Work Text:
A moving van sat parked outside of Grimmjow’s complex. He paused at the main door long enough to see if things were going in or out. A man in overalls unloaded a dresser and headed for the door. Grimmjow held it open, and the man thanked him. So there was a new neighbor.
"Huh."
Grimmjow headed inside and took the stairs while the man loaded the dresser into the elevator. He tapped the button for his floor and wondered if that meant the apartment across from his would be taken.
When the doors opened, Grimmjow spotted a stack of boxes on the left side of the hallway. His apartment was on the right. Alright, so they’d managed to find a new tenant. Good. The last one argued with the squirrels and swore Grimmjow was listening to his socks.
Grimmjow unlocked his door and tossed his work bag inside. He closed the door and turned around, curious about his new neighbor. It would be his luck this one would be crazier than the last.
The elevator at the end of the hall opened, and Grimmjow watched the mover wheel the dresser toward them. A short man with black hair walked out of the open apartment door. He spared Grimmjow a glance before focusing on the mover.
“The dresser goes in the room to the left of the kitchen.” The shorter man collected one of the boxes off the floor.
Grimmjow nodded his head. “Hey.”
“Hello.” The man walked back inside with his box.
Grimmjow tilted his head and watched the man walk. He had a decent ass in a pair of skinny jeans. Grimmjow hummed. He’d been on a losing streak lately. Something about his personality and working hours being incompatible with theirs. Blah, blah “it’s not you, it’s me” type of shit.
The man returned for another box. He paused and turned to Grimmjow. “Can I help you?”
Grimmjow straightened. “Always curious to have a new neighbor. Grimmjow.” He extended his hand.
Ulquiorra hesitated before he took it. He had a decent grip. “Ulquiorra.”
Grimmjow squeezed Ulquiorra’s hand back. “Welcome to the complex. You want some help?”
Ulquiorra considered the boxes by the door and the singular moving man wheeling his cart back to the elevator. He glanced at Grimmjow from his periphery. His eyes were an interesting shade of green.
Ulquiorra said, “My furniture is solid wood.”
Grimmjow cracked his knuckles.“I can deal with heavy.” If it meant he got to look at Ulquiorra’s ass a moment longer.
Ulquiorra’s eyes flickered to Grimmjow’s arms. The scrubs were always tight around his biceps. Usually made most of Grimmjow’s patients swoon. Didn’t always work the same on men, but he did notice Ulquiorra’s eyes focusing.
“If you insist.” Ulquiorra turned on his heel and led Grimmjow downstairs.
The truck was still pretty full by the time they got to it. Grimmjow leaned his head in to see what was left. He spotted a coffin shaped coffee table, a black and red sofa with matching armchairs, and an antique bookshelf. The headboard looked the heaviest though. It had bars carved into it. The kitchen table and chairs were also black with some type of octagon shape. Spider web design maybe? It all looked kinda cute, Grimmjow admitted.
“Goth vibe. Cool.” Grimmjow bobbed his head. He’d never had a type, but he also never found a cute goth. Maybe it was time to try a new flavor? Grimmjow swung around to see Ulquiorra with his arms crossed.
If Ulquiorra was interested.
Grimmjow eased away from the mouth of the truck while Ulquiorra climbed inside to take another one of the boxes. Grimmjow stepped inside and spied a cat tree beside the headboard.
“You have a cat?” Grimmjow grabbed the tree around the middle and hauled it out. It was solid.
“I do. My friend is sitting him while I move.” Ulquiorra carried the boxes up the stairs while Grimmjow followed. He put them down in the living room and removed his phone.
“Cool.” Grimmjow walked the tree inside and left it by the window in the corner.
Ulquiorra held out his phone. A fluffy, black cat stared up at Grimmjow with tuna on its face. “This is Murcielago.”
Grimmjow chuckled and reached for his own phone to show Ulquiorra his lock screen. “This is Pantera, my little queen.”
