.
Some unknown communication must have passed between the two, because out-of-nowhere the blue-haired Espada hysterically laugh at the sky, loosing coherence half mumbling Spanish in between his loud guffaws. He even fell to the floor, tears at the corner of his cerulean eyes.
“This is the best shit ever, Kurosaki. I can’t believe it. HAHAHA.... I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m not crazy enough to get involved where this guy is concerned. You’re on your own. Harribel and Nel are going to have a blast when I told them. I’ll see you around.” and before he could place a word, the other had opened a garganta and was gone.
Meanwhile, the kitty had disappeared he didn’t know where, but Ichigo didn’t bother looking for it. If he inferred correctly (there weren’t many except maybe one person Grimmjow would avoid like that). That was enough clue to have a growing suspicion of who his guest might be. Fuck. What a mess.
He sat down, sighing in discouragement. Thinking about the unfairness of it all. Flashbacks of the wars he left behind coming back to haunt him. He was finally starting to get over his trauma after all these years, his nightmares only visiting him a few times a month instead of every day.
He didn’t know how long he stayed there but when he reopened his eyes, the kitten was in front of him on the ground, clearly trying to analyze his feelings. It was evident now who that pair of eyes belonged to.
And what conflicted feelings he had. Enemies and reluctant allies, he had felt the soul of this man when they had crossed blades. His loneliness had echoed to his own and despite being on different sides he had been drawn to him, simply to try to understand how a Shinigami could be pushed to those extremes.
Ichigo picked him up to put him on his lap. If he was going to harm him, he would have done so already. “Urahara must have had a blast when he saw you like this. Shouldn’t you be in Muken?”
The meow he got as a reply was obviously as frustrating to him as it was for his charge. They should find a way to communicate. Ichigo had an epiphany. He opened his phone in a note app and put the keyboard bigger, showing how it worked to the little creature. There was no way someone from Soul Society would know how to use a phone. It only reinforced his suspicions when the kitten immediately picked up on what he wanted him to do. It looked difficult but they should be able to exchange a few words.
“Are you Aizen?”
Tiny paws on the keyboard, painful looking for the right letters . ‘YES’
Screw his life. Another shout of explicit swears. “There is no way you’ll go away on your own, right?”
Even longer to get a simple answer: ‘TOO DANGEROUS’
Hmmphh, that made sense, there were a lot of people who had beef with the traitor and would see this as an occasion to strike. “Why me?”
A bit of hesitation and several unsure glances later. ‘NOT KILL ME’
Hmmphh, also true. Despite the lack of acknowledgement from the Gotei or the Royal Guards, Ichigo knew they would have never won against Yhwach without the man at his side. He felt they all owed him somehow. He would never attack another if it wasn’t to defend something precious.
And not expecting an answer, he threw a “What should I do with you then?” around.
However, this time there wasn’t any uncertainty. ‘KEEP’
What!