“She’s very lovely.” Ulquiorra went to drag in more boxes.
Grimmjow smiled and went to help with the rest of the furniture. Once everything was unloaded, the mover left without a word. Grimmjow helped Ulquiorra haul the rest of the boxes out of the hall. And Grimmjow got a good few eyefuls for the trouble. Ulquiorra’s skinny jeans were not meant for moving.
Grimmjow dropped the boxes into their designated rooms and watched Ulquiorra wipe sweat from his brow.
“So what do you do for work?” Grimmjow asked while he plopped a kitchen box on the counter.
“I’m a medical technician.” Ulquiorra sat another beside it. “You?”
“Nurse.” Interesting that they both worked in the medical field. He wondered what department Ulquiorra was in. Or if he even worked for the same department.
Ulquiorra arched a brow and looked Grimmjow over. It was a long, lingering look. The kind that would normally make Grimmjow bristle and snarl a little. People always looked down on male nurses.
“In the ER then.” Ulquiorra turned away.
Grimmjow blinked. Yeah, he did. “How’d you know?” He’d not dealt with anyone bloody today so his scrubs were clean.
“All ER nurses look like you.” Ulquiorra shrugged.
Grimmjow had it on good authority they did not. “Not followin’ you.”
Ulquiorra waved his hand in Grimmjow’s general direction. “ER nurses have a seriousness in their eyes. A hardness to their jaws, but they also have deep smile lines. Also.” Ulquiorra crossed the room and caught Grimmjow’s badge between his fingers. “Your badge has ER clearance on it.”
Grimmjow’s cheeks warmed. “Oh.”
Ulquiorra let the badge fall back against Grimmjow’s chest, but he didn’t step away. “Thank you for your help. Stay for dinner. I’ll order takeout.”
Grimmjow’s head swam. Was Ulquiorra hitting on him or being friendly? Ulquiorra stepped away, taking out his phone. “Chinese or Japanese? Mexican food is always good.”
Grimmjow blurted out, “I can cook.”
Ulquiorra paused and turned to look at him, fingers still against the screen. “Are you offering to cook dinner for me?”
Grimmjow desperately wanted to eat his words. “I mean, you just moved in, and I know you had to do first and last rent. Plus the amenities hookups, and if you work at the same hospital.” He was rambling. He should have just said yes to takeout and went Dutch on it.
Ulquiorra cocked his hip. He crossed his arms and looked Grimmjow over again. This time slower. Like he was dissecting Grimmjow. Pulling him apart to see all the wriggly bits inside. Grimmjow locked his knees. He went against junkies and nut jobs in the emergency room. One twink of a medical tech wouldn’t break him.
“Are you a good cook?” Ulquiorra tilted his head.
“I mean.” Grimmjow patted his own stomach. Oh, that was dumb. Ulquiorra’d think he was a pig.
Ulquiorra closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose. Grimmjow readied for the dismissal. For the laughter.
Ulquiorra didn’t laugh. He walked past Grimmjow and out of the apartment. He stopped in the hallway and turned to look at Grimmjow.
“Lock the door behind you.” And then he was gone from the doorway.
Grimmjow lingered, surprised, and a little unsure. Then his mind was whirling with possibilities. He hurried after Ulquiorra. What was in his fridge? Did he even have food in there? God, please let him have more than protein shakes!
Grimmjow pulled the door closed and forced himself to relax when he came up to Ulquiorra’s side. He said, “You got something in mind you’d want to eat?” He opened his apartment door, stepped inside, and gestured for Ulquiorra to enter.
“I’m the guest. You should impress me.” Ulquiorra stepped inside.
Grimmjow watched Ulquiorra cross his living room and head straight to the kitchen counter where he sat down at the bar, rested his elbow on the counter, and his chin in his hand.
“If I like dinner, maybe I’ll let you have me for dessert.”
Grimmjow swallowed on a dry throat. He closed the door and moved into the kitchen. Please, God, he hoped he had food in the fridge